Viera Márie
1 Ďakujem ti, brat. Bolo to istotne... Musím na to povedať, „Amen.“ Pán nás dnes ráno požehnal tým najneobyčajnejším spôsobom. Mal som na mysli niečo, o čom som išiel hovoriť, a On to celkom zmenil. A to je ten druh zhromaždení, ktoré sa mi páčia, keď sa pohybuje tá príjemnosť Ducha Svätého a tečie cez budovu. A potom Duch Svätý...
Včera večer, myslím, že to bolo proroctvo. Povedal som tým kazateľom, ktorí boli za mnou, že príde ich čas. Oni veľa obetovali. A dnes ráno, predtým, ako som sotva mohol len začať, prišla dobrota Ducha Svätého rovno medzi tých kazateľov, vyhlásila ich za uzdravených všade tu naokolo a povedala im ich stav a nemoci a čokoľvek to bolo. Ó, On je dobrý, či nie? Istotne je. On je ohromný Otec. Sme za Neho tak vďační.
2 Tak zajtra popoludní, ak bude Pán chcieť, zmeníme zhromaždenie zo zajtra večera na zajtra popoludnie. A myslím, že to bude dobré. To dá každému príležitosť ísť do svojej cirkvi. Vždy o tom zmýšľam tak, že je to povinnosťou kresťana stáť v mieste svojej povinnosti. A tým spôsobom, keď máme takúto sériu zhromaždení, tak ja... A bratia, ktorí sú ochotní zatvoriť svoje cirkvi a poslať tam svojich ľudí... Ja vám hovorím, vám všetkým návštevníkom, ktorí ste teraz tu spoza mesta a z týchto cirkví, choďte zajtra do svojej cirkvi. Vyberte si len. Je to tu veľmi dobrá skupina bratov a niektoré dobré cirkvi, ktoré veria v to isté Evanjelium, ktoré my kážeme. Oni tu stoja. A oni budú radi, keď vás budú môcť mať zajtra ráno na svojej nedeľnej škole a zajtra večer vo svojich cirkvách. A tak si buďte istí, že navštívite niektorú cirkev, cirkev, ktorú si vyberiete.
Myslím, že bratia vám povedali, kde... Oni už urobili nejaké prípravy a môžu povedať, na čom sú a niečo o tom. Obyčajne to robia. A ste ku všetkým nim pozvaní. Tak teraz cirkev... Kdekoľvek pôjdete do cirkvi, tú, ktorú reprezentujete, čokoľvek chcete robiť, to bude v poriadku. Vidím ich teraz, ako sa dostávajú do filmov alebo niečo. A tak je medzi ľuďmi veľkolepý duch, veľkolepé prebudenie, ktoré sa zdá, že sa pohybuje týmto smerom.
Spolieham, že to nikdy nestratí toho nádherného Ducha, ktorý bol dnes ráno na zhromaždení. To je... To je skutočne niečo, keď vidíte Božiu dobrotu a Jeho milosrdenstvo, ako prichádza a žehná nás a robí pre nás veci, ako pre nás robil dnes ráno.
3 Tak, ak bude Pán chcieť, zajtra popoludní to chcem urobiť takým dobrým kresťanským zhromaždením s modlitbami a tak len nech každý príde. Budeme len kázať evanjelizačnú kázeň zajtra popoludní, ak bude Pán chcieť. A brat Leo, náš človek ohľadne kníh, povedal, „Brat Branham, mal by si tu týmto ľuďom raz kázať tým úplne starodávnym spôsobom kázania.“
Pán je ku nám dobrý a tak si chceme otvoriť svoje Biblie, ak chcete, alebo si len poznačte text. Mám tu na prečítanie jeden verš z Lukáša, z prvej kapitoly, verš 37:
Lebo u Boha nebude nemožným niktoré slovo.
Vtedy povedala Mária: Hľa, som dievka Pánova; nech sa mi tedy stane podľa tvojho slova. A anjel odišiel od nej.
4Skloňme na chvíľu svoje hlavy. Náš nebeský Otče, prichádzame v Mene Pána Ježiša, aby sme poprosili o milosrdenstvo a odpustenie našich nedostatkov. Modlíme sa dnes večer, Pane, aby si nás ďalej navštevoval týmito veľkými navštíveniami Tvojho Svätého Ducha, aby si sa mohol ukazovať, že si Ten živý, až kým sa znovu neobjavíš vo fyzickej forme pri druhom Príchode.
Modlíme sa, nebeský Otče, ak sú tu medzi nami niektorí, ktorí Ťa nikdy neprijali ako svojho vlastného, milého, milujúceho Spasiteľa, aby to bol dnes večer čas, že povedia tomu Všedostačujúcemu „Áno, Pane, verím.“ Tí, ktorí vystúpili na tú cestu a ešte neprišli do krstu Ducha, modlíme sa, aby sa aj oni dnes večer vydali, odovzdali krstu Ducha Svätého.
Včera večer sme boli tak šťastní, Pane, keď sme Ťa mohli vidieť, ako si išiel medzi ľudí, a tí, ktorí zodvihli svoje ruky, že nemajú modlitebnú kartu, mohli vidieť Tvojho veľkého Svätého Ducha, ako ide a uzdravuje chorých a postihnutých a vyvoláva ich a robí to presne, ako si to Ty robil, keď to prebývalo v tele nášho Pána Ježiša Krista ukazujúc, že Ty si stále vo Svojej cirkvi: ľudia vstávali z nosidiel a išli po vlastných a tí, ktorí zomierali pri poslednej nádeji, uvideli Božie svetlo a prijali to a odišli uzdravení. Je to dnes ráno veľké zhromaždenie v obecenstve s Duchom Svätým, ako sedíme v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi, ó, Bože, ako to milujeme.
5 Modlíme sa, aby si nám dnes večer udelil Tvoje nebeské požehnania. Nedívaj sa na našu nehodnosť, Pane, pretože sme nehodní a nie je nič, čo by sme mohli urobiť, aby sme si niečo zaslúžili. Tak pokorne vyznávame, že sme, že sa mýlime a že sme nespravodliví a Ty jediný si spravodlivý. A prichádzame v Mene Pána Ježiša, ako nám On povedal, aby sme robili, a zasľúbil nám, že obdržíme, o čo prosíme. Bože, idem Ťa teraz požiadať o veľkú vec a modliť sa, aby Svätý Duch preskúmal každé srdce, ktoré je tu dnes večer. Ak potrebujú uzdravenie, uzdrav ich, Pane. Na čokoľvek majú potrebu, udeľ to, Pane. A nezabudni na mňa tu.
Nezabudni na túto milú skupinu kazateľov, Pane. Požehnaj zajtra ich zbory. Nech by boli takí nabalení a Boží Duch nech by sa tak pohyboval cez nich. Nech Duch v tomto kraji prepukne v to starodávne zhromaždenie a tak isto po celom národe. Požehnaj všetkých ľudí všade, Otče. Ako som teraz prečítal týchto pár slov, modlím sa, aby si ich požehnal do našich sŕdc. Prosíme to v Mene Pána Ježiša. Amen.
6 Ranné slnko práve vychádzalo spoza kopca, ako išla svojou cestou po tej starej známej ulici a schádzala dolu z vrchu, kde bývala. A ako tak išla a držala si svoje vedro, pravdepodobne rozmýšľala, meditovala ako obyčajne mladé ženy v tom veku, idú, kráčajú a premýšľajú. A tak bola na ceste ku mestskej studni, aby tam načerpala dennú zásobu vody. Bolo nám povedané, že jej matka už zomrela, a tak ona sa sama starala o dom a svojho starého otca. A rozmýšľala o predošlom dni.
7 Muselo to byť v prvý deň týždňa potom, ako mali službu na sabat, a slnko už bolo dosť vysoko hore a šplhalo sa po palestínskej modrej oblohe. A bola tam sladká vôňa kvetov potom, ako vyšlo slnko, to bola atmosféra a aróma kvetov, tá aróma kvetov a zimozeleňov, ako to slnko vysušovalo a práve pred pár hodinami to znovu vysušilo... Milujem ten ranný čas. Myslím na tú čerstvosť. Rád si vyjdem do záhrady.
Myslím, že kazateľ by mal prísť na pódium nie naložený množstvom starostí, ale mal by prísť v čerstvosti, prítomnosti Pána. Vstať skoro ráno potom, ako už všetci démoni išli spať a skončilo nočné vystrájanie. A potom sa to utišuje a je cítiť tú arómu, tú sladkosť. A verím, že kazateľ zostáva pred Bohom, až kým nevystúpi za kazateľňu, on príde ako príjemne voňajúca aróma, pomazaný Svätým Duchom, aby priniesol posolstvo Boha ku ľuďom, ktorí očakávajú a sú v srdciach hladní.
8 Ako si tak razila cestu dolu chodníkom, verím (Mohol by som toto predstaviť ako malú drámu), verím, že rozmýšľala o tom, čo sa stalo deň predtým. Potom, ako prišli z cirkvi, bolo to zvykom, že jej zasnúbený manžel Jozef prišiel k nim domov na večeru. A ako bola večera pripravovaná, no... Oni mali ako obyčajne večeru tak, že sedeli na terase a dívali sa oproti na malé údolie, ktoré bolo na druhej strane kopca.
Jozef bol tesárom. A vediac, že sa chystá oženiť sa s týmto krásnym, mladým, židovským dievčaťom, tým, že bol tesárom, budoval ich budúci dom oproti na druhom kopci. Tak viete, predstavujem si, že v tom musel byť taký zvláštny cit, pretože on išiel priviesť túto svoju peknú, mladú nevestu do tohoto domu. Dvere museli presne pasovať. A on na tom strávil čas, pretože nechcel pri tomto urobiť len takú rýchlu prácu. Musí byť... Okná museli presne pasovať a tak isto dvere. Predstavujem si, že keď prešiel bránou, ona mohla byť v tvare srdca a tak... Keď vošiel, aby urobil bránu tvare srdca. A ruže boli všade okolo domu.
9 A oni toto už nejaký čas plánovali, odkedy sa zasnúbili. A tak si tam vyšli v nedeľu popoludní, povedzme, a sadli si tam na terasu a dívali sa oproti, kde bude ich budúci domov. A bolo zvykom, že oni hovorili o Pánovi, pretože oni boli obaja hlbokými veriacimi v Boha. A táto nedeľa bola špeciálna. A ako sa poponáhľali s jedlom a riady boli umyté a Jozef už sedel vonku na terase, keď prišla Mária, a musel to byť takýto nejaký rozhovor, keďže sa obyčajne rozprávali o tom, aký bude ten dom a ako bude vyzerať, ako rabíni prídu k nim domov, aby s nimi pojedli. Ale teraz namiesto toho, prišli k téme posolstva z dnešného rána, ktoré počuli od významného, vznešeného rabbiho. A možno to bola Mária, ktorá povedala, „Jozef, či to nebolo dnes ráno ohromné posolstvo, ktoré rabbi, náš milovaný pastor, kázal?“
10 „Ó,“ Jozef musel povedať, „to bolo výnimočné posolstvo. Tak veľmi sa mi to páčilo, ako hovoril o tom veľkom Bohu Jehova, ktorý viedol našich ľudí von z Egypta. Nenadchlo ťa to, keď čítal z tých zvitkov z knihy Exodus, ako boli vyvedení, ako ich Jehova viedol skrze Ohnivý Stĺp? A oni nemali žiaden kompas, podľa ktorého by išli... Ale oni išli skrze vedenie Ducha. Ó, Mária, nebolo by to ohromné, keby sme mohli žiť a vidieť v našich životoch ten Ohnivý Stĺp a boli takto vedení?
A, ó, ako keď potrebovali pokrm, On dal pršať mannu z neba a mali chlieb. A potom, keď potrebovali mäso, On fúkol a od pobrežia prišli prepelice a naplnili zem. A keď potrebovali vodu, On mal udretú Skalu. Keď boli chorí, mali medeného hada ako zmierenie za ich nemoci a, ó, aké to bolo ohromné.“
„Ale,“ povedal, „drahá, myslím, že to celé zruinoval, keď povedal, 'Avšak Jehova to už viacej nerobí.'“ Tak, či onak, vždy som nejako veril, že Jehova zostáva tým istým. On nemôže zlyhať. A ja verím, že ten dôvod, že máme... Že žijeme v tých dňoch, v ktorých žijeme, to je to, že naši ľudia stratili vieru v Jehovu.“
11 „Verím, že On je nesmrteľný a že On nestarne a nemôže pominúť. On jednoducho je tým istým Jehovom a On neočakáva od nás... Nemyslím, že by som chcel znevážiť cteného rabbiho, ale keď dnes ráno vo svojom posolstve povedal, že Jehova už viac nekoná zázraky, že jediná vec, ktorú od nás chce, aby sme robili, je chodiť do cirkvi a platiť naše desatiny a žiť dobrý život, ako len môžeme, a že On nás potom vezme Domov do slávy, tomu môžem sotva veriť, Mária. Verím, že Jehova chce, aby sme s Nim kráčali tak ako oni v tom dni.“
A určite práve vtedy Mária povedala, „Ó, drahý, vieš, mali by sme si najprv prečítať Písmo.“
Tak, ak ste niekedy boli v palestínskom dome a videli niektoré z tých starých orientálnych miest… Knihy Biblie bývali uložené v niečom ako… Volá sa to zvitok, bolo to navinuté na takej paličke. A oni to mávali v takej nádobe niečo ako kôš. A tam ich zastrčili do tejto nádoby. A mali tam zvitok proroka Izaiáša, zvitok proroka Jeremiáša a všetkých tých prorokov, ktorí tam boli, takže v tom nebol rozdiel, ktorého čítali, lebo oni vedeli, že to všetko bolo ustanovené od Boha, lebo to bol ich prorok.
12 A tak Jozef povedal, „Drahá, išla by si a vzala by si jeden zo zvitkov?“ Ona išla, načiahla sa len tak náhodou, vzala jeden zvitok a priniesla ho.
Povedal, „No, drahá, zdá sa, že dnes budeme čítať z knihy Izaiáša.“
A tak on potiahol ten zvitok, otvoril ho a Jozef začal čítať a jeho myseľ... Jeho oči padli na miesto Písma, „Panna počne a porodí Syna... Nazvú Jeho Meno Radca, Mocný Boh, Knieža Pokoja, Večný Otec.“
A keď to prečítal do konca, tá mladá panna, ako tam sedela na kraji, povedala, „Počkaj, drahý Jozef. Čo tým mal prorok na mysli, že panna počne?“
No, možno, že Jozef povedal niečo takéto, „Drahá, to je pre mňa tak trochu hlboké. Nerozumiem tomu, ale verím tomu. To je len to, čo Biblia hovorí. Neviem, ako sa to stane, ale vieme toto, drahá, vieme, že Izaiáš bol Jehovov prorok. Preto tým, že bol pomazaný Božím Svätým Duchom, ktorý bol na ňom, tak nemohol prorokovať nesprávne, pretože sa narodil ako prorok a vieme, že jeho slová sú pravdivé. A keď povedal, „Panna počne,“ to nebol Izaiáš, to bol náš Jehova a Jehova je schopný urobiť čokoľvek, čo hovorí, že urobí.“
13 A ako sa tak ďalej o tomto rozprávali a o tom, ako Jeho Meno bude nazvané Radca, Knieža Pokoja, Mocný Boh, Večný Otec a že panovanie bude na Jeho ramenách a Jeho kráľovstvu nebude konca, a tak ďalej, ona povedala, „To musí byť ten istý, o ktorom nám zasľúbil prorok Mojžiš: Pán váš Boh vám vzbudí proroka ako mňa.“ Takže, to bude musieť byť Mesiáš.“
Jozef povedal, „Myslím, že zákonníci to tak vykladajú, že to bude musieť byť Mesiáš, ktorý má prísť.“ A ako prešiel večer, priblížil sa čas večernej bohoslužby, tak išli znovu do cirkvi.
14 A bolo to na ďalšie ráno, ako išla po vodu, a oproti mohla počuť kladivo, kde píla... Tam, kde Jozef staval ich dom. A ako vstala a urobila si raňajky a strčila si pod pazuchu vedro a vydala sa na cestu ku mestskej studni... (No, ak by sme mali čas, rád by som chvíľu zostal pri tej studni, ale nemáme čas.) A tak, ako tak išla, hlavu mala dolu a premýšľala, nedokázala to dať preč zo svojej mysle... A povedala, „Tá Jozefova poznámka, keď som ho zastavila pri tom Písme, Izaiáša 9:6, a ako to... On mi povedal, 'Drahá, vieš, myslím, že ty... Vždy som si myslel, že si tá najkrajšia žena, akú som kedy videl, ale tak nejako v tých posledných pár minútach si bola krajšia ako kedykoľvek predtým. Tvoje veľké hnedé oči zažiarili, ako sme sa zmienili o tomto Písme. Nenadchlo ťa to? Alebo čo sa stalo?'“
Tak ona sa tomu divila, „Čo je toto, kde on povedal, že sa narodí dieťa, Syn je daný, som zvedavá, čo spôsobilo, že som sa takto cítila.“ A práve vtedy, ako toto mladé dievča kráčalo, všimlo si, že niečo zablikalo. A ako sa poobzerala a… „To muselo byť slnko,“ povedala, „Zasvietilo to na tú skalu na tom púštnom kopci, niekde tam.“ A ako si tak išla svojou cestou a premýšľala o tom, čo sa dialo a o čom sa rozprávali, zabočila pri rohu ku mestskej studni, kde sa ženy zvykli skoro ráno stretnúť a spúšťali dolu svoje vedrá alebo skôr nádoby, niečo ako krčah. Malo to dlhý krk a dve rúčky a mali hák, na ktorý to zahákli, a vrátok s lanom. Spúšťali dolu krčah a tým, že on bol z hliny, tak sa ponoril. Potom krútili a vytiahli tú vodu hore, položili si ten krčah na hlavu a išli naspäť domov a možno uniesli päť alebo šesť galónov vody, čo stačilo na celý deň, jedine, že by sa umývali a potom obyčajne chodili na nejaké miesta, kde sa umývali.
15 Tak, ako zahla za roh, uvidela znovu, ako sa to svetlo zablysklo. A ako sa pozrela, musela prejsť takým malým, úzkym miestom, kadiaľ môže prejsť iba jedna osoba, a tam stal Gabriel, archanjel. A to nebolo slnko, ktoré sa odrážalo. On ju sledoval a stretol ju tam, kde ju doviedol na miesto, kde sa naňho musela pozrieť. A ona sa pozrela a on bol plný žiary svetla, ktorá bola okolo neho. Táto mladá panna sa vystrašila a niet divu, že schytila svoj krčah a jej veľké oči hľadeli na toho archanjela.
On povedal, „Zdravas, Mária (Alebo zastav sa), si pred Bohom vysoko ctená.“ Ó, to sa mi páči. Tá drobná žena v tom najpodlejšom meste, ktoré v tom čase na zemi bolo, bolo známe ako hrozné mesto v Palestíne... A ona tam žila taký život, až si ju Boh vybral pre určitú prácu, ktorú išiel urobiť. Tam sa mu pozrela do tváre, a to ju zaskočilo.
16 Viete, obyčajne to je, keď o tých veciach rozmýšľame. Biblia hovorí, „Ak je nejaká chvála, ak je nejaká cnosť, premýšľajte o týchto veciach.“ Myslím, že ten dôvod, prečo už tých veci toľko nevidíme, je, že máme svoje mysle na príliš mnohých iných veciach. Myslím, že anjeli by sa nám stále zjavovali, ak by sme len držali naše mysle na nich: ale my rozmýšľame o niečom inom: to, kam ideme, určitý program, na ktorý sa musíme pozerať alebo nejaké nákupy, ktoré musíme urobiť. Ale naše miesto Písma nám hovorí, „Hľadajte najprv Kráľovstvo Božie a Jeho spravodlivosť, všetky tieto ostatné veci vám budú pridané.“
A potom, keď to vidíme, ako on povedal, „Si vysoko ctená pred Bohom.“
17 A znovu si všímame... Nechcem toto miesto Písma opustiť, ale to bol Kleofáš a jeho priateľ na ceste do Emauz, ako tam tak kráčali a boli hlboko sklamaní, hovorili o tom, ako bol Ježiš ukrižovaný a mŕtvy a tie príbehy, ktoré o Ňom počuli, že bude vzkriesený z mŕtvych, a oni tomu neverili... A tam na ceste, kam išli, možno to bola cesta do práce v pondelok ráno a boli na ceste späť a to bolo, zatiaľ čo rozmýšľali o Ňom, že sa im On zjavil, vyšiel spoza kríkov a začal k nim hovoriť ako obyčajný človek.
Povedal, „Ó, prečo ste takí zronení? Čo je s vami?“
Povedali, „Či si ty cudzinec?“
Veríte teraz? Toto je trochu štipľavé, ale ľudia, ktorí s Ním chodili a rozprávali sa s Ním a išli s Ním celý deň po Jeho vzkriesení, s tým istým Ježišom a nepoznali Ho... On sa zjaví, komu sa chce zjaviť. Ó, modlím sa, aby On dnes večer vzal tie záclony z očí každého jedného z nás a prišiel do tejto budovy a zjavil sa v moci Svojho vzkriesenia, aby ho tak každá osoba mohla vidieť: hriešnik ako svojho Spasiteľa, chorý ako svojho Uzdraviteľa.
A všímame si, že On s nimi išiel celý deň. A potom sa robil, že pôjde ešte ďalej niekam inam, a oni Ho prinútili, aby vošiel dnu. Ó, páči sa mi to prinútenie, aby vošiel. „Ó, Ježišu, Ty si tu dnes večer v cirkvi. Musíš ísť so mnou domov. Chcem Ťa vziať ku mne domov. Nikdy nechcem stratiť tento pocit Tvojej prítomnosti. Dovoľ mi vziať Ťa domov, aby si vošiel a býval so mnou.“ Nikdy nechcem stratiť ten pocit. Či by to nebolo nádherné?
18 Viete, chcem sa tu na chvíľu zastaviť v tomto mojom posolstve a chcem povedať, že tie najchválebnejšie veci, ktoré som kedy videl sa stať, boli vtedy, keď bolo niečo pomazané. Ó, prial by som si, keby som mohol na tom mieste zostať po celý čas.
Čítali ste to v knihe, o tom, ako v ten večer vybehol na pódium ten maniak a chcel ma zabiť... Kde to bolo? V Portlande. Ty si tam bol, brat Jack, alebo tam bol... bol tam brat Brown, keď tam vybehol ten šialenec, aby ma zabil, a vyhrážal sa, že to urobí. Bol to vysoký, obrovský, veľký chlap. A namiesto toho, aby som toho človeka nenávidel, ja som ho miloval. On by to nebol robil. Bol to možno muž, ktorý mal rodinu tak ako ja, a on by to nerobil. To bol ten diabol na ňom, ktorý to robil. A keď som mal k nemu lásku, tak som sa ho nebál. Láska vyháňa strach. To je to, keď dokážete milovať... Počuli ste ten príbeh o tej starej matke vačici, ktorá prišla k môjmu domu. Láska... Je potrebná láska, aby bolo víťazstvo. Vtedy, keď ma ten býk na tom poli chcel zabiť... Rozbehol sa rovno ku mne a to nebolo tak, že by som ho nenávidel. Bol som horárom. Načiahol som sa, aby som vzal pušku, ale ja som ju nechal v aute. Nakoniec som bol rád, že som ju tam zabudol. On vybehol, ja som si pomyslel, „No, ak budem musieť zomrieť, tak mu budem musieť čeliť a tak zomrieť. Nemám ako od neho utiecť. Nie je nič... Ako sa dostať preč.“ A práve vtedy som si pomyslel, „No, ak budem musieť ísť, tak sa chcem na neho dívať.“ A ako som sa díval, on bežal rovno oproti mne, pretože on by ma jednako chytil. A z nosa mu visela reťaz. Pár týždňov predtým zabil nejakého černocha. Zabudol som, že je tam na poli. Bol som na ceste, aby som sa modlil za jedného chorého človeka. On takto dupol nohou o zem a hrabal a hučal a išiel ku mne.
19 A ja neviem prečo, ale niečo sa stalo. Zakaždým, ako sa udeje nejaké uzdravenie alebo niečo, niečo sa deje. Vstupuje láska... A je potrebné dostať všetko iné preč z cesty. Ó, poviem ti brat, môžeš mať všetku teológiu, ktorú chceš, ale daj mi vždy lásku.
Vždy, keď vidím vierou ten prúd,
ktorý poskytli Tvoje tečúce žily,
Vykupujúca láska bude mojou témou
a bude ňou, kým nezomriem.
Láska. Ó, ak by som len mohol žiť v tej atmosfére po celý čas.
A ako ma to zasiahlo, povedal som, „Stvorenie Božie, ja som sluha Boží. Som tu na ceste, aby som sa pomodlil za jedno z Jeho chorých detí. Teraz som tu na tvojom teritóriu, som tu na tvojom poli. Nechcel som ťa vyrušiť. Ale v Mene Ježiša Krista: vráť sa späť a ľahni si. Nebudem ťa obťažovať.“ A zdalo sa, že on sa stále približuje a bežal tak rýchlo, ako len mohol. Ja som len ticho stál, nebál som sa o nič viac ako teraz. A keď sa ku mne dostal asi na vzdialenosť desiatich metrov, zastavil sa. Pozrel sa na mňa. Vyzeral taký vyčerpaný, pozrel sa na jednu stranu, na druhú, otočil sa a odišiel a ľahol si. Prešiel som popri ňom asi na vzdialenosť päť metrov, prešiel som rovno popri ňom. Láska premáha. Niečo sa deje, niečo sa deje.
20 Jedného večera som hovoril dolu v Mexiku, keď tam bol brat Jack. Vystúpil tam na pódium jeden starý Mexičan. Bol úplne slepý. Bol to chudobný, biedny človek, jeho... Ich ekonomika má tak biednu rovnováhu a oni nemajú čo jesť. Tento chlapík nemal žiadne topánky a mal v ruke starý klobúk zošitý povrazmi a mal na sebe starý otrhaný kabát a nohavice mal takmer len po kolená a boli celé zaprášené. Prišiel na pódium a prešiel tade a v ruke mal malý ruženec s hrsťou koráliek. A prišiel ku mne a niečo hovoril. Niekto ho viedol. Stál som tam a díval sa na neho. Poviem ti, brat, až kým sa nedokážeš vcítiť do stavu toho druhého človeka, tak mu vôbec nemôžeš pomôcť. To je pravda. To je ten dôvod, prečo Boh tak miloval svet, On mal pre neho cítenie.
A pozrel som sa na neho. Pomyslel som si, „Takýto človek, možno má niekde hŕstku malých detí a pracuje za nejakých pár pesos na deň. A možno navyše... Možno nikdy v živote nemal poriadne jedlo. A tu je v takomto stave. A teraz bola príroda k nemu taká zlá alebo jeho osud, ktorý ho zaslepil.“ A bol...
Postavil som mu zboku svoju nohu a pomyslel som si, „Ja tu stojím v dobrom obleku a s dobrým párom topánok a ja neviem, či mal niekedy vo svojom živote na sebe nejaké topánky.“ Pomyslel som si, „To nie je správne. Mám doma iný pár. Mám doma ďalší oblek. Ten človek má také právo to mať ako i ja.“ Prirovnal som si svoju nohu k jeho a pomyslel som si, že mu dám svoje topánky predtým, ako niečo poviem. Ale jeho noha bola omnoho väčšia a jeho ramená omnoho širšie, nemohol by vliezť do môjho obleku. Pomyslel som si, „Bože, čo môžem pre neho urobiť?“ Ak by môj otec ešte žil, bol by asi v takomto veku.
21 Čo to bolo? Vstupovanie. Zrazu sa niečo stalo. Začal som cítiť prítomnosť lásky, súcit k tomu starému mužovi. On zatriasol tými malými korálkami a začal kričať, „Zdravas Mária, matka Božia, požehnaná...“ Povedal som, „To nie je potrebné. Daj to preč.“
A on povedal bratovi Espinosovi, „Kde je ten uzdravovateľ? Chcem sa ho chytiť.“
A ja som mu povedal, „Povedz mu len, aby sklonil hlavu.“ Ja som mu položil ruky na ramená a začal som... Povedal som, „Pane Ježišu, tento starý, biedny človek, nemôžem mu dať svoje topánky, neobul by ich. Nemôžem mu dať svoj oblek. Ale, Pane Bože, Ty si ten jediný, ktorý mu môže teraz pomôcť. Ty mu môžeš dať niečo, čo ho zachráni, to je jeho zrak. To je to, po čom tak veľmi túži.“
A len čo som to dopovedal, počul som niekoho vykríknuť, „Gloria a Dios,“ a tu on bol, mohol vidieť tak dobre ako ja a behal po pódiu tak rýchlo, ako len vedel.
Na ďalší večer tam bol stoh šiat, šálov a záster a plášťov a handier a klobúky boli takto nakopené asi dva alebo trikrát vyššie ako toto tu, asi tak vysoko. Ako kedy... Ako sa kedy dostanú k tomu svojmu, to ja neviem. Ale čo? Oni niečo uvideli. Ó, keď sa niečo udeje, niečo sa potom začína odohrávať.
22 Takto to bolo s Máriou v to ráno. Niečo sa muselo udiať, keď o Ňom rozmýšľala, a On sa tam zjavil v jej prítomnosti. Pri Mojžišovi to bolo také isté ako pri Márii. Povedal, „Počneš vo svojom lone a budeš mať dieťa.“
Tak, ona vedela, že to anjelské Posolstvo bolo podľa Písma. Nestarám sa o to, aký druh anjela by sa zjavil, ak by to anjelské Posolstvo nebolo podľa Písma a zasľúbenia Božieho, nechaj ho tak. Zjavujú sa všetky možné druhy anjelov a prinášajú všetky možné druhy posolstiev. Ak by ten anjel Pánov, ktorého sluhom som, prišiel... Ak by ten anjel prišiel, nezáleží na tom, či by to vyzeralo ako Ohnivý Stĺp, ako veľmi to vyzeralo ako svetlo, ak by jeho posolstvo nenieslo záznam s týmto Slovom, ja by som ho nechal tak a nech je prekliaty. To musí byť v tomto. Jozef Smith, viete, videl anjela (tak povedal), ale to nenieslo záznam spolu so Slovom.
A Mária vedela, že keď deň predtým čítala Izaiáša 9:6, že niečo sa má stať. A vtedy ona vedela, že je to na svojej ceste.
23 Podobne Mojžiš, keď sa vzdal všetkých nádejí svojej teológie a bol vzadu na púšti, pásol Jetrove ovce a jedného dňa videl ohnivú guľu, ako sedí tam vzadu v kríkoch. A on k tomu pristúpil a vyzul si svoju obuv, ako mu bolo povedané, a počúval, aby videl, čo to je. Ale keď videl, že ten anjel bol podľa Písma... Povedal, „Počul som krik Môjho ľudu a rozpomenul som sa na Svoju zmluvu.“ On vedel, že Boh dal zasľúbenie a že to bolo... To bol ten anjel, ktorý mal ísť s ním. „Pamätám si Svoje zasľúbenie a Svoju zmluvu. Videl som trápenie Môjho ľudu a zostúpil som, aby som ich vyslobodil.“ Mojžiš potom vedel, že to už nebolo viac len na ňom, kvôli tomu, že, „Ja som zostúpil, aby som ich vyslobodil.“ Ó, to je tá dobrá časť. „Ja som zostúpil. Ty budeš len Mojimi ústami.“ A tak videl, že to bolo absolútne podľa Písma.
A Mária videla, že to bolo presne podľa Písma, pretože deň predtým si to čítala, pravdepodobne vo zvitku, ako sme hovorili tú malú drámu. Poviem vám, vyplatí sa čítať Božie Slovo denne. Ježiš povedal, „Skúmajte Písma, lebo sa domnievate, že v nich máte večný život, a oni sú tie, ktoré svedčia o Mne.“ Inými slovami On povedal, „Ak nečiním skutky Svojho Otca (to je to, čo sa malo diať, keď On prichádza) potom Mi neverte. Ale ak činím tie skutky, aj keď by ste Mi neverili, verte tým skutkom, pretože oni sú to, ktoré sú poslané od Boha.“
24 My v tomto dni vyhliadame nebeskú návštevu. To je zasľúbenie Božie. Zapnite si teraz rýchlo svoje hlboké duchovné zmýšľanie, cirkev, a pamätajte, my teraz očakávame Návštevníka a mnohí sú, ktorí si to nárokujú. Ale jediný spôsob, ako budeme poznať tohto nebeského návštevníka... je tak, že On bude niesť záznam Slova.
Ona vedela, že ten Anjel bol od Boha, keď videla jeho konanie. Pozrela sa na neho. Musel to byť Anjel. On povedal, „Ja som Gabriel, ktorý stojím po Božej pravici.“ Tak, keď je Boh pripravený niečo vykonať, On posiela posla. Vždy, zakaždým to tak bolo a vždy to tak bude. Gabriel oznámil prvý príchod Kristov, Gabriel oznámi druhý príchod Kristov. To je pravda. Niečo veľké, dôležité sa ide stať.
A všímame si tohoto Anjela, kedy on povedal, „Zdravas, Mária.“ A povedal jej, čo sa stane. A ona v neho nepochybovala, pretože vedela, že on bol presne podľa Písma, že to takto má byť.
25 Teraz vyhliadame v týchto posledných dňoch posla, pretože Ježiš povedal, že tak bude, pretože všetci proroci hovorili, že to tak bude. Malachiáš povedal, že to tak bude. Všetci proroci o tom svedčili. Ježiš priamo v tieni kríža hovoril o Svojom druhom Príchode viac, ako hovoril o Svojom odchode. A keď vidíme, že sa tieto veci začínajú diať, radšej by sme mali skúmať Písma, pretože On povedal, že povstanú falošní kristovia a falošní proroci a ukážu znamenia a divy až tak, že by to zviedlo i vyvolených, ak by to bolo možné.
Billy Graham tu pred pár týždňami vo svojom posolstve povedal, že to už zviedlo vyvolených. Nezhodujem sa s tým evanjelistom. To nemôže zviesť samotných vyvolených, pretože oni sú vyvolení Boží.
26 Ježiš hovoril, že v tých dňoch, tesne pred príchodom Syna človeka, že to bude tak, ako to bolo v Sodome. A ako sme to prebrali predtým, naposledy... tento týždeň, že tam bol anjel, ktorý prišiel zo Sodomy, boli traja, tri triedy ľudí. Jedni z nich boli sodomiti, tí druhí, to bola vlažná cirkev, a tí ďalší, to boli vyvolení, vyvolaná cirkev, Abrahám a jeho skupina, Lót a jeho skupina a Sodoma a ich skupina. Všetci...
Dvaja z nich išli dolu. Evanjelista išiel dolu, aby kázal v Sodome, aby vyviedol tú skupinu ľudí, tých veriacich, ktorí tam boli. On ich odtiaľ dostal von len zopár.
27 Ale všímame si, že Ten, ktorý zostal vzadu s tou vyvolenou cirkvou, ukázal znamenie. A to bol Boh, ktorý to robil. Nebol to žiaden mýtus, nebola to žiadna teofánia. Teofánia nemôže jesť. A On jedol mäso z kozľaťa a jedol nejaké koláče, kukuričný chlieb s maslom a pil mlieko kravy. Teofánia neje a nepije: to bol Boh prejavený v tele. Istotne bol. A čo hovoril? Ježiš povedal, „Ako bolo v tom dni, tak bude...“ Boh znovu príde, príde do tela ľudí, ktorých vykúpil a posvätil, a ukáže Svojej vyvolenej cirkvi to isté znamenie, ktoré ukázal Svojej vyvolenej cirkvi tam vtedy.
28 Nebolo tam žiadne „Vyjdi z toho.“ Nebolo tam žiadne „toto, tamto,“ on, Abrahám, bol už z toho von. Ale tí dvaja anjeli tam vyvolávali von stadiaľ zdola. Ale Abrahám bol už vonku. A cirkev... Samotné slovo „cirkev“ znamená „vyvolanie“. Božia cirkev je už vyvolaná. Je vyvolaná.
