The Oddball

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Let us pray. Lord Jesus, we indeed this morning can say our hearts burned within us, because He has spoke to us along the way. We thank Thee for this grand opportunity that's been ... that's come our way, that we could assemble here with these people, thy children, and enjoy this moments of fellowship. And we pray, heavenly Father, that your blessings will rest upon us as we journey different places and meet others.
We thank Thee for every testimony of this fine Christian atmosphere here this morning, and for all these ones that's been a long time in the way, and for this young man that's just crossed over Jordan to see what it really means to live. We can all appreciate that, Lord, knowing that one time we were on the other side, too. But no more of the old life now---it's back in Egypt.
Now we pray that you'll bless our fellowship together as we read thy Word, and speak a few words from this great Word of God that we all believe in. And bless it to our hearts, now, to continue the service. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask it. Amen.

2 Brother Leo, Brother Gene and pilgrims, I deem this one of the grand privileges that I've had, to come here to see for myself what you have here on these grounds. It's a ... I have been blessed as I moved across the little creek there, and see this court. And I... One time when Brother Leo was making tapes, and I told him that surely there was something greater in life for him than to make tapes. And of course tape-making is something we must do, but... It blesses. But there's something else. We're all cut out for different things to do.
And to come here this morning, and look at this fine little Jerusalem sitting out here, a little... I called it Goshen, I believe when we come over this morning. Remember, Goshen was one of the places that they worshipped, one of the first places the tent was pitched. And to meet old friends, and new, and to have this time allotted to us, I just... It seems like that you just don't want to leave. There's just something that wants to hold you. I can see why you people would want to stay here, see. It's something that grips you.

3 I don't believe I was ever in any sweeter worship and fellowship as these songs, and things that... I sat there and biting my lips, and shake my feet, and try to hold myself back from screaming out, when I heard those old songs sang in the way that I think that they ought to be sung---and that's sung in the spirit. That's what we... Paul said, "If I sing, I'll sing in the spirit."
Now, I can't imagine the Spirit as being screaming to the top of our voice. I think the Spirit of Christ is love, and gentleness, and peace, that brings something to our souls that feed us. And I think that's the way them songs should be sang.

4 And to be here with you, a dedicated people to a cause---the cause of Christ---there's just so many things that I could say that the time wouldn't permit me.
I come for... I thought, "Well, I'll run up and visit Brother Leo and the church up there and ... a portion of the body of Christ that's waiting for his coming, and a part of the bride that's sojourning here."
And how you've separated yourself from the rest of the world, and come over here to live this way... I was thinking, even the little creek here, on this side of Jordan out here, you're in the land here. You've come over an exodus, a coming out of the world into a place to where you can congregate yourself together, and worship God, really according to the dictates of your conscience.
And that's what we stand for as a democracy, as a nation. We stand for this very thing, that each man can worship. And it's just too bad we don't have more like this (that's right), where let the world be in their place, and God's people be in their place---where we can have this.

5 And I certainly had... If I said "Amen," and walked out the door, I'd say it would pay me every Sunday to drive up here, or have my children even to come up to sit under an atmosphere like this---because it's always the atmosphere that brings the results.
You can lay a seed out there in the ground. No matter how much that seed's germitized, and lay it there, it's got to have an atmosphere to make it live, see. That sun has to come to a certain part before ... bring it to a certain atmosphere. An egg has to have an atmosphere, or it won't hatch. No matter how fertile it is, it's got to have that atmosphere.

6 And I think that in a group like this, Christians hatch out, are borned again, in such an atmosphere as this. This is the kind of atmosphere I was borned under. No matter where I go and visit the cold world, in mission fields and so forth, I can even stand and close my eyes and think of this atmosphere.
This reminds me, when I was just a boy preacher and just starting out, we had little groups that met from house to house. We separated ourselves from the things of the world, too. That's what made my heart the way it is today, in love with Christ.
Where we can dwell together... I believe the Scripture said, "How sweet it is that brethren can dwell together in unity." It's like the anointing oil that was on Aaron's beard, that ran to the hems of his garments. And there's just so much could be said. I ... maybe the Holy Spirit will interpret to you after I'm gone what it is.
Wish I could stay all afternoon, and just forsake meals and everything else, just sit here and hear you sing, see---hear you sing, and talk, and testify. It means so much.

7 My daughter graduates tonight, or it's just the baccalaureate service tonight, and I have to hurry back. And I didn't know that, that it was to be this ... baccalaureate service was to be until just last night. I'm kind of busy, and don't notice it.
And visiting with Brother Leo and Brother Gene, as they come down, I've longed for the time to be here, wondering, just really. I heard people say, "Well, they've got a lovely trailer court. They're over on one side, and the world's on the other. And on this side's all dedicated lives, and things."
I thought, "I'd like to see that. I'd just like to see what it really is." And you all are blessed to be here.

8 I want to read just one verse out of the Bible, and I think just reading this one verse will absolutely make a complete service. But I have... Coming up here, I had just a few comments that I thought I would say. It won't take me but just a few minutes. And then I would like to say these comments to what I ... what I feel now.
In the book of II Corinthians, the 12th chapter, and the 11th verse, I would like to read this. Paul speaking:
I have become a fool in glorying; yea compelling me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
I would like just... If I would call this a text... I think the Holy Spirit's just among us. And we ... it wouldn't be just to read a scripture. He ... that's what He lives on. And every word is given by inspiration, and it's fitting. For time---it never ends. It's like a chain. It just keeps going on. It never ends, the Scripture.

9 And I thought while reading this, and thinking of this little place up here, this come on my mind, Paul saying, "I have become a fool," see. Now, that's a very strange thing for an apostle to say. "I have become a fool."
Now, a fool is a person that really isn't in their right mind. And how would this apostle say such a thing as this, "I become a fool..."? And then, thinking of this group, no doubt that in the eyes of the people on the other side, you've become a fool. You have become what we would call today, "the oddball." No doubt but what people think that of you. And remember that on the other side, they're oddballs too, see.
So, you have to be somebody's fool; so I'd rather be a fool for Christ, see. I'd be a... God said his people were a peculiar people, odd, a chosen, elected---a royal priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices to God that is the fruits of our lips, giving praise to his name.

10 Some time ago, this little sense of humor... I hope it doesn't break the fine spirit that's in here. Just come on my mind. It was a Brother Troy, of the Full Gospel Businessmen, was telling about this... I was thinking of this for this young singer here, that's just come to the Lord.
When he was working in a ... he was a meat cutter, and he was working at a butcher shop, and there was a German there. And he just kept talking to him about the Lord. And this German couldn't talk English very well. So he said, "Well, come on to the meeting." He said, "You need the baptism of the Holy Ghost."
So the old Dutchman wanted him to know that he was a Lutheran, you see. He was all right---he was a Lutheran.
He said, "Well, you come on up, and visit us once."
And so they come across a bunch of, perhaps, oddballs too, as we call it, you see. And that night this German man received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. And the next day he was cutting meat, and speaking in tongues, and he was having him a regular jubilee.
And so, after a while the boss of the factory come by, and he said, "Henry," said, "what's the matter with you?"
He said, "O glory to God!" He said, "I got saved."
And he said, "Why," he said, "where you been?" Said, "You must have been down there with that bunch of nuts," he said.

11 He said, "Yes, glory to God!" He said, "I was down there with the bunch of nuts." He said, "You know, if you didn't have the nuts," said, "you take ... like the automobile. It comes down the road. And you take all the nuts out of it, and what you got but a bunch of yunk!" That's just about right.
And you take the nuts out of anything... Now, it takes that to hold the things together. The world gets in such a place in a turmoil, and the church gets so sewed up in worldlyism, and denominationalism, and so forth, till it takes sometimes a nut, to hold the thing together. That's right. If we don't have it, we don't have it ... we don't have the church.
Now, we can think of that subject just for a few moments. Paul said, "I have become a fool [or a nut] just for..." Now, you have to be somebody's nut. You can either be a nut for the world; or a nut for Christ. One day in California, I was walking down the street, and there was a man. He had a sign in the front of him, like this. Said, "I am a fool for Christ." And on his back he had a sign that said, "Now, who's fool are you?" for a testimony. So he had to be somebody's fool.

12 So Paul, here, had chosen to be a fool for Christ. And you can imagine how the world thought of him at that time---and not only the world, but the church. That man had been trained to be a priest. He was trained under Gamaliel, a great ... one of the greatest scholars and greatest teachers of that day. And when he had, maybe say, his Bachelor of Art, and his Doctor's degree, and was ready for to be called into the priesthood; and maybe some day, with the possibility with the enthusiasm this young man had... And then, to change that all at once, all because something happened! He met Christ on the road to Damascus. And then to the world he was a fool, and to the church he was a fool. To the denominational church he was actually a fool. That's what he said here: he had become a fool. He was a fool to those people; but he was the instrument that God used to hold the church together, to hold the body, as it was in that day, together. He had become a fool for that sake.

13 We can imagine of Noah, as the brother sang of him here, "while God sent his love on the wings of a dove"---one of my favorite songs. And I've always wanted to get somebody that could play that. I wanted to speak on it.
One time I read a story of some soldiers being pinned down, and the enemy (Germans in the first World War) had them pinned down. And they had a little pigeon to take a message. And when the... That's a form of a dove of course, just one variety of dove. And when they put the message on the little pigeon, he flew up in the air. And bullets shooting at him every way 'cause they knowed what it was. It broke his legs. His little legs was hanging down crippled, and his wings had the feathers shot out of it. He was turning sideways, and everything, through the air. But he dropped right in the camp where he was supposed to, and they got help. You know what I mean from there on, see.
So, we were in that kind of shape one day too, you know. And He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquity, but the message got here just the same. He got the message to us.

14 And Noah in his days, I can imagine a man of his caliber---a prophet that was vindicated of God. And God spoke to him one day. What a strange thing it was, in a great scientific age. Perhaps could shoot the moon with their radar, and they could build a sphinx, and the pyramid.
And God spoke to him, and said, "Noah, it's going to rain water down out of the heavens." Could you imagine a man of his caliber---a prophet of the Lord---go out with such a silly message as that, and say? ... It had never rained, remember, from the heavens in them days.
God watered the earth, the Bible says, by irrigation through the ditches and so forth---springs. It had never rained a drop. There was no water up there. So they could prove there was no water up there.

