Influence

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 ... morning. It's very nice to be here this morning to hear this fine report of how the Lord's work is growing. That's what we're here for. That's what we're happy to always hear, the work of the Lord increasing. And when I got up this morning, I thought I did you an evil. I brought some Indiana weather down to visit you. I ... for my first time I seen ice in Phoenix---outside the ice house, you know. But this was on the street this morning, ice! My wife got up and she said, "Is this Phoenix?"
I said, "I think so." I said, "I didn't think we come in wrong last night." But it was certainly surprising to see ice in Phoenix. "Well," I said, "if you can just get roused up enough to come over to the breakfast, the ice'll all melt over there, 'cause the presence of the Lord always melts away all the cold."

2 So glad to be here this morning with Brother and Sister Williams, Brother Rose, and all the staff. And so happy to be back at the Ramada again. There's something about this place. When I see it along the roads in my travel, I think about the meetings that I've been in here before, of the Ramada. And we're here now to start a series of meetings with our brethren around through the valley, prior to the Businessmen's convention. And I...
How many ministers are here this morning? Let's see your hands. Everywhere. Oh, this is... Well, we're in business all right. We're ... we'll let them know that we're in business too---the greatest business in the world: saving souls. And we ministers are certainly happy this morning to join hands with this staff of Christian laymen to ... for helpers and partners in this work, to help save souls for the kingdom of God. So grateful for this effort.

3 I was listening the other day on a radio broadcast, as I was driving along, and there was an attorney that said a great remark that I thought was outstanding. He said how it is that in this day, that we know that we're facing the end-time, he said, and to see laymen and ministers just settle down and not get their righteous indignation stirred to see the world so grossed in sin as it is; that both minister and layman should be pressing every moment to the coming of the Lord, so close at hand. And we don't seem to be enthused about it as we should be.
I was speaking the other day on the subject of being sincere. We believe as full gospel people, that we have the truth, the truth of the gospel. We realize that there's much we can improve on, on this. And we're looking forward to the time that when all the loose ends of these great revivals that's come across the world in the last few centuries---well, since the falling away of the church, and then the Dark Age... And then when these great warriors came forth for truth... And they would live long enough to get it kind of half-way established, and then little loose ends would run out.

4 We're told in Revelations 10 that there'll be a messenger in the last day that'll gather up these little ends, and will bring them together. And then the mystery of God would be finished, at the sounding of this angel which was a messenger of the earth. And then one came down from heaven with his hands up, rainbow over his head, and swore that there'd be time no more---an angel taking an oath. And when we see this things materializing, oh, how sincere we should be.
All promises of God are true, but they're on conditions. No matter how fundamentally right we are, we've got to approach it in the right way. Now, men can be fundamentally right, and still not receive the blessings of God because it's approached in the wrong way. It goes upon conditions.

5 For instance, when Ahab and Jehoshaphat was together... And Ramoth-gilead really belonged to Israel fundamentally, because the lands divided by Joshua, through Joshua by God, had been given to Israel. And the Syrians had taken the land, and filling the stomachs of the enemy with the food that should been given to Israel. Fundamentally, Ahab was right. And that's the reason four hundred Hebrew prophets, with one accord, was prophesying, "Go on up to Ramoth-gilead." Fundamentally, they were right. But Ahab wasn't right himself.
And when this one little man stood up, by the name of Micaiah, the son of Imlah, and saw a vision... Now, one man's vision against four hundred trained prophets---but the man's vision compared with the Word. That's the reason he knew it was right. And see, it's on conditions. We must be sure.

6 When Hananiah prophesied, and took the yoke off of Jeremiah's neck that Israel was to be (the vessels of the Lord, rather) down ... and under Nebuchadnezzar, and all the kingdoms around had been given to this heathen, Nebuchadnezzar, down in Babylon. Here was Israel making their sacrifices, and just as religious and fundamental as they could be. But yet, the sincerity had left it. And they was given down there for slaves to serve Nebuchadnezzar for all these years.
And Jeremiah had a yoke around his neck. And God had told him no matter what prophet prophesies, what dreamer dreams, or anything else contrary to what He said, it was wrong. And there stood up Hananiah: Hananiah, just as sincere as any man could be, and prophesied with a message, "Thus saith the Lord..." Well, of course the people could clap their hands on that. That's true. "Thus saith the Lord, they'll ... he'll ... they'll be back in two years, in the sight of two full years." And walked up to that vindicated prophet, took that off of his neck, and broke it. And said, "Thus saith the Lord."
Remember what Jeremiah said? "Hananiah, amen. So be it. The Lord perform your words. But let us remember, there's been prophets before us. They prophesied against great kingdoms, against war, so forth. But a prophet is only known when his prophesy comes to pass." And Hananiah broke the yoke. And then you know what God told him.
I think we Pentecostal people ... fundamentally full gospel is truth. But there's more goes with it. It's that deep sincerity of what God has given us. We must approach it with respects, and love, and a humble attitude. I think that's what we need.

7 And now, in this coming meetings, I really don't know where I'm going, Brother Williams. It's around from place to place amongst my brethren. All of you pray that God'll help us, that there will be the sick healed, and there will... First thing, let me say first, there will be souls saved, and believers filled with the Holy Spirit, the sick people healed, God receive glory, and His church grow for the kingdom of God.
Now, I'm here to help in every way that I can. In this I have ... I think it's mostly full gospel people---the Assemblies of God, and the Foursquare, and the Church of God, and the Oneness Brethren, and all all together. And that's the way I like it, where you can go to each place, and all come together.

8 Pentecost is really not an organization; it's an experience that... We find that our little thoughts that used to be in years gone by---that just one group called the Pentecostals was all that got this blessing---we find that God just tore our little ideas all to pieces. He brought in Catholics, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist.
He gave those the Holy Ghost who serve Him, did His will. And He doesn't change. He cannot change. His attitude must always be the same. His decisions are perfect to begin with. He has to alter nothing. His words ... He's sovereign. He has not to change anything, and He never does change.
So, we're happy this morning that Christ lives. And as the song says, "How do you know He lives? He lives within our hearts." And we know that. We're sure of it.
So, approaching the revival, coming on from church to church, and then back here to the Ramada for the convention, let's go with reverence, deep sincerity, humble praying, and believing God.

9 Now, I know we stay a little long each time. But I don't want to do that in these meetings. I want to get in there, and get the people out, and get home, and do what I can for the kingdom; and take off somewhere, and pray the rest of the night if I want to talk awhile with the Lord, and not hold you up while I'm doing it. And now, this morning, feel like this breakfast is kind of an opening to the... This is the alpha, and at the last of the convention is the omega of the revival.
And now, let's just bow our heads a moment sincerely, as we approach His throne of grace. And there's no doubt but what there's many requests in here this morning. But while we're praying, and you'd like to be remembered, would you just raise your hand, and hold beneath that the secret that you want God to do for you. Thank you.

10 Most holy and reverent God, the Almighty, we approach Thy throne, now, as we come up from this place called the Ramada Inn. We pass beyond by faith the moon, the stars, over the Milky White Way, into the presence of God as we stand by His great white throne.
Looking across to that golden lights where God alone can dwell, we see between we and this altar there is a bloody sacrifice laying there (as our brother and sister so expressed it awhile ago), that one named Jesus. And He promised when He was here on earth, "If you ask the Father anything in my name, I'll grant it." There we see Him today, standing there to make good every word and every promise that He made.
And we pray heavenly Father, that You will let us come into Thy presence with sincerity, and with faith, believing now that You will answer this that we're asking. And the first of all things, we ask for ourselves the forgiveness of all of our trespasses, and all the things that we have did, which would be innumerable, Lord. And we pray that You will forgive us, and let that precious blood of the sacrifice on the altar this morning cleanse us from all unrighteousness, all selfishness, and all that's contrary, Lord, to Thy great commandments and Thy desires for us.

11 May we this morning, Lord, in another way or in another time, consecrate ourselves to Thee, and in our humility believe that You're going to stir a revival through this valley. And we are so weak, Lord. To try to undertake such a great effort, it would be totally impossible. But Thou, O God, can take the weak things of the earth, and can make mighty works of God by them.
We humble ourselves as believers, asking that You will take these weak vessels, and will work your works through them, that we might see a great results when this meeting is over, that the work of God has begun to be made manifest afresh in this valley.
Bless all our brethren, the churches, each denomination, all of its members, and this Businessmen, this laity who has consecrated their lives to Thee. We pray, Father God, that You'll bless them in their coming convention. And altogether, Lord, work your glory through us, that others might see the good things of God and long to serve You. We commit these things to You with love and respects, and faith in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

12 Now, I would like this morning, God willing, to open the Scripture, if you wish to now, to the book of Isaiah. And this being a Businessmen's meeting, yet their main business is getting souls right with God. That's what they're dedicated to. And we are wanting to speak on the gospel, and the sincerity and the approach to it. And let's begin reading, now, from Isaiah 6, the 1st chapter, or the 1st verse of Isaiah 6, reading down and including the 8th:
And in the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high ... lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
And above it stood the seraphims: each ... had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried to another, ... said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
And the posts of the doors moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Who shall I send, and who shall go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
I wish to draw from this little text some context on some notes that I have written down here. And if I should give it a title, I would like to call it "Influence."

13 You know, there's so many of us, and most all of us influence somebody by the things that we do, and the way we live, and the things we say. We influence somebody. Somebody is watching your life. And then, when we profess to be Christians, what type of life should we live if somebody is watching us? And your life that you live will reflect an influence on somebody that might... That might be their eternal destination will rest upon the way that you live and the things that you do, for they watch you.
In our text this morning, as "Influence," we find that this King Uzziah was a great influence to Isaiah, the young prophet. Isaiah had been called to his side, and ... being a noted, vindicated prophet of his day. And he had (I believe the way that Isaiah spoke it), he was a ... had a great influence upon Isaiah.

14 Now, we find that Uzziah was called to be king at the age of about sixteen years old, after his father's death. And his father was a great believer, and he had ... his mother also was a very fine woman. And this young king had been crowned at a young age, and quickly he'd taken the road that was right, because of the influence of a godly father and a godly mother.
Now, I think that's a very fine example for we parent today, is to set an example before our children. Now, you'll live your best, and your worst at home. And I think that our lives... Though the children might not just exactly act like they're noticing it, but they are noticing it. Don't you never think that they're not, because they're watching.
Not only the children are watching, but the neighbors are watching. Not only the neighbors are watching, but the ... all that you're associated with watch you. The people at your church watch you. The people that you do business with in the markets---they're watching you, after your confession. And we should always try to reflect Christ in everything that we do.

15 I know a little motto that I had hanging in my house many years ago. I picked it up one day when at Billy Sunday's tabernacle when I was at one of the meetings up at Winona Lake. And I liked it so much till I got it, and hung it up in my house. And I kept it until it just fell apart. It was something like this: "Go no place you would not (be) want to be found if Jesus should come," and, "Be saying nothing that you would not want to be saying if Jesus should come." And it went on with many things saying what you... In otherwise, whatever you do or say, or whatever action that you're performing, do not do it if you would not want to be caught in that position when Jesus comes. If we could only do that, I'm sure we'd be a great influence upon our associates.
And you know, the right... There's two ways to do anything: that's right and wrong.

16 I had my little son Joseph on my lap the other day, and I said to him... He's eight years old, and some little boy stepped on his toes. And he and the little boy had a fight. So I said, "Joseph, don't do that."
He said, "But Daddy, he did such-and-such."
I said, "But that doesn't matter, see, what he did. Just remember, Joseph, that you love your father."
He said, "Yes, Daddy."
I said, "Then remember, that people are going to look at your life as a minister's son. And then if you do anything wrong, then they're going to say, 'Does this minister permit his child to do such?'"
Now we know they do it anyhow. But we know that. As Christians, we know that we try to bring up our children right. But it's a good thing to keep that before them all the time---to do what's right. Don't never take that other side.
So I said, "Because you see, that doesn't only reflect on you, Joseph, but it reflects on your mother, reflects on your sisters, it reflects on your father, and the very cause of the family---what we're standing for. And then what we stand for, it reflects on that: on Jesus Christ. You don't want to do that." I said, "Our Lord told us if we're ... if somebody smites us on one cheek, just turn the other."
Of course, that's kind of hard for a little boy with a hot temper to begin with, to think of such things. But place it before him anyhow, see, that he should not do it.

17 Now, this young fellow Uzziah had such a training in his early days to, when he'd taken the throne he never turned right or left from the thing that was right. He stayed right with it. He never let politics influence him in any way. He was a man who was determined to serve God, regardless. And so politics didn't... He ignored all those things. And another thing that I liked about Uzziah was that he ignored popularity, or popular opinions. No matter what anybody else thought, or what the popular trend of the day was, he wanted to serve God, regardless.
Oh, we need men like that in our political world. We need men like that in the White House. We need men like that in business. We need men like that in the pulpit, men that will not turn to popular opinions or popularity; but will stay straight with the Word, not turn right or left.

18 God in commissioning Joshua said, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shall meditate therein day and night. And then thou shall make thy ways prosperous. Then thou shall have good success." And not only that, but you're influencing somebody the same way you're traveling.
And so I appreciate this stand that Uzziah took, to be determined. The first thing he began to do was to repair the house of the Lord, and to build up the places that had been torn down, and then go out to the enemy after he'd proved to God that he was sincere. And he was going to take the right stand, regardless of what his people around him---his advisors---to influence him to a political side of the kingdom. He would not stand for it. He wanted God's will and that alone.

19 That's the kind of men we need, the kind of mothers we need---a woman, a mother of this day that will take the right stand, and do what's right regardless of what the other women does, do what's right. It's such a pity to see our nation in such a scrimmal as it is today.
I got up a little late this morning to get to the breakfast, and I went to a place and ... to get some coffee. And this little lady come out to serve me, and she had... Wife and I were sitting there. And she had her eyes blue, you know that stuff on her eyes. And I seen one of those in Los Angeles one time---the first one I ever seen, the ladies made up in that way. And I thought that...
I was going to walk up and tell her I was a missionary, and I'd seen pellagra and leprosy; but I'd never seen anything like that. And I was going to ask her if I could not pray for her and I ... tell me what kind of disease she had. I was a little afraid of it. And I'd never seen anything quite like it. And I ... when I walked over (I was waiting for Brother Arganbright and one of the Businessmen---the officials), and another girl walked up, looked just like her.
I thought, "Say, I might be wrong here. She might have did that herself." And it was a very attractive girl; would have been if she'd just washed her face and looked like a human. But she was so...

20 Now, when some of these movie stars (or somewhere---I don't know where it comes from), when they will do a thing like that, some woman with some kind of an influence, then that influences the rest of the nation to try to do the same. That's right. When our Pentecostal women was allowed to cut their hair because some minister let down in the pulpit, then the rest of them said, "Well, So-and-so's wife does it. Can't we?" See, it's the influence that you place upon it.
Some of them---this little lady this morning was such a nice little lady. She was very sweet, and just as respectable as she could be. And when (we) she left the table and turned around, my wife looked across the table at me, and I said, "You know, it's just a pity that some devil [And I'm not reluctant to say devil!] that has cooked up such a thing to bring our American women under such influence as that... Heathen traits!" Influence. Somebody started it.
But don't you never go by what some ... somebody of this country (I don't care), other country, or some minister's wife, or somebody else---don't you never be influenced by them. You let the Bible influence you, to the thing that's right. And that's wrong!

21 Now. And then we shout, and dance, and speak in tongues, and the glory of God we claim is on us. And then go out to such as that? There's something wrong! Now, I believe in these things, these ... shouting, and speaking in tongues, and dancing in the spirit. But brother, how could God tolerate such a thing as that when He's against it? And He says so in His Word. And our women has become in our churches---which is merely practice many times---dressing, sex appeal. It's very seldom ever spoke against from the pulpit. And yet we shout, and jump around, and speak in tongues.
That's the reason that this great move called Pentecostal is not getting anywheres, because there's no sincerity behind it. It becomes an emotion. And because I say them things, many say, "He's a woman hater. He's different from..." It's not trying to be different; it's trying to be sincere. I believe that we're in the last days. And we got a great message.
But all of our shouting and speaking in tongues will be of no effect. You can see it among us. You can see that we're growing in numbers; but are we growing in power? We're still on the same grounds that we were when we started forty years ago; where we should already be over in the promised land. Influence.

22 One minister's wife let down and did this; and one minister started so-and-so; and the rest just started. Oh, may we like the ... Uzziah here, that... Let's not let nothing influence us but the Word of God. Let that be our influence. Bring ourselves back to the faith, back to the correction of the Scripture, no matter what the rest of the world has to do.

23 And we brethren, many of the brethren who belong to organization, which, practically, it's all got little groups... I have nothing against that. That's all right. But when we going to get the place that we feel that ours is the only group---that we've got it, and the other fellow hasn't got nothing to do with it---that is being influenced by the higher-ups in the organization that we should make our organization to grow. We are to make the kingdom grow, see.
We are here to influence. And we will never be an influence to the outside world as long as we're trying to influence them to some organization---because they've been that before we were born. Let's take the stand for God and His Word, and fellowship and get all brethren. Let us not draw a line and say, "If you don't toe to this..." Let's reach a hand across the line, be brethren.
That's the reason I have been so sold on this here Christian Businessmen's Full Gospel Fellowship. That's the reason Methodists and Presbyterians and so forth, where the ministers cannot seem to reach across there... But the Businessmen broke down those traditions. They're helping doing that thing.
Now, if we can just keep it beat out of their heads to organize, which it looks like they're headed that way... And when they do, let me out, because I'm here to stand for what is truth. We never want that. That's the thing that, very ... I wish to speak on one of these nights, Samson standing in that same place. So, somewhere along the line... Now, let's watch what our influence is.

24 Now, we see Uzziah here, he was a great man. And we find out because that he took those terrific stands that he did, that, you know, his kingdom was next to Solomon's. He spread out. Even all the countries around about loved him and they paid tribute to his kingdom. And we find out that even way down in Egypt his influence was felt. (And this being the way he stood, and this young prophet standing there before the king, he ... it was a great influence to Isaiah; how that God would bless any man that would be true to His Word, regardless of what his politics tried to influence him to, regardless of what anything else tried to be. Uzziah was determined to stay with the Word, and God blessed him. And Isaiah saw it.
But as usual, just like a group of people, just like the remark that I said about the Businessmen, when Uzziah began to feel secure---he'd just about got everything in the kingdom that God had for him---he got lifted up in his heart.

25 Now, that's what's happened to our denominations all through the ages. When they feel like they're big enough to say, "Now we're that," then they get lifted up, and that's when God leaves them. And if the Businessmen gets to that spot, where we have, as Brother Williams said, "fifteen..." But God can do more with fifteen in His hand than He could with fifteen hundred out of His hand, see. But we appreciate fifteen hundred in His hand instead of fifteen in His hand, if they'll all stay in His hand. That's the main thing: being influenced, not by what great numbers we are, but by what a great God that we're representing, and the kind of life that is in us by Him, that will influence others.
Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost its savor, it is henceforth good for nothing: cast out, trodden under the feet of men." We must never forget that. We are salt. But if the salt loses its strength (that's its power to contact; and salt can only save as a contact)... And if it loses its power of contact, then it is no more salt, but it's sand. It's to be made walks.

26 And when we lose our influence---as a father, as a mother, as a Christian, as a businessman, as a minister---when we lose our influence with people... Now, we can be very popular in the line of the world, and go along with the world, but I mean as what we represent. We represent Christ. When we lose our influence as that, as standing out... How can we blend in with the day when God's so against the day?
How could Micaiah say, "Go on up and prosper. My vision's right with yours," when he knowed that God had cursed that evil people? His vision had to be contrary. And a man's vision today that could go with the trend of the world and still remain a minister---there's something wrong with the man's vision. You know what God said about this rich Laodicean church: put Him on the outside. We cannot stand with the popular belief and vote of the day; we've got to be against that thing.

27 Now. So it... This king got along fine until he found out that all the nations was fearing him. He'd become largely populated, his kingdom got built up, and he got lifted up in his heart with pride. You see, we're just ... "I'm just a big man now," and that's the way out. The way up is down. How do you know which is up or down? Because if the world's standing in space, how do you know which is up or down? So always, he that humbles himself, God will exalt; he that exalts himself, God will bring to abase. He'll bring him down.
Always keep humble, and be little in your own sight. No matter what God does for you, just see how much more humbler you can be all the time. The more God blesses you, just keep getting more humble all the time. He can continue to bless. But when you get to a place that you think, "I've got it," you haven't got it; you're on your road out. That's right. You lose your influence. You lose the strength of your testimony.
When you women begin to want to be like the rest of the women, there's something wrong. When you men, you ministers, be ... try to become like a ... pattern after somebody else; when you businessmen try to do business on the scale that somebody else would do it on, because they're prosperous... Prosperity don't always represent success in Christ; sometimes, very much to the contrary.

28 Now. Pride. He got lifted up and he thought, "What a great fellow I am." So much he got lifted up, till he tried to take the place of a minister. He goes into the temple, which ... picked up the censer of fire, and went up to the altar of incense. Now that was... Only consecrated men could do that.
Now, as I've said before, so say I again. Businessmen are not preachers. We preachers have enough time to try to keep this thing straight, let alone businessmen. You all are businessmen, not ministers. And don't take the place of one, or try to, because you're not called for such. If you want somebody to speak at your conventions, get a preacher---somebody that's called to do so, because... You see what a struggle us ministers has got. And so, you see what you do?
And Uzziah here, he tried to take the place of a priest. He thought, "Well, God's blessed me. Why can't I do it?" Don't you never get that in your head. God calls, and predestinates, and foreordains to His glory. Nothing...

29 You remember, in the Bible, when Moses was bringing Israel out of Egypt across through to the promised land? Do you remember one in there, Dathan and those who got lifted up, and said, "Now, wait a minute. Moses, you try to be the only one on the beach. There's other holy men among here."
And God said, "Separate yourself, because I will destroy them."
God had ordained a certain thing to be done, and it must be done that way. We're not to inject our own ideas. We're to respect His idea, and His commandment. And I'm not referring back to our sisters, but at the... No matter what the other woman does, God's got your pattern laid here. No matter what some other layman done in the Bible, God's got your pattern here what to do. We'll get to it after while, perhaps, what the layman is to do, and the minister. All of us has our places, and we must abide in our calling.

30 Now, we find out that this man got lifted up. So he took the censer and went forth to the altar, which was only permitted by God to consecrated men to that office. He tried to take the minister's place, and then the minister tried to correct him. We find out that fourscore priests, besides the high priest, come after him and told him, "Sir..." In other words, like this: "God has blessed you. You're an honored man. You're a great man. And God has blessed you in your work. But you shouldn't do that. You're getting off of the beaten road."
Oh, how I could say some things here. Yes, getting off the beaten road. But the... be it the thing is the way it is, let's try to conserve what we can't get ahold of, see.
He said, "You're off the track, for the Word of God says so-and-so. Only Aaron's generation shall do this. That's for Aaron and him alone, and his children. So, King, we honor you, we respect you. You're a great man. But don't try to do that."
And was he humbled? No, sir! He thought, "God's blessed me, so I'll just do what I want to."
Now watch, my brethren. Be careful there. Because, no matter how much God has filled you with His Spirit, and how much that you've done, and how well that you've been blessed, you stay with the calling of God. Don't get off on some traditions, and organizational schemes, and so forth. You better come back to the path, better come back to what God laid down at the beginning.

31 Now, so we find out that this man, when he was corrected instead of humbling himself and admitting that the Word was right, and God was right, he become angry. In other words, he was ready to kick him out of his organization. He was very upset about it, very perplexed. Why, he got angry enough to turn around and say, "Now, you just wait a minute. Do you realize who I am?"
Now when you're corrected by the Word of God, you must be subject to the Word. And he said he would do as he pleased. He was the head of the thing, so he'd just do as he wanted to. And you know what happened? He was smitten with leprosy. And while his anger, rage, was upon him, the priest detected the leprosy in his face.

32 Now, you say, "Well, what do you mean?" Leprosy represents, is a type, rather, of sin. And when a man won't stand correction by the Word of God, he's full of leprosy---blows up and carries on. What does... You ... what do you do? You ruin your influence, see. Something happens. People knows, and can tell---the word that you're corrected by---that you're not going to do it. Therefore you ruin your influence. And it hurt this fellow. Anger got on him. And while he was in his anger, leprosy was in his face.
And we find out that he ... not only did he drop the censer, but he ran from the house of God to never be able to return again. Because, no matter how great he was and how much influence he'd had, he ... when he was corrected, then he refused to take his correction, because his social standing had become more to him than the Word of God had become. I'm sure you understand what I'm driving at, see. It become more to him---his position as king---become more to him than the Word of God.

33 When this Businessmen's organization gets to that place, when the minister of his organization gets to that place, then he's done. Don't faint when you're rebuked. When you read something in the Scripture and you know that you should humble yourself, and follow the Word of God in the path that He ordained for you to walk in, then you don't do it: then the first thing you know, it's over. Your influence is spoiled. Now we must remember that.
And this young prophet, what a lesson that was to him! Then, when he seen this king... By this very thing Isaiah learned one of his greatest lessons: that no matter how great a man might be, how much influence he might have... But when he fails to walk in light, when he fails to obey God, then his influence is ruined and he's took off the field.

34 Another thing Isaiah learned, he learned by this that God orders His man to his place. Not you putting yourself in that place; but God puts His man in place. We must recognize that.
I've often used this. I like to hunt, as you know. And up in the north when the winter starts coming in, little ducks is borned up there on the ponds. And as soon as that first cold breeze tops the mountains, and a few flakes of snow falls...
Now, that little duck was borned in the spring upon that lake, and he never was off the lake. He knows nothing about anything else but that lake. But just as sure as that breeze blows, and he feels that breeze blow, he runs right out in the middle of that ... swims out there and raises his little nose up in the air, and honks a few times. And every duck on the pond'll come right to him. And he'll raise up with that instinct in him, knowing that soon that pond's going to be froze over (or lake), and he'll go just as straight to Louisiana as he can go. He will.
Why? There's something in him. It's a God-given instinct, and he uses it. It guides him. Now, what does it do? What if he went a... If that instinct led him farther north, then he would know there was something wrong. And those ducks wouldn't follow him, because he's going contrary to the regular path.
And when we get ourselves to a place that we try to lead people contrary, they say, "Well, we, the Methodists has got it."
"We, the Baptists, has got it."
That isn't it. God's got it. That's right. And, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And the Word still is God. So, it's God that's got it. So, let's lead that way, down the beaten path, and not try to lead some other way.

35 And then we find out that this little duck, being he was... None of the rest of the ducks seemed to have any ... anything but "Amen," because there was something about that little fellow that they knew---the way to honk. That bugle that he blowed, they knew that he had the truth.
And there's something about the gospel, for the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul said, "If a trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who'll know how to prepare himself for battle?" Now, but when the gospel gives a sound---Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever---and we watch it and see that it's the truth, and it's with the Word, that's the thing that influences a real duck.
Now, there's others on the pond, like water guineas and so forth. They have another way---mud hens, and all such. But they stay their own way. But the real duck goes on. God placed that little duck there and give him that, because God placed him to be that. And now God has set in the church... God---not the organization, not the achievement of man to make bishops and so forth, presbyters---but God set in the church first, apostles (that's missionaries), secondarily prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists. God set them in the church, and every bugle will blow the same, the same gospel. If he's a prophet, he blows the bugle of a prophet. He foretells the things that is to come and hits every time.

36 Now, a little girl come to me the other day. She may be sitting present now. And she said, "Brother Branham, I gave you a dream. And in this dream I had a certain thing, I want you to tell me." And I sat down. Now if there's any out in here outside of Pentecostal realms, let me excuse myself to you a moment.
And she said, "You never told me my dream."
I said, "Honey, sit down just a minute." And I said, "Your father and mother are very good friends of mine, retired farmers, who came from a long ways to sojourn with us." And I said, "They ... they believe me as a servant of Christ. You're just a child about twelve years old." I think she goes to school with my Becky.
And I said, "Look, you're going to meet a lot things out here, honey, in the name of Christianity." And I said, "When you find a man that's got every interpretation, just like this, got every ... just like that, in the name of the Lord," I said, "you be careful about that. That's contrary to the Scripture."

37 Jesus said there was many lepers in the days of Elijah; but only one was sent to him. One. Many widows in the days of Elisha, but only one was he sent to. Many are things that Jesus did not do, many times. Those gimmicks that's got every answer, be careful. When somebody stands up and speaks in the name of the Lord, that must be true. It must be exactly the truth.
You might in your mind be impressed. I said, "Now, honey, I believe I could tell you what I think your dream is; but to tell you in the name of the Lord, no, sir," 'cause she knows the things... I said, "Have I ever spoke to you in the name of the Lord but what it happened?"
I said, "Thousands has come and said this, that." I said "I cannot tell you what your dream is till I see it over again, and He tells me. Then I can say the Lord told me. Until then, I don't know."
I don't want to take my own influence, my own opinions. I can't say "thus saith the Lord," because that's me thinking it. That's the best of my opinion. We must be sincere because we've got the greatest thing in the world. The greatest treasure of heaven is Christ among us. Why do we want to substitute some little influence to try to make ourselves somebody big, among somebody here? Why not be a humble servant to Christ?

38 And I said, "That's the reason I can tell you about the Bible." I said, "If I told you I was going to Arizona... I suppose your mother and father is going along, to Businessmen's convention."
Said, "They are."
I said, "What if I told you that first night---I told you, now, in the name of the Lord---that there would be a woman come in, crippled, and she'd be such a way you've heard said; and then, that woman that's been crippled for so many years, immediately after prayer she'll get up and walk away."
I said, "What if I would tell you then, in the middle of the meeting, a lady had a water-head baby. And as soon as we prayed, the baby's head was going normal. Then at the end of the meeting there would be four men, bearing a dead man that had been dead for so many days. They'd brought him. They were wearing dark suits (and describe them) and as soon as I'd ask our heavenly Father, his spirit would return to him, and I said, (which you know it has taken place)...
Now, I said, "Then I'd say your little brother [he's a little five-year-old tot]," I'd say, "what if he gets killed on the street? And he's going to get killed, and you're going to bring him to me. And I'll be standing by a doorstep, where there's a man with a light suit on. I'll be speaking to him. And your little brother is going to be made whole."

39 Now I said, "Then, if that taken place, what if you went out there then, and that woman---arthritic, or whatever it was, paralyzed woman---wasn't there? What if the water-head baby wasn't there? Then you're all mixed up in your mind. You don't know that I spoke to you and told you 'Thus saith the Lord.'" I said, "Then my influence is lost. You might need me sometime, real bad."
I said, "But what if the woman is there? What if the water-head baby is healed? What if the man is raised from the dead? Then your little brother gets killed. You wouldn't even cry. You'd say, 'Daddy, let me have him. I'm going to show you the glory of God.' Why? It was right here, it was right there, it was right there, it was right there. Every time it's right. Then you'd know it's right." I said, "That's the reason we want to believe the Word of God."

40 In the garden of Eden it was spoke of a Messiah to come for a Saviour. The prophets foresaw it. He came just exactly the way the Bible said. Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream, and Daniel interpreted it him---of the kingdoms of the Gentiles---perfectly every time. And of everything the Bible's ever spoke of... The Bible says it here, history says it happened; the Bible said here, history says it happened.
Now we're at the time of the rapture. It's going to happen because it's been perfect every other time. It's got to be perfect this time. God is calling out a people, see. And it's the time. We've got to be sincere. [blank spot] ... the Lord.

41 Now you've got something, but be careful with it. You'll ruin your influence if that thing doesn't come to pass. You know what I mean? "Oh," you say, "I belong..." I don't care where you belong, brother, sister. It's got to happen exactly the way you said it. If it isn't, you've only made yourself a laughing stock. You've only brought disgrace upon yourself, ruined your influence, and ruined the testimony of Jesus Christ that you're bearing. Be careful.
Now, your doctrine on them things are all right. But it goes by a promise, and under conditions. So be careful about your influence.
Here, God...

42 Sometimes we find that someone spoke in tongues. The other wants to imitate him. He'll speak in tongues, too. One sees one give an interpretation; the other say, "I got it, too." And you go by impressions, and then say, "Thus saith the Lord." Well, that's wrong. God will never move you any further ---what you are right now, just an organization---until you get out of that.
Now, you might not like me now. But at the day of the judgment, you'll love me. Be sure. Don't you say it unless God says so, and you know that it is the truth---that God said so. Not your opinion, not some impression, because you can be impressed any way.

43 Those prophets down there, when Jehoshaphat and Ahab were sitting in the gates... Them man were sincere, and they were inspired. But you see, their inspiration didn't cope with the promise of the Bible. Because the prophet Isaiah---beg your pardon, the prophet that prophesied before them, Elisha, Elijah---had cursed Ahab and Jezebel, and said what would happen to them. So how could this blessing be on what God had cursed?
Then how can the blessing be upon people that's doing and acting the way God said not to do? Though we dance in the spirit, though we speak with tongues like men and angels, and have not charity, it becomes as a sounding brass or tinkling cymbal.
Now you got truth, but you've got to come to it different than just a big hilarity---you know what I mean---just something to be hollering about. And I believe in hollering about it. You've got something to holler about. But be sure you approach that with the very depths of sincerity. If you live a different life than what you should live, keep still until you get that life just to living in you, then automatically...

44 Did you know the sheep isn't asked to manufacture wool? No. He can't manufacture it. These gifts cannot be manufactured by emotion. This church cannot be manufactured by organization. A sheep bears wool because he is a sheep. He can't help bearing wool, for his whole system's made up to bear wool. We must be what we are inside, not something outside.
How can we know what's right and then speak something contrary? Did not Jesus say, "You hypocrites? How can you say good things, when out of the abundance of the heart speaketh the mouth," see? We must be sure that when we speak these things, that they're correct.

45 Now, to hurry up and I must hurry, because I guess I'm too late now. Will you bear with me just a minute longer? Yes. Isaiah learned right here, no matter how great the organization was, how great the man was---though God had give him thousands (and millions of dollars in this age that we're living in)--- that meant not one thing before God. His Word was ... His Word is His ultimate. That settles it. You must keep His Word. Humble yourself with it. Notice. Then we find out that he'd done something contrary to the Word, and he was cursed by it. No matter how great he was...
How great David was---a man after God's own heart---yet got away from the Word. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." But David was lifted up. He thought, "Well, God don't pay no attention to this." God pays attention to every thought that you think of. Let your thoughts be exactly right.
What was the matter? Now. It's because that he forgot it. He for ... he went away from it. He never forgot it, because he was told better.

46 Now. God puts His man in a place, and he will not accept another. There's no one can take the other man's place. Brother Green here a few moments ago---that music. I ... long time since I'd heard Brother Green, and it's really thrilled my heart. A good man.
But I was reading, in the days of Mrs. McPherson, when I seen some of the things that went on. Mrs. McPherson was a influential woman. But I noticed that every lady minister had to carry a Bible just the way she did. Oh, my. And we find the same thing. There's ten thousand Billy Grahams today. Did you ever notice them try to talk just like him?
You be what you are. Stay what you are. You can't be Billy Graham, and Billy Graham can't be you. Your place is just as important as Billy Graham. If you're working for the popularity of the world, you might try to impersonate. You'll get nowhere in the kingdom of God. I'd rather be a doormat at the house of God. Stay with what you are, what God made you. Oh, how we could stay...
The reason they do that, is because they're not conscious that God's watching, see. You lose the very thought of God being there listening at you. God's putting down everything you're thinking about. And He knows it in His recording book. Your thoughts are louder in heaven than your voice is on the earth. Think the right things.

47 As I said to little Joseph, I said, "A little boy's born in this world; he stands right in the middle of the road. And he's pointed to Calvary, to Christ. There's a tree on either side of the road. The one on the left side, which I'll call the wrong... If he just starts smacking little boys in the face because they smack him, and if they start doing these things, it pulls that little boy with the influence and it makes him crooked.
"But if he takes this other side of the road, which is the Holy Spirit, He points him straight to Calvary, and keeps him that way. It makes you grow straight. Your thoughts... It's just as easy to think good thoughts as it is to think bad. Just as easy to think good of those who speak evil of you as it is to vice versa, and a lot better. And that'll make you grow straight," see. Stay straight with God.
Now, to hurry up.

48 The vision at the temple: he saw God upon His throne lifted up. Oh! Note the heavenly seraphims, which means burners, a special designed person. When this Isaiah went down to the temple, he had been leaning upon the shoulder of Uzziah, and wherever the king went, he... But he found out that when the king---no matter how influenced he'd been, influentially he'd been to him, and the things that he'd done that was great---he found out that when he tried to take another's place, he failed.
We have so much today of carnal impersonation. What does it do? Now, let me take [interruption on stage]... Notice, today God sends something on the earth. And when we do, what happens? Everybody has to be the same.

49 Not long ago they brought a little Pentecostal boy up, by the name of little David Walker. And that little boy was a preacher. I've heard little boys saying, "Little baby Jesus, born in a manger... Mama, what was that next?", see. But not that little boy. I went to hear him. He threw off his coat, and took a text, and handled it like a clergyman. But... I believe he belonged to the Oneness group.
Well, now, the trinity group ain't going to stand for that, I tell you that! So they got them a little David. And when the little boy got down in Florida, he called for me to come down there and help him. And I took the front page of the paper, and they had to put an extra section in it for the little Davids---little boy, little girls, little bitty three-year-olds, two-year-old, everybody trying to hold their little group together. It seems to me like it become a Pentecostal meal ticket!

50 If all them brothers would have got around that little boy and kept him, prayed over him, and things, that he wouldn't get exalted up; and sent him into all the groups, and make him keep his doctrine to himself, but just go ahead and preach---and for all---he'd've won tens of thousands of little children.
But they got little impersonations up, in the outside world, come in here. They heard of a little David; and here's one greater than little David. So they come around and look at it, and say... Well, they go over there and see a total flop. So then they go back and say, "There you are." When they hear somebody speak in tongues, and give an interpretation, say, "The Lord's going to do a certain thing," and see it happen just like that... Then they go to another, and see just a bunch of carnal impersonations come out. They go around say, "You're all mad." See, it's carnal comparisons. Don't do that.
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." Let me humble my pride, and just call on his name. "Let me wait, Lord. If You never do no more for me than save me, that's what I want. If You have need for me, show me, and so that I'll know, and then I'll go. But You tell me first. I'm here, your servant." Do that, and your influence'll be great.
Notice. God is all holy.

51 This prophet had been leaning upon this king's arms. But when he found out that something'd taken place... No matter how much a man was blessed, yet when God ... he steps across that boundary line between error and truth, God calls his hand. Then Isaiah went down to the temple and he fell down on his knees. No doubt he'd said, "Yes, honorable king, your holiness, sir," and so forth. But it was ... "your majesty, sir." It would've been different now.
He fell down on the temple, on the altar, and began to cry out. And as he cried, God came down in a vision. And he saw angels going back and forth through the temple, wings over their feet, and wings over their face, flying, crying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty."
And he said, "I saw God lifted up, way up above any man here on earth: above a Solomon, or a David, or Hezekiah. God was lifted to a place that man cannot come."
Then he become influenced of another way. He saw God lifted up high, way up---and his train. And when he saw those mighty beings, the place was filled with smoke. And he looked and the pillars of the temple, the posts began to shake at their voice.
He never saw that by Uzziah. He saw that a mortal man can fall, no matter how much he's blessed. He can still fall. But he looked at one that can't fall, whose foundations is sure. Even the pillars of the temple moved at their voices.

52 Think of it. Two wings that covered their faces. Think, even angels cover their holy faces. Those seraphims---they're next to cherubims---they are same as cherubims. They're the burners of the sacrifice. And that's making the children, the worshippers', way in---assuring them the way. And these seraphims, who stay in the presence of God, have to cover their faces.
Then we just take the name of God and use it any way---prophesy in it when it means nothing. But it is some kind of carnal influence, and so forth. And say things that never happen, and act like it never paid any attention.
If you say something, and honestly in it, and it didn't happen, repent. And tell it, that you were wrong. Then your influence'll come back, if a man's honest.