A on im dal znamenie, že On je tým. A keď to urobil, keď mal otočený chrbát, povedal (Sára bola v stane za Ním a smiala sa) skrze moc, skrze tú istú vec, ktorú Ježiš prejavil pri Svojom príchode, prejavil to obom, samaritánom i židom... A je predpovedané, že v týchto posledných dňoch, že nám znovu pošle Svojho Posla. A tým Poslom dnes večer nie je nejaký človek. Nie veru. To je Duch Svätý. Kto je Jeho Posol? Boh vo Svojej Cirkvi, ktorý sa pohybuje, ukazuje znamenia a divy tesne pred Jeho zjavením sa.
29 Pamätajte, tento anjel musí byť anjelom podľa Písma. Okrem toho sme Bohom varovaní ohľadne falošných prorokov. Biblia hovorí, „Ak je medzi vami niekto, kto si myslí, že je prorokom (alebo podobne) a ak to, čo hovorí, sa nestane, potom sa ho nebojte, Ja nie som s ním. Ale ak sa to, čo hovorí, stane, potom Ja som s tým prorokom. Počúvajte ho.“ To je pravda.
Takže zisťujeme dnes, že to Posolstvo je pravdivým Biblickým Posolstvom. Je to návrat späť ku krstu Duchom Svätým, späť ku moci Božej, späť znovu ku Letniciam, k prinavráteniu sŕdc otcov k deťom... vlastne detí späť k otcom v týchto posledných dňoch. Vyhliadame nebeského Posla a verím, že on je dnes večer tu. Amen. Verím, že on je tu. Čo on robí? Nesie svedectvo.
30 Počúvajte teraz, priatelia. Neberte žiadnu náhradu. Nepotraste si len s nejakým človekom ruky s tým, že si len zapíšete meno do knihy. To je... Čo sa toho týka, to je v poriadku. To vám môže pomôcť dostať sa von z krčmy a dostať sa na slušné miesto a k tomu, aby ste sa snažili žiť správne. Avšak to to nevypôsobí.
„Ak sa človek nenarodí znovu, nemôže dokonca ani vidieť Kráľovstvo Božie.“ Teda „vidieť“ znamená „rozumieť.“ Existuje mnoho ľudí, ktorí hovoria, že sú znovuzrodení, a nedokážu rozumieť Božie Posolstvo, nedokážu vidieť anjela Pánovho. Ich oči sú zaslepené, brat. Iba ak sa človek narodí z Ducha Svätého, ten istý Svätý Duch, ktorý zapísal Slovo, potvrdí Slovo a to isté potvrdenie Ducha Svätého bude v tebe... Rozumiete, čo myslím? Ono bude samo niesť svedectvo.
Potom náš duch nesie svedectvo s Jeho Duchom, pretože Jeho Duch nesie svedectvo Jeho Slova. Slovo Božie je ostrejšie a mocnejšie (Židom 4) ako každý dvojsečný meč, dokonca prenikajúci až do špiku kostí a rozlišuje myšlienky a úmysly srdca. To je „TAK HOVORÍ PÁN,“ Pánove Slovo, presne tak, Ježiš Kristus ten istý včera, dnes a naveky objavujúci sa vo Svojej vyvolenej Cirkvi.
31 Ó, máme všade po krajine prebiehajúce prebudenia, vyvolávanie zo Sodomy, a tak ďalej, ale vo vyvolenej Cirkvi máme osobu Boha, toho istého Boha, ktorý bol tam vtedy. Bol to len jeden z nich a ten jeden bol v Jeho Cirkvi prejavujúci Samého Seba, že On je tým vzkrieseným Pánom Ježišom Kristom, tým istým včera, dnes a navždy. Je to podľa Písma. Ak by to nebolo podľa Písma, tak by to nenieslo svedectvo Písma, nepotvrdilo by to Jeho Slovo, potom by som Mu neveril. Ale pretože On to robí, potom viem, že On je od Boha práve tak ako Mária (Amen, ó), tak ako Mojžiš, tak ako všetci ostatní z nich, ak by to nebolo podľa Písma...
32Tak vtedy v Starej zmluve, oni mali viac ako jeden spôsob, aby to zistili. Ak mal nejaký človek sen alebo ak nejaký prorok prorokoval, viete, čo s tým urobili? Oni išli a vzali Urím a Tummím, ktoré viselo na stĺpe. Verí sa, že Urím a Tummím je tých dvanásť kameňov narodenia na Áronovej hrudi, kde niesol ten rodový kameň každého jedného z nich. Potom to zavesili na stĺp, ak nejaký prorok povstal a prorokoval a nezáležalo na tom, ako to znelo skutočne, ak to nadprirodzené neodpovedalo, to bola taká sústava dúhového svetla všade dookola a ak to takto neblikotalo, nezáleží na tom, čo ten prorok povedal, nebolo to správne. Nezáležalo na tom, čo ten, ktorý mal sen, sníval, bolo to nesprávne. Ale Boh vždy odpovedá nadprirodzeným spôsobom. Amen.
Tak a to kňažstvo skončilo a Urím a Tummím bolo zvesené, ale Boh má ďalšie Urím a Tummím. Toto je to, Božie Slovo je Urím a Tummím. To je Božie Slovo. „Nech každé ľudské slovo je klamstvom a Moje nech je pravdou,“ povedal Boh. „Nebo a zem pominú,“ povedal Ježiš „ale Moje slová nikdy nepominú.“
Potom ak niekto niečo hovorí a nie je to podľa Písma, neverte tomu. Tak niečo hovorí a je to podľa Písma, počkajte chvíľu. Preskúšajte to s Urím a Tummím. Potom, ak to nadprirodzené odpovedá, že je to pravda, potom to verte. To je ten spôsob, ako veriť pravdivému Posolstvu. Ak Biblia niečo zasľubuje a ak Biblia hovorí, že je to tak, to je Božie Urím a Tummím. Ak kazateľ káže... Káže, ako hovorí Biblia, to je Boží posol, Boží svedok. Potom, ak on ním je, potom to nadprirodzené toho Slova bude zamanifestované a dokáže sa, že to je Boh. Boh zachováva Svoje zasľúbenie.
33 Vyhliadame Posla. Tým Poslom je Duch Svätý. Biblia hovorí, „Ešte malú chvíľu a svet Ma viacej neuvidí (Ježiš povedal), ale vy Ma uvidíte, lebo Ja budem s vami až do konca sveta. Skutky, ktoré Ja činím, vy tiež budete činiť. Viac ako tieto budete činiť, lebo Ja idem k Svojmu Otcovi.“ Tak to Slovo „viac“ v tom správnom preklade... Ja tam používam „viac“, pretože v Biblii kráľa Jakuba je povedané „väčšie“. Kto môže robiť niečo väčšie? On kriesil mŕtvych, zastavil prírodu, urobil všetko to.
Ale vtedy On bol v jednej osobe. Všetko, čo bolo v Bohu, bolo uzatvorené do jedného človeka, Ježiša Krista. Ale v tomto čase, On je všade vo Svojej Cirkvi, robí toho viac, ale tie isté skutky. „Tie isté skutky, ktoré Ja činím, vy tiež budete činiť. Viac ako tieto budete činiť, pretože Ja sa vraciam do toho Ohnivého Stĺpu, v ktorom som bol predtým, ako som bol učinený telom a prebýval na zemi. Ukázal som sa ako živý skrze tie isté skutky a tie isté manifestácie, ktoré som urobil.“ To je presne tak. Ježiš povedal, keď bol tu na zemi, „Ja prichádzam od Boha a vraciam sa k Bohu.“ Je to pravda? V poriadku. Ak On bol Bohom...
34 On sa jedného dňa s niekým rozprával a oni hovorili, že on nemá ešte ani päťdesiat rokov a že videl Abraháma. On povedal, „Predtým, ako bol Abrahám, JA SOM.“ Ja som Ten Ohnivý Stĺp, ktorý bol tam v kríku pri Mojžišovi. To bol Ohnivý Stĺp podľa Písma. Ten istý je ten JA SOM, nie, „Ja som bol alebo Ja budem,“ ale JA SOM. A vždy som ten istý včera, dnes i naveky.
Vidíme, že keď ten JA SOM vstúpil do našej prítomnosti v tele Svojho vlastného Syna, ktorého stvoril... Svoje vlastné telo. On prekročil tú líniu od Boha, aby sa stal človekom, aby nás priviedol späť do spasenia a naspäť znovu do záhrady Eden. On prekročil tú hranicu Samého Seba, roztiahol medzi nami Svoje stany a jedol s nami, spal s nami a kráčal ako my a vyzeral ako my. Stal sa nami, aby sme sa my skrze Neho mohli stať Ním. Spoludediči s Ním v Kráľovstve.
35 Potom, keď zisťujeme, že ten Ohnivý Stĺp, keď bol s Ním, On vykonával znamenia a divy. A on vyznal, „To nie som ja, kto činí tie skutky, to je môj Otec, ktorý prebýva vo Mne. On činí tie skutky. Lebo amen, amen vám hovorím, že Syn nemôže činiť ničoho, kým to prv nevidí tiež činiť Otca. A Syn činí to, čo Mu Otec ukazuje. On pracuje a Ja tiež doteraz pracujem.“ Amen. Správne.
On zomrel, znovu vstal na tretí deň. A pár dní potom, ako tam bol ten malý, kritický, krivonosý žid s hrsťou niečoho vo vrecku a išiel dolu, aby prenasledoval cirkev všetkých tých, ktorí boli na tejto ceste. Išiel von do... na svojej ceste do Damašku a bol zrazený na zem. A keď sa pozrel hore, videl veľký Ohnivý Stĺp, ako tam visel a hovoril, „Saule, Saule, prečo Ma prenasleduješ?“
On povedal, „Kto si, Pane? Kto je tento Ohnivý Stĺp?“
„Prichádzam od Boha a idem k Bohu.“ Tu povedal, „Ja som Ježiš a bude ti ťažko kopať proti ostňom.“
36 Prorok povedal, že bude jarný a pozdný dážď a že v tom pozdnom daždi budú oba, jarný i pozdný dážď spolu, tá veľká univerzálna cirkev, ktorá sa preženie z jednej strany sveta na druhú stranu sveta. Veľké posolstvo, veľké znamenia a divy, ktoré budú touto cirkvou vykonané. Daniel videl ľudí, ktorí svojho Boha poznajú v tom dni, že vykonajú hrdinstvá. To je presne tento deň, v ktorom my teraz žijeme.
Teraz to mechanické oko fotoaparátu ukazuje nad nami ten istý Ohnivý Stĺp, že je tým istým Ohnivým Stĺpom, ktorý viedol deti Izraelove. Tak, to teraz musí vykonávať tie isté veci, ktoré to robilo, keď to bolo v Ňom. Inak to nie je ten istý Ohnivý Stĺp. Ale ak to činí tie isté veci, ako v to môžete pochybovať? Je to podľa Písma.
37 „Buď pozdravená, Mária, požehnaná si medzi ženami. Našla si priazeň u Boha.“ Ó, Cirkev, buď pozdravená. Požehnaná si medzi ľuďmi, lebo si našla u Boha priazeň. Uverila si vo večný Život a Boh ti dal krst Duchom Svätým. Správne. Tento posol bude pravdivým Poslom Božím, Duch Svätý, čo je Božie Posolstvo.
Všimnite si, Mária, akonáhle uvidela, že to bolo podľa Písma, nepovedala, „Pôjdem a opýtam sa Dr. Jonesa, čo on povie, že či to je správne alebo nesprávne.“ Ona nešla ku rabínovi Kabinskému, čo si o tom myslí, či je to pravda alebo nie. Ona s tým nemala nikdy nič dočinenia. Viete, čo povedala? Povedala, „Hľa, som služobnica Pánova, nech sa mi stane podľa Tvojho Slova.“ Lebo ona vedela, že to Slovo bolo Božie Slovo, že ten posol bol Božím poslom, že ten anjel bol Božím anjelom, pretože to zostávalo s Božím Slovom. „Hľa, služobnica Pánova,“ povedala, „Ako sa to stane?“ On povedal, „Duch Svätý ťa zatieni a to sväté, čo sa ti narodí, bude nazvané Syn Boží.“
Povedala, „Tu som. Ja neviem, ako sa to stane. Ale na tom nezáleží. Ty si tak povedal a je to podľa Písma, verím tomu, prijímam to.“ A ona rovno tam začala chváliť Boha, pretože pocítila život predtým, ako cítila nejaké znamenie niečoho. Ona už nechcela viac znamení. Ona mala Jeho Slovo a to bolo všetko, čo bolo potrebné. Amen. Páči sa mi to.
38 Mojžiš, akonáhle sa uchopil Boha a uvidel, že to bolo podľa Písma, ihneď išiel do Egypta.
Akonáhle sa Mária uchopila... Vlastne ten anjel ju uchopil a ona ho uvidela a vedela, že je to Boh, pretože to bolo podľa Písma, ona vzala Jeho Slovo a išla všade a svedčila o niečom, čo neukazovalo ani jeden dôkaz, že to vôbec existuje.
Ďalšia vec, ona svedčila o niečom, čo sa nikdy predtým nestalo. Ó, nech je chvála Pánovi! Ona svedčila o niečom, čo sa nikdy predtým nestalo. Žiadna panna nikdy predtým nepočala. Ale ona mala slovo anjela a ten anjel bol podľa Písma, tak ona vedela, že to bolo zasľúbené. A ten anjel mal Slovo Pánovo a zasľúbil to. A pretože Ona zmýšľala o sebe v pokore a uníženosti, jednako ju Boh vybral, tak ona bola z toho šťastná. A tak ona išla so svojím posolstvom a každému hovorila, že bude mať dieťa predtým, ako mala dokonca jediný znak, že bude mať dieťa. Ona nečakala a nehovorila, „Dobre, počkajte, nech najprv cítim a vidím, či sa cítim lepšie alebo nie.“ Nie, nie. Ó, Bože, daj nám viac takých Márií!
39 Beaumont a všetok zbytok sveta potrebuje také Márie, ktoré dokážu vziať Boha za Jeho Slovo a začnú sa radovať predtým, ako sa niečo stane. Čo vy, ženy v invalidných kreslách, a vy, bratia a sestry, ktorí ste tu s bolesťami srdca a s chorobou a všetky možné veci, keď je prítomnosť Pánova tak blízko? Ó! Vy viete, že je to Slovo Pánovo. Pán to zasľúbil.
Poviete, „Brat Branham, ak prídeš a položíš na mňa ruky...“ To nie je to. Vy ste už uzdravení, pretože, „On bol zranený pre vaše prestúpenia, bol zdrtený pre vaše neprávosti a kázeň vášho pokoja bola vzložená na Neho a Jeho ranami ste boli uzdravení.“
To je už minulý čas. Len to príjmi a začni sa radovať. „Ďakujem ti, Pane. Teraz to vidím. Nech je požehnaný Boh, som uzdravený. Je mi jedno, čo niekto druhý hovorí alebo ako sa cítim, ja som jednako uzdravený.“ To je to.
40 Posolstvo toho anjela... To tak vždy bolo. To je to, ako to Boh chce. Čo to urobilo? To zmenilo... Skrze to, že ona vzala Boha za Slovo, to zmenilo celý jej prirodzený cyklus života. To urobí to isté pre vás. Istotne urobí. To vezme vás, hriešnikov, a umyje vás do biela ako sneh. To vezme vás, kritikov, a učiní vás to jedným z nás. Istotne. To vezme vás, ktorí ste chorí, a uzdraví vás to. To vezme vás, ktorí ste na ceste do pekla, a otočí vás to naspäť a vyštartujete hore do neba. Len Ho vezmite za Slovo a verte tomu a začnite sa radovať.
Posol Pánov je tu, Duch Svätý, ktorý sa tu pohybuje nad ľuďmi a pomazáva ich. Ak si tu cudzí a chceš vedieť, čo sa deje s tými ľuďmi, to je to, čo to je. Joel to zasľúbil. Na deň Letníc Peter povedal, „Toto je To.“ Chcem k tomu niečo pridať. Ak toto nie je To, chcem si toto zachovať, kým Tamto príde, pretože s týmto mám ohromne dobrý čas. A ja verím, že toto je To. To isté, čo to bolo tam v tom dni. Ó, Ježiš Kristus je ten istý včera, dnes a naveky.
41 Mária nečakala. Ona sa nestarala o kritiku, ona sa nestarala o to, čo niekto druhý hovoril, ona stretla Anjela. Ona videla jeho hlas... Vlastne, videla jeho prítomnosť a vedela, že on jej povedal pravdu, pretože to bolo podľa Písma, bolo to pre ňu požehnané zasľúbenie a ona len išla vpred a verila tomu. A ona vedela, že to sa stane. Ó, ona... Je tam ohľadne toho ešte niečo ďalšie, keď na niečo také natrafíte, jednoducho nemôžete pri tom zostať potichu.
Anjel jej povedal, že jej sesternica Alžbeta (Ona bola v tej hornatej krajine Júdei), ona je stará, má asi sedemdesiat rokov, ale počala a bude mať syna. A bolo to už šesť mesiacov, čo bola matkou. Samozrejme, to malé dieťa, ten malý Ján ešte v sebe nemal život. Oni sa o to tak trochu trápili.
Tak zisťujeme, že Alžbeta... Zachariáš bol jej manželom a on bol kňazom. On bol v chráme asi šesť mesiacov predtým, ako sa toto stalo. Viete, Boh dáva veci dohromady medzi pokornými ľuďmi.
42 Pozrite na Zachariáša. Prišiel k nemu anjel Gabriel. On tam v chráme slúžil a pri tom, ako pálil kadidlo, čo bolo vtedy jeho losom, stál pri oltári. A náhodou sa pozrel na pravú stranu, na pravú stranu oltára. Nazdávam sa, že sa vždy zamýšľate prečo privádzam ľudí po tejto strane. To je to, kde On stojí. Takže na pravej strane oltára tam stál ten Anjel a povedal mu, že po dňoch jeho služby tu pôjde domov a bude so svojou manželkou a ona počne a porodí syna.
A ten kazateľ v to Slovo zapochyboval. No, on mal mnohokrát... Ak on mal byť otcom toho dieťaťa... Pozrite na Sáru. On mal v Biblii príklady. Pozrite na Annu v chráme, je mnoho takých príkladov. A on stále pochyboval.
Aké odlišné to bolo pri tom mozoľnatom učiteľovi filozofie... Aké odlišné to bolo pri tom seminárnom kazateľovi, od toho, ako to bolo pri tej malej panne. Ona v to vôbec nepochybovala. Povedala, „Hľa, som služobnica Pánova.“ To je všetko. Ona ho vzala za Slovo, a tým to bolo vybavené. Ale tento muž tomu nedokázal uveriť. Anjel povedal, „Ja som Gabriel, ktorý stojí v prítomnosti Božej. Moje slovo sa vyplní.“ On vedel, o čom hovorí. On povedal, „Pretože si mi zapochyboval, budeš nemý až do dňa, kedy sa narodí to dieťa.“ Išiel domov. Jeho žena počala a ukrývala sa šesť mesiacov.
43 Mária si pomyslela, „Ó, nie je to ohromné? Ja budem mať teraz dieťa a Alžbeta, moja sesternica (Ježiš a Ján boli bratranci z druhého kolena) tam... Poviem ti, to bude ohromné, pretože ona bude mať dieťa a ja budem mať dieťa. Nedokážem to už vydržať. Idem jej to hneď povedať.“ A ona išla rovno cez ten vrch tak rýchlo, ako len mohla. Môžem vidieť, ako jej krásna tvár žiarila, ona mala asi osemnásť rokov, predstavujem si ju a jej čierne vlasy takto viali. A ona išla takto po ceste a takto bola zabalená rúchom.
A viete, Alžbeta sa ukrývala. Tak nejako sa mi to páči. Myslím, že to vyzerá tak nehanebne vidieť tu ženy, ktoré si dávajú šortky a podobne, keď sa majú stať matkami. Vyzerá to žalostne. Čo za rozdiel. Je to hrozné. A viem, že by ste nemali… Možno by som to nemal povedať. Ak vás s tým urážam, prepáčte mi to. Ale vy by ste počúvali svojho lekára, a ja som váš brat. Tak tá žena bola tam v takom stave, ale ona sa ukrývala. Viem si ju predstaviť, ako tam sedí, viete, a tak trochu fňuká s... A možno vyšíva... Čo je to? Malé topánočky, viete, pripravuje ich takto a zošíva malú prikrývku. Ale ona bola... Bála sa, pretože povedala, „Ja som teraz stará a...“
44 Všimnite si, anjel Pánov... Oni boli spravodliví, Biblia hovorí, že ona a Zachariáš boli spravodliví, zachovávali všetky Božie prikázania. To je to, kde sa anjeli zjavujú, kde sa vždy zjavujú spravodlivej rodine, niekde, kde Boh môže niečo použiť, niečo, s čím môže pracovať.
A potom ona vyrábala tieto malé topánočky. A predstavujem si, že tam bolo také malé okno, tak ako niekedy v Palestíne, nešlo tam cez to okno žiadne svetlo, visel tam len taký malý tieň. A ona niečo začula. Postavila sa a videla, ako prichádza, a povedala, „Vieš, myslím, že to vyzerá ako moja sesternica Mária. Pozri, akú ma rozžiarenú tvár. No, je už dospelá. Počula som, že sa ide vydávať.“ Tak to muselo byť, „No, to je nejaká mladá žena, ale je to Mária.“ Tak si na seba niečo hodila a vyšla von, aby sa s ňou stretla, viete.
45 A ženy v tamtých dňoch neboli také, aké sú teraz, viete. Oni bežali a objali sa. Viete, mám rád priateľskosť, vy nie? Neznášam jednoducho vidieť tento hlúpy nezmysel verzia priateľstva v roku 1960. Ó, nie je už toho dostatok. No, vy južania tu dolu, u vás to nie je až také zlé, ale tam hore, och, nedávno som išiel k môjmu strýkovi do New Yorku. On žije v jednom dome už dvadsať rokov a jeho sused je od neho tak ďaleko asi ako tamtá texaská vlajka. Povedal som, „Kto tam žije?“
Povedal, „Neviem.“
Povedal som, „Vypadol si z milosti.“ Povedal som, „Ako dlho tam žije?“
Povedal, „On tam bol, už keď som ja prišiel.“ Nezistíte, že váš sused zomrel, kým to nečítate v novinách. To je pravda. Žiadne priateľstvo.
46 Tu prednedávnom sme brat Moore a ja a brat Brown išli navštíviť jedného malého chlapca, ktorý sa volal Dávid, bolo to pred pár rokmi tu dolu v Cal... vlastne na Floride, boli sme tam. A myslím, že to bol brat Hukstra, povedal mi, „Vojvodkyňa ťa chce vidieť.“
A povedal som, „Kto?“
Povedal, „Vojvodkyňa.“
Povedal som, „Čo to je?“
A povedal, „To je žena, ktorá vlastní všetky tieto pozemky.“ Povedal, „Je bohatá.“
„Dobre,“ povedal som, „nemôžem ísť za ňou. Je tu príliš mnoho chorých ľudí.“
Povedal, „Ale ona je vojvodkyňa.“
Povedal som, „To ju nerobí niečím odlišným od niekoho druhého.“
A tak on povedal... Tak oni ju tam priviedli, keď som ja išiel preč. A keď som vyšiel... Ja nie som... Nech mi Boh odpustí, ak si myslíte, že si z tej ženy robím žarty. Nerobím si. Ale ona mala na rukách toľko klenotov, až by mohla poslať nejakého misionára desaťkrát s evanjeliom okolo sveta. To je pravda. To som tam bol... Mala také okuliare... Nemala ich na sebe, ale mala ich na paličke a takto ich držala. Bola to veľká, silná, tučná pani. A tu prichádzala a ja som vyšiel zo stanu. A povedal som, „Nemám teraz na ňu čas. Ak mi zostane nejaký čas, dovoľte mi, aby som išiel k tým chorým ľuďom,“ rozumiete.
47 A povedali, „Ale ona ti dovolila tu byť.“
Povedal som, „No, to je v poriadku. Ak dovolila Dávidovi byť na tomto pozemku, my si to ceníme. Ona je v poriadku, nič proti nej. Dovoľte mi ísť k tým ľuďom tu.“ Ale oni veľmi chceli, aby som za ňou išiel a tak som išiel.
Povedala, „Vy ste doktor Branham?“
Povedal som, „Nie, madam.“ Povedal som, „Ja som brat Branham.“
Povedala... No, viete, nikto sa na vás nemôže pozrieť cez taký pár okuliarov, keď je tak ďaleko od vás. Ona sa cez to takto pozrela a povedala, „No, doktor Branham,“ povedala, „som očarená.“ Načiahol som sa a pozrel sa na jej ruku (chytil som jej ruku, aby som jej ňou potriasol) no, myslel som, že budem džentlmenom. A tak som chytil jej veľkú ruku a potiahol tu dole. Povedal som takto: „Dajte ju dolu, aby som vás spoznal, keď vás druhýkrát uvidím.“ Ó, mám rád, keď je to cítiť.
48 Paul Rader, ten človek, ktorý napísal túto pieseň, ktorú tu spievam, „Jemu len ver“ povedal, že raz ráno mal so svojou manželkou takú malú rodinnú hádku, trochu sa jeden s druhým pohádali. Povedal, že prvá vec, viete... Čítal noviny a ona povedala niečo ako, „Paul, dáš mi nejaké peniaze?“
On povedal, „Nemám žiadne peniaze.“ A takto to išlo trochu ďalej a povedal, že po chvíli... Vôbec si nevšimol, že to zranilo jej city. On si tam sedel a povedal, „Dobre, ak sa jej takto ľahko zrania city, tak nech si tam sedí.“ Viete, bratia, ako to niekedy robíme, nazdávam sa, že viete.
A tak on povedal, že ona vždy stála pri dverách a pobozkala ho, keď odchádzal. A potom išiel ku bránke. Potom, keď... On sa otočil a zamával jej a ona mu zamávala. A povedal, že tentokrát vstal, nasadil si klobúk a povedal, „Nech si len tie pery našpúli.“ Povedal, že išiel k dverám, nastavil jej pery, pobozkal ju a išiel až ku bránke, otočil sa a pozrel sa späť. Povedal, že tam stála pri dverách. Povedal, že zamával a ona zamávala.
A potom išiel dolu ulicou . A niečo s ním začalo konať a hovoriť mu, „Urobil si zle, Paul.“ (Starý Paul je už dnes večer v sláve) Ale povedalo to, „Urobil si zle, Paul. Čo ak by sa jej dnes niečo stalo?“ Povedal, že začal o tom premýšľať. Ó, čo ak by sa niečo stalo a už by ju tu nikdy na zemi nevidel? Ó.
Povedal, že to bolo horšie a horšie a tak povedal, „Pane, odpusť mi. Idem späť a napravím to.“ Povedal, že rýchlo bežal späť a otvoril bránku, pomaly otvoril dvere a poobzeral sa. Počul tam nejaký zvuk [Brat Branham napodobňuje zvuk fňukania – pozn.prekl.]. Povedal, že tam stála za dverami a plakala. Vystrel sa k nej, nepovedal ani slovo. Urobil [cmuk] a znovu ju pobozkal a bežal znovu ku bránke, otočil sa a zamával. Povedala, že ona zamávala práve tak ako prvýkrát, ale tento druhýkrát v tom bolo cítenie. Tak si myslím, že takto je to aj dnes. Chceme... Chcem niečo s cítením, niečo, čo je pre mňa skutočné.
49 Bol som... Nedávno sme moja žena a ja boli v meste. Ocitla sa tam jedna pani a povedala, „Pekný deň, sestra Branhamová.“
A ja som sa na ňu pozrel a povedal som, „Hej, hej, tá pani s tebou hovorí, drahá.“
Povedala, „Odpovedala som jej.“
Povedal som, „No, viem, že ťa nemohla počuť. Ja som ťa nepočul. A to sedím rovno pri tebe.“
„Ó,“ povedala, „usmiala som sa na ňu.“
„Och,“ povedal som...
[Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.]
50 Ona povedala, „Vieš, Mária, budem matkou.“
„Áno, áno,“ povedala Mária a viete, jej malé očká žiarili a boli plné sĺz radostí. „Áno, áno, všetko to už viem.“
„Ty o tom všetkom vieš?“
„Áno, áno, všetko o tom viem.“
„Ale, Mária, mám starosti. Je to už šesť mesiacov, čo som počala a bábätko sa ani nepohlo.“ Tak vy viete, že to je neprirodzené. Pri troch mesiacoch je to ešte v poriadku, ale toto bol už šiesty mesiac a malý Ján sa ešte ani nepohol. Tak ona povedala, „Trochu mám o to obavy a o to všetko.“
Povedala, „Áno, rozumiem ti.“ A povedala, „Vieš, ja tiež budem mať dieťa.“
„Aha rozumiem. Ty a Jozef ste sa už zobrali?“
„Nie, nie sme zobratí.“
„Čo, Mária, ty nie si vydatá a budeš mať dieťa?“
„Áno, veru tak.“
„Ó, drahá, čo tým myslíš?“
„Vieš, tým istým spôsobom, ako viem, že ty budeš mať dieťa. Anjel Gabriel ma navštívil a povedal mi o tvojom prípade a tiež, že Duch Svätý príde na mňa a že sa to už stalo. A to dieťa, ktoré budem mať, bude Syn Boží.“ A povedala, „Dokonca mi povedal... Povedal mi, ako sa bude volať.“ Povedal, „Nazveš Jeho Meno Ježiš.“
A môžem vidieť, ako sa tvár Alžbety vyjasnila a povedala, „Odkiaľ to prichádza matka môjho Pána?“ Lebo akonáhle prišiel tvoj pozdrav do mojich uší, moje dieťatko poskočilo v mojom lone od radosti.“
51 Chcem sa vás niečo opýtať, priatelia. Ak po prvýkrát, kedy bolo Meno Ježiša Krista vyslovené smrteľnými perami, priviedlo mŕtve dieťa v lone matky do života, čo by to malo urobiť so znovuzrodeným zhromaždením, ktoré tvrdí, že je naplnené Duchom Svätým? Haleluja. Amen. To by malo uzdraviť rakovinu, otvoriť slepé oči, vyslobodiť zajatých, naplniť Duchom Svätým a všetky druhy vecí v tom vzácnom Mene Pána Ježiša, malo by to spôsobiť, že hriešnik bude nariekať nad svojimi hriechmi. Ó!
Celý zástup sa mi zdá, ako sa pohybuje a vlní. Ó, čo by Boh teraz mohol urobiť, Posol Svätého Božieho Ducha je dnes v budove, Ten Posol, Svätý Duch prináša pokoj, odráža Ježiša Krista. Ten veľký Ohnivý Stĺp visí nad nami. Poviete, „Ja to nevidím.“ Ale môžeš to cítiť, tak pre jeden zmysel tela je to rovno tak dobré ako pre ten druhý. Tak tvoj zrak ťa môže zviesť viac ako tvoj pocit.
Tak potom, ak to nečiní tú istú prácu, potom to nie je Duch Svätý, ale ak to robí tú istú prácu, potom je to Svätý Duch, ten istý. Amen. Veríte tomu?
Koľkí... Koľkí sú tu hriešnikmi? Koľkí tu by chceli povedať „Chcel by som sa radovať z týchto požehnaní, sedieť v tejto sláve Shekinah s vami ľuďmi a radovať sa z Božích požehnaní.“ Zodvihol by si svoju ruku a povedal, „Pamätaj na mňa, brat Branham, ako sa budeš modliť.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Ty tam a tam tiež, i ty. Tak veru. Kto ďalší zodvihne ruku a povie, „Brat Branham, modli sa za mňa“? Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladý muž. To je veľmi dobré.
52 Dnes ráno som išiel raňajkovať, prišiel ku mne jeden milý chlapec a objal ma. Jeho otec je jeden z pastorov, ktorí sú tu v Zhromaždeniach Božích. Myslím, že je tu na pódiu. Dnes ráno tu bol. A jeho malý chlapec bol vyvolaný niekde v zhromaždení a on škúlil a dnes má tak priamy zrak ako aj ja. To bolo pred rokmi.
A prišiel ku mne iný brat a potriasol mi ruku a povedal, že jeho malá dcéra mala na krku veľký opuch. A ja som bol v zbore brata Jacka Moora. A Duch Svätý sa pohyboval medzi ľuďmi a vyvolal ju z obecenstva a povedal jej to. Ten opuch ihneď zmizol a bolo po ňom. A ona tu je. Ó.
Čo to je? Čo je ten Ohnivý Stĺp? To je anjel Pánov. Čo je anjel Pánov? Ten istý, ktorý bol v ohnivom kre, ten istý, ktorý bol v Ježišovi Kristovi, ten istý, ktorý je dnes večer v tebe. Amen. Ten istý je tu, Ten istý veľký Pán Ježiš.
53 Bude ešte niekto predtým, ako sa budeme modliť a chcel by zodvihnúť svoje ruky a povedať, „Pamätaj na mňa, brat Branham. Pamätaj na mňa.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, pane. Boh ťa žehnaj. A ten malý chlapec tam vzadu a tam na druhej strane, tam na konci. Áno. Kdekoľvek si, Boh vie.
Skloňme teraz na chvíľu svoje hlavy. A teraz, sestra, keby si nám zahrala „Ten veľký Lekár je teraz tu“. Daj nám akord, ak môžeš, prosím.
54 Pamätajte, blízko Fort Wayne... Bol som vo Fort Wayne v Indiane. Som teraz za kazateľňou už tridsaťjeden rokov. Toto bolo asi pred dvadsiatimi ôsmimi rokmi. Modlil som sa za jedného malého chlapca a hudba hrala. Ten chlapec bol uzdravený. Vyskočil mi z náručia, on bol paralyzovaný a začal bežať a skočil do náručia svojej matky. Keď sa to stalo, jedno mladé Dunkardove dievča hralo na klavíri. A ona vstala a jej vlasy sa jej takto rozpustili a ona začala spievať v Duchu a ten klavír, na ktorý hrala, tie slonovinové klávesy sa ďalej hýbali a ďalej hrali „Ten veľký Lekár je teraz tu, súcitu plný Ježiš,“ stáli tam stovky ľudí a dívali sa na to.
O nič menej, ako sa stalo v nedeľu pred dvomi týždňami v mojej modlitebni, kde bolo asi tristo alebo štyristo ľudí a tento Ohnivý Stĺp sa viditeľne zjavil v Jeffersonville po druhýkrát. (Po prvý krát Ho videli tam vtedy pri rieke.) A On tam stál asi pätnásť minút, nechal, aby každý videl a pozrel sa na Neho. Brat, sme na konci cesty.
55 Náš nebeský Otče, prichádzame teraz, Pane, ku Tebe ako ku Živému Kameňu. Prichádzame, Pane, pretože my veríme, že Ty si tu a že si odplatiteľom tých, ktorí Ťa snažne hľadajú. Modlíme sa o Tvoje požehnania. Modlíme sa, aby si dnes večer pomohol tomuto obecenstvu. A tí, ktorí zodvihli svoje ruky, nech môžu byť účastníkmi tohto veľkého Svätého Ducha, Posla tých posledných dní. „Vylejem Svojho Ducha na každé telo.“ Ty si to zasľúbil. Ty si povedal, že v tých posledných dňoch bude jarný a pozdný dážď padať spolu, to znamená, že na jednej strane zeme a na druhej strane zeme, na oboch stranách príde dážď. Na tieto zahraničné polia, na tieto polia príde dážď. Tak veríme, že tá hodina je tu. Vidíme Ducha Svätého, ako manifestuje tie isté veci, aké robil, keď tu predtým bol.
Požehnaj týchto drahých ľudí, Otče, modlím sa o to. Buď blízko pri nich. Daj im večný Život. Udeľ to, Pane. Porúčam ich teraz tebe v Mene Pána Ježiša. Ako máme sklonené hlavy, modlime sa ešte trochu.
56 ...Ten veľký Lekár je práve tu.
Súcituplný Ježiš.
On hovorí potešenie ku zronenému srdcu.
Ó, dýchni na nás, Duchu Svätý. Príď do Svojej cirkvi, Pane Ježišu, tá Ranná Hviezda, Ohnivý Stĺp. Prepáľ si dnes večer cestu cez každú neveru do sŕdc ľudí. Nech sú ako Mária, aby tak mohli vidieť Tvoju prítomnosť a vedieť, že to si Ty a že potom Tvoje zasľúbenia sú rovnako dobré, každé zasľúbenie. Ty si zasľúbil toto robiť. Tvoje zasľúbenie bolo, že Ty si ich už uzdravil, pretože si bol zranený pre ich prestúpenia. „Jeho ranami sme boli uzdravení.“ Udeľ to, Otče, tomuto očakávajúcemu publiku. Očakávame teraz na Teba. Modlíme sa v Kristovom Mene, aby si sa tu pohyboval.