15 And then, a man come out with a message. And not only that, but separated himself from the rest of the world. He become a nut to the world. That's right. He was a nut of his age. How a man with such a crazy message would try to bring a people out into a little trailer, or ark, or whatever it was they were building up there. And he was actually a foolish man. But what did he do? In doing so, he was the nut that saved the believing church in that day. That's just what happened. He had to take them from the world. But he was preparing a place that he knowed that Christ could come to, and would take them. He become a nut.

16 Could you imagine Moses in his day, a man going down to a great intellectual [blank spot]... They'd conquered the world at that time. And their scientific and their art and stuff, really, I guess exceeded ours today---and their master art, and their mastership of buildings, and so forth, and the great things that they did there in that day.
And could you imagine a man coming down there and said he met a God that they didn't even believe in, in a burning bush. And he came down... Being a military man to begin with, he'd been trained in all the maneuvers of military world. And we find that he comes down there with a stick in his hand, to take and deliver a people out of a nation that had held the world captive.

17 Why, to Pharaoh he was a nut---that's all. He was crazy. Said, "Let him do it, go ahead, rave on. He'll declare himself insane." Well, now, really to Pharaoh, and his great scientific world, he was a oddball. He was a nut to them, you see. He was.
But what did he do? He delivered the people, because he was sent of God. It took ... it takes something peculiar, something that's different from the rest of the world. You see, the world is so one way on their great scientific achievements, and so forth. And when a man is led of God to do something that's odd to that, he becomes a fool. He's crazy. But see, it takes something like that to hold the thing together.

18 Now, we think of Elijah in his day, when Ahab... And Israel at that time had every nation under heaven fearing them under this Ahab's reign. And Ahab was a great man. It was a great day. Something on the order we have now. The church had all become fashion, see. It was Jezebel's paint, and Ahab's worldliness, and compromising, and they tore down the altars. And it got, "Oh, just you serve a god, what difference does it make?", see. "We'll go up to the groves, and you can serve any god you want to."
That's just about the way it is today, see: all fashions, and dressings, and clothing, and things of the world. And, "Oh, if you want to belong to this, belong to that; belong to this, belong to that, it's all right, see. Just as long as you go to church, it doesn't make any difference."
It does make a difference what I belong to, and what God I serve, and how I serve Him! He's got one way to me serve Him: He's got that wrote out here in this Word, and that's the way we're to serve Him, see. Now, it does make a difference.

19 But when Elijah came out there with such a message as he had, could you imagine? He became a nut to Pharaoh, or to (pardon me) to Ahab. He became a regular ... separating himself. But, you see, there was seven thousand among those people, see, that could be saved, see. And he came for them. He had to become a nut to the world in order to catch them. So did Noah---had to become a nut to the world to catch eight souls with himself, see. He had to become an odd sort of a person.

20 Amos, in the days when he brought his message, and he prophesied... And we find out that when he come into Samaria, which had been given over to the world... And the women in the streets had become almost public prostitution, and the fashions---it was a modern Hollywood. When this little unknown bald-headed fellow raised up over the mountain one morning, and looked down upon Samaria and saw it in sin, why, I'd imagine his heart almost failed.
Only thing he'd knowed had been a herdsman. He wasn't really ... the Lord just give him this message, and sent him down there. And now, he had no sponsorship, he had nobody to back him up. But he was led of God to go bring this message to the people, to call them out from judgment. Well now, I'd imagine to the great scientific age, and the age of glamour, something of the order today, Amos became an oddball, see. He became a fool, and they wouldn't want nothing to do with him. But yet, he had "thus saith the Lord," see, and he delivered what could be delivered.

21 John the Baptist, when he came in his days in that great religious world, coming out of the wilderness like this, out of the rocks and things, in the wilderness of Judaea... And he wasn't dressed like a priest. He wore the rough clothes of a working man, perhaps, with a garment around him---not some great theological seminary teacher or so forth. But he was just a common man that could work with his hands, or anything. And when he came down out of the wilderness there, and the sheepskin wrapped around him, he had "thus saith the Lord," for he knew that the time of the Messiah was then.
He could thoroughly identify himself in God's Word. He
said... For remember, he identified himself in Malachi the 3rd chapter, see, as the messenger to forerun the coming of the Lord. He knowed the coming was so close until he had to come out. Why, the people thought he was a wild man, just a fool, see. A nut, we'd call it today. The reason I chose that word "nut," it sounds flat. But yet, it's a good word for what I want to use it for, because that's the way the street expression would use it today. "Just a common nut," we'd call him.

22 Well, here is John the Baptist. He was just simply staying out there in that wilderness, preaching his little sermons right down there on the Jordan, walking up and down that banks of the river, crying, "The hour is at hand, and come out and separate yourself. The Messiah's coming." Why, I'd imagine the priests and all them... He'd become just a regular nut, that's all. See, that's all he was, just a oddball. And them that followed him become oddballs, just simply fools.
Do you know our Lord was declared the same thing when he come---a mad man? See, He didn't go over into the cities, and into the great ... joining the great organizations, and things. He was calling a people. He was calling them out. And He was considered by the religious of his days a regular nut.

23 Just like Paul was in his day---a trained man---and yet would do such a thing as he did: separate himself from the rest of the world and from the denominations, and try to call a people. He was an apostle to the Gentile church. He is our apostle---we know that---to the Gentile church. He was the nut that brought the Gentile church out of Roman heathenism, and pagan worships of the day.

24 Martin Luther, he was a nut to the Catholic church, see. Could you imagine a priest that had throwed all of his teachings away of the church, and refused to give this communion because the church said, "It is the body of Christ"? And he knowed he ... the nuns and them had made that kosher up in there. He knew that wasn't Christ; that was a piece of bread, see, a little sugar wafer. And he knew that wine wasn't no literal blood of Christ; it only represented it. So he put it down in his honest conviction. He wanted nothing more to do with it, see. He was through with it.

25 Now, probably the Catholic church said, "Oh, let him alone. Look what a little group he's got out there. What is it he's got? Just a false ... and us a big church. That's all it is. It's just the thing..." But you see, he was the nut, see, that was holding it together, see, in reformation. He brought forth the reformation.
How about after he organized and got to a place... And after his death, and the message that he preached had finished, then the church got so cold and starchy again, that God raised up another nut called John Wesley. That's right. Well, he was a nut to the Anglican church, see. But what did he do? He saved the world. The world ... the church that was in the world, may I say. He saved the church that was in the world. Why? By becoming a nut. That's right. He saved

26 what and...
Now, then we come on after his time, and the great Wesleyan age passed over, and then we had the Baptists from John Smith, and then we had Alexander Campbell, and then we had Buddy Robinson of the Nazarene. And finally it just kept waving off away from the real stem. And then God raised up another bunch of nuts ---Pentecost. And they become a nut to the people. They're crazy to the world. But what did they do? They did a great work, they certainly did, the Pentecostal age.

27 Now. Now, I believe it's time for another nut to raise, don't you think so? I think it's just about ... Pentecost has done the same thing that the rest of the world went. But it's time for another nut, see. So, if we had... If we're laying on this side of the branch (you see what I mean?), and the people think that we're so odd and peculiar, the way we separate ourselves, and the way you have here (and we're not divided; we're one, see), the way that we are ... we've separated ourselves from the world...
Brother Leo led to come up here, and there was... You had little children that has to be trained up, see. You got women, young ladies, here, that don't like to walk in the way of the world. You got men, here, that's aged and retired. They want a place to where they can settle down, and feel at home, dwell among their own kind of people. But see, I think that God can raise up something to take care of that. Don't you think so? I believe that with all my heart. And He does that.

28 Now, we find out it's time now. Notice, the nut always was what pulled them together. Like all Americans today---we find so much worldlyism and things, in our churches and our denominations, and things. Let something raise up on the Word... See, they got off to the creed, and not the Word. Let something raise up with the Word, you know, they say, "Well, the people think you separated yourself."
I talked to your pastor here, our Brother Leo. And someone said, "Well, why don't you come into this, and come in that?"
He said, "No, no." See, he's sold out to one thing, the Word, see. The Word, see.

29 Well, now look. If there is a nut sent, there's got to be a bolt for it to fit on. Is that right? Now, God sends nuts. Don't you believe that? I'll explain this in a little bit. But to make this point, there's got to be a bolt, and that bolt's got to be threaded to fit the nut. I'm so glad to be threaded with the Word. I'm so glad that there's a bolt that's threaded the same way. And what's it to do? It's to draw out the bride from the world, set it aside for something different. Yes, friends. We may be a nut to the things of the world, the people of the world; but we are only drawing out, that we could thread it for this.

30 Noah was threaded in his day, and the rest of the prophets, and down through the age. And the righteous men was threaded because He sent it. What would be the use of having a (bolt), a nut if you didn't have a bolt for it to go on? And what is a bolt and a nut together? It is to draw something together, you see?
It's the drawing powers of Christ that draws us out from the things of the world, see. And then we fellowship with Paul, and his great ministry, saying, "I have become a fool." So when people think that you are odd, see, see where you stand, see? You've become a fool to them, that you might be drawed by the power of God to which...
Something was in you, something in your heart threaded you.

31 I might say this morning, "Who is Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal Assemblies, this, that, and the other?" There'd be all kinds of hands go up here, forty or fifty people, see, There would be that, and everybody different. But what makes you sit here? Why are you here, see? It's because you were threaded to something, see. And when it begin to come, it makes sense to you.
If you try to put a certain thread upon a bolt of a certain kind that wouldn't fit, it doesn't make sense to you. You see, it won't go on, see. But when something comes along that fits just exactly, it pulls you from Chicago, from New Orleans, or wherever you come from, to here, see. And now, see, you become oddballs, sure enough, to the world. But don't let that bother you, see. Don't let that bother you.

32 Now you say, "How do I know I'm threaded right?" Watch the Word, see. Now you know whether you're threaded right, whether we are nuts to Christ, or whether we are nuts to the world. Now, the world also has received their nut. Exactly. I had a little something wrote down here I didn't want to forget. And we ... it said here, we become (bolts), nuts to the world (that's exactly), that we might hold the kingdom of God together on earth, see---the kingdom of God together. All right.

