Stále prítomná voda zo skaly
Tá skala (Kristus) išla za Izraelom. Oni neišli za tou skalou; ale tá Skala išla za nimi. Amen. Izrael išiel svojou cestou. Oni mali robiť len jedno, a to držať správny smer, rovno do zasľúbenej zeme. A tá skala a tá voda išla za nimi. "... tá skala išla za nimi: ..." Prvá Korinťanom vám tak hovorí, desiata kapitola. Je to tak. Tou skalou bol Kristus. Boh zobral súdy, ktoré mali byť vynesené nad tými ľuďmi a položil ich na Krista, a udrel Jeho. Všimli ste si, že od vtedy na tej skale bola štrbina? Tá skala mala štrbinu, tam kde ju Mojžiš udrel. A Kristus mal štrbinu, keď bol udrený. "On bol ranený pre naše prestúpenia a jeho sinavicou sme boli uzdravení."
Z toho života vychádzajú vody života, z čoho sa dnes tak radujeme! No, aby sme obdržali tento život... pamätajte život Kristov zostáva s cirkvou. Haleluja! Och, keby sme si to mohli jasne uvedomiť. Kristus neopúšťa cirkev. "Ja budem stále s vami, až do konca sveta." To ľudia opúšťajú Krista, Kristus neopúšťa ľudí. Ľudia Ho opúšťajú skrze svoju neveru. Oni opúšťajú Krista, Kristus neopúšťa ľudí.
1Sme vďační dnes ráno za prítomnosť Pána Boha, ktorá sa tu už prejavila cez posolstvo, kde bolo povedané, že máme počúvať a mať pred Ním úctu, že nám chce niečo povedať. Som si istý, že On urobí, čo zasľúbil. On vždy dodržuje Svoje Slovo. A tak sme vďační, že sme tu dnes ráno spolu zhromaždení, živí, a po tejto strane večnosti, schopní znovu chváliť Pána a zhromažďovať sa spolu a počúvať Ho, čo hovorí. To je vlastne to, kvôli čomu sa schádzame.
2No, vtrhol som sem dnes, pre brata Nevilleho tak trochu neočakávane, kvôli jednému snu, ktorý som mal. Verím v sny. Verím, že Boh hovorí ku ľuďom skrze sny. A mal som veľmi neobyčajný sen predminulej noci, že som išiel po úbočí, po určitom úbočí, išiel som na nejaké miesto, kde sa jedlo, kde som mal večerať. A všimol som si, ako som prichádzal bližšie ku tomu miestu, že tam hrali, hral tam nejaký orchester, na husliach, zabávali ľudí kým jedli. A bolo tam niečo, čo sa mi nepáčilo, tak ja som len prešiel okolo. A stretol som niekoho, ako ide hore tým kopcom. A pozrel som sa a veľa ľudí prichádzalo hore na ten kopec, na toto miesto, kde podávali jedlo. Ale ja som nejako odišiel od nich, išiel som naspäť, doprava ... či doľava.
3A nejako, dole v údolí som mohol vidieť túto modlitebňu. Počul som niečí hlas, ktorý hovoril: "Stretni sa s bratom Branhamom na tej a tej križovatke - schádza dole, tam z toho kopca - a povedz mu to a to." A ja som sa ponáhľal na túto križovatku.
4A keď tá osoba prišla, bol to brat Neville, mal na sebe svoj hnedý oblek, vyzeral práve tak, ako vyzerá dnes ráno, keď tam sedí. A povedal: "Brat Branham, ak budeš v meste," povedal: "bolo by dobre, aby si prišiel, pretože brat Hank ..." (No, jediného brata Hanka, ktorého poznám je brat Henry Carlson. Nazývame ho Hank.) Povedal: "On by si mohol myslieť, že je to divné, že si viac krát nenavštívil túto modlitebňu, keď niekoľko dní budeš tu neďaleko mesta." Zobudil som sa.
5A cítil som sa pri tom tak trochu zvláštne. Nechcel som tu vpadnúť cez týždeň. Pýtal som sa brata Nevilleho, či má pre cirkev dnes ráno niečo zvláštne. Tak, on bol láskavý, ako vždy, a povedal: "Príď." Tak, práve sme prišli. Zavolal som mu neskoro včera popoludní, a prišiel sem dnes ráno, neočakávane pre každého z nás.
6Verím že to bude dobré, v prvom rade pre mňa, aby som vám tak trochu vysvetlil nejaké veci. Ja som, možno, pre mnohých ľudí veľmi divný človek. A tiež pre seba samého som tak trochu divný, pretože sa snažím nasledovať vedenie Ducha Svätého, tak tesne, ako len môžem, a to nás robí divnými. Robíme veci, že sa niekedy skutočne posadíme a divíme sa: "Prečo som urobil niečo také? Ako som vôbec urobil niečo také?" A hneď potom sa vám môže zdať, že ste urobili presne to, čo ste nemali urobiť. Ale ak len budete trpezliví, a budete mať vieru, a ste si istý, že Boh vás viedol aby ste to urobili, zistíte, že to presne všetko vychádza na dobré. A mnohokrát sme to videli. A viem, že brat Neville sa s tým veľakrát stretol, a vedúci a duchovní ľudia si to uvedomujú.
7Stalo sa mi raz živote, že ... Úprimne povedané, už ako chlapec, nikdy som necítil nejaké vedenie, žeby som mal bývať v Jeffersonville. Stále to bolo pre mňa, ako mucha v masti, snažiť sa žiť tu. Zaprvé, už podnebie my tu vôbec nevyhovuje. A zadruhé, cítim sa tu akoby skľúčený na duchu.
8Keď idem naspäť a pozerám sa tu niekde, že to bolo zničené počas tej záplavy, to je pre mňa ako dopis, že som mal ... prvé povolanie do služby. Začal som odchádzať. A brat George DeArk a ja ...
9A matka brata Grahama Snellinga, brat Hawkins, ktorý má tú benzínu v New Albany, a mnohí ľudia, zaobstarali mi tu také malé miesto na zhromaždenia. A ešte povedali, že keby som zostal, že by obmedzili svoje deti pri stole a postavili modlitebňu, aby nemuseli prechádzať z miesta na miesto.
10Keď som počul tú prostú matku, ktorá držala jedno dieťa za ruku, a druhé mala v náručí, ako hovorila, že je ochotná obmedziť svoje deti pri stole, kvôli tomu aby sa mohlo postaviť miesto, kde by mohli zostať a chváliť Pána, to bolo na mňa príliš veľa, aby som to vydržal. Tak, brat George a ja sme sa dali dokopy a rozhodli sme sa, že zostaneme a postavíme túto modlitebňu.
11A keď táto modlitebňa bola postavená, to stále akoby ... V to ráno, keď som vykonával posvätenie tejto modlitebni, prišlo videnie, ktoré je napísané a je tam v uholnom kameni, keď mi Duch Svätý povedal: "Toto nie je tvoja modlitebňa." A ja som sa opýtal, kde je moja modlitebňa, a On ma postavil pod jasnú modrú oblohu. A potom On povedal: "Konaj dielo evanjelistu," a tak ďalej, ako viete. Je to ešte zapísané aj v tých knihách. Všetky tieto veci.
12A jedného dňa, keď som opúšťal tam ten dvor, kde teraz býva brat Wood - bývala tam vtedy moja svokra - sedel som vzadu na tom schode, na starom rohovom schode, tam som postavil to miestečko pre moju svokru. A ona vtedy bola takou domovníčkou zboru, starala sa oň. A prehovoril ku mne hlas, tak jasno, ako len možno povedať, a povedal: "Nemôžem ťa žehnať, kým si tu. Musíš sa oddeliť od svojich ľudí a tohoto miesta." No, to ma akoby trhalo na kusy, asi za týždeň, alebo i viac.
13Neustále, po celý čas ma niečo varovalo: "Choď preč, choď preč. Vydaj sa na západ. Choď na západ." No, ja ... to ma stále trápilo. A vyzerá akoby zakaždým ...
14No, jasne som sa rozhodol, že tento týždeň som zaletel do Tucsonu, kde som si bol prenajať miesto, aby som tam bol túto zimu a dal tam deti od septembra do školy. Mal som to miesto. Bolo tam i nejaké miesto, ktoré mi dávali. Ale to je niečo, čo ... A keď odídem preč ...
15Ďalšie, čo by som chcel povedať. Tesne predtým, ako sme tu postavili tento dom, túto faru, kde je to teraz ... Ja som to nechcel tam stavať. Matka mojej ženy bola stará, a ona kvôli tomu skoro plakala. Povedala: "Nemôžem tu nechať mamu, keď viem že je stará a nestarať sa o ňu." No, rozumel som tomu. Rozumiem. To je jej matka - a jediná matka, ktorú kedy mala, alebo bude mať - tak som tomu rozumel. Tak som sa modlil ku Pánovi, povedal som: "Pane, keď je to tak, nechcem to miesto," povedal som: "sprav aby som bol spokojný. Pôjdem kdekoľvek chceš, z kadekoľvek. Ale nechcem rmútiť svoju ženu, brať ju odtiaľto do cudzej krajiny, kde nikoho nepozná. A pritom ja som ešte stále preč. Urob ma len spokojným, aby som bol tu s ňou."
16A teraz, keď jej matka bola vzatá a odišla do chvály, potom tu znovu prichádza to naliehanie, vidíte, ísť teraz ďalej. Neviem čo robiť.
17A potom toho dňa, keď táto náuka, s ktorou vyrukovali títo bratia ... Odišiel som spoza kazateľni, ten posledný krát, keď som tu bol a povedal som vám, že keď s tým neprestanú, nebudem na misijnom poli. Tak, tí bratia pekne všetko napravili. Všetko je vyjasnené. Za dvadsať štyri hodín to všetko skončilo.
18A teraz mi to znovu otvorilo misijné pole. Neviem čo robiť, neviem ktorou cestou sa pohnúť. Prosil som Pána o videnie. Prosil som Ho, aby mi povedal, čo mám robiť, ale On ma proste necháva sedieť.
19No, minulej noci, keď som odviezol všetky deti, moju ženu i všetkých z domu, zaviazal som sa Pánu Bohu. A povedal som Pánu Bohu: "Ak ma budeš žehnať na tej ceste po ktorej idem, budem Ti slúžiť. Ale musíš mi ukázať, kde mám ísť a ako ísť, a čo robiť." A tak som sa odovzdal Pánovi. S tou službou a so všetkým som sa odovzdal Pánovi. A povedal som: "Kdekoľvek otvoríš, čokoľvek budeš robiť, budem takto kráčať. Až kým neurobíš cestu, ja budem len pokračovať, až kým neurobíš cestu." A prosil som Ho, aby to urobil tak jasné, aby som nebol potom oklamaný, lebo skutočne verím, že sme rovno na križovatke niečoho, čo sa má stať.
20Počul som to tu prorokovať dnes ráno cez brata Nevilleho, či povedať to, kde som poznal, že to bolo proroctvo, na ktoré sa odvolával. A teraz, tak, ja som sa modlil za vás všetkých, a potrebujem, aby ste sa vy všetci modlili za mňa, aby ma Duch Svätý viedol presne tam, kde mám byť, čo mám robiť, aby som neurobil žiadnu chybu.
21Viete, mnohokrát si ľudia myslia, že prorocký dar, že Boh vám len hovorí: "Vezmem ťa tu z tadeto a postavím ťa sem. Choď teraz len tuto a ..." On vám toto všetko nehovorí. Keby to robil, kde by potom bola vaša víťaziaca viera? Vidíte? On vás necháva stáť samých, viac ako kohokoľvek iného, vidíte. Vy všetci môžete prísť ku mne a pýtať sa na určité veci a On pri tom ešte nikdy nesklamal. Je to tak. Ale ja sa Ho môžem pýtať niečo pre seba, a mnohokrát ma nechá samého, vidíte, nechá ma len ísť ďalej a vojsť do toho.
22Mám teraz veci, ktoré musím rozriešiť sám, rozhodnutia, ktoré musím urobiť. A toto je taká dôležitá vec, že to nemôžem presne urobiť, až kým som si nie istý, že to je On, ktorý ku mne hovorí. A On mi nedá videnie, len ma necháva samého. A tak len sedím ako sirota, ako dnes ráno. Neviem ktorou cestou sa pustiť. Tak, poručil som to Pánovi.
23Cítil som takto, potom keď sa mi snívalo, žeby som mal prísť sem do modlitebni a pomôcť bratovi Nevillemu, až kým sa niečo ďalšie neprihodí na ceste. Tak budem tu.
24Pýtal som sa pred chvíľou brata Nevilleho, ako sa rozvíja cirkev.
A on povedal: "Dobre."
25A tak, počul som, že stále máte duchovné dary a veci medzi sebou, ktoré fungujú - dary proroctva, a hovorenie v jazykoch, čo sme práve pred chvíľou počuli. A tieto veci povznášajú cirkev, a veľmi.
26Ale myslel som, že možno dnes večer by som mohol, ak brat Neville ... ak nás Duch Svätý nebude viesť do niečoho iného, dnes večer by som rád mal ... Vy všetci, prv ako odídete dnes ráno, napíšte otázku a položte ju sem, nejakú otázku, ktorú máte na mysli, aby sme mohli zistiť o čom cirkev rozmýšľa. To je spôsob, ako pastori zistia, čo majú ľudia na srdci. A každý, kto má otázku, napíšte to a položte sem. Ak nemáte kúsok papieru, na ktorý by ste to napísali dnes ráno, potom to napíšte zavčasu dnes večer. Tak, rád by som mal na ne čím viac času, aby som si ich pozrel a odpovedal vám podľa Písma.
27Potom, ak Pán dá, ak to bude vôľa Božia, povedal som tu nedávno, žeby som ku vám rád hovoril na tému týchto siedmych posledných pečatí zo Zjavenia. No ak my ... Nemohol by som tohoto roku prebrať všetky tieto pečate, pretože to je od šiestej kapitoly Zjavenia až do devätnástej kapitoly, aby sme prebrali tieto pečate. Ale prvé tri alebo štyri z nich by mohli byť zodpovedané za večer, myslím, každá pečať na jeden večer.
28No, ak rozumieme, viete, kde sme vlastne skončili v tejto knihe Zjavenia, kde je vzatá cirkev hore do chvály, potom to ostatné z toho hovorí o Židoch, vôbec nie o cirkvi. To hovorí o Židovskom národe. Preto sa budeme musieť vrátiť od vytrhnutia cirkvi, a tak tu budeme vidieť čo sa deje počas týchto pečatí, a v čase cirkvi z Pohanov, až cirkev zostane vzatá. A čo sa deje s Izraelským národom, to prichádza naspäť a prenáša Izrael z času, v ktorom ich to opustilo, do moderného času, a do príchodu Mesiáša, keď oni prijmú Mesiáša.
29Rozumiete tomu? Cirkev je vzatá hore. Boh jednal prv s cirkvou - v cirkevných vekoch. Prebrali sme to. Potom je cirkev vzatá hore do slávy. Potom ide Duch Svätý naspäť a berie Izrael ako národ, a prináša to ďalej, potadeto, zatiaľ čo prebieha svadobná večera, a potom na konci toho času ich znovu privádza naspäť. Budem tu mať tabuľu, a budem to môcť nakresliť a učiť to, keď príde ten čas. Potom sa Pán vracia s nevestou, a Izrael ju vidí. A ó, čo to bude za čas!
30No, prv ako toto môžeme správne pospájať, je veľká lekcia, ktorá je kameňom úrazu pre teológov, a pre mnohých učiteľov v tomto veku, a pre ľudí z cirkvi Kristovej a pre tých, ktorí toto prichádzajú počúvať. To je sedemdesiat Danielových týždňov. My sme mali ... Nemôžeme ísť ďalej do Zjavenia, kým nezviažeme spolu nevestu a Izrael, s Danielovými sedemdesiatimi týždňami. A možno, ak Boh dá, ak by On ku mne hovoril, aby som hovoril niečo o týchto sedemdesiatych týždňoch ... či nie sedemdesiatych týždňoch, ale o siedmych posledných pečatiach ... Potom nasledujúcu nedeľu by som sa pokúsil prebrať Danielových sedemdesiat týždňov. Nasledujúcu nedeľu, ak Pán dá. A to potom položí základy, ak by nás On viedol, aby sme začali hovoriť o tých ďalších veciach. No, uvidíme potom ďalej.
31Brat Neville a ja budeme spolu na tom pracovať, a budeme robiť všetko, čo budeme môcť, na úžitok ľudí.
32No, stále keď prichádzam sa modlíme za chorých. Vždy to radi robíme. A budem to pravdepodobne robiť na každom zhromaždení, ak budú ľudia chorí, budem sa za nich modliť.
33Nechcem už viac rozpoznávať. Viete, stalo sa toto. Snažil som sa. Viem, že som urobil veci, ktoré sú zlé; ale snažil som sa žiť tak blízko Boha po celý čas, pri Bohu, (Takto vlastne môžu prísť tieto videnia, takto oni prichádzajú.) že dokonca ľudia, ktorí niečo stratili, mi volali, prosili ma, aby som sa išiel modliť ku Pánovi a opýtal sa, kde to je. Ako Jesse stratil tie mulice, a tí chlapci tam prišli a našli proroka, a on im povedal, kde sa tie mulice vrátili domov, a tak ďalej, ako toto. To je úplne v poriadku. Ale toho bolo toľko, tak veľa ľudí. Nie len tu z okolia - široko po svete, viete. Že ste z toho stále na roztrhanie. A potom vás to drží stále na ihlách po celý čas, až kým to nepríde do miesta ...
34A to je to, čo zapríčinilo, že títo bratia začali s tou náukou, že ja som stelesnený Pán Ježiš Kristus. A vieme, že to by proste roztrhalo celú tú službu na kusy a prinieslo pohanenie na Krista, a na všetko, viete. A tak to je dôvod, že som im musel dať poriadnu príučku, aby okamžite s tým prestali, aby som im dal poznať, že to nebolo od Boha, to bolo z diabla, vidíte. A dobrí ľudia. A to ukázalo, že títo ľudia sú znovuzrodení z Ducha Božieho, pretože keď uvideli pravdu, skrze Písmo, vrátili sa k Bohu, presne, vidíte, hneď v tej chvíli. Tak to ukázalo, že to bol Satan, ktorý sa snažil urobiť niečo s ľuďmi. Oni boli všetci bohabojní Kresťania.
35A to spôsobilo, že mnohí z nich mi povedali: "Brat Branham, teraz máme ku tebe väčšiu dôveru, než ako sme kedy mali."
36Pretože, vidíte, čo - s tým darom, ktorý mi Boh dal - čo by som s tým mohol urobiť? Vrhnúť národ, či ľudí ku svojím nohám. Čo my nazývame národ, to nie je "kozmos" tu vonku, potrava pre delá a tak ďalej. Mám na mysli kresťanov, opravdivých veriacich, ktorí sú smotanou na ... Hovoríme o národe, kážeme o znovuzrodených ľuďoch, to je to čomu hovoríme "národ." Nie každý tu vonku ... tá špina a blato, s ktorou žijeme vo svete. To je len prach zeme, ktorý sa navráti naspäť. Ja hovorím o znovuzrodených kresťanoch, o ľuďoch, ktorí sú skutočne kresťanmi.
37Čakám na jedného človeka, aby znovu kvôli niečomu do mňa skočil. Jeden nedávno prišiel ku mne a povedal: "Už len predstava, že Kristus napľul na zem, a urobil blato a natrel ho niekomu na oči." Povedal. "Aké špinavé, nečisté to bolo na Neho vypľuť slinu zo Svojich úst, aké nehygienické, napľuť do špiny a urobiť blato a dať to človekovi na oči."
Povedal som: "Ale on sa vrátil a videl." Vidíte, to je to.
38A práve tento človek ... Tam hore neďaleko nás otvorili nudistický tábor - viete, plavecký bazén. A tento človek kúpil lístok pre každé svoje dieťa, aby tam chodili a plávali v tom bazéne. A on a jeho žena tam chodia tiež, do toho bazénu. Prepáčte mi, moje sestry, ale tam, kde tie ženy v tom plaveckom - okolo sto ľudí, alebo dvesto, každý deň - ženy, všetka tá špina a všetko, a ženy dnes, a kúpu sa v tej vode, tá špina a nečistota im ide do úst, a prežierajú to a vypľúvajú. Len chcem aby do mňa skočil, viete.
39Povedal: "Keby Kristus žil dnes, zatkli by Ho kvôli tej nehygienickej veci."
40A čo s týmto? Som si istý, že rozumiete čo chcem povedať. Oni idú rovno do toho bazénu, a mnohí z nich s tými chorobami - syfilis, kvapavka, a všetko možné - rovno tam. A vypľúvajú to ústami, a všetko takéto, a takto sa v tom kúpu. To je už hygienické.
41Tak, ó, toto je deň v ktorom žijeme, brat, sestra! Je čas na príchod Pánov! Cirkev má jednu nádej, a to je príchod Pánov.
42No, ja nemôžem zastaviť tieto veci. Netreba. Biblia predpovedala, že oni tu budú. Ja ich nemôžem zastaviť. Ale chcem, aby bol môj hlas zaznamenaný v nebesiach, že som bol proti tomu, keď príde čas súdu. Ja som bol proti tomu.
43Ja stále verím, že táto Biblia je Slovo Božie. Potom nič na svete, čo sa s tým nezhoduje, vás vôbec nemôže vyviesť z rovnováhy. Ale táto Biblia tu, toto je pravda, toto je Božie Slovo. Tak teraz stiahnime len svoje plachty a zakotvime na chvíľu pri pokojnom brehu nebeského odpočinku. A zajtra sa môžeme plaviť niekde, ale spustime len teraz kotvu a počúvajme na hlas nebeského Otca, keď On dnes bude hovoriť ku nám cez Svoje Slovo, čo dúfame.
44A dnes večer, teraz, napíšte akúkoľvek otázku, ktorú máte o ... No, nie niečo, čo niekoho urazí. Ak to robíte, potom to je ... Vôbec by som na to neodpovedal, viete. Ale niečo iné, povedzme: "Dobre, no, ak robím určitú vec, či hovorí Boh, že máme toto robiť?" Alebo, viete, prosté otázky, ktoré máte na srdci. Alebo: "Máme medzi sebou dary, brat Branham, a máme ich používať takto, alebo takto?" Niečo čo vám môže zodpovedať podľa Písma, viete. Napíšte niečo, budem rád. A ak nemáte žiadnu, potom zoberiem nejakú krátku tému a budem vám kázať dnes večer, ak Pán dá. Toto je nedeľa, a ja som bol ...
45Minulú nedeľu som vstal, že zájdem ku bratovi Cobblesovi. A počul som zvoniť tento zboroví zvon, a chodil som len hore dole po dvore. Nemohol som to proste vydržať. Tak som musel prísť sem.
46Tak teraz skloňme len svoje hlavy a v slovách modlitby hovorme ku nášmu Stvoriteľovi. Má niekto nejakú zvláštnu prosbu? Zodvihnite len svoje ruky, povedzte len: "Ja ..." Dajte to len vedieť. Boh vie, čo je vo vašom srdci. Pamätajte len teraz na svoju prosbu.
47Najsvätejší Bože, ktorý si stvoril nebesia a zem slovom svojich úst, skrze myšlienky svojej mysli, prichádzame do Tvojej prítomnosti, skrze Ježiša Krista nášho Pána, aby sme Ti poďakovali za všetko, čo si pre nás urobil. A sme Ti tak vďační, Pane, dnes ráno, že vieme kde stojíme, že poznáme pozíciu, v ktorej sa nachádzame dnes ráno, a históriu času a budúcnosť, ktorá prichádza. Vieme dnes, že skrze milosť Božiu sme boli umytí krvou Golgoty, že sme pripravení s vierou v našich srdciach stretnúť Ho, keby mal dnes prísť, povieme: "Áno, príď Pane Ježišu."
48A vidíme, že sa množí hriech, až sa zdá, že svet sa potáca pod pôsobením hriechu. Ako to pitie, hazardné hry, hýrenie, a nahota, a, ó Bože, ľudská špina, nečistota a hnoj, a ako oni ... keby si to oni len uvedomili, Pane! Či si uvedomujú títo ľudia, ktorí sa takto obliekajú do tých neslušných šiat a idú von na ulicu, či si uvedomujú, že nie sú nič len muchy a prach, a možno za týždeň tie muchy budú žrať to telo, ktoré oni tak zvelebujú? Či si neuvedomujú, že ho zožerú červy? A že ich duša sa bude tam vo večnosti bez Boha, bez Krista, bez nádeji, ponárať do hlbokého zúfalstva, aby bola jednoducho zničená pri Jeho príchode? Ó Bože, daj nám hlasy varovania, aby sme mohli varovať každú dušu pred týmto nebezpečenstvom, ku ktorému sa približujú.
49Buď dnes s nami. Daj nám slová múdrosti, ako povedal raz Šalamún v knihe Kazateľa, že máme byť múdri stavitelia, že máme byť pastiermi tohoto zhromaždenia. A prosíme, Pane, keď hľadáme slová, ktoré máme povedať, nech oni budú majstrovskými dielami, ktoré chytia to srdce, ktoré je tu dnes ráno tak v potrebe.
50Neprišli sme sem dnes a nezhromaždili sme sa pod touto horúcou strechou, len aby sme sa videli, ale prišli sme sem, lebo Ťa milujeme a pretože Ťa túžime počúvať. Ty si náš milí, ktorého milujeme, a túžime počúvať slová od Teba. Sme vďační za to, čo sme už počuli. Dlho na to budeme pamätať. A teraz nám daj porciu, ktorú máš dnes pre nás, keď očakávame ďalej na Teba. Prosíme to v mene Ježiša, a pre Neho. Amen.
51Teraz ak ... [Nejaká sestra hovorí v jazykoch. Nejaký brat dáva výklad. – pozn.prekl.]
52Sme vďační za tieto povznesenia od Ducha. Oni nám hovoria a varujú nás, aby sme pozorovali na slová, ktoré možno Duch Svätý bude ku nám dnes hovoriť. A my proste nevieme, čo On má pre nás odložené, ale vieme, že musí byť niečo, čo On chce priniesť. Možno máte na mysli nejakú otázku, ktorú tam On zodpovie. On to môže zodpovedať dnes ráno cez toto posolstvo. On to môže zodpovedať na zhromaždení dnes večer. Niekde dnes pri tomto, sa On snaží, vyzerá to tak, varovať niekoho, aby sa chytil Slova.
53A teraz sa obráťme do písaného Slova, poďme do knihy Exodus, na lekciu nedeľnej školy.
54Máme krst? [Brat Neville hovorí: "Nie, až o šiestej dnes večer." – pozn.prekl.] Nie. Krst je o šiestej dnes popoludní.
55Poďme do sedemnástej kapitoly knihy Exodus a začnime od piateho verša, myslím, piaty a šiesty verš sedemnástej kapitoly knihy Exodus.
A Hospodin riekol Mojžišovi: Idi pred ľudom a pojmi so sebou niektorých zo starších Izraelových i svoju palicu, ktorou si uderil rieku, vezmi do svojej ruky a pôjdeš.
Hľa, ja tam budem stáť pred tebou na skale na Hórebe. a uderíš na skalu, a vyjdú z nej vody, a ľud bude piť. A Mojžiš urobil tak pred očami starších Izraelových
.56No, ak by som mal nazvať tento krátky text nedeľnej školy, rády by som toto zobral ako tému pre túto raňajšiu lekciu: "Stále prítomná vody zo skaly."
57Vieme, že Izrael bol stále historickým príkladom cirkvi. Pretože Izrael bol ľud Boží, až kým nevyšli z Egypta, a potom boli cirkvou Božou, pretože boli oddelení od ostatného sveta.
58A keď sme my oddelení od ostatného sveta, potom sa stávame cirkvou. Ale kým sme zapletení s ostatným svetom, tak nie sme v cirkvi. No dúfam, že to ide skutočne hlboko, že to robí svoje. Vidíte, nie sme cirkev, až kým nie sme oddelení od sveta. Oddeľte sa, vyjdite spomedzi tých ľudí, z tej nečistoty, nemajte s nimi diel, a nebuďte účastní ich hriechov. Neťahajte spoločné jarmo s neveriacimi, ale sa oddeľte od vecí toho sveta.
59A keď Izrael bol v Egypte, oni boli ľud Boží. Potom, keď boli vyvolaní, alebo mali exodus, vyšli von, potom boli nazvaní cirkvou, pretože potom sa oddelili od ostatného sveta.
60A samotné slovo cirkev znamená "vyvolaní." Exodus, "vyjdi von." Každý z nás, ako kresťania, sme mali vo svojom živote exodus. Prežili sme čas, keď sme boli vyvolaní von z pomedzi svojich spoločníkov, vyvolaní von z pomedzi ľudí, s ktorými sme voľakedy mávali obecenstvo, a stali sme sa inými ľuďmi, aby sme chodili s inými ľuďmi a inak sa správali a inak hovorili. To bol exodus v našom živote.
61Izrael nám dal veľmi pekný príklad, keď ich Boh vyvolal. Oni mali exodus, a vyšli spomedzi ľudí toho sveta, a stali sa oddeleným národom pre Boha, zvláštny ľud. Oni chodili v tieňoch trónu milosti. Oni žili a chodili podľa veľkého ohnivého stĺpa. A Boh ich vyviedol z Egypta do zeme, ktorú im zasľúbil.
62A v tomto exoduse im bol daný duchovný vodca, vodca, ktorým bol Mojžiš, veľký pomazaný prorok, on bol veľkým mužom. On bol Boží muž, on sa narodil ako Boží muž. Boh ho povolal od narodenia. Ešte pred tým, Boh ho ustanovil pred založením sveta, aby bol vodcom pre tú generáciu, aby tým ľuďom priniesol tento exodus.
63Nedávno som tu hovoril ku malým deťom, tu v modlitebni, kázal som im trochu, a povedal som ... trochu som im predstavil, ako Jochebet, ako sa modlila, ona a Amram, Mojžišov otec, za ... robili niečo ohľadne vyslobodenia tých ľudí. A Amram videl vo videní stáť Boha, či anjela, a ukazoval smerom na sever, a povedal mu čo sa stane. A narodil sa ten malý Mojžiš. A oni sa nebáli kráľových rozkazov, či hrozieb. Oni vedeli, že Boh má nad Mojžišom svoju ruku, a tým to bolo vybavené. Je to tak. Bez ohľadu na to čo povedal kráľ, čo hovoril politický svet, čo ktokoľvek hovoril, oni vedeli, že Boh má nad Mojžišom svoju ruku. Tak oni sa ho nebáli pustiť rovno medzi krokodílov, keď oni boli vykŕmené na malých Hebrejských deťoch, oni ich tam hádzali krokodílom. A pri tom Mojžiš bol daný do malej archy a poslaný rovno medzi krokodíly, rovno medzi ne, pretože oni sa nebáli ničoho. Oni vedeli, že Boh má nad Mojžišom svoju ruku.
64Dobre, teraz, keby sme my len mohli vedieť to isté, že náš veľký vodca, Duch Svätý, že Ho Boh poslal. A On je náš vodca. A nezáleží na tom, čo hovorí svet, a koľko sa oni z vás vysmievajú a robia si z vás žarty, my nasledujeme nášho vodcu! Boh poslal Ducha Svätého, aby bol naším vodcom. Vidíte? "Ešte chvíľu a svet ma viacej neuvidí. Ale vy ma uvidíte, lebo ja budem s vami, ešte i vo vás, až do konca sveta." Tak náš veľký vodca je s nami, Duch Svätý. My teraz musíme nasledovať tohoto vodcu a robiť tak, ako nám On hovorí. A tento vodca nás nikdy neodvedie z cesty. On nás po celý čas bude držať rovno na ceste Písma. Ale On nikdy nepôjde na jednu stranu pre toto, a na túto stranu pre tamto. On bude zostávať presne na ceste Písma.
65A Mojžiš poznal smer, ktorým mal viesť Izrael, a viedol ich rovno cez Červené more, rovno cez Jordán, rovno do zasľúbenej zemi, rovno cez púšť. To nebol Mojžiš, ktorý vybočil. To nebol Boh, ktorý vybočil. To boli ľudia, ktorí vybočili a spôsobili problémy. Tak, zamyslime sa teraz nad týmito vecami.
66Mojžiš bol pomazaný vodca. Nakoniec, keď ukázal tým ľuďom, skrze znamenia a zázraky, ktoré mohol robiť jedine Boh ... On činil tieto znamenia a zázraky pred staršími Izraela, a pred Izraelom, až kým oni boli presvedčení, že tento Mojžiš je ten pomazaný muž, ktorý ich má vyviesť z tejto krajiny do tej dobrej zemi, ktorá im bola zasľúbená. Potom, keď oni videli tieto veľké veci, ktoré Mojžiš robil v mene Božom, oni boli ochotní nasledovať ho. A on ich zobral z tade, viedol ich cez Červené more, na druhú stranu po suchej zemi, a na cestu do púšti, čo predstavuje čas skúšok.
67Keď niekto prijme Krista, ako svojho Spasiteľa, všetko vyzerá pekne. Ale prv, ako tento človek môže vojsť do krstu Duchom Svätým, táto osoba, musí prejsť procesom posvätenia. Musí prejsť vo svojom živote časom skúšok. Všetci z vás ste cez to prechádzali. On prechádzal týmto časom skúšok. "Každý syn, ktorý prichádza ku Bohu je najprv švihaný, naprávaný, káraný. A ak neprijímame káranie, potom to ukazuje, že nie sme deti Božie, sme cudzoložňatá a nie deti Božie." Tak hovorí Biblia. Ale ak dokážeme znášať káranie, "vediac, že všetky veci spolu pôsobia na dobré tým, ktorí milujú Boha", potom sme synovia a dcéry Božie, potom nás On pečatí Duchom Svätým, až do dňa nášho vykúpenia. Vidíte, to je káznenie, namáhanie, to cez čo prechádzame. A Izrael, ako historický predobraz, musel znášať toto káznenie.
68No, keď oni boli dole v Egypte a Boh poslal Mojžiša a on vystrel palicu a zjavili sa na zemi blchy a vši, on vystrel palicu oproti slnku a ono zapadlo, vystrel ju nad vodami, a premenili sa na krv, no Izrael bol tam v Kanaáne ... tam v Góšen, a prežíval nádherné chvíle. Slnko nezapadalo, pliagy na nich neudierali. No, oni proste prežívali nádherné chvíle.
69Práve tak ako vy, keď ste zostali spasení. Všetko, vtáci spievali inak, a každý bol milý. A, och, joj, aké bolo všetko úžasné, keď ste zostali spasení! Potom nastal nepríjemný čas, káznenie, čas posväcovania, oddeľovanie sa od vecí toho sveta. "Skladáte bremeno, ktoré vás tak ľahko obkľučuje." Vy mužovia ste museli prestať fajčiť, prestať piť, prestať chodiť na plaváreň, prestať so svojimi celonočnými večierkami pri kartách. Museli ste sa oddeliť od všetkých týchto vecí, skrze vieru v Krv Ježiša Krista - posvätiť sa. Vy ženy ste si museli nechať rásť vlasy, predĺžiť si šaty a správať sa inak, než ako ste sa správali. Čas posvätenie. Mnohokrát sa oni búria a idú naspäť. No, to nie je dieťa Božie, vidíte. Dieťa Božie sa díva rovno na Golgotu a vie, že to je na jeho dobro.
70Tak potom, v tomto čase nastalo v Izraelovi veľké odpadnutie. Keď nastal tento čas, potom ľudia začali odpadávať, z jednej strany na druhú. Potom oni začali hovoriť: "Prajeme si aby sme boli tam dole v Egypte. Naša duša si zošklivila tento ničomný chlieb," (inými slovami, keby som to teraz zobral historicky) to bolo to, čo oni hovorili.
71Teraz v modernom čase, by to bolo: "Och, každú stredu večer, modlitebné zhromaždenie. Každú nedeľu ráno, znovu do zhromaždenia. Čo počúvame? To isté - kazateľ sa postaví a káže, piesne; ideme domov." Vidíte, potom to robíte len z povinnosti. Neprinášate Bohu chválu. Kto prináša Bohu chválu, ten Ho tam ide chváliť, vypovedať sa pred Bohom, chváliť Boha za Jeho dobrotu. Zapája do toho každé slovo.
72Tak ako milostný vzťah. Ak ste chodili s dievčaťom, pretože ste vedeli, že je to povinnosť, alebo vy ste chodili s chlapcom, keď ste boli mladé ("Mama chce aby som chodila s týmto chlapcom, ale ja ho nemôžem ani zniesť."), nemáš z neho nič, keď ťa prichádza navštíviť. Alebo, ak je to tak isto ohľadne dievčaťa ku chlapcovi, alebo chlapca ku dievčaťu. Ideš s ňou a ona ťa nudí; Mama chce aby si s ňou chodil, pretože ona je také dievčaťa, aké sa mame páči. Vidíte, to vás nudí, to nie je láska. Ale vy sa nestaráte, nechcete sa isť upraviť, nechcete ísť za ňou. A to je ... No, to je strašné. A keď vás on prichádza navštíviť, ó, prajete si len, aby už čím skôr išiel domov.
73To je to isté keď hovoríte: "Prečo tak dlho káže? Čo všetko toto a tak ďalej?" Vidíte, nie ste zamilovaní.
74Ale keď sa skutočne držíte každého slova, ako vás Duch varoval dnes ráno, vidíte ... "Držte sa každého slova," to môže byť to o čom vám On hovoril - držať sa! To je večný život, každé Slovo Božie. To je radosť chodiť do zhromaždenia, za každých okolností. Či je horúco, zima, ľahostajne, či ľudia bedákajú, vzdychajú, čokoľvek robia, stále je to radosť počuť Slovo Pánovo. Potom ste zamilovaný do Krista, vidíte, radi chodíte do zhromaždenia.
75"No, drahá, znovu je tu nedeľa ráno. Hádam musíme umyť deti a ísť tam. Ó, to je nuda." Vidíte, nie ste zamilovaní.
