God's Provided Way

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Thank you, Brother Reed.
Good evening, friends. Very happy to be here this evening to be in the service of the Lord to do ... to try to do His work. And we pray that it'll be a blessing to many of you. It's a blessing to us to be here with you, in His service. So, I think...
I'm very conscious of cameras. [Brother Branham and the congregation laugh.] All right. I remember, many times in the services, of the pictures and things, why... The Lord bless you, brother.

2 So, I remember it's kind of the hardest thing for me to look right in one; I'm blind for an hour after looking at one. [Brother Branham laughs and the congregation laughs.]
This has certainly been a privilege to be here. Looks like homecoming sure enough, to see them all lined up around the wall again. The people out ... standing out in the rain and so forth. It looks like being down in Arkansas.
And so, we didn't advertise the meetings because that we were, you know, for a few days where we could teach and preach a little while, and kind of get the things lined up. We hope to be back with you again soon, if the Lord tarries.

3 I'm going home now to get ready for Africa and India, and Palestine, Germany, many places overseas. Our Lord just give us the greatest meeting, in Africa. We had thirty thousand converts in one day---thirty thousand in one day. And when they seen the glory of God coming down... The missionaries has been over there telling them about it. Then when they seen our Lord come in and do just what ... that they had been taught He would do... I asked for the altar call and thirty thousand raw heathens come to Jesus Christ at one time. We had about three or four meetings. There was a hundred thousand altogether, but thirty thousand with one altar call.
So, we're going right back to the same place again, where the Lord has promised me, by a vision. Many of you wants to hear about if a vision speaks and what it will come to pass. Now you write this in your Bible, like you did the little boy to be resurrected from the dead in Finland. You remember that? You seen it in The Voice of Healing and so forth. After two years it had been predicted. We're going to have a meeting there, which will be three times the size of the other. There will be three hundred thousand people in the meeting. See if that isn't true.

4 And oh, how our Lord will bless this time, more than He did the other time. Now, you write that down on something, just put it away and see if that isn't right.
There's going to somewhere, I don't know where. There's a little baby, got a little white shock of hair set in front of its head here, just about eight, ten months old, something like that. I'm a very poor judge of age. It's going to die. Something is in its throat or chest that will kill it. It'll be carried out on a canvas stretcher, colored green, to an undertaker wagon to take it away. I'll be coming by at that time, and will recognize the vision. God will give the baby back its life. It'll go back into the house again, and be well. Now, just see if that isn't true.
I'm watching for a little boy, red-headed. His mother will have one of those things that women wear around their heads, scarves, you know. And she's tall, thin woman, the little boy is about so high with polio, very badly crippled. He's going to be made instantly whole. When I see him, I'll know him---the vision. And see... You watch, and you'll see those things that will come to pass.

5 Our Lord is here tonight. Many are standing, been standing for quite a while, no doubt. And I feel sorry for you to have to stand like that. Some day, there's some of the brothers out on the field that ... well, they was probably a little more prosperous in the financial ways than I was, and they got great big tents. And many of them now are not using them. So, several of them has called me and told me I could have their tent, if I wanted to use it. Some of them seat as many as fifteen thousand.
I was talking to Brother Reed; I'd like to bring that right outside of Jonesboro and pitch it for about a month, somewhere out there; have a good old-fashioned meeting. We get all the churches everywhere to cooperate; no matter who they are, let them cooperate. Now, of course, we know there'll be many that won't. And many that would not cooperate. But, there's some that doesn't believe in divine healing. They've never had a touch of God, they can't believe. They just can't believe. There's nothing there to believe with, see. If there's no life, there's just no life. That's just it.
So you, well, you don't want to argue with the people. The Bible said just let them alone. We've had them all through the ages, started back there with Cain. They come all down through the age, and now the whole vine is going to seed, and we're... Sure, it'll be these days, so, be very, very ecclesiastical, very Orthodox, too, in belief. But just simply, strictly unbelievers, born in the world for that purpose, and couldn't believe if they had to; the Bible said so. That's the Word of God. Born in the world, foreordained to this condemnation. So we just have to have that. But, where the carcass is the eagles will be gathered. Where God is moving, people will come to worship God. It has always been.

6 Now, very thankful and expressing my thanks tonight, to Brother Reed, and to Sister Reed, to the officers of this church, to every member, for your fine cooperation during this time. We are... Little party has been scattered, different ones are home resting. Mr. Sharritt is in Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Bosworth is in Durban, South Africa, setting the meeting together. Baron Von Blomberg is in India making ready a dinner. I'm to have a dinner with Mr. Nehru, which is the prime minister of India. And then, he goes from there to the King of Trans-jordan for a little dinner. And then we go in from there, from the Mohammedans over to Israel, and from there up to Luxembourg, Germany. Mr. Baxter, the speaker, he's in British Columbia.

7 My next meeting, known, will be at Connersville, Indiana. We will have seating capacity there for around twenty thousand at Connersville, Indiana. That meeting has been set up now. There's forty-three full Gospel churches in the district there, cooperating with it, with many, many dozens or more, plumb over in Toledo, Ohio, and all through there. We begin on the thirty-first of this month, at Connersville, Indiana, in a big Holy Spirit rally, preaching the Gospel, praying for the sick, expecting many to be there. And we invite you. If you're anyway around that neighborhood, come.

8 If you've been converted during the time of this revival, and you don't have any church that you've taken up with yet, I'd ask you to come join this little church. It's a wonderful little place here to come, serve the Lord. If I lived here in this neighborhood, I'd be a member of this church. I am a member of it, anyhow, I'm an associate pastor. And so, I have to come back once in awhile to see about my church. And I look around, you know, so I will be back to see you, the Lord willing, pretty soon.
And all you people that's around in these other cities, that belongs to these churches, go to church every day, every day that you can, every day that they have service, go. Attend your church, be real loyal. Just stand by your church. Stand by your pastor, help him out with everything you got. Give him spiritual support. Fast and pray for him. And have faith in him, and God will lead the church on to that glorious day that we're looking forward to come. No matter, you say, "Well, our church don't believe..."
Well now, as long as you believe the main fundamentals and are born-again of the Spirit of the God, well... You might believe Christ coming on a white horse, and some believes He's coming on a white cloud, but that won't stop Him from coming. He will come anyhow. So, you just believe Him, you see, and He will be here.
And now, I appreciate all. Brother Reed said they taken a love offering for me, which I did ... and, I mean, a missionary offering tonight, too.

9 What I do with money... The reason that I don't own a big tent, or have places like that... I spend every penny of money---God, who is my solemn judge, knows---that everything that I don't have to have to live on, I put it in foreign missions, and go over to the heathen lands to preach the Gospel to the heathens, to bring them the same type of ministry that you see right here. And then when that day comes, I want to be counted a steward that did just exactly what God would have me to do. And if I know I take it myself, and go over there and do... Well, it won't be altogether ... I won't receive the reward. It'll be you people that sent me, because I couldn't go without you sending me (that's right), without you making a way. God put on your heart, and I will use every bit of it, the best of my knowledge, for the outgoing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

10 I pray on that day when the crowns are given out to the saints, that I will be standing back when I see the Jonesboro group come up there. I'll be awful noisy, I'm afraid, when I see Him place... I think of what it'll be when the last Supper is set there in Glory. And we've all overcome, sit across the table from one another. I look across the table and see old battle-scared saints sitting there, tears of joy running down their cheeks. We will just have to reach across the table and take one another by hand.
I'll say, "Oh, brother, I'm so glad to see you." Just think of that long supper table. Then the King will come out in His beautiful garments and wipe all tears from our eyes, saying, "Don't cry no more, we're all here now, it's all over. Last prayer meeting is over now. No more fasting. No more praying, we're all home. Now enter into the joys of the Lord." That's what I want to hear. That's what I'm working hard, day and night, all the time that I can, to do.

11 Now, the Lord bless you. And I hope to be back with you. The latch string hangs on the outside of my door at home. Coming through there, drop in, say, "How are you, Brother Branham?" There's a crowd there, usually, so just push right on through. Say, "I'm from Arkansas."

12 I want to read some Scriptures for about a ten-minute talk. Then we'll try to call a prayer line. I don't know how we're going to do it, but we're going to try, if the Lord willing.
(Now, if you want to turn your air conditioner on for a few moments, it's getting pretty warm, why, you go right ahead. That's all right.)
I want to read some Scripture out of Saint John the 3rd chapter. And I'll make it quick so that we can go right into the line. Now, first verse ... beginning at the 9th verse of the 3rd chapter.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Verily, I say unto you, We speak that what we know, ... testify of that what we ... see; and ye receive not our witness.
If I have told you earthly things, and ye have not believed, how shall ye believe, if I tell you ... heavenly things?
And no man ... ascended up to heaven, but he that come down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

13 If I'd put some... A little what I would call a text ... I've been speaking this week upon: Who was Jesus? What type of a ministry did He have? What did the world think about Him? How did they receive Him? And then comparing His ministry with today, and see if it's the same yesterday, today, and forever. With all bases on Hebrews 13:12: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Tonight I would speak: God's Provided Way, for a subject. We've often thought of how ... if we were looking for Jesus, what we would have to look for. If He promised He would be with us to the end of the world, then surely, though our faith failed, yet, He's here. If our faith failed, yet, He is faithful; He cannot disown Himself. He's here.

14 What I think, friends, that what we fail is our faith fails to believe that we take Him as something way off somewhere else, when He's right here with us. He's just as real in this room tonight as this light is. Darkness can't come in this room as long as this light is here. No matter how dark it is outside, it'll never get so dark but what this light will overcome the darkness. Is that right? No matter how much dark tries to press through that window, as long as that light is there, light is more powerful than darkness.
And when faith comes in, no matter how much unbelief stands around, the light is greater than the darkness. And I believe God is just as real in this room tonight as that light is. As the light on my hand... It's just as close as the light is on my hands.

15 Now, if we seen Him in His earthly ministry, He went about... He didn't claim to be a great person, He didn't claim to be a healer. I hear so much slam that the devil has give upon people who pray for the sick; call them "divine healers." Well, because a man preaches divine healing, doesn't make him no divine healer. If it does, it makes the man who preaches salvation a divine saviour. Would you think it would be nice to call a preacher: "There's my divine saviour, going there." Well, certainly you wouldn't want to do that. Well, that's just a Scriptural as saying, "There goes as divine healer." A man preaching divine healing doesn't make him a healer, no more than it makes a man a saviour. A minister can't save you. He can tell you the Word and point you to Christ, and Christ can't save you, what He has already done. He saved you nineteen hundred years ago. You just have to accept it. Well, then, man can't heal you; he can only point you to Christ who healed you nineteen hundred years ago when He died.

16 Recently I was in a place where there was Stewart Hamilton, a few great outstanding fundamental preachers, which probably would not like for me to call their name here before this mixed audience. And this one minister walked up to me, and he said, "Brother Branham, as a man I admire you." He said, "But your doctrine of divine healing is all wrong."
I said, "Well, then the Bible is all wrong."
And he said, "Oh, you can't... Do you preach divine healing by the Bible, by the atonement?"
I said, "Yes, sir."
He said, "Brother Branham." 'Course he knowed I didn't have any education. And he said, "Brother Branham, if I will prove to you that you're wrong by the Bible, will you accept it?"
I said, "Yes, brother. Certainly. Anybody can show me wrong by the Scripture, then I will accept it. I don't want to be wrong."
And he said, "All right. And you preach divine healing by the atonement?"
I said, "Yes, sir."
He said, "Isaiah's prophesy there about..."
I said, "Yes, sir."
He said, "Brother Branham, if divine healing..." Now, listen close, everyone. He said, "If divine healing was in the atonement, there wouldn't be any more pain. A man couldn't even have a pain if divine healing is in the atonement, because the atonement makes it so covered that there wouldn't be even pain."
I said, "Brother, do you believe there is salvation in the atonement for the soul?"
He said, "Yes."
I said, "Is there temptation?"
And he said, "You apply it to Isaiah?"
I said, "Yes, sir." Of course, without education, I have to depend on the Holy Spirit for His wisdom.
He said, "Don't take no thought what you will say, it'll be given to you at that minute."
I've been twisted around---crossed the world three times now; He has never failed yet. He won't.

17 He said, "Well, Rev. Branham, I want to ask you something." He said, "If I'll prove to you by the Bible that Isaiah's prophesy has already been fulfilled and done away with, according to..." He said, "Took our infirmities and so forth and bruised for our iniquities...
And I said, "Yes, sir."
He said, "All right, Matthew 8 said that when evening was come, they brought to Him the multitudes of people that He might heal them, and He healed them all, which was to fulfill which Isaiah the prophet said, 'Himself took our infirmities.'"
He said, "You see, Brother Branham, that proved that it was fulfilled right there, because the Bible said that it was fulfilled."
I said, "Brother, would you mean to say that you believe that Isaiah's prophesy, 'He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities,' and so forth, 'and with His stripes we're healed,' the healing taken place there that fulfilled it?"
He said, "That's what the Bible said."
I said, "Then the atonement had more power before it was made than after it was made, after it come in effect, because that was a year and six months before Jesus even died. The atonement hadn't even been made. So how could it be?"
And he said, "Then...

18 "Well," I said, "I want to ask you something, brother." He got to using great big words, and I said, "Now, don't go to speaking in unknown tongues to me, because I can't understand it, see." I said, "You just talk plain every-day English, just like used here in the King James version." And I said, "We'll understand each other." And I said, "I want to ask you something. Will you admit that divine healing is in the Word? In the Word?" I just wanted him to say that. See, it knowed.
He said, "Yes, it's in the Word, but the atonement is over the Word, see." And he said, "Because in Mark 11..." Some of them said Mark 16 is not inspired, but "Mark 11:24 said, 'Whatsoever things you desire when you pray, believe you receive it,'" see. Whatsoever!
He said, "Yes, it's in the Word, but it's not in the atonement."
I said, "You mean God put it in the Word without putting it in the atonement?"
Said, "The atonement is over the Word. That's where you make your failure, Brother Branham."

19 I give him a little parable. I said, "Brother, one time there was king, and he had a great kingdom. And in this he made the rules, and the atonements and so forth, of the king." And I said, "There was a slave committed a crime, and that crime required death. And so, he called the slave up, read off... And it was death. So there wasn't nothing for the slave to do, but die. So he said, 'What can I do before I kill you?'"
"And the slave said, 'Get me a glass of water.' And so they brought him a glass of water. And the poor fellow knowed he was going to die, so he was shaking so hard, he couldn't hold the glass in his hand. And he said, 'Now wait a minute. Before I take your life, I'm going to... You drink that water before I take your life. And I'm not going to take your life till you drink that glass of water.' And the slave throwed the water on the ground."

20 I said, "Now, what's he going to do? If he's a man of honor, he has got to keep his word. No matter what the law says, he has got to keep his word."
"Well," he said, "of course, Brother Branham, that was a slip-up on the king."
I said, "Then God is so loose He let it slip up, and put it in His Word and not put it in the atonement? No, no, don't talk that to me. No, He can't do it. No."
You can't deny but what it's in the Word, and if it's in the Word, the atonement is to back the Word up for every word of God is inspired.
Said, "Do you believe Mark 16 is inspired?"
I said, "Yes, sir. Every..."
"All from 9th verse on?"

21 I said, "Yes, sir. 'They take up serpents, and drink deadly things.'" I said, "Yes, sir, I believe it's inspired. I don't believe in tempting, no more than anything else, but," I said, "I believe that it's inspired Word."
One time there was a woman, her boy went away to college. And he learned a whole lot, you know. And while he was gone away to some great college to learn all about God and everything, his poor old mother got sick, and the doctors about give her up. She had pneumonia and was going to die.
So, this little old woman, lived down the street, went to a mission, the Full Gospel Mission. So it come back up, told her, said, "Now, lady," said, "do you believe, your pastor believe, in praying for the sick?"
Said, "No, I don't believe we believe in divine healing down there."

22 Said, "Well, our church believes in divine healing. Let me get my pastor come up, and pray for you."
She said, "Well, all right." And so the pastor come up, and anointed her with oil, and prayed for her. The woman got well. So, her boy came home from the cemetery ... seminary a little later on. So when... (I get those two mixed up, and they're are so close together, anyhow.) So, I got... He got up there.

23 So the first thing you know, he said, "Mother, dear, I'm so glad to see you," and rejoiced with her. And said, "Now, the thing I was wondering, mother," he said, "you was telling me, being so sick, and I was ready to come home, then all at once you wrote and told me you were well." Said, "I never did get the meanings of that."
Said, "Oh, honey, didn't you understand?"
Said, "No."
Said, "You know where that little mission is downtown there?"
"Yes."
Said, "That Full Gospel preacher come up and prayed for me, anointed me with oil, and the Lord healed me. Hallelujah!"
"Why," he said, "mother, the very idea. Why," said, "of course, those are illiterate people down there." Said, "They do not understand." Said, "We have learned, at the seminary, that Mark 16..."

24 That's where she said, said, "Why, he prayed over me, and laid the Bible," and said, "'they lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.'" And said, "I believed it." And said, "God healed me."
"Why," he said, "mother," said, "Mark 16 from the 9th verse on is not inspired."
She stood there a little bit. She said, "Well, praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!"
He said, "Mother, what's the matter with you?"
Said, "I was just thinking. If God could heal me with uninspired Word, what could He do with that really is inspired?"
If the uninspired Word would heal, what would that was really inspired? What Mark 11:24 do? What would others do? John 14:12, and so forth, see. It's all inspired.

25 Now, God has a provided way for His people. There's many people, many of us get out of that way. God has always got a provided way. Do you believe that? Now, Jesus said, "As Moses lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness (where I just read) so must the Son of man be lifted up."
Now, in a moment we'll pray for the sick. God always had a provided way. He's got a provided way for nature. He's got a provided way for everything.

26 Here, sometimes I go up into the mountains, when I try to get away in the fall of the year to myself for a week or two, to go hunting. And I noticed up there, one of the most peculiar things, along about September, way up in northern Canada, why, there's little lakes up there. And, these little old ducks you have down here in these rice fields, they fly up there, and go up there and make a nest up there in that lake. And they lay their eggs in the marsh, and they hatch out their young ones. And then, the little fellow, time fall of the year comes on, he's great big duck. Well, he's swimming around there on the pond, you know, and the first thing you know, the first cold breeze comes across and the snowcap comes on the mountain, that cold breeze sweeps down through the hallow. There's one of them little old fellows on there is the drake. He's a leader, he's a born leader. He'll run right out in the middle of that pond, stick that little honker up in the air, and go, "Honk-honk, honk-honk." Every duck on the pond will come right to him. And he will raise...

27 Now remember, he has never been off of that pond. He was born and raised on that pond. But every one of them ducks know that he's a leader, and know that God has sent him for a leader. And that little duck will fly right up from there without a compass or anything else, and come just as straight to Arkansas to your rice fields as he can come. Is that right?
Why is it? You say, "It's instinct. The duck has instinct." Well, if God provided a way with a duck to have sense enough to escape the cold, what about a man led by the Holy Ghost? What would you call that? How do you escape your sickness and your diseases and your troubles and your cold spells? God leads. The Holy Spirit leads men. But the trouble: duck know their leaders, but we don't. The Holy Spirit talk to us about something, you let Dr. So-and-so explain it all away for you. That's where it's at.

28 You look in the paper, and you get out here, and you look at the news, they say, "Tomorrow it's going to be pretty weather, fair." And watch that old sow take the sticks and corn cobs off the north side of the hill, and come around on the south side of the hill and make her bed. Don't you pay no attention to that newspaper. That sow knows more about the weather than what that newspaper commentator does. Yes, sir.
You go rabbit hunting and watch them rabbits right down under the grass, sitting way back. Watch out for cold weather, no matter what the paper says. God has give them instinct. He made them with instinct.

29 One time I was plowing, dad and I. We were going down through the field---pretty. We was plowing corn---June, July; I believe we was laying it by. And when I was pulling my horses around, an old pair of lines, old rope lines... Did you ever plow with rope lines? Oh, my, they cut your neck to pieces---no shirt on. Sitting there, an old plow. Directly my horses kept snorting and going on. I said, "Dad, what's the matter? Look at these horses, how they're acting, and yours too."
He said, "Son, there's coming a storm."
And I said, "Storm? Why, I don't see no storm."
He stopped. I'll never forget the old fellow, he said, "But, son, you don't understand." Said, "God has given a horse an instinct. Now, he can smell that storm. It's way away."

30 And you know, we hadn't plowed two or three more rows, till a big cloud was coming up; we had to hurry to get to the barn. God give an instinct, see. An instinct to know, and to make a way of escape. God provided a way for them when they could smell the storm, way away to get to shelter, see. He has made a way for us, but we refuse to accept it.
I remember, hunting up, one day, in the mountains. How beautiful up there in Colorado. I know we go elk hunting, not to kill the beasts, so much, as it was just to be alone. Remember, one day, up there, I was walking around; come a storm, early fall, about October. And I was way back, seventy miles from civilization, camping back there, and it come a real hard rain storm. And I got behind a tree; the rains blowed over. The elk hasn't come down yet. They was way high in the mountain. And as the rains begin to blow, I got behind the tree, and it turned cold. After the rain was over, I looked out, and the evergreens was froze where the rain hit it. And a rainbow come out, like that, across the valley. Oh, my! You talk about deep calling to the deep. I got to feeling real good. You know what I mean!
And after while, I heard an old gray wolf howl up here, and a mate answer down in the bottom. Oh, my! My mother is a half-breed. So, you know I couldn't stand it much longer. Something crying out.

31 I thought, O God, look at there at the great eye of Jehovah sitting yonder looking across the mountain there was His rainbow, His covenant. He will no more destroy it with water, but fire next time. I could see Revelations 1, where He was sitting on His throne to look upon as jasper and sardius stone, the First, the Last, He that was, which is, and shall come, and with a rainbow over His head, a covenant, made with His own blood to the people; by grace would He save them. Oh, something begin to call out.
I heard a noise over here, a lot of fussing, and going on. There was a little old what we call "pine jack," little old squirrel about that long, eats pine cones, fussy little fellow. Oh, my! He is like the Irishmen's owl, just all fuss and feathers. I looked at him. He was sitting on a stump, just a chirping around. I thought, What's he fussing about? Maybe scared of me. And I happened to look, coming up under an old blow-down there, where some trees had blowed down years ago, and there was a big, great big eagle coming out from under there. Did you ever see a big white-head eagle? Oh, he's a beautiful specie. He comes pulling out of there. And that little old squirrel was barking at him.

32 So, I seen him come out, and I seen him sit down there. I thought, Oh, my! Look how brave he is. He looked towards that little squirrel. He looked over towards me. Those great big gray-looking eyes was flashing. I thought, Oh, what does that mean? Why did God put that eagle before me for? I believe all things work together for good to them that love God, everything. Everything... You're here tonight for some purpose. You're here because God led you here.
I thought, Lord, what'd you got me standing here crying? And I was having a spell. I would run around and around that tree, and scream to the top of my voice, and jump up and down, and throw my arms... You would have thought I was a fanatic, sure enough, if you'd seen me then. Wasn't nobody there to hear me, but the Lord, but I was shouting to Him. I set my gun down, and around and around and around the tree I went, hollering, "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" Around and around and around the tree again. I guess that eagle thought I was a peculiar specie. So he looked over at me.

33 And I said, "Say, fellow, are you scared of me?" He just sat there and looked at me. I thought, Oh, my! I see! God, You want me to see that eagle because he's brave. That's what it is. God don't want cowards. God wants brave men. He don't want you to say here in the tabernacle you're healed, and go out there, and meet some fanatic that don't believe in divine healing. Yeah, he's a fanatic, that's right. He calls you one, but it's just vice versa. Now, and you're afraid to tell him about your healing? You're afraid to testify at your work about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, about having the baptism of the Holy Ghost? Ha! God don't want people like that. No, sir. I thought, How brave he is! I thought, What makes him so brave? And I watched him. I thought, Maybe he's scared of me. And I grabbed my gun like that. And he just batted those big eyes, looked at me. I thought, He's not afraid of me

34 I wondered, Why aren't you afraid of me? Why, did you know I could shoot you? And, of course, I wouldn't have done it, because I was admiring him. I thought, I could shoot you. He was sitting there. And I noticed what made him so brave: he was taking them big wings and going... I thought, Oh, I see why you're so brave. God gave you two wings to get away with. God provided you some wings, and you can trust in them. You know what they are. And you believe them. And no matter how quick I try to get that rifle up, you'd be in them bushes and I couldn't even see you. That's the reason: As long as you can feel them wings there, you're all right.

35 I thought, O God! That's right! As long as I can feel the Holy Spirit there, I know there's something. Let the devil say what he wants to. Something's there! Yes, sir. Something there.
And I watched him a few minutes. Finally he got tired of that little old pine squirrel barking at him, and he just give one big jump like that, flopped about twice, (not run here, and run there, and run there), just give about two flops, and he set his wings. He never flopped his wings one more time. And I watched him. He just knowed how to ride them air currents and he went on up. The air hit him again and he went up, up. I stood there crying with my hands up. Left that little old earth bound, "Chatter, chatter."

36 I thought, That's it, Lord! It isn't run here and there, jumping here and there. It's just knowing how to set your wings in the power of God. And when the waves come through, ride up, on, on, up, up, up, up, leave this earth bound "Chatter, chatter"; says, "The days of miracles is passed. There is not such a thing as divine healing." Christ died nineteen hundred years ago; He's alive tonight. Hallelujah! Alive among His people, the same yesterday, today, and forever. He's here; nature.
If I would go out tonight and look up through them clouds out yonder... You see sitting out in the bush here... I was noticing where I've been staying, there's an old nightingale sits out there. Oh, my! If he don't sing; these dark nights. And I've studied the nightingale. The reason he sings, he looks around, he can see one star. And as long as he can see one star, he'll sing to the top of his voice. Why? He knows the sun is shining somewhere, shining on that star. So he sings. So, oh, my! If I can hear one good old-fashioned "amen," if I can hear something take place, I can sing to the top of my voice to know that Jesus Christ is still the same yesterday, today, and forever, as long as the light is a moving. If I should look to that star, and say, "Little star, I sure think you're pretty and shining."

37 If he could talk back to me, he'd say, "Brother Branham, it's not me shining; it's the sun shining on me making me shine."
A doctor said to me a long time ago, he said, "Brother Branham, don't you think those people are just a little nervous and worked up?"
I said, "No, sir." I said, "I don't believe it."
Said, "They just get a little bit noisy and carry on."
I said, "No, it ain't. It's something... It's not them shining; it's something shining on them. That's what does it."
I stopped by an old pool up in the mountains here not long, where I used to lay down and drink. And I wondered what makes that pool so happy. Just bubbling, jumping, bubbling, jumping, bubbling, jumping. And I said, "What makes you so happy? Maybe deers drank out of you and that's what makes you happy?"
He'd say, "No!"
I'd say, "Maybe bears drink!"
"No, that ain't what makes me happy."
"Well, what makes you bubble? Because I come by every year and drink from you."

38 "No." If he could talk, he'd say, "Brother Branham, it's not me bubbling, it's something behind me pushing me making me bubble." So that's the way it is with every man that's born-again. There's something in a man that has got the baptism of the Holy Ghost that makes him believe the supernatural, makes him believe in God. Led by the Spirit. It's not the man; it's Something inside of him pushing out. He can't hold it. He just can't stop himself. There's Something there moving. God provides a way.

39 God provided an ark for the saving of the household of Noah and his family. God prepared twelve stones by Elijah, one time, for the reserving of the children of Israel. God has always made a provided way. When they was in the wilderness and the first thing you know, sin set in. Now watch! Here's one for the unbeliever. When they begin to chide against Moses and they sinned, God told Moses to lift up a brass serpent. We had time to go in details to see what that serpent meant, what the brass divine judgment, what the serpent sin already judged, so forth, and the symbols... And when this serpent was lifted up, it was for a compound reason, a reason that men had sinned, and were sick. And they looked, and asked forgiveness and looked on the brass serpent. And whoever looked and believed was made whole.

40 Now, Jesus said that as Moses lifted up the brass serpent---just the same purpose, the same reason---so must the Son of man be lifted up. And if the type would let the people get well, how much more ought the anti-type to do. If the brass serpent and a shadow would do it, what ought the reality to do? My! Amen. Well, here we go. Oh, I just feel ... I feel pretty religious right now. I really do. Yes.
All right. The Lord bless you. God's provided way for you tonight... No matter how many unbelievers, they could build big ecclesiastical troughs and run all the water off here, and all the water off there. But just the same, the rain is a falling, "for whosoever will, let him come and drink." That's right. For Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.

41 When you hear somebody say, "Brother Branham, a divine healer?" You know that man needs to go to the psychopathic cells, because he's not right, here. Something is wrong. For anybody that would know ... think a man to be a healer, that's just a... The man is working under the inspiration of the devil. I could prove that by the Bible. That's exactly right. It was the devil who always put a question mark across the Word of God.
Looky here. When Jesus was on earth, He was a prophet. Do you believe it? He said, "I don't do nothing till the Father tells Me."
They said, "Come down here and heal this one. Come over here and heal this one, we'll believe You." Them same old ecclesiastical devils still live, live right on. People; unbelievers. That's exactly.

42 Notice here. They put a rag around His face, and they hit Him on the head. Said, "Now if You're a prophet, tell us who hit You. We'll believe You then." Jesus never opened His mouth. He didn't clown for people. Yet, He knowed the woman at the well, where her sin was. He knowed where Nathanael was when he was under the fig tree, what had happened. He knowed where a fish was had a coin in his mouth. He perceived the thoughts of the people. Is that right? But when it come to clowning for somebody, no, no, He didn't do that. He only done what the Father told Him.
Then they pinned Him on a cross. And here come the holy, renowned scholars of the day. Let that soak in. Scholars, holy, renowned, without a blemish teachers, high-ups, come and said ... before Him said, "Now we'll give You a proposition in this wise: "You come down off the cross and we'll accept You as the Messiah."
Jesus said, "Father forgive them; they don't even know what they're doing." He could have come off of there.
I believe that there's an Angel sitting in every bush, saying, "Lord, just point Your finger; we'll change this scene here."
They said, "He saved others, but Himself He can't save." The greatest comment was ever give Him. If He saved Himself, He couldn't save others. He had to give Himself to save others. But how little did they know it. Blind leading the blind, see. The same spirit.

43 Look. I'll prove it to you it's of Satan. When Satan met Jesus, he said, "If Thou be the Son of God, You can do miracles now. You're a divine healer; You're all this. Make these stones bread and I'll believe You." Is that right? See where the fatherhood of that spirit is?
Took Him up on the temple, said, "Now, look. It's written in the Scripture here," like they'd point Mark 16 to us today; "it's written in the Scripture here, 'He give the Angels charge over Thee, lest any time Thou dash Thy foot, will bear Thee up.' Jump down off of here, and then when you get to the ground, just bear Yourself back up, like that," see. Give Him Scripture.
Jesus turned around to him, said, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord Thy God." That's right. "It is also written." That's right. He put the Scriptures right back to him.
God has a provided way. If the doctor... Sure, it's your duty to go to your doctor. It's your duty to do whatever you can for yourself. But, look, brother. When you get to a place where the doctor can't help you, you've got a right to call on God. That's exactly right. And you believe it.

44 And God has a provided way, and that provided way tonight is what? Not your Brother Branham, Brother Reed, or any other minister. It's Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who healed you nineteen hundred years ago. And we're only pointing to it. Brother Reed, as a minister, is pointing to it by the Word. God gave a divine gift to the church, that points to it and says, "It's Jesus Christ." Then you believe Jesus Christ, friends. And Jesus Christ has already... Listen. Scripturally, here it is: Christ has healed every sick person in this room right now. That is in the scripture.
"He was wounded for our transgression and with His stripes we were healed." Past tense. The only thing in the world you can do is look and believe. Look and live! That's not pointing towards the Pentecostal church, or the Baptist church, or any other church. It's pointing towards Jesus Christ. Look and live!

45 And you look to Calvary now. Accept your healing by faith. If you can believe it by the Word, by signs, by wonders, and whatever. God's sovereign grace going down after His Word, give signs and wonders and other things to get other people to believe Him. Oh, I trust that you will. God bless you. I'm sorry I kept you standing that long. But the Lord bless you.
God has a provided way if you're ready to walk in it. Are you ready? Are you ready to believe Him? If He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, He'll do the same things today that He did yesterday, and will forever. Is that right?
Let's bow our heads, inside and out, if you will now.

46 Heavenly Father, we're at the closing ... just before a great meeting closes, I should say. We're standing before You, crowded in this little building. "Where the carcass is the eagles will gather"---hungry-hearted people. Bless them, Lord. God, be with them.
Bless my Brother Reed and Sister Reed, and the little fellow. That little guy, I pray that You will bless him; give a vision of him five years before he arrived here on earth that he was coming. Bless the church.
Here's handkerchiefs laying here, Father. I pray that You will bless them for their intended purpose. May every sick person that wears these be made well.
They say we taken from the body of Paul handkerchiefs and aprons. We know we're not Saint Paul, but we know You're still Jesus. It wasn't Saint Paul, it was Jesus that was within him. And the Holy Spirit is still here tonight, the same as He was, doing the same. Same critics from the outside, same believing from the inside. How we thank Thee.