33 Remember, the world ... they ... the outside world, they have their nuts also. Satan gives them a nut, in the days of this great thing. See, it all works to pro and con, see. Now in the days of... The world had a nut, and that was Pharaoh, in the days of Moses. There were, see---there had to be. The devil has his nuts, too. Well, there was Pharaoh, see. Now Israel... And Moses sent down to draw those people out was a nut to Pharaoh. But also Pharaoh was a nut to them, too, see.

34 And so, it has to be that way. So you're somebody's nut. I'm so glad to be wound in the Word, aren't you, with the thread of that?
Somebody will teach... That Ahab, he was a nut (exactly) to Elijah, and the seven thousand, and all of his group out there. Jezebel and all their fine, fancy fandangles and things they had out there, that was a nut to that seven thousand that never bowed their knee to Baal. And so was Elijah a nut to them, see---the same thing. We find out in the days of Herod, John was a nut, see; and Herod was a nut, also. The world had one.
All right. In the days of Jesus, He was a fool to the world, see, to Pilate. But Pilate was a nut, also, to turn Him down. That's right, see. He wasn't threaded. He had a opportunity. But when he had his opportunity to accept it, he wanted some kind of a clown, some kind of a trick, some kind of a magic rabbit to bring out of a hat, you know, or something. He said, "I would see you do some tricks," you know, or something like that. He was a nut himself, see. He had a chance to receive it, but he didn't.

35 The Sadducees also, and the Pharisees, was the same thing in that day, by not accepting Paul, the one that said he become a fool to the world, see. But the church has its nuts too, see. And the world has its nuts. Christ has his, see.
Now whose are you? The only way you can know... You say, "How do I know this is right, Brother Branham?" "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. And the Word was God ... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us..." Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, the Word still is here. So if we're threaded with that, see, though we be a nut to the world, if we are threaded in Christ's Word, and Christ's showing the way He's pulling it together, see, pulling his church together... Let them raise and do what they want to.

36 Now, Jesus in Matthew 24:24 said that these two groups would be so close in the last days to deceive the very elected, if possible. The people ... still, the people... Sometimes the Pentecostal ... you outcomers from Pentecost, you see, when they organized and got over there in those groups like that, and you come away from it... See, the Bible said that it would deceive the very elected, if it was possible, see. The very elected---that's the ones that's elected to do this.
Said, one ... see, the bolt... Don't come say, "Oh, there's a nut," see. You see, he's got to be ... he's got... When the threads was cut in the bolt, it's got to be cut in the nut the same way. See what I mean? It's got to fit, see. And the elected, therefore, you see, it won't tighten up with anything else. It's just got to come to Christ, you see. It's the only thing that'll fit, see. And that's where we fit it in, see. Thanks be to God! All right.

37 Now, we find out, also, that the world has their nut. And you know, there's so much to be said. We haven't the time to say it, of course. But this one thought. Do you? ...
I notice this fine little bunch of ladies, that sang over there a few minutes ago. Boy, I wish I had that song! Get that on tape for me, will you, these songs? When you all sing here, tape up a song some time. I'll pay you for the tape. I'd like to have it, see. That was beautiful, that real sweet worship like that.
Now. You know, there was a ... the young women of today, they---like so-called Christians, the women who go to church---they wanted something to satisfy. They knowed that they wasn't getting it just going to church. But they want to maintain their testimony just the same, see. They want to hold their testimony. "I'm Methodist, Baptist, I'm Christian," you see. They want to strip their clothes off of them. They wanted to wear shorts, and bikinis, or what you call them, all this, you see.
They wanted to do these things. They wanted to have a haircut like men, and do these things. And so, they wanted to do that, see. And yet, did you ever think why they did? Jesus said them two spirits will be so close, it'd deceive the elected. That has to come to pass, see, see. So they would ... they didn't get...

38 A human has to worship. You have to worship something. It's just in you to worship. So, a human has to worship something. So they had no worship in their church, so God raised them up a nut---Elvis Presley, Pat Boone. They still hold their testimony: Elvis Presley, a Pentecostal; Pat Boone, a Church of Christ. See, a absolutely nut to fulfill Jesus' words here: it would be so close it would deceive the very elected, if possible. Still maintain ... sing hymns on Sunday, and rock and rolls on Monday, see. To us that's a nut, see. It really is.

39 Now, but you see, in there He had some fine women, also, that wanted to act like ladies. They had decency in them. They wanted to be what Christ wants them to be. So, He sends the person along with a message that, to that church that they belong to, is foolish. He becomes a nut. But you see what it is? It fits just exactly.
When you talk about long hair, and looking like a lady, and dressing like a lady, and acting like a lady ... instead of singing like these girls this morning...

40 I was watching a little girl there, her eyes looked heavenly (what I mean, glassy), as she looked up like that, singing something in her heart, what's in here. As them young ladies sang, I thought, "O God! What if a Hollywood star could get that in their heart?" They'd be the same thing, see.
But what is it? Why did they go that way? You couldn't pull one of them girls in Hollywood. If you'd give her ten thousand dollars a day, she wouldn't go. Why? She's threaded different. That's exactly right. She's threaded different. That's right.
You couldn't pull Leo, Gene, and them into some organization. Why? Couldn't pull you fellows into one. Why? You're threaded different, see. So if you're threaded, there's got to be a nut [unclear words], to hold that together. Isn't that right? See, then it's complete.
Thanks be to God (like the little Dutchman said) for the nut. If you take them out, it becomes a bunch of junk. What have you got? A bunch of denominationalism, a bunch of cold formalism, no Christ in it at all, no Word in it at all, just a bunch of creeds, and so forth. And what have you got? Take the nut out, you got a bunch of junk. That's right---nothing in the world but firewood, something that's waiting for the blazes and punishments of God, to judge and to burn up at some day.

41 So, I'm thankful this morning, to fit right in up here, see, where you might be an odd person on this side of the river. Even some of your people might think that you are odd. I know they do. I've had letters from them, see, that said you were odd, you were different, what in the world happened to you? I just chose this little thing to say to you, this morning, see. Sure, you're a nut. That's right. But I'm glad to be one. But if I'm not tight with this Word, then I'm yunk, see. I'll just be a nut for Christ.
Yes, I get letters from many of your people. Some of them come by and say, "Do you know what happened?"
"What?"
"This odd guy, so-and-so, went up there, and done so-and-so."
I said, "Wait just a minute." It depends on what you're wound on, see. So may the Lord Jesus Christ, the shepherd of the flock, ever keep your hearts so wound into Him, that when the great shepherd does appear you'll appear with Him. Can we pray?

42 Heavenly Father, seeing that time has run out, I'm just rushed. Such a lovely, sweet bunch of Christians, and such a rude text. But in the room the other day, and thinking of what I'd seen on letters, and what I'd heard people say, when I ... your little servants, here, asked me to come up and visit them, and fellowship with the little flock, this rude text of being a nut, I thought I'd use that, so I could get the thought over to them. They would understand what I think, too.
We have become a fool, like Paul, to the world. But yet, Lord, we want to be so tightened to You and your Word, that when the rapture comes, we'll ... we want to be with it, Lord. So help us to ever have our hearts knitted and bound together in the love of Christ.

43 Bless Brother Leo, Brother Gene, and Brother Daulton, and all these fine men and these lovely women in here. Hearing their testimonies, happy, happy, contented; walking the room up there, where one that's paralyzed, and to see the smiles... No wonder our Brother Leo said it's a bit of sunshine to walk up here. No wonder. To see even when the men, not even a bit of relation to her, or nothing, but concerned---that they'd take her trailer and make it so she could be happy. See, Lord, the thread works just right. Walk into that home, and see someone who really could be grouchy, and fussy, and nasty because they're not out and able to run and dance and cut up, like many women. But she's happy to be here with her kind.
And to be here with the Word of God, where it can be preached, and not any creeds tacked to it---just truly unadulterated Word of God, to worship in spirit. Come into a little place like this---there's a little trailer where we meet together. It's the church. "Wherever two or three are assembled, I'm in their midst." And we know You're here, Lord. And we worship You, and we praise You.

44 I pray, God, that You'll keep sickness away from them. Keep the enemy across the river. May this great exodus... It may be in a minor form. But, Lord, someday it's going to grow. And I pray, Lord, that this little exodus here, that You'll be with them as You did with Moses and them, as they crossed the Jordan; and Joshua, as they went into the promised land.
And I pray that You'll help them, Lord, and keep their hearts genuine, true to You. And bless them as they teach the Word. And may they live long, happy lives. And some day, if we're around here, Lord, living on earth when You come, may there come a shout from this side of the branch out there, and the church go up. Grant it, Lord, because somebody (wasn't) was foolish enough to the world to become a nut, to hold it together, Lord, until You come.

45 Then, as John of old, in the days gone by, as the little ladies and them sing, he was separated, and how he had to be alone. But when he did, the little church that he'd drawed together... When he seen Jesus, he said, "Now my work is over. He increases; I decrease."
Father, I pray that You'll ever keep us happy and healthy. May we meet many times more upon the earth, and loving, and serving you. May thy divine blessings rest upon this service, upon the services that shall follow.
And may we all live such in this life, and the life to come, we'll have eternal life in the great age to come, over in that great millennium reign where we shall see Him and look upon his face and see Him. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
God bless you, my people. I am so sorry that I took a text something like that, see, such a rude thing. But you get what I meant. So when anyone says you're odd, you know why you're odd, don't you? God bless you, Brother Leo.
[Congregation sings closing songs.]

The Oddball

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Let us remain standing just a moment. Precious Lord, we come to thy divine presence again by the way of prayer, first to give thanks for all that You have done for us and for the great love in our heart for Thee and thy Word. Lord, these people tonight, that I love with all my heart, they have sacrificed and come to set in a hot room, and whatmore, because they love thy Word.
And we come to pray for the sick tonight, Lord, and the needy. May there not be a feeble person in our midst at the end of this service. Reward them for their faithfulness, Lord. Speak to us through thy Word and strengthen us Lord, as we go bearing the reproach. What a privilege to do this. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. May be seated.