76Ale ak ste skutočne zamilovaní, sotva sa môžete dočkať do nedeli rána, vy tam proste musíte s nimi byť. A my ... a ľudia Boží, oni vás nenudia. Prečo, oni sú bratia a sestry. Ako som zvykol hovoriť, stávate sa takí hustí, ako melasa za chladného rána. Ona sa nerozteká, ona proste drží spolu, viete, lepí sa. No, to je hrubé vyjadrenie, ale to vám dáva vedieť čo chcem povedať, viete. Držíte sa spolu. A čím je chladnejšie, tým pevnejšie sa držia. A tak to má byť s nami. Čím chladnejšie ...
Keď zemský priatelia opustia,
naďalej ešte viacej sa Ho drž.
77 A to, že milujeme jeden druhého, to nie je preto, že sme niekým, ale to je Kristus v každom jednom, ktorého milujeme, viete. To je Boh, ktorý je v nás, ktorého milujeme. Radi sa teraz schádzame spolu. Zvykli sme spievať starú pieseň.
Požehnané zväzky,
ktoré viažu naše srdcia v kresťanskej láske;
Obecenstvo príbuzných myslí;
To je ako tam hore.
(Vidíte, obecenstvo príbuzných myslí je ako tam to hore.)
Pred trónom nášho Otca;
Vylievame svoje vrelé modlitby;
Naše obavy, naše nádeje, naše ciele sú jedno;
Naše útechy a naše starosti.
78Vidíte? Tak veru! Keď niekto prežil požehnanie, všetci sa z toho radujeme. Keď je niekto smutný, smútime s ním. Všetci chceme byť spolu. No, takto to s nami má byť.
79A tak to malo byť s Izraelom. Ale to sa stalo ťažkým: "Och, tento ničomný chlieb, anjelsky chlieb! No, čo máme z tohoto ničomného chleba? Naše duše si toto zošklivili. A všetko je zlé. A táto stará manna, ktorá padá každú noc, och, radšej by sme mali nejaký cesnak a pór z Egypta." Vidíte, ich srdcia neboli pripravené na tú cestu.
80A keď sa nejaký muž, alebo žena začne sťažovať kvôli chodeniu do zhromaždenia, sú tak unavení z chodenia do zhromaždenia, oni nie sú pripravení na cestu. Je to tak. Niekde je niečo zle.
81 Ó, keď milujete Boha, a myslíte o tom, že pôjdete do neba, a všetci idete spolu!
Čo za obecenstvo, čo za Božská radosť;
Spočívajúci na večných ramenách;
Ó, čo za požehnaný pokoj s mojím Pánom;
Ktorí je tak blízko, spočívajúc na Jeho večných ramenách.
(Čo za ... spievame tieto piesne.)
Zdieľame sa s našimi spoločnými biedami;
Nesieme spoločné bremená;
A často jeden za druhého roníme slzy súcitu.
Keď sme odlúčení, bolí nás to vo vnútri;
Ale v srdciach stále budeme spojení;
A dúfame, že sa znovu stretneme.
(na ďalšom modlitebnom stretnutí).
82Tak veru, stále v srdci spojení. Teraz sa pripravujete na cestu, vidíte, ste pripravení ísť do zasľúbenej zemi. Čas skúšok, tam je nebezpečná pôda - púšť, čas skúšok.
83Izrael, vo svojom čase skúšok, oni sa hádali a sťažovali jeden na druhého, a zošklivil sa im ten chlieb, a chceli ísť naspäť do Egypta.
84A potom sa začali sťažovať na svojho vodcu. Ó, báli sa, že ich vedie zle. Potom keď sa ukázal, že je vodca, a Boh dokázal, že je vodca: "No, možno sa správame tak trochu fanaticky. A možno sme sa celkom dostali na zlú stopu." Alebo tak nejako, viete. Oni hovorili proti Bohu a proti Mojžišovi - proti Bohu a Jeho vodcovi.
85No, keď sa potom dostaneme na to miesto: "Neviem či to Slovo znamená to, alebo nie. A ja neviem o Duchu Svätom. Tak trochu o tom pochybujem. Poznám iných, ktorí tak nehovoria." Dobre, choď si do Egyptu, vidíte.
86Ale ak si skutočne rozhodnutý zostať na tej ceste, Zostať celkom pri tom vodcovi, Duchu Svätom, zostať celkom s tým Slovom. A ak zostávate s Duchom, on vás bude držať v Slove. Je to tak. On vás bude viesť presne tým smerom, po ceste Slova. Nebojte sa toho. To nič neublíži; to vám len pomôže ak trpíte. Duch Svätý uzdraví všetky trápenia.
87No, vidíme, že na tejto ceste, keď sa takto správali, prišli na miesto Horeb. A H-o-r-e-b, Horeb, potom vidíme ... Rozoberme to meno. Tam oni ... Meno Horeb znamená "suché miesto" alebo "púšť."
88A keď v zbore stratíme obecenstvo jeden s druhým a stratíme obecenstvo s Duchom Svätým, to nás privedie na suché miesto, na púšť - žiadny život. Všetko má na sebe pichliače. Púšť. Kúsok kaktusu a na ňom pichliač. Viete čo to je? To je vzácny, malý jemný lístok, ktorý nemal vodu. On sa proste tak silno zvinul, že je z neho pichliač. A keď vidíte niekoho v takomto stave, možno je to milá duša, ktorá keby bola riadne zavlažená, bola by jemným lístkom. Ale namiesto toho sa to zvinulo, že až je z toho pichliač, ktorý do všetkého pichá, viete, nachádza chybu. Jediné čo to potrebuje je proste voda, nič iné. To potrebuje len prebudenie, alebo preborenie, občerstvenie od Pána. To sa samé rozvinie, keď to len dáte do vody.
89Ale tí, ktorí žijú na takom mieste musia znášať podmienky toho miesta. A tí, ktorí túžia žiť v takej atmosfére, kde všetko len pichá a bedáka, háda sa a takto vrie, no, budete proste žiť v takej atmosfére, nič iné. Ale my tam nemusíme žiť, nie je potrebné aby sme tam zostávali.
90No, tento Horeb bol miestom, kde bol Boh z tých ľudí znechutený, pretože oni sa dotárali na toto miesto a boli v takomto stave. A On ich viedol práve okolo na to miesto, pretože neišli tou cestou. Opustili tú hlavnú cestu, odišli na túto stranu cesty. A to potom donútilo Boha urobiť niečo, čo bolo tvrdé. To doviedlo Boha ku tomu, že dal Mojžišovi aby zobral tú súdnu palicu, ktorou súdil ten národ, a udrel tú skalu, aby vydala vodu.
91No, tu je prekrásna lekcia, keby sme to len mohli porozumieť, viete. A to, že sa stávame takí nezaopatrení, a zviazaní so svetom a tak ďalej, to doviedlo Boha ku tomu, že zobral súdy nad svetom a udrel tým, na Golgote Svojho vlastného Syna, aby sme my mohli byť slobodní. Vidíte čo mám na mysli?
92No, aby priviedol týchto ľudí ku vode, po tom, čo oni zašli až tam, týmto suchým miestom sa stala Golgota. A tam Boh povedal Mojžišovi, On povedal: "Vezmi tú palicu a starších, a vystúp tam, a Ja budem stáť pred tebou, na tej skale." A touto skalou bol Kristus. A Mojžiš, s tou palicou, s ktorou vykonával súd nad Izraelským národom, zobral túto istú palicu a súdmi Božími udrel tú skalu, vidíte. On na túto palicu zobral hriechy ľudí. On mal ňou udrieť tých ľudí. Namiesto udrenia ľudí, udrel tú skalu. A tá skala, skrze pôsobenie Božie, priniesla spasenie, priniesla vodu hynúcim ľuďom. Priniesla život zomierajúcim ľuďom. A to je to, čo Boh urobil, tým že zobral Svoju súdnu palicu, a obtočil moje hriechy a tvoje hriechy okolo tejto palici, keď to malo udrieť nás; ale to udrelo Krista, že z neho vyplynuli vody, čo znamená "Duch". Vyšiel z Neho Duch Svätý, aby nám dal život. Teraz máme večný život. No, tou skalou bol Kristus. A teraz si chceme všimnúť ...
93Videl som tak veľa intelektuálnych kresieb, zobrazujúcich túto skalu. Nedávno som videl jednu z najkritickejších, kde bolo nakreslené, ako na vrchu kopca leží malá skala. A Mojžiš mal udrieť túto skalu, a Izrael stál tam dole s hrnčekmi, aby si nabrali vodu z malého pramienka, ktorý stekal dole po tejto skale. No, to je proste niečia predstava.
94Ale keď táto skala vydala svoju vodu, tam bolo vyše dva milióny ľudí, pomimo volov, tiav a všetkého možného, ktorí pili z nej tú vodu vedrami. To bol mohutný prúd, ktorý tam z toho vychádzal!
95Takto sa oni dnes snažia predstavovať Krista, Ducha Svätého. "To je len malé pofŕkanie." Vidíte, len toľko aby ste uverili, že je Boh. Nie!
96To je veľké množstvo vody! Dávid povedal: "Môj pohár preteká!" To je proste mohutný prúd Ducha Svätého.
97Ľudia sa toho boja. Niektorí hovoria: "No, ja sa trochu bojím, že budem robiť toto, alebo tamto, alebo že zájdem príliš hlboko. Môžem vám ukázať takého, ktorý zašiel príliš ďaleko." Ale nikdy neukážete na toho, ktorý neišiel dostatočne ďaleko, vidíte. Čo s týmito, ktorí neišli dostatočne ďaleko?
98No, mali sme nejakých ľudí, ktorí zašli do telesnosti, a dostali sa na zlú stopu a (nie Boh, ale tí ľudia) pretože neboli dobre vedení a tak ďalej, to ich vyviedlo na zlú stopu a zašli do fanatizmu. A potom celý svet, diabol ukazuje na nich: "Vidíte to? Vidíte to?"
99Dobre, dovoľte mi postaviť sa dnes ráno a ukázať naopak na tých, ktorých je desiatky miliónov krát viac, ktorý neurobili ani prvý krok. Čo s nimi? Vidíte, pozrite sa na ich stav. Pozrite sa dnes na niekoho, ako Eichman, s najvyšším ... Oni hovoria: "Letniční sú neetickí a neohrabaní, a nie sú vzdelaní." a tak ďalej. Pozrite na Eichmana. Jeden z najvzdelanejších ľudí na svete a doviedol na smrť šesť miliónov detí a žien a mužov - šesť miliónov duší. Nechcete ukazovať na niekoho takéhoto.
100 Ale nejaký človek, ktorý možno nevie poriadne čítať, možno niektoré mená v Biblii vyslovuje nesprávne, alebo možno povedal niečo, alebo urobil niečo zle, alebo urobil nejakú chybu, noviny chcú všade o tom písať a hovoria: "Nedá sa im dôverovať."
101Potom, ak sa tomuto nedá dôverovať, ako potom vzdelaniu - tým veciam a intelektuálom, ktorých dnes majú? Pozrite na Adolfa Hitlera. Pozrite sa dnes na tie svetové mozgy. Pozrite sa na nich! Staré porekadlo hovorí: "Čo je dobré pre jedného, je dobré aj pre druhého."
102To hlavné čo musíte robiť, je byť schopní skrze Ducha Svätého rozdeliť čo je dobré a čo zlé, a uvážiť čo je dobré a čo zlé.
103No, zistili sme, že táto Golgota, ktorú oni mali, a tie vody života vytryskli pre ľudí.
104No, niektorí ľudia majú takú predstavu a myslia si, že celý Izrael sa napil, a potom nabalili ťavy a zapriahli kone a tak ďalej a zobrali svoje deti a putovali niekde ďalej, a tú skalu nechali tam striekať. To je omyl.
105Tá skala išla za nimi, a tá voda išla za nimi. V prvom Korinťanom, myslím že v desiatej kapitole a jedenásty verš, môžete to nájsť, že tá skala išla za Izraelom. Kdekoľvek oni od toho dňa išli, tá skala išla s nimi a tie vody išli za nimi.
106Aký nádherný príklad, nádherné miesto, ktorého sa môže veriaci dnes chytiť a stáť na ňom, keď vieme, že tá skala, ktorá raz bola udrená, tá voda, ktorá raz vytiekla z Golgoty, ide s nami kdekoľvek sme. Ó! Netreba ísť naspäť na nejaké miesto a hovoriť: "No dobre, my sme tam predvčerom mali vodu." My dnes máme vodu, rovno tu, pretože tou skalou bol Kristus a Kristus je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky.
107Vidíte, tá skala išla za Izraelom. Oni neišli za tou skalou; ale tá skala išla za nimi. Amen. Izrael išiel svojou cestou. Oni mali robiť len jedno. A to držať správny smer, rovno do zasľúbenej zemi. A tá skala a tá voda išla za nimi. "... tá skala išla za nimi: ..." Prvá Korinťanom vám tak hovorí, desiata kapitola. Je to tak. Tou skalou bol Kristus.
108Boh zobral súdy, ktoré mali byť vynesené nad tými ľuďmi a položil ich na Krista, a udrel Jeho. Všimli ste si, že od vtedy na tej skale bola štrbina? Tá skala mala štrbinu, tam kde ju Mojžiš udrel. A Kristus mal štrbinu. Keď bol udrený. "On bol ranený pre naše prestúpenia a jeho sinavicou sme boli uzdravení." Z toho života vychádzajú vody života, z čoho sa dnes tak radujeme!
109No, aby sme obdržali tento život ... pamätajte život Kristov zostáva s cirkvou. Haleluja! Och, keby sme si to mohli jasne uvedomiť za ďalších desať minút! Kristus neopúšťa cirkev. "Ja budem stále s vami, až do konca sveta." To ľudia opúšťajú Krista, Kristus neopúšťa ľudí. Ľudia Ho opúšťajú skrze svoju neveru. Oni opúšťajú Krista, Kristus neopúšťa ľudí.
110Izrael opustil ten prameň, ten prameň neopustil Izrael, vidíte. Lebo Biblia jasne hovorí, že tá skala a voda išla za Izraelom. Išla za nimi! Kdekoľvek oni išli, tak aj ona.
111Ó, rád by som vzal dnes ráno, keby sme mali čas, prvú kapitolu Jozuu, kde On povedal: "Každé miesto na ktoré stupí tvoja noha, dal som vám. Kdekoľvek pôjdeš, Pán tvoj Boh je s tebou. Neboj sa žiadneho človeka. Buď smelý! Proste kdekoľvek stupí tvoja noha, Ja som práve tam s tebou, nezáleží kde to je." Boh ide s Jozuom.
112Ten istý Boh ide dnes ráno so Svojou cirkvou. Pime tam z tejto fontány. Kdekoľvek stupí tvoja noha, práve tam bude Boh s tebou, aby ťa zavlažil a dal ti život. "Stále budem s tebou, až do konca veku." Kristus ten istý včera, dnes i naveky. Zákony Božie.
113Vy teraz poviete: "Potom, brat Branham, prečo potom nerobíme tie veci, ktoré by sme mali robiť. Ako to, že naše dary a všetko v cirkvi sa neprejavuje tak, ako by sa malo? Ako to, že naša cirkev nie je pozdvihnutá do pozícii, kde by mala byť?" Ľudia, v čase skúšok odpadajú, ako odpadal Izrael. Oni si myslia, že Boh ich opustil.
114Ale, pamätajte, tá skala nikdy neopustila Izrael; Izrael opustil tú skalu. On zabudol, že tá skala je po celý čas s nimi. Ona bola presne tam, išla rovno s nimi do konca cesty. Ona išla za nimi. Nebola tak ďaleko, žeby ku nej nedošiel hlas. Nebola tak ďaleko, žeby tam nebolo počuť. Ani nebola tak ďaleko, žeby sa nedala vidieť.
115A tak isto je Kristus dnes s cirkvou. Nie je tak ďaleko, že by nás nepočul. Niektorí z vás odpadli a urobili niečo, čo je zlé, a stratili tú radosť, a vaša voda vyschla. On je stále pri vás tak blízko, že môžete ku Nemu hovoriť. On ide za vami. On pozná každý váš pohyb a všetko čo robíte. On vás túži počuť, že Ho zavoláte na scénu.
116A dnes toto veľké letničné hnutie, Boh čaká na vás, aby ste Ho zavolali na scénu. Nie ste tak ďaleko, žeby ku Nemu nedošiel váš hlas. Hoci sme urobili niečo zlé a zhrešili sme, a obrátili sme sa ku Nemu chrbtom a urobili sme veci, ktoré sme nemali urobiť, ale jednako On je s nami. Kristus povedal, že bude s nami.
117 Biblia povedala, že tie vody išli za deťmi Izraela. Keď dostali smäd, vedeli že voda je na blízku.
118No, tieto veci sa riadia zákonom. Celý Boží systém je postavený pod zákon. Vezmime teraz ... Zastavme sa na chvíľu.
119Vezmime svet. On sa krúti. Každých dvadsať štyri hodín urobí presnú otáčku, tak dokonale. Že ... Nikdy sme neboli schopní, so všetkou našou vedou, vyrobiť hodiny, ktoré by ukazovali stopercentný čas. Každé na čas, najlepšie hodiny, ktoré kedy vyrobili, po roku pôjdu dopredu alebo budú meškať mnoho minút. Ale svet nikdy nezmeškal, ale je tam presne na sekundu. Je to tak presné, že vedci dnes, astronómovia, vám môžu povedať, dvadsať rokov dopredu, úplne presne, kedy slnko a mesiac budú prechádzať okolo seba. Keď robí svoju dvadsať štyri hodinovú obrátku, a obieha po svojej obežnej dráhe vo svojom stanovenom čase, nezmešká ani tiknutie. Haleluja! Je to perfektné, pretože to sa riadi podľa Božieho zákona.
120Oni vedia presne, kedy nastane príliv, presne na minútu, pretože vedia kedy zájde mesiac. A Boh spravil, aby všetko fungovalo podľa zákona. A keď mesiac ide dole, odchádza s ním príliv. Keď mesiac vychádza hore, tu s ním prichádza príliv. A oni vedia presne, podľa rytmu, kedy ten mesiac pôjde dole. Oni môžu zostaviť ročný kalendár na roky dopredu, a povedia vám na minútu, kedy ten príliv začne ustupovať. Skutočne, pretože to sa deje na základe, že mesiac vychádza, pretože to funguje podľa Božieho zákona.
121Stál som jedného dňa pri Mičigénskom jazere. A prešiel som na druhú stranu do Veľkého jazera, cestou do Kanady, cez to veľké množstvo vody. A stál som tam a rozmýšľal som: "Koľko míľ je tu cez tento veľký prieplav?" A potom, keď som prešiel cez Mičigén ... či cez Veľké jazero, prišiel som do Mičigén, skoro tiež také isté množstvo vody. A tam, z Veľkého jazera do jazera Mičigén, z jazera Mičigén do jazera Ontária a Huron, a všetky tie jazerá spolu. Koľko miliárd a miliárd a miliárd, nespočítateľné množstvo barelov čerstvej vody leží v tých jazerách!
122A tam v Nevade, a v Arizone, v Novom Mexiku, vo východnej Kalifornii, leží milióny akrov vyprahnutej, spálenej zemi, ktorá je tak úrodná, že keby sa len tá voda dostala na túto zem, tento národ by mohol kŕmiť celý svet, nebolo by hladných ľudí, a mal by prebytok, ktorý by sypali do mora. Je to tak! Na tých miliónoch akrov by narástlo milióny ton zemiakov, a kapusty, a fazuli a šalátu a reďkovky a zeleru a uhoriek, a všetko ďalšie - narástlo by to na tej pôde. Ona len túži po vode.
123A tu hore je voda; a tu dole je pôda. Môžeme to teraz vidieť, a vieme že by to narástlo, pretože môže otestovať tú vodu a zistíme, že je čerstvá, a otestovať tú pôdu a zistíme, že je úrodná. No, všetky naše túžby, ktoré môžeme mať, to nikdy nedajú dokopy. Ale existuje zákon, a to je zákon príťažlivosti. No, ak by sme pracovali podľa príťažlivosti, mohli by sme zavlažiť každý kúsok tej zemi, zobrať tú vodu z tých jazier a zavlažiť to. Ale budeme sa musieť riadiť zákonom príťažlivosti. Naša túžba to nedokáže. Náš krik to nedokáže. Naše volanie to nedokáže. Musíme postupovať podľa zákonov príťažlivosti, aby sme to tam dostali. Boh dáva všetko pod zákon.
124Tu, rozmýšľal som, neviem či som vám toto niekedy povedal alebo nie. Bol som dole v Ketucky poľovať na veveričky s bratom Woodom, asi pred rokom. A veveričky boli nejako vystrašené a tak sme išli domov za jedným človekom, opýtať sa ohľadne poľovania. Ten človek mal niekoľko akrov pôdy, a na tých akroch bolo veľa lesov. Ale brat Vood mi povedal, že ten človek je ateista, že je neveriaci. Povedal, že on ho pozná, či jeho otec, že ho pozná, že tam pôjde a opýta sa, či by mu dovolil tam poľovať.
125Prišli sme do dvora toho džentlmena. A on a ešte jeden človek, obidvaja okolo sedemdesiat roční, sedeli pod jabloňou. A pán Wood išiel ku tomu človeku a opýtal sa: "Mohol by som u teba trochu poľovať?"
A on povedal: "Dobre," on povedal, "v poriadku." Opýtal sa: "Ktorý Wood si ty? Ty si chlapec od Jima Wooda?"
On povedal: "Áno."
126On povedal: "Dobre, starý Jim bol čestný človek." a tak ďalej. Povedal: "Môžeš poľovať kdekoľvek chceš v mojich lesoch. Mám tu toľko stoviek akrov. Nech sa ti páči. Choď dole ku tým dieram, kdekoľvek chceš. Cíť sa ako doma."
127Ja som sedel v aute, pretože som si myslel, že kazateľ a neveriaci to spolu nebude dobre, keď sme išli prosiť o náklonnosť u nevriaceho.
128Ale potom, po chvíli brat Wood povedal: "Dobre, no, mám so sebou svojho pastora. Hádam na tom nebude nič zlého, keď pôjde so mnou?"
129A tento starý človek sa otočil na svojej palici, a povedal: "Wood, ty mi chceš povedať, že si klesol tak hlboko, že všade kde ideš, musíš mať so sebou kazateľa?"
130A tak myslel som si po tom, že bude lepšie keď vyjdem z auta. Tak som vyšiel z auta a chvíľu som sa rozprával s tým starým džentlmenom. A on mi veľmi rýchlo dal poznať, že nemá kazateľov v obľube, pretože si myslí, že hovoria o niečom o čom nič nevedia.
131On povedal: "Oni len tárajú niečo o čom nič nevedia. No," povedal, "keď mi niekto niečo hovorí, chcem aby vedel o čom hovorí." No to je zdravý rozum. To je zdravý rozum. On povedal: "No, ak mi niekto niečo hovorí, nechcem aby mi hovoril hypotézy o tom, či tamtom, o čom nič nevie. Chcem aby hovoril niečo a vedel o čom hovorí.." No, to si vážim. Cenil som to u toho starého džentlmena.
132A tak som povedal: "No, samozrejme, každý má právo na svoj vlastný názor."
133A on povedal: "Pred niekoľkými rokmi prišiel sem do kraju jeden kazateľ a mal tam v Actone zhromaždenie." A povedal: "Tento kazateľ, on bol tu cudzí v tomto kraji, povedal jeden večer jedenej panej, ktorá sedela v obecenstve: 'Ty máš vo vačku vreckovku. A nazývaš sa tak a tak. A tam na tom kopci býva tvoja chorá sestra, ktorá sa volá tak a tak. Zomiera na rakovinu žalúdka.' A povedal: 'Zober túto vreckovku a polož ju na svoju sestru, a povedz jej, tak hovorí Pán, nezomrie ale bude žiť.'"
134On povedal: "Práve táto žena bola naša priateľka." A povedal: "Zobrali sme túto ženu ... či, túto vreckovku ... či, tohoto človeka ... prv túto osobu." On povedal: "Táto žena, moja žena a ja sme boli tam hore, to ráno a zobrali sme ... čakali sme na túto ženu. A ona bola tak zle, doktori sa jej dávno vzdali. Ona bola tak zle, že sme ju museli prenášať v plachte, dvíhať ju a klásť na misu, brať ju naspäť, obracať ju v plachte, bola tak zle." On povedal: "Jedného večera tam nastal krik, akoby ... ako keď niekto zomrie."
135To bol tam Ben s tou vreckovkou, zobral ju tam. Myslím, že si to bol ty, brat, však? To bol tam brat Ben, zobral tú vreckovku, pretože on tam priviedol tú ženu.
136A povedal: "Na druhý deň ráno ona jedla jablkový koláč!" A povedal: "Ona nie len že spravila svoju robotu, ale porobila i susedom, taká bola zdravá." On povedal: "No, často som rozmýšľal. Keby som niekedy stretol toho kazateľa - on vedel o čom hovoril -" povedal: "Rád by som sa s ním porozprával."
137Brat Wood sa na mňa pozrel, a ja som sa pozrel na neho. Stáli sme tam zamazaní a spotení, a špinaví, táborili sme v lesoch, a celí sme boli pofŕkaní od krvi z veveričiek. A tak som povedal: "No, myslíte, že keby ste mohli stretnúť toho človeka, že by vám povedal ako to urobil?"
On povedal: "Áno, to som myslel."
Povedal som: "No, to je dobrá myšlienka."
138Jedol som jedno z jeho jabĺk. Sadali tam na ne osy, viete, na jeseň, v auguste. Tak mal som toto jablko a jedol som ho. A povedal som: "To je veľmi dobré jablko." Povedal som: "Ako dlho je tu ten strom?"
139"Ó," povedal, "zasadil som tam ten strom pred tridsiatimi, štyridsiatimi rokmi, alebo tak nejako."
140"Ahá." Povedal som: "Rád by som sa vás niečo opýtal." Povedal som: "Ako je to možné ... Vidím, že tie jablká opadávajú z toho stromu, a listy z neho opadávajú, a teraz je len polovica augusta." A povedal som: "A nebolo ani chladno. Nebol ani mráz ani nič, a predsa tie listy padajú z toho stromu. Prečo to je?"
On povedal: "šťava odišla zo stromu."
"Ó." Povedal som: "Kde odišla?"
On povedal: "Dole do koreňov."
A ja som povedal: "Ako dlho tam potom zostane?"
On povedal: "Do jari."
141Povedal som: "Potom ona príde naspäť a prinesie nové listy, aby vám robili tieň, a nové jablká na jedenie?"
On povedal: "To je pravda. Presne tak."
142Povedal som: "Dobre, chcem sa vás niečo opýtať, pane. Vy hovoríte o týchto ľuďoch, že oni nevedia o čom hovoria." Povedal som: "Môžete my vysvetliť, aká inteligencia robí to, že tá šťava odchádza z toho stromu? Ak by tam zostala cez zimu, strom by zomrel. (To by zabilo ten strom. Ten gén života je v tej šťave.)" Tak som povedal: "To by zabilo ten strom. Čo za inteligencia riadi to, že tá šťava odchádza z toho stromu, dole do koreňov, a zostáva tam až do jari, a potom znovu prichádza naspäť a prináša ďalšie jablká?" Povedal som: "Dajte do vedra vodu a postavte ho na stĺp, a dávajte pozor či v auguste pôjde na dno toho stĺpa a či sa na jar navráti." Povedal som: "Je nejaký zákon, je zákon prírody. Nejaká inteligencia ustanovila pravidlá tohoto zákona. A nie len to, ale tá istá inteligencia musí poháňať ten zákon, ona robí, že to ide dole do koreňov stromu a vracia sa naspäť."
On povedal. "Nikdy som o tom nerozmýšľal."
143 Povedal som: "Ak niekedy objavíte tú inteligenciu, ktorá spôsobuje, že tá šťava odchádza z konárov toho stromu do koreňov a pracia sa naspäť, to je tá istá inteligencia, ktorá mi povedala tam v ten večer: 'Choď a polož tú vreckovku na tú ženu.'"
On povedal: "A ty si ten kazateľ?"
Povedal som: "Áno, pane, uhádli ste."
144Minulý rok som tam bol (on zomrel), a keď jeho vdova sedela vo verande, bielila jablká, z toho istého stromu, brat ... Prv nás chceli vyhnať, nevedeli kto sme. A ja som tam išiel a povedal jej o tom, že sme mali od neho povolenie, a povedal som jej o tom. Povedala: "Prv ako zomrel, v plnosti vyznal Krista."
145 Vidíte, čo spôsobuje, že ten strom, aká inteligencia robí, že to steká dole? To je zákon. To je zákon, ktorého pravidlá ustanovil Boh. A ten zákon je Božím zákonom, a on sa bude starať o svoje veci. Amen!
146Viete, nestarám sa o to, koľko kričíte a hovoríte: "Teraz to nebude ... slnko toto leto už nebude svietiť," ono aj tak bude svietiť. Koľko budete hovoriť: "Nedovolím aby prišla noc," ona aj tak príde - pretože táto vec, na ktorej žijeme, ktorú nazývame svet je riadená Božím zákonom.
147No, bratia a sestry, chcem sa vás niečo opýtať. Potom, keď sme znovu zrodení z Ducha Božieho ... Boh nie je miestami malý a slabý, a miestami veľký a silný - On je všetko spolu Boh! A ak ste mali v sebe dosť Boha, hoci len tieň, to je dostatočná moc, na stvorenie novej zemi. To je dosť moci, urobiť nový mesiac a nový systém. To je Boh, a to má moc! A práve teraz, každý veriaci tu má večný život, ktorým je Boží Duch vo vás - dosť moci, ktorá vzkriesi mŕtveho, ktorá uzdraví chorého, ktorá ustaví obežné dráhy. Ale je to kontrolované zákonom. Ten Duch, ktorý je vo vás, vy ste synovia a dcéry Božie. Ten istý Duch, ktorého máte v sebe, vás vzbudí v deň vzkriesenia.
148Ježiš, keď bol tu na zemi, keď zomrel, Jeho duša zostúpila do pekla a kázal duchom, ktoré boli v žalári, dušiam vo vezení, ktoré nečinili pokánie, keď vyčkávala Božia zhovievavosť za dní Noeho. Jeho telo išlo do hrobu. Ale prv ako zomrel, poručil Svojho Ducha do rúk Božích. Jeho Duch išiel ku Bohu, Jeho duša odišla do pekla, a Jeho telo odišlo do hrobu. A Ježišovi bolo zabránené vstať z mŕtvych, až kým sa nevyplnilo Písmo. On nemohol prísť naspäť, pretože On musel zostať v hrobe tri dni a tri noci. Ale keď sa Písmo celkom vyplnilo, táto závora bola odstránená; Jeho Duch zostúpil na Jeho dušu, Jeho duša do Jeho tela, a On znovu vstal.
149A keď my zomrieme, naše duše idú pod oltár Boží, kde som mal možnosť vidieť to, raz ráno pred niekoľkými dňami, ako viete, vo videní, Biblia hovorí o našom duchu, že pôjde ku Bohu, ktorý ho dal, a naše telá sa vrátia do prachu zeme. Ale jedného dňa, keď sa vyplní Písmo, náš duch bude vypustený od Boha, vezme dušu, a duša vojde do tela. A tá moc, ktorá nás vzkriesi je práve teraz v nás! My sme teraz v nebeských miestach. My sme teraz v moci zmŕtvychvstania.
150Keby na to nebol zákon, synovia a dcéry Božie by si tu stvorili svet a odišli by si naň žiť vlastný život. Vy máte v sebe tú moc, aby ste to urobili. Ak máte v sebe tieň Božej moci, máte moc, aby ste to urobili - Boh je všemohúci. Rozumiete čo chcem povedať? Moc, ktorá je vo vás, urobí ... Mohli by ste vypovedať slovo, na ktoré by povstal svet, a ísť a žiť si na ňom. Haleluja! Tu to máte.
151To je moc, ktorá je dnes v cirkvi, ale ona je ovládaná zákonom. A ten zákon, to nie je dodržiavanie hromady prikázaní. To je zákon viery. Ježiš povedal: "Všetko je možné tým, ktorí veria." A ak môžete veriť tomu, do čohokoľvek bude Boh viesť vašu dušu, aby ste tomu verili, je to vaše. Každé miesto na ktoré vierou môžete položiť svoju nohu, vám Boh dáva. Amen! Je to vaše, zoberte si to, ak môžete nájsť jen kľúč ku tomuto zákonu viery, ten vám to otvorí. Rozumiete čo chcem povedať? Táto moc je ovládaná ... Keď si syn Boží, dcéra Božia, to ťa nikdy neopúšťa. To je po celý čas s tebou. Ale, tvoja viera odstupuje od toho, ale to tam stále je. Haleluja!
152 Keď si spasený, Boh ti dáva vieru, aby si sa pozdvihol zo špiny zeme. Tvoja viera víťazí nad vecami tohoto sveta. Čo je tvoja viera? Tvoja viera v ten skutok, ktorý Boh v tebe vykonal, aby ťa urobil synom Božím. Prestávaš klamať, prestávaš kradnúť, prestávaš piť, pretože tvoja viera ťa dvíha ponad to. Amen. Ak to nerobíš, nemáš žiadnu vieru. "A skrze vieru ste spasení a to z milosti."
153Koľko prejavíte viery, toľko môžete mať moci, pretože vo vás prebýva moc, stvoriť nebesia i zem. Boh prebýva vo vás, vy ste synovia a dcéry Božie. Amen. Tu to máte. Ale, to je vaša viera. Ježiš povedal: "Nech sa ti stane podľa tvojej viery. Ak môžeš veriť, všetko je možné. Amen, vám hovorím, ak poviete tomuto vrchu: 'Pohni sa' a nebudete pochybovať ale budete veriť tomu čo ste povedali ..."
154Potom akými ľuďmi máme byť, majúc vieru v tohoto veľkého vykupujúceho Krista, ktorý žije v nás, v túto udrenú skalu, ktorá nikdy neopúšťa cirkev? "Ja som stále s vami, až do konca sveta." večná prítomnosť toho veľkého gejzíru spasenia a moci, ktorá vytiekla z Golgoty do cirkvi; večná prítomnosť živého Boha, veľká tečúca, udrená skala, ktorá ide s nami na našej ceste.
155Izrael stratil svoju vieru. Oni opustili ten chodník. Začali túžiť po hrncoch s mäsom. Keby stáli vo viere a verili, že Boh ich dovedie do tej zeme, nič by ich nezastavilo. Oni už otvorili moria, oni udreli pliagami svojich nepriateľov, oni ukrižovali svojich nepriateľov za sebou, a prešli do tej zemi, a stále nemohli mať vieru, aby išli ďalej do zasľúbenia.
156Józua a Káleb mali tú vieru. Oni povedali: "My sme viac ako schopní zvíťaziť nad všetkým, čo sa postaví pred nás."
157V tomto má cirkev problém. My môžeme zvíťaziť nad každou chorobou. My máme v sebe tú moc. My sme synovia a dcéry Božie, nič nemôže pred nami obstáť. Jediné čo On chce, je nájsť niekoho, kto bude tomu veriť, kto bude veriť tomu, čo Boh už pre vás urobil. Nie budeme; teraz sme! A živá prítomnosť Ducha je s nami. Amen! No prosím.
158 To som mal na mysli, keď som dnes ráno ohlásil túto tému, stále prítomná voda zo skaly. Stále prítomná voda zo skaly je práve teraz tu, tá stále prítomná voda z tej udrenej skaly na Golgote. Keď ten Duch Svätý vyšiel z Neho na Golgote, a prišiel naspäť na cirkev v deň letníc, ten istý Duch Svätý je dnes ráno prítomný, a dáva nám zasľúbenie.
159A preto, keď idem ku chorým ľuďom, keď ma On tam poveril, verím tomu - Boh tak povedal! Takto prichádzajú videnia. Boh to zasľúbil! Boh nemôže klamať!
160Verte tomu! Musíte tomu veriť. Musí tam byť niečo, čo otvorí ten príklop, otvorí tú vec a dá vám vojsť do toho. To čo dnes potrebujeme, to nie je modliť sa o viacej moci. Máte dosť moci, aby ste stvorili novú zem. To čo potrebujete je viera, aby ste mohli používať tú moc. To čo potrebujete je ovládať ten život, a žiť takým bohabojným životom, že keď prosíte Boha o niečo, viete! Máme pri tom dôveru v Boha. Vieme, že keď zachovávame Jeho prikázania On nám neodoprie žiadnu dobrú vec - keď chodíme s Ním. Boh chodí s nami. Ó!
161Oni mali robiť len jedno. Oni mali robiť len jedno, a to udržiavať správny kurz. Nie motať sa sem a tam; ale udržiavať kurz. Cirkev má robiť jedno, udržiavať kurz. Oni mali ohnivý stĺp, oni sa museli riadiť podľa neho. Nasledovať ten ohnivý stĺp, to bolo to čo ich viedlo. Ten ohnivý stĺp, to bol ich objekt, ktorý mohli vidieť. Oni ho videli účinkovať cez Mojžiša, a vedeli, že on je vodca.
162 My dnes máme Slovo. My nasledujeme Slovo. A vidíme Slovo účinkovať vo veriacich, a vieme, že potom je to tak. Boh spoluúčinkuje s nami, potvrdzuje to Slovo tým, že ho nasledujú znamenia! My zostávame pri Slove. Slovo prináša výsledky.
163Oni zostávali s Mojžišom, pretože ... Ten ohnivý stĺp - Mojžiš ho nasledoval, a oni išli za ním. Keď sa oni začali stavať proti Mojžišovi, a reptať proti Bohu a proti Mojžišovi, blúdili z jednej strany na druhú. Prišli problémy. Skutočne.
164 My stojíme pri Slove, a Slovo produkuje znamenia. Ježiš povedal: "Tieto znamenia budú nasledovať tých, ktorý veria Slovu." Vidíte, to zostáva pri ... Stojíte pri Slove a Slovo produkuje znamenia.
165Ale, Mojžiš, čo on robil? Oni zablúdili, a čo urobili? Zblúdili z cesty a stratili svoju dodávku vody.