47 And now, Lord, as Thy servant stands tonight, may Your Spirit come near. Sitting here is a picture of the Angel of God, the pillar of fire that led the children of Israel through the wilderness. Jesus Christ, the Angel of the covenant, the same yesterday with Israel, the same today with us, and will be forever. Bless us now together. Send Your glorious Gospel in operation. May the Angel of God come and may Thy servant be anointed, for we ask it in Christ's name that many be healed, and saved. Amen.
Now, Christian friends, Billy was telling me, while I was sitting back there in the room listening to the preaching and so forth tonight, that he had give out prayer cards all along each night. He has give out, X, W, Q, Y, everything else, of different prayer cards. People are holding them in here. We call from somewhere in there. Have a few here at the platform, and are you all willing to wait a little while, are you? Raise your hand if you're not too hot or tired, just to wait a few minutes.

48 Let's pray. Now notice: If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He can do the same as He did yesterday, today, and forever. You believe that don't you?
Now He would know your heart, but He couldn't heal you, because God has already done that. Isn't that right? He has already done that. All right.
[Brother Branham speaks aside: "Now, where would we call the prayer line? I don't know just how... If you want them to come from there, maybe get that group ... walk across... Is them rooms all packed out in there, too, are they? But maybe if they could move back a little bit and start a prayer line till they get the prayer line lined up, then they could come back in. You think that could be done? What do you think? What say? No, right here. Maybe, this group right here by the door. What say?"] [ A man speaks to Brother Branham.]

49 [All right. Maybe that would be good. Well, then the people have to have a place to come down. Oh, we might let them go right back the same route and go back.]
Say, I wonder if some of you people right here would mind come standing right back in here, so we can line a prayer line up. Thank you very much, that's very gallant of you.
Now, let those that are in the room, kind of back there... Don't push in the door, if you will, brother, sister, so we can get a little place for a prayer line.
Now, let's see. Give me some of those numbers, Paul, some of those letters. [Billy Paul says, "V, W, X, Y, Z."] Oh, my!
Well...

God's Provided Way

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Friend... The warmest of Christian greetings to you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our great King which is soon to appear, we believe. His church is making herself ready to be found without spot or blemish. And may the Lord bless each one.
Now, just this while ago, why--I guess I kindly slipped off from the boys. I had my--my son with me, and I let him off. He come in to see Brother Wood, and to--a--to check around and see if the--there's any prayer cards among the people for tonight. [Gap in the audio]
After I got started in the evangelistic work out this way for the--our Lord, was at Corning, Arkansas. And I used to tell the folks, well just bring your handkerchiefs up now, and I'll pray over them. Now, many people anoint them. That's all right. That's fine. Anything God will bless, I'm right for it. And--but now, if you'll watch the Scripture, they didn't anoint the handkerchiefs, they just took off the body of Paul, handkerchiefs or aprons. So they was... I told the people; I said, "Now, if you got a handkerchief, why let us pray over it, and sometime, maybe, the baby might get the colic or something--and way back out in these thickets and swamps out here."
So one night, a little lady had come in and got a handkerchief. I said, "Now, if you don't--if you're not going to use it right at the present time," I said, "put it in the Bible on Acts the 19th chapter where there's--the Scripture for it's at." For an...

2 So this little woman, she put it in her Bible, and--and I'd been gone from there about, oh, I guess six weeks. And I was way down around Little Rock. And one night this little lady come in with a testimony.
Now, the--the Arkansas people is not the most stylish people in the world, but they're some of the best in the world. They're humble. They haven't got much of this world's goods. I've seen young ladies sixteen years old, come into the meeting, me setting back somewhere praying. I usually stay in prayer before coming to the meeting. See them come packing their shoes and stockings under their arm. And then get down there and brush off their shoe--feet, and put on their stockings and shoes, and go on in the church. Have to make that one pair last a long time. You know. I guess there's people right in here's done the same thing. I didn't have any to--to--to put on to go in.

3 So I remember one night, a little lady--this was one that had the handkerchief. She lived way back in the rural district, her husband a farmer. And she was cleaning an old lamp chimney. How many ever cleaned a lamp chimney? My, brother, well, look behind me. A lamp chimney... My mother, she use... She's to be here tomorrow, bless her heart.
We used to have one that had a great big moon and owl on it. You remember them old Moon and Owl lamps? And I had the smallest hand of the family, so I'd have to clean that chimney, get it through this thing and clean it out. Oh, I remember that well.

4 And this lady was cleaning a lamp chimney, and she broke the chimney over her arm; it cut the veins or arteries, what it was in her wrist. Well, as the old superstition (you know), cobwebs, they usually get them, and that's just a superstition, like tearing a chicken open for a snakebite. And so they put the cobweb on it, and 'course, the blood spurting up, it just washed the cobweb away. Well, she wrapped something around it, and a--a bed sheet and it bled it wet. So she was getting weak, and her first closest neighbor is two miles or more. And her husband had gone to city to get a stuff for their own--for their table, and for the animals on the farm. And she was bleeding to death, and she knew she was going to die in a little while, if something didn't help her. She runs out, happens to think about that handkerchief.

5 Now, this is her story. I can't say this. See? I'm only--I'm only taking her word. But she run in there, and she grabbed this handkerchief, and she said, "Dear God, my life lays within Your hand. If You don't help me, I--I'm going to die. And this is--was give to me for this purpose. And now I--I lay it on my arm in the Name of--of Jesus, Your Son. And the blood stopped.
She walked about two mile after her husband got home, wearing big old boots through the muddy rice fields, and so forth. And she hung her lantern up in a tree, and flagged a Greyhound bus, and rode about hundred and something miles to Little Rock where the service was held that night. Come in holding that handkerchief up, not even stained, and showing the place where the cut was. "Faith cometh by hearing, hearing of the Word."

6 I remember another instance happened that night, while they're finishing up with the books in the rear. I'll never forget it. Reverend G. H. Brown would give you this testimony, and he give you the clinic where the woman was at.
Do you believe demons still exist? Just as sure as God does, they do. And so, he said to me, he said, "Brother Branham, while you're resting..." I would just take the people as I have been the last--last night, just prayed for them, whatever God would tell me. I'd say that and just go ahead. And he said, "Down in the bottom of this auditorium, here," why, he said, "we got a pitiful case." Said, "She like to whipped everybody on the ground: it's an insane woman." And said, "She's in the basement."
I said, "Well..." 'Course, I'd just a young fellow in the way then. I'd been out on the battlefield this way, about, oh, I guess, six months or something. So I just thought that anything that's... Well, that's right; God can do anything. So I walked down in the basement, along about eleven o'clock. Well, is--had public addressing outfit, speakers down there. The people were jammed and through there in that place... My, the street cars or the bus lines had to stop to get the ambulances out of the way. It was really--they come to church down there.
So Mr. Brown... If you want to write to him, it's Reverend G. H. Brown, 505 Victor Street, Little Rock. He'll give you the clinic, the doctor, and ask them about this case.

7 And when we went down the steps, there's a typical old Arkansas brother standing there with his overalls on, them washed out. And he was standing on the steps, and I started down. He was listening to a P.A. system of what I'd been saying. So Mr. Brown said, "This is the woman's husband."
I said, "I'm glad to meet you, sir."
We just... He said, "My wife," said, "is right over there." And I looked, laying on the floor... I want you to listen closely. There was a woman about the age of a thirty-one, thirty-two years old, I suppose. Very strong built; her hands right up like that, laying on her back, and her limbs sticking right up like that, her legs right like that, right up in the air.
Well, I said, "What's the matter with her?"
And he said, "Well, Brother Branham, I just took her out of the insane institution up at a..." I believe Pineyville, or Pineville, or somewhere up there. That she come out of an institution. Said she'd been insane two years. Said, "Brother Branham, I love her." Said, "I've got three or four little children at home."

8 And said, "She--she was--the doctor said she was having a premature menopause. And he give her a shot and that's what happened."
I said, "My, that's bad."
He said, "She just started right then, a few hours after that shot, and that's what done it."
I said, "That's awfully bad."
He said, "I've had her everywhere." And there'd been a woman healed over in--from Louisiana out of the institution; the papers had wrote it up. So he said, "I seen that, and I thought the only thing that I could do, and my only hope was bring my wife over here. Maybe the Lord would heal her."
And I said, "Why, brother, if..."
He--he said, "The--the ambulance said I had to sign papers." And said, "They... She's been in a padded cell." Said, "She don't get off her back; she just lays there with her feet and legs sticking right up and her hands like that." And he said, "Well, Brother Branham..."
I said, "I'll go out and ... "
The fellow said, "Don't you go out there, brother." Said, "She'll kill you."
I said, "Oh, I don't think so."
So he said, "Yes," said, "brother, they couldn't put her in a ambulance--they wouldn't put her in a ambulance." And said, "I hired some men to bring her over here," and said, "she--they took four men to hold her in the back seat, and she kicked all the glasses out of the man's car; and she liked to tore up the whole church--a place out there, when we was trying to get her in here. I had to lay her on her back down here. That's the only she--she just lay with her..."
"Oh," I said, "that..." Said--I said, "That's the reason her limbs are bleeding?" She--all the way up in here is cut."
Said, "That's the reason she's bleeding; she kicked the glasses out of that car."

9 I said, "My, that's too bad." I said, "Well, I'll have to walk over to her."
Said, "Brother Branham, don't you do that." Said, "She'll kill you."
And I said, "Well, I don't think so." I just didn't know too much about how to take those things, so I just walked out across the floor. I walked over to where she was. She was laying there, eyes was batting slowly, looking around. I said, "How do you do."
And she said, a--er--beg your pardon.
I said, "How do you do," to her. And she just bat her eyes. And I said, "Could I shake your hand?" Oh, my, just as I caught her hand, that--her hand grabbed mine, and with such a terrific jerk, that if I hadn't a threw my foot out, and caught across her bosom here with my foot, why, she'd probably threw me across the floor with a--that demon power.

10 If anybody knows... If the devil can put that much power on a person that's devil possessed, what ought God to do with the power on a Christian that's borned again. I don't... So, she jerked it like that--like that, and she... I--I staggered, and it threw me sideways. And I looked at her, and she started going like a serpent, making a blow. And here she come on her back like a snake, a chasing me, like that across--make the horriblest noise--that drag, drag, drag. And I looked, and here come that woman. I ran up to the steps where the man was and stood on the steps. And she'd be dragging around on the floor. And she got her great big strong limbs, her feet she set against the wall, and she kicked herself real hard like that. There was a bench setting there, and she hit it with her head like that and bursted a big piece off of it. It fell off on the floor. She let out a great big hideous laugh, "Hee-hee-hee-hee, hee-hee." [Brother Branham illustrates] like that. And she picked up this--a piece of stick like that and threw it over her head like that, and it's knocked the plastering off side of the wall beside of her husband.
Said, "I told you, bro..."

11 I said, "I never seen anything like that in my life." And I'd--I have since then, but I hadn't by that time. And here she was crawling around like, and the blood just pouring out of her head.
Why, I said, "Lady, you threw at your husband."
Said, "She don't know me." Said, "She hasn't knowed no one for two years."
And I said, "Isn't that a pity." And just then she leveled herself up. I said, "Do you believe, brother, that Jesus Christ... When I'm testifying about this Angel of God, do you believe that's the truth?"
The tears running down his face, through his beard on his face, he said, "Brother Branham," He said, "I--I sold my farm. We give her shock treatments; we've give her everything." And said, "Everything that I could do, I've tried to do." But said, "There she is." And said, "I even sold my mules," said, "to get some money for these brothers to bring her down here." And he just put his arm around me. I felt so sorry for the man I could've wept right out.

12 And I said, "Sir, the only thing I can do is ask God. Now," I said, "you have faith and believe. He told me if I get the people to believe."
And he said, "Well, I believe, Brother Branham." And she raised her head back like this; she said, "William Branham, you ain't got nothing to do with me." Said, "I brought her here."
Well her husband looked around and said, "Well, that's the first words she's spoke in two years." I said, "How does she know you when she didn't even know me, her husband?"
I said, "That's not her. That's that devil That's--that's who's calling out." See? I said, "That's..." I said, "That's who it is." And I said, "He recognizes that something is just about to happen, and that's why he called out."
And "Why," he said, "she called you by your name." And she started laughing real funny. I said, "Now, you believe, brother." And I just held my hands out. I said, "Dear Lord Jesus, with all my heart I come in the simplicity of childlike faith. And I believe that the Angel of God, Who's commissioned me to start out into this world to do these things, to pray for the sick, is here now. And I ask, dear God, that You'll heal the woman." I said, "Satan, you--you're not scared of me, but you're scared of the One I represent." I said, "And I come as His representative, confessing a gift of Divine healing which was ministered by an Angel and I say and adjure thee; in the Name of Jesus Christ, leave the woman." I turned back around to the man. She just stayed the same position.
I said, "Do you believe?"
He said, "Yes, sir, I believe, Brother Branham."
I said, "God will reward you according to you have believed." Turned around and walked up steps.

13 About, I guess about six weeks after that, I was at Jonesboro, where I'd just left a few weeks ago. And I was setting there one night, and I seen a fellow kept waving at me, setting back there. And I thought... So, he just couldn't stand it no longer; he just had to raise up. Said, "You remember me, Brother Branham?"
I said, "Don't believe I do, brother," and just early like this--the service hadn't really got started yet.
He said, "Don't you remember me?" I said..."Don't you remember my wife?"
And I said, "No, sir, don't believe I do." And she had three or four little kiddies with her. She was setting there. And I said, "I don't."
He said, "Look. You remember the lady that was crawling on her back, insane, from the institution?"
I said, "Yes. That's her, isn't it?"
Said, "That's her."
Now, he... I said, "How did it happen?"
He said, "Well," he said, "Brother Branham, that night," said, "she just laid like that till your service was over. We picked her up and put her in a car," and said, "she was--seemed to be all right. She didn't kick, or do anything, or carry on while we was taking her back to the institution where you'd..."

14 I told him, "Return her back. Let the doctor dismiss her," See? So then, I said, "If you believe, it has to happen." And He told me, "If you get the people believe and be sincere when you pray..." and I know I was sincere, and he said he believed. And then, I know just as true as the other is true, it has to be so if I can get the patient to believe that.
He said, "And you know, the next morning..." Said he'd taken her that--that day and that night; she was about two hundred miles away. And said that when they come the following, second morning, the woman was setting up in the cells when the nurse come to her. And on the third day she had an examination. And on the fourth day, she was dismissed and sent home perfectly normal and well.
And here she was with her little babies and about two or three years ago in San Bernardino, California, I was giving a testimony. She and her husband walked forward, say, "Here I am yet." What was it? The grace of God. That's what it is. "If thou canst believe, all things are possible." Now, have faith in God.
And now, friends, tomorrow is... [Gap in the audio]

15 For he shall grow up before him as a ... plant, and as a root out of dry ground: he hath no form or comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, ... acquainted with grief: and we hid as it was our faces from him; but he was despised and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; with his stripes we were healed.
And now, for just a moment... (Are you through, Brother Woods? The books... Thank you.) Let us bow our heads just a moment, for prayer now, as we settle down now, everyone, for the service.

16 I see two little afflicted children sitting here tonight, little boy and a little girl, sitting in a wheelchairs. Another little girl laying across her mother's lap, with a blanket over her. Let's ask God if He will be merciful to these ones tonight, along with... Yeah. I see a little afflicted boy sitting back here too, in the arms of the mother, perhaps.
Oh, I see a man with his crutches up close to him. What a scene now! Let's talk to the great Maker now, as we have our heads bowed.
Our Heavenly Father, we have come tonight for no other purpose but to the glory of God, and for a testimony of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. This great historical meeting, for the city, is just now beginning to come to the close. It was at the close of the meeting one day, the feast... When Jesus stood up in the midst of the people and cried out, "I am the Rock that was in the wilderness. Your fathers did eat manna and are dead."

17 And how He exalted God before them, in telling them of what His mission was on earth. Father, we pray that these last few nights, as He has been, in the future may He be even in a greater portion, manifest Himself to us.
We're reading here from Your Scripture tonight of how He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquity. The chastisement of our peace upon Him, and with His stripes we were healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. God be merciful to us all. Forgive us of our sins.
Help us tonight, Lord to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us, that we might run with patience the race that's set before us, looking to the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ. For we ask it in His name. Amen.

18 Now, just for a few moments, not to preach but just as I have been doing---exalting Christ. I want to use a subject of this: God's Provided Way.
You know there's two ways for all things. You're aware of that, aren't you? That's your way and God's way. And you can't have your own way and be in God's way at the same time. You have to get out of your own way to let God have His way. Isn't that true? Now, it's either right or left.
Now, if you're going your way, you're out of God's way. And if you cease from your own way, you get in God's way. God can have His way when you cease to have your way. But as long as you're having your way, God can't have His way. So you have to go one or the other ways. So let's just let our own way drop tonight, and let's let God have His way. God has a way.

19 He likened here ... He said to the prophet, "All we like sheep have gone astray." I like that. God likened us unto sheep. I wonder why? Anybody ever raise any sheep? Well, you know that a sheep is the most helpless thing in the world when it's lost. It just can't find its way home at all. Is that right, sheep-raisers? And I've helped raise them myself, out on the Western prairies. And herded them a many.
But, notice! A sheep when it's lost ... when he's lost, he'll just stand and bleat. That's all. The wolves will come get him (That's all.) unless a shepherd doesn't come to him. And that's the way it is with us: When we're lost, we're absolutely hopeless unless the Shepherd comes and gets us.
So, I'm glad tonight God has got His Shepherd over His sheepfold. Aren't you? That when we call, He always hears. "And all we like sheep have gone astray." See, that's wandered out. But God laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

20 How that on one Man the iniquity of all the world was laid. All the sins, all the sickness, everything that was wrong was laid upon that one Sheep, God's provided Lamb. And He took Him up to Calvary; He crucified Him to be the substitute for our wickedness and our sickness and our transgressions and all that we've done against God and all we've done against ourselves. He was God's provided Sacrifice for us. God's provided way.
Now, God has always had a way. He's got a way tonight. And God always, before He sends judgment, He always makes a way of escape. Out of every trial, God makes a way of escape. And God makes a... Before He sends His judgment, I might say first ... before He sends judgment, He always sends mercy.
And if you spurn mercy, there's nothing left but judgment and you've judged yourself, see. You've always made your judgment.

21 Now, tonight when you come about divine healing, you say, "I don't believe it," why, you couldn't get healed. There's no hope for you, see. But you already judged yourself. And when you reject Jesus Christ the Saviour and God, you don't have to be judged, you're already judged. Your attitude towards God's provided way has judged you.
It's not necessary that any man would go to hell. And God don't send no one to hell. You send yourself to hell. God has done everything in the world He can, to keep you from going to hell. And He let's you determine to go to hell. You fight over every barricade God puts in your way, you just go right on over it. "I don't believe in this." And "I don't believe in that." And "I don't believe in this." Just headlong.
Now, there's a red light here in the city, and it turns red and green. That tells you when you can stop and go. If you run it, well, don't blame the city. They put the light up there for your protection. But if you run on through it, that's up to you. You brought your own judgment.

22 You remember when that first little corn silk cigarette you smoked, standing around behind the chimney behind the house? and went and eat some coffee to keep mama from smelling your breath? Mama said, "Have you been smoking?"
"No, mama."
What was the first thing? That conscience says, "Don't do that, little boy; you're lying." But you fought right on past the conscience. "No, mama. I didn't smoke it." There's God's first provided way for you to stop right there, it's a halt light. "Stop. Don't say that. Tell her the truth. If you get a whipping, go ahead and tell the truth about it."

23 Then the next thing, you go to church and you hear the hymns sang, the Gospel preached. Something ... the Holy Spirit begins to speak to you. "Come, repent." And you say, "Oh, that... I ... I ... I'm young. I got plenty of time yet. I got this. I've got to do this." See, you're rejecting God's provided way and judging yourself.
Then how can you blame God? You can't. You got to blame yourself. There's not a bit of need of anyone going to hell when God has made a provided way of escape. You can't help being a sinner. You can't help that. You was borned a sinner. But you can help staying a sinner. For if you accept Jesus in your place as ... He was made sin for you, God's way of escape. Then you don't have to be a sinner. You'll be a Christian and you will be holy.
Not your own holiness, but His holiness. Not what you are, but what God has done for you in Christ Jesus, see. Your own ways... You can quit lying. You can quit stealing. You can quit smoking. That don't mean you're saved. No, sir.
You're saved because God ordained that you should be saved, and called your heart. That's why you're saved. "No man can come to the Father except ... to Me except My Father draws him." And God has made a way of escape now.

24 In the days of ... and had a provided way for it. Look in the days of Noah. Jesus referred back to it---back there in the antediluvian world. Let's go back just for a few moments and run ourselves back.
Now, it'd never rained on the earth. The earth set up straight. The reason it leans back this way today ... it's hot and cold air which brings up the vapor and that's what makes the clouds and so forth. But to that time it had never rained on the earth. God watered it through springs and so forth in the gardens---the springs beneath it. It had never rained. There had never been a cloud in the sky over this earth, to that time.
And then God seen the wickedness of man---how that they sinned. And God is holy, and He can't stand sin. And He said that He would destroy man. And He told Noah to go preach a message of mercy before divine judgment came.

25 Now, what did they do in that day? They laughed and made fun of Noah. God had a provided way for all mankind to escape if he would take it, but man rejected it. He didn't want that way. And he thought Noah was crazy. I can hear him talking down in the city maybe, down in some of the cities of the day, saying, "Hey, what do you think about that rain story that guy's talking about? It's going to rain water down out of the heavens. Do you ever hear such? I don't see any up there."
But if God said there was going to be some up there, He can put some up there. That's right. God was giving a way of escape. He was making a mercy for the people. And they rejected it. And Noah preached a hundred and twenty years, trying to get the people to reform ... not to reform, but to repent. And to come and come into the ark.
And all the time he was building the way with an ark. He made it out of a certain class of wood, for the saving of his own household and to those who would come. There was a door in the ark. And how that I can look back there and think now that about the time that Noah had got through preaching and all the people had rejected, they had made fun of him and laughed at him. Do you believe that?

26 Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah ... eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage, moral, immoral, pollution." Just about like they got now. Just the same way. And a message that seemed to be to the world a fanaticism. Hallelujah! That's right.
God's got a provided way tonight and it's called fanaticism. But it's God's message. There's a door of the ark open and that door is Jesus Christ, God's provided way. Any man wants to come is welcome. But to reject it is to die. That's right.
And remember, the same rain that drowned the world, saved Noah. The same water that destroyed the world, brought judgment upon the world, was what saved Noah.
And the same Holy Ghost tonight that you're making fun of and spurning, and calling that people a bunch of holy-rollers, that same Holy Spirit will save the church, will judge the world and condemn it. That's right.

27 The church will be taken up. The world will be condemned by the same Spirit that they're listening to tonight. That's right. To reject it is death. To receive it is life. Either right or left. Negative or positive.
And as it was ... He said "Just as it was in the days of Noah." But God was determined that something would be saved. And listen! Let's take a little drama. I just like it.
When I can hear back there now, Noah had got through preaching. His sons believing, their wives and so forth; they're ready. There had never been any rain. And the first thing you know, I can hear the first roar of that thunder go forth. I can hear somebody say, "What was that down in the city?"
Oh, they were dancing and, oh, eating and drinking and having a big glorious time, and full of gaiety. Just like the world today. For Christ said it would be this way. It can't be no other way.

28 There's no need of praying for it to be changed. It can't be changed, for God's done said it wouldn't be changed. The only thing to do is save yourself from this generation by looking to Jesus Christ, accepting Him, and be born into it, in God's provided way, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Listen. He died on the cross. And there He bled. He took upon Himself the form of sinful flesh. He died in my stead. He was just as... God took out of the side of Adam a rib and made a bride to him. God opened up the side of Christ and taken out water, blood and Spirit for a bride for Himself, for Christ. How beautiful.
"And by one Spirit..." Not by one church membership. "By one Spirit are we all baptized ... (Amen) are we all baptized into one body and become members of that body." And just as sure as God raised that body in the literal, (out from the grave) the spiritual body will go in the rapture. Truly.

29 As it was in the days of Noah. The first thunder... My, I can look up there and I can hear the city begin to scoff at it. Saying, "Wonder what that was? A blast went off somewhere." But look.
Let's look even at the animals. I can see the old mother bird setting up in a tree. She's chirping away. And the father bird over there, happy. And the first thing you know, why, when they heard the thunder, the old mother bird said, "That's just what Noah said. Let's go."
I can see the old mother camel out on the hill, and the father camel. "That's it, mother. Come on. That's just exactly what Noah said."
I can see the little monkey with his coconut. He drops it. Said, "Come on, mother. Let's go." And away they went. Two by two in to the ark. I tell you, something's got to hear the Gospel. Hallelujah! How there's a Spirit of God upon animal life, brought the animals into the ark. How much more ought the Holy Ghost to men and women today, who believe God, and hear the Scripture and hear the Word and see God's way? How marvelous. Yes, sir.
"As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the coming of the Son of man."

30 Moses took God's provided way when they were down there in Egypt. How they going to get out? God kept hardening Pharaoh's heart. But He said, "Now, I'm going to make a way of escape because I'm going to send death over the land."
Say, listen. Here's something striking. Watch plague after plague after plague, but the last plague fell was death. Just before the deliverance.
Notice it. How striking it is today. Jesus said, "There will be ... perilous times shall come. Men's hearts would fail." How He said there'd be distress between the nations. Sea a roaring, tidal waves that's never been heard of before bursting forth in the seas. How that all these signs would be coming to pass. Just like it was in the days of Noah, it would be again. How marvelous.
But remember: The last plague that fell was death. And the last thing... God has give us warning after warning, warning after warning. Now, the last thing that's come is death. Spiritual death. The churches are dying, spiritually. That's right, friends.

31 We talk about the revival in America; we haven't got any revival. We've got a lot of church-joining, but we haven't got any revival.
One of the famous evangelists, not long ago, where had claimed thirty thousand in six weeks ... or, twenty thousand, I believe it was. About six weeks after that, couldn't find twenty people. The reason of it is is this friends, is because they just have the people just to make a confession---just stand up and sit down. That's good. That's all right, as far as you go.
But, brother, there's a deeper experience than that. You've got to get that person to where the Holy Spirit takes control of that life by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That's God's provided way.
Just same as it was in the days of Noah: One of them stood and said, "Well now, look. If it does happen to come the way Noah said it, I will just get on me a big white poplar log and float along."

32 God's provided way was the only thing that floated. Your popularity won't last in that day. It won't stand in that day. I don't care what you got. God hasn't got any shortcuts. You come by the cross, born-again, filled with the Holy Ghost, or you're gone. You're lost.
No shortcuts. You got to come God's way. What if I started home tonight and said, "Let's see now, the bee-line would be right like this." I'd get stuck in mud. They've provided a highway. I've got to take the mark and follow it.
And I tell you, here's what Peter said on the day of Pentecost. Said, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and your children and them that's far off." Even Connersville, Indiana. "And as many as the Lord our God shall call."

33 And since that time brother, Jesus said, "Except a man be born of water and Spirit, he will never-wise enter." They've adopted different things, friends, but that's not God's Bible. No shortcuts. You got to come the rugged way. Surely.
I think of Naaman back there, when he tried to take a shortcut. The prophet told him, "Go down and dip in Jordan."
"Oh," he said, "the waters up here is just as well---just as well up here as it is down there." Well, he is going on up with his leprosy. But the prophet told him to go dip in Jordan.
And I can see him. It kind of hurt his prestige. Got off of the boat ... or, his little old chariot, walked out there and held his nose, you know, and dipped down his spot. It might hurt you, it might get you all upset.
Here not long ago, a preacher said to me ... Sunday school teacher, rather, in the city I live. Said, "Brother Branham, how in the world can you preach and all them people saying, 'Amen' and 'Hallelujah' and screaming and crying?"
"Why," I said, "if they wasn't doing that I couldn't preach." Brother, that's right.
He said, "That would get me so excited."
I said, "It doesn't me. If there is nothing going on, then I get excited."

34 You know, your "amen" don't hurt me. Your shouting and crying doesn't bother me. Puts me in mind when I used to go hunting. I used to like to night hunt. Do you ever do that, you Hoosiers here, opossum hunt?
And I had an old dog didn't have but one tooth. But brother, he had a lot of grit about him. And he would tackle anything but a skunk. And then when we got it under a brush pile like that, the only thing I had to get him to do to go get the skunk was just lift up the brush pile and hit him on the back and say, "Sic him, boy. Sic him, boy." He'd get that skunk too.
Brother, the worst skunk I know of is the devil. The stinkingest thing I've ever... Now, you just say, "Amen" and that's "Hiss him, boy. We'll tree him." Oh, I mean to tell you, "put him to..." That's right.

35 O God, making a way of escape. God's provided way. Don't try to get in your own way. Noah tried to get in ... The people in Noah's time tried to get in their way, the wrong way. But God had a way, the way of the ark.
He's got a way today and it's the way of Calvary. And you say, "Well, I believe that, Brother Branham." Well, if you have and come by the door, you've got to receive the Holy Ghost. Truly.
How beautiful that parable was taught of the Wedding Supper. He found one there without a wedding garment on. Why, that's very typical. In the Oriental times, when they give a supper out or something another, the bridegroom had to furnish the robes. That's the way it is in this affair too---the Wedding Supper we're going to.
And then the bridegroom hired a man to stand at the door. And everybody that had an invitation come at the door. Poor or rich, any kind, they put this robe around them. When they were in, they were all alike. I like that.

36 Brother, there's no big me and little you then, when you come by the way of the door. And then He found a man back there that didn't have a wedding garment on. He come in some other way, by the sides of the door. And Jesus said, "Friend, what are you doing here?" And he was speechless.
And you try to climb up your own moral stepladder or by some creed or some church, brother, you're going to find yourself the same way. Every man that comes by the Door is going to get the same robe, and that robe is the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Every man pays the same price.
A lady said to me, said, "That woman standing at the back of the building, screaming and crying," said, "well, I just ... well, that would worry me." Said, "Why, it just makes chills go up my back to hear her crying, shouting."
I said, "It did?" I said, "If you'd ever be fortunate enough to get to Heaven, you'd freeze to death then, when you come up there, hear all that screaming, crying and shouting up there. Why, they cry Holy, holy, holy,' before Him day and night. All the time."

37 Certainly God has a provided way. You say, "You got some of that new kind of religion, Brother Branham?" No, sir. I got a brand new case of that old kind of religion. Oh, why sure.
Way back before there even was a world, they had shouting religion. "Where was you," God said to Job, "when I laid the foundation of the world? when the morning stars sang together and the sons of God shouted for joy?" Amen.
Have I got something new? No. It's still the same thing. Hallelujah! No wonder when that Stone come rolling into Jerusalem, all the people singing, "Hosanna, hosanna." And them starched priests said, "Make them hold their peace. Oh, they excite me."
He said, "If they hold their peace, the rocks will immediately cry out." Something has to take place. Yes, sir.

38 I can notice Moses before the great separation time. Before death come to strike the land, God made a way of escape for those who believed. Said, "Go out and get a male lamb. Keep it up fourteen days." Perfect type of Christ. First one from the old mother ewe. Must be a male kept up fourteen days, to be proved. It couldn't have a blemish.
Christ, the same thing. First one from the mother---virgin. And was tried. Even Pontius Pilate said, "I find no fault in Him." No one could find it. Judas Iscariot said, "I've betrayed innocent blood."
That pagan wife, back there, of Pilate had a dream, and sent the boy down from the palace. I can see Pilate standing there, just ready to pronounce judgment upon Jesus. I hear a horse come running, galloping up there. A boy jumps off and runs, falls down by the side of his master. Raised up and give him a piece of paper. He looked at it. I can see his face turn white, knees go to flopping together. Let's look over his shoulder and see what it says.

39 It coming from a heathen, now. Said, "Have nothing to do with this just Man, for I've suffered many things today in a dream, because of Him."
I tell you, every enemy had to testify of Him. The moon, stars shut off their glories of that day. That was the Son of God. The Roman centurion said, "Truly, that was the Son of God." Judas said, "I betrayed innocent blood." Hallelujah! Yes, sir.
He is God's provided way tonight. Every man or woman that's ever done anything for God ... there's been men and women who's believed that, held on to it, and kept it. It's thrilled the hearts of poets through the ages.
When I think of Eddie Perronet back there---What do you think of Christ?"---Eddie Perronet, when he wrote the great song of:
All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.