Len som chvíľu pozoroval, aby som videl, čo sa udeje. Ó, aké dobré. Pozdvihnime teraz trochu svoje hlavy. Čakal som na vás, že sa utíšite. Koľkí z vás sú tu chorí a nemáte modlitebnú kartu? Zodvihnite svoje ruky ku Bohu, aby vás uzdravil. Verím, že potvrdenie je v troch. Je to pravda? Je to v Biblii? Ak som vám povedal pravdu, kázal pravdu, potom Boh je zaviazaný postaviť sa za tú pravdu, ak je to Jeho pravda.
57 Teraz tu máme kôpku kariet. Nejdeme ich volať. Chcem len, aby ste vedeli, že tu nejde o modlitebné karty. Opýtajte sa kazateľov, či je to tak. Opýtajte sa bratov, ktorí so mnou všade chodia.
Pôjdeme niekde dolu cestou a ja poviem, „Počkajte. Za druhým rohom tam bude určitá vec. Bude tam stáť určitý človek. On má určitú vec a chce, aby som išiel na určité miesto kvôli určitej veci. Ideme tam a toto a toto sa stane.“ Istotne... Nikdy to nezlyháva. Nemôže to zlyhať. To je teraz Boh a čo On robí? Potvrdzuje, že je Tým istým. Tak to nie som ja, to je On.
58 Nevidím pred sebou žiadnu osobu, ktorú by som poznal, okrem týchto dvoch malých dievčat. Myslím, že toto sú dievčatá brata Evansa. Je to tak? Áno, to sú. To sú jediní, ktorých poznám. Pozrel som sa, či by som mohol zbadať niekoho, koho naozaj poznám. Ale tí jediní, koho poznám... Videl som pred chvíľou brata Evansa, ale stratil som ho z dohľadu. Ó, áno, tu je brat Dauch, sedí rovno tu, z Ohio, brat Bill Dauch, môj priateľ, a sedí rovno tu a aj so sestrou Dauchovou. To je sestra Evansová. Zbadal som ju tam rovno za... V poriadku. A rovno tam je brat Evans a sestra Evansová. A kde je brat Welch? On sedí tam vzadu. V poriadku. Aby tak mohli všetci vedieť, kto ste, zodvihnite svoje ruky. Ktokoľvek, kto ma tu pozná a vie, že ja poznám vás, zodvihnite svoju ruku, aby som vedel, že vás poznám. V poriadku. Vidíte? Tak teraz vy, ktorí viete, že ja vás nepoznám a ste chorí, zodvihnite svoje ruky. Zodvihnite svoje ruky. Len sa pozrite, kde všade. Vidíte? Takmer všade. V poriadku.
Ak je Ježiš ten istý včera, dnes i naveky, Biblia hovorí, že na počiatku bolo Slovo a to Slovo bol Boh. Je to pravda? A to Slovo sa stalo telom. To je to, kedy sa Božie Slovo, ktoré On vypovedal, stalo telom.
Či viete, že práve tá zem, na ktorej sedíte, je manifestáciou Božieho Slova? To je Božie zamanifestované Slovo. Ak nie je, odkiaľ potom prišla? On učinil svet z neviditeľných vecí. On dal zem dohromady. Len vypovedal Slovo. Povedal, „Nech je...“ a bolo. On je Stvoriteľ. V poriadku. Tak tá stolička, na ktorej sedíš, je Božie Slovo. Táto zem, na ktorej leží táto podlaha, je Božím Slovom. Všetky tieto veci sú z prachu zeme, Slovo Božie. A vy sami ste Slovom Božím. To je pravda. Prečo potom nedokáže to malé srdce tam dolu začať odsúvať všetky pochybnosti preč z tohto miesta tu? Nech tak je.
60 Tak Slovo Božie je ostrejšie nad každý dvojsečný meč prenikajúci až do špikov kostí a rozdeľujúci až do špiku kostí, a Slovo Božie, ktoré je Ježiš, je rozlišovateľom myšlienok srdca a mysle. Je to pravda?
Tak, keď Slovo bolo tu a bolo učinené telom a prebývalo medzi nami vo forme Syna Božieho, Ježiša Krista, jedna nepatrná žena sa skrze vieru dotkla jedného dňa Jeho rúcha. On to necítil fyzicky, ale On sa obrátil, pozrel sa a povedal, „Kto sa Ma to dotkol? Kto sa Ma dotkol?“
Dokonca Peter Ho pokarhal a povedal, „Pane, každý sa Ťa dotýka.“
On povedal, „Áno, ale Ja som spoznal, že zo Mňa vyšla cnosť. Zoslabol som. Sila Ma opustila.“ On povedal... Poobzeral sa okolo po publiku a našiel jednu drobnú ženu, povedal jej o jej krvotoku, ktorý mala, a že jej viera ju zachránila (Je to pravda?), ona bola uzdravená. On nikdy nepovedal, „Ja som to urobil.“ Ona sama to urobila. Rozumiete? Povedal, „Tvoja viera ťa zachránila...“
61 Tak Biblia povedala, že On je ten istý včera, dnes a naveky. A kniha Židom nám hovorí, že On je Veľkňazom, ktorého sa môžeme dotýkať našimi slabosťami. A ak On je tým istým včera, dnes a naveky, ak sa dotkneš toho istého Veľkňaza, Ten istý Veľkňaz bude konať tak isto. Ten spôsob, ako konal po prvýkrát, On musí konať po druhýkrát. Ak to tak nerobí, tak konal nesprávne, keď to urobil po prvýkrát. Ak sa dal poznať ako Mesiáš tým Židom a Samaritánom skrze to, že rozpoznal ich myšlienky v ich mysli a povedal im, kto sú alebo čím boli, a tak ďalej, alebo čo urobili...
Koľkí z vás viete, že je to pravda, že je to Biblická pravda, že to je to, ako sa On dal poznať? No, ak to je spôsob, ako sa On dal poznať Židom a Samaritánom, On sa tak musí dať poznať i pohanom, inak sa tam tým dal zle poznať. Rozumiete, čo mám na mysli?
Teraz všetci, ktorí tomu veríte, zodvihnite svoju ruku a povedzte, „Verím, že On mi to zasľúbil.“ Ďakujem vám. To je to, čo to urobilo. Pozrite, pamätajte, čo povedal ten anjel: Ak dovedieš ľudí do toho, aby ti verili. Rozumiete? Nie veriť mne, ale Jemu, ale uveriť, že On ma poslal ku vám. Tak, vy sa modlíte a dotýkate sa Veľkňaza. A ak ma On obráti od tohoto pódia a bude hovoriť ku vám, dovoľte... Vy buďte sudcami toho, či je to správne alebo nesprávne. Vy buďte sudcami, či je to správne alebo nesprávne.
62 Povedzte len... Tak odhliadnite odo mňa ako od človeka a povedzte, „Pane Ježišu, som v potrebe.“ A nesnažte si nejako sami pretlačiť cestu, lebo tak sa nikam nedostanete. Len sa uvoľnite a povedzte, „Verím tomu, Pane, nie je v mojej mysli žiadna pochybnosť. Ten človek ma nepozná a ja som od neho ďaleko. Ja som tu v publiku (Tu ďaleko vzadu alebo stojím tu pri stĺpe alebo pri niečom takom). Tak viem, že Ti verím. Ak mi len dovolíš, aby som sa Ťa dotkol, nech sa ku mne obráti a ja budem vedieť, že to nie je brat Branham, pretože on ma nepozná. On ani nevie, kým som alebo čo som urobil alebo čo som vykonal alebo čo urobím. Ale Ty to vieš. Tak ak ho len Ty obrátiš, budem vedieť, že si to Ty. Potom uverím jeho Posolstvu, pretože Ty ho máš pod kontrolou. To si potom Ty, ktorý hovoríš skrze neho, vidím to.“
Uverili by ste tomu? Koľkí tomu budú veriť, ak na vlastné oči uvidia, že sa to tak stane? Nie niekde vzadu v tmavej miestnosti, rovno tu pred verejnosťou tak, ako to robil náš Pán. Nemajte... Nie je to nič potajomky, je to rovno tu. Je to len pre veriacich. Tak teraz sa len modlite.
63 Mohol som sa zmýliť. Pomyslel som si, že je to niekde rovno tu, ale to nemohlo byť. Budem to pozorovať, je to svetlo. Či táto strana tu tiež zodvihla svoje ruky, lebo sú tiež chorí a nepoznajú ma? Tak, On je rovno teraz tu. Vy, ktorí ste videli tie fotografie a podobne, len si pomyslite, to mechanické oko kamery to videlo predtým, ako to mnohí ľudia uvideli... Bolo to odfotografované. Ak aj dnes večer zomriem a toto je môj posledný deň na zemi, moje svedectvo je pravdivé. Mechanické oko fotoaparátu to dokázalo sedem alebo osemkrát v rozličných národoch. Je to pravda. Cirkev po celom svete to vie.
Povedal som pravdu, pretože hovorím z Neho. To je ten dôvod, prečo sa nebojím hovoriť len to, čo On bude hovoriť späť, potvrdzovať, že som povedal pravdu, pretože ja nesvedčím o samom sebe, ja svedčím o Ňom. Buďte teraz skutočne úctiví a verte.
Povedzte, „Načo teraz čakáš, brat Branham?“ Čakám na Neho. Ak mi On nič nepovie, ja to nemôžem urobiť, to je všetko. Je potrebná vaša viera, aby bolo niečo vykonané. Alebo možno sa Mu to nepáči, ako to robíme. Koľkí máte teraz modlitebné karty? Má niekto modlitebné karty? Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, päť, šesť, sedem, osem, asi osem kariet zostalo, deväť. Tak my ich potom vyvoláme, ak to On neurobí. Ja to rád vidím, keď sa to deje bez modlitebných kariet, aby ste tak mohli vidieť, že modlitebná karta s tým nemá nič do činenia.
64 Bože, pomôž nám dnes večer. Modlím sa teraz, aby si to udelil. Prišiel som sem s dobrou vierou, prišiel som a veril, vedel som, že Ty to urobíš. Modlím sa, aby si mi teraz pomohol. Daj mi z Tvojho Ducha, Otče. Udeľ to, aby to tak mohlo byť pre Tvoju slávu. Modlím sa v Ježišovom Mene. Amen.
Áno, tu to je. Ďakujem ti, Pane. Či veríš, pani, že ťa Boh uzdraví z toho pruhu? Že ťa celkom uzdraví? V poriadku. Príjmi to. Zodvihni ruku. V poriadku. Máš modlitebnú kartu? Nemáš. Nepotrebuješ ju. Nikdy v živote som tú ženu nevidel. Sme si jeden druhému cudzí, drahá sestra? Ja ťa nepoznám. Ak je to pravda, zodvihni ruku, aby to tak publikum mohlo vidieť. Bol to ten tvoj problém? Ty si tam sedela a modlila sa, že? Ja som sa teraz s tebou skontaktoval. Ty si sa modlila k Ježišovi a hovorila, „Nech som to ja.“ Je to pravda? Zamávaj takto svojou rukou. Zodvihni ruku, zamávaj rukou, aby to tak mohli vidieť. Tak ako by som ja mohol vedieť, čo sa ona modlila a aké slová hovorila? Nevidíte to? To je Kristus.
Tu je jedna pani, ktorá sa presunula a sedí teraz tam. Chceš prekonať tie srdcové ťažkosti, sestra? Nemusíš sem prísť. Pozri sa len sem. Či chceš prekonať svoje srdcové problémy? V poriadku. Zodvihni ruku a povedz, „Prijímam to.“ V poriadku. Choď domov, tvoje srdcové ťažkosti sú preč. Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje.
65 Tá pani, ktorá sedí rovno za tebou, má ženské problémy. Postav sa, ak je to pravda. V poriadku. Máš modlitebnú kartu? Máš. Ja som ťa neplánoval vyvolať. V poriadku. Choď domov. Si... Mala si... Mala si ťažkosti s očami a to sa tiež zhoršuje. Je to pravda? Zamávaj rukou. Nie preto, že by si mala okuliare, ale oni sa zhoršujú. V poriadku. Teraz sa už viac nebudú, choď domov, Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje.
Urobte mi, prosím, láskavosť, dobre? Aby tak druhí mohli vedieť, tým, že ty máš kartu... Tá pani, ktorá sedí rovno vedľa teba, ona... Rovno na tejto strane tu. Ona trpí na problémy pažeráku. Či veríš, že Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdraví? To je On... Ale to je všetko v poriadku. Ver a to od teba odíde. V poriadku.
66 Tak teraz, ak veríš, že ja som Boží prorok, polož svoju ruku na tú ženu vedľa teba, ktorá plače. Anjel Pánov je nad ňou. Ona má ťažkosti s hlavou. Ak je to pravda, povstaň na svoje nohy, pani, tá, ktorú som práve vyvolal. V poriadku. Povstaň, ak je to pravda, ty, ktorá máš vreckovku. V poriadku. Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje. Choď domov a buď uzdravená.
Veríte Mu? Tak je ten Anjel podľa Písma? Tu, rovno tu, rovno tam na tej strane, tam vzadu. Tam je jeden muž s manželkou. Tá žena má cukrovku a ten muž má artritídu. Ó, ak by som len mohol spôsobiť, aby porozumeli. Bože, pomôž mi. To je pán a pani Wilkersonoví, povstaňte na svoje nohy, Ježiš Kristus vás uzdravuje. Choďte domov a buďte zdraví. Ježiš Kristus vás uzdravuje.
Máš modlitebnú kartu? Nemáš? Nemáš a ani žiadnu nepotrebuješ. Zatiaľ čo stojíš na svojich nohách, počúvajte toto, priatelia. Ja vás vôbec nepoznám, však? Ak vás nepoznám, potraste si navzájom ruky. Vidíte, ja vás nepoznám. Vy ste tam sedeli a modlili sa. Je to pravda? Niečo sa vám stalo. Je to pravda? V poriadku. Je to to, aké boli vaše problémy? Je to vaše meno? Všetko to, čo On povedal, je pravda? Zamávajte takto rukou, ak je to pravda. Zamávajte. V poriadku. Tu to máte. Choďte domov, Ježiš Kristus vás uzdravuje.
Čoho sa dotkli? Či veríte, že ten Anjel, ktorý je pred nami, je Anjel Pánov? To nie som ja. Ja tých ľudí nepoznám. Ja svedčím, oni svedčia a my nepoznáme jeden druhého, tak to musí byť Anjel Pánov. A on koná práve tie veci podľa Písma, ktoré Ježiš povedal, že sa budú diať predtým, ako bude spálená Sodoma. Amen.
67 Pozrime sa. Ak len môžete veriť. Tu, je to rovno opäť tu, tu pri tom rohu. Počkajte, to je tá pani... Nie. Počkajte chvíľu. Nie, to nie je tá pani, ktorá tam stojí. To je tá pani, ktorá sedí tu. To je tak. Tu sedí jedna pani. Videl som nejaké dieťa, ale ide o tú pani, ktorá tam sedí a ona trpí na hemoroidy. A ona... Tam to je jej malé dievča. Ona trpí na astmu. To je TAK HOVORÍ PÁN. Povstaň na svoje nohy a prijmi svoje uzdravenie. Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje. Povstaňte obe. Ak sme si cudzí, zodvihnite svoje ruky a zamávajte nimi. V poriadku. Choď domov, milá pani. Je s tým teraz koniec, budeš uzdravená.
Veríte? Pozrite sem, pozrite sa sem, pozrite sem, sem. Môžeš to vidieť, brat Jack? Pozrite sa sem, rovno tu, visí to rovno nad týmto mužom tu. Ten muž trpí na pruh. To je pravda. On nie je z tohoto mesta, on je z mesta, ktoré sa nazýva Orange. Správne. Volá sa pán Sack. Je to pravda, pane? Ak som ti cudzí, zamávaj mi naspäť a takto. Ty si tam sedel a hovoril si, „Nech som to ja, Pane.“ Je to pravda? Zamávaj rukou.
Ó, Bože, ako to len nedokážu vidieť? Rozkazujem každej chorej osobe, ktorá je tu, aby povstala na svoje nohy a prijala svoje uzdravenie v Mene Ježiša Krista. Amen. Povstaňte, nebojte sa. Verte Mu z celého svojho srdca. [Zhromaždenie sa raduje – pozn.prekl.]
1 Thank you, brother. It was certainly... I have to say "amen" to that. The Lord blessed us this morning in a most unusual way. I had something on my mind I was going to speak about, and just changed it right over. And that's the kind of meetings I like--the sweetness of the Holy Spirit just moving in, flowing over the building. And then, the Holy Spirit...
Last night, I guess it must have been a prophecy. I said the ministers behind me, that their time would come. They was sacrificing. And this morning, why, before I could even get started hardly, the goodness of the Holy Spirit went right out among those minister, pronounced them healed, right out around, telling them their conditions and diseases and whatmore. Oh, He's good, isn't He? He certainly is. He's a wonderful Father. We're so grateful for Him.
2 Now, tomorrow afternoon, the Lord willing, we're going to change the service from tomorrow night until tomorrow afternoon. And I think that's nice. It gives everybody a chance to keep their churches going. I always think it's a Christian's duty to stand at his post of duty. And that way, when we're having a rally like this, well, I... and the brethren who are willing to close their churches and send their people over... I tell all you visitors here now, that's here out of the city and away from these churches, go to church tomorrow. Just pick your choice. There's a fine bunch of brothers here and some fine churches that believes in this same gospel we're preaching. They're standing here. And they're be glad to have you at their Sunday schools tomorrow morning and their churches tomorrow night. And now, be sure to attend some church, the church that you choose.
I guess the brethren has told you where... they made some kind of arrangements to say where they're at and what about it. They usually do that. And you're invited to all of them. And so now the church... wherever you go to church at, what one you represent, whatever you want to do, will, that'll just be fine. Now, I see them getting in the movies or something. So there's a great spirit amongst the people, a great revival seems to be moving this way.
I trust that it'll never lose that beautiful spirit that was in the meeting this morning. That's... that's really something when you see God's goodness and His mercy to come and bless us, and do the things that He did this morning.
3 Now, if the Lord being willing, tomorrow afternoon I want to make it like a good Christian rally, and just let everybody come out. We're just going to preach an evangelistic sermon tomorrow afternoon, if the Lord willing. And Brother Leo, our book man, said, "Brother Branham, you ought to preach one time down here to these people like that old-time sassafras preaching."
The Lord being good to us, we want you to turn in your Bibles if you wish, or just put the text down. I just got a verse to read in Luke, the first chapter, thirty-seventh verse:
For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
4 Let us bow our heads just a moment. Our heavenly Father, we come in the name of the Lord Jesus to ask mercy and forgiveness of our short-comings. We would pray tonight, Lord, that You would continue to visit us in these great visitations of Thy Holy Spirit, that You might show Yourself alive until You appear again in physical form at the second coming.
We pray, heavenly Father, that if there would be any among us who has never yet accepted You as their own dear loving Saviour that tonight will be that time that when they will make that all-sufficient One, "Yes, Lord, I believe." Those who have started that way and has not yet come on to the baptism of the Spirit, we pray that they also will yield tonight to the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Last evening we were so happy, Lord, to see You go out among the people, those who raised their hands that they did not have prayer cards; see Your great Holy Spirit go out and heal the sick and afflicted, and call them, doing just like You did when it dwelt in the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, showing that You're still in Your church: people getting up from stretchers and walking away; and those who were dying, at the last hope, seen the light of God and accepted it, walked away healed. The great meeting this morning in the fellowship with the Holy Spirit, as we set together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, O God, how we love that.
5 And we pray that You'll give us Thy heavenly blessings tonight. Do not look upon our unworthiness, Lord, because we are unworthy, and there's nothing that we could do to merit anything. So we humbly confess that we are, we are wrong, and we are unrighteous and Thou alone are righteous. And we come in the name of the Lord Jesus, as He's bid us to, promising that we would get what we ask for. God, I'm going to ask a great thing of You, and I pray that the Holy Spirit will search every heart here tonight. if they need healing, heal them, Lord. Whatever they have need of, grant it, Lord. And don't forget me back here.
Don't forget these lovely bunch of minister, Lord. Bless their churches tomorrow. May they be just packed out and the Spirit of God moving through them. May there be an old fashioned revival break in this country here and just cross the nation. Bless all the peoples everywhere, Father. Now, as I've read these few words, I pray that You'll bless them to our hearts. We ask in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
6 The morning sun was just coming up over the hill as she was making her way along the little familiar street, coming down off the hill where she lived. And as she walked along with the water pot under her arm, she was perhaps thinking, meditating, as young women usually, about that age, can walk along thinking. And she was on her road to the city well to get the daily supply of water. We're told that her mother was dead, so she just kind of kept home there by herself and her aged father. And she was thinking of the day before.
7 It must have been on the first day of the week, after they had had the Sabbath service, and the sun getting pretty well up and climbing into the Palestinian blue skies. And the sweetness of the flowers as the sun comes up, that atmosphere, that aroma of the flowers and honeysuckles, as the heat dries it down, and just a few hours before it dries it out again... I love that time of morning. I think it's fresh. I like to get out in the gardens.
I think a minister ought to come to the platform not loaded down with a lot of care, but out of freshness of the presence of the Lord. Get out early of a morning after all the demons have gone to bed, and the night rally's about over. And then it settles down and gets quiet, and smell that aroma, the sweetness. And I believe if a minister would just stay before God until he came into the pulpit, he'd come as a sweet smelling savour, anointed with the Holy Spirit to bring the message of God to the hungry-hearted people who are waiting.
8 As she made her way down along the path, I believe (or I might say this as a little drama) that she was thinking about what happened the day before. After they'd come from church, why, it was customary that her engaged husband, Joseph, was to come home with her that day for dinner. And as dinner was made ready, why... They'd had their dinner, and as usual, they set out on the porch, looking across the little valley over on the other side of the hill.
Joseph was a carpenter. And knowing that he was fixing to marry this beautiful young Jewish maiden, being a carpenter, he was building their future home over on the other hill. So, you know, I'd imagine it had to have that little special touch to it, because he was going to bring his pretty young bride into this home. The doors had to fit just right. And he was taking his time about doing it, because he didn't want a hurry-up job on this one. He must be... The windows must fit just right, and the doors just right. I'd imagine when he went in the gate it might have been a big heart shape, so... when he went in to make the gate in the shape of a heart. Roses all around the house.
9 And they'd planned this for some time, since their engagement. And they would go out there on, say, a Sunday afternoon, and sit down on the porch, and look just across where their future home would be. And as a custom they'd speak about the Lord, because they were both great believers in God. And this Sunday was a special one. As they hurried dinner and got the dishes washed, and Joseph was already setting on the porch when Mary arrived, and it must have been a conversation something like this, as they usually talked about the way the house was shaped, and how it would look, and the rabbis would come home with them for dinner. But instead they fell on the subject of the morning's message that they'd heard from the rabbi, the notable, honorable one. And perhaps it was Mary that said, "Joseph, wasn't that a striking message this morning that the rabbi preached, our beloved pastor?"
10 "Oh," Joseph must have said, "that was an outstanding message. I loved it so much when he spoke of that great Jehovah God Who led our people out of Egypt. Did it not thrill you when he read the scrolls of Exodus when they were brought out, and how that Jehovah led them by a Pillar of Fire? And they just had no compass to go... but they went by the leading of the Spirit. Oh, Mary, wouldn't it be wonderful that if we could live all of our lives watching that Pillar of Fire and be led like they were?
"And how that when they needed food He rained the manna out of heaven; they had bread. And then when they needed flesh, He blowed in quails from the coast: filled the ground. And when they needed water, He had a smitten rock. When they were sick, He had a brass serpent for an atonement for their sickness, and, oh, how great it was."
"But," he said, "Sweetheart, I believe he spoiled the whole thing when he said, 'But alas, Jehovah doesn't do that any more. ' Somehow or another I have always believed that that Jehovah always remains the same. He just can't fail. And I believe that the reason that we have... living in the days that we are, is because that our people has lost faith in Jehovah."
11 "I believe that He is immortal, and He doesn't get old and fade away. He's just simply the same Jehovah, and He expects us not... I don't think that I would disregard or disrespect the honorable rabbi, but when he said this morning in his message that Jehovah performed no more miracles, that the only thing that He wanted us to do was to come to church, and pay our tithes, and live a good life as we could, and He'd take us up home in glory, I--I can't hardly believe that, Mary. I--I believe that Jehovah wants us to walk with Him like they did in that day."
And then it must have been that Mary said, "Oh, dear, do you know, we should read the Scriptures first."
Well, if you've ever been in a Palestinian home and see some of the old ancient landmarks... The books of the Bible was kept in like a... It's called a scroll, rolled up on like a stick. And they kept them in a container like a waste basket. And just stick them down in this container. And, like the scroll of Isaiah, the scroll of Jeremiah, and all those prophets were in there, so it didn't make any difference which one they read, because they knowed it was all ordained of God, because it was their prophet.
12 So Joseph said, "Well, my dear, would--would you go in and get one of the scrolls." She just by chance reached in to get the scroll and brought it out.
She said, "Well, dear, today it seems like we read from the book of Isaiah."
So he pulled open the scroll, and Joseph begin to read, and his mind... his eyes fell upon this portion: "A virgin shall conceive, and shall bring forth a Son... They shall call His name Counselor, mighty God, Prince of Peace, everlasting Father."
And when he got down to the end, the little virgin lady setting by the side, said, "Just a moment, Joseph, dear. What does the prophet mean by a virgin conceiving?"
Well, Joseph might have said this: "Dear, that's just a little too deep for me. I do not understand it, but I believe it. It's just what the Bible said. I don't know how it will ever happen, but we know this, dear, we know that Isaiah was Jehovah's prophet. Therefore, being anointed with the Holy Spirit of God upon him, he could not prophesy wrong, because he was borned a prophet and we know that his words are true. And when he said, 'A virgin shall conceive, ' that was not Isaiah, that was our Jehovah, and Jehovah is able to do anything that He says that He will do."
13 And as they spoke about it--and on down, how His name would be called Counselor, Prince of Peace, mighty God, everlasting Father, and the government shall be upon His shoulders and there would be no end to His kingdom, and so forth--she said, "It must be the same One that the prophet Moses promised to us: 'The Lord your God shall raise up a prophet liken unto me. ' Therefore it must be the Messiah."
Joseph said, "I believe the Scribes interpret it that way, that this would be the Messiah that was to come." And as the evening passed on, the night service drew near, why, they went on back to church again.
14 And it was the next morning as she was going along for the water, and she could hear the hammer across the way, where the saw... where Joseph was building on their house. And as she got up and had her breakfast, and stuck the little pitcher under her arm, and started down to the city public well... (Now, if we had time I'd like to dwell on that well for a while, but we don't have the time. ) So as she was going along with her head down, thinking, she couldn't get it off her mind... And she said, "That remark that Joseph made to me when I stopped him on that Scripture of Isaiah 9:6, and how that... He, he said to me, 'Dear, you know, I think you... always thought you was the most beautiful woman I ever seen, but somehow in the last few minutes you've been more beautiful than ever. Your big brown eyes sparkle, and just when we mentioned this Scripture. Did it thrill you? Or what taken place?'"
Well, she wondered, "What was that when he said, a child is born, a Son is given. '? Wonder what made me feel the way I did?" And just then, as the little maiden was walking, she noticed something flicker. And she looked around, and... "It must have been the sun," she said, "that shined against a rock up on the desert hill there somewhere." And as she went on about her way, thinking about what was taking place, and what they had been talking about, she turned a corner that goes up to the city well, where the ladies meet out there early of a morning and let their buckets down, or their crocks--more like a crock or a jug. They got a long neck, two handles. They had a hook they hooked under it, and a windle. They let the jug down. It being made out of clay, why, it sank. They'd windle the water back up, then set it up on top their heads, and walk right on back home; and maybe holding five or six gallons of water, enough for the day--unless they were washing, and then usually they went to the places to wash.
15 Now, as she turned the corner she seen that Light flicker again. And as she looked, when she had to pass through a little narrow place, where just one person could pass, there stood Gabriel, the Archangel. It wasn't the sun, the s-u-n, she seen reflecting. He was following her, and He met her, to where He got her in a place where she'd have to look to Him. And she looked, and He was all of a glow of light around Him. Frightened the little virgin, and no doubt she grabbed her water pot, and those big eyes stared out and looked at the Archangel.
He said, "Hail, Mary (or stop), you're highly favored before God." Oh, I like that. That little woman in the meanest city there was in the world at that time, known the meanest city, anyhow, in Palestine... And in there she had lived such a life until God chose her for a certain work that He was going to do. There she looked into His face, and it startled her.
16 You know, it's usually as we are thinking on those things... The Bible said, "If there be any praise, if there be any virtue, think on these things." I think the reason we don't see no more of it than we do, we got our minds on too many other things. I think the Angels would still appear to us if we only kept our minds upon them: but we're thinking about something else, that's where we're going, a certain program we've got to look at, or certain shopping we got to do. But our Scriptures tells us, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these other things will be added unto you."
And there then when we see that, that He said, "Thou are highly favored before God."
17 And we notice again... I don't want to leave this Scripture, but it was Cleopas and his friend on the read to Emmaus, as they were going along there, brokenhearted, speaking about Jesus being crucified and dead, and the stories that they'd heard about Him being raised from the dead, and they didn't believe it... On the road going over-going back to, maybe, go to work on Monday morning, on the road back, it was while they were thinking of Him that He appeared to them, stepped out of the bushes and begin to talk to them just like an ordinary man.
He said, "Oh, why are you so weary? What's wrong with you?"
They said, "Are you just a stranger here?"
Do you believe now? This is kind of sticky, but people who had walked with Him, and talked with Him, and walked all day with Him after His resurrection, the same Jesus, and didn't know Him... He will reveal Himself to whosoever He will reveal. Oh, I pray tonight that He will take the shades from every one of our eyes and will come into this building and reveal Himself in the power of His resurrection, that every person might see Him: the sinner as their Saviour, the sick as their Healer.
And we notice that He walked with them all day. And then He made out like He was going somewhere else or going on by, and they constrained Him to come in. Oh, I like that--constraining Him to come in," Oh, Jesus, You're here in the church tonight. You must go home with me. I want to take You to my home. I never want to lose this feeling of Your Presence. Let me take You home, and come in and abide with me." Never want to lose that feeling. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
18 You know, I want to stop here in my message just a moment and say the most glorious things that I have ever seen happen is when something anointed. Oh, I wished I could stay in that place all the time.
You read in the book, that night when the maniac run out on the platform up there to kill me at, at... where was...? Portland. You was there, Brother Jack, or was... Brother Brown was there, when that maniac run out to kill me, and threatened to do it. Great big, huge fellow. And instead of hating the man, I loved him. He wouldn't have done that. He was probably a man with a family, the same as I had, and he wouldn't have done that. It was the devil on him that was doing that. And when I loved him, I wasn't afraid of him then. Love casteth out fear. It's when you can love...
You heard the story about the old mother opossum coming up to the house. Love--it takes love to conquer. The time that bull was going to kill me out there in the field... Run right up on me. And it wasn't that I hated him. I was a game warden. I reached to get a gun; I'd left it in my car. I was glad I did, afterwards. He run up, and I thought, "Well, if I have to die, I might as well die facing him. I can't run from him. There's nothing... to get out of the way." And just then I thought, "Well, if I have to go I want to go looking at him." And when it did he ran right to me, 'cause He'd catch me anyhow. And he had a chain hanging from his nose. Just killed a colored man a few weeks before that. I forgot about him being in that field. I was going to go pray for a sick man. He threw his knee down like this and hit the dirt, roared, and here he come.
19 And I don't know why, but something happened. Always when a healing takes place, or anything, there's something happens. A love comes in, that... and it just takes everything else out of the way. Oh, I tell you, brethren, you can have all the theology you want to, but give me love every time.
Ever since by faith I saw that stream,
Thy flowing wounds supplied,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.
Love. Oh, if I could only live in that atmosphere all the time.
And as that struck me, I said, "Creature of God, I am the servant of God. I'm on my way over to pray for one of His sick children. Now, I'm in your territory, I'm in your field here. I didn't mean to disturb you. But in the name of Jesus Christ go back and lay down. I'll not bother you." And he looked like he was coming on. Here he come, just as hard as he could. I just stood still, no more afraid than I am right now. And when he got about three foot from me, he stopped. He looked at me. He looked so depleted, one way and then the other, turned around, walked over, laid down. I passed by him within two feet, walked right on by him. Love conquers. Something happens, something takes place.
20 The other night I was telling you about down in Mexico when Brother Jack was there. There was a old Mexican man come up on the platform. He was total blind, and the poor old fellow, his... Their economics are so poorly balanced and they don't have nothing to eat. This old fellow didn't have on any shoes, and an old hat in his hand, sewed up with cords, and old ragged-looking coat on, and trousers almost to his knees, and dust all over them. He come walking across the platform with a little rosary in his hand, a little bunch of beads. And he got up to me, saying something. Somebody was leading him. And I stood and looked at him. I tell you, brother, until you can feel another man's condition, you can never help him. That's right. That's the reason God so loved the world; He had a feeling for it.
And I looked at him. I thought, "There he is. Probably a bunch of little children somewhere, working for a few pesos a day. And now after all this, maybe another... never had a good meal in his life. And here in that condition. Now nature's been so bad to him, or his fate has blinded him." And he was...
I put my foot up the side of him. I thought, "Here I stand with a good suit on and a pair of shoes, a good pair of shoes; I don't know whether he ever had a pair of shoes on... his life." I thought, "That's not right. I got a pair at home. I got another suit at home. That man's got just as much right to them as I have." I put my foot up beside of his, thought I'd give him my shoes before I said anything. Why, his foot was much bigger, and, and his shoulders much wider, couldn't get in my coat. I thought, "God, what can I do for him?" If my old Dad would have lived he would have been about his age.
21 What was it? Entering in. All at once something happened. I began to feel that presence of love, sympathy for the old man. He jerked out a little beads and begin to holler, "Hail, Mary, mother of God, bless..."
I said, "That's not necessary. Just put it away."
And he said to Brother Espinosa, "Where is the healer? I want to get a hold of him."
And, and I said, "Just tell him to bow his head." I put my arms around the old fellow. I started... I said, "Lord Jesus, this poor old man! I can't give him my shoes, he can't wear them. I can't give him my coat. But, Lord God, You're the only one can help him now. You can give him something that'll save him; that's eyesight. That's what he's craving for."
And no more than I said that, I heard someone holler, "Gloria a Dios!" And there he was; he could see as good as I could, running across the platform just as hard as he could go.
And the next night there was a rick of clothes, old scarves, and aprons, and old coats, and rags, and hats piled up on there, two or three times as long as this here, and about that high. How I ever... how they ever got the right one, I don't know. But what? They'd seen something. Oh, when something happens, something takes place.
22 That's the was it was with Mary that morning. Something must have took place when she was thinking about Him, and there He appeared into her presence. It was the same thing with Moses like it was with Mary. He said, "You are going to conceive in your womb and bear a child."
Now, she knowed the Angel's message was Scriptural. I don't care what kind of an angel it was that appeared, if that angel's message is not Scriptural and a promise of God, let it alone. There's been all kinds of angels appearing, everything, and they bring all kinds of messages. If the Angel of the Lord whose servant I am would come... if that angel would come, no matter how much it looked like the Pillar of Fire, how much it looked like the light, if his message didn't bear record with this Word, I'd let it alone and let him be accursed. It has to be in this. Joseph Smith, you know, saw an angel (he said), but it didn't bear record with the Word.
And Mary knew that she'd just read the day before, Isaiah 9:6, that something was about to happen. And she knowed it was on its way then.
23 Moses, likewise, when he had give up all the hopes of his theology, and was on the backside of the desert, herding Jethro's sheep, and one day he saw a Ball of Fire setting in a bush back there. And he come up and took off his shoes as he was bid, and he listened to see what it was. But when he saw that Angel was Scriptural... Said, "I've heard the cries of My people and I've remembered My covenant." He knowed that God made the promise, and it was... that was the Angel that would go with him. "I remember My promise and My covenant. I've seen the sufferings of My people and I've come down to deliver them." Moses knowed it wasn't his any more, 'cause of that "I have come down to deliver them." Oh, that's the good part. "I have come down. You just be a mouthpiece for Me." So he seen it was absolutely Scriptural.