53 Angels, seraphims never knowed sin or nothing about sin. They just burn the sacrifice, to make a way of the worshipper, the saints. And they have to have their faces covered. What would that be up side of Uzziah? Cover their holy faces in the presence of God, with reverence.
Now, there's no reverence. There seems to be that we can just do anything in the name of the Lord, and get by with it. Just as long as we belong to some certain group that's got a good social standing, and they don't take our papers away from us (the presbyters and the bishops, and so forth don't call our papers), and we still have a good influence amongst the people.
But what kind of an influence do we have in the presence of God? Does our prayers return void; or are they answered? "If ye abide in me, and my word in you, ask what you will and it shall be done." "He that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also. Even more than this shall he do for I go to the Father."

54 Where are we, Pentecostal people?
Find ourselves on the road map, this morning. Let's not get by-passed. No, sir. There's one road to heaven. That's the road of holiness. The righteous walk in it; the unbeliever laughs at it. Depends on what you are.
Now, the people don't have reverence. And those who try to live right... Some of them that ought to be respecting that stand that the man has took, or the woman has took, laugh at them.
A man the other day, 'cause a woman had her hair pulled back and made a bun on the back, took Isaiah 5, and said "Cut that hair off," said, "because it said 'the round tires.'" Any man that knows no more about the Word of God than that, when the Word of God said it's a disgrace, a shame, a dishonorable thing, for a woman to cut her hair... Said, "Deflate your spare tire, if you're going to come to this church," and women laughing at her because... There you are. No reverence, don't know the Word; don't respect it when it is told them. Ministers see the Word of God, and refuse to walk in it.

55 Reminds me. Coming down, I had one of these here cameras. And it's kind of new thing to me. Billy works it right smart. And it's got one of these here range finders, ever what it is. And I looked through something. I seen three or four objects, and they all looked a whole lot alike. I said, "That can't be so." I looked this way, and I only see one. And I looked this way, and I seen three or four. I got ahold of this little thing, and focused it until it come into one. That's what the church needs---a range finder. Use your range finder.
What is it? Here it is. "For whosoever will take one word from it, or add one word to it, the same will be taken his part out of the book of life." Your range finder. You got three or four, and don't know what to do with it, pull it down into one. God is one, and His Word is one. His people are one. Not 5666 organizations---they're one. Just one. "That day you'll know that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, I in you, and you in me." Take your range finder, pull it in.

56 No reverence. The people try to do right. Man take a stand for the Word of God, and say, "I'm going to have my congregation cleaned up." The first thing you know, a complaint comes in from somebody else, and they oust him. He has to get out on the street. Why? They're not convinced of His presence. You ought to do like David said. "Put the Lord always before my face. I shall not be moved.
"Let the Lord be before me. I have him on my right hand. He'll be before my face. Wherever I see, I want to see Jesus in it. I'll go no place, I'll do nothing. My influence, just let it be for Him." Then your range finder has found the truth. For if the life of Christ...
Let the mind that was in Christ be in you.

57 And He always was about the Father's Word, to do His business. Said, "Which one of you can accuse me of sin [unbelief]? Everything the Bible said that I would do, I proved it. God's proved it through me, that I am the Messiah. Which one of you can accuse me of sin? Until you can do the things that I do, and make the Word prove by you what the Word's proved by me, then keep still, because sin is unbelief in the Word of God. He that believeth not's condemned already." Where are we standing, church? Where's it at?

58 Now, they had two wings over their feet. What was that? Humility in His presence. Moses took off his shoes in the presence of God. Paul fell down to the ground, to kiss the ground, as it was. He was in the presence of God. John the Baptist said, "I'm not even worthy to loose the shoes on his feet."
Wings over their feet, humility, watching where they walk, what they do, realizing they're on holy ground. Oh, if we would do that, we'd never walk in the these places that's wrong. We'd never do these things that's wrong.
Now notice. Always... Listen. Be conscious of your littleness. Who are you? Stick your finger in a bucket of water and pull it out, and find the hole you put your finger in. Then say, "That was me." You're nothing! You'll not be missed after, a little while after you're gone. They'll have a funeral possession out here, and that's all. But your influence will live on, and on, and on.

59 That's why, today, in the midst of infidels, they've never been able to explain and get away from the influence of one man---Jesus Christ, who is God made flesh. When He stuck his life down here on earth, it made a suction of a place that draws all men unto Him ---the great whirlpool of his life that was once on earth. You can't get near it without being drawn into it. But you and I---we're nothing. We're nothing.
Let's think what's drawing us. I ... my little boat upon the sea of time don't mean nothing. But that great thing that's drawing me, it's what I'm trying to point to. This is it. Oh, yeah. Good. Be conscious of your littleness.

60 Thirdly, let's think. He ... with two wings he had over his face in the presence of God, humility, and ... or reverence; and secondly, he had two wings over his feet. What was it? In humility. And third, he flew with them, put himself in action. He put himself in action with two wings, while two more wings covered his face in reverence, two wings covered his feet in humility, and two wings he was in action. What was he doing? He was showing the prophet... By this he was showing the prophet how His prepared servants must be. God-prepared servants must be reverent, humble, and in action.
But now, if you uncover your face, uncover your feet, your action isn't going to do no good because you're stirred wrong. Takes it all to guide you. Reverent, humble, and in action---that's what God wants this Pentecostal group to be, what God wants His church to be---in action

61 like the woman at the well. As soon as...
She stood there and looked upon this Jew that was speaking to her. And He said, "Woman, bring me a drink."
And she said, "Why, the well is deep," and said, "you have nothing to draw with. And by the way," first said that "we have no dealings with one another. You know there's segregation here? Why, we don't have any dealings. You're ... I'm a woman of Samaria and you're a Jew. We don't have anything," see. She went with the old trend.
But He said to her, "If you knew who you were talking to, who was talking to you, you'd ask me for a drink."
She said, "The well's deep, and you have nothing to draw with."
He said, "Go get your husband, and come here."
"Why," she said, "I have no husband."
He said, "You've told the truth. You've had five, and the one you're living with now is not your husband."
Look. Quickly she backed off. What was it? Not like the Pharisees when they seen that did. They said, "This man's Beelzebub, a fortuneteller. He has mental telepathy. We'll have nothing to do... We'll explain it all away to our congregation. After all, He don't know the Word. We come out of school. We have no record of Him ever coming out of our seminaries."

62 But He had truth, vindicated God-given truth! What happened? Her wings quickly went over her face, the wings went over her feet. She said, "Sir [not Beelzebub], sir, the best I know you must be a prophet. Now I know we haven't had a prophet for hundreds of years. But the Scripture says that when the Messiah comes, He'll be a prophet like Moses. And we know when Messiah comes, He'll do these things. But I don't understand. Who are You? You must be a prophet. When this Messiah comes, He's going to do this same thing that You did, because He'll be the God-prophet."
He said, "I am he that speaks to you."
Then she went in action. "Come see a man..."

63 What do you do today? What do you say today? "He don't belong to our organization." No reverence, no humility. "Join up with our groups." When you see a church rise up like that, it's a Pentecostal rank. Look where it come from---birds of a feather. That's good. Doves always are together. So we find, said... Certainly. They eat dove food too, not crow food.
A crow's a hypocrite. He can eat dove food, and be a vulture at the same time. But a dove can't eat crow food. He hasn't got no gall. That's right. He'd eat it, it'd kill him. But the old crow can sit down and eat a mess of his own scavenger appetite, fill it, and go right out and eat corn with a dove. You can't do that with a dove---he can only eat his own food. And a real dove of God only eats the Word. He can't take the things of the world. No, sir. He can't stomach it. No. It'd kill him. So he just can't stand it. But they all sit on the same roost. There, that's... They did it in the ark, and they've done it ever since. So there you are. Jesus said let them alone. Said at that day the wheat and ... will be taken into the garner, and so forth.
I'm holding you long; but I'll hurry if I can. Notice. Just quick, I don't mean to say it in any ... you know. This is not a joking [unclear word]; this is Scripture, see.

64 Humble, the woman went into action. Why? First, she ... reverent: "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet [wings over her feet, over her face. She recognized Him]. You are a prophet. I believe that. We know when Messiah come... Now, we haven't had a prophet since Malachi. But we're taught down here, that some day there'll arise one on the scene among the Jews, and He'll be the Messiah. And Moses said, the one that we're told, 'If there be a man among you who's spiritual or prophet, and what this man says comes to pass, then you know it.' [Just the same thing that Jeremiah said to Hananiah, and so forth: "If this comes to pass then we know it's vindicated. It's the truth."] And now, here you tell me that I had five husbands (and that's the truth), and I'm living with another man now.
"So, I know that you must be a prophet. I know it's time for the Messiah to come, and He'll tell us those things."
And He said, "I am he." "And as soon as He identified Himself, she went into action, right down through the city, And said, "Come see a man who told me the things I've done. Isn't this the very Messiah? Don't miss it, men. He's sitting out there on the stump."

65 Oh, could I say this morning: that same Messiah, in the form of the Holy Ghost, is right here now (Don't miss it, church!), showing the same signs, and same thing. "The works that I do shall you do also." Same signs, it has to be.
If a life is in a grapevine growing... If you could transfer the life of a pumpkin into a grapevine, why, it would grow a pumpkin, or watermelon---whatever life is in it. And if the life is Christ has been transferred into you by the Holy Spirit, you bear the fruit---you live the life. So you see, if we're bearing pumpkins over here, and should be bearing grapes, there's something wrong, see.
So get that life out of you. You don't have to take that. The transfusion's open this morning. "There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's veins; where sinners plunge beneath the flood." Impersonators can plunge there, and lose all their impersonation, and get something that's real. And then your influence'll be greatly among the people, in the presence of God. The woman went in action.

66 Peter---one day he was a little in doubt, maybe. He loaned his boat to a Galilean man, that was pretty well down in the low bracket amongst the people, as a Beelzebub, a fortuneteller. Some evil spirit was upon Him. "We know that thou art a Samaritan, and mad. We know You have a devil." And all the churches had ousted Him out. And yet He was just as straight with the Word as could be. Dare any of you say He wasn't? That's right. Don't say He wasn't. He was all contrary to any of their beliefs; but He had exactly the Word, could prove it right in the scripture. Said, "Who can accuse Me of sin?" Now, he had it.
And when Peter loaned Him the boat, He said, "Cast out into the deep, and let down for the draught."
Said, "I fished all night. There ain't nothing out there."
Said, "I said, 'Cast out into the deep.' "
"Well, if this man is Messiah, He's a prophet. So, I'll pull the boat out here." And he threw the net over, and he said, "At your word, I'll take it. 'Course, I don't know you but, your speech sound all right. So I'll throw the net out and see. And I throwed the net out." And when it went down... He said, "Depart from me, Lord! I'm a sinful man."
Same thing that Isaiah had to say, "Depart from me. Lord, I'm a man of unclean lips. I dwell among unclean people." He found out that the Word of God worked, when you take God at His Word.

67 The blind man---when he was healed he couldn't hold his peace. Why? He was in action. Peter went in action. The woman went in action. The blind man---he couldn't hold his peace. He said "Is this man..."
"Give glory to God. We know this man's a sinner."
Said, "It's a strange thing that you all don't know who He is, and being leaders. It's a strange thing the day has arrived on us, that a man could open the eyes of a blind man, and you clergymen don't know who He is." That man had some good theology.
Said, "That's a strange thing, among you people who're supposed to be the spiritual leaders of the day, and a man's eyes has been opened here, me being blind. You know I'm blind. You know I was blind, and now I can see." Said, "Whether he's a sinner or not, I don't know. But I do know one thing---I can see, where I was blind before." He went in action and covered his face, covered his feet. Said "Lord, who is this, that I might worship?" There. He wanted to know, the blind man. Sure, he scattered his fame abroad, everywhere.

68 Listen. The people at Pentecost---they covered their feet, they covered their faces. They didn't care what the Jews said. They had a commission from God---a word of God---to go up to the temple, to Jerusalem and wait up there at Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came. And there they was, obeying His Word, humility, bowing (when the church was laughing at them---"A bunch of heretics is in the upper room up there."), faces covered in the presence of God.
"Oh, Lord, you gave the promise. If there's any evil in me, cleanse me, Lord." All at once there came down wings of action, and they went into action. They who were scared---wouldn't give a testimony out on the street---they were in the street speaking with other tongues, and in action, insomuch that the people said, "These men are full of new wine."
Then Peter, the one who could keep the scriptures straight, said, "These are not full of new wine. But this is that..."
And I've always said, "If 'this' isn't 'that,' I'll just keep 'this' till 'that' comes." So, I like 'this' so well, I'll just stay with 'this' until 'that' gets here. I believe this is that. All right.
Yeah. They seen God's promise fulfilled. It put them in action.

69 And what we have seen, what we have seen... These promises in these last days, what we have seen ourselves, ought to put each one of us in action. But you know what? We don't cover our faces and our feet right. Our wings won't work, see. We got these wings spread out, and these wings spread out. Trying to spread these, too, we're just fanning air. Cover yourself, humble yourself; then get in action. Oh, my!
What we've seen happen should put every soul in action. It should make a church that would make a revival here in Phoenix, that people would be flying in from Europe to see what'd taken place. They'd say, "There's a place in Arizona called the Maricopa Valley, a city called Phoenix. There's something broke out there until the seven thunders of Revelations 10, that's not even wrote in the Bible, is being manifested."

70 The power of God, the end-time is here. The angel has gathered up the loose ends, and we're here. Amen. He was about to write those thunders, and He said, "Don't write them. Seal them up. And at that day, at the sounding of this last seventh angel ... seventh church age, the Laodicean church age, the mystery of God [all about God, how that God's not a big bunch of Gods, but one God---all these other things] should all be finished in that time."
The great battles back before got the loose ends hanging out. It ought to be all wrapped up together in this last days. Said, "Then when that sounds, an angel come down and said, 'Time shall be no more. I'll swear by Him that lives forever and ever. Time shall be no more.'"
Oh, we're here, brother, sister. We're at the time. Let's let the Holy Spirit influence us to the Word of God. Let's let God do the influencing in our hearts, and not be influenced by others. See, this ought to put us in action with reverence, and humility, the pillar of fire vindicated among us again---like it was, bringing the children of Israel. Signs of His coming is at hand. Oh, my!
The Word ... by the Word being fulfilled, we see a promise: the last days He'd pour out His Spirit.

71 Look at the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist. They're coming into this move. Did you know that? Listen brethren, do you not understand the Scriptures? The Bible said when the sleeping virgin come to buy oil, that was the time that the bridegroom came.
I notice in your Full Gospel Businessmen, how you bring in Father So-and-so, the Presbyterian; you bring in Father So-and-so, the Catholic, and all of this. By the way, they're not fathers. The Bible said "Call no man father on this earth." They're ministers, and I respect them in every respect they could be respected. But you're not to call them "father."
And you Businessmen---I hope that editor's here this morning. How come that you write a decoration on the back, of what your creeds are and things like that, and be interdenomination? Better get out of that. All right.

72 Notice, my brethren. Listen. When the bridegroom came, the sleeping virgin woke. And the sound come, "Behold the bridegroom cometh." Is that the day we're living in? And the sleeping virgin rose---the Methodists, and Presbyterians, Catholic, and all coming. "Oh, give us some of this oil. We see it."
They said, "We just got enough for ourselves. Now you have to tarry for it yourself."
And while they were tarrying, the bride come. And never in the history of the church age, never in the history of the Pentecostal realm in these last fifty years, has there ever been a time that the denominational world is sweeping in like it is right now. Don't you realize that this is the last call? And yet, we just haphazardly go on like it wasn't even nothing happening. "Glory to God! I could dance in the spirit, and..." Oh, my!
Jesus said, "Many will come to me in that day, say, 'Lord, Lord, haven't I done these things?'" Sincerity, your influence. My!

73 Yes, what we've seen come to pass should put us in action.
We, like the prophet, Isaiah, we have seen the self-exalted denominations lose their place. What happened when the revival come with Luther? What did they do? Just a little while, and they organized---made the Lutheran organization. Drawed a little line, said, "We're Lutherans. The rest of you is out." God broke it up with John Wesley.
And then, when John Wesley left---Charles and John, Asbury, and so on---when they left off the scene, they organized it. What'd you do? Drawed the same line like the Catholic church did, made an organization. Never was a organization until the Catholic church. It's the mother of all of it. Now, you that know history know that's true---the Nicaea Council. Now we find out, that there you organized. What did you do? It died. Methodists died right there. It's never moved since.

74 Up come the Pentecostals, and what did you do? The General Assembly---known as the Assemblies of God---oh, you organized yourself. What did you do? Begin to corrode. Then, along come the Oneness, called the New Issue. What'd you do? Went out and organized yourself. God added a little something to the church, and you, "Oh, we've got it. You all are out of it." Oh, my brother, that's not God! Don't you see? What did you do? Died right in the tracks.
God raised up the Christian Businessmen here in the last days. And if they start the same thing, they'll die right there. That's exactly right. Don't you never do that.

75 What? What happened? Isaiah saw a great man lose his influence, and die. And so have we seen the time, in this last day, that when God is... Don't have to raise up a Pentecostal. He can raise up a Presbyterian, a Baptist. He could raise up somebody that's from none of it. Right. "He's able of these stones to rise children to Abraham."
And we see Him go right outside of the ranks of Pentecost, and raise up a man that knows nothing about you, and make you ashamed of yourself. Then you turn it down, and say, "Oh, nonsense. Why the presbyter would put me right out." Oh, brother! See where you got? Isaiah saw that lose its hold. And we see those denominations lose their hold.
Oh, you're great in number, that's true. You'd be better... God said, "When you was little you reverenced me. And I ... when you was little, I could talk to you. But when you got so big, I couldn't talk to you; then you had to run on your own."
That's what we're doing---like a great regime, a sixteen-cylinder Duesenberg. We got a political machine in a regime, in the movement. It's presbyters and all these other different things that dominate the thing, and the Holy Spirit's counted out. You try to do something that's a little contrary to your doctrine, and you say, "Aw, nonsense!" Check it with the Word. If it's the Word, believe it. If it's not, leave it alone. God'll vindicate His Word. Right.

76 Now Uzziah seen that that man... I'm going to say something. And I don't want to hurt; but I want to make it stick. Uzziah... He saw a man with great influence (what?) lose his hold, because he failed to keep the Word. Is that right? Now we have lived to see the same thing---that all these great denominations are losing their influence. God reaches over in another section, somewhere, and picks up something that's nothing to do with you, see. We see it.
These great denominations, by their creeds, lose their hold. Why? They're trying to manufacture something to take the place of the office of the anointed. (Whew!) You know that's the truth. You'll never be able to do it. God will take His anointed; and you cannot impersonate that office. God anoints. He chooses who He will; He condemns who He will. It's God that does the justifying; it's God that does the choosing. And He raises it up. We reject it; then we see the influence lost. God moves right on in His humility, and His way of humbleness, and brings a group right out for His name's sake, as He promised He would do.

77 Now we, like Uzziah, we see the great denominations lose their place, because they try to take the place of the anointed with a denomination, instead of taking the anointed Word. Uzziah was a great king. God made him a king. That's all right. But when he tried to take himself, and make himself a priest, he couldn't do it.
We can make ourselves nothing. You can't make bishops, and prophets, and so forth. You can't manufacture him. It's got to be borned in you. It's got to be the Spirit of God predestinated from the foundation of the world. God set in the church; God did what He did. And when we try to impersonate, we lose our influence.
Oh, church, why can't we? ...

78 Listen, it's like a ball game, somebody at a football game. Somebody gets the ball, and every one of his own players try to take the ball right away from him. You can't win the game. Be a guard, guard the ball; not try to take it away from the next man.
"Glory to God! If he can do it over here on this corner, God bless him. I'm a Oneness; I can do it." "I'm a Trinitarian; I can do it. He ain't got no business doing that." You're knocking the ball out of your own player's hands.
All you Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutheran, Oneness, twoness, threeness: if you're riding a one-hump camel, two-hump camels, or if you've got a dozen humps---what difference does it make? Let's all come to this well, a "fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's veins, where sinners plunge beneath..." Let's guard the ball. This is the ball. The Holy Spirit's trying to pack it. It'll condemn communism, it'll condemn sin, it'll condemn unrighteousness. It'll manifest, and glorify Jesus Christ, and bring His person into the midst of the people. Amen! Sure! No.

79 Yes, sir, the vision of the prophet caused a confession. Just get in the presence of God, once. You see a vision, a true vision from God, you see how little you are. That's why I'm on the West Coast now. Notice. Just get in the presence of God once, and see what happens, see.
It caused a prophet... What did this prophet...? (I really am going to close.) A prophet---a man of influence, a called man, beyond a bishop, beyond a state presbyter, beyond a clergyman, a doctor of degree---he said, "I'm a sinner, and I'm a man of unclean lips." Whew! A man who had a office as a prophet... And when them angels come around and he recognized that he was a sinner...
And yet our women can wear short hair, dance in the spirit. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. Our men can claim their organizations, and call everything else a devil that's not with them; and still dance in the spirit, and preach the gospel; and call themselves... Oh, brother! There's something wrong. That's right.
Now, don't ... don't get angry with me. You believe it. Just ... just be sincere before God, while I finish here in a minute.

80 It caused this great prophet to say, "I'm a sinner. I'm a man of unclean lips." Then when he ready to confess, then come the cleansing. Did you notice that? He said, "Oh, I'm a man undone. I'm a man of unclean lips, though I'm the highest order of spirituality, the spiritual office in the land. I'm a prophet of this land, but I'm unclean. My lips are not clean. I'm all undone. Woe is me! I see the Lord God of hosts."
When them angels had their faces covered to stand in His presence, then you realize... If the church could only realize that this Holy Spirit is the Lord God of hosts. Cover your face, your feet; get down.

81 He confessed. Notice, then come his cleansing.
Now I'm going to say something; don't get hurt. His cleansing never come by a creed; it come by fire. His cleansing never come by the declaration of some book, what so-and-so said; his cleansing came by the fire. The angel went and got fire off the altar, and laid it on the prophet's lips.
The cleansing comes by Holy Ghost and fire---not a new bachelor of art, or a doctors' degree, or something. As Perris Reedhead had said not long ago when he received the Holy Ghost in my front room, he said, "Brother Branham, I've got enough degrees to plaster your wall. But where's God in all of it?" He said, "Has the teachers been wrong?"
I said, "Me, with a seventh-grade education say the teachers are wrong? I'm not that... They were right in what they taught, I guess; but they never taught far enough. Like the man eating watermelon: he said, "That part was good; but is there more of it?" Just give him a bite, then take it away from him? No, sir.

82 It's like feeding a canary bird great big hunks of vitamins, to make great big fine, speckled wings, or wings ... make fine bones, and make him a big strong bird, and then put him in cage. He can't use it. Let him loose. Let God go to work on him, put him in action, if he's ready to cover his feet. That's right.
But now, remember. It won't work until you cover your feet. You'll just stand and fan wind. "I'm Assembly."
"I'm a Oneness."
"I'm this..."
And you just stand there, fanning the wind, getting nowhere. But once cover your face, cover your feet, then go in action. "Lord God, here am I."

83 First there comes a cleansing. Notice. And following the cleansing was a commission. Oh, my! Yes. First, a confession, then a cleansing, and then a commission. When it had cleansed Isaiah, was cleansed by the fire, then he cried out, after he was cleansed, "Lord, here am I. Send me."
Oh, church, Businessmen, let's not lose our influence. (I'm closing.)
Let's cover our faces this morning. Lord, I'm nothing. Lord, mold me, and make me anew. I'm down in the temple. Let me cover my feet. Lord, I'm nothing. I'm willing to forget all I ever knowed, like Paul. "I know nothing, but save Christ; and him crucified." Let me, Lord, humble myself.
And then, when you raise up from there with a real confession, real cleansing, then when the call comes, "Who'll go for us?"---then Isaiah, you can answer, "Here am I. Send me." Your life'll influence your family, it'll influence your neighbors, it'll influence your church, it'll...

84 Just put one or two good members in a church, that's really on fire for God, it'll do something for that church---more than forty revivals you could have. Right.
A good cleansed member, set an example---the face shining with the glory of God, sweetness, and humility, to stand there in the power of God... And watch when somebody gets sick: they'll call that person to come pray. Oh, you might make fun of them when their tire's deflated, and so forth. You might ... all this nonsense, say... But let death strike you one time. You'll find out, when them struggles begins to come, who that real sincere person is in the church.
Here am I, Lord. Send me. Let my influence be upon others, Lord. For me to live is Christ; and to die is gain. Let this Word influence me. And my prayer is, Lord, while I'm in this valley here, Maricopa Valley---the little sun spot of the world---may I be able to be in contact with the Son of God, that would scatter sunshine of the Holy Spirit throughout the valley. And it'll cause brethren, and women, sisters, and even sinners to find this fountain filled with blood.
May we all come to the place of the temple, where we can recognize ourselves unclean; and live such a life that'll influence others to love Christ. Let us pray.

85 While we have our heads bowed, I'm going to hum real... I can't sing. You all just hum it with me, when I speak the words.
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
Making him as pure as pure could be,
When the voice of God said, "Who'll go for us?"
Then he answered "Master, here, send me."
Speak, my Lord (all together now),
speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."
Sincerely now. Listen.
Millions now in sin and shame are dying;
Listen to their sad and bitter cry;
Hasten, brother, hasten to their rescue;
Quickly answer, "Master, here am I."
All that wants to go, raise your hands now.
Speak, my Lord, speak my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."

86 Heavenly Father, let that be the depths of our heart, Lord. Truly millions now in sin and shame are dying---right here in the city of Phoenix literally thousands groping in sin. And here we stand, this morning, enshrouded with the presence of the Holy Spirit. We're all conscious of His august presence. I feel Him in my heart; I feel Him upon the people.
Oh, God, may a vision come to us, that we can see the holiness of God, see how little we are. May the temple posts be moved in our presence, and their ... while we're in His presence, Lord. May the power of the Holy Spirit just shake us so, Lord, not only the temple posts to be moved but the post in our heart will be moved, the post of indifference---that'll let the door of God's opportunity to come in---be moved away, the stone of unbelief taken away.
And let us, Lord, answer quickly, "Master, I humble myself. I want wings over my feet, and over my face." First, Lord, humble me that I might be influence to the others. Grant it, Lord.

87 Bless this convention, bless this meeting that's coming on and these churches---these, my brethren, Lord. In the face of opposition, they've called me and ask me to come down and speak in their churches.
O God, light each candle. Grant it, Lord. May there come such a light, such a great revival across Phoenix. Grant, Lord, that this will be done amongst all the churches, and all your people, in all the places and all the denominations.
And many of those precious souls out here on the street, are looking and wondering, and waiting to see the life of Christ being manifested among His people. Grant it, Lord. We might not be able to influence the whole city. Hardly ever that was ever done, because in there the wheat and tares are together. But, Lord, may we be so enthused that we'll try to light one little candle each day, by telling someone else---doing something that'll influence others to know You, and to love You. For to know You is life. We pray this blessing.

88 Bless our Brother Williams here, Lord, and Sister Williams. We love them. They're your servants. We believe in humility, Lord. They're bowing at your feet. We're so glad to see how You're working among their family, and with their daughters and their son. How gracious You are to them. Brother Rose, and so many of the others here, Lord, men ... great men, and my minister brothers that's around over the town, and my sisters, Lord. They're your children.
And I want to put my shoulder with them ... with them, Lord. I want to press hard. Help me, O God! I'm small, I'm little, and I can't push very hard. Lord, let me stand there, and You do the pushing. Grant it, Lord, that we might be able to move the great load of God into the kingdom of God. Grant it, Father.
We commit this all to You, now, as we go forward from this day. And we commit ourselves, and we pray for a great revival. And may the Christian Businessmen be able to pick up from there, and go right on. And may as soon as they ... the convention's over, may the churches be all on fire, and a revival moving on and on and on. May we be able to start the fire, Lord. And may the Holy Spirit fan those blazes, until the whole community around is burning with Pentecostal fire. Grant it, Lord. We commit it all to You in the name of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Amen.

89 I'm sorry to have held you so long, because now it's almost noontime. We might as well stay for dinner, I guess. And so ... but I'm grateful to be here. Your fellowship, your cooperation has been much. And my brothers, how many in here that I'm going to be in your churches this week? Raise your hands around. That's fine. Brothers and sisters around, thank you. And we all invite you over this week to the meetings.
Now, I'll turn it to Brother Williams here, now for the closing. [Brother Williams: You can do this job better than I can.] Okay. Bow your head, just a minute then.

90 How many wants down at the altar this morning, really truly wants an altar call in your heart? Raise up your hands. Say "God, make me what I ought to be. I'm the clay. You're the potter." God bless you. God bless you.
Now, as you put your hands down, is there someone here that never has accepted Christ, don't know what it means? You may be ... you just ... oh, maybe under some influence that never did you a bit of good. As soon as the influence, like, went off---some little spell of emotion, or... But you went on living the same life.
Or maybe you never have accepted Him at all, and you'd like to say this morning, "God, let that Word sink into me, until I can cover my face in humility, and cover my feet; and kneel at your altar, until the seraphims will wave the glory of God over my soul, and cleanse me with His holy fire." Would you raise up your hand, say, "Brother Branham, pray for me. I'm here in need of prayer."
God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you that... You raise your hand, you make a decision in your heart. God bless you, my brother.

91 Someone else---some of our sisters here, raise your hand, say, "Brother Branham, I don't believe that it's so---that you're ... that you say ... they call you a woman hater. I don't believe that. I believe you love me as your sister." And I do, sister. But I'm only trying to tell you, I'm ... I don't want you to be influenced by Marilyn Monroe. I want you to be influenced by Jesus Christ, and by His Word. He is the Word. If the Word don't influence you, then Christ can't, because He is the Word. You know that.

92 I dreamed a dream not long ago, or vision or other. It wasn't a dream. I was standing right by... I was out in the woods, on a patrol. And I seen two women. And one of them had ... one Pentecostal church robe, and the other one the other.
And said, one said, "Sister, do you think it's right for Brother Branham to bawl us out like that?" Said, "If Jesus was here," said, "He probably wouldn't say it."
And they didn't know who I was, and I was standing there. And I said, "Well, now, listen. The man must be right. No matter, whether you've never seen Jesus---yes, or no---or whether He's here. He can't change His Word. It'd be just the same."
They said, "Well, that's really right, isn't it?"
Oh, can't you see it's right, brother, or sister? Can't you see that Christ can't change His Word? He is the Word.

93 Would there be some more? Raise your hand, say, "Remember me, Brother Branham. I know I'm not right. Pray for me now." Would you just raise you hand? God bless you. You mean that. Bless you, bless you. That's good. That's fine. God bless you. Just really mean it from your heart. We're coming to the end of the road, now. Just a little while longer.
Maybe in the convention, the nights I speak---and I have a night, one night at least, in the convention---I want to speak on some of those things, just something that's from my heart, and the very reason I'm standing here this morning. There's people right in here can say "Amen, and Amen," the reason I'm standing here this morning. Something is happening that's never happened before in my life. That's right. It's happened, and it called me right here to Arizona. I'm here for something.
"Millions now in sin and shame are dying; just listen to their sad and bitter cry."

94 What makes people do wrong? It's a thirst in them. God made them to thirst, see, thirst after Him. And they're trying to satisfy that holy call with things of the world---joining a church, being influenced to a dance, or something. They're trying to satisfy that holy thing that God put in them: to thirst after Him. And what they're doing, they're trying to let the devil satisfy them, by giving them some other thing that isn't satisfying. O God, let it be taken away this morning.
Oh, how I'd like to see this group of people just so anointed with the Holy Spirit that you go out of here... There'd just be something happen to you---just something that would take us all from here---me with you, friend; all of us together go out of here, under the influence of the Holy Spirit to win souls for Jesus Christ.

95 Now with ... been about thirty hands up, that wants to come to get right with God. There's been at least eight or ten, or more of that, that's sinners---that never has accepted Him. Let us pray again.
And down in your heart you believe it. That's all you can do, is believe. It's up to God to do the rest. Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. That's all Abraham could do. He had to believe. God had to do the imputing. That's all you can do, is believe. Just sincerely, now, bow your head over your table, or wherever you're at, and let's pray.

96 Lord God, I do realize... If there'd only been one hand, what sort of a prayer could I make for that person? Just as the Holy Spirit would lead my heart.
I once sat where they are, as a sinner, knowing not Christ and His salvation. One day I accepted You, Lord. I'll never forget it. Lord change my life and I know that's not contrary to the Word it's with the Word.
So, Father, in my humble way of doing it, will You receive those who raised their hand? And even those who did not, if they have need. receive them, Lord.
Take all the world out, take all the desires of the world out. Take it from my brethren, from my sisters, take it from me, Lord. I'm with them. We're all in the temple of God. And we realize that ... our littleness, how little we are. How small and insignificant we are; and how great Thou art.

97 O Jehovah, be merciful to these sinners. I plead for us all, Lord.
Take this little group, and I, this morning. Cleanse us, Lord, make us new creatures. Won't you please? In my little humble way of asking you, Father, I offer this in the name of Jesus Christ, that You'll receive them. I now commit myself to God. I commit my ways, all my thinking, my doing. May I not think no more my thoughts. May I not more have any ways of the world. May they all be cleansed. May I just have pure, holy thoughts from this day on. May my whole life be His.
Speak through me, Lord. I wouldn't say do that unless You'd ordained it. You ordained your gospel to be preached by man. You could ordain the winds to preach it. You could ordain the stars to preach it. You could ordain the moon, the sun, to preach it. But you ordained man. You won't change it. You're waiting on man. You're not waiting on the stars; they're obeying You. The winds'll obey You. But, Lord, we men, we're no good; we don't obey You. Lord, forgive us, won't You? Won't You forgive us?

98 Forgive us, Lord, and make us ministers---all of us---each one in his own ... his own way, each one in his own environment, each one in his own way---where he could do the best. We just commit ourselves to You now. Make us servants of yours, ministers of the Word. In Jesus' name I offer this prayer.
And you taught us all that we must pray like this: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us of our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, power, and the glory forever. Amen.

99 Don't never let it die.
He careth for thee,
He careth for you;
Through sunshine or shadow,
He careth for you.
Did not He express it? Now, right across the table, let's shake each others' hands. Just remain seated.
He careth for ... (say
"God bless you, pilgrim"),
He careth for you...

Influence

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Thank you very much. Let us remain standing just a moment now, as we bow our heads for prayer. While we have our heads bowed, and our hearts, wonder how many in here has a request, might make it known to God as you lift your hands? Now just hold your requests as we pray.

2 Heavenly Father, we are so happy tonight for this, another time that we can come to You, and have this assurance that what we ask we receive, if we will believe that we get what we ask for. And now, Lord, help our unbelief, that we might tonight be able to have these things that we ask for. My hands with their hands is up, and we pray, Father, to You who understands the things that we have need of. Grant them to us, Lord, tonight.
We pray for encouragement that when we're in this great hour of distress that we're in, and the world in the condition that it's in, we need your most holy help, Lord. And we pray that You'll encourage us by thy Word, that we might know how that we should act just prior the coming of the Lord Jesus. Grant it, Father. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
You may be seated.

3 So glad to be back again tonight, and to speak again about our most gracious Lord. It's good to be back here in Lane Tech again. This is almost like coming home, I been here so many times.
And now, I see they've gotten many handkerchiefs here, that's been laid up here, to be prayed over. And now last night, we had to ... we closed our regular healing services, taken up our cards and things, because of having double services. You see, it kind of puts quite a strain on you, for having double service. Now, we sure will be praying for these handkerchiefs tonight, and trusting that the Lord will make each and every one of you with faith that'll receive what you've asked for in these requests.

4 We're certainly going to miss Brother Mel Johnson tomorrow and that fine singing. I really appreciate that fine voice that the Lord has given him. And, now, tomorrow, if you're visiting here (I'll say to the Tabernacle people---I got some friends here from down ... Jeffersonville), I think that the Philadelphia church---Brother Mead, our brother---I think they have service there. And I don't know whether ... you have service? There's service? You ... what time? Eleven o'clock there'll be service there, and I suppose I'll be back about one-thirty, or two, something. Three---I'm to be on at three. Three o'clock, and then seven again tomorrow evening. So we certainly want to cordially invite all of you to come to the services, if you have no service in your own church.

5 We certainly wouldn't want to pull you away from your own post of duty, because that's not our objective. It's to try to catch mainly those who are unsaved, those who does not have the Holy Spirit and you really believe that you need it. And then we're here to help you. Then the sick and the afflicted, why, we're here to pray for them out of all the churches.
And you go back to your church, wherever you come from. If you received the Holy Spirit or healed, go back with a testimony, and tell others. Even though if your church doesn't believe in it, go anyhow, see. Where ... it's easy to let your light shine where there's plenty of light; but we want light to shine where there is no light. That's when it gives its best influence

6 and... Thank you, Brother Vayle. Brother Vayle was thinking that they couldn't hear. Is that better? Fine. That's good.

7 Now, tonight, without a healing service, I think I should get out a little earlier tonight. I've been saying every night I'm going to try to let you out about nine-thirty, and it's pretty near that time now, and so ... nine o'clock, about five minutes of. And then, time I get through... And then holding you this morning about two hours, I tell you, you'll probably be wore out, and be glad when I leave the city tomorrow night. But ... I wished I could just bring myself down to them twenty-minute talks, but I only ... just have to keep speaking until I get tired. I know you're wore out by that time, so then I just never get finished---I just quit, and go in and rest awhile.

8 Now tonight, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the ... Isaiah, the book of Isaiah, the 6th chapter of Isaiah. And now before we read we would ask God to bless His Word, and to make it real to us as we bow our heads just a moment. Well, we'll read the Word first, and then listen close now, as we read.
In the year that king Uzziah died I was ... I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his trail filled the temple.
And above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD God of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Who shall I send, and who shall go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

9 Let us pray. Lord Jesus, we are not sufficient to break into this most gracious text tonight, but we ask your help now, Lord, for no other purpose but that the gospel might be once more preached in the city of Chicago. Grant it, Lord. And may the influence be a everlasting influence. Grant it. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
Now, I want to take a text from this of "Influence." You know, there's something another that we are ... we ... what we do... We influence somebody else by what we do. The way we act, the way we talk, the way we live, and all that we do, we influence someone else.

10 Now, you know many people won't go to church. They say... Well, they've got a wrong impression of church. They think it's ... the women down there are witches, and the men are black-robed demons. And they just got the wrong idea about it. But I tell you what they do do: they will watch your life, to see what you do. I believe it was Paul that said, "We are written epistles of God, read of all men." When you're on the street, and when you're at your work, and wherever you are, somebody's watching you---

11 and especially after you have said, and made your confession, that you are a Christian. They'll watch you much closer then. And that gives an influence to the people that's around about you.
And we should watch what we do, because if we produce the wrong influence then we bring reproach; not so much upon ourselves, but upon what we claim to be---Christians. We bring it upon Christ. And no one ... if we would think, you would never want to bring reproach upon Christ. But the wrong act at the wrong time will certainly cause a wrong reflection towards the person that's watching you. And everybody is watched, when you profess to be a Christian.

12 Now, this text that we're speaking on tonight, of influence, it goes back... The real lesson of it, if you'd like to read it, you'll find it in II Chronicles, the 26th chapter. It was the life of this Uzziah, the king. Now, Uzziah, the king, was a shepherd boy. He was a young fellow that ... a king's son that loved outdoors. He liked the woods, and he was a herdsman. And he also liked the vineyards---he liked to see things grow.
And this young fellow was brought up under real good influence. Amaziah, his father, had been a great man. In his last days he let down a little and picked up some gods from another country, and the Lord then taken him out of the earth. But this young fellow had had good influence, because his mother was a daughter of Jerusalem, his father a believer. And therefore the boy had been raised up with good influence. And that's a good way to bring up a child---in the way that it should go.
And you know what? Your children is one of the main eyes that's watching you. They watch what you do, and whatever you do they copy after you because you're setting the example before them, that ... what you do.