40 I think of Hopkins, after being persecuted and everything, the way he did. He said:
When I survey the wondrous cross
Whereon the Prince of glory died,
I count all my pain to be but loss...
Oh, my! I'll ask another one. "What do you think of Christ? Who do think He was?"
I think of blind Fanny Crosby. "What do you think of Him? You was blind. Never saw day light in your life. What does Christ mean to you?" If she could stand tonight, here is what she would say:
Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Thou the stream of all of my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in Heaven but Thee.
That's right.

41 Another one wrote:
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
Some day He's coming---oh, glorious day!

42 Certainly. God's provided Lamb. God's provided Sacrifice.
Said, "Now wait, Moses. I'll make you a type." And He took the blood of this lamb. Killed it in the evening.
Notice. All the elders of Israel had to witness to it. And they witnessed the death, just as they did up there. They said, "Let His blood be upon us." And He died in the evening time. Jesus died at three o'clock. And they took the blood of the lamb with hyssop and sprinkled it upon the door post and on the lintel.
Did you notice? Not on the floor. It's not to be looked down to. It's to be looked up to. And notice. On the door post and on the lintel. Perfect: the cross.
There was the blood. God said, "When I see the blood, I will pass, I will pass over you. When I see the blood," God's provided way.
"How are we going to escape the death?"
He said, "I will watch for the blood."
And there that night out... Let's take a little drama. I can notice the father goes to the ... in the Old Testament, was the priest of the house. Now, he is a figurehead. Now, he goes down and he puts it on the door and the lintel post. And then when it come about night, I can see all the young girls down there come out, tell the Hebrew girls, "Come on, we're going out to the dance."
Why, they say, "We can't go. We're under the blood." What a type. "We're coming in God's provided way."
"Nonsense with that religion. Whoever thought that blood would do anything? Come on out, let's have a good time."

43 But they stayed under the blood. God said, "When you go under the blood, stay there." That's right. Not in and out, in and out. Stay there.
After a while, they come midnight. Great dark, roaring cloud come up. I can look coming back through yonder, and I see two big black wings spread out across the nation. Here it comes. I can hear the priest of the family, the father, say, "There is the death angel sweeping the land now. Too late now." And directly, I can see him go dip down into a valley. Hear a scream come up from out of that house. The son was dead. Away he went. Directly here he comes, right down to another house again. Goes in. The big black wings close in around the house. A scream comes up, "The son is dead."
I can hear the little boy say, "Daddy, take another look. Be sure the blood is on there." Yes, sir.

44 I tell you, if there ever was a time a man ought to examine himself, is right now, brother. Is the blood on the door? Watch around and look good. And then when the next thing you know, he kept watching for that. Little old fellow said, "Daddy, them wings make me nervous."
He said, "Son, be of a good cheer. There's blood on the door; that's God's provided way. We're in His way." Hallelujah! "Don't make any difference what the world says. We're under the blood." Hallelujah!
So is it the same of every man that's born of the Holy Ghost---under the blood. Don't care what the world's got to say about it. Call you fanatic if they want to, as long as you know the blood is applied.

45 All right. He said, "There is no danger." And the first thing you know, these big black wings swept down towards that house. He seen the blood and just passed on over it. How marvelous!
When it got down there to the river and couldn't get across---and of armies---God made a way of escape. God had a provided way. When they got into the wilderness, they had nothing to eat, God rained manna down. He was the provided way. When they got sick, He provided a brass serpent. Making a way.
The people ... I can see them gathering up. The people would come look at the brass serpent to get well.
"Well, what's in that serpent? What's that got to do with it?" Some of this mixed multitude went up. We still got them. Plenty of them. "All this fanaticism, there's nothing to it." But they looked and lived. That God's provided way for divine healing for them. That's right.

46 One day at a pool of Bethesda, God had a provided way for them. A little later on, there was a man come by; if they laid in his shadow was God's provided way. Tonight He has got the Holy Spirit here, which is God's provided way, proving it. That's right. Separating from sin, taking away all the iniquities, and healing the sick and the afflicted. God's doing it. God's provided way.
Notice. A way of escape... Now, let's go a little farther. One day they got without water. They got to murmuring, grumbling. The church murmuring and grumbling, complaining against Moses, complaining against God. And God cut off the water supply.

47 That's about like our Pentecostal churches today. One of them says, "Glory to God. I belong to the Assemblies of God." The other one, "I'm the church of God." And the other one, "I'm the United Pentecost." "I'm this, that or the other." You keep grumbling and God's cut the water off from you. That's right.
Get your hearts together. That's right. The streams will open up again. What we need tonight is a good old fashion, outpouring gusher from heaven. Yes, sir.
I think about your different separations. Jacob had a very clear type of that. He dug one well, and the Philistines run him away. He called it "Malice." They dug another well and the Philistines run him away. He called it "Strife." He dug another well; he said, "There's room for us all." That's right. "Everybody, come drink."
That's what it is tonight.
Room, room, yes, there is room...
There's room at the fountain for every person in here. Every sin sick soul, there's room at the fountain. Every sick and afflicted, there's room at the fountain.

48 Notice oh, my! There... "And speak to the Rock and it will bring forth His waters." Bring forth 'His.' (His is a personal pronoun.) " Speak to the Rock and it will bring forth His water that thou may drink. Thou and the people and the..."
Watch. Why, to the carnal mind that was the most foolish thing that could have been said. Just like talking about the baptism of the Holy Ghost today. To the carnal mind, "Why, that bunch of people is crazy. Why, it's the craziest thing you ever heard of." If your doctor has done said you was going to die, what in the world can be done otherwise? But God said, "Speak to the Rock." Amen.

49 "Why," he said, "we've been to every water hole here. We've dug where the water was. We've come down here and every place is dry. We visited every spring and it's dry." And the rock was the driest place there was in the wilderness. How God takes the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.
Why, I'd say, you might have seined through every doctor's office in the city. I'm not talking against the doctor. He does what he can do.
Just a while ago, before coming here, one of the greatest doctors in the Southland was standing in my house telling me... Not only that, but he brought a patient that was incurable. He said, "I know where somebody can pray the prayer of faith and I brought the boy." That's right. One of the top surgeons in Jewish Hospital. Notice, then when he... They just men like you and I. They got a soul. They got to die like we have. Doctor take his own medicine and die. What's the matter? The medicine is not the healer, God is the Healer. Medicine is an aid. Medicine is all right. But medicine's an aid, it isn't a healer. Medicine doesn't heal. Doctors don't say it heals. But God give it here, its remedies, and so forth. Medicine is a remedy, God is the cure. See what I mean?

50 Now, notice this. When Moses said... He told him to speak to the rock and it would bring forth the waters. Now, the carnal mind looked at that rock as the driest place in the desert. Just about like the Holy Ghost Church today. "Why," they said, "if God would ever do any gifts, He sure wouldn't send them up to that bunch of fanaticism."
Here not long ago, I was talking to a young lady, which was a reporter. She came down. I don't where she found where I was staying. It was out in Oregon. And she had a pack of cigarettes with her. And she started pulling out one and smoking.
And I think that's the lowest, immoralest thing that a woman could do. And I have no apology for it. If God don't think no more of you at the Judgment than the Angel of God speaks to me about that, you have the slimmest chance of anybody in the country of ever getting in. That's right. Yes, sir.

51 And she pulled out a cigarette. She just shows her colors, what she is, when she does it. Now, let your face get red. And you men that will let your wife smoke cigarettes, it shows who's the boss around the house. That's right. Let them lay out here in these little old beach clothes and things. Lay out here before men stripped down.
I've got a girl at home. She might have wanted to get a suntan too. But brother, if she does, she's going to get a suntan. It will be Charlie Branham's son with a barrel slat behind her, bringing her home just as fast as I can bring her. That's right. I'll give her the kind of suntanning she needs. Yes, sir. I mean that. God give us some good old...
You talk about the literacy of Kentucky over here, where some of them old mammies would go back there and raise their young'uns... Why, it would make you feel ashamed of yourself. Then say, "They're ignorant." What's the matter with you? Oh, it's just...

52 Well, I better stop on that. Because, brother, I believe it's either right or wrong. There's no dividing line. You're either in or out. And if you do those things, it shows you're out. "If you love the world or the things of the world, the love of God is not even in you," said Jesus. That's right. So, just by their fruits you shall know them.
Now, I'm standing behind the pulpit; I'm not meaning personally to anybody, I'm saying what God said. I'm responsible for preaching it. And God holds you responsible the way you act about it. That's right. Amen.
Ah, it's the truth. And there I noticed back there, that when he spoke to the rock, the rock give its waters.

53 There was a man one day by the name of Elijah. The Lord told him, "Now, I'm going to make a way of escape. I'm going to send you up yonder on the mountain. I want you to stay up there, because it ain't going to rain for three years and six months." And that old preacher stomped right up there before that king and said, "The dew is not even going to fall from Heaven till I call for it."
How did he do that? He knowed what God said was the truth.
Walks up there on the hill and I can hear him say, "King Ahab," said, "looky here. Tell Jezebel..." His little painted-up wife, you know, with all that manicure over her face and... You know, Pentecostal women do that too. Brother, don't...

54 Listen, let me tell you something. I might as well get it right here. A long time ago, that was wrong to do it. But it isn't no more. Just like they took the old Charley Barleycorn with that scarecrow hat on. Put him in bumpers in a can, put him in the ice box. He dressed him up a little bit but he's still Charley Barleycorn. Just as much sin to drink it out of a bumper as it was out of the old barrel a long time ago. Right.
Let me tell you something, women. If you're guilty of that, listen, I'll tell you what will complexion you better than anything: Take this little bit of the Gospel in your heart. That's right. It will take care of it.
Let me tell you, there's only one woman in the Bible that ever painted her face to meet men. And that was Jezebel. And God fed her to the dogs.
Now, if you see a woman with a lot of paint on her face, say, "There is Miss Dog-meat." That's what God said. That's exactly right. That's Miss Dog-meat. That's what the Bible ... that God fed her to the dogs. Amen.

55 Brother, what we need is an old-time, Holy Ghost-sent, Gospel power of God to straighten up the Church and get back into the ring like they ought to be.
God help these preachers. (I ain't talking about these.) Hanging along with little old kid gloves on, afraid they're going to hurt somebody feelings. I'd rather hurt every man in the world and be in friendship with God. Tell the truth. God will honor it. Amen.
Amen means, "so be it." Don't get scared. That won't hurt you.
Now, look, brother. Elijah went up there and sat down by the brook and some of them said, "That poor illiterate fellow, sitting up there on top of that hill."

56 Well, the first you know, all the fountains dried up. They didn't have any rain. They said, "Well, I guess that old guy is about to starve to death up there." Said, "Well, look at him way up there on top of the hill." But every time he wanted a drink of water, he just knelt down and got a drink. Is that right? And they called him crazy.
Well, they was the one down there supposed to be so smart and they were starving to death. A good type of the born-again believer tonight. We sit down by the brook, by the inexhaustible Fountain of Life, Jesus Christ.
If one of us ever needs a blessing, let's kneel down and drink. Hallelujah! "I'll give him rivers of living waters that's bubbling up into his soul, gushers coming out." Sit down by Him one time and talk to Him. See if it's not right.

57 He's up there wiping the tears from your eyes, just screaming, and shouting, and having a great time. Then they call you crazy like they did Elijah. He was faring better than they was.
Now, you say, "That old preacher sitting up there in the wilderness?" Yes, sir. He was taking God's provided way for him during the time of the drought. He was sitting up there...
Why, he was better off than a lot of people in Connersville. He had some colored porters. The Bible said that every time when he got hungry or something, here come some ravens with a sandwich. Hand it right down to him. You're not that well off yourself and then you called him crazy. He knowed what he was doing. He was in God's provided way. Hallelujah! Yes, sir.
A preacher said to me not long ago (a Jehovah Witness man), he said, "Brother Branham, do you mean to tell me you think that's the truth?"
"Well," I said, "sure it's the truth."
He said, "Do you mean that those crows brought Elijah some sandwiches?"
I said, "Yes, sir. Brought him some meat and bread."
Said, "Where in the world do you think they got it at?"
I said, "I don't know." I said, "Only thing I knowed, they brought it. Elijah probably didn't know. They brought it and he ate it."

58 That's the same with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. "What makes it so?" I don't know. God sends It. I drink It down. That settles it. As long as--as long as God sends It, that's His provided way. He sent it by a crow that day. He sends it by the Spirit today. So, I just set down, eat and drink and have a good time.
They say you're crazy. Go right on. That's all right. Hallelujah. Long as I'm staying God's provided way, as long as I'm setting at the fountain, so I can eat and drink when I get hungry. Amen. Oh, my. How wonderful.

59 There's some people one time that was worried about Jesus going away. Jesus said, "Don't worry. I've made a way for you. A little while and the world won't see Me no more, yet you will see Me. For I will be with you, even in you, till the end of the world." "Well, how You going to be with us and not in the world? I can't understand."
Said, "I tell you what you do. You want to get in God's provided way?"
"Sure."
"Just go up there at Jerusalem and wait there until the Holy Ghost comes."
"Well, how is the Holy Ghost going to come?"
"I don't know. You just go there and wait."
"How long we going to wait?"
"Until."
"Well, do You mean two hours?"
"Until."
"Maybe it's a week?"
"Until."
"Until what?"
"Until you're endued with power from on high."

60 Acts 1:8. "But you shall receive the Holy Ghost after this... You shall receive power after this, the Holy Ghost has come upon you. You will be witnesses of Me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and Connersville, Indiana, and the uttermost parts of the earth." What? After you become a deacon? No. After you get out of the seminary? No. After you become a preacher? No. "After you have received the Holy Ghost, you shall be My witnesses with power throughout the entire world."
Every God-called witness must be endued with power from on high before he can be a witness. A witness has to know something, see something, know what he is talking about. Amen. I feel religious. My! I sure do. How wonderful He is.

61 Say, I got to have a healing line in a few minutes, to pray for the sick. Let's come to a close quickly. Let's not leave those pentecostal people in that room up yonder long. They was waiting to find out what God's provided way was. To see what kind of a way God has got to provide.
So, they was waiting there and Peter said, "You know, John. I'm ashamed of the way I treated the Lord."
He said, "Well, you ought to be." They got to talking with one another. One of them said, "Well, I was a Pharisee." And the other one said, "I was a Sadducee." Well, they got that all out of their heart. And when they got all in one accord, sitting in one place, then suddenly there appeared unto them God's provided way. Is that right?
Now, the way we like to holler at the Catholics... So, the way the Catholics would have it today: And here come the father up the road with a little box under his arms. He had the holy sacrament in it. And the people licked out their tongue and the priests drink the wine. And they call it holy eucharist. That's receiving the Holy Spirit.

62 Why, you laugh at that. But be careful, Protestants. You're no better off. Now, the way we do it today: Dr. So-and-So give a very good lecture this morning. And the people changed their membership from the Methodist to the Baptist. And they come up and give him the right hand of fellowship and walked away. That's just as unscriptural as the other is. Right.
That's right. But, brother, the way the Bible said it, they were all in one place, in one accord. Now, here's God's provided way. Not to shake hands with the preacher, and take the right hand of fellowship, and write your letter to the church. That's just as wrong as Catholicism. So pot can't call kettle black. That's right.

63 But the way the Bible said it, they were all with one accord, in one place and suddenly there didn't come a priest, there didn't come a preacher; but there come a rushing mighty wind from above. And it filled all the house where they were sitting. Big flames of fire set upon them. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and went out into the yard staggering like drunk men. They were acting like maniacs, drunk.
And listen. The blessed virgin Mary was in there, Catholic friend. That's right. The Bible said she was in there. And if God wouldn't let her come to Heaven without receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost, what about you? You will never get there ... anything less. It's God's provided way.

64 "I am the door to the sheepfold. Any man comes any other way, the same is a thief and a robber." I AM. Well, who is I AM? The One, "The world seeth Me no more, yet you shall see Me, for I will be with you even in you to the end of the age." Hallelujah! Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever.
You might think we're lost, but we know where we're at. Amen. All right. God's provided way.
There went out here, a great radio teacher the other day. Said, "I can prove that divine healing is of the devil." Could you imagine, people? You talk about pentecostal people falling for anything, what about this? "Acts 19 said that Apollos, that Baptist preacher up there, didn't know Jesus." Why, he did know Jesus. He was preaching and proving that Jesus was the Christ because he wanted to confirm the Word. He only knew the baptism of John.

65 And that's the way of a lot of my good Baptist friends tonight. They only know the baptism of the church. But the baptism that comes from God is the Holy Ghost that comes like a rushing mighty wind. The same yesterday ... God's provided way. That's right.
But he wanted to bypass that. "Have you received the Holy Ghost," he said, "when you believed?" No, no. "Since you believed."
Another fellow said the other day... One of these radio ministers, that you pay all your money out to support and everything like that. And they'll come back and blaspheme the religion that you're trying to live for---full of weakness. All right.

66 But looky here. That man said that ... (because he was trying to bypass the divine healing program that was on the air.) I know there is a lot of fanaticism in it, and I know there's a lot of fanaticism in the other. So, it's just six of one and a half-a-dozen of the other. That's right.
They said, "Brother Branham, since you got started, to have campaigns, everybody is a divine healer." That's all right. Look at Billy Graham. Look at the Billy Grahams over across the country too. Look at the rest of them. Brother, they got it too, don't you worry. That's right.

67 But watch here, brother. Let me tell you. He said that Simon the sorcerer was down there healing the sick and bewitching the people. And that's misquoting the Scripture to the public. I challenge that in the name of the Lord Jesus. That Simon the sorcerer did not do any healing and the devil cannot heal.
Anybody would say the devil heals, shows he's either mental deficiency, or he don't know his Bible. How in the world can God be the One that heals all thy diseases, and the devil His partner? Why, my! That's silly to think such.
The devil is not a healer. And Simon the sorcerer was bewitching the people, not healing them. It was Philip that done the healing that caused a great revival to sweep the city. Philip, by the name of Jesus Christ, cast out devils and caused great joy. And they were screaming and shouting and having a great time. And still didn't have the Holy Ghost. And Peter came down and laid hands on them, then they received the Holy Ghost. Amen.

68 Oh, friend. My! We promised to pray for the people. I just feel ... I believe I'm living right at the stop tonight, where the gusher is coming out. This is the first revival I've preached in for six or seven years. Just feeling good about it. I'm just building up my soul. God has a provided way. And that's His Son, Christ Jesus.
He died for you at Calvary. In there "He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquity. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes, we were healed." (We were---past tense.) Now, all you have to do is draw dividends off of His death.
Every borned-again man is given a checkbook. And enough checks in there to last you throughout your entire life. For anything that that atonement calls for, the only thing you have to do is fill out the check and send it in. Every believer.

69 Jesus' name is signed at the bottom. "Whatsoever things you desire, when you pray believe that you receive it and you shall have it. It will be given to you." Is that right? "Whatsoever you desire believe that you receive it and you shall have it." What a marvelous promise!
I think about a provided way. Back in the Old Testament, they used to have... (Just before closing now, listen closely; give me your undivided attention.) In the Old Testament, they had lambs, and doves, and things for sacrifice.

70 I heard a little story one time about a caravan coming over the hills of Palestine, coming down through the plains, into Jerusalem. And a little dove was restless. He was going up to... He knew a little while... He'd been caught in a trap, and he knowed a little while, he'd have his little head pulled off. He'd have to bleed as a sacrifice.
And he was restless, trying to get through the cage doors. Everywhere pushing and cooing. The sun was coming up. The camels were walking slowly as they're coming in, getting in for the morning sacrifice; where the sellers and changers out there could kill the little fellow. And he was so restless, trying to push his little head through every crevice.
Around and around, and around the cage. The rest of them was cooing along. But that little fellow was trying his best to get out. He just kept trying, kept trying.

71 You know, I hate to see anything caged up. I just can't stand it hardly. I know these little canary birds ... if you turn them out, they die. But I just can't hardly stand to see one of the little fellows caged up. It's all right now. Don't... I'm not talking about your canary. But I just say anything in a cage. I love wildlife.
Many times I've caught little pet wolves. How I love those little fellows. Little old bear, packed him to the woods when I had to run with him, nearly. I'd say, "Now, I think if I take him home, I'd have to tie him up. The poor little fellow." Let him loose. Let him have his liberty.

72 I don't like anything bound down, shackled down. Put me in mind of old cold formal religion, that shackles you and binds you. But I don't like that. I like, "to ever who the Son has made free, is free indeed." That's right. Just take your liberty.
Then I think... Then one time, seeing that... How I watched a big old eagle where he had beat his head. Night after night, he'd sit there at that cage ... Up here at the Cincinnati Zoo is where I saw it. You'd look down as you go around to the birds. And I'd see that eagle just flop against there. He'd beat his head. And he'd come back again. He'd hit against there. And he would fly up against the top of it. And he would fall down.

73 And the first thing you know, he'd just beat himself till the feathers was all out of him nearly. And he set down like that. And his weary eyes rolled up, looking around. And I thought, O God, that's a heavenly bird. He soars in the heavens above. Here he is caught. He fell into a trap. He's absolutely helpless. He can't deliver himself. His weary eyes rolling around. I felt so sorry for him. He can't help himself.
And every man that has fell into the snare of the Devil is worse off than him. You're a heavenly being. You're supposed to be a son of God. You're free, brother. You got liberty in Christ Jesus. Believing, God-loving, God-living, free from sin-living, free from death. That's right.

74 But how the devil has caught you and caged you up with smoking, drinking, all kinds of immoral living and thinking you're popular. Thinking you're doing something. That's the most horrible sight---to see that poor eagle beating his brains out nearly, against the cage, trying to get free.
And you're helpless, just as helpless as you can be, unless somebody puts forth His hands and opens the cage. And I will tell you tonight, Jesus Christ has done that in calling you. That's right. Opened the cage to let you out.
This little dove that I was speaking of before, he tried, he tried. And he was cooing. He was getting closer to the temple. And then the writer said that the little fellow was cooing and trying to put his little shoulders through. And he couldn't get it on that side, the other side. He'd try every one. He'd get more restless, and more restless. His little mate was waiting over the hill; in just a little while and he'd be killed. And he was trying to get his little self through. And after a while, he turned over like this, and then give a push. It was different. Something slipped.

75 Oh, child of God! You've went to church after church, and place after place. You've tried to get free from this, and free from sickness, and free from this, and free from this. And you can't do it. Why don't you turn over tonight and look up like this and then give a push? See what happens. You'll feel a little old slip.
You've went to divine healers and they've laid their hands upon you; and done this and done that. But why don't you turn and look towards Calvary tonight and then give a push. Feel the slip come. Something will happen. Yes, sir.
And the first thing you know, he give another push, and another push. And he was free. And he threw his little wings out like that, and sailed away across the mountain to his living mate. Oh, what a difference.

76 Old blind Bartimaeus... Did you ever read his story? Here's a little story of him. Bartimaeus had been blind for years. And he had a little girl, we're told, a little story of him ... that he had a little girl. She was about ten years old, little curly-headed girl. He'd never seen her in all of his life. And today, how dogs lead the blind, the sheep led the blind then. They had lambs that led the blind.
And Bartimaeus sat on the street begging. And he had two little turtledoves that done a little enchantment for the passers by. And he begged for his living.
And one night, they said that his wife got real sick. And he went to pray. He said, "Dear God, if You will save my wife's life and not let her die, tomorrow I will offer my two little turtledoves as a sacrifice." And his wife was well the next morning. He walked up to the temple and offered his turtledoves as a sacrifice.

77 Not long after that... He didn't have the enchantments then to attract the attention of the people, just him and his lamb, sitting in the cold, waiting for whoever would pass by and give him a coin.
And then one night, his little girl took sick. And the doctor thought she was going to die. He staggered his way out into the night, and he laid down. He said, "God, I don't have nothing else here to give You but my lamb. But if You will let my little girl live, I promise You, Lord, tomorrow I will go to the temple and offer my lamb for a sacrifice." His little girl was well the next morning.
And here he goes up to the temple, early in the morning, with his lamb. He said the great high priest Caiaphas stood out and said, "Old blind Bartimaeus, where goest thou?"
He said, "O high priest, I go to the temple to offer my lamb." He said, "Last night, my little girl was sick and I promised God if He would heal my little girl, I'd offer my lamb."
He said, "Blind Bartimaeus, thou cannot offer that lamb." Said, "I will give you money and you go buy you a lamb."
He said, "O high priest, I never offered God a lamb, I offered Him this lamb."

78 That's the trouble. You try to help... What about ... God wants you on the altar. Not your flower, not your money. He wants you. You on the altar. You're the person that's made the offering.
The great high priest said, "Blind Bartimaeus, thou cannot offer that lamb. That lamb is your eyes."
He said, "True, high priest. But God will provide a lamb for blind Bartimaeus' eyes."
He went on and offered his sacrifice. Sitting without a dove, without a lamb. And one day there was a noise started up the street. God had a Lamb for blind Bartimaeus' eyes. The Lamb of God that was slain from the foundation of the world. God had a Lamb for his eyes. That was God's provided Lamb.

79 And that same Lamb is provided tonight for every sinner; for every boy or girl, every man or woman. If I hurt your feelings preaching, I didn't aim to. Only thing I want to do is tell you the truth, my friend. Don't fall out with me.
Listen. To you sick people here, that's here hopeless and helpless, doctor has done all he can do, but God has a Lamb provided for you. He has a provided way if you're ready to receive it. Shall we bow our heads a moment.
Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee tonight for the promise that Thou has made us, and provided for us a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And now, Lord Jesus, I pray that that bleating of that Lamb will echo down from Calvary in every sinner's heart, here tonight.

80 Think of it: that bleeding Lamb hanging between the heavens and earth, dying, an innocent substitute for a guilty sinner. And we spurn His love. God, grant tonight that every wayward boy, girl, man or woman in here, will seize that provided way, come, join up tonight in Calvary. Their soul and all that they are, all their thoughts, all that they are, may they lay it right on Calvary tonight, say, "Dear God, this is all I have. I come bringing everything. You will provide for me. For I ask it in Christ's Name."
And while you have your heads bowed, I wonder if there's a sinner, man or woman, in the building tonight, say, "Brother Branham, I'm a sinner, remember me in your prayer, will you?" Will you raise your hand up right quick, while we pressed for time?
Oh, my, all over the building? Oh, I just have to say this again. There's two or three dozen raised their hands. God's provided Sacrifice is here. God's Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost, is now moving over the building. What made you raise your hand, sinner? Because God is calling you. "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him," and the Father's trying to draw you to the provided Sacrifice, which, one of these days, all that you have is going to sweep away. The atoms that's in your body will return back to the air. The dust that's in your body, where it was created, will return to the dust. Then what? I'm going to ask prayer for you.

81 Lord, I pray that You'll give conviction to these that's wayward and out of the way tonight. And may they receive this bleeding, bleating Sacrifice, the Son of God. Grant it, Father.
And while we have our heads bowed, I wonder if any of you, right now, would accept Christ as your Saviour? Now, nothing you can do in yourself, not a thing. God's knocked at your heart. [Brother Branham knocks on the pulpit] That's Him that said, "Raise up your hand while that preacher's calling. You raised up your hand; that was Him.
Now, do you believe Him and want to accept Him as your Substitute? Nothing you can do now, just accept Him; say, "I'll take You, Lord. And I can't get to heaven myself; there's nothing I can do; but I'm looking to You, now, to save me. I want You to have mercy on me in this hour." Would you stand to your feet, you that want to do that? Unsaved and want to accept Christ as personal Saviour? God bless you, sister. Just remain standing. Someone else? God bless you, sir. Someone else would stand to your feet, say, "I now accept Christ." God bless you, young man. Just remain standing, if you will. Someone else? All around over the building, would you just stand up, right quickly? We're so pressed here. God bless you, sir. Just remain standing. God bless you. And God bless you. Someone else? God bless you, lady, just remain standing if you will, just for a few moments.

82 Now, I'm going to have prayer. Would someone else, now? Sinner friend of mine, I love you with undying love. I'm trying my best to get the greatest thing that could be given you tonight: Christ Jesus. Don't turn Him away. He's the only Lamb Who can lead to the valley of the shadow of death. He's the only One Who can go with you when life's brittle threads are breaking, and your soul is walking on them tonight, friend. They may plunge out into an endless eternity before morning. Won't you accept God's guiding Lamb tonight, for your blind eyes, to lead you through this sinful, dark world. Won't you take God's provided way tonight? Someone else will stand right quick, while I'm waiting.
Just feel that there ought to be one or two more stand anyhow. Will you accept Christ as personal Saviour? Can I persuade you? Is there anything I can do to cause you to accept Him? Anyone, over here to the right? Back over here? Out on the hill, anywhere? Back on the hill to my left? Anyone out in here would want to accept Christ as personal Saviour? Want to be remembered now, in a word of prayer, and say, "Now, I want to accept Christ." Ministers, I want you to see who they are. All right. Now we bow our heads, then

83 Lord Jesus, You see these people standing. They're now coming to Thee, O Lamb of God. Blind, miserable, wretched, sinful, borned in this world; shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies, God, be merciful to them. And may this night, may they find peace just now. You said, "He that will come to Me, I will in no wise cast out." Now, they're just coming tonight, Lord. May, now, as they've accepted You as their personal Saviour, I know You're testifying of them before the Father. You said, "He that will--He that will witness Me before men, Him will I witness before My Father and the holy angels." We know that the very voice of Christ rings out in heaven tonight in the Presence of God these people's names.
And now, Father, I pray that they'll not stop right here, but they'll go right on into the baptism of the Holy Spirit. May they be borned again. Grant it, Lord. Bless them through their life. And if I never get to even as much as shake their hands or--or talk to them here on earth, may yonder, when life is over, and someday when my shoulders is stooped all the way, and I bow myself into death, O God, I want to remain like I am, knowing You in the power of Your resurrection, that when You call from among the dead, I'll hear my name and come out. May these people here, standing, be among them, tonight, Lord. And may I meet them there, and we get over into Your kingdom, and they'll remember the meetings tonight; the story of the blind man and how You provided a Lamb for them back there and for these tonight. We ask You to bless them, in Christ's Name. Amen.

84 God bless you, my Christian friend. When you set down, you Christians around them, shake their hands now, and give them your right hand of fellowship, and say, "God bless you."
And all of you all happy they come to Christ? If you are say, "Amen." How many will promise these Christians that tonight before going to bed, these that just now accepted Christ...
Now remember, you're just accepted Christ. See? Now, God will give you the Holy Ghost in confirmation of your faith. See? Now, you get to some good Full Gospel church and be baptized right away, and God's under obligation to give you the baptism of the Holy Ghost the moment you're baptized, if you come with a true heart believing. Peter said just repent and be baptized and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Is that right? God promised it now: He'd make everything right.
Now, you that promised that you'll have a prayer before you go to bed tonight for these Christians, raise you hand, will you? Looky here. You that just was converted, look here at the Christians would be praying. Mine too. It may be early in the morning 'fore I get home.
I got to turn right around and come right back again about ten o'clock tomorrow for all day tomorrow. And then Monday, I'm going to Utica, Indiana, and then down to Shreveport, Louisiana, back to--in Kentucky, and then maybe from there to South Africa. There's just no let up, no, at all. I'm not weary. I love Him with all my heart. I love to do it. I'm only so thankful that He'll give me the privilege of calling the lost and praying for the sick.

85 Now, where's Billy? Is... L-M-N-O-P. Oh, my, we got plenty of them. All right. Let's see. [Gap in the audio]
... believe. If they lay their hands on the sick they shall recover." Is that right?" Have you counted me a believer? All right, let's pray.
Lord Jesus, come now, I... Here, Father, Thou knowest all things. Brother Baxter gone, I've had to do the preaching and every--along like this. Thou knowest, and it's so hard to...You understand; I'm sure. And I pray that You'll help me now tonight. And may a these dear people that are sick, Lord, and--and they've heard the preaching of the Gospel and they're coming now to be made well. Now, the only thing that I can do, Father, Thou knowest, is to point them to Your beloved Son, Jesus. And now, as a believer, to join my faith with them, I lay hands on them and ask for their healing. And grant, Lord, that everyone that passes this pulpit tonight will go off of here and get well, because they've believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; for we ask it in His Name. Amen.

86 Now, every one of you join with me in silent prayer while I'm making prayer for the people. All right, come lady. Do you believe? Now, you have no prayer card, nothing at all. Is that right? Have you been in the meetings before? Have you seen how the Holy Spirit knowed what was wrong with the people and everything like that? You've seen that? You believe it? I know you're a believer. Well now, you--you--you were just called tonight without prayer card, without anything; you just come up here. Is that right? Come here to believe? Now, do you believe that He'd tell me what was wrong with you. Well sure, I know what's wrong with you. But I don't have to tell you, do I? No. You got diabetes, but... Isn't that right? Is that the truth, raise your hand? See? You've got diabetes. That's right. And you've got a lot of worried life behind you, haven't you? A string of sorrow. But now, look lady. You think He'll make you well? Come here. Everyone in prayer.
Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless the woman and heal her. I ask in Jesus Christ's Name that she gets well. Amen. Now, go believing, sister. That's all I can do is just pray and ask.