And Mary saw it was absolutely Scriptural, for the day before she'd been reading it, perhaps, in the scroll, as our little drama goes. I tell you, it pays to read God's Word daily now. Jesus said, "Search ye the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me." In otherwise, He said, "If I do not the works of My Father (that was supposed to be done when He come), then believe Me not. But if I do the works, though you don't believe Me, believe the works, because they are the ones that's sent of God."
24 We are looking for a heavenly Visitor in this day. It's a promise of God. Put on your deep spiritual thinking quick, church, and remember, we are now looking for a visitor and there's many claiming it. But the only way that we'll know this heavenly Visitor... because He'll bear record of the Word.
She knew that that Angel was from God when she seen His action. Looked at Him. It must be an Angel. He said, "I'm Gabriel, standing at the right hand of God." Now, when God gets ready to do something, He sends a messenger. Always, always has, He always will. Gabriel announced the first coming of Christ. Gabriel will announce the second coming of Christ. That's right. Something major is fixing to happen.
And we notice this Angel, when He said "Hail, Mary," and told her what was going to take place, she didn't doubt Him, because she knowed He was perfectly Scriptural, that it was supposed to be that way.
25 Now, we're looking for a messenger in this last days, because Jesus said it would be, because all the prophets said it would be. Malachi said it would be. All the prophets have testified. Jesus in the very shadow of the cross spoke more of His second coming than He did of His going away. And when we see these things begin to come to pass, we'd better go to searching the Scriptures, because He said there would be false christs arise and false prophets and would show signs and wonders insomuch that it would deceive the very elected if it was possible.
Billy Graham said in a message, here a few weeks ago, it's already deceived the very elected. I differ with the evangelist. It cannot deceive the very elected, because they are elected of God.
26 Jesus spoke that in the days just before the coming of the Son of man, it would be as it was in Sodom. And as we took it before, last... in this week, that there was an Angel came to Sodom, three of them, for three classes of people. One of them was the Sodomites, the other was the lukewarm church, the other one was the elected and called-out church: Abraham and him group, Lot and his group, and Sodom and their group. All...
Two of them went down. The evangelist went down to preach to Sodom and to bring out that group of people, of believers, down there. He just got a few of them out.
27 But we notice, that the One that stayed behind to the elected church, He showed a sign. And it was God doing that. it was not a myth, it was not a theophany. A theophany don't eat. He eat the flesh of a calf, and eat some hoecake, corn bread, and some butter on it, and drink the milk from the cow. A theophany doesn't eat and drink: it was God made manifest in flesh. It sure was. And what was He speaking? Jesus said, "As in that day, so will it be..." God will come again, come into the flesh of His people that He had bought and sanctified, and will show to His elected church the same sign that He showed to His elected church back there.
28 There was no "come out of it." There was no "this, that." He was already out of it, Abraham was. But the other angels was calling out, calling out down there. But Abraham was already out. And the church... the very word "church" means "called out." God's church is already called out. It's called out.
And He gave him a sign that He was the One. And when He did, with His back turned, He told (Sarah was in the tent behind Him, laughing), by a power, the same thing that Jesus manifested in His coming, manifested to both Samaritan and to the Jew... And it's predicted that in this last days that He would send His Messenger again. And that Messenger tonight is not a man. No sir. It's the Holy Ghost. That's His Messenger, God in His church, moving, showing the signs and wonders just before His appearing.
29 Now, remember, this Angel has to be a Scriptural Angel. Besides that, we are warned of God about false prophets. The Bible said, "If there be a man among you who thinks himself to be a prophet (or so forth), and what he says doesn't come to pass, then don't fear him. I'm not with him. But what he says comes to pass, then I'm with that prophet. Hear him." That's true.
So we find out today that that message is a true Bible message. It's back to the baptism of the Holy Ghost, back to the power of God, back to Pentecost again, restoring the hearts of the fathers back to the children... or, the children back to the fathers, rather, in this last days. We're looking for a heavenly Messenger, and I believe He's here tonight. Amen. I believe that He's here. What does He do? He bears record.
30 Now, listen, friends. Don't take a substitute. Don't just shake a man's hand and put your name on the book. That's... as far as it goes, that's all right. It might help you to get out of the saloon and get in a decent place and try to live right. That won't do it though.
"Except a man be born again he cannot even see the kingdom of God." Now, "see" means "to understand." There's a lot of people that say they're born again and can't understand the message of God, can't see the Angel of the Lord. Their eyes are blinded, brother. Except a man be born of the Holy Ghost, the same Holy Ghost that wrote the Word will confirm the Word, and the same confirmation of the Holy Ghost in you... You see what I mean? It will bear record of Itself.
Then our spirit bears record with His Spirit, because His Spirit bears recorded of His Word. "The Word of God is sharper, more powerful (Hebrews 4) than any two-edged sword, even piercing to the... asunder... and the marrow of the bone, and a discerner of the thought and the intents of the heart." That's "THUS SAITH THE LORD," the Lord's Word, just exactly, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever, appearing in His elected church.
31 Oh, we got great revivals sweeping the lands everywhere, calling out of Sodom, and so forth: but in the elected Church we have that Person God, the same God that was back yonder. There's only one of them, and that One was in His church manifesting Himself to be the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Scriptural. If He wasn't with the Scripture, didn't bear record of the Scripture, didn't confirm His Word, then I would not believe Him. But being that He does, then I know He's from God, just like Mary did (Amen, oh!), like Moses did, or any of the rest of them, if it wasn't Scriptural...
32 Now, back in the Old Testament they had more than one way to find out. If a man dreamed a dream or a prophet prophesied, you know what they did with that? They took them down before the Urim Thummim that hung on the post. The Urim Thummim is believed to have been those twelve birthstones in Aaron's birth... or, his breastplate, carrying the birthstone of each one. Then he hung it on the post, and if the prophet stood up and prophesied, and no matter how real it sound, if the supernatural didn't answer back--a conglomeration of rainbow light around, and these glittering like that--no matter what the prophet said, he was wrong. No matter what the dreamer dreamed, it was wrong. But God always answers back in a supernatural way. Amen.
Now, and that priesthood ended, and the Urim and Thummim was taken down, but God's got another Urim and Thummim. This is it: God's Word is the Urim and Thummim. That's God's Word. "Let every man's word be a lie and Mine be true," said God. "Heavens and earth will pass away," said Jesus, "but My Word shall never pass away."
Now, then if one speaks and it's not Scriptural, don't believe it. If he speaks and it is Scriptural, wait a minute. Try it with the Urim and Thummim. Then if the supernatural answers back that it is the truth, then believe it. That's the way to believe a true message. If the Bible promises anything and the Bible says it's so, that's God's Urim and Thummim. If the preacher preaches... preaching, like the Bible said, that's God's messenger, God's witness. Then if it is, then the supernatural of that Word will be made manifest and prove itself to be God. God keeps His promise.
33 We're looking for a Messenger. That Messenger is the Holy Spirit. The Bible said, "A little while and the world won't see Me no more (Jesus did), yet ye shall see Me, for I'll be with you to the end of the world. The works that I do shall you do also. More than this shall you do, for I go unto My Father." Now, the word there "more," in the right translation... I'm using it there and "more," because it said in the King James "greater." Who could do any greater? He raised the dead, stopped nature, done everything.
But then He was is in one Person. All of God was bottled up into one Man, Jesus Christ. But in this time He's across the universe in His church, doing more of it, the same works. "The same works that I do shall they do also. More than this shall I do, because I return back to the Pillar of Fire that I was before I was made flesh and dwelt on the earth. I showed Myself alive by the same works and the same manifestations I did." That is exactly right. Jesus said, when He was here on earth, "I come from God and I return to God." Is that right? All right. If He was God...
34 He was spoke to there one day, and they was talking to Him about not being fifty years old yet and saw Abraham. He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." I was that Pillar of Fire that was in the bush with Moses. That was a Scriptural Pillar of Fire. That same is the I AM, not "I was" or "will be", I AM, always just the same yesterday, today, and forever.
We see when I AM was made presence among us in a body of His own Son that He created... own body. Crossed His cast from God to become a human, in order to bring us back to salvation and back to the garden of Eden again. Crossed Hisself, spread His tents among us, and eat like us, and slept like us, and walked like us and looked like us. He become us, that we through Him might become Him, joint-heirs with Him into the kingdom.
35 Then, when we find that Pillar of Fire, when It was with Him, It performed signs and wonders. And He confessed, "It's not Me that doeth the works: it's My Father that dwelleth in Me. He doeth the works. For verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself until He sees the Father do it also. And the Son does what the Father shows Him. He worketh, and I worketh hitherto." Amen. Right.
He died, rose again on the third day. And a few days after that there was a little critical, hooked-hosed Jew, with a bunch of stuff in his pocket, going down to persecute the church, all them that was in this way. Going out to... on his road to Damascus, and he was stricken down. And when he looked up, he saw a great Pillar of Fire hanging there, saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"
He said, "Who are you, Lord? Who is this Pillar of Fire?"
"I come from God; I go to God." Here He said, "I am Jesus, and it's hard for you to kick against the pricks."
36 The prophet said there'd be a former rain and a latter rain; in the latter rain would be both former and latter rain together--a great church universal that would sweep from one side of the world to the other side of the world. A great message, great signs and wonders, would be accomplished by this church. Daniel said the people that know their God in that day shall do exploits. That's exactly where we're living at in this day.
Now, the mechanical eye of the camera shows over us that that Pillar of Fire is the same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel. Now, it's got to do the same things it did when it was in Him. or it is not the same Pillar of Fire. But if it does the same things, how can you doubt it? It's Scriptural.
37 "Hail, Mary, blessed art thou amongst women. Thou hast found favor with God." Oh, church, hail. Blessed are you among the people, for you've found favor with God. You've believed for eternal life, and God's give you the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Right. This Messenger will be a true Messenger of God, the Holy Spirit, which is God's message.
Notice, Mary, as soon as she seen it was Scriptural, she didn't say, "I'll go over and see whether Dr. Jones says it's right or not." She didn't go by to see if Rabbi Kabinski thought it was right or not. She never had nothing to do with it. You know what she said? She said, "Behold the handsmaid of the Lord; Be it unto me according to Your word." For she knowed that Word was God's Word, that Messenger was God's Messenger, that Angel was God's Angel, because it stayed with God's Word. Amen. "Behold the handsmaid of the Lord"; said, "How will it be?"
Said, "The Holy Ghost shall overshadow you, and this Holy thing that'll be born to you shall be called the Son of God."
She said, "Here I am. I don't know how it's going to happen. It don't make any difference. You said so, it's Scriptural, I believe it, I accept it." She started right out praising God, before she felt life, before she felt any sign of anything. She didn't want no more signs. She had His Word and that was all was necessary. Amen. I like that.
38 Moses, as soon as he got a hold of God and seen it was Scriptural, here he went to Egypt.
As soon as Mary got a hold of... the Angel got a hold of her, rather, and she seen Him, and knowed it was God, because it was Scriptural, she took His word and went around testifying of something that didn't even show one evidence of ever being.
Another thing, she testified of something that never had happened before. Oh, praise be the Lord! She testified of something that had never happened. Never had a virgin conceived. But she had the Angel's word, and the Angel was Scriptural, so she knowed it was promised. And the Angel had the Word of the Lord and promise it. And because she thought herself humble and lowly, yet God had chose her, so she was just happy about it. And she went forth with her message, telling everybody she was going to have a baby before she even had the first sign of a baby. She didn't wait and say, "Now wait, let me feel and see if I feel any better or not." No, no. Oh, God, give us more Marys!
39 Beaumont and the rest of the world needs Marys like that, that can take God at His Word and start rejoicing before anything happens. What about you women in wheelchairs, and you brothers and sisters here with heart trouble, and sickness, and every thing, when the presence of the Lord is so close? My, my! You know it's the Word of the Lord. The Lord promised it.
You say, "Brother Branham, if you'll come down and lay hands on me..." That's not it. You're already healed, because "He was wounded for your transgressions, He as bruised for your iniquities, the chastisement of your peace was upon Him, and with His stripes you were healed."
It's already past tense. Just receive it and start rejoicing. "Thank You, Lord. I now see it. Bless God, I'm healed. I don't care what anybody else says or how I feel, I'm healed anyhow." That's it.
40 The Angel's message... It's always been that way. That's the way God wants. What did it do? The changed... By taking God at His Word, changed the whole natural course of life for her. It'll do the same thing for you. It certainly will. It'll take you sinners, and wash you as white as snow. It'll take you, critics, and make you one of us. It sure will. It'll take you that's sick and make you well. It'll take you that's on your road to hell and change you around and start you up to heaven. Just take Him at His Word, and believe it, and start rejoicing.
The Messenger of the Lord is here, the Holy Ghost moving around over the people, anointing them. If you're a stranger, and you want to know what's the matter with them people, that's what it is. Joel promised it. On the day of Pentecost Peter said, This is that." I want to add something to that. If this isn't that, I want to keep this till that comes, because I'm having an awful good time with this. And I believe this is that. The same that that was that at that day. Oh, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.
41 Mary didn't wait. She didn't care about critics, she didn't care what anybody said, she had met an Angel. She'd seen His voice... or, seen His presence and she knowed that He'd told her the truth, because it was Scriptural--promised a blessing to her, just go on believe it. And she knowed it was going to happen. Oh, she... There's something another about it, when you hit something like that you can't keep still about it.
The Angel told her that her cousin Elisabeth (Was up in the hilly country of Judaea. ) was old, about seventy years old, and she had conceived and was going to have a son. It was already six months with her as a mother. Course, the little baby, little John, hadn't had no life yet. They kind of worried about it.
So we find out that Elisabeth... Zechariah was her husband, which was a priest. He was at the temple along about six months before this happened. You know, God gets to getting things together amongst the humble people.
42 Look at Zechariah. Now, the Angel Gabriel came to him. He was in the temple ministering, and when he did, burning incense was his lot, standing at the altar. And he happened to look at the right-hand side, the right-hand side of the altar. I guess you always wonder why I bring the people this way. It's where He stands. So, at the right-hand side of the altar, and there stood an Angel, and told him that after the days of his ministration there, he was going home and be with his wife, and she'd conceive and bear a son, a child.
And that preacher doubted that Word. Why, he had many times... If he was going to be the father of the child... Look at Sarah. He had some examples in the Bible. Look at Hannah at the temple, many examples like that. And still he doubted.
How much difference it was from that calloused teacher of philosophy... How much difference there was from that seminary minister, than there was from that little virgin. She never questioned. She said, "Behold the handsmaid of the Lord." That's all. She took Him at His Word and that settled it. But this man couldn't believe it.
He said, "I'm Gabriel that stands in the presence of God. My Word shall be fulfilled." He knowed what He was talking about. He said, "Because you've doubted Me, you'll be dumb until the day the baby's born." He went home. His wife conceived and hid herself six months.
43 Mary thought, "Oh, isn't that wonderful? Now I'm going to have a baby, and there Elisabeth, my cousin (Jesus and John were second cousins), there... I tell you, it's going to be wonderful, because that she's going to have a baby, and I'm going to have a baby. I just can't hold it any longer. I'm going right up to tell her." Right up to the mountain she went, hard as she could go. I can just see her pretty little face shining--she was just about eighteen years old, I imagine--and her black hair blowing back like that. And she was on her road, this little robe wrapped around her.
And you know, Elisabeth had hid herself. I kind of like that. I think it looks so disgraceful to see women out like here with these shorts on, and things, when they're to be mothers. It looks pitiful. What a difference. That's horrible. (I know you oughtn't... maybe not oughtn't to say that. If I offend you, you forgive me. But you'd listen to your doctor; I'm your brother, see. ) So there the woman in that condition; but she hid herself. I can imagine her setting back there, you know, kind of snubbing a little, with... knitting some little... what is it? Little booties, you know, getting them all ready like that, and knitting a little blanket. But she was... feared, because she said, "Now, I'm old and..."
44 Notice, the Angel of the Lord... They were righteous, the Bible said, her and Zechariah. They were righteous, keeping all the commandments of God. That's were Angels appear-always appears in a righteous family, somewhere where God can use something, something to work with.
And then, she was making these little booties. And I imagine there was a little window-like it is in Palestine sometimes, no window light in it, but just a little shade hanging down. And she heard something. She raised up and she looked coming up, and she said, "You know, I believe that looks like my cousin Mary. Look at her little face shine. Why, she's growed up. I hear she's going to get married." So it must've been, "Well, she's a young woman, but that's Mary." So she slips her little robe on, you know, and runs out to meet her.
45 And women in them days are not like they are now, you know. They--they run and throwed their arms around one another and hugged one another. You know, I like friendliness, don't you? I just hate to see this little old silly stuff, this 1960 version of friendliness. Oh, my, there's not enough of it. Now, you that's southerners down here don't notice so bad, but up there, oh, my! I went to my uncle here not long ago in New York. He'd been living in one house twenty years, and his neighbor as close as that Texas flag there, to him. I said, "Who lives there?"
He said, "I don't know."
I said, "You've fallen from grace." I said, "How long has he lived there?"
Said, "He was there when I come here." You don't know your neighbor's dead till you read it in the paper. That's right. No friendliness.
46 Here not long ago, Brother Moore and I, and Brother Brown went down to see a little boy named David, a few years ago down here in Cal... or, Florida, they had us out there. And Brother Hoekstra, I believe it was, told me, said, "The Duchess wants to see you."
And I said, "The who?"
Said, "The Duchess."
I said, "What's that?"
And said, "It's the woman that owns all this property." Said, "She's wealthy."
"Well," I said, "I can't see her. There's too many sick people."
Said, "But she's the Duchess."
I said, "That don't make her any different from anybody else."
So he said... Well, they had her there when I went out. And when I went out... I'm not... God forgive me if you think I'm making fun of the woman. I'm not. But she had enough jewels on her hands to send a missionary around the world ten times with the gospel. That's right. Standing out there... And she had on a pair of "specs." She didn't have them on, but she had them on a stick holding it out like this. Great big, old, fat lady. And she come out. I walked out the tent. And I said, "I ain't got time to see her. If I got any time left, let me see them sick people out there," see.
47 And said, "But she lets you have the grounds."
I said, "Well, that's all right. If she let David have the ground, and we appreciate that. But she's all right, nothing wrong with her. Let me see these people down here." Well, they wanted me to see her, so when I went out.
She said, "Are you Dr. Branham?"
I said, "No, ma'am." I said, "I'm Brother Branham."
She said... Now, you know nobody can look through a pair of "specs" that far away from you. And she looked over like this, she said, "Well, Dr. Branham," she said, "I'm charmed."
I reached up and looked at that hand (Held out her hand to shake hands.). Well, I thought I'd be a gentleman. I got a hold of her big hand and pulled it down. I said, "Get down here so I'll know you next time I see you," like that. Oh, I like something feeling!
48 Paul Rader-the man that wrote this song that I sing here, "Only Believe"--said one morning him and his wife was having a little family affair, a little fuss with one another. Said first thing you know... He was reading the paper, and she said something, "Paul, will you give me some money?"
Said, "I ain't got no money." And went on like that a little bit, and said after awhile... He never noticed it hurt her feelings. He kind of sat there, and said, "Well, if that's how easy her feelings are hurt, let her set there." You know how we do, brethren, sometimes, I guess.
And so, then he said she'd always stand at the door and kiss him when he went out. Then he'd go to the gate. Then when... he'd turn around and wave good-bye, and she'd wave good-bye. Said he got up and got his hat, and said, "Just let her pout it out." Said he went to the door, and said, stuck out her lips, kissed her, went out to the end of the gate, turned around and looked back. Said she was standing there at the door. Said he waved and she waved.
Said he started on down the street. Said something begin to deal with him. "You done wrong, Paul." (Poor old Paul's in glory tonight. ) But said, "You done wrong, Paul. What if something would happen to her today?" Said he got to thinking about it. Oh, my, what if something would happen? "He'd never see her again on earth," Oh, my!
Said it got worse and worse, so he said, "Lord, forgive me. I'll go back and make it right." Said he run back real quick and opened the gate, shoved the door open, looked all around. He could hear something going [Sound of sniffling--Ed.]. Said she was standing behind the door, crying. Said he reached around. He never said a word. He went [Sound of a kiss--Ed.], kissed her again, run back out to the end of the gate, and turned around and waved. Said she waved, just like she did the first time, but the second time had feeling in it. So I think that's the way it is today. We want a... I want a feeling in it, something that's real to me.
49 I was... Not long ago, me and my wife were downtown. There was a lady said, "How do you do, Sister Branham?"
And I looked around at her, and I said, "Hey, hey, that lady spoke to you, Honey."
Said, "I spoke to her."
I said, "Well, I know she didn't hear you. I didn't. I'm sitting right here by you."
"Oh," she said, "I smiled at her."
"Oh," I said...
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50 She said, "You know, Mary, I'm to be a mother."
"Yes, yes," said Mary, her little eyes sparkling-you know, half full of tears of joy. "Yes, yes, I know all about it."
"You know all about it?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know all about it."
"But, Mary, I'm bothered. It's six months with me as mother now, and the baby's never moved." Now you know, that's all, that's all unnatural. About three months is about right, but this is six months, and little John hadn't never moved yet. So she said, "I'm just a little bit worried about it and everything."
She said, "Yeah, I understand it." And said, "You know, I'm going to have a baby too."
"Oh, I see. You and Joseph is already married."
"No, we're not married."
"What, Mary? You're not married, and going to have a baby?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Oh, Honey, what do you mean?"
"Well, the same way I knowed that you was going to have a baby. The Angel Gabriel met me, and He told me about your case, and He said the Holy Ghost would come upon me, and it's already done it. And the Baby that I'll have will be the Son of God." And said, "She even told me... He told me what to name it." Said, "I shall call His name Jesus."
And I can see Elisabeth's face brighten up, said, "Whence cometh the mother of my Lord? For as soon as your salutation came into my ears, my baby leaped in the womb for joy."
51 I want to ask you something, friends. If the first time that the name of Jesus Christ was ever spoke by mortal lips brought a dead baby in the womb of a mother to life, what ought it to do to a borned again congregation, that claims to be filled with the Holy Ghost? Hallelujah! Amen! It ought to heal the cancer, open the blind eyes, set the captive free, fill with the Holy Ghost, and all kinds of things in that precious name of the Lord Jesus, make the sinner weep for his sins. Oh, my!
The whole crowd looks to me like it's swimming around and around. Oh, what God could do right now! The Messenger of the Holy Spirit of God is in the building today-the Messenger, the Holy Ghost, bringing peace, reflecting Jesus Christ. The great Pillar of Fire hangs over us. You say, "I don't see it." But you can feel it, so in one... one sense of the body is just as good as the other one. So your sight could deceive you more than your feeling.
So then if it don't do the same work, then it isn't the same Holy Ghost; but if It does the same work, then It is the Holy Ghost, the same One. Amen. Do you believe that?
How many... is there sinners? How many in here would like to say, "I would like to enjoy these blessings, set in this Shekinah glory with you people and enjoy the blessings of God." Would you raise your hand, say, "Remember me, Brother Branham, as you pray." God bless you, brother. God bless you, brother. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you, brother. You, over there, and you and you. That's right. Another raise up your hand, say, "Brother Branham, pray for me." God bless you, young man. That's very fine.
52 This morning as I was going in to the breakfast a sweet little boy came, put his arms around my neck. His father is one of the pastors here of the Assemblies of God. I believe he's on the platform. He was this morning. And the little boy was called out in the meeting somewhere and had crossed eyes-and his little eyes just as straight as mine is. That's been years ago.
And another little brother come up and shook my hand and said his little girl had a great big goiter on her throat. And I was down at Jack Moore's church. And said the Holy Spirit moved around and called her out there in the audience and told her. The goiter just vanished and disappeared and went away. There she was. Oh, my!
What is it? What is that Pillar of Fire? It's the Angel of the Lord. What is the Angel of the Lord? The same One was in the burning bush, the same One that was in Jesus Christ, the same One that's in you tonight. Amen. The same One here, the same great Lord Jesus.
53 Would there be another, before we pray, would like to raise up your hands and say, "Remember me, Brother Branham. Remember me." God bless you, sir. God bless you. And the little boy way back, and way on the outside there, all the way back. Yes. Wherever you are, God knows.
Now, let's bow our heads just a moment. And now, sister, would you play for me this: "The Great Physician Now is Near"? Just a chord, if you will, please.
54 Remember near Fort Wayne... I was in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I've been in the pulpit now thirty-one years. This has been about twenty-eight years ago. I was praying for a little boy and that music was going on. The little boy was healed. Jumped out of my arms, a paralytic, run down, jumped into the arms of his mother. When he did a little Dunkard girl was playing the piano. And she raised up, that hair fell down across her lap, like that, she began singing in the Spirit, and the piano she was playing, them ivory keys moving right on, "The great physician now is near, the sympathizing Jesus"--hundreds of people standing looking at it.
Not a bit more than it was Sunday before last in my Tabernacle, where three to four hundred people standing there, and this Pillar of Fire appeared visible the second time in Jeffersonville. (The first time... then they took it down on the river. ) And there He stood for fifteen minutes, letting everybody see Him and look at Him. Brother, we're at the end of the road.
55 Our heavenly Father, we are coming now, Lord, to Thee as unto a Living Stone. We're coming, Lord, because that we believe that You are, and a rewarder of those that diligently seek after Thee. We pray for Your blessings. We pray that You'll help this audience tonight. And those that raised their hands, may they be a partaker of this great Holy Spirit, the Messenger of the last day.
"I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh." You promised it. In the last days You said there would be a former and latter rain together: that is, on one side of the earth and on the other side of the earth, both sides, would come a rain. Into the foreign fields, into these fields would come a rain. So we believe that that hour is here. We see the Holy Spirit making manifest the same things like He did when He was here before.
Bless these dear people, Father, I pray. Be Thou near them. Give them life eternal. Grant it, Lord. I commit them to Thee now, in the name of the Lord Jesus. With our heads bowed, let's just pray a little bit.
56 ... great Physician now is near,
the sympathizing Jesus.
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer.
Oh, breathe on us, Holy Spirit. Come into Your church, Lord Jesus, the great Morning Star, the Pillar of Fire. Burn Your way through every unbelief into the hearts of the people tonight. May they be like Mary, that they can see Your Presence and know it's You, then Your promises are still good, every promise. You promised to do this. Your promise was that You'd already healed them, for You was wounded for their transgressions, "with the stripes you were healed." Grant it, Father, to this waiting audience. We're waiting on You now. Move, in Christ's name, I pray.
Just watching for a few moments to see what will take place. Oh, how sweet. Let's raise our heads real easy now. I was waiting for you to get quiet. How many people in here that's sick and doesn't have a prayer card? Raise up your hands for God to heal you. A confirmation is three, I believe. Is that right, in the Bible? If I have told the truth, preached the truth, then God's obligated to back that truth up, if that's His truth.
57 Now, we got a bunch of prayer cards in here. We're not calling them. I just want you to know that it doesn't take prayer cards. Ask the ministers if it does. Ask the brothers who go with me everywhere.
We'll be riding down the road, I'll say, "Wait. At another corner there's going to be a certain thing. A man is going to be standing there. He's got a certain thing, and wants me to go to a certain place, a certain thing. We're going over here, and this is going to happen." Sure.. It never fails. It can't fail; it's God Now, what is it doing? Vindicating that He is the same. Now it isn't me: it's Him.
58 I don't see a person in front of me that I know, unless it's this two little girls. I believe this is Brother Evan's two girls. Isn't that right? Right here. That's the only ones that I know. I was looking just to see if I could see anybody that I really knew. But only ones I see that I know... I seen Brother Evans somewhere awhile ago, but I've lost him. Oh, yes, here's Brother Dauch, setting right here, form Ohio, Brother Bill Dauch, a friend of mine, setting right here, and Sister Dauch. There's Sister Evans. Now I've got her, right back behind... All right. Right along in there, Brother Evans or Sister Evans. Where's Brother Welch? Setting back there. All right.
So that they'll know who you all are, raise up your hand. Anybody in here knows me, and know I know you, raise up your hand--know that I... know that I know you. All right, see. Now, you that know that I do not know you, and you're sick, raise up your hands. Raise up your hands. Just look and see where it's at. See? About everywhere. All right.
59 If the--if Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the Bible said that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was God. Is that right? And the Word was made flesh. That's when God's Word that He spoke was made flesh.
Do you know the very dirt that you're sitting on is the manifestation of the Word of God? That's God's Word made manifest. If it isn't, where did it come from? He made the world out of things that does not appear. He brings the earth together. Just spoke the Word. Said, "Let there be," and there was. He's a creator. All right. So the chair that you're setting on is the Word of God. This earth that the floor rests on is Word of God. All these things are from the dust of the earth, the Word of God. And you, yourself, are the Word of God. That's right. Then why can't that little heart in there begin to move all the doubt out of this thing here. Let it be.
60 Now, and the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the marrow of the bone and the... sunder of the marrow of the bone; and the Word of God--which is Jesus--is a discerner of the thoughts, into the heart and mind. Is that right?
Now, when the Word was here, and made flesh and dwelt among us in the form of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, a little woman by faith touched His garment one day. He didn't feel it physically, but He turned around and looked, said, "Who touched Me? Who touched Me?"
Even Peter rebuked Him, said, "Lord, everybody is touching You."
He said, "Yeah, but I, I perceived virtue went out of Me. I got weak. My strength left Me." And He said... Looked all around over the audience and He found the little woman, told her her blood issue that she had, her faith had saved her (is that right?) She was healed. He never said, "I did it." She did it herself. See? Said, "Your faith hath saved..."
61 Now, the Bible said He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And the Book of Hebrews said that He's the High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. And if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, if you touch that same High Priest, the same High Priest will act the same way. The way He acted the first time He has to act the second time. If He didn't, He acted wrong when He did it the first time. If He make Himself known as Messiah to the Jews and the Samaritans by perceiving the thoughts in their mind and telling them who they was, or what they was, and so forth like that, or something they had done...?
How many knows that's the truth, that's, that's the Bible truth, that's the way He made Himself known? Well, if that's the way He made it known to the Jews and to the Samaritans, He's got to make it known to the Gentiles, or He made it known wrong to them. See what I mean?
Now, all that believe that, raise up your hand, say, "I believe that He promised it to me." Thank you. That did it. See, remember what the Angel said: "If you can get the people to believe you." See? Not believe me; it's Him, but believe that He sent me to you. Now, you pray and touch the High Priest. And if He will turn me from this platform and speak to you, you let... you be the judge whether it's right or not. You be the judge whether it's right or not.
62 You just say... Now look away from me as a man and say, "Lord Jesus, I'm in need." And don't try to press your way, you don't get nowhere then. Just relax yourself, say, "I believe it, Lord, there's not a doubt in my mind. The man don't know me, and I'm way away from him. I'm out here in the audience (way back in the back, or standing around the ring, or somewhere like that). Now I know I believe You. If You'll just let me touch You, let him turn to me, I'll know that that isn't Brother Branham because he don't know me. Neither does he know who I am, or what I've done, or what I have done, or what I will do. But You know it. So if You'll just let him turn, I know it's You. I'll believe His message then, because You got him under control. See, it's You speaking through him, see."
Would you believe that? How many would believe it if they could see it done with their own eyes...?... Not back in some dark room; right here before the public like our Lord's doing. Don't have... it ain't nothing secretly; it's right out here. it's just to the believers. Now, you just pray.
63 I might have been mistaken. I thought it was somewhere right here, but it must not have been. I'll watch it-it's a light. Did this side raise up their hands that they were sick too, and didn't know me? Now, He's right here. You that sees them pictures and things, just think--that mechanical eye of the picture saw it before many people ever saw it... take the picture. If I die tonight, if this is my last day on earth, my testimony is true. The mechanical eye of the camera has proved it seven or eight times in different nations. It's true. The church knows it around the world.
I've told the truth, because I speak of Him. That's the reason I'm not afraid but what He will speak back that I've told the truth, because I'm not testifying of myself; I'm testifying of Him. Now, be real reverent and believe.
Say, "What are you waiting on, Brother Branham?' I'm waiting on Him. If He don't tell me, I can't do it, that's all. It takes your faith to do something. Or maybe He's not pleased with us doing it. How many's got prayer cards then? Anybody got prayer cards? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, about eight prayer cards left, 9. We'll call then up if He doesn't do it. I like to see it done without prayer cards, so that you see the prayer card has nothing to do with it.
64 God, help us tonight. Now, I pray that You'll grant it. I've come here with good faith, come here believing, believing that You would do it. I pray that You'll help me now. Give to me of Your Spirit, Father. Grant it, so it can be for Your glory. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Yes, here it is. Thank You, Lord. Do you believe God will heal you of that hernia, lady? Make you well? All right. Accept it. Raise up your hand. All right. Have you got a prayer card? You don't. You don't need it. I never seen that woman in my life. Are we strangers to one another, sister dear? I don't know you. If that's right, raise up your hand so the audience can see. Was that your trouble? You was setting there praying wasn't you? Now I got a contact of you. You were praying to Jesus, "Let it be me." Is that right? Wave your hand like that. Raise your hand, wave your hand, so they see. Now, how did I know what she was praying about and the words you was saying? Don't you see? It's Christ.
Here, a little lady just moved herself around, setting there now. You want to get over that heart trouble, sister? You don't have to come up here. Just look this way. You want to get over your heart trouble? All right. Raise up your hand, say, "I accept it." All right, go home, your heart trouble's over. Jesus Christ makes you well.
65 The little lady setting right behind her, you got female trouble. Stand up if that's right. All right. Have you got a prayer card? You have one. I didn't mean to call you. All right. Go home. You're... You've had... bothered with your eyes; they're going bad, too. Is that right? Wave your hand. Not because you got on glasses, but they're getting worse. All right. They won't no more now. Go home, Jesus Christ makes you well.
Say, do me a favor, will you? That they might know, seeing that you had a card... That lady setting there next to you, she... over on this side over here, suffering there with a goiter, you believe that Jesus Christ will make you well? It's Him...?... But that's all right. Believe, and it'll go away from you. All right.
66 Now, if you believe I be a prophet of God, put your hand on the woman next to you, crying there. The Angel of the Lord's over her. She's got trouble with her head. If that's right, stand on your foot lady, the one that just called then. All right. Raise up if that's the truth, the one with the handkerchief in her hand. All right. Jesus Christ makes you will. Go home, be healed.
Do you believe Him? Now, is that Angel Scriptural? Here, way back here, there He is way back here, way back. There's a man and his wife. The wife has diabetes, the man has arthritis. Oh, if I could just make them understand. God, help me. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkerson, stand up on your feet. Jesus Christ makes you well. Go home and be well. Christ makes you well.
Do you have a prayer card? You don't? You don't have one, you don't need one. While you're standing on your feet, listen to this, friends. I do not know you at all, do I? If I don't know you, shake your hands back and forth. See, I don't know you. You was setting there praying. Is that right? Something's happened to you. Is that right? All right. Is that what your trouble was? Is that what your name was? All that He said is right? Wave your hand back like this if it's right" Wave your hand. All right. There you are. Go home, Jesus Christ makes you well.
What did they touch? Do you believe the Angel that's before us, is the Angel of God? It's not me. I don't know them people. I'm testifying; they're testifying, we don't know one another so it has to be the Angel of the Lord. And He's doing the very Scriptural things that Jesus said He would do just before it burnt like Sodom. Amen!
67 Let's see. If you'll believe. Here, here it is again, right here in the corner. Wait, it's the lady... No. Just a moment. No, it isn't the lady standing there. It's the lady setting down here. That's right, a little lady setting here. I seen a child, but it's a lady setting down, and she's suffering with hemorrhoids. And she... That's her little girl setting there. She's suffering with asthma. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. Stand on your feet and accept your healing. Jesus Christ makes you well. Stand up, both of you. If we're strangers to one another, raise up your hands and wave your hands. All right. Go home, honey. It's all over, little girl, you'll be made well.
You believe? Look here, look here, look here, look here. Can't you see that, Brother Jack? Looky here, right here, standing right over this man here. The man's suffering with a hernia. That's right. He's not from this city--from a city called Orange. Right. His name is Mr. Sack. Is that right, sir? If I'm a stranger to you, wave your hands back and forth like this. You were sitting there, saying, "Let it be me, Lord." Is that right? Wave your hand.
O God, how can they fail to see it? I command every sick person in here to stand on your feet and receive your healing in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Rise up, don't be afraid. Believe Him with all your heart.