13 Reminds me here not long ago I was at a meeting of the Full Gospel Businessmen out in Los Angeles. Brother Oral Roberts had made a statement about something on this line, and they asked me to get up and say something about it---about influencing. I said, "It reminds me of a story that I read once where a man went out Christmas Eve taking presents to the neighborhood---to his colleagues, neighbors. And each time where he went to a place, he taken a drink. He'd go to the next house, he'd take a drink.
And by the time he got all of his presents give out, and the ones he'd collected, on the road back he thought he would take a short cut through the park. And there'd fallen about four or six inches of snow. And he found himself ... he couldn't walk straight. He was going zigzag because he was being influenced by these drinks.
He noticed, coming way back behind him, not able to keep up with him, was his teeny little seven-year-old boy. And he was making big steps, and falling over, and zigzagging. So he waited till the little lad caught up with him, and he said, "What are you walking like that for, son?"
He said, "Daddy, I'm trying to step in your steps." Now, you see, that's more than just an example, because it is a truth that your children, you set the pace for them.

14 And our American people are setting a pace today before our children of smoking cigarettes, the women, the men drinking, and cards in the house and dice.
What kind of a people will we have in the next race that is to come, or the next generation, rather, that is to come? It'll be a bunch of neurotics; and which, I think the whole world is just about in that condition now. Then if this race, or this generation, rather, is like this, what will the next one produce? Then, if there would be another, why, the whole human race---if it keeps going in the way it is---will become extinct altogether, because we're killing ourselves, and setting examples for others.

15 And even Christians, today---who claim to be Christians, and smoke, and drink, and cheat, and found dishonest, while we... Why, it's no wonder that Christianity is at one of its low ebbs at this time. It's the influence that the church people has placed upon the man than't yet received Christ. Men wants to maintain their testimony, and then live any way they want to.
But that's the reason the Holy Spirit is such a definite "must" in this day, because it is the one that lives your life. You don't live it yourself; it's Christ in you then after you have received the Holy Spirit. And if He doesn't have the preeminence in your life, then you just remember, you haven't received the Holy Spirit, 'cause if He's in you He'll live His own life. You're no more your own. You are dead, and your life is hid in God through Christ, and sealed by the Holy Ghost. So there's no way at all for you to be yourself no more---what you were.

16 Now, this young boy, we find out, having this good, godly parent and training, it ... when ... his daddy died when he was only sixteen years old. And the people took and made him king, and he come on the throne of power when he was only sixteen years old. And if you'll read his life, he wasn't influenced by the politics of his country. He didn't take the popular opinion; he sought after God, the Bible said. Now that's ... that was what made him such a great example to this young prophet.
At the same time, Isaiah, Isaiah the prophet, lived in the days of Uzziah, the king. Both of them being young together, the prophet and the king, they were great chums together. And Isaiah stayed at the palace and he leaned upon the arm of the king. And we find out that this young fellow's influence influenced Isaiah. He become a hero to Isaiah, because he was ... he made no differences in the people. He never let anything sway him from one side to the other. He was determined to serve God, and serve God alone. And that's a good person to take example of.

17 And we find out that he never compromised with any of the heathen worlds. The heathen world, after they seen him build his kingdom so great, and God was with him, and blessing him... And God will bless any man that will stay with His Word. That's ... God's duty bound to do that, to bless any man that will stay with God's Word.
Now, we see that Isaiah really liked this king. And then the king's kingdom spread. I guess he was next to Solomon in his kingdom, because his influence reached all the way down into Egypt. It was a great help to Isaiah, the young prophet, to see that any man that would take a stand for God, and regardless of politics or anything else he would stay straight with the Word... He certainly was an influence to the prophet Isaiah, this young fellow. How God blessed him, because he stayed true to the Word!

18 Now, we find that this king (oh!) did like so many Christians of today. As long as he stayed humble then God blessed him. But the Bible said here, that when he got lifted up... When he got everything secure, then he become lifted up in his own self; and then he was on his road out. Now, that's... So it is today with churches. It's always been, that when men feel that they have become sufficient they don't have to pray any more; they don't have to wait upon God for their ministry.

19 If you'll pardon this expression, I agree with a certain writer that that's what has caused many of these men that's been in these latter day revivals, or this last day revival, to fly to pieces. Some of them found ... they been claimed to being drunk in their pulpit, and some of them has done wrong. It's because they have such an influence on the people till they begin to feel that they're self-sufficient, that that's their little kingdom, and they can ... they got the people so in their grip that they can just do anything they want to, and the people doesn't notice it. But God notices it, you see. That's the one.
I might say, like Nebuchadnezzar one day walked out and said, "Look what a great kingdom I have built"; and then the angel of the Lord smote him.

20 And when a man or woman---no matter whether he's a bishop or a cardinal or whatever he might be---when you begin to feel that you are self-reliant, then you better begin to watch and take heed, because God won't let you go like that, because He will not share His glory with anyone. No, sir. God takes glory alone.
Sometimes God can bless a man and give him a little ministry that's maybe a little better than his brethren (or, not better, but just something a little different from his brethren). And the first thing you know, the man becomes exalted, with his chest out, and, oh, my! he'd brush you off the street. And that's the time that I believe that man started out the door, 'cause God can't use a person like that.

21 This king, though being a godly man as he was, he felt self-sufficient. He felt like that he could hoist himself up in pride, that he could just take over and do whatever he wanted to and nobody else he had to ask. But remember, we're always under God. God is our God.
And we find out he got lifted up. And he got so lifted up till he thought that because he had been blessed of God he could take a minister's place. So he took the censer and went in to take a minister's place. He got out of his place of duty.

22 That's what I've always said to these Full Gospel Businessmen. Don't you never try to be preachers. The preachers has a hard enough time to keep the thing straight, and then we're doing a very poor job out of it; and then especially take a businessman that's not even called to the work at all, see. When you do that you're stepping beyond your boundaries. And you might take a lesson for this.
There's many people out even in the pulpit tonight preaching, that oughtn't to be there: because it's more of a meal ticket, or to be popular amongst the people, or to have a little more than someone else's got, or have a few praise by somebody patting you on the back, or something. See, sometimes they become a priest. Jesus said, "You devour widows' houses, and desire the highest seats, and for a showing make long prayers." He said, "You'll just receive that much more damnation for it," see.
We must never get to that place. We must always remember that God wants us to be humble. The way up is down. Humble yourself and you're exalted; and if you exalt yourself you will be brought to abase.

23 Now we find out that this fellow tried to take the place of a minister, which ... he was not qualified. Yet God blessed him. He was a great man. He'd strengthened his kingdom against all the nations of the world. They were bringing in glory and giving it to him, and sheep and cattle. He had herdsmen and fine vineyard dressers and, oh, everything. He was living in luxury. Then he began to come puffed up.
We find out that even a church, a local church, can be humble and have a little place, serving the Lord with trueness of heart; and let them get just a little better, somebody help them, and they get a fine church. They'll try to make it a little better than the one down on the corner, and then the congregation walks around with their chest out. That's right. See, we must remember that's the wrong thing.

24 God told Israel, "When you were... I found you in a field. You were bloody [and the condition it was in]..." And then when He ... become fed up and got prettied up, then she turned her back on God, and played the part of a prostitute, and invited everybody to see her. And we see that God isn't pleased with that at all.
And even this great, mighty king of Israel here, when he tried to ... make himself take a position that he did not ... wasn't ordained to... And we find out the priest here run in and told him, "That isn't your place. You're not supposed to do that, for God has consecrated men for this."

25 Oh, if the ministry could only get to that place, that's consecrated to the service! If men could realize that preaching the gospel isn't to get more members in the church; but it's consecration to the purpose of the task that we must have newborn babes into the kingdom of God. No matter what denomination they go to, or what about it, it's just to get those newborn babies.
Then we find out that today it's so hard. When we see a minister rise up with a little ... some kind of a phenomena that God has placed in his ministry, we find carnal impersonations of that---that different ones will come in and try to say this is ... they have this, or exercise something a little different.

26 I know of a man in the world today---a fine man, too, a good man, a real preacher of the Word, and I would say a real brother---and I talked to him, not long ago. And he kept having sensations and he built his ministry completely upon sensations. Now they're baptizing to eternal life; that the people are not going to die. I'm afraid they're out on a limb that they'll never have no way to get back off of that, see, but ... because that's wrong. A man that's born of a woman is of a few days and full of sorrows, troubles, and the living know they have to die. And we know it is once appointed to man to die, and after that, the judgment. So we know that we must.

27 I don't want to live in this old pesthouse that I have been living in. It catches every disease floats through. I want one that's made not with hands, fashioned after God, that's not a hybrid plant like this is. I want one that's made by the hands of God, that diseases and sickness and death goes from it. And whenever He summons me, I'm ready, by the grace of God, believing that when this earthly tabernacle be dissolved we have one already waiting that we move into that ... can't die from it no more.

28 Why would you want to live in this? Not me. My! It's ... we're going out of it and I'm glad of it. This old human germ trap that we're living in, death trap and whatmore, the groans and pains in it, and the old age, and... Why, my, who would want to stay in a body like that?
I'm glad there's one coming. We got a body that's being prepared for us in glory. And as soon as the life leaves this old hull here that eternal spirit of God that lives within it takes its journey into that tabernacle yonder, and there it lives eternally. Why would we want something like this? My! Yes, sir! Oh, I'm so glad that there is a God who's made all these things plain.

29 And we look here, we see there's just a shadow anyhow. We are a shadow. I look here on the platform, see men that moves; and I look out on the street and see men and women that moves. They got life, but yet it cannot be real life because it's death in it. And David said, "I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." Now, it takes so much light to make a shadow. There has to be so much light. If it's altogether darkness it cannot make a shadow. See, it has to be so much light in the dark to make it shadow.
Well, now, it depends on which one of those sides that you're leaning to.

30 If I see a man walking, a fine looking young man, in a few years watch his hair turn gray and slip out, his shoulders droop down; a beautiful young girl standing with a sainted, godly face on her, and stand and praising God; and I come back in a few years, and find her stoop-shouldered, packing two or three children, why, my! that shows that in that body there is death. No matter how well it is, and how lovely it looks, it's still got death in it.
Then I watch which way that spirit in there leans. If it's always representing the light, speaking of the light, talking of the light, it'll go with the light. But if it's always on the other side---of the world, the things of the world, influenced by the world---there's nothing but it to turn into darkness when it dies---into outer darkness.
So you see, what we are ... we must remember that we are only what we are by the grace of God and none of us can brag about it. We can only bow in adoration and humility before God, and give praise to Him for His goodness.

31 And we find that as long as this king felt that way God blessed him. But when he got to a place that he wanted to not abide in his own calling... He wanted to take the calling of something else, and he thought because that God had blessed him and that was all right, he could do that. But how sadly we make them mistakes! How bad... You must absolutely be honest. You mustn't do nothing unless God has directed you to it, and proves it and vindicates it, and you know that it's God that's done it.
Usually, men of God... God has to run him down and catch the real man of God. It ain't those guys that wants a whole lot of something to do a whole lot with. Hard tell what they would do with it if they received it, see. But God usually has to catch His man---like Moses, and Paul, and like that---to run him down, to get glory out of his life and let him become a prisoner to the Holy Spirit.

32 Now, we notice that this king... And another thing we learn here on Uzziah: that when he was called down by the man who had the authority to take the censer in---the consecrated man for the service---when he called him down he got angry with him. Oh, what a cursed thing that would be! when a man tries to point out to a fellow that you're in the wrong, and prove it to him by the Word of God, "You're in the wrong"; and then the man, because that he feels in himself he'll do what he wants to, and won't submit to the Word, then he gets angry.
You notice what happened to the king? Leprosy broke out in his face while he was still in his anger. Leprosy struck Uzziah in the face, and the priest and those recognized it and threw him out of the temple, and he died a leper. That great life that started out so well ended up to be a leper and cast out; and had to live in a separate house out to himself all the days of his life---the man that ... the life that God once influenced.

33 I'd say this with respects. We got men today on the field---young men, and middle-aged men, and old men---who started out on a good run, and tried, and made a good showing to God; but we find them today out yonder, alcoholics and broke up out there in the other ... away from us. Some of them backslid altogether, some of them went money crazy and some went woman crazy and married other women that wasn't their wives, and all the things. And disgrace has been brought on every denomination. We ... one can't call the other one bad, because we're all guilty.
The whole ... every denomination we've found men like that, that's once been influenced by God and had a great influence to the people; and yet when they felt self-sufficient... When a man gets a place where he can influence for God, he ought to humble himself all the time, constantly.

34 And we find out this king died in disgrace, a leper. Then he was a lesson to the young prophet not to put his hopes upon any man, but to look to God only. When he began to look to a man for an example, this man failed, yet being a good man. So it's a lesson to us tonight to keep our minds upon God, regardless of what man it is. Let him be cardinal, priest, prophet, whatever he might be---he's not immune from mistakes and error, and even death and sin. But there's one who is, and that's Jesus Christ---He is the one. By this Isaiah learned a lesson.
God orders His man to place.

35 A man has no right to take up and say, "Well, I'd make a easy living if I was a minister. I believe I'll study the ministry. I believe I'll do this, that, or the other. I believe if I could impersonate this gift that God has given, it would ... I'd have great campaigns," and so forth. We see so much of that today. But when you find out... Isaiah found a lesson here: that God places His man Himself. God does the placing, and He never made this man a priest. He made him a king, and he ought to abide a king. He must not try... Isaiah learned here that you mustn't try to take another man's place.

36 Then, when he saw that his great hero had come to this disgrace, and went down and died, Isaiah felt then pretty near all hopes for him was gone. So he went down to the temple one day to talk it over with the Lord, and that's where the vision happened. At the temple he saw the one that he was supposed to be looking at all the time. In the temple he saw in a vision God, sitting high on a throne, exalted way in the heavens, and His train was with Him. This vision he saw---high, lifted up, His throne way above every earthly domain---God. That's the one he was supposed to look at, when he was in the vision.
And then we notice this, that the heavenly seraphims was flying back and forth in the temple. Now the seraphims... Actually the Hebrew word there is "burners." They were the one who offered incense and the sacrifice. It's just a high order of angels that makes a way for the sinner as long as there's a sacrifice. And these seraphims---especially these burners---had a special office: they stayed right in the presence of God. They're the same as the cherubims, and they were right in the presence of God.

37 And when this prophet felt the Spirit of God on him, and he opened his eyes... You see, he was so born for that purpose that when he opened his eyes it was like dropping from here into a land, like he was dreaming. And he saw God's throne exalted so high. And then he looked in the temple, and these seraphims was going back and forth through the temple, crying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God. Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God." What a change, and what a influence this must have been upon this young prophet, when he saw the failure of men (and although good men would fail). But now he sees God and he saw these seraphims.
And notice the special covering that these seraphims had. They was covered with two wings over their face, two wings over their feet, and they was flying with two wings. God is altogether holy. Think of it! Even angels have to cover their holy face to stand in the presence of God.

38 I wonder, my brother, I wonder, my sister, if we'll look at that, when holy angels have to cover their face to stand in the presence of God in reverence and in respect.
But today, we find people---who call themselves Christians, even---has no respect at all for God, or His Word, or His people, or His ministry, or nothing. Where are they going to come up at in the resurrection? The Bible said, "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where will the sinner and the ungodly ever appear?"
And when seraphims---the highest order of angels, right by the mercy seat, the burners of the sacrifice---had to cover their holy faces to stand in His presence... And here they was, God sitting up there on His throne, and these cherubims going back and forth, screaming day and night, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God." Do you know what I'm meaning?
Notice. Two wings they covered their faces, and why?

39 We notice today that because that people are ... have no reverence, they'll come to church (people will come to church) and cut up, and laugh, talk, make fun, sitting where the gospel's being preached---no reverence at all. And meet you on the street, and with... You don't expect any respects from people---we mustn't do that---but yet it shows Christian dignity to at least honor the people, say, "Good morning, brother," or whatever you wish. Some of them holler, "Hello, preach." Oh, that's so common!
Remember, Jesus said, "As you do unto these, you do it unto me. He that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me; and he that receiveth him that I sent receives him." See, "As you do to them, you did it unto me."
And the irreverence... You know what it is? It's the ... they are not conscious of the presence of God. The world has become so common, and religion has become such a low ebb, until there's no respect---just as it's always been.

40 Look at them soldiers. We could think tonight what a rashal and horrible thing it was for those soldiers to put a rag over the face of our Lord Jesus, to make fun of Him being a prophet and could know the secrets of the heart. They put a rag over His face, and set Him out there in the courtyard, and took a stick and struck Him on the head with it; and then passed it one to another and said, "If you be a prophet, prophesy now. Tell us the one of us that hit you." See, no respects at all. They couldn't feel no virtue. But that little woman with enough faith that could touch His garment, she got her desires.
You see, we've got to be conscious of God's presence.

41 This little five senses that we live in, that's just a little world of our own, see. But God... That's ... we was only given these so we could contact our earthly home. But there's senses beyond that, another dimension, and God is always present. If we could only remember that the angels of the Lord are encamped about those who fear Him. In this building tonight stands Jesus Christ. In this building tonight is hosts of angels, thousands of them, gathered around. You don't see them, but you can feel the influence of them, telling you that they're here.
If that isn't so then the Scripture isn't so, and if the Scripture isn't right then God isn't right. The Bible said that the angels of God are encamped---they don't leave; they stay---near those that fear Him.

42 Jesus said, "Wherever two or three are gathered in my name I'll be in their midst." Then that makes Him in a world that we cannot see, that our five senses doesn't contact. Jesus Christ is here present. If we could be conscious of that!
And remember, not only here, but when you're walking down the street, wherever you are, you that profess to be believers and fear the Lord, remember the angels of God are moving with you wherever you are. They watch everything you do, every thought that goes through your mind, and they know all about you. Therefore, we must be conscious of that. If we're not conscious of it, then you act any way.
So people mostly today---too many people---are not conscious of the presence of the Lord Jesus. That's the reason they ... we have these things that we have going on now that's not right.

43 If we could only do like David said: "I put the Lord always before me." Oh, I like that! "...the Lord always before me. Where He goes, I'll follow; and I'm conscious that everywhere I'm going [in other words, David said] that the Lord is going before me."
"I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee," said Jesus. "Lo, I'm with you always, even to the end of the world." He cannot leave us. He promised not to.
That's the very objective of these meetings. That's the objective, my brethren, of holding my ministry out from the denominations, is to try to let the people see that Jesus Christ is still alive and He's here to every believer, to every denomination that will believe Him, or the people in those denominations. "The Lord is before me," David said, "and I shall not be moved."

44 Notice now, with two wings they had over their face to stand in the presence of God, 'cause that's where they ministered. And if they had to cover their holy faces to minister to God, what kind of a person ought a preacher to be? How we ought to cover our face in shame! How we ought to live! God's altogether holy. We must consciously, all the time, remember that outside the grace of God we're naked sinners; but the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin.

45 Now they had two wings over their feet. That represents humility. Like Moses. Moses wasn't too much in humility until he met God in that burning bush. But when he truly saw that was God, and because this light spoke the Word of the promise... Do you get it? They knew, and Moses knew, that the time was at hand for this deliverance. And here comes a supernatural being down, and repeats and says, "I remember my promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." And Moses took off his shoes---humility, his whole foundation---he took off his shoes.

46 Paul, when he saw that same angel of light above him and called it "Lord," he fell in the dust of the earth. He recognized, with humility, "I'm no more." No wonder Isaiah could cry, "Woe is me, for I've seen the Lord God of hosts," yet being a prophet. And yet Paul, being a great man, a scholar... But when he come in the presence of God he humbled himself. And when Moses come into the presence of God he humbled himself. He was a prophet. He respected God, the Word.
Notice John the Baptist. When John stood on the bank, after baptizing the people, he looked out and saw that same light descending from heaven. He cried, "Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world." And when he humbled himself, and Jesus walked out into the water by him...

47 Now, here's a question was asked me the other day that might come up in your mind. When Jesus walked into the water, and John said, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and why comest thou to me?"... Now an old Baptist brother of mine, Dr. Roy Davis, used to tell me (he laid his hands on me when he ordained me in the Missionary Baptist Church), he said, "Billy, what happened..." I asked him about that. He said, "Here's what happened. You see, John had never been baptized himself, so Jesus baptized John; and then John turned around in return, baptized Jesus, because Jesus couldn't baptize John before He was baptized."
Well, I thought that sounded all right. But one day about two years ago, out in the woods where I was sitting, the Holy Spirit came down---the light---and then I saw what it was, when He revealed it.

48 Now, here is what it is. See, there was the two most important people on the earth. There was John the prophet, there was Jesus the Messiah, and they...
Two of the men that had the message of the day met face to face in water, when their eyes caught one another. And John, in humility, did say, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and why comest thou unto me?"
Jesus said, "Suffer that to be so [that is right]. But thus it behooveth us [or it is becoming to us---behooveth means 'becoming'] ... it is becoming to us that we fulfill all righteousness." Why? Jesus being God, John being the prophet, quickly... Jesus knowed when He said that---John being a prophet to who the Word come to---knowed he would understand it, because the sacrifice according to the law had to be washed before it was presented, and Jesus had to be baptized before presented. He said, "Suffer it to be so now [that's right], for thus it is behooving us, [becoming to us] to fulfill all righteousness."

49 Oh, if we could take that for our text for a few minutes---that we see today, as believers in the light and the hour that we're living in, it's becoming to us that we fulfill all righteousness. It's becoming to a Pentecostal church, that we fulfill all righteousness, seeing that we have been called by the Holy Spirit. It's unbecoming that we separate ourselves from other brethren. It's unbecoming that we denominate ourselves, and won't have nothing else to do with the brethren who's received the Holy Ghost the same as we did.
It's not becoming to us when we see God moving and performing and doing exactly what He said, and because a person's not connected with our organization that we misbehave ourselves. That's unseemingly. It's not right. We should be Christians, we should be gentlemen, we should be God-fearing people and men. We should be ready to reach across and give any man a handshake, and stretch the blanket on his side of the bed too. Yes, for thus it is becoming to us to fulfill all righteousness.
Now, we know that

50 that was, because that He was the sacrifice, and John knew it, because he seen that light over Him. And John humbled himself, being the greatest man to that hour. But when he seen this great Lord Jesus coming, he said, "I have need to be baptized of you." But when He told him, "It's becoming that we fulfill all righteousness," then John turned, knowing that as a servant of God, as a prophet, he must fulfill the word of that hour, because he knowed that was the sacrifice. He'd just said so: "There comes the Lamb of God [the sacrificial lamb] that's going to take away the sins of the world." And the lamb had to be washed in the laver before it was presented to the people. Amen.
It's becoming to us that we fulfill all righteousness. When you take on the name of Jesus Christ, let every man or woman that takes the name of Jesus depart from sin.

51 Our confessions today has begin to come just like a ... I don't know what---some riddle, or something. We go down and pray a prayer about two minutes long and get back up, do something wrong, and say, "Oh, Lord, You know I didn't mean to do that. Hallelujah! I'm all right," go on. No, that's not it, brother. You've got to be godly sorry. You've got to confess that thing. You've got to make it right.
You cannot do it. Jesus said, "When you go to the altar ... remember the brother has aught against you, go to him first before you offer your gift here. Be reconciled with the brother." It's becoming us ... to us that we fulfill all righteousness.

52 And you women with short-bobbed hair, do you know what? It's becoming to you that you let your hair grow out and act like a lady. You that wear shorts, take them off, put on dresses. It's becoming to you that you act like Christians. That's right, 'cause the Bible said that's wrong. A woman shouldn't do that.
And you men that's smoking cigarettes---that's unbecoming. And you men that's letting your wives do that, and then say you're sons of God? A man... The great vow that's took at the marriage ceremony---love, honor, and obey---is gone. In America the woman has the right-of-way. Well, everywhere she's got the right-of-way. The Bible said she'd have it that way.

53 They say that the women is the most careful drivers that we got in the land. That's wrong. My son and I, crossing the nation back and forth, keep a book. And every time there's a (what we call) a boo-boo pulled on the road, if it's a man, we put it under man, and woman under woman. And under three hundred boo-boos across the nation there was 281 of them women. How did they base theirs? Because of the reports that's turned in. Certainly. Them cops ain't going to arrest them nice looking women if they got a telephone number. They won't turn them in; they let them go. That's the reason. You see, it's become a woman's world. The Bible said it would be that way. Exactly.
So, the preacher in the pulpit's just about the same thing. He's afraid to say anything against it.

54 But it's becoming to us that we fulfill all righteousness. It's got to be said somewhere. You don't look at your fame and popularity here. You are a love prisoner to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and duty bound. You're a prisoner to Him, and you can say nothing else but what the Holy Ghost says, and preach the thing that's right. You become a love prisoner to Him. Then you don't care what it is; you've got to fulfill all righteousness. A minister should speak that---you Pentecostal people especially, that knows better than to let that get by like that.

55 Now here some time ago a great famous man come to me, said, "Why don't you leave them women alone?" He said, "Come here. I want to lay hands on you and pray for you, that you'll go in and go ahead praying for the sick." Said, "Why, the people regard you as a prophet."
I said, "I never did say I was a prophet."
He said, "But the people regard you as that." He said, "You ought to be teaching them people how to get great spiritual gifts."
I said, "That's what's the matter with the church today."
Said, "...not tell them about cutting their hair, and this, like that." Said, "You ought to be teaching them great high things."
I said, "How can I teach them algebra when they won't even learn their ABC's?" That's right. You've got to start from somewhere, so go down to the bottom and build up. Don't try to start on the top---you haven't got any foundation. And that's the trouble with it today, brethren. They don't take this, "It behooveth us to fulfill all righteousness."
Notice these angels now,

56 John the Baptist, Paul, different ones ---when they saw that glory of God, and that light, they bowed to it. They ... yes, they honored it. They respected it, because that they humbled themselves. And these angels, even, that minister in His presence, cover up their feet and cover up their face. Oh, my!
Now notice, quickly now. He had two more wings, and by this, he could put himself in action.

57 Now, what a real servant that is of God. Knowed ... showed the prophet how His prepared servants should be. What should the prepared servant be? Now these servants, look at... He had looked at a man on earth here, and seen what a failure he made. Then God showed him a kingdom in heaven, a throne. That's the one to look at.
Then He showed him what a real servant ought to be that served in His presence. And here was these seraphims that covered their holy faces, covered their feet, and with two wings they went into action. Reverent, humble, and in action. Amen! If that ain't a dressed-up servant I don't know what is---reverent, humble, and in action. Oh, my! I'll tell you...

58 Like the little woman at the well. When she recognized that gift of God, and this man that spoke was the Messiah, it sure put her in action right quick. She forgot about her waterpot. She run into the city saying, "Come, see a man who's told me the things I've done. Isn't this the very Messiah?" Oh, what a action she went into.
Peter, when he took Him at His word, as we was speaking on this morning, out there in the boat... Did you notice, when Peter took His word and dropped the net down in there and caught the big load of fishes, the multitude of fishes, quickly Peter left the net and got into action? Before he done that, he fell down before the Lord and said, "Depart from me, O Lord, I'm a sinful man." If that ain't the very words like that Isaiah the prophet said, "Woe is me, for I have seen the Lord God, and I'm a man of unclean lips."

59 Don't you see what the presence of the Lord does to real believers?
We don't even want to confess. We just want to say, "Well, we're Pentecostal, we're Baptist, we're Presbyterians," and live on. But a real genuine called servant of God humbles himself in the presence of God. He doesn't criticize it. Look who criticized the Lord Jesus---was the Pharisees. Sectarianism---they was the ones who criticized Him.
But the man who was really willing to be His servant, humbled himself and went into action. Jesus said, "You'll ... follow me, and I'll make you fishers of men." When he saw that that really was God, he went into action.

60 The blind man that was healed, the Bible said that he scattered His fame all throughout the country abroad. He went into action, when he found out that God had a representative here on the earth that could open the eyes of a blind man; and going around testifying, giving God praise. And the Pharisees caught him.
And what it was going to be to him? And as I said this morning, "Why," he said, "I cannot explain, argue theology with you, but this one thing I know: wherein I was once blind, I now see." He was into action, certainly, because he had scattered His fame everywhere. And sometimes... Maybe you're not a minister to scatter His fame, but your life will scatter His fame if you'll just live right.

61 The poor people at Pentecost---those bunch of fishermen, and tax collectors, and so forth, with humble jobs---they went up there on a promise of God and they waited in the upper room for ten days. And all of a sudden there came a sound from heaven like a rushing wind, filled all the house where they were sitting, and they went into action because that they had seen a promise of God made manifest. It was vindicated to them, the promise of God, and it put them in action. When His promise was fulfilled it put them in action.

62 Friends, may I say this: what we have seen in the last year or two in the kingdom of God ought to put every born-again Christian into action. But the thing of it is, we don't respect it, to realize that it's God. We're just kind of a little curious. We like to see little things that give us sensations, we like to feel good, we like to do these things. But when it really comes to really respecting it and believing it with all of our heart, it puts us into action.

63 Why, when the angel met Mary that morning on the road to the well, and told her she was going to have a baby, knowing no man, it put her into action. She went quickly, telling everybody that she was going to have a baby, knowing no man. She didn't care what it meant or what the people said. She had actually met an angel of God, and it put her into action. She was conscious that the Holy Spirit was upon her, creating in her a life.
Oh, if we could only realize that: that the Holy Ghost is upon us, creating in us a faith, trying to present Himself in so many different ways and gifts to create a faith for a rapturing church. It should put us into action. But ... wonder if we're just doing it the way He wanted it to be, with reverence and humility.
The pillar of fire in this last days ought to put the whole church into action---it being vindicated, signs of His coming at hand.

64 Israel has gone back to her homeland. Jesus said, "When the fig tree puts forth its buds, this generation shall not pass until all these things are fulfilled." When Israel returns to her homeland and becomes a nation, that generation would see the coming of the Messiah.
I got a piece from a rabbi in Palestine the other day was very striking. There's a little vine this year has growed up in Palestine that hasn't been seen there for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years. And it's been predicted by the Jews that when that vine grows again, the Messiah is on His road.

65 The wise men that come from up in Babylon, and they were studying the stars... They were astronomers, and as they studied the stars they seen these three stars line up. Ham, Shem, and Japheth's star that they were born under lined up, and they knew... Those scientific believers watched the heavenly beings, how they moved. And when they seen those stars come into line over Jerusalem (for if they was at Babylon they looked right straight towards Jerusalem, towards the west, to see it), and when they seen that come in... They knew that when those stars come in line with one another the Messiah was on the earth. Glory!

66 And when we see Israel going home, and the Holy Ghost being poured out in the churches, the ecumenical news of going together in a council of churches and things, and Roman Catholicism and Protestantism uniting together, the Messiah is going to come to catch away His bride.
And God is sending gifts to try to create in us a faith that'll move us out of here some day into a rapture---healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, raising up the dead, great signs in the heaven above, angels coming in constellation, and scientists looking off at it, predicted months before it happened. There it was. There it's in a magazine. Told months before it happened, seven angels come down, and said the complete revelation of the six-seal mystery of God would be unfolded. And there it was, just exactly like He said---predicted before it happened.
And they look around, they find all kinds of mystic sights and call them supernatural beings of some kind. They call it flying saucers. Fearful signs in the skies, on earth signs---the signs pointing to us that the coming of the Lord Jesus is at hand.

67 Now a little vine crops up. Israel's a nation of her own. She's got her own nation, her own flag. The old six-point star of David, the oldest flag in the world, flies again for the first time for about 2500 years. They've got their own army, they've got their own currency, they are represented in United Nations. They are a nation for the first time for 2500 years. And while they were gathering in

68 I got a tape of it, a picture. We call it, "Three Minutes till Midnight." And in that, they asked these Jews---bringing them in, old, on their back, packing them---they say, "Did you come to the homeland to die?"
"No. We come to see the Messiah." Amen! When you see them questions that's God's calendar piece, that Messiah is fixing to appear.
Oh, how we ought to be humble! How we ought to be reverent! How we ought to be in action, trying to get every soul saved that we can, scattering seeds from right to left and doing everything we can. But instead of that, we say "Glory to God, I don't feel like going tonight. I believe ... well, I believe I'll stay home and see this good telecast tonight. It's prayer meeting, but..." A sleeping church, a Laodicean, rich. Oh, my! There we are. It should put us in action.

69 We, like the prophet, seeing, come out of self-exaltation and denominations. We see exactly today in the church what's happened, like Isaiah saw. He saw a man, yet being honored of God. But we saw him ... he saw him exalt himself and was stricken with leprosy. We today, we see the same thing, of self-exalted denominations. "We're the biggest one of the bunch. We got more members than the rest of them." Self-exaltation! See the leprosy of unbelief strike them, and they're cast out. Then we ought to look for a vision from heaven that'll show us Jesus Christ among us, His promised Word that He would do it. Yes, sir---influenced not by some man-made system, but influenced by God Himself.

70 We find them, like Uzziah, lose their hold on the Word because they've exchanged it for creeds; trying to make themself, like Uzziah of old, trying to take the place of the anointed office behind the platform, and reject the true Word of God. They have no more business back there than Uzziah did in that ... by that altar with the incense. A man that claims to be a Christian and will deny the facts of the Word has no more business in the pulpit than what Uzziah had with that censer. A man that claims to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and blessed of God, and will stand up and deny that Bible and the truth of it, has swapped it for a creed or something. He's just as full of leprosy of sin and unbelief as Uzziah was.

71 He was put off from the office. But they try to fulfill that office by intellectual. "I'm Doctor ... Ph.D, LL.D, So-and-so," see. They try to take that and usurp education for the anointing of the Holy Ghost. You see, therefore, a man can take that Bible, and some big institution can explain it and take it apart, and lay it out here, and fix it up to make it look pretty good to you---that's intellectual. That is because he studied and studied of these angles and things, how to put it together. But let me tell you something: when God comes down into His Word He don't only put it together, He manifests it out there, and makes it alive and vindicates it, and proves that it is the truth. That's the truth of the Word. That's when God, Himself, said...

72 The vision affected the prophet. Oh, the effects the vision had on him! It caused this prophet... Now, remember, he had been looking at a man. But when he saw something real... He'd watched the man's holy life; he watched him fail. He seen him take leprosy and die. You ... looking at the same thing in your denominations. You see where every one of them are gone?
Now, this great ecumenical move... If a church isn't in this ecumenical move, in a time of an emergency that church cannot be used as a church, and no minister can minister to anybody. He'll be put to death by doing so if he ministers any blessing to the people, outside he's with the ecumenical move. That's exactly in the writings today by the Lutheran (I forget his name), see. That's right. Your church cannot be worshipped in. It will be made a storeroom. See, the mark of the beast already coming in effect, and we're looking at it. Oh, it ought to put the church in action! Certainly it ought to.
Watch the effects of the vision now, what it did to the prophet. It caused him... After watching that man and see it fail, he saw God angry with the man, and withdrawed from him and smote him with leprosy.

73 Then he went down to the temple to say, "Lord God, I know you're God, and I've been looking at the wrong thing."
And then God showed him a vision. And not only a vision, but the vision was vindicated because in the midst was the seraphims flying back and forth, that even their voice rocked the building when it come together, the posts of it. And then... See, he saw something real, and yet he was a prophet. He was ... the prophet's who the Word comes to. But he had never went out into a sphere no more than what he had been looking at---his hero, Uzziah---looking at the past, or the big fellow.
And when he seen the failure there of... The Word ... and seen the Word rebuke the man because he was usurping a office that he had no business to be, then what happened? He looked up and he saw the Lord.

74 Can you read between the lines? Can you see what I'm saying now? The Lord Jesus, that promised "As it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man," the very God that wrote the Bible, said, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." And He said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he also." Do you get what I mean?
Then that honest-hearted man saw the glory of God. He saw it in action. And he cried out as a sinner, and confessed himself to be a sinner. He'd never seen anything like that so real before. He confessed that he was a sinner. Then what happened? When the prophet got ready to confess, then come the real cleansing.
Until the people gets ready to confess, there's no need of having these healing services. If you'll confess your sins, confess your unbelief, confess the things that you're doing wrong, then God can do something. But until there is a confession, there can be no cleansing.

75 And as soon as Isaiah said, "Woe is me! I'm a man of unclean lips, and I dwell with people of unclean lips," then come the confession. Then come the cherubim with the fire.
Did you notice? God never used a seminary to cleanse him with. He never used a book of laws to clean him with. He cleansed him by fire. God always cleanses His servants when He's ready to put them in duty by the Holy Ghost and fire. God cleanses by fire. Not by books, not by education, not by intellectual conception, not by denomination, but by the fire of the Holy Spirit God cleanses His servant.

76 Then notice. Then, after the confession, after the cleansing, then come the commission. Then was the commission. After confessed and cleansed, it was then that the clean Isaiah answered God and said, "Here am I; send me." After he was cleansed ... confessed, cleansed by the fire, then that clean Isaiah was ready for work.
He was ready to be an example. He was ready to have ... to put his life out that ... others to be influenced by him. But until he had confessed it, until he was cleansed, then he was a very poor influence---just as a puppet for the king.

77 Now, he's cleansed. Now he's confessed and cleansed and called, and commissioned to be a prophet. And God let him write the entire Bible. In sixty-six books of the Bible, and there's sixty-six chapters of Isaiah. He starts out in Genesis, the middle of the book comes John the Baptist, and goes plumb over into the millennium reign in Isaiah 65 and 66. That's right---Revelation. He wrote the entire outline of the Bible.
Why? Because he humbled himself when he saw the presence of God. What did he do? And his... After he did that, and humbled himself and was cleansed, and set aside, and cleansed and commissioned, he's influenced millions of people. Here is his book. Here's Isaiah's writing that's influenced men from that time down to this. His influence goes on. The Bible said their works do follow them.
The Holy Spirit told John, on the revelation on the Isle of Patmos, "Thou must prophesy yet before kings and nations and people." The book of Revelation's still prophesying. They rest from their labors, but their works follow them. Their influence that they had still follow them, see. Certainly it is.

78 Now, today, we find the same thing---influences. We've got to influence... Before we can influence we've got to recognize God, we've got to be clean, we've got to be humble, we got to get ourself down and know... Just keep imagining and knowing how little you are. You're nothing, I'm nothing, and none of us is nothing; but He's all. He's worthy of all praise.
O Lamb of God, what we need is to go back to the temple. We need to go back to the altar of God and to make a altar in our own hearts where that we can surrender ourselves; and then see the Lord God of hosts come down in this last days and do what He did when He was here first. Then you'll understand it and cry, "Woe is me."
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
Making him as pure as pure could be,
When the voice of God said, "Who'll go for
us?"
Then he answered, "Master, here, send me."

79 Is that right? Let's sing it.
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."
(Listen, friends)
Millions now in sin and shame are dying;
Listen to their sad and bitter cry;
Hasten, brother, hasten to their rescue;
Quickly answer, "Master, here am I."
Now, speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."

80 Do you love Him? Let's bow our heads now just a moment and hum this.
... the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
(Let's hum it now.)
Making him as pure as pure could be,
When the voice of God said, "Who'll go for
us?"
Then he answered, "Master, here, send me."
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."

81 Heavenly Father, we are waiting for a cleansing of all unbelief, for truly millions now in sin and shame are dying. What good, Lord, does it do that we profess without having what we profess to have? How good does it do for us to try to imagine with our intellects that something has happened when we really know it hasn't happened? Our heavenly Father, we pray that You'll cleanse us now from all of our unbelief, and all of our carnal things of life that we might be clean by the blood of the Lord Jesus.
This group here in Chicago ... by that vision the other morning, Lord, I know there's part of that bride waiting here, and I don't know just how to catch it, Lord. I'm just sowing seeds wherever I can. I pray, God, if there's them here tonight that doesn't have this experience, that they've never been ... and seen the real kingdom of God being manifested, never felt the results of it, and see their lives to cope to all the Word, and can ... and so forth, Lord, grant tonight, that this will be the night that they will do it. Grant it, Father. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

82 Now, reverently... I'm sure you know me well enough (or I hope you do), I am not a fanatic. If I am, I don't know it. And I don't believe that God honors fanatics. All these years on the field there'd have been something happen. I am your brother, but I do believe with all my heart that... Now I can't say the Lord told me, but I believe that this generation living now will witness that rapture. That's how close I believe... I can't see nothing else coming. See, everything's done moved right up to its place.