166Myslím, že to je to, čo urobila dnes cirkev. Zblúdila z cesty Písma. Odišli do izmov. Odišli do malých vecí, ktoré nemali robiť. Prijali veci. Prijali veci, ako apoštolské vyznanie. Kde to nájdete v Biblii? Oni prijali katechizmy, ktoré čítajú. Prijali denominácie, namiesto prežitia. Prijali potrasenie rúk, namiesto prežitia znovuzrodenia. Prijali pofŕkanie, namiesto vodného krstu. Prijali zlú formu: "Otec, Syn a Duch Svätý," keď také niečo v Biblii nieto. Biblia povedala: "Vo meno Ježiša Krista." Je len jedno čo treba urobiť, ak chcete tú istú vodu. Poďte znovu naspäť na tú cestu. Vráťte sa do ... On neodišiel; On je stále tu. Vy namiesto Krista, prijímate vyznania. Blúdite do svárov.
167Jeden povedal: "Dobre, ja som metodista." Druhý hovorí: "Ja som baptista." To potom ukazuje, že nie si kresťan. My sme Kristovi! My patríme Jemu. Vy hovoríte: "Dobre, ja som baptista?" Ak si len to, potom nie si Kristov, si baptista. Vy hovoríte: "Dobre, ja som letničný." Ak si len letničný podľa denominácie, to je všetko čo si.
168Ale, ak máš letničné prežitie ... A letničné slovo prinesie letničné prežitie. Nasleduj to isté, čo nasledovali tí učeníci, zostaň tam, až kým nebudeš naplnený Duchom Svätým.
169A potom ak to, čo dostávaš, nesúhlasí so Slovom, ten duch v tebe nesúhlasí s tým čo hovorí Slovo, potom to nie je Duch Svätý. To je diabol, ktorý napodobuje Ducha Svätého. Vidíte kde sme sa pri tom dostali? "Ó, niektorí z nás hovorili v jazykoch. Vykrikovali sme od radosti a iné takéto veci." A zapierali všetky tieto ostatné veci. Nechali sme, že do cirkvi vošlo všetko možné, čo nebolo v Písme. Kde sme sa dnes dostali? Znovu sme prišli na ďalšiu púšť, do vyschnutej organizácii. Urobili sme organizáciu a stratili sme vodu. To je presne to čo urobili letniční. Keď sa to začalo organizovať, začalo to kaziť obecenstvo, a začali hovoriť: "No, dobre, nebudeme mať spoločenstvo, ak tento verí tomuto."
170Choďte ďalej, vydržte s ním až príde do Slova pravdy, do poznania pravdy. Čokoľvek to je, nech to trvá, aj tak. Len ďalej, buďte bratia.
171Ale, och, my sme sa museli zorganizovať a hovoríme: "Dobre, pretože nie si jednotár, pretože nie si dvojičiar, alebo trojičiar, alebo takýto, nechceme mať s tebou obecenstvo." Potom, keď to robíme, čo robíme? Sami seba privádzame znovu rovno naspäť do púšti. Je to tak.
172Ale pamätajte, keď Izrael zblúdil z cesty, stratil kurz do zasľúbenej zemi, tá skala ich neopustila - ona zostávala presne tam. Tak isto tá voda. Tak isto Duch Svätý zostáva rovno tam. Nemusíme o tom pochybovať.
173No, Boh nás tu učí veľkú vec. Boh nás tu učí lekciu. Kristus bol udrený raz, dávajúc nám letničné prežitie, raz navždy. A keď tá skala bola udrená, ona nemusela byť znovu udrená. Ona bola udrená len raz.
174Mojžiš urobil chybu, tým že ju udrel druhý krát, ukazujúc tým slabosť svojej viery v zmierenie. Ale keď Kristus bol raz udrený, On vôbec nemusel byť znovu udrený. No, čo Mojžiš robil? Mojžiš zakladal niečo nové, snažil sa urobiť nejakú novú vec.
175A takto to urobili dnes naši klerikovia. Oni sa snažili robiť niečo nové. "My utvoríme Zbory Božie." "My utvoríme Letničnú Cirkev Božiu. My utvoríme Generálny Koncil." "My sa staneme týmto, tým alebo tamtým." To Boh nerobil. To nebola Jeho myšlienka.
176Kristus bol udrený raz. To je originálne prežitie. To je originálny spôsob. V deň letníc Peter povedal: "Čiňte pokánie, každý jeden z vás, a dajte sa pokrstiť vo meno Ježiša Krista."
177My fŕkame v mene Otca, Syna, a Ducha Svätého, podávame na to rôzne vyznania a všetko možné. Keď opúšťame Slovo, nie divu že nemôžeme nikde dôjsť.
178Boh nás učí lekciu. Mojžiš nemal povedať: "No teraz tu začneme niečo nové a zorganizujeme sa a urobíme katolícku cirkev." (To je to prvé čo oni urobili.) Nie. Potom po nejakom čase: "Dobre, urobíme z toho niečo nové, urobíme luteránov." Potom prišli anglikáni, a potom baptisti a ďalej. Cambeliti, a Cirkev Kristova, a antikrist, a všetko ďalšie. Vidíte, oni všetci začali vystupovať, jeden za druhým, jeden za druhým, robili denominácie a organizácie. To nebolo to. Vidíte čo robia? Oni znovu udierajú tú skalu, aby začali niečo nové. Nepotrebujeme novú náuku.
179Každý človek v Biblii bol pokrstený vo meno Ježiša Krista. Každý človek v Biblii, ktorý mal Ducha Svätého prichádzal Božou cestou, presne tou cestou, ktorú Boh uviedol na začiatku. Oni robili to isté. Oni mali to isté prežitie. Nasledovali ich tie isté znamenia, nasledovali ich tie isté skutky. Prečo? Oni žili z tej skaly. Oni mali tú istú vodu.
180A dnes, dôvod, prečo máme tak veľa vyznaní a denominácií je ten, že sme začali niečo nové. My nepotrebujeme nič nové. Choďte naspäť!
181Mojžiš nemal znovu udrieť tú skalu, nemal začať niečo nové. On im mal kázať tú originálnu skalu. Ó, dúfam že tomu rozumiete. Mojžiš mal hovoriť o tej originálnej udrenej skale, nie snažiť sa ju znovu udrieť. Nie snažiť sa začať niečo nové, ale prehovoriť ku tej starej veci.
182 Bože, pomôž mi, ak zomriem ako žobrák za kazateľňou, ja budem kázať tú originálnu skalu! Budem kázať to originálne prežitie. Budem kázať to originálne Písmo, ktoré im dalo krst Duchom Svätým: "Čiňte pokánie, každý jeden z vás, a dajte sa pokrstiť vo meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie hriechov, a prijmete dar Ducha Svätého." Tá stále prítomná vytekajúca voda zo skaly je stále s nami. Ona prinesie to isté. Ona prinesie videnia. Ona prinesie uzdravenia. Ona prinesie proroctvá. Ona prinesie všetko, čo oni robili.
183Keď sa Izrael dostal znovu naspäť do Písma, a prišiel naspäť na tú cestu, oni vošli do zasľúbenej zemi, ale trvalo im to štyridsať rokov.
184Letniční blúdia po púšti už asi štyridsať, päťdesiat rokov. Poďte naspäť ku tej skale! Je na dohľad. Tu to je, napísané rovno tu v Slove. Duch Svätý je tu, činiaci tie isté veci, ktoré On vždy činil, tak tá stále prítomná voda je tu. Len poďte naspäť do toho, poďte naspäť do toho prvotného, do originálu. Ako to bolo v tom origináli?
185"Dobre, oni si potriasli ruky s kazateľom." Nič takého. "Boli pokrstení vo meno Otca, Syna a Ducha Svätého." Nie je niečo také. Nikde v Biblii nie sú ľudia, ani tristo rokov po Biblii, ktorí by boli pokrstení vo meno Otca, Syna a Ducha Svätého. To je katolícke vyznanie, nie Biblická náuka, vidíte.
186Oni mali Ducha Svätého. Tieto znamenia nasledovali tých, ktorí verili. Dnes sa to znovu bude diať. Tá skala je presne tak isto živá, ako vždy bola, tá udrená skala.
187Nehovorme: "Dobre, príď teraz sem a pripoj sa ku našej letničnej cirkvi, vstúp do našich letničných kruhov." "Nie, príď sem a pripoj sa ku Baptistom, alebo Metodistom, alebo Presbyteriánom, alebo Katolíkom." Čo to je? To je udieranie znovu tej skaly, snaha začať niečo nové.
188Povedz im: "Čiňte pokánie, a dajte sa pokrstiť vo meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie svojich hriechov, a tieto znamenia budú nasledovať tých, ktorí veria." Tam ste znovu na tej ceste, naspäť pri tej istej vode. Tá istá voda, dá to isté osvieženie. Dá ten istý bič na telo. Dá tú istú očisťujúcu moc. Dá tú istú uzdravujúcu moc. Bude robiť to isté, čo vtedy, ak sa len dostaneme naspäť do toho istého Ducha.
189Život vo viniči zrodí hrozno. Ak ho zrodil minulý rok, tento rok zrodí to isté. To je Boží zákon. Zákon Boží je, že ak je toto vinič, nechajte ho na pokoji, on zrodí hrozno. Môžete ho krížiť s niečím iným, ale nechajte ho potom na pokoji a ono sa znovu navráti ku tomu istému hroznu.
190Tak my sme skrížili cirkev s letničnou náukou, s baptistickou, s metodistickou, s presbyteriánskou, s anglikánskou a so všetkými možnými izmami. Prečo to nenecháte na pokoji? Poďte naspäť do viniča, to sa navráti do tej istej moci. Amen! Amen! To sa mi páči.
191Začať niečo nové, to isté, čo sme urobili. Nie snažiť sa ukázať svoju autoritu. "Dr. Taký a taký je zakladateľ veľkej tej a tej cirkvi a toho a toho." To nebolo to.
192To je to, čo povedal Mojžiš: "Ja im ukážem, čo dokážem. Ja ju aj tak vyvediem!" On ju udrel, ona nevyšla, znovu skríkol. "Ukážem vám, čo ja dokážem." Boh sa s ním za to porátal.
193Nemyslite si ... ak sa len držíte nejakej denominácii, Boh sa za to s vami poráta. To je celkom isté. Ty musíš prísť naspäť do toho originálu. Poď naspäť.
194Ak hovoríte ľuďom, nehovorte im: "Poďte a pripojte sa ku našej cirkvi. Prijmite naše vyznanie." Vráťte sa a čiňte pokánie, a dajte sa pokrstiť vo meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie hriechov, a prijmete dar Ducha Svätého, ak je vaše srdce v poriadku. A veriacich budú nasledovať tieto znamenia. Tú skupinu veriacich, tieto znamenia pôjdu s nimi. Prečo? Tá skala, tá udrená skala a Jeho vody života, ktoré vyvierajú, produkujú to isté, čo On robil tam vtedy. Tomu sa nedá zabrániť. Ó, tak veru.
195My sa chceme predviesť a povedať: "My sme metodisti a baptisti."
196Hovor len ku tej Skale, On je stále prítomný. Nesnaž sa ku nej pripojiť. "Musel som sa tu ku nej pripojiť." Nesnaž sa ku nej pripojiť. Ty sa nemôžeš ku nej pripojiť, to je jedna istá vec. Môžeš sa pripojiť ku metodistom, môžeš sa pripojiť ku baptistom, môžeš sa pripojiť ku letničným, môžeš sa pripojiť ku anglikánom; ale ku tomuto sa nemôžeš pripojiť. Nie. Musíš byť tým naplnený. Nepripájaj sa ku tomu; buď tým proste naplnený. To je všetko. To znamená naplnený čím? Naplnený mocou, naplnený Duchom, naplnený životom, naplnený radosťou, pokojom, trpezlivosťou, láskavosťou, dobrotou, mocou Ducha Svätého v tvojom živote, lebo tá ustavičná prítomnosť je tu. Pamätaj ...
Musím končiť, lebo je už neskoro.
197Ale, pamätaj, tá skala ich nikdy neopustila. Ona ich nikdy neopustila. A Kristus nikdy neopustí nás. Kristus povedal: "Ja budem stále s vami, až do konca sveta." Je to tak? A tá skala zostávala s nimi na celej ceste od Horebu po Nebo. Ona bola s nimi. Išli dole ku Jordánu, ona tam stále bola. Ó Bože, ja ju chcem vidieť pri Jordáne.
198Mojžiš, keď on bol pri Jordáne, tá skala bola s ním na celej tej ceste. A on stál tam hore, díval sa dole na tú hromadu ľudí, ktorí odpadávali a odchádzali od Boha. Jeho srdce túžilo za nimi. A on sa pozeral za Jordán. On tam bol pri Jordáne. Hovorím o tom duchovnom Jordáne. On tam stál, prichádzala smrť, ale on sa pozrel, tam vedľa neho ležala tá skala. On len vystúpil na tú skalu, a prišli anjeli a odniesli ho preč.
199Ja ťa nezanechám, ani ťa neopustím." Nezáleží na tom, aký nastane ťažký čas, ako zostarneme, akou smrťou zomrieme, pamätajte, tá skala bude tam pri Jordáne. Ona nikdy neodíde ani nás nezanechá. Pamätajte len na to. Tá stále prítomná voda z tej skaly bude s nami po celý život, a tiež aj pri Jordáne.
200Skloňme svoje hlavy. [Nejaký brat z obecenstva prináša posolstvo v proroctve. – pozn.prekl.]
201Zatiaľ čo sa ten Duch pohybuje medzi nami, zatiaľ čo sa Duch Boží pohybuje medzi nami, či sú tu dnes ráno takí, ktorí nepoznajú Krista, a nepriblížili ste sa nikdy ku tej skale, nie ste s ňou dnes ráno zadobre? Ale viete, že ona je prítomná. Pozrite ako všade pôsobí, vidíte Ho, ako sa okolo pohybuje, vidíte ako to vanie na ľudí. To je tá ustavičná prítomnosť tej vody. To je spasenie. To je Duch, ktorý robí, že ich poháre pretekajú, že už ďalej nedokážu byť potichu, niečo musí vytiecť. A vy Ho nepoznáte, či by ste zodvihli svoje ruky a povedali: "Modli sa za mňa, brat Branham. Ja Ho chcem teraz poznať. A ja chcem s Ním hovoriť, a ja Ho chcem poznať v plnosti Jeho Ducha. Ja chcem vedieť, že On je hneď pri mne, po celý čas. Verím že je, ale chcem s Ním byť zadobre. Som smädný, som hladný po Bohu. Chcem Ho lepšie poznať"?
202Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Teba, brat. Teba, áno, tam vzadu. Tu teba, pani, áno. Áno, pani. Vidíme vaše ruky, a Boh ich vidí. Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladý muž. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Teba, pani. Amen. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná, sestra. Ďalší teraz, v tejto tichej chvíli. Nech ťa Boh žehná, tam vzadu, mladý človek.
203Myslite na to. Myslite na to, na tú ustavičnú prítomnosť vody zo skaly. Ten istý Duch, ktorého On vypustil, keď skríkol, tam vtedy v deň súdu nad Ním, keď On vzal náš súd - a Božia palica hnevu udrela na Neho, a vaše hriechy boli zavinuté v tej palici, a ona udrela Jeho, a vytryskla z Neho krv a voda - On povedal: "Otče, do Tvojich rúk porúčam Svojho Ducha." Potom na deň letníc on prišiel, aby išiel s nami po tej ceste. A on je teraz tak blízko.
204Keď odídete od toho, ďaleko od domu, povedzte: "Pane, idem domov." Zatiaľ čo spievame toto, ak by ste chceli vystúpiť sem ku oltáru a odovzdať znovu svoju dušu Kristovi ... Amen.
Blúdil som ďaleko od Boha; (pomimo cesty)
Teraz prichádzam domov;
Dlho som chodil po chodníku nevery;
Pane, prichádzam domov.
Prichádzam domov, prichádzam domov;
Koniec s blúdením;
Otvor doširoka Svoje ramená lásky;
Teraz, Pane, prichádzam domov.
205[Brat Branham hmká "Pane, prichádzam domov." – pozn.prekl.]
206Traja malí chlapci práve vystúpili, veľmi rýchlo, majú v očiach slzy, a kľakli si tu dole pri oltári. Samozrejme je im odpustené. Bolo im odpustené ešte skôr, ako opustili svoje miesto, keď sa spamätala ich malá myseľ. Oni len vystúpili, aby tu pokľakli, aby dali vedieť tým ľuďom na ktorej strane od teraz stoja.
207Možno by boli nejaký starší ľudia, ktorí by toto radi urobili, len takto kľakli a povedali: "Pane, blúdil som ďaleko od tej cesty. Mal som toľko pochybností a niekedy som sa zatúlal a upadol do hriechu. Chcem prísť naspäť prv ako bude príliš neskoro. Bože, rád by som prišiel. Skutočne rád prídem a pokľaknem."
208No, je to zvláštne, tri malé dievčatá približne tak isto veľké, vystúpili, pokľakli.
209Myslím, že jedna z nich je malé dievča, ktoré práve dostalo domov malého bračeka. Jedného dňa som povedal ... Pani Woodová prišla a povedala mi, povedala, že táto sestra ide do nemocnice, že bude mať dieťa. Duch Svätý povedal: "Choď povedz im, že to bude chlapec." Keď sa narodilo, bol to chlapec.
210Zdá sa, že toto je ráno pre deti, tí malí prichádzajú z hodiny od sestry Arnoldovej, odovzdávajú svoje životy. Celý oltár po mojej pravej strane je plný malých detí. Bolo by to pekné, keby sme zaspievali pieseň, pri oltári, tým ostatným ľuďom (či nie?), dospelým.
Pane ja teraz prichádzam domov.
211[Brat Branham hovorí s deťmi pri oltári. – pozn.prekl.]
Prichádzam domov, Prichádzam domov;
Koniec blúdenia;
Otvor naširoko Svoje ramená lásky;
Pane prichádzam domov.
Som unavený z hriechu a blúdenia, Pane;
Teraz prichádzam domov;
Budem spoliehať na Tvoju lásku,
veriť Tvojmu Slovu Teraz prichádzam domov.
Prichádzam domov, prichádzam domov;
Koniec blúdenia;
Otvor naširoko Svoje ramená lásky;
Pane prichádzam domov.
212Skloňme na chvíľu svoje hlavy a pomodlime sa za týchto malých.
213Nebeský Otče, ak bude nejaké zajtra, ak Ježiš bude predlievať ďalších desať alebo pätnásť rokov, títo budú chlapci a dievčatá, ktorí budú niesť toto posolstvo ďalej tým ďalším generáciám, ktoré prídu. Nepochybujem, Pane, nech po všetky dni svojho života budú pamätať na príchod ku tomuto oltáru. Oni sú malé klenoty, Pane. Ich mladé a nežné srdcia sú dnes ráno presvedčené. Ani nepočuli celé to posolstvo, práve prišli z tej miestnosti, kde počúvali vyučovanie našej sestry Arnoldovej, prišli tu okolo oltára, odovzdávajúc Ti svoje životy.
214No, Otče, ja som práve hovoril, že v nás prebýva Duch Svätý. A tento Duch Svätý, viera s týmto Duchom, robí všetko. A verím, že práve v tejto hodine, si odpustil každý hriech, ktorý spáchali. A prosím Ťa, so všetkou vierou, ktorá je v mojom srdci, aby si zachovával ich malé životy na tej ceste. Nech oni nikdy nevybočia z tej cesty.
215Toto je skutočne zvláštna vec. Duch povedal dnes ráno, že budeme vidieť niečo zvláštne. Bože, ak si prestal jednať s tými inými, vezmi malé deti. Ako dnes ráno pri tej výzve ku oltáru, nie je tu jedného dospelého, ale prišla celá skupina malých detí. A predsa, s týmto veľkým posolstvom, ťažko zrozumiteľným ešte i dospelým, ale tie deti zachytili Ducha z toho. Ďakujeme Ti za nich, Otče. Dávam ich Tebe, ako Tvoj sluha, ako trofej tohoto zhromaždenia, na pamäť, že tá ustavičná prítomnosť vody života pôjde s nimi pokiaľ budú žiť. Nech majú teraz vieru v toto čo sa deje, v Boha, ktorý ich potiahol zo sedadla a poslal ich sem, nech môžu mať vieru v toho Boha po všetky dni svojho života. Nech ich malí duchovia zostanú prinesení ku Tebe v dni ich smrti, prinesení naspäť do ich tela v deň zmŕtvychvstania. Oni sú Tvoji, Otče. Dávame ich Tebe v mene Ježiša.
216Kým máme sklonené svoje hlavy, chcem sa opýtať všetkých týchto malých detí pri oltári, ktorí veríte, že Ježiš je váš Spasiteľ a ten, ktorý vám povedal tam v obecenstve, aby ste prišli sem a kľakli si okolo tohoto oltára: "Veríte, že Ježiš vás miluje a odpúšťa vám váš hriech?" Chcem aby ste všetci vstali a obrátili sa do obecenstva. Takto môžete povedať ľuďom, že veríte, že Ježiš vás spasil. Vstaňte teraz, dobre, a obráťte sa ku obecenstvu. Vy všetci malý chlapci a dievčatá, ktorý milujete Ježiša, vstaňte a obráťte sa tam ku zhromaždeniu, každý z vás.
217A čo je s vami dievčatá tu vpredu? Veríte? Milujete Ježiša? Tieto malé dievčatá tu, milujte Ježiša z celého svojho srdca? Milujete? Milujete Ho? Ty Ho tiež miluješ, zlatíčko? Postavte sa tu, nech ľudia vedia, že milujete Ježiša. Nech vás Boh žehná.
218A teraz sa takto otočte a zaspievajte týmto ľuďom prv ako odídete: "Ježiš ma miluje, ja to viem. Biblia mi tak hovorí." Viete? Zodvihnime len teraz svoje ruky, keď to spievame. Dobre, spievajme.
Ježiš ma miluje, ja to viem;
Lebo Biblia mi to tak hovorí;
Deti patria Jemu;
Oni sú slabé, ale On je mocný.
219A teraz dajte hore svoje ruky, keď to spievame. Poďme, všetci spolu.
Áno, Ježiš ma miluje;
Áno, Ježiš ma miluje;
Áno, Ježiš ma miluje;
Biblia mi tak hovorí.
220A teraz všetci opakujte za mnou. Verím, že Ježiš Kristus je Syn Boží. Dnes Ho prijímam ako svojho osobného Spasiteľa. Od tohoto dňa Ho budem milovať a slúžiť Mu. Amen.
221[Nejaký brat v zhromaždení hovorí: "Brat Branham, mám teraz na srdci štyri deti. Pomodlíš sa prosím za ne?" – pozn.prekl.] Samozrejme, brat Ben.
222Nebeský Otče, tento muž vidí prichádzať ku Kristovi iné malé deti, a on kričí ako otec, za svoje vlastné deti. A Duch, ktorý priviedol tieto deti ku oltáru, nech ten istý Duch spasí jeho deti, Pane. Udeľ to. Dávame ich Tebe, Otče, v mene Ježiša Krista.
223 A teraz, keď vy deti pôjdete naspäť na svoje miesto, chcem aby každý v tejto rade si potriasol ruky s týmito malými deťmi, alebo ich potľapkal po chrbte, keď pôjdu naspäť. Choďte všetci stadeto na svoje miesta. A nech každý tam len potľapká tých malých. A my vás všetci zo srdca milujeme. Vy všetci ste členovia tela Kristovho, tak ako sú v ňom ostatní z nás.
Pochodujeme na Sion,
nádherný, nádherný Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion,
do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
Poďme, ktorí milujeme Pána, a nech vedia o našej radosti;
Pridaj sa do spevu so sladkou melódiou,
pridaj sa do spevu so sladkou melódiou;
A tak obstúpme trón. A tak obstúpme trón ...
(Mohutné dobré spievanie! Zodvihnime teraz ruky.)
Pochodujeme na Sion,
nádherný, nádherný Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion,
do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
(Zatiaľ čo spievame potrasme si navzájom ruky.)
Pochodujeme na Sion,
nádherný, nádherný Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion,
do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
224Stojme teraz so sklonenými hlavami, kým sa modlíme. Brat Teddy, len ...
225Mám tu nejaké prosby, vreckovky a tak ďalej. Môžu pochádzať z poza mora. Billy mi hovoril, že majú pár malých detských topánočiek od malého dieťatka z Anglicka, asi takéto veľké, to maličké dieťatko je úplný mrzák. A tak máme sa tiež za to modliť.
226A tak ... [Brat Ben hovorí: "Brat Branham, prosím prepáč, že vyrušujem, ale pomodli sa, že kto narazil do nášho auta minulí večer, do pravého predného blatníka, pomodli sa aby to bolo zjavené. Pomodli sa aby to Pán zjavil." – pozn.prekl.] Amen, brat Ben, pomodlím sa.
227[Brat Branham pokračuje hmkať "Pochodujeme na Sion." – pozn.prekl.]
228Ako pochodujeme Pane, vieme že tá udrená skala je tesne pri nás, tá ustavičná prítomnosť vody zo skaly ide s cirkvou. Ó večný Bože, uvoľni nám dnes ráno vieru v tohoto Boha, ktorý je s nami. Viem, že to urobíš, keď môžeme nájsť priazeň u Teba, že nám v tom môžeš dôverovať. Ak by si nám to dal vo veľkej miere, mohli by sme to nesprávne použiť, Pane. Ale keď sme našli milosť u Teba, nech sa to stane.
229Náš brat povedal, že niekto mu narazil do auta. Ó Bože, my vieme, že ten muž nemá peniaze, aby si toto dal urobiť. Prosím aby si usvedčil tohoto človeka, alebo aby niekde mohol činiť pokánie, že to urobil, aby prišiel a povedal: "Brat, ja opravím tvoje auto, ja som to urobil." Pomôž bratovi Benovi a jeho milovaným.
230Tu ležia v mojich rukách vreckovky a prosby, majú vieru v toho Boha. Mojžiš mal vieru v toho Boha, a prekročil more. Daniel mal vieru v toho Boha a bol vytiahnutý z jamy ľvov. Sadrach, Mézach a Abednégo mali vieru v Neho a vyhasili oheň. Pavol mal vieru v Neho, a jedného dňa, keď tie zhromaždenia boli opravdu ťažké a Pavol sa nemohol ku každému dostať, on len zobral vreckovku a povedal: "Verím že Boh je so mnou." On položil svoje ruky na tie vreckovky a zástery, a zlý duchovia odchádzali od ľudí, a choroby, nemoci odstupovali od nich. A, Bože, ja mám vieru v toho istého Boha. Nech odstúpi to zlé. Nemoci, a choroby, trápenia, nech to odstúpi, Pane.
231Ty si ten istý Boh, ktorý ku mne hovoril tam dole v tom ohnivom stĺpe dole pri rieke. Ty si ten, ktorého obraz visí to so mnou, na stene. Ty si s nami, Pane. Ty si stále prítomný, ten istý ohnivý stĺp. A my sa každý deň radujeme tej vode zo skaly, majúc diel v Duchu. Potom, Ty si tu. Sme o Tebe presvedčení, Pane. Máme vieru v Teba. Veríme, že Ty nás pomažeš a pomôžeš nám. Nie na našu chválu, Pane. Boli by sme, ako vtedy Mojžiš, keď urobil tú zlú vec. Chceme robiť niečo, aby sme Ti pomohli, Pane. To je zámer našich sŕdc. A ak to môžeme robiť, ukáž nám, Otče, čokoľvek chceš aby sme robili.
232A teraz, na skutok viery, staviam sa proti nemoci, ktorú reprezentujú tieto vreckovky, a tieto prosby. Oni opustia tých ľudí. Viem, že Ty to urobíš, Pane. Verím to vo svojom srdci, že Ty to urobíš. Uzdrav dnes ráno všetky choroby v našom strede.
233Spas tých, ktorí zodvihli ruky, ktorí povedali, že by radi prišli ku tej skale pre vodu. Bože, nech sú oni dnes tak smädní, nech okolo nich bude taký slaný život, že to spôsobí, že budú smädní po Kristovi. Udeľ to.
234Buď dnes večer s nami, Otče. Ó, Bože, daj mi nájsť cez tieto prosby, čo majú ľudia na srdci. Ak nič nemajú na srdci, potom Pane, Ty mi daj niečo, čo mám kázať dnes večer do ich sŕdc.
235Žehnaj nášho brata Nevilleho, a jeho ženu, jeho rodinu, náš malý zbor, našich starších, našich diakonov, našich členov, a Tvoje telo kdekoľvek je. Buď s nami, Otče. Porúčame toto do Tvojich rúk, v mene Ježiša Krista.
. . . na Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion,
do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
(Spievajme to len teraz, opravdu Jemu, viete.)
Poďme, ktorí milujeme Pána;
Nech vedia o našej radosti;
Pridaj sa do spevu so sladkou melódiou;
Pridaj sa do spevu so sladkou melódiou;
A tak obstúpme trón, A tak obstúpme trón.
(Teraz so sklonenými hlavami.)
Pochodujeme na Sion,
nádherný, nádherný Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion;
Do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
1 We are grateful this morning for the Presence of the Lord God, that would begin the early services by giving us a message, that--that we should "listen, be reverent" before Him, that He has something to say to us. I'm sure that He will do that what He has promised. He always does keep His Word. And so we are grateful to be assembled together, alive, and this side of eternity this morning, and able to worship the Lord again, and to assemble ourselves together and hear from Him. That's the reasons we come together, is for this very purpose.
2 Now, I kinda stormed in on Brother Neville, unexpectedly, today, because of a certain dream I had. That... I believe in--in dreams. I believe that God deals with people by dreams. And I had a very unusual dream, night before last, that I was going along a hillside, certain hillside, going to an eating place where I was to have my--my dinner. And I noticed that, as I got close to the place, they were playing music, an orchestra was playing music with violins, and entertaining the people while they were eating. And there was something about it that I didn't like, so I just bypassed the thing. And I met someone coming up a hill. And I looked, and many people were coming up the hill to this eating place. But I kinda got away from them, turned back to the right, or, to the left.
3 And somehow, down in the valley, I could see the Tabernacle. I heard someone's voice, said, "Meet Brother Branham at a certain-certain crossing. He's coming down the hill up there. And tell him such-and-such a thing." And I hurried to get to this crossing.
And when the person come up, it was Brother Neville wearing his brown suit, looked just like he looks setting there this morning. And he said, "Brother Branham, if you're going to be in the city," said, "it would be a--a good thing for you to come down, because Brother Hank..." Now, the only one I know, Brother Hank, is Brother Henry Carlson; we call him Hank. Said, "He might think it was strange that you didn't visit the Tabernacle more if you're going to be around the town for--around the city for a few days." I woke up.
And at that, I felt kinda strange. I didn't want to butt in at that time of week, till I asked Brother Neville if he had anything special for this morning for the church. So he was gracious, as always, said, "Come on down." So we just come on. I called him late yesterday afternoon and come in this morning unexpectingly to any of us.
6 Now, I believe that it would be a good thing, first, for me just kind of to--to explain to you some things. I am, supposingly, a very odd person to many people. And I'm kinda odd to myself, also. Because I try to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit just as close as I can. And that makes us odd. See? We do things that we--we really set down and wonder sometimes, "Why did I do such a thing? How did I ever do such a thing?" And right then you may think that you have done exactly what you should not have done. But if you'll just be patiently, and have faith, and you're sure that God has led you to do it, you'll find out it works out just exactly right. See? And many times we find that. And I know Brother Neville has found that many times. And leaders and spiritual people realize that.
It's been some time in my life that... Frankly, since I was just a boy, I have never felt the very leading that I should live in--in Jeffersonville. It's always been a fly in the ointment, for me to try to live here. The first place, the climate miserably disagrees with me. Another thing, there seems to be a depressing of the spirit.
8 If you go back and look somewhere here, if it didn't get destroyed during the time of the flood, there is a letter to that effect that I had, first called in the ministry, I started to leave. And Brother George DeArk and I...
And Brother Graham Snelling's mother, Brother Hawkins who runs the filling station in New Albany, and many of the people, met me outside a little prayer meeting place over here, and even said, if I would stay, they'd allowance their children at the table, to--to build a Tabernacle, so they wouldn't have to be carried about from place to place.
10 When I heard that little mother with one baby holding to her hand and the other one on her arm, say that she would be willing to allowance her children at the table, to in order to build a place where they could stay and worship, it was a little too for me to stand. So Brother George and I got together and decided we would stay and build the Tabernacle.
And when the Tabernacle was built, it always seemingly... The morning that I dedicated the Tabernacle, a vision came, which is written and in the cornerstone there, when the Holy Spirit said to me, "This is not your Tabernacle." See? And I asked where my Tabernacle was, and He set me down under the bright blue skies. And then He said, "Do the work of an evangelist," and so forth, as you know. It's written even in the books.
12 All those things put together. And one day when I was mowing the yard up there to where Brother Wood lives now, and my mother-in-law lived there at the time; I set on the back step, a little old concrete step, that I had built this little place there for my mother-in-law. And she was kind of janitor of the church at that time, taking care of it. And just as clear as anyone could speak, a Voice spoke to me, said, "I can never bless you as long as you stay here. You've got to separate yourself from your people and this place." Well, I... that just tore me to pieces for about a week or more.
13 Constantly, all the time, Something has warned me, "Go away; go away. Move westward. Keep going west." Well, I... It's always bothered me. And looks like every time...
Now, I had made it clearly in my mind that this week I was flying to Tucson, where I was to rent a place to be there this winter, to put the children in school, starting in September. I had the place. There's even a place give to me there. But there's something that... And--and if I'm gone away...
15 Another thing I'd like to say. Just before we built this house up here, the parsonage, where it is now, I did not want to build there. My wife's mother was old. And she even wept about it; she said, "I just can't leave mom here, with knowing she's old, and she might not be taken care of." Well, I understood that. I understand. That's her mother, and the only mother she ever had, or ever will have. So I understood that. So I--I prayed to the Lord; I said, "Lord, being that I do not like the place," I said, "make me satisfied. I'll go anywhere You want me to go, from anywhere. But I don't want to grieve my wife, to take her away from here, into a strange country where she knows no one. And then I'm gone all the time anyhow. Just make me satisfied to be here with her."
And now, when her mother has been taken, and she's gone on to glory, then here comes the urge again (See?), now to move on. I don't know what to do.
17 And then the other day when this doctrine that the brethren had started around, I stood from the pulpit the last time I was here and told you that I would not be on the field as long as that was going. So the brethren graciously straightened all that up. It's all cleared up. Within twenty-four hours, it was all over.
Now, that opens the field again to me. I don't know what to do. I don't know which way to turn. I've asked the Lord for a vision. I've asked Him to tell me what to do. But He just lets me set.
19 Now, last night when I got all the kiddies away, my wife and all, from the house, I made a commitment to the Lord God. And I said to the Lord God, "If You will bless me in the way that I go, I'll serve You. But You will have to show me where to go, and how to go, and what to do." So I committed myself to the Lord. With the--with the ministry and all, I committed it to the Lord. And I said, "Wherever You open, whatever You do, I'll walk in that way. Until You make a way, I'll just continue on as I am until You make the way." And I asked Him to make it so clear that I would not be deceived then, for I truly believe that we're right at a crossroads of something to happen.
I heard it prophesied this morning here by Brother Neville, or gave it where I knew it had--it had been a prophecy that he was referring to. Now, therefore, I have prayed for all you, and I need you all to pray for me, so that the Holy Spirit will lead me just exactly where I should go, what I should do, so I'll make no mistake.
21 You see, many times, people thinks that a prophetic gift, that God just says, "I'll pick you up right here, and set you down here. Now, you just go right over here." And He doesn't tell you all those things. If He did, then what overcoming faith did you have? See? See, you, He lets you stand alone more than anybody else. See? You all can come to me and ask for certain things, and He's never failed yet but what He's give you the answer. That's right. Yeah. But I can ask Him for things for myself, and many times He just let's me alone (See?), just let me go ahead and walk into it.
I have things now that I have to solve out myself, and decisions I have to make. And this is such a vital one, till I cannot exactly make it until I'm sure that it's Him speaking to me. And I--I... He won't give me a vision. He just lets me alone. So I'm just setting as an orphan like this morning; I--I don't know which way to turn. So I have committed it to the Lord.
23 I--I felt like then in dreaming that I should come back here to the Tabernacle and help Brother Neville until something else just occurred along the road... So I'll be along.
I asked Brother Neville a few moments ago, "How was the church progressing?"
And he said, "Good."
And so I hear that you still have spiritual gifts and things among you, which is operating, gifts of prophecy, and--and speaking with tongues, and interpretation of tongues, which we just heard a few moments ago. And those things are edifying to the church and greatly...
26 But I thought, maybe tonight I might, if Brother Neville... If the Holy Spirit doesn't lead us to something different, tonight I would like to have a... You all, before you leave this morning, to write you a question and lay it here, some question in your mind, that we might find out what the church is thinking. That's about the way pastors has of finding out just what's on the people's heart. And each one of you with a question, write it and lay it up here. If you do not have a piece of paper to--to get it on this morning, then write it tonight early. So I'd like to have just as much time as I could on them to look them over and Scripturally answer you.
27 Then if the Lord is willing, if it be God's will; I have made a statement here not long ago, that I would like to speak to you on the seven last Seals of the--of Revelation. Now, if we... I could not get all the way through those Seals this year, because it takes from the 6th chapter of Revelation, through the--through the 19th chapter to get through those Seals. But the first three or four of them could be answered within a night, I think, each Seal being a night.
28 Now, if we understand (See?), where we stopped right on that Book of Revelations, where the Church was taken up into glory, then the rest of it is dealing with the Jews, not with the Church at all. It's dealing with the Jewish nation. Therefore, we have to drop back down, from the rapture of the Church, and take... We see here what takes place during those Seals and time of the Gentile Church, the Church being gone; and with the nation of Israel it drops back and brings Israel from the time it left off with them up to the modern time; and the coming Messiah, when they will receive the Messiah.