1 Ďakujem ti, brat. Bolo to istotne... Musím na to povedať, „Amen.“ Pán nás dnes ráno požehnal tým najneobyčajnejším spôsobom. Mal som na mysli niečo, o čom som išiel hovoriť, a On to celkom zmenil. A to je ten druh zhromaždení, ktoré sa mi páčia, keď sa pohybuje tá príjemnosť Ducha Svätého a tečie cez budovu. A potom Duch Svätý...
Včera večer, myslím, že to bolo proroctvo. Povedal som tým kazateľom, ktorí boli za mnou, že príde ich čas. Oni veľa obetovali. A dnes ráno, predtým, ako som sotva mohol len začať, prišla dobrota Ducha Svätého rovno medzi tých kazateľov, vyhlásila ich za uzdravených všade tu naokolo a povedala im ich stav a nemoci a čokoľvek to bolo. Ó, On je dobrý, či nie? Istotne je. On je ohromný Otec. Sme za Neho tak vďační.
2 Tak zajtra popoludní, ak bude Pán chcieť, zmeníme zhromaždenie zo zajtra večera na zajtra popoludnie. A myslím, že to bude dobré. To dá každému príležitosť ísť do svojej cirkvi. Vždy o tom zmýšľam tak, že je to povinnosťou kresťana stáť v mieste svojej povinnosti. A tým spôsobom, keď máme takúto sériu zhromaždení, tak ja... A bratia, ktorí sú ochotní zatvoriť svoje cirkvi a poslať tam svojich ľudí... Ja vám hovorím, vám všetkým návštevníkom, ktorí ste teraz tu spoza mesta a z týchto cirkví, choďte zajtra do svojej cirkvi. Vyberte si len. Je to tu veľmi dobrá skupina bratov a niektoré dobré cirkvi, ktoré veria v to isté Evanjelium, ktoré my kážeme. Oni tu stoja. A oni budú radi, keď vás budú môcť mať zajtra ráno na svojej nedeľnej škole a zajtra večer vo svojich cirkvách. A tak si buďte istí, že navštívite niektorú cirkev, cirkev, ktorú si vyberiete.
Myslím, že bratia vám povedali, kde... Oni už urobili nejaké prípravy a môžu povedať, na čom sú a niečo o tom. Obyčajne to robia. A ste ku všetkým nim pozvaní. Tak teraz cirkev... Kdekoľvek pôjdete do cirkvi, tú, ktorú reprezentujete, čokoľvek chcete robiť, to bude v poriadku. Vidím ich teraz, ako sa dostávajú do filmov alebo niečo. A tak je medzi ľuďmi veľkolepý duch, veľkolepé prebudenie, ktoré sa zdá, že sa pohybuje týmto smerom.
Spolieham, že to nikdy nestratí toho nádherného Ducha, ktorý bol dnes ráno na zhromaždení. To je... To je skutočne niečo, keď vidíte Božiu dobrotu a Jeho milosrdenstvo, ako prichádza a žehná nás a robí pre nás veci, ako pre nás robil dnes ráno.
3 Tak, ak bude Pán chcieť, zajtra popoludní to chcem urobiť takým dobrým kresťanským zhromaždením s modlitbami a tak len nech každý príde. Budeme len kázať evanjelizačnú kázeň zajtra popoludní, ak bude Pán chcieť. A brat Leo, náš človek ohľadne kníh, povedal, „Brat Branham, mal by si tu týmto ľuďom raz kázať tým úplne starodávnym spôsobom kázania.“
Pán je ku nám dobrý a tak si chceme otvoriť svoje Biblie, ak chcete, alebo si len poznačte text. Mám tu na prečítanie jeden verš z Lukáša, z prvej kapitoly, verš 37:
Lebo u Boha nebude nemožným niktoré slovo.
Vtedy povedala Mária: Hľa, som dievka Pánova; nech sa mi tedy stane podľa tvojho slova. A anjel odišiel od nej.
4Skloňme na chvíľu svoje hlavy. Náš nebeský Otče, prichádzame v Mene Pána Ježiša, aby sme poprosili o milosrdenstvo a odpustenie našich nedostatkov. Modlíme sa dnes večer, Pane, aby si nás ďalej navštevoval týmito veľkými navštíveniami Tvojho Svätého Ducha, aby si sa mohol ukazovať, že si Ten živý, až kým sa znovu neobjavíš vo fyzickej forme pri druhom Príchode.
Modlíme sa, nebeský Otče, ak sú tu medzi nami niektorí, ktorí Ťa nikdy neprijali ako svojho vlastného, milého, milujúceho Spasiteľa, aby to bol dnes večer čas, že povedia tomu Všedostačujúcemu „Áno, Pane, verím.“ Tí, ktorí vystúpili na tú cestu a ešte neprišli do krstu Ducha, modlíme sa, aby sa aj oni dnes večer vydali, odovzdali krstu Ducha Svätého.
Včera večer sme boli tak šťastní, Pane, keď sme Ťa mohli vidieť, ako si išiel medzi ľudí, a tí, ktorí zodvihli svoje ruky, že nemajú modlitebnú kartu, mohli vidieť Tvojho veľkého Svätého Ducha, ako ide a uzdravuje chorých a postihnutých a vyvoláva ich a robí to presne, ako si to Ty robil, keď to prebývalo v tele nášho Pána Ježiša Krista ukazujúc, že Ty si stále vo Svojej cirkvi: ľudia vstávali z nosidiel a išli po vlastných a tí, ktorí zomierali pri poslednej nádeji, uvideli Božie svetlo a prijali to a odišli uzdravení. Je to dnes ráno veľké zhromaždenie v obecenstve s Duchom Svätým, ako sedíme v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi, ó, Bože, ako to milujeme.
5 Modlíme sa, aby si nám dnes večer udelil Tvoje nebeské požehnania. Nedívaj sa na našu nehodnosť, Pane, pretože sme nehodní a nie je nič, čo by sme mohli urobiť, aby sme si niečo zaslúžili. Tak pokorne vyznávame, že sme, že sa mýlime a že sme nespravodliví a Ty jediný si spravodlivý. A prichádzame v Mene Pána Ježiša, ako nám On povedal, aby sme robili, a zasľúbil nám, že obdržíme, o čo prosíme. Bože, idem Ťa teraz požiadať o veľkú vec a modliť sa, aby Svätý Duch preskúmal každé srdce, ktoré je tu dnes večer. Ak potrebujú uzdravenie, uzdrav ich, Pane. Na čokoľvek majú potrebu, udeľ to, Pane. A nezabudni na mňa tu.
Nezabudni na túto milú skupinu kazateľov, Pane. Požehnaj zajtra ich zbory. Nech by boli takí nabalení a Boží Duch nech by sa tak pohyboval cez nich. Nech Duch v tomto kraji prepukne v to starodávne zhromaždenie a tak isto po celom národe. Požehnaj všetkých ľudí všade, Otče. Ako som teraz prečítal týchto pár slov, modlím sa, aby si ich požehnal do našich sŕdc. Prosíme to v Mene Pána Ježiša. Amen.
6 Ranné slnko práve vychádzalo spoza kopca, ako išla svojou cestou po tej starej známej ulici a schádzala dolu z vrchu, kde bývala. A ako tak išla a držala si svoje vedro, pravdepodobne rozmýšľala, meditovala ako obyčajne mladé ženy v tom veku, idú, kráčajú a premýšľajú. A tak bola na ceste ku mestskej studni, aby tam načerpala dennú zásobu vody. Bolo nám povedané, že jej matka už zomrela, a tak ona sa sama starala o dom a svojho starého otca. A rozmýšľala o predošlom dni.
7 Muselo to byť v prvý deň týždňa potom, ako mali službu na sabat, a slnko už bolo dosť vysoko hore a šplhalo sa po palestínskej modrej oblohe. A bola tam sladká vôňa kvetov potom, ako vyšlo slnko, to bola atmosféra a aróma kvetov, tá aróma kvetov a zimozeleňov, ako to slnko vysušovalo a práve pred pár hodinami to znovu vysušilo... Milujem ten ranný čas. Myslím na tú čerstvosť. Rád si vyjdem do záhrady.
Myslím, že kazateľ by mal prísť na pódium nie naložený množstvom starostí, ale mal by prísť v čerstvosti, prítomnosti Pána. Vstať skoro ráno potom, ako už všetci démoni išli spať a skončilo nočné vystrájanie. A potom sa to utišuje a je cítiť tú arómu, tú sladkosť. A verím, že kazateľ zostáva pred Bohom, až kým nevystúpi za kazateľňu, on príde ako príjemne voňajúca aróma, pomazaný Svätým Duchom, aby priniesol posolstvo Boha ku ľuďom, ktorí očakávajú a sú v srdciach hladní.
8 Ako si tak razila cestu dolu chodníkom, verím (Mohol by som toto predstaviť ako malú drámu), verím, že rozmýšľala o tom, čo sa stalo deň predtým. Potom, ako prišli z cirkvi, bolo to zvykom, že jej zasnúbený manžel Jozef prišiel k nim domov na večeru. A ako bola večera pripravovaná, no... Oni mali ako obyčajne večeru tak, že sedeli na terase a dívali sa oproti na malé údolie, ktoré bolo na druhej strane kopca.
Jozef bol tesárom. A vediac, že sa chystá oženiť sa s týmto krásnym, mladým, židovským dievčaťom, tým, že bol tesárom, budoval ich budúci dom oproti na druhom kopci. Tak viete, predstavujem si, že v tom musel byť taký zvláštny cit, pretože on išiel priviesť túto svoju peknú, mladú nevestu do tohoto domu. Dvere museli presne pasovať. A on na tom strávil čas, pretože nechcel pri tomto urobiť len takú rýchlu prácu. Musí byť... Okná museli presne pasovať a tak isto dvere. Predstavujem si, že keď prešiel bránou, ona mohla byť v tvare srdca a tak... Keď vošiel, aby urobil bránu tvare srdca. A ruže boli všade okolo domu.
9 A oni toto už nejaký čas plánovali, odkedy sa zasnúbili. A tak si tam vyšli v nedeľu popoludní, povedzme, a sadli si tam na terasu a dívali sa oproti, kde bude ich budúci domov. A bolo zvykom, že oni hovorili o Pánovi, pretože oni boli obaja hlbokými veriacimi v Boha. A táto nedeľa bola špeciálna. A ako sa poponáhľali s jedlom a riady boli umyté a Jozef už sedel vonku na terase, keď prišla Mária, a musel to byť takýto nejaký rozhovor, keďže sa obyčajne rozprávali o tom, aký bude ten dom a ako bude vyzerať, ako rabíni prídu k nim domov, aby s nimi pojedli. Ale teraz namiesto toho, prišli k téme posolstva z dnešného rána, ktoré počuli od významného, vznešeného rabbiho. A možno to bola Mária, ktorá povedala, „Jozef, či to nebolo dnes ráno ohromné posolstvo, ktoré rabbi, náš milovaný pastor, kázal?“
10 „Ó,“ Jozef musel povedať, „to bolo výnimočné posolstvo. Tak veľmi sa mi to páčilo, ako hovoril o tom veľkom Bohu Jehova, ktorý viedol našich ľudí von z Egypta. Nenadchlo ťa to, keď čítal z tých zvitkov z knihy Exodus, ako boli vyvedení, ako ich Jehova viedol skrze Ohnivý Stĺp? A oni nemali žiaden kompas, podľa ktorého by išli... Ale oni išli skrze vedenie Ducha. Ó, Mária, nebolo by to ohromné, keby sme mohli žiť a vidieť v našich životoch ten Ohnivý Stĺp a boli takto vedení?
A, ó, ako keď potrebovali pokrm, On dal pršať mannu z neba a mali chlieb. A potom, keď potrebovali mäso, On fúkol a od pobrežia prišli prepelice a naplnili zem. A keď potrebovali vodu, On mal udretú Skalu. Keď boli chorí, mali medeného hada ako zmierenie za ich nemoci a, ó, aké to bolo ohromné.“
„Ale,“ povedal, „drahá, myslím, že to celé zruinoval, keď povedal, 'Avšak Jehova to už viacej nerobí.'“ Tak, či onak, vždy som nejako veril, že Jehova zostáva tým istým. On nemôže zlyhať. A ja verím, že ten dôvod, že máme... Že žijeme v tých dňoch, v ktorých žijeme, to je to, že naši ľudia stratili vieru v Jehovu.“
11 „Verím, že On je nesmrteľný a že On nestarne a nemôže pominúť. On jednoducho je tým istým Jehovom a On neočakáva od nás... Nemyslím, že by som chcel znevážiť cteného rabbiho, ale keď dnes ráno vo svojom posolstve povedal, že Jehova už viac nekoná zázraky, že jediná vec, ktorú od nás chce, aby sme robili, je chodiť do cirkvi a platiť naše desatiny a žiť dobrý život, ako len môžeme, a že On nás potom vezme Domov do slávy, tomu môžem sotva veriť, Mária. Verím, že Jehova chce, aby sme s Nim kráčali tak ako oni v tom dni.“
A určite práve vtedy Mária povedala, „Ó, drahý, vieš, mali by sme si najprv prečítať Písmo.“
Tak, ak ste niekedy boli v palestínskom dome a videli niektoré z tých starých orientálnych miest… Knihy Biblie bývali uložené v niečom ako… Volá sa to zvitok, bolo to navinuté na takej paličke. A oni to mávali v takej nádobe niečo ako kôš. A tam ich zastrčili do tejto nádoby. A mali tam zvitok proroka Izaiáša, zvitok proroka Jeremiáša a všetkých tých prorokov, ktorí tam boli, takže v tom nebol rozdiel, ktorého čítali, lebo oni vedeli, že to všetko bolo ustanovené od Boha, lebo to bol ich prorok.
12 A tak Jozef povedal, „Drahá, išla by si a vzala by si jeden zo zvitkov?“ Ona išla, načiahla sa len tak náhodou, vzala jeden zvitok a priniesla ho.
Povedal, „No, drahá, zdá sa, že dnes budeme čítať z knihy Izaiáša.“
A tak on potiahol ten zvitok, otvoril ho a Jozef začal čítať a jeho myseľ... Jeho oči padli na miesto Písma, „Panna počne a porodí Syna... Nazvú Jeho Meno Radca, Mocný Boh, Knieža Pokoja, Večný Otec.“
A keď to prečítal do konca, tá mladá panna, ako tam sedela na kraji, povedala, „Počkaj, drahý Jozef. Čo tým mal prorok na mysli, že panna počne?“
No, možno, že Jozef povedal niečo takéto, „Drahá, to je pre mňa tak trochu hlboké. Nerozumiem tomu, ale verím tomu. To je len to, čo Biblia hovorí. Neviem, ako sa to stane, ale vieme toto, drahá, vieme, že Izaiáš bol Jehovov prorok. Preto tým, že bol pomazaný Božím Svätým Duchom, ktorý bol na ňom, tak nemohol prorokovať nesprávne, pretože sa narodil ako prorok a vieme, že jeho slová sú pravdivé. A keď povedal, „Panna počne,“ to nebol Izaiáš, to bol náš Jehova a Jehova je schopný urobiť čokoľvek, čo hovorí, že urobí.“
13 A ako sa tak ďalej o tomto rozprávali a o tom, ako Jeho Meno bude nazvané Radca, Knieža Pokoja, Mocný Boh, Večný Otec a že panovanie bude na Jeho ramenách a Jeho kráľovstvu nebude konca, a tak ďalej, ona povedala, „To musí byť ten istý, o ktorom nám zasľúbil prorok Mojžiš: Pán váš Boh vám vzbudí proroka ako mňa.“ Takže, to bude musieť byť Mesiáš.“
Jozef povedal, „Myslím, že zákonníci to tak vykladajú, že to bude musieť byť Mesiáš, ktorý má prísť.“ A ako prešiel večer, priblížil sa čas večernej bohoslužby, tak išli znovu do cirkvi.
14 A bolo to na ďalšie ráno, ako išla po vodu, a oproti mohla počuť kladivo, kde píla... Tam, kde Jozef staval ich dom. A ako vstala a urobila si raňajky a strčila si pod pazuchu vedro a vydala sa na cestu ku mestskej studni... (No, ak by sme mali čas, rád by som chvíľu zostal pri tej studni, ale nemáme čas.) A tak, ako tak išla, hlavu mala dolu a premýšľala, nedokázala to dať preč zo svojej mysle... A povedala, „Tá Jozefova poznámka, keď som ho zastavila pri tom Písme, Izaiáša 9:6, a ako to... On mi povedal, 'Drahá, vieš, myslím, že ty... Vždy som si myslel, že si tá najkrajšia žena, akú som kedy videl, ale tak nejako v tých posledných pár minútach si bola krajšia ako kedykoľvek predtým. Tvoje veľké hnedé oči zažiarili, ako sme sa zmienili o tomto Písme. Nenadchlo ťa to? Alebo čo sa stalo?'“
Tak ona sa tomu divila, „Čo je toto, kde on povedal, že sa narodí dieťa, Syn je daný, som zvedavá, čo spôsobilo, že som sa takto cítila.“ A práve vtedy, ako toto mladé dievča kráčalo, všimlo si, že niečo zablikalo. A ako sa poobzerala a… „To muselo byť slnko,“ povedala, „Zasvietilo to na tú skalu na tom púštnom kopci, niekde tam.“ A ako si tak išla svojou cestou a premýšľala o tom, čo sa dialo a o čom sa rozprávali, zabočila pri rohu ku mestskej studni, kde sa ženy zvykli skoro ráno stretnúť a spúšťali dolu svoje vedrá alebo skôr nádoby, niečo ako krčah. Malo to dlhý krk a dve rúčky a mali hák, na ktorý to zahákli, a vrátok s lanom. Spúšťali dolu krčah a tým, že on bol z hliny, tak sa ponoril. Potom krútili a vytiahli tú vodu hore, položili si ten krčah na hlavu a išli naspäť domov a možno uniesli päť alebo šesť galónov vody, čo stačilo na celý deň, jedine, že by sa umývali a potom obyčajne chodili na nejaké miesta, kde sa umývali.
15 Tak, ako zahla za roh, uvidela znovu, ako sa to svetlo zablysklo. A ako sa pozrela, musela prejsť takým malým, úzkym miestom, kadiaľ môže prejsť iba jedna osoba, a tam stal Gabriel, archanjel. A to nebolo slnko, ktoré sa odrážalo. On ju sledoval a stretol ju tam, kde ju doviedol na miesto, kde sa naňho musela pozrieť. A ona sa pozrela a on bol plný žiary svetla, ktorá bola okolo neho. Táto mladá panna sa vystrašila a niet divu, že schytila svoj krčah a jej veľké oči hľadeli na toho archanjela.
On povedal, „Zdravas, Mária (Alebo zastav sa), si pred Bohom vysoko ctená.“ Ó, to sa mi páči. Tá drobná žena v tom najpodlejšom meste, ktoré v tom čase na zemi bolo, bolo známe ako hrozné mesto v Palestíne... A ona tam žila taký život, až si ju Boh vybral pre určitú prácu, ktorú išiel urobiť. Tam sa mu pozrela do tváre, a to ju zaskočilo.
16 Viete, obyčajne to je, keď o tých veciach rozmýšľame. Biblia hovorí, „Ak je nejaká chvála, ak je nejaká cnosť, premýšľajte o týchto veciach.“ Myslím, že ten dôvod, prečo už tých veci toľko nevidíme, je, že máme svoje mysle na príliš mnohých iných veciach. Myslím, že anjeli by sa nám stále zjavovali, ak by sme len držali naše mysle na nich: ale my rozmýšľame o niečom inom: to, kam ideme, určitý program, na ktorý sa musíme pozerať alebo nejaké nákupy, ktoré musíme urobiť. Ale naše miesto Písma nám hovorí, „Hľadajte najprv Kráľovstvo Božie a Jeho spravodlivosť, všetky tieto ostatné veci vám budú pridané.“
A potom, keď to vidíme, ako on povedal, „Si vysoko ctená pred Bohom.“
17 A znovu si všímame... Nechcem toto miesto Písma opustiť, ale to bol Kleofáš a jeho priateľ na ceste do Emauz, ako tam tak kráčali a boli hlboko sklamaní, hovorili o tom, ako bol Ježiš ukrižovaný a mŕtvy a tie príbehy, ktoré o Ňom počuli, že bude vzkriesený z mŕtvych, a oni tomu neverili... A tam na ceste, kam išli, možno to bola cesta do práce v pondelok ráno a boli na ceste späť a to bolo, zatiaľ čo rozmýšľali o Ňom, že sa im On zjavil, vyšiel spoza kríkov a začal k nim hovoriť ako obyčajný človek.
Povedal, „Ó, prečo ste takí zronení? Čo je s vami?“
Povedali, „Či si ty cudzinec?“
Veríte teraz? Toto je trochu štipľavé, ale ľudia, ktorí s Ním chodili a rozprávali sa s Ním a išli s Ním celý deň po Jeho vzkriesení, s tým istým Ježišom a nepoznali Ho... On sa zjaví, komu sa chce zjaviť. Ó, modlím sa, aby On dnes večer vzal tie záclony z očí každého jedného z nás a prišiel do tejto budovy a zjavil sa v moci Svojho vzkriesenia, aby ho tak každá osoba mohla vidieť: hriešnik ako svojho Spasiteľa, chorý ako svojho Uzdraviteľa.
A všímame si, že On s nimi išiel celý deň. A potom sa robil, že pôjde ešte ďalej niekam inam, a oni Ho prinútili, aby vošiel dnu. Ó, páči sa mi to prinútenie, aby vošiel. „Ó, Ježišu, Ty si tu dnes večer v cirkvi. Musíš ísť so mnou domov. Chcem Ťa vziať ku mne domov. Nikdy nechcem stratiť tento pocit Tvojej prítomnosti. Dovoľ mi vziať Ťa domov, aby si vošiel a býval so mnou.“ Nikdy nechcem stratiť ten pocit. Či by to nebolo nádherné?
18 Viete, chcem sa tu na chvíľu zastaviť v tomto mojom posolstve a chcem povedať, že tie najchválebnejšie veci, ktoré som kedy videl sa stať, boli vtedy, keď bolo niečo pomazané. Ó, prial by som si, keby som mohol na tom mieste zostať po celý čas.
Čítali ste to v knihe, o tom, ako v ten večer vybehol na pódium ten maniak a chcel ma zabiť... Kde to bolo? V Portlande. Ty si tam bol, brat Jack, alebo tam bol... bol tam brat Brown, keď tam vybehol ten šialenec, aby ma zabil, a vyhrážal sa, že to urobí. Bol to vysoký, obrovský, veľký chlap. A namiesto toho, aby som toho človeka nenávidel, ja som ho miloval. On by to nebol robil. Bol to možno muž, ktorý mal rodinu tak ako ja, a on by to nerobil. To bol ten diabol na ňom, ktorý to robil. A keď som mal k nemu lásku, tak som sa ho nebál. Láska vyháňa strach. To je to, keď dokážete milovať... Počuli ste ten príbeh o tej starej matke vačici, ktorá prišla k môjmu domu. Láska... Je potrebná láska, aby bolo víťazstvo. Vtedy, keď ma ten býk na tom poli chcel zabiť... Rozbehol sa rovno ku mne a to nebolo tak, že by som ho nenávidel. Bol som horárom. Načiahol som sa, aby som vzal pušku, ale ja som ju nechal v aute. Nakoniec som bol rád, že som ju tam zabudol. On vybehol, ja som si pomyslel, „No, ak budem musieť zomrieť, tak mu budem musieť čeliť a tak zomrieť. Nemám ako od neho utiecť. Nie je nič... Ako sa dostať preč.“ A práve vtedy som si pomyslel, „No, ak budem musieť ísť, tak sa chcem na neho dívať.“ A ako som sa díval, on bežal rovno oproti mne, pretože on by ma jednako chytil. A z nosa mu visela reťaz. Pár týždňov predtým zabil nejakého černocha. Zabudol som, že je tam na poli. Bol som na ceste, aby som sa modlil za jedného chorého človeka. On takto dupol nohou o zem a hrabal a hučal a išiel ku mne.
19 A ja neviem prečo, ale niečo sa stalo. Zakaždým, ako sa udeje nejaké uzdravenie alebo niečo, niečo sa deje. Vstupuje láska... A je potrebné dostať všetko iné preč z cesty. Ó, poviem ti brat, môžeš mať všetku teológiu, ktorú chceš, ale daj mi vždy lásku.
Vždy, keď vidím vierou ten prúd,
ktorý poskytli Tvoje tečúce žily,
Vykupujúca láska bude mojou témou
a bude ňou, kým nezomriem.
Láska. Ó, ak by som len mohol žiť v tej atmosfére po celý čas.
A ako ma to zasiahlo, povedal som, „Stvorenie Božie, ja som sluha Boží. Som tu na ceste, aby som sa pomodlil za jedno z Jeho chorých detí. Teraz som tu na tvojom teritóriu, som tu na tvojom poli. Nechcel som ťa vyrušiť. Ale v Mene Ježiša Krista: vráť sa späť a ľahni si. Nebudem ťa obťažovať.“ A zdalo sa, že on sa stále približuje a bežal tak rýchlo, ako len mohol. Ja som len ticho stál, nebál som sa o nič viac ako teraz. A keď sa ku mne dostal asi na vzdialenosť desiatich metrov, zastavil sa. Pozrel sa na mňa. Vyzeral taký vyčerpaný, pozrel sa na jednu stranu, na druhú, otočil sa a odišiel a ľahol si. Prešiel som popri ňom asi na vzdialenosť päť metrov, prešiel som rovno popri ňom. Láska premáha. Niečo sa deje, niečo sa deje.
20 Jedného večera som hovoril dolu v Mexiku, keď tam bol brat Jack. Vystúpil tam na pódium jeden starý Mexičan. Bol úplne slepý. Bol to chudobný, biedny človek, jeho... Ich ekonomika má tak biednu rovnováhu a oni nemajú čo jesť. Tento chlapík nemal žiadne topánky a mal v ruke starý klobúk zošitý povrazmi a mal na sebe starý otrhaný kabát a nohavice mal takmer len po kolená a boli celé zaprášené. Prišiel na pódium a prešiel tade a v ruke mal malý ruženec s hrsťou koráliek. A prišiel ku mne a niečo hovoril. Niekto ho viedol. Stál som tam a díval sa na neho. Poviem ti, brat, až kým sa nedokážeš vcítiť do stavu toho druhého človeka, tak mu vôbec nemôžeš pomôcť. To je pravda. To je ten dôvod, prečo Boh tak miloval svet, On mal pre neho cítenie.
A pozrel som sa na neho. Pomyslel som si, „Takýto človek, možno má niekde hŕstku malých detí a pracuje za nejakých pár pesos na deň. A možno navyše... Možno nikdy v živote nemal poriadne jedlo. A tu je v takomto stave. A teraz bola príroda k nemu taká zlá alebo jeho osud, ktorý ho zaslepil.“ A bol...
Postavil som mu zboku svoju nohu a pomyslel som si, „Ja tu stojím v dobrom obleku a s dobrým párom topánok a ja neviem, či mal niekedy vo svojom živote na sebe nejaké topánky.“ Pomyslel som si, „To nie je správne. Mám doma iný pár. Mám doma ďalší oblek. Ten človek má také právo to mať ako i ja.“ Prirovnal som si svoju nohu k jeho a pomyslel som si, že mu dám svoje topánky predtým, ako niečo poviem. Ale jeho noha bola omnoho väčšia a jeho ramená omnoho širšie, nemohol by vliezť do môjho obleku. Pomyslel som si, „Bože, čo môžem pre neho urobiť?“ Ak by môj otec ešte žil, bol by asi v takomto veku.
21 Čo to bolo? Vstupovanie. Zrazu sa niečo stalo. Začal som cítiť prítomnosť lásky, súcit k tomu starému mužovi. On zatriasol tými malými korálkami a začal kričať, „Zdravas Mária, matka Božia, požehnaná...“ Povedal som, „To nie je potrebné. Daj to preč.“
A on povedal bratovi Espinosovi, „Kde je ten uzdravovateľ? Chcem sa ho chytiť.“
A ja som mu povedal, „Povedz mu len, aby sklonil hlavu.“ Ja som mu položil ruky na ramená a začal som... Povedal som, „Pane Ježišu, tento starý, biedny človek, nemôžem mu dať svoje topánky, neobul by ich. Nemôžem mu dať svoj oblek. Ale, Pane Bože, Ty si ten jediný, ktorý mu môže teraz pomôcť. Ty mu môžeš dať niečo, čo ho zachráni, to je jeho zrak. To je to, po čom tak veľmi túži.“
A len čo som to dopovedal, počul som niekoho vykríknuť, „Gloria a Dios,“ a tu on bol, mohol vidieť tak dobre ako ja a behal po pódiu tak rýchlo, ako len vedel.
Na ďalší večer tam bol stoh šiat, šálov a záster a plášťov a handier a klobúky boli takto nakopené asi dva alebo trikrát vyššie ako toto tu, asi tak vysoko. Ako kedy... Ako sa kedy dostanú k tomu svojmu, to ja neviem. Ale čo? Oni niečo uvideli. Ó, keď sa niečo udeje, niečo sa potom začína odohrávať.
22 Takto to bolo s Máriou v to ráno. Niečo sa muselo udiať, keď o Ňom rozmýšľala, a On sa tam zjavil v jej prítomnosti. Pri Mojžišovi to bolo také isté ako pri Márii. Povedal, „Počneš vo svojom lone a budeš mať dieťa.“
Tak, ona vedela, že to anjelské Posolstvo bolo podľa Písma. Nestarám sa o to, aký druh anjela by sa zjavil, ak by to anjelské Posolstvo nebolo podľa Písma a zasľúbenia Božieho, nechaj ho tak. Zjavujú sa všetky možné druhy anjelov a prinášajú všetky možné druhy posolstiev. Ak by ten anjel Pánov, ktorého sluhom som, prišiel... Ak by ten anjel prišiel, nezáleží na tom, či by to vyzeralo ako Ohnivý Stĺp, ako veľmi to vyzeralo ako svetlo, ak by jeho posolstvo nenieslo záznam s týmto Slovom, ja by som ho nechal tak a nech je prekliaty. To musí byť v tomto. Jozef Smith, viete, videl anjela (tak povedal), ale to nenieslo záznam spolu so Slovom.
A Mária vedela, že keď deň predtým čítala Izaiáša 9:6, že niečo sa má stať. A vtedy ona vedela, že je to na svojej ceste.
23 Podobne Mojžiš, keď sa vzdal všetkých nádejí svojej teológie a bol vzadu na púšti, pásol Jetrove ovce a jedného dňa videl ohnivú guľu, ako sedí tam vzadu v kríkoch. A on k tomu pristúpil a vyzul si svoju obuv, ako mu bolo povedané, a počúval, aby videl, čo to je. Ale keď videl, že ten anjel bol podľa Písma... Povedal, „Počul som krik Môjho ľudu a rozpomenul som sa na Svoju zmluvu.“ On vedel, že Boh dal zasľúbenie a že to bolo... To bol ten anjel, ktorý mal ísť s ním. „Pamätám si Svoje zasľúbenie a Svoju zmluvu. Videl som trápenie Môjho ľudu a zostúpil som, aby som ich vyslobodil.“ Mojžiš potom vedel, že to už nebolo viac len na ňom, kvôli tomu, že, „Ja som zostúpil, aby som ich vyslobodil.“ Ó, to je tá dobrá časť. „Ja som zostúpil. Ty budeš len Mojimi ústami.“ A tak videl, že to bolo absolútne podľa Písma.
A Mária videla, že to bolo presne podľa Písma, pretože deň predtým si to čítala, pravdepodobne vo zvitku, ako sme hovorili tú malú drámu. Poviem vám, vyplatí sa čítať Božie Slovo denne. Ježiš povedal, „Skúmajte Písma, lebo sa domnievate, že v nich máte večný život, a oni sú tie, ktoré svedčia o Mne.“ Inými slovami On povedal, „Ak nečiním skutky Svojho Otca (to je to, čo sa malo diať, keď On prichádza) potom Mi neverte. Ale ak činím tie skutky, aj keď by ste Mi neverili, verte tým skutkom, pretože oni sú to, ktoré sú poslané od Boha.“
24 My v tomto dni vyhliadame nebeskú návštevu. To je zasľúbenie Božie. Zapnite si teraz rýchlo svoje hlboké duchovné zmýšľanie, cirkev, a pamätajte, my teraz očakávame Návštevníka a mnohí sú, ktorí si to nárokujú. Ale jediný spôsob, ako budeme poznať tohto nebeského návštevníka... je tak, že On bude niesť záznam Slova.
Ona vedela, že ten Anjel bol od Boha, keď videla jeho konanie. Pozrela sa na neho. Musel to byť Anjel. On povedal, „Ja som Gabriel, ktorý stojím po Božej pravici.“ Tak, keď je Boh pripravený niečo vykonať, On posiela posla. Vždy, zakaždým to tak bolo a vždy to tak bude. Gabriel oznámil prvý príchod Kristov, Gabriel oznámi druhý príchod Kristov. To je pravda. Niečo veľké, dôležité sa ide stať.
A všímame si tohoto Anjela, kedy on povedal, „Zdravas, Mária.“ A povedal jej, čo sa stane. A ona v neho nepochybovala, pretože vedela, že on bol presne podľa Písma, že to takto má byť.
25 Teraz vyhliadame v týchto posledných dňoch posla, pretože Ježiš povedal, že tak bude, pretože všetci proroci hovorili, že to tak bude. Malachiáš povedal, že to tak bude. Všetci proroci o tom svedčili. Ježiš priamo v tieni kríža hovoril o Svojom druhom Príchode viac, ako hovoril o Svojom odchode. A keď vidíme, že sa tieto veci začínajú diať, radšej by sme mali skúmať Písma, pretože On povedal, že povstanú falošní kristovia a falošní proroci a ukážu znamenia a divy až tak, že by to zviedlo i vyvolených, ak by to bolo možné.
Billy Graham tu pred pár týždňami vo svojom posolstve povedal, že to už zviedlo vyvolených. Nezhodujem sa s tým evanjelistom. To nemôže zviesť samotných vyvolených, pretože oni sú vyvolení Boží.
26 Ježiš hovoril, že v tých dňoch, tesne pred príchodom Syna človeka, že to bude tak, ako to bolo v Sodome. A ako sme to prebrali predtým, naposledy... tento týždeň, že tam bol anjel, ktorý prišiel zo Sodomy, boli traja, tri triedy ľudí. Jedni z nich boli sodomiti, tí druhí, to bola vlažná cirkev, a tí ďalší, to boli vyvolení, vyvolaná cirkev, Abrahám a jeho skupina, Lót a jeho skupina a Sodoma a ich skupina. Všetci...
Dvaja z nich išli dolu. Evanjelista išiel dolu, aby kázal v Sodome, aby vyviedol tú skupinu ľudí, tých veriacich, ktorí tam boli. On ich odtiaľ dostal von len zopár.
27 Ale všímame si, že Ten, ktorý zostal vzadu s tou vyvolenou cirkvou, ukázal znamenie. A to bol Boh, ktorý to robil. Nebol to žiaden mýtus, nebola to žiadna teofánia. Teofánia nemôže jesť. A On jedol mäso z kozľaťa a jedol nejaké koláče, kukuričný chlieb s maslom a pil mlieko kravy. Teofánia neje a nepije: to bol Boh prejavený v tele. Istotne bol. A čo hovoril? Ježiš povedal, „Ako bolo v tom dni, tak bude...“ Boh znovu príde, príde do tela ľudí, ktorých vykúpil a posvätil, a ukáže Svojej vyvolenej cirkvi to isté znamenie, ktoré ukázal Svojej vyvolenej cirkvi tam vtedy.
28 Nebolo tam žiadne „Vyjdi z toho.“ Nebolo tam žiadne „toto, tamto,“ on, Abrahám, bol už z toho von. Ale tí dvaja anjeli tam vyvolávali von stadiaľ zdola. Ale Abrahám bol už vonku. A cirkev... Samotné slovo „cirkev“ znamená „vyvolanie“. Božia cirkev je už vyvolaná. Je vyvolaná.