87 All right, sister. You want to get rid of that asthmatic condition? Make yourself... Wasn't it strange? You've had that; it's a coughing like that constantly. And you've got a female trouble that's caused from some time, long time ago you had that. But now, isn't that the truth? And now, you believe that God will make you well? Come here. Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll heal the woman. May she go off this platform tonight, a normal well woman; in Christ's Name I bless her. Amen. Go, believing now, with all your heart now. Don't doubt a thing; just have faith in God.
All right, come, lady. Now, you--you have a prayer card? No prayer card, you just a lady come in from out there. Is that true? No, I don't know you. I never seen you in my life. You believe God's standing here with us? Do you believe the Angel of God? Do you believe this gift of God? If I... If there's anything wrong with you, God will have to tell me, is that right? And if I--if I would reveal to you by His Spirit, what's wrong with you... Just like Jesus, He went right straight to that woman at the well. He said, "Go get your husband."
She said, "I perceive that You're a prophet." Is that right?

88 Well, if that same Jesus is tonight, He could go right straight to your trouble; is that right? It's high blood pressure, isn't it? Is that right? All right. Go get well then, in the name of the Lord Jesus. Believe now, have faith.
All right, lady, if I don't even say one thing to you, you'd believe anyhow. Is that right? Lord Jesus, I pray that You will heal the woman. May she go off this platform tonight happy, rejoicing and made well. Through Christ's name. Amen. God bless you, sister. Go believing now, with all your heart.

89 All right, come. Next lady, here. Come, sister. Do you believe with all your heart? Now, here's a woman really is in serious trouble. The woman's got a mental nervousness. Isn't that right, lady? Real... Look. You're worst trouble is in the late of the evening, isn't it? Along towards night, you get gloomy and worried. And you get so weak, you can't hardly stand up. Is that right? You have to sit down. And you're just all tore up.
Now, what it is, lady, it's nothing to hurt you. It's a premature time of the change of life, menopause. Now, come here. It's a gloomy shadow. And it's nothing but a lie of the devil, see. And you're all right; you're going to get all right. Do you believe it?
Lord Jesus, I bless the woman in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I pray for her healing. Amen. Now, go... Look. If He could tell me what your trouble is... If I'd talk to you a few minutes, it would tell your life, but it don't have to do that.
Look, will you do what I tell you do? Go out of here just as happy as you can be. He's got you all gloomy and wore down. You've dropped down in this cycle down here, when you got to get up here. Look up here, believe up here, and say, "Thank God." And go on and be happy, you'll get well. If you don't, you're headed for a lot of trouble. All right. Go believing now.

90 All right. Come, lady. Do you believe with all your heart? [The lady says, "Yes, I do."] You want to get over that kidney trouble? ["Yes."] All right, go believe God and get over it then. In the name of the Lord Jesus.
All right. Come and believe now. You believe, sir? If I wouldn't say one thing, and still you'd believe anyhow. Is that right? Lord Jesus, I pray that You will heal the boy of this terrible demon that's about to take his life. May it leave him in Jesus' name. Amen. Now, go believing, son, with all your heart. Believe God making you well.

91 Do you believe, lady, with all your heart? Come here a minute. Lord Jesus, I pray that You will bless the woman and heal her in Jesus Christ's name. Amen. Go believing now, with all your heart.
The reason I'm trying to hurry, friends, we've got so many to pray for. You understand, don't you? Is everybody holding on out there, praying? All right.
Come now, lady. Of course, you see she's got a trumpet in her ear. Can you hear me through this all right? [The lady says, "Huh?"] Just a minute, let's see if we can get her to hear better. Bow your heads just a moment.
Lord Jesus, have mercy upon her. I pray that You will heal her. Take this deaf spirit from her, I ask in Christ's name. Amen.

92 Do you believe with all your heart now? All your heart? [The lady says, "Yes."] How long you been deaf? ["Oh, about ten years."] Ten years. Let's take this trumpet out just a moment. Both ears. Let's see ... [Brother Branham makes a noise.] You hear that, don't you? ["Yes."] Can you hear me now? Why, you're healed then, see. Go on you're ... got your hearing, then go. God bless you. All right.
Here's another one standing right here. The same thing. Lord Jesus, I pray that You will bless this man and unstop these ears. Thou deaf spirit, leave him in Christ's name, come out. Amen.
Can you hear me? You believe with all your heart? Can you hear me all right now? Say, "Amen." "I love the Lord." You're healed. God bless you. Go on your road rejoicing.

93 Poor little baby. Do you believe if I ask God, God will heal it? Born in this condition.
Lord Jesus, I bless the little thing. It hasn't had a chance in life. Birth did this. But Thou, O God, can give it another birth. Grant it Father, in Jesus' name. May it get well. Amen.
Now, God bless you, mother. Don't worry. Go believing and write to me and tell me about this baby. If you'll take my word as His prophet and believe that God has done just exactly what I said He done at Calvary, died for the healing of your child, you will write me a letter in the next four or five days and say, "Brother Branham, there's such a difference in my baby, it don't seem like the same one." Will you do that? All right.
What's your name? [A lady says, "Presley."] Presley. Where you from? ["Brookville."] All right, I'll watch for that letter.

94 All right, sir. God bless you. All right. Of course, you see the man is on a cane and probably ... legs drawn and everything. Brother, do you believe that God will make you well? [A man says, "I do."] All right. I'll just ask Him and ... up to your faith.
Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll heal the man. May he get well, Father. I ask this blessing in Christ Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you, brother. Go now, believing with all your heart. Look. If you can see a difference in you by tomorrow night, will you walk up here and show me? God bless you.
All right. Come, lady. Do you believe with all your heart? Now, you look like a healthy person. That man, you see, is crippled. You can see that little baby there is a spastic ... or, deformed, the little fellow. And that little boy there, see. Why, sure. You can see that. But you look like a well person.
There's no mystery saying, "That's a crippled man." "That's a crippled child." Anybody sees that. But when it comes to you, you look healthy. But you got a female trouble; isn't that right?
I want to talk to you just a moment.

95 [Gap in the audio]... knows that but Him. Is that right? That's right. Then He's here, isn't He? If I ask Him will He heal you? You'll believe it? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless the woman. May she go from here tonight and be made well, in Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you. Go now. As you believe I believe you'll get well. Have faith. All right.
My, this is a fine little girl. Howdy do? Skin condition. Skin eruption, skin just... Is that true? Though you can't see it, but it's on her body. Is that true? You love Jesus? You believe Brother Branham? You do? Your child? You... You like to serve Him, do you? Does your husband like to serve Him? Yes. He has a habit he'd like to quit though, doesn't he? You believe He'll make the baby well? You do? What church you belong to? Is that right? You believe that He'll make the child well then? I'm testing your faith to see what it'll do, to see where you was at. This child's all right. Now, I'm testing to you. See? All right. You put your hand on that side of her; I'll put my hand on this side and let's pray. Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll help this poor little baby. God bless them now and may the little thing go home and get well, in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Want to talk to you just a moment.
Let's sing,
O how I love Jesus,
[Brother Branham speaks to the lady while the congregation sings--Ed.] ( How long has it been?...) [Gap in the audio]

96 Praise the Lord, Amen. All right, come, lady. You believe now with all your heart? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless the woman. May she go from here tonight and be made well in Jesus Christ's Name, Amen. God bless you, sister. Now, go and believe with all your heart.
Come, lady. Do you believe with all your heart? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless her and may she go from here rejoicing and happy, be made well; in Jesus' Name. Amen. God bless you, sister.
Come now. You believe, lady? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless her and heal her and make her well in Jesus Christ's Name. I ask this blessing. Amen. Now, now, believe with all your heart.
All right, sister. You believe with all your heart? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll take this affliction away from her body, and may she go and be made completely whole, in Jesus' Name, Amen. You--you believe it...
All right, do you believe, lady, with all your heart? How long you had this high blood pressure? About three or four years now. It's caused from nervousness, keeps you worked up all the time. Isn't that right? That's what He said, anyhow, your doctor told--told you it was a nervous condition then. Is that right? Not reading your mind, but that's the truth. See? Yes. All right. Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless her and may this leave her. May she go home and get well, in Jesus' Name, Amen. God bless you, sister.

97 Come believing now. Come here. Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless our sister, and may she go from here tonight and be made well, in Jesus' Name. Amen. Go, believing now, sister.
Come, lady. You want to get well? Believe with all your heart? Female trouble's what's wrong with you. Isn't that right? All right. God bless her and make her well, I pray, in Jesus Christ's Name, Amen. God bless you.
All right, come, lady. My sister, are you aware that you're a very sick woman? You know that you're very sick? Yes, you are, it's cancer. All right, come here. Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll heal the woman. May she go from here tonight and be made well through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Now look; don't you fear. You go believing. What say? That's what I know that's what your--what--what... [Gap in the audio]
If I'd talk to you a minute, do you believe He'd tell me what was wrong with you? All right. You've got something wrong when it's hard for you to get up of a morning. It--it's arthritis. Isn't that right? You want to get over it? Then accept Jesus Christ as your Healer, and go, and you can be made well; in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Now, is this the--What [Gap in the audio]

98 "If they lay their hands on the sick," they what? [Congregation answers, "shall recover."] He never said, "If they pray for the sick..." "If they lay their hands on the sick..." Is that right? Is that the Scripture? Uh-huh. Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless the woman in Jesus' Name as I lay my hands on her. Amen.
God, I pray that You'll bless my brother. And as I lay hands on him, may he get healed, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
All right, will you come, lady. You believe with all your heart? Believe that God will make you well? You got a horrible plague of nervousness, haven't you? Just been nervous a long time, but God will make you well. Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll heal her, in Jesus' Name, Amen. God bless you, sister.
God, I pray that You'll bless our brother and may he leave here tonight as I lay hands on him in commemoration of Jesus Christ's words. I ask for his healing. Amen. God bless you.
Now come. The little girl...God, I pray that You'll bless the little thing and heal her and heal the mother, Lord, and may they both get well, in Jesus' Name, Amen. God bless you.
Come with this little girl here. Come, sweetheart. God, I pray that You'll bless this little girl and may she get well. I pray, God, that You'll grant this blessing in Jesus' Name. Bless you.
Lord, I pray that You'll bless this man, and may he be healed, Father; in Jesus Christ's Name I ask it. Amen.

99 All right, would you come, sister, right straight to... That's fine. Lord Jesus, I lay hands upon her. I know there's nothing in my hands, Lord, could help her, but I'm doing this in commemoration of what You said, Jesus. You said, "If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover. The people that seen Your signs and wonders, what You said to do before them, and they'd believe it? Now, I'm laying hands upon them, in Jesus' Name, for their healing. Amen. God bless you.
Come, lady. You believe? I lay hands upon our sister, in Jesus' Name for her healing. Amen.
All right, would you come, lady? I lay my hands upon this sister in Jesus Christ's Name, for her healing. Amen. God bless you now. Go rejoicing.
Come right ahead, sister. I lay hands upon our sister, in Jesus' Name, for her healing. Amen. God bless you, now go right...
Lord, I lay hands upon our brother, in Jesus Name, for his healing. Amen.
Father, I lay hands upon our brother, in Jesus Name, for his healing, Amen.
God, I lay hands upon our sister, in Jesus' Name, for her healing. Amen.

100 Now di... [Gap in the audio]
Lord Jesus [Gap in the audio] be near. Maybe the Lord will reveal Him to you tonight, standing here. Hundreds and hundreds have seen Him standing at the platform. How many seen the picture of Him, let's see your hands? In the picture? Why, He's right here. He's right here. Now, believe Him with all your heart, and God will...
You believe, lady? With all your heart? Sure having a struggle, aren't you? Uh-huh. But have faith. You have to do. Just believe God, God will grant it.
[Gap in the audio] ... You'll bless this darling little girl. May she get well, Father. I pray this blessing, in Jesus' Name. May these little eyes get well. Amen. God bless you, sister.
Father, I pray that You'll bless this woman and may she get well, as I ask, in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Go, believing now.
Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll heal the woman; may she go and get well in Jesus Christ's Name I pray. Amen.
Come, lady. You want to get over your back condition and go and be made well? ... All right. Lord Jesus, I pray the You'll heal her of this back trouble. May she go and get well in Jesus' Name. You have an awful lot of time with that, haven't you? Been the vertebrae there for a long time has caused that. Been coming on for years and years. What it was, when you was a little girl, it happened back there... [Gap in the audio] ... Say, "Thank You, Lord." That's right, that's the way to do it. Amen.

101 Come here. Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless the woman and heal her, in Jesus' Name. Amen. Believe with all your heart.
Come, sir. Lord, I pray that You'll heal the brother. May he go from here and get well, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Come now. All right, come, lady. Lord, I pray that You'll bless her and may she get well. In Jesus' Name I bless her for her healing... [Gap in the audio]
The Angel of the Lord's standing here then, is that right? You got a asthmatic condition. Is that right? Cough like everything, and especially when you go to bed at night, you can hardly rest. Is that right? Lord God, bless him and may he go and get well, in Jesus' Name. Amen. He's still here. He just--just--you just believe Him. That's all you have to do.
Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless the woman in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. I want you to watch. If God is doing it, then you must believe the Lord with all your heart.
All right, come. Now, I know you, honey, I know who you are. [Gap in the audio]
Pray the You'll bless her. O thou hideous demon, leave the woman, I adjure thee by Jesus of Nazareth, that you leave her. Amen. About to eat you up, but look, sister. Did you see Florence Nightingale's picture in that book? She only weighed thirty-seven pounds, and she's well now. Go and be like her, in the Name of the Lord. All... [Gap in the audio]
That's right. All right now, come, be--get well. Lord, I pray that You'll bless her and heal her, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

102 Remember, friends, I'm not the gift of healing. The Angel of God is God's gift to send: that's the gift of healing. I'm just a man and--but He's the Angel of the Lord, and He's here, standing right here now. At the day of judgment, you'll find out that Angel is standing right here, close to my side right now. That's not a fictitious belief. Well, look. He--He bears fruits to prove that it's so. See? But I'm trying to get the people prayed for, as many as I can.
Come, sister. Lord, I pray that You'll heal her and grant her blessings, in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Go, have faith now; everything will be all right with you, sister.
God, I pray that You'll bless brother, and may he go and be made well, in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you.

103 Come... [Gap in the audio] ... deaf spirit, come out of the woman; in Jesus Christ's Name, leave her. Can you hear me? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me all right now? How long you been that way? Come here. I want you to notice how simple. Can you hear me? Say, "Amen." "I love the Lord." See, sister, sometimes deaf spirit--only thing I can detect is a spirit. I don't know how deaf they are, how hard of hearing, or whether they're totally deaf. I just know a witness that the deaf spirits bucks up against me, like that, when it's anointing. Now, he's gone from you. You're normal. That's right. Now, go ahead and be...
All right, come, lady. Do you believe with all your heart? [Gap in the audio] like, it wasn't? Amen. Now, Lord, may she be healed of this heart trouble, in Jesus' Name. The baby, God bless it. All right. Now, you. God bless you. Now, go believing, You'll get well.
Come, sister. Lord, I pray that You'll bless our sister, and may--may she get well. I bless her for this purpose, in Jesus' Name. Amen. [Gap in the audio]

104 God, heal this poor little afflicted baby. I ask this, in Jesus' Name. Bless the woman, Lord, I pray, in Jesus' Name. Likewise, this little fellow, Lord. I pray that You'll heal them both, in Jesus Christ's Name. Let's see the little fellow. Do you believe? [Gap in the audio]
God's prophet? You? Raise your hands up in the air. Your arthritis is gone. Go, be healed.
All right. God, I pray that You'll heal our sister and make her well; in Jesus' Name I pray.
God, I pray that You'll heal our sister and make her well; in Jesus Christ's Name I ask it. [Gap in the audio]
I pray that You'll heal her and make her well, in Jesus' Name. Go, rejoice now, believing with all your heart, you can get well.
All right, come brother. [Gap in the audio] ... that You'll bless the baby and the mother. May they both be healed, in Christ's Name. Amen.
Come believing now. Lord, I pray that You'll bless our sister and may she get well; in Jesus Christ's Name I ask it. [Gap in the audio]

105 Let's stand just a minute. I think we ought to raise up our hands and give thanks to God.
Heavenly Father, we thank Thee in the Name of Thy Son, Jesus, for Thy blessings and power. Grant Your blessings upon them all, in Christ Jesus' Name. Amen.

God's Provided Way

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Our Heavenly Father, we come to Thee tonight in this usual way of singing hymns, reading the Word, then speaking. Knowing that the rest of the service now must be Your guiding help or it will be totally a failure. And we believe that Thou art here, and You know all things and are working all things together for good to them that love You.

2 Now here in my hand I hold some letters and some handkerchiefs, going to the sick and the afflicted. I recall from the Bible, that when Israel got cornered after leaving Egypt, the Red Sea was before them and the desert and Pharaoh's army pursuing them, that one of the writers said, "God looked down through that pillar of fire and got angry with the sea because it had shut off the path that His children were walking in to the promised land. And the sea got scared and rolled back and made a dry path for Israel to cross on." Now You're still the same God.
And now I'm holding these handkerchiefs and maybe some poor old dad sitting out here around the everglades somewhere, an old blind mother with a stick in her hand beating around on the floor trying to find her way around, or some little fevered child laying somewhere. A mother waiting frantically for the handkerchief to return. Thou has made a way of escape.
And I pray that when these little tokens that we get from the Bible that they taken the handkerchiefs off of the body of Saint Paul, we realize that we're not Saint Paul, but we know You're still Jesus. And we pray God, that when these little tokens are laid upon their sick bodies in commemoration of this prayer of faith that we're praying, that God will look down through them eyes again and may the enemy that's bound them get scared and move back. And may they cross into the land of the promise of good health. Grant it Lord. May there not be one of them but what will be healed.
And grant the same thing here tonight, may the Holy Spirit take over this meeting and get into the meeting, get into the people, wind His way into the hearts of the people and may there be great things accomplished tonight because of His presence. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

3 Praying for the sick, sending handkerchiefs, I get the greater part of my testimonies come from handkerchiefs. They do, so many things that the Lord has did because they can reach more people. We mail out perhaps maybe a thousand a day from Jeffersonville. And so we send them. Any time you need one, why, don't need it now, put it in your Bible and put it on Acts 19. And then I just wish that time would permit of how many things that's happened. Sometimes you take it, lay it on Acts 19 in the Bible, if you don't have any use for it now, leave it there. When emergency arise, why, just take the handkerchief and lay it on the child that's got the croup or whatever it is. Watch what takes place. It's just been marvelous what our Lord has done.

4 The only thing it is, it's just a little point of contact that... Now when I send these out, it'll be a regular form letter. At the same time, I ask everyone to pray at nine o'clock at morning, twelve o'clock at day, three o'clock in the afternoon. And that's the world around. And people get up at midnight in the night, in old countries, see, keep that prayer chain at the same time. Literally, tens of thousands and thousands of thousands are praying at the same time. God's bound to hear, you're just storming Heaven with prayer, you see, so He's got to hear.
Just think how many faithful people in that. And they're praying one for the other. Everyone praying. They laid them on them and prayed. I have so many glorious testimonies of those things that our Lord has done.

5 Now, I am just about as badly worn as I've ever been to stay on my feet. This is several weeks for me and it's been much visions. And so the Lord has helped me to which I am very, very, grateful for His loving kindness, of course, we are. And we just trust that He will be with us tonight, and help us tonight.
And now, I'm going to speak just a few moments on a text, if it would be called a text, I'm not very good on taking a text because I very seldom ever stay with it. And I just, I thought I'd just maybe read something. I think, "Now when I go down to church tonight, I'm going to speak on this." Now I have did this all my life. And just as sure as I go to thinking I'm going to do this, I get in alone and the Lord tells me to do something else. And I never try to announce what you're going to speak on, just go ahead and do what the Lord says do and that's all there is to it. And I just have to, as He gives it to me, why, give it to the people. And sometime it's oh, kind of rough, but it'll do you good. It saved me and it's kept me happy all these twenty-three years now, that I've been very happy in Jesus Christ preaching the Gospel. And there's only one regret that I have in my life, that is that I didn't know Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of my sins when I was just a little baby boy.

6 And I tell you parents, you put the right kind of a home before your children. That's the thing to do. Because if I'd had a Christian home I'd been reared in, perhaps I'd have been farther along with our Lord Jesus tonight and more people had been saved. But my people was not a religious family. And God just had by His amazing grace, to save me.
And then, since then, I've led several of them to the Lord. I baptized my mother, my father gave his heart to Christ, died in my arms. My grandfather, I baptized him at nearly ninety in the river. Some of my brothers and so forth. And my boy here, and then my little girl is seven. My other one's too young to be baptized yet, she's only two, so I trust if she lives, why, when she's old enough to be baptized, I will do that. She's already been committed to the Lord. We call it dedication. So we just dedicate the baby to the Lord. Try to follow the Scripture just as close as we can. We never did see where Christ, or any place in the Bible, they ever baptized babies. They just brought them to the Lord and that's the only Scripture I can find. He took them up in His arms and blessed them. Said, "Suffer little children to come to Me."
You want to sprinkle them, baptize them, that's okay. Just like taking these handkerchiefs, many people anoint those handkerchiefs with oil. That's good. That's very fine. That'll be all right to anoint them with oil, as long as God's blessing, that's all right, see. But now, if you'll just think of this and bear with me a few minutes, Paul never anointed with oil, they took off of his body. Was that right? They took from the body of Paul.

7 Now Paul knew that what he touched, it was blessed that he'd get the people. You know where I think Paul got that Scripture from? You remember when the Shunammite woman, when her baby was dead and she got to Elisha trying to find out why the baby had died. And Elisha had a stick in his hand, he told his servant, Gehazi, I believe it was, said, "Take this stick and go forward, if anybody speaks to you don't speak to them, just go lay it on the baby."
Now Elisha knew that what he touched was blessed, that God was in him, but if he could get the Shunammite woman to believe that. But she didn't believe that, she knowed God was in His prophet, but not in the stick, so the stick didn't do the work. The stick would have done the same thing if the woman would have believed it. Don't you think so? Sure. And so...

8 But when Elisha come, the only thing he done was just lay his body upon the baby and God give it its life back. Is that right? God was in His servant and that's what the woman believed and that's just what had to happen.
I see them coming to the platform when I call the prayer line. I start to pass them by, and the first thing you know, why, I could tell they don't want that, they want me to pray for them, lay my hands on them or something. It won't be until that happens. That's just the way they're looking for it.

9 One woman, one person in the Bible, Jairus said, "Come lay Your hands on my daughter." Well that was Jesus' hand. But a Roman said, "I'm not worthy that You come under my house, just speak the word," see. It just depends on which way you believe, that's what it'll be.
Now, if I would call this a little text to talk to you tonight, I'm going speak on: God's Provided Way. Now, reading of this text will be of Elijah, this great prophet of God. And then, about how that we're to call the sick and when the sick, or call the elders, rather, and anoint the sick with oil and pray over them. The prayer of faith shall save the sick. And he said, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man."

10 Now a righteous man is not a sinless man. For you notice he said, "Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are." He had his ups-and-downs and his differences and the Scripture of his life proves that he had his ups-and-downs like we do. And he had his times of wondering and his times his temper got away from him, and he had a lot of things that went wrong. But he was still a righteous man because he confessed his unworthiness and believed in God. So that's what made him righteous.
We're not righteous within ourselves, we're righteous through Jesus Christ. I cannot be sanctified within myself, I am sanctified through Jesus Christ who stands in the presence of God in my place. It isn't my holiness, it's His holiness. My holiness won't work at all, but His does. Because God's done accepted Him. And in accepting Him He had to accept me because I'm in Him. Amen. That's what makes it real, isn't it? Then we don't have to depend on ourself.
Now that doesn't make us say we can sin, but brother, if you sin, you're just away from God, that's all. There's only one thing to do, is confess it and get right with God. As long as you desire to sin, the desire of sin is still in your heart, then it's time to stay down at the altar till that thing's taken out. Now you will sin, you're bound to sin because you just can't help it. But not willfull sin. "He that sins willfully after he's received the knowledge of the truth," see, "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin." But every day you're bound to sin.

11 And you're bound to be backsliding constantly so it takes a constant prayer to God. Paul said, "I die daily." And if Paul had to die daily, how much more am I...? I'm going to have to stay there till I die, if Paul had to die daily to stay right with God. And so, we will all have to do that, just die out to ourself. And that's getting God's way.
Now there's only two ways of anything, that's the right way and the wrong way. And them ways are your ways and God's way. And you can't be in your way and God's way at the same time. You've got to forget your own way to get in God's way. And you got to get out of your own way to get in God's way, for as long as you're in your own way, you're out of His way. So forsake your ways, forsake your thoughts, forsake everything and just rely on one thing, on "Thus saith the Lord." That's all. Then you know you're right.

12 Though you can't see it, none of the senses will say it's right, every one of them will say it's wrong, but you know it's right because God said so, that's what makes it right. Now, His provided way has been His Word, it is His Word. God's provided way for the human to live is not by your senses, it's by His Word.
Now God put man first in His own image, which was in the image of God, and God is a supernatural Being, He was a supernatural Man. And then He put him in five senses, and none of those five senses declare his heavenly home. Those five senses declare his earthly home. And God give him five senses to contact his earthly home, and not to contact God.
His sense, these five senses control the human body, and two senses control the inside man. That's faith and unbelief. And you possess one or the other tonight.

13 Now, in the garden of Eden there were two trees. One of them was the tree of knowledge, one was the Tree of Life. And men can never know God by knowledge. So, no matter how well you get educated, how smart your pastor is, how many degrees he's taken, you can't ... God is not known by education, neither is He known by scientific research. The only way God is known is by faith. No matter if you don't know the difference between split beans and coffee, if you absolutely, by faith, accept God it's bound to be an act of faith.
And when man was eating on this tree of life, he had eternal life. But when he left that tree of life and went on the tree of knowledge, the first bite he took, he separated his fellowship with God and every time that he bites off of that tree of knowledge he destroys himself.

14 Here some time ago when they had a great strike on and I was going along the road and I seen a load of coals coming up the road and I said, "Well, praise the Lord, the strike is off, I guess the miners went to work." I thought, "Should I praise God for that? Well," I thought, "electricity go off and things."
But you just remember friends, that every bit of knowledge... Now the first thing man bit off of this tree over here, the tree of knowledge, and every time he bites off of that tree he just pulls himself that much farther away from God. And when you think that you can get all your education ... I've had men to come to me that had all kinds of degrees and everything else and say, "Brother Branham, I'd like to get saved." That's right. Men who is doctors of divinity with DD double-LD. That's right. What does that mean? Nothing. Just means you got a lot up here, but what about down here? See. That's where...

15 God is not known by knowing genealogy, it by kneeology, where God knows. You don't find God by studying books, you find God on your knees.
And the first time, now look, he bit himself off gun power. What did he do with that? That was knowledge, the tree of knowledge, he kills his comrades. The next, he bit him an automobile. Automobiles kills more then all the wars put together--knowledge still. He's got himself a hydrogen bomb now, I wonder what he's going to do with that? See. He's constantly destroying himself by eating off the tree of knowledge. So just forget about knowledge and all your puffed-up knowledge, and just remember it's "Thus saith the Lord," and that's what God wants you to believe, is His Word. That's right. That's God's provided way for man and always has been.

16 And every man that's ever took God at His Word, and every man that ever amounted to anything in the world, was men who took God at His Word. That's right. You just run back through George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and whatever you want to, great Americans and on down through the history of great men, you'll find out they were men who trusted God. And that's God's way for it.
Now when man... Well, God was taking care of man over here, but when he went to shift for himself, he found out it was a hard job. So he found out that he couldn't stand in the presence of God without having a covering, and God provided him a covering. And He made some skins and put over him, so he was covered up so he could meet God. That was God's provided way.

17 Now man tried to make himself a way by knowledge. He said, "Now look, I'm naked." So he sewed some fig leaves together and made him some aprons. But they found out that wouldn't work. So they had to take, not their way, but God's way.
And men today are trying to make themselves a way. They say, "Well, now I go to church. And I do this, and I'm a good man." Well, there's nothing wrong with that, but still that's not God's way for you. God's way, He had to kill something for you. That was His Son, Christ Jesus. And the blood has, was, is, and will always be God's provided way of escape for any person that's a sinner, or any need. It's through the blood. It's the only way in the world God has a way provided, is through the blood of Jesus Christ.

18 Here not long ago, when one of the great famous churches, many of their members sitting here tonight. When I got an article out of the newspaper where they even wanted to take blood out of their hymn books. Blood, the blood songs out of the hymn books. Said, "We don't have a slaughter block religion, we want something nice and pious."
Well, that down on the equal of Buddha, or some of those others. Listen, you take the blood out of there, you got no more salvation. That's all. Because blood only, or salvation only comes through life and life is in the blood stream and the blood was offered and only through the shedding of the blood is there remission of sin. I like the old-fashioned blood-strewn religion, that's me. Because God looked upon there as He suffered it, and that blood was shed for us and we've got to accept that.

19 And then, just by accepting it won't only do, God's got to vindicate back, that He has accepted you. That's the thing. You can accept Him, but then if He accepts you. Stay right there until He does accept you. And then when He does, He seals you into His kingdom by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Then you have, you're secure until the day of redemption. That's right.
"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you're sealed until..." the next revival? Unh-uh. "...until the day of redemption." Is that right? There's no ups-and-downs, ins-and-outs, you really get into God. If you're really in Him, not just impersonating something, but you're really in Christ, your one alternative, your whole heart's sold out, every bridge is burnt behind you, and you got your affections set on things which are above, and you run the race with patience that's set before you. Amen.

20 Notice, God making a way. He makes a provided way. He called a sheep. I always wondered why we was likened unto sheep in the Bible. I don't know whether there's any sheep raisers here or not, but I've herded a few sheep, was raised partly in cattle herding and everything, in practically the biggest part of my life. In and out on ranches for, well, since I was a boy.
But if you ever seen anything helpless, is to get a sheep lost. When a sheep's lost, he just simply can't find his way, that's all. He will just stand right there and bleat till the coyotes get him or something, he's just lost. He's helpless.
And that's the way a man is when you're lost brother, I don't care how much reforming you try to do, you're absolutely helpless until the shepherd comes get you. You can't save yourself, there's no way at all that of doing it. A leopard could lick his spots just as hard as he could, you could scrub him with sal soda, anything you want to, it'll only brighten the spots. So there's no way we can reform ourself, or lay aside this, or turn a new page, there's only one thing left for us to do, that's accept what the Word said do, be born-again, or lost. That's true, now. Jesus Christ said that, "Except a man be born of water and of Spirit, he will in no wise enter into the kingdom." Whether he's little, big, ignorant, or whatever he is, he's got to meet those conditions. Jesus said so.
And you know what a birth is? It's a regeneration, a new creation. A man becomes a new creation in Christ. And by accepting His Word.

21 Now we can think of the time... And always, the man who takes God's provided way, is always a man who is looked down upon as a fanatic. He's always, through all ages, considered by the world a fanatic. Never, never, in any time, was God, religion and salvation of this earth ever popular with the people of the world. He said, "If you lo..." The world knows their own. That's right. "If you love the world, the things of the world, the love of God's not even in you." So it's always been a hard struggling way, walking by faith. But it's not hard struggling to the man. It's the world looks down upon, say, "Well, these people must be crazy, they act silly." And it's always been that way because he's accepted the way out that God has provided for him.

22 In time of the antediluvian world, could you imagine a father Noah, out there when he, perhaps, come home one afternoon from his work, he was a farmer, told his wife, "The Lord spoke to me today and told me to go build a big ark."
"Why," she'd say, "Noah, how could you build an ark? You're a farmer. How could you ever make an ark?"
"Well, God said it was going to rain and it was going to flood the whole world over and everybody was going to be drowned. And He told me if I follow His Word, I would escape it."
And I tell you, that's the way we always escape, is following God's program. That's the only way we will ever be able to do it.

23 I can see Noah out there building away on this ark setting out in the middle of a big dry field where there'd never been a drop of rain fall from Heaven. Never had there been anything come out of the heavens as rain. Never been a cloud in the skies. And yet, Noah, out there building away on an ark. Could you imagine how silly that looked? Why, to the carnal mind that man was insane. I could hear the people coming home from the work in the afternoon, down in the city, saying, "Say, do you believe that rain story they're telling out there? What do you think about that old crank? Why isn't that the craziest guy you ever seen? Out there building away on an ark saying that water's going to fall down from Heaven. Why, the man's crazy, there's nothing up there. God's always watered through irrigation, down here like this. There's no such a thing."

24 But God told him that was the way of escape and that's the way he was building away. As Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the coming of the Son of Man." There'd be a program on earth that would seem just that crazy to people. That's right. Just that foolish. But yet, it would be God's program. Because it would be taking God at His Word. And they'll be building away on an ark. And that ark is Jesus Christ. That's right. That's right, trying to get converts in to Him.
Now, God told Noah that that was the only way of escape there would be. And it was the only way. And he preached for a hundred and twenty years. And the people ignored him, laughed at him, made fun of him, mocked, scoffed. As it was in the days of Noah, eating... What kind of a world was they having? Eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage. All kinds of different things, just as they're doing now. They had a civilization even was greater than what we've got now. If you don't think that's so, let us try to reproduce the pyramid down there. Let us try to build that. Or the sphinx, or something on that order. Let us try to make a mummy like the Egyptians did in their embalming, find out how far we are away from the civilization of that day. We're far, far away from it.