Now, you get it? The Church is taken up. God dealt first with the church, church ages. We took that. Then the church is taken up into glory. Then the Holy Spirit goes back and gets Israel, as a nation. And brings it on down to this far, while the wedding supper's going on, and then brings them back again at the end of that time. I'll have my blackboard up, and be able to draw it out and teach it, when the time comes. Then the Lord returns with the Bride, and Israel sees her. And, oh, what a time that will be.
30 Now, before we can correctly tie this in, there's a great lesson that's a stumbler to theologians, and many teachers down through the age, and people of the Church of Christ, and those who are coming to hear this, that is, the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. We've got... We can't go no further in Revelations till we tie the Bride and Israel together with the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. And maybe, if God willing, so that if He should speak to me in the future, to speak on some of these Seventy of Weeks... or, not Seventy Weeks, but seven last Seals. Then next Sunday, I'll try to take Daniel's Seventy Weeks, next Sunday, the Lord willing. And then that'll open the grounds then, if He should lead us, to start on the others. Why, we'll find out from then on.
31 Brother Neville and I will be working together on this, and doing everything that we can for the benefit of the people.
Now, going back each time, we pray for the sick; we always glad to do that. And I'll probably do it every meeting, if people are sick, to pray for them.
I do not desire to have any more discernment. See? Now, here's what happened. I've tried. And I know I've done things that's wrong; but I have tried to live close enough to God, all the time to God; that's how these visions would happen, how they would take place. Even people would lose things, and call me up, ask me to go pray to the Lord, to ask where it was at. Like Jesse lost the mules, and the boys went down to find the prophet, and he told them where the mules had done returned home, so forth like that. That is perfectly all right. But it gets so much of it, so many people... Just not in the locality like this; it's worldwide. See? So it just gets, keeps me so tore up, and then keeping you right on the edge all the time, till it got to a place...
34 And that's what caused the brethren to get the doctrine started, that I was the incarnated Lord Jesus Christ. And we know that that would just tear the ministry all to pieces, and bring reproach upon Christ and everything. See? So that's the reason I had to give them a great shake to stop it right at once, to let them know that that was not of God; that was of the devil. See? And they're good people. And it showed those people are borned again of the Spirit of God, because when they seen Truth by the Scripture, they returned to God, exactly (See?), immediately. So that showed it was Satan trying to do something with the people; they were all godly Christian people.
35 And it made many of them say to me, "Brother Branham, we got more confidence in you now than we ever had." 'Cause, see what with the gift that God has given me, what could I have done with that? Throwed the nation at my feet, or, the people. What we call a nation, is not "kosmos" out here, the--the cannon fodder and so forth, I mean the Christians, the real believer, that's the cream of the... We speak of nation, we preach of the borned again people; that's what we talk of the nation. Not just everybody out here, that's so filth and muck that we're living in the world; that's just--that's just dust of the earth that's turning back. I'm talking about borned again Christians, people that's real Christians.
37 I'm waiting for a man to jump onto me again about something. Someone come to me not long ago and said, "The very idea of Christ spitting on the ground with His spit, and making a cake and smearing it over somebody's eyes." Said, "How filthy, dirty that was for Him to spit, with His spit out of His mouth. How unsanitary it was to spit in dirt, and make mud cakes and put it over a man's eyes."
I said, "But he come back seeing." See, that's it.
And that same man... They opened up a nudist camp up there by my place, you know, the swimming pool. And--and that man's got a ticket for every one of his children to go down there and swim in that pool. And he and his wife goes too. In that pool... Excuse me, my sisters. But where them women in there swimming, about a hundred of them, or two, every day; women, all that filth and things, and the women today, and washing around in that water, and that filth and dirt in their mouths, and swallowing it, and spitting it out. I just want him to jump onto me. You see?
They said, "If--if Christ was living today, they'd have Him arrested on account of that unsanitary thing."
How about that? I'm sure you catch what I mean. They go right in that pool, and many of them with diseases, syphilitic, gonorrhea, and everything else, right in there. And you're spitting it through your mouth, and everything like that, and washing around in there like that... And that's sanitary, of course?
41 So, oh, my, this day we're living in, brother, sister, it's time for the coming of the Lord. I--I... The Church has one hope: that's the coming of the Lord.
Well, I cannot stop those things; there's no need. The Bible done predicted they'd be here. I cannot stop them. But I want my voice on record in heaven, that I was against it. When the time comes for the judgment, I was against it.
I still believe that this Bible is the Word of God. And there's nothing else in the world, contrary to It, can ever stop It. But this Bible here, this is the Truth; this is God's Word. So now let's just pull in our--our--our sails, and anchor awhile against the peaceful shore of the haven of rest. And--and we can sail off tomorrow somewhere, but let's just anchor now and listen to the voice of our heavenly Father as He would speak to us through His Word, we trust, today.
44 And tonight, now, you get fixed up whatever little question you have about... Now, not something that's going to harm someone. If you do that, then that's... I wouldn't answer that to begin with. See? But you, something another, say, "Well, now, if I do a certain thing, does God say that we should do this?" Or, you know, little questions on your heart. Or, "We have gifts running with us, Brother Branham, and should we operate them this way or that way? Or, what should we do?" something that I could answer you back in the Scripture. You see? Write out a little something, I'd be glad. And if there's none, then I'll just take a subject of some sort, and preach to you tonight, the Lord willing. This is Sunday, and I've been...
45 Last Sunday I started to go over to Brother Cauble's. And I heard this church bell ring, and I just walked up and down in the yard. I couldn't stand it. That was all. I heard you, so I--I--I just had to come down.
So now, let us just bow our heads now and speak to our Maker, and then in a word of prayer. Has anybody a special request? Just raise up your hands, just say, "I..." Just make it known. God knows what's on your heart. Now, just keep your request on your mind.
47 Most holy God, Who has created heavens and earth by the Word of Thy mouth, by the thoughts of Thy mind. We are coming into Thy Presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to give Thee thanks for all that You have done for us. And we're so grateful to You, Lord, this morning to know where we are standing, to know the position that we are in this morning, and the history of time, and the future that's coming. Knowing today, that by the grace of God, that we've been washed in the Calvary's Blood, that we are prepared with faith in our hearts to meet Him if He should come today. We should say, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
And we see the sin heaping up, until it seems like the world staggers under the impact of sin. How that drinking and gambling, and carousing, and nudeness, and, O God, the filth, and dirt, and muck of the people, and how they, if they could just realize... Lord, does those people who dresses like that in those little old ungodly clothes, and get out there on the street, do they realize that they're nothing but bugs and dust, that maybe in another week the bugs will be eating that body that they're so glorifying? Do they realize that the cankerworms will eat it up and their soul will be yonder in an eternity without God, without Christ, without a hope, sinking in deep despair, to be simply annihilated at His coming? O God, give us voices of--of warning, that we might warn every soul of this danger that they're approaching.
49 Be with us today and give us words of wisdom, as Solomon once said in the Ecclesiastes, that we would be wise builders, that we'd be the shepherds of this assembly. And we pray, Lord, that as we seek out words to say, that they would be--they would be masterpieces that would catch the heart that's so in need here this morning.
We have not come and gathered under this hot roof today just to be seen, but we have come here because we love You, and because we are desiring to hear from You. You are our Lover that we love, and we desire to hear Words from Thee. We are grateful for what we have already heard. It will long stay with us. Now, give us the portion that You have for us today, as we wait further on Thee. We ask it in Jesus' Name, and for His sake. Amen.
51 Now, it's... [Tongues and interpretation are given--Ed.] We are grateful for these exaltations from the Spirit; they tell us and warn us to watch the Words that maybe the Holy Spirit is going to speak to us today. And we don't know just what He has in store for us, but we do know that there must be something that He's going to bring forth. Maybe a question's on your mind, that He'll speak it through there. He might speak it through the message this morning. He might speak it tonight at the service. He, somewhere along today, He's trying to, look like, warn someone to catch the Word.
53 Now, to turn to the written Word, let us go over in the Book of Exodus, for the Sunday school lesson.
Do you have a baptismal service? [Brother Neville says, "No, not until six o'clock this evening."--Ed.] No. The baptismal service at six this afternoon.
55 Let's go to the 17th chapter of Exodus, and begin with the--with the 5th verse, I believe, 5th and 6th verses of the 17th chapter of Exodus.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go.
Behold, I will stand before thee... upon the rock in Horeb; and... shall smite the rock, and there shalt come water out of it, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Now, if I should call this a little Sunday school text, I would like to take this as the subject for this morning's lesson: "The Ever Present Water From The Rock."
57 We know that Israel has always been a historical example of the church. 'Cause Israel was the people of God until they came out of Egypt, and then they were the church of God because they were a separated from the rest of the world.
And when we are separated from the rest of the world, then we become the church. But as long as we are entangled with the rest of the world, then we are not in the church. Now, I trust that that goes real deep, catches its place. See, we are not the church until we are separated from the world. Separate ourselves, come out from among the peoples unclean, deal not with them, and be not partakers of their sins. Yoke not up with the unbelievers, but separate yourself from the things of the world.
And when Israel was in Egypt, they were the people of God. Then when they was called out, or had the exodus, coming out, then they were called the church, because it was then they separated themselves from the rest of the world.
60 And the very word "church" means "called out," exodus, "come out." Each one of us, as Christians, has had an exodus in our life. We had a time where we were called out from amongst our associates, called out from amongst the people that we once fellowshipped with, and become a different people, to walk with a different people that acted a different way and talked a different way. It was an exodus in our life.
Very fine example Israel gave us of when God called them out. They had an exodus, and came out from amongst the--the peoples of the world, and become a separated nation, unto God, a peculiar people. They walked under the shadows of the mercy seat. They lived and walked by the great Pillar of Fire. And God brought them from Egypt to the land that He had promised.
62 And in this exodus, they were given a spiritual leader, a leader, which was Moses, a great anointed prophet that was a--a great man. He was a godly man; he was borned a godly man. God called him from his mother, even before that time; God ordained him before the foundation of the world to be a leader to that generation to bring this exodus to the people.
63 Here sometime ago, I spoke to the little children here in the Tabernacle, and had a little sermon for them, and told, or give a little illustration of how Jochebed, how she prayed, her and Amram, the father of Moses, about doing something about delivering the people. And Amram saw the vision of God standing, or an Angel, pointing towards the north, and told him what would take place. Then the little Moses was born. And they feared not the commandments of the king, or the threats. They knowed that God had His hand on Moses, and that settled it. That's right. No matter what the king said, what the political world said, what anything else said, they knowed God had His hand on Moses. So they wasn't scared to turn him loose right in the midst of the crocodiles; when they were all just fat on little Hebrew children, where they'd fed them out there to the crocodiles. And yet Moses was put right in a little ark and sent right out among the crocodiles, right out among them. Because they didn't fear nothing; they knowed that God had His hand on Moses.
64 Well now, if we could just know that same thing, that our great Leader, the Holy Spirit, God has sent Him, and He's our Leader. And no matter what the world says, and how much they laugh at you and make fun of you, we follow our Leader. God sent the Holy Spirit to be our Leader. See? "A little while and the world seeth Me no more. Yet ye shall see Me, for I'll be with you, even in you, to the end of the world." So our great Leader is with us, the Holy Spirit. Now, we must follow this Leader and do just as He says do. And this Leader will never take us from the path, He'll keep us right in the path of the Scripture all the time. But He'll never go to one side for something, and this side for something. He'll stay right straight in the road of the Scriptures.
65 And Moses had a course that he was to take Israel, and follow then right across the Red Sea, right across Jordan, right into the promised land, right out through the wilderness. It wasn't Moses got out of line. It wasn't God out of line. It was the people out of line that caused the trouble. So let us think of these things now. (Pardon me.)
Moses, this anointed leader... Finally, when he had showed to the people by signs and wonders, that God alone could do... He performed these signs and wonders before the elders of Israel, and before Israel, until they were satisfied that this Moses was the anointed one that was to take them out of this country to that goodly land that they had been promised. Then when they seen these great things that Moses did in the Name of God, they were willing to follow him. And he taken them out, and led them through the Red Sea, crossed over as on dry land, and into the wilderness journey, which means the time of testings.
67 When a fellow receives Christ as his Saviour, everything is on the housetop. But before this man can come into the baptism of the Holy Spirit, this person, he must first have a sanctifying process. He must have a testing time in his life. All of you had it. He had this testing time. "Every son that cometh to God, is first scourged, chastened, chastised. And if we cannot stand chastisement, then it shows we're not children of God; we are bastards, and not children of God," the Bible said. But if we can stand the chastisement, knowing that "all things work together for good to them that love God," then we are sons and daughters of God; then He seals us with the Holy Spirit until the day of our redemption. See, that's the chastisement, the strain, the thing we go through. And Israel, as a historical type, had to take this chastisement.
68 Now, when they were down in Egypt, and God sent Moses and he stretched forth the rod, and fleas and lice come on the ground... He stretched forth towards the sun, and it went down. He stretched it over the waters, and they turned to blood. Why, Israel was over in Canaan's--over in--in Goshen, just having a glorious time; the sun never went down; the plagues never struck them; why, they were just having a glorious time, just like you did when you first got saved.
Everything, the birds sang different, and everybody was sweet. And, oh, my, how everything just was dandy when you first got saved. Then come the trying time, the chastening, sanctifying time, sanctifying yourself from things of the world, "laying aside the weights that does so easily beset you." You, a man, had to stop your smoking, stop your drinking, stop your going to the pool room, your all night card parties. All those things, you had to sanctify yourself from them by the faith in the Blood of Jesus Christ: sanctifying yourself. You women had to let your hair grow out, lengthen your dresses, and act like different than what you was: sanctifying time. Many times they'd rebel and go back; well, that's not a child of God. See? A child of God looks straight to Calvary and knows that it's for his good.
70 So then that process of time, there's where the great falling away come in Israel. When this great crowding-in time, then the people began to fall away from one side to the other. Then in their chatting, "Well, we wish we were back down in Egypt. Our souls loatheth this light bread." In other words, if I'd take it historically now, that's what they said.
Now, in the modern day, it would be, "Oh, every Wednesday night, prayer meeting. Every Sunday morning, back to the church. What do we hear? The same thing; the preacher stand up and preach; songs; go on back." See, then you're just going as a line of duty. You're not a worshipper. A worshipper goes there to worship, to express hisself before his God, to praise God for His goodness; to every Word, he hangs onto It.
72 Just like a love affair. If you was going with a girl because you knew it was a duty, or you going with a boy, when you were young... "Mama wants me to go with this guy, but I just can't stand him." You don't get nothing of him coming to see you. Or, if it's the same way about the girl to the boy, or boy to the girl. You go with her, she bores you; mama wants you to go with her because she's the type of girl that mama likes. See, it bores you; there's no love affair. But you don't care; you don't want to clean up; you don't want to go see her. And it's a... Why, it's a horrible thing. And when he's coming to see you, my, you just wish he'd hurry on, go home.
That's the same way it is when you, "Why does he preach so long? What about all this stuff, and everything?" See, you're not in love.
But when you really hang onto every Word, as the Spirit gave you warning this morning (See?), "Hanging onto every Word..." That might be what He has been talking to you about, holding on. It's Eternal Life, every Word of God. It's a joy to go to church, under any circumstance. Whether it's hot, cold, indifferent, whether the people are fussing, growling, whatever they're doing, it's still a joy to hear the Word of the Lord. Then you're in love then with Christ (See?); you love to go to church.
75 "Well, honey, here it's Sunday morning again; I guess we have to wash up the young ones and get down there. My, it's boresome." See, you're not in love.
But if you're really in love, you just can't wait till Sunday morning comes; you've just got to get down there with them. And we get, and to leave... The people of God, they don't bore you. Why, they're--they're brothers and sisters. As I used to say, "You get as thick as Sorghum molasses on a cold morning." It--it don't run; it just stays together, you know, clings tight. Now, that's a rude expression, but it's--it--it's trying to let you know what I mean. You see? You stick together. And the colder it gets, the tighter they stick. And that's the way it ought to be with us. The colder...
When the earthly friends forsaken,
Still more closely to Him cling.
77 And what we love, each other, is not because that we're somebody; but it's the Christ in one another that we love. You see? It's the God that's in our beings, that we love. Now, we love to come together as we used to sing the old hymn:
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred mind
Is like to that Above.
See, the fellowship of kindred mind is like of that Above.
Before our Father's throne,
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.
See? Yes, sir. When one's had a blessing, we're all happy about it. When one's sad, we're sad with him. We--we want to all be together. Now, that's the way we're supposed to be.
79 And that's the way Israel was supposed to be. But it become burdensome, "Oh, this old light bread, Angels bread... Well, what do we care about this old light bread? Our souls loatheth this stuff. And everything's wrong. And--and this old manna that falls out every night, why, we'd rather have some garlic and leek out of Egypt." You see, their hearts wasn't ready for the journey.
And when a man or a woman begins to complain about going to church, they get so tired of going to church, they're not ready for the journey. That's right. There's something wrong somewhere.
Oh, when you love God, and thinking you're going to heaven, and all of you are going together...
What a fellowship, what a joy Divine,
Leaning on the everlasting Arm;
Oh, what blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on His everlasting Arm.
What a...
We sing those hymns.
We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
A sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again at the next prayer meeting time. (Yes, sir, still joined in heart.)
82 Now you're getting ready for the journey (See?); you're ready for to go into the promised land, the testing time. There is the danger ground, the wilderness, the testing times.
Israel, in her testing time, she got to quarreling and fussing with one another, and loathing over the bread. And they wanted to go back to Egypt. And then they begin to complaining about their leader. Oh, they was afraid that he was leading them astray; after he'd showed himself to be a leader, and God had proved that he was the leader. "Well, maybe we've acted a little bit fanatically. And--and maybe we've got off, all on the wrong foot," or something like that. See? They was chatting against God and against Moses: God and His leader.
85 Now, when we get to a place, saying, "I don't know whether the Word means this, or not. And I don't know about the Holy Spirit; I'm a little bit skeptic of That. I know others that don't." Well, go on to Egypt. See?
But if you're really determined to stay on the road, stay right with this Leader, the Holy Spirit, stay right with the Word. And if you stay with the Spirit, It'll keep you in the Word. That's right. It'll take you right down along the line, the path of the Word. And don't be afraid of It. It won't hurt nothing; It'll just help you if you are hurt. It'll heal all the hurts; the Holy Spirit will.
87 Now, we find out that, along this road, after they got like this, they come to a place of Horeb. And H-o-r-e-b, Horeb, then we find out... Let's break that name down. That's where the--the name "Horeb" means, a "dry place" or a "desert."
And when we get out of fellowship with one another in the church, and out of fellowship with the Holy Spirit, it brings us to a dry place, a desert, nothing alive, everything got stickers on it. See, a--a desert, a little piece of cactus with that sticker on it. Did you know what that is? That's a precious little tender leaf that hasn't had no water; it's just wound itself up so tight till it's a sticker. And when you see somebody like that, maybe it's a precious soul that could been watered right, would've been a tender little leaf or something. But instead of that, it's wound itself up till it's a sticker, just punching at everything, you know, finding fault. Only thing it needs is just water. That's all. It just--it just needs a--a revival, or a breaking up, a refreshing from the Lord. It'll--it'll unfold its little self, if you'll just put it to the water.
89 But that's where them who live in that place has to suffer with the conditions of that place. And those who desire to live in that kind of an atmosphere of where everything's just punching and fussing, and quarreling and stewing like that, well, you'll just live under that atmosphere; that's all. But we don't have to live there; it's not necessary for us to stay there.
Now, this Horeb was the place where God was discouraged with the people, because they had wondered into this place and had got in this condition. And He brought them right around to it, because that they wouldn't walk in the path. They got off the--the main road, got off over on this side road. And then it caused God to do something that was terrifically. He... Caused God to have Moses to take the judgment rod that he had judged the nation with and smite the Rock to bring forth water.
Now, there's a beautiful lesson here if we could just get it. See? And because that we get so out of cater, and world bound, and things, it caused God to take the judgments of the world and smite His Own Son with it at Calvary, that we might go free. Do you see what I mean?
92 Now, in order to get these people to some water, after they got over there, this dry place was made a Calvary. And there God told Moses; He said, "Take the rod and the elders, and go forth, and I will stand on the Rock before you." And this Rock was Christ. And Moses, with the rod that he had brought judgment upon the nation of Israel, took this same rod and smote the judgments of God upon the Rock. See? He took the sins of the people onto this rod. Which he should've smote the people, instead of smiting the people he smote the Rock. And the Rock, through a work of God, brought salvation, brought water to a perishing people. It brought life to a dying people. And that's what God did by taking His--His wand of a judgment rod, and winding my sins and your sins around this rod; when it should have struck us, but it struck Christ; that from Him come forth waters, which means "Spirit." The Holy Spirit came forth from Him, to give us Life. Now, we have Eternal Life. Now, that Rock was Christ. Now, we want to notice.
93 I've seen so many intellectual drawings of this Rock. I seen one of the most critical ones not long ago, till where there was a--a little rock laying up on top of a hill. And--and Moses was supposed to have smitten this rock, and Israel was down in there with a tea cup, getting them a drink out of a little sprinkle that fell down out of this rock. Now, that is just somebody's idea.
But when this Rock brought forth its waters, there were over two million people, besides the ox, and camels, and everything else that drank in tubs of water from it. It was a gushing stream that come forth out of there.
95 That's the way they try to make Christ, the Holy Spirit today. It's just a little sprinkle (See?), just enough to make you believe that there is a God. No. It is an abundance of Water. David said, "My cup runneth over." It's just a gusher of the Holy Spirit.
People are afraid of It. Some people say, "Well, I'm just a little afraid I'll do this or that, or if I happen to go a little too deep. I can show you someone went a little too far." But you never do point to that one didn't go far enough. See? Just how about the ones that didn't go far enough?
98 Now, we have had some people that got into the flesh, and got off on the wrong foot. And--and not God, but the people got... Because of not good leadership, and so forth, got them off on the wrong foot, and they went into fanaticism. And then the whole world, the devil points them, "See that? See that?"
Well, let me stand this morning and point back to these tens of millions times more that never even made a start. What about them? See, look at their condition. Look at a guy like Eichmann today, with the highest... They say, "The Pentecostals are unethical and uncouth, and they're not educated," and so forth like that. Look at Eichmann, one of the highest educated men in the world. And he put to death six million children and women and men, six million souls. You don't want to point to somebody like that.
100 But some little fellow that couldn't read, hardly, called maybe some name of the Bible wrong, and, or maybe said something or did something wrong, or made some mistake, the newspapers wants to write it up everywhere, and say, "They're not to be trusted."
Then if that cannot be trusted, why not education, the things and intellectuals that they have today? Look at Adolf Hitler. Look at the brains of the world today. Look at them. The old saying, "The sauce for the goose is for the gander."
The thing you have to do is be able, by the Holy Spirit, to divide what's right and wrong, and take what is right and wrong.
103 Now, we find out that this Calvary that they had, and the waters of life gushed forth for the people...
Now, some people has upon their hearts and mind, that all Israel drank, and then they packed up the camels and tied their hitches on their horses, and so forth, and took their kids and journeyed on into somewhere else, and left the Rock there, sprinkling. That is wrong. That Rock followed them, and that water followed them. Now, in I Corinthians the 10th chapter, I believe, and the 11th verse, you can find it, that that Rock followed Israel. Wherever they went from that day henceforth, the Rock went with them, and the waters followed them.
106 What a beautiful type, and a--a beautiful hold and an anchor for the believer today, that knows that that Rock that was once smitten, that Water that once poured forth from Calvary, goes with us wherever we are. Oh, my. It's not go back to a certain place and say, "Well, we did have Water day before yesterday, over there." We got Water today right here, because that Rock was Christ. And Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. See?
That Rock followed Israel. They never followed the Rock, but the Rock followed them. Amen. Israel went on their journey. They had but one thing to do, that's keep the straight course, right straight on into the promised land. And the Rock and the water followed them... the Rock following them... I Corinthians tells you so, the 10th chapter. All right. That Rock was Christ.
108 God took the judgments of the people and placed them upon Christ, and smote Him. Did you notice, there was a cleft in the Rock from then on? The Rock had a cleft in it where Moses smote. And Christ had a cleft when He was smitten, "He was wounded for our transgressions, and with His stripes we were healed." From that Life come forth the Waters of Life that we so enjoy today.
109 Now, in order to obtain this Life... Remember, the Life of Christ stays with the church. Hallelujah. Oh, if we could anchor our thoughts there for the next ten minutes... Christ does not leave the church. "I'll be with you always, even to the end of the world." It's the people that leaves Christ, not Christ leaving the people. The people leave it by their unbelief. They leave Christ, not Christ leaving the people.
Israel left the stream, not the stream leaving Israel. See? For the Bible plainly states that the Rock and the water followed Israel: followed them. Wherever they went, it went too.
111 Oh, I'd like, this morning, if we had time, to turn over to the 1st chapter of Joshua, where He said, "Everywhere the soles of your feet shall trod, I've given to you. Wheresoever thou goest, the Lord thy God is with thee. Don't you fear any man. Be courageous. Just wherever you make a footstep, I'm right there with you, no matter where it's at." God going with Joshua...
The same God goes with His church this morning that's drink from this Fountain yonder. Wherever you make a footstep, there's where God will be right with you to water in and give you Life. "I'll be with thee always, even unto the end of the age." Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. The laws of God...
113 Now, you say, "Then, Brother Branham, why is it that we do not do the things then that we should do? How is it our gifts and things in the church does not come to its color, to where it should be? How is it our church does not lift up into the spot where it should be?" The people in the testing time drops away like Israel did. They think that God has left them.
But remember, the Rock never left Israel. Israel left the Rock; it forgot about the Rock being with them all the time. It was right there, went right with them to the end of the road. "It followed them." It wasn't out of speaking distance. It wasn't out of hearing distance. Or it wasn't out of seeing distance. And neither is Christ with the Church today; He's not out of speaking distance.
Some of you have backslid, and done that which is wrong, and you've lost that joy, and your Water is dried up. He's still in speaking distance of you. He follows you. He knows every move you make and everything you do. He's longing to hear you call Him on the scene.
116 And this great Pentecostal move today, God is waiting for you to call Him on the scene. You're not out of speaking distance with Him. Though we've done wrong, and sinned, and turned our backs on Him, and--and done things we ought not to do, but yet He's with us. Christ said He would be with us.
The Bible said, "The waters followed the children of Israel." When they got thirsty, they knowed the water was near.
118 Now, these things are controlled by laws. All of God's system is put up by laws. Now, we'll take... Let's stop for a minute.
Let's take the world. It turns; every twenty-four hours it makes a complete revolution, so perfect, that we have never been able, with all of our science, to make a watch to keep perfect time. Every once in a while, the best watches they ever make, in the run of a year, will gain or lose many minutes. But the world never fails but what she's right there on the second. It's so perfect till the scientists today, the astronomers can tell you in twenty years from now, or fifty years from now, just exactly the sun and the moon will pass one another. When it turns its twenty-four hour circle, and it turns its time around the orbit for a season, it does not miss a tick. Hallelujah. It's perfectly, because it's running according to the law of God.
120 They know just exactly when that tide will go out just to the minute, because they know what time the moon drops. And God's got everything set in order by a law. And when that moon goes down, away goes the tide with it. When that moon comes up, here comes the tide with it. And they know exactly, by timing, when that moon will go down. They can put it on a almanac calendar for years ahead, and tell you to the minute when that tide will start dropping. Sure, because that's the way the moon is going out, because it is set in the order of God's law.
121 I was standing the other day by Lake Michigan. And I went over to Lake Superior on my road to Canada, that large body of water. And I stood there, and I thought, "How many miles is it across this great straight of water here?" And then after I crossed Michigan--or Lake Superior, I would come into Michigan, almost an equal body of water. And to there, from Lake Superior to Lake Michigan, from Lake Michigan to Lake Ontario, and just--and Huron, and all the lakes together. How many billions times billions times billions, and innumerable barrels of fresh water lays within that lake.
And yonder in Nevada, and in Arizona, New Mexico, eastern California lay millions of acres of parched burning ground, that's so fertile that, if that water could ever get on that ground, this nation could feed the world, without any hungry people, and have surplus to throw in the sea. That's right. The millions of acres that would grow tons times millions of tons of potatoes, and cabbage, and beans, and--and lettuce, and radishes and celery, and cucumbers, and whatmore. The ground would grow it; it's--it's just longing for the water.
123 And here's the water up here, and here is the ground down here. Now, we can see it, and we know it would do it, because we can test the water and see it's fresh, and test the soil and see it's fertile. Now, all the wishing that we can do will never put them together. But there is a law, and that law is gravitation. Now, if we'd work according to gravitation, we could water every bit of that land, taking the water from the lakes and watering it. But we'll have to work according to the law of gravitation. We can't wish it out there. We can't scream it out there. We can't holler it out there. We've got to work according to the laws of gravitation to get it there. God puts everything in a law.
124 Here I was thinking; I don't know whether I ever told you this or not. I was down in Kentucky, squirrel hunting, with Brother Wood about a year ago. And we... The squirrels was kinda scarce, and so we went over to a fellow's house to find out about hunting. A man had several acres of ground, and on this ground there was much woods. But Brother Wood told me that the man is an infidel. He's--he's an unbeliever. So he said that he knew him, so he--or his father knew him; he'd go over and ask if we could have permission to go hunting.
We drove up to the gentlemen's place. And he and another man, both of them in their seventies, they were setting under an apple tree. And Mr. Wood went into this man, and he said to him, "Could I hunt a little bit on your place?" And he said, "Well," he said, "all right." He said, "What Wood are you? Are you Jim Wood's boy?"
He said, "I am."
He said, "Well, old Jim was honest and so forth." And said, "You can hunt anywhere you want to, on my place. I got so-many hundred acres here; help yourself. Go down in them hollows, wherever you want to. Just make yourself at home."
I set in the car, because I thought the preacher and infidel wouldn't go good together, if we was going to ask a favor of the infidel.
128 So then after while, Brother Wood said, "Well, now, could I have my pastor with me? I guess it would be an right for him to come along."
And this old man turned around on his cane, and he said, "Wood, do you mean to tell me that you've stooped so low, till you have to have a preacher with you wherever you go?"
And so that, I thought, after that I'd better get out of the car. So I got out of the car, and talked to the old gentleman a few minutes. And he let me know right quick that he didn't have much use for preachers, because he thought they were talking about something that they didn't know nothing about.
He said, "They just blat out at something they don't know nothing about. Well," he said, "when a man talks to me, I want him to know what he's talking about." Now, that's good sense. That's good sense. He said, "Now, if a man talks to me, I don't want him talk on some something, another, supposition that he knows nothing about. I want him to speak something that he knows what he's talking about." Well, I honored that. I respected that in the old gentleman.
And so I said, "Well, of course, that's every fellow to his own opinion."
133 And he said, "There was one preacher that come here in this country a few years ago, that had a meeting over at Acton." And he said, "This preacher, one night, being a stranger in the country, said to a--a lady that was setting in the audience, 'You have a handkerchief in your pocket. And you're Mrs. So-and-so. And you have a sick sister over on the hill here. Her name is So-and-so. She's dying with cancer in the stomach.' And said, 'Take this handkerchief and lay it on your sister, and tell her, "THUS SAITH THE LORD," she's not going to die, but live.'"
He said, "This same woman was a friend of ours." And said, "We took this woman... This handkerchief up; or this man to the person..." First he said, "This woman, my wife and I had been up there that morning and had took, waited on this woman. And she was so bad the doctors had give her up long ago. She was so bad till we had to move her in a sheet, lift her up to put her on the bedpan, take her back. Turn her in the sheet, she was so bad." He said, "One night, over there, there come a noise like they had somebody had died."
135 That was Ben over there with that handkerchief, taking it over there. I believe it was you, wasn't it, Ben? [Brother Ben says, "Amen. Amen."--Ed.] It was Brother Ben over there, getting that handkerchief, 'cause he took the woman over there.
And said, "The next morning she was eating fried apple pies." And said, "She don't only does her own work, but she does the neighbor's work. She was so well." He said, "Now, I've often wondered. If I ever seen that preacher, he knew what he was speaking about," said, "I--I'd like to talk with him."
Brother Wood looked over to me, and I looked over to him. Standing there, dirty, and sweaty, and filthy, had been camping in the woods, and--and squirrel blood all over us. And so I said, "Well," I said, "is... You mean that you could talk to this fellow and he'd tell you how he done that?"
He said, "Yes, sir, that's what I mean."
I said, "Well, that's--that's a good thing."
138 I was eating one of his apples. Little old yellow jackets was getting on them there, you know, in the fall of the year in August. So I had this little apple, and I'd eaten on it. And I said, "That's a very good apple." I said, "How long has that tree been there?"
"Oh," he said, "I planted that tree there, thirty or forty years ago, or something another."
"Yes, sir." I said, "I would just like to ask you a question." I said, "How in the world... I see those apples have dropped off that tree, and its leaves are dropping off, and here it is only in the middle of August." And I said, "We haven't had not even a cool spell; we haven't even had a frost or anything, and yet them leaves are dropping off of that tree. Why is that?"
He said, "The sap has left the tree."
"Oh," I said, "where did it go to?"
He said, "Down in the roots."
And I said, "Then how long will it stay down there?"
He said, "Till spring."
And I said, "Then it'll come back up, and bringing you up new leaves for a shade, new apples to eat."
He said, "That's right. Exactly right."
142 I said, "Well, I want to ask you something, sir. You talk about these fellows that don't know what they're talking about." I said, "Could you explain to me what Intelligence makes that sap leave that tree? If it stayed there through the winter, the tree would die. You'd kill the tree. The germ of life is in that sap." So I said, "It would kill the tree. What Intelligence makes that sap go out of that tree, down into the roots, and stay until springtime, and then come back up again, and bring some more apples?" I said, "Put water in a bucket and set it on a post, and see if in August it'll go down to the bottom of the post and come back up in springtime. See?" I said, "There is some law; there is a law of nature. Some Intelligence set this law in order. Not only that, but that same Intelligence has to operate that law, that runs it down into the root of the tree and comes back."
He said, "I never had thought of that."
I said, "Can you... If you can ever find out the Intelligence that makes that sap go from that tree limb down into the roots and come back, that's the same Intelligence that told me over there that night, 'Go, put that handkerchief on the woman.'"
He said, "And you're that preacher?"
I said, "Yes, sir, that is right."
144 Last year I was over (He's gone away.), and when His widow was sitting on the porch, peeling apples off that same tree... Brother... First they was going to run us out; they didn't know who we were. And I went and told her about it, that we had permission from him. And told about it, said, "He made a full confession of Christ before he died."
You see, what does that tree, what Intelligence runs that down? It's a law. It's a law that God has set in order. And that law is God's law that will take care of the subject. Amen.
You know, I don't care how, much you cry out, and say--say now, "It ain't going to... The sun ain't going to shine no more this summer." It'll shine, anyhow. How much you're going to say, "I--I--I ain't going to let nighttime come." It'll come, anyhow. Because this thing that we live on, called the world, is controlled by a law of God.
147 Now, brethren and sisters, I want to ask you something. Then if we are borned again of the Spirit of God... God don't have little weak parts and big strong parts; He's altogether God! And if you had enough of God in you, till It was just barely a shadow, that's enough power to make a new earth. That's enough power to make a new moon and a new system. It's God, and it's strong. And right now in every believer in here has Life Eternal, which is God's Spirit in you; enough power that'll raise up the dead, that'll heal the sick, that'll set orbits in conditions. But you're... It's controlled by a law, that Spirit that's in you. You are sons and daughters of God. That same Spirit that you've got in you, will raise yourself up at the day of the resurrection.
148 Jesus, when He was here on earth, when He died, His soul descended into hell, and preached to the spirits that were in prison, the souls in prison, that repented not in the long-suffering of the days of Noah. His body went into the grave. But before He died, He commended His Spirit into the hands of God. His Spirit went to God; His soul went to hell; and His body went to the grave. And Jesus was barred out from resurrection until the Scripture could be fulfilled. He could not come back, because He had to stay in the grave for three days and nights. But when the Scripture was all fulfilled, this bar was taken away; His Spirit descended to His soul, His soul to His body, and He rose again.
149 And when we die, our souls will go under the altar of God, where I was privileged to see a few mornings ago, as you know, in the vision, where the Bible speaks of. Our spirits will go to God Who give it, and our bodies shall return to the dust of the earth. But someday where the Scripture is fulfilled, our spirits will be released from God, will pick up the soul, and the soul to the body. And the power that'll raise us up, is right in us now. We are now in heavenly places. We are now in the power of the resurrection.
If there wasn't a law to that, sons and daughters of God would create them a world out here and go live a private life on it. You have the power in you to do it. If you've got a shadow of the power of God in you, you got power to do it. God is omnipotent. See what I mean? The power that's in you will make... You could speak a world into existence and go live on it. Hallelujah. There you are.
That's what power is in the Church now, but it is controlled by a law. And that law is not keeping a bunch of commandments. It's a law of faith. Jesus said, "All things are possible to them that believe." And if you can believe it, whatever God will lead your soul to believe, that is yours. Every place the soles of your foot can set upon by faith, God gives it to you. Amen. It's yours; you possess it, if you can find the key to this law of faith that opens it to you. You see what I mean? That power is controlled by... If you are a son of God, you are a daughter of God, that never leaves you. It's with you all the time. But your faith gets away from It, but It's still there. Hallelujah.
152 When you are saved, God gives you faith to rise from the muck of the earth. Your faith overcomes the things of the world. What is your faith? Your faith is that act that God has did in you to make you a son of God. You quit your lying, you quit your stealing, you quit your drinking, because your faith rises you up above it. Amen. If you don't do it, you don't have any faith. "And by faith are you saved, and that through grace."
As much as your faith will be released, that's how much power you can have, because in you dwells the power to make heavens and earth. God dwells in you, and you are sons and daughters of God. Amen. There you are. But it's your faith. Jesus said, "According to your faith, be it unto you. If thou canst believe, all things are possible. Verily, I say unto you, if you say unto this mountain, 'Be moved,' and don't doubt, but believe that what you have said..."