83 Remember, the last thing that taken place before Sodom was burned, the Lord was manifested in human flesh. Now, He was a man. He eat meat, and He drank the milk from the cow, and eat cornbread, and eat the calf of the cow, and stood there and eat; and yet Abraham, who talked to Him, said that it was Almighty God. In human flesh, yes. He was showing an example what He was going to do in the last days. Jesus referred back to it.
And watch the ministry that He did. The first thing, He referred back to His promise. You see the theology side of it, see? He said, "I made you a promise, and now I'm here to confirm it."
And now, how we know that promise is... Watch. That ... they were waiting. Just before the fire fell, Abraham and Sarah was waiting for a promised son. God appeared in human flesh and done signs before them that Jesus referred to would be the same thing at His coming that He, the Son, promised. And we've noticed that now for going on fifteen years; and still, the church gets worse. No wonder we can actually see we're in the Laodicea age.

84 Now, the Holy Spirit is here. There may be ones in here... We have ... we've been praying for the sick, but I'm making an altar call. I'm making an altar call to both professors and those who have never made a profession. I'm asking you to go with me to the temple of God which is within you, go to the confession booth of your heart, and say, "Lord God, cleanse me and send the angel with a coal of fire and take from me all unbelief, that this night I might recognize the presence of God as Isaiah, the prophet, did when the angel touched him." I want you to do that, and really be sincere.

85 Now, we've got a promise for this age. We haven't been promised a great bunch of theology. We've been promised... Look, the Hebrews had two thousand years of theology, but they had a sign given to them before they was destroyed. Lot and them had another sign give to them. They saw the same sign. And now, if God lets the people...
When Jesus was here He made that same sign to the Hebrews, He made it to the Samaritans, and not to the Gentiles. Now, this is the end of the Gentile age, like it was then to their age. The Gentile church is being called.
Now, God cannot change His program, because He's infinite, and He's perfect. Omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and infinite---if He isn't, He isn't God. So you see, He's got to do the same thing He did then. That's the reason they knowed... In every generation that He manifested Himself was the same way, knowing that He is the same.

86 Now, if Jesus Christ stood here tonight at this platform... If He stood here the only thing that He would do would be the same thing He did when He was back there, to make the people understand that He was the Son of God.
Now, He is here. He promised to be here. And now, the only way that He can work is by His promise, "I am the vine; ye are the branches." And the branches bear record that the life is coming from the vine, or it doesn't have any life in it. But if it's energized by the life, it's got the same life that the vine's got. It's compelling itself, or pushing itself, up into the branch.

87 Now be reverent a moment, and may the God of heaven help me, that you, on this sermon that I preached, that when Isaiah---that believer... When he come to the place that he'd seen the failure of man who tried to represent God, then he saw God come down, and a reality to it. Then he cried, "Woe is me," because God had made the promise like that. He made it to each generation. He's making it to us, in this our generation. We see everything exactly in order for His coming. Now do you believe He's here? Now, may He help me.

88 Now I want to know how many sick people's out there. Raise up your hands. You have faith. And now I ask you to take this scripture (Hebrews), that he is the high priest of our confession, and He can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. Now you pray, "God, let me touch You, and then You in return speak back through Brother Branham like You did through your real Son. He's just an adopted child, like I am. But You promised that in this last days You would do it. Now, Lord, let me see something real." You pray. May God of heaven, upon the basis of my heart being poured out to Chicago (and wherever I go), may He confirm it to be so.

89 That man that just raised back in his seat---he's a big fellow, sit right straight in front of me here, that's got his hands up---no, the one back ... white shirt on. It's not exactly you, yourself, but you're praying for somebody else. It's a minister. Do you believe I can tell you what's wrong with him? He's got heart trouble. If that's right, wave your hand. Believe for him now. If you'll just believe it... But you've got to believe it. If you don't believe it, it won't work. The man in sincerity...

90 Here, here. Here sits a woman, sitting right down here by this end---second woman back in the second row here, right here. She's suffering with a colon trouble. It's an infection in her colon. The little lady on the end there, kind of gray-headed, stand on your feet so the people can see you. Yes, that's you. That's the truth. It's an infection in the colon and also you have other things wrong---complications. If that's right, raise up your hand. Now who did she touch? Not me; she touched Him. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Here's a lady sitting right back here. She's got trouble, roaring in her head, nervous complications. Mrs. Pfeiffer, you believe with all your heart. Stand up on your feet. I don't know you, but Jesus Christ gives you your desire. I never seen her in my life. She's a stranger to me. It'll stop, don't worry. Your faith healed you.
You believe? Don't you see that's what He promised?

91 That man sitting back there... Don't you see that light? He's very bad. He's had a tumor in his throat. He's had an operation. The doctor don't give him much hope for it. Do you believe that God will make you well? You accept it? Mr. Stonelake, you believe with all your heart? All right, stand up on your feet. Jesus Christ will make you well.
"If thou canst believe..." This lady, laying over here in this stretcher, of course you have no prayer card. There's no such a thing now. You're paralyzed. Do you believe this to be the truth? You believe what you've heard tonight is the truth? If you lay there you'll die, but Jesus Christ can heal a paralytic. Do you believe He'll do it? If you'll believe it and will accept it, then you can get up out of that cot and go home in the name of Jesus Christ and be made well.

92 There she comes, raising right now. Somebody give her a little lift there now. She's paralyzed. There she comes by herself, up out of the chair, made whole in the name of Jesus Christ! Do you believe with all your heart? Then stand on your feet. There comes a paralyzed woman walking through the audience. "Speak, my Lord..."
Do you believe with all your heart? There's another man, paralyzed---out of the cot, coming up, glorifying God. Do you believe? Where's there another one? All the cots are empty! Everything ... everybody's on their feet, praising God. "When the coal of fire had touched the prophet..." Here's a paralyzed woman walking on the platform. Praise be to God! Give Him glory and praise! Here's another man coming up the platform. Look at him walking up steps! Let's give God praise. Raise up your hands and give God the glory!

Influence

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Only believe, only believe,
All things are possible, only believe;
Only believe, only believe,
All things are possible, only believe.
Let's bow our heads. Our heavenly Father, we thank Thee for this song, only to believe! Just see our Lord as He come to the boy that had the epilepsy, said, "I can, if you believe, for all things are possible to them that believe." Lord, help our unbelief tonight, is our prayer. We are so thankful to You for your presence with us, and for people who believe You and love You. And to know now, not we will be, but now we are lifted up in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, sitting by, with our King tonight, already seated positionally with Him. Oh, how we thank Thee for this confidence that we have in Him, his promises, knowing that it can never fail, that it's always true. We pray that You will visit with us tonight. May the Holy Spirit take the Word of God and divide it to our hearts just as we have need, that when we leave tonight, going to our homes, we might say with those who come from Emmaus one night, saying, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He talked to us along the way?" For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

2 May be seated. I am very happy to be back again tonight, to speak to you and fellowship with you, around the things that belongs to Christ. That's no other purpose we have of being here, but to do that, just fellowship around His Word.
I'm sorry I keep you all so late each night. Someone told me, said, "People go home here at eight-thirty or nine o'clock, from church." But I'm just a Southerner, and kind of slow, you know. And I can't think of it so fast. I just have to kind of take my time with it.

3 But I certainly am thankful for the fine cooperation that I get from you people in there, who are believing on God. Your fine cooperation makes it so easy, for the Holy Spirit to move among the people. I wish I could find this everywhere, I do, where you could find people who believe. No matter what God does, how much of a gift He would represent, you have to believe it, see, because it's ineffective unless you believe it.
Jesus one time, coming from another country, came into his own. And they said, "We heard You did so-and-so at such a place," but then He could not do many mighty works. Now we don't like to say it that way, but that's the way the Scripture says it, that He could do ... "He could not do many mighty works, because of their unbelief."

4 And God's power is limited to your faith in it, see. That's the only limit it has, is your faith. And if ... All things are possible to them that will believe it, see. There is a great God in heaven, and if we could only get in contact, like a direct line to Him, all things are possible, see. But we must come in contact with Him, with no static nowhere, just a clear channel between us and God. Then He said, "If you say to this mountain, 'be moved,' and don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you have said." Now, you can't bluff it. Satan doesn't bluff too easy, so you can't bluff it. But when you really know it, then it's got to happen, see, just it must happen.
So we're here, and worship Him, and He's lovely and fairest of ten thousands to our soul. And we're certainly happy to be seated here with you, tonight, in this lovely time of fellowship.

5 Now, you that like to read the Word, or mark the places. I thought tonight, been preaching so much on divine healing, I kind of changed the subject tonight, a little bit. Not exactly change it, but just the running of it. Because, you can't change one word in the Bible, because it just coincides with the other words with it. All Scripture just binds together. It's just like a ...
Pardon, if this sounds sacrilegious, and I wouldn't mean it that way, at all. But it's just like a jigsaw puzzle, you know. We used to get the old jigsaw puzzles all cut up, and then we'd sit down and study how to put it together. And then we'd have to have something laying over on the side, the picture of what we were trying to place together, to make the jigsaw puzzle come out right. If you didn't, you'd never get it done.
And now that's the way the Scripture is. It's cut up like that, to be hid from the eyes of the wise and prudent; see, they're like the Pharisees, smart scholars. And Jesus thanked God that He had hid that from their eyes, and will reveal it to babes such as will learn.

6 Now if you want your example, to lay aside your pattern, to see what the Scripture goes together with, just lay Jesus over here and go to watching Him, and placing it in the Bible. You got the whole thing come out right, 'cause it is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The New Testament and Old, both, all speak of Jesus, see, Jesus Christ the Son of God, 'cause He is the ... this book of redemption. He was the Word, and He is the Word, and that's bound to be Him, you see. So this is the whole book of redemption, which is Jesus Christ, fitly put together by God; with the promises of redemption and healing, and everything, for the human being, see. Do you get that now? This Book is Jesus Christ, put together by God, see. And He come as a human being and redeemed us, and every promise is in Him, and for you, He is the Redeemer.

7 Let us turn tonight in the Old Testament, to get what we wish to make a context from, as we read from Isaiah, the 6th chapter of the book ... the prophet Isaiah.
I like Isaiah's writings. He was a great prophet. Did you ever know that Isaiah wrote the entire Bible, like a prelude to it? He did. Isaiah starts out in the creation, in the middle of the Book come John the Baptist, and the last in the millennium. So he ... There is sixty-six books of the Bible, and sixty-six chapters of Isaiah, so it's just certainly a foreshadow of the entire Bible.

8 Now let us read from the 6th chapter.
In the year that ... Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
And above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD God of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thy iniquity is taken away, and thy sins are purged.
Also I heard the voice of God ... the voice of the Lord, saying, Who shall I send, and whom shall ... or who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
I wish to take a text, if we should call it that, on the subject of "Influence." Influence is a great thing. We are told of, Scripture, that, "We are written epistles, and read of all men."

9 And we, as Christians, should always watch what we do and what we say, that we're perfectly honest to every man. And you, if you can't be honest with your fellow man, you certainly won't be honest with God. So how we serve God, is, we serve each other. As honest as I would be with you, that's as honest as I'll be with God. And that's the same way with you to me. We must be honest with each other in all of our dealings.
And somebody is watching us. You may not think that, but there is eyes watching you. And your life is influencing somebody. Maybe it's a little child, and that child may grow up to be another Finney, or Moody, or so forth. We don't know. But your life is influencing someone.

10 And our setting tonight is quite a great setting on this, because just reading it this afternoon, when I was studying, I was thinking how great God was.
This morning, when my son and I were kind of walking around the block, there was so many people. We went down around Times Square, for they said they were going to tear it down. I think the work's already begun. So I was looking at that, and we were taking some pictures. And the people, crowding! I said to my son, Billy, I said, "Where're they all going? What's the hurry? Here they are, down beneath us, a running; and here, a running; and up above us, a running. Where is everybody going in such a hurry?"

11 And as we stood, we thought this, "How can God know the thoughts of every person? And how could it be that all the billions in the earth, and yet God knows every time you bat your eye?" He is infinite.
And if you just want to know, and just to satisfy that, if it ever comes in your mind, go out and look up at the stars and wonder how He controls all of those, then you'll see what a little job this would be. When those stars, you can see a hundred and twenty million years of light space, through a glass; you know how fast light travels, why, you could run a row of nine's around the state of New York, couldn't break it down in miles. And beyond that is just as many stars as there is on this side. Like Mount Palomar and Mount Wilson there in California, it may be seen.

12 Think how great He is, and how He holds the earth! This earth, or one of those stars would move from its place, millions and billions of miles away, it would affect this earth. That whole solar system has to stay just at its place. And, see, everything God made, like that, obeys God. But when God made man, man seems to want to know more than He does, you see; we're the only ones out of place. They stay in place. And they have to stay in place, to coordinate with each other.

13 For instance, the moon, if the moon would ever move out of its place, the earth would be filled with water, in a few moments. See, the moon is rather like a watchdog of the sea. "He set its bounds, that it can't pass." And when the moon turns from the earth, here comes the tides in. If the moon didn't catch it around the other side, it would cover the earth, see. So the moon stops and he turns his back to look around the other side of the world, and here comes the waters coming in real fast, and then he turns again. He is Jehovah's servant. Sea stops and goes back to its place again, because it sees the perfect moving of Jehovah.
Oh, if we in the church, as the members of the body of Christ, could only work in harmony like that, you would see a great, mighty church of the living God, all in one array, filled with the Holy Spirit. Wouldn't it be wonderful? Every member of the body functioning just exactly to its place, every gift to its place, every gift helping the other, every member helping the other, that would be wonderful. That's what we want to see. But we'll see it someday, if we'll be right.

14 Now, this young fellow, Uzziah, was a king. But before he become king ... He was a king during the reign of Isaiah, the prophet. And he was a shepherd boy; he liked the outdoors. He was a great influence on Isaiah's life. Isaiah was a young fellow, also, just a young prophet. And you read the story, if you want to take II Chronicles 26, it'll tell you. How that at the age of sixteen, after the death of his righteous father, he became ... they taken him and made him king over Israel. At the age of sixteen he began to reign. And he had seen the influence of his parents; his mother was a godly woman, and his father was a godly man, before him. And, in that, it put the influence in the child to do that which was right.

15 I'll tell you. I think, today, we have such a juvenile crime wave across the nation, but really, I think it started in the home. I think the parents began to let go. And if the child had been raised up in a good, old-fashioned, godly home; I don't say it would be all over, certainly not, but it would certainly give that child the right kind of influence. I think, many times, that, homes that children has been brought up wrong, turned loose on the street, and just live for themselves while the mother stays in a barroom, or ... and the father, and so forth. They don't take care of this child. Another thing, they don't love it and give it the affections, to take it up. It's young. You've got to teach it to love and respect, and to read the Bible.

16 I think of Susan Wesley. I think she had seventeen children. I think that's right. But she found two hours or more, every day, to pray. Down at the end of her dress, where the little boys knelt around, out of there produced a John and a Charles that changed the course of the world, saved the world in that day. And she didn't have a washing machine and a dryer, as we have today, and a dishwasher, and so forth, or a maid. The thing that ... She did it all herself, but yet she could find time because she was putting an influence to some children that finally changed the course of the world. I think that's the old-fashioned mother, the old-fashioned home, where prayer and the understanding of the Bible.

17 I believe it was Abraham Lincoln never owned a book in his life, till he was of age, but the Bible and ... I think it was either the Foxe Book of Martyrs ... I might not, it might've been another book. I think it was Pilgrim's Progress, to be right. It was Pilgrim's Progress, and the Bible. You see what kind of a character that molded?
Just let me go in your house and see what kind of pictures you got on your wall. Let me go to your home or your office, and let's see what kind of music is playing, see. What you read, what you look at, I can pretty well tell you what's on the inside of you, see, because it feeds on that, see. And, oh, to a home, if we made home more lovely, children wouldn't want to run away. Make things more for them, where they feel welcome and nice and comfortable at home; where, home, they can't hardly wait till they get there. And that's the way home should be.

18 And I think that's the kind of a home that Uzziah must have been raised in, because of the influence of his godly parents. And as soon as he become king, he ignored all popular opinions and all political differences, and he set his mind for one thing: he would serve God, regardless! We need some more politicians like that. He was determined that he was going to serve God, because that's the way he was raised, and his father give him the right influence, that he could serve God and live.
And his kingdom was so great till, I believe, it was next to Solomon's kingdom. I believe it's noted about next to Solomon's kingdom. How God blessed him!
And this was a great influence upon this young prophet, Isaiah, who was at the temple at the time, or in the land. And how he was seen, and how God would bless a man that taken the right stand, done the right thing, had the right motive and the right objective, and he done right.

19 Sometimes you may think that it doesn't pay off. But it certainly does pay off. It's got to pay off. You cannot be going east and west at the same time. You can't be going right and left at the same time. You may think you're going the other way, but you're not. So if you'll set your mind and eyes, and motives and objectives, in life, on the right thing, you've got to come out on the right thing. You can't fail, see. That's the only way. No matter how much you're tempted to do the other side, turn your head from it and do what's right. And you know you're right; you feel better, and you are better. And that's just all there is to it, you got ... you're going to come out right. You start going west, you're not going to be going north, you're going to be going ... you're going to be going west. And that's the same way it is in right and wrong.

20 And Isaiah saw this, and he saw that God blessed him. And how he ... all the nations, around about, his fame went plumb into Egypt. And how the nations didn't want war with him, they seen that God was with him. So he just ... They sent him peace offerings and herds of sheep, and things, and give it to him, to cause peace. And he was a good man.
And I believe if a nation, or a people, or a church, or an individual, no matter how much the critics criticize you, just do the right thing. They have a respect for you, way down in their heart. I found that to be the truth, see. Be honest and be upright, people will respect that. And even though they're wrong, they still respect it, you see, because it's just the human being. We're all human, and we know that there is a right and wrong, and we must take that.

21 And Uzziah held this standard. He was a great influence, as I've said, to Isaiah the prophet.
And then Uzziah made that fatal mistake, just like many other people does. When he got, felt secured, felt that he just had the whole thing in his hand, he got lifted up in his spirit. He got lifted up, to pride. Now there is a real example for us all.
You know, that's been the trouble. I'm speaking to Christians and ministers, and I want to be honest about these things. And just that's where many ministers even make a mistake. We've heard so many times about the ministers, the acts that they do, and the things, some of them maybe to doing things they should not do. I think sometimes, them are good men, wonderful Christians that's been used of the Lord. And then finally they get a little kingdom built around them, or a lot of influence, many people attending their meetings, until they get careless, and they get kind of lifted up. The people applaud them and stand up, and we shouldn't really do that. We, remember, we're just all ...
There is no big people among us. We're all just God's children, you see, if God made some of us one thing and some another. Why, He made me with a finger and an eye, and so forth. Well, we got to appreciate each other, and not try to feel big. Because, we're all connected together to one God, see, and we all come off of one tree, see.

22 And now we find that many times, ministers gets to feeling just a little secure, and they keep leading out, and the first thing you know, they'll do things that they should not do. And we know that, many times, righteous and good men will get so that they'll have too many social affairs, just, they want to go out to big parties, and the first thing you know, they'll call for a little drink, once in a while, and they get entangled with the world. And I think that's what's the matter with our churches today. I think that's what's the matter with our Pentecostal move.
Now let me state this first, clearly, see. You hear me say things about the Pentecostal church. And I am Pentecostal, see. But, here, what if there was no Pentecostal people in New York, tonight, where would I go to preach this message to? See? I appreciate the Pentecostal people. They're my brothers and sisters.
But yet when I see something wrong with my brother, my child, or be my wife, or whatever it was, right is right. A correct parent will correct their children.

23 And I think that the trouble with our church, we try to get too much like the others, see. We try to act like somebody else, you see, and we begin to take on their habits. And the first thing you know, it used to be ...
I don't remember the Pentecostal people in their beginning, of course, they been many years ago, in this last move from Azusa Street, but I took the history of it. And I've read many books, and talked to some of the old men. Fixing to have a meeting right now with one at Shreveport, Louisiana, he'll be there, was one of the first men in Azusa Street. And then that's the beginning of Pentecost in this country, about fifty-something years ago, I suppose. I preached the golden jubilee at the McPherson temple, Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, a few years ago, the golden jubilee or the fiftieth year of Pentecost, now, you see.

24 But since then, there has been so many little things creep into the church, because the church has to rub shoulders with the world each day. Now, and I don't mean to come back to this again, to our sisters, see, or our brothers. Many times, it used to be years ago, that it was wrong (for as I said the other night) for our sisters to cut their hair. It used to be a Pentecostal affair, that they shouldn't do that and those things. But what is it? Now we go into the different parts of the country, and we find our Pentecostal sisters with those water-head haircuts, you know, them big haircuts like that. And you can tell them about it. And they use make-up. They wear clothes like men.
And you say, "Now, Brother Branham, you're picking on the women."

25 Now wait a minute, let me pick on the men. The brother that will let his wife do that, he's not a much ruler over his house, see. See?
You shouldn't do that. But what is it? We've rubbed shoulders with the rest of them, some little weakling come in from some seminary or school, and have a different idea of it. But there is only one perfect example, that's, right back to the Bible. The Bible condemns that, see. And it's not right.

26 And then we find other things. It used to be it was wrong for the holiness people to attend bioscopes or movies, you know. Now they go all the time, see. And then Satan pulled a fast one on you, put the television right in your house, and, see, fixed it in there. But all these things, that it used to be wrong.
Well, what is it? See, it comes in so gradual until, the first thing you know, it's just got you. It's like a vine growing around you. Now, if you will keep that vine away from you, see, and just keep wrapped around Jesus, around the Word and stay with that, see, you'll grow straight. That's crooked and it pulls you off the road. Christ pulls you up. That pulls you sideways.
And then you see one woman, like a minister's wife, or a minister, start doing a certain thing, his whole church will say, "Well, our pastor does it. The pastor's wife does it. Why shouldn't we do this?" See, you are influencing someone, and be sure that you're influencing them right, towards the right road and the things to do that's right.

27 Now we find out, when you get lifted up, right then you're on your road down, see, when you lift yourself up.
And we find out that this Uzziah, he got lifted up because he felt secure, all everything around him. He had his nation, and it was well taken care of, and God had blessed him. And he had great vineyards, and herds and sheep, and mines, and everything wealthy. And all the nations was at peace with him. So he just got lifted up till he thought he could just do anything that he wished to, in pride.
He got so lifted up until he tried to take a minister's place. He went into the temple, and took the censer and went to the altar. And when he did, the priest run after him and told him he shouldn't do that. And when he was corrected, instead of being humble as he would have been ... Before he was lifted up, he'd have said, "That is right, I have no right to do this," and had set the censer down or handed it to the priest who was of Aaron, ordained to do so, only consecrated for that service.

28 I travel quite a bit with these here Full Gospel Business Men. Many of them are sitting right here now. And I've got to speak at their breakfast, Saturday, Saturday morning at some ... What? Statler Hotel, I believe it is. They said they already sold seventeen hundred tickets for the breakfast already.
So then, not long ago, I was speaking with them. And they was taking the businessmen up on the platform, taking their text and preaching the gospel. I said, "That's wrong." It certainly is wrong. It's hard enough for us preachers to keep it straight; let alone take a businessman that's not ordained to something like that, that you bring in little ideas, and so forth. And I said, "You shouldn't do that."

29 Don't never try to take the other fellow's place. God made you a certain thing, and you stay that. You stay just what you are. Don't try to impersonate the other. That's what always ruins the gifts that God sends to the world. We find so many carnal impersonations, and we find someone who tries to copy after the other one.
Like they said as the lady ministers, when Mrs. McPherson was living, and every woman minister wore those wings like she did, or ever what it was, and pack their Bible the same way. And everything that she did, they did.

30 We notice we got so many Billy Graham's today! But you see, God never made but one Billy Graham. That's all.
And you're just as important as Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, or any of those famous men. You're just as important until you get out of your place, and then you're no good at all, you're a hindrance to these men, and you're a hindrance to yourself and the kingdom of God. Stay in your position, see. Stay what God made you, see, and then you'll operate right.
As Paul, it's not nothing new, Paul taught the same thing, said, "If the hand shall say to the eye, 'because I'm not of the eye,' or the ear say to the nose, I'll no more be an ear, because I'm not the nose," or something. You, can't do that. See, it all fitly sets together and moves as one great unit.

31 And we mustn't try to impersonate anyone. Just be what you are, see, and that's the way God made you. You never fashioned yourself. And, remember, as much as we ministers would like to take Billy Graham's place, we cannot do it, neither can Billy Graham take our place. See, we, each one has something to do. The common little fellow here that may be a janitor, the little woman that may be a housewife, the greatest minister on the face of the earth today could not take your place. You, God had a purpose in making you what you are, and you just serve God in that way that He made you, see. And I think, if we would just do that, the wheels would roll a lot easier. Yes, it would, if we would do that, not get lifted up. And we find out, instead of ...

32 When someone tells someone something, Scripturally, and we see that it's right, instead of trying to humble ourselves, just say, "Well, now, I've been wrong. You forgive me. And I didn't mean ... I didn't know that, so I'll just quit doing that." Well, then, instead of doing that, too many times we do like Uzziah did; he felt like he was too big to be called down, see, he was the king. And many times I've seen ministers that way, that felt that they were just too important to be told what the Word was, truth.
"Well, the days of miracles are passed!"
I can show you where God ordained miracles; now you can't tell me where He ever took it away, see. And He ordained gifts; you never did see where He took it away. See, it's in the Scripture. "Go ye into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature." How long? "To all the world, till every creature hears it, as many as hears it. These signs shall follow them that believe." See, we can't substitute something else. Just take what He said, and it'll be all right and it'll work fine. But as long as we try to adopt our own ways ...

33 That's where Israel made their most rashal mistake. When, grace had provided them a pillar of fire, angel, a sacrifice, and delivered them, sent them a prophet, sent them a pillar of fire to follow them, to lead the prophet in the way. And when they come to Exodus the 19th chapter, when they swapped grace for law, they did the most rashal thing they ever did, see. But they wanted something that they could do themselves.
That's the way we are. We got to have our doctor's degree. And you haven't got it, you can't get in church. That's all. So, and we must study the thing and find out whether it's of God.

34 Now we find out, Uzziah got lifted up, and he was going to do it anyhow. He grabbed up the censer and took off. It didn't make any difference what the priests said, he was going in anyhow! And it was against the Scripture. It was unscriptural for him to do that.
It's unscriptural for you or I to impersonate anyone else. That's right. So be what you are, and be a good one, and fulfill your purpose so others can see you. If you're a housewife, be a real one, see. If you're a husband, be genuine, see. And if you're a deacon, be genuine; or a preacher, or whatever you are. But don't try to take someone else's place.
And then when the Word calls you down on this, don't ... If you do feel rebuked, then repent. That's all, is get right. That's the only thing to do.

35 But Uzziah didn't want to do that. After God had blessed him the way He had, and yet he didn't feel like that he would do that. He felt he was going to go on, do it anyhow, because he felt he was secure. But while he was in the ... It kind of made him feel angry at those men, too, that was telling him the Word of the Lord.
And when he did, he rushed in, anyhow, and we find out that in his face come leprosy. And he was a leper until he died. He never could go to the house of the Lord no more. He died, a leper. After he had seen the hand of God, and how God had been so good to him and done the things He had; yet that man died, isolated, leper.
Now we can do that. We've seen many things, but don't you never think that we're so secure that God can't put judgment upon us, see. See?

36 Remember, don't try to impersonate anyone else. Be just what you are. If God made you a Pentecostal, you be a real one, you see. If God ... Don't be ashamed of it. I'm not ashamed to be a human being. I'm not ashamed to be an American. I'm not ashamed to be a minister. I'm not ashamed of the gospel that I preach. Because ...
I know many of them think that I've lost my mind. Even my good old righteous mother, that died a few years ago. When I first received the Holy Ghost, there was no one in our country knowed anything about it. And I was just a local, little, young Baptist preacher about twenty years old. But when I received the Holy Ghost, my mother said, "That boy has lost his mind," see. But no matter what mother thought, I had found that pearl of great price. It might've seemed like that to her, but to me it was real. See, it was. It was a genuine something that I had found in God.

37 Because, I always believed, as a boy, that this was the Word of God, and it could never change. Jesus said, "Heavens and earth will pass away, but my words shall never be changed. It shall never pass away." You can't substitute anything to it. It's just the way it's written, and that's the way we believe it. Don't add nothing, or take nothing from it. You know, over in the Book of Revelation, it said, "Whosoever shall add a word, or take anything out of this Book, (what?) the curse would be upon him." So just say it just the way it is, and believe it like that, and God will honor it.

38 Now he was smitten because of his uplifting of pride. Got to feeling that there was ... he was the only one there was, and he would do what he wished to and nobody else could stop him.
We had a brother, not long ago, that I felt so sorry for him. Looked like everybody got down on him. They accused the brother of doing something wrong, which the newspaper accused it. But I got to thinking about that, accuse the man. I really took up for him, 'cause ... I certainly didn't agree with him. But the man who wrote an article and put it in a magazine, that this man had said all these different things and done these things.

39 And one night at a meeting in Minneapolis, they told me that the writer of this magazine was there. And the article had just come through in a Christian magazine, so it was a Christian Digest. So they, pointed the man out, to me, said, "That's him sitting there." And he had in this article, that this minister had wrote something, a book that the man did not write. I know it. A lady wrote that book, and I knew the lady. "Biting of Devils."
So I said, "Well, now, one thing that I would say. Now, I might disagree with the minister, but I think, if the the editor of this column, if he never checked his script no better than to say that this man wrote this article, and I know he did not do it, see, then I'm afraid a lot more things he said about this minister's wrong." And then I said this, "I would rather be found even wrong, by trying to get somebody saved, than trying to hinder somebody that's trying to get somebody saved." That's right.
I'd rather take the man's place, at any time, than to try to criticize or tear down what somebody else was building up, even though they had made an error or done something wrong. So we must watch, we influence others on what we do.

40 Then when this man got stricken by this leprosy, when he got lifted up in pride, this was a great lesson to that young prophet. He found out, by this being a great lesson to him, that God orders his man to the place, see. Man cannot order himself. God orders his man. God makes you what you are, see. And God orders his man, and he mustn't try to take another's place. And it was a lesson to Isaiah, that he mustn't put his eyes upon human beings for an example. He must put his eyes on God.
Now that's us. Any man, any man is subject to mistakes. He is subject to error because he is human. He is subject to the violations of God's laws. And he is subject to many things, because Satan tempts him, and he is just a human being. And if God ever lifted his hand, he would fall. That's all.
And I've heard people say, "Oh, Satan can't do ...
Yes, you just let God lift his hand one time, and watch what happens. It's a ... I constantly plead, "God, don't send him. Have mercy on me. Keep him away from me," you see. I need God's mercy. And we all need that.

41 Now we find that, Isaiah, he had leaned heavy upon the good king's arm, and now the arm had been taken from him; and the king was dead, and died with leprosy, in shame. Now, Isaiah, during this time, the king being lifted up, well, then his young son was to take the place. And we find out that the people had got into a horrible immoral stage.
When there is no real godly leader, then the people begin to get into immorals. I think that's what's the matter with us today, in our nation, in our churches, and things. We need godly leaders, somebody that sets an example.

42 But He let Isaiah know here that he could not look upon man. So Isaiah, one day, as he wandered around, he must have got all weary, being knowed he had a great responsibility, he went down to the temple to pray. Now that's a good thing to do, for all of us. He goes down to the temple to pray.
And we notice when he was praying down at the altar. All at once, being a prophet, he fell into a vision. And, when he did, he looked up and he saw God, the King, sitting way high, exalted up on his throne, and his train filled the place, you see. Then he saw a real example. He saw one that he could put his confidence in, that could never be stricken with leprosy, one that could never fail. In other words, He was saying to Isaiah, "See, you put your hope in some man, and it failed. You put your ... looked to this man for an example, and he failed. Now look up here, at Me, I'm the unfailing God."
And I think that's what we should do today, as his servants, should look to Him. Jesus is our example. And we must look to Him, the author and finisher of our faith.

43 Now we find out, in this vision, that he saw God lifted up high on a throne. Then he noticed another thing. Note, around Him was, and in the temple where He was at, was these heavenly seraphims.
If you would check that word, I think it's only used about once or twice in the Bible. And it's not cherubims, but it's next to cherubims. Something like an angelic being; and yet it isn't an angel, and it is an angel, but it's a special person. What they are, they're a burner of sacrifice, in the Bible. And when the sacrifice, of course, brings in or leads in the ... makes a way for the sinner, to holiness. And these seraphims burning the sacrifice which was required, they went to ... That was their duty.

44 And here they were, flying through the temple while Isaiah was in the vision, and the whole temple become full of smoke. And they were crying, one to the other, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty! Holy, holy, holy!" Oh, in other words, "There is something that cannot fall. There is your example. There is the King to look to. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty!"
And we find out that these were six-winged creatures. And now we're going to study their reason for having six wings. They had, we find out, they had two over their face, two over their feet, and were flying with two wings.

45 Now notice, first, that these creatures were ministering in the presence of God. And that was their duty, was crying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty!" And they cried, day and night, in his presence, as the sacrifice is laying there. "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty!"
And I want you to notice something here, and think. Those seraphims had two wings over their faces. Why would they put them over their faces? Because they were in the presence of God. And just think, if holy angels has to cover their face, in his presence, what about us? Has the wings over their faces, represented reverence.
But, today, we find that there is no reverence. Hardly you can find reverence. They don't have no respect for God. They stand and sing God Bless America, with their foot on the bar. And it's terrible, the way they do.

46 I went to ask for a sandwich, today, in a place. And the little lady, not making no remarks about her, but I thought she was dying. She looked like she had cankered under her eyes, she had blue all around her. And she run up, with just a few clothes on, and she said, "What will you have?"
I said, "Would you bring me a sandwich and a glass of buttermilk?"
And she said, "Bourbon on something ... some kind?"
I said, "No, ma'am. You misunderstood me." I said, "I said, 'buttermilk.' "
And she said, "Oh," said, "won't you have something to drink?"
I said, "I want buttermilk."
And she said, "Well, you all, don't you want ... At night we serve so-and-so."
I said, "I'm a minister."
She said, Well, our Catholic priests come in here and drink."
I said, "I'm not a Catholic priest, lady. I want ... I want a glass of buttermilk." It seemed like it shocked the woman. She didn't know what it was, see.

47 And the world has got into such a place. Now if a priest comes in and drink, the congregation has got a right to drink; there is your example, see. Oh, my, what a corruption we're living in! We need a housecleaning, all the way from the pulpit to the ... Yes, sir, we certainly do. How the corruption of the world!
And these, no reverence, no respects! The people today, they don't respect God. They have no reverence. They take His name in vain, and tell dirty jokes. And even ministers do that. You hear a joke, I guess would be all right. But ministers should be examples, I think, of what of righteousness and holiness. And that's the reason I think maybe we don't get no farther than we do; we're not, don't come the sincerity that we ought to have in it. When you're carrying on, and going on, you lose that little grain of sincerity, you know. There is something about it.

48 You must remember that God is watching you, every hour. He watches you when you're asleep. I think the reason that people do those things is because, they're not conscious of his presence, see. But yet He is there, whether you think He is or not. He sees every look that you make, and every move that you make. He knows all about it. But we ought to realize that.
We used to have a little song, when I first come among the Pentecostals, they sang.
All along on the road to the soul's true
abode,
There is an eye watching you;
Every step that you take, this great eye is
awake,
There is an eye watching you;
You remember the song? Now that is true.

49 God's omnipresence knows what you're doing, and even your thoughts. One time while I was in a vision, I was speaking to a being standing by me; and He said back, He said, "Your thoughts are louder in the heavens than your voice is on the earth." He knows what you're thinking. You might say you do this and you do that, but, you see, down in your heart, if you think different, you're doing something wrong. You should be just what you are, see, the heart. The mouth should speak what's in the heart, see. And so we find that the people doesn't realize the presence of God.
You know, they ought to be like David, the man that was after God's own heart. He said, "The Lord is always before me." Wherever he goes, he remembers God is always before him. "He is on my right hand, and I'll not be moved," because God is on his right hand.

50 Reverence! We ought to honor one another, respect one another, as brother, sister. And love one another, with undying love. You say, "Well, I just can't." Well, just stay here a little longer, and then you will like people, too. You'll love those who doesn't love you. That's really a good sign of Christianity: when you can, from your heart, love those who does not love you. Love the unlovable.
Jesus said, "If you just do favors for those that do favors for you, well, the publicans do the same thing." But, see, you must be kind to those who are unkind to you. Do good for those that would do evil to you. Always remember that. Keep that before you, that God's watching you. Remember, God was good to you when you were evil to Him. "While you were yet sinners, Christ died for you."

51 Now we find out, that these wings over their faces was because they were in the presence of God, reverent. And if a holy seraphim has to hide his face behind special covering, the one who knows no sin, never sinned, but yet in the presence of the Holy God has to hide his holy face in the presence of God, what is a hypocrite going to do on that day? What is the backslider going to do on that day? What's the ungodly going to do on that day, when you come? And you're going to have to face Him.
There is only one thing. You say, "But He never made me wings to cover my face." But He shed the blood of his own Son, that you could cover your face with. That's right. That's his only covering that He has for the human race, is the blood of Jesus Christ.

52 Now, secondly, they had their feet covered with wings, under their feet. Now that represented humility. Oh, there is a word that's lost today, to many people. Humility in his presence. Humble ourselves in his presence.
I've seen the Holy Spirit come into the room and perform and do just exactly the things that the Bible said He would do, discern, and I've seen people get up and walk out. I've seen people sit and talk, and laugh and make fun of it, while it was going on.

53 I remember one night, a minister brought twenty-eight of his congregation, and was sitting. This was at Jonesboro, Arkansas.
And they had an epileptic boy, he was having epilepsy. And that's a devil. It's a devil. That's what it is. They don't, doctors don't know what does it. It's a devil. And they put a ... had a clothespin with a rag wrapped around it; when he had these fits, they would throw it in the boy's mouth, 'cause he would chew his tongue so. And they brought the boy up, and he was having this fit right on the platform. Course, when they get the least bit excited, they'll go into one. So while we were fixing to pray for the boy, I said, "Will everyone bow their heads in reverence?" And I prayed for him, and the spirit would not leave the boy.
And I looked around, and I seen a little group sitting in a place. I said, "Would you bow your head?" I said, "you must obey." I said, "That was the commission, 'If you can get the people to believe you, and then be sincere when you pray.' " I said, "Would you bow your head?" That fellow just laughed at me.

54 And so I turned around, but it would not leave the boy. And now this was hundreds of people, five times of what is sitting here tonight, sitting there, yes, many times. They claimed there was twenty-eight thousand people there. So there was ... they was all ...
And then I said, "I wouldn't do that, sir." And he belonged to a denominational church that just simply laughed at divine healing, doesn't believe there is such a thing.
So I looked around. That poor boy, his throat out. And his mother trying to hold, her crying like that. And the boy trying to swallow, and going on.
I said, "Heavenly Father, don't let this innocent boy have to suffer for that guilty group, see." I said, "That was your word, and I've been honest and told them. And so many of the epileptics has been healed here at the meeting." I said, "Don't let this innocent boy have to suffer. The mother and father brought him here. I pray for mercy."

55 Then I turned, I said, "In the name of the Lord Jesus, by faith, by my commission given to me by Almighty God, this devil cannot hold this boy. You're at liberty, see. If the disobedient will be disobedient, then you're at liberty to go to them, but come out of that boy."
And I saw twenty-eight people, with their pastor, fall into epilepsy, right around and around, and around and around, in the floor like that. And as far as I know, they still got it, see.
Now, you see, you mustn't be irreverent. You must humble yourselves. How many of you has been in meetings and seen similar things happen in my meetings? Just, why, see. Sure. Yes, sir.