A on im dal znamenie, že On je tým. A keď to urobil, keď mal otočený chrbát, povedal (Sára bola v stane za Ním a smiala sa) skrze moc, skrze tú istú vec, ktorú Ježiš prejavil pri Svojom príchode, prejavil to obom, samaritánom i židom... A je predpovedané, že v týchto posledných dňoch, že nám znovu pošle Svojho Posla. A tým Poslom dnes večer nie je nejaký človek. Nie veru. To je Duch Svätý. Kto je Jeho Posol? Boh vo Svojej Cirkvi, ktorý sa pohybuje, ukazuje znamenia a divy tesne pred Jeho zjavením sa.
29 Pamätajte, tento anjel musí byť anjelom podľa Písma. Okrem toho sme Bohom varovaní ohľadne falošných prorokov. Biblia hovorí, „Ak je medzi vami niekto, kto si myslí, že je prorokom (alebo podobne) a ak to, čo hovorí, sa nestane, potom sa ho nebojte, Ja nie som s ním. Ale ak sa to, čo hovorí, stane, potom Ja som s tým prorokom. Počúvajte ho.“ To je pravda.
Takže zisťujeme dnes, že to Posolstvo je pravdivým Biblickým Posolstvom. Je to návrat späť ku krstu Duchom Svätým, späť ku moci Božej, späť znovu ku Letniciam, k prinavráteniu sŕdc otcov k deťom... vlastne detí späť k otcom v týchto posledných dňoch. Vyhliadame nebeského Posla a verím, že on je dnes večer tu. Amen. Verím, že on je tu. Čo on robí? Nesie svedectvo.
30 Počúvajte teraz, priatelia. Neberte žiadnu náhradu. Nepotraste si len s nejakým človekom ruky s tým, že si len zapíšete meno do knihy. To je... Čo sa toho týka, to je v poriadku. To vám môže pomôcť dostať sa von z krčmy a dostať sa na slušné miesto a k tomu, aby ste sa snažili žiť správne. Avšak to to nevypôsobí.
„Ak sa človek nenarodí znovu, nemôže dokonca ani vidieť Kráľovstvo Božie.“ Teda „vidieť“ znamená „rozumieť.“ Existuje mnoho ľudí, ktorí hovoria, že sú znovuzrodení, a nedokážu rozumieť Božie Posolstvo, nedokážu vidieť anjela Pánovho. Ich oči sú zaslepené, brat. Iba ak sa človek narodí z Ducha Svätého, ten istý Svätý Duch, ktorý zapísal Slovo, potvrdí Slovo a to isté potvrdenie Ducha Svätého bude v tebe... Rozumiete, čo myslím? Ono bude samo niesť svedectvo.
Potom náš duch nesie svedectvo s Jeho Duchom, pretože Jeho Duch nesie svedectvo Jeho Slova. Slovo Božie je ostrejšie a mocnejšie (Židom 4) ako každý dvojsečný meč, dokonca prenikajúci až do špiku kostí a rozlišuje myšlienky a úmysly srdca. To je „TAK HOVORÍ PÁN,“ Pánove Slovo, presne tak, Ježiš Kristus ten istý včera, dnes a naveky objavujúci sa vo Svojej vyvolenej Cirkvi.
31 Ó, máme všade po krajine prebiehajúce prebudenia, vyvolávanie zo Sodomy, a tak ďalej, ale vo vyvolenej Cirkvi máme osobu Boha, toho istého Boha, ktorý bol tam vtedy. Bol to len jeden z nich a ten jeden bol v Jeho Cirkvi prejavujúci Samého Seba, že On je tým vzkrieseným Pánom Ježišom Kristom, tým istým včera, dnes a navždy. Je to podľa Písma. Ak by to nebolo podľa Písma, tak by to nenieslo svedectvo Písma, nepotvrdilo by to Jeho Slovo, potom by som Mu neveril. Ale pretože On to robí, potom viem, že On je od Boha práve tak ako Mária (Amen, ó), tak ako Mojžiš, tak ako všetci ostatní z nich, ak by to nebolo podľa Písma...
32Tak vtedy v Starej zmluve, oni mali viac ako jeden spôsob, aby to zistili. Ak mal nejaký človek sen alebo ak nejaký prorok prorokoval, viete, čo s tým urobili? Oni išli a vzali Urím a Tummím, ktoré viselo na stĺpe. Verí sa, že Urím a Tummím je tých dvanásť kameňov narodenia na Áronovej hrudi, kde niesol ten rodový kameň každého jedného z nich. Potom to zavesili na stĺp, ak nejaký prorok povstal a prorokoval a nezáležalo na tom, ako to znelo skutočne, ak to nadprirodzené neodpovedalo, to bola taká sústava dúhového svetla všade dookola a ak to takto neblikotalo, nezáleží na tom, čo ten prorok povedal, nebolo to správne. Nezáležalo na tom, čo ten, ktorý mal sen, sníval, bolo to nesprávne. Ale Boh vždy odpovedá nadprirodzeným spôsobom. Amen.
Tak a to kňažstvo skončilo a Urím a Tummím bolo zvesené, ale Boh má ďalšie Urím a Tummím. Toto je to, Božie Slovo je Urím a Tummím. To je Božie Slovo. „Nech každé ľudské slovo je klamstvom a Moje nech je pravdou,“ povedal Boh. „Nebo a zem pominú,“ povedal Ježiš „ale Moje slová nikdy nepominú.“
Potom ak niekto niečo hovorí a nie je to podľa Písma, neverte tomu. Tak niečo hovorí a je to podľa Písma, počkajte chvíľu. Preskúšajte to s Urím a Tummím. Potom, ak to nadprirodzené odpovedá, že je to pravda, potom to verte. To je ten spôsob, ako veriť pravdivému Posolstvu. Ak Biblia niečo zasľubuje a ak Biblia hovorí, že je to tak, to je Božie Urím a Tummím. Ak kazateľ káže... Káže, ako hovorí Biblia, to je Boží posol, Boží svedok. Potom, ak on ním je, potom to nadprirodzené toho Slova bude zamanifestované a dokáže sa, že to je Boh. Boh zachováva Svoje zasľúbenie.
33 Vyhliadame Posla. Tým Poslom je Duch Svätý. Biblia hovorí, „Ešte malú chvíľu a svet Ma viacej neuvidí (Ježiš povedal), ale vy Ma uvidíte, lebo Ja budem s vami až do konca sveta. Skutky, ktoré Ja činím, vy tiež budete činiť. Viac ako tieto budete činiť, lebo Ja idem k Svojmu Otcovi.“ Tak to Slovo „viac“ v tom správnom preklade... Ja tam používam „viac“, pretože v Biblii kráľa Jakuba je povedané „väčšie“. Kto môže robiť niečo väčšie? On kriesil mŕtvych, zastavil prírodu, urobil všetko to.
Ale vtedy On bol v jednej osobe. Všetko, čo bolo v Bohu, bolo uzatvorené do jedného človeka, Ježiša Krista. Ale v tomto čase, On je všade vo Svojej Cirkvi, robí toho viac, ale tie isté skutky. „Tie isté skutky, ktoré Ja činím, vy tiež budete činiť. Viac ako tieto budete činiť, pretože Ja sa vraciam do toho Ohnivého Stĺpu, v ktorom som bol predtým, ako som bol učinený telom a prebýval na zemi. Ukázal som sa ako živý skrze tie isté skutky a tie isté manifestácie, ktoré som urobil.“ To je presne tak. Ježiš povedal, keď bol tu na zemi, „Ja prichádzam od Boha a vraciam sa k Bohu.“ Je to pravda? V poriadku. Ak On bol Bohom...
34 On sa jedného dňa s niekým rozprával a oni hovorili, že on nemá ešte ani päťdesiat rokov a že videl Abraháma. On povedal, „Predtým, ako bol Abrahám, JA SOM.“ Ja som Ten Ohnivý Stĺp, ktorý bol tam v kríku pri Mojžišovi. To bol Ohnivý Stĺp podľa Písma. Ten istý je ten JA SOM, nie, „Ja som bol alebo Ja budem,“ ale JA SOM. A vždy som ten istý včera, dnes i naveky.
Vidíme, že keď ten JA SOM vstúpil do našej prítomnosti v tele Svojho vlastného Syna, ktorého stvoril... Svoje vlastné telo. On prekročil tú líniu od Boha, aby sa stal človekom, aby nás priviedol späť do spasenia a naspäť znovu do záhrady Eden. On prekročil tú hranicu Samého Seba, roztiahol medzi nami Svoje stany a jedol s nami, spal s nami a kráčal ako my a vyzeral ako my. Stal sa nami, aby sme sa my skrze Neho mohli stať Ním. Spoludediči s Ním v Kráľovstve.
35 Potom, keď zisťujeme, že ten Ohnivý Stĺp, keď bol s Ním, On vykonával znamenia a divy. A on vyznal, „To nie som ja, kto činí tie skutky, to je môj Otec, ktorý prebýva vo Mne. On činí tie skutky. Lebo amen, amen vám hovorím, že Syn nemôže činiť ničoho, kým to prv nevidí tiež činiť Otca. A Syn činí to, čo Mu Otec ukazuje. On pracuje a Ja tiež doteraz pracujem.“ Amen. Správne.
On zomrel, znovu vstal na tretí deň. A pár dní potom, ako tam bol ten malý, kritický, krivonosý žid s hrsťou niečoho vo vrecku a išiel dolu, aby prenasledoval cirkev všetkých tých, ktorí boli na tejto ceste. Išiel von do... na svojej ceste do Damašku a bol zrazený na zem. A keď sa pozrel hore, videl veľký Ohnivý Stĺp, ako tam visel a hovoril, „Saule, Saule, prečo Ma prenasleduješ?“
On povedal, „Kto si, Pane? Kto je tento Ohnivý Stĺp?“
„Prichádzam od Boha a idem k Bohu.“ Tu povedal, „Ja som Ježiš a bude ti ťažko kopať proti ostňom.“
36 Prorok povedal, že bude jarný a pozdný dážď a že v tom pozdnom daždi budú oba, jarný i pozdný dážď spolu, tá veľká univerzálna cirkev, ktorá sa preženie z jednej strany sveta na druhú stranu sveta. Veľké posolstvo, veľké znamenia a divy, ktoré budú touto cirkvou vykonané. Daniel videl ľudí, ktorí svojho Boha poznajú v tom dni, že vykonajú hrdinstvá. To je presne tento deň, v ktorom my teraz žijeme.
Teraz to mechanické oko fotoaparátu ukazuje nad nami ten istý Ohnivý Stĺp, že je tým istým Ohnivým Stĺpom, ktorý viedol deti Izraelove. Tak, to teraz musí vykonávať tie isté veci, ktoré to robilo, keď to bolo v Ňom. Inak to nie je ten istý Ohnivý Stĺp. Ale ak to činí tie isté veci, ako v to môžete pochybovať? Je to podľa Písma.
37 „Buď pozdravená, Mária, požehnaná si medzi ženami. Našla si priazeň u Boha.“ Ó, Cirkev, buď pozdravená. Požehnaná si medzi ľuďmi, lebo si našla u Boha priazeň. Uverila si vo večný Život a Boh ti dal krst Duchom Svätým. Správne. Tento posol bude pravdivým Poslom Božím, Duch Svätý, čo je Božie Posolstvo.
Všimnite si, Mária, akonáhle uvidela, že to bolo podľa Písma, nepovedala, „Pôjdem a opýtam sa Dr. Jonesa, čo on povie, že či to je správne alebo nesprávne.“ Ona nešla ku rabínovi Kabinskému, čo si o tom myslí, či je to pravda alebo nie. Ona s tým nemala nikdy nič dočinenia. Viete, čo povedala? Povedala, „Hľa, som služobnica Pánova, nech sa mi stane podľa Tvojho Slova.“ Lebo ona vedela, že to Slovo bolo Božie Slovo, že ten posol bol Božím poslom, že ten anjel bol Božím anjelom, pretože to zostávalo s Božím Slovom. „Hľa, služobnica Pánova,“ povedala, „Ako sa to stane?“ On povedal, „Duch Svätý ťa zatieni a to sväté, čo sa ti narodí, bude nazvané Syn Boží.“
Povedala, „Tu som. Ja neviem, ako sa to stane. Ale na tom nezáleží. Ty si tak povedal a je to podľa Písma, verím tomu, prijímam to.“ A ona rovno tam začala chváliť Boha, pretože pocítila život predtým, ako cítila nejaké znamenie niečoho. Ona už nechcela viac znamení. Ona mala Jeho Slovo a to bolo všetko, čo bolo potrebné. Amen. Páči sa mi to.
38 Mojžiš, akonáhle sa uchopil Boha a uvidel, že to bolo podľa Písma, ihneď išiel do Egypta.
Akonáhle sa Mária uchopila... Vlastne ten anjel ju uchopil a ona ho uvidela a vedela, že je to Boh, pretože to bolo podľa Písma, ona vzala Jeho Slovo a išla všade a svedčila o niečom, čo neukazovalo ani jeden dôkaz, že to vôbec existuje.
Ďalšia vec, ona svedčila o niečom, čo sa nikdy predtým nestalo. Ó, nech je chvála Pánovi! Ona svedčila o niečom, čo sa nikdy predtým nestalo. Žiadna panna nikdy predtým nepočala. Ale ona mala slovo anjela a ten anjel bol podľa Písma, tak ona vedela, že to bolo zasľúbené. A ten anjel mal Slovo Pánovo a zasľúbil to. A pretože Ona zmýšľala o sebe v pokore a uníženosti, jednako ju Boh vybral, tak ona bola z toho šťastná. A tak ona išla so svojím posolstvom a každému hovorila, že bude mať dieťa predtým, ako mala dokonca jediný znak, že bude mať dieťa. Ona nečakala a nehovorila, „Dobre, počkajte, nech najprv cítim a vidím, či sa cítim lepšie alebo nie.“ Nie, nie. Ó, Bože, daj nám viac takých Márií!
39 Beaumont a všetok zbytok sveta potrebuje také Márie, ktoré dokážu vziať Boha za Jeho Slovo a začnú sa radovať predtým, ako sa niečo stane. Čo vy, ženy v invalidných kreslách, a vy, bratia a sestry, ktorí ste tu s bolesťami srdca a s chorobou a všetky možné veci, keď je prítomnosť Pánova tak blízko? Ó! Vy viete, že je to Slovo Pánovo. Pán to zasľúbil.
Poviete, „Brat Branham, ak prídeš a položíš na mňa ruky...“ To nie je to. Vy ste už uzdravení, pretože, „On bol zranený pre vaše prestúpenia, bol zdrtený pre vaše neprávosti a kázeň vášho pokoja bola vzložená na Neho a Jeho ranami ste boli uzdravení.“
To je už minulý čas. Len to príjmi a začni sa radovať. „Ďakujem ti, Pane. Teraz to vidím. Nech je požehnaný Boh, som uzdravený. Je mi jedno, čo niekto druhý hovorí alebo ako sa cítim, ja som jednako uzdravený.“ To je to.
40 Posolstvo toho anjela... To tak vždy bolo. To je to, ako to Boh chce. Čo to urobilo? To zmenilo... Skrze to, že ona vzala Boha za Slovo, to zmenilo celý jej prirodzený cyklus života. To urobí to isté pre vás. Istotne urobí. To vezme vás, hriešnikov, a umyje vás do biela ako sneh. To vezme vás, kritikov, a učiní vás to jedným z nás. Istotne. To vezme vás, ktorí ste chorí, a uzdraví vás to. To vezme vás, ktorí ste na ceste do pekla, a otočí vás to naspäť a vyštartujete hore do neba. Len Ho vezmite za Slovo a verte tomu a začnite sa radovať.
Posol Pánov je tu, Duch Svätý, ktorý sa tu pohybuje nad ľuďmi a pomazáva ich. Ak si tu cudzí a chceš vedieť, čo sa deje s tými ľuďmi, to je to, čo to je. Joel to zasľúbil. Na deň Letníc Peter povedal, „Toto je To.“ Chcem k tomu niečo pridať. Ak toto nie je To, chcem si toto zachovať, kým Tamto príde, pretože s týmto mám ohromne dobrý čas. A ja verím, že toto je To. To isté, čo to bolo tam v tom dni. Ó, Ježiš Kristus je ten istý včera, dnes a naveky.
41 Mária nečakala. Ona sa nestarala o kritiku, ona sa nestarala o to, čo niekto druhý hovoril, ona stretla Anjela. Ona videla jeho hlas... Vlastne, videla jeho prítomnosť a vedela, že on jej povedal pravdu, pretože to bolo podľa Písma, bolo to pre ňu požehnané zasľúbenie a ona len išla vpred a verila tomu. A ona vedela, že to sa stane. Ó, ona... Je tam ohľadne toho ešte niečo ďalšie, keď na niečo také natrafíte, jednoducho nemôžete pri tom zostať potichu.
Anjel jej povedal, že jej sesternica Alžbeta (Ona bola v tej hornatej krajine Júdei), ona je stará, má asi sedemdesiat rokov, ale počala a bude mať syna. A bolo to už šesť mesiacov, čo bola matkou. Samozrejme, to malé dieťa, ten malý Ján ešte v sebe nemal život. Oni sa o to tak trochu trápili.
Tak zisťujeme, že Alžbeta... Zachariáš bol jej manželom a on bol kňazom. On bol v chráme asi šesť mesiacov predtým, ako sa toto stalo. Viete, Boh dáva veci dohromady medzi pokornými ľuďmi.
42 Pozrite na Zachariáša. Prišiel k nemu anjel Gabriel. On tam v chráme slúžil a pri tom, ako pálil kadidlo, čo bolo vtedy jeho losom, stál pri oltári. A náhodou sa pozrel na pravú stranu, na pravú stranu oltára. Nazdávam sa, že sa vždy zamýšľate prečo privádzam ľudí po tejto strane. To je to, kde On stojí. Takže na pravej strane oltára tam stál ten Anjel a povedal mu, že po dňoch jeho služby tu pôjde domov a bude so svojou manželkou a ona počne a porodí syna.
A ten kazateľ v to Slovo zapochyboval. No, on mal mnohokrát... Ak on mal byť otcom toho dieťaťa... Pozrite na Sáru. On mal v Biblii príklady. Pozrite na Annu v chráme, je mnoho takých príkladov. A on stále pochyboval.
Aké odlišné to bolo pri tom mozoľnatom učiteľovi filozofie... Aké odlišné to bolo pri tom seminárnom kazateľovi, od toho, ako to bolo pri tej malej panne. Ona v to vôbec nepochybovala. Povedala, „Hľa, som služobnica Pánova.“ To je všetko. Ona ho vzala za Slovo, a tým to bolo vybavené. Ale tento muž tomu nedokázal uveriť. Anjel povedal, „Ja som Gabriel, ktorý stojí v prítomnosti Božej. Moje slovo sa vyplní.“ On vedel, o čom hovorí. On povedal, „Pretože si mi zapochyboval, budeš nemý až do dňa, kedy sa narodí to dieťa.“ Išiel domov. Jeho žena počala a ukrývala sa šesť mesiacov.
43 Mária si pomyslela, „Ó, nie je to ohromné? Ja budem mať teraz dieťa a Alžbeta, moja sesternica (Ježiš a Ján boli bratranci z druhého kolena) tam... Poviem ti, to bude ohromné, pretože ona bude mať dieťa a ja budem mať dieťa. Nedokážem to už vydržať. Idem jej to hneď povedať.“ A ona išla rovno cez ten vrch tak rýchlo, ako len mohla. Môžem vidieť, ako jej krásna tvár žiarila, ona mala asi osemnásť rokov, predstavujem si ju a jej čierne vlasy takto viali. A ona išla takto po ceste a takto bola zabalená rúchom.
A viete, Alžbeta sa ukrývala. Tak nejako sa mi to páči. Myslím, že to vyzerá tak nehanebne vidieť tu ženy, ktoré si dávajú šortky a podobne, keď sa majú stať matkami. Vyzerá to žalostne. Čo za rozdiel. Je to hrozné. A viem, že by ste nemali… Možno by som to nemal povedať. Ak vás s tým urážam, prepáčte mi to. Ale vy by ste počúvali svojho lekára, a ja som váš brat. Tak tá žena bola tam v takom stave, ale ona sa ukrývala. Viem si ju predstaviť, ako tam sedí, viete, a tak trochu fňuká s... A možno vyšíva... Čo je to? Malé topánočky, viete, pripravuje ich takto a zošíva malú prikrývku. Ale ona bola... Bála sa, pretože povedala, „Ja som teraz stará a...“
44 Všimnite si, anjel Pánov... Oni boli spravodliví, Biblia hovorí, že ona a Zachariáš boli spravodliví, zachovávali všetky Božie prikázania. To je to, kde sa anjeli zjavujú, kde sa vždy zjavujú spravodlivej rodine, niekde, kde Boh môže niečo použiť, niečo, s čím môže pracovať.
A potom ona vyrábala tieto malé topánočky. A predstavujem si, že tam bolo také malé okno, tak ako niekedy v Palestíne, nešlo tam cez to okno žiadne svetlo, visel tam len taký malý tieň. A ona niečo začula. Postavila sa a videla, ako prichádza, a povedala, „Vieš, myslím, že to vyzerá ako moja sesternica Mária. Pozri, akú ma rozžiarenú tvár. No, je už dospelá. Počula som, že sa ide vydávať.“ Tak to muselo byť, „No, to je nejaká mladá žena, ale je to Mária.“ Tak si na seba niečo hodila a vyšla von, aby sa s ňou stretla, viete.
45 A ženy v tamtých dňoch neboli také, aké sú teraz, viete. Oni bežali a objali sa. Viete, mám rád priateľskosť, vy nie? Neznášam jednoducho vidieť tento hlúpy nezmysel verzia priateľstva v roku 1960. Ó, nie je už toho dostatok. No, vy južania tu dolu, u vás to nie je až také zlé, ale tam hore, och, nedávno som išiel k môjmu strýkovi do New Yorku. On žije v jednom dome už dvadsať rokov a jeho sused je od neho tak ďaleko asi ako tamtá texaská vlajka. Povedal som, „Kto tam žije?“
Povedal, „Neviem.“
Povedal som, „Vypadol si z milosti.“ Povedal som, „Ako dlho tam žije?“
Povedal, „On tam bol, už keď som ja prišiel.“ Nezistíte, že váš sused zomrel, kým to nečítate v novinách. To je pravda. Žiadne priateľstvo.
46 Tu prednedávnom sme brat Moore a ja a brat Brown išli navštíviť jedného malého chlapca, ktorý sa volal Dávid, bolo to pred pár rokmi tu dolu v Cal... vlastne na Floride, boli sme tam. A myslím, že to bol brat Hukstra, povedal mi, „Vojvodkyňa ťa chce vidieť.“
A povedal som, „Kto?“
Povedal, „Vojvodkyňa.“
Povedal som, „Čo to je?“
A povedal, „To je žena, ktorá vlastní všetky tieto pozemky.“ Povedal, „Je bohatá.“
„Dobre,“ povedal som, „nemôžem ísť za ňou. Je tu príliš mnoho chorých ľudí.“
Povedal, „Ale ona je vojvodkyňa.“
Povedal som, „To ju nerobí niečím odlišným od niekoho druhého.“
A tak on povedal... Tak oni ju tam priviedli, keď som ja išiel preč. A keď som vyšiel... Ja nie som... Nech mi Boh odpustí, ak si myslíte, že si z tej ženy robím žarty. Nerobím si. Ale ona mala na rukách toľko klenotov, až by mohla poslať nejakého misionára desaťkrát s evanjeliom okolo sveta. To je pravda. To som tam bol... Mala také okuliare... Nemala ich na sebe, ale mala ich na paličke a takto ich držala. Bola to veľká, silná, tučná pani. A tu prichádzala a ja som vyšiel zo stanu. A povedal som, „Nemám teraz na ňu čas. Ak mi zostane nejaký čas, dovoľte mi, aby som išiel k tým chorým ľuďom,“ rozumiete.
47 A povedali, „Ale ona ti dovolila tu byť.“
Povedal som, „No, to je v poriadku. Ak dovolila Dávidovi byť na tomto pozemku, my si to ceníme. Ona je v poriadku, nič proti nej. Dovoľte mi ísť k tým ľuďom tu.“ Ale oni veľmi chceli, aby som za ňou išiel a tak som išiel.
Povedala, „Vy ste doktor Branham?“
Povedal som, „Nie, madam.“ Povedal som, „Ja som brat Branham.“
Povedala... No, viete, nikto sa na vás nemôže pozrieť cez taký pár okuliarov, keď je tak ďaleko od vás. Ona sa cez to takto pozrela a povedala, „No, doktor Branham,“ povedala, „som očarená.“ Načiahol som sa a pozrel sa na jej ruku (chytil som jej ruku, aby som jej ňou potriasol) no, myslel som, že budem džentlmenom. A tak som chytil jej veľkú ruku a potiahol tu dole. Povedal som takto: „Dajte ju dolu, aby som vás spoznal, keď vás druhýkrát uvidím.“ Ó, mám rád, keď je to cítiť.
48 Paul Rader, ten človek, ktorý napísal túto pieseň, ktorú tu spievam, „Jemu len ver“ povedal, že raz ráno mal so svojou manželkou takú malú rodinnú hádku, trochu sa jeden s druhým pohádali. Povedal, že prvá vec, viete... Čítal noviny a ona povedala niečo ako, „Paul, dáš mi nejaké peniaze?“
On povedal, „Nemám žiadne peniaze.“ A takto to išlo trochu ďalej a povedal, že po chvíli... Vôbec si nevšimol, že to zranilo jej city. On si tam sedel a povedal, „Dobre, ak sa jej takto ľahko zrania city, tak nech si tam sedí.“ Viete, bratia, ako to niekedy robíme, nazdávam sa, že viete.
A tak on povedal, že ona vždy stála pri dverách a pobozkala ho, keď odchádzal. A potom išiel ku bránke. Potom, keď... On sa otočil a zamával jej a ona mu zamávala. A povedal, že tentokrát vstal, nasadil si klobúk a povedal, „Nech si len tie pery našpúli.“ Povedal, že išiel k dverám, nastavil jej pery, pobozkal ju a išiel až ku bránke, otočil sa a pozrel sa späť. Povedal, že tam stála pri dverách. Povedal, že zamával a ona zamávala.
A potom išiel dolu ulicou . A niečo s ním začalo konať a hovoriť mu, „Urobil si zle, Paul.“ (Starý Paul je už dnes večer v sláve) Ale povedalo to, „Urobil si zle, Paul. Čo ak by sa jej dnes niečo stalo?“ Povedal, že začal o tom premýšľať. Ó, čo ak by sa niečo stalo a už by ju tu nikdy na zemi nevidel? Ó.
Povedal, že to bolo horšie a horšie a tak povedal, „Pane, odpusť mi. Idem späť a napravím to.“ Povedal, že rýchlo bežal späť a otvoril bránku, pomaly otvoril dvere a poobzeral sa. Počul tam nejaký zvuk [Brat Branham napodobňuje zvuk fňukania – pozn.prekl.]. Povedal, že tam stála za dverami a plakala. Vystrel sa k nej, nepovedal ani slovo. Urobil [cmuk] a znovu ju pobozkal a bežal znovu ku bránke, otočil sa a zamával. Povedala, že ona zamávala práve tak ako prvýkrát, ale tento druhýkrát v tom bolo cítenie. Tak si myslím, že takto je to aj dnes. Chceme... Chcem niečo s cítením, niečo, čo je pre mňa skutočné.
49 Bol som... Nedávno sme moja žena a ja boli v meste. Ocitla sa tam jedna pani a povedala, „Pekný deň, sestra Branhamová.“
A ja som sa na ňu pozrel a povedal som, „Hej, hej, tá pani s tebou hovorí, drahá.“
Povedala, „Odpovedala som jej.“
Povedal som, „No, viem, že ťa nemohla počuť. Ja som ťa nepočul. A to sedím rovno pri tebe.“
„Ó,“ povedala, „usmiala som sa na ňu.“
„Och,“ povedal som...
[Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.]
50 Ona povedala, „Vieš, Mária, budem matkou.“
„Áno, áno,“ povedala Mária a viete, jej malé očká žiarili a boli plné sĺz radostí. „Áno, áno, všetko to už viem.“
„Ty o tom všetkom vieš?“
„Áno, áno, všetko o tom viem.“
„Ale, Mária, mám starosti. Je to už šesť mesiacov, čo som počala a bábätko sa ani nepohlo.“ Tak vy viete, že to je neprirodzené. Pri troch mesiacoch je to ešte v poriadku, ale toto bol už šiesty mesiac a malý Ján sa ešte ani nepohol. Tak ona povedala, „Trochu mám o to obavy a o to všetko.“
Povedala, „Áno, rozumiem ti.“ A povedala, „Vieš, ja tiež budem mať dieťa.“
„Aha rozumiem. Ty a Jozef ste sa už zobrali?“
„Nie, nie sme zobratí.“
„Čo, Mária, ty nie si vydatá a budeš mať dieťa?“
„Áno, veru tak.“
„Ó, drahá, čo tým myslíš?“
„Vieš, tým istým spôsobom, ako viem, že ty budeš mať dieťa. Anjel Gabriel ma navštívil a povedal mi o tvojom prípade a tiež, že Duch Svätý príde na mňa a že sa to už stalo. A to dieťa, ktoré budem mať, bude Syn Boží.“ A povedala, „Dokonca mi povedal... Povedal mi, ako sa bude volať.“ Povedal, „Nazveš Jeho Meno Ježiš.“
A môžem vidieť, ako sa tvár Alžbety vyjasnila a povedala, „Odkiaľ to prichádza matka môjho Pána?“ Lebo akonáhle prišiel tvoj pozdrav do mojich uší, moje dieťatko poskočilo v mojom lone od radosti.“
51 Chcem sa vás niečo opýtať, priatelia. Ak po prvýkrát, kedy bolo Meno Ježiša Krista vyslovené smrteľnými perami, priviedlo mŕtve dieťa v lone matky do života, čo by to malo urobiť so znovuzrodeným zhromaždením, ktoré tvrdí, že je naplnené Duchom Svätým? Haleluja. Amen. To by malo uzdraviť rakovinu, otvoriť slepé oči, vyslobodiť zajatých, naplniť Duchom Svätým a všetky druhy vecí v tom vzácnom Mene Pána Ježiša, malo by to spôsobiť, že hriešnik bude nariekať nad svojimi hriechmi. Ó!
Celý zástup sa mi zdá, ako sa pohybuje a vlní. Ó, čo by Boh teraz mohol urobiť, Posol Svätého Božieho Ducha je dnes v budove, Ten Posol, Svätý Duch prináša pokoj, odráža Ježiša Krista. Ten veľký Ohnivý Stĺp visí nad nami. Poviete, „Ja to nevidím.“ Ale môžeš to cítiť, tak pre jeden zmysel tela je to rovno tak dobré ako pre ten druhý. Tak tvoj zrak ťa môže zviesť viac ako tvoj pocit.
Tak potom, ak to nečiní tú istú prácu, potom to nie je Duch Svätý, ale ak to robí tú istú prácu, potom je to Svätý Duch, ten istý. Amen. Veríte tomu?
Koľkí... Koľkí sú tu hriešnikmi? Koľkí tu by chceli povedať „Chcel by som sa radovať z týchto požehnaní, sedieť v tejto sláve Shekinah s vami ľuďmi a radovať sa z Božích požehnaní.“ Zodvihol by si svoju ruku a povedal, „Pamätaj na mňa, brat Branham, ako sa budeš modliť.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Ty tam a tam tiež, i ty. Tak veru. Kto ďalší zodvihne ruku a povie, „Brat Branham, modli sa za mňa“? Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladý muž. To je veľmi dobré.
52 Dnes ráno som išiel raňajkovať, prišiel ku mne jeden milý chlapec a objal ma. Jeho otec je jeden z pastorov, ktorí sú tu v Zhromaždeniach Božích. Myslím, že je tu na pódiu. Dnes ráno tu bol. A jeho malý chlapec bol vyvolaný niekde v zhromaždení a on škúlil a dnes má tak priamy zrak ako aj ja. To bolo pred rokmi.
A prišiel ku mne iný brat a potriasol mi ruku a povedal, že jeho malá dcéra mala na krku veľký opuch. A ja som bol v zbore brata Jacka Moora. A Duch Svätý sa pohyboval medzi ľuďmi a vyvolal ju z obecenstva a povedal jej to. Ten opuch ihneď zmizol a bolo po ňom. A ona tu je. Ó.
Čo to je? Čo je ten Ohnivý Stĺp? To je anjel Pánov. Čo je anjel Pánov? Ten istý, ktorý bol v ohnivom kre, ten istý, ktorý bol v Ježišovi Kristovi, ten istý, ktorý je dnes večer v tebe. Amen. Ten istý je tu, Ten istý veľký Pán Ježiš.
53 Bude ešte niekto predtým, ako sa budeme modliť a chcel by zodvihnúť svoje ruky a povedať, „Pamätaj na mňa, brat Branham. Pamätaj na mňa.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, pane. Boh ťa žehnaj. A ten malý chlapec tam vzadu a tam na druhej strane, tam na konci. Áno. Kdekoľvek si, Boh vie.
Skloňme teraz na chvíľu svoje hlavy. A teraz, sestra, keby si nám zahrala „Ten veľký Lekár je teraz tu“. Daj nám akord, ak môžeš, prosím.
54 Pamätajte, blízko Fort Wayne... Bol som vo Fort Wayne v Indiane. Som teraz za kazateľňou už tridsaťjeden rokov. Toto bolo asi pred dvadsiatimi ôsmimi rokmi. Modlil som sa za jedného malého chlapca a hudba hrala. Ten chlapec bol uzdravený. Vyskočil mi z náručia, on bol paralyzovaný a začal bežať a skočil do náručia svojej matky. Keď sa to stalo, jedno mladé Dunkardove dievča hralo na klavíri. A ona vstala a jej vlasy sa jej takto rozpustili a ona začala spievať v Duchu a ten klavír, na ktorý hrala, tie slonovinové klávesy sa ďalej hýbali a ďalej hrali „Ten veľký Lekár je teraz tu, súcitu plný Ježiš,“ stáli tam stovky ľudí a dívali sa na to.
O nič menej, ako sa stalo v nedeľu pred dvomi týždňami v mojej modlitebni, kde bolo asi tristo alebo štyristo ľudí a tento Ohnivý Stĺp sa viditeľne zjavil v Jeffersonville po druhýkrát. (Po prvý krát Ho videli tam vtedy pri rieke.) A On tam stál asi pätnásť minút, nechal, aby každý videl a pozrel sa na Neho. Brat, sme na konci cesty.
55 Náš nebeský Otče, prichádzame teraz, Pane, ku Tebe ako ku Živému Kameňu. Prichádzame, Pane, pretože my veríme, že Ty si tu a že si odplatiteľom tých, ktorí Ťa snažne hľadajú. Modlíme sa o Tvoje požehnania. Modlíme sa, aby si dnes večer pomohol tomuto obecenstvu. A tí, ktorí zodvihli svoje ruky, nech môžu byť účastníkmi tohto veľkého Svätého Ducha, Posla tých posledných dní. „Vylejem Svojho Ducha na každé telo.“ Ty si to zasľúbil. Ty si povedal, že v tých posledných dňoch bude jarný a pozdný dážď padať spolu, to znamená, že na jednej strane zeme a na druhej strane zeme, na oboch stranách príde dážď. Na tieto zahraničné polia, na tieto polia príde dážď. Tak veríme, že tá hodina je tu. Vidíme Ducha Svätého, ako manifestuje tie isté veci, aké robil, keď tu predtým bol.
Požehnaj týchto drahých ľudí, Otče, modlím sa o to. Buď blízko pri nich. Daj im večný Život. Udeľ to, Pane. Porúčam ich teraz tebe v Mene Pána Ježiša. Ako máme sklonené hlavy, modlime sa ešte trochu.
56 ...Ten veľký Lekár je práve tu.
Súcituplný Ježiš.
On hovorí potešenie ku zronenému srdcu.
Ó, dýchni na nás, Duchu Svätý. Príď do Svojej cirkvi, Pane Ježišu, tá Ranná Hviezda, Ohnivý Stĺp. Prepáľ si dnes večer cestu cez každú neveru do sŕdc ľudí. Nech sú ako Mária, aby tak mohli vidieť Tvoju prítomnosť a vedieť, že to si Ty a že potom Tvoje zasľúbenia sú rovnako dobré, každé zasľúbenie. Ty si zasľúbil toto robiť. Tvoje zasľúbenie bolo, že Ty si ich už uzdravil, pretože si bol zranený pre ich prestúpenia. „Jeho ranami sme boli uzdravení.“ Udeľ to, Otče, tomuto očakávajúcemu publiku. Očakávame teraz na Teba. Modlíme sa v Kristovom Mene, aby si sa tu pohyboval.