154 Then what kind of people ought we to be, having faith in this great redeeming Christ that lives in us, this smitten Rock that never leaves the church? "I am with you always, even to the end of the world," the ever-Presence of the great gusher of salvation and power that poured forth from Calvary into the church, the ever-Presence of the living God, great flowing, smitten Rock that goes with us in our journey.
155 Israel lost their faith. They got off the path. They begin to lust for the flesh pots. If they'd stayed with faith, and believing that God was going to take them to the land, there'd have been nothing hinder them. They'd already opened up seas; they'd smote plagues upon their enemies; they'd crucified their enemies behind them, and had walked over into the land, and still couldn't have faith to go on to the promise. Joshua and Caleb had that faith. They said, "We are more than able to conquer anything that would come before us."
That's the trouble with the church. We can conquer every disease. We got the power in us. We are sons and daughters of God, nothing can stand before us. Only thing, He wants to find somebody who will believe it, who will believe what God's already done for you. "Not we will be; we are now." And the ever-living Presence of the Spirit is with us. Amen. There you are.
158 That's what I mean when I spoke of the subject this morning, "The Ever-Present Water From The Rock." The ever-present Water from the Rock is right here now, that ever-present Water from that smitten Rock at Calvary. When that Holy Ghost came out of Him on Calvary, that come back on the church on the day of Pentecost, that same Holy Ghost is present this morning. And It's give us a promise.
That's the reason, walking before the sick people, when He commissioned me yonder, I believe it; God said so. That's how visions happen; God promised it. God can't lie.
160 Believe it. You got to believe it. Got to be Something there open that damper, open that thing to let you in on it. What we need today is not pray for more power. You got enough power to make a new earth. What you need is faith to use that power. What you need is to control that life, and live such a godly life, that when you ask God anything, you know. We have confidence in God, of that. We know, if we keep His commandments, He'll withhold no good thing from us if we walk with Him. God walking with us. Oh, my.
161 They had but one thing to do. They had but one thing to do; that's stay straight on the course, not wander off over here, and wander off over there, but stay on the course. The church has got but one thing to do: stay on the course. They had a Pillar of Fire that they had to keep themselves in course by: follow that Pillar of Fire. That's what led them. Their object they could see, was that Pillar of Fire. They seen It working through Moses, and they knowed that he was the leader.
Today we got the Word. We follow the Word. And we see the Word working in the believers, and we know it's so then: God working with us, confirming the Word with signs following. We stay with the Word. The Word produces the results.
They stayed with the--Moses. Because the Pillar of Fire, Moses followed That. And they followed. When they begin to turn against Moses, and fuss against God and against Moses, they got to wandering off to one side and the other. Troubles come in. Sure.
164 We stay with the Word, and the Word produces signs. Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe the Word." See, it stays with the... You stay with the Word; the Word produces the signs. But Moses, what did he do?
They wandered off, and what did they do? Wandered off the path, and they lost their water supply.
I think that's what the church has done today. It's wandered off the path of the Scripture. They've got off onto isms. They've got off onto little things that they should not do. They adopted things. They adopted things like Apostles' Creed. Where do you find that in the Bible? They adopted catechisms that they read. They adopted denominations in the stead of an experience. They adopted shaking hands instead of a borned again experience. They adopted sprinkling instead of water baptism. They adopted an evil form, "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," when there's no such a thing in the Bible. The Bible said, "In the Name of Jesus Christ." There's only one thing to do if you want that same Water, come back to the path again. Get back on the... He hasn't left; He's still here.
167 You take creeds in the stead of Christ. You wander off on tantrums. One said, "Well, I'm a Methodist." The other say, "I'm a Baptist." That shows you're not a Christian then. We are Christ's. We belong to Him. You say, "Well, if me, a Baptist." If that's all you are, then you're none of Christ's; you're a Baptist. You say, "Well, I'm Pentecostal." If you're just Pentecostal by denomination, that's all you are.
But if you've got the Pentecostal experience... And the Pentecostal Word will bring forth a Pentecostal experience. Follow the same thing those disciples did; stay up there until you're filled with the Holy Ghost. And then if that you get contrary to the Word, that spirit in you goes contrary to what the Word says, then it isn't the Holy Spirit. It's the devil impersonating the Holy Spirit. You see where we got on it?
169 Oh, some of us spoke with tongues; we had shouting spells and things like that, and denied all these other things. We suffered everything that wasn't in the Scripture to come into the church. Where we got to today? We're back to another desert, dried up organization. We organized; we lost our Water. That's exactly what Pentecost did. When it begin to organize, it begin to break up fellowship, and saying, "Well, now, we won't associate, if this guy believes that."
Go ahead, stay with him till he comes to the Word of Truth, the knowledge of Truth. Whatever it is, let it go anyhow. Just go on, be as brothers.
But, oh, we had to organize, and say, "Well, because you're not Oneness, because you're not Twoness, or Threeness, or like this, we won't have no fellowship with you." Then when we do that, what do we do? We bring ourself right back to a desert again. That's right.
But remember, when Israel wandered off of the path, the course to the promised land, the Rock never left them; It stayed right there; so did the water. So is the Holy Spirit, is staying right there. We don't have to wander back.
173 Now, here God teaches us a great thing. God teaches us here a lesson. Christ was smitten once, giving us a Pentecostal experience one time for all. Now, when that Rock was smitten, It did not have to be smitten again. It was only smitten once.
Moses made a mistake by smiting It the second time, showing the weakness of his faith in the Atonement. But when Christ was smitten once, He don't ever have to be smitten again. Well, what was Moses doing? Moses was setting up something new, trying to make a new thing.
And that's the way our clergymen has done today. They've tried to make something new. "We'll make ourself the Assemblies of God. We'll make ourself the Pentecostal Church of God. We'll make ourselves the General Council. We'll make ourselves this, that, or the other." That's not what God did. That wasn't His idea.
176 Christ was smitten once. That's the original experience. That's the original way. On the day of Pentecost, Peter said, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ."
"We sprinkle in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost, give all kinds of creeds and everything else about It." When we get off the Word, no wonder we can't get nowhere...?...
178 God teaches us a lesson. Moses wasn't supposed to say, "Now, we'll start a new something here now, and we'll organize, and we'll make the Catholic church." That's the first thing they done. No, then after while, "Well, we'll start something new off of that; we'll make the Lutheran." Then come the Anglican, and then the Baptist, and whatmore, and Campbellites, and Church of Christ, and antichrist, and all other things. See? They all started going, one after the other one, one after the other one, making denominations and organizations. That wasn't it. See there what they're doing? They're smiting the Rock again to start something new. We don't need a new doctrine.
179 Every man in the Bible was baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. Every man in the Bible that's got the Holy Ghost come God's way, exactly the way God do--performed at the...?... They did the same thing. They had the same experience. The same signs followed them. The same works followed them. Why? They lived by the Rock. They got the same Water.
And today, the reason we got so many creeds and denominations, is because we're starting something new. We don't need nothing new. Go back... Moses wasn't supposed to smite the Rock again, start something new. He was supposed to speak to them of the original Rock. Oh, I hope you getting that. Moses was supposed to speak of the original smitten Rock, not try to smite It again, not try to start a new thing, but to speak to the old Thing.
182 God, help me. If I die a pauper in the pulpit, I'll speak of the original Rock. I'll speak of the original experience. I'll speak of the original Scriptures that gave them the baptism of the Holy Ghost: "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." The ever-presence of the flowing Waters from the Rock is still with us. It'll bring forth the same thing. It'll bring forth visions. It'll bring forth healings. It'll bring forth prophesies. It'll bring forth every thing that they did.
183 When Israel got lined back up in the Scriptures again, and got back on the road, they went on to the promised land. But taken them forty years.
Pentecost has been about forty or fifty years, wandering around in the wilderness. Come back to the Rock. It's in sight. Here it is written right here on the Word. The Holy Spirit's here performing the same thing He always did, so the ever-presence of the Water is here. Just come back to It, come back to the former, the original.
185 How was it in the original? "Well, they shook hands with the preacher." No such a thing. "They was baptized in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost." There's no such a thing. There's no persons in the Bible, anywhere, or outside, three hundred years outside of the Bible, was ever baptized in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost. That's a Catholic creed, not a Bible doctrine. See?
186 They had the Holy Spirit. These signs followed them that believed. It'll do it again today. That Rock is just as ever-living as it ever was, that smitten Rock.
Let's not say, "Well, now you come over and join our Pentecostal church, get in our Pentecostal realms." "No, you come over and join the Baptist, or the Methodist, or the Presbyterian, or Catholic." What is that? That's smiting the Rock over again, trying to start something new.
Tell them, "Repent, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ," for the remission of their sins, "and these signs shall follow them that believe." Now, you're back on the road, back to the same Water. The same Water will give the same refreshments. It'll give the same scourge to the body. It'll give the same cleansing power. It'll give the same healing power. It'll do the same thing it did then, if we'll only get back to the same Spirit.
189 Life in a grapevine will bring forth grapes. If it did last year, it'll bring the same thing this year. That's a law of God. The law of God is, that if this is a grapevine, leave it alone, it'll produce grapes. You can interbreed it with something else, but then leave it alone and it'll come right back to the same grapes again.
So we've interbred the church with Pentecostalism, with Baptistism, with Methodistism, with Presbyterianism, with--with the Anglicanism, and every other kind of an ism. Why don't you leave it alone? Come back to the Vine; it'll come back to the same power. Amen. Amen. I like that.
191 "Start something new." Same thing we've done. Not try to show our authority. "Doctor So-and-so is the founder of the great So-and-so church of the so-and-so--so." That wasn't it.
That's what Moses said, "I'll show them what I can do. I'll bring it anyhow." He smote It; it didn't come. And He hollered again, "Show what I can do." God dealt with him for that.
Don't you think, if you just hold onto some denomination. God will deal with you for that. That's exactly right. You got to come back to that original. Come back.
194 Just speak to the people. Don't tell them, "You come join our church. You come say our creed." "You come back and repent, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, if your heart's right. And these signs will follow the believers. A group of believers, these signs will go with them." Because why? The Rock, the smitten Rock and His Waters of Life is coming right forth, producing the same thing that He did. It just can't help it.
Oh, yes. We want to show off, and say, "We're Methodists and Baptists."
196 Just speak to the Rock; He's ever-Present. Don't try to join It. "I had to joy it down here." Don't try to join It. You can't join This, that's one thing sure. You can join the Methodists you can join the Baptists; you can join the Pentecostals; you can join the Anglicans; but you can't join This. No. You have to be filled with This. Don't join It; just be filled with It. That's all. It's filled with what? Filled with power, filled with the Spirit, filled with Life, filled with joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, power of the Holy Spirit in your life, for the everlasting Presence is there. Remember. (I'll have to close 'cause it's getting late.)
197 But remember, that Rock never left them. It never did leave them. And Christ will never leave us; Christ said, "I'll be with you always, even to the end of the world." Is that right? And that Rock stayed with them all the way from Horeb to Nebo. It did. Down to the Jordan, It was still there. O God, I want to see It at the Jordan.
Moses, when he was at the Jordan, the Rock was with him all the way through. And he was standing up there, looking down at a--a bunch of people who had backslidden and gone away from God; His heart was yearning for them. And he looked over Jordan. There he was at the Jordan: Jordan, spiritual, I'm talking about. And there he was standing there; death was coming up his sleeve. But he looked, laying there by the side of him, there laid the Rock. He just stepped over on the Rock, and the Angels come, packed him away.
199 "I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee." No matter how hard the times gets, how old we get, what kind of a death we die, remember, the Rock will be there at Jordan. It'll never leave or never will forsake. Just remember that. The ever-presence of the Water from the Rock will be with us all down through life and even at the Jordan.
200 Let's bow our heads. [A prophecy is given--Ed.]
While that Spirit is moving among us, the Spirit of God moving among us, would there be those here this morning that does not know Christ, and you're--you're not close to that Rock, not on speaking terms to It this morning? But you know It's present. Look at It working everywhere, see Him moving around, see It moving upon the people. That's the ever-presence of the Water. That's salvation. That's the Spirit that runs their cups to a place till they can't hold their peace any longer; something has to come forth. And you don't know Him, would you like to raise up your hand and say, "Pray for me, Brother Branham. I now want to know Him. And I want to speak with Him, and I want to know Him as the fulness of His Spirit. I want to know that He's right by my side, all the time. I believe He is. But I want to be on speaking terms. And I'm thirsty, and I'm hungry for God. I want to know Him better"?
202 God bless you, sir. And God bless you, sir. And you, brother. You, yeah, way back in the back. Down here, lady, yes. Yes, lady. We see your hands, and God sees them. God bless you, young man. God bless you. And you, lady. Amen. God bless you. Bless you, sister. Someone else now in the silent moment. God bless you, way back there, young fellow.
Think of it. Think of it; the ever-presence of the Water from the Rock, that same Spirit, that He screamed out there at the day of the judgment for Him, when He took our judgment. And God's rod of wrath struck upon Him, and your sins was wrapped in that rod, and struck Him, and His Blood and water gushed forth from Him. He said, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit." And on the day of Pentecost It come to go with us through the journey. And It's so close now.
204 Will you...?... out from under, far away from Home, say, "Lord, I'm coming Home." While we sing this, if you'd like to walk up to the altar and make a reconsecration too of your soul, to Christ... Amen.
I've wandered far away from God, (off of the path)
Now I'm coming home;
The path of (unbelief is a sin) too long I've trod,
Lord, I'm coming home.
Coming home, coming home,
Never more to roam;
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Now, Lord, I'm coming home.
[Brother Branham continues to hum, "Lord, I'm Coming Home"--Ed.]
206 Three little boys just walked right out, real fast, tears in eyes, kneel down by the side of the altar. 'Course they are forgiven. They was forgiven before they even left their seats, when their little mind was made up. They just come forward and kneeled down here to let the people know that, whose side they're on in this this morning.
Why could there be some older people would like to do this, just like to kneel down, and say, "Lord, I--I've wandered far away from the path. I've had so much doubt, and sometimes I wandered out and got in sin. I--I--I want to come back 'fore it's too late. God, I--I'd like to come. I'd just really like to come and kneel down." Amen.
208 Now, Arthur Beam's three little girls about the same size, they come up here, kneel down.
Coming forward is a little girl that just got a little new brother. The other day I said it. Mrs. Wood come up and told me, said this sister was going into the hospital for to have a baby. The Holy Spirit said, "Go, tell them it'll be a boy." When it was born, it was a little boy.
Seems to be the children this morning, the little fellows coming out from Sister Arnold's little class, consecrating their lives. The whole altar, to my right, is full of little children. It would be nice if we'd sing and give over the altar to the rest of the people were adults.
Now, Lord, I am coming home.
211 [Brother Branham talks to the children at the altar, while intermittently singing, "Lord, I'm Coming Home"--Ed.]:
Coming home, coming home,
Never more to roam;
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Lord, I'm coming home.
I'm tired of sin and straying, Lord,
Now I'm coming home;
I'll trust Thy love, believe Thy Word,
Now I'm coming home.
Coming home, coming home,
Never more to roam;
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Now, Lord, I'm coming home.
212 Let us bow our heads just a moment for prayer, for these little fellows.
Heavenly Father, if there is a coming tomorrow, if Jesus shall tarry for another ten or fifteen years, these will be the boys and girls that'll pack this Message along to the other generation to come. No doubt in my mind, Lord, but what all the days of their life they'll remember coming up to this altar. And they're little jewels, Lord. Their young and tender; their little hearts are condemned this morning. Not even hearing all the message; just come out of the room, from hearing our Sister Arnold teaching; move up around the altar here, giving their little lives to Thee.
Now, Father, I've just got through speaking that in us dwells the Holy Spirit. And this Holy Spirit, faith with this Spirit, does all things. And I believe that this very hour, you forgive every sin that they have committed. And I'm asking You with all the faith that's in my heart, that You will keep their little lives down through the road. May they never stray from the Way.
215 This truly is a strange thing. The Spirit said this morning we'd see something strange. God, if You've quit dealing with the others, take little children. How this morning in the altar call, there's not one adult, but the whole group of little children come up. Yet, it was a great message of hard understanding even to adults, but the children caught the Spirit of It. We thank You for them, Father. I give them to You, as Your servant, as the trophies of this meeting; for, remembering that the ever-presence of the Water of Life will flow with them as long as they live. May they have faith now in just what's happening, that God that pulled them from the seat and sent them up here, may they have faith in that God all the days of their life. May their little spirits be brought to You in the day of their death, brought back to their body in the day of the resurrection. They are Yours, Father. We give them to You through Jesus' Name.
216 While we have our heads bowed, I'm going to ask all these little children at the altar, that believes that Jesus is your Saviour and the One Who told you back there in the audience to come up here and kneel down around this altar. Do you believe that Jesus loves you and forgives your sin? I want you all to stand up on your feet and look back towards the audience. Just... That's the way you can tell the people that you believe that Jesus saves you. Now, stand up on your feet, that's right, and look right back towards the audience. All you little boys and girls that love Jesus, stand up and look back towards the congregation there, every one of you.
217 What about you little girls here in the front? You believe? Do you love Jesus? These little girls here, you love Jesus with all your heart? Do you? You love Him? You love Him, sweetheart? Stand up here, let the people know that you love Jesus. God bless you.
Now, let's turn around this way and sing for these people 'fore we, "Jesus loves me! this I know. The Bible tells me so." See? Let's just raise up our hands as we sing it now. All right, let's sing it.
Jesus loves me! this I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak...
Now...?... children now, with your hands up, all of them singing, all together.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so.
220 Now, you all repeat after me. I believe [The children at the altar say, "I believe"--Ed.] Jesus Christ ["Jesus Christ"] is the Son of God ["is the Son of God."]. Today ["Today"] I accept Him as my personal Saviour ["I accept Him as my personal Saviour."]. From this day, ["From this day,"] henceforth, ["henceforth,"] I will love Him ["I will love Him"] and serve Him. ["and serve Him."] Amen. ["Amen."]
221 [A brother in the congregation says, "Brother Branham, I've got four children on my heart at this time. Will you please pray for them?"--Ed.] Sure will, Brother Ben.
Heavenly Father, this man sees that other little children coming to Christ, and he cries out, as a father, for his own little ones. And the Spirit that brought these little ones to the altar, may that same Spirit save his children, Lord. Grant it. We give them to You, Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ.
223 Now, as you little fellows go back to your seat, I want everybody along that row to shake hands with these little children, or pat them as they go back. Go on back to your seats this way. And let everybody along there just pat the little fellows. And we love you with all of our hearts. You are members of the Body of Christ, just as much in It as the rest of us.
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
That beautiful City of God.
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known,
Join in the song with sweet accord,
Join in the song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround... (Mighty good singing. Let's raise our hands now.)
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
That beautiful City of God.
Let's just shake one another's hands while we sing now.
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
That beautiful City of God.
224 Now, let's stand with our heads bowed while we pray. Brother Teddy, just a... [Brother Branham begins to hum, "We're Marching To Zion"--Ed.]
I've got some requests here, and handkerchiefs and so forth. They may come from overseas. Billy was telling me they had a little pair of booties from a little baby over in England, about that long, the little thing's all crippled up. And so we was to pray for that too.
226 And so... [In the congregation, Brother Ben says, "Brother Branham, please excuse me for butting in, but pray that, who hit our car last night on my right front fender, pray that that will be revealed. Pray that the Lord reveal it."--Ed.] Amen, Brother Ben, sure will do that.
[Brother Branham continues to hum, "We're Marching To Zion"--Ed.]
228 As we march, Lord, we know that the smitten Rock is right along by us, the ever-presence of the Water from the Rock goes with the Church. O Eternal God, loose to us this morning faith in this God that's with us. I know You will, just as we can find favor with You, that You can trust us with It. If You'd give It to us in the abundance, we might misuse It, Lord. But if we find grace with You, let it happen.
Our brother said someone hit his car. O God, we know the man don't have money to do these things. I pray that You'll bring the fellow under conviction, or something, he might repent of doing this, come, say, "Brother, I'll fix your car; I did it." Help Brother Ben and his loved ones.
230 Here laying in my hand is handkerchiefs and requests, got faith in that God. Moses had faith in that God and he crossed the sea. Daniel had faith in that God, and was brought out of the lions' den. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had faith in Him, and quenched the fire. Paul had faith in Him, and one day when the services was real hard and Paul couldn't get to everybody, he just took a handkerchief; he said, "I believe that God's here with me." He laid his hands upon the handkerchiefs and aprons, and spirits of evil went from the people, and sickness and diseases departed from them. God, I got faith in the same God. May the evil depart. Sicknesses, diseases, afflictions, may it depart, Lord.
231 You're the same God that spoke to me down there in that Pillar of Fire, down on the river. You're the One that's got Your picture hanging here with me, on the wall. You're with us, Lord. You're ever-present, that same Pillar of Fire. And we've enjoyed the Water from the Rock every day, as we joy in the Spirit. Then You're here. We got confidence in You, Lord. We have faith in You. We believe that You'll anoint us and help us. Not for our glory, Lord; we'd be like Moses then, when he done the wrong thing. We want to do something to help You, Lord. That's the intention of our heart, help You, if we can do it. You show us, Father, whatever You want us to do.
232 And now, upon an act of faith, I condemn the sickness that these handkerchiefs represent, and these requests. They'll leave the people. I know You'll do it, Lord. I believe it in my heart, that You'll do it. Heal all the sickness in our midst this morning.
Save those who raised their hands, that said they would like to come to the Rock for Water. God, may they be so thirsty today, may there be such a salty life around them, that'll cause them to thirst for Christ. Grant it.
Be with us tonight, Father. O God, let me find out, through these requests, what's on the people's hearts. If there's nothing on their heart, then, Lord, You give me something to preach to their hearts tonight.
235 Bless our Brother Neville, and his wife, his family; our little church, our trustees, our deacons, our members, and Your Body everywhere; be with us, Father. We commit this to Your hands, in Jesus Christ's Name.
.. Zion; we're marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful City of God.
Now, let's just sing it, real, really to Him now. See?
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known,
Join in the song of sweet accord,
Join in the song of sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround the throne.
With our bowed hearts now.
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful City of God.
1Sme vďační dnes ráno za prítomnosť Pána Boha, ktorá sa tu už prejavila cez posolstvo, kde bolo povedané, že máme počúvať a mať pred Ním úctu, že nám chce niečo povedať. Som si istý, že On urobí, čo zasľúbil. On vždy dodržuje Svoje Slovo. A tak sme vďační, že sme tu dnes ráno spolu zhromaždení, živí, a po tejto strane večnosti, schopní znovu chváliť Pána a zhromažďovať sa spolu a počúvať Ho, čo hovorí. To je vlastne to, kvôli čomu sa schádzame.
2No, vtrhol som sem dnes, pre brata Nevilleho tak trochu neočakávane, kvôli jednému snu, ktorý som mal. Verím v sny. Verím, že Boh hovorí ku ľuďom skrze sny. A mal som veľmi neobyčajný sen predminulej noci, že som išiel po úbočí, po určitom úbočí, išiel som na nejaké miesto, kde sa jedlo, kde som mal večerať. A všimol som si, ako som prichádzal bližšie ku tomu miestu, že tam hrali, hral tam nejaký orchester, na husliach, zabávali ľudí kým jedli. A bolo tam niečo, čo sa mi nepáčilo, tak ja som len prešiel okolo. A stretol som niekoho, ako ide hore tým kopcom. A pozrel som sa a veľa ľudí prichádzalo hore na ten kopec, na toto miesto, kde podávali jedlo. Ale ja som nejako odišiel od nich, išiel som naspäť, doprava ... či doľava.
3A nejako, dole v údolí som mohol vidieť túto modlitebňu. Počul som niečí hlas, ktorý hovoril: "Stretni sa s bratom Branhamom na tej a tej križovatke - schádza dole, tam z toho kopca - a povedz mu to a to." A ja som sa ponáhľal na túto križovatku.
4A keď tá osoba prišla, bol to brat Neville, mal na sebe svoj hnedý oblek, vyzeral práve tak, ako vyzerá dnes ráno, keď tam sedí. A povedal: "Brat Branham, ak budeš v meste," povedal: "bolo by dobre, aby si prišiel, pretože brat Hank ..." (No, jediného brata Hanka, ktorého poznám je brat Henry Carlson. Nazývame ho Hank.) Povedal: "On by si mohol myslieť, že je to divné, že si viac krát nenavštívil túto modlitebňu, keď niekoľko dní budeš tu neďaleko mesta." Zobudil som sa.
5A cítil som sa pri tom tak trochu zvláštne. Nechcel som tu vpadnúť cez týždeň. Pýtal som sa brata Nevilleho, či má pre cirkev dnes ráno niečo zvláštne. Tak, on bol láskavý, ako vždy, a povedal: "Príď." Tak, práve sme prišli. Zavolal som mu neskoro včera popoludní, a prišiel sem dnes ráno, neočakávane pre každého z nás.
6Verím že to bude dobré, v prvom rade pre mňa, aby som vám tak trochu vysvetlil nejaké veci. Ja som, možno, pre mnohých ľudí veľmi divný človek. A tiež pre seba samého som tak trochu divný, pretože sa snažím nasledovať vedenie Ducha Svätého, tak tesne, ako len môžem, a to nás robí divnými. Robíme veci, že sa niekedy skutočne posadíme a divíme sa: "Prečo som urobil niečo také? Ako som vôbec urobil niečo také?" A hneď potom sa vám môže zdať, že ste urobili presne to, čo ste nemali urobiť. Ale ak len budete trpezliví, a budete mať vieru, a ste si istý, že Boh vás viedol aby ste to urobili, zistíte, že to presne všetko vychádza na dobré. A mnohokrát sme to videli. A viem, že brat Neville sa s tým veľakrát stretol, a vedúci a duchovní ľudia si to uvedomujú.
7Stalo sa mi raz živote, že ... Úprimne povedané, už ako chlapec, nikdy som necítil nejaké vedenie, žeby som mal bývať v Jeffersonville. Stále to bolo pre mňa, ako mucha v masti, snažiť sa žiť tu. Zaprvé, už podnebie my tu vôbec nevyhovuje. A zadruhé, cítim sa tu akoby skľúčený na duchu.
8Keď idem naspäť a pozerám sa tu niekde, že to bolo zničené počas tej záplavy, to je pre mňa ako dopis, že som mal ... prvé povolanie do služby. Začal som odchádzať. A brat George DeArk a ja ...
9A matka brata Grahama Snellinga, brat Hawkins, ktorý má tú benzínu v New Albany, a mnohí ľudia, zaobstarali mi tu také malé miesto na zhromaždenia. A ešte povedali, že keby som zostal, že by obmedzili svoje deti pri stole a postavili modlitebňu, aby nemuseli prechádzať z miesta na miesto.
10Keď som počul tú prostú matku, ktorá držala jedno dieťa za ruku, a druhé mala v náručí, ako hovorila, že je ochotná obmedziť svoje deti pri stole, kvôli tomu aby sa mohlo postaviť miesto, kde by mohli zostať a chváliť Pána, to bolo na mňa príliš veľa, aby som to vydržal. Tak, brat George a ja sme sa dali dokopy a rozhodli sme sa, že zostaneme a postavíme túto modlitebňu.
11A keď táto modlitebňa bola postavená, to stále akoby ... V to ráno, keď som vykonával posvätenie tejto modlitebni, prišlo videnie, ktoré je napísané a je tam v uholnom kameni, keď mi Duch Svätý povedal: "Toto nie je tvoja modlitebňa." A ja som sa opýtal, kde je moja modlitebňa, a On ma postavil pod jasnú modrú oblohu. A potom On povedal: "Konaj dielo evanjelistu," a tak ďalej, ako viete. Je to ešte zapísané aj v tých knihách. Všetky tieto veci.
12A jedného dňa, keď som opúšťal tam ten dvor, kde teraz býva brat Wood - bývala tam vtedy moja svokra - sedel som vzadu na tom schode, na starom rohovom schode, tam som postavil to miestečko pre moju svokru. A ona vtedy bola takou domovníčkou zboru, starala sa oň. A prehovoril ku mne hlas, tak jasno, ako len možno povedať, a povedal: "Nemôžem ťa žehnať, kým si tu. Musíš sa oddeliť od svojich ľudí a tohoto miesta." No, to ma akoby trhalo na kusy, asi za týždeň, alebo i viac.
13Neustále, po celý čas ma niečo varovalo: "Choď preč, choď preč. Vydaj sa na západ. Choď na západ." No, ja ... to ma stále trápilo. A vyzerá akoby zakaždým ...
14No, jasne som sa rozhodol, že tento týždeň som zaletel do Tucsonu, kde som si bol prenajať miesto, aby som tam bol túto zimu a dal tam deti od septembra do školy. Mal som to miesto. Bolo tam i nejaké miesto, ktoré mi dávali. Ale to je niečo, čo ... A keď odídem preč ...
15Ďalšie, čo by som chcel povedať. Tesne predtým, ako sme tu postavili tento dom, túto faru, kde je to teraz ... Ja som to nechcel tam stavať. Matka mojej ženy bola stará, a ona kvôli tomu skoro plakala. Povedala: "Nemôžem tu nechať mamu, keď viem že je stará a nestarať sa o ňu." No, rozumel som tomu. Rozumiem. To je jej matka - a jediná matka, ktorú kedy mala, alebo bude mať - tak som tomu rozumel. Tak som sa modlil ku Pánovi, povedal som: "Pane, keď je to tak, nechcem to miesto," povedal som: "sprav aby som bol spokojný. Pôjdem kdekoľvek chceš, z kadekoľvek. Ale nechcem rmútiť svoju ženu, brať ju odtiaľto do cudzej krajiny, kde nikoho nepozná. A pritom ja som ešte stále preč. Urob ma len spokojným, aby som bol tu s ňou."
16A teraz, keď jej matka bola vzatá a odišla do chvály, potom tu znovu prichádza to naliehanie, vidíte, ísť teraz ďalej. Neviem čo robiť.
17A potom toho dňa, keď táto náuka, s ktorou vyrukovali títo bratia ... Odišiel som spoza kazateľni, ten posledný krát, keď som tu bol a povedal som vám, že keď s tým neprestanú, nebudem na misijnom poli. Tak, tí bratia pekne všetko napravili. Všetko je vyjasnené. Za dvadsať štyri hodín to všetko skončilo.
18A teraz mi to znovu otvorilo misijné pole. Neviem čo robiť, neviem ktorou cestou sa pohnúť. Prosil som Pána o videnie. Prosil som Ho, aby mi povedal, čo mám robiť, ale On ma proste necháva sedieť.
19No, minulej noci, keď som odviezol všetky deti, moju ženu i všetkých z domu, zaviazal som sa Pánu Bohu. A povedal som Pánu Bohu: "Ak ma budeš žehnať na tej ceste po ktorej idem, budem Ti slúžiť. Ale musíš mi ukázať, kde mám ísť a ako ísť, a čo robiť." A tak som sa odovzdal Pánovi. S tou službou a so všetkým som sa odovzdal Pánovi. A povedal som: "Kdekoľvek otvoríš, čokoľvek budeš robiť, budem takto kráčať. Až kým neurobíš cestu, ja budem len pokračovať, až kým neurobíš cestu." A prosil som Ho, aby to urobil tak jasné, aby som nebol potom oklamaný, lebo skutočne verím, že sme rovno na križovatke niečoho, čo sa má stať.
20Počul som to tu prorokovať dnes ráno cez brata Nevilleho, či povedať to, kde som poznal, že to bolo proroctvo, na ktoré sa odvolával. A teraz, tak, ja som sa modlil za vás všetkých, a potrebujem, aby ste sa vy všetci modlili za mňa, aby ma Duch Svätý viedol presne tam, kde mám byť, čo mám robiť, aby som neurobil žiadnu chybu.
21Viete, mnohokrát si ľudia myslia, že prorocký dar, že Boh vám len hovorí: "Vezmem ťa tu z tadeto a postavím ťa sem. Choď teraz len tuto a ..." On vám toto všetko nehovorí. Keby to robil, kde by potom bola vaša víťaziaca viera? Vidíte? On vás necháva stáť samých, viac ako kohokoľvek iného, vidíte. Vy všetci môžete prísť ku mne a pýtať sa na určité veci a On pri tom ešte nikdy nesklamal. Je to tak. Ale ja sa Ho môžem pýtať niečo pre seba, a mnohokrát ma nechá samého, vidíte, nechá ma len ísť ďalej a vojsť do toho.
22Mám teraz veci, ktoré musím rozriešiť sám, rozhodnutia, ktoré musím urobiť. A toto je taká dôležitá vec, že to nemôžem presne urobiť, až kým som si nie istý, že to je On, ktorý ku mne hovorí. A On mi nedá videnie, len ma necháva samého. A tak len sedím ako sirota, ako dnes ráno. Neviem ktorou cestou sa pustiť. Tak, poručil som to Pánovi.
23Cítil som takto, potom keď sa mi snívalo, žeby som mal prísť sem do modlitebni a pomôcť bratovi Nevillemu, až kým sa niečo ďalšie neprihodí na ceste. Tak budem tu.
24Pýtal som sa pred chvíľou brata Nevilleho, ako sa rozvíja cirkev.
A on povedal: "Dobre."
25A tak, počul som, že stále máte duchovné dary a veci medzi sebou, ktoré fungujú - dary proroctva, a hovorenie v jazykoch, čo sme práve pred chvíľou počuli. A tieto veci povznášajú cirkev, a veľmi.
26Ale myslel som, že možno dnes večer by som mohol, ak brat Neville ... ak nás Duch Svätý nebude viesť do niečoho iného, dnes večer by som rád mal ... Vy všetci, prv ako odídete dnes ráno, napíšte otázku a položte ju sem, nejakú otázku, ktorú máte na mysli, aby sme mohli zistiť o čom cirkev rozmýšľa. To je spôsob, ako pastori zistia, čo majú ľudia na srdci. A každý, kto má otázku, napíšte to a položte sem. Ak nemáte kúsok papieru, na ktorý by ste to napísali dnes ráno, potom to napíšte zavčasu dnes večer. Tak, rád by som mal na ne čím viac času, aby som si ich pozrel a odpovedal vám podľa Písma.
27Potom, ak Pán dá, ak to bude vôľa Božia, povedal som tu nedávno, žeby som ku vám rád hovoril na tému týchto siedmych posledných pečatí zo Zjavenia. No ak my ... Nemohol by som tohoto roku prebrať všetky tieto pečate, pretože to je od šiestej kapitoly Zjavenia až do devätnástej kapitoly, aby sme prebrali tieto pečate. Ale prvé tri alebo štyri z nich by mohli byť zodpovedané za večer, myslím, každá pečať na jeden večer.
28No, ak rozumieme, viete, kde sme vlastne skončili v tejto knihe Zjavenia, kde je vzatá cirkev hore do chvály, potom to ostatné z toho hovorí o Židoch, vôbec nie o cirkvi. To hovorí o Židovskom národe. Preto sa budeme musieť vrátiť od vytrhnutia cirkvi, a tak tu budeme vidieť čo sa deje počas týchto pečatí, a v čase cirkvi z Pohanov, až cirkev zostane vzatá. A čo sa deje s Izraelským národom, to prichádza naspäť a prenáša Izrael z času, v ktorom ich to opustilo, do moderného času, a do príchodu Mesiáša, keď oni prijmú Mesiáša.
29Rozumiete tomu? Cirkev je vzatá hore. Boh jednal prv s cirkvou - v cirkevných vekoch. Prebrali sme to. Potom je cirkev vzatá hore do slávy. Potom ide Duch Svätý naspäť a berie Izrael ako národ, a prináša to ďalej, potadeto, zatiaľ čo prebieha svadobná večera, a potom na konci toho času ich znovu privádza naspäť. Budem tu mať tabuľu, a budem to môcť nakresliť a učiť to, keď príde ten čas. Potom sa Pán vracia s nevestou, a Izrael ju vidí. A ó, čo to bude za čas!
30No, prv ako toto môžeme správne pospájať, je veľká lekcia, ktorá je kameňom úrazu pre teológov, a pre mnohých učiteľov v tomto veku, a pre ľudí z cirkvi Kristovej a pre tých, ktorí toto prichádzajú počúvať. To je sedemdesiat Danielových týždňov. My sme mali ... Nemôžeme ísť ďalej do Zjavenia, kým nezviažeme spolu nevestu a Izrael, s Danielovými sedemdesiatimi týždňami. A možno, ak Boh dá, ak by On ku mne hovoril, aby som hovoril niečo o týchto sedemdesiatych týždňoch ... či nie sedemdesiatych týždňoch, ale o siedmych posledných pečatiach ... Potom nasledujúcu nedeľu by som sa pokúsil prebrať Danielových sedemdesiat týždňov. Nasledujúcu nedeľu, ak Pán dá. A to potom položí základy, ak by nás On viedol, aby sme začali hovoriť o tých ďalších veciach. No, uvidíme potom ďalej.
31Brat Neville a ja budeme spolu na tom pracovať, a budeme robiť všetko, čo budeme môcť, na úžitok ľudí.
32No, stále keď prichádzam sa modlíme za chorých. Vždy to radi robíme. A budem to pravdepodobne robiť na každom zhromaždení, ak budú ľudia chorí, budem sa za nich modliť.
33Nechcem už viac rozpoznávať. Viete, stalo sa toto. Snažil som sa. Viem, že som urobil veci, ktoré sú zlé; ale snažil som sa žiť tak blízko Boha po celý čas, pri Bohu, (Takto vlastne môžu prísť tieto videnia, takto oni prichádzajú.) že dokonca ľudia, ktorí niečo stratili, mi volali, prosili ma, aby som sa išiel modliť ku Pánovi a opýtal sa, kde to je. Ako Jesse stratil tie mulice, a tí chlapci tam prišli a našli proroka, a on im povedal, kde sa tie mulice vrátili domov, a tak ďalej, ako toto. To je úplne v poriadku. Ale toho bolo toľko, tak veľa ľudí. Nie len tu z okolia - široko po svete, viete. Že ste z toho stále na roztrhanie. A potom vás to drží stále na ihlách po celý čas, až kým to nepríde do miesta ...