56 One time they brought a man to hypnotize me. I guess many of you remembers that. And they would take him out to army camps, and take these soldiers and hypnotize them, make them bark like a dog. And they was going to have some fun out of me. So I was in an auditorium, and they brought this man. And I felt, when the prayer line started, there was an evil spirit somewhere.
You can always pick them and that doubt. They think they don't, but you ... it's different.
So then I could tell where it was at, but I couldn't see just where the man was. After a while, I found it and I seen what it was. I watched that darkness hanging over him. And I didn't want to say that, but just turned around to him, said, "Child of the Devil," see, "why has the Devil put in your mind to do that? Because he's done that," Something was saying it in me, "They'll pack you out of here." And he is still paralyzed, see.
Letter after letter, "Come to Him!"
I said, "The only thing I know, is repent. See, I never did that. That was your irreverence before God," see. Now don't you do that. We're ...

57 We've come times that people think that this holiness before God is just some kind of a mockery, or some kind of a bunch of people who doesn't know, some kind of a cult or a clan, or something. But let me assure you, brother! There may be a lot of mockery. I don't say there isn't; I can't say that. I'm just a man. I ain't to judge. I'm just to preach. But there is a genuine Holy Spirit, genuine apostolic power of the Holy Spirit. And in foreign countries, and witch doctors and things rise up, them devils, to challenge. Oh, if we'd just ... I'd break my subject here, to go telling you about those things. And what? The Holy Spirit, never one time have I ever seen Him fail to do it. He'll do it every time.
Notice now, they put, had wings over their feet for humility. We don't like to bow ourselves. We want to think that we're somebody.

58 I remember here not long ago, I was in a little museum, and they had the analysis of a man weighing 150 pounds, what his body was worth in chemicals. I believe it was eighty-four cents, a man weighing 150 pounds, his chemicals of his body. He had some calcium, and a little enough whitewash maybe to sprinkle a hen's nest, and so forth. Just that's about all he had in him, weighing 184 pounds ... or I mean eight-four cents, weighing 150 pounds.
There was two young men standing there, looking at this. And I was standing right behind them, as one of them said, "Well," said, "John, we're not worth very much after all, are we?" And he said, "I guess we're not."
And I said, "Well, boys, that is true, see, you're not worth very much in chemicals. But you got a soul inside of you, see, that's worth a million worlds, see." That's right, see.

59 But yet we want to take care, we get the pride in this eighty-four cents, wrap it up in a five-hundred-dollar mink coat, and stick our nose up in the air, and think we're doing something. I don't mean to be joking. This is not to joke. This, is just telling you what we are. See, we're ...
We haven't got the humility. We don't want to, and people don't. You go sometime to a real well-dressed people in church, they'll come in; and if you're not dressed just right, they'll look at you and talk, you know. And it makes its ... They shouldn't do that, and professing Christianity. I think it's just a profession and not a possession. Because I believe that a real old-time experience with God will make a tuxedo coat put his arms around a pair of overalls, and say, "Brother." I really believe it. It's true, a calico dress with a silk one, will call, "Sister." Yes, sir. Because, it isn't the clothes, it isn't the person. It's Christ, what's on the inside, and we should humble ourselves.

60 Now we find out that these angels covered their feet, or these seraphims.
Moses, when he was in the presence of God, watch him by that pillar of fire that was back in that burning bush, the Lord spoke out. And anyone knows that pillar of fire was Christ, He was the angel of the covenant. "Moses forsook Egypt, esteemed the reproach of Christ greater treasures than that of Egypt." So, it was the angel of the covenant. And when He appeared in that burning bush by the side, in front of Moses, and the voice said, "Take off your shoes." Your feet, see. "Take off your shoes, for the ground that you stand on is holy." Moses humbled himself, by taking off his shoes.

61 That same pillar of fire appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, one day.
Remember, Jesus, when He was on earth. They said, one day they said there was ... In St. John 6, they were drinking from the fountain, and rejoicing. And He said, "I am that water that come from that rock. I am the bread of life that come out of heaven, you see, like that."
They couldn't believe it. They said, "Why, here! We know You have a devil, and You're mad," it means crazy. "Because, You're not over fifty years old, and You say You saw Abraham?"
He said, "Before Abraham was I am. I am."

62 Now we see that Jesus said, "I come from God. I go to God." When this pillar of fire was made flesh, God coming from the Fatherhood, [Gap in the audio.] ... Sonship, and when He come into this attribute. The three attributes; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When God became manifested in flesh, He said, "I come from God. And I go to God," and He ascended up.
And Saul of Tarsus, on his road down to Damascus, he was stricken down by a light. And when he did, he looked up. And that Jew would have never called anything "Lord" if it hadn't have been that pillar of fire. He saw that light there, and he said, "Lord, Who are You?"
He said, "Saul, it's hard for you to kick against the pricks."
And he said, "Who are You, Lord?"
He said, "I am Jesus." See, the pillar of fire again.

63 Look at Saul, humbled himself in the dirt, see, in the presence of God. Humility! Struck off of his feet, laying on his back perhaps, looking up.
And that pillar of fire moving around there, he saw and knew. As teacher from under Gamaliel, the great teacher of that day, he knew that God had led His people in a form of a pillar of fire. And that fire, pillar of fire, had been made flesh and dwelt among them, and had been crucified for their sins, "And I come from God; and go back to God," and here He was, still in the name of the Lord Jesus.

64 And then we find then in that, later just before that, John the Baptist, the greatest of all the prophets. All the prophets spoke of Him coming; John said, "This is Him." He, introduced Him to the world. And John standing there in the water, when he was baptizing, and he was saying, "There is coming a time when the daily sacrifice will be taken from the temple, and there will be a man be a sacrifice." And John was sure that he was going to see Messiah.
You see, when John was called, his father was a priest. But usually a boy followed, in them days, and do in the Orients yet, the occupation of his father. And ordinarily he would have been a priest. But John never went to the school. Cause, John was born, from his mother's womb, full of the Holy Ghost.

65 When, Elisabeth had conceived and the baby was dead in her womb. When Mary was visited by the angel, Gabriel, and told her that her cousin Elisabeth, who was past bearing, had also conceived. And Mary run up to meet her. And she had hid herself, and she was worried because the baby hadn't moved for six months, and that's subnormal. And so she seen Mary coming, she run out and met her, and hugged her. And she said, begin to talk. And she said, "I know she was going to be mother." She said, "Yes, and I am going to be mother, too."
"Oh, I guess you and Joseph are married."
"No, no. We're not married yet."
"And you're going to be mother?"
"Yeah. The Holy Ghost overshadowed me, and said that Holy thing that would be borned of me, in me, would be the Son of God, and I should call his name 'Jesus.' "
And just as soon as that Word "Jesus" was spoke the first time from a human lip, a baby that had never been ... had life in it, yet, received life in its mother's womb and begin to jump for joy. And if the name of Jesus Christ" will bring life to a dead baby, what ought it to do to a borned-again church that claims to be filled with the Holy Ghost? See?

66 Now what kind of a boy should this be? He was to announce the coming Messiah. Malachi 3 said he would. "Behold, I send my messenger before my face."
Now, if he'd have went down to the seminary. Some of those ministers down there, said, "Now, John, you are to announce the Messiah. Why, you know that Uncle Joe here, or Father Jim, or some of them, you know he's got all the qualities of being the Messiah. That's him, John." There, see, he'd be influenced by men.
He went into the wilderness, and he stayed with God. That's the best seminary I know of. Because, his job was too important for some man to be telling him, and taking him out to big social affairs. See, he had a work, he was cut out for something. And John knew that when he come out, preaching, that the Messiah was on earth then.

67 Just as sure as them wise men knew, when they looked down from Babylon and seen them three stars in line, that was the sign the Messiah was already on earth. That's the reason they were crying, "Where is He, born King of the Jews?" And the church didn't have the answer. They haven't got it today. The Bible is what's got it. God's Word is what's got it. That's right.
We find out, in all, that John had to announce the Messiah. And he had ... He only would know that Messiah by a sign. That's how he knowed Messiah. That's the only way God ever makes Hisself known; by a scriptural sign. And he watched. He stood out there, he said ...
They said, "Are you the Messiah?"
He said, "No. I'm not even worthy to touch his shoes." He said, "But He is one ... There is one standing among you."

68 Oh, my, don't think I'm excited! I know where I am. No, but it just feels good when I get to thinking about that, see, "there is one among you." And I say that tonight. There is one among you, the great Holy Spirit promised to be poured out in the last days. I see his sign constantly, and I know He is the Messiah because He still does the Messiah sign.
There He stood among them. He said, "There is one among you. I'm not worthy to touch his shoes, to unlatch his shoes. He is the one that'll baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire.
And one day, walking from out of the midst come an ordinary man, walked out. John looked up, and he said, "Behold, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." And when he did, he said, "I knew Him because there was a sign following Him." And watch here, there's two of the greatest men on earth, standing face to face. John ...

69 I remember Dr. Roy Davis, that ordained me in the Missionary Baptist Church, he said, "You know, what happened there, Billy?".
Said, "What happened?"
When John said, "I have need to be baptized of Thee, and why comest Thou unto me?" Watch the humility of John. He said, "I have need to be baptized of Thee, why comest Thou unto me?" There was the Messiah and his prophet, the keynotes of the day, the keynotes of the Bible, standing there, one looking at the other. John in humility, said, "I have need to be baptized of Thee, why comest Thou to me?"
Jesus said, "Suffer that to be so, for thus it is becoming to us to fulfill all righteousness." And, said, John suffered Him.
I remember Dr. Davis. He might be sitting present. Dr. Davis, not throwing this at you, but I ... He said, "John, first Jesus baptized John, because John hadn't been baptized." And then said, "Then John baptized Jesus." That never did just come right to me.
So one day while the Holy Spirit was near, and in a vision, I saw what it was.
There was John and Jesus, standing face to face, the prophet to whom the Word come to. And the Word had come to the prophet. Amen. And He said, "Suffer it to be so." It was right, said, "but thus it is becoming to us to fulfill all righteousness." The prophet knowed that that was the Lamb, and the Lamb must be washed before it's presented. Amen. So He did it. See that? The prophet, being the Word, and it had come to him.
[A message in tongues and the interpretation are given from the audience.] Amen.

70 John, the prophet. The Word comes to his prophet. And the Word come exactly to the prophet. "It is becoming," it says behooveth, which means, "becoming to us that we fulfill all righteousness."
Oh, how I could leave the text now for a minute, how it's becoming to us to fulfill all righteousness! The hour is here, something, we must fulfill all righteousness. We know what to do. See, we should do it, that's right, believe with all of our heart.

71 Notice, then, we find that John humbled himself in the presence of God.
The thing of it is, people, my brother, sister, and friends, is to be conscious of your littleness, see. Don't be conscious of how big you are. Be conscious of how little you are. You're small. We're all that way. God can do without us, but we can't do without Him, see. See? We, can't do without Him, but He can do without us.

72 God is only trying to find one person He can get in his hands. He has always tried to do that. You notice, all down through the Bible, when He found an Isaiah, when He found a Jeremiah. Then He found--He found Samson, one day; but Samson gave his strength to God, but he gave his heart to Delilah. See, he ...
You've got to give your all to God; your reverence, your respects, your everything that you are. Just be nothing, just see how little you are, that's what God wants us to do. That's real humility. That's the way these seraphims are in his presence, you see, with their face in reverence, covered; their feet, in humility.

73 Now, thirdly, they could fly. They had two wings, that put them in action.
God is showing his prophet here what kind of a servant He has prepared, reverent, humble, and in action. That, see, that's a real servant of God, these who look upon Him. He was looking upon Hezekiah that got lifted up, and fell by pride. But a servant, his servants before Him, is reverent, humble, and in action. His servants, that's the way they should be dressed; dressed in reverence, humility, and constantly about the Father's business. Yes, sir. Reverent, humble, in action.

74 Just like the little woman, we spoke of the other night, at the well. Now, she was a little predestinated seed laying in her heart, but as soon as that light flashed upon there and she seen that was the Messiah, it didn't take her long to go in action. She even forgot the waterpot that she had in her hand. That's how quick she went into action. She had to tell the people. She had to tell somebody else, because that she was sure that she had found the Messiah. Into the city she went, and quickly she went into action, telling people.

75 It was Peter, when he had fished all night, and was sitting on the bank that morning. When Jesus borrowed his boat, and had thrust out a little from the bank, and was preaching to the people. And then He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep, and let down for the draught. Let down."
Well, Simon said, "I'm a fisherman. I know when the moon and signs are right. I know when the fish is running. I was borned on this lake here. I've fished all night and haven't took even a minnow. I haven't taken a thing." Said, "There is no fish in there. But at thy Word," there you are, "I'll let down the net." Oh, you might ...

76 We can't figure these things out. God is past figuring out. You've got to believe it, see. God is known not by knowledge, not by education. He is known by faith, and faith only.
"At thy Word! I know there is no fish there. But thy Word, if You said, 'let down, there is fish there,' faith will put it there. That's all. I'll let down the net."

77 If people sitting here, that's sick and needs help from God, if you say, "I've been through every prayer line, I've done everything, but, at thy Word, I'm going to let down the net. I'm coming right now, and I'm going to receive it. I believe I'm in his presence. And I'm ..." And recognize that, with humility, and sincerity and reverence. Let down the net. Take a hold of it. God said so, and that makes it so!

78 And we find out, as soon as he, being a fisherman and knowed what it was to catch a good shipload of fish, and he was a poor man, but quickly he went in action when Jesus said "from henceforth you'll catch men." It didn't take him very long. He humbled himself, fell down before Christ, said, "Depart from me, Lord; I'm a sinful man." Said, "I just can't stay in your presence."
The same thing Isaiah did. He said, "I'm a man of sinful lips, and I dwell among sinful people." Oh, what a condition he was in!
Peter said the same thing, and he humbled himself, got down on his face and asked the Lord to depart from him. He said, "Fear not, Peter, from henceforth you're going to catch men." And he got in action right quick.

79 One time, there was a blind man that Jesus healed. It didn't take him very long to go in action; he went in action, spreading his fame everywhere. Someone come up and said, "Why, who healed you?" the priest did. He told him who healed him.
First they asked the father and mother. And the mother said ... Well, now, they was afraid, because if anybody confessed Jesus, why, they was going to put them out of the synagogue. And they put it back onto their poor son. They said, "He is of age. Ask him."
And he said, "One, Jesus of Nazareth, healed me."
He said, "Why, give God praise!" Said, "We don't know nothing about this Jesus of Nazareth." Said, "He is a sinner. Don't give Him no praise; give it all to God. And we don't know whence He come."

80 Well, this blind man had a very good question for them. And he said, "It's a mighty strange thing. That you all are the spiritual leaders today, and this man opened my blinded eyes, and I was born blind, and yet you don't know where He come from. See, now that's a strange thing."
Could I say the same thing? The very God that promised to come upon his church, in this last day, and they haven't got the answer. The one who receives has got the answer.
Said, "Whether He is a sinner or not, I can't say that. But one thing I know; where I was once blind, I can now see."
Once I was a sinner; I'm saved by the grace of God. I know something happened to me. There is something happened. You can call it "holy-roller" or you can call it whatever you wish to, but it saved me, thirty-some-odd years ago. And it gets better all the time, so I enjoy it.
Someone said, "You done gone crazy."
I said, "Well, then leave me alone. I'm better off this way than I was the other way, so just let me stay the way I am. I feel better this way, and doing better. I can do more. Yes, sir.
He went in action right away. Yes, sir, he spread his fame everywhere.

81 The people at Pentecost, as soon as they seen that God kept his promise! Jesus said, "Behold, I'll send the promise," the Scripture, "the promise of my Father upon you. But tarry ye," that's wait, "wait up at the city of Jerusalem until you're endued with power from on high."
Not the first prayer line, or the first time through, but just stay there until it happens, see. "Until," not one day, two days, or ten years, "just until it happens." Stay until!
And when they was filled with the Holy Spirit, they went into action right quick; out into the streets, and screaming, and dancing, and acting like drunk people, and speaking in other tongues, and what a carry on! They was in action right quick; as soon as they humbled themselves, went in and closed the door, and waited on the Word of God.

82 Oh, what we've seen, friends! I know it's getting late and I don't want to keep you any longer. But, look! What we have seen, in the last few years, ought to put every one of us into action. It ought to put us in action. What? First, make us reverent, humble, and in action. And love burning in our hearts, trying our best, to seeing a lost world. And seeing the signs that God ... Even down, as far as I know, to the very last one that the church is going to receive before the fire falls from heaven. The same pillar of fire that was seen back there in the wilderness, the same one that struck St. Paul down, is the same one even that's got its picture taken, everything, right here doing the same thing it did there, same Messiah.
If you put the life of a pumpkin vine into a watermelon vine, it would bear pumpkins. If you put the life of a grapevine into pear tree, it would bear grapes, because it's the life that's in it.

83 And if this what we see and know, thousands around the world knows it, science has testified to it, everywhere, the pictures is taken. It's right here now. That is true, so true. It's right here now! And if it don't bear the same kind of life it did when it was in the person, Christ Jesus, if it doesn't do the same thing in his church, then it's wrong. But if it bears the same life, it's got to be the same pillar of fire that led Israel. It's leading us to the promised land. "In my Father's house is many mansions," the promise that He gave us, and it leads us there. And we see it fully a vindicated, God's Word made manifest. The lame walks, the deaf hears, the blind see, the dead is raised up; the thoughts of the heart cannot be hid, it's called right out, the very works that He did. What is it, some man? It's the Messiah! It's Messiah, God, the Holy Spirit, same one. That ought to put ...

84 The Pentecostal church, instead of trying to criticize it, it ought to be in action, everywhere, with humility and love, trying to show it to a lost and dying people. We should respect it. We should love Him. Humble ourselves, make ourselves reverent, and be in action like these seraphims was, with reverence and humility. Vindicated clearly, promised to us in the last days, and here it is! We see it. Jesus said so, said it would happen. Here it is, just before it'll be burnt up. That sign of his coming proves that the coming is right at hand now. It could come at any time. I don't see nothing to hinder the rapture of the church right now.
Well, the mark ... the mark of the beast is on the other side, remember. See, the apostasy, it comes in at the church. Now wait, maybe I might have said something. That's my way of seeing it, see. Watch.

85 Word by word, is already fulfilled. It should put us in action. That's exactly right. We should be getting every lost soul, to the kingdom of God, that we can. Because, one of these days you're going to bring them and it won't do no good. The door will be closed, there will be no more. Oh, they may be mentally worked up, and excited, and shout, and jump up-and-down, and claim this, you know. But when the sleeping virgin come to buy oil, she never got it. And did you ever see a time, in all the history of these last days, that there ever was a time that the Presbyterians, Lutherans, everything else, is trying to come to the Pentecostal message? What did Jesus say? "While they come to buy, it was a time that the bride went in," the wise virgin went in. They did not get the oil. They didn't get it. That's all. That's according to the Scripture.
And you see these signs and these other things, everything sitting right in order for his coming.

86 The seventh watch, He come in. Some fell asleep in the first watch, second, third, fourth, fifth. And in the seventh watch there come a cry, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh!" The seventh church age, that's the watch, the age that watched it. And this is the Laodicea church age, at the end of it. Amen. Oh, it's ... Why won't you awake, ye saints of the Lord, why slumber when the end is near?
But, remember, the church in the Laodicean age is to get lukewarm. He said, "Because you say that you are rich, and you're increased in goods." And said, "you don't know that you're naked, blind, poor, miserable, and don't know it." Said, "I'll spew you from my mouth."
And here we are at the end of all things, end of history, end of civilization. You can see. Look out on the street.

87 I was talking to the cab driver, was bringing me over. He said, "Well, the only way I can tell, when I see a man around here acting sane, I know he's a stranger," see. Now, that's one of your cab drivers said that. Said it that way.
It's just not only here, but it's everywhere. The end of everything; how cruel, men, and all kind of wicked things, that they're doing. The world is perverted. Look out on the streets. Just look at it, oh, my everywhere! Not only in America; everywhere, why, it's a modern Sodom.
There is nothing to be left, but burnt up. And, that's all, it'll be cleaned off. God will do it. His laws require it. It's got to be done that way. When a corn stalk has lived its life out, it's got to be destroyed. When a flower lives its life out, it's got to die. And civilization has lived its time out. The church age lived it out. The denominations lived it out.

88 This is a uniting time. There is a United Nations, united churches, and united effort. What's it a sign of? Christ and his bride uniting. That's what it is. It's all shadows and types. Everything wants to be unionized, sure it's a sign. Christ is fixing to unite with his bride, a wedding supper taking place in the sky, so it ought to throw the church into action when we see the signs of his here at hand. Oh, my! All these things are signs to us, everywhere. Oh, we should be in action!

89 We, like the prophet of old, Isaiah, we see what self-exalted men come to. We see what these organizations that rise up and say, "Well, because you don't belong to us, you're not even in it," we see what happens to them. What do they lose? Just like they're stricken with sinful leprosy, with unbelief, they lose their hold on the Word of God. Some of these people try, they exchange, lose their hold on the Word, and swap it for creeds. What do they get theirself? A mess of leprosy. That's right.

90 Like Uzziah of old, trying to take the place of anointed office, and haven't got nothing but a doctor's degree, or something. God ain't looking for doctor's degrees; He is looking for humble hearts, somebody that'll believe Him. But we have took men and educated them to bishops and everything else, cardinals and whatmore, educated them in that to hold a divine office with an education of carnality. We need the baptism of the Holy Ghost, to take that office. The Holy Ghost is our tutor. He is the one that makes Hisself known among us, the sign of the hour, in the last days. But we, like Hezekiah, exalted up, they just think they can take their places.

91 Look what the effects of the vision did to the prophet. Now, he was a prophet. He was a vessel for the Word of the Lord to come to. He was chosen, borned a prophet. Finally gave his life, sawed up to pieces with a saw. But we find out that this great prophet, when he saw this vision from heaven, and saw the order, how God was preparing his man, why, it caused the prophet to confess that he was a sinner.
And we want to be so big, and wear some kind of a big turned-around collar, some kind of clothes, you know, that makes us look so holy and reverent. There is no holiness with us. We can't be holy; holiness is of God, see. Certainly. It ain't a holy church, ain't a holy mountain; it's a holy God. That's right. Not holy people; a holy God! It's God in the people. Peter referred to the Mount Transfiguration, "the holy mount," It meant the holy God was on the mountain. Look at it now, see. But it was a holy God there, the presence of God, what made it holy.
It's the presence of God in our midst now that brings holiness, not my holiness, not yours, but his holiness. His presence is what brings the holiness. We ought to humble ourselves, cover ourselves in reverence, humility, and say, "Lord Jesus, receive me into your kingdom." His holiness not ours. Holy Spirit!

92 The prophet confessed, caused him to say, "I'm a man of unclean lips." A prophet! God, we need another vision like that! When he saw up there, ...saw this cleansing power of God.
Now watch how God did. He sent one of the seraphims and took the tong, took a hot coal off the altar and put it in his hands, come laid Isaiah's head back and touched his lips, said, "Your iniquity is gone."
Then Isaiah learned another lesson. I might drop this in. Might not be very appropriate, but I believe it is. Did you notice, God cleanses his prophets by fire, not by theology or a book of some kind, see. He cleans his people by fire, Holy Ghost and fire; not by a declaration of creeds, or books or something you've got to learn, a bunch of prayers, and so forth. He cleans them by fire off of the altar. That's how He sets him in order. Yes, sir. That's how He cleansed his prophets at the beginning, when a hundred and twenty was in an upper room, the Holy Ghost fell, and tongues of fire set upon them. They were cleansed and ready for service. That's how God cleans. Not by learning, get a Bachelor of Art, or a DD., Ph.D.; but getting Holy fire from heaven, that takes the lying off of your lips, and takes the carnality out of you, burns that stuff away, that dross of the world, and puts his presence in there and lives through that person. Holy fire is what God cleans his church with. Isaiah learned that. We ought to learn it, that God don't cleanse by knowledge. He cleans by fire.

93 You see how he is, a prophet set in order. Now He cleansed his lips, took his iniquity away. Then after he had confessed, humbled himself, he said, "I am a man of unclean lips," when he saw the presence of God.
Do you follow me? What do we know right now? We're in the presence of God. That's right. We are right now sitting. We can't comprehend it, but we are now in the presence of God, seeing God. Do you believe He is here? Certainly, He is here. We must ... [Gap in the audio.]

94 I am your brother. But He said, "The works that I do, shall He ... you do also." Is that what He said? All right. If He is here, his Spirit is here. That's what makes Him. Then if we can surrender ourselves and get our own thoughts away. Just like this has no thoughts, then another voice can speak through it. That's the way. If we can empty ourselves out. There is the secret, get rid of yourself! Then God gets ... Get rid of your own thinking. Get rid of your own ways, and then let God move. If He is Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever, you believe it? You believe Him right now and see if it is.

95 I been watching this little fellow sitting here, right here in front of me. You don't have a prayer card. You, if God will tell me what you're sitting there for, you believe it? It's a spiritual problem, you're all wound up and you don't know what to do. If that's right, raise up your hand. All right, it's all over. Take the Word, what I've said, and it's all over.
Do you believe that?
That colored lady sitting right back there, looking over at him; got heart trouble. Do you believe that God will make you well? Sure. You believe? All right, you can have your healing.
Do you believe He is the same yesterday and ...

96 That man, that white man with his hand up. Do you believe me to be God's prophet, his servant? I don't know you. You're a stranger to me. You have a prayer card or anything? You're just a man sitting here. All right, sir, you got a tumor in your throat. That is right. Is that right? Do you believe me to be his prophet? You believe me with all your heart? You got another, you got a burden on your heart. It's about a little girl, your grandchild. She's got a bad hand. That's right. Is that true? There is a good connection. Just a minute. You're not from here. You're from Connecticut. And your name is Wilson. Your first name is Art. Art Wilson. That's exactly right. Is that true?
Do you believe it? Right!
There is a lady sitting right back here, a colored lady, look like got something like a yellow coat on, yeah, chartreuse green. She is praying. Got a prayer card? You haven't got a prayer card? You haven't. You believe me to be his servant? I'm a total stranger. We're two races of people. But you're praying. That's you. Yes. Do you believe that God can tell me your trouble? You got a tumor. That's right. You got something on your heart, too. You're praying. It's a friend, got kidney trouble. If that's right, raise up your hand. All right. Now you can have your request.

97 I challenge your faith! What is it? When the prophet saw that he was in the presence of God, he humbled himself. Look, first he humbled himself, then the fire cleansed him. And after the fire cleansed him, then it was a cleansed Isaiah. When he heard the voice of God, said, "Who will go for Me?" he went into action, "Here am I, send me." Oh, my!
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
Making him as pure as pure could be,
When the voice of God said, "Who will go for
us?"
Then he answered, "Master, here am I, send
me."
Amen. That was the call of the clean Isaiah, after the Holy Ghost had cleaned him. He didn't need any seminary experiences, he didn't need any book experiences. He had been cleansed by the fire of God, and called into action. What was it? When he seen God in action, he went in action.

98 We see God in action. It's time for the church to get into action and be examples of what God is. Do you believe that? How many wants to confess all your wrongs and everything now, and say, "God, cleanse me."? (Piano, young man.)
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet!
Let's stand to our feet. I'll stop right here, it's getting late. Believe with all your heart now.
I want you to bow your heads. Remember, after he saw God! There it is again. Amen. Now anything can happen. Anything can happen.
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
Making him as pure as pure could be;
When the voice of God said, "Who will go for
us?"
Then he answered, "Here am I, send me."
Speak, my Lord, (raise your hands now) oh,
speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."
Oh, millions now in sin and shame are dying,
(look on your streets)
Oh, listen to their sad and bitter cry;
Oh, hasten, brother, hasten to their rescue;
Quickly answer, "Master, here am I."
Speak, my Lord, (really mean it now) speak,
my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."

99 Let's place our hands over our heart, while we're humming. Make your confession, say, "Lord, I'm a man of unclean lips. I'm a woman of unclean lips." Let's have a real confession, we'll have a real revival. First be cleansed. Watch, the prophet had to be cleansed first. The fire touched him, then he was in action. "Lord, give me a zeal in my heart. Place something in me I haven't got, Lord. Put your love and fire in me, then send me." Now make your confession, believe God with all your heart.
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Oh, speak, and I will quickly answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."
[Brother Branham begins humming.]
Making him as pure and pure can be,
When the voice of God said, "Who will go for
us?"
Then he answered, "Master, here, send me."

100 "Speak." Now let God speak to your heart now; real humbly, sweetly, reverently in his presence. Every sinner, every saint, this is for all of us. It's for me. It's for all. Here is his presence, He is here what He said He would do. The sign that He said we would get, here He is. While the music is playing sweetly, let's just confess our wrong. "I'm not nothing, anyhow, Lord. Speak to my heart. Cleanse me first, Lord. Send the Holy Ghost and cleanse me. I know I'm in your presence. I see You as Isaiah saw You, moving. The place is full of, not smoke now, it's full of light, full of glory."
O Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, as this is on our mind, we see what happens to high-exalted people. They were all examples to us. We see what humility and prayer, to the saved, means.
I pray, heavenly Father, just now for this audience and for myself. Lord, take from me anything that's not like You. I want You to live in me, Lord. I want your Spirit with the preeminences. I want You to live so completely in me, that I'm no more myself, that I just walk and talk and live in You. Grant it, Lord. Here am I. Cleanse me, Lord. Cleanse this church. Cleanse us all, together. Take sickness, take sin, take unbelief, take doubt, take it all out. Let the Holy Ghost come now with a coal of fire from the altar, a new spark of Pentecost, and cleanse every heart in here. Take us, Lord. We are yours. We believe You. Grant it, Father.
... ... speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."

101 All that wants, and will, and have consecrated your lives to Christ, anew, right now, and want to consecrate yourself in his presence!
If I would start calling what I have seen, I'd ... it'd take everybody in here, I believe, right now. I know you. You know I wouldn't stand here and say that as a servant of Christ without it's just everywhere. You're in a condition right now to start a new Pentecost. It certainly is true, friends.
Just humble yourselves. Cover your face, cover your feet, just get close to Him. Bow down and make your confession, and believe. Do you want to do that? If you do, just raise up your hands, while we sing "Speak, My Lord."
Speak, my Lord, (pray now) speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Oh, speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord.
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."

Influence

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 I'm happy to be here this morning for this fine gathering of people, and especially for the young people, as I understand that this service this morning is dedicated to the young people of Shreveport. And that's a very fine time in my life, and a highlight, or I'd call it a red-letter, to get to address the boys and girls that will be tomorrow, if there is a tomorrow. So, we're happy for this.

2 How many different denominations is represented here this morning in this little group of people? I'd say, Methodists, hold up your hands. I just heard him say it was from denominations. All right. Baptists, hold up your hands. Fine. Presbyterian? Just look. Lutheran? Pentecostals? And, oh, Nazarenes? Pilgrim Holiness? Any other denomination I haven't mentioned, raise up your hand. Wonder if there is Catholics in here, let's see them raise up their hands? Yeah, see.
Would there happen to be an Orthodox Jew, let's see your hand? All right, sir. Sometimes, I believe, here not long ago, the last meeting here, we had one of the rabbis here in the meeting, from the Jewish Orthodox, which is really, the mother of all this. See, she brought forth the child, the Orthodox church brought forth the Christian church. Out of Judaism come Christianity.
And so we are very happy to see you represented here this morning, of your church and your stand. And I certainly believe this, that, God, if He should come today, He would not ask that question. If we were all going in this morning, He would just take those who are ready to go.

3 Years ago, I used to ranch. And I was out there a few months ago again, stood right by the gate, with some of the brethren I see sitting here this morning. Brother Welch Evans, Brother Banks Wood from my church at Jeffersonville, and we passed through this gap where I've talked about so much. And I'd sit there, many morning, when they was driving the cattle up off of The Association ... was driving their cattle into the forest, the Arapajo Forest. The Troublesome River Hereford Association grazes the forest on this side of the Troublesome River, which is called the East Fork. And then there is the West Fork Troublesome, then the Upper Troublesome River grazes that side.

4 And now if your ranch can produce, I think, it's two bales of hay now, a year, you can put a cow in for each two bales of hay. And, 'course, the Chamber of Commerce has your brand, and how many cattle your brand takes care of, or your ranch.
And the ranger has to stand there to count these cattle as they go in. And then he is supposed to check them over, what brands goes in. And nothing can go in there except a genuine thoroughbred Hereford, 'cause it's s Hereford Association. Nothing but a Hereford, registered Hereford, because the bulls, and so many bulls to so many cows, and so forth. It has to be that way, 'cause it keeps the pedigree of the cattle right. And it must be a registered Hereford, to go in there.

5 And, you know, I watched the ranger as he would count the cattle as they went in, checking. He never one time, as I ever seen him yet, look at a brand or examine a brand. There was many brands going in, such as the Grimes' there, the Diamond Bar, ours was the Turkey Track, and then the Tripod, and different brands that went in on that forest. He never noticed what brand they had, but he searched every ear to be sure the blood tag was there. Nothing but a thoroughbred Hereford could go in.

6 And I've sat there many times, I thought, "That's the way it'll be at the judgment." He'll never look at our brand, whether we're Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, or whatever we are, or Pentecostal; but He'll watch for the blood tag, the token. That's what'll take us in, because nothing can come into glory without it's under the blood. A blood tag, that we have accepted what God did for us, in Christ. See, there is nothing that we can do for ourselves, we're a total failure. No way at all. When man sinned, he crossed the chasm between him and God, and left... there was no way back at all. But God, rich in mercy, accepted a substitute. And that substitute today, for us, is Jesus Christ. Only that alone will God recognize, the blood of His Son, when it comes to that time.

7 Now we're having a great time over to the Life Tabernacle. We had a glorious time last evening, to see the Holy Spirit move among us. And we're all looking for that.
Every man is looking to see where he come from, and what's he doing here, and where is he going after this. And we've had many fine books written. I've just read some fine books, in my life, of man's philosophy and things. But, although as good as them books may be, there is only one book that can tell you where you come from, what you are, and where you're going, and that's this Book, the Bible. And the Word is God. Now, we believe in that Book, and that's what we want to stand for, in this day. And it promises in there that we would be made known who we are, where we come from, and where we're going.

8 I was reading an article not long ago, in the Anderson movement of the Church of God, a historian writing. I believe it was in... I don't remember exactly now what age it was. It was several hundred years after the death of Christ; a missionary come to England, which was then called Angle-land. And he was trying to convert the king of England, to Christianity. And they were sitting by a large fireplace, the lights of the fire was lighting up the patio, as we would call it today. And the saint was trying to convert the king to Christianity. And a little sparrow flew into the light, circled around through the light, and went out into the darkness again.
And I believe that all happenings are to the glory of God. I believe that He promised us that He would make everything work together for good to them that loved Him.

9 And the saint asked the question, "Where did he come from, and where did he go to?" He came from the unknown, and returned back in the same way. And the saint said, "This Bible holds the question like that, for us, where we come in from the unknown and go back to the unknown." And the next morning, the king, after studying about it through the night, that the man was right, he and his household was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins, the next morning. Which, is about three or four hundred years, or more, after the death of the last apostle.

10 Now, I think this happening this morning, of us coming together, is just not merely to come here to eat breakfast, though we appreciate that. I didn't come because... I was tired, and I didn't get up just at the time. I was too late. But I think this happening is for the glory of God, and for the kingdom of God.

11 Now let us, at this time, read the text this morning, or read the scripture from the Bible that the Lord seems to put upon my heart for the young and old, together, especially for the young people of Shreveport, who this meeting is dedicated to. Let us read from Isaiah the 6th chapter, if you will, beginning with the 1st verse.
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high, ... lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried unto the other, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD God of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched thy lips; ... thine iniquity is taken away, ... thy sins are purged.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

12 I want to take a subject from that this morning, called, "Influence." You know, as we might not want to believe this, but, everything that we do, we are influencing someone else.
I many times preach funerals. And I never try to say too much about the person that's passed on, because there's no need of saying it. The people ... the life the man, or woman, whatever it might be, has lived, would speak louder to the congregation than anything I could say about them. I would never change their opinion. Their life told what they were.

13 And then we never know just what we're doing, what influence, what we're doing is having upon others. The Bible said, "We are written epistles, read of all men." That is, your life reads so loud to the public, until your testimony, if it's contrary to your life, is without any effect. It's what you are inside of you, that people read; not so much what you say, but what you are, see. You can pin something on somebody, say, "This is that, and so forth," but your life being different from what they say, your testimony of your life is louder than the testimony that someone could say something about you. So just keep that on mind, that we're bringing influences every day, and the life that you live proves what's on the inside of you. You cannot change that. It reflects. Every person reflects, outside, what he is inside.
And if we take the testimony of being Christians, I think that that is one of the most solemn things that a man or a woman, boy or girl, could do, would... When he takes on the name of Christ, that he is going to be a representative of Christ, you should watch every move you make, because somebody is watching you. And, in this, it reflects what God has done for you, inside of you.

14 Here not long ago, a bridge was to be built down in Australia, and they sent for men from United States; architects, not architects, but builders, and so forth, bridge men, to come down and see if they could build a bridge to span that strait of water. And they couldn't find a man in America that could take it. No. They said, "The sands, and so forth, it wouldn't stand up." So they had a universal call for bridge builders, and none of them would take it.

15 Finally, a fine company of England, they come down, and they took the contract after he had tested all the ground. He said he would take the contract and build the bridge. Why? Remember, his reputation now, as a world-wide bridge builder, rested upon what his work would be in that bridge. No matter what he had done in the past, this job that he said he could do, would reflect really what he was. They say that he tested every bolt, and every piece of metal that went in the bridge; the dirt, and so forth, beneath, and the pressure of the water upon the dirt. And then all the other builders stood around, and said, "It won't stand. It's got to go down." But on the day of the dedication, the man rode, himself, in the head of the parade, because that he knowed his work was thoroughly tested, and it would stand.

16 I think that's a great thing that we could look at in Christian life. There had to be a bridge to span the way for the human race to leave this world some day, and there was no one could do it; an angel, archangel, seraphim, or cherubim, nothing could do it. God Himself came down, in the form of a man, and bridged the way and made the way, and crossed the bridge, first, from the grave to glory. And it sure showed the reflection. Every nerve in his body, every thought in his mind, every power that was in Him, was tested by the enemy. But it stood the test, even to death itself, when He conquered it.

17 This young boy, Uzziah, that we're speaking of this morning, he was Isaiah's hero. Isaiah, the young prophet in the days of Uzziah, was watching this young fellow, because Uzziah was a great man. He come from a fine background. His father and mother, both, were strictly staunch believers in God. And they had raised their boy to serve and to honor God.
One of the great lackings of our day today, in America and the rest of the world, is godly parents, to set an influence upon their children. The parents of this day got away from the principles of the Scripture. They went more to the fashions of the world. And the churches did the same thing. In doing that, we let it loose, and brought the world into the church. And that's the reason we have this great day of ... if I say it respectfully here before these young people. The reason we got so many hoods, and so forth, as they call it, and bad characters, too much of it is because of the home life that they were influenced by, in their earlier days. I'm still a believer, that, "Bring up a child in the way that it should go, and when it gets old it will not depart from it."

18 Now, Uzziah was a boy had been brought up in such a parenthood till it influenced him.
Look at one of our greatest Americans that I can think of, was Abraham Lincoln. He certainly deserves all the credit that's given him, and more. He had a bad start; born in a poor home, had no way of making an education, wrote in the sands. We understand that the only two books that he ever owned in his life, until he was about twenty-one years old, was the Bible, and Pilgrim's Progress or it might have been Foxe's Book of Martyrs, it was one of those books. But, you see, what that man read, it influenced his life.

19 And that's the same thing it is today. Our markets are loaded with vulgar and filth, to poison the minds of our young children, and then we lay the fault onto them. When, I think, many times it belongs to us. Us Christian people who will not stand up for the thing that's right, and have those things lawed off of our shelves, and so forth. And then in our homes, also, that we let loose and permit all these vulgarities and things to come into our home, to influence the children.
But Uzziah had been brought up right. And he was, we understand now, in II Chronicles 26, you can read the story, that at the age of sixteen he was made king, after the death of his father. And he become king at sixteen. Having had these godly parents, he started right off with his kingdom, to do that which was right. He never catered to popular opinions or politics of that day. He served God.
Now, that is a good man to be influenced by, a man that will take his stand for that which is right, in the time when popular opinion is running contrary, and politics is running contrary; but a man that will sit right straight in the road.