2 I could not find words, of course, to express my gratitude towards a group of people like this, that would come and sit in this building. I want to say that tomorrow or---we're going to go to---over to Topeka, Kansas, for the next meeting. And that'll end up the following Sunday. And then we go from there to Philadelphia. And now, we're supposed to be going overseas, over to Kenya, and Tanganyika, and Uganda in the tribes in there. And they're having a little uprise now with the Mau Maus. I can't get in as a missionary, but I'm going to try to get in as a hunter. Go in... And they're fixing up...
Usually I go in as a missionary and go hunting, this time I'm going as ... go hunting to be a missionary. So they're... Any way to get in there to them. And Brother Mattsson-Boze is there on the job, trying to get me in, to fix a safari that I come in to go hunting. Well then, I come in on this safari, then he's going to say, "Our Brother Branham is in the land go down to the embassy; would it be all right if we just held a little meeting our here?" See? That gets it started then, just keep it rolling. So we don't know whether it's going to be---we're going to be able to do that or not; we're trying. And I have asked the Lord if something happens that he can't, then it'll be a sign to me that I'm to come back here to Jeffersonville and preach the Seven Trumpets, along July or August, somewhere along in there.

3 And then, if we do, we're seeing today, we're going to try to get this schoolroom here that's air-conditioned, 'cause it'd be real nice and cool. Seats fifteen, to eighteen hundred people, and it's air-conditioned, a brand new place, just about five squares above this. And one time we asked for it, and the ... they wouldn't let us have it. And the man that wouldn't let us have it was throwed off the board. So now, the man that's on there now says we can have it anytime we want it. So we are ... we're very happy to get it. And so, we may be able to get that now, and sometime in July and have... How many would be praying, if the Lord's will now ... if something turns us down.

4 You know, I like Arizona. It's a wonderful country; I've always longed to be there. (If you'll push that up a little bit, Brother Ben, if you will, please Oh, yes sir, just ... or ever who's on it'll step is up just a little bit, 'cause I'm) ... coming back out of that real... (What say? Oh, just the tapes! Oh, here's the other one up here; I'm sorry. Okay, Brother Ben.) So I...
Coming back from Arizona, coming in here, it makes me just a little bit hoarse, because of a change in climate. Here we have about eighty-seven to ninety, and sometime a hundred percent humidity, and there it gets to zero, and then sometimes on a average, one-twentieth of one percent humidity. You're living just under an oxygen tent. And then, come out from under that to here, you know what a great difference it makes in you. So it does bother you in the voice and so forth... (Pull it where it was at if you will, Brother Ben, I made a mistake and pulled it out. I thought that was ... but up here is where they step it up at.)

5 Now, pray for us, every one of you. I do appreciate you. Billy was telling me somebody brought us a basket of peaches, and just little gifts that you... I just can't thank you enough. I don't know how to do it. And I feel so unworthy to take things like that from you. I pray God will bless you, and I know He will, for He said, "Insomuch as you do unto the least of these, you've done it to Me." And God will bless you, I'm sure.
And Arizona being such a nice country, there's one thing that I miss; that's you all. That's right! I miss you all. I don't care where I go, I ... it ain't---it isn't you. I have friends everywhere around the world, but it isn't you all. There's something about this little group that just ... I don't know. I think about them.
And at Tucson, it's a tourist city, you know, and the churches are pulling... You know? It's kind of hard. Not very spiritual and ---because this competition is very strong; and it makes it hard. If I could have all of you all plus the church then live out there, I guess it'd be all right. See? But I suppose, as long as this stays a church and you all's still coming, I'll still be here until Jesus comes.

6 So pray for me as I said awhile ago. I don't mean to repeat it, but when I get before you, I get nervous, and I get melancholy, and sentimental, and temperamental too. I am that to begin with, so it makes me all tore up inside. But to know that wherever I can go... I haven't a group on earth that I know of that sticks by me like this group. May God let us be so inseparable that in the kingdom that is to come, may we be there together ... my prayer.
Setting at the door, talking to Bill Dauch just a moment ago 'fore leading someone back to Christ again in the other room... But setting there talking to him---ninety-one years old---he said, "I'm getting weak. My eyes are not like they should be." And I think a couple years ago I come to him when he had a complete heart failure and heart block, was dying. And the very doctor that was doctoring him, that said he couldn't get well, the doctor's dead. And here sets Bill Dauch, see, of ninety-one years old. I said, "Bill, you're no more use in the earth as far as working and things like that, but I'm asking this, 'God give you strength,' because you love the meetings so well.'" That ninety-one year old man crosses the nation in an automobile, hot, dry, cold, indifference, anything it is, to hear the Word. God bless that gallant soul.
Now, I haven't...

7 I've got one more apology, of keeping you the way I did this morning on a three hour... And I didn't do justice to the message, because I cut it up, and left part of it, and skipped part of it, and so forth. That's the reason I told them to hold the tape. Let me get it again somewhere where it's cool or something. And I could feel the Spirit, but I'm looking at you and knowing you're fanning, and knowing you're hot, and that just tears me to pieces. I don't want you to suffer; I want you to be comfortable, see. And that worries me.
Like I see sick people... If I can't feel for those sick people, I can't do them no good. I've got to feel for them. And the same way with you; I've got to feel for you, or I can't be your brother, see. I got to feel for you. And I do that; God knows that that's true!

8 And now, tonight I'll give to praying for the sick. And I want to commend and bless these men, and Brother Collins, and Hickerson, Brother Neville, Brother Capps, the trustees, and all, for the fine reports that's been coming of how you're orderly, setting the church, and how everything's becoming into its right position. I'm grateful to you men. The Lord bless you for trying to carry out an order. And letter after letter comes into Tucson to me: "Brother Branham, it's not like it used to be. It's so much different. Such a blessed feeling of the presence of God." And I'm grateful for that. The Lord ever bless you.

9 And then... Now, tonight I was reading here in the Scripture a little place to maybe set out a few words to speak and read a Scripture and then---maybe a couple Scriptures, then talk to you for a few moments, and then pray for the sick. Not but just a few moments, I'm watching the clock. And I'll try to make it just as quick as possible.
But I do think that when a crowd of people are gathered together, without reading the Word or doing something, some exhortation, the meeting wouldn't be complete. Many of you is waited; many of you is got miles to travel yet tonight. How I admire that. How I look and see each one and think ... I'm out there in Arizona I think, "When I see him again I'm going to walk right down and shake his hand and hug his neck." And here you are setting here, and I ... where can I go? You know. I don't know which one to start at, which---how to get out of it. But I love you. God loves you too.

10 Now, I think if I'm not mistaken, if I haven't got the wrong Scripture laying out here, I want to read out of I Corinthians, the 1st chapter beginning with the 18th verse and also read II Corinthians 12:11 to take a text. Now, if I can find those right quick, and then we'll read, and then pray, and start right in, just speaking to you for a few minutes on a little subject, in I Corinthians the 1st chapter beginning with the 18th verse:
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us which are saved it is the power of God.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? has not God made foolishness the wisdom of this world? [May I quote that again?] ... has not God made foolishness the wisdom of this world? [What is the wisdom of this world then? Foolishness.] ... hath not God made foolishness the wisdom of this world?
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, but it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them which hath believed.
[Can I read that verse again? Listen closely.] For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
For the Jews require a sign, ... the Greeks seek after wisdom:
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, ... unto the Greeks foolishness;
But unto them which are called, both Jew and Greek, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
And in II Corinthians the 12th chapter, the 11th verse, Paul speaking:
I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind in the very chiefest apostle, though I be nothing.

11 Let us pray. Lord Jesus, add to these few words tonight, that's been spoken in days gone by by the great apostle Paul, that we might prosper by hearing them tonight and applying them to our lives, that we might be the handiwork of God, made in the fashion in which He has chosen for us to be in. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

12 I'm going to preach tonight for a few minutes, the Lord willing, upon the subject of "The Oddball." Now, that's a very crude, rude text to take, but that's---I think would more or less state it the way that I want to express it.
You know, there's so many things today that people become oddballs, we call it. And that expression, if anyone has ever heard it, it means somebody that's peculiar, somebody that's odd to another fellow. And no doubt but what many of us are odd one to another.

13 And now, I was going down the street one time in Los Angeles, California, and I seen a very odd person, acting odd. And he was walking down the street, not picketing, but he was just merely like taking an afternoon stroll. And I went to the other side of the street to see what he was doing everybody was turning around laughing at him, because of his peculiarity. I noticed he had a sign hanging on the front of him. And I thought I'd see what everybody was laughing about, this odd, peculiar man. And so he was ... I noticed him, as the people looked at him, they laughed at him, and ... but he seemed to have a different kind of a smile, a smile of contentment. The other smiles that the people were giving him was more like ridiculing him. But he seemed to be satisfied in what he was doing.

14 Well, that's a whole lot to think about, when a man's satisfied in what he's doing is right. Though he be an oddball to somebody else, if he is satisfied that what he's doing is right, then let him stay with it. And as I come close to the little man, I noticed on---across his chest here on a plaque or board, was wrote, "I am a fool," and at the bottom, had, "for Christ!" "I am a fool," in great letters; down at the bottom said, "for Christ!" And everybody was laughing at this.
And as the little man pressed on down through the crowd of jeers and carrying on, I turned to look what was on his back. And there was a great big question mark on his back and down at the bottom, said, "Now, whose fool are you?"
Well, I thought he had something there. See? But he seemed to be satisfied that he could be a fool for Christ. And that's what Paul said he had become, a fool for Christ.

15 Brother Troy of the Full Gospel Businessmen, a very good friend of mine, he's a meat cutter. And getting some kind of a germ in his hand from cutting pork one time ... some man who knows or woman, might know what the germ was, but it'll eat you up. So in order to save his life they had to amputate three fingers. And he only has two fingers on one hand, but yet he remains as a butcher.
And there was a little German who worked with him in a butcher shop down in Los Angeles, so he kept trying to lead the little Dutchman to Christ. And he said he was a "Lutern" and it was all right with him. He was satisfied that he was a Christian, because he belonged to the "Luteran" Church as he stated it. So one night Brother Troy had the privilege of getting him to go to church.

16 His name was Henry. And "Henry" in German is "Heinrich," and so they call him, "Heini." You've heard that expression. He said, "Heini, how about going to church with me tonight?"
"Vell," he said, "I believe I'll go." So he went down to an old-fashioned meeting where they was having a prayer meeting, and he really got under conviction, and give his heart to Christ. Oh, the next day this little Dutchman was enjoying himself. Every once in a while he would just walk through the building with his hands up in the air, saying, "Praise be to God. Thank you, Lord Jesus!" And he attracted the attention of all of them.
You see, he become an oddball to the whole line of meat cutters. And he'd be cutting meat, and he'd start thinking about the Lord, he'd start crying. He'd lay the knife down and walk up and down the aisle, not hysterically, but just making love to Christ, saying, "Oh, how I love you, 'Yesus!' " you know, just walking back and forth.