34A to je to, čo zapríčinilo, že títo bratia začali s tou náukou, že ja som stelesnený Pán Ježiš Kristus. A vieme, že to by proste roztrhalo celú tú službu na kusy a prinieslo pohanenie na Krista, a na všetko, viete. A tak to je dôvod, že som im musel dať poriadnu príučku, aby okamžite s tým prestali, aby som im dal poznať, že to nebolo od Boha, to bolo z diabla, vidíte. A dobrí ľudia. A to ukázalo, že títo ľudia sú znovuzrodení z Ducha Božieho, pretože keď uvideli pravdu, skrze Písmo, vrátili sa k Bohu, presne, vidíte, hneď v tej chvíli. Tak to ukázalo, že to bol Satan, ktorý sa snažil urobiť niečo s ľuďmi. Oni boli všetci bohabojní Kresťania.
35A to spôsobilo, že mnohí z nich mi povedali: "Brat Branham, teraz máme ku tebe väčšiu dôveru, než ako sme kedy mali."
36Pretože, vidíte, čo - s tým darom, ktorý mi Boh dal - čo by som s tým mohol urobiť? Vrhnúť národ, či ľudí ku svojím nohám. Čo my nazývame národ, to nie je "kozmos" tu vonku, potrava pre delá a tak ďalej. Mám na mysli kresťanov, opravdivých veriacich, ktorí sú smotanou na ... Hovoríme o národe, kážeme o znovuzrodených ľuďoch, to je to čomu hovoríme "národ." Nie každý tu vonku ... tá špina a blato, s ktorou žijeme vo svete. To je len prach zeme, ktorý sa navráti naspäť. Ja hovorím o znovuzrodených kresťanoch, o ľuďoch, ktorí sú skutočne kresťanmi.
37Čakám na jedného človeka, aby znovu kvôli niečomu do mňa skočil. Jeden nedávno prišiel ku mne a povedal: "Už len predstava, že Kristus napľul na zem, a urobil blato a natrel ho niekomu na oči." Povedal. "Aké špinavé, nečisté to bolo na Neho vypľuť slinu zo Svojich úst, aké nehygienické, napľuť do špiny a urobiť blato a dať to človekovi na oči."
Povedal som: "Ale on sa vrátil a videl." Vidíte, to je to.
38A práve tento človek ... Tam hore neďaleko nás otvorili nudistický tábor - viete, plavecký bazén. A tento človek kúpil lístok pre každé svoje dieťa, aby tam chodili a plávali v tom bazéne. A on a jeho žena tam chodia tiež, do toho bazénu. Prepáčte mi, moje sestry, ale tam, kde tie ženy v tom plaveckom - okolo sto ľudí, alebo dvesto, každý deň - ženy, všetka tá špina a všetko, a ženy dnes, a kúpu sa v tej vode, tá špina a nečistota im ide do úst, a prežierajú to a vypľúvajú. Len chcem aby do mňa skočil, viete.
39Povedal: "Keby Kristus žil dnes, zatkli by Ho kvôli tej nehygienickej veci."
40A čo s týmto? Som si istý, že rozumiete čo chcem povedať. Oni idú rovno do toho bazénu, a mnohí z nich s tými chorobami - syfilis, kvapavka, a všetko možné - rovno tam. A vypľúvajú to ústami, a všetko takéto, a takto sa v tom kúpu. To je už hygienické.
41Tak, ó, toto je deň v ktorom žijeme, brat, sestra! Je čas na príchod Pánov! Cirkev má jednu nádej, a to je príchod Pánov.
42No, ja nemôžem zastaviť tieto veci. Netreba. Biblia predpovedala, že oni tu budú. Ja ich nemôžem zastaviť. Ale chcem, aby bol môj hlas zaznamenaný v nebesiach, že som bol proti tomu, keď príde čas súdu. Ja som bol proti tomu.
43Ja stále verím, že táto Biblia je Slovo Božie. Potom nič na svete, čo sa s tým nezhoduje, vás vôbec nemôže vyviesť z rovnováhy. Ale táto Biblia tu, toto je pravda, toto je Božie Slovo. Tak teraz stiahnime len svoje plachty a zakotvime na chvíľu pri pokojnom brehu nebeského odpočinku. A zajtra sa môžeme plaviť niekde, ale spustime len teraz kotvu a počúvajme na hlas nebeského Otca, keď On dnes bude hovoriť ku nám cez Svoje Slovo, čo dúfame.
44A dnes večer, teraz, napíšte akúkoľvek otázku, ktorú máte o ... No, nie niečo, čo niekoho urazí. Ak to robíte, potom to je ... Vôbec by som na to neodpovedal, viete. Ale niečo iné, povedzme: "Dobre, no, ak robím určitú vec, či hovorí Boh, že máme toto robiť?" Alebo, viete, prosté otázky, ktoré máte na srdci. Alebo: "Máme medzi sebou dary, brat Branham, a máme ich používať takto, alebo takto?" Niečo čo vám môže zodpovedať podľa Písma, viete. Napíšte niečo, budem rád. A ak nemáte žiadnu, potom zoberiem nejakú krátku tému a budem vám kázať dnes večer, ak Pán dá. Toto je nedeľa, a ja som bol ...
45Minulú nedeľu som vstal, že zájdem ku bratovi Cobblesovi. A počul som zvoniť tento zboroví zvon, a chodil som len hore dole po dvore. Nemohol som to proste vydržať. Tak som musel prísť sem.
46Tak teraz skloňme len svoje hlavy a v slovách modlitby hovorme ku nášmu Stvoriteľovi. Má niekto nejakú zvláštnu prosbu? Zodvihnite len svoje ruky, povedzte len: "Ja ..." Dajte to len vedieť. Boh vie, čo je vo vašom srdci. Pamätajte len teraz na svoju prosbu.
47Najsvätejší Bože, ktorý si stvoril nebesia a zem slovom svojich úst, skrze myšlienky svojej mysli, prichádzame do Tvojej prítomnosti, skrze Ježiša Krista nášho Pána, aby sme Ti poďakovali za všetko, čo si pre nás urobil. A sme Ti tak vďační, Pane, dnes ráno, že vieme kde stojíme, že poznáme pozíciu, v ktorej sa nachádzame dnes ráno, a históriu času a budúcnosť, ktorá prichádza. Vieme dnes, že skrze milosť Božiu sme boli umytí krvou Golgoty, že sme pripravení s vierou v našich srdciach stretnúť Ho, keby mal dnes prísť, povieme: "Áno, príď Pane Ježišu."
48A vidíme, že sa množí hriech, až sa zdá, že svet sa potáca pod pôsobením hriechu. Ako to pitie, hazardné hry, hýrenie, a nahota, a, ó Bože, ľudská špina, nečistota a hnoj, a ako oni ... keby si to oni len uvedomili, Pane! Či si uvedomujú títo ľudia, ktorí sa takto obliekajú do tých neslušných šiat a idú von na ulicu, či si uvedomujú, že nie sú nič len muchy a prach, a možno za týždeň tie muchy budú žrať to telo, ktoré oni tak zvelebujú? Či si neuvedomujú, že ho zožerú červy? A že ich duša sa bude tam vo večnosti bez Boha, bez Krista, bez nádeji, ponárať do hlbokého zúfalstva, aby bola jednoducho zničená pri Jeho príchode? Ó Bože, daj nám hlasy varovania, aby sme mohli varovať každú dušu pred týmto nebezpečenstvom, ku ktorému sa približujú.
49Buď dnes s nami. Daj nám slová múdrosti, ako povedal raz Šalamún v knihe Kazateľa, že máme byť múdri stavitelia, že máme byť pastiermi tohoto zhromaždenia. A prosíme, Pane, keď hľadáme slová, ktoré máme povedať, nech oni budú majstrovskými dielami, ktoré chytia to srdce, ktoré je tu dnes ráno tak v potrebe.
50Neprišli sme sem dnes a nezhromaždili sme sa pod touto horúcou strechou, len aby sme sa videli, ale prišli sme sem, lebo Ťa milujeme a pretože Ťa túžime počúvať. Ty si náš milí, ktorého milujeme, a túžime počúvať slová od Teba. Sme vďační za to, čo sme už počuli. Dlho na to budeme pamätať. A teraz nám daj porciu, ktorú máš dnes pre nás, keď očakávame ďalej na Teba. Prosíme to v mene Ježiša, a pre Neho. Amen.
51Teraz ak ... [Nejaká sestra hovorí v jazykoch. Nejaký brat dáva výklad. – pozn.prekl.]
52Sme vďační za tieto povznesenia od Ducha. Oni nám hovoria a varujú nás, aby sme pozorovali na slová, ktoré možno Duch Svätý bude ku nám dnes hovoriť. A my proste nevieme, čo On má pre nás odložené, ale vieme, že musí byť niečo, čo On chce priniesť. Možno máte na mysli nejakú otázku, ktorú tam On zodpovie. On to môže zodpovedať dnes ráno cez toto posolstvo. On to môže zodpovedať na zhromaždení dnes večer. Niekde dnes pri tomto, sa On snaží, vyzerá to tak, varovať niekoho, aby sa chytil Slova.
53A teraz sa obráťme do písaného Slova, poďme do knihy Exodus, na lekciu nedeľnej školy.
54Máme krst? [Brat Neville hovorí: "Nie, až o šiestej dnes večer." – pozn.prekl.] Nie. Krst je o šiestej dnes popoludní.
55Poďme do sedemnástej kapitoly knihy Exodus a začnime od piateho verša, myslím, piaty a šiesty verš sedemnástej kapitoly knihy Exodus.
A Hospodin riekol Mojžišovi: Idi pred ľudom a pojmi so sebou niektorých zo starších Izraelových i svoju palicu, ktorou si uderil rieku, vezmi do svojej ruky a pôjdeš.
Hľa, ja tam budem stáť pred tebou na skale na Hórebe. a uderíš na skalu, a vyjdú z nej vody, a ľud bude piť. A Mojžiš urobil tak pred očami starších Izraelových
.56No, ak by som mal nazvať tento krátky text nedeľnej školy, rády by som toto zobral ako tému pre túto raňajšiu lekciu: "Stále prítomná vody zo skaly."
57Vieme, že Izrael bol stále historickým príkladom cirkvi. Pretože Izrael bol ľud Boží, až kým nevyšli z Egypta, a potom boli cirkvou Božou, pretože boli oddelení od ostatného sveta.
58A keď sme my oddelení od ostatného sveta, potom sa stávame cirkvou. Ale kým sme zapletení s ostatným svetom, tak nie sme v cirkvi. No dúfam, že to ide skutočne hlboko, že to robí svoje. Vidíte, nie sme cirkev, až kým nie sme oddelení od sveta. Oddeľte sa, vyjdite spomedzi tých ľudí, z tej nečistoty, nemajte s nimi diel, a nebuďte účastní ich hriechov. Neťahajte spoločné jarmo s neveriacimi, ale sa oddeľte od vecí toho sveta.
59A keď Izrael bol v Egypte, oni boli ľud Boží. Potom, keď boli vyvolaní, alebo mali exodus, vyšli von, potom boli nazvaní cirkvou, pretože potom sa oddelili od ostatného sveta.
60A samotné slovo cirkev znamená "vyvolaní." Exodus, "vyjdi von." Každý z nás, ako kresťania, sme mali vo svojom živote exodus. Prežili sme čas, keď sme boli vyvolaní von z pomedzi svojich spoločníkov, vyvolaní von z pomedzi ľudí, s ktorými sme voľakedy mávali obecenstvo, a stali sme sa inými ľuďmi, aby sme chodili s inými ľuďmi a inak sa správali a inak hovorili. To bol exodus v našom živote.
61Izrael nám dal veľmi pekný príklad, keď ich Boh vyvolal. Oni mali exodus, a vyšli spomedzi ľudí toho sveta, a stali sa oddeleným národom pre Boha, zvláštny ľud. Oni chodili v tieňoch trónu milosti. Oni žili a chodili podľa veľkého ohnivého stĺpa. A Boh ich vyviedol z Egypta do zeme, ktorú im zasľúbil.
62A v tomto exoduse im bol daný duchovný vodca, vodca, ktorým bol Mojžiš, veľký pomazaný prorok, on bol veľkým mužom. On bol Boží muž, on sa narodil ako Boží muž. Boh ho povolal od narodenia. Ešte pred tým, Boh ho ustanovil pred založením sveta, aby bol vodcom pre tú generáciu, aby tým ľuďom priniesol tento exodus.
63Nedávno som tu hovoril ku malým deťom, tu v modlitebni, kázal som im trochu, a povedal som ... trochu som im predstavil, ako Jochebet, ako sa modlila, ona a Amram, Mojžišov otec, za ... robili niečo ohľadne vyslobodenia tých ľudí. A Amram videl vo videní stáť Boha, či anjela, a ukazoval smerom na sever, a povedal mu čo sa stane. A narodil sa ten malý Mojžiš. A oni sa nebáli kráľových rozkazov, či hrozieb. Oni vedeli, že Boh má nad Mojžišom svoju ruku, a tým to bolo vybavené. Je to tak. Bez ohľadu na to čo povedal kráľ, čo hovoril politický svet, čo ktokoľvek hovoril, oni vedeli, že Boh má nad Mojžišom svoju ruku. Tak oni sa ho nebáli pustiť rovno medzi krokodílov, keď oni boli vykŕmené na malých Hebrejských deťoch, oni ich tam hádzali krokodílom. A pri tom Mojžiš bol daný do malej archy a poslaný rovno medzi krokodíly, rovno medzi ne, pretože oni sa nebáli ničoho. Oni vedeli, že Boh má nad Mojžišom svoju ruku.
64Dobre, teraz, keby sme my len mohli vedieť to isté, že náš veľký vodca, Duch Svätý, že Ho Boh poslal. A On je náš vodca. A nezáleží na tom, čo hovorí svet, a koľko sa oni z vás vysmievajú a robia si z vás žarty, my nasledujeme nášho vodcu! Boh poslal Ducha Svätého, aby bol naším vodcom. Vidíte? "Ešte chvíľu a svet ma viacej neuvidí. Ale vy ma uvidíte, lebo ja budem s vami, ešte i vo vás, až do konca sveta." Tak náš veľký vodca je s nami, Duch Svätý. My teraz musíme nasledovať tohoto vodcu a robiť tak, ako nám On hovorí. A tento vodca nás nikdy neodvedie z cesty. On nás po celý čas bude držať rovno na ceste Písma. Ale On nikdy nepôjde na jednu stranu pre toto, a na túto stranu pre tamto. On bude zostávať presne na ceste Písma.
65A Mojžiš poznal smer, ktorým mal viesť Izrael, a viedol ich rovno cez Červené more, rovno cez Jordán, rovno do zasľúbenej zemi, rovno cez púšť. To nebol Mojžiš, ktorý vybočil. To nebol Boh, ktorý vybočil. To boli ľudia, ktorí vybočili a spôsobili problémy. Tak, zamyslime sa teraz nad týmito vecami.
66Mojžiš bol pomazaný vodca. Nakoniec, keď ukázal tým ľuďom, skrze znamenia a zázraky, ktoré mohol robiť jedine Boh ... On činil tieto znamenia a zázraky pred staršími Izraela, a pred Izraelom, až kým oni boli presvedčení, že tento Mojžiš je ten pomazaný muž, ktorý ich má vyviesť z tejto krajiny do tej dobrej zemi, ktorá im bola zasľúbená. Potom, keď oni videli tieto veľké veci, ktoré Mojžiš robil v mene Božom, oni boli ochotní nasledovať ho. A on ich zobral z tade, viedol ich cez Červené more, na druhú stranu po suchej zemi, a na cestu do púšti, čo predstavuje čas skúšok.
67Keď niekto prijme Krista, ako svojho Spasiteľa, všetko vyzerá pekne. Ale prv, ako tento človek môže vojsť do krstu Duchom Svätým, táto osoba, musí prejsť procesom posvätenia. Musí prejsť vo svojom živote časom skúšok. Všetci z vás ste cez to prechádzali. On prechádzal týmto časom skúšok. "Každý syn, ktorý prichádza ku Bohu je najprv švihaný, naprávaný, káraný. A ak neprijímame káranie, potom to ukazuje, že nie sme deti Božie, sme cudzoložňatá a nie deti Božie." Tak hovorí Biblia. Ale ak dokážeme znášať káranie, "vediac, že všetky veci spolu pôsobia na dobré tým, ktorí milujú Boha", potom sme synovia a dcéry Božie, potom nás On pečatí Duchom Svätým, až do dňa nášho vykúpenia. Vidíte, to je káznenie, namáhanie, to cez čo prechádzame. A Izrael, ako historický predobraz, musel znášať toto káznenie.
68No, keď oni boli dole v Egypte a Boh poslal Mojžiša a on vystrel palicu a zjavili sa na zemi blchy a vši, on vystrel palicu oproti slnku a ono zapadlo, vystrel ju nad vodami, a premenili sa na krv, no Izrael bol tam v Kanaáne ... tam v Góšen, a prežíval nádherné chvíle. Slnko nezapadalo, pliagy na nich neudierali. No, oni proste prežívali nádherné chvíle.
69Práve tak ako vy, keď ste zostali spasení. Všetko, vtáci spievali inak, a každý bol milý. A, och, joj, aké bolo všetko úžasné, keď ste zostali spasení! Potom nastal nepríjemný čas, káznenie, čas posväcovania, oddeľovanie sa od vecí toho sveta. "Skladáte bremeno, ktoré vás tak ľahko obkľučuje." Vy mužovia ste museli prestať fajčiť, prestať piť, prestať chodiť na plaváreň, prestať so svojimi celonočnými večierkami pri kartách. Museli ste sa oddeliť od všetkých týchto vecí, skrze vieru v Krv Ježiša Krista - posvätiť sa. Vy ženy ste si museli nechať rásť vlasy, predĺžiť si šaty a správať sa inak, než ako ste sa správali. Čas posvätenie. Mnohokrát sa oni búria a idú naspäť. No, to nie je dieťa Božie, vidíte. Dieťa Božie sa díva rovno na Golgotu a vie, že to je na jeho dobro.
70Tak potom, v tomto čase nastalo v Izraelovi veľké odpadnutie. Keď nastal tento čas, potom ľudia začali odpadávať, z jednej strany na druhú. Potom oni začali hovoriť: "Prajeme si aby sme boli tam dole v Egypte. Naša duša si zošklivila tento ničomný chlieb," (inými slovami, keby som to teraz zobral historicky) to bolo to, čo oni hovorili.
71Teraz v modernom čase, by to bolo: "Och, každú stredu večer, modlitebné zhromaždenie. Každú nedeľu ráno, znovu do zhromaždenia. Čo počúvame? To isté - kazateľ sa postaví a káže, piesne; ideme domov." Vidíte, potom to robíte len z povinnosti. Neprinášate Bohu chválu. Kto prináša Bohu chválu, ten Ho tam ide chváliť, vypovedať sa pred Bohom, chváliť Boha za Jeho dobrotu. Zapája do toho každé slovo.
72Tak ako milostný vzťah. Ak ste chodili s dievčaťom, pretože ste vedeli, že je to povinnosť, alebo vy ste chodili s chlapcom, keď ste boli mladé ("Mama chce aby som chodila s týmto chlapcom, ale ja ho nemôžem ani zniesť."), nemáš z neho nič, keď ťa prichádza navštíviť. Alebo, ak je to tak isto ohľadne dievčaťa ku chlapcovi, alebo chlapca ku dievčaťu. Ideš s ňou a ona ťa nudí; Mama chce aby si s ňou chodil, pretože ona je také dievčaťa, aké sa mame páči. Vidíte, to vás nudí, to nie je láska. Ale vy sa nestaráte, nechcete sa isť upraviť, nechcete ísť za ňou. A to je ... No, to je strašné. A keď vás on prichádza navštíviť, ó, prajete si len, aby už čím skôr išiel domov.
73To je to isté keď hovoríte: "Prečo tak dlho káže? Čo všetko toto a tak ďalej?" Vidíte, nie ste zamilovaní.
74Ale keď sa skutočne držíte každého slova, ako vás Duch varoval dnes ráno, vidíte ... "Držte sa každého slova," to môže byť to o čom vám On hovoril - držať sa! To je večný život, každé Slovo Božie. To je radosť chodiť do zhromaždenia, za každých okolností. Či je horúco, zima, ľahostajne, či ľudia bedákajú, vzdychajú, čokoľvek robia, stále je to radosť počuť Slovo Pánovo. Potom ste zamilovaný do Krista, vidíte, radi chodíte do zhromaždenia.
75"No, drahá, znovu je tu nedeľa ráno. Hádam musíme umyť deti a ísť tam. Ó, to je nuda." Vidíte, nie ste zamilovaní.
76Ale ak ste skutočne zamilovaní, sotva sa môžete dočkať do nedeli rána, vy tam proste musíte s nimi byť. A my ... a ľudia Boží, oni vás nenudia. Prečo, oni sú bratia a sestry. Ako som zvykol hovoriť, stávate sa takí hustí, ako melasa za chladného rána. Ona sa nerozteká, ona proste drží spolu, viete, lepí sa. No, to je hrubé vyjadrenie, ale to vám dáva vedieť čo chcem povedať, viete. Držíte sa spolu. A čím je chladnejšie, tým pevnejšie sa držia. A tak to má byť s nami. Čím chladnejšie ...
Keď zemský priatelia opustia,
naďalej ešte viacej sa Ho drž.
77 A to, že milujeme jeden druhého, to nie je preto, že sme niekým, ale to je Kristus v každom jednom, ktorého milujeme, viete. To je Boh, ktorý je v nás, ktorého milujeme. Radi sa teraz schádzame spolu. Zvykli sme spievať starú pieseň.
Požehnané zväzky,
ktoré viažu naše srdcia v kresťanskej láske;
Obecenstvo príbuzných myslí;
To je ako tam hore.
(Vidíte, obecenstvo príbuzných myslí je ako tam to hore.)
Pred trónom nášho Otca;
Vylievame svoje vrelé modlitby;
Naše obavy, naše nádeje, naše ciele sú jedno;
Naše útechy a naše starosti.
78Vidíte? Tak veru! Keď niekto prežil požehnanie, všetci sa z toho radujeme. Keď je niekto smutný, smútime s ním. Všetci chceme byť spolu. No, takto to s nami má byť.
79A tak to malo byť s Izraelom. Ale to sa stalo ťažkým: "Och, tento ničomný chlieb, anjelsky chlieb! No, čo máme z tohoto ničomného chleba? Naše duše si toto zošklivili. A všetko je zlé. A táto stará manna, ktorá padá každú noc, och, radšej by sme mali nejaký cesnak a pór z Egypta." Vidíte, ich srdcia neboli pripravené na tú cestu.
80A keď sa nejaký muž, alebo žena začne sťažovať kvôli chodeniu do zhromaždenia, sú tak unavení z chodenia do zhromaždenia, oni nie sú pripravení na cestu. Je to tak. Niekde je niečo zle.
81 Ó, keď milujete Boha, a myslíte o tom, že pôjdete do neba, a všetci idete spolu!
Čo za obecenstvo, čo za Božská radosť;
Spočívajúci na večných ramenách;
Ó, čo za požehnaný pokoj s mojím Pánom;
Ktorí je tak blízko, spočívajúc na Jeho večných ramenách.
(Čo za ... spievame tieto piesne.)
Zdieľame sa s našimi spoločnými biedami;
Nesieme spoločné bremená;
A často jeden za druhého roníme slzy súcitu.
Keď sme odlúčení, bolí nás to vo vnútri;
Ale v srdciach stále budeme spojení;
A dúfame, že sa znovu stretneme.
(na ďalšom modlitebnom stretnutí).
82Tak veru, stále v srdci spojení. Teraz sa pripravujete na cestu, vidíte, ste pripravení ísť do zasľúbenej zemi. Čas skúšok, tam je nebezpečná pôda - púšť, čas skúšok.
83Izrael, vo svojom čase skúšok, oni sa hádali a sťažovali jeden na druhého, a zošklivil sa im ten chlieb, a chceli ísť naspäť do Egypta.
84A potom sa začali sťažovať na svojho vodcu. Ó, báli sa, že ich vedie zle. Potom keď sa ukázal, že je vodca, a Boh dokázal, že je vodca: "No, možno sa správame tak trochu fanaticky. A možno sme sa celkom dostali na zlú stopu." Alebo tak nejako, viete. Oni hovorili proti Bohu a proti Mojžišovi - proti Bohu a Jeho vodcovi.
85No, keď sa potom dostaneme na to miesto: "Neviem či to Slovo znamená to, alebo nie. A ja neviem o Duchu Svätom. Tak trochu o tom pochybujem. Poznám iných, ktorí tak nehovoria." Dobre, choď si do Egyptu, vidíte.
86Ale ak si skutočne rozhodnutý zostať na tej ceste, Zostať celkom pri tom vodcovi, Duchu Svätom, zostať celkom s tým Slovom. A ak zostávate s Duchom, on vás bude držať v Slove. Je to tak. On vás bude viesť presne tým smerom, po ceste Slova. Nebojte sa toho. To nič neublíži; to vám len pomôže ak trpíte. Duch Svätý uzdraví všetky trápenia.
87No, vidíme, že na tejto ceste, keď sa takto správali, prišli na miesto Horeb. A H-o-r-e-b, Horeb, potom vidíme ... Rozoberme to meno. Tam oni ... Meno Horeb znamená "suché miesto" alebo "púšť."
88A keď v zbore stratíme obecenstvo jeden s druhým a stratíme obecenstvo s Duchom Svätým, to nás privedie na suché miesto, na púšť - žiadny život. Všetko má na sebe pichliače. Púšť. Kúsok kaktusu a na ňom pichliač. Viete čo to je? To je vzácny, malý jemný lístok, ktorý nemal vodu. On sa proste tak silno zvinul, že je z neho pichliač. A keď vidíte niekoho v takomto stave, možno je to milá duša, ktorá keby bola riadne zavlažená, bola by jemným lístkom. Ale namiesto toho sa to zvinulo, že až je z toho pichliač, ktorý do všetkého pichá, viete, nachádza chybu. Jediné čo to potrebuje je proste voda, nič iné. To potrebuje len prebudenie, alebo preborenie, občerstvenie od Pána. To sa samé rozvinie, keď to len dáte do vody.
89Ale tí, ktorí žijú na takom mieste musia znášať podmienky toho miesta. A tí, ktorí túžia žiť v takej atmosfére, kde všetko len pichá a bedáka, háda sa a takto vrie, no, budete proste žiť v takej atmosfére, nič iné. Ale my tam nemusíme žiť, nie je potrebné aby sme tam zostávali.
90No, tento Horeb bol miestom, kde bol Boh z tých ľudí znechutený, pretože oni sa dotárali na toto miesto a boli v takomto stave. A On ich viedol práve okolo na to miesto, pretože neišli tou cestou. Opustili tú hlavnú cestu, odišli na túto stranu cesty. A to potom donútilo Boha urobiť niečo, čo bolo tvrdé. To doviedlo Boha ku tomu, že dal Mojžišovi aby zobral tú súdnu palicu, ktorou súdil ten národ, a udrel tú skalu, aby vydala vodu.
91No, tu je prekrásna lekcia, keby sme to len mohli porozumieť, viete. A to, že sa stávame takí nezaopatrení, a zviazaní so svetom a tak ďalej, to doviedlo Boha ku tomu, že zobral súdy nad svetom a udrel tým, na Golgote Svojho vlastného Syna, aby sme my mohli byť slobodní. Vidíte čo mám na mysli?
92No, aby priviedol týchto ľudí ku vode, po tom, čo oni zašli až tam, týmto suchým miestom sa stala Golgota. A tam Boh povedal Mojžišovi, On povedal: "Vezmi tú palicu a starších, a vystúp tam, a Ja budem stáť pred tebou, na tej skale." A touto skalou bol Kristus. A Mojžiš, s tou palicou, s ktorou vykonával súd nad Izraelským národom, zobral túto istú palicu a súdmi Božími udrel tú skalu, vidíte. On na túto palicu zobral hriechy ľudí. On mal ňou udrieť tých ľudí. Namiesto udrenia ľudí, udrel tú skalu. A tá skala, skrze pôsobenie Božie, priniesla spasenie, priniesla vodu hynúcim ľuďom. Priniesla život zomierajúcim ľuďom. A to je to, čo Boh urobil, tým že zobral Svoju súdnu palicu, a obtočil moje hriechy a tvoje hriechy okolo tejto palici, keď to malo udrieť nás; ale to udrelo Krista, že z neho vyplynuli vody, čo znamená "Duch". Vyšiel z Neho Duch Svätý, aby nám dal život. Teraz máme večný život. No, tou skalou bol Kristus. A teraz si chceme všimnúť ...
93Videl som tak veľa intelektuálnych kresieb, zobrazujúcich túto skalu. Nedávno som videl jednu z najkritickejších, kde bolo nakreslené, ako na vrchu kopca leží malá skala. A Mojžiš mal udrieť túto skalu, a Izrael stál tam dole s hrnčekmi, aby si nabrali vodu z malého pramienka, ktorý stekal dole po tejto skale. No, to je proste niečia predstava.
94Ale keď táto skala vydala svoju vodu, tam bolo vyše dva milióny ľudí, pomimo volov, tiav a všetkého možného, ktorí pili z nej tú vodu vedrami. To bol mohutný prúd, ktorý tam z toho vychádzal!
95Takto sa oni dnes snažia predstavovať Krista, Ducha Svätého. "To je len malé pofŕkanie." Vidíte, len toľko aby ste uverili, že je Boh. Nie!
96To je veľké množstvo vody! Dávid povedal: "Môj pohár preteká!" To je proste mohutný prúd Ducha Svätého.
97Ľudia sa toho boja. Niektorí hovoria: "No, ja sa trochu bojím, že budem robiť toto, alebo tamto, alebo že zájdem príliš hlboko. Môžem vám ukázať takého, ktorý zašiel príliš ďaleko." Ale nikdy neukážete na toho, ktorý neišiel dostatočne ďaleko, vidíte. Čo s týmito, ktorí neišli dostatočne ďaleko?
98No, mali sme nejakých ľudí, ktorí zašli do telesnosti, a dostali sa na zlú stopu a (nie Boh, ale tí ľudia) pretože neboli dobre vedení a tak ďalej, to ich vyviedlo na zlú stopu a zašli do fanatizmu. A potom celý svet, diabol ukazuje na nich: "Vidíte to? Vidíte to?"
99Dobre, dovoľte mi postaviť sa dnes ráno a ukázať naopak na tých, ktorých je desiatky miliónov krát viac, ktorý neurobili ani prvý krok. Čo s nimi? Vidíte, pozrite sa na ich stav. Pozrite sa dnes na niekoho, ako Eichman, s najvyšším ... Oni hovoria: "Letniční sú neetickí a neohrabaní, a nie sú vzdelaní." a tak ďalej. Pozrite na Eichmana. Jeden z najvzdelanejších ľudí na svete a doviedol na smrť šesť miliónov detí a žien a mužov - šesť miliónov duší. Nechcete ukazovať na niekoho takéhoto.
100 Ale nejaký človek, ktorý možno nevie poriadne čítať, možno niektoré mená v Biblii vyslovuje nesprávne, alebo možno povedal niečo, alebo urobil niečo zle, alebo urobil nejakú chybu, noviny chcú všade o tom písať a hovoria: "Nedá sa im dôverovať."
101Potom, ak sa tomuto nedá dôverovať, ako potom vzdelaniu - tým veciam a intelektuálom, ktorých dnes majú? Pozrite na Adolfa Hitlera. Pozrite sa dnes na tie svetové mozgy. Pozrite sa na nich! Staré porekadlo hovorí: "Čo je dobré pre jedného, je dobré aj pre druhého."
102To hlavné čo musíte robiť, je byť schopní skrze Ducha Svätého rozdeliť čo je dobré a čo zlé, a uvážiť čo je dobré a čo zlé.
103No, zistili sme, že táto Golgota, ktorú oni mali, a tie vody života vytryskli pre ľudí.
104No, niektorí ľudia majú takú predstavu a myslia si, že celý Izrael sa napil, a potom nabalili ťavy a zapriahli kone a tak ďalej a zobrali svoje deti a putovali niekde ďalej, a tú skalu nechali tam striekať. To je omyl.
105Tá skala išla za nimi, a tá voda išla za nimi. V prvom Korinťanom, myslím že v desiatej kapitole a jedenásty verš, môžete to nájsť, že tá skala išla za Izraelom. Kdekoľvek oni od toho dňa išli, tá skala išla s nimi a tie vody išli za nimi.
106Aký nádherný príklad, nádherné miesto, ktorého sa môže veriaci dnes chytiť a stáť na ňom, keď vieme, že tá skala, ktorá raz bola udrená, tá voda, ktorá raz vytiekla z Golgoty, ide s nami kdekoľvek sme. Ó! Netreba ísť naspäť na nejaké miesto a hovoriť: "No dobre, my sme tam predvčerom mali vodu." My dnes máme vodu, rovno tu, pretože tou skalou bol Kristus a Kristus je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky.
107Vidíte, tá skala išla za Izraelom. Oni neišli za tou skalou; ale tá skala išla za nimi. Amen. Izrael išiel svojou cestou. Oni mali robiť len jedno. A to držať správny smer, rovno do zasľúbenej zemi. A tá skala a tá voda išla za nimi. "... tá skala išla za nimi: ..." Prvá Korinťanom vám tak hovorí, desiata kapitola. Je to tak. Tou skalou bol Kristus.
108Boh zobral súdy, ktoré mali byť vynesené nad tými ľuďmi a položil ich na Krista, a udrel Jeho. Všimli ste si, že od vtedy na tej skale bola štrbina? Tá skala mala štrbinu, tam kde ju Mojžiš udrel. A Kristus mal štrbinu. Keď bol udrený. "On bol ranený pre naše prestúpenia a jeho sinavicou sme boli uzdravení." Z toho života vychádzajú vody života, z čoho sa dnes tak radujeme!
109No, aby sme obdržali tento život ... pamätajte život Kristov zostáva s cirkvou. Haleluja! Och, keby sme si to mohli jasne uvedomiť za ďalších desať minút! Kristus neopúšťa cirkev. "Ja budem stále s vami, až do konca sveta." To ľudia opúšťajú Krista, Kristus neopúšťa ľudí. Ľudia Ho opúšťajú skrze svoju neveru. Oni opúšťajú Krista, Kristus neopúšťa ľudí.
110Izrael opustil ten prameň, ten prameň neopustil Izrael, vidíte. Lebo Biblia jasne hovorí, že tá skala a voda išla za Izraelom. Išla za nimi! Kdekoľvek oni išli, tak aj ona.
111Ó, rád by som vzal dnes ráno, keby sme mali čas, prvú kapitolu Jozuu, kde On povedal: "Každé miesto na ktoré stupí tvoja noha, dal som vám. Kdekoľvek pôjdeš, Pán tvoj Boh je s tebou. Neboj sa žiadneho človeka. Buď smelý! Proste kdekoľvek stupí tvoja noha, Ja som práve tam s tebou, nezáleží kde to je." Boh ide s Jozuom.
112Ten istý Boh ide dnes ráno so Svojou cirkvou. Pime tam z tejto fontány. Kdekoľvek stupí tvoja noha, práve tam bude Boh s tebou, aby ťa zavlažil a dal ti život. "Stále budem s tebou, až do konca veku." Kristus ten istý včera, dnes i naveky. Zákony Božie.
113Vy teraz poviete: "Potom, brat Branham, prečo potom nerobíme tie veci, ktoré by sme mali robiť. Ako to, že naše dary a všetko v cirkvi sa neprejavuje tak, ako by sa malo? Ako to, že naša cirkev nie je pozdvihnutá do pozícii, kde by mala byť?" Ľudia, v čase skúšok odpadajú, ako odpadal Izrael. Oni si myslia, že Boh ich opustil.
114Ale, pamätajte, tá skala nikdy neopustila Izrael; Izrael opustil tú skalu. On zabudol, že tá skala je po celý čas s nimi. Ona bola presne tam, išla rovno s nimi do konca cesty. Ona išla za nimi. Nebola tak ďaleko, žeby ku nej nedošiel hlas. Nebola tak ďaleko, žeby tam nebolo počuť. Ani nebola tak ďaleko, žeby sa nedala vidieť.
115A tak isto je Kristus dnes s cirkvou. Nie je tak ďaleko, že by nás nepočul. Niektorí z vás odpadli a urobili niečo, čo je zlé, a stratili tú radosť, a vaša voda vyschla. On je stále pri vás tak blízko, že môžete ku Nemu hovoriť. On ide za vami. On pozná každý váš pohyb a všetko čo robíte. On vás túži počuť, že Ho zavoláte na scénu.
116A dnes toto veľké letničné hnutie, Boh čaká na vás, aby ste Ho zavolali na scénu. Nie ste tak ďaleko, žeby ku Nemu nedošiel váš hlas. Hoci sme urobili niečo zlé a zhrešili sme, a obrátili sme sa ku Nemu chrbtom a urobili sme veci, ktoré sme nemali urobiť, ale jednako On je s nami. Kristus povedal, že bude s nami.
117 Biblia povedala, že tie vody išli za deťmi Izraela. Keď dostali smäd, vedeli že voda je na blízku.
118No, tieto veci sa riadia zákonom. Celý Boží systém je postavený pod zákon. Vezmime teraz ... Zastavme sa na chvíľu.
119Vezmime svet. On sa krúti. Každých dvadsať štyri hodín urobí presnú otáčku, tak dokonale. Že ... Nikdy sme neboli schopní, so všetkou našou vedou, vyrobiť hodiny, ktoré by ukazovali stopercentný čas. Každé na čas, najlepšie hodiny, ktoré kedy vyrobili, po roku pôjdu dopredu alebo budú meškať mnoho minút. Ale svet nikdy nezmeškal, ale je tam presne na sekundu. Je to tak presné, že vedci dnes, astronómovia, vám môžu povedať, dvadsať rokov dopredu, úplne presne, kedy slnko a mesiac budú prechádzať okolo seba. Keď robí svoju dvadsať štyri hodinovú obrátku, a obieha po svojej obežnej dráhe vo svojom stanovenom čase, nezmešká ani tiknutie. Haleluja! Je to perfektné, pretože to sa riadi podľa Božieho zákona.