20 This new President that's just taken over since ... President Johnson, since the assassination of President Kennedy. When he asked, the other day, that he called for all the clergy throughout the nation for prayer, to help him. I admired that in the man. See, he's calling for God to help him. I understand that he is a believer, and trusts in God. So, we need men like that.

21 And we find out that Uzziah, in his time his kingdom spread all the way into Egypt and all the countries around about, till his... It was so great until his kingdom become next to Solomon's kingdom. The glory of the Lord was with him.
This give great help to the young prophet, Isaiah, who was watching this man, this young king, because he was brought to the palace during the time of the reign of this young king. And Isaiah being a young prophet at the time, and seeing how God blessed him, and influenced him and gave him the right thing. And we know that all the nations around about paid tribute to him; there was no wars, and it was a great thing, a lesson to Isaiah.
And Isaiah found something else in here, that, how God will bless them that will be true to His Word and His commandments. Uzziah set the example for Isaiah. And what a glorious kingdom it was!

22 And now here we find, where that a Christian testimony, no matter how great it's been in the past, it must always continue that way.
Uzziah, when he got to the spot to where he thought he was secure, then he got lifted up in his heart. He got to a place that no one could tell him anything.
If that isn't kind of an example of too many today! Even we find it amongst our Christian leaders. They work all their life, nearly, to become some bishop or some great influential man, and, as soon as they get to that spot, they get lifted up. We find evangelists in the field, that God blessed their ministry, and the first thing, they become lifted up till they get to a spot that they feel that they're secured, all around their people. They're just... They've reached that place to where they can do anything they want to, and get by with it.

23 How many, wonder, we're thinking of just now, of great men, great servants, who God has used, and finally comes to a place till they feel that they know so much about the Word of God, till they don't even have that time off to pray no more. It's always social visits, visit somebody, go out to dinner. And the time that they should be spending with God, alone, alone in preparing to come out in the sweetness of the Spirit before the congregation, they're out somewhere with some entertainment. You can't serve God and man at the same time. God's servant should be an isolated person, to Him only. If we could only let the people see that.
And then they get to a place they make themselves under obligation, as they meet the people. They meet the people, and there is bound to be a want for this and a want for that. And then the man of God gets his mind all tore up, and he is so tore up when he goes to his room. He begins to study, "Now if I don't do this, this man will feel bad about it. And this, don't do this, this man will feel bad about it." And then when he walks out to the platform, he hardly knows where he is standing, his mind is all tore up, when he ought to have spent that time with God. They're not social leaders. A man of God should be dedicated wholly to the service of God. And we find that that's too bad that we'd have it.

24 Another great thing that we find, 'cause I realize I'm speaking to ministers this morning. And we want ... when we come before a congregation, knowing this, that perhaps we'll never meet again like we are this morning. And then the things that you say, God holds you responsible for them. So you must come, praying and asking God what to say, and then depend on Him when you get in the platform for something that will help the people.

25 We all know of men, in the field today, great men. Some of them gets to a spot, till after they get their congregation all around them, they feel so secure till they think they can even sin and get by with it. We've been known of ministers taking the wrong road. And many times, that's because that they feel secure, that, "Oh, the people will let me get by with anything." The people might, my brother, but God won't. See, you're going to answer to God. You must never try, as a minister, to try to deceive the ears of your congregation, regardless of how much they could scream or shout, or carry on, or pat you on the back, and say, "The message was wonderful."
You must be a servant to Christ, to stay honorable with that Word, because that Word will reflect itself through you, and you're going to influence somebody that's watching your life. Young people, likewise. Businessmen, the same way.
The king got lifted up with pride. He thought he was just so secure until God would let him get by with anything.

26 A young teen-age boy said, not long ago, a Christian, he was doing something, he was admiring a certain rock 'n' roll young fellow that belonged to his church. And I was speaking at a Youth For Christ meeting. And this young fellow said, "You know, I admire So-and-so, I think he is one of the most staunch Christians." And this boy is a rock 'n' roll king.
And I said, "I think there is only one difference between this young man and Judas Iscariot. That is, Judas got thirty pieces of silver, and this man got fleets of Cadillacs and millions of dollars, for selling out to Christ."
Said, "How could you say such a thing as that, Mr. Branham? How could you do that?"
I said, "Because it is the truth."

27 That influence of singing those Christian songs, and things like that, before the young people, and getting out in the world like that, throws the greatest stumbling block, more than all the bootleg joints and everything else there is in the country. It's a disgrace that that would even be permitted. The church ought to rise up and not even permit those hymns to be sung by people like that. Taking a talent that God give them, and influencing, with their lives speaking louder than what their words are. How can people make such plays as these men does, and then stand and sing hymns and things like that? It's the very heighth of hypocrisy. And we find out that that goes among Christians, believers.
And this young man said, "Well, I tell you what I think about it." Said, "I think that God loves me so much till He'll let me get by with anything."
I said, "He never did do that. He never would do it. Even Israel, His nation; even David a man after His own heart, reaped every grain that he sowed. And you'll do it, too." Each one of us will do that. We know that.

28 But he got lifted up so much in his heart! Now I want to speak this word to the Full Gospel Businessmen. He got so lifted up in his heart, until he thought he could take a minister's place. He tried to become a minister, which he wasn't called to be. And I think that's a many times that where sometimes men in these ranks, and the businessmen's groups, they get to a spot that God blesses them in their business, and makes them prosperous, and so forth, till they get to a place till they think they ought to preach the gospel, also. And that's wrong. That is wrong. You should always let a minister do that preaching, 'cause, as Oral Roberts once said, "It's hard enough to keep the thing clear, by ministers, let alone by men who is not called for that office." See, you should have men there that knows, and are ordained for the work.

29 This proves it. That... We find out that this man, being a great man, a good man, an honorable man, but he took the offering, the censor, and went into the altar of the Lord, to burn incense before the Lord, which is only for a dedicated priest to do so. But he thought, being that God loved him so much, and He had been so good to him, that he could go do that, anyhow. And the priest run after him, and said, "You're not ordained to that office. God forbids that anyone should come in there, only a Levite that's dedicated to that service." You should never do that.
And that's the way many times, that ... what I think has got the world today in such a confusion, that men go out and try to take those places which they're not ordained to do. It gets to a spot to where they try to fulfill this office, and they're not called for that place.

30 Now we find out, though a good man, blessed of God; but, if God blesses you, you stay in the category that God has called you in. If it's a housewife, remain a housewife. If it's in a business, remain in that business, reflecting God. And whatever God has called you to, let it be that. Because, He wants you to be a real housewife, to reflect your influence upon another person that would want to be a good housewife. If you're a good businessman, let your life so be that it will reflect Jesus Christ in your business, with honesty and integrity, and with things that really mean something. Because, somebody is watching your life. You're influencing somebody. God has to have a real housewife. God has to have a real teen-age in school. God has to have a real minister, a real businessman, somebody that will reflect Him. Because, there they see, in you, Christ. No matter what the rest of the world has got to do, that has not one thing to do with you or I. We are responsible to God for our lives, and for our experience with Christ.

31 Now, we find out that in his trying to take the minister's place, and someone telling him he is out of place, telling him he shouldn't do that, he is out of place, he become angered. Angered, he was so angered until his face turned red.
See, we must be able to stand and take correction. Some of them won't do it. You can't... I've went to meetings and I've sat in the auditoriums, and you get up. And some people come in and sit down just for a few minutes, if you say one word that they don't agree with [Brother Branham snaps his fingers.], gone, see, flying up.

32 Well, that ... you know what happened to Hezekiah a-doing that, or Uzziah, rather? God smote him with leprosy. The man died in his leprosy, which is a type of sin. He couldn't stand to be corrected by the Word.
Many times, today, it's the same thing. They say, "Well, my denomination believes this, and I don't care!" See? Take time to search the Word. God will never judge the world by a denomination, He will judge it by His Word. And His Word is Christ, and Christ is the Word. They're the same, yesterday, today, and forever: Hebrews 13:8. But, instead of trying to take correction, they fly loose. They can't stand it. They just...

33 Now that's exactly what Uzziah done, a good man. You say, "Well, that person was a..." Uzziah was a good person, too, a fine person, a God-blessed man. But no matter what it was, he must always stay in his place. Because, God give him the opportunity to influence others by being a righteous king, not a priest. And the Word forbid him to do that, so he went in and was going to offer. And when he was called down, the Word was give to him, that he wasn't supposed to do that thing; that God had blessed him in his business, and whatever it was, but not to try to take this priest's place. He was out of the Word. Well, he was going to do it anyhow, no matter what anyone said.
Now isn't that the attitude of too many people today? They won't take correction of the Word. And that's the reason we find ourselves wrapped up in a big Council of Churches here, not knowing where we're going, heading into the world. Tens of thousands of members added every year, and we don't see the hand of God anywhere moving. Dead, formal, just exactly what the Bible said they would be, a Laodicea church age, a lukewarm, spurted from the mouth of God. Christ on the outside, trying to get in, and the church inside won't let Him in; sets the picture of today, exactly.
Because men doesn't understand that their position comes from the Word, the Word of God,

34 and Uzziah ought to have taken that heed. Now, remember, we'd call him today, a Christian that God had blessed. He wasn't just some ordinary man. He was a man that was blessed by God, but he did not want to stand correction. No matter how much the Word said it was so, he didn't want to understand that, because he felt secure enough that God would let him get by with something else.
And that's what's the matter with our people today around the world, that they think that God will let them get by with something contrary to this Word. He'll never do it. We must come back to correction, and stand correction by the Word. And because of his arrogant way he acted. He paid no attention to what this minister had to say. He would do what he wanted to do. Just think, now just stop that in your mind a minute.

35 How can a child face a father and mother, that's godly; how could a teen-ager look in the face of a godly old mother, with her hair turning gray; and say to this teen-ager, "Honey, mother has raised you different"? And you see back down through the life, what's done for mother. Don't do that, and turn arrogant and say, "Take your religion, and go, I'll do what I want to." What's the outcome of that teen-ager, what happens to them? It's gone. They're lost, spiritually, morally, many times physically and mentally. They are completely cut off from mercy. Well, then, that would be a horrible thing for a teen-age boy or girl.
Then think about a man or a woman, down in the ministry, or a Christian that calls himself a child of God, and look into the commandments of God, and turn their back, and say, "My denomination don't believe it that way."
We need influential Christians, influenced by the Word of God. Called men or women, for an influence to the elected church for the last days, is what we need. God, give it to us! And they'll be there. They're going to be.

36 We find out that Uzziah, because of his arrogance, he was smitten with leprosy. He never did recover. He never recovered. He had to separate himself from the presence of God, and die in a lepers' house.
Oh, that line, demarcation, that line where men and women can so easily cross! That line that a teen-age boy or girl can cross, between judgment and mercy. All of us! The line that the businessmen can cross! Any of us can cross it, between right and wrong. And, remember, God's Word is always the thing that's right. "Let every man's word be a lie, but mine be the truth," said God.

37 Now, he was smitten. And when young Isaiah saw this, what a lesson that was to him then! To see that a man that gets out of his place, young or old, the one that gets out of his place must suffer the results. No matter how much God has blessed him, he still suffered the results.
Now Isaiah learned by this, a great lesson. What? That God orders His man to his place.
Man cannot order yourself to a place. God must order your place. Don't forget that. God orders you to your place, and he must not (never) try to take another one's place. Don't try to be something that you're not.

38 As Congressman Upshaw once said; the one that was healed in the meeting, the Lord let me see a vision over him there in California. He had been a cripple for sixty-six years, and was healed instantly, by the mercies of God. Threw away his crutches, and his old chair and things. He was right here in Shreveport, I think, and testifying. He used to have this saying.
He was a senator, I believe, or something, for many years, and congressman from Georgia. He was a representative of the Baptist church of the Southern Baptist Council. And then he went and run for president, on the dry ticket, and was defeated because of his position. And that night ... never even hearing of the man, never. Dr. Roy Davis, the one that laid hands upon me for ordination for the Missionary Baptist church, he sent him to me. And when he come in to the meeting, the Holy Spirit there, with thousands of people sitting, called him by name, and told him what he was and told him that the Lord had healed him. And he come to the platform, without crutches, without braces, without anything. Reached down, at the age of about seventy-something years old, and touched his toes, back and forth, completely delivered. An orator he was, and a great man he was. What did he ...
Here was his expression, "You can't be something that you hain't." That sounds like me saying that, not a congressman. But that was just... He was a Southerner, and he kind of used his expression because he was a man that tried. And he was a great influence to the people, and a godly man. And died the same way, many years later. When he stood on the White House steps, at Billy Graham's meeting, and sang, "Leaning On the Everlasting Arm," before people from all over the world. Now see the...

39 God orders His man, and you can't take another one's place. If you do, you're only producing a carnal impersonation, and finally it's going to be smitten. You can't do it. God orders you to your place. Isaiah seen this, that he could not put his trust in any man. There was the greatest man there was on the earth, at that time, a king that had the rest of the world paying tribute to him; but because he got out of his place, Isaiah seen then that he could not trust in the arm of flesh, and it drove the prophet to the temple, to pray.
O God! If the church ... if the people that calls themselves Christians, could only see this today, and would drive them to the altar somewhere to pray. You can't be something that you're not.

40 Then we find at the ... in the temple, when he was in prayer. Being a prophet, his make-up was to see visions. He was born that way, of course, being a prophet. And he needed a touch from God. And God had ordained him to be a prophet. And the vision at the temple, he saw a real King, in the vision. He seen God lifted up, high above all the heavens, and His great trail [train] filled the earth and the heavens and the skies. He saw a real example. In other words, God said, "Look up this a-way, I am your example."
And if we could only do that, in our own ministry! I'm addressing the ministers, and businessmen, teen-age. Ministers, if we could only do that! I would like to be a Billy Graham. I wish I had the education and the know-how, to put the thing together as Billy Graham has. But I cannot be Billy Graham, but Billy Graham can't be me, either, see. We, each one, have our place in Christ. And to try to impersonate Billy Graham would be only the same thing that Uzziah did, it'd only result in the same way of a disaster. Just be what you are, what God made you to be.

41 Now, Isaiah was a prophet, so he goes down to the temple and he saw the real example, God. Note the heavenly Seraphims, as they flew through the temple. Now, a Seraphim is a mighty word there. It's not an angel, but it's a... What it is, it's a sacrifice burner. It's... He has something to do with the atonement, because he offers the sacrifice, to make a way for the repented sinner, to the throne of mercy. What a position, higher than an angel, greater than an angel! For, the angels stand back. But the seraphim goes forward with the offering, right in the presence of God; a burner of the ... the offerer of the prayer that's been made, the burner of the sacrifice. And here they was, going through the temple, crying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God almighty." Think of it, in the temple, before this young prophet!
His heart was broke. His king had tried to fill his place, tried to take a minister's place, and had been totally defeated by God, and stricken in leprosy; and his example that he had looked upon, man.

42 Don't never trust in some man. I don't care who he is. If he's a holy man, if he's a good... There is not such a thing. Let me correct that. There is no holy men. There is no holy church. There is not such a thing. It's a holy God, not a holy man. It's the Holy Ghost. Peter one time referred, "the holy mount," on Mount Transfiguration. It wasn't the mountain that was holy; it was the holy God that met them on this mountain. It's not the holy church; it's the holy God in that church. Not the holy man, but the Holy Spirit working in that man. The man will fail. He's a failure to begin with, anybody. The very greatest of men fall. Don't never put your confidence to make some man your example. Look to God. Christ is your example.

43 And we find that he had taken his mind now from Uzziah, the king that he loved so well. And he looked up and he saw what he must understand, to be a prophet; that God, and God alone, rules in the lives of men and in His church. And we noticed him now, what happened.
We find these seraphims, they had six wings; two over their face, and two over their feet, and two they were flying with; going through the temple, crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty." They cried day and night, because they're in the presence of God.
See what God was sending, Isaiah to see? The holiness, the purity of God, and the reverence that we should do in His presence.

44 Let's check this vision just a few moments, before we close. Each of these creatures, having six wings, we notice. We're going to take these wings first. "With two he covered his face." Why did he do that? Think of it! Even holy seraphims, in the presence of God, have to cover their holy faces, to stand in His presence; that never knowed sin--never did sin. There is no way for them to sin, but yet, in the presence of God, covered their holy faces.
And then we, mortal, sinful, corruptible men, will try to put something in, and add to His Word and to His purpose, and pass judgment upon some of them who are trying to follow what the Lord said do; no respects of His Word, "I know the Word says that, 'you must be born again,' but I tell you what I think!" You've got no thought coming. God has spoken, and that settles it.

45 Peter said, on the day of Pentecost, "The promise is to you, to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." What was the promise, of what? The Holy Spirit that was poured out. What startled the people? Because they heard them speaking in languages that they knew not, and they were staggering like drunk men, under the influence of the Holy Spirit. And they was mocking, making fun. And Peter said, "The promise is unto you [when they wanted to repent], and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
How many? "As many as the Lord our God shall ever call." Now, the church might call you, your conscience might call you. But when God calls you, He knows how to dress His servant.

46 Sinful men, scholarly, educated, influential in their denominations, stand in your garb of denomination and try to inject something with that pure, unadulterated Word? Remember, the Word is God. If a seraphim, that knowed no sin, had to cover his face, to stand in the presence of God, how are we going to appear that day; when we stand in the presence of His Word, preached and thoroughly a-vindicated by the Holy Ghost, and still walk away and say, "It's a telepathy or it's something like that"?
What happened to this king, a great man, a believer, a God-blessed man? He was smitten with leprosy, which is a type of sin, unbelief. No cure for it; only Christ. And He died in that same shape.

47 Now the people doesn't have reverence for Him. Why is it people don't reverence God? Reverence only pertains to God, spoke of twice in the entire Bible, both times pertaining to God. Notice, the reason they don't do it is because they are not fully convinced that it is God. They are not fully convinced.
Neither was Uzziah; he wasn't fully convinced that God kept every word. Because God had blessed him, he thought, "That satisfies me. If I got a blessing from God, I can do what I want to."
You can't do it. You cannot do it. You, teen-ager, can't do it, no matter how much popularity you are, what a fine girl, a fine boy, nice dancer. How the school all appreciates you, you won your scholarship, that's all fine. There is nothing against that. That's fine, but don't think you can trample on God's Word and get by with it. Don't you ministers think you can do it and get by with it. None of us is going to do it. You housewives, or you businessmen, we're all going to answer to God, by His Word. Isaiah was learning this. They're not conscious of His presence.

48 How it would pay us, today, to listen to what David said. He said, "The Lord is always before me." He bound his commandments upon the doorposts and upon his bedpost, and he put them up everywhere. He even bound them in his heart, purposed in his heart that he wouldn't sin against God. He stayed constantly with the Word before him. That's the reason he said, "I shall not be moved," because, everything he done, he had the Word before him. And that's what we should always do, the order of God.

49 Now, he covered his face because God is all holy, and he was crying, "Holy, holy, holy."
Now let's take, secondarily, he had two covers of wings over his feet. What does that mean? Humility in His presence.
That's the hard thing for a man that's got a position. That's the hard thing for the teen-age girl that's pretty. That's a hard thing for the teen-age boy that's popular in school, a star in basketball.
Oh, young fellow, how God could use you, if you'd just let Him do it! Young girl, you in your fine pretty little queenish looks that God gave you, why don't you use that influence to the kingdom of God, to what God gave it to you for, that virtue of womanhood. Use it that way, you're bound to come out right, then. But any other way, you've got to fail, see, you'll be a total failure. God made you, and nobody else can take your place, nobody can fill that place. You must be that way.

50 Now, humbled in His presence, these seraphims, humbled in His presence.
Like Moses, when Moses was a great, intellectual man, we understand that he could teach the Egyptians wisdom, science, and the great wisdom of Egypt.
We have never competed with it yet, in our science. We don't build pyramids, you know, nowadays. We couldn't place one like it is, in the center of the earth, where, no matter where the sun is, there is not a shadow around it. And we could not build the sphinx, or many of those things. And neither could we make a mummy, today, that would make him look natural after thousands of years. Just a few hours is all we can keep a corpse out. They had a fluid then, they could embalm with, that we don't know nothing about. A color that it never even loses its color; many of the arts that they had, and science, that we don't have it.

51 Listen, young people, you're living in a college town here, or a town where ... and I live in a university town. And science is all right, as long as it's not getting out of the Word of God. But, I want to know, science cannot give you life. Science can tell you how that...
And another thing, science has to always take back, usually, what they say to be scientifically proved. You know, I just seen the other day, a professor of science speaking, that now that they have proved that these bones that they dig up, and say is a hundred million years old. Two years ago, they found out that it's the salt water that the bone laid in. There is nothing, nowhere in science or anything, can say the world is over six thousand years old, see. The chloride and stuff in the water has deteriorated the bone in that manner, which would put, make it look like it was a million years old. But it isn't. But you think they'll advertise that? No, sir. They won't take back what they said.
But here is the Bible, my brother, sister, and my young teen-age brother or sister, that God never has to take back what He said, because it's the truth, always the truth. It's always right. When God said anything, that means it.

52 I was speaking recently at a meeting, and a fellow said, met me on the outside, he said, "You're barking up the wrong tree, fellow." Said, "You said that 'The world here, is six thousand years old.' "
I said, "The order of the world is right, six thousand years."
He said, "Look," he said, "the Bible said that 'God created the heavens and earth, in six days.' "
I said, "He did not do that."
Genesis 1, He said, "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth." Period! How long He done it, I don't know, nobody else does. God did that. That's period. That's the end of the sentence. "And [when He begin to use it], the world was without form, and void, and water was upon the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the water." But in Genesis 1, said, "God created the heavens and earth, in the beginning." That's all. Don't fuss about it. I just believe it. That's all. God created it. It's not my business to know. I'm glad He did it, and let me live here for a while. He's got a new one, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood with righteousness.
No creed, denomination, no man's example; I want Christ, and Him alone. That's what we must have.

53 Humble. Moses, an intellectual man; but in the presence of that burning bush, he took off his shoes. He was on holy ground. Humbled himself! Humility. That's what the covering of the feet was, humility.
Look at Paul, the great intellectual scholar; taught under Gamaliel, one of the greatest Hebrew teachers of his day. Smart, intellectual, college degree, and he thought he knowed it all. "And these bunch of people that was carrying on were nothing but mad people, crazy," and he had orders from his high priest, to go down and arrest them all, down in Damascus. And one day, on the road down, he come into the presence of that same one that spoke to Moses in the burning bush, a pillar of fire. What did Paul do, Saul, rather? He fell upon his face, in humility; off of his feet, onto his face, in humility.

54 What did John the Baptist do, the man that Jesus said, "There was never a man borned of a woman like him, or could compare with him, until that time"? That great prophet, ordained of God before the foundation of the world; spoke of, 1207 years before He ever come on, or 712 years, rather, before He came to the earth, by the prophet Isaiah here. What did He do when he seen a man come walking down out of the audience, and he looked up above and saw that fire coming down from heaven, in the form of a dove? He cried out, "I have need to be baptized of Thee."
"I must decrease; He must increase." God can't have two on the earth at the same time. Only one has the message, you know. "I must decrease; He is the messenger. I've been up to this time, now He takes my place." As Elisha, when Elijah went up and throwed back his robe to Elisha; his ministry was finished, Elisha must take up where he left off. "He must increase; I must decrease," John the Baptist.

55 Be conscious of your littleness. You're nothing. You're nothing. How I would like to dwell on that a few minutes! But, you're nothing. Let me ... This sounds sacrilegious and it sounds crude.
And I don't think the pulpit is any place for any minister to crack jokes. It's become a joking, a carry on, Hollywood glamour now. That's what's the matter. Hollywood through television, has took the pulpit over. Our women has bowed to the goddess of fashion of Hollywood, long ago. And then the pulpit got into Hollywood, through singers, and so forth, talented men. Oh, what a shrewd man that devil is. You can't mix oil and water. It won't mix. Notice the great influence that people can give to others. And what you do is an influence.

56 If you want to find how great you are, put your finger down in a pool of water, or a bucket of water, then pull your finger out and try to find where you put your finger. You're nothing.
God can do without you, He can do without me, but we can't do without Him. We've got to have Him, for He is life, and He alone. Not to know His Book, not to know this, or know that, or know the creed. "But to know Him is life," know Him as the person, Christ in you, the Word made flesh in you. That's knowing Him. When you and He, becomes one, like I said last night in "The Super Sign." He's got to come in you. You! God and man must come one. You're conscious of your littleness.

57 Now, in closing, I might use the other two wings, thirdly. He could fly with these other two wings. Watch! Face covered by the holiness of God, and in reverence; his feet covered in humility; and with two wings he could put hisself in action, to move. God was showing His prophet how a prepared servant ought to be. "Quit looking at Uzziah! Here is your example I've sent before you: cover your face in reverence, cover your feet in humility, and go into action!" Oh, what an example! He had looked at Uzziah so long, and seen it fail, now God is telling him what to do, showing him a prepared servant. He went into action.

58 Like the woman at the well, went into action as soon as Jesus told her she had five husbands. That woman had been looking for something like that to happen; four hundred years, no prophet. And, all at once, she goes up to get the water one morning, unexpectedly, and there she met something real.
God will place Him before us, somewhere, sometimes, unexpectedly. I hope He does it this morning.
KJVLink 118 He did it to her when she didn't expect it. And when He told her, "Woman, bring me a drink," and she discussed with Him about the water, and He had nothing to draw with. And He let her know that He had water that she wouldn't come there to draw.
And then they went to talking about what the religious rights was, said, "Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. You say, 'at Jerusalem.'" And Jesus, after a while...

59 What was He? He was the Word. St. John 1, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Hebrews, the 4th chapter, said, "The Word of God is quicker, more powerful than a two-edged sword, cutting ..." It just don't baby and pat. It cuts, coming and going. See, "...cutting to the marrow of the bone, and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." That's the Word, the Word made flesh. And here it was, what did He do? He looked upon them and could perceive their thoughts, because He was that Word, and the unchangeable Word. And He's still the same. He doesn't change. Now, notice, in this unchangeable Word, He looked right into the woman's face.

60 And here she was standing, as we would call her today, a woman of ill fame, a street prostitute, or something, maybe the child had been turned out and let go by parents; and too many of them today. But here was this lovely, pretty, young, maybe teen-age woman, maybe in her eighteenth year, she would be out of high school. And here she had took the road that's wrong, and the morals of her life was decayed. And she had nothing she could hold on to, yet, a pretty girl.
And she goes up to get some water, and she runs into a man there that spoke to her. And she said, "There is a segregation here. You shouldn't speak to me. You're a Hebrew and I'm a woman of Samaria. And, after all, look who I am. Why do You speak to me? What do you want?" See, her motive was wrong.

61 And, many times, what if that woman would have throwed down the waterpot and walked away, like some people get up and walk out of a meeting before they know? See, it'd never been that way.
But there was something another to that predestinated seed, that there was something interesting in this person, so she talked to Him. What happened? He told her the things that she had done. And when He did that, told her these things, she said, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. You don't know me." Why did she know He was a prophet? Because the Word had come to Him.
The Bible said, "If there be one among you, who is spiritual, or a prophet, I the Lord will make myself known to him. And if what he says is the truth, then hear him, for he is my representative, he is my Word manifested."

62 And she said, "Sir, otherwise, we haven't had a prophet for four hundred years. And I perceive that you are a prophet. Now, we have no scripture saying that we're to get a prophet now, outside of the Messiah. We know Messiah is coming. And this, which that's the sign of a prophet, we know he is coming and he'll do these things."
And Jesus then, the great sufficiency came, He said, "I am he." Amen.
What? Immediately not jump up and run away, "I ain't going to listen to it." She covered her face, "I admit I'm wrong." Humbly she asked, "Give me this water, Lord, that I come here not to draw." See the way God 'dresses His people?

63 Now what? She's ready. Then it's revealed to her that that is Messiah. And immediately she went into action. Stop her? You couldn't do it. Right into the city, and said, "Come see a man who has told me the things I've done. We've been looking for the Messiah, and there He is." And the Bible says that the men of that city believed because of the woman's testimony. She had something so real that she could display. Her influence, after meeting Jesus Christ and bringing back the direct results that her Bible, that she had been taught, told her that the Messiah would do, she convinced the men that that was the Messiah. Four hundred years, they never had nothing like it, "And here is the man." And her testimony, yet a prostitute, was convincing.

64 Oh, young lady, you might not live that kind of a life. But, oh, if you could only meet this one I'm talking about, what your influence will be to your schoolmates!
Young man, like Saul, educated, smart, what an influence he was to the whole Christian world. He was sent as an apostle to the Gentiles, when he met this Jesus in the pillar of fire, that day, knowing that that was the same God that brought his people out of Israel ... out of Egypt, Israel out of Egypt. You could meet this same God! That's the Bible, manifested, proving that He is God, the vindication of Him right on earth now, that His Word is made known, for, "He is the same yesterday, today, and forever." What an influence you will be to your church, to your community, to the entire ... everybody you come in contact with. You'll be a changed person. Yes. Yes, sir.

65 Peter, when he seen and was convinced, that... We find out, he had fished all night and had taken nothing. He was a fisherman. He knowed when the moon changed, and when fish run and when they didn't. But he was kind enough to sit down and listen to Jesus, for a few minutes. He didn't get up and run out. He stood to hear it through. And after the message was all over, and everything, because that he was kind enough...
He had fished all night and got nothing. How many Simons is there in here this morning, how many will listen to this tape? Simon, you've jumped from Methodist, to Baptist, to Pentecostal, to oneness, to twoness, to threeness, to everything, and still got nothing. Why don't you sit down and listen just a minute? Just loan a few minutes of your time to Christ.

66 Watch the Word come. "Simon," now He is commissioning him, "let down the net for the draught."
And when he got ahold of the fish, he said, "Lord, I seined all night. It's beyond my intelligence. I can't explain how."
Neither can I explain how it works. I don't know the mechanics. Just the dynamics is all I'm interested in. I don't know how He does it, but He does it because He promised it.
He let down the net. Because, He knowed if there wasn't no fish in there, and God said there would be fish in there, he let down the net, anyhow.
You say, "I've been to the altar. I've did this. I've done that. I've tried. I've been up and down. I ..." Let down the net. That's the commandment.
And when he caught the fishes, what did he do? First, he fell upon his knees, in reverence and respect, and he cried out, 'Depart from me, Lord, I'm a sinful man." What is it? Reverence, humility.
What was the word come back? "Fear not, Simon, from henceforth you'll be a fisherman of men." In action, and he died in action. Oh, my!

67 The blind man that was healed, he couldn't explain. He couldn't tell just how it was that He did it. He didn't know whether he was a sinner or not; he said, "It's a strange thing to me, that you men here, you priests asking me what, this question."
They said, "Who healed you?" They asked his father and mother, but they said ...
They had already ... priests had told them, "If anybody attended Jesus' meetings... ! He's an insane man. If you attend his meetings, you're excommunicated from this church. We'll put you..." That's what the Bible said. "We'll put you right out of the church, if you attend that meeting."
But, the blind man, see, the meeting come to him, and Jesus healed him.

68 And then even his parents, afraid of losing their dignity, of being a member of this great church of the city, they was ashamed to say anything about it. They turned it back onto the boy, and they said, "Ask him, he's of age. Go ask him how it happened. We know that's our son, and we know he was born blind, I ain't going to say nothing." Oh, that lukewarm, borderline, make-believer!
But this man who had his eyes healed; they said, "Who healed you?"
He said, "One called Jesus of Nazareth." Yes, sir! He had sat in humility. The work was done.
They said, "That man is a sinner. We don't know, we have no school He ever come out of. He don't belong to any of our organizations. He has no fellowship card, "We have nothing to do with him. We know he's a sinner."
"Well," he said, "now, that's a strange thing." Said, "A man that could open my eyes, which has never been done since the world began; a man, a minister opens my eyes, which it's never been done in the world; and you clergymen who are supposed to know all the ins and outs of the Word, and you don't know nothing about Him? That's a strange thing."

69 When, the very Bible said that, when He come, "The blind should see. The lame men would leap like a hart." They ought to have seen the Word was manifested, see.
But the boy knew; he had been there. What did he do? He was in action. He was ready, before his boss. He was ready, before the priests. He was ready, before the council. He was ready for anything, because he had recognized God, and humbled himself, and went into action with his testimony. See, that's a real servant.
The pillar of fire ought to put us in action today, as we've seen it vindicated in the words of His promise for this hour, this last day. It should put the whole move of God into action.
But, the trouble of it is, our organization says, "Now wait a minute, that didn't come through our group. That's Jesus' Name. That's a renegade. That's a Baptist. That's..." See? Uh-huh. See? See? They just don't see it. That's right.

70 Sign, oh, the sign of His coming is at hand. And we know there is not a thing on earth...
Science tells us, "It's three minutes till midnight," told us that several years ago. Then, we must be just about, maybe, a moment from midnight. We don't know what time the powder is going to light in the keg. Look at this election coming up here tomorrow. That's all it would take, just light one. When that radar screen picks up that atomic bomb, every one of them is going to turn loose, but the church will be gone before that time. So if that could happen any minute, and the church has to go before that happens, how far is it off?
And the very things that He said would happen, His ministry and what would take place in the last days, we watch it night after night, and day after day, saying the time is at hand. Oh, we ought to humble ourselves and get in humility and get into action. That's right. Word fulfilled, should put us all in action.
We, like the prophet Isaiah, has seen the outcome of self-exalted people, who says, "Well, now, if it's going to be anywhere, it's going to be in our denomination. If it comes through the trinity, all right. Or, if it comes through the oneness, all right. Or, if it comes through the Church of God, the Methodist, the Baptist, the Catholic, or the Presb... It's all right."

71 I was interviewed here in Mexico. Brother Jack was with me. The little baby was raised from the dead, after dying that morning at nine o'clock. And it was raised up from the dead, that night at eleven, on the platform, by a vision. Brother Jack was there. I sent him to pray for the baby. The lady holding the baby in her arms, like this. Raining, pouring down, and he had on Brother Arment's coat. And Billy said, "I've give out..." This Brother Espinoza's friend, I don't know what ... I called him, "Manana," because he was so slow. And so I said... He give out the prayer cards, and Billy just stood to see that he didn't sell one. And he give them all out. And this woman had the dead baby. And she said ... Why, Billy said, "I ain't got enough ushers to hold her back."

72 And I said, "She would never know me. She don't know me." The night before, that blind man had received his sight. And far as across this platform, just ricks of old coats and shawls, and things, poor people. And I said, "Well, Brother Jack, go down and pray for the baby." I said, "She'd never know the difference between me and you." And she just run under them men's legs and jump up on top of their backs, and walk with that dead baby. A little, pretty little girl, just about this high, maybe her first baby. And she looked to be in her twenties, very attractive girl. And so I said, "Go pray for her, Brother Jack, because she'll never know who is who." And me standing back there speaking through an interpreter, she wouldn't know whether I was the one praying for the sick, or he was.

73 Brother Jack started down there. And I looked out in front of me, and there was a vision, this little baby sitting there. I said, "Never mind. Bring it here." In a few moments, that baby was alive. Laying hands upon it!
She went into action, right quick, to her doctor; with a statement signed, that baby died in his office that morning, with pneumonia. And eleven o'clock that night it was back to life again, because she was persistent. She had to press in. There was something real. If a blind man could receive his sight, her baby could be raised from the dead. I like that. God, give us more people like that.
And her, a Catholic, coming up with her beads in her hands, I told her, "That wasn't necessary," no disregards to that young fellow. No disregards to that, but that ain't necessary.
It's God we believe in; not any form, not a Methodist prayer, or a Presbyterian prayer, or a Pentecostal shout. It's God we believe in; not a Catholic bead, or whatever more. We believe in God, the living God, by His Word. And His Word is God. And it's bound to produce, because it's a seed.

74 Now, the prophet then seen what self-exalted denominations did. He seen they could not take the place of the office. They lose their hold, with their creeds, and so forth. In expectancy of the creeds, they accept that and think that's it. And we find out that men like Uzziah try to take the place of the anointed office, and they fail. Many of them turns out neurotics, drunkards, and so forth; trying to take the place of an anointed office, trying to impersonate. Instead of having what they're talking about, and called of God to do it, and ordained of God to do it; they run off in great big swarms and build big organizations, and intellectual men, and great big things, and flashing, and like Hollywood; and preaching, "The coming of the Lord is at hand." We've seen men lose their hold, because they try to take an office they're not ordained to, just like Uzziah. We've seen the churches proselyte. We've seen, in our Pentecostal assemblies, every oneness trying to get the trinity over, the trinity trying to get the oneness over, the Church of God trying to get this over, and all these others trying to get one another; proselyting, impersonating, trying to do something they're not called to do.

75 God said, "Preach the gospel. Demonstrate the power of the Holy Ghost. These signs will follow them that believe."
Not, "Go make organizations, have schools, and so forth." Nothing against it, but that don't take this office's place. And we see now, that men and women who try to take that anointed office, when they're not ordained to do it, we see what happens to them.
There is your example, ministers. We see it in the teen-age life. We see it everywhere. That's ... don't watch man. Watch God. Take your eyes from man and put it on God.
Not influenced, say, "Oh, glory to God, the Lord tells me. Thus saith the Lord, do so-and-so," and it never happens. See, you are trying to impersonate something that you know nothing about. Don't do that. It's dangerous. You'll be stricken with spiritual leprosy, unbelief, your denominations; trying to build up, get a feather in your hat, to be a presbyter.

76 Be like David, "I'd rather be a doormat at the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents with the wicked." Yes, a doormat. Wherever You call me, Lord, let me be the best doormat You ever had. If the people have to wipe their feet on me, let me be a real doormat. I'll clean feet, if nothing else."
That's what Jesus did when He come to the earth, He become God's doormat, His own Son. Who are you, bishop, state presbyter, when Jesus become a foot-wash flunky, a doormat at the house of the Lord? Oh, my! And then we think we're somebody, because we got a doctor's degree, we went through college. Look at your example, what He did. Don't look to what the bishop before you, presbyter before you, whatever like that. He might have been a good man. That doesn't matter. It's you, look at God.

77 When he seen the effects, and then seen what taken place. Now I'm closing, one more thing I say. His feet and hands ... His wings covered his face in reverence, his feet in humility, and then his two wings put him in action. Just think of that, the effects of the vision upon the prophet! What did it do to the prophet? It showed him that no man, no man...
Don't put your confidence in a man. When that man leaves the Word of God, you leave the man. See, you leave the man. Stay with God. God is the Word.

78 Watch what the effects did. Now, minister brothers, I want this to go down in your hearts, all of you. What happened to the prophet? It caused that prophet, ordained to an office before the foundation of the world... Gifts and callings are without repentance. It caused that prophet... What about a minister, bishop, which is nothing like a prophet; teacher, pastor, or evangelist, what ought it do to them? But to see the vision of the Lord, it caused the prophet to confess he was a sinner.
He didn't walk out and say, "Yes, glory to God! Hallelujah, that's good enough for me. Praise God, I'm going out." Or, he didn't go up and say, "I'll not listen to that. I had a mental allusion. It isn't according to what the priest says." No.
He took lesson to it. He saw what God was trying to show him. Why? The spiritual seed was already in him, like it was in the woman at the well, like it was the others. They were ordained, foreordained to this, and he saw the reason. He saw Uzziah in the leper house, a great man who tried to impersonate something. He saw God sitting there, and he saw how God dressed His servants and how He sent them out. 'Caused him to say, "I am a sinner." Then it come the time for the cleansing, after confession, "I am a sinner."