17 And the boss came by and seen him do this. And as he went walking down, crying, and the boss... He never noticed the boss; he was thinking about Jesus. And he started down with his hands up in the air, and the tears rolling down his cheeks, saying, "Oh, God, how I love You!"
And the boss said, "Heini, what in the world has happened to you?" He said, "Everybody in the---in the whole line is talking about it. What in the world's happened to you, Heini?"
The little Dutchman said, "Oh, boss," he said, "glory to God, I got saved!"
He said, "You got what?"
He said, "I got saved!" He said, "I went with Brother Troy here down to a little mission, and I got saved. And Jesus came into my heart, and I'm so full of love!"
He said, "You must've went down to that bunch of nuts."
He said, "Yeah!" Said, "Glory to God!" Said, "Thank God for the nuts!" He said, "You know, you take a automobile coming down the road, and you take all the nuts out of it, you ain't got nothing but a bunch of 'yunk!' "
Well, I don't know but what the little Dutchman was just about right. Take all the nuts out... The nuts is what holds it together. And I think that's what holds the church together sometime, holds civilization together.

18 Now, coming down from a visit at Prescott a few days ago, I was looking at the desert and noticing how that out of Phoenix they had the Japanese Gardens, and they had flowers in there, beautiful flowers. Where when I was a boy out there I herded cattle down through those places. The cows ... wasn't no grass, so they just lived on cactus beans and so forth.
And then I noticed that there has been a reproduction through the use of the desert. And in the desert we find that the cactus and the flowers ... and in my home there or the home we're renting... Sister Larson, I think she was here this morning, I seen her. And she has a flower bed on the outside of the house. Some dirt... Everything there is sand. So she had some dirt in a large flower bed on each side of the duplex. And every morning I have to get out and water those flowers. If I don't water them, they'll die. And they'll... And then again, I have to get some spray and spray them to keep the lice off of them; the bugs'll eat them up.

19 And then, you go just a little beyond that, thirty feet from that, there's some flowers growing---and out in the desert they're growing---and you could dig down twenty feet, and it'd be like a powder keg; nothing in the world but just dust. And there's no water at all. And who sprays them? See? These in the flower bed, if you fail to spray them and to water them, the termites---or the bugs, lice, will eat them up. But the lice can't touch that one out there in the desert. And neither does he have to be babied and watered every day. He is a production of the Creator. This is a hybrid reproduction.
And I think that today the reason Christianity has become to the people, a nut, is because that we've got a bunch of reproductions and not genuine Christians, a bunch that has to be babied and sprayed in order to stay in the church.

20 I can imagine the very first church, what they were, and compare it with this reproduction today; this would be a cheap production of what the real first church was, that rugged believers in God with the Holy Ghost. You babied not them. You didn't have to pat them and tell them you'd take them in this one. And if they get tired that one, they go to another one. And you'll make them a deacon if they'll come over here and leave this other one. That's a hybrid reproduction.

21 I was thinking of Michelangelo's original painting, I believe, of "The Last Supper." I think he painted it. Do you realize what that original picture would cost you? It would be... Countless thousands of dollars would never touch that original, because it's beyond price. It's so---valued so high. But you can buy a cheap reproduction of it for about two dollars.
That's why people today can't understand the ruggedness of real, genuine believers. They become a nut. You know, the world gets in such a rut till every once in a while you have to have a nut to straighten it out. Takes somebody come on the scene that's a little different, and he is a nut to that generation.
I was thinking the other day, who is able---who today is not a nut? You're somebody's nut. I believe the world is completely going insane. Did you know, it's a time that people can't judge between right and wrong, or truth or error?

22 Do you know the politicians can't judge right and wrong? You see them keeping quiet on this voting the Bible back in the church or into the---Bible back into the school? They don't know which way the politics are going to blow. Think of it! I don't know how it is in Indiana now, but in the State of Arizona it's against the law to read the Bible in school. I think it's the same thing in Indiana, nearly the whole United States, because some infidel woman changed the whole program. And remember, it's against the law to read the Bible in our public schools, but believer's taxes supports infidelity to be taught in the schools.
Politics... We need another Abraham Lincoln; we need another Patrick Henry; we need an American who can stand out regardless of where the politics are and call right, right, and wrong, wrong.

23 Did you know preachers today can't judge which is right, the Word of God or the church denomination? They don't know which road to take. They can't judge between right and wrong. "I know the Bible says it, but our church says..." See? People are not capable of judging right from wrong. And anything that's contrary to the Bible is wrong! God's Word is right, and every man's word's a lie, that's contrary to it. And to try to stand now upon a time like that, and to stand for what's right, you become a nut.
Let's call a few characters.

24 I can imagine the prophet Noah in that great day that he lived in, that great scientific age where they built pyramids and sphinx, where they could prove that there was no water in the skies by scientific research. Here comes this old man out there, and said, "There's coming rain out of the heavens!" Noah was a nut to that generation. He become a nut.
Let's think of Moses. Moses, when he went down to Pharaoh, as we spoke this morning---and Moses going down to Pharaoh and saying, "The Lord sent me down to bring these slaves out!" with a stick in his hand, against the great army that had the whole world conquered. Pharaoh in all of his scientific genius thought Moses was a nut, and he was a nut to them.

25 I can imagine the prophet Elijah in his great day, when the fabulous age of fashion, when Ahab and Jezebel ruled the world as it was in them days, and all the fashions and things that Jezebel wanted to wear, and how she had all the women dressing like her, and her paints and going on, her fashions, the way that she fashioned herself. And when some old crank like Elijah come out on the scene and withstood the whole nation, to Ahab he was a nut. That's right!
Amos the prophet, when he come to Samaria in the day that Samaria was like Hollywood today, the women on the street dressing and even public adultery, how they carry on and live out there, letting men...

26 It's almost a public adultery today right before you.
I went to a certain place the other night to get something to eat, and the little boys and girls up there hugging and kissing like I don't know what. And do you know, my little sister, that that's potentially an adultery? When a man kisses you, he's potentially committed adultery with you. You should never let him kiss you until you're married, for the glands, both male and female glands, is in the lips. Do you understand? And when male and female glands come together, let it be where it may be, you have potentially committed adultery. And you shouldn't let a boy kiss you until that veil is raised on your face and you're his wife. Don't do that! It's committing adultery. It's mixing male and female glands.
Why don't a man kiss a man, woman kiss a woman in the lips? Because it don't cross the glands. Children is born by crossing glands. So it's almost a public adultery again, everywhere. Look on the screens and everything you see, slobbering and carrying on. No wonder immorality is on the incline. How can they do it and burn themselves all up by kissing those women in the mouth, knowing that that's adultery, and God won't forgive it unless you repent.

27 And now, when coming up, this great prophet Amos... He's known as one of the minor prophets, because there wasn't too much wrote of him. But he had the Word of the Lord. And he looked out upon that city, all given in the parks, men sit with their arms around women and women with their arms around men, just a modern Hollywood. And he walked down through that city and said, "You'll repent or perish!" He was a nut. He had almost declared himself insane to them.

28 John the Baptist, when he come on the scene, to the religious denominations of that day he was a nut. He had the opportunity to become a priest, to follow his father's footsteps. But he refused to do it, because God had kept him out of those creeds and denominations, because his job was too important. He was to announce the Messiah coming. And when he had nothing to do with neither Pharisee, Sadducee, or whatever it was, he rejected the whole group of them, and said, "don't you begin to say, 'We have Abraham to our father, for I say that God's able of these stones to rise children to Abraham!" To the religious world of his days he was a nut. Right!

29 When Jesus came on the scene, to the religious people of his days, He was also a nut, because they said, "You are a Samaritan. You're out of your mind. You're a mad man!" In other words, a crazy man. He was that to the people---your Lord and saviour. No wonder Paul, trained by Gamaliel to be a priest, the opportunity of someday becoming a high priest and on his road down to Damascus, he was struck down by a supernatural light. And he looked up, being a Jew, and knowed that pillar of fire was what led his people. he said, "Lord, who are You?"
And He said, "I'm Jesus."
And when he'd forfeit his education, he'd forfeit all of his theology that he'd been trained in the schools, and become a regular street preacher, he was a nut. He said, "I have become a fool."
And the people thought he was mad, beside himself. He told Festus, "I'm not mad." He just knowed the Lord. But to know the Lord in a religious group---I hope you don't miss it---to know Jesus this day amongst a religious group, you are a nut. It hasn't changed. I could dwell much on this, but I want to hurry up for the prayer line.

30 Martin Luther, that little German priest, that packing the communion one day, threw it down on the steps and said, "This is not the body of Jesus Christ; this is only bread that's been made back there?" And he declared that the just shall live by faith. He was a nut to the Catholic church. They could've assassinated him for that. But he was a nut, and they just let him alone. But he become a nut to that generation.
John Wesley, in the days of the great immoral hour of England, when... If Wesleyan revival hadn't have come on the scene ... the whole world was corrupted, immorality everywhere. And the Anglican church had got so far away, till there was no more revival, such Calvinistic thinking. And John Wesley come on the scene with the word of sanctification, cleaning up the immoral. He became a nut.

31 Quoting Mr. Wesley once in his book, he was coming down a path, and one of the men of the Anglican church... They all thought he was crazy, so he stood in the path. Mr. Wesley was a little bitty man. This great big fellow thought he'd just get to slap him down, so he stood in the path. Mr. Wesley walked up and said, "Pardon me, sir. Would you step out of the way? I'm in a hurry."
And the Anglican said to him, "I don't step out of the way for a fool."
Mr. Wesley politely tipped his hat, walked around him; said, "I always do!" so you see, that was one who was a nut. One was for Christ; the other one was for the church. So you're somebody's nut. Yeah!

32 When the Pentecostals came on the scene fifty years ago, they said, "Them people are crazy!" They were nuts, that's right, because they condemned all that corruption that was in the church ages at that time when they come on the scene. But what has the Pentecostals done? Went right back into the vomit that they come out of, right back into the denominational corruption. You know what? It's time for another nut. Yes, it's time for another one. That's right!
Notice, a nut... Before there is a nut, there is a bolt to fit that nut; and that nut is threaded to that bolt. If it don't, it's a misfit. Notice, all who was threaded in the days of Noah, threaded to the Gospel message, Noah, the nut, pulled them into the ark. It depends what you're threads are, what you're threaded to. If you're threaded to the world, they'll pull you; if you're threaded to the Word, it'll pull you. It depends on which you're threaded to, what nut you'll follow.
But Noah, being a nut with the Word of God, a nut to the scientific age and to the religious age that he lived in, he pulled them that would be saved into the ark amen! those that were predestinated. The bolt that was made before the nut. The bolt must be threaded to the nut.