25 In a day of a greater civilization than this, a man, out there building on an ark. Said it was going to rain, and it had never even been a cloud in the skies for two thousand years since the world had been in existence, there'd never been a cloud, a clap of thunder, lightning or nothing else. But yet, God told him it was going to do it. Because His great Spirit was going to push this world out of its cater, out there and lean it back and cause clouds to come. If God said so, it's going to be just the way God said it was going to be.
And Noah built right away, pitching the ark, putting the tar in it just the same as the thing was setting in water. Not only wasn't going to rain, but it was going to come a flood that was going to wash the whole world over. And Noah believed God. Warned of God, moved by faith, and built the ark, working in God's provided way.

26 My! Oh, I can just imagine as he's beating away at the last part was on, the people standing around laughing, saying, "Hey, what you going to do with that big old thing?" Making fun of him, everything. He just built away, stood on the end of it preaching just as hard as he could.
And then finally, there come a day when God got tired of it. And I can just imagine seeing the funny feeling coming over the earth. Just about like there is today, everybody restless, "What's fixing to happen?" You go out on the street and talk to any sinner you want to, you could go into a barroom, and everybody knows that something's fixing to happen. Right! Something's fixing to happen. Judgment is on the world, and they see it.

27 Could you imagine a lamb out here eating in a field. And the poor little fellow can't see nothing, but he begins to feel restless, there's something fixing to happen. Crouching over yonder in the bushes is a lion coming up. It's just something about it he could tell it, there's something fixing to happen. He can't see that lion, but he knows there's something wrong.
That's the way it is today brother, there's setting a scene today with all this conglomeration of blackness and darkness and sin and things that's going on in this world, they're setting a stage for the greatest drama that was ever acted out in all ages: the coming of Jesus Christ. And man cannot, we cannot have the last day until people gets in the Spirit of the last day.

28 We cannot have a healing service here until people gets in the Spirit of a healing service. We cannot have a filling of the Holy Ghost until people gets in that kind of a atmosphere. And the people was in the atmosphere in that day to bring judgment upon the earth. And they're in the same atmosphere today: eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage, and all this kind of a thing like that. And the glory of God is being preached and demonstrated in the power of the Holy Ghost setting forth an example of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that's going to take the church into glory, just as certain as I'm standing here. That's right. And men are ignoring it, paying no attention to it, walking away from it. Because they're in the spirit of the last day.

29 The world's got to get like this. God would be unjust to pour His wrath out upon a just people. They have ignored Him and walked away and Satan's captured them. And there they're standing in that time. But God has a provided way today. A way of escape. That way is Jesus Christ, by being born again.
I can see, the first time a lightning come up and flashed across the skies, Noah said, "Come on, honey."
His boys said to their wives, "Come on."
They got in the ark. Why, people said, "I wonder what happened? A flash went off somewhere."

30 But I tell you, there was such a pull till even the animal creation knew that something was wrong. I can see the old mother bird setting up there, and the father bird just singing away. That first clap of lightning, the first time that signs and wonders begin to happen, I can see father bird say, "Mother bird, come on, let's get right straight to the ark, because that's exactly what Noah said was going to happen. That's the Spirit of God moving in us, let's go to the ark."
I can see the old mother camel out there eating on the side of the hill, and the father camel over here. When the first bolt of lightning went through the sky and the signs and wonders begin to appear, I can hear father camel say to mother camel, "Come on, that's it. Something's tugging on the inside of here, something's moving me, I've got to get into the ark." I tell you, God had ordained that they'd come into the ark.

31 And I believe that today when the signs and wonders are appearing everywhere, the coming of the Son of God, I believe that every man or woman that's ordained of God to hear the voice of God, hears that tug, they shove to the ark as fast as they can go, get into safety, for God's provided way for man to escape. That's right. You see signs appearing, wonders appearing, mysterious things happening. Sure, flying saucers through the air and everything else. Jesus said, "There'd be signs in the heaven above and in the earth below, pillars of fire and vapors of smoke, it shall come to pass before the great and terrible day of the Lord shall come."
He spoke all these things, the sea a roaring, tidal waves breaking, and everything. Men's hearts failing. Greatest time of heart trouble we've ever had. Fear, perplex of times, distress between the nations. Oh, my! How the prophet said, "That horseless carriages here that race in the broadways, and seem like torches and run like lightning." Everything that was spoke of, we're looking in the face of it today.

32 What is it? It's God's warning to you people, "Prepare to meet God." Get ready! "Why should I prepare to meet God, Brother Branham?" Brother, you prepare for a wedding, you prepare for anything else, when you see these things coming, you prepare to meet God. Every time you see a gray hair in your head, that means you better prepare to meet God. Every time you pass an undertaker's establishment, that means, prepare to get ready to meet God. Every time a baby's born, remember, prepare to meet God. Every time a funeral procession passes, prepare to meet God. Every time you hear the Gospel as a warning, prepare to meet God.
God has a way of escape, get into Jesus Christ now, where you're safe. Each one of those animals went right in, two by two, into the ark. God always makes a way for those who are really wanting to escape the wrath of God. Come on down, we can think of many things, I can think of Job, one of the oldest books in the Bible. I can think of Job standing there, broke out in boils. Sometimes people said, "Well, Job had sinned." Lot of times... Someone said today, "Well, because this person had this happen and this had this happen, that shows they're sinners."

33 That doesn't show they're sinners. Not at all. Sometimes God does permit sickness to come. But if you know in your heart like Job did, that you were clean and clear before God, Job had some comforters to come too, and set with their backs turned to him for seven days, accusing him to be a secret sinner. [Gap in the audio.] " Thou speakest like a foolish woman. The Lord gave and the Lord taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord."
Brother, he knowed one thing, that God was the alternative, God was all he had to hold onto. So, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." Said, "I come into this world naked, I will go out naked, but blessed be the name of the Lord."
A man in that condition, a man that's willing to hold on to God's Word, God's under obligation to send him something. God's under obligation to take him to Him.

34 Tonight you people are sitting here wanting divine healing, you believe that there is such a thing as divine healing? If you believe it with all your heart, God's under obligation to introduce it to you. Amen. Because God's Word teaches it.

35 There was a prophet. That's right. And there was a prophet back there, he didn't know just exactly what the will of God was for him. He waited, he didn't know what to do. So the first thing you know, when everything seemed to go wrong, his comforters wouldn't comfort him. And then God was under obligation. Down from the east come a little fellow, Elihu. Elihu stood to him, said, "Now look, we put it in child-like form, Job said, "Now look, I see the trees when they die, they live again. The flowers when they die, they live again. But man layeth down, he has to give up the ghost, he wasteth away. His sons come to honor him, but where is he? O that thou would hide me in the grave," and so forth, he spoke.
And Elihu said, "Now wait, Job." (I like this.) Said, "Wait, Job, you're accusing God wrong. Now that flower hasn't sinned. God has a provided way for that flower to live again."

36 Up in the north country where I come from, we raise... The ladies up there like flowers like you do. And them little flowers will be pretty in the summertime, then the frost will come along, some of them are young, some are old, but when the frost comes along, bites them, that's death. They bow their little heads, first thing you know, the pedals drop off, a little black seed drops out, then they have a funeral procession for them.
The fall rains come across and they go to crying down, and it buries the little seed in the ground. Cold winter comes along, I guess it's froze, four or five inches up there now. Now the little petals are gone, the bulb's dried up, the little old seed has bursted open, the pulp's run out.

37 Now that'll go on through December, January, February, March, April, May. Now May comes along, last of April the first of May. The seed's gone, the pulp's gone, the petal's gone, the stalk's gone, everything there was of that flower is gone, that can be seen.
Is it gone? No. God has a provided way. There's a little germ of life laying there somewhere, just as sure as that sun rises yonder in the east and begins to shine warm upon the ground, it lives again. Why? God provided a way for it to live again. If God made a way for a flower to live again, what about a man that's made in His image? How God has made a way for us to live again.

38 But Job speaking, seeing that man was cut off from God because of his sin, his transgressions. And Elihu begin to explain it to him. How that his transgressions had took him away from God. Then Job begin to think of it. I can imagine, see him stand, and after while Elihu said, "But there's coming One, a Just One, One that'll stand in the breach, put His hand on a sinful man and a holy God, and then the man will rise again out of the ground just like the flower rises out of the ground." Said, "Now you watch the flower come up in the spring of the year, but you say man layeth down and giveth up the ghost, where is he? Because he got out of God's provided way."

39 But there's coming One who's going to put him back in the way. Hallelujah! Oh, when I think of that, my innermost being screams out, "What can I do to get this to man?"
"Yeah. There's coming One who will place him back in the way where this form will stand, He'll put his hand on this gap of sin here, and He will go in and take sin upon Himself and bridge the way back that man can come out of the ground again."
Job begin to see it, being a prophet, he begin to listen to this little prophet Elihu. And the first thing you know, Job raised up, God put His binoculars down over his eyes, he looked a way down four thousand years, he said, "I know my Redeemer liveth, and at the last days He will stand on the earth: though the skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, mine eyes shall behold, and not another."
Yes, he saw the resurrection of Christ, he said, "My eyes shall behold, and not another." He seen Jesus. He knowed he was in God's provided way, he had life in him, he said, "I know I will raise at that day because I'm believing in Him."
At the last day Jesus was to stand and to bridge that way for man. How God has always made a way of escape for those who believe.

40 I can think of Moses, the children of Israel down there in Egypt, when they were way down in Egypt, hit and beaten by those Egyptian taskmasters. God made a way of escape. He sent a fellow down by the name of Moses. And before Moses could bring them out, they had sinned and got away from God. And the only way Moses could do, was to obey God. And God sent him down there and told him to take a lamb and to make a sacrifice and to place the blood upon the lintel of the doors, upon the door posts.

41 I want you to notice how beautiful that is, the lintel, the top of the door, and on the door posts. Not on the bottom. Blood of Christ isn't to look down at, it's to look up to. Right, perfectly in the door, the shape of the cross. Every father in that day was a priest of his own family. And it was up to each individual family to kill a lamb. The lamb was to be kept up fourteen days, tried. Perfect type of Christ, tried before all of His accusers. Yes, there wasn't a blemish on Him.
Let's take a little look and see if they could find any blemish on this Lamb of God. Course you know, His friends would testify of Him. Let's look at His enemies. His arch enemy Judas Iscariot, when he looked at Him hanging there, he said, "I have betrayed innocent blood." Throwed the money down at the high priest's feet, went and got a rope and hung himself.
Let's look at the Roman centurion, when he felt the earth shaking and going on when Jesus died, he put his hand over his heart, said, "Truly that was the Son of God."

42 The Father Himself shut off the visions of Heaven, it turned midnight dark in the middle of the day, according to what the prophet said would take place. God said, "That's My beloved Son." Certainly, He did.
Look at that Pilate, that great fellow sitting out there on the judgment seat. Got him out early in the morning, he was all stewed up in his mind, all bitter anyhow, and kind of hated this fellow. They brought him out there and set him on the judgment seat, early in the morning to make a judgment. And they brought Him up and he wanted Him to do some miracles for him, or please him some way.

43 And notice, he's just ready to condemn Jesus, I hear something coming down the road just as hard as it can come. What is it? It's a horse coming from up at the palace. A man jumps off the horse, runs up there. What is it? It's one of the palace guards. He takes a letter out of his pocket, falls down before Pilate, hands it to him. He picks it up, opens it up. He's standing there in his fury ready to condemn Jesus. He begin to read, his hands begin to shake, his knees begins to beat together. What is on that letter that would cause that cruel emperor to change in a few minutes? What would take place to make a man like that and him ... or their emperor, what would make him do that? Let's look over his shoulder just a minute and find out. It's coming from a pagan wife, "Have nothing to do with this just Man, for I've suffered many things today in a dream because of Him!"
He said, "Bring me some water, I'll wash my hands. I have nothing to do with it." Hallelujah. God was making a way for Him there, if He'd only accepted it. That's right. Yes sir.

44 He's made a way for you tonight. Are you going to do the same thing Pilate did, wash Him off of your hands? You'll never do it! A lot of people justify, Pilate? No, sir. Pilate was not justified by washing his hands. If Pilate was justified, you can be the same. You here see it every night here, you could wash your hands, say, "Well, I will have nothing to do with it. I will return back."
You can't get it off your hands. Right. You know the end of Pilate, he plunged himself to death up there near Norway, Sweden. And every year yet, people go up there to watch that blue water come up the same that he washed his hands from Jesus. Might be a superstition, but they gather there to see it anyhow, every year. No, sir, you can't wash it off.

45 And when down there in Egypt, God told him, said, "Call out now..." I love this, He said, "I'm going to make a difference." God does make a difference. "I'm going to make a difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites. And this difference is going to be by the shedding of blood of a lamb." Called out, separated. God always calls for separators. Lot of people in the church say, "We want this young fellow, he's just got out of college and I tell you, he'll take a social drink and oh, he's a good mixer."
God don't want mixers, He wants separators. "Separate me, Paul." Separate yourself from the things of the world. God have mercy, give us some old time preachers that'll preach the unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ, call black black, and white white, and lay the Gospel where it will. As John the Baptist said, "The ax is laid to the root of the tree." Give us some more preachers like that! We'll get back to God's way about things then. Amen.

46 All right, I want you to notice, then he said, "I want you to take the lamb and kill it in the evening." Perfect type of Christ, killed in the evening. And then the whole assembly of Israel was to witness the death. They did at Christ. And the blood was to be put on the door for that night. The death Angel was going to ride the land. And everywhere there wasn't blood, was going to be death.
And I tell you brother, if there ever was a time that the death Angel is riding the land, it's tonight. He comes to the church door where the priest stands. And a church that's denying the blood and the power of Jesus Christ, there's wrote on "All the glory of God has departed." The death Angel goes in and that settles it! They become formal and dead and denying God's power. And the first thing you know, death is all over the whole group of them. You'd never get them to believe anything, they can't believe it.

47 Now watch this death Angel. I can see the father. Now they was supposed, when the sun went down and darkness set in, they once come under the blood of that lamb, they had to stay under there until marching orders was given. Brother, this is good for you Nazarenes now.
Look, coming under the blood. Once under that blood, put it on the lintel of the door and on the post. But every time a man come through that door into this home, he stayed there until marching orders come to go out of Egypt. I like that. Stay there!
I can see the young ladies going to the party that night, to the young Israelite girl, saying, "Come on, Rebekah," so forth, "come on out, we're going to..."
"I can't do it."
"Why?"
"Well, we're under the blood." Oh, oh, my! "We're under the blood."
"Oh, come on, let's go. Nonsense, that old crazy religion you're daddy's got there."
"But look, something in my heart tells me that I mustn't go beyond that blood."

48 And on they went to their big parties and so forth. Then along about midnight there begin to come a strange feeling. Just like coming over the world again now, we spoke of awhile ago. Something's wrong, great, howling darkness set upon the earth. Winds begin to blow. I can see the little boy just home, here where we're going to go. Look at him, he says, "Say, what is that? I kind of feel funny. I see all the young girls is at the dances, they're hurrying up home."

49 Oh my, too late to pray then. Now, the first thing you know, he begins to look around. I can hear the little boy say, "Daddy, did the Word say that the elder son was going to be killed in the home?"
"Yes."
"Well, daddy, what about our home?"
"Son, we're just as safe as we can be."
"How do you know you're safe?"
"We've obeyed God's Word. We're under the blood."
I can hear him say, just a little later, after a while, I look out the window, little boy does, look, there comes two big black wings moving through the air. That's death. And if there's any time that the black wings is shook the country today, we've had earthquakes, we've had pestilence, we've had all kinds of things that could come to this land, and all like they did in Egypt. But the last plague that hit Egypt before destruction was death. And the last plague that's hit the church is a spiritual death! Right. That's the last thing.

50 They're dying, the churches are dying out. Oh, we're having protractive meetings, but no revival, no revival. They said the great revival in America, tell me where it's at. Where's it at? We haven't even struck the first phase of a revival in America. The reason of it is, that we're trying to teach men theology and things, instead of bringing them back God's provided way by the baptism of the Holy Ghost and send them back to God by the way of Calvary. We're trying to get them into the church and join them into the church and baptize them into the church and shake their hands into the church and pack their letters into their church; but they got to be born in the church of the living God. And that's the reason we haven't got no revival.

51 What we need is an old-fashioned stirring again where an old time John Wesley revival where they stood and preached all night long and the power of the Holy Ghost falling over the audience. That's what we need again. Amen! I kind of feel religious right now. So listen friends, let me tell you something. When I think about the great need of this nation, we don't need more seminaries, we don't need more preachers, what we need is what preachers we got filled with the Holy Ghost. That's what we need. True as I'm standing here, that's the truth.
Now, I want you to notice something else. That little boy... Then we watched these wings go down. When it hit a home, he heard a scream come. But I hear the little boy say, "Daddy, are you sure that that blood's on there?"
I can see him walk out and look over there, said, "Yes, sir, son, she's covered."

52 These wings start towards that home, but when she starts to come down like this, it sees the blood. He said, "When I see the blood I will pass will pass over you, I'll go over." That's right. On over. God's provided way of escape.
God's provided way tonight for you to escape this cold, formal, indifferent, ungodly condition that's existing in America today called in the name of Christianity, everything that Christ told them not to do, they do it. And do it in the name of Christ. Only Christ said, "Heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cleanse the lepers, and cast out devils," and they deny that. And they educate their preachers and send them out with theology. Just exactly what He said not to do. Then do it in the name of Christ. Amen!

53 Brother, that's the truth. I may not be able to say it the way I ought to say it, but I say it the way it's in my heart. It may be barefooted, but it's time that men handled the Gospel, not sissified, with a pair of rubber gloves on. Tell them the truth! That's right. They might hate you here, but they'll love you at the Judgment Bar. That's right. We're not sissying around. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not sissified, it's the greatest thing that a man ever done.
God never judges a man... Somebody say, "Isn't he a man?" He's got shoulders that wide and arms that big. He might be a brute, but he might not have a ounce of man in him. That's right. You don't judge men by muscle, you judge men by character. I've seen men that weighed two hundred pounds and would throw a baby out of a mother's arms and ravish her for his own beastly lust. That's right. You don't judge a man by the callous in his hand, but by the bags in the knees of his pants where he's been praying. Hallelujah! That's what we need today, some more men like that. Got real godly old-fashioned Holy Ghost conviction.

54 I'd rather have a man like that with my boy if he didn't even know his ABC's, to stand out yonder by a stump somewhere in a broomsage patch and pray for him till he come through with the Holy Ghost, than have all the teachers there is in the world trying to poke theology in him. Amen! Brother, that's the truth. What we need today is get back to God's provided way for sinners.
There down there, when they marched out over there they didn't have... They got marching orders, they started out. When they crossed the bridge, went across, God made a bridge through the bottom of the sea for them. When they got over there, when they needed something to drink, the water's all run out, there was a pool there. But the water was bitter, they couldn't drink it. God had a provided tree. He just walked over there, cut the tree down, throwed it into the pool, drink all you want to. God has a provided way.

55 We're in a journey and God's got a way for everything we got a need of. Hallelujah! God have mercy. Sure there's some way to crack this city here for the glory of God, if we could only find it. That's right. What can we do? What can I do? God just reveal it.
Now look, there was a way, there stood a bush on the side of the hill. Moses cut the bush down, throwed it in there, said, "Drink all you want to, it's good."
After a while when they needed water again, they was way out in the desert, God said, "Go smite the rock." The rock, after they'd seined through every, probably every little old place they could find, every oasis, got under every place and raised up the rocks, everywhere, where there was a spring. No water at all. And then, God done the ridiculous. The driest thing there was in the desert, said, "Go speak there, there's where the water's at."

56 How it seems today, when you think divine healing, and power of God, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost ought to come out of Vatican City or something. God takes a bunch of little holy-rollers down on the corner maybe don't know their ABC's, and there's where the water lays. Right! He don't deal in pomp and things like that. He has mercy on the ignorant.
Peter and John was ignorant and unlearned men. The Bible said they were absolutely ignorant. But they had to take notice to them, they'd been with Jesus, that's the main thing. That's right. They had enough faith to heal the man at the gate called Beautiful. Peter had enough power of God in him to tell Ananias, "You're lying!" That's right. "You kept back that money. And Sapphira, you did the same thing." Scared them so bad they had a heart attack and died. They packed them out and buried them. Amen! That same God lives today. That same program is God's program for the day.

57 God moving through the wilderness yonder. Come a time they needed something to eat. When they needed something to eat, God just rained manna down out of heaven. God's provided way.
"How are we going to eat? We're out here with no bread, there's no wheat, there's no corn? What are we going to do?"
Don't make any difference, God said, "Come out here, I'll take care of the rest of it." And manna rained down out of heaven. Isn't that glorious? Just rained manna down. All you have to do is go out and pick it up. But don't pick up too much of it at one time. Because you try to get enough tonight to make it last tomorrow night, it got wiggletails in it, rotten.

58 That's about what's half the matter with the church tonight. Stagnated with what we call in the south, up there, wiggletails. That's what's the matter with a lot of people's experience today, say, "Well, I--I got blessed way back yonder, ten years ago." What about now? How are you prayed up now?
Reminds me of a little Irish mother coming across from Ireland. She was going over to New York to meet her daughter. On the road over, they sent a SOS, the ship was about to sink. They was playing some kind of a jazz music down on the floor and all of them dancing. The captain, the skipper, come down there and said, "Just a moment, everybody," said, "change your music, if we can hold out thirty minutes we'll be there, if we don't we're going to the bottom of the sea."

59 And everybody begin to play: Nearer My God To Thee, and everybody fell on the floor and begin to pray. Little old Irish mother in a little old dress hooked up around this way and her long sleeves, she said, "Glory, Hallelujah, Hallelujah."
Well, the skipper said, "Madam, what's the matter with you?"
Said, "I'm happy."
Said, "You misunderstood me." Said, "Did you know I said in thirty minutes from now we may be in the bottom of the sea."
Said, "I understood you."
Said, "Why don't you pray?"
She said, "I'm prayed up, don't have to pray." Right. "I'm prayed up." Said, "Oh, glory, praise the Lord."
He said, "How can you do that, lady? What are you shouting about if you're prayed up?"
Said, "Well, you said in thirty minutes from now, if we held out we'd be in New York."
"That's right."
"And if we didn't hold out, we'd be in the bottom of the sea."
"That's right."

60 She said, "Glory!" She said, "I got a daughter in New York I'm going to see. And if we don't hold out I got one in Glory." Said, "I'm going to see one in thirty minutes. Hallelujah, praise the Lord."
That's the way you want to live. Hallelujah! Right! Prayed up and ready to go. Amen! Walk in God's provided way, ready for any minute. Amen. For you don't know what minute He will call you to come in His presence.

61 There I can see the Israelites as they went through. First thing you know, they didn't have any remedies out there, Dr. Moses couldn't get a hold of the right kind of a serum, so they had some snake bites. So God provided a way. That right? He made a serpent, made it out of brass and put it on a pole. And the only thing the people had to do, was go and look at that pole, that serpent on that pole, and believe that God put it up there, and they got healed. Someone said, "Well, I'm going down here to see if I can get some snakeroot and see if I can put it on."
The other one said, "Oh, John, where you going?"
Said, "I'm going to get some snakeroot and put it on here see if it heal it."
Said, "I'm just going to take God's provided way, just look at the serpent and live."

62 And he lived, the snakeroot failed. Amen. God's got a remedy tonight! Hallelujah! That remedy is Jesus Christ is come by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You think I'm crazy, maybe I am. I am, I'm happy. Say, "I'm more happier this way then I was the other way. So I'd rather be like this," see. So I'm just feeling wonderful.
All right, yes, sir, God had a provided way. One time there was a fellow named Elijah. The Lord told him, said, "This country's so sinful," said, "I'm going to send judgment upon it. But Elijah, I'm going to make a way of escape for you."
"What are You going to do, Lord?"
"I want you go up there and set down by the pool of Cherith, up on top of that mountain yonder."
Elijah walked through the streets, said, "Well, it ain't going to rain till I call for it. I'm going up yonder and sit on the mountain."
And when the drought come ... Could you imagine those people come along saying, "Look at that crazy old crank up there. Sitting up there by a little old spring on top of that mountain when you know the water ain't up there." But God kept it running. I'm so glad He does.
Here, sitting up on top of the mountain ... said, "I bet that old guy's dried up, up there."

63 No, no, no, he's doing just--he's taking God's provided way. God said, "You go up there and sit down, because I've already commanded the crows to feed you."
They said, "That poor old crank sitting up there starving to death."
Well, he was doing better off. I bet he's better off than a lot of you are here tonight. He had some colored servants to wait on him. I bet you haven't got that. Yes, sir. Crows come by and waited on him. Is that right? That's right. He had colored porters, and half of you haven't got that. They come by and waited on him, the crows, as they passed by.

64 Some preacher said to me not long ago, said, "Billy, do you mean to tell me that you believe them crows brought that fellow food?"
I said, "That's what the Bible said, I believe it." Yeah.
Said, "I want to ask you something." Said, "How in the world did those crows get them sandwiches and bring it to Elijah?"
I said, "I don't know." I said, "The only thing, the crows got it, the crows brought it, Elijah received it, that settles it." I said, "Just exactly like now, I can't tell you what makes me act like this, only thing I know, God taught it, the Bible said so, the Holy Ghost brought it, I received it, and I just have a good time."
I don't know how it comes, it's just here. Hallelujah, I don't know. God said so, so I just eat it. Holy Ghost brings it, I say, "Yes, Lord."
"

65 Well, they're going to call you a holy-roller."
I don't care, Lord, I just love it, it feels good, I just keep on eating. Send it down. Amen. Just give me a bigger bite of this sandwich, that's all.
I can hear them say, "Oh, my, standing around there trying to find..." And that old preacher sitting up there, was supposed to be the fanatic, sitting down, not worried about a thing, see. Set there all day long. Said, "O Lord, I love You, praise the Lord. God, I just praise You."
Crow come by, said, "Elijah, here they are."
Take this great big sandwich, said, "Oh, my!" Them fellows I anointed come. Just get right down at the brook and drink all you want to. And yet called crazy.

66 That's the way it is, brother. They think that we're crazy because we got the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Brother, we're drinking from a fountain that never runs dry, of the everlasting waters of life that springs up through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Sure, it's God's provided way. Certainly, it is.
Don't try to join your church and shake hands with your preacher, get right with God! Hallelujah. That's the way to do it. God's provided way for you to do it. He will make a way every time of escape if you just believe. You believe it? Yes, sir. He made a way of escape for Elijah.
Then when it finally come to a time, there was no rain. God told Elijah, "Go get ready for things. Well, Elijah got ready for the revival in Israel." Then he said, "I tell you what I want you to do. I want you to go get me twelve stones and roll them here together."

67 Now that was setting things in order, he was doing God's provided way. He went and got a stone for each tribe of Israel. But you know what's the matter today? We try to roll up a Pentecostal stone, say, "This is it." The Methodists roll up a stone, say, "This is it." But God wants us to roll them every one together and have an old-fashioned Holy Ghost pouring out on the whole church everywhere. Oh, brother, did that go home, I felt that. Yes, sir.
That's what we need today brother, bring every believer together and preach the Gospel, don't hold anything back, but preach the full Gospel of Christ until the baptism of the Holy Ghost is poured out upon all the church. That's the only way to have a revival.

68 Elijah said, "Now get everything together. Get me a stone here to represent each one of them." Put his sacrifice upon it. Walked out there, he said, "Now Lord, let it be known that Thou art the God of heaven and I am Your prophet." And the fire begin to fall.
Brother, when the Methodists can forget that they're just the only people on the earth, and the Baptists they're the only, Pentecostals, they're the only, we can all get ourselves together and say, "Lord, send the fire," we're going to get somewhere. That's right.

69 When the Oneness Pentecost, and the Twoness Pentecost, and the Threeness Pentecost, and the Fiveness Pentecost, and all of them, can get their heads together. When all the Methodists can forget about sprinkling, or whether you're baptized, or whether you're to pour, or whether you do this, and everybody get together and forget about all them little old things, and say, "God, send the power." Everything will take care of itself. Get the heart right with the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost will take care of the rest of it. Yes, sir. Amen. I believe in that kind of revival. Get God's provided way.
Roll up the stone of salvation, I believe that. Roll up the stone of speaking in tongues. I believe that. Roll up the stone of interpretation. I believe that. Roll up the stone of Divine healing. I believe that. Brother, get ready for the fire now. That's yours. "Now, I'm just going to forget all about a theology Lord, I'm just rolling up these stones. I'm going to lay myself right across, and say, 'O Lord, burn me up.'"
He will do it, don't worry, He'll get you.

70 That's the way you want to do, brother, take everything out of your mind and let God's Word be the provided way. Not the Methodist ritual, not this ritual, or that ritual, or this theology, or that theology, let the Bible be right. God said, "Let My words be true, and every man's, a lie."
"In the last days I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh," Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, everybody else. "I will pour My Spirit upon all flesh."
"Come out from among them My people, you should be not partakers of their sins. I will receive you."

71 Now sin is not just moral habits you know. Somebody said, "Well, this man smokes, that's a sin."
No it ain't. It ain't smoke for him to lie--it ain't no sin for him to lie, for him to steal. That's not sin. That's the attributes of sin. He does that because he's a sinner. If he wasn't a sinner he wouldn't do that. But because he's a sinner, he does that. Now you say, "Well, glory to God, I don't smoke, I don't drink." That don't make you a sinner, that's just the attributes of a Christian. You don't do it because you're a Christian. That's the way it is. And if you do do the other, you're not a Christian, if you do believe, you are a Christian. So that's the difference. It's God's provided way.
Jesus said, "He that heareth My words and believeth on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and I will raise ... [Gap in the audio] People profess to have it, but their lives prove they haven't got it. You know them by their fruits.
Now, now Elijah. I can imagine him coming off the hill there. I know another fellow one day, that come down, he had some leprosy, his name was Naaman. He got down there and he got ... "Oh, my!" He heard, "Faith cometh by hearing, isn't it? Hearing by the Word of God." And he'd tried all the doctors there was over in Syria, and there was none of them could cure him of leprosy. So he heard that there was a little girl got captured. She probably had a good Christian experience, a good experience of salvation. She said, "You know, there's a fellow over in our land practices divine healing, by the name of Elijah. Far as I know, there ain't nobody healed with leprosy yet, but I believe if you go over there and let him pray for you, you'd get healed." Oh, my, we need some more of them little girls. That's right.

72 All right. Said, "Well, I believe I'll just saddle up and watch the man." He gets so many changes of clothes, so many pounds of silver, and so many pounds of gold, take down there.
Now he wanted divine healing the way he had made up in his mind, "This is the way I'm going to get it." So he goes up there and drives up before Elijah, down there.
And Elijah sits back here, I can imagine, in a little old chair, sitting back in his little mud hut down there, reading some of the Scriptures. Here comes Gehazi in, he said, "Oh, Master."
"What do you want?"

73 "Well, there's the great Naaman the captain of the host of Syria out there, he's got leprosy."
"Tell him to go dip in the Jordan seven times."
Said, "Well, aren't you going out to see him?"
"No, I ain't got time, I'm talking to the Lord now."
So he says, "Why, he's reading the Scripture, he's in prayer, he won't come up." He said, "Go dip in the Jordan seven times."
And oh, did he blow up! Oh, my! Just about like people do now. "Oh, I will never go back to that old place again. Hmmm! I will never have nothing to do with that bunch of holy-rollers." Blow up like a frog eating shot and go around like that. "Oh, I'll never have nothing to do with that no more, I just can't believe in that, no, no, no."
That's the reason you're in the condition you are right now. That's right. The Word of God has laid out the way.
"Me dip in them old muddy waters, no, sir. Well, the waters up in Syria is better than they are."

74 I heard a person say the other day, "Go on down there and cry and carry on like the rest of them people down there, and boo-hoo and cry."
I said, If you want to get saved you will."
"Oh," he said, "I will just never do that."
I said, "Go ahead the way you are then."

75 I was preaching here, a woman, she was crying. She raised up her hands and started shouting. Little old boy, Baptist teacher, come up to me, and he said, "Billy, when are you going to get away from them holy-rollers?"
I said, "Them what?"
Said, "Them holy-rollers." Said, "I was enjoying your message the other night, till that woman raised up and started crying with her hands up in the air crying." Said, "Didn't that interrupt you?"
I said, "No, if she didn't do it, it would." I said, "That didn't interrupt me."
He said, "You know what?" Said, "That just made chills go up my back like a window shade."