120Oni vedia presne, kedy nastane príliv, presne na minútu, pretože vedia kedy zájde mesiac. A Boh spravil, aby všetko fungovalo podľa zákona. A keď mesiac ide dole, odchádza s ním príliv. Keď mesiac vychádza hore, tu s ním prichádza príliv. A oni vedia presne, podľa rytmu, kedy ten mesiac pôjde dole. Oni môžu zostaviť ročný kalendár na roky dopredu, a povedia vám na minútu, kedy ten príliv začne ustupovať. Skutočne, pretože to sa deje na základe, že mesiac vychádza, pretože to funguje podľa Božieho zákona.
121Stál som jedného dňa pri Mičigénskom jazere. A prešiel som na druhú stranu do Veľkého jazera, cestou do Kanady, cez to veľké množstvo vody. A stál som tam a rozmýšľal som: "Koľko míľ je tu cez tento veľký prieplav?" A potom, keď som prešiel cez Mičigén ... či cez Veľké jazero, prišiel som do Mičigén, skoro tiež také isté množstvo vody. A tam, z Veľkého jazera do jazera Mičigén, z jazera Mičigén do jazera Ontária a Huron, a všetky tie jazerá spolu. Koľko miliárd a miliárd a miliárd, nespočítateľné množstvo barelov čerstvej vody leží v tých jazerách!
122A tam v Nevade, a v Arizone, v Novom Mexiku, vo východnej Kalifornii, leží milióny akrov vyprahnutej, spálenej zemi, ktorá je tak úrodná, že keby sa len tá voda dostala na túto zem, tento národ by mohol kŕmiť celý svet, nebolo by hladných ľudí, a mal by prebytok, ktorý by sypali do mora. Je to tak! Na tých miliónoch akrov by narástlo milióny ton zemiakov, a kapusty, a fazuli a šalátu a reďkovky a zeleru a uhoriek, a všetko ďalšie - narástlo by to na tej pôde. Ona len túži po vode.
123A tu hore je voda; a tu dole je pôda. Môžeme to teraz vidieť, a vieme že by to narástlo, pretože môže otestovať tú vodu a zistíme, že je čerstvá, a otestovať tú pôdu a zistíme, že je úrodná. No, všetky naše túžby, ktoré môžeme mať, to nikdy nedajú dokopy. Ale existuje zákon, a to je zákon príťažlivosti. No, ak by sme pracovali podľa príťažlivosti, mohli by sme zavlažiť každý kúsok tej zemi, zobrať tú vodu z tých jazier a zavlažiť to. Ale budeme sa musieť riadiť zákonom príťažlivosti. Naša túžba to nedokáže. Náš krik to nedokáže. Naše volanie to nedokáže. Musíme postupovať podľa zákonov príťažlivosti, aby sme to tam dostali. Boh dáva všetko pod zákon.
124Tu, rozmýšľal som, neviem či som vám toto niekedy povedal alebo nie. Bol som dole v Ketucky poľovať na veveričky s bratom Woodom, asi pred rokom. A veveričky boli nejako vystrašené a tak sme išli domov za jedným človekom, opýtať sa ohľadne poľovania. Ten človek mal niekoľko akrov pôdy, a na tých akroch bolo veľa lesov. Ale brat Vood mi povedal, že ten človek je ateista, že je neveriaci. Povedal, že on ho pozná, či jeho otec, že ho pozná, že tam pôjde a opýta sa, či by mu dovolil tam poľovať.
125Prišli sme do dvora toho džentlmena. A on a ešte jeden človek, obidvaja okolo sedemdesiat roční, sedeli pod jabloňou. A pán Wood išiel ku tomu človeku a opýtal sa: "Mohol by som u teba trochu poľovať?"
A on povedal: "Dobre," on povedal, "v poriadku." Opýtal sa: "Ktorý Wood si ty? Ty si chlapec od Jima Wooda?"
On povedal: "Áno."
126On povedal: "Dobre, starý Jim bol čestný človek." a tak ďalej. Povedal: "Môžeš poľovať kdekoľvek chceš v mojich lesoch. Mám tu toľko stoviek akrov. Nech sa ti páči. Choď dole ku tým dieram, kdekoľvek chceš. Cíť sa ako doma."
127Ja som sedel v aute, pretože som si myslel, že kazateľ a neveriaci to spolu nebude dobre, keď sme išli prosiť o náklonnosť u nevriaceho.
128Ale potom, po chvíli brat Wood povedal: "Dobre, no, mám so sebou svojho pastora. Hádam na tom nebude nič zlého, keď pôjde so mnou?"
129A tento starý človek sa otočil na svojej palici, a povedal: "Wood, ty mi chceš povedať, že si klesol tak hlboko, že všade kde ideš, musíš mať so sebou kazateľa?"
130A tak myslel som si po tom, že bude lepšie keď vyjdem z auta. Tak som vyšiel z auta a chvíľu som sa rozprával s tým starým džentlmenom. A on mi veľmi rýchlo dal poznať, že nemá kazateľov v obľube, pretože si myslí, že hovoria o niečom o čom nič nevedia.
131On povedal: "Oni len tárajú niečo o čom nič nevedia. No," povedal, "keď mi niekto niečo hovorí, chcem aby vedel o čom hovorí." No to je zdravý rozum. To je zdravý rozum. On povedal: "No, ak mi niekto niečo hovorí, nechcem aby mi hovoril hypotézy o tom, či tamtom, o čom nič nevie. Chcem aby hovoril niečo a vedel o čom hovorí.." No, to si vážim. Cenil som to u toho starého džentlmena.
132A tak som povedal: "No, samozrejme, každý má právo na svoj vlastný názor."
133A on povedal: "Pred niekoľkými rokmi prišiel sem do kraju jeden kazateľ a mal tam v Actone zhromaždenie." A povedal: "Tento kazateľ, on bol tu cudzí v tomto kraji, povedal jeden večer jedenej panej, ktorá sedela v obecenstve: 'Ty máš vo vačku vreckovku. A nazývaš sa tak a tak. A tam na tom kopci býva tvoja chorá sestra, ktorá sa volá tak a tak. Zomiera na rakovinu žalúdka.' A povedal: 'Zober túto vreckovku a polož ju na svoju sestru, a povedz jej, tak hovorí Pán, nezomrie ale bude žiť.'"
134On povedal: "Práve táto žena bola naša priateľka." A povedal: "Zobrali sme túto ženu ... či, túto vreckovku ... či, tohoto človeka ... prv túto osobu." On povedal: "Táto žena, moja žena a ja sme boli tam hore, to ráno a zobrali sme ... čakali sme na túto ženu. A ona bola tak zle, doktori sa jej dávno vzdali. Ona bola tak zle, že sme ju museli prenášať v plachte, dvíhať ju a klásť na misu, brať ju naspäť, obracať ju v plachte, bola tak zle." On povedal: "Jedného večera tam nastal krik, akoby ... ako keď niekto zomrie."
135To bol tam Ben s tou vreckovkou, zobral ju tam. Myslím, že si to bol ty, brat, však? To bol tam brat Ben, zobral tú vreckovku, pretože on tam priviedol tú ženu.
136A povedal: "Na druhý deň ráno ona jedla jablkový koláč!" A povedal: "Ona nie len že spravila svoju robotu, ale porobila i susedom, taká bola zdravá." On povedal: "No, často som rozmýšľal. Keby som niekedy stretol toho kazateľa - on vedel o čom hovoril -" povedal: "Rád by som sa s ním porozprával."
137Brat Wood sa na mňa pozrel, a ja som sa pozrel na neho. Stáli sme tam zamazaní a spotení, a špinaví, táborili sme v lesoch, a celí sme boli pofŕkaní od krvi z veveričiek. A tak som povedal: "No, myslíte, že keby ste mohli stretnúť toho človeka, že by vám povedal ako to urobil?"
On povedal: "Áno, to som myslel."
Povedal som: "No, to je dobrá myšlienka."
138Jedol som jedno z jeho jabĺk. Sadali tam na ne osy, viete, na jeseň, v auguste. Tak mal som toto jablko a jedol som ho. A povedal som: "To je veľmi dobré jablko." Povedal som: "Ako dlho je tu ten strom?"
139"Ó," povedal, "zasadil som tam ten strom pred tridsiatimi, štyridsiatimi rokmi, alebo tak nejako."
140"Ahá." Povedal som: "Rád by som sa vás niečo opýtal." Povedal som: "Ako je to možné ... Vidím, že tie jablká opadávajú z toho stromu, a listy z neho opadávajú, a teraz je len polovica augusta." A povedal som: "A nebolo ani chladno. Nebol ani mráz ani nič, a predsa tie listy padajú z toho stromu. Prečo to je?"
On povedal: "šťava odišla zo stromu."
"Ó." Povedal som: "Kde odišla?"
On povedal: "Dole do koreňov."
A ja som povedal: "Ako dlho tam potom zostane?"
On povedal: "Do jari."
141Povedal som: "Potom ona príde naspäť a prinesie nové listy, aby vám robili tieň, a nové jablká na jedenie?"
On povedal: "To je pravda. Presne tak."
142Povedal som: "Dobre, chcem sa vás niečo opýtať, pane. Vy hovoríte o týchto ľuďoch, že oni nevedia o čom hovoria." Povedal som: "Môžete my vysvetliť, aká inteligencia robí to, že tá šťava odchádza z toho stromu? Ak by tam zostala cez zimu, strom by zomrel. (To by zabilo ten strom. Ten gén života je v tej šťave.)" Tak som povedal: "To by zabilo ten strom. Čo za inteligencia riadi to, že tá šťava odchádza z toho stromu, dole do koreňov, a zostáva tam až do jari, a potom znovu prichádza naspäť a prináša ďalšie jablká?" Povedal som: "Dajte do vedra vodu a postavte ho na stĺp, a dávajte pozor či v auguste pôjde na dno toho stĺpa a či sa na jar navráti." Povedal som: "Je nejaký zákon, je zákon prírody. Nejaká inteligencia ustanovila pravidlá tohoto zákona. A nie len to, ale tá istá inteligencia musí poháňať ten zákon, ona robí, že to ide dole do koreňov stromu a vracia sa naspäť."
On povedal. "Nikdy som o tom nerozmýšľal."
143 Povedal som: "Ak niekedy objavíte tú inteligenciu, ktorá spôsobuje, že tá šťava odchádza z konárov toho stromu do koreňov a pracia sa naspäť, to je tá istá inteligencia, ktorá mi povedala tam v ten večer: 'Choď a polož tú vreckovku na tú ženu.'"
On povedal: "A ty si ten kazateľ?"
Povedal som: "Áno, pane, uhádli ste."
144Minulý rok som tam bol (on zomrel), a keď jeho vdova sedela vo verande, bielila jablká, z toho istého stromu, brat ... Prv nás chceli vyhnať, nevedeli kto sme. A ja som tam išiel a povedal jej o tom, že sme mali od neho povolenie, a povedal som jej o tom. Povedala: "Prv ako zomrel, v plnosti vyznal Krista."
145 Vidíte, čo spôsobuje, že ten strom, aká inteligencia robí, že to steká dole? To je zákon. To je zákon, ktorého pravidlá ustanovil Boh. A ten zákon je Božím zákonom, a on sa bude starať o svoje veci. Amen!
146Viete, nestarám sa o to, koľko kričíte a hovoríte: "Teraz to nebude ... slnko toto leto už nebude svietiť," ono aj tak bude svietiť. Koľko budete hovoriť: "Nedovolím aby prišla noc," ona aj tak príde - pretože táto vec, na ktorej žijeme, ktorú nazývame svet je riadená Božím zákonom.
147No, bratia a sestry, chcem sa vás niečo opýtať. Potom, keď sme znovu zrodení z Ducha Božieho ... Boh nie je miestami malý a slabý, a miestami veľký a silný - On je všetko spolu Boh! A ak ste mali v sebe dosť Boha, hoci len tieň, to je dostatočná moc, na stvorenie novej zemi. To je dosť moci, urobiť nový mesiac a nový systém. To je Boh, a to má moc! A práve teraz, každý veriaci tu má večný život, ktorým je Boží Duch vo vás - dosť moci, ktorá vzkriesi mŕtveho, ktorá uzdraví chorého, ktorá ustaví obežné dráhy. Ale je to kontrolované zákonom. Ten Duch, ktorý je vo vás, vy ste synovia a dcéry Božie. Ten istý Duch, ktorého máte v sebe, vás vzbudí v deň vzkriesenia.
148Ježiš, keď bol tu na zemi, keď zomrel, Jeho duša zostúpila do pekla a kázal duchom, ktoré boli v žalári, dušiam vo vezení, ktoré nečinili pokánie, keď vyčkávala Božia zhovievavosť za dní Noeho. Jeho telo išlo do hrobu. Ale prv ako zomrel, poručil Svojho Ducha do rúk Božích. Jeho Duch išiel ku Bohu, Jeho duša odišla do pekla, a Jeho telo odišlo do hrobu. A Ježišovi bolo zabránené vstať z mŕtvych, až kým sa nevyplnilo Písmo. On nemohol prísť naspäť, pretože On musel zostať v hrobe tri dni a tri noci. Ale keď sa Písmo celkom vyplnilo, táto závora bola odstránená; Jeho Duch zostúpil na Jeho dušu, Jeho duša do Jeho tela, a On znovu vstal.
149A keď my zomrieme, naše duše idú pod oltár Boží, kde som mal možnosť vidieť to, raz ráno pred niekoľkými dňami, ako viete, vo videní, Biblia hovorí o našom duchu, že pôjde ku Bohu, ktorý ho dal, a naše telá sa vrátia do prachu zeme. Ale jedného dňa, keď sa vyplní Písmo, náš duch bude vypustený od Boha, vezme dušu, a duša vojde do tela. A tá moc, ktorá nás vzkriesi je práve teraz v nás! My sme teraz v nebeských miestach. My sme teraz v moci zmŕtvychvstania.
150Keby na to nebol zákon, synovia a dcéry Božie by si tu stvorili svet a odišli by si naň žiť vlastný život. Vy máte v sebe tú moc, aby ste to urobili. Ak máte v sebe tieň Božej moci, máte moc, aby ste to urobili - Boh je všemohúci. Rozumiete čo chcem povedať? Moc, ktorá je vo vás, urobí ... Mohli by ste vypovedať slovo, na ktoré by povstal svet, a ísť a žiť si na ňom. Haleluja! Tu to máte.
151To je moc, ktorá je dnes v cirkvi, ale ona je ovládaná zákonom. A ten zákon, to nie je dodržiavanie hromady prikázaní. To je zákon viery. Ježiš povedal: "Všetko je možné tým, ktorí veria." A ak môžete veriť tomu, do čohokoľvek bude Boh viesť vašu dušu, aby ste tomu verili, je to vaše. Každé miesto na ktoré vierou môžete položiť svoju nohu, vám Boh dáva. Amen! Je to vaše, zoberte si to, ak môžete nájsť jen kľúč ku tomuto zákonu viery, ten vám to otvorí. Rozumiete čo chcem povedať? Táto moc je ovládaná ... Keď si syn Boží, dcéra Božia, to ťa nikdy neopúšťa. To je po celý čas s tebou. Ale, tvoja viera odstupuje od toho, ale to tam stále je. Haleluja!
152 Keď si spasený, Boh ti dáva vieru, aby si sa pozdvihol zo špiny zeme. Tvoja viera víťazí nad vecami tohoto sveta. Čo je tvoja viera? Tvoja viera v ten skutok, ktorý Boh v tebe vykonal, aby ťa urobil synom Božím. Prestávaš klamať, prestávaš kradnúť, prestávaš piť, pretože tvoja viera ťa dvíha ponad to. Amen. Ak to nerobíš, nemáš žiadnu vieru. "A skrze vieru ste spasení a to z milosti."
153Koľko prejavíte viery, toľko môžete mať moci, pretože vo vás prebýva moc, stvoriť nebesia i zem. Boh prebýva vo vás, vy ste synovia a dcéry Božie. Amen. Tu to máte. Ale, to je vaša viera. Ježiš povedal: "Nech sa ti stane podľa tvojej viery. Ak môžeš veriť, všetko je možné. Amen, vám hovorím, ak poviete tomuto vrchu: 'Pohni sa' a nebudete pochybovať ale budete veriť tomu čo ste povedali ..."
154Potom akými ľuďmi máme byť, majúc vieru v tohoto veľkého vykupujúceho Krista, ktorý žije v nás, v túto udrenú skalu, ktorá nikdy neopúšťa cirkev? "Ja som stále s vami, až do konca sveta." večná prítomnosť toho veľkého gejzíru spasenia a moci, ktorá vytiekla z Golgoty do cirkvi; večná prítomnosť živého Boha, veľká tečúca, udrená skala, ktorá ide s nami na našej ceste.
155Izrael stratil svoju vieru. Oni opustili ten chodník. Začali túžiť po hrncoch s mäsom. Keby stáli vo viere a verili, že Boh ich dovedie do tej zeme, nič by ich nezastavilo. Oni už otvorili moria, oni udreli pliagami svojich nepriateľov, oni ukrižovali svojich nepriateľov za sebou, a prešli do tej zemi, a stále nemohli mať vieru, aby išli ďalej do zasľúbenia.
156Józua a Káleb mali tú vieru. Oni povedali: "My sme viac ako schopní zvíťaziť nad všetkým, čo sa postaví pred nás."
157V tomto má cirkev problém. My môžeme zvíťaziť nad každou chorobou. My máme v sebe tú moc. My sme synovia a dcéry Božie, nič nemôže pred nami obstáť. Jediné čo On chce, je nájsť niekoho, kto bude tomu veriť, kto bude veriť tomu, čo Boh už pre vás urobil. Nie budeme; teraz sme! A živá prítomnosť Ducha je s nami. Amen! No prosím.
158 To som mal na mysli, keď som dnes ráno ohlásil túto tému, stále prítomná voda zo skaly. Stále prítomná voda zo skaly je práve teraz tu, tá stále prítomná voda z tej udrenej skaly na Golgote. Keď ten Duch Svätý vyšiel z Neho na Golgote, a prišiel naspäť na cirkev v deň letníc, ten istý Duch Svätý je dnes ráno prítomný, a dáva nám zasľúbenie.
159A preto, keď idem ku chorým ľuďom, keď ma On tam poveril, verím tomu - Boh tak povedal! Takto prichádzajú videnia. Boh to zasľúbil! Boh nemôže klamať!
160Verte tomu! Musíte tomu veriť. Musí tam byť niečo, čo otvorí ten príklop, otvorí tú vec a dá vám vojsť do toho. To čo dnes potrebujeme, to nie je modliť sa o viacej moci. Máte dosť moci, aby ste stvorili novú zem. To čo potrebujete je viera, aby ste mohli používať tú moc. To čo potrebujete je ovládať ten život, a žiť takým bohabojným životom, že keď prosíte Boha o niečo, viete! Máme pri tom dôveru v Boha. Vieme, že keď zachovávame Jeho prikázania On nám neodoprie žiadnu dobrú vec - keď chodíme s Ním. Boh chodí s nami. Ó!
161Oni mali robiť len jedno. Oni mali robiť len jedno, a to udržiavať správny kurz. Nie motať sa sem a tam; ale udržiavať kurz. Cirkev má robiť jedno, udržiavať kurz. Oni mali ohnivý stĺp, oni sa museli riadiť podľa neho. Nasledovať ten ohnivý stĺp, to bolo to čo ich viedlo. Ten ohnivý stĺp, to bol ich objekt, ktorý mohli vidieť. Oni ho videli účinkovať cez Mojžiša, a vedeli, že on je vodca.
162 My dnes máme Slovo. My nasledujeme Slovo. A vidíme Slovo účinkovať vo veriacich, a vieme, že potom je to tak. Boh spoluúčinkuje s nami, potvrdzuje to Slovo tým, že ho nasledujú znamenia! My zostávame pri Slove. Slovo prináša výsledky.
163Oni zostávali s Mojžišom, pretože ... Ten ohnivý stĺp - Mojžiš ho nasledoval, a oni išli za ním. Keď sa oni začali stavať proti Mojžišovi, a reptať proti Bohu a proti Mojžišovi, blúdili z jednej strany na druhú. Prišli problémy. Skutočne.
164 My stojíme pri Slove, a Slovo produkuje znamenia. Ježiš povedal: "Tieto znamenia budú nasledovať tých, ktorý veria Slovu." Vidíte, to zostáva pri ... Stojíte pri Slove a Slovo produkuje znamenia.
165Ale, Mojžiš, čo on robil? Oni zablúdili, a čo urobili? Zblúdili z cesty a stratili svoju dodávku vody.
166Myslím, že to je to, čo urobila dnes cirkev. Zblúdila z cesty Písma. Odišli do izmov. Odišli do malých vecí, ktoré nemali robiť. Prijali veci. Prijali veci, ako apoštolské vyznanie. Kde to nájdete v Biblii? Oni prijali katechizmy, ktoré čítajú. Prijali denominácie, namiesto prežitia. Prijali potrasenie rúk, namiesto prežitia znovuzrodenia. Prijali pofŕkanie, namiesto vodného krstu. Prijali zlú formu: "Otec, Syn a Duch Svätý," keď také niečo v Biblii nieto. Biblia povedala: "Vo meno Ježiša Krista." Je len jedno čo treba urobiť, ak chcete tú istú vodu. Poďte znovu naspäť na tú cestu. Vráťte sa do ... On neodišiel; On je stále tu. Vy namiesto Krista, prijímate vyznania. Blúdite do svárov.
167Jeden povedal: "Dobre, ja som metodista." Druhý hovorí: "Ja som baptista." To potom ukazuje, že nie si kresťan. My sme Kristovi! My patríme Jemu. Vy hovoríte: "Dobre, ja som baptista?" Ak si len to, potom nie si Kristov, si baptista. Vy hovoríte: "Dobre, ja som letničný." Ak si len letničný podľa denominácie, to je všetko čo si.
168Ale, ak máš letničné prežitie ... A letničné slovo prinesie letničné prežitie. Nasleduj to isté, čo nasledovali tí učeníci, zostaň tam, až kým nebudeš naplnený Duchom Svätým.
169A potom ak to, čo dostávaš, nesúhlasí so Slovom, ten duch v tebe nesúhlasí s tým čo hovorí Slovo, potom to nie je Duch Svätý. To je diabol, ktorý napodobuje Ducha Svätého. Vidíte kde sme sa pri tom dostali? "Ó, niektorí z nás hovorili v jazykoch. Vykrikovali sme od radosti a iné takéto veci." A zapierali všetky tieto ostatné veci. Nechali sme, že do cirkvi vošlo všetko možné, čo nebolo v Písme. Kde sme sa dnes dostali? Znovu sme prišli na ďalšiu púšť, do vyschnutej organizácii. Urobili sme organizáciu a stratili sme vodu. To je presne to čo urobili letniční. Keď sa to začalo organizovať, začalo to kaziť obecenstvo, a začali hovoriť: "No, dobre, nebudeme mať spoločenstvo, ak tento verí tomuto."
170Choďte ďalej, vydržte s ním až príde do Slova pravdy, do poznania pravdy. Čokoľvek to je, nech to trvá, aj tak. Len ďalej, buďte bratia.
171Ale, och, my sme sa museli zorganizovať a hovoríme: "Dobre, pretože nie si jednotár, pretože nie si dvojičiar, alebo trojičiar, alebo takýto, nechceme mať s tebou obecenstvo." Potom, keď to robíme, čo robíme? Sami seba privádzame znovu rovno naspäť do púšti. Je to tak.
172Ale pamätajte, keď Izrael zblúdil z cesty, stratil kurz do zasľúbenej zemi, tá skala ich neopustila - ona zostávala presne tam. Tak isto tá voda. Tak isto Duch Svätý zostáva rovno tam. Nemusíme o tom pochybovať.
173No, Boh nás tu učí veľkú vec. Boh nás tu učí lekciu. Kristus bol udrený raz, dávajúc nám letničné prežitie, raz navždy. A keď tá skala bola udrená, ona nemusela byť znovu udrená. Ona bola udrená len raz.
174Mojžiš urobil chybu, tým že ju udrel druhý krát, ukazujúc tým slabosť svojej viery v zmierenie. Ale keď Kristus bol raz udrený, On vôbec nemusel byť znovu udrený. No, čo Mojžiš robil? Mojžiš zakladal niečo nové, snažil sa urobiť nejakú novú vec.
175A takto to urobili dnes naši klerikovia. Oni sa snažili robiť niečo nové. "My utvoríme Zbory Božie." "My utvoríme Letničnú Cirkev Božiu. My utvoríme Generálny Koncil." "My sa staneme týmto, tým alebo tamtým." To Boh nerobil. To nebola Jeho myšlienka.
176Kristus bol udrený raz. To je originálne prežitie. To je originálny spôsob. V deň letníc Peter povedal: "Čiňte pokánie, každý jeden z vás, a dajte sa pokrstiť vo meno Ježiša Krista."
177My fŕkame v mene Otca, Syna, a Ducha Svätého, podávame na to rôzne vyznania a všetko možné. Keď opúšťame Slovo, nie divu že nemôžeme nikde dôjsť.
178Boh nás učí lekciu. Mojžiš nemal povedať: "No teraz tu začneme niečo nové a zorganizujeme sa a urobíme katolícku cirkev." (To je to prvé čo oni urobili.) Nie. Potom po nejakom čase: "Dobre, urobíme z toho niečo nové, urobíme luteránov." Potom prišli anglikáni, a potom baptisti a ďalej. Cambeliti, a Cirkev Kristova, a antikrist, a všetko ďalšie. Vidíte, oni všetci začali vystupovať, jeden za druhým, jeden za druhým, robili denominácie a organizácie. To nebolo to. Vidíte čo robia? Oni znovu udierajú tú skalu, aby začali niečo nové. Nepotrebujeme novú náuku.
179Každý človek v Biblii bol pokrstený vo meno Ježiša Krista. Každý človek v Biblii, ktorý mal Ducha Svätého prichádzal Božou cestou, presne tou cestou, ktorú Boh uviedol na začiatku. Oni robili to isté. Oni mali to isté prežitie. Nasledovali ich tie isté znamenia, nasledovali ich tie isté skutky. Prečo? Oni žili z tej skaly. Oni mali tú istú vodu.
180A dnes, dôvod, prečo máme tak veľa vyznaní a denominácií je ten, že sme začali niečo nové. My nepotrebujeme nič nové. Choďte naspäť!
181Mojžiš nemal znovu udrieť tú skalu, nemal začať niečo nové. On im mal kázať tú originálnu skalu. Ó, dúfam že tomu rozumiete. Mojžiš mal hovoriť o tej originálnej udrenej skale, nie snažiť sa ju znovu udrieť. Nie snažiť sa začať niečo nové, ale prehovoriť ku tej starej veci.
182 Bože, pomôž mi, ak zomriem ako žobrák za kazateľňou, ja budem kázať tú originálnu skalu! Budem kázať to originálne prežitie. Budem kázať to originálne Písmo, ktoré im dalo krst Duchom Svätým: "Čiňte pokánie, každý jeden z vás, a dajte sa pokrstiť vo meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie hriechov, a prijmete dar Ducha Svätého." Tá stále prítomná vytekajúca voda zo skaly je stále s nami. Ona prinesie to isté. Ona prinesie videnia. Ona prinesie uzdravenia. Ona prinesie proroctvá. Ona prinesie všetko, čo oni robili.
183Keď sa Izrael dostal znovu naspäť do Písma, a prišiel naspäť na tú cestu, oni vošli do zasľúbenej zemi, ale trvalo im to štyridsať rokov.
184Letniční blúdia po púšti už asi štyridsať, päťdesiat rokov. Poďte naspäť ku tej skale! Je na dohľad. Tu to je, napísané rovno tu v Slove. Duch Svätý je tu, činiaci tie isté veci, ktoré On vždy činil, tak tá stále prítomná voda je tu. Len poďte naspäť do toho, poďte naspäť do toho prvotného, do originálu. Ako to bolo v tom origináli?
185"Dobre, oni si potriasli ruky s kazateľom." Nič takého. "Boli pokrstení vo meno Otca, Syna a Ducha Svätého." Nie je niečo také. Nikde v Biblii nie sú ľudia, ani tristo rokov po Biblii, ktorí by boli pokrstení vo meno Otca, Syna a Ducha Svätého. To je katolícke vyznanie, nie Biblická náuka, vidíte.
186Oni mali Ducha Svätého. Tieto znamenia nasledovali tých, ktorí verili. Dnes sa to znovu bude diať. Tá skala je presne tak isto živá, ako vždy bola, tá udrená skala.
187Nehovorme: "Dobre, príď teraz sem a pripoj sa ku našej letničnej cirkvi, vstúp do našich letničných kruhov." "Nie, príď sem a pripoj sa ku Baptistom, alebo Metodistom, alebo Presbyteriánom, alebo Katolíkom." Čo to je? To je udieranie znovu tej skaly, snaha začať niečo nové.
188Povedz im: "Čiňte pokánie, a dajte sa pokrstiť vo meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie svojich hriechov, a tieto znamenia budú nasledovať tých, ktorí veria." Tam ste znovu na tej ceste, naspäť pri tej istej vode. Tá istá voda, dá to isté osvieženie. Dá ten istý bič na telo. Dá tú istú očisťujúcu moc. Dá tú istú uzdravujúcu moc. Bude robiť to isté, čo vtedy, ak sa len dostaneme naspäť do toho istého Ducha.
189Život vo viniči zrodí hrozno. Ak ho zrodil minulý rok, tento rok zrodí to isté. To je Boží zákon. Zákon Boží je, že ak je toto vinič, nechajte ho na pokoji, on zrodí hrozno. Môžete ho krížiť s niečím iným, ale nechajte ho potom na pokoji a ono sa znovu navráti ku tomu istému hroznu.
190Tak my sme skrížili cirkev s letničnou náukou, s baptistickou, s metodistickou, s presbyteriánskou, s anglikánskou a so všetkými možnými izmami. Prečo to nenecháte na pokoji? Poďte naspäť do viniča, to sa navráti do tej istej moci. Amen! Amen! To sa mi páči.
191Začať niečo nové, to isté, čo sme urobili. Nie snažiť sa ukázať svoju autoritu. "Dr. Taký a taký je zakladateľ veľkej tej a tej cirkvi a toho a toho." To nebolo to.
192To je to, čo povedal Mojžiš: "Ja im ukážem, čo dokážem. Ja ju aj tak vyvediem!" On ju udrel, ona nevyšla, znovu skríkol. "Ukážem vám, čo ja dokážem." Boh sa s ním za to porátal.
193Nemyslite si ... ak sa len držíte nejakej denominácii, Boh sa za to s vami poráta. To je celkom isté. Ty musíš prísť naspäť do toho originálu. Poď naspäť.
194Ak hovoríte ľuďom, nehovorte im: "Poďte a pripojte sa ku našej cirkvi. Prijmite naše vyznanie." Vráťte sa a čiňte pokánie, a dajte sa pokrstiť vo meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie hriechov, a prijmete dar Ducha Svätého, ak je vaše srdce v poriadku. A veriacich budú nasledovať tieto znamenia. Tú skupinu veriacich, tieto znamenia pôjdu s nimi. Prečo? Tá skala, tá udrená skala a Jeho vody života, ktoré vyvierajú, produkujú to isté, čo On robil tam vtedy. Tomu sa nedá zabrániť. Ó, tak veru.
195My sa chceme predviesť a povedať: "My sme metodisti a baptisti."
196Hovor len ku tej Skale, On je stále prítomný. Nesnaž sa ku nej pripojiť. "Musel som sa tu ku nej pripojiť." Nesnaž sa ku nej pripojiť. Ty sa nemôžeš ku nej pripojiť, to je jedna istá vec. Môžeš sa pripojiť ku metodistom, môžeš sa pripojiť ku baptistom, môžeš sa pripojiť ku letničným, môžeš sa pripojiť ku anglikánom; ale ku tomuto sa nemôžeš pripojiť. Nie. Musíš byť tým naplnený. Nepripájaj sa ku tomu; buď tým proste naplnený. To je všetko. To znamená naplnený čím? Naplnený mocou, naplnený Duchom, naplnený životom, naplnený radosťou, pokojom, trpezlivosťou, láskavosťou, dobrotou, mocou Ducha Svätého v tvojom živote, lebo tá ustavičná prítomnosť je tu. Pamätaj ...
Musím končiť, lebo je už neskoro.
197Ale, pamätaj, tá skala ich nikdy neopustila. Ona ich nikdy neopustila. A Kristus nikdy neopustí nás. Kristus povedal: "Ja budem stále s vami, až do konca sveta." Je to tak? A tá skala zostávala s nimi na celej ceste od Horebu po Nebo. Ona bola s nimi. Išli dole ku Jordánu, ona tam stále bola. Ó Bože, ja ju chcem vidieť pri Jordáne.
198Mojžiš, keď on bol pri Jordáne, tá skala bola s ním na celej tej ceste. A on stál tam hore, díval sa dole na tú hromadu ľudí, ktorí odpadávali a odchádzali od Boha. Jeho srdce túžilo za nimi. A on sa pozeral za Jordán. On tam bol pri Jordáne. Hovorím o tom duchovnom Jordáne. On tam stál, prichádzala smrť, ale on sa pozrel, tam vedľa neho ležala tá skala. On len vystúpil na tú skalu, a prišli anjeli a odniesli ho preč.
199Ja ťa nezanechám, ani ťa neopustím." Nezáleží na tom, aký nastane ťažký čas, ako zostarneme, akou smrťou zomrieme, pamätajte, tá skala bude tam pri Jordáne. Ona nikdy neodíde ani nás nezanechá. Pamätajte len na to. Tá stále prítomná voda z tej skaly bude s nami po celý život, a tiež aj pri Jordáne.
200Skloňme svoje hlavy. [Nejaký brat z obecenstva prináša posolstvo v proroctve. – pozn.prekl.]
201Zatiaľ čo sa ten Duch pohybuje medzi nami, zatiaľ čo sa Duch Boží pohybuje medzi nami, či sú tu dnes ráno takí, ktorí nepoznajú Krista, a nepriblížili ste sa nikdy ku tej skale, nie ste s ňou dnes ráno zadobre? Ale viete, že ona je prítomná. Pozrite ako všade pôsobí, vidíte Ho, ako sa okolo pohybuje, vidíte ako to vanie na ľudí. To je tá ustavičná prítomnosť tej vody. To je spasenie. To je Duch, ktorý robí, že ich poháre pretekajú, že už ďalej nedokážu byť potichu, niečo musí vytiecť. A vy Ho nepoznáte, či by ste zodvihli svoje ruky a povedali: "Modli sa za mňa, brat Branham. Ja Ho chcem teraz poznať. A ja chcem s Ním hovoriť, a ja Ho chcem poznať v plnosti Jeho Ducha. Ja chcem vedieť, že On je hneď pri mne, po celý čas. Verím že je, ale chcem s Ním byť zadobre. Som smädný, som hladný po Bohu. Chcem Ho lepšie poznať"?
202Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Teba, brat. Teba, áno, tam vzadu. Tu teba, pani, áno. Áno, pani. Vidíme vaše ruky, a Boh ich vidí. Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladý muž. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Teba, pani. Amen. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná, sestra. Ďalší teraz, v tejto tichej chvíli. Nech ťa Boh žehná, tam vzadu, mladý človek.
203Myslite na to. Myslite na to, na tú ustavičnú prítomnosť vody zo skaly. Ten istý Duch, ktorého On vypustil, keď skríkol, tam vtedy v deň súdu nad Ním, keď On vzal náš súd - a Božia palica hnevu udrela na Neho, a vaše hriechy boli zavinuté v tej palici, a ona udrela Jeho, a vytryskla z Neho krv a voda - On povedal: "Otče, do Tvojich rúk porúčam Svojho Ducha." Potom na deň letníc on prišiel, aby išiel s nami po tej ceste. A on je teraz tak blízko.
204Keď odídete od toho, ďaleko od domu, povedzte: "Pane, idem domov." Zatiaľ čo spievame toto, ak by ste chceli vystúpiť sem ku oltáru a odovzdať znovu svoju dušu Kristovi ... Amen.
Blúdil som ďaleko od Boha; (pomimo cesty)
Teraz prichádzam domov;
Dlho som chodil po chodníku nevery;
Pane, prichádzam domov.
Prichádzam domov, prichádzam domov;
Koniec s blúdením;
Otvor doširoka Svoje ramená lásky;
Teraz, Pane, prichádzam domov.
205[Brat Branham hmká "Pane, prichádzam domov." – pozn.prekl.]
206Traja malí chlapci práve vystúpili, veľmi rýchlo, majú v očiach slzy, a kľakli si tu dole pri oltári. Samozrejme je im odpustené. Bolo im odpustené ešte skôr, ako opustili svoje miesto, keď sa spamätala ich malá myseľ. Oni len vystúpili, aby tu pokľakli, aby dali vedieť tým ľuďom na ktorej strane od teraz stoja.
207Možno by boli nejaký starší ľudia, ktorí by toto radi urobili, len takto kľakli a povedali: "Pane, blúdil som ďaleko od tej cesty. Mal som toľko pochybností a niekedy som sa zatúlal a upadol do hriechu. Chcem prísť naspäť prv ako bude príliš neskoro. Bože, rád by som prišiel. Skutočne rád prídem a pokľaknem."
208No, je to zvláštne, tri malé dievčatá približne tak isto veľké, vystúpili, pokľakli.
209Myslím, že jedna z nich je malé dievča, ktoré práve dostalo domov malého bračeka. Jedného dňa som povedal ... Pani Woodová prišla a povedala mi, povedala, že táto sestra ide do nemocnice, že bude mať dieťa. Duch Svätý povedal: "Choď povedz im, že to bude chlapec." Keď sa narodilo, bol to chlapec.