33 So Satan, he has some bolts and nuts too, bolts and nuts of the kingdoms of this world. Pharaoh was just as much nut to Noah---or to Moses as Moses was to Pharaoh. Pharaoh with all of his scientific gimmicks had pulled his nation to himself. Noah, by being a nut for God, pulled the church to the promised land. Depends on which way you're threaded. He pulled the church out of Egypt, as Noah pulled the church out of the world to the ark. Moses pulled the church from Egypt to God's promised land.
Jesus said... Now, be careful, because these nuts and bolts look a whole lot alike. Just watch the thread. Matthew 24:24, He said it would almost deceive the very elected.
Now, the American and the whole world denomination needs a nut.

34 The Methodist, the Baptist, the Presbyterian, they're all scattered out in this, that, and all fighting. And after all, they're all threaded to the same bolt. So God's give them a bolt and sending them a nut, the World Council of Churches. It'll pull them all together. That's right! It sure will; it'll pull them together, the World Council.
You know, it got to here not long ago... There can't be nothing happen, a cause, without a reason. The women want to strip their clothes off; they want to wear shorts; they wanted to still belong to church. They wanted to wear all these 'kinis or ever what you call the things. They want to do that, and they want to still belong to church. They want to scream, holler, and dance; worship. That's a worship.

35 Now, if I had time I'd prove that to you. That is a devil worship, dancing like that and doing those things. I could prove it to you in the heathen lands. They wanted to worship and maintain their testimony and still remain in church. So God give them a nut, two or three of them: one named Elvis Presley, one Pat Boone, and Ernie Ford, can sing hymns and everything else and still claim to be a Christian. It's a nut. It's not threaded to the Word. Right!
Now, I said I'd be through in a half hour, and it's up. But listen, the world wants a nut. The devil sees they get it. They're already threaded for it. But while the world is being threaded for a nut, there's a people called the bride; it's threaded too. Just as sure as I'm standing here, God will send them a nut that'll pull the bride out of this chaos into the presence of God. It'll be a Word threaded nut!

36 A critic a few days ago said to me down in Tucson, he said, "You know, some people make you a nut, and others make you a god."
I said, "Well, that kind of runs all right." I knowed he's trying to criticize me, see.
He said, "People think you're god."
I said, "Well, just..." I know the people didn't do that. but I knowed he didn't understand it, because he's on the other side of the skin. You see? So I knowed he didn't know it. So I said, "That's not too far away from the Word of God, is it?" See? Just let him know that we wasn't lost; we knowed where we were standing, we know what kind of sails we had set and what kind of wind was blowing it, we know what our thread was and what our nut was, and we know how we're standing. I said, "That's not contrary to the Word of God so much, is it?" I said, "Remember, when God was sending Moses down to the children of Israel, God made Moses a god, that's right, and made also Aaron his brother, a prophet!" That's right! All the prophets, Jesus said, were gods. They were gods, men. That's right! God means it that way.

37 Listen, the Word that we preach and the word that I said this morning, "God hiding behind skins, badger skins, God hiding behind the skin of a man" ... See? That's what He did. When God was manifest in the world, He was hiding behind a Veil, behind a skin of a man called Jesus. He was veiled and hiding behind the skin of a man called Moses, and they were gods, not gods, but they were God, the one God, just changing his mask, doing the same thing each time, bringing this Word. See, God made it that way. He knows that man's got to see something. There isn't...
Every one of us born into the world...

38 Like I was telling you this morning, nobody was daresn't to follow Moses in there. God never did deal with two, He deals with one always. No one would daresn't impersonate Moses; it was death, natural death to try to impersonate him, to go in that pillar of fire with him. So people are not all made ... you're not borned in that way to break out into that supernatural, but God set some on the earth to represent Him as an ambassador from Him. And that ambassador is ordained of God to go into the great, unknown supernatural, and discern, and bring out things that the natural mind cannot perceive it. It brings out the mystery of God, foretells things that is, and things that has been and things that will be. What is it? God, God behind skins, human skin! Exactly right!

39 Sam Connelly lives in Tucson; he's come here once many years ago with Mr. Kidd and was healed, with a standing ulcer for many years. When I went out last fall, Sam had a stone that the specialist there in Tucson examined it. It was as big as a marble. Brother Sam Connelly... Many of you here know him; he's from Ohio. And he went to the doctor and he said, "Sam, make yourself ready next week; I'll take that stone out."---couple days from then.
He said, "Can I pass the stone, doctor."
He said, "It's impossible. The stone is too big."
So he got him in a car and took him home. And he called; he said, "I want you come over and pray for me, Brother Branham." Why did he call me for such?
And I started to praying for him; I said, "Sam, it's thus saith the Lord. The stone will pass by itself!"
And the next morning he took the stone to the doctor. And he said... The doctor said, "Mr. Connelly, I don't understand how it happened."
And he said, "I am a believer in God, and God passed the stone for me---took it from me." The man could hardly believe it, the doctor. Just no more than he could believe that that big tumor leaving my wife's side, you know about, see. So he said...

40 About six months later, which was about three---about two weeks ago, or three weeks ago, Sam Connelly was stricken down by a serious heart condition (and I don't know the name, a coronary, or some kind of a heart block, or ever what it is. It's a very dangerous... It won't... You can't get over it they claim), a heart attack and his heart blocked. And his limbs swelled out till his ankles were larger than his leg up here high around his hip. So they took him down to the doctor. The doctor said, "Take him home peacefully or to the hospital."
Sam said, "I don't want to go to the hospital!"
Said, "Take him home and put him in the bed and don't you move head, hand, or foot for six months." said, "You could die at any minute."

41 And Brother Norman called, and we went over that night to see Brother Sam, and when we prayed for him, and the Lord spoke... And the next morning Sam went down to the doctor's office with his britchy legs pulled up, stood before the doctor, and said, "Look at me, doctor!"
And the doctor put him under a electrical cardiogram, and he said, "I don't understand it!" Said, "Go on back to work." He said, "What church do you belong to?"
He said, "I don't belong to any of them."
He said, "You can't be a Christian without belonging to them denominations. You have to be." See, that's all the doctor knowed. Sam was a nut to him, and he was a nut to Sam by asking such a question.
Then what happened? Sam come over, and he said, "What can I say to anybody that tells me such things, Brother Branham."
Tell them that you belong to the "one and only church." You don't join it; it's not a denomination; you're borned into it."

42 A little lady about six months ago leaning on the bosom of Sister Norman (I forget her name), very---pretty little women about thirty years old, her and her husband had separated, and she'd took leukemia. And she had been in such a condition that she could hardly get around. And finally it got worse until the doctors put her in a bed. And the doctors visited her until the time come... They give her until the following Wednesday; she'd be dead by Wednesday. And Mrs. Norman somehow got her out of the bed, and brought her over, and had to hold her up in a chair. And as the little fellow set there pitching back and forth and gray as she could be, yellow over the skin from the cancer, leukemia, I said, "Well, I can pray for you, Sister."
And her trying to speak and the tears in her eyes, she said, "I..."
I said, "Are you a Christian?"
She said, "I'm a Methodist."
I said, "I asked you if you was a Christian."
And she said, "You mean belong to the Christian church?"
I said, "No, ma'am. I mean, are you borned of the Spirit of God and love the Lord Jesus?"
She said, "Well, I've always belonged to the church."
I said, "If God will let you live, will you promise me that you will return to me and let me show you the way of the Lord more plainer?"
She said, "I promise God anything. If He'll spare my life, I'll serve Him."
Just then a vision come, said, "Thus saith the Lord, don't make ready; tear up your things for your death day after tomorrow. (That was on Monday and she was to die Wednesday.) You're not going to die." Last Sunday, a week from this Sunday, I set with her in the room. Gained thirty some-odd pounds; the doctor said there's not one trace of the leukemia could be found anywhere. And she wanted to know and I sent her down to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ in an irrigation ditch the way of the Lord. Might be a nut, but "If I be lifted up, I'll draw all men unto Me!"

43 I visited up at ... the boy that used to take tapes here, Leo Mercier; he's got a trailer court. And I'd been praying for some people. I prayed for a little lady named Loker, I believe it was. And she'd had fourteen operations of cancer and the doctors give her up to die, and was prayed for and told her she would not die, but she would live. And there's not a trace of it anywhere. And because of that, twenty-eight of her family was standing there, saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. Might be a nut, but it's drawing all men unto Him that will come. It's threaded with the Word. You see what I mean?

44 I got a letter that come in day before yesterday, laying right back there in the file. Last fall while on a hunting trip... The last spring it was a year ago, an Indian boy named Oscar, that we hunt on the highway up there with, the ... where the angel of the Lord, I told you across here, would bring that caribou and that silver-tip grizzly. All of you remember it. Then that boy, when I walked into the ... he walked into the tent last spring, and when Bud asked me to ask the blessing (he took off his gloves---he was riding)--- he put them gloves on and was ready to go out. He was a Catholic, he'd have nothing to do with it.

45 Last fall when he couldn't... Standing by my side when his mother was back there, dying with a heart attack, he said, "Won't you come back and pray for her?" I went back in this little hut of the Indians there. And there all of them gathered around this mother, and her dying, couldn't speak a word of English. And the Holy Spirit came down and told the mother through an interpreter, her daughter, what had taken place, which was ... even called her name, and told her what she was, and what tribe she was from, and how that this would happen. And the mother was instantly healed.
And the next morning when I went back to see them, as I rode out, going forty miles back for a sheep, there they was all setting there, she was all---getting on the horse to go back to dry moose meat. And I said, "Last night when I prayed, I said, 'Our Father who art in Heaven.' " I said "Louise, I ... was a Catholic prayer. You all started, and then, of course, I left you." And I said, "Now, I'm just going to thank God. We don't say prayers; we pray."
She said, "We no more Catholic!" She said, "We believe like you believe. We want you to take all of us and baptize us the way you baptize. We want the Holy Ghost!"