76 I said, "Boy, if you'd ever get to Heaven you'd freeze to death." I said, "Just go up one side and down the other. That's right. They're crying before the Lord, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty," day or night [unclear words]. Amen. Yes, sir. God's provided way.
You say, "Brother Branham, you're teaching that new kind of religion." Unh-uh, I just got a brand new case of the old time kind.
"That kind of religion that has screaming and crying and going on?"
"Yes, that's right."

77 God told Job, said, "Where was you when I laid the foundation of the world, when that old time religion was first put in existence?" Said, "When the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy?" Whew! Oh, brother. God's provided way, that's all. Just doing what God said do.
All right, the first thing you know, Naaman, I can see him. He goes up the road, puffed up, "I'll never go back there again."
One man had enough salvation about him to say, "Now look father, if the prophet would have bid you some hard thing to do, give you all this money and pay for your healing, well, you'd accepted it. But just because he told you to go dip in the Jordan, why, you don't want to do it."
I can see him, "Well, maybe I ought to try it." And here he goes down you know, and he goes down, and he looks at that muddy Jordan, "Mm-m, that bunch of ho..." It's like... You know what I mean. "Do I have to go down there to that place." All right, keep your leprosy then.

78 So then, he goes on down yonder. I can see him get off his high horse, like a lot of people do, you know. "If I have to degrade myself to get down to that bunch of people like that." So, I see him get out there in the water, um-m, you know, holding his nose like this. Come back, say, "Oh, I told you there wasn't nothing to it. I still got my leprosy."
"Unh-uh, the prophet said, 'seven times,' just keep on dipping till the seven times is over."
"But Brother Branham, how long do I have to dip?"
"Until."
"Until what?"
"Until you get it," that's what Jesus said. "Wait in the city of Jerusalem until you're endued with power."
"Two days?"
"Until."
"How long?"
"Until. Until you're endued," that's right. Just stay there until, that's the Word of the Lord.

79 All right. One time there was a fellow by the name of Jehoshaphat that went tromping out into the wilderness. And as they went out, they forgot to take a compass with them and [unclear words] of serving the Lord and they got in trouble. You just talk about serving the Lord about something, you get in trouble too. So, they got in trouble.
And they found out, they was out there seven days, they didn't have anything to eat, water was all dried up. Sure nothing for them to eat or drink. There's one of them happened to think, "Well, God's got a provided way for this." They said, "Wasn't there a prophet somewhere that they could consult the Lord?" They said, "Yes. There's Elijah down there. We could go up and see what Elijah thinks. Oh, [unclear words] Elijah is a real prophet." So they went out to him.
So here comes the prophet [unclear words] sun coming up, so he kind of got blowed up, and said, "What are you coming to me for? Why do you come to me for?" Oh, he got really riled about it, you know, kind of tore up. Said, "What have I to do with thee?" [Unclear words] " If I didn't respect the presence of Jehoshaphat, I wouldn't even look at you." Now he got all stewed up, said, "Play us some music."

80 So they got to playing the music, the tambourine. Now, if you can't be the prophet, you can be one of the instruments that play the music to bring the Spirit down on the prophet. You know how [unclear words] instruments and all begin to beat and play [unclear words].
There will be a meeting in the air,
In the sweet, sweet, by and by,
God's own Son will be the leading One,
At the meeting in the air.
The prophet was beginning to get into the Spirit. And the first thing you know, when he got in the Spirit, things begin to happen.
That's what's the matter, we can't get anywhere. We just can't get in the Spirit of it! That's it, right. [Unclear words]. You got to get in the Spirit of it. They begin to [unclear words] having a good time. They see that the Spirit of God was in the power of the prophet. The Spirit got on the prophet, then he begin to see things. You'll go to seeing things when you get in the Spirit.

81 They begin to get in the Spirit, just now getting in God's provided way to see what's going to happen. He said, "Go out yonder, you start digging some ditches." [Unclear words].
Oh, my, now look something here, all of us. [Unclear words]. Just kick the thing out and keep on digging. [Unclear words]. " I don't see any sign of healing, I don't see this." That's what's the matter. That's what's the matter with [unclear words]. Take a shovel, dig a ditch. You ain't going to see any sign. You ain't going to see any rain. There ain't going to be any [unclear words]. Hallelujah!
What I think tonight, what we need is a good old Holy Ghost revival sweep from one side of [unclear words] to the other. Preachers around here that [unclear words] get right with God, and you'll have an old-fashioned revival. Amen. That's right.
Brother, that's what this church needs today, and what this country needs, today is for jealousy and it's petty [unclear words] to get out. Amen. Right! Come back to God. [Unclear words].

82 When I was a little boy, we used to pull with mama, have to boil meat skins in a pan to get the grease to make our corn pone, we just had to live off of corn bread and molasses and so forth, we didn't have the lard, so she had to get old meat skins. And every Saturday night, I never... She had a big old tea kettle and big old cedar tub, and it pour a tea kettle full of hot water in there and I'd have to take a bath. Every Saturday night it was a bath, then take a big dose of castor oil. I never will forget that. After you eat such food as that, and I used to take it and mama would come, I'd hold my nose, I'd say, "Mama, mama, please don't. Oh," I said, "the thing makes me so sick."
She said, "If it don't make you sick, it don't do you any good."
So I mean that tonight, if it don't make you right good and sick, preacher don't do you any good, but it'll stir you up a little bit. Get your bifocals on the full Gospel. Hallelujah. Amen! You have to take God's provided way. That's right, it'll fix you up, make you feel better tomorrow. Just swallow right on down, say, "Yep, I guess that's right, I'm going over and shake hands with the man, make up with him then. After I'm going to cooperate in the meeting, I'm just going to do everything I can to see the glory of God move on." You're going to get somewhere then. Whew! [Unclear words] he's got something. All right. But it's God's provided way. That's right.
All right, I can see them, they got the water, they got their ditches filled up. And the first thing you know, they never only drank all their water from it, they went over and took a rock and stopped up all the old cold formal wells they had over there. And if you'll just dig real deep tonight, till this building is filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the people are healed and filled with the Spirit and out on the streets a screaming and praising God, walking down to these barrooms tomorrow and giving testimonies and everything, for the glory of God; we will stop up some of these old cold formal wells around here with some of these stones, that's right, of testimonies. Amen! That's right. I believe it with all my heart. God has a provided way.

83 One time there was a woman, she had a blood issue, in the Bible. Oh, my, it was very bad, the doctors couldn't do nothing. So she'd heard about a Man was healing the sick. So the first thing you know, one night ... He knowed that, He toiled all night across the sea in a big storm. The next morning that little boat pushed into the willows down there. She was sitting up there on the hill, she looked at it, and something told her in her heart, "God has a provided way for me. If I could only touch that Man's clothes, I'm going to get well."
Here she goes down. And when you try to follow God's provided way, like it has been in all ages, you'll find conflict everywhere. I can see her come up against the pastor, he say, "Now where do you think you're going?"
"I want to touch His garment."
"Nonsense!"
She pressed right on by him.

84 Next thing, she come up there, she come with Brigham Young and all of his bunch... Why, she come the next [unclear words], " Well, the days of miracles is dead."
She just moved right down moved between their legs and went right on. She didn't play with the world. She had the alternative, that was to do what God told her to do in her heart. Amen. That's what we need tonight, follow God's provided way. She moved right through and touched His garment. Lot of people hugging Him and everything, said, "Oh, Master You're..."
Said, "Who touched Me? Who touched Me?"
He looked around to see where the vision was. Just the same as He does now. Said, "Thy faith has saved thee, go in peace." Amen!
What was it? A lot of them was saying this, that, and the other. Peter said, when He said, "Who touched Me," he said, "Master, the whole crowd's a touching You."
He said, "I know but somebody has touched Me."

85 That's the kind of a touch we want to have tonight. That's God's provided way for every one of you tonight. God's touch! It's His provided way. Look and live! He's got a provided way. Said, "Lord, I believe it!"
Like the lady going out there now with that baby. She believes that that baby, going walking out. Lady, you with the baby, turn around this way. Do you believe with all of your heart for that baby? You believe that condition's going to leave it? You believe that diabetes is done gone from it? It has, so go on your way. That's the way you go. God's provided way. Amen! Hallelujah! God's provided way!
Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, is God's provided way for every sinner, every man that believes can have it right now. Do you believe it? God's provided way.

86 There was a man one day, who had lost his little daughter. Jesus provided a way. Come laid His hands on the girl. She got well.
There was a little old man one day, by the name of Bartimaeus, touched the hem of His garment, as it was. And called for him. And he accepted God's provided way and was made well. Do you believe that? Look! Hallelujah! Brother, I feel good. Now you're getting into the atmosphere. Now you're getting things right [unclear words] stir your minds. Say in your heart, say, "God I accept it. I believe it with all my heart."
God's right here now to make every person well. You believe that? It's God's provided way. That woman with that little baby, just as she started out wondering in her mind, she got all crippled [unclear words]. What was the matter? God had a provided way. That's right.

87 Let me tell you something brother, the church got all formal and indifferent a lot of times. The church got just about like it is now. Everyone having a creed, everyone having a denomination, everyone having this, one had this and one had that. But there come a time then when Jesus came along. He was God's provided way. Is that right?
A woman touched the hem of His garment. There is a time when Jesus had gone up to Heaven and God had a provided way. Peter, the apostle, they laid in his shadow and was made well. Is that right? God's provided way.
They had another man named Paul. Is that right? And he couldn't even pray for them all, so God had a provided way, He took handkerchiefs off of Paul's body and unclean spirits went out. Is that right?

88 The church got to a place where it's kind of cowardly, they climbed up in the upper room and stayed up there until ten days and nights. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven like a rushing mighty wind. Not a preacher walking up the road, saying, "Now we're going to take you in by membership." No cowardly priest, to say, "We will you a holy eucharist." The Fire came God's provided way. The Holy Ghost come down from Heaven like a rushing mighty wind, it filled all the house where they were sitting. They didn't walk up and say, "I want to put my name on the church book." They repented God's provided way. They begin to run, screaming, speaking in tongues, jumping around, around, around, around, shouting and praising God. Then there come a church. Whew! God's provided way!
It's still God's provided way. God hasn't changed a bit. For, "This Gospel must be preached to every kindred, tongue and nation for a witness unto Me." Then He will come again.
"Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned and these signs shall follow them that believe." God's provided way.
"Pray for the sick." God's provided way.
"These things that I do."
"I see vision."
"Ever what's in your heart, do these things."
"These things that I do shall you also." God's provided way.
This will be a witness to me of my resurrection, Palm Beach, Florida and all the world, God's provided way. Hallelujah!
Oh, how I love Him. Oh, how His provided way is here. His provided way for every sinner. His provided way for every seeker of the Holy Ghost. His provided way for all things, whatever.

89 Lady, you sitting there with that checkered dress on, you don't have a prayer card, do you? Sitting right there, that lady. You don't have a prayer card, you were praying. That's right. But you have something wrong with your side, don't you? You want to get healed of it. Do you believe God will make you well? Do you believe God will heal you? It's in your left side, isn't it? See you when you're trying to get out of bed, holding your left side. Isn't that right? All right, it's gone from you now. You've accepted God's provided way. He's here to make you healed. God bless you. May you go, and God's eternal peace and grace rest upon you. Amen!
Do you believe Him with all your heart? Look this way and live, believe.

90 What do you think lady, sitting there? You believe with all your heart? You sitting there with the hernia, you believe God will make you well of that hernia? Do you believe it? Do you believe He has done it? Will you accept God's provided way? God's provided way is that Power that you feel coming on you right now. If you'll open up your heart, that Angel of God standing right above you there, will make you well. You believe it? If you can, you can be healed. God bless you.
What do you think about it, sitting there with the high blood pressure, lady? You believe ... or the heart trouble sitting right there. Isn't that right? Do you believe that power of God's moving on you now is making you whole? Stand up, your heart trouble has left you. It's God's provided way! Hallelujah!
Have faith in God! Amen! Get to believing.
I see a lady coming from Miami, moving up here. The woman has, she has low blood pressure, and she's anemic, she's sitting right there. All right. God bless you, sister, go back home and be well, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

91 Lady sitting right next to you, got high blood pressure, too. God bless you, you can go home and get well, too. Thank the good Lord. Hallelujah! Amen.
The Angel of God's here, my whole body's just so numb I can hardly feel my hands, a mashing them.
Got something wrong with your lungs, sitting back there, haven't you, sir? All right, stand up, Jesus Christ healed you. God bless, you. You can go home now and get well. Amen!
I challenge you to believe God Almighty.

92 I see a man sitting there, just out ... somewhere in there, just a minute. The man's got arthritis, he's got hemorrhoids, too. That's it. That's your wife sitting next to you, isn't it? Is that right? Stand up, lady. I seen that same lady standing in a vision. Just a moment. Reverent. I believe, yes, sir, you have a gall bladder trouble. And you got something like, in your nose, something caused your nose to run, it's hay fever. Isn't that right?
Say, isn't your name Joe, or don't they call you Joe, or something like that? Or Joe Stone, or something on that order? Isn't that right? I thought I heard that when I heard that doctor was examining you. Go home, sir, you're from Miami too, aren't you? Never seen you in my life, but isn't that the truth? Isn't that right? Put your hand over on your wife, wife put your hand on your husband. And you all accept your healing because you go home well! Hallelujah!
You may think I'm crazy, man, I know I what I'm speaking of, the baptism of the Holy Ghost is here for every man, healing's here for every person. Amen! You think I'm beside myself, I'm not! I know what I feel. You're in the right atmosphere right now for everyone of you to be healed. Will you believe it?

93 God, who is my judge, goes all around over this building right now. Seems like one big yellow bank with streaks, hanging down, everywhere. It's you believing, friends. Oh, take God's provided way by taking His Word and saying, "Lord, it's the truth," and accept it. Will you do it?
Oh, my! Every spirit in here is under my control now through Jesus Christ. That's right. That's true. If you'll believe me to be God's prophet at this time, there'll not be a feeble one among you. That's right. If you'll believe it. I can only say it, and God's here to confirm it and back it up and say it's the truth. Bow your heads. Let's pray.

94 Lord, I don't know what else to do. I see it moving over the whole entire audience now. O Father, please God, while You're here in this great power and move, may You heal every person here. May the Holy Ghost now, while this great power is moving over this audience, may the Holy Ghost move right down. This is Your provided way! For everyone was healed that laid in the shadow of Peter. While Peter spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on them.
Lord, I pray that in the name of Jesus Christ, that the Holy Ghost will drive back every gloomy spirit, every doubting spirit, and may the witness of Jesus Christ, which is now present to prove that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Break down the walls of this devil of doubting, ungodly spirit, that would move around over here and may every person be healed.

95 Oh, thou devil, I charge thee by the Son of God, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, that you turn these people loose. Come out of them! Every person, may be free. Some sitting there with arthritis. The woman sitting there bound with the power of the devil. That woman sitting there losing her mind, by menopause.
Everyone of you are absolutely healed right now, in the name of Jesus Christ, if you'll accept it and rise to your feet. Claim your God-given victory. This is the time to shout. And the walls of Jericho, as it was, the enemy that's keeping you out, will fall to the ground and every power of the devil will be broken, in Jesus Christ's name.

God's Provided Way

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 I am certainly happy this afternoon for the privilege of being in one of the few churches that still worship in the Spirit. I think it's just wonderful to come here to ... just to feel that consolation of just letting the Spirit of God flow.
I've had my tape boy here to take those chants of the Lord, the rhythm like of the people as they're moving by the Spirit, on tape. I had that for a purpose. I asked him to come for that. And so glad that the Lord permitted it to happen again this afternoon where I was expecting it.

2 Now, reading this letter from Jamaica, as our precious Brother Smith has so graciously did, the two letters... Just reminds me of when we were there. You might know that the... ("Hope of Faith"---Is that your paper's name?) " The Herald of Hope." That paper did one of the greatest advertising jobs that we had in Jamaica. Brother Smith was better known than anybody on the island, hardly, because of the paper. Your paper has a great influence, and packs a great thing for the Lord wherever it goes. I held my hand awhile ago, because it's sent to me. It's certainly a grand paper. May God let it travel to the four corners of the earth and do great work.

3 Long live this church, and may the Spirit never leave it. Don't never compromise with the things of the world. Keep that. If you have to be so poor that there's just six of you left, stay right with that Spirit, see. Just leave that... Just stay right with that worship.
You know, today we have so many different programs, and so many announcements, and so much that just takes up the time. And it takes away that feeling of worship. But I was speaking to Brother Mercier, and I said, "You can just relax. Just don't make any effort, just feel like it's something..."
I think it would be good for this nervous neurotic world just to enter into places like this. It would be healing for them, just to quieten.

4 Today's been a terrible day for me, and so many calls, and so forth, and the phones a-ringing everywhere. And I walked in here, Brother Mercier said, "I can tell you're nervous."
And I said, "Who wouldn't be."
But now, I'm quiet. Just the singing and relaxing, and I just love that. I feel if we should just say, "Amen," and go home, the Lord would... It would pay us every one to have been here in this wonderful atmosphere.
And this is one of the few that's left. As they tell me that all Pentecostal worship used to be like that years ago. Wished it would return, for I think we need to go back to the old path, just where the Spirit has the right-of-way. I love that.

5 And did you notice, no matter who it was, what message they had, everybody give consideration, see. Sometimes they see in the church, they'll think... Maybe some person will say, "That wasn't of the Spirit," and just let it go on. But it isn't so with Brother Smith. He just... Whoever it is, he just lets what... If it's the Lord, it's the Lord. If it isn't, it amounts to nothing anyhow. So he just... I like that. I like that. And it doesn't hurt feelings; it just brings a love that someone spoke in a word of prophecy, a few moments ago. It just makes everybody feel at home, see. And I think that's really nice. May it never cease to be that way is my prayer.

6 For there's lots of times I like to come in here and just rest. I'd like to come over here and just relax like this for awhile. I got it on tape now, so I'll just ... get real nervous, I will just turn on the tape and relax. I will be at Pisgah. Maybe the tape could catch the rhythm of it, and God will furnish the Spirit of it. Just to hear it when I feel real upset. Because, you know, there's so many emotions and so many things to detract us from the Spirit today. It's real nice to be here.

7 Reading these letters of the healing... And I would like to say this, being that this is not any... I just wanted to be sure it wasn't on the air. You know, I like to hear them kind of letters, because, you see, I'm not no divine healer. I never did claim to be that.
And I have no fancy ways of doing things. I just... I've had a lot of answer to prayer, and that's about all I can say. Just... God has been good to me to answer my prayer, see. That's all I ever did to anyone, was just pray for them. And I think that's about all we can do, don't you, Brother Smith? is just pray. That's all. God promised to answer prayer. And that's just what I like. And I don't have anything that says you're going to get healed, when I do certain things---lay my hands on you, you're going to be healed---I just believe God answers prayer. And I just pray and He... The letters come in, and they get healed. So that's just about it.

8 Now, I'm grateful for the opportunity to have to speak to this gathering this afternoon, this fellowship of the Pisgah Church. And I do not know just what it all consists of. But I hear that there's ministers, and businessmen, and the laity, and all of us here together.
So tonight, the reason I announced at the Angelus Temple last night what I would do tonight, because I thought I would be late here. Usually for the... What would I call the discernment, or so forth, I usually go to prayer about three o'clock, and not bothered no more from that on till the time.
But tonight, I said I'd take up all the prayer cards, and pray for the sick tonight at the Temple; and starting a series of messages on Abraham from the Scriptures.

9 Now, just before I take my text for a few moments, let's bow our heads again, just a minute.
Lord, I'm so blessed by being here in Your presence today. So glad that there is still a remnant that keeps the Spirit of the Lord moving in their midst by their consecration and their love and devotion to Thee.
Lord, bless this church. Since a little boy, I've heard of it. And I pray, Lord, that Your blessings will continue to be here. Keep them humble; bless the pastor and all the co-workers, and all that takes to make up such a place. We pray that You'll bless them. Bless their paper, for it is a... It's a great blessing to others who read it. And may all that's accomplished be to Thy honor and glory.
Now, may we settle our minds now, after the worship, on the Word for a few moments. And we pray, God, that this being the house of judgment, where we come under the old oak, as it was, to rest and to get new orders, and to go forth into the harvest field again to preach and to reap the harvest. Grant, Lord, that Your Holy Spirit will speak, for we ask it in the name of Thy Son, the Lord Jesus. Amen.
[A sister prophesies.] Thank you, Lord.

10 For a text, I would like to use the fourteenth verse of the twenty-second chapter of Saint Matthew.
For many are called, but few are chosen.
And for a subject, I would like to use "God's Provided Way." Now we hear so much today of the second coming of the Lord. And truly, that's what we are all waiting for, the coming of the Lord. Now, I truly believed that we are near that great event. The greatest event that ever did happen, or ever could happen is just near its being made manifest now: That is His coming.

11 The church has waited for this time for two thousand years. And we are seeing the unfolding of the Scriptures. Jesus, in the light of Calvary, just a few hours before He was crucified, spoke more of His second coming than He did of His crucifixion. So it must be a great thing that lies just ahead.
And now that we are gathered, ministers, and Christian Businessmen, laity, tract workers, and the ones who does different types of ministry, I think that we ought to kind of check up while we're under the shade of the cross this afternoon, and that God would give us something in our hearts to go out from here with.

12 Sometime ago, I was in Finland. And I was coming down the road in a little automobile. And in Finland the people are poor. And the young ladies are out in the field with the old-fashioned scythe---cradle---to cut the wheat and bind it with some of the sheaths. And many of them had gathered under a great big tree to have their lunch.
And I thought it was a good time to speak, because I had an interpreter with me. And we stopped just for a few minutes where twenty some odd people had gathered out of the harvest field under the shade of a large tree.
And I spoke to them about the love of the Lord, and told them that I'd heard about how that after the war, they had to run the harrows. They didn't have time to plow the fields, because the winter was coming on.
And they just had to pull the harrows behind them to scratch the surface of the ground, to get the seed in the ground. For if they did not get the seed in the ground, there would be no harvest next year, and all would perish.

13 And at nighttime, the women, the men, no horses, animals to pull it, the people had to pull the harrow. And there was no drones in the camp. They had to... The little children went before them with a lantern at nighttime to make a light so that they could put the seed in the ground, and run before Mama, the little fellows, while little brother was resting for the next shift. They must scratch the ground some way. They didn't have time to plow, for it was too late in the season---had to get the grain in the ground quickly. If not, there would be no harvest.
And I think while we we're gathered together, we should think that it's later than you think. Scratch the ground any way. We haven't got time for seminaries, and to learn a whole lot of things. But we've got to get the Word to the world. Scratch the surface some way and sow the Word day and night, for if there is no grain in the ground, there can be no harvest for the coming of the Lord.

14 While I was talking to that bunch of little Finnish people, seventeen received the baptism of the Holy Spirit just a few moments afterwards.
To me the time is close; we must hurry. So we should think and how we should meet this great thing that we're doing now. Education has failed, and all the other man-made things has failed. We see it has.

15 And our denominational barriers has brought barriers between the people to make them argue and carry on about their denomination. But I believe that we have failed to get the thing that Jesus gave to us to give to the church, to give to the people.
You know, I think, before we leave this afternoon, we should check up and see what our Lord was talking about when He wrote this parable ... or said it, rather. You see there, we should know how to tell the people to prepare for this great event that's coming. If the coming of the Lord is so great, it's the most essential thing that we can do, is to get the people prepared for it. Because if He comes, and we're not prepared, then we will be left out. But we must prepare the way of the Lord with this, our message from Him. Because "there is a way," the Scripture speaks of, "that seemeth right onto a man. There is a way that seems all right, but the end thereof, is the ways of death."

16 So what if people are prepared in the wrong way? What if soldiers went to the field, not trained for battle, but to go out there to dance. Though they might be ever so good dancers, they've got to be trained to fight. What if they went out there to have some other kind of an affair, and knowed not how to use their guns? They would do little good. So I think that the workers in the harvest should be prepared to know how to train the people for the coming of the Lord, for there is none of us but what wants to meet it.
And I believe that we are living so close to the coming, that these great miraculous things that we see appearing, is the indication of His soon coming.

17 Now, Jesus taught this parable. And if... You'll almost have to have an Oriental view of the Scriptures before you'll ever be able to understand the parables, because the Bible is an Oriental book. We are a Western people looking at the Bible from an Oriental ... a Western standpoint, when it is an Oriental written Word. For it was wrote two thousand years ago where... The meanings are the same. But if you ever go to the East, the Bible will be a new book for you. Its meanings, its interpretations will seem so much brighter.
I do not mean to say that we don't know how to be saved in the order of the Scriptures, but I mean to say this: that it'll just brighten it for you, when you see the way Jesus taught in that day, in the Oriental customs. And they haven't change one bit. They're just exactly today like they were then.

18 So that men would not get mixed up, that these things that we are now so mixed in would not happen, Jesus taught the people in parables.
Now, as this wedding supper... Of course, we all know that the wedding supper is in the future, that when all the redeemed of all ages come up before the presence of God, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and stand there washed in His blood, and wrapped in the robe of His righteousness, then we will have that great wedding supper that'll be spread across the skies.
And I think of that date, that many of us here is getting down along in the way with gray hairs streaking and shoulders bent. Why, about ninety percent of our audience this afternoon are over the halfway mark, as we call it.
And many of you has worked, and struggled, and done without, and sacrificed to get the message of the Gospel over.

19 And I'm thinking about that day when it's all over, and the wedding supper is set, and we sit down across the table from one another. I'm sure if I'm blessed by the Lord to get to be there, I will look over, and I will say, "I met you at Pisgah, didn't I?" when we meet one another on the other side, and talk about the times that when we come together like this, to take instructions on how to go out and to win souls. And look down along that long line, Papa and Mama, and all of them present. If that won't be a wonderful time, that wedding supper!
We will reach across the table and take each other by the hand, grip each other's hands. And I'm sure a little tear will run down our cheeks for appreciation of God's grace getting us there. Then the King will come out and wipe all tears, as I've many times said, from our eyes, say, "Don't cry no more. Them days are finished now. Enter into the joys of the Lord that's been prepared for you since the foundation of the world."
And we all want to be there. And we want all that we can get to be there, because it's urgent. The time is passed, and we're waiting for His coming.

20 Did you notice, He said ... when He sent forth first. The first group, they come back and they had excuses made. Oh, they had this or that to do. The King's supper, of course, is God. The Son is Christ, the Son of God.
And we, the bride, are the one that's invited. The bride would be... The whole earth is invited. Everybody's invited, but there's some things that we've got to do before we can ever attend that wedding supper.

21 Now, in the Orient, when there was to be a wedding, what taken place? The king set the time for his son's wedding. And then it was the son's duty to give out the invitations. And no one could come to that supper without an invitation.
And I don't believe that there has ever been a man or a woman that ever walked into a church, or come in the presence of God, without they were given an invitation to this supper. Now, you can take it or you can turn it down. That's up to you.
Some people goes to church year after year, and day after day, revival after revival, and still will not accept that invitation. They don't mean to turn it down, but they just neglect doing it.

22 Did you notice, one had something to do. He'd bought a piece of ground. The other one had bought some ox, and he must go try them---not like he wouldn't try the ox before he bought them. You see, it's just an excuse.
And I know that all you ministers and so forth, and businessmen, and tract works, and so forth, you all find those things. People's got excuses. "I've just got to stay home tonight. I can't attend the revival." Just remember, God said they'd do that. They're turning down their invitation.

23 Now, let's look at it again. And one, he'd did this, his wife wouldn't let him come. And that's another excuse. There should be nothing stand between us and that invitation. If it cost a yoke of ox, or your business, or your wife, or your children, or anything, nothing should separate us from that invitation.
If God's called you to His harvest field, or to do something for Him, there should be nothing stand between you and God. It must come first. The invitation, given out...

24 Now, when the invitations was given out, the excuses was made. Then back they come and said, "They won't come." Now, if you notice, the last time that He sent them out, was to go into the hedges, and highways, and byways, get the lame, halt and blind, and compel them to come in. For God is determined that His table will not be set and there'll be nobody there. God wants His tables full. The fatlings has been killed. Everything's been fixed and everything's ready. And if you'll notice, the last great message that was to go, was to go into the highways and byways.
Now, I like that about this little church here, feeding the poor, taking in the lame, the halt, the withered, praying for the sick and... I was reading this little sign here, what give me the idea. "And the lame shall walk," it said. Certainly.
The last calling and the last invitation was a great time to sweep across the country in divine healing. That was the last. And we're winding up the end of that, just pulling in the loose ends right now. So, how close is the coming of the Lord?
Go into the hedges and byways. Bring them in, compel them to come. Bring in the lame, the halt, the blind. They had the healing service.
The healing service for divine healing is never the principal of any meeting. It shouldn't be. We don't just take the service for healing only. As Brother Bosworth used to say, "Divine healing is like the bait on a hook. You don't show the fish the hook; you show him the bait. And he grabs the bait and gets the hook." So that's the way it is about divine healing; it brings the people together, and then the hook is the Gospel that catches the fishes for God's kingdom.

25 Now, before anyone could attend... What if you got, tonight, an invitation to go to the President of the United States, and to attend his son's supper, you would say? If the President's son was going to have a supper, and you, just a poor man out here working for a living, like we all do... What a blessed thing it would be if somebody come and give you an invitation from our beloved President, Dwight Eisenhower, to attend a great wedding banquet that he had set.
Now, you know that you'd brag about it. Why, you'd go all over Los Angeles telling the people, "Look what an important person I am." Sure. "The President of the United States has invited me to the wedding supper." Why, it would be an honor for you to attend that wedding supper. It would be an honor. You'd be a selected person to attend that wedding supper. And I'm sure that the President wouldn't send you such an invitation unless he thought that you surely would accept it. But what do you think would take place if you sent him word back, "I don't want to come"? How that would hurt his feelings. Well then, what do you think it would be, because God has invited you to attend that wedding supper.

26 The people say, "The people that's got the Holy Spirit brag too much about it." We can't brag enough about it. It's something to crow about. We're invited to the wedding supper of the Son of God. It's worth walking on the street and testifying and telling every creature you come in contact with, what a good thing it is that you're invited to the wedding supper. God Almighty has selected you from the slums of the earth to attend the wedding supper of His beloved Son. Oh, what an invitation that is! It's worth a hundred billion President's suppers to attend that supper.

27 Now, if Mr. Eisenhower knew that you didn't have clothes fit to wear, then, of course, he would make arrangements for that. And that's exactly what God did. He made arrangements that you should be dressed in a certain way, because, you remember, He said, "Call the good and the bad. Call all of them together." Don't make any difference what you're past life has been. When you got an invitation to come, you're ready to come. If you've been bad, if you've been a streetwalker, if you've been a gambler, if you've been a drunkard, if you've been a murderer, no matter what you've been, if God gives you the invitation, knocking at your heart, He will take care of the rest of it.
Don't worry, say, "Well, I just been a lukewarm church member," He will still take care of it, if you'll just take heed to that invitation.
And you say, "What is the invitation?"
"Whosoever will, let him come and drink from the waters of life freely." The invitation's to whosoever will.

28 And now, in the Orient, the son that gave whose wedding it was to be, had to furnish the robes. No man could come without first he wore a robe. Here's why. Because if one come, a nice rich woman come with a flowerly hats, and a rich man come with a tuxedo on, and the next man ... woman come with one of those little---I thought I could think of that: gingham, gingham, ever what it is---one of them kind of skirts on, and the next woman had on a silk skirt...
I tell you what this old-time religion will do for you, it'll make a gingham skirt and a silk skirt put their arms around one another and call them "Sister." It'll do that. It'll make a tuxedo hug a pair of overalls and holler, "Brother, I love you." That's what it'll do. It'll take the starch away from you. Yes.

29 But in this Oriental way of doing it, there was robes so that they would all look alike. I'm so glad of that. Even my old Kentucky broke up way, no education, still I can wear the robe, because He's give it to me. He invited me and I accepted it. No matter how you might be, the robe covers. It makes the difference, see ... is the robe.

30 Now, God made a robe also to cover; that's the blood of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost, the robe.
Now, when the people come, they brought their invitation. Now here's where I think that our crude mistake has been, not us, but... I don't mean to say the Full Gospel people, I'm not speaking to them. But I mean like ... with no disregards to ministers, such great men, and men that I honor, and men that I respect with all my heart... I don't know a person on the field that I can honor and respect any more than Billy Graham for the great work that he's a-doing. I seen him the other night, preaching right where I'm to follow him now, with his eyes black here from that blood clot, and they set signs on the streets, so the news said ... booed him, "Go back." Even when Oral Roberts turned back, Billy Graham stayed with it until he hammered it through. I tell you, I got respect for Billy Graham. That's exactly right. Jack Schuller.