Len som chvíľu pozoroval, aby som videl, čo sa udeje. Ó, aké dobré. Pozdvihnime teraz trochu svoje hlavy. Čakal som na vás, že sa utíšite. Koľkí z vás sú tu chorí a nemáte modlitebnú kartu? Zodvihnite svoje ruky ku Bohu, aby vás uzdravil. Verím, že potvrdenie je v troch. Je to pravda? Je to v Biblii? Ak som vám povedal pravdu, kázal pravdu, potom Boh je zaviazaný postaviť sa za tú pravdu, ak je to Jeho pravda.
57 Teraz tu máme kôpku kariet. Nejdeme ich volať. Chcem len, aby ste vedeli, že tu nejde o modlitebné karty. Opýtajte sa kazateľov, či je to tak. Opýtajte sa bratov, ktorí so mnou všade chodia.
Pôjdeme niekde dolu cestou a ja poviem, „Počkajte. Za druhým rohom tam bude určitá vec. Bude tam stáť určitý človek. On má určitú vec a chce, aby som išiel na určité miesto kvôli určitej veci. Ideme tam a toto a toto sa stane.“ Istotne... Nikdy to nezlyháva. Nemôže to zlyhať. To je teraz Boh a čo On robí? Potvrdzuje, že je Tým istým. Tak to nie som ja, to je On.
58 Nevidím pred sebou žiadnu osobu, ktorú by som poznal, okrem týchto dvoch malých dievčat. Myslím, že toto sú dievčatá brata Evansa. Je to tak? Áno, to sú. To sú jediní, ktorých poznám. Pozrel som sa, či by som mohol zbadať niekoho, koho naozaj poznám. Ale tí jediní, koho poznám... Videl som pred chvíľou brata Evansa, ale stratil som ho z dohľadu. Ó, áno, tu je brat Dauch, sedí rovno tu, z Ohio, brat Bill Dauch, môj priateľ, a sedí rovno tu a aj so sestrou Dauchovou. To je sestra Evansová. Zbadal som ju tam rovno za... V poriadku. A rovno tam je brat Evans a sestra Evansová. A kde je brat Welch? On sedí tam vzadu. V poriadku. Aby tak mohli všetci vedieť, kto ste, zodvihnite svoje ruky. Ktokoľvek, kto ma tu pozná a vie, že ja poznám vás, zodvihnite svoju ruku, aby som vedel, že vás poznám. V poriadku. Vidíte? Tak teraz vy, ktorí viete, že ja vás nepoznám a ste chorí, zodvihnite svoje ruky. Zodvihnite svoje ruky. Len sa pozrite, kde všade. Vidíte? Takmer všade. V poriadku.
Ak je Ježiš ten istý včera, dnes i naveky, Biblia hovorí, že na počiatku bolo Slovo a to Slovo bol Boh. Je to pravda? A to Slovo sa stalo telom. To je to, kedy sa Božie Slovo, ktoré On vypovedal, stalo telom.
Či viete, že práve tá zem, na ktorej sedíte, je manifestáciou Božieho Slova? To je Božie zamanifestované Slovo. Ak nie je, odkiaľ potom prišla? On učinil svet z neviditeľných vecí. On dal zem dohromady. Len vypovedal Slovo. Povedal, „Nech je...“ a bolo. On je Stvoriteľ. V poriadku. Tak tá stolička, na ktorej sedíš, je Božie Slovo. Táto zem, na ktorej leží táto podlaha, je Božím Slovom. Všetky tieto veci sú z prachu zeme, Slovo Božie. A vy sami ste Slovom Božím. To je pravda. Prečo potom nedokáže to malé srdce tam dolu začať odsúvať všetky pochybnosti preč z tohto miesta tu? Nech tak je.
60 Tak Slovo Božie je ostrejšie nad každý dvojsečný meč prenikajúci až do špikov kostí a rozdeľujúci až do špiku kostí, a Slovo Božie, ktoré je Ježiš, je rozlišovateľom myšlienok srdca a mysle. Je to pravda?
Tak, keď Slovo bolo tu a bolo učinené telom a prebývalo medzi nami vo forme Syna Božieho, Ježiša Krista, jedna nepatrná žena sa skrze vieru dotkla jedného dňa Jeho rúcha. On to necítil fyzicky, ale On sa obrátil, pozrel sa a povedal, „Kto sa Ma to dotkol? Kto sa Ma dotkol?“
Dokonca Peter Ho pokarhal a povedal, „Pane, každý sa Ťa dotýka.“
On povedal, „Áno, ale Ja som spoznal, že zo Mňa vyšla cnosť. Zoslabol som. Sila Ma opustila.“ On povedal... Poobzeral sa okolo po publiku a našiel jednu drobnú ženu, povedal jej o jej krvotoku, ktorý mala, a že jej viera ju zachránila (Je to pravda?), ona bola uzdravená. On nikdy nepovedal, „Ja som to urobil.“ Ona sama to urobila. Rozumiete? Povedal, „Tvoja viera ťa zachránila...“
61 Tak Biblia povedala, že On je ten istý včera, dnes a naveky. A kniha Židom nám hovorí, že On je Veľkňazom, ktorého sa môžeme dotýkať našimi slabosťami. A ak On je tým istým včera, dnes a naveky, ak sa dotkneš toho istého Veľkňaza, Ten istý Veľkňaz bude konať tak isto. Ten spôsob, ako konal po prvýkrát, On musí konať po druhýkrát. Ak to tak nerobí, tak konal nesprávne, keď to urobil po prvýkrát. Ak sa dal poznať ako Mesiáš tým Židom a Samaritánom skrze to, že rozpoznal ich myšlienky v ich mysli a povedal im, kto sú alebo čím boli, a tak ďalej, alebo čo urobili...
Koľkí z vás viete, že je to pravda, že je to Biblická pravda, že to je to, ako sa On dal poznať? No, ak to je spôsob, ako sa On dal poznať Židom a Samaritánom, On sa tak musí dať poznať i pohanom, inak sa tam tým dal zle poznať. Rozumiete, čo mám na mysli?
Teraz všetci, ktorí tomu veríte, zodvihnite svoju ruku a povedzte, „Verím, že On mi to zasľúbil.“ Ďakujem vám. To je to, čo to urobilo. Pozrite, pamätajte, čo povedal ten anjel: Ak dovedieš ľudí do toho, aby ti verili. Rozumiete? Nie veriť mne, ale Jemu, ale uveriť, že On ma poslal ku vám. Tak, vy sa modlíte a dotýkate sa Veľkňaza. A ak ma On obráti od tohoto pódia a bude hovoriť ku vám, dovoľte... Vy buďte sudcami toho, či je to správne alebo nesprávne. Vy buďte sudcami, či je to správne alebo nesprávne.
62 Povedzte len... Tak odhliadnite odo mňa ako od človeka a povedzte, „Pane Ježišu, som v potrebe.“ A nesnažte si nejako sami pretlačiť cestu, lebo tak sa nikam nedostanete. Len sa uvoľnite a povedzte, „Verím tomu, Pane, nie je v mojej mysli žiadna pochybnosť. Ten človek ma nepozná a ja som od neho ďaleko. Ja som tu v publiku (Tu ďaleko vzadu alebo stojím tu pri stĺpe alebo pri niečom takom). Tak viem, že Ti verím. Ak mi len dovolíš, aby som sa Ťa dotkol, nech sa ku mne obráti a ja budem vedieť, že to nie je brat Branham, pretože on ma nepozná. On ani nevie, kým som alebo čo som urobil alebo čo som vykonal alebo čo urobím. Ale Ty to vieš. Tak ak ho len Ty obrátiš, budem vedieť, že si to Ty. Potom uverím jeho Posolstvu, pretože Ty ho máš pod kontrolou. To si potom Ty, ktorý hovoríš skrze neho, vidím to.“
Uverili by ste tomu? Koľkí tomu budú veriť, ak na vlastné oči uvidia, že sa to tak stane? Nie niekde vzadu v tmavej miestnosti, rovno tu pred verejnosťou tak, ako to robil náš Pán. Nemajte... Nie je to nič potajomky, je to rovno tu. Je to len pre veriacich. Tak teraz sa len modlite.
63 Mohol som sa zmýliť. Pomyslel som si, že je to niekde rovno tu, ale to nemohlo byť. Budem to pozorovať, je to svetlo. Či táto strana tu tiež zodvihla svoje ruky, lebo sú tiež chorí a nepoznajú ma? Tak, On je rovno teraz tu. Vy, ktorí ste videli tie fotografie a podobne, len si pomyslite, to mechanické oko kamery to videlo predtým, ako to mnohí ľudia uvideli... Bolo to odfotografované. Ak aj dnes večer zomriem a toto je môj posledný deň na zemi, moje svedectvo je pravdivé. Mechanické oko fotoaparátu to dokázalo sedem alebo osemkrát v rozličných národoch. Je to pravda. Cirkev po celom svete to vie.
Povedal som pravdu, pretože hovorím z Neho. To je ten dôvod, prečo sa nebojím hovoriť len to, čo On bude hovoriť späť, potvrdzovať, že som povedal pravdu, pretože ja nesvedčím o samom sebe, ja svedčím o Ňom. Buďte teraz skutočne úctiví a verte.
Povedzte, „Načo teraz čakáš, brat Branham?“ Čakám na Neho. Ak mi On nič nepovie, ja to nemôžem urobiť, to je všetko. Je potrebná vaša viera, aby bolo niečo vykonané. Alebo možno sa Mu to nepáči, ako to robíme. Koľkí máte teraz modlitebné karty? Má niekto modlitebné karty? Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, päť, šesť, sedem, osem, asi osem kariet zostalo, deväť. Tak my ich potom vyvoláme, ak to On neurobí. Ja to rád vidím, keď sa to deje bez modlitebných kariet, aby ste tak mohli vidieť, že modlitebná karta s tým nemá nič do činenia.
64 Bože, pomôž nám dnes večer. Modlím sa teraz, aby si to udelil. Prišiel som sem s dobrou vierou, prišiel som a veril, vedel som, že Ty to urobíš. Modlím sa, aby si mi teraz pomohol. Daj mi z Tvojho Ducha, Otče. Udeľ to, aby to tak mohlo byť pre Tvoju slávu. Modlím sa v Ježišovom Mene. Amen.
Áno, tu to je. Ďakujem ti, Pane. Či veríš, pani, že ťa Boh uzdraví z toho pruhu? Že ťa celkom uzdraví? V poriadku. Príjmi to. Zodvihni ruku. V poriadku. Máš modlitebnú kartu? Nemáš. Nepotrebuješ ju. Nikdy v živote som tú ženu nevidel. Sme si jeden druhému cudzí, drahá sestra? Ja ťa nepoznám. Ak je to pravda, zodvihni ruku, aby to tak publikum mohlo vidieť. Bol to ten tvoj problém? Ty si tam sedela a modlila sa, že? Ja som sa teraz s tebou skontaktoval. Ty si sa modlila k Ježišovi a hovorila, „Nech som to ja.“ Je to pravda? Zamávaj takto svojou rukou. Zodvihni ruku, zamávaj rukou, aby to tak mohli vidieť. Tak ako by som ja mohol vedieť, čo sa ona modlila a aké slová hovorila? Nevidíte to? To je Kristus.
Tu je jedna pani, ktorá sa presunula a sedí teraz tam. Chceš prekonať tie srdcové ťažkosti, sestra? Nemusíš sem prísť. Pozri sa len sem. Či chceš prekonať svoje srdcové problémy? V poriadku. Zodvihni ruku a povedz, „Prijímam to.“ V poriadku. Choď domov, tvoje srdcové ťažkosti sú preč. Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje.
65 Tá pani, ktorá sedí rovno za tebou, má ženské problémy. Postav sa, ak je to pravda. V poriadku. Máš modlitebnú kartu? Máš. Ja som ťa neplánoval vyvolať. V poriadku. Choď domov. Si... Mala si... Mala si ťažkosti s očami a to sa tiež zhoršuje. Je to pravda? Zamávaj rukou. Nie preto, že by si mala okuliare, ale oni sa zhoršujú. V poriadku. Teraz sa už viac nebudú, choď domov, Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje.
Urobte mi, prosím, láskavosť, dobre? Aby tak druhí mohli vedieť, tým, že ty máš kartu... Tá pani, ktorá sedí rovno vedľa teba, ona... Rovno na tejto strane tu. Ona trpí na problémy pažeráku. Či veríš, že Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdraví? To je On... Ale to je všetko v poriadku. Ver a to od teba odíde. V poriadku.
66 Tak teraz, ak veríš, že ja som Boží prorok, polož svoju ruku na tú ženu vedľa teba, ktorá plače. Anjel Pánov je nad ňou. Ona má ťažkosti s hlavou. Ak je to pravda, povstaň na svoje nohy, pani, tá, ktorú som práve vyvolal. V poriadku. Povstaň, ak je to pravda, ty, ktorá máš vreckovku. V poriadku. Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje. Choď domov a buď uzdravená.
Veríte Mu? Tak je ten Anjel podľa Písma? Tu, rovno tu, rovno tam na tej strane, tam vzadu. Tam je jeden muž s manželkou. Tá žena má cukrovku a ten muž má artritídu. Ó, ak by som len mohol spôsobiť, aby porozumeli. Bože, pomôž mi. To je pán a pani Wilkersonoví, povstaňte na svoje nohy, Ježiš Kristus vás uzdravuje. Choďte domov a buďte zdraví. Ježiš Kristus vás uzdravuje.
Máš modlitebnú kartu? Nemáš? Nemáš a ani žiadnu nepotrebuješ. Zatiaľ čo stojíš na svojich nohách, počúvajte toto, priatelia. Ja vás vôbec nepoznám, však? Ak vás nepoznám, potraste si navzájom ruky. Vidíte, ja vás nepoznám. Vy ste tam sedeli a modlili sa. Je to pravda? Niečo sa vám stalo. Je to pravda? V poriadku. Je to to, aké boli vaše problémy? Je to vaše meno? Všetko to, čo On povedal, je pravda? Zamávajte takto rukou, ak je to pravda. Zamávajte. V poriadku. Tu to máte. Choďte domov, Ježiš Kristus vás uzdravuje.
Čoho sa dotkli? Či veríte, že ten Anjel, ktorý je pred nami, je Anjel Pánov? To nie som ja. Ja tých ľudí nepoznám. Ja svedčím, oni svedčia a my nepoznáme jeden druhého, tak to musí byť Anjel Pánov. A on koná práve tie veci podľa Písma, ktoré Ježiš povedal, že sa budú diať predtým, ako bude spálená Sodoma. Amen.
67 Pozrime sa. Ak len môžete veriť. Tu, je to rovno opäť tu, tu pri tom rohu. Počkajte, to je tá pani... Nie. Počkajte chvíľu. Nie, to nie je tá pani, ktorá tam stojí. To je tá pani, ktorá sedí tu. To je tak. Tu sedí jedna pani. Videl som nejaké dieťa, ale ide o tú pani, ktorá tam sedí a ona trpí na hemoroidy. A ona... Tam to je jej malé dievča. Ona trpí na astmu. To je TAK HOVORÍ PÁN. Povstaň na svoje nohy a prijmi svoje uzdravenie. Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje. Povstaňte obe. Ak sme si cudzí, zodvihnite svoje ruky a zamávajte nimi. V poriadku. Choď domov, milá pani. Je s tým teraz koniec, budeš uzdravená.
Veríte? Pozrite sem, pozrite sa sem, pozrite sem, sem. Môžeš to vidieť, brat Jack? Pozrite sa sem, rovno tu, visí to rovno nad týmto mužom tu. Ten muž trpí na pruh. To je pravda. On nie je z tohoto mesta, on je z mesta, ktoré sa nazýva Orange. Správne. Volá sa pán Sack. Je to pravda, pane? Ak som ti cudzí, zamávaj mi naspäť a takto. Ty si tam sedel a hovoril si, „Nech som to ja, Pane.“ Je to pravda? Zamávaj rukou.
Ó, Bože, ako to len nedokážu vidieť? Rozkazujem každej chorej osobe, ktorá je tu, aby povstala na svoje nohy a prijala svoje uzdravenie v Mene Ježiša Krista. Amen. Povstaňte, nebojte sa. Verte Mu z celého svojho srdca. [Zhromaždenie sa raduje – pozn.prekl.]
1 Thank you, brother. It was certainly... I have to say "amen" to that. The Lord blessed us this morning in a most unusual way. I had something on my mind I was going to speak about, and just changed it right over. And that's the kind of meetings I like--the sweetness of the Holy Spirit just moving in, flowing over the building. And then, the Holy Spirit...
Last night, I guess it must have been a prophecy. I said the ministers behind me, that their time would come. They was sacrificing. And this morning, why, before I could even get started hardly, the goodness of the Holy Spirit went right out among those minister, pronounced them healed, right out around, telling them their conditions and diseases and whatmore. Oh, He's good, isn't He? He certainly is. He's a wonderful Father. We're so grateful for Him.
2 Now, tomorrow afternoon, the Lord willing, we're going to change the service from tomorrow night until tomorrow afternoon. And I think that's nice. It gives everybody a chance to keep their churches going. I always think it's a Christian's duty to stand at his post of duty. And that way, when we're having a rally like this, well, I... and the brethren who are willing to close their churches and send their people over... I tell all you visitors here now, that's here out of the city and away from these churches, go to church tomorrow. Just pick your choice. There's a fine bunch of brothers here and some fine churches that believes in this same gospel we're preaching. They're standing here. And they're be glad to have you at their Sunday schools tomorrow morning and their churches tomorrow night. And now, be sure to attend some church, the church that you choose.
I guess the brethren has told you where... they made some kind of arrangements to say where they're at and what about it. They usually do that. And you're invited to all of them. And so now the church... wherever you go to church at, what one you represent, whatever you want to do, will, that'll just be fine. Now, I see them getting in the movies or something. So there's a great spirit amongst the people, a great revival seems to be moving this way.
I trust that it'll never lose that beautiful spirit that was in the meeting this morning. That's... that's really something when you see God's goodness and His mercy to come and bless us, and do the things that He did this morning.
3 Now, if the Lord being willing, tomorrow afternoon I want to make it like a good Christian rally, and just let everybody come out. We're just going to preach an evangelistic sermon tomorrow afternoon, if the Lord willing. And Brother Leo, our book man, said, "Brother Branham, you ought to preach one time down here to these people like that old-time sassafras preaching."
The Lord being good to us, we want you to turn in your Bibles if you wish, or just put the text down. I just got a verse to read in Luke, the first chapter, thirty-seventh verse:
For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
4 Let us bow our heads just a moment. Our heavenly Father, we come in the name of the Lord Jesus to ask mercy and forgiveness of our short-comings. We would pray tonight, Lord, that You would continue to visit us in these great visitations of Thy Holy Spirit, that You might show Yourself alive until You appear again in physical form at the second coming.
We pray, heavenly Father, that if there would be any among us who has never yet accepted You as their own dear loving Saviour that tonight will be that time that when they will make that all-sufficient One, "Yes, Lord, I believe." Those who have started that way and has not yet come on to the baptism of the Spirit, we pray that they also will yield tonight to the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Last evening we were so happy, Lord, to see You go out among the people, those who raised their hands that they did not have prayer cards; see Your great Holy Spirit go out and heal the sick and afflicted, and call them, doing just like You did when it dwelt in the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, showing that You're still in Your church: people getting up from stretchers and walking away; and those who were dying, at the last hope, seen the light of God and accepted it, walked away healed. The great meeting this morning in the fellowship with the Holy Spirit, as we set together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, O God, how we love that.
5 And we pray that You'll give us Thy heavenly blessings tonight. Do not look upon our unworthiness, Lord, because we are unworthy, and there's nothing that we could do to merit anything. So we humbly confess that we are, we are wrong, and we are unrighteous and Thou alone are righteous. And we come in the name of the Lord Jesus, as He's bid us to, promising that we would get what we ask for. God, I'm going to ask a great thing of You, and I pray that the Holy Spirit will search every heart here tonight. if they need healing, heal them, Lord. Whatever they have need of, grant it, Lord. And don't forget me back here.
Don't forget these lovely bunch of minister, Lord. Bless their churches tomorrow. May they be just packed out and the Spirit of God moving through them. May there be an old fashioned revival break in this country here and just cross the nation. Bless all the peoples everywhere, Father. Now, as I've read these few words, I pray that You'll bless them to our hearts. We ask in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
6 The morning sun was just coming up over the hill as she was making her way along the little familiar street, coming down off the hill where she lived. And as she walked along with the water pot under her arm, she was perhaps thinking, meditating, as young women usually, about that age, can walk along thinking. And she was on her road to the city well to get the daily supply of water. We're told that her mother was dead, so she just kind of kept home there by herself and her aged father. And she was thinking of the day before.
7 It must have been on the first day of the week, after they had had the Sabbath service, and the sun getting pretty well up and climbing into the Palestinian blue skies. And the sweetness of the flowers as the sun comes up, that atmosphere, that aroma of the flowers and honeysuckles, as the heat dries it down, and just a few hours before it dries it out again... I love that time of morning. I think it's fresh. I like to get out in the gardens.
I think a minister ought to come to the platform not loaded down with a lot of care, but out of freshness of the presence of the Lord. Get out early of a morning after all the demons have gone to bed, and the night rally's about over. And then it settles down and gets quiet, and smell that aroma, the sweetness. And I believe if a minister would just stay before God until he came into the pulpit, he'd come as a sweet smelling savour, anointed with the Holy Spirit to bring the message of God to the hungry-hearted people who are waiting.
8 As she made her way down along the path, I believe (or I might say this as a little drama) that she was thinking about what happened the day before. After they'd come from church, why, it was customary that her engaged husband, Joseph, was to come home with her that day for dinner. And as dinner was made ready, why... They'd had their dinner, and as usual, they set out on the porch, looking across the little valley over on the other side of the hill.
Joseph was a carpenter. And knowing that he was fixing to marry this beautiful young Jewish maiden, being a carpenter, he was building their future home over on the other hill. So, you know, I'd imagine it had to have that little special touch to it, because he was going to bring his pretty young bride into this home. The doors had to fit just right. And he was taking his time about doing it, because he didn't want a hurry-up job on this one. He must be... The windows must fit just right, and the doors just right. I'd imagine when he went in the gate it might have been a big heart shape, so... when he went in to make the gate in the shape of a heart. Roses all around the house.
9 And they'd planned this for some time, since their engagement. And they would go out there on, say, a Sunday afternoon, and sit down on the porch, and look just across where their future home would be. And as a custom they'd speak about the Lord, because they were both great believers in God. And this Sunday was a special one. As they hurried dinner and got the dishes washed, and Joseph was already setting on the porch when Mary arrived, and it must have been a conversation something like this, as they usually talked about the way the house was shaped, and how it would look, and the rabbis would come home with them for dinner. But instead they fell on the subject of the morning's message that they'd heard from the rabbi, the notable, honorable one. And perhaps it was Mary that said, "Joseph, wasn't that a striking message this morning that the rabbi preached, our beloved pastor?"
10 "Oh," Joseph must have said, "that was an outstanding message. I loved it so much when he spoke of that great Jehovah God Who led our people out of Egypt. Did it not thrill you when he read the scrolls of Exodus when they were brought out, and how that Jehovah led them by a Pillar of Fire? And they just had no compass to go... but they went by the leading of the Spirit. Oh, Mary, wouldn't it be wonderful that if we could live all of our lives watching that Pillar of Fire and be led like they were?
"And how that when they needed food He rained the manna out of heaven; they had bread. And then when they needed flesh, He blowed in quails from the coast: filled the ground. And when they needed water, He had a smitten rock. When they were sick, He had a brass serpent for an atonement for their sickness, and, oh, how great it was."
"But," he said, "Sweetheart, I believe he spoiled the whole thing when he said, 'But alas, Jehovah doesn't do that any more. ' Somehow or another I have always believed that that Jehovah always remains the same. He just can't fail. And I believe that the reason that we have... living in the days that we are, is because that our people has lost faith in Jehovah."
11 "I believe that He is immortal, and He doesn't get old and fade away. He's just simply the same Jehovah, and He expects us not... I don't think that I would disregard or disrespect the honorable rabbi, but when he said this morning in his message that Jehovah performed no more miracles, that the only thing that He wanted us to do was to come to church, and pay our tithes, and live a good life as we could, and He'd take us up home in glory, I--I can't hardly believe that, Mary. I--I believe that Jehovah wants us to walk with Him like they did in that day."
And then it must have been that Mary said, "Oh, dear, do you know, we should read the Scriptures first."
Well, if you've ever been in a Palestinian home and see some of the old ancient landmarks... The books of the Bible was kept in like a... It's called a scroll, rolled up on like a stick. And they kept them in a container like a waste basket. And just stick them down in this container. And, like the scroll of Isaiah, the scroll of Jeremiah, and all those prophets were in there, so it didn't make any difference which one they read, because they knowed it was all ordained of God, because it was their prophet.
12 So Joseph said, "Well, my dear, would--would you go in and get one of the scrolls." She just by chance reached in to get the scroll and brought it out.
She said, "Well, dear, today it seems like we read from the book of Isaiah."
So he pulled open the scroll, and Joseph begin to read, and his mind... his eyes fell upon this portion: "A virgin shall conceive, and shall bring forth a Son... They shall call His name Counselor, mighty God, Prince of Peace, everlasting Father."
And when he got down to the end, the little virgin lady setting by the side, said, "Just a moment, Joseph, dear. What does the prophet mean by a virgin conceiving?"
Well, Joseph might have said this: "Dear, that's just a little too deep for me. I do not understand it, but I believe it. It's just what the Bible said. I don't know how it will ever happen, but we know this, dear, we know that Isaiah was Jehovah's prophet. Therefore, being anointed with the Holy Spirit of God upon him, he could not prophesy wrong, because he was borned a prophet and we know that his words are true. And when he said, 'A virgin shall conceive, ' that was not Isaiah, that was our Jehovah, and Jehovah is able to do anything that He says that He will do."
13 And as they spoke about it--and on down, how His name would be called Counselor, Prince of Peace, mighty God, everlasting Father, and the government shall be upon His shoulders and there would be no end to His kingdom, and so forth--she said, "It must be the same One that the prophet Moses promised to us: 'The Lord your God shall raise up a prophet liken unto me. ' Therefore it must be the Messiah."
Joseph said, "I believe the Scribes interpret it that way, that this would be the Messiah that was to come." And as the evening passed on, the night service drew near, why, they went on back to church again.
14 And it was the next morning as she was going along for the water, and she could hear the hammer across the way, where the saw... where Joseph was building on their house. And as she got up and had her breakfast, and stuck the little pitcher under her arm, and started down to the city public well... (Now, if we had time I'd like to dwell on that well for a while, but we don't have the time. ) So as she was going along with her head down, thinking, she couldn't get it off her mind... And she said, "That remark that Joseph made to me when I stopped him on that Scripture of Isaiah 9:6, and how that... He, he said to me, 'Dear, you know, I think you... always thought you was the most beautiful woman I ever seen, but somehow in the last few minutes you've been more beautiful than ever. Your big brown eyes sparkle, and just when we mentioned this Scripture. Did it thrill you? Or what taken place?'"
Well, she wondered, "What was that when he said, a child is born, a Son is given. '? Wonder what made me feel the way I did?" And just then, as the little maiden was walking, she noticed something flicker. And she looked around, and... "It must have been the sun," she said, "that shined against a rock up on the desert hill there somewhere." And as she went on about her way, thinking about what was taking place, and what they had been talking about, she turned a corner that goes up to the city well, where the ladies meet out there early of a morning and let their buckets down, or their crocks--more like a crock or a jug. They got a long neck, two handles. They had a hook they hooked under it, and a windle. They let the jug down. It being made out of clay, why, it sank. They'd windle the water back up, then set it up on top their heads, and walk right on back home; and maybe holding five or six gallons of water, enough for the day--unless they were washing, and then usually they went to the places to wash.
15 Now, as she turned the corner she seen that Light flicker again. And as she looked, when she had to pass through a little narrow place, where just one person could pass, there stood Gabriel, the Archangel. It wasn't the sun, the s-u-n, she seen reflecting. He was following her, and He met her, to where He got her in a place where she'd have to look to Him. And she looked, and He was all of a glow of light around Him. Frightened the little virgin, and no doubt she grabbed her water pot, and those big eyes stared out and looked at the Archangel.
He said, "Hail, Mary (or stop), you're highly favored before God." Oh, I like that. That little woman in the meanest city there was in the world at that time, known the meanest city, anyhow, in Palestine... And in there she had lived such a life until God chose her for a certain work that He was going to do. There she looked into His face, and it startled her.
16 You know, it's usually as we are thinking on those things... The Bible said, "If there be any praise, if there be any virtue, think on these things." I think the reason we don't see no more of it than we do, we got our minds on too many other things. I think the Angels would still appear to us if we only kept our minds upon them: but we're thinking about something else, that's where we're going, a certain program we've got to look at, or certain shopping we got to do. But our Scriptures tells us, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these other things will be added unto you."
And there then when we see that, that He said, "Thou are highly favored before God."
17 And we notice again... I don't want to leave this Scripture, but it was Cleopas and his friend on the read to Emmaus, as they were going along there, brokenhearted, speaking about Jesus being crucified and dead, and the stories that they'd heard about Him being raised from the dead, and they didn't believe it... On the road going over-going back to, maybe, go to work on Monday morning, on the road back, it was while they were thinking of Him that He appeared to them, stepped out of the bushes and begin to talk to them just like an ordinary man.
He said, "Oh, why are you so weary? What's wrong with you?"
They said, "Are you just a stranger here?"
Do you believe now? This is kind of sticky, but people who had walked with Him, and talked with Him, and walked all day with Him after His resurrection, the same Jesus, and didn't know Him... He will reveal Himself to whosoever He will reveal. Oh, I pray tonight that He will take the shades from every one of our eyes and will come into this building and reveal Himself in the power of His resurrection, that every person might see Him: the sinner as their Saviour, the sick as their Healer.
And we notice that He walked with them all day. And then He made out like He was going somewhere else or going on by, and they constrained Him to come in. Oh, I like that--constraining Him to come in," Oh, Jesus, You're here in the church tonight. You must go home with me. I want to take You to my home. I never want to lose this feeling of Your Presence. Let me take You home, and come in and abide with me." Never want to lose that feeling. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
18 You know, I want to stop here in my message just a moment and say the most glorious things that I have ever seen happen is when something anointed. Oh, I wished I could stay in that place all the time.
You read in the book, that night when the maniac run out on the platform up there to kill me at, at... where was...? Portland. You was there, Brother Jack, or was... Brother Brown was there, when that maniac run out to kill me, and threatened to do it. Great big, huge fellow. And instead of hating the man, I loved him. He wouldn't have done that. He was probably a man with a family, the same as I had, and he wouldn't have done that. It was the devil on him that was doing that. And when I loved him, I wasn't afraid of him then. Love casteth out fear. It's when you can love...
You heard the story about the old mother opossum coming up to the house. Love--it takes love to conquer. The time that bull was going to kill me out there in the field... Run right up on me. And it wasn't that I hated him. I was a game warden. I reached to get a gun; I'd left it in my car. I was glad I did, afterwards. He run up, and I thought, "Well, if I have to die, I might as well die facing him. I can't run from him. There's nothing... to get out of the way." And just then I thought, "Well, if I have to go I want to go looking at him." And when it did he ran right to me, 'cause He'd catch me anyhow. And he had a chain hanging from his nose. Just killed a colored man a few weeks before that. I forgot about him being in that field. I was going to go pray for a sick man. He threw his knee down like this and hit the dirt, roared, and here he come.
19 And I don't know why, but something happened. Always when a healing takes place, or anything, there's something happens. A love comes in, that... and it just takes everything else out of the way. Oh, I tell you, brethren, you can have all the theology you want to, but give me love every time.
Ever since by faith I saw that stream,
Thy flowing wounds supplied,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.
Love. Oh, if I could only live in that atmosphere all the time.
And as that struck me, I said, "Creature of God, I am the servant of God. I'm on my way over to pray for one of His sick children. Now, I'm in your territory, I'm in your field here. I didn't mean to disturb you. But in the name of Jesus Christ go back and lay down. I'll not bother you." And he looked like he was coming on. Here he come, just as hard as he could. I just stood still, no more afraid than I am right now. And when he got about three foot from me, he stopped. He looked at me. He looked so depleted, one way and then the other, turned around, walked over, laid down. I passed by him within two feet, walked right on by him. Love conquers. Something happens, something takes place.
20 The other night I was telling you about down in Mexico when Brother Jack was there. There was a old Mexican man come up on the platform. He was total blind, and the poor old fellow, his... Their economics are so poorly balanced and they don't have nothing to eat. This old fellow didn't have on any shoes, and an old hat in his hand, sewed up with cords, and old ragged-looking coat on, and trousers almost to his knees, and dust all over them. He come walking across the platform with a little rosary in his hand, a little bunch of beads. And he got up to me, saying something. Somebody was leading him. And I stood and looked at him. I tell you, brother, until you can feel another man's condition, you can never help him. That's right. That's the reason God so loved the world; He had a feeling for it.
And I looked at him. I thought, "There he is. Probably a bunch of little children somewhere, working for a few pesos a day. And now after all this, maybe another... never had a good meal in his life. And here in that condition. Now nature's been so bad to him, or his fate has blinded him." And he was...
I put my foot up the side of him. I thought, "Here I stand with a good suit on and a pair of shoes, a good pair of shoes; I don't know whether he ever had a pair of shoes on... his life." I thought, "That's not right. I got a pair at home. I got another suit at home. That man's got just as much right to them as I have." I put my foot up beside of his, thought I'd give him my shoes before I said anything. Why, his foot was much bigger, and, and his shoulders much wider, couldn't get in my coat. I thought, "God, what can I do for him?" If my old Dad would have lived he would have been about his age.
21 What was it? Entering in. All at once something happened. I began to feel that presence of love, sympathy for the old man. He jerked out a little beads and begin to holler, "Hail, Mary, mother of God, bless..."
I said, "That's not necessary. Just put it away."
And he said to Brother Espinosa, "Where is the healer? I want to get a hold of him."
And, and I said, "Just tell him to bow his head." I put my arms around the old fellow. I started... I said, "Lord Jesus, this poor old man! I can't give him my shoes, he can't wear them. I can't give him my coat. But, Lord God, You're the only one can help him now. You can give him something that'll save him; that's eyesight. That's what he's craving for."
And no more than I said that, I heard someone holler, "Gloria a Dios!" And there he was; he could see as good as I could, running across the platform just as hard as he could go.
And the next night there was a rick of clothes, old scarves, and aprons, and old coats, and rags, and hats piled up on there, two or three times as long as this here, and about that high. How I ever... how they ever got the right one, I don't know. But what? They'd seen something. Oh, when something happens, something takes place.
22 That's the was it was with Mary that morning. Something must have took place when she was thinking about Him, and there He appeared into her presence. It was the same thing with Moses like it was with Mary. He said, "You are going to conceive in your womb and bear a child."
Now, she knowed the Angel's message was Scriptural. I don't care what kind of an angel it was that appeared, if that angel's message is not Scriptural and a promise of God, let it alone. There's been all kinds of angels appearing, everything, and they bring all kinds of messages. If the Angel of the Lord whose servant I am would come... if that angel would come, no matter how much it looked like the Pillar of Fire, how much it looked like the light, if his message didn't bear record with this Word, I'd let it alone and let him be accursed. It has to be in this. Joseph Smith, you know, saw an angel (he said), but it didn't bear record with the Word.
And Mary knew that she'd just read the day before, Isaiah 9:6, that something was about to happen. And she knowed it was on its way then.
23 Moses, likewise, when he had give up all the hopes of his theology, and was on the backside of the desert, herding Jethro's sheep, and one day he saw a Ball of Fire setting in a bush back there. And he come up and took off his shoes as he was bid, and he listened to see what it was. But when he saw that Angel was Scriptural... Said, "I've heard the cries of My people and I've remembered My covenant." He knowed that God made the promise, and it was... that was the Angel that would go with him. "I remember My promise and My covenant. I've seen the sufferings of My people and I've come down to deliver them." Moses knowed it wasn't his any more, 'cause of that "I have come down to deliver them." Oh, that's the good part. "I have come down. You just be a mouthpiece for Me." So he seen it was absolutely Scriptural.