46 On the trip back... The boy had lost his horses months before that, couldn't find them. And the guide was bawling him out, said, "Oscar, you knowed better than to leave them horses like that. The bears (lot of grizzlies) would eat them horses up by this time."
And he kept standing close to me, and he said---one night he said, "Me ask you something?"
I said, "Yes."
Said, "Brother Branham, Pray God! God give me my ponies back."
I said, "Bud said the bear eat them up."
Said, "Brother Branham, ask God! God give Oscar his ponies back."
I said, "You believe that, Oscar?"
He said, "I believe.. God make my mother well; God tell you where bear was, where game was; that God know where game is, know where my horses is."

47 A year ago while standing back there with Fred Sothmann, he's here tonight, Billy Paul my son, the Holy Spirit came down. I said, "Oscar, you'll find your ponies. they'll be standing in snow." There lays the letter, wrote me last week, and I got it Friday ... come in here, it's laying right there in file now: "Brother Branham, Oscar find ponies standing in snow!"
How they lived, nobody knows. They're... The boy ... at this time of year, June, there's so much snow, there's still twenty or thirty foot of snow around them, how did they stay there through the winter in this canyon! Oscar can get in to them on snowshoes, but of course, he can't put snowshoes on his pony. But he found them according to the Word of the Lord! It might sound like a nut; just believe it one time. Depends on how your threads are.

48 Now, it won't thread up with a denomination; it'll only thread with the Word. But there's some people in the world believes that Word! It'll take a nut to wrap that bride out of here as [unclear word] for the bride and the bridegroom are one, and the... God is one, and the Word is God! It'll have to be threaded with the Word, and it'll draw the Bride out of these denominations.
Yeah, he wanted to criticize me.
You know, it reminds me of ... talking about this morning, God hiding behind skins, skin of men.

49 A little story and then I'm closing. Sorry that I kept you here about forty-five minutes now. There was a home; Christian home, and there was a ... (I told this to this critic.) And in this home there was ... they believed in God. They had a little boy there, but he's scared to death in a storm. Lightning, oh, he was just scared to death. He'd run under tables, or anywhere, when it was lightning. So one night there come a big storm out on the farm, and---where they lived---and the trees was blowing and lightning flashing, getting late in the night. The mother said to Junior, said, "Now, Junior, you go upstairs and go to bed." Said, "Now, don't be scared; go on up there!"
So little Junior with his pajamas on went up the steps looking back, about half crying. He laid down, tried to go to sleep, covered up his head; he couldn't go to sleep, that lightning flashing around the window; so he said, "Oh, Mama," said, "come up here and sleep with me!"
Well, she said, "Junior, nothings going to bother you. That lightning can't hurt you."
He said, "But Mama, come up here and sleep with me."
So the mother went up the steps and laid across the bed with her junior. And she said, "Junior, my little son, mother wants to tell you something." She said, "Junior, we are a Christian family. We believe in God, and we believe that God protects us in storms. We believe that. And we believe that God takes care of his own." And said, "I want you to believe that, Junior, that... Don't be scared; God is with us, and He'll protect us."
Junior snubbed a few times, and he said, "Mama, I believe that too." He said, "But when that lightning's so close to the window, I like to feel that God has got skin on it." So I think that all of us adults think the same thing: God with skin on it. It might sound like a nut to the world, but it's drawing all men unto Him. Let us pray.

50 Heavenly Father, as the little stories of experiences... And sometimes they happen for a reason. And as... Yet as rude as it is, yet we understand it in the language that it happened in. So we thank Thee tonight, Lord, that God can house Himself in us. We're thankful that there was a propitiation made, the blood of the righteous One, Jesus, Who was the fullness of God, the fullness of the Godhead bodily, that He laid down his precious life---not taken from Him but willfully laid it down, that we might enjoy Him in the fullness of his presence in the Shekinah glory that He lived in, that our souls might be sanctified with that blood, that the great Holy Spirit itself could live in us. And we become teachers, prophets, and so forth to the people, to those, Lord, who are needy, gifts of God, God, Himself, manifesting, glowing out the great gifts of God in the presence of this modern age.

51 And the rude expression, Lord, of being a nut...
And we know that in this day that it takes sometime when the world gets in a rut like the church is today, just joining new churches and new denominations... A man who comes forth with the Word is considered a nut, an insane person. As the great apostle Paul, who was trained to be a theologian, a priest, and yet he said he become a fool for the glory of God. He forsook his education that the people might ... listen to his high polished words. And he said he come not with enchanting words and wisdom of man that their faith would be in such. How the church has turned to that today as he prophesied, "After my departure, wolves shall enter in, not sparing the flock." But he said he came to them in power and manifestations of the Holy Spirit, that their faith would be in God.
Father, he became a fool to the world to know Jesus. And so do we today, Lord. There's people setting here that's considered crazy, because that they're ready to trust God for their healing, for their eternal destination, placing their reputation at stake in worship to Him, thanking Him, praising Him, giving freedom to their spirit to worship God. They're considered crazy. But you said that the foolishness of God (if we are fools) was stronger and wiser than the wisdom of man; for man by wisdom knowed not God, but through the foolishness of preaching, it pleased God to save them that was savable. We pray, God, that the great author of this Word will come tonight and heal the sick, save the lost. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

52 I am likening God, so that you won't be mixed up in what I said today ... God is a great diamond, the eternal. And when a diamond is brought out of the blue stones of Africa... I've been in the mines and watched them in the great---how they process this and get the diamonds out, how they go through the crusher, and the great blue fire diamonds, black diamonds come out. They have not much form, certain form. They're just a great stone. And really they have no fire in them at that time. They're just a diamond, a stone; round, smoothed out, lot of them. But this diamond must be cut. Now, it's against the law to have one not being cut. Must be cut, and then you have to have a receipt where you bought it, 'cause there's millions of dollars in them.
I liken God to that diamond. Now, a diamond is cut so that it will reflect what's on the inside of it, the fire that's in the diamond. And it has to be cut to every little way, every little shape, three points. Put the three points to a diamond, and a light against a three point object will give seven colors, see ... makes seven colors.

53 And now notice, God was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, see. He was cut, bruised, that great diamond, that from Him might reflect the gifts to the church. And it isn't the light, because the light must return back when the sun's off of it to where it has been cut from. But every little piece that comes from that chipping is not destroyed; it's put to use. Many of them are made to Victrola needles. And those needles bring forth---that's been chipped from the diamond---bring forth music that's been canned into a record. And I hope you see what I mean.
The chip from Christ, the gift from Christ, put upon the Bible speaks out the hidden mysteries of God to the believer. He knows the secret of the heart. He knows every person. Do you believe that? It would not be the diamond saying, "You see what I am"; it's what he come from. The diamond is a diamond, because he's off of a diamond.

54 And that's the way the gifts of the Spirit is to the person; it's a part of that diamond. It's sent, and been brought down, and brought into a gift to interpret, to preach, to teach.
There's five spiritual gifts: apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists. And they're all for the edifying of the Body of Christ. And just as sure as there's teachers, pastors, there's got to be prophets. We know that.
And we believe that God is to be manifested in the last day among his people, to the elect seed, according to the Bible, in the form of prophet. That's exactly with the Word. Not that the man is God, but that the gift is God (see?); and that's the needle. Now, a pin won't play that record right. A regular sewing needle won't play it right; but a diamond, it's the best. It brings it out clear, a diamond pointed needle.
May God tonight... Your record of life, whatever that's wrong with you, whatever that you're desiring from God, may the great Master who holds the needle in his hand, may He put it upon your life and reveal to us what you're here for, what you want; then we'll know that He's here.

55 Heavenly Father, will You grant it before I start this prayer line, not aiming to do this, but will You grant it, that the people might know. Maybe strangers here to be prayed for. I know not them, but You do. And Paul said, "If you speak with tongues and there be no interpretation or give no edification, the people will say you're mad; but if one prophesies and reveals what's on the heart, then they'll say, 'Truly God's with you.'" Let it be again, God, in this late hour. You promised it, so shall it be. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

56 Now, I wonder how many sick people in here tonight, that's here ... or did Billy give out prayer...? Is any prayer cards give out? There is. Well, I guess every sick person's got a prayer card, but I don't know what you wrote on it. I think he just gives you a card; you write what you want to on it. Is that it, just got the card? You put on it whatever you want.
I don't know you. How many here knows that I don't know you and yet you're sick, and you'd say this, "What I've heard you say today, 'God behind skins, God behind human skin, veiling Himself...'" (But if you got spiritual eyes you could open and see Him, see who He is), and you believe that, Jesus said, "He that believeth in me the works that I do shall he also; more than this shall he do, for I go to the Father."
Now, if you believe with all your heart...

57 How many in here that's sick and knows that I do not know you, know what's wrong with you, just raise up your hand; say, "I'm sick, have need." How many has desires in their heart, not sick, but has desires? You know what I... All right. There isn't very ... anybody that I seen but what held up their hand.
Now, I don't know... I know this man setting here; I'm sure that's Brother James, and I think that's Sister James. Brother Ben, I know ... just your faces sometimes. The brother taking the pictures, but the... Let somebody back in here anywhere, just... I challenge this on the basis in the closing of this message.

58 Do you know God promised this to happen in the last days? He made the promise. See? Now, I can't make it happen. See? I cannot do that; He has to do that. He's the One who does it, not me. But I believe in Him, or I wouldn't be standing here telling you something that I didn't believe in. Now, you pray, and you say, Lord Jesus, I'm taught in the Bible that you're a high priest right now, that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities." I don't care where you are. And just say, "I believe You, and by faith I believe what that man said today." That's what the Angel told me. "Get the people to believe you!"
And if I tell the Word of God, it ain't believe me, it's believe the Word. If it ain't with the Word, then don't believe it. But if you believe it is the Word, then whatever it is, you pray, and you believe, and see if He still can reveal what's in your heart.
And anybody knows that the Bible said that the Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword and discerns the thoughts and intents in the heart. That's how Abraham knew that that was God, when He could tell what Sarah was saying back in the tent, what she was thinking about, when He said, "I'll visit you!" and Sarah thought in her heart, "It can't be so!"