31 And then Mr. Graham said one time that he wondered why, when he was in Louisville, that when Paul went forth... And took the Bible, held it up like this, and he said (at the Christian's breakfast that morning ... the ministerial breakfast, rather), he said, "You know, when Paul went forth and got one convert, the next year he come back and there was thirty from that one. But," said, "I will go into a city and hold a several weeks' campaign, and I will have, maybe, to the Lord, maybe twenty thousand converts, and come back in a year, I can't find twenty of them." Oh, I thought this was wonderful.
And he said, "You know what's the matter?" He said, "It's a bunch of you lazy preachers, that after we get them into Christ, you sit with your feet upon the desk and write them an invitation, instead of going to them, and shake their hands, and bring them in."
That was good. That was very good, and was a fine statement. But you know, I didn't want to be different, but I thought, "Brother Billy, who went out and got ... what preacher went and got Paul's one convert? Who was the pastor there that was so lazy had his feet up on the table?"
No. Here's what it is. Is because in this day, the modern way is to give them the invitation as they are sent out. But, brother, that don't tell it. You don't take them deep enough. You don't bring them back to a place to where they get that experience of really being born again. Paul took his convert on through to the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and the fire of God was burning in his heart. He didn't need any... Whether the preacher was lazy or not, he was on the job, to do what God ... just, his heart was burning with the Holy Ghost and fire. He was out to do the job. That's right.

32 The thing of it is today, our modern theologies, and theologians, and modern church teachings, and so forth, we just pass out the invitations. But remember, after they got the invitation... In the Oriental custom when they come to the place to come in---bad, poor, indifferent, all with their invitation in their hand---the son met them at the door. And he took the invitation, and he looked it over, and he said, "It is nice of you (so much to say this way), for you to accept my invitation. Now, I will see what size you are." And he fit him up in a robe, and then passed him in the door to the banquet hall. There's the difference.
Peter said on the day of Pentecost, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

33 Paul met some Baptists in Acts 19. And he said, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" They had the invitation, "but have you got the robe on yet?"
"Have you been invited to the wedding supper?"
"Yes."
"Then you must be dressed."
Would you go to the President's supper up there, if he asked you, with your hands all black and greasy, and you women with your hair hanging down, and your face not washed, and your old dirty apron on? No, sir. You would be so out of place.
And so would a bunch of this lukewarm, so-called Christianity be out of place when it hits that heavenly place, where they're shouting, and praising, and rejoicing, and singing in the Spirit. So out of place.

34 I was preaching sometime ago, and a fellow come that belonged to a certain denomination. He said, "Billy, I was enjoying your message. But" said, "that woman back there that kept saying, 'Amen,' and crying," said, "she just like to froze me to death." Said, "I'm telling you, shivers run up my back."
And I said, "If she wasn't doing it, shivers would be running up my back." I wouldn't know where I was. Oh, I love to feel the Spirit of God moving among the people, saturating them with the Holy Ghost.
He said, "Oh, that nearly froze me."
I said, "Brother, if you'd ever get to heaven, you really would freeze to death. Because there's going to be shouting, and praising God, and rejoicing, and thousands times thousands rejoicing, and singing, and praising God when they come into the presence. You might as well get customized here before you get started that way."

35 Now, the Oriental type was for the son to stand there, receive the invitation. Now, Paul's group ... I mean John's group had to receive the invitation, but Paul said, "Have you been robed since you have got your invitation. Have you received the Holy Ghost since you have believed?"
They said, "We do not know whether there be any Holy Ghost."
He said, "Then, unto what was you baptized?"
They said, "Unto John."
He said, "Then, John baptized unto repentance, saying on them, they should believe on Him that is to come, that is, on Jesus." And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. And Paul laid his hands on them, and the Holy Ghost came on them. You see the difference? Invitation's just come, you're invited.

36 But then when the son met them with the invitation at the door, then he fit them in a robe Amen. Now I feel religious. Fit them in a robe. Had one there for their size, and he put the robe on them so that everybody would look the same.
You see, there's no "big guys." Oh, when people begin to say this, "Oh, if Brother Branham's a-coming to pray for the sick..." That don't have nothing to do with it. I couldn't heal no one. There's no "big shots" with God. We're all His children, every one of us. There's no difference in us. We don't have to have the biggest campaign, or the biggest this, or the biggest that. That's carnal. And God will never bless. I doubt, sometimes, the robe being on a person, act like that. I tell you, brother, God makes us all the same from the... All of us are of One when we got the robe on. No matter whether they can't talk, and don't even know their ABC's, or whatever it is, we're all the same in Christ Jesus. That's why I made that remark, what I did awhile ago. We all want to be the same.

37 Then they put on this robe. Then they come in and they were welcomed in the place. They could come in and get the wedding supper. Jesus said then, that in this place, He found one man sitting there, who didn't have on the robe. How did he get in? That was the question. There was one who did not have on the robe.
Now remember, He said several places this would happen. Now, they come in... He spoke one time of the rain falling on the just and the unjust. He spoke of, one time, of the wheat in the field and the tares; they both grow together. "And many will come to me in that day and sit down in the kingdom with the children. And the children of the kingdom shall be cast out (See), because that they said, 'Lord, we have did this in your name, and we've done that in your name.'" He said, "I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity." That's the same person that He found there without the robe on.

38 Now, sometimes we refer to people, like myself, going forth and praying for the sick, and having a success. That don't mean I go to heaven, see. The person that really gets there, was a little surprised when he got there.
Many in that day, they'll say, "When was you naked, Lord, and we clothed thee? When was you hungry and we fed you? When were you in prison and we visited you?" He said, "Insomuch as you have done unto these, my brethren, you've did it unto me." They didn't even think they was worthy to get there.
And when we think we're some kind of a big shot, how are we ever going to have a spirit to get there? Sometimes I wonder about the robe them folks are in. When we take that attitude, that we're bigger than somebody else, better than somebody else, "We're a larger number; our denomination's bigger," or something. How're we ever going to make it like that, when the robe was to make them all look alike? And in the sight of God we all look alike. Certainly.
We're sinners saved by grace. We must recognize that, from the richest to the poorest, from the best dressed to the worst dressed. The outside dressing has nothing to do with it; it'll perish. But the inside is what lasts. I'd rather have my spirit covered with the robe of His holiness, than to have the best suits that could be bought in all the world. Sure. Rich in the kingdom of God.

39 So this one man was sitting there, got his place and sat down at the table, sitting there. And the King come in and He found him sitting there. Now remember, He never just said, "Now, I never did know that you were coming," or something, or... He said, "Friend..." He didn't rebuke him because he come. He didn't say, "Now, you should have never come." No, that wasn't it. He said---what should taken place---"What are you doing here without a robe on?" There's the next thing.
Now, folks, to pass your tracts is all right. To speak to a man about God's all right. But don't leave him there; just keep right after him until you see him at the altar, robed in God's righteousness, in the righteousness of the Holy Ghost, until he's filled with the Spirit. When anyone comes into your church here, an evangelist holds a meeting, and maybe he's the one's giving out the invitations, and giving the invitations to friends of Christ, the evangelist giving out invitations. But when one comes, don't you let him stop there; you take him right on in the presence of God till He robes him.
[Gap in the audio.] A wedding supper is soon going to be on.

40 What happened? What could he say? The Bible said that he was speechless. He couldn't say nothing. Why? Because he come in some other way besides the door. If he come through the door, the son would've give him a robe. Jesus said, "He that climbeth up any other way, is the same as a thief and a robber." Now, you could get there; you'll be in heaven, but you'd be kicked out again. So what good if... They get more hell than ever---It's right---to know that you were there to see the beauties and then be rejected. You see what I mean?

41 What is this robe? When you wear the robe of Christ, you should have the Spirit of Christ in you. And the Spirit of Christ will act like Christ. It will do the works of Christ. It will be gentle, long-suffering, goodness, mercy, meekness, patience, with the Holy Spirit. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, that's the Spirit of God that comes when you're robed with His righteousness. His Spirit lives within you.
And this man was speechless. He come by... Maybe, he say, "Well, wait a minute. I'm a Presbyterian, Methodist, or I'm a Pentecostal." That had nothing to do with it, see.
He didn't come by the door, and he failed to get a robe. For Jesus said, "I am the door to the sheepfold." And if you come, you can't come by the Methodist church; you're a thief and a robber. You can't come by the Baptist church; you're a thief and a robber. You can't come by the Pentecostal church; you're a thief and a robber. You've got to come by Jesus Christ. That's the only way you can ever come to Him, is to come by Jesus. And when you pass through Him, He throws His love---a robe---around you, and leads you to the fold and we're living on the Hallelujah side, said the poet. Coming by the door.

42 He come up man's way. He come up some way, the church's way. He come in some other way, see. But God has a way provided. And that way is Jesus. And when you come by Jesus, you take on Jesus by a spiritual baptism. And you're dead and take on Christ by the new birth. And you're born again and filled with His Spirit. And how do you know? Because that your life would compare with those of the Bible, those apostles who was robed in His righteousness. Then why can't people who claim to be Christians believe in signs and wonders, divine healing, the working of the Holy Spirit? Why, they should do it. The thing of it is, they've come in some other way besides the door. If they come the door, they'd be robed with the same kind of a Spirit; they'd have the same kind of a life; they'd have the same kind of testimony. They would be the same people.

43 Now, you take, many times, people who climb some other way will have that disgraceful name. Say, "That's a bunch of holy-rollers." Did you know that's what the apostles was called? Do you know, John the Baptist was declared a wild man? Did you know Jesus Christ was declared by the Sanhedrin Council an insane man? "Now we know you're mad." Mad means "insanity." You know all the apostles was declared insane?
But I like what Paul said, "In the way that's called heresy, so worship I the God of our fathers." Oh, because he'd been robed in that same righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's what it is today, friend. So many people are trying to get in, but they're not taking God's provided entrance. And if you go any other way besides Jesus Christ... And when the apostles come into Jesus Christ, when the early church came into Jesus Christ, they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It made them a different people. It made them act different, live different. Their whole life was motivated different. They had different motives. They had different objectives. Everything was different when they come into Christ.

44 Everything's different when you come into Christ. It makes you forsake the world. It makes you forsake the things of the world. You'll turn off your TV anytime to go to church on Wednesday night, if you've ever come in on Christ. When there's a prayer meeting, why, there's nothing can keep you away from that prayer meeting. When the love of God that's in your heart that was in Christ Jesus, will pull you to the church, and when you get there, and you get that overflowing joy, there's something will make you sing out with all that's in you the praises of God.
See, we're coming some other way besides the door. People are coming in, say, "Well, I come in a Baptist." It's all right to be Baptist, if you come by the door and picked up the robe.
Say, "Well, I'm Catholic." That's still all right, if you come by the door and got the robe. But unless you come through the door, you'll be rejected, because He said it would be. And there's going to be many of them there without the robe on.

45 So remember, friends, when we're taking our people on the street, taking our people in the church, and wherever there is, let not them get by without first coming by Jesus Christ to be borned of His Spirit, robed in His righteousness, filled with His goodness, and then you've got a real convert to Christ. It's later than we think. We've got to work. The time is work. The message is urgent.
Did you notice just in the antediluvian world, before that Noah ... before that the first drop of rain ever fell, Noah went into the ark. In the days of Sodom, before one bit of fire ever fell from the heavens, that the angel said to Lot, "Make haste; come hither. For I can't do nothing till you come out of there." And when the last of the redeemed was come out, then the fire fell.

46 Now, we know that we're close to the end of a... We're right at the door of a global destruction. We know that hanging in the hangars, right now, is bombs. Did you read the Life Magazine, I believe it was, a few days ago ... or weeks ago, where that general said that just the first one to blow his top (and that's the expression), and would touch off one of them bombs, what's going to happen. They're already hanging there. They're ready. They can time them by radar and the stars. They can drop one from Moscow right on Vine Street ... or Sunset Boulevard and Vine, exactly on the dot, right on the target. Anywhere they want to drop one, they can do it.
And we're sitting right out there in the ocean with these big ships. We could see them the other day. Them submarines come up, and they wouldn't even let us get near them. With that radar, bombs sitting there, they could put one right on Moscow, or anywhere they want to put it.
One of these days, somebody's going to make a slip, and they're going to pull one. And when they pull, there's going to be pulling on this side too. And what's the world going to do? It can't stand it. There'll be a burst and a shake, and that world'll fly to pieces. And that could happen before the sun goes down tonight.

47 A great general speaking the other day, said, "The next war that takes place will only be three minutes long." Three minutes! No wonder science says it's three minutes till midnight. Three minutes is all it'll take to rock the world completely to pieces and blow it up. We're living on borrowed time.
Some fanatic, one of these days, is going to touch one of them off. And when they... Out there, them listening posts and everything, and ears alert, when they hear that first whistle go forth with that bomb going across, they're going to pull them too. And then when that starts, it's going to pull both ways, and here they come. It'll be a constant completely rocking, and this world will go into volcanic ashes. That's all it can do. It could never stand it.
One of them bombs will blow a hole in the ground a hundred seventy-five feet deep, a hundred miles square. And how about ten thousand of those turned loose on the United Sates at one time. Where's your living going to be? The world couldn't stand that shock.

48 Even now, till science is claiming that the earth is bulging out in the middle. You seen that here the other day, and heard them talking of it, that their... The waters in the North has went down so many feet ... in the middle of the earth, rather, and getting deeper in the North and in the South, because the earth is a-bulging out. The sun doesn't go around its orbit like it used to. Everything is indicating that coming of the Lord. We're right at the door.
And remember. Before one of those bombs can drop... Don't forget this. Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." And before Noah ... before any rain fell down, Noah was in the ark, safely. Before any fire fell on Sodom, Lot was outside. And before one bomb can strike, the church will be home in glory, gone in. Be sure.
Then if this... Just to think, friends, if it's that close, how much closer is the coming of the Lord? Because the Lord comes before that happens.

49 Reminds me of a little story. Once I... All of you know, I used to herd a few cattle. And I thought I was a genuine cowboy. And so, I remember at a ranch that we was working on, there was a... The Armour Company owned it, really, and the cattle out there they was branded, and we grazed them. And so there was... The story goes... It was before I come on the place.
But they had a bunch of young girls, the rancher did. And they were all these little flippy type girls in them days. I think we called them "flappers." And now days they're called "chorus girls," or something. But however, they was a... Flapper mothers is what brought forth chorus girls. Now, what's the chorus girl going to bring forth, what I wonder?
I will preach one of these nights on sowing to the wind and reaping the whirlwind. That's what we've done.

50 Now, notice this. Then before that the ... they... The ranch got all fixed up nice and everything, because the Armour's boy was coming out to visit the ranch out in the west. And they were going to have a big time.
Of course, all these girls were going to vamp the boss's, the head boss's, boy. You know, they'd marry him. Well then, they understood he was looking for a sweetheart. So they were all fixed up that night, and they was going to really give him an old Western reception, and the shooting their guns and having a big time.
And they happened to have a girl there, which was a cousin. Her mama was dead, and her daddy was dead. And she had nowhere to go, so she came to live with her uncle. And of all that had to do the work, was her. The other girls just stayed all prettied up all the time, and she had to do all the work.

51 You ... many of you may have had that experience, an orphan. It reminds me of the church of the living God (That's right.): laughed at, made fun of all the time.
So she had no clothes seemingly to clean up in when the rancher's son come ... the owner's son came. So that night, they had a great big blow-out. And she had to stay back in back of the bunk house. And so, when they all got out of the dining room from eating, why, she went in and got all the dishes and washed them.
So it happened to be the owner, Mr. Armour's boy, walked out at the back and was looking. And it was true, he was looking for a sweetheart. He noticed that little girl, standing in there washing the dishes. There was something about her that seemed real to him.

52 After a few days' visit, one night she was pouring out the dish water at the back of the place, after a hard day's work, and she heard somebody say, "Good evening." And she looked, and it was young Mr. Armour just standing there. And she pulled the straw over her feet; she was bare-footed. And she bowed her head; she felt ashamed. He said, "I've been watching you. And I have found, to what I believe, that you are a virtuous young woman." Said, "I'm out here," said, "I'm so sick and tired of that fancy going on of the city in Chicago and so forth." Said, "I come out here to hunt me a wife." And said, "You just meet that specification."
Oh, her heart like to went... A man of that caliber? ask her, a poor little orphan to marry him? That's about the way I felt one night when I got a invitation to come to the wedding supper. "Want me? a man like me would have an invitation to come to the Lord Jesus?" But He asked me. I can imagine just about as ... felt about like she did. "Who am I?" But He told me to come, and I come.

53 Then he said to her, he said, "Now, you make yourself ready. One year from this night, I will be back to get you." Said, "Will you marry me?"
She said, "Well, of course I would. But" she said, "I'm not worthy."
Isn't that about the way you felt? "I'm not worthy, Lord."
He said, "Don't think of that. I'm not looking for clothes and things; I'm looking for virtue. And I want you for my wife. Will you be?" And he kissed her.
And you remember when the Lord put that kiss on your heart, how you felt? Oh, my. Oh, kissed away all my sins, and all my sorrows, and... He just made something different. He said I could... He's going to bring me to the wedding supper one night.

54 So he said, "Make yourself ready."
You remember, the Bible said, "And the bride has made herself ready," in the robes of the righteousness of the saints. You see?
So that little girl only got seventy five cents a week. But, oh, how happy she was that year. Just washing and singing, saving every penny she could. Rest of them went to town and bought new packs of cigarettes, and whatmore, you know, and their whiskey, and carried on ... new decks of cards, and had their big time. But she was just laboring away. Why? She was getting ready, making herself ready.
And then finally, first thing you know, she got to town, and she got the wedding garment, and got the money that he sent her, and got the wedding garment, and come back. And did them little cousins make fun of her. Ummm. That's just about the way some of these cousin denominational religion, social gospel, said, "You bunch of little holy-rollers."

55 I talked to a girl here not long ago in Oregon. She said... She belonged to another denomination. And she said, "Well, what's 'tending your party? If they ever... If they'd be the ones that would be in heaven, I wouldn't want to be there."
I said, "You won't have to worry very much unless you change your attitude," see. I said, "You won't have to worry very much."
She said, "All that there screaming and carrying on."
I said, "Now, wait. You worship Mary. And the Virgin Mary, before God would ever put the wedding garment on her, she had to go up the day of Pentecost and get so full of the Spirit till she staggered like she was drunk. You ain't coming in anything less." Just remember that. Yes, sir. "And that was, as you call, the mother of God," see. I said, "If the Virgin Mary had to go to Pentecost and get the Holy Ghost before she could ever go to heaven, you'll never get in on anything less. Just remember that. That was the Virgin Mary."
"Oh, that isn't so."
I said, "Do you believe the Bible? Here it is. And Mary was right with them in the upper room. And she got so full of the Spirit until she danced under the Spirit, acting like somebody drunk. And you think you'll get to heaven anything less that that? You'll never do it. Yes, sir. Virgin Mary and all the rest of them had to come the way of the Lord's despised few." So... Yes, sir.

56 The people make fun, and they call them a bunch of idiots. Paul said, "In the way that's called heresy..." That's crazy. See, heresy is some ... heresy, "crazy, idiotic." Well, we are called that because the supernatural is so much different from the carnal things of this world, till it makes people think they're crazy.
They said... Why, Paul said to Agrippa, said, "I'm not mad." Mad means "crazy." "I'm not crazy, you think I am. But in the way that's called heresy, I worship the God of our fathers." That's the way I do, too. I like that.
I'd like to join hands with Paul. I'd like to be there that day when I see him robed in the righteousness of Christ, when I see him crowned. Hallelujah! I want to have the same kind of robe on he had. That's the same kind my Lord wore.
That's the reason I'm not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it's the power of God unto salvation. And the Gospel came not in Word only, but through power and demonstrations of the Holy Ghost. That's the way the gospel is. It's the Word made manifest in our hearts.

57 Now, this little girl, she got ready. She didn't care what... They laughed. Let them laugh if they want to. But she knowed that that kiss that night meant a seal. And so did I, so do you, and every one that had that kiss of the Lord Jesus, that give you the promise, you know what it means. You don't care what the world says. If your cousins want to make fun of you and say, "You've lost your mind, and you old fashioned," just go ahead; that's all right. Make her no different, she just kept getting ready.
So then, finally come the hour, the sun was going down. So she robed her little self, you know, and got all prettied up. Oh, my. That's the hour the church ought to be in right now: all robed in His righteousness, filled with His Spirit, powered with His being, walking in the light, waiting for the coming of the Lord.

58 There she was, got herself all ready, all cleaned and washed, and the wedding garment on. And you know what? As it got closer, the more critical got her little cousins. They said, "You poor little simple-minded thing, do you mean to tell me that if the Armour's son would marry somebody, he would marry somebody like us, somebody who would fit in his society, someone who had education, who had some glamour about them." See, that's what the church thinks today. But how far off they are. That's right. Way off they are.

59 And so, then after while... She thought he'd delayed. It got later, later. And finally, they said, "Oh, where's he at?" That's what they're saying today. "Where is that One. I heard that stuff forty years ago, He was coming. Where's it at?"
Didn't the Bible say they'd say, "Where is that coming of the Lord. All things are just like it was from the beginning?" We're living in that day, friends. Let's take courage now while we're together this afternoon. Go out with a new courage. Go out to win souls. Get ready. The coming's at hand.
And the first thing you know, they all got around her, begin to dance, little songs around her, said, "Oh, we'll make fun of her," you know. And made the bride like they was pretending, bride. That didn't bother her. She watched the little old clock tick around. First thing you know, it was just about one minute. Somebody said, "I thought he was going to be here at such-and-such a time."
"Don't worry, he will be here," she says. And that's all I want to know. He promised he'd be here. That's all I want to know. He's coming; that's all. When, I don't know. But He will be here.

60 Right while they were making the most fun, and saying all these different things about her, and teasing her, and making fun of her and everything, they heard the wheels coming, horses hooves beating, the old grinding of the sand under the buckboard. My, my, she broke through those lines. Out into the yard she went. Who was it? There he was, dressed. The carriage was ready. She run through the little trellis at the end of the yard like that. He jumped out of the carriage and grabbed her into his arms, and he said, "Sweetheart, all year long I've had people watching you." Oh, I'm so glad. The Holy Ghost: The eyes is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. "All year long, I have been watching you. I've seen your virtues. I've seen the flirts of other men. I've seen all of this, but I've seen you were true. Oh, it swelled my heart to know that the woman I was going to marry was true."
God, let that be our testimony, let that be our desire today. Live true to Christ. Be true to the calling. Be true to the Spirit.

61 And he grabbed her in his arms, set her up in the buckboard, and turned the carriage away, and on to Chicago. Said, "You've worked and you've toiled, and your blistered hands will never be blistered again. The things that you've done without, you'll never have to do without again. For one of the swellest homes that can be bought on Lakeside Drive in Chicago is waiting for you. We're going to get married now and go live there in peace for the rest of your days."
I'm so glad that we might work and toil, and have the spit of the outside, and the frowns, and the scorns, and everything, but someday He will come. Oh, we will be taken up with Him to meet Him in the air. And those little old cousins just stood there and looked. Oh, some of these days, we will be caught away. God will catch away His bride, them who are wearing the wedding garment. Let us bow our heads.

62 Lord, as it is drawing near, how do we know but what that sound will be coming before night, the chariot coming to take us away. Oh, may we be found ready, robes washed in the blood of the Lamb, perfumed with the Gospel, and ready to go meet the Bridegroom in the air.
May we believe all of His words. Like the little girl, she believed every promise that he made was true. And, Lord, we believe that every promise You make is true. You was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquity; the chastisement of our peace was upon You, and with Your stripes we were healed. Oh, Lord, to those who are sitting here now, that's sick and afflicted, may no promise of God... Oh, may the Holy Ghost move in, pull up the robe around them and say, "It's me, children. I'm the Lord that heals all your diseases. I'm here now to take away all your afflictions, to take away the sickness from your bodies." Grant it, Lord. May they, as the little girl, just as true to ... honorable to every Word to believe it... May the Holy Ghost, right now, heal every person in here, for I pronounce in the name of Jesus Christ, that You healed them two thousand years ago at Calvary. God, may they all be healed and blessed.

63 And may every worker in here, whether he is a minister, whether they pass tracts on the street, whether they work out here getting out the paper, whatever they do, Lord, may they know that their labor is not in vain in the Lord. And may they just feel that good robe of His righteousness around them, and may they enter into the joys of the Lord. Grant it, Father. May they not be weary in well doing, for in due season they'll reap.
Father, if there's those here who does not have on that garment, that sees the seriousness, that they'll hear the King that day say, "How did you get in here? You had an example. You had My parables. You heard the message. You read it in the Word. You seen what they did, the first ones that come through the door on Pentecost. That's the way they got it. That's the way they acted. That's the way ... what they had. That's the lives they lived. And here you are here, trying to hold before Me a denominational ticket, or some other cult, or something? You must be borned again and be filled with the Spirit."
O Lord God, may men tremble, seeing that we're in the last hours and don't know what time our Lord might come. Grant it, Father. May this be a serious moment, and men make decisions, and women make decisions, young and old make decisions just now to come and be robed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

64 While we have our heads bowed, our eyes closed, and if there would be those here who has not that wedding garment on, though you've been invited to the supper, but you know you don't have that wedding garment. You still have temper; you still have selfishness; you still criticize the just; you still can't believe God's Word to be true. You think some of it's true, because that the Bible says so. Others you say is untrue, because the pastor said so. And the Bible said, "Let every man's word be a lie and Mine be true," said Jesus. You still can't believe that. Will you come and accept Jesus as your Saviour?
If you don't know Him, will you raise your hand, and say, "Brother Branham, it's me." Inside and out of this building, wherever you may be, raise your hand, say, "I haven't got on that robe."
Don't be ashamed, because it's going to be more embarrassing than ever at that day. God bless you, lady. Is there another, outside out there? Raise your hand, say, "I'm not ready, Brother Branham. God knows I'm not ready. I will raise my hands to God." Back in the back, bless you, sir.
You haven't got on that Spirit of meekness and gentleness. If they slap one side of the face, you could actually turn the other. And you got things that bothers you. You say, "Well, Brother Branham, I professed the Holy Ghost for years." But if the fruits of the Holy Ghost isn't there, then you've got on the wrong robe. The fruit of the Holy Ghost bears record of itself. Thank you, sister, you sitting there, even old and gray, perhaps a member of a church, but yet, raising hands.
You say, "Brother Branham, I would like some checking up before the Lord comes. I wouldn't want to be caught in this condition." If you feel that way, while we have our heads bowed, and the brother'd give us just a little chord on the piano, I wonder if you'd stand along here and let me pray with you just a few minutes, after preaching this message. Won't you come right here now? Stand right here around the altar. Say, "I want the robe of the Holy Spirit on me, Brother Branham. I need it."
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art near.
I need Thee, O, I need Thee;
Every...............
God bless you, my brother. God bless you, standing right here my [unclear words] if you want.

65 Come now. Outside, inside, wherever you may... Make your way up here now. That's right. Come with the rest of them.
I need Thee, (Come right up.
Come right as you are.)
I come to Thee.
I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord; (Come right
on up, bring the man right on.)
If tears..............
Outside too. Come right up. The altar's filling up now. Those who wants the robe of Christ on, no matter what church you belong to, that has nothing to do with it. Come on now if you're not robed. May be your last chance.
......Oh, I need Thee,
Every hour.........
You might say, "Brother Branham, I've got an invitation." Come on, get the robe on now then. You got an invitation, come give Him your invitation, then you're sealed until the day of your redemption.
I come to Thee!
I need Thee...I......
Do you need Him now? You're going to need Him someday. He needs you now.
.......I need Thee!
O bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee!

66 While the music is playing and people are still coming, just come right on in (That's right.) from the outside; come right on. There's some room on the other side of the altar over here, if you wish to get over a little bit. Come right down this other way from this other side. Come right in and come to this side here, kneel right around the altar. You've got an invitation. Sure you have. Now come, be sealed.
Now, the Scripture, Ephesians 4:30, says this: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed until the day of your redemption." How long? Until the day of your redemption. When you receive the Holy Ghost, you come inside, like Israel coming under the blood; they were inside, safely secured, protected from the outside plagues of Egypt that was going to destroy them. Come into Christ now through the blood, receive the wedding garment. Christ has give you an invitation to come. Maybe you've held it in some church reverently for years. Come now. Give your invitation to Him and be robed in His righteousness by receiving His Holy Spirit. Won't you come?
When Thou art near.
I need Thee, O, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee!
O bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee!
Now, real reverently while the music softly plays. I want to pray now, if all's finished coming.

67 Now just remember, Christian friend, this may be the last opportunity. The place where I'm staying, I'm counting the ambulance calls. Since I've been there, about twelve days now, there's an ambulance call pretty near day and night, within every twenty minutes. Think of it. Oh, I need Thee, Lord.
How long will it be before your time's up? You don't know when. Don't take a chance on this, friends. Oh, if you're here, and you know you're not right, have you grieved the Holy Spirit so many times from your heart, that He doesn't deal with you no more? I'd burst with the faintest little call. You know, His Spirit won't always strive with man. Someday it's going to quit striving. And you can just... He can knock, tell you you're wrong, knock, tell you you're wrong, and you keep warding it away, after while, it won't come no more.

68 I talked to a young girl down in the South some time ago in a Baptist church. I seen her sitting back in the audience. And I said, "Young lady," after church... Oh, I mean while the altar call, I said, "Won't you come give your life to Christ?" Oh, my, did she get angry with me.
And after the service, she met me at the door. She said, "Listen here, Mr. Branham," she said, "I didn't appreciate that embarrassment, you calling and pointing your finger to me."
I said, "The Holy Spirit told me to do it." I said, "You know you're not right with God."
She said, "That's my business. I'm too young." She said, "I got to see some life yet."
I said, "Young lady, you may be grieving your Lord from your heart the last time."
She said, "My father's a deacon in that church."
I said, "If your father was pastor in that church, it wouldn't make a bit of difference. The Holy Spirit's calling you; you better receive it. It might come a time where you want to and you can't." And she made fun of me. Stuck them little painted lips up, and turned her head like that, sassy, and walked away.

69 About a year later (It was in Memphis.) I come down the street, and I looked at that same young woman---out of a nice home---her underneath skirts hanging down, going down the street with a cigarette in her mouth. And I walked up to her, and I said, "How do you do."
She said, "Hello, preacher." And she looked at me like that, and her... she's half drunk. Said, "Have a cigarette."
I said, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself."
Said, "Maybe..." Reached down in her purse, and said, "Maybe you'd take a drink out of my bottle."
I said, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself." I took her by the shoulder, and I said, "Is your father still deacon?"
Said, "I haven't heard from him for a year." Said, "I want to tell you something, preacher." She got out a cigarette, and put a little shot of dope in it, begin to smoke, and her nerves quietened. I stood on the corner, looked at her. She said, "You know what you told me that night by them rose bushes?"
I said, "I shall never forget it."
She said, "You told me the truth." Said, "You can say it wherever you want to. But since that night..." I'm going to make a remark now that'll send chills up your back. She said, "Since that night you told me the truth that that was my last call." She said, "My heart has been so hard, till I could see my mother's soul fry in hell like a pancake, and laugh at it." It just chilled me. I just turned and walked away down the street, crying. I couldn't help it. A fine young lady.

70 "My Spirit will not always strive with man." If you've got the faintest little call in your heart, come on up here, this is the place. Once more, and then we will pray.
I need Thee, O, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee!
O bless............
I.............
A Baptist pastor friend of mine preached her funeral about five years later. She was killed in a roadhouse in a fight. And when her old father, they was rolling her body out the door, he threw his arms around her and said, kissed her, said, "Good-by, darling, forever---forever---forever."
I need Thee, O.........
(Won't you come, friend?)
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Saviour,
......to....

71 Lord Jesus, with all that's in me, I have tried to tell the people that they must be robed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus. Many of them, Lord, no doubt, is already robed and ready. But here are many around the altar that's kneeling here, their hearts are now tender. It's tender enough that they could hear the Spirit of God calling. And it's written, "No man can come to me except my Father draws him first."
Here they are around the altar, ready for their robe now. Won't You, Holy Spirit, tenderly, sweetly, gently, as only You can do it, put Your arm around these little ones, lead them into this experience of the real riches of God's love by the Holy Ghost, that will seal them eternally. Then they'll have the assurance that they are ready for the coming. For the Holy Spirit, we're sealed until the day His coming.
Grant it, Lord, while we humbly are waiting, singing songs like they was on the day of Pentecost, singing hymns, worshipping Him in the Spirit, waiting for the Holy Ghost to come upon these. Bless them, Lord. They're the fruits of this message, the products that Your Spirit has brought up to the altar. "He that will come to Me I will in no wise cast him out." Here they are, Lord, at the door waiting with the invitation in their hand. Robe each one, Lord. Grant it. Have mercy, God, while we are waiting. Everyone in prayer now for these here.
Draw me closer, closer,
Lord to........
Let us sing in the Spirit now till we get the Holy Spirit on these people.
Thy healing power...
Lord, I commit them into Thy hands, Lord. Grant it, [unclear words]. For Your glory, Lord, grant it.