And Mary saw it was absolutely Scriptural, for the day before she'd been reading it, perhaps, in the scroll, as our little drama goes. I tell you, it pays to read God's Word daily now. Jesus said, "Search ye the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me." In otherwise, He said, "If I do not the works of My Father (that was supposed to be done when He come), then believe Me not. But if I do the works, though you don't believe Me, believe the works, because they are the ones that's sent of God."
24 We are looking for a heavenly Visitor in this day. It's a promise of God. Put on your deep spiritual thinking quick, church, and remember, we are now looking for a visitor and there's many claiming it. But the only way that we'll know this heavenly Visitor... because He'll bear record of the Word.
She knew that that Angel was from God when she seen His action. Looked at Him. It must be an Angel. He said, "I'm Gabriel, standing at the right hand of God." Now, when God gets ready to do something, He sends a messenger. Always, always has, He always will. Gabriel announced the first coming of Christ. Gabriel will announce the second coming of Christ. That's right. Something major is fixing to happen.
And we notice this Angel, when He said "Hail, Mary," and told her what was going to take place, she didn't doubt Him, because she knowed He was perfectly Scriptural, that it was supposed to be that way.
25 Now, we're looking for a messenger in this last days, because Jesus said it would be, because all the prophets said it would be. Malachi said it would be. All the prophets have testified. Jesus in the very shadow of the cross spoke more of His second coming than He did of His going away. And when we see these things begin to come to pass, we'd better go to searching the Scriptures, because He said there would be false christs arise and false prophets and would show signs and wonders insomuch that it would deceive the very elected if it was possible.
Billy Graham said in a message, here a few weeks ago, it's already deceived the very elected. I differ with the evangelist. It cannot deceive the very elected, because they are elected of God.
26 Jesus spoke that in the days just before the coming of the Son of man, it would be as it was in Sodom. And as we took it before, last... in this week, that there was an Angel came to Sodom, three of them, for three classes of people. One of them was the Sodomites, the other was the lukewarm church, the other one was the elected and called-out church: Abraham and him group, Lot and his group, and Sodom and their group. All...
Two of them went down. The evangelist went down to preach to Sodom and to bring out that group of people, of believers, down there. He just got a few of them out.
27 But we notice, that the One that stayed behind to the elected church, He showed a sign. And it was God doing that. it was not a myth, it was not a theophany. A theophany don't eat. He eat the flesh of a calf, and eat some hoecake, corn bread, and some butter on it, and drink the milk from the cow. A theophany doesn't eat and drink: it was God made manifest in flesh. It sure was. And what was He speaking? Jesus said, "As in that day, so will it be..." God will come again, come into the flesh of His people that He had bought and sanctified, and will show to His elected church the same sign that He showed to His elected church back there.
28 There was no "come out of it." There was no "this, that." He was already out of it, Abraham was. But the other angels was calling out, calling out down there. But Abraham was already out. And the church... the very word "church" means "called out." God's church is already called out. It's called out.
And He gave him a sign that He was the One. And when He did, with His back turned, He told (Sarah was in the tent behind Him, laughing), by a power, the same thing that Jesus manifested in His coming, manifested to both Samaritan and to the Jew... And it's predicted that in this last days that He would send His Messenger again. And that Messenger tonight is not a man. No sir. It's the Holy Ghost. That's His Messenger, God in His church, moving, showing the signs and wonders just before His appearing.
29 Now, remember, this Angel has to be a Scriptural Angel. Besides that, we are warned of God about false prophets. The Bible said, "If there be a man among you who thinks himself to be a prophet (or so forth), and what he says doesn't come to pass, then don't fear him. I'm not with him. But what he says comes to pass, then I'm with that prophet. Hear him." That's true.
So we find out today that that message is a true Bible message. It's back to the baptism of the Holy Ghost, back to the power of God, back to Pentecost again, restoring the hearts of the fathers back to the children... or, the children back to the fathers, rather, in this last days. We're looking for a heavenly Messenger, and I believe He's here tonight. Amen. I believe that He's here. What does He do? He bears record.
30 Now, listen, friends. Don't take a substitute. Don't just shake a man's hand and put your name on the book. That's... as far as it goes, that's all right. It might help you to get out of the saloon and get in a decent place and try to live right. That won't do it though.
"Except a man be born again he cannot even see the kingdom of God." Now, "see" means "to understand." There's a lot of people that say they're born again and can't understand the message of God, can't see the Angel of the Lord. Their eyes are blinded, brother. Except a man be born of the Holy Ghost, the same Holy Ghost that wrote the Word will confirm the Word, and the same confirmation of the Holy Ghost in you... You see what I mean? It will bear record of Itself.
Then our spirit bears record with His Spirit, because His Spirit bears recorded of His Word. "The Word of God is sharper, more powerful (Hebrews 4) than any two-edged sword, even piercing to the... asunder... and the marrow of the bone, and a discerner of the thought and the intents of the heart." That's "THUS SAITH THE LORD," the Lord's Word, just exactly, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever, appearing in His elected church.
31 Oh, we got great revivals sweeping the lands everywhere, calling out of Sodom, and so forth: but in the elected Church we have that Person God, the same God that was back yonder. There's only one of them, and that One was in His church manifesting Himself to be the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Scriptural. If He wasn't with the Scripture, didn't bear record of the Scripture, didn't confirm His Word, then I would not believe Him. But being that He does, then I know He's from God, just like Mary did (Amen, oh!), like Moses did, or any of the rest of them, if it wasn't Scriptural...
32 Now, back in the Old Testament they had more than one way to find out. If a man dreamed a dream or a prophet prophesied, you know what they did with that? They took them down before the Urim Thummim that hung on the post. The Urim Thummim is believed to have been those twelve birthstones in Aaron's birth... or, his breastplate, carrying the birthstone of each one. Then he hung it on the post, and if the prophet stood up and prophesied, and no matter how real it sound, if the supernatural didn't answer back--a conglomeration of rainbow light around, and these glittering like that--no matter what the prophet said, he was wrong. No matter what the dreamer dreamed, it was wrong. But God always answers back in a supernatural way. Amen.
Now, and that priesthood ended, and the Urim and Thummim was taken down, but God's got another Urim and Thummim. This is it: God's Word is the Urim and Thummim. That's God's Word. "Let every man's word be a lie and Mine be true," said God. "Heavens and earth will pass away," said Jesus, "but My Word shall never pass away."
Now, then if one speaks and it's not Scriptural, don't believe it. If he speaks and it is Scriptural, wait a minute. Try it with the Urim and Thummim. Then if the supernatural answers back that it is the truth, then believe it. That's the way to believe a true message. If the Bible promises anything and the Bible says it's so, that's God's Urim and Thummim. If the preacher preaches... preaching, like the Bible said, that's God's messenger, God's witness. Then if it is, then the supernatural of that Word will be made manifest and prove itself to be God. God keeps His promise.
33 We're looking for a Messenger. That Messenger is the Holy Spirit. The Bible said, "A little while and the world won't see Me no more (Jesus did), yet ye shall see Me, for I'll be with you to the end of the world. The works that I do shall you do also. More than this shall you do, for I go unto My Father." Now, the word there "more," in the right translation... I'm using it there and "more," because it said in the King James "greater." Who could do any greater? He raised the dead, stopped nature, done everything.
But then He was is in one Person. All of God was bottled up into one Man, Jesus Christ. But in this time He's across the universe in His church, doing more of it, the same works. "The same works that I do shall they do also. More than this shall I do, because I return back to the Pillar of Fire that I was before I was made flesh and dwelt on the earth. I showed Myself alive by the same works and the same manifestations I did." That is exactly right. Jesus said, when He was here on earth, "I come from God and I return to God." Is that right? All right. If He was God...
34 He was spoke to there one day, and they was talking to Him about not being fifty years old yet and saw Abraham. He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." I was that Pillar of Fire that was in the bush with Moses. That was a Scriptural Pillar of Fire. That same is the I AM, not "I was" or "will be", I AM, always just the same yesterday, today, and forever.
We see when I AM was made presence among us in a body of His own Son that He created... own body. Crossed His cast from God to become a human, in order to bring us back to salvation and back to the garden of Eden again. Crossed Hisself, spread His tents among us, and eat like us, and slept like us, and walked like us and looked like us. He become us, that we through Him might become Him, joint-heirs with Him into the kingdom.
35 Then, when we find that Pillar of Fire, when It was with Him, It performed signs and wonders. And He confessed, "It's not Me that doeth the works: it's My Father that dwelleth in Me. He doeth the works. For verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself until He sees the Father do it also. And the Son does what the Father shows Him. He worketh, and I worketh hitherto." Amen. Right.
He died, rose again on the third day. And a few days after that there was a little critical, hooked-hosed Jew, with a bunch of stuff in his pocket, going down to persecute the church, all them that was in this way. Going out to... on his road to Damascus, and he was stricken down. And when he looked up, he saw a great Pillar of Fire hanging there, saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"
He said, "Who are you, Lord? Who is this Pillar of Fire?"
"I come from God; I go to God." Here He said, "I am Jesus, and it's hard for you to kick against the pricks."
36 The prophet said there'd be a former rain and a latter rain; in the latter rain would be both former and latter rain together--a great church universal that would sweep from one side of the world to the other side of the world. A great message, great signs and wonders, would be accomplished by this church. Daniel said the people that know their God in that day shall do exploits. That's exactly where we're living at in this day.
Now, the mechanical eye of the camera shows over us that that Pillar of Fire is the same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel. Now, it's got to do the same things it did when it was in Him. or it is not the same Pillar of Fire. But if it does the same things, how can you doubt it? It's Scriptural.
37 "Hail, Mary, blessed art thou amongst women. Thou hast found favor with God." Oh, church, hail. Blessed are you among the people, for you've found favor with God. You've believed for eternal life, and God's give you the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Right. This Messenger will be a true Messenger of God, the Holy Spirit, which is God's message.
Notice, Mary, as soon as she seen it was Scriptural, she didn't say, "I'll go over and see whether Dr. Jones says it's right or not." She didn't go by to see if Rabbi Kabinski thought it was right or not. She never had nothing to do with it. You know what she said? She said, "Behold the handsmaid of the Lord; Be it unto me according to Your word." For she knowed that Word was God's Word, that Messenger was God's Messenger, that Angel was God's Angel, because it stayed with God's Word. Amen. "Behold the handsmaid of the Lord"; said, "How will it be?"
Said, "The Holy Ghost shall overshadow you, and this Holy thing that'll be born to you shall be called the Son of God."
She said, "Here I am. I don't know how it's going to happen. It don't make any difference. You said so, it's Scriptural, I believe it, I accept it." She started right out praising God, before she felt life, before she felt any sign of anything. She didn't want no more signs. She had His Word and that was all was necessary. Amen. I like that.
38 Moses, as soon as he got a hold of God and seen it was Scriptural, here he went to Egypt.
As soon as Mary got a hold of... the Angel got a hold of her, rather, and she seen Him, and knowed it was God, because it was Scriptural, she took His word and went around testifying of something that didn't even show one evidence of ever being.
Another thing, she testified of something that never had happened before. Oh, praise be the Lord! She testified of something that had never happened. Never had a virgin conceived. But she had the Angel's word, and the Angel was Scriptural, so she knowed it was promised. And the Angel had the Word of the Lord and promise it. And because she thought herself humble and lowly, yet God had chose her, so she was just happy about it. And she went forth with her message, telling everybody she was going to have a baby before she even had the first sign of a baby. She didn't wait and say, "Now wait, let me feel and see if I feel any better or not." No, no. Oh, God, give us more Marys!
39 Beaumont and the rest of the world needs Marys like that, that can take God at His Word and start rejoicing before anything happens. What about you women in wheelchairs, and you brothers and sisters here with heart trouble, and sickness, and every thing, when the presence of the Lord is so close? My, my! You know it's the Word of the Lord. The Lord promised it.
You say, "Brother Branham, if you'll come down and lay hands on me..." That's not it. You're already healed, because "He was wounded for your transgressions, He as bruised for your iniquities, the chastisement of your peace was upon Him, and with His stripes you were healed."
It's already past tense. Just receive it and start rejoicing. "Thank You, Lord. I now see it. Bless God, I'm healed. I don't care what anybody else says or how I feel, I'm healed anyhow." That's it.
40 The Angel's message... It's always been that way. That's the way God wants. What did it do? The changed... By taking God at His Word, changed the whole natural course of life for her. It'll do the same thing for you. It certainly will. It'll take you sinners, and wash you as white as snow. It'll take you, critics, and make you one of us. It sure will. It'll take you that's sick and make you well. It'll take you that's on your road to hell and change you around and start you up to heaven. Just take Him at His Word, and believe it, and start rejoicing.
The Messenger of the Lord is here, the Holy Ghost moving around over the people, anointing them. If you're a stranger, and you want to know what's the matter with them people, that's what it is. Joel promised it. On the day of Pentecost Peter said, This is that." I want to add something to that. If this isn't that, I want to keep this till that comes, because I'm having an awful good time with this. And I believe this is that. The same that that was that at that day. Oh, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.
41 Mary didn't wait. She didn't care about critics, she didn't care what anybody said, she had met an Angel. She'd seen His voice... or, seen His presence and she knowed that He'd told her the truth, because it was Scriptural--promised a blessing to her, just go on believe it. And she knowed it was going to happen. Oh, she... There's something another about it, when you hit something like that you can't keep still about it.
The Angel told her that her cousin Elisabeth (Was up in the hilly country of Judaea. ) was old, about seventy years old, and she had conceived and was going to have a son. It was already six months with her as a mother. Course, the little baby, little John, hadn't had no life yet. They kind of worried about it.
So we find out that Elisabeth... Zechariah was her husband, which was a priest. He was at the temple along about six months before this happened. You know, God gets to getting things together amongst the humble people.
42 Look at Zechariah. Now, the Angel Gabriel came to him. He was in the temple ministering, and when he did, burning incense was his lot, standing at the altar. And he happened to look at the right-hand side, the right-hand side of the altar. I guess you always wonder why I bring the people this way. It's where He stands. So, at the right-hand side of the altar, and there stood an Angel, and told him that after the days of his ministration there, he was going home and be with his wife, and she'd conceive and bear a son, a child.
And that preacher doubted that Word. Why, he had many times... If he was going to be the father of the child... Look at Sarah. He had some examples in the Bible. Look at Hannah at the temple, many examples like that. And still he doubted.
How much difference it was from that calloused teacher of philosophy... How much difference there was from that seminary minister, than there was from that little virgin. She never questioned. She said, "Behold the handsmaid of the Lord." That's all. She took Him at His Word and that settled it. But this man couldn't believe it.
He said, "I'm Gabriel that stands in the presence of God. My Word shall be fulfilled." He knowed what He was talking about. He said, "Because you've doubted Me, you'll be dumb until the day the baby's born." He went home. His wife conceived and hid herself six months.
43 Mary thought, "Oh, isn't that wonderful? Now I'm going to have a baby, and there Elisabeth, my cousin (Jesus and John were second cousins), there... I tell you, it's going to be wonderful, because that she's going to have a baby, and I'm going to have a baby. I just can't hold it any longer. I'm going right up to tell her." Right up to the mountain she went, hard as she could go. I can just see her pretty little face shining--she was just about eighteen years old, I imagine--and her black hair blowing back like that. And she was on her road, this little robe wrapped around her.
And you know, Elisabeth had hid herself. I kind of like that. I think it looks so disgraceful to see women out like here with these shorts on, and things, when they're to be mothers. It looks pitiful. What a difference. That's horrible. (I know you oughtn't... maybe not oughtn't to say that. If I offend you, you forgive me. But you'd listen to your doctor; I'm your brother, see. ) So there the woman in that condition; but she hid herself. I can imagine her setting back there, you know, kind of snubbing a little, with... knitting some little... what is it? Little booties, you know, getting them all ready like that, and knitting a little blanket. But she was... feared, because she said, "Now, I'm old and..."
44 Notice, the Angel of the Lord... They were righteous, the Bible said, her and Zechariah. They were righteous, keeping all the commandments of God. That's were Angels appear-always appears in a righteous family, somewhere where God can use something, something to work with.
And then, she was making these little booties. And I imagine there was a little window-like it is in Palestine sometimes, no window light in it, but just a little shade hanging down. And she heard something. She raised up and she looked coming up, and she said, "You know, I believe that looks like my cousin Mary. Look at her little face shine. Why, she's growed up. I hear she's going to get married." So it must've been, "Well, she's a young woman, but that's Mary." So she slips her little robe on, you know, and runs out to meet her.
45 And women in them days are not like they are now, you know. They--they run and throwed their arms around one another and hugged one another. You know, I like friendliness, don't you? I just hate to see this little old silly stuff, this 1960 version of friendliness. Oh, my, there's not enough of it. Now, you that's southerners down here don't notice so bad, but up there, oh, my! I went to my uncle here not long ago in New York. He'd been living in one house twenty years, and his neighbor as close as that Texas flag there, to him. I said, "Who lives there?"
He said, "I don't know."
I said, "You've fallen from grace." I said, "How long has he lived there?"
Said, "He was there when I come here." You don't know your neighbor's dead till you read it in the paper. That's right. No friendliness.
46 Here not long ago, Brother Moore and I, and Brother Brown went down to see a little boy named David, a few years ago down here in Cal... or, Florida, they had us out there. And Brother Hoekstra, I believe it was, told me, said, "The Duchess wants to see you."
And I said, "The who?"
Said, "The Duchess."
I said, "What's that?"
And said, "It's the woman that owns all this property." Said, "She's wealthy."
"Well," I said, "I can't see her. There's too many sick people."
Said, "But she's the Duchess."
I said, "That don't make her any different from anybody else."
So he said... Well, they had her there when I went out. And when I went out... I'm not... God forgive me if you think I'm making fun of the woman. I'm not. But she had enough jewels on her hands to send a missionary around the world ten times with the gospel. That's right. Standing out there... And she had on a pair of "specs." She didn't have them on, but she had them on a stick holding it out like this. Great big, old, fat lady. And she come out. I walked out the tent. And I said, "I ain't got time to see her. If I got any time left, let me see them sick people out there," see.
47 And said, "But she lets you have the grounds."
I said, "Well, that's all right. If she let David have the ground, and we appreciate that. But she's all right, nothing wrong with her. Let me see these people down here." Well, they wanted me to see her, so when I went out.
She said, "Are you Dr. Branham?"
I said, "No, ma'am." I said, "I'm Brother Branham."
She said... Now, you know nobody can look through a pair of "specs" that far away from you. And she looked over like this, she said, "Well, Dr. Branham," she said, "I'm charmed."
I reached up and looked at that hand (Held out her hand to shake hands.). Well, I thought I'd be a gentleman. I got a hold of her big hand and pulled it down. I said, "Get down here so I'll know you next time I see you," like that. Oh, I like something feeling!
48 Paul Rader-the man that wrote this song that I sing here, "Only Believe"--said one morning him and his wife was having a little family affair, a little fuss with one another. Said first thing you know... He was reading the paper, and she said something, "Paul, will you give me some money?"
Said, "I ain't got no money." And went on like that a little bit, and said after awhile... He never noticed it hurt her feelings. He kind of sat there, and said, "Well, if that's how easy her feelings are hurt, let her set there." You know how we do, brethren, sometimes, I guess.
And so, then he said she'd always stand at the door and kiss him when he went out. Then he'd go to the gate. Then when... he'd turn around and wave good-bye, and she'd wave good-bye. Said he got up and got his hat, and said, "Just let her pout it out." Said he went to the door, and said, stuck out her lips, kissed her, went out to the end of the gate, turned around and looked back. Said she was standing there at the door. Said he waved and she waved.
Said he started on down the street. Said something begin to deal with him. "You done wrong, Paul." (Poor old Paul's in glory tonight. ) But said, "You done wrong, Paul. What if something would happen to her today?" Said he got to thinking about it. Oh, my, what if something would happen? "He'd never see her again on earth," Oh, my!
Said it got worse and worse, so he said, "Lord, forgive me. I'll go back and make it right." Said he run back real quick and opened the gate, shoved the door open, looked all around. He could hear something going [Sound of sniffling--Ed.]. Said she was standing behind the door, crying. Said he reached around. He never said a word. He went [Sound of a kiss--Ed.], kissed her again, run back out to the end of the gate, and turned around and waved. Said she waved, just like she did the first time, but the second time had feeling in it. So I think that's the way it is today. We want a... I want a feeling in it, something that's real to me.
49 I was... Not long ago, me and my wife were downtown. There was a lady said, "How do you do, Sister Branham?"
And I looked around at her, and I said, "Hey, hey, that lady spoke to you, Honey."
Said, "I spoke to her."
I said, "Well, I know she didn't hear you. I didn't. I'm sitting right here by you."
"Oh," she said, "I smiled at her."
"Oh," I said...
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50 She said, "You know, Mary, I'm to be a mother."
"Yes, yes," said Mary, her little eyes sparkling-you know, half full of tears of joy. "Yes, yes, I know all about it."
"You know all about it?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know all about it."
"But, Mary, I'm bothered. It's six months with me as mother now, and the baby's never moved." Now you know, that's all, that's all unnatural. About three months is about right, but this is six months, and little John hadn't never moved yet. So she said, "I'm just a little bit worried about it and everything."
She said, "Yeah, I understand it." And said, "You know, I'm going to have a baby too."
"Oh, I see. You and Joseph is already married."
"No, we're not married."
"What, Mary? You're not married, and going to have a baby?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Oh, Honey, what do you mean?"
"Well, the same way I knowed that you was going to have a baby. The Angel Gabriel met me, and He told me about your case, and He said the Holy Ghost would come upon me, and it's already done it. And the Baby that I'll have will be the Son of God." And said, "She even told me... He told me what to name it." Said, "I shall call His name Jesus."
And I can see Elisabeth's face brighten up, said, "Whence cometh the mother of my Lord? For as soon as your salutation came into my ears, my baby leaped in the womb for joy."
51 I want to ask you something, friends. If the first time that the name of Jesus Christ was ever spoke by mortal lips brought a dead baby in the womb of a mother to life, what ought it to do to a borned again congregation, that claims to be filled with the Holy Ghost? Hallelujah! Amen! It ought to heal the cancer, open the blind eyes, set the captive free, fill with the Holy Ghost, and all kinds of things in that precious name of the Lord Jesus, make the sinner weep for his sins. Oh, my!
The whole crowd looks to me like it's swimming around and around. Oh, what God could do right now! The Messenger of the Holy Spirit of God is in the building today-the Messenger, the Holy Ghost, bringing peace, reflecting Jesus Christ. The great Pillar of Fire hangs over us. You say, "I don't see it." But you can feel it, so in one... one sense of the body is just as good as the other one. So your sight could deceive you more than your feeling.
So then if it don't do the same work, then it isn't the same Holy Ghost; but if It does the same work, then It is the Holy Ghost, the same One. Amen. Do you believe that?
How many... is there sinners? How many in here would like to say, "I would like to enjoy these blessings, set in this Shekinah glory with you people and enjoy the blessings of God." Would you raise your hand, say, "Remember me, Brother Branham, as you pray." God bless you, brother. God bless you, brother. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you, brother. You, over there, and you and you. That's right. Another raise up your hand, say, "Brother Branham, pray for me." God bless you, young man. That's very fine.
52 This morning as I was going in to the breakfast a sweet little boy came, put his arms around my neck. His father is one of the pastors here of the Assemblies of God. I believe he's on the platform. He was this morning. And the little boy was called out in the meeting somewhere and had crossed eyes-and his little eyes just as straight as mine is. That's been years ago.
And another little brother come up and shook my hand and said his little girl had a great big goiter on her throat. And I was down at Jack Moore's church. And said the Holy Spirit moved around and called her out there in the audience and told her. The goiter just vanished and disappeared and went away. There she was. Oh, my!
What is it? What is that Pillar of Fire? It's the Angel of the Lord. What is the Angel of the Lord? The same One was in the burning bush, the same One that was in Jesus Christ, the same One that's in you tonight. Amen. The same One here, the same great Lord Jesus.
53 Would there be another, before we pray, would like to raise up your hands and say, "Remember me, Brother Branham. Remember me." God bless you, sir. God bless you. And the little boy way back, and way on the outside there, all the way back. Yes. Wherever you are, God knows.
Now, let's bow our heads just a moment. And now, sister, would you play for me this: "The Great Physician Now is Near"? Just a chord, if you will, please.
54 Remember near Fort Wayne... I was in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I've been in the pulpit now thirty-one years. This has been about twenty-eight years ago. I was praying for a little boy and that music was going on. The little boy was healed. Jumped out of my arms, a paralytic, run down, jumped into the arms of his mother. When he did a little Dunkard girl was playing the piano. And she raised up, that hair fell down across her lap, like that, she began singing in the Spirit, and the piano she was playing, them ivory keys moving right on, "The great physician now is near, the sympathizing Jesus"--hundreds of people standing looking at it.
Not a bit more than it was Sunday before last in my Tabernacle, where three to four hundred people standing there, and this Pillar of Fire appeared visible the second time in Jeffersonville. (The first time... then they took it down on the river. ) And there He stood for fifteen minutes, letting everybody see Him and look at Him. Brother, we're at the end of the road.
55 Our heavenly Father, we are coming now, Lord, to Thee as unto a Living Stone. We're coming, Lord, because that we believe that You are, and a rewarder of those that diligently seek after Thee. We pray for Your blessings. We pray that You'll help this audience tonight. And those that raised their hands, may they be a partaker of this great Holy Spirit, the Messenger of the last day.
"I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh." You promised it. In the last days You said there would be a former and latter rain together: that is, on one side of the earth and on the other side of the earth, both sides, would come a rain. Into the foreign fields, into these fields would come a rain. So we believe that that hour is here. We see the Holy Spirit making manifest the same things like He did when He was here before.
Bless these dear people, Father, I pray. Be Thou near them. Give them life eternal. Grant it, Lord. I commit them to Thee now, in the name of the Lord Jesus. With our heads bowed, let's just pray a little bit.
56 ... great Physician now is near,
the sympathizing Jesus.
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer.
Oh, breathe on us, Holy Spirit. Come into Your church, Lord Jesus, the great Morning Star, the Pillar of Fire. Burn Your way through every unbelief into the hearts of the people tonight. May they be like Mary, that they can see Your Presence and know it's You, then Your promises are still good, every promise. You promised to do this. Your promise was that You'd already healed them, for You was wounded for their transgressions, "with the stripes you were healed." Grant it, Father, to this waiting audience. We're waiting on You now. Move, in Christ's name, I pray.
Just watching for a few moments to see what will take place. Oh, how sweet. Let's raise our heads real easy now. I was waiting for you to get quiet. How many people in here that's sick and doesn't have a prayer card? Raise up your hands for God to heal you. A confirmation is three, I believe. Is that right, in the Bible? If I have told the truth, preached the truth, then God's obligated to back that truth up, if that's His truth.
57 Now, we got a bunch of prayer cards in here. We're not calling them. I just want you to know that it doesn't take prayer cards. Ask the ministers if it does. Ask the brothers who go with me everywhere.
We'll be riding down the road, I'll say, "Wait. At another corner there's going to be a certain thing. A man is going to be standing there. He's got a certain thing, and wants me to go to a certain place, a certain thing. We're going over here, and this is going to happen." Sure.. It never fails. It can't fail; it's God Now, what is it doing? Vindicating that He is the same. Now it isn't me: it's Him.
58 I don't see a person in front of me that I know, unless it's this two little girls. I believe this is Brother Evan's two girls. Isn't that right? Right here. That's the only ones that I know. I was looking just to see if I could see anybody that I really knew. But only ones I see that I know... I seen Brother Evans somewhere awhile ago, but I've lost him. Oh, yes, here's Brother Dauch, setting right here, form Ohio, Brother Bill Dauch, a friend of mine, setting right here, and Sister Dauch. There's Sister Evans. Now I've got her, right back behind... All right. Right along in there, Brother Evans or Sister Evans. Where's Brother Welch? Setting back there. All right.
So that they'll know who you all are, raise up your hand. Anybody in here knows me, and know I know you, raise up your hand--know that I... know that I know you. All right, see. Now, you that know that I do not know you, and you're sick, raise up your hands. Raise up your hands. Just look and see where it's at. See? About everywhere. All right.
59 If the--if Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the Bible said that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was God. Is that right? And the Word was made flesh. That's when God's Word that He spoke was made flesh.
Do you know the very dirt that you're sitting on is the manifestation of the Word of God? That's God's Word made manifest. If it isn't, where did it come from? He made the world out of things that does not appear. He brings the earth together. Just spoke the Word. Said, "Let there be," and there was. He's a creator. All right. So the chair that you're setting on is the Word of God. This earth that the floor rests on is Word of God. All these things are from the dust of the earth, the Word of God. And you, yourself, are the Word of God. That's right. Then why can't that little heart in there begin to move all the doubt out of this thing here. Let it be.
60 Now, and the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the marrow of the bone and the... sunder of the marrow of the bone; and the Word of God--which is Jesus--is a discerner of the thoughts, into the heart and mind. Is that right?
Now, when the Word was here, and made flesh and dwelt among us in the form of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, a little woman by faith touched His garment one day. He didn't feel it physically, but He turned around and looked, said, "Who touched Me? Who touched Me?"
Even Peter rebuked Him, said, "Lord, everybody is touching You."
He said, "Yeah, but I, I perceived virtue went out of Me. I got weak. My strength left Me." And He said... Looked all around over the audience and He found the little woman, told her her blood issue that she had, her faith had saved her (is that right?) She was healed. He never said, "I did it." She did it herself. See? Said, "Your faith hath saved..."
61 Now, the Bible said He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And the Book of Hebrews said that He's the High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. And if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, if you touch that same High Priest, the same High Priest will act the same way. The way He acted the first time He has to act the second time. If He didn't, He acted wrong when He did it the first time. If He make Himself known as Messiah to the Jews and the Samaritans by perceiving the thoughts in their mind and telling them who they was, or what they was, and so forth like that, or something they had done...?
How many knows that's the truth, that's, that's the Bible truth, that's the way He made Himself known? Well, if that's the way He made it known to the Jews and to the Samaritans, He's got to make it known to the Gentiles, or He made it known wrong to them. See what I mean?
Now, all that believe that, raise up your hand, say, "I believe that He promised it to me." Thank you. That did it. See, remember what the Angel said: "If you can get the people to believe you." See? Not believe me; it's Him, but believe that He sent me to you. Now, you pray and touch the High Priest. And if He will turn me from this platform and speak to you, you let... you be the judge whether it's right or not. You be the judge whether it's right or not.
62 You just say... Now look away from me as a man and say, "Lord Jesus, I'm in need." And don't try to press your way, you don't get nowhere then. Just relax yourself, say, "I believe it, Lord, there's not a doubt in my mind. The man don't know me, and I'm way away from him. I'm out here in the audience (way back in the back, or standing around the ring, or somewhere like that). Now I know I believe You. If You'll just let me touch You, let him turn to me, I'll know that that isn't Brother Branham because he don't know me. Neither does he know who I am, or what I've done, or what I have done, or what I will do. But You know it. So if You'll just let him turn, I know it's You. I'll believe His message then, because You got him under control. See, it's You speaking through him, see."
Would you believe that? How many would believe it if they could see it done with their own eyes...?... Not back in some dark room; right here before the public like our Lord's doing. Don't have... it ain't nothing secretly; it's right out here. it's just to the believers. Now, you just pray.
63 I might have been mistaken. I thought it was somewhere right here, but it must not have been. I'll watch it-it's a light. Did this side raise up their hands that they were sick too, and didn't know me? Now, He's right here. You that sees them pictures and things, just think--that mechanical eye of the picture saw it before many people ever saw it... take the picture. If I die tonight, if this is my last day on earth, my testimony is true. The mechanical eye of the camera has proved it seven or eight times in different nations. It's true. The church knows it around the world.
I've told the truth, because I speak of Him. That's the reason I'm not afraid but what He will speak back that I've told the truth, because I'm not testifying of myself; I'm testifying of Him. Now, be real reverent and believe.
Say, "What are you waiting on, Brother Branham?' I'm waiting on Him. If He don't tell me, I can't do it, that's all. It takes your faith to do something. Or maybe He's not pleased with us doing it. How many's got prayer cards then? Anybody got prayer cards? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, about eight prayer cards left, 9. We'll call then up if He doesn't do it. I like to see it done without prayer cards, so that you see the prayer card has nothing to do with it.
64 God, help us tonight. Now, I pray that You'll grant it. I've come here with good faith, come here believing, believing that You would do it. I pray that You'll help me now. Give to me of Your Spirit, Father. Grant it, so it can be for Your glory. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Yes, here it is. Thank You, Lord. Do you believe God will heal you of that hernia, lady? Make you well? All right. Accept it. Raise up your hand. All right. Have you got a prayer card? You don't. You don't need it. I never seen that woman in my life. Are we strangers to one another, sister dear? I don't know you. If that's right, raise up your hand so the audience can see. Was that your trouble? You was setting there praying wasn't you? Now I got a contact of you. You were praying to Jesus, "Let it be me." Is that right? Wave your hand like that. Raise your hand, wave your hand, so they see. Now, how did I know what she was praying about and the words you was saying? Don't you see? It's Christ.
Here, a little lady just moved herself around, setting there now. You want to get over that heart trouble, sister? You don't have to come up here. Just look this way. You want to get over your heart trouble? All right. Raise up your hand, say, "I accept it." All right, go home, your heart trouble's over. Jesus Christ makes you well.
65 The little lady setting right behind her, you got female trouble. Stand up if that's right. All right. Have you got a prayer card? You have one. I didn't mean to call you. All right. Go home. You're... You've had... bothered with your eyes; they're going bad, too. Is that right? Wave your hand. Not because you got on glasses, but they're getting worse. All right. They won't no more now. Go home, Jesus Christ makes you well.
Say, do me a favor, will you? That they might know, seeing that you had a card... That lady setting there next to you, she... over on this side over here, suffering there with a goiter, you believe that Jesus Christ will make you well? It's Him...?... But that's all right. Believe, and it'll go away from you. All right.
66 Now, if you believe I be a prophet of God, put your hand on the woman next to you, crying there. The Angel of the Lord's over her. She's got trouble with her head. If that's right, stand on your foot lady, the one that just called then. All right. Raise up if that's the truth, the one with the handkerchief in her hand. All right. Jesus Christ makes you will. Go home, be healed.
Do you believe Him? Now, is that Angel Scriptural? Here, way back here, there He is way back here, way back. There's a man and his wife. The wife has diabetes, the man has arthritis. Oh, if I could just make them understand. God, help me. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkerson, stand up on your feet. Jesus Christ makes you well. Go home and be well. Christ makes you well.
Do you have a prayer card? You don't? You don't have one, you don't need one. While you're standing on your feet, listen to this, friends. I do not know you at all, do I? If I don't know you, shake your hands back and forth. See, I don't know you. You was setting there praying. Is that right? Something's happened to you. Is that right? All right. Is that what your trouble was? Is that what your name was? All that He said is right? Wave your hand back like this if it's right" Wave your hand. All right. There you are. Go home, Jesus Christ makes you well.
What did they touch? Do you believe the Angel that's before us, is the Angel of God? It's not me. I don't know them people. I'm testifying; they're testifying, we don't know one another so it has to be the Angel of the Lord. And He's doing the very Scriptural things that Jesus said He would do just before it burnt like Sodom. Amen!
67 Let's see. If you'll believe. Here, here it is again, right here in the corner. Wait, it's the lady... No. Just a moment. No, it isn't the lady standing there. It's the lady setting down here. That's right, a little lady setting here. I seen a child, but it's a lady setting down, and she's suffering with hemorrhoids. And she... That's her little girl setting there. She's suffering with asthma. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. Stand on your feet and accept your healing. Jesus Christ makes you well. Stand up, both of you. If we're strangers to one another, raise up your hands and wave your hands. All right. Go home, honey. It's all over, little girl, you'll be made well.
You believe? Look here, look here, look here, look here. Can't you see that, Brother Jack? Looky here, right here, standing right over this man here. The man's suffering with a hernia. That's right. He's not from this city--from a city called Orange. Right. His name is Mr. Sack. Is that right, sir? If I'm a stranger to you, wave your hands back and forth like this. You were sitting there, saying, "Let it be me, Lord." Is that right? Wave your hand.
O God, how can they fail to see it? I command every sick person in here to stand on your feet and receive your healing in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Rise up, don't be afraid. Believe Him with all your heart.