79 The prophet, a man who had been in the king's palace, known to be a prophet. Do you hear me? Caused this ordained prophet ... the vision of the Lord caused him to cry, "Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips. I live among people that's got unclean lips. And my eyes have seen the order of the Lord." Oh, minister brother, can you see it? "My eyes have seen the order of the Lord."
Then come the cleansing. Here come the cherubim with a coal of fire off the altar, that he had took with his tongs, the tongs from the altar, put it in his hands. And shook back Isaiah's head, because he was ready to confess, and confess that he was unclean, because he had looked to some bishop or somebody for his example, instead of looking towards God.
Instead of looking towards the Word, he looked towards a creed, still puts you back, "a man of unclean lips."
And the angel come with fire, placed it upon his lips, and said, "Now you're clean."

80 Notice the order. He never brought him a book--a catechism. God doesn't prepare His servants by books and catechism. He prepares His servants by fire, cleansing fire, fire from the altar.
And he cried! When he cried out and said, "Woe is me, for I've done wrong; I've put my example, my trust, in a man. And I see the order of the Lord." And he cleansed him with the coal of fire.
Now, isn't it wonderful how the man recognized himself being a sinner? And look how God did as soon as he recognized he was a sinner. He confessed to being a sinner, confessed to his wrong. And he saw what God did and how He did it, how He cleaned him by a coal of fire. Not a declaration of creeds, not a bunch of beads, not some historical affair. He cleansed him with, present tense living fire.

81 And the Bible said that "The promise is unto you, and to your children, to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." This same Holy Ghost, this same Jesus that come in the form of the Holy Ghost, on the day of Pentecost, is the only cleansing process God knows anything about cleansing His servant.
He seen the order. He seen what God's servant prepared, how he was to act. He seen the way God got His servant ready, how He set him in order.
Notice then the following, after the cleansing, after, the commission. After he had did this, followed, then what? The commission. After confession and cleansed, it was then that the clean Isaiah answered when the Lord said, "Who will go?" Said, "Here am I, send me."

82 Young man and woman, your life before you, let's you and I go down to the altar, this morning. Let's go down to the house of God for a few minutes. Businessman, housewife, minister, let's go down to the house of God.
There is something wrong somewhere. You've had too much more, and so much carnal impersonation in the world of Christianity. Young folks, I feel sorry for you. You don't know which way to turn. One says this, and one says that, and one says it's a "Hail Mary," and the other one says it's something else, and one says join this church, and join that. It's all wrong, for God has thoroughly showed that the thing is dead.

83 Now let's go down to the house of God, in our heart, the altar, let's look up and see what Jesus looks like, which is the Word. And then we can answer, "Here am I, send me, Lord. Send me to the house, to be a better wife. Send me to school, to be a better teen-age girl. Send me to school, to be a better teen-age boy. Send me to the pulpit, a different minister. Send me to my business a different businessman. When you see your example, Jesus Christ!
He said, "Here am I, send me," after his humility, after he seen the order, how God puts His servant together. How He commissions him; before He commissions him, he has to be humble, reverent, and in action. And therefore when he seen that, the cleansed Isaiah said, "Here am I, send me."

84 Let us bow our heads just a moment. [Prophecy is given from the audience.]
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
Making him as pure as pure can be;
When the voice of God said "Who'll go for us?"
Then he answered, "Master, here, send me."
Speak, my Lord, speak my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."
[Brother Branham begins humming.] Think of it now, teen-ager, while they're humming that song. Think of it, minister, businessman, housewife. We're down at the house of the Lord now. Look above you and see your example, the cherubims. Just think, you're at the end of time now. Time will fade into eternity, maybe today. We don't know just when. Think of it.
There's millions now in sin and shame,
are dying.
(Look on the streets.)
Listen to their sad and bitter cry;
Hasten, brother, hasten to their rescue;
Quickly answer, "Master, here am I."
Oh, speak, my Lord, oh speak...
Mean it from your heart now. Isaiah, where are you?
... and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord... ...
Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, where you at?
Lord, speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."

85 Do you really mean it? When He speaks to your heart, will you mean it?
Speak, my Lord, oh, speak, my Lord.
If He's speaking to you while they're singing it, "will quickly answer," will you raise up your hand, say, "Me, Lord. Me, Lord"? God bless you.
My Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer ...
"Let me be an influence, Lord, to others. I can't do it till You cleanse me. Send the angel now, Lord."
Speak, my Lord; oh, speak, my Lord;
Speak, and I will answer, answer Thee;
Oh, speak, my Lord; speak, my Lord,
With your hands up now. "And I will..." It shows He's speaking. Now may the fire come and cleanse them.
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord.

86 Lord Jesus, as the song is sang, "Speak, and I will quickly answer Thee," literally dozens of hands are up in here, Lord, amongst the teen-age, and amongst the old, ministers, businessmen. Surely, Lord, You're still speaking! Send the angel now with the coal of cleansing fire. Prepare Your servants right, Lord, for the task that lays before us.
Isaiah knew, to be a prophet, it taken more than what he had, to meet the answer of the day. And so does it take more than we've got, Lord, today, to meet the answer. It takes the person of Christ within us. It takes Jesus, Himself, to answer the question. Grant, Lord, grant that the Holy Ghost, in the person of Christ ... or Christ, in the person of the Holy Ghost, may come into every heart just now. Cleanse us, Lord, from our unbelief. Cleanse us from our creeds and our foolishness of this world. Cleanse us from it, Lord, and put Your Word in our hearts; and meditate on it, day and night. May the answer come, Lord, as soon as the hearts are cleansed. Grant it, Lord. May the angel of God touch each one of our hearts now, with that coal of fire, as we're waiting upon Him. Grant it, Lord.

87 Now with your heads, and your arms, your hearts, your everything, turned to God, right here in the temple of God, where the Holy Ghost is, and His train fills the building. The presence of His being is here. Let's just accept it now, if you can feel God touching you now, as we sing this song again.
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
Making him as pure as pure could be.
Let's, as our heads and hearts bowed before Him now, sing that again. And just let the angel of God cleanse our hearts from all filth and all the glamour of the world. And you little girls and boys, from high school, in here, little teen-agers of Shreveport here, you good old Southern people here that used to have the old-fashioned gospel down here, you see there's something that the church don't provide for you today, but God has got it for you. Won't you let Him cleanse your heart now? You dwell among people that dance and everything else, and call themselves "church members," and you see the filth and things that's in our churches from everywhere. From Catholic, plumb ... the first organized church to the last one. That's Pentecost, every one of us is guilty. Every one are guilty, without any exceptions.

88 You see where we've got ourself? Our great schools to educate our ministers and things, and the thing that they twisted us up in, out there. Let's throw the thing aside. Do like Paul of old, "None of these things move me. I am persuaded that there is nothing present, nor nothing future, nothing can separate us from that love of God that's in Christ. And forgetting those things that are in the past, I press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ." Oh, my! Believe it, now, as we close our eyes and open our hearts to Him, and sing.
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
Making him as pure as pure can be;
When the voice of God said "Who'll go for us?"
Then he answered, "Master, here, send me."
Oh, speak, my Lord, speak.
Now let's just raise our hands to Him, and believe it.
Speak, (Speak, Lord,) I'll be quick to
answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord; speak, my Lord.
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."
Yes, Speak, my Lord.
Pray now. I'm going to ask Brother Don to come here and pray with us.
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee.

Influence

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Our heavenly Father, we are indeed grateful this afternoon for this, another privilege to stand in the pulpit to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ to a dying world that's without God, without Christ, without hope---no hope of going with Jesus when He comes. And we're trying, Lord, to present Jesus Christ to the nations.
And while we're assembled here this afternoon may the Holy Spirit speak, and warm our hearts, and encourage us in the way. May the sick be healed and the sinners be saved, and those who are discouraged be encouraged. May God receive all the glory and the honor. May it be given to his name, for that's our purpose---for we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Be seated.

2 I am happy this afternoon to stand here again at Beaumont. I'm usually tired. I've been going since Christmas straight. It isn't so much the preaching that I do that makes me tired; it's the visions that make me tired. Our Lord... One caused Him to turn around and say his strength had left Him. One vision upon the prophet Daniel, he said he was troubled at his head for many days. And so we can't explain those things; we just know they are so. And no one knows any better than those it happened to. And so we are happy.
What I'm trying to do is use a prophetic gift for an evangelistic work. It just doesn't work that way right. It's too hard. So, but I want to say this: when I've come to the end of the road, and when this city here rises up, if the ... this generation in the last days, I don't want any man's blood upon me. I want to be free from all the blood. And I've tried my best to present it in a scriptural way, this ministry that the Lord has given me, in every way that I know how. And I know the Holy Spirit by his grace lets me live so that I don't think there's been any marks.

3 I'm grateful to Brother Pearry Green and to these brethren here, that's put forth their efforts to make this meeting a success. If there's anybody lost in this city in this generation, it certainly won't be upon them fellows, because they have turned every stone to try to make it a success---feeding the people, getting them places to sleep, and on television everywhere---just taking the money right out of their own pockets and placing it right out so that... They know that the crowds that we have wouldn't be able to support such as that. And so they taken out of their own pockets to do it.
So I think that's wonderful, somebody with a vision like that. I believe it was said over in Hebrews, the 11th chapter, " ... of whom the world is not worthy," and to stick their neck out in a time that when the ministry's so unpopular amongst too many of the people that should believe it. Those who ...

4 it's been talked about. But when something happens, then they fail to see it.
But it's just got to be that way. You have to just straighten up your shoulders and walk on. To know that... Remember, before you it was the same thing. They marched right down the road the same way. The people has never knowed their hour of visitation. None of the prophets was ever known. Jesus said, "You put them in the tombs. You garnish their tombs now; you're the ones that put them in there. Which one did God send that you didn't persecute and slay?"
Let's take it from then on out. Come down through Martin Luther and down through, well, Irenaeus, and St. Martin, and all down through the ages. It's been the same way even to Joan of Arc, a prophetess of the Lord. You Catholic people---when that woman would see visions and so forth, and tell them, they'd come to pass just as she said. What did you do? You burned her to the stake for a witch. About two hundred years later you woke up and found out what you'd done. 'Course, they done penance they dug up the bodies of those priests that had her burned, and throwed them in the river. That's a great penance to do. They failed.

5 They said St. Patrick was a Roman Catholic. Anybody that knows history knows that's wrong. He absolutely firmly disagreed with the pope---never would go to see him. He wouldn't believe it at all. Suscat [Sucat] was his name; it wasn't St. Patrick. But after he was dead and gone, and you killed thousands of his children in schools... He wouldn't permit a crucifix, nor nothing, to be in his schools.
It still stands up in Northern Ireland today, the same thing. He wouldn't let that enter into his schools. Said the people would be looking at images instead of what he wanted them to see. He had the power of the Holy Ghost. He spoke with tongues. He had great miracles and signs. Why don't the church preach that today? All those people, they never know them until they're gone, passed on; then we try to build their tombs.
It's truly that we're living in ...

6 the church is always living in a glare of a light of another day. And a glare is a false light. What is a glare? It's like a mirage on the road. The sun shines down and it makes a mirage. It looks like water but it ... you never can get to it. It's not there. That's the way the people does today. They're promising something that's going to be way off, or something was way back there, way up here---but they never get to it.
I'm so thankful that our God's not a God like that. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. We get to it when we believe it. It's right there, everything that's promised for the age. Makes it hard, but yet we must go right on just the same---believing.

7 And I certainly appreciate you-all's fine cooperation while here in the city. I was here many years ago. My old friend Brother Bosworth, Raymond Richey, and many of the brethren come over here. I still believe the same gospel. I haven't changed one bit---just still the same thing.
But you see, the revival was going on then. And where there's no revival you just can't get things done. The ministry's far more advanced. It was only telling you then this would come. How many remembers that? Sure you do. And it come just exactly like it said it would.
Then I'd take the people, lay my hands upon them. I told you what He told me; and that's just the way it happened---just exactly. It's never failed to be the truth, each and every time. So it has to come from God. No one could doubt that.
But you see, the revival's not on.

8 Just your presence to walk in with the people, why, the people'd get up out of cots and stretchers and walk around. Just lay your hands on them and, my, that just sent them whirling. I've seen lines where there'd be four and five hundred people come through the lines---deaf, dumb, blind, cross-eyed. Not one of them failed, but what was healed---every one of them. Try it today, see. There's no fire.
In Rome when the fires went out in the temple at Vesta, the people went home, see. Now there's no revival fire to back it up. That's just it. After awhile, if the world stands, they'll start living in the glare again, see. That's the way it all ends. It's done passed over and missed them; and that generation's to be judged for what passed over them. They failed to see it. Jesus Christ is alive this afternoon. He's walking around here with us now. He is ever present. "Wherever two or three are assembled in my name, I am in their midst." Believe that, won't you?

9 I hope, if the Lord tarries, I get to come back and be with you sometime again. If I never see you again, when I meet you there at the judgment seat of Christ (where we'll all meet), remember I've told you the truth. I'll still be saying that when I meet you there. Until then, may the Lord bless you richly. Pray for me---I need your prayers. I'm not as young as I was then. That's about twelve, fourteen years ago. And somebody asked me the other day, said, "How old are you, Brother Branham?"
I said, "Just past twenty-five." I said, "Twenty-five years ago I passed it."
And I... You don't... You can tell it. A man only... When you are born you start growing---like a candle burns, you're lit. But you grow until you're about twenty-two to twenty-three. I don't care how well you take ... of yourself, you start dying right there. And you keep getting lower and lower until it burns out.
I asked in the Kiwanis one day when I was speaking, I said, "I want somebody..." A doctor told me, he said, "I cannot believe the story of Christ, because I can't believe the virgin birth." He said, "I don't believe there is such a thing."
I said, "The natural birth is more mysterious to me than the virgin birth." The natural birth, to see how it happens and how it's decided... When that pollen ... which egg, when there's thousands of germs and thousands of eggs? Not... The first two meets---that settles it.
But maybe you say, "Well, the two in front." Oh, no! It'll stand. One may be raised up, the germ from the very back of the sperm on this side, and the middle one of the egg at the sides. Which, whether it's going to be a girl or a boy, blackheaded, redheaded, blue eyes, or whatever it's going be---something makes that decision. The rest of them's done away with.

10 It's so mysterious to see the work of God. And then to see people, with the little finite mind like we are, try to deny this great work! ... This fellow said to me, well, he couldn't believe anything that couldn't be scientifically proved.
I said, "Do you believe you've got a soul?"
He said, "Sure."
I said, "Then scientifically prove me you got one." I said, "Do you believe there's such a thing as love?"
He said, "Sure."
I said, "Do you love your wife?"
"Yeah."
I said, "Then you show me scientifically what part of you is love. I want to buy some. I'll go to the drug store where they sell it. I need a whole lot of it. I'd like to buy some love."
See? All the whole armor of God is supernatural: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, patience, and the Holy Ghost, see. Every armor of the believer is looking at the unseen, believing what is said, see. You don't see what you believe. You don't see it anyhow. You look at it with your eyes; you see with your heart, see. You look at anything, say, "I just don't see it." You mean you don't understand it, see.

11 So I asked him this: I said, "If I had a jug of water and I set a glass here, and I'm pouring water out of this jug into the glass and it gets half full; and then I just keep pouring water and then it starts going down; scientifically tell me where the water's going."
I said, "When I was a little boy sixteen years old I eat the same food I eat right now: beans, bread, potatoes, meat." I said, "Every time I eat, what did it do? It built blood cells. I got bigger and stronger all the time. When I got about twenty-two... I eat more and better now than I did then, 'cause I didn't have it then to eat. But I eat more and better than I did."
Now I'm getting older and weaker; and yet that food builds blood cells. I'm adding new life all the time; and going down all the time. It's an appointment---we're going to keep it. That's with God---that's right. We're going to... You can't scientifically prove God; you just believe God. And you believe Him according to his Word.

12 Now this afternoon I want to thank each and every one of you: the nice little sister there on the piano, this one over here, and all you people, ministers, every one of you. Lord bless you.
The night won't get too dark, the rain wouldn't fall too hard but what I'd help you if I could. I used to say I could come to you, but there's too many now. I've been over the world, see, and it's everywhere. Just give me a ring, or write me a letter---send you a prayer cloth, anything I can do. Everything absolutely free---there's no money in this, see. I kept my meetings like this so I could come where they haven't got any money.
I held a meeting here not long ago in a tabernacle that only held twenty people---a two nights' meeting. It was awful---down about ten below zero. But the Lord sent me there and great things happened. I don't have no big programs: radio or television, all this other stuff. Other brothers have that. There's ... maybe intelligent, intellectual men---they know what to do, and the Lord's granting it---like Oral Roberts and men like that, who have to have thousands of dollars a day. He can't operate no other way, and that's for a good cause.
And that isn't mine. I wanted mine to stay little and humble. Wherever I can go, and wherever God calls me, I have nothing to hold me then. I just take off and go, wherever it is. That's my ministry. Pray for me that the Lord will help me to keep the faith and not look back---look forward to where I'm going; not look where I've been---look where I'm going. Forgetting those things that are in the past, we press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ.

13 I want to read some out of God's Bible today. Chose just a little text 'cause I told you I'd come down and pray for the sick this afternoon. All those holding prayer cards, and those who want to be prayed for, will be... We'll do that. And I always try to keep my promise.
Now somebody, when you say that, said, "Well, you promised to be in a certain place." I wouldn't doubt but what there's four or five places in the United States right here I'm supposed to be today---where somebody said I'd be there. I never said I'd be there, but they say it.
You see, they put it in the paper. They call home all the time. "Well, what's the matter?", say to the wife, or some of the office force. "Why, he's supposed to be here. They advertised him here. The advertisement is in the paper." I didn't even know nothing about it. I can't help that. I'm only responsible for what I say myself.

14 So now, this afternoon I want us all again, if we will, stand for the reading of the Word. We're going to try to get out within about one more hour, the Lord willing, so you can be fresh to go to church tonight. The reason we have these meetings on Sunday afternoon, so we won't rob anybody from their churches. The people that wants to be prayed for here, the sick and the afflicted, why, we always get to pray for them, and it don't interrupt your service. No matter...
There's many times there's men I don't dis ... I disagree with; they disagree with me. But if it can't be upon tolerance, and upon the thoughts of better fellowship and things, then I won't say nothing about it. If I can disagree with the man ever so much, if I can't put my arm around him and from my heart know he's my brother, then I oughtn't to be talking to him. That's right. We've got to do that.

15 Now you that wants to turn in your Bibles, turn to Isaiah the 6th chapter. I want to read from there this afternoon for the closing service---take a text.
In the year ... Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Above it stood the seraphims: each ... had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried unto the other, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and whom will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

16 Let us bow our heads. Most gracious Lord, take these words and may the meditation of our heart now be acceptable unto thee. May the great Holy Spirit move into the lips of the speaker and the ears of the hearer, that together it might bring honor to thy name through thy Word, for we ask it for the glory of God. Amen. You may be seated.

17 I'm going to watch now what ... so we can have plenty of time for the prayer service. Now listen close as I try, with these few scriptures and notes that I have wrote down here, to speak it. Sometimes when I'm not tired and worn out, I never write down a scripture note. I can remember it. But lately it's just been so ... I just ... sometimes I for ... I can't think of it, so I just jot it down here---a little something, like a certain scripture. I know what that means, and I just go from there on.
Now, I want to speak on the subject of "Influence." Now you know, there's somebody that you're influencing. Your life is a written epistle, read of all men. Therefore if your life isn't according to your testimony, or your testimony according to your life rather, then there's ... you're putting a stumbling block in somebody's way; for somebody is watching you. Some little child is watching his mother, watching his dad.

18 Here some years ago I read a little article around Christmas that was ... sure did warm my heart with grief. When ... a fellow had been out. And he was a good man. He didn't drink, really, but he'd been out around Christmas, and visiting his colleagues. And they all said to him, said, "John, have a little, just a little drink." And from house to house, he got too much, and he had to go back home.
And crossing the park, his little boy was with him. And he missed the little boy and turned around and looked. And the little boy was just going from one side to another. And the dad waited until the little boy got to him, and he said, "Why are you going all over the park, son? What makes you walk like that?"
He said, "Daddy, I'm trying to walk in your footsteps." That's right, see. The man picked up the little boy and sat down, took the little fellow in his arms, and said, "God, you forgive me. I want to walk straight so my son behind me will walk straight." That's what we want to do as Christians. We want to walk like Christians, live like Christians, talk like Christians.

19 Many years ago when they used to have slavery in the South---down in Kentucky, and Alabama, and down where I come from---they used to take the colored and auction them off at the auction block, just like you'd have used cars or something. I believe no man's to be a slave. God made man, and man made slaves. And they used to come by and buy them, just like you would buy a used car---get a bill of sales and so forth. That's a terrible thing.
So then, one day there was a buyer come by to ... a broker, to an old plantation that had many slaves. He said, "How many slaves you got?"
"Oh," he said, "around 150 out there I guess."
"Could I go out and look over them?"
He said, "Sure. Help yourself." So he went out to look over the slaves and when he looked around he noticed them fellows---always they were sad. They ... the Boers brought them over from Africa and unloaded them in Cuba out there, and then sent them over here in the South and sold them for slaves.
And they knowed they'd never go back home. They knowed they'd never see their father and mother no more, or their children, husbands, wives, and so forth. They were a victim of circumstance they didn't make themselves. And here they was, away from home, and sad. And sometimes they would have to take whips and whip them, just like they do beasts---cattle, and ox, and horses and things. And then, they'd make them work.

20 And they noticed ... this young broker noticed there was one of those young slaves, they didn't have to whip him. My, he had his chin up, his shoulders back, and he was really right on the mark all the time. They didn't have to do anything to him; he had the job done. So the owner of the slaves said, the broker said to the owner, said, "I'd like to buy that slave."
He said, "Oh, no. He's not for sale."
He said, "But, why ain't he for sale?"
He said, "What ... you?..." Said, "What do you ... what makes him that way?" Said, "Is he the boss over the rest of them?"
Said, "Oh, no. He's a slave."
He said, "Do you feed him different than you do the rest of them?"
He said, "No, they all eat out in the galley together." Said, "He's just a slave."
He said, "Well, what makes him act different than the rest of them?"
He said, "You know, I often wondered that too, until I found out that over in the homeland, in Africa where they come from, his father is the king of the tribe. And yet he's an alien far from home, but he knows he's the son of a king and he acts like it."
Oh, my! What ought Christians to do? We're sons and daughters of the King. Though we're an alien, let's act like sons and daughters. Women, let your hair grow out. Quit wearing them clothes that you wear---immoral and things. Men, get back to where men ought to be. Don't... act like sons and daughters of God. You're an alien here, but remember, we're sons of the King. See the influence that man had upon the rest of them? His morale kept the rest of them's hopes high.

21 We find out that this King Uzziah was a shepherd boy in the days of Isaiah the prophet. Isaiah was a prophet. Prophets are born. They just ... not laying their hands on them and make them prophets; they're born foreordained of God. Gifts and callings are without repentance. There's a gift of prophecy in the church, and it must be judged by three people before the voice should ever be heard amongst the congregation. But that's just a gift of prophecy; but a prophet is absolutely ordained with "thus saith the Lord" from childhood up.
And Isaiah was a prophet of the Lord. And he'd been taken to the temple, and he'd... This Uzziah, this young shepherd boy, was a great influence upon this young prophet, because Uzziah... In II Chronicles 26, tells us that he became king of Israel when he was just sixteen years old. His father Amaziah died, and he took his place to rule, as it was the custom that the son succeeded the king. And they took and made him king when he was just sixteen years old.
And had ... his father, Amaziah, was a great man. He was a godly man. And having this godly parent, it made him do the thing that was right because he was influenced by his father, see.

22 Today how can you expect but what we ain't going to have more Oswalds and Jack Rubys? Look at...
I left my motel awhile ago. And such a drunken mess of a bunch of Californians out there, laying out there---women stripped naked out on that ... there with just a little bit of strap around them, or something or other, out there---men drinking whisky on ice and stuff, and carrying on, falling around the pool. How can you expect their children, young ones there in the yard playing around, be anything but an Oswald or something like that? It's the influence that's put before them.
Oh, America's rotten to the core. She's going to reap what she sowed. A just God cannot let her get by with anything else. You say, "Are you?..." I ... certainly I'm American. On the fields in Germany and Japan there's American graves marked all through there---my people, Branham. And if I had to go I'd give my life for it.

23 But let me tell you something---we need a stirring, this nation does. The things that we once had, we've lost. And we're trying to live upon a reputation of what somebody else done. We'll reap for it. God made Israel a people after his own heart. He made them reap; and we'll reap, too, for what we're doing. We have nothing else in front of us but reaping. We've crossed the line of grace and mercy, and nothing else left but a reaping.
Mark that in your Bibles. I'm an old man, but you mark that down and find out whether that isn't true or not. And maybe when I'm gone, on and on, you'll find out that those words are true. We're going to get it. We're weighed in the balance and found wanting, and there's no way out. Right! We've done crossed that line. You've got to reap what you sow, every time.

24 So, this young fellow was such an influence upon this ... the young king was an influence on the young prophet. And he leaned upon the arm of this prophet because he knowed he was a prophet. And he had him right with him all the time, and to draw his influence from his visions and so forth, from God---to know how to conduct his kingdom. And it made him a great man. He ignored the politics of that day, and the popular opinions, and served God with a true heart.
That's the kind of a president we need. That's the kind of a leader we need over the people of any nation anywhere. His kingdom was next to Solomon's. There was nothing... God just blessed him, and held back no blessing, because he served Him. And this was a great help to young Isaiah, because that he seen how God would bless them that was true to his Word, no matter how difficult it was---stayed true to that Word. And it's an example today also to us to stay true to the Word. And it had a great influence upon him.

25 Now, he planted vineyards and he was a herdsman, and he had all kinds of herds and vineyards. If you want to read in II Chronicles 26 there, and different places of the Scripture that it speaks of Uzziah, he was a great man. He loved the outdoors. And such a fine fellow, God blessed everything he done. It just prospered and went right on. And no nations bothered him; they was afraid of him, and because he served the Lord God that was with him. Not because they was afraid of his military force, but was afraid of the God that he served. That ought to be our memorial. "Our God we trust", it says on our dollars; but I wonder sometimes.
Now, but this all happened. And it shows here an example I'd like to draw from this this afternoon: to show that how God can bless a man and make him a great man. But you know, when this king got ... felt secure, felt to a place that he was just absolutely anchored, and there was no way for him to ever fall---got lifted up in pride---that's when he took his tumble. That's when any man will take his tumble.

26 I think that's what's the matter with a lot of our people today. We get lifted up. I think that's what causes organizations to do what they do. They get a better class of what they call a more intellectual, better class of people, they think. Men that's got their... All their ministers with high school and college education---two or three years of psychology, give them mental tests, and brain waves, and everything, to see if they fit the case---and sometimes know no more about God than a rabbit does about snowshoes! That's right.
That mental has nothing to do with it. It's the power of the Holy Ghost. It's not in your mind; it's in your heart! Right. But, see, we get ... then they get lifted up.
"Our ... we go to the best church in town. We belong to the First Church. We belong to where the mayor goes. We belong to this, and all these things there." See what it is?
Then the people just simply can't stand to hear that. They just think that you're just a terrible person. But what it is, there's no place for the seed to anchor. There is nothing for it to lay on. It just rots. It'll never take hold. The birds fly around and pick it up, the Bible said.

27 But when this king got lifted up and felt secure, he got lifted up in pride. I notice a lot of times we find even people, evangelists, get to a spot where many of them has been accused of things. And maybe some of it is true, of drinking and so forth.
What it is, I think: they build a little kingdom around them, and think them people love them so well there's no way at all for... Them people can just do anything they want to, and those people overlook it.
The people might; but what about God? That's where we fail to see it's God is the one doing the looking, see. God knows it. When you see truth and light and reject it, God knows what you've done! You'll never go no further till you come right back to that spot again. You can't cross over that. You've got to come right back to where you left off.

28 He got so lifted up into his mind, and got so self-secure and everything---so much that he tried to take a minister's place. He tried to go in and offer incense. As we know in the Bible, to burn incense---which was only for a Levite to do it, a priest that was anointed for that job---he tried to take his place. And here we have an influence of this king, to let people know that... This carnal impersonation of each other today, it's not of the Lord. You're not ordained to such things. You'll never take another man's place, and another man can't take your place. Find where your place is and abide there.
See, he thought, "Well now, bless God, I'm a king and the Lord's been good to me. I can do this. I've got this. This is my ministry." And come to find out that in his going on like that, and tried to go over, and step over what God was blessing him at...
If you're a good lay member, be a good lay member.

29 If you're a good housewife, and God's blessed you as a housewife and made you loyal and true, sister, you just continue to be that. Don't get thinking God called you to be a preacher, or a deacon, or something else. And you do the same, men. Wherever God has blessed you there abide, 'cause that's where He's set you at. You do just what He tells you to do, and see where He blesses you. But don't ever try to step in.
That's the grass roots of Pentecost. When Mrs. McPherson ... as I was reading her book... I didn't ... I wasn't a minister in her days. And they said when she'd walk out on the platform with these---like wings, you know, or you know, kind of a robe like that---every lady preacher wore the same thing. Every one of them carried a Bible same way Mrs. McPherson. Did you ever listen to these radio programs? Every fellow, "Lord bless you real good, fellow,"---a Billy Graham. It's carnal impersonation.

30 I was reading the history of Martin Luther. And the history said it wasn't so much of a mystery that Martin Luther could protest the Catholic church and get by with it, but to hold his head above all the fanaticism that followed his revival. That's right. Hold yourself clean and clear to your calling. Stay with God's Word and don't move for nothing. You stay, abide, in your calling. If He give you a job out there as a farmer, farm good. God bless you at it, and pay your tithes and whatever it is---your offerings---to help the ministry go on. If he made a mechanic out of you, He's blessed you in that work, stay with it and thank Him for it. You just abide where God calls you.

31 We find here an influence. And then when he was ... tried to be corrected... The minister run after him and said, "Say, wait a minute. You wasn't called for that." Oh, did he get angry? Why, he was ready to have his head cut off. See, there's another thing we have to know: no matter how much God has blessed you, you haven't got no right to rebuke the anointed of the Lord, or say anything against him. Right. God is the one to take care of that. If they need any rebuking, that's his children. You let them alone. You're not supposed to do that, see.
And when you tell people of their sins and tell them they're doing wrong---"Come out. Don't just try to get to heaven on an organizational system," or something---my, goodness, they'll want to blow up. They'll want to find fault with you. They won't even sit and listen at you; get up and go out, and ill-mannered, and just act any way. You see, that goes to show, the first place, poor raising, home manners. Certainly does.

32 But we find out that this guy taking this attitude, and doing the thing he did---what happened to him? The Lord struck him with leprosy right there in the building. And what's leprosy a type of? Sin. Unbelief. There's no other sin but unbelief. He that believeth not is condemned already. And sin is the only unbelief there is.
I was preaching one time in a Methodist church, and I said, "Smoking cigarettes is not a sin. Committing adultery is not a sin. Taking the Lord's name is not sin."
It was too much for one sister. She raised up and said, "Pray tell me, Reverend Branham, what is sin?"
I said, "Unbelief. You do those things because you do not believe." That's exactly. The reason you refuse to walk in the light of the Word is because you disbelieve the Word. That makes you an unbeliever.

33 A fellow said to me, said, "I wouldn't care how many cases you could show, and how many cases the doctor could show of different healings," said, "I do not believe in healing. It's not so."
I said, "Certainly. It wasn't sent to unbelievers. It was only sent to those who believe. It's only for believers."
He said, "He that believeth, all things are possible," not him that unbelieveth. One speck of unbelief against the Word of God and you'll stay out of the kingdom of heaven. It took Eve out. It caused all this trouble---once ... just to pervert the Word, just a little bit. You've got to stay straight with it, what it says.

34 Now, we find out this man got all haughty and puffed up and his face got red. He'd turn around, and tell them priests! First thing you know, he broke out with leprosy. Right there, in his rage he was smitten. He never did get over it. Why? Disbelieving the Word of God that was trying to be told to him. There's a real example in that. Notice.
He was ... he disbelieved, and in his anger he was smitten by leprosy and died, out in his own home. He was never permitted to the kingdom anymore, the king's place. His son had to take his place, and help the best he could. And he was left like that until he died. Now, you see, he never did recover.

35 Jesus said one word against it will never be forgiven---the Word---neither in this world or the world that is to come. It's unpardonable.
So you see why the world is ready for judgment? The great evangelists, and things that's covered the earth with the gospel, been laughed at, made fun of, everything else. There's nothing left. There's no way for it to ever come back. They've blasphemed the Holy Ghost, and made fun of it, and everything else, and they... And there's no way for it to ever come back. It's got to be paid for. There's no way out of it. God's just. It would be against his justice, be against his being, what He is. And now it's got to be paid for.

36 So this king---no matter how much God loved him, what a great man he was, how much degrees he had---yet he done wrong and he had to reap what he sowed. And every man will have to do it.
Then was a lesson to the young prophet. Then was the real lesson. By this, Isaiah learned that God orders his man to his place Himself; not what somebody else orders. God orders his man to the job---now, orders him to his place. He must not try to take another's place. The vision, the thing was so great until it drove this prophet to the temple to pray.
I wonder, today---if we would see the death of the churches, to see the dying out of the people from the Spirit, going on back and serving their creeds---if it oughtn't to drive believers to their knees. It made a real believer, ordained believer, Isaiah the prophet, go to his knees.
He went to the temple and there he began to pray. And in the temple he saw God on his throne, lifted way up high. God was going to show him what to look at. Not look at one another; look up there to what He is, lifted up high on his throne.

37 Note the heavenly seraphims with coverings over their faces. Now, the seraphims is the burners of the sacrifice, which is one of the highest orders of angels. They're next to the cherubims. There's angels, and then seraphims, then cherubims. And seraphims is actually the burner of the sacrifice, making the way for the sinners' approach---a real high order of holiness in the temple of God.
And he saw ... when he was down on the floor at the altar praying, "Lord, I'm a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among unclean people," and he was making this confession. And when he did, he looked up, and he saw these seraphims. They had two wings over their faces, and two wings over their feet, and were flying with two wings, crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Holy, holy, holy [all of God is holy], holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty."

38 Let's look at the vision the prophet saw and break it down. Two wings covered their faces. Think of it! Even holy angels had to hide their sinless faces to stand in the presence of God---was given wings to hide their face in the presence of the holy God. How are you and I going to stand there if the seraphims had to use wings (God's provided way) to hide their face, to stand in his presence, to sing, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty"---reverence in his presence?
Now we don't have any reverence to God. Everybody just thinks he's so secure till they don't reverence God like they should. Why? Why do they do this? Because they're not conscious of his presence. That's the reason people do that. They don't recognize it. They can't comprehend that they're in the presence of God.
Their minds become so perverted and taken up in the things of the world till they don't even pay any attention to it. They go to church, sure, but to realize that you're in the presence of God... Not only in a church; wherever you are, you're in the presence of God. If they could do as David said, "I put the Lord always before my face. Therefore I shall not be moved." As long as the Lord was before him, he could not be moved.
And these heavenly sacrifice burners, with wings over their faces, and crying, "Holy, holy, holy," to stand in the presence of God, what will happen to a sinful people that won't reverence God?

39 You say, "Well, Brother Branham, you just said they were provided with two wings."
And you're provided with something, too: the blood of Jesus
Christ. That's your covering. You don't stand as a seraphim, you don't stand as a cherubim, you don't stand as an angel; but you stand as a redeemed son or daughter of God by this blood. You don't have to have these wings that they had. They're special covering for them in that presence. But you've got the blood of Jesus Christ for a covering to stand there. Now, if you've got that blood, then you honor God, you love God, you respect God---and God is the Word.
Now, notice secondly, with two wings they covered their feet. What did that mean? Humility before God in his presence: like Moses, at the burning bush, took off his shoes when he heard Him say, "I AM THAT I AM." Paul, on his road down to Damascus, he fell on his face. John, when he saw the Spirit of God above Jesus, he said, "I have need to be baptized of thee. Why comest thou to me?"

40 Here's a good example: always be conscious of your littleness; not your bigness. Today we Americans so much ... that we try to think that we're a big somebody, we belong to something big, some big organization. Some great big something's got... All great big, big, big is all we see.
And when... One time in the Bible we have an example of that. There was a prophet went back in the cave, and Elijah ... and God was trying to attract his attention to come out. And there come the fire, and smoke, and blusterous winds across the mountain, and thunder, and earthquakes, and shakings and everything else. The prophet never even moved! God wasn't even in it. But when that still small voice spoke, he covered his face and come forward!
When the still, small voice of God's Word speaks---not a racket, not our big denominations, not our big something; but that still, small voice of the Word that's looked over---that should call a man to repentance. God in his Word! Yet he covered his feet and become conscious of his ... our littleness before God.

41 Thirdly, he could fly by the other two. Now remember, two he covered his face in the presence of God to be reverent. Secondly, the two wings over his feet meant humility before God. And third set of wings, now, he put himself into action. He could fly with them two wings, see. Two over his face, two over his feet, and flying with two. Now, what was it? Reverence, humility, and in action. God showed the prophet how his prepared servant must be: reverent, humble, and in action.
Now he seen something different from Uzziah produced. He was showing the prophet what he must be ---not like Uzziah---but to be like these heavenly cherubims. And if you want to look at a king, an earthly king... Look at a heavenly One exalted above all the heavens, and his train filled the heavens.

42 There we see that He was giving him something to look at, to influence him different from what he had been looking at---thinking a man that served God, and prospered and everything, was fine.
But Isaiah got his mind upon a man, and a man is a failure to begin with! I don't care who he is. He's born in sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies. So he's a total failure. I don't care if he's a bishop, pope, presbyter, or whatevermore he might be---he's a failure to begin with; and don't never look to one. I don't care. Though he moves mountains with faith, and though he gives all of his goods to feed the poor, still, look at Jesus Christ---He's the one. Look to Him; not at some man.
... find out that He's showing here what a servant of God must be: how he must be humble and reverent and in action. Go into action! Many of us can be humble, many of us can be reverent, but it's hard to get them in action. Now, we notice that God was showing how He was preparing his servant---what he must be. Those cherubims, or seraphims was God's servants.

43 Notice. Like the woman at the well, when she was looking for a scripture to be fulfilled (that we spoke on two or three times this week), when she was looking for that to be fulfilled... The girl, as far as we know, didn't go to church. She probably... They was so far away from the Word and things like that, calling the creeds and things, that Jesus said, "You've took your traditions and made the Word of God of no effect."
It's about the same thing today. The creeds that we're taught, and things, has put the Word of God out of action. The word can't come forth. And the things said true, they're so indocumated with something else they can't see it. Remember, that voice will haunt not only you here---this tape goes all over the world. I am not exactly speaking to you all here; but if there's somebody here needs it, well then, it's for you then. But remember, that voice will haunt you as long as you live; and the day of your dying it will haunt you. Obey it! Come back;

44 our traditions has took the Word of God and made it of no effect.
The Word of God being made manifest, and the people standing around, saying, "Well, I guess that's pretty good," see. My, oh, my! It ought to set your soul on fire! It ought to do something! But it doesn't. It doesn't do it... Find, God...
When this woman ... them priests and things, probably she didn't go to church 'cause she see no reason to go, something like that. But she had read the Scriptures, for notice, she knowed quickly when He told her what her trouble was. Why, she said, "Why, we know that you must be a prophet. We haven't had one for the hundreds of years. But you must be a prophet. We know..." Now, see, my opinion, she thought... If you'll take that margin reading there and read it in your Scripture, it goes back to The Prophet, which was Christ. Says, "We know you must be a Prophet. We know that Messiah, when He comes, this will be the thing that He'll do. He'll be identified by this."
And Jesus said, "I am he that speaks to you." She went into action. She couldn't stand it no longer. The very thing that they were looking for was on earth right then, and she saw it. No matter how much she was in a bad shape, a prostitute, or a woman like that could not ... the men on the street wouldn't even listen to her. They wouldn't today.
But stop her, how could you do it? It was like a house on fire in a high wind. You couldn't put it out. A fire got burning in her heart. She said, "Come see a man who told me the things I've done. Isn't this the very Messiah?" And it stuck too, when Jesus didn't have to do that one more time. The people believed her because, believed Jesus because of her testimony, see. What did it do? She was humble, reverent, and in action. She went to action when she seen the thing happen.