God's Provided Way

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Thank you, Brother Sothmann. Good morning, friends. I certainly deem this a great privilege to be back again with this community here in Canada. It's been some time since I was here before, and I've always yearned to come back. I like prairie people and mountain people. They're just home people, nothing ... what we call down in the States just homespun, just real people that you... Nothing starchy about them---just people that trust God, and believe God and are humble in their hearts. And that's the way that God works, with a people like that.

2 It doesn't take large congregations. Jesus never promised to gather with large congregations. He promised to assemble "Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I'll be in their midst." And again it says, "If the people that is called by my name shall assemble themselves together and pray, then I'll hear from heaven, and heal their land." And it's...
This is a great time. I was coming really for a little vacation. I've been on the road now constantly six months. And the meetings has a great tearing down to my being, and I needed a little rest. And I thought, "Well, I'll either go down with my friend, Brother Welch Evans, down in Florida and fish a little while..." Then I happened to think, "You know it'd be real good if I went up to Dawson Creek, and fished a little while, went hunting, see my friend Chris Berg and some of the brethren around." I thought, "I wouldn't be doing God an honor unless I had some services there for the people."

3 So that all managed up to one thing. And I run through my invitations, and I found someone had taken Brother Hunter's place over at Dawson. So I called this brother. I really don't know his name, he may be here this morning. And I called ... got a letter to him, and he wrote back, and said, "Why, sure. We'll stage a meeting or two, or night or two, for you here." And said, "I'll get a guide ready for you to go out fishing." And so, that give me the opportunity to come and visit with you.
And so then they come down. I said, "Well, don't forget Grande Prairie, 'cause I stop there. Maybe they can put up with me a day or two while I'm in there." So that's how we're here this morning.

4 But we come to be a blessing to you, and I'm sure you'll be a blessing to us. And we are here not to represent any organization. We just try to represent Christ, and He is the one. And I'm sure He... You know Him as your Saviour (I trust you do), the forgiveness of your sins, and the filling of the Spirit.
And now, many times where I go to pray for the sick around the world, some of them says, "Brother Branham, the divine healer." Now that's a mistake. I'm no healer. I don't believe any other man is a healer. I believe God is the healer. And God has already did for you all that can be done. Now the next thing is your faith to believe in his finished work.

5 And I never come to take the place of a doctor. I'm not a doctor. And I come to pray for God's children, the doctor's patients, my friends. And that's what we're here for. And we're happy to get to meet in this new beautiful little church setting way up here in the prairie. Fine people.
And coming along yesterday, I noticed... Reminded me of when my father used to tell me down in the state of Kentucky where I was born, they used to go in and saw down the trees, and roll them ... have log rollings, and burn them, you know. And the men would all parch corn, and women would make candy, and have log rollings, you know, and take...

6 I guess that's all foreign to you people down here ... and have sorghum molasses.
I looked over to a fellow from Georgia. He kind of smiled. He knows what sorghum molasses is. I wonder how many here knows what sorghum molasses is? What part of Kentucky you from? Yes. Well, I sure love them, and we used to skim the sorghum and have a great time.
Now, and oh, what... We come from the old Southern Missionary Baptist, where we'd have gatherings and have dinner on the grounds; and have footwash. How many knows what feetwashing is? Oh, that come right on over into the Pentecostal church. We'd have great times there, great jubilees.

7 And now we are gathered now for a different kind of a jubilee: a spiritual jubilee, which we're all acquainted with the things, and the goodness of God and his mercy.
I remember here before there was some fine people. I may mispronounce this Norwegian name, or Swedish, ever what it was. It seemed to me like their name was Bentrude, or Benzrude, or something. They'd taken me out here to shoot some geese one morning. And I tell you, their kindness was so good, it liked to kill me. After I got through service that night, they had a great big ... well, we call it down in the States, supper. I think you call it up here dinner.
I always get mixed up in that. If that is dinner, then when am I going to have supper? See, I get all mixed up and miss a meal somewhere if that ... if the evening time is dinner.

8 Now down in the South, we call it our breakfast, our dinner, and our supper. Then if this is my dinner over here at last, then what become of my dinner, see? Then where ... if this is my dinner, then where's my supper coming in at? Next morning you say it's breakfast, so I don't get it just right. So anyhow, I'll say it the way that I knew it best.
I had two suppers. I had one out there, and then I got to bed about, oh, I suppose about one o'clock, or 12 o'clock. And about 4 o'clock the next morning, they had me up with my breakfast. And I was out in the fields, some oat patch, digging out a hole to crawl into to hide from the geese.

9 And then we got back about two hours later.
All these here suppers that I missed up here, it was all paid for over there, cause I come back in and had another breakfast. So I had two for that day. So I was all...
Never will forget those people. I hope I get to see them while I'm here. They had some people up at Dawson Creek. One of them was a minister. I don't know, but it seeming like ... am I pronouncing that name right? Bentrude. One of them was a minister. Iner, I believe. Iner-Iver-Iver, great big fellow, fine fellow and even... Say, I hope... [Someone from the audience says, "He's over there, second row.] Iver Bentrude. Well, well, well! Me standing here talking about him; and here him standing listening at me. I better quit talking about that right now. All right.

10 Is your father and mother gone on, Brother Bentrude? Both of them. I'll never forget those little Norwegians. I was in his home, his parsonage out there. And I was staying there for a few days, at a little place... Groundsbirch. Is that right? And the little mother and father Bentrude, little old Norwegians (Is that right? or Swedish? One of the Scandinavian? Norwegian.) up there in the home.
And Papa goes down to get him a ... get some groceries at the little store. And Mama was sitting at the window, you know, and she kept pulling back the curtain, watching for him to come.

11 After awhile here he come, clipping along, you know. And he had a little bucket in his hand, a few little packages beneath his arm. And mother seen him coming. Here she went to meet him, you know, and she took some of the packages and patted him on the back, you know, and here they went, two little couple coming by. Oh, I just raised up my hands and wept. I thought, "Isn't that beautiful?"
And the next day we had a gastronomical jubilee, 'cause they had all the children come in. They had everything for dinner, and that was at 12 o'clock, you know. So we had a great dinner spread out there.
And I wanted to talk to that little old couple so bad. And I don't think they could speak one word of English; and I couldn't speak one word of Norwegian.

12 So we couldn't get along making signs to one another. Someone come in and interpreted for me.
And I said, "You know, one of these days when I cross over the river, coming down the streets of glory, I expect to see a handsome Norwegian man and a beautiful little Norwegian woman---young, never get old again. And I'll say, 'Do I not know you?'
"They'd say, 'Oh, yes, Brother Branham, you know me. We fed you wild goose one day at the table, when we were down on the earth.'" And I hear that they have both gone to that heavenly home. God rest their precious souls in peace, is my prayer.
Now this morning we have given away ... and the pastor's so nice to give us this little time of introduction, kind of, to the service. And usually I don't preach over, when I go to preach, over six hours or something like that. I usually let out around about ... after four to six hours of preaching, more or less. But this morning we'll only take about 30 minutes of just introduction.

13 Then this ... 'cause you've got to go home, and eat, and come back again at 2:30.
How many people are expecting to be prayed for, during this time of the meetings? Let's see your hands. Around the building. All right. Now, if you've got any people, remember, it'll be real quick. We got to hurry in, hurry out. We're going on to Dawson.
And so, you get them here this afternoon. (2:30 is when the service starts?) Oh, have them here by a quarter to, something like that, and my son back there will come, give them prayer cards, anybody that wants them. And then we won't have a ... like an arena. Everybody will just come up when their numbers are called, and we pray for them that way.

14 And now, if you got any neighbors that wants to be prayed for, you bring them out early this afternoon to get a prayer card. Now, before we approach the Word, let's approach the author of the Word by the way of prayer, while we bow our heads.
Gracious and holy God, we come into thy presence in the way of prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus, God's precious and glorious Son. For we are taught in the Scriptures that He said to us if we shall ask the Father anything in his name, it would be granted.
Now, if we should come in the name of this lovely church, or in the name of the pastor, or in the name of the nation it would do us no good. And we would have no faith that our prayer would be answered.
But when we come in that all-sufficient name of the Lord Jesus, we have the assurance that God will grant us what we ask.

15 Therefore, we weigh out our prayer to see if we're going to ask anything amiss; to see if we should be ... any wrong objective to our coming here, or our asking, or the motive we would have in asking for such things.
So we pray, God, that You search our hearts, for we stand in thy holy presence in this tabernacle, knowing that we are eternity-bound people, with our heads bowed to the dust from whence Thou has taken us. And we are solemnly trusting that some day You'll send Jesus, and we'll be lifted from this dust body to a body that's made like unto his own glorious body, where there will be no more praying for the sick, there will be no all-night prayer meetings for the lost, but the redeemed shall be in the city, and shall walk in the light thereof forever.

16 Oh, our hearts long for that.
But while it is day and we have the opportunity, we are pressing upon Thee, Lord, for thy divine guidance and mercies. And we trust that You'll give this little city a great awakening to the reality of Christ in our midst yet today, after two thousand years from his crucifixion; that He is not dead, but He is alive forevermore.
We pray, Lord, that You will let the Scriptures be fulfilled, which was spoken to the disciples when You said, "When you enter a city, heal the sick that's in the city." I pray, Lord, that all that are sinfully afflicted that they will be healed first; and then that all who are physically afflicted will be healed.

17 And may there be a revival sweep in this little valley here that'll cause such a hunger and thirst, for it is written, "You're the salt of the earth. And if the earth loses its savour ... or the salt loses its savour, it's henceforth good for nothing but to be cast under the feet of man, be trod down." But, Lord, we pray that You'll let Christ be in our lives so real that the people will thirst for Him. Let Him be the center of attraction, Lord, and we'll praise Thee for it in humbleness, and bow our heads in humility, giving Thee all the praise.
Bless the pastor here, and the associating pastors, every church in the city and throughout the community, all the members of every church. May we come with one heart and one accord, and see the glory of our risen Lord. We ask it in his name, and for his glory. Amen.

18 Just by the way of introducing the meetings, I would like to say that we come each day, just carry the little campaign. Any questions you might ask Brother Sothmann, and he would be able to direct you---he and the pastors.
And now, questions on religious views, I don't try to answer them, because that's the pastor, you see. I'd rather each church would be acquainted... Their pastor is a man of God. He led them safely this far, so he can take them on, you see. So now, come believing.
Perhaps, maybe in the next meeting or so, there may be outsiders that's outside of the Pentecostal realms and the full gospel. And we want to be positive, knowing where we stand, 'cause no man can walk without he's sure he knows where he's walking, see. We know where we stand, because we're walking with the Scriptures, believing that God keeps every word, and makes it real, see. If you don't believe that, then we can't walk with God.

19 And now each day each ... before each service the boys will come down and give out ... or Billy... Usually Leo and Gene, a couple of associates, are along in the big campaigns, and they help give out cards, too. But my son is along this time, and he'll give you prayer cards about an hour before each meeting, so we won't interrupt the people that's coming for the ... hear the service, the introduction meetings, and so forth.

20 Now, if you keep a Scripture record of what, sometimes, ministers read, I would like to read for you out of the New Testament, the book of St. John, twelfth chapter and thirty-second verse, for an introduction. And from this I wish to draw this text for a context. Jesus was speaking... Oh, I would have loved to have heard Him speak, just... I know we all hunger for that.
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Now we have a little song down in the States we sing, that, "If I Be Lifted Up." Now I want to speak on the subject of "God's Provided Way." God has a way provided.

21 Now, man is prone, in the world, to try to do something, to achieve something. He wants to do it himself. I'm sorry that it's made up that way, but the human race is just that way. Man tries to do something to make an achievement for himself.
As I was coming up yesterday along the highways, I passed through two large cities below here, Calgary and Edmonton. And I was speaking to my son when I went in to buy some gasoline. And when I looked up on the pump, and it said "Thirty-nine cents a gallon," I said, "I don't understand how they do it."

22 We pay about thirty-five cents a gallon for this gasoline in the States; and they bring it up here, and instead of a four-quart gallon, give you a five-quart gallon for thirty-nine cents. Therefore, they can sell it way up here on the prairies cheaper than you sell it in the United States; and yet, it's got from the United States, brought up here. The government buys it, and then the consumer sells it. Of course then, the government takes taxes back off of that from the consumer, back to the government.
And Billy said to me, "Does that seem fair, Daddy?"
I said, "Well, we find out that they get along better than we do." Now, if you'd notice...
I wish to say this about Canada. I believe if Jesus would tarry for, say, fifty years, that this nation will lead the nations of the world. This'll be the outstanding nation of the world, if Jesus tarries, because it's your ironclad government, see, and the things ... the natural resource that you have to build from.

23 Now your lands are covered with oil and minerals, and your mountains are full of gold and silver, and uranium, and potash, and whatmore. You have ... you're about one and two-thirds times as big as the United States, the Dominion of Canada. Yet, in the city ... or in the state of New York, they have 296,000 more people in the state of New York than Canada has in their complete dominion. You've got here to make with, only you're not thickly populated, and that's a blessing. For when population ... men begin to congregate together, sin comes in.
This morning when we were eating at the bus station, my son and I, he said, "Dad, I would love to live here."
Oh," I said, "who wouldn't?" See?
This is a paradise. Maybe you do not realize it.

24 Many, like the ladies, long for the big cities many times, and that... Don't never long for that. Oh my! Take this any time. Here's the place to raise your children. Here's the place you can offer more for your children, more to your children, more for yourself, than any place that I know of.
Your money has the highest value ... or it's high, if not higher than any other nation in the world. Why? Because that you raise your wheat, the government takes it and sells it for you, and the money must be laid cash.
Now, in the United States, a farmer raises the wheat, the government pays him out of the government funds; and then takes it and lets it out to other nations; and they never pay it. Some of them's been owing for hundreds of years, and never pay it. And it's coming out of government funds, which is honeycombing the nation. And soon she's got to fall. That's all.

25 And now, we have no more natural resource. You have plenty of natural resource, because if you and I... Or, I'm selling you rice for wheat. But when I run out of rice, then what, see? Now you have the natural resource, so you're ... more than any place in the world. So you're a growing, coming on nation.
And I said... I have a little boy of five years old. I said, "A Canadian man here, to his little boy of five years old, can say, 'Son, I'm raising you here in a nation where there is a great future to this nation." And I said, "Then he can offer him more to his child in a national standpoint, than American can, or the States, can to a son that's down there, because you've got more of a background here to draw from---something that's promising," and so forth.
Now. But if Russia ever comes to the United States, which is one of the leading nations of the western world, they wouldn't want to blow it up. They could do it if they wanted to right now; or we could blow that up. But they'll never do it, because they would destroy everything. They want the wealth of the nation. So therefore, they'll try to put them to sleep.

26 And one thing ... I do not think the war will be a missile warfare, but I think it'll be a spiritual warfare, that'll come in and just take the nation over, and put them to sleep, till they get in and get a hold.
Well, if they get a hold there, and take the United States---Canada is a small thing for them. So, therefore, there is nothing, really, in the world that we can build our hopes upon, see, upon any achievement that we could give in this world---because there isn't no hopes for it.
There's only one hope. That is Christ, his truth,

27 because... What if science today is trying to build something, a bomb that'll go way up, or some ... put a man in a sputnik, and send him up in the skies? Russia made a blow recently across the world. They had a man in the skies---put a man up in space.
Well, that's nothing to blow about. We had a man in space for two thousand years---Jesus Christ. Not just to go a little piece up here, and return back; but all the way into glory, and come back with a host of angels to minister to us. So we've had a man in space for a long time. Russia hasn't got nothing on us. That man returned to stay. Jesus can go wherever He wishes to, so we are ... we can say this.
What if today now, my Canadian brethren, sisters, what if today that science could perfect something that could set a little gadget out on the end of a man's farm, and could turn it on, and rain ... bring rain down out of the skies, or shut it off and make the sun shine down, whichever you needed. Would that be an achievement! Oh, my!

28 What if we had something that they could ... say they could make a man that's dying with cancer come back and be well again. Would that not be an achievement? Like the Salk vaccine for the children---it went world-wide.
But say, for instance, what if science had found something, a little medicine that they could put in a spoon, and could pour it in an old man's mouth, or an old woman---ninety years old---and watch it for about (the patient), for about one minute, and see them return back to a young man and woman, with a blood that would never get old, and a being that would never die.
Why, the whistles would blow, nations would scream death was over! No more old age! No more death! We conquered it! Why, it would be something. Men are trying to find that through the resource of ... well, of literature, or culture, education, science.

29 What makes them look for that is because that is existing somewhere. That's the reason that they hunger for it, as David said, "when the deep calleth to the deep." Before there can be a deep calling, there has to be a deep to respond to that call. Before there was a fin on a fish's back, there had to be a water for him to swim in first, or he would've had no fin. Before there was a tree to grow on the earth, there had to be an earth first, or there'd've been no tree.
As I've often said, making this quotation ... some time ago, down in the States, a little boy was found at the school eating erasers off his pencils. And then his mammy found him out on the back porch eating a pedal off of a bicycle, a rubber pedal.

30 And they'd taken the little fellow to the clinic for an examination. And when they did, they found that his little body needed sulfur. So therefore, sulfur is in rubber. And there, when he was eating on the rubber, he was satisfying that crave of sulfur. But, oh, let me say this: before there could've been a crave in there for sulfur, there had to be a sulfur somewhere to respond to that crave.
And when there is a crave in a human heart to find a place of peace, to find a place of perfection, to find life, to find the spot---the fountain of youth---where the old bathes in it and returns back young again, there's got to be that place first, or the human race'd never crave for it.

31 We are gathered here in this little meeting to talk about divine healing. There's got to be a fountain open somewhere, or you'd never crave for it. There's something in your hearts this morning, you people, that tells you there's a God that can heal. And as sure as that crave is in your heart, there's got to be some spring somewhere to satisfy that craving, or you'd never have that craving. In other words, before there can be a creation, there has to be a creator, to create the creation, in your heart. I hope that makes sense: a creator to create a creation. So the creation has to be first, and then a creator to crave for it.

32 Now, man has tried to find this through science. But it shows that there is... Now, why doesn't man just let it alone? And they dig down in the ground to find fossils, to disprove something and prove something. They take and catch the atoms of the air, and break out and get the molecules, and so forth, trying to prove something.
They take these same missiles, and every time they try to create something in the line of science, he destroys himself, shoves him farther away from God all the time. Instead of going closer to the achievement, he shoves hisself away from the achievement.

33 When he invented gun powder, kills his brother. When he invented an automobile, science, what did he do? Kills more than the powder does. Now he's got hisself an atomic bomb, a hydrogen bomb. See, he drives hisself farther away from God.
In the garden of Eden there were two trees. One of them was a tree of life, the other the tree of death ... the tree of knowledge. And when man left the tree of life to eat from the tree of knowledge, the first bite he took he separated himself from his maker. And every time he bites on that tree of science and knowledge, he kills hisself. He drives hisself farther away. Why don't he just simply come back to the tree? That's the only solution. Come back the way God made him for the first time.

34 Now, man has tried to achieve though, all along.
Now, we think of Nimrod. When he thinks of one time that God destroyed the world with water, this great prince of Babylon, he said, "I can get by that." See, he's trying to find something. It's his nature. Man does that. He proved his nature when Adam, taking his bite from the tree of knowledge, separated himself from God. He tried to make himself a way back to God by covering hisself with fig leaves---a religion---making himself... He was trying to make salvation without an atonement.
And we find that man's still doing the same thing today: joining church, putting his name on a book, trying to find a way of saying a few prayers a certain way, or repeating a couple of creeds; trying to find salvation without atonement. You cannot. You've got to have an atonement for sin.
And sin is unbelief. There's no other sin but unbelief.

35 I've often said that drinking, committing adultery, and swearing is not sin. That's the attributes of sin. You're an unbeliever, the reason you do it; but if you did believe God, you would not do that, see. You could not do it if you're a believer.
Now, we find then, that man has separated himself from God, and always trying to use that same tree of knowledge to get back by, and taking hisself farther away all the time.
Therefore we find Nimrod immediately afterwards tried to build him a tower, a religious tower; that if God did destroy the world again, what would he do? He would climb up, and take his people, and go above the flood, up on the tower, and he'd get above it. What become of it? Of all of his achievements, making hisself a great name, he perished with his tower.

36 Later on there was a man named King Nebuchadnezzar, and he thought he could build a city, put the scientists on the inside of there, his great workers. What would he do? He put a wall up around this certain city called Babylon, that they could run a chariot race on top of it. The gates, I think they were 70 feet wide, and they were so big that it taken almost a company of soldiers to swing the gate open. No man could approach that. And as soon as he thinks he has achieved something, he just indulges that much more in sin.

37 And when a church begins to think that because "we are such-and-such, we are the great church, we're the big church," they let their people loose to sinning, disbelieving. "The days of miracles is past. We don't need that no more."
As soon as he thinks that he's done something, made an achievement instead of coming and taking God's provided way for it, he tries to find a way by himself, something that he can say, "I done something."
Man cannot be saved by one thing that he does. Salvation is by grace. Not by works; but by grace. It's something God gives you.
Now we find that Nebuchadnezzar, as soon as he found that he'd made a great achievement, he walked out upon his porch one day, and said, "Look what I have done." And God changed his heart and made him a beast in the field.

38 His grandson come on, upon ... Belshazzar, which was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. And he took from what his grandfather ... the great organization, or whatever it might be, that his grandfather made. And he was living luxurious on it, which... Many of our churches today, upon the foundation of the great reformers in the beginning, has made a church. And we try to go into just the social, instead of a salvation program---in to say, "We belong to such-and-such a church. We are members of such-and-such a church."
That don't have one thing to do with salvation. Salvation is a new birth that comes by the blood of Jesus Christ, that cleanses us from all unbelief, and separates us as peculiar people to God. Salvation---it is not something that we achieved, and we only make ... well, we only make fools of ourselves thinking that we could do it.

39 Now, notice when Belshazzar thought he had everything under his control, then he began to make fun of the holy things of almighty God. He got some of the vessels that were sanctified, and began to drink wine out of them, and to make ... crack jokes about... Some of our ... like some of our modern days today, making fun of holy things of God. Say, "They're a bunch of holy rollers, they don't know what they're doing. They are so-and-so."
You know we've almost got that same kind of a Belshazzar feast in the world today?---making fun of people, saying they're fanatics, religious cranks, we wouldn't associate ourselves with them.

40 They thought they were safe behind this wall. But, you know, God can look down from above. (I hope I'm not deafening you people, yelling at you, because I've been used to speaking in big auditoriums. I'll back up a little, see.)
Now when he thinks he's got something, then God comes down and destroys his playhouse, as He did Belshazzar's.
Our beloved United States of America, we thought we could achieve something, being an offspring of England, from the Queen of the sea. What do we do? We built a ship, and we said that ship could not be sunk. It was called the Titanic. We thought we had did something; we had achieved something in the marine line, that no one could put their hand on that. We had did something.

41 But on her voyage across the sea, God with his powerful hand showed that what man tries to do will sink and fail. He sunk it.
The French on the Maginot Line thought there'd be no more wars after the first World War. After Canada and the United States, and so forth, went over and drove the Germans back, they made the Siegfried line. And when they did... I believe it was called the Maginot Line. They put the guns out, facing over the Rhine over into Germany, and said, "If Germany ever marches on us again, we're fortified." But Adolf Hitler marched right around behind them, took it.
What did they do? Tried to live in sin---women, wine, and big time. God is not mocked. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, or a nation, so shall they reap---the individuals, or to nations.

42 And we must keep that on mind, while we believe with all of our heart that God visited us now, on a special occasion, to get together here in Grande Prairie. Keep that in mind.
God doesn't do anything just for myths. He's got a purpose in doing this. He's got something in his mind that He's trying to do. If we can only find what He's doing, find his will. It may behoove us to take a little time and pray, to find out what our Father's trying to do.
Now, we find out then, immediately after the Siegfried line ... or the Maginot Line, the Germans then built them another line. I believe it was called Siegfried. One of them---it might be vice versa.
But they said, "We'll fortify ourselves in here, put all of our material down below."

43 And the precious German people had accepted Adolf Hitler, the dictator. And loyalty they'd placed upon that man! I just left Germany recently. All Germany needs is leadership.
And I said, "Look what you done by placing your faith upon a dictator. Papa is way up yonder in the one side of the zone, and Mama down here, and sister working somewhere else, and brother killed. And look where you've got.
"You're fine people, but you've placed your faith on the wrong person. Take that loyalty, and place it on Jesus Christ, and see where you come out." Fine people, but placing their loyalty in the wrong place.
Let us not be found guilty of that. Let us place our loyalty on Jesus Christ. As Eddie Pruitt [Perronet] screamed in his hour:
All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.
There we are, for on Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.
Nations are breaking, Israel awakening,
The signs that the prophets foretold;
The Gentile days numbered with horrors
encumbered;
Return, O dispersed, to your own.

44 We're at the end time.
Let's find our Father's will, be about our Father's business---trying not to make for ourselves a name. We find it amongst evangelists, big evangelists. Sometimes they feel they're too big to come to little churches, and things. A big name! There's only one big name amongst Christians. That's the name of Jesus Christ, that every knee will bow to, and every tongue will confess to someday. That's the big name among us---Jesus Christ.
But we find it. Our Titanic sunk. Hitler's Maginot Line, or Siegfried Line---whichever it was---it was crushed to pieces. Where do we find ourselves, then, at the end of the road? Our achievements are no good. So why fool with them? Let's find if God has a way, and an achievement.

45 When God was going to destroy the world one time, because of its sin and wickedness, Noah built God an ark. We do not wish to try to achieve anything, because there's nothing for us to achieve in this way. We just accept what's already been achieved. God called Noah to build an ark that would've saved the world, if they would've believed it. But God knew they wasn't going to be saved, so He made it just so many cubits long.
As He did in the days of Noah, He promised to do at the coming of the Son of man. He's got a gospel. It doesn't reach out and let men and women come into the kingdom of God loaded with sin and unbelief. It's narrow. But it's the way.

46 He knowed who'd come in. But it's his provided way.
All that heard Noah standing in that door, and preaching judgment... Sometimes it sounds radical. It always has to the unbelieving heart. But unbelief doesn't stop God. Unbelief only stops the unbeliever. It doesn't stop... You can't stop the sun from shining, with unbelief, and you couldn't stop the program of God with your unbelief.
John the Baptist said, "God's able of these stones to rise children to Abraham." God's Word has spoken it. It's got to come to pass, see. Somebody's going to hear it. Somebody's going to get the benefit of it. We're all free moral agents, can take our choice.

47 But look what happened in the days of Noah. All that heard were called fanatics. They made fun of him up on the hill, building this ark. There never water had come down, and science might have come to him and said, "Where's the water at? Show me where it is."
But God's program has never been upon material things; it's been faith in his Word. That's God's provided way---to take his Word for it. Believe it, something that you cannot scientifically prove.
Noah said, "I cannot tell you where that water is, but God told me it's going to come. That's good enough for me." So he built the ark, and made ready for it.

48 When Israel was in bondage down in Egypt, there was one named Moses one day who was herding sheep---a runaway prophet, the back of the desert. And he saw a bush on fire, and he goes up. With all the intellectual that could be given him, he could teach the Egyptians wisdom.
God had called him to go back down where he'd made a failure in his trying to achieve by his own self---killed an Egyptian. Thought, "Surely, I'm the guy." But, you see, when we get in our own way, trying to do anything in our own way, we're out of the program of God. We've got to take his Word, and stay right with it whether we can see it or not.
Whether it looks right or not, stay with his Word. It's something that's already achieved. Because God is infinite,

49 He cannot fail. No matter how funny it seems, and how unreal it seems, it's got to be real; because He's omnipresent, omniscient, infinite, and every word is perfect.
He cannot change his program. I can change mine; you can change yours. I can say something, have to take it back. I'm a man, you're a man, and a woman. But God being infinite, He cannot make another decision about it. He's got to stay with his first decision, because every decision's perfect.
See, we're finite. We can say, "Well, I was wrong." But He can't be wrong and be God. So what action He taken on the... If He was called on the scene at one time to save a man, and He saved that man on a certain basis, if any man, any time, anywhere, meets on that same ground, God's obligated to do it again.

50 If He healed a man because of his faith, He'll have to meet that same condition each time, or He did wrong when He saved the first man, or healed the first man, see. That's what He achieved for us---faith, faith to believe his Word.
Now, I might say this in closing, Moses could not have pulled those leaves off the tree, and went over to the laboratory to have them examined to see why they didn't burn up. If it would've been, he'd wonder what the tree was sprayed with. He was a scientist himself.
The Egyptian scientists was far beyond ours now. They've always been, up to this time. They built the Sphinx, and the pyramids, and so forth, that we cannot produce now. But... They had a dye they could put in clothes on their mummies, that still holds its color for thousands of years. We have no such thing, see.

51 Now, but they were advanced in science. But Moses never tried to find the reason by a scientific search. He just took God at his Word.
That's why we're here in Grande Prairie. That's why this church stands here this morning. It's not upon our religion to try to scientifically prove that we can make the blind eyes come open, or the deaf ears unstopped. It's taking God at his Word. It's saying the same thing God said---something that's been achieved for us, and we believe it. We don't have to figure it out. God figured it out.
I cannot tell you why a black cow can eat green grass, and give white milk; but she does it. I can't figure those things. I don't know. But I enjoy the milk.

52 I cannot understand how a sinner that's so stooped in sin, so much disgrace till even the dogs'll hardly look at a prostitute on the street, how that the blood of Jesus Christ can make that a lady. I cannot understand that. I accept it. He does it.
I cannot understand why me, a blind man; I cannot understand how Congressman Upshaw, a cripple for all them years; Florence Nightingale of England (the late Florence Nightingale ... not the late Florence---great-granddaughter of hers), with a cancer eating her up... Perhaps ... got my book with the pictures in it. She didn't weigh 60 pounds; and she's a healthy strong woman. I cannot explain that, when the high medical professions of England and Africa had turned her down to die; and she lives today. I cannot explain that, brethren. I don't try to explain it. I just believe it.

53 I cannot work out something for my own achievement. And I cannot come here and tell you, and explain divine healing to you. No one else can. But I've come here to join my faith with yours, to believe in something that's been achieved for us. That's Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who achieved it for us at Calvary.
Noah had an ark. Moses had a stick in his hand, to achieve by that. It was the Word of God. How would that ark float, when other things wouldn't float? Couldn't tell you---God said so. Moses had a stick in his hand. What was that stick any more than any other stick? What did it do? It shut the mouth of the unbelievers. It opened the Red Sea. It brought water in the time of thirst, food in the time of hunger. What was it? God had achieved by that stick.

54 The wise men, they had a star. And by that star they followed God's achievement.
The ark was God's achievement in that day. The stick was the achievement in the days of Moses. The star was the achievement in the day of the wise men. Brethren, and sisters, Canadian friends, Christ is God's achievement for us today. God raised Him up from the dead and presents Him before us, that He is not dead. He's a-living forevermore, and He's here now, in the midst of us this afternoon, in the midst of us now, to show Himself alive.

55 It's not what I can achieve, and what I can prove; it's what I believe that God has achieved for me. I have no Bachelor of Art, Ph.D, or LL.D. I've not even a grammar school education. I could not achieve anything. But I accept what He has achieved for me at Calvary, when Christ gave his life for us, and God raised Him up on the day of the resurrection to prove that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I accept God's achievement, and it's God's provided way for every sin sick, or physical sick person today. I ask you to accept God's achievement. Let us bow our heads just a moment for prayer.

56 Holy and divine God, we come into thy presence. We ask mercy, Lord. We do not long, or neither do we crave, for justice. We could not stand the justice of God. The justice of God would condemn us, and make us sinners, and turn us away. We do not desire your law, Father, because your law makes us all a sinner. But we desire your grace. We desire your pardoning grace through Jesus, your Son, which all who will believe is accepted.
We do not try to figure anything out, Father, to make any certain achievement, to make us an organization, or a denomination. We do not try to make ourselves big, but we just stay humble, and thank you for the achievement that you have made for us. For he that will humble himself shall be exalted; but he that exalts himself through his own achievement, of course shall be abased.

57 Bless this little church, Lord; its precious pastor, these precious brethren that's with us today, the deacons, the trustees, these lovely women, young girls and young men sitting here, just at the turning points of life.
God, give us thy mercy. We accept thy achievement through Jesus. We believe that He died; yea, moreover than that, He rose again the third day for our justification. We believe that He ascended on high, and there sent back the Holy Spirit to be an intercessor and to lead us and guide us---Christ, in the form of a Spirit, that would live in us, and do the same works, that Jesus did, because it's his life in us.
O Lord, may our temples be clean, our hearts cleansed from all unbelief; our souls satisfied with Christ, your achievement. And may we be able to take his mercy, and his Word, and bring Him so real to these people this afternoon, that as long as there is a Grande Prairie, as long as there is a people here that'll still believe, may the story be told because of his presence.
May it cause an old-fashioned revival to break out in here, and many souls be saved. For this, perhaps, is a great day of visitation when we have all come together as your believing children. We ask it in Jesus' name, and for his sake Amen.