59 Now, I said He's here to heal you. What do you think about it? You just believe. Now, I can't ... I have no certain way, heavenly Father knows that. See? I just got to see it; and what I see I say, and what I don't see, course, I can't say. But He's just as much God. Would that increase your faith if He'd do it? Preaching like that, it kind of throws me out a little bit, but He's here. I'm conscious of that.
Watching a man as he bowed his head right back here, his wife setting by him praying also. Right here! Got something on your heart. Your wife praying. Got a burden on your heart. It's for your mother-in-law. That's right! You believe God can tell me what's wrong with your mother-in-law? I don't know you. We're strangers to one another. That's right? You believe God can tell me what's wrong with her? She isn't here. I see a great distance. she's in ... east from here; she's in Ohio. That's right! She's suffering with a blood condition. Have your wife to take that handkerchief there she's crying on, place on her, don't doubt; she'll get well. Believe that?
Here's a little lady setting right here in front of me. She's crying. There's something wrong with the child. I don't know... No, it's nothing wrong. she's just got a desire. She's desiring to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That's thus saith the Lord! Believe, child, you're going to receive it.

60 Here's a lady sitting out here on the end of the row. She's praying. I'm a stranger to her, but she's shadowed. You had operations. If we're a stranger to each other, I suppose. I don't know you' you don't know me, only by just, maybe hearing of me. You're not from here; you're a stranger among us. You're from Wisconsin. The city is Milwaukee. And your trouble is cancer; it's on the breast. Operation after operation, yet without success. Let the faith that touched the hem of his garment believe it right now. Sink it in your heart; it shall come to pass! Have faith!
A man sitting over in a corner here. He's praying for his mother. He's a stranger to me. I don't know him. But he's praying for his mother, and his mother has the same thing this woman has cancer, or she's scared of it---which it is. There's a man you're praying for, and that man has trouble with his back. He's also... I see him intoxicated; he's an alcoholic, your brother. You're not from here; you're from Illinois. You believe God can tell me what your name is? Farmer. Is that right? Raise up your hand. Believe!

61 There's somebody kneeling over somebody praying, somebody laying on a cot. All right! Do you believe what you've heard to be the truth, lady? You do. If I could heal you, I'd come do it. But you're already healed by Christ. See, see? You just got to believe it. That lady standing there praying was praying for you to be touched. I don't know you, but God knows you. You're from out-of-town also. That's right. You're from Illinois. That's exactly. The city is called East Moline, Illinois. You suffer with cancer. You're a minister's wife. Do you believe? You'll die laying there. Why don't you accept Him tonight, say, "I can in my heart. With my faith above anything that's here, I believe that I'm healed; I'm in the presence of God." Rise up; believe; go home, and be healed. There she is. Do you believe with all your heart? Let us praise God.

62 Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for all thy goodness and mercy. We thank Thee, for You're still here, right in the midst of all this trouble, in this world that's perverted, yet you're here. Let thy Spirit, Lord, ever remain with us. We see that you're here, God with skin on, in the human hearts giving faith, and revelation, and vision. You're God in Your Church, God in Your people. We thank Thee for this, Lord. And may everyone believe tonight with one accord, and may they be healed. Through Jesus Christ's name I pray. Amen.

63 How many over there has prayer cards on that side. Let them that's on that side move back, come right in the middle of this aisle. Them on that aisle, come right out this way. Just take your place. Come right out this way. Let those as soon as they're finished up, this line catch the next side.
Elders, come here. Brother Roy, Lord bless you! I didn't know you was setting there. I want the deacons of the church here immediately, if they can get in from everywhere they're at. Come here for a little help. I want each one that's going to be prayed for, raise up your hand. Say this behind me, "Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief. I believe, that in your presence, as I follow your Word, and my ... hands is laid on me tonight. I'm going to accept my healing in Jesus' name. Amen!" God bless you.
Now watch. "The prayer of faith shall save the sick. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." He told Noah it was going to rain. It never... He never... Now, He never said, "As soon as you're prayed for, you're going to be well." He said, "They shall recover."

64 He told Noah it was going to rain; it never rained for a hundred and twenty years, but it rained. Told Abraham he was going to have a baby by Sarah; it never happened for twenty-five years, but he had it. Told Isaiah a virgin was going to conceive; it never happened for eight hundred years, but she conceived. Is that right? He promised it. No matter how long it takes, He does it anyhow. Do you believe that? Come forward now.
Let Brother Capps lead the singing. You'll move the cord... Now, let everybody be in prayer now.

65 Our heavenly Father, we're going to obey Your commandments by laying hands upon these sick people. I don't know one thing else You could do, Lord, for You have said in Your Word You've purchased their healing. You've proved that You're here with us tonight, the Word that can discern the thoughts that's in the heart. You've proved that, that You are among us. And I pray, Thee Father, that your Word, which cannot fail, will be made so real to each heart that You said, "If you can believe it---don't doubt, but believe it---say to this mountain, 'Be moved!' and don't doubt but believe that it will come to pass." ... didn't say when.
You told the people at Pentecost to go up there and wait. You never said hours, days; You said, "Until." Now, they're coming to accept their healing. May they never think of nothing else but their healing until the deliverance comes. We obey You by laying hands upon them as believers. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

66 All right. Come right by now [Gap in the audio]. You're healed. God bless you. That's good [Gap in the audio].
All things are possible, only believe!
Only believe! Only believe!
All.........................
Lord Jesus, I pray for these handkerchiefs now, in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
Wonder if we could change them words!
Now I believe! It's now I believe!
All things are possible; now I believe!
Now I believe! Now I believe!
All things are possible; now I believe!
Do you believe that what has been asked and desired shall be granted? It shall happen.

67 I saw passing through the line a few moments ago some of my Italian friends from Chicago. How many knows Sister Bottazzi from Chicago? Well, you know, she had a mental, nervous break just recently, very, very bad. But the morning in Chicago at the Christian Businessmen's breakfast, I told the sister, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit... She come back to one side, and she was ... just couldn't hold herself together. And I said, "Sister, you won't get over it right away, but you're going to be well." I said, "It'll be either eighteen months or two years. Right in that bracket you'll be made well."

68 The other day while speaking with her, I heard her testifying ... so happy. The happiest she'd ever been in all of her life. She was riding in a car, she had no peace. The presence of God seemed to have departed from her (course it was mental nerve, you know), and all of a sudden it returned with a great flow of joy. And the power of the Holy Spirit was upon her. She wept; she cried; she had ... they just had a great time---about three or four weeks ago or a month. and I heard her testify Sunday before last, and she said, "Brother Branham, when I got back, I marked down and took that tape, and it was exactly eighteen months to the day." Amen!
Do you love Him? Isn't He wonderful?

69 Now, the same Holy spirit that can predict exactly, without missing one time all these years and through his word, has tried to uncover to you today that God isn't some object way off or some historical something; He's a living, present tense---his Word made manifest. Hid Himself in human veil in his church, revealing Himself by your faith and my faith together, coming together, making the unit of God. I can do nothing without you; you can do nothing without me; neither could do anything without God. So together it makes the unit, the connection. God sent me for the purpose. You believe it, and there it happens. That's exactly, see. confirmed perfectly. I don't care what's wrong with you, what anyone has said, if from your heart you believe that you're going to be well there's nothing can ever stop it. He said so! And He said, "Heavens and earth will pass away, but My Word won't fail."
Do you believe that? How many will pray for me in other meetings as I go? I'm one who needs prayer. See, everybody's turned me down, see, but you. And yet, there's seed out there.

70 I sent a letter to South Africa. They wouldn't let me come in unless I would sign a paper that I would baptize over on that side everybody three times, once for the Father, once for the Son and the Holy Ghost face forward, on the other side I'd baptize backwards, one for the Father ... and teach that was doctrine. I wrote them a letter; I said, "the Holy Spirit's been trying for the last few years to get me in Africa again. He wants to use my ministry there where thirty thousand accept Christ one afternoon." I said, "Remember, the blood of them souls be upon you, not upon me. I've offered to come, but you won't do it." I wonder what it'll be in this day when Jesus the Son of God has been turned from the church, the Word rejected. But in all that, He still is making himself known to his people. Aren't you thankful for it?

71 And I passed by tonight, put my hands on them, some aged women, some young, some old, some young men, old men, just soaking wet as I am, I thought, "Sitting there listening at the Word that the rest of the world thinks is crazy..." See? They are the bolt, see. God's here to thread it up, draw you right out of your sickness. It's a promise of the Word. Just remember, it'll start tightening: "I will draw them. If I be lifted up, I'll draw." He'll draw it out of you. He sure will; you just believe Him. Have faith in Him; don't doubt Him; believe Him!

72 Pray for me. When you have no one else to pray for, just remember me. And then...
Until we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at..........
Thanks for coming those long ways; God protect you as you go home!
Till we...............
Greet all the Christians; salute them from this group here. God's peace upon you; Shalom!
God be with you till we meet again.
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.

73 I'm so glad. You see, there's some---many things I don't know, but there's some things I do know. I'm so thankful for you. I'm so glad to be associated with you. I'm so glad to be one of you. God be with you. He will; He'll never leave you; He'll never forsake you; He won't leave you. You've done broke through the veil now.
So glad tonight to see Brother Palmer, one of our associate pastors over here from Georgia. Brother Junior Jackson's in the building somewhere---back in the corner; we're glad to have him. Brother Don Ruddell, sitting over here. Oh, so many. I don't know. If I missed anybody ... Brother Ben Bryant here. And many of the others here, fine brother, Willard Collins. We're so glad to have all of you here. I wonder if we'd just stand to our feet just a moment now. Let's bow our head now.
Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus feet; (Till we meet;)
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.

74 Do you feel that closeness of fellowship with the Spirit? Let's hum it.
I noticed Brother McKinney from Ohio with us; Brother John Martin and his brother. So glad to have all of you. I might not even see you, brethren. He knows you... Till we meet; May my heart and yours with God's heart be one till we meet.
While we bow our heads now in prayer. Try to let every minister know that we're happy for them to be here. All the laity, you people from Tennessee, Ohio, and across the country... Some women I met over there today, all the way from Boston. Our colored brethren was here this morning from up in there also. So many from different parts of the country, I thank you, my dear loyal friend. God be with you. I call you my friend. Remember what Jesus said about that? "Closer even than a brother," a friend.
While we bow our heads now... Until we get to meet again in the next few days, God be with you. I'm going to ask our good, loyal brother, Brother Richard Blair, if he won't dismiss us in a word of prayer. Brother Blair.