45 His signs ought to influence today---the promised signs of today, the promised word that's laid out for this day, to see God fulfilling what He said He would do. It ought to do something to us; but it doesn't. Just like He did to the Jews. They were so religious that they didn't think they needed it. They thought they had everything.
And that's the way with the world today. It's got plenty to eat, plenty to wear, fine churches, big places, fine educated ministers; and so they don't need nothing else. But you don't know the Scriptures said you're naked, miserable, blind and don't know it! Don't know it; and you can't tell them no different. They continually wade right on down that line, and fail to let the Word of God influence them to believe Jesus Christ is raised from the dead and alive today, the same yesterday, today, and forever, showing Himself alive. They're just simply dead. Everywhere---everywhere you go seems to be the same thing.
Had to be that way, you know. He has to be put out of the church. There's no way at all for it to keep from being this a-way. God said it would be this a-way. But if ... let it shake you!

46 Let it shake you good! No matter what nation you're in, wherever you're at, whoever you are; let it wake you up! Hours come and go. The first thing you know, you'll be saying, "Well, I thought there was supposed to be this happen before the rapture."
There might be a voice come back like it did one time, "It's already happened and you didn't know it."
You'll be all anchored off in a church somewhere, saying, "I'm just as secure as I can be," and the first thing you know the rapture will be gone. It's going to be a secret, sudden going---nobody know nothing about it.
The world will keep right on going, like Noah went into the ark. You remember after Noah went into the ark, he sat there seven days after God closed the door. God closed the door and Noah sat in the ark for seven days before anything happened. And the door of mercy will be closed in your face, and might already be. And just think of it---the people'll go ahead preaching, people'll think they're getting saved, putting their names on books, joining church, shouting, jumping up and down.

47 Well, I've seen Mohammedans shout, I've heard ... people drink blood out of human skull and speak in tongues, and do all those things. That ain't no sign you're saved. Oh, no! "Having the form of godliness..." What is "the power thereof" they're speaking of?
See, those things can happen, and it will be a-past time and you won't know it. You can't afford to take that kind of a chance. Don't do it, friends. Come in while you can. Don't be influenced by some great big building, some great big organization, some great, high-polished scholar. Let the Word of God influence you. That's exactly what caused those apostles ... when they seen that Word made manifest, that influenced them. "We are sure..."

48 Might stand quoting again.
Jesus, with great crowds of thousands following, said, "That's too many. [Look, something strange here.] There's (few are called) many are called; few are chosen." So then He seen the great congregations. He said, "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, drink his blood, you have no life in you." He never explained it.
Now what if He'd say that in Beaumont today? No matter how popular He was, what do you think doctors and fine cultured people and scientists would say? "That man's a vampire! Why, He wants you to drink his blood? What kind of a ... you're going off on a tantrum." Jesus never explained it. He wanted to shake them parasites off of him. Right. Then they all got up and left.

49 Then He looked around to those apostles which was not ordained to life, but He had chosen them. They wasn't ordained. He said, "What will you say when you see the Son of man ascending up into heaven from whence He come?" Oh, that was a choker! What did He...
Them ministers said, "Ascend up into heaven! Why, this man was born right here in Galilee. He was born in Nazareth. We know his mother, his brothers. We know the cradle He was rocked in. We seen his baby clothes. We speak to his mother. And then say this man (come), go back up where He come from? He come from Nazareth! What does He say? Heaven!" He never explained it. Too many parasites yet. They got up and they walked with Him no more. That's what the Bible said.

50 Then He turned around and said, "I... You all want to go too?" to the twelve. Remember, they couldn't explain it, but they knowed it; they knowed He was. So they said to Him... He'd influenced them by his a-vindicated signs from God. What... He said, "Do you want to go also?" to the twelve.
Peter said, "Lord, who would we go to, for we're sure..." Now, let's study that. What is it? We know what the Word says for today. We know what the Messiah is supposed to do if He comes today. We have seen this thing being met of God. He said it later on at Pentecost. He said, "Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by the things that He's supposed to do, and you've taken the Prince of Life and crucified Him. And God raised Him up, which you are witnesses of it." Notice here. See, he said, "Where would we go?"
Jesus said, "I chose twelve of you, and one of you is a devil." There was only eleven standing there, out of the thousands times thousands---eleven standing there. Oh, my! Influence, sure.

51 This little woman, when she was influenced, she went into action. She had to do something about it. She had to tell somebody else. And every real true soul that strikes Christ, you've got to tell somebody about it.
Peter---when he took Him at his Word that night on the sea---saw Him out there (or that day, it was). They'd been fishing all night and they hadn't caught nothing. Seining back and forth---that's a discouraged time if anybody's a fisherman. Seined all night, and he was a fisherman too. His father was a fisherman. He had been on that lake all of his life, and his parents and his grandparents come from that lake. And he knowed when the moon was right, and which way the wind was blowing, and all the signs. And he fished for a living. So he fished all night and had taken nothing.
Then they found out the next day that they said this prophet was going to speak down on the bank. And I imagine out of the little huts come the little women and so forth, coming down to hear Him. The crowds got so great around the bank He had to borrow this boat---Peter's boat. They come out and washed their nets---not even one fish ---and throwed them up on there, discouraged.

52 And sometimes at that discouraging moment, if you'll watch, that's when He comes around. But don't be blind enough to miss it. When you see everything happen the way it is in the world today, don't be afraid, see. Don't be afraid; just remember He promised to come to you. And now notice.
When He come, He told Peter, He said, "Now launch out into the deep and let down for the draught."
Peter said perhaps, "I never seen this done before. I don't know. I fished all my life here. The signs ... we just got through fishing all night through that same water; and yet there isn't nothing. We haven't took a thing. But at thy word, Lord, I'll let down the net."
Your word!

53 You might've went through every hospital, Brother King. They might be saying that you're going to die. They might be saying, "Sister, this, that or the other." I don't care what they say! "At thy word, Lord, I'll let down the net." When he seen that word vindicated, when Jesus told him something, he believed it. And he let down that net into the water where there was no fish. But if God said so, He could put fish there. He can put water in the skies. He can put healing in your body. I don't care if there's nothing there. You trust Him to raise it up in the last days. "At thy word, Lord, I'll let down the net."
It so influenced that fisherman until he left the fish and all, and followed Jesus. There was an influence when he took Him at his word. Then what did he do? Well, he said, "Thank you, Lord, for a nice mess of fish."
Said, "Leave your net alone. From henceforth you'll catch men." The apostle went into action.

54 Finally, at the end of the road, when they were going to crucify him, kill him, and he run out of the city... And on the road out, as the history tells us, he was running for his life, getting out of the city. And he met Jesus coming back. He said, "Where goest thou, Simon?" or, Simon said to him, "Where goest thou, Lord?"
He said, "I'm going back into the city to be crucified again."
Simon turned and went back. And when they got him, said, "Don't..." They put him on the cross. He said, "Don't hang me like that." He said, "Put my head down, my feet up." He'd been influenced when he'd seen Jesus resurrected from the dead---influenced for his death, influenced for anything. He went into action. Death couldn't even stop it. The crucifixion couldn't stop it. He was influenced by Jesus.

55 The blind man healed---they told him hold his peace, but he scattered his fame everywhere. His people said, "Now," the priest said, "Now, if anybody goes and attends that revival, they'll just come get their church papers, that's all."
And the father and mother were scared of that, see. So they said...
They come, said, "How'd this boy get his sight?"
Said, "He's of age. Ask him." They were afraid, but he that had been healed was influenced. Amen!
Said, "This man's a sinner---give praise to God. We don't know where this man comes from. He has no credentials. We're not cooperating with Him. We have nothing to do with Him. We don't know where He comes from. We know He's a sinner, and from the devil."
This man had a good answer for them. He said, "Now, this is really a strange thing." He said, "Now, you're supposed to be the leaders of the land. And that man gave me my sight; and yet you don't know where He come from." He said, "Now, whether He's a sinner or not, I can't tell you that. But this one thing I do know: wherein I was once blind, I can now see." He'd been influenced. He didn't care to stand before priests or anything---he had been influenced. His parents, even the miracle on their own son didn't influence them; but it influenced him.

56 The people at Pentecost (as I said last night), with their eternal life policy, when they went up to draw the dividends on it, notice. When they were influenced they had been holy, been reverent before God. They'd covered their faces from the things of the world, and their feet in humility. And when they felt the power of God come---as it was promised by Joel, as it was promised by the prophets, as it was promised by Jesus: "Wait up there at the city of Jerusalem until you're endued with power from on high"---as soon as that ... God in the person of the Holy Ghost came down upon them, they were influenced. They didn't care how many people laughed at them. Out into the street they went, staggering like drunk men. They were influenced by the Holy Ghost; you can be influenced too.
They stood there watching him. He didn't go around saying some kind of a creed; he went right straight back to the Word. He said, "You men of Jerusalem, you that dwell in Judaea, let this be known unto you and hearken unto my words. These are not drunk as you suppose, seeing it's the third hour of the day. But this is that that was spoken of by the prophet Joel. 'It shall come to pass in the last days,' saith God, 'I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.' " They were influenced by the Word to the Word. It ought to do us the same way.

57 They got in action, yes, when his promise was fulfilled.
When they seen that... Jesus promised them that He would send the promise of the Father upon them. Luke 24:49: "Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you. But tarry ye ["Tarry" don't mean pray. It just means wait. "Tarry" means wait.], wait up there at the city of Jerusalem until you're endued with power from on high." And when this influence of the Holy Ghost struck them, it filled them. They seen the Word that Jesus promised fulfilled.
Now, I wonder if it would take the same influence on us this afternoon. If we seen what He promised to do in the last days fulfilled, what kind of an influence would it give us? What? All we have seen done in these last days ought to put us in action. It sure ought to, with reverence and humility.

58 Beyond any shadow of doubt, the claim that was made thirty years ago about a pillar of fire that the cameras caught... Your Texas camera caught it not long ago. Scientific research throwed it through all kinds of research. Said they couldn't find by the FBI and every [blank spot]. How did you do it? Took in Texas for Texans. When you see the sign, it cannot be disproved. It's the truth.
But will you believe the voice that follows the sign? The sign is scientifically proved. Now, someday when Jesus returns, and catches the people all the way they are, it will be made known too.

59 Notice.
The pillar of fire should put us in action, as the pillar of fire vindicates its promise of the last days. Jesus said, "I come from God, and I go to God," and what it would do in the last days. And here He is, both scientific and spiritually, and the Word proving it, that He come from God and still remains the same. He's still God, for the promise in the last days. It should put us in action.
Signs of the coming is at hand. Jesus said as it was at Sodom, just before the world was burnt (the Gentile world), this would return. It should influence us and put us in action, too. When we see the word fulfilled that He promised, it should put us in action.

60 We, like the prophet, have seen the outcome of self-exalted denominations---lose their place. I want that to soak real deep because I may never talk to you again. But men and women, may I say this---speak to you freely this afternoon in the name of Jesus Christ. Men who are sensible thinkers, men who are not so stuffed-shirt, so far away from God by tradition that... They have seen the Pentecostal church, you've seen the Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterian, you've seen the Catholic church lose its position in God---lose their hold on the Word when they accepted creeds.

61 I was interviewed by a priest not long ago, and he said to me, he said, "Why..." He asked me about a certain thing and these things. He said, "Why, the Catholic church used to do that."
I said, "When? The Catholic church wasn't organized for three hundred years after the death of the last apostle."
He said, "You're trying to try your case by a Bible."
I said, "That's the Word."
He said, "God's in his church."
I said, "God's in his Word. Everything else be a lie, and his ... truth."
And he said, "Well, that's just a book that the early Catholics wrote."
I said, "Then I am an early Catholic. I believe just what it says." I said, "Then... "
He said, "Well, see, we're a greater church now."
I said, "Then where have you lost? What's happened? If the early church cast out devils, and proved Jesus alive upon the earth by spiritual signs and wonders... and here you got thousands of intercessors of all kinds of dead women and dead men and everything, making intercessors in the Bible. The first pope said that there is no other mediator between God and man but the man Christ Jesus."

62 Losing your hold on the Word and accepting creeds and self-exaltation by man's exhortation---we've seen them lose their hold with the great Holy Spirit.
We've seen the Pentecostals do the same thing, and you see it. When they organize, they die. There's no way back. There never has been, and there never will be. God is against the thing. That's the reason He said... Unto the last days He'd say, "Come out from among them, my people, that you touch not their unclean things, and I will receive you."

63 Like Uzziah. What did he try to do? He tried to take the place of an anointed office---God's anointed office. Uzziah tried to usurp that authority because he was a great man. We see these self-styled organizations crowd out everything that is God, and try to take the office of the church---the anointed church. And by creeds we found that they're dead in unbelief, and they'll never rise again. They'll die in the leper camp with the rest of them.
See there? Men---thinking men, Scripture-believing men---see that. If you're borned of God, you'll see it: God so clearly identifying the thing to influence you. As we've preached all week and things---what it's to do: attract the attention. It influences you to see where they went and what's happened. Every one of them. If they organize another one, it'll do the same thing. But there'll be no more of them. No. It's over now. It's too late now. Lose their hope by accepting creeds and man-made doctrines. They're scared to come and stand by it, see.

64 Like Uzziah trying to usurp the place of a anointed office because he was a big fellow. Big fellow! And among God's people there's no big fellows---we're all children of God. God gives one of us one thing to do, and another thing to do. And that don't make us any better than anybody else; just makes God require more at your hand is all.

65 Now, the effects of such a vision (and we're closing---start praying for the sick in a few minutes), now the effects of such a vision---what did the effects do to this prophet? I wonder about a preacher, I wonder about an evangelist, or a pastor. Look what a vision of this done and what... He seen what had happened to self-styled Uzziah and then---though a great man that God had honored---the great thing, they seen it dead! What effects did it have on the prophet? Here's what it did! It caused him to confess himself to be a sinner for associating with such. He confessed, "I'm a man of unclean lips and I've been dwelling among people with unclean lips,"---making a prophet (not a preacher; a prophet!) confess that he was a sinful man because he had been associating with such.

66 Then what? When he confessed his sins, then come the cleansing. Oh, you cannot be clean from your sin until you confess your sin, until you'll recognize it's sin. Then comes the cleansing. You see, he said, "Woe is me, for my eyes have seen the vindication of a great God. The angels, the burners, the sacrificers are here, and the post is moving at their voice. And here they are in this vision, flying back and forth." He'd saw something real---a vision had come down. He said, "I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among unclean people." He said ... cried out for mercy. He called himself a sinner.
Then what happened? One of the cherubims went over to the altar and took the tongs and picked up a live coal and put it on his hand. Not carrying the tong now, picked up the coals, put it on his hand, and come and laid it upon the prophet's lips; and said, "Thy iniquity..." Iniquity---what is iniquity? Iniquity is something that you know it's wrong, and still holding to it. When you know your creeds are wrong and you still hold to it, that's iniquity.

67 But when he confessed that he was wrong, there was a cleansing power. He took a coal of fire.
Did you notice how God? ... We see how God set his servants in order and what He fixed him with; how he could be humble, reverent, and put hisself in action. Watch. When He cleansed the servant, He never done it by a seminary. He never done it by a bunch of books. We find here that God cleans his servants by fire. A coal of fire touched the prophet, cleaned his lips. God cleans his servants by his holy fire. Not by books, not by education, theology; but He cleaned his servants by fire.
Then as soon as he was confessed and cleansed, then followed the commission. First he had to confess, then he had to be cleansed, and now it's a commission. It was then that the cleansed Isaiah cried, when he heard the voice of God say, "Who will go for us?"

68 Look at back in history, when you're reading this when you go home. What had happened to Israel? She'd got the same place we are. They had called... All their sacrifices and things had become a tradition to them. There was no sincerity. They didn't honor the Word of God. That's when God raised up Isaiah to tell them them sacrifices stunk in his nose---He didn't want them. They were blasphemy to Him and He didn't want no more to do with them.
And when this Isaiah was cleaned, and ready to go preach the gospel then...

69 And the voice of God said, "Now there's a need. These things has got to be told." And one voice said to the other, the angels flying, said, "Who will go for us?"
Then Isaiah, with a clean heart, cleansed, confessed, cleansed and commissioned, the vision, said, "Here am I, Lord. Send me. Send me. Here am I, send me."
God, send your holy angels again today. Find your Isaiah somewhere ... my prayer. I'm just saying this because I know He's here.
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
Making him as clean as clean could be,
When the voice of God said, "Who'll go for us?"
Then he answered, "Master, here am I. Send me."
He wasn't afraid then with the Word. He was a prophet---the Word could come to him. All of his unbelief and traditions was gone. He could stand before that traditional age and tell them, "Your sacrifices stink in the nose of God. And the very God that you claim to serve will destroy you." That's what he said. "The God that you claim you're serving will destroy you." And He did it.
They said, "A sign..."
He said, "I'll give you a super sign: a virgin shall conceive."

70 Isaiah wrote sixty-six chapters in his book, and there's sixty-six books in the Bible. He starts off with the beginning of creation, and ends up in the millennium, just like the entire Bible does. That great prophet of God who was willing to confess that all their traditions was wrong, and get down there and get cleansed so the Word of God can come to him, then he said, "I am ready to go, Lord. I'm ready. I'll speak what You say speak. I'll say what You say say." He was ready to go.
God, bring the angels again this afternoon, the Holy Ghost and fire, and cleanse my brothers' hearts everywhere. May they be such influences that others will see, and want to follow, too.

71 Let's us bow our heads quietly.
When the coal of fire had touched the prophet,
Making him as pure, as pure could be'
When the voice of God said, "Who'll go for us?"
Then he answered, "Master, here send me."
(Quietly now, all together.)
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."
Millions now in sin and shame are dying;
Listen to their sad and bitter cry;
Hasten, brother, hasten to their rescue;
Quickly answer, "Master, here am I."
Speak, my Lord; speak, my Lord,
Speak and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."
Let's hum it quietly.
(Let's go down to the temple now.)
Listen to their sad and bitter cry;
(Oh, brother, come with me, won't you?)
Hasten, brother, hasten to their rescue;
(They don't know what denomination
to belong to, or nothing.)
Quickly answer, "Master, here am I."
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
(Isaiahs, are you here?)
Speak, and I'll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, "Lord, send me."

72 I wonder, with your heads bowed and your hearts bowed, Isaiah, where are you? Will you raise up your hand and say, "Lord, here am I, send me. I am ready." God bless you. "I really mean it." Ninety percent of the audience. "...speak, my Lord; speak, and I will answer, 'Lord, send me.'"
Look, ministers, you that raised your hand. Look at our women, our sisters. What a disgrace! Look at our men---think more of an organization than they do of the Word of God, Jesus Christ proving Himself among them. And it's exactly the Scripture, so plainly made known; and yet they'll hang right to it.
Brother ... someone will say, "I wouldn't have nothing. I wouldn't have no place to go." Brother, if I had to eat soda crackers and drink branch water, I'd stay by my Lord. He's my life. He's my bread. You think I do this to be different? I do this because I love Him, because it's my commission---stand side by side with Him with that Word. Oh, "Speak and I will answer, 'Lord, send me.'"

73 Heavenly Father, as the music is sweetly playing, may everyone that's in divine presence, Lord, see that this is the calling time. It's a separating time when the chaff and wheat is to be separated. Although the wheat has been wrapped in the chaff, but now it's a calling-out time. It's another Exodus.
I pray, God, as the great sunlight has ripened the grain for every stage of its life, from the time... Like in Canada now, when the wheat's just coming up, that hot sun of July would kill it right now. But it has to ripen according to the way that nature brings the sun upon it. So there's a hot sun upon Luther's doctrine, Wesley, and the rest of them---just scorches it down. But it's to ripen the wheat.
It should have matured, Lord, just as it come up. But remember, all the branches was pruned off, and the bride tree come right out of the center. "I will restore again all the years that the palmerworm caterpillar [the same insect, only in different stages], has eaten away. I will restore," saith the Lord. You'll do it, Lord. You promised it. I pray that you'll do it in every heart this afternoon. They're yours, Lord. I commit them to You now. I may never see them if I come back a year from today. There's many sitting here ... if I'm living they won't be, no doubt, this size crowd. Next time I meet them will be at the judgment.
Let them see, Lord. Let them open their eyes if there's ... and see. All these on tape, Lord, that's listened to the voice at this time---many different languages even be translated---may they understand. Many men and women in little houses, and out in little jungles in Africa, with those little machines with the tubes in their ears---may they hear, Lord, hear. Grant it.
The missionary was right in what he said, but this is... A greater witness than what he had is ready now. Dearest Father, we commit it all to You in the name of Jesus Christ thy Son, and for the calling of his bride. Amen.

74 Now, my brother, sister, we're going to pray for the sick. Each one of you that raised your hand, I can't give it... If I could give it to you, I'd do it. Certainly. I'd come right down there and say, "Here, do you want it? I have it." It isn't mine to give. It's God, and God will give it to you, if there's a hunger in your heart.
Before there could be a calling to the deep, there's got to be a deep to respond to that call. Before there could be a creation, there has to be a creator to create that creation. You know there's something there you're reaching for. There's got to be something out there to respond to that call. Won't you receive it now? Don't let it die. Please don't. If I never see you no more this side the judgment, may I see you there, washed and ready, is my prayer.

75 Now the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who appeared on the earth in the form of a man---the Son of God, Jesus Christ---who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, buried, rose the third day and ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Majesty; sending back the Spirit that was upon Him, (called the Holy Spirit)--- God, upon ... to come upon mankind; to fellowship, to carry on the ministry that was carried on in that glorious body of Christ; supposingly to come as the pyramid is shaped up, like that. The headstone never was put on it. Why? It was rejected.
Now, way down, the church is constantly come to minority; is come on up now till all the church ages is run out. It's got to be honed. That stone has to fit straight in. The ministry that was in Jesus Christ has to be in his church, to make Christ come for the church, to raise up every age to bring it out.

76 It's like the wheat. The wheat has to come plumb back, as it starts maturing from the grain where it rotted, died, and come forth; and kept coming up from grass into something else. You can't go back to grass. Don't point back to grass, don't point back to this, don't point back to the sheaf. Come on till you get to the wheat. And the wheat has to be the same kind of a wheat that went into the ground when it's matured.
Jesus is raised from the dead; He's matured now. And He's matured in his church through justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Ghost, through his reformers in the early days. Now here He is on earth today in his people. Believe Him. He's here.

77 Just that you might see---there might be strangers---may the God of heaven honor what I've said about Him.
Now I want you in the audience, please, don't nobody go out no more. Just give the God of heaven this much respect: just to sit a moment. Now don't move. Let every person in here that's sick or needy raise up your hand. All right. Thank you. I don't know ... I know Brother King, sitting right here. I just recognized him just a few minutes ago. I think that's who that is, is Brother King sitting there. He sponsored my last meeting here.
Brother King, I can't say what I want to say, but you know I know what I want to say. You've been through the mill, my little brother. God be merciful to you.
Others, I don't know. I still see Pat Tyler sitting here. I think that's the only man in the building, or only woman, anything that I know, anybody, is this man Pat Tyler sitting here.

78 Believe now.
And if I be the servant of God, and if God be here and identified his Word to be the truth; then let the God of heaven who raised up his Son, Jesus Christ, who made these promises, identify with you that I've told the truth. How would He do it? Not by coming with a robe on and beard, but his life. "I am the vine; ye are the branches." The life that's in the vine is in the branch. "The works that I do shall you also," and promised it. And this day, when the next branch comes forth...
We've got a lot of grafted branches here. And it will bear fruit, but not this kind of fruit. No, no. I seen a tree in Phoenix not long ago. It had about eight or nine different fruits on it. Brother John Sharrit owned it. I said, "What kind of tree is that?"
He said, "It is a orange tree, Brother Branham."
"Why," I said, "there's lemons, and grapefruit, and tangelos, and tangerines."
He said, "Yes, it's all citrus fruit." Said, "I grafted them in there."
"Oh," I said, "I see. Now, next year they'll all be oranges."
He said, "Oh, no. Huh uh. No. Next year the lemon will be a lemon, the grapefruit will be a grapefruit."
I said, "Off of that same vine? Off that same ... off of an orange tree?"
He said, "Yes. They're all citrus fruit, Brother Branham. It'll live by the citrus fruit."
And I felt the tears running down my cheeks. I said, "Lord Jesus, I know what you mean now. There it is. These denominations has grafted theirself in, but they're bearing denominational fruit." Listen. If that real branch ever brings forth a (real vine), brings forth another branch, it'll be of the original. Believe it.
[Someone speaks in tongues. Someone interprets.] Thank the Lord. He's promised it.

79 Now, everybody real reverent. I am going to just stand here and ask the Lord Jesus. This is a gift. What is a gift? I can move my own thinking. I can move my own life, my natural life, my soul. That's William Branham. If I can get him out of the way, God will use the body to speak. Let the Holy Spirit come now, Lord, that they might see by human beings that the identified Holy Spirit is here---a gift to get yourself out of the way.
Everybody real reverent. Sit still.

80 Just a man sitting out here. I want you all to raise your heads and look just a minute. Can you see that light here on this man? A light---amber light---burning, circling? How many seen a picture of ... it was taken here at Houston. You can see ... in the Washington, DC, all over the world---only supernatural being was ever photographed in all the world. Here it is, right here now. I take every spirit in here under my control in the name of Jesus Christ.
This man's suffering from a gland trouble in his throat. I don't know him. Never seen him in my life, but that's the truth. Isn't that right, sir? You believe now, the man in the back there, you believe that God will make known to me about you? You're Mr. Hall. That's your name, isn't it? All right, sir. It's over now. Your faith makes you well.

81 I could call a prayer line, get them up here on the platform. There's no need of it. Let's take one of these rows here somewhere. Here, start right here. Here's a little girl sitting here. Look this way, honey. Might not have nothing wrong with you. I don't know. But just say instead of a prayer line coming up here, let's get it down here. Look here, sweetheart. Look at Brother Branham. In the days when Jesus was here on earth... Yes, she is sick. She's seriously sick, that child is. That's right.
If Jesus was here He could tell you what was wrong with you, wouldn't He? You believe that Jesus sent Brother Branham to do it? If I tell you what's wrong with you, you believe He'll heal you? It's sugar diabetes---that little child. No way in the world for it to be healed outside of God. You believe, honey? Now, the lady sitting next, that raised a hand up, that's the mother to the child. That is right. Lay your hand over on her, sister. Believe now. God brought that child to you---may the Lord grant her healing.

82 This next lady sitting next to the mother there. Look here at me, lady. You believe me to be his servant, God's servant? If God will tell me something in your life, or what you're wanting, if you're sick or if you're not sick, or whatever it is---if God will tell me your desires, will you believe? Or something like that---I don't know what He will do. Would you believe it? You know it would have to be Jesus Christ? You're way away from me. You couldn't touch me if you had to, 'cause if you touched me it'd have to be physical. You have to touch spirit. The Spirit is Christ. He's the high priest now, the Bible says, that can be touched by feeling of our infirmities.
You are suffering also. Do you believe that God can tell me what your trouble is? You're suffering with a back trouble, and high blood. And you have high blood pressure, and you have heart trouble. That's exactly right. If that's right, raise up your hand. That's right. You believe now?

83 What about you with your arm around her there, the lady this way. Look here. Do you? ... I am a stranger to you. Do you believe me to be his servant? Do you believe me---that what I've said is the truth, that I've told you the truth? Do you believe that God can reveal to me your trouble, whatever it is? You believe He can reveal it? It really isn't anything that you're wanting prayed for. You have a prayer card, I see, in your hand. You're the first one with a prayer card. Do you believe God can tell me what you got the prayer card for? It's for your husband. You believe that God can tell me what's wrong with your husband? If God doesn't touch him he's going to die. He's got cancer. He's got lung trouble. That's right, isn't it? Raise up your hand if that's so. Do you believe? The rest of them'll believe, he can be healed.

84 That man sitting next to you, do you believe me to be his servant, sir? If God can reveal to me what your trouble is, will you believe then with all your heart? You're suffering with a heart trouble. That's right. If that's right raise up your hand. All right.
The lady just shook her head ... herself like that, sitting next to you---do you believe that God can tell me what's your heart, or something you desire in your heart or something, or something you're praying for somebody? You believe God can reveal it to me? While the anointing is here we can see it, and see it's got to be something real. It's revealing the secrets of the heart, telling what ... just like Jesus told the woman at the well. Now you're also suffering. You suffer with a back trouble. Yours is in your back. Raise up your hand if that's so.

85 Now the lady next to her that's weeping, with your purse laying in your pocket, with a blue dress on, dark hair, heavy set---look to me. Do you believe me to be God's servant? Look here. See, you're on the front row. I can contact you easily by the help of God. Do you believe that God can tell me what your trouble is, just like you're in the prayer line? Do you believe that that could be so from here? You do? You have a high blood pressure that you're suffering with. If that's right, raise up your hand. All right. You believe. and you can be healed.
Lady next to her---what do you think, sister? Look this way to me. Do you believe me to be God's prophet, or his servant. You believe that with all your heart? Do you believe God can describe to me, like the woman at the well when Jesus and the woman come together, that can tell me what your trouble is? Do you believe it would help you? Would it help you to believe? Look. Oh, you have a serious thing. It's a son, a boy, and that boy has got a mental nervousness. He's at home. That's right. If that's right, raise up your hand. Believe with all your heart. The boy will get well, if you believe.

86 The next lady to there---do you believe, sister, with all your heart? Do you believe me to be his prophet, his servant? Do you believe it's Jesus Christ, just by a gift that... Prophecy is a gift. You know, a gift of God is ordained way back before the world started. It had to be ordained for this day. You have no way of knowing what's what. God just identifies it and interprets his Word. Do you believe that to be so, what you've heard? Do you believe? If I could tell you what was wrong, you'd know it wouldn't be me. It'd have to be another one---just my voice, but somebody else using it. Just like this microphone. It's a mute till something speaks through it. We're strangers, see. I lost con ... here she is. Yes, sir, the lady's suffering with anemia condition. It's in her blood. If that's right, raise up your hand, lady. That's right.
You're also praying for this little fellow on the end. That's your little son sitting there on the end. If that's right, wave your hand. If God can tell me what's wrong with your little son, will you believe with all your heart that God speaks to me, and that's right? He's suffering with an extreme nervous condition. That is right. Isn't that right? Then lay your hand over on him, and believe with all your heart and he'll get well.

87 I challenge you to believe it. Thus saith the Lord God. Texas, if you die in sin, you die without my blood on you. Remember, your blood's not on me. There's the truth. That's Jesus Christ identified. Prayer lines, wherever it is, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He can do it. Are you convinced? Are you thoroughly convinced that has to be Jesus Christ according to the word of promise to this day? Raise up your hands, everybody that's thoroughly convinced that it's the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. God bless you.

88 I know you've been taught. You've been taught, each one of you, something. (Now it's just so anointed it's just swaying everywhere now, see.) You've been taught that you must lay hands on the sick. That's a tradition. It's all right. Jesus endorsed it. But that Roman ... that's what I've been trying to get to you this week. "I'm not worthy," said the Roman, "that You come under my roof. Just say the word," see. If somebody lays hands on you, then, "Brother So-and-so laid hands on me. Glory to God!" I'm going to ask ministers, believing ministers, to come here so it just ain't my hands. It's just what Jesus said, "They shall lay hands on the sick." We're going to pray for the sick, every one.
How many's got prayer cards out through the building now? Let's see your hands? Yeah. We promised you. Now we've got a half hour to make that right. I'm going to ask, how would we run this, Brother Pearry? Have you got any suggestions? From this side over here? Let this row here on the outside that's got prayer cards stand up against the wall. Go out that way, and stand up against the wall. All right, sir, that's fine. Stand over on that side.
All from this middle here, you stand in the aisle, see. You just stand in the aisle. Ones in this middle here, stand out in the aisle. Ones on that side stand on that side. The ones in here stand up here in the middle on this side. And the ones on that side stand in there, and just follow your lines through as they come. That's right. They'll be down there instructing you on what to do.

89 I'm asking (This is all right, Brother Pearry?), I'm asking for ministers who believe in Christ, that Christ will heal these sick people by laying on of hands and following his commandments.
I'm asking you to come here and stand with me if you believe this to be the truth. Any gospel minister---if you're a Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Catholic priest, whatever you are---if you believe Jesus Christ heals the sick and has commissioned his disciples to lay hands on the sick for their healing, would you come here. [Someone says, "Would everybody that wants to be prayed for go to the back."] Now, go to the back and follow around, see. All in these lines now go right back and take your place. Follow right around that way. Then you go back to your place against just as orderly as it can be.
I wonder, brethren, if we had better get down there. I think that's a good idea. Now we better leave this microphone here. Let ... Roy, you stand here by the microphone. Or, yes, you better come down with me, you see. Unless you want to stand here? All right, Roy, you stand here then. All right.

90 Now, you're going... Now, don't nobody leave, please. See, the very thing that we've been praying for... Now, you say, "Brother Branham, why did you bring all these ministers up here?" I'm going to come right with them, but I... See, what it is, they have as much right to pray for the sick as I do, or anybody does---as much as Oral Roberts, or any hierarchy, no matter who he is. They have as much right to pray for the sick as Peter, James, John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, any of the rest of them have. They're ministers, called of God. I happen to see two or three brothers in there that I know personally that has a ministry of praying for the sick.

91 Now, as you're lining yourselves up over here, I want... How many in this congregation is thoroughly convinced with all your heart that you believe it's God's will to heal them people? Sure it is. Certainly it's God's will to heal them. Now, how do they get healed? Now, if He was here Himself He could do no more than what He has done right now. Do you believe that? Just what He's done now, that's what He would do, because He's the same yesterday, today and forever.
How many knows that St. John 5:19 says this: "The Son can do nothing in Himself [How many knows that?]. But what He sees the Father doing, that doeth the Son." Believe that? Then Jesus never performed one miracle until the Father showed Him by a vision what to do. That's his own Word. If that isn't so then we're all lost, and we don't know where we're at. There you are, see. His words are infallible.

92 Look at Him going through the pool of Bethesda. If you were out about an hour before that, there lay great multitudes of lame, blind, halt, withered. How many knows that's true? And He never touched a one of them; yet He was a God of compassion. Do you believe He had compassion? Leaving that mother with a waterhead baby; that poor, old, blind daddy calling somebody to put him in the water when it was troubled---a God of compassion?
See, people don't know what compassion is. They mix a phileo love with agapao love; it's two different loves altogether. Compassion's the same thing: desires and compassion is different.
But look, He went to a man that had maybe a prostate trouble, or maybe it was tuberculosis. See, it was retarded. He'd had it for ... it was thirty-eight years he'd had it. It wasn't going to kill him. And He went to that man and said, "Will thou be made whole?" (How many knows that's true?), and left the rest of the audience lay there. What if He'd done that in Beaumont today? Oh, my! "There's nothing to divine healing," then, see. See, they don't understand. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. "I do nothing until the Father shows me."

93 But many people just laid in the shadow of Him and was healed by their own faith. A little woman touched his garment and was made whole. How many knows that? Healing is based upon your faith. God's identification's based upon the promise of his Word. But your faith in his identification is what heals you. If you don't---no matter, the holiest man in all the world could stand here and pray all day long, it wouldn't do one bit of good until you believe it emphatically yourself.
Jesus might be standing here Himself in the incarnate body, lay hands upon you, but still you would not get healed. How many knows that? Many mighty works He could not do because of their unbelief. That's Scripture.

94 So you see, you in the prayer line, it's got to be your faith in the Word.
Now, if you see God doing what He has done... Look, let me just give one little testimony while you're getting ready. Listen close. Night before last... There's a little minister here somewhere---I seen him here awhile ago. Martin was his name. I forget... He's one of the sponsors. Right here.
About midnight, close to it, someone woke me up in my room---a little fellow crying, a little minister. His baby had just passed away---the tears running down his face. He's plumb up in ... somewhere... What's the name of that town? They live in Missouri, up in ... where? [Wardsville?], Missouri. I know the boy. I know his brother here, too. They're friends of mine.
This brother walked in there, with tears, running down his cheeks, said, "Brother Branham, I just called ... my wife just called me. My little baby just quit breathing." He laid his hands upon me and said, "Brother Branham, I believe the Word of the Lord is with you. Oh, how could God? ..."
It's like, "Even now, Lord, if you'd been here my brother would not have died," see. He wasn't confessing to me. He was confessing the Word of the Lord, see---that I was preaching the truth.
He said, "I believe the Word of the Lord is with you. Just ask Him; my baby will live." In ten minutes from then his baby was breathing normal, and is well now.

95 My son, standing here somewhere, Billy Paul, he went out to talk to him. I was there in my pajamas, and about... A few minutes later he come back. He said, "Daddy, Daddy, looky here!" And his throat all swelled out red, and a great big welt about that big-around. Said, "A big, black-looking spider with a red spot on it... I was standing there. I was talking to John. And he bit me there. And look there, it's swelling out."
I said, "Oh, Billy, a black widow, maybe." I said, "Look at your throat, how it swelled." I put my hand there, and I said, "Lord Jesus..." In ten minutes from then there wasn't even ... you couldn't even tell the spot had ever been there. What is it?

96 Someone come in the other day and said ... to the office. One of the office ... come out and said, "Tell Brother Branham just to say that my child..." He said, "I believe that, what you'd..."
But see, I can't say it till He tells me. But here I've got the Word. Says this: "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick they shall recover." Now, God can't do those things and leave you stand there. You've got to ... you believe the same thing, it will happen to you. But you've got to believe it---not just bluff it. You've got to believe it.
Now let us pray first all together.

97 I want each one of you all ... while the brother's standing here at this microphone, I'm going down there so I can lay hands on them, too. They're my people. They're my ... they're stars in my crown. Yes, and they are in your crown, my minister brothers. I'm coming there because we love them and they're God's children. We're coming to help them. Now let us pray.

98 Lord Jesus, the man that could say that your presence isn't here would ... there would be something mentally wrong---just like a man who would refuse to accept the sunlight. Somebody tell him the sun's shining, and he'd run down in the basement, and shut the door and say, "I just refuse to believe it. I refuse to believe it." But we'd know, Lord, that something mentally was wrong with the man.
And so does a man that would shut up his bowels of compassion, and the life of the Word of Jesus Christ being made manifest, would say, "I don't believe it." There's something spiritually wrong with the man. So we know that you're here, Father. Without a doubt we believe it. We see your footprints, we see your marks, we see your Word.
There's hundreds standing here in this prayer line; and fine men of God standing here, great warriors of the faith. I'm walking down to put my shoulder with theirs, Lord. When these sick people pass through this prayer line, make each one of them know that it's not just passing through by some man; they're coming under the cross of the promise.
May they go away from here healed, go away rejoicing, get well, tell their pastor. May that cause an old-fashioned revival to break out down around in these countries, Lord, bring many souls to You. Lord, they're yours. Help them, heal them, I pray. In Jesus Christ's name.
I want everyone, now, with your heads bowed, praying.

99 I want, as you... Listen in the prayer line now. When you pass through, just like you was under the cross, believe with everything that's in you. Go away from here rejoicing, happy, saying, "Thank you, Lord. I believe my healing." And if you don't believe that, it'd be just as well to take your seat, because it won't do one bit of good.
I want all the congregation, everybody, to just storm up to heaven like that in the presence of Christ. "Lord Jesus, make yourself known to us now. Heal these sick." Will you do it?
Brother Borders, while you sing "Only Believe":
Only believe, only believe,
(Let's raise our hands now.)
All things are possible, only believe.
Now let's sing it like this:
Now I believe, now I believe,
All things are possible, now I believe.
Now I believe, now I believe.
All things are possible, now I believe.
Till I meet you again I want to leave Texas singing, and shout the praises of God. Let's just raise up our hands and give God praise, every one of us.

100 Lord Jesus, we thank You for your Word, what You've done for us. I thank You for being able to speak to these fine people, and to see your power and blessings upon them. Bless them, Lord. May they understand. And may the Holy Ghost heal every one and save every one in this last days, through Jesus Christ's name. Lord, I present them to You for material for the bride, for they are believing in the grace of God.