210Zdá sa, že toto je ráno pre deti, tí malí prichádzajú z hodiny od sestry Arnoldovej, odovzdávajú svoje životy. Celý oltár po mojej pravej strane je plný malých detí. Bolo by to pekné, keby sme zaspievali pieseň, pri oltári, tým ostatným ľuďom (či nie?), dospelým.
Pane ja teraz prichádzam domov.
211[Brat Branham hovorí s deťmi pri oltári. – pozn.prekl.]
Prichádzam domov, Prichádzam domov;
Koniec blúdenia;
Otvor naširoko Svoje ramená lásky;
Pane prichádzam domov.
Som unavený z hriechu a blúdenia, Pane;
Teraz prichádzam domov;
Budem spoliehať na Tvoju lásku,
veriť Tvojmu Slovu Teraz prichádzam domov.
Prichádzam domov, prichádzam domov;
Koniec blúdenia;
Otvor naširoko Svoje ramená lásky;
Pane prichádzam domov.
212Skloňme na chvíľu svoje hlavy a pomodlime sa za týchto malých.
213Nebeský Otče, ak bude nejaké zajtra, ak Ježiš bude predlievať ďalších desať alebo pätnásť rokov, títo budú chlapci a dievčatá, ktorí budú niesť toto posolstvo ďalej tým ďalším generáciám, ktoré prídu. Nepochybujem, Pane, nech po všetky dni svojho života budú pamätať na príchod ku tomuto oltáru. Oni sú malé klenoty, Pane. Ich mladé a nežné srdcia sú dnes ráno presvedčené. Ani nepočuli celé to posolstvo, práve prišli z tej miestnosti, kde počúvali vyučovanie našej sestry Arnoldovej, prišli tu okolo oltára, odovzdávajúc Ti svoje životy.
214No, Otče, ja som práve hovoril, že v nás prebýva Duch Svätý. A tento Duch Svätý, viera s týmto Duchom, robí všetko. A verím, že práve v tejto hodine, si odpustil každý hriech, ktorý spáchali. A prosím Ťa, so všetkou vierou, ktorá je v mojom srdci, aby si zachovával ich malé životy na tej ceste. Nech oni nikdy nevybočia z tej cesty.
215Toto je skutočne zvláštna vec. Duch povedal dnes ráno, že budeme vidieť niečo zvláštne. Bože, ak si prestal jednať s tými inými, vezmi malé deti. Ako dnes ráno pri tej výzve ku oltáru, nie je tu jedného dospelého, ale prišla celá skupina malých detí. A predsa, s týmto veľkým posolstvom, ťažko zrozumiteľným ešte i dospelým, ale tie deti zachytili Ducha z toho. Ďakujeme Ti za nich, Otče. Dávam ich Tebe, ako Tvoj sluha, ako trofej tohoto zhromaždenia, na pamäť, že tá ustavičná prítomnosť vody života pôjde s nimi pokiaľ budú žiť. Nech majú teraz vieru v toto čo sa deje, v Boha, ktorý ich potiahol zo sedadla a poslal ich sem, nech môžu mať vieru v toho Boha po všetky dni svojho života. Nech ich malí duchovia zostanú prinesení ku Tebe v dni ich smrti, prinesení naspäť do ich tela v deň zmŕtvychvstania. Oni sú Tvoji, Otče. Dávame ich Tebe v mene Ježiša.
216Kým máme sklonené svoje hlavy, chcem sa opýtať všetkých týchto malých detí pri oltári, ktorí veríte, že Ježiš je váš Spasiteľ a ten, ktorý vám povedal tam v obecenstve, aby ste prišli sem a kľakli si okolo tohoto oltára: "Veríte, že Ježiš vás miluje a odpúšťa vám váš hriech?" Chcem aby ste všetci vstali a obrátili sa do obecenstva. Takto môžete povedať ľuďom, že veríte, že Ježiš vás spasil. Vstaňte teraz, dobre, a obráťte sa ku obecenstvu. Vy všetci malý chlapci a dievčatá, ktorý milujete Ježiša, vstaňte a obráťte sa tam ku zhromaždeniu, každý z vás.
217A čo je s vami dievčatá tu vpredu? Veríte? Milujete Ježiša? Tieto malé dievčatá tu, milujte Ježiša z celého svojho srdca? Milujete? Milujete Ho? Ty Ho tiež miluješ, zlatíčko? Postavte sa tu, nech ľudia vedia, že milujete Ježiša. Nech vás Boh žehná.
218A teraz sa takto otočte a zaspievajte týmto ľuďom prv ako odídete: "Ježiš ma miluje, ja to viem. Biblia mi tak hovorí." Viete? Zodvihnime len teraz svoje ruky, keď to spievame. Dobre, spievajme.
Ježiš ma miluje, ja to viem;
Lebo Biblia mi to tak hovorí;
Deti patria Jemu;
Oni sú slabé, ale On je mocný.
219A teraz dajte hore svoje ruky, keď to spievame. Poďme, všetci spolu.
Áno, Ježiš ma miluje;
Áno, Ježiš ma miluje;
Áno, Ježiš ma miluje;
Biblia mi tak hovorí.
220A teraz všetci opakujte za mnou. Verím, že Ježiš Kristus je Syn Boží. Dnes Ho prijímam ako svojho osobného Spasiteľa. Od tohoto dňa Ho budem milovať a slúžiť Mu. Amen.
221[Nejaký brat v zhromaždení hovorí: "Brat Branham, mám teraz na srdci štyri deti. Pomodlíš sa prosím za ne?" – pozn.prekl.] Samozrejme, brat Ben.
222Nebeský Otče, tento muž vidí prichádzať ku Kristovi iné malé deti, a on kričí ako otec, za svoje vlastné deti. A Duch, ktorý priviedol tieto deti ku oltáru, nech ten istý Duch spasí jeho deti, Pane. Udeľ to. Dávame ich Tebe, Otče, v mene Ježiša Krista.
223 A teraz, keď vy deti pôjdete naspäť na svoje miesto, chcem aby každý v tejto rade si potriasol ruky s týmito malými deťmi, alebo ich potľapkal po chrbte, keď pôjdu naspäť. Choďte všetci stadeto na svoje miesta. A nech každý tam len potľapká tých malých. A my vás všetci zo srdca milujeme. Vy všetci ste členovia tela Kristovho, tak ako sú v ňom ostatní z nás.
Pochodujeme na Sion,
nádherný, nádherný Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion,
do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
Poďme, ktorí milujeme Pána, a nech vedia o našej radosti;
Pridaj sa do spevu so sladkou melódiou,
pridaj sa do spevu so sladkou melódiou;
A tak obstúpme trón. A tak obstúpme trón ...
(Mohutné dobré spievanie! Zodvihnime teraz ruky.)
Pochodujeme na Sion,
nádherný, nádherný Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion,
do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
(Zatiaľ čo spievame potrasme si navzájom ruky.)
Pochodujeme na Sion,
nádherný, nádherný Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion,
do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
224Stojme teraz so sklonenými hlavami, kým sa modlíme. Brat Teddy, len ...
225Mám tu nejaké prosby, vreckovky a tak ďalej. Môžu pochádzať z poza mora. Billy mi hovoril, že majú pár malých detských topánočiek od malého dieťatka z Anglicka, asi takéto veľké, to maličké dieťatko je úplný mrzák. A tak máme sa tiež za to modliť.
226A tak ... [Brat Ben hovorí: "Brat Branham, prosím prepáč, že vyrušujem, ale pomodli sa, že kto narazil do nášho auta minulí večer, do pravého predného blatníka, pomodli sa aby to bolo zjavené. Pomodli sa aby to Pán zjavil." – pozn.prekl.] Amen, brat Ben, pomodlím sa.
227[Brat Branham pokračuje hmkať "Pochodujeme na Sion." – pozn.prekl.]
228Ako pochodujeme Pane, vieme že tá udrená skala je tesne pri nás, tá ustavičná prítomnosť vody zo skaly ide s cirkvou. Ó večný Bože, uvoľni nám dnes ráno vieru v tohoto Boha, ktorý je s nami. Viem, že to urobíš, keď môžeme nájsť priazeň u Teba, že nám v tom môžeš dôverovať. Ak by si nám to dal vo veľkej miere, mohli by sme to nesprávne použiť, Pane. Ale keď sme našli milosť u Teba, nech sa to stane.
229Náš brat povedal, že niekto mu narazil do auta. Ó Bože, my vieme, že ten muž nemá peniaze, aby si toto dal urobiť. Prosím aby si usvedčil tohoto človeka, alebo aby niekde mohol činiť pokánie, že to urobil, aby prišiel a povedal: "Brat, ja opravím tvoje auto, ja som to urobil." Pomôž bratovi Benovi a jeho milovaným.
230Tu ležia v mojich rukách vreckovky a prosby, majú vieru v toho Boha. Mojžiš mal vieru v toho Boha, a prekročil more. Daniel mal vieru v toho Boha a bol vytiahnutý z jamy ľvov. Sadrach, Mézach a Abednégo mali vieru v Neho a vyhasili oheň. Pavol mal vieru v Neho, a jedného dňa, keď tie zhromaždenia boli opravdu ťažké a Pavol sa nemohol ku každému dostať, on len zobral vreckovku a povedal: "Verím že Boh je so mnou." On položil svoje ruky na tie vreckovky a zástery, a zlý duchovia odchádzali od ľudí, a choroby, nemoci odstupovali od nich. A, Bože, ja mám vieru v toho istého Boha. Nech odstúpi to zlé. Nemoci, a choroby, trápenia, nech to odstúpi, Pane.
231Ty si ten istý Boh, ktorý ku mne hovoril tam dole v tom ohnivom stĺpe dole pri rieke. Ty si ten, ktorého obraz visí to so mnou, na stene. Ty si s nami, Pane. Ty si stále prítomný, ten istý ohnivý stĺp. A my sa každý deň radujeme tej vode zo skaly, majúc diel v Duchu. Potom, Ty si tu. Sme o Tebe presvedčení, Pane. Máme vieru v Teba. Veríme, že Ty nás pomažeš a pomôžeš nám. Nie na našu chválu, Pane. Boli by sme, ako vtedy Mojžiš, keď urobil tú zlú vec. Chceme robiť niečo, aby sme Ti pomohli, Pane. To je zámer našich sŕdc. A ak to môžeme robiť, ukáž nám, Otče, čokoľvek chceš aby sme robili.
232A teraz, na skutok viery, staviam sa proti nemoci, ktorú reprezentujú tieto vreckovky, a tieto prosby. Oni opustia tých ľudí. Viem, že Ty to urobíš, Pane. Verím to vo svojom srdci, že Ty to urobíš. Uzdrav dnes ráno všetky choroby v našom strede.
233Spas tých, ktorí zodvihli ruky, ktorí povedali, že by radi prišli ku tej skale pre vodu. Bože, nech sú oni dnes tak smädní, nech okolo nich bude taký slaný život, že to spôsobí, že budú smädní po Kristovi. Udeľ to.
234Buď dnes večer s nami, Otče. Ó, Bože, daj mi nájsť cez tieto prosby, čo majú ľudia na srdci. Ak nič nemajú na srdci, potom Pane, Ty mi daj niečo, čo mám kázať dnes večer do ich sŕdc.
235Žehnaj nášho brata Nevilleho, a jeho ženu, jeho rodinu, náš malý zbor, našich starších, našich diakonov, našich členov, a Tvoje telo kdekoľvek je. Buď s nami, Otče. Porúčame toto do Tvojich rúk, v mene Ježiša Krista.
. . . na Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion,
do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
(Spievajme to len teraz, opravdu Jemu, viete.)
Poďme, ktorí milujeme Pána;
Nech vedia o našej radosti;
Pridaj sa do spevu so sladkou melódiou;
Pridaj sa do spevu so sladkou melódiou;
A tak obstúpme trón, A tak obstúpme trón.
(Teraz so sklonenými hlavami.)
Pochodujeme na Sion,
nádherný, nádherný Sion;
Pochodujeme hore na Sion;
Do toho nádherného mesta Božieho.
1 We are grateful this morning for the Presence of the Lord God, that would begin the early services by giving us a message, that--that we should "listen, be reverent" before Him, that He has something to say to us. I'm sure that He will do that what He has promised. He always does keep His Word. And so we are grateful to be assembled together, alive, and this side of eternity this morning, and able to worship the Lord again, and to assemble ourselves together and hear from Him. That's the reasons we come together, is for this very purpose.
2 Now, I kinda stormed in on Brother Neville, unexpectedly, today, because of a certain dream I had. That... I believe in--in dreams. I believe that God deals with people by dreams. And I had a very unusual dream, night before last, that I was going along a hillside, certain hillside, going to an eating place where I was to have my--my dinner. And I noticed that, as I got close to the place, they were playing music, an orchestra was playing music with violins, and entertaining the people while they were eating. And there was something about it that I didn't like, so I just bypassed the thing. And I met someone coming up a hill. And I looked, and many people were coming up the hill to this eating place. But I kinda got away from them, turned back to the right, or, to the left.
3 And somehow, down in the valley, I could see the Tabernacle. I heard someone's voice, said, "Meet Brother Branham at a certain-certain crossing. He's coming down the hill up there. And tell him such-and-such a thing." And I hurried to get to this crossing.
And when the person come up, it was Brother Neville wearing his brown suit, looked just like he looks setting there this morning. And he said, "Brother Branham, if you're going to be in the city," said, "it would be a--a good thing for you to come down, because Brother Hank..." Now, the only one I know, Brother Hank, is Brother Henry Carlson; we call him Hank. Said, "He might think it was strange that you didn't visit the Tabernacle more if you're going to be around the town for--around the city for a few days." I woke up.
And at that, I felt kinda strange. I didn't want to butt in at that time of week, till I asked Brother Neville if he had anything special for this morning for the church. So he was gracious, as always, said, "Come on down." So we just come on. I called him late yesterday afternoon and come in this morning unexpectingly to any of us.
6 Now, I believe that it would be a good thing, first, for me just kind of to--to explain to you some things. I am, supposingly, a very odd person to many people. And I'm kinda odd to myself, also. Because I try to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit just as close as I can. And that makes us odd. See? We do things that we--we really set down and wonder sometimes, "Why did I do such a thing? How did I ever do such a thing?" And right then you may think that you have done exactly what you should not have done. But if you'll just be patiently, and have faith, and you're sure that God has led you to do it, you'll find out it works out just exactly right. See? And many times we find that. And I know Brother Neville has found that many times. And leaders and spiritual people realize that.
It's been some time in my life that... Frankly, since I was just a boy, I have never felt the very leading that I should live in--in Jeffersonville. It's always been a fly in the ointment, for me to try to live here. The first place, the climate miserably disagrees with me. Another thing, there seems to be a depressing of the spirit.
8 If you go back and look somewhere here, if it didn't get destroyed during the time of the flood, there is a letter to that effect that I had, first called in the ministry, I started to leave. And Brother George DeArk and I...
And Brother Graham Snelling's mother, Brother Hawkins who runs the filling station in New Albany, and many of the people, met me outside a little prayer meeting place over here, and even said, if I would stay, they'd allowance their children at the table, to--to build a Tabernacle, so they wouldn't have to be carried about from place to place.
10 When I heard that little mother with one baby holding to her hand and the other one on her arm, say that she would be willing to allowance her children at the table, to in order to build a place where they could stay and worship, it was a little too for me to stand. So Brother George and I got together and decided we would stay and build the Tabernacle.
And when the Tabernacle was built, it always seemingly... The morning that I dedicated the Tabernacle, a vision came, which is written and in the cornerstone there, when the Holy Spirit said to me, "This is not your Tabernacle." See? And I asked where my Tabernacle was, and He set me down under the bright blue skies. And then He said, "Do the work of an evangelist," and so forth, as you know. It's written even in the books.
12 All those things put together. And one day when I was mowing the yard up there to where Brother Wood lives now, and my mother-in-law lived there at the time; I set on the back step, a little old concrete step, that I had built this little place there for my mother-in-law. And she was kind of janitor of the church at that time, taking care of it. And just as clear as anyone could speak, a Voice spoke to me, said, "I can never bless you as long as you stay here. You've got to separate yourself from your people and this place." Well, I... that just tore me to pieces for about a week or more.
13 Constantly, all the time, Something has warned me, "Go away; go away. Move westward. Keep going west." Well, I... It's always bothered me. And looks like every time...
Now, I had made it clearly in my mind that this week I was flying to Tucson, where I was to rent a place to be there this winter, to put the children in school, starting in September. I had the place. There's even a place give to me there. But there's something that... And--and if I'm gone away...
15 Another thing I'd like to say. Just before we built this house up here, the parsonage, where it is now, I did not want to build there. My wife's mother was old. And she even wept about it; she said, "I just can't leave mom here, with knowing she's old, and she might not be taken care of." Well, I understood that. I understand. That's her mother, and the only mother she ever had, or ever will have. So I understood that. So I--I prayed to the Lord; I said, "Lord, being that I do not like the place," I said, "make me satisfied. I'll go anywhere You want me to go, from anywhere. But I don't want to grieve my wife, to take her away from here, into a strange country where she knows no one. And then I'm gone all the time anyhow. Just make me satisfied to be here with her."
And now, when her mother has been taken, and she's gone on to glory, then here comes the urge again (See?), now to move on. I don't know what to do.
17 And then the other day when this doctrine that the brethren had started around, I stood from the pulpit the last time I was here and told you that I would not be on the field as long as that was going. So the brethren graciously straightened all that up. It's all cleared up. Within twenty-four hours, it was all over.
Now, that opens the field again to me. I don't know what to do. I don't know which way to turn. I've asked the Lord for a vision. I've asked Him to tell me what to do. But He just lets me set.
19 Now, last night when I got all the kiddies away, my wife and all, from the house, I made a commitment to the Lord God. And I said to the Lord God, "If You will bless me in the way that I go, I'll serve You. But You will have to show me where to go, and how to go, and what to do." So I committed myself to the Lord. With the--with the ministry and all, I committed it to the Lord. And I said, "Wherever You open, whatever You do, I'll walk in that way. Until You make a way, I'll just continue on as I am until You make the way." And I asked Him to make it so clear that I would not be deceived then, for I truly believe that we're right at a crossroads of something to happen.
I heard it prophesied this morning here by Brother Neville, or gave it where I knew it had--it had been a prophecy that he was referring to. Now, therefore, I have prayed for all you, and I need you all to pray for me, so that the Holy Spirit will lead me just exactly where I should go, what I should do, so I'll make no mistake.
21 You see, many times, people thinks that a prophetic gift, that God just says, "I'll pick you up right here, and set you down here. Now, you just go right over here." And He doesn't tell you all those things. If He did, then what overcoming faith did you have? See? See, you, He lets you stand alone more than anybody else. See? You all can come to me and ask for certain things, and He's never failed yet but what He's give you the answer. That's right. Yeah. But I can ask Him for things for myself, and many times He just let's me alone (See?), just let me go ahead and walk into it.
I have things now that I have to solve out myself, and decisions I have to make. And this is such a vital one, till I cannot exactly make it until I'm sure that it's Him speaking to me. And I--I... He won't give me a vision. He just lets me alone. So I'm just setting as an orphan like this morning; I--I don't know which way to turn. So I have committed it to the Lord.
23 I--I felt like then in dreaming that I should come back here to the Tabernacle and help Brother Neville until something else just occurred along the road... So I'll be along.
I asked Brother Neville a few moments ago, "How was the church progressing?"
And he said, "Good."
And so I hear that you still have spiritual gifts and things among you, which is operating, gifts of prophecy, and--and speaking with tongues, and interpretation of tongues, which we just heard a few moments ago. And those things are edifying to the church and greatly...
26 But I thought, maybe tonight I might, if Brother Neville... If the Holy Spirit doesn't lead us to something different, tonight I would like to have a... You all, before you leave this morning, to write you a question and lay it here, some question in your mind, that we might find out what the church is thinking. That's about the way pastors has of finding out just what's on the people's heart. And each one of you with a question, write it and lay it up here. If you do not have a piece of paper to--to get it on this morning, then write it tonight early. So I'd like to have just as much time as I could on them to look them over and Scripturally answer you.
27 Then if the Lord is willing, if it be God's will; I have made a statement here not long ago, that I would like to speak to you on the seven last Seals of the--of Revelation. Now, if we... I could not get all the way through those Seals this year, because it takes from the 6th chapter of Revelation, through the--through the 19th chapter to get through those Seals. But the first three or four of them could be answered within a night, I think, each Seal being a night.
28 Now, if we understand (See?), where we stopped right on that Book of Revelations, where the Church was taken up into glory, then the rest of it is dealing with the Jews, not with the Church at all. It's dealing with the Jewish nation. Therefore, we have to drop back down, from the rapture of the Church, and take... We see here what takes place during those Seals and time of the Gentile Church, the Church being gone; and with the nation of Israel it drops back and brings Israel from the time it left off with them up to the modern time; and the coming Messiah, when they will receive the Messiah.
Now, you get it? The Church is taken up. God dealt first with the church, church ages. We took that. Then the church is taken up into glory. Then the Holy Spirit goes back and gets Israel, as a nation. And brings it on down to this far, while the wedding supper's going on, and then brings them back again at the end of that time. I'll have my blackboard up, and be able to draw it out and teach it, when the time comes. Then the Lord returns with the Bride, and Israel sees her. And, oh, what a time that will be.
30 Now, before we can correctly tie this in, there's a great lesson that's a stumbler to theologians, and many teachers down through the age, and people of the Church of Christ, and those who are coming to hear this, that is, the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. We've got... We can't go no further in Revelations till we tie the Bride and Israel together with the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. And maybe, if God willing, so that if He should speak to me in the future, to speak on some of these Seventy of Weeks... or, not Seventy Weeks, but seven last Seals. Then next Sunday, I'll try to take Daniel's Seventy Weeks, next Sunday, the Lord willing. And then that'll open the grounds then, if He should lead us, to start on the others. Why, we'll find out from then on.
31 Brother Neville and I will be working together on this, and doing everything that we can for the benefit of the people.
Now, going back each time, we pray for the sick; we always glad to do that. And I'll probably do it every meeting, if people are sick, to pray for them.
I do not desire to have any more discernment. See? Now, here's what happened. I've tried. And I know I've done things that's wrong; but I have tried to live close enough to God, all the time to God; that's how these visions would happen, how they would take place. Even people would lose things, and call me up, ask me to go pray to the Lord, to ask where it was at. Like Jesse lost the mules, and the boys went down to find the prophet, and he told them where the mules had done returned home, so forth like that. That is perfectly all right. But it gets so much of it, so many people... Just not in the locality like this; it's worldwide. See? So it just gets, keeps me so tore up, and then keeping you right on the edge all the time, till it got to a place...
34 And that's what caused the brethren to get the doctrine started, that I was the incarnated Lord Jesus Christ. And we know that that would just tear the ministry all to pieces, and bring reproach upon Christ and everything. See? So that's the reason I had to give them a great shake to stop it right at once, to let them know that that was not of God; that was of the devil. See? And they're good people. And it showed those people are borned again of the Spirit of God, because when they seen Truth by the Scripture, they returned to God, exactly (See?), immediately. So that showed it was Satan trying to do something with the people; they were all godly Christian people.
35 And it made many of them say to me, "Brother Branham, we got more confidence in you now than we ever had." 'Cause, see what with the gift that God has given me, what could I have done with that? Throwed the nation at my feet, or, the people. What we call a nation, is not "kosmos" out here, the--the cannon fodder and so forth, I mean the Christians, the real believer, that's the cream of the... We speak of nation, we preach of the borned again people; that's what we talk of the nation. Not just everybody out here, that's so filth and muck that we're living in the world; that's just--that's just dust of the earth that's turning back. I'm talking about borned again Christians, people that's real Christians.
37 I'm waiting for a man to jump onto me again about something. Someone come to me not long ago and said, "The very idea of Christ spitting on the ground with His spit, and making a cake and smearing it over somebody's eyes." Said, "How filthy, dirty that was for Him to spit, with His spit out of His mouth. How unsanitary it was to spit in dirt, and make mud cakes and put it over a man's eyes."
I said, "But he come back seeing." See, that's it.
And that same man... They opened up a nudist camp up there by my place, you know, the swimming pool. And--and that man's got a ticket for every one of his children to go down there and swim in that pool. And he and his wife goes too. In that pool... Excuse me, my sisters. But where them women in there swimming, about a hundred of them, or two, every day; women, all that filth and things, and the women today, and washing around in that water, and that filth and dirt in their mouths, and swallowing it, and spitting it out. I just want him to jump onto me. You see?
They said, "If--if Christ was living today, they'd have Him arrested on account of that unsanitary thing."
How about that? I'm sure you catch what I mean. They go right in that pool, and many of them with diseases, syphilitic, gonorrhea, and everything else, right in there. And you're spitting it through your mouth, and everything like that, and washing around in there like that... And that's sanitary, of course?
41 So, oh, my, this day we're living in, brother, sister, it's time for the coming of the Lord. I--I... The Church has one hope: that's the coming of the Lord.
Well, I cannot stop those things; there's no need. The Bible done predicted they'd be here. I cannot stop them. But I want my voice on record in heaven, that I was against it. When the time comes for the judgment, I was against it.
I still believe that this Bible is the Word of God. And there's nothing else in the world, contrary to It, can ever stop It. But this Bible here, this is the Truth; this is God's Word. So now let's just pull in our--our--our sails, and anchor awhile against the peaceful shore of the haven of rest. And--and we can sail off tomorrow somewhere, but let's just anchor now and listen to the voice of our heavenly Father as He would speak to us through His Word, we trust, today.
44 And tonight, now, you get fixed up whatever little question you have about... Now, not something that's going to harm someone. If you do that, then that's... I wouldn't answer that to begin with. See? But you, something another, say, "Well, now, if I do a certain thing, does God say that we should do this?" Or, you know, little questions on your heart. Or, "We have gifts running with us, Brother Branham, and should we operate them this way or that way? Or, what should we do?" something that I could answer you back in the Scripture. You see? Write out a little something, I'd be glad. And if there's none, then I'll just take a subject of some sort, and preach to you tonight, the Lord willing. This is Sunday, and I've been...
45 Last Sunday I started to go over to Brother Cauble's. And I heard this church bell ring, and I just walked up and down in the yard. I couldn't stand it. That was all. I heard you, so I--I--I just had to come down.
So now, let us just bow our heads now and speak to our Maker, and then in a word of prayer. Has anybody a special request? Just raise up your hands, just say, "I..." Just make it known. God knows what's on your heart. Now, just keep your request on your mind.
47 Most holy God, Who has created heavens and earth by the Word of Thy mouth, by the thoughts of Thy mind. We are coming into Thy Presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to give Thee thanks for all that You have done for us. And we're so grateful to You, Lord, this morning to know where we are standing, to know the position that we are in this morning, and the history of time, and the future that's coming. Knowing today, that by the grace of God, that we've been washed in the Calvary's Blood, that we are prepared with faith in our hearts to meet Him if He should come today. We should say, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
And we see the sin heaping up, until it seems like the world staggers under the impact of sin. How that drinking and gambling, and carousing, and nudeness, and, O God, the filth, and dirt, and muck of the people, and how they, if they could just realize... Lord, does those people who dresses like that in those little old ungodly clothes, and get out there on the street, do they realize that they're nothing but bugs and dust, that maybe in another week the bugs will be eating that body that they're so glorifying? Do they realize that the cankerworms will eat it up and their soul will be yonder in an eternity without God, without Christ, without a hope, sinking in deep despair, to be simply annihilated at His coming? O God, give us voices of--of warning, that we might warn every soul of this danger that they're approaching.
49 Be with us today and give us words of wisdom, as Solomon once said in the Ecclesiastes, that we would be wise builders, that we'd be the shepherds of this assembly. And we pray, Lord, that as we seek out words to say, that they would be--they would be masterpieces that would catch the heart that's so in need here this morning.
We have not come and gathered under this hot roof today just to be seen, but we have come here because we love You, and because we are desiring to hear from You. You are our Lover that we love, and we desire to hear Words from Thee. We are grateful for what we have already heard. It will long stay with us. Now, give us the portion that You have for us today, as we wait further on Thee. We ask it in Jesus' Name, and for His sake. Amen.
51 Now, it's... [Tongues and interpretation are given--Ed.] We are grateful for these exaltations from the Spirit; they tell us and warn us to watch the Words that maybe the Holy Spirit is going to speak to us today. And we don't know just what He has in store for us, but we do know that there must be something that He's going to bring forth. Maybe a question's on your mind, that He'll speak it through there. He might speak it through the message this morning. He might speak it tonight at the service. He, somewhere along today, He's trying to, look like, warn someone to catch the Word.
53 Now, to turn to the written Word, let us go over in the Book of Exodus, for the Sunday school lesson.
Do you have a baptismal service? [Brother Neville says, "No, not until six o'clock this evening."--Ed.] No. The baptismal service at six this afternoon.
55 Let's go to the 17th chapter of Exodus, and begin with the--with the 5th verse, I believe, 5th and 6th verses of the 17th chapter of Exodus.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go.
Behold, I will stand before thee... upon the rock in Horeb; and... shall smite the rock, and there shalt come water out of it, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Now, if I should call this a little Sunday school text, I would like to take this as the subject for this morning's lesson: "The Ever Present Water From The Rock."
57 We know that Israel has always been a historical example of the church. 'Cause Israel was the people of God until they came out of Egypt, and then they were the church of God because they were a separated from the rest of the world.
And when we are separated from the rest of the world, then we become the church. But as long as we are entangled with the rest of the world, then we are not in the church. Now, I trust that that goes real deep, catches its place. See, we are not the church until we are separated from the world. Separate ourselves, come out from among the peoples unclean, deal not with them, and be not partakers of their sins. Yoke not up with the unbelievers, but separate yourself from the things of the world.
And when Israel was in Egypt, they were the people of God. Then when they was called out, or had the exodus, coming out, then they were called the church, because it was then they separated themselves from the rest of the world.
60 And the very word "church" means "called out," exodus, "come out." Each one of us, as Christians, has had an exodus in our life. We had a time where we were called out from amongst our associates, called out from amongst the people that we once fellowshipped with, and become a different people, to walk with a different people that acted a different way and talked a different way. It was an exodus in our life.
Very fine example Israel gave us of when God called them out. They had an exodus, and came out from amongst the--the peoples of the world, and become a separated nation, unto God, a peculiar people. They walked under the shadows of the mercy seat. They lived and walked by the great Pillar of Fire. And God brought them from Egypt to the land that He had promised.
62 And in this exodus, they were given a spiritual leader, a leader, which was Moses, a great anointed prophet that was a--a great man. He was a godly man; he was borned a godly man. God called him from his mother, even before that time; God ordained him before the foundation of the world to be a leader to that generation to bring this exodus to the people.
63 Here sometime ago, I spoke to the little children here in the Tabernacle, and had a little sermon for them, and told, or give a little illustration of how Jochebed, how she prayed, her and Amram, the father of Moses, about doing something about delivering the people. And Amram saw the vision of God standing, or an Angel, pointing towards the north, and told him what would take place. Then the little Moses was born. And they feared not the commandments of the king, or the threats. They knowed that God had His hand on Moses, and that settled it. That's right. No matter what the king said, what the political world said, what anything else said, they knowed God had His hand on Moses. So they wasn't scared to turn him loose right in the midst of the crocodiles; when they were all just fat on little Hebrew children, where they'd fed them out there to the crocodiles. And yet Moses was put right in a little ark and sent right out among the crocodiles, right out among them. Because they didn't fear nothing; they knowed that God had His hand on Moses.
64 Well now, if we could just know that same thing, that our great Leader, the Holy Spirit, God has sent Him, and He's our Leader. And no matter what the world says, and how much they laugh at you and make fun of you, we follow our Leader. God sent the Holy Spirit to be our Leader. See? "A little while and the world seeth Me no more. Yet ye shall see Me, for I'll be with you, even in you, to the end of the world." So our great Leader is with us, the Holy Spirit. Now, we must follow this Leader and do just as He says do. And this Leader will never take us from the path, He'll keep us right in the path of the Scripture all the time. But He'll never go to one side for something, and this side for something. He'll stay right straight in the road of the Scriptures.
65 And Moses had a course that he was to take Israel, and follow then right across the Red Sea, right across Jordan, right into the promised land, right out through the wilderness. It wasn't Moses got out of line. It wasn't God out of line. It was the people out of line that caused the trouble. So let us think of these things now. (Pardon me.)
Moses, this anointed leader... Finally, when he had showed to the people by signs and wonders, that God alone could do... He performed these signs and wonders before the elders of Israel, and before Israel, until they were satisfied that this Moses was the anointed one that was to take them out of this country to that goodly land that they had been promised. Then when they seen these great things that Moses did in the Name of God, they were willing to follow him. And he taken them out, and led them through the Red Sea, crossed over as on dry land, and into the wilderness journey, which means the time of testings.
67 When a fellow receives Christ as his Saviour, everything is on the housetop. But before this man can come into the baptism of the Holy Spirit, this person, he must first have a sanctifying process. He must have a testing time in his life. All of you had it. He had this testing time. "Every son that cometh to God, is first scourged, chastened, chastised. And if we cannot stand chastisement, then it shows we're not children of God; we are bastards, and not children of God," the Bible said. But if we can stand the chastisement, knowing that "all things work together for good to them that love God," then we are sons and daughters of God; then He seals us with the Holy Spirit until the day of our redemption. See, that's the chastisement, the strain, the thing we go through. And Israel, as a historical type, had to take this chastisement.
68 Now, when they were down in Egypt, and God sent Moses and he stretched forth the rod, and fleas and lice come on the ground... He stretched forth towards the sun, and it went down. He stretched it over the waters, and they turned to blood. Why, Israel was over in Canaan's--over in--in Goshen, just having a glorious time; the sun never went down; the plagues never struck them; why, they were just having a glorious time, just like you did when you first got saved.
Everything, the birds sang different, and everybody was sweet. And, oh, my, how everything just was dandy when you first got saved. Then come the trying time, the chastening, sanctifying time, sanctifying yourself from things of the world, "laying aside the weights that does so easily beset you." You, a man, had to stop your smoking, stop your drinking, stop your going to the pool room, your all night card parties. All those things, you had to sanctify yourself from them by the faith in the Blood of Jesus Christ: sanctifying yourself. You women had to let your hair grow out, lengthen your dresses, and act like different than what you was: sanctifying time. Many times they'd rebel and go back; well, that's not a child of God. See? A child of God looks straight to Calvary and knows that it's for his good.
70 So then that process of time, there's where the great falling away come in Israel. When this great crowding-in time, then the people began to fall away from one side to the other. Then in their chatting, "Well, we wish we were back down in Egypt. Our souls loatheth this light bread." In other words, if I'd take it historically now, that's what they said.
Now, in the modern day, it would be, "Oh, every Wednesday night, prayer meeting. Every Sunday morning, back to the church. What do we hear? The same thing; the preacher stand up and preach; songs; go on back." See, then you're just going as a line of duty. You're not a worshipper. A worshipper goes there to worship, to express hisself before his God, to praise God for His goodness; to every Word, he hangs onto It.
72 Just like a love affair. If you was going with a girl because you knew it was a duty, or you going with a boy, when you were young... "Mama wants me to go with this guy, but I just can't stand him." You don't get nothing of him coming to see you. Or, if it's the same way about the girl to the boy, or boy to the girl. You go with her, she bores you; mama wants you to go with her because she's the type of girl that mama likes. See, it bores you; there's no love affair. But you don't care; you don't want to clean up; you don't want to go see her. And it's a... Why, it's a horrible thing. And when he's coming to see you, my, you just wish he'd hurry on, go home.
That's the same way it is when you, "Why does he preach so long? What about all this stuff, and everything?" See, you're not in love.
But when you really hang onto every Word, as the Spirit gave you warning this morning (See?), "Hanging onto every Word..." That might be what He has been talking to you about, holding on. It's Eternal Life, every Word of God. It's a joy to go to church, under any circumstance. Whether it's hot, cold, indifferent, whether the people are fussing, growling, whatever they're doing, it's still a joy to hear the Word of the Lord. Then you're in love then with Christ (See?); you love to go to church.
75 "Well, honey, here it's Sunday morning again; I guess we have to wash up the young ones and get down there. My, it's boresome." See, you're not in love.
But if you're really in love, you just can't wait till Sunday morning comes; you've just got to get down there with them. And we get, and to leave... The people of God, they don't bore you. Why, they're--they're brothers and sisters. As I used to say, "You get as thick as Sorghum molasses on a cold morning." It--it don't run; it just stays together, you know, clings tight. Now, that's a rude expression, but it's--it--it's trying to let you know what I mean. You see? You stick together. And the colder it gets, the tighter they stick. And that's the way it ought to be with us. The colder...
When the earthly friends forsaken,
Still more closely to Him cling.
77 And what we love, each other, is not because that we're somebody; but it's the Christ in one another that we love. You see? It's the God that's in our beings, that we love. Now, we love to come together as we used to sing the old hymn:
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred mind
Is like to that Above.
See, the fellowship of kindred mind is like of that Above.
Before our Father's throne,
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.
See? Yes, sir. When one's had a blessing, we're all happy about it. When one's sad, we're sad with him. We--we want to all be together. Now, that's the way we're supposed to be.
79 And that's the way Israel was supposed to be. But it become burdensome, "Oh, this old light bread, Angels bread... Well, what do we care about this old light bread? Our souls loatheth this stuff. And everything's wrong. And--and this old manna that falls out every night, why, we'd rather have some garlic and leek out of Egypt." You see, their hearts wasn't ready for the journey.
And when a man or a woman begins to complain about going to church, they get so tired of going to church, they're not ready for the journey. That's right. There's something wrong somewhere.
Oh, when you love God, and thinking you're going to heaven, and all of you are going together...
What a fellowship, what a joy Divine,
Leaning on the everlasting Arm;
Oh, what blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on His everlasting Arm.
What a...
We sing those hymns.
We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
A sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again at the next prayer meeting time. (Yes, sir, still joined in heart.)
82 Now you're getting ready for the journey (See?); you're ready for to go into the promised land, the testing time. There is the danger ground, the wilderness, the testing times.
Israel, in her testing time, she got to quarreling and fussing with one another, and loathing over the bread. And they wanted to go back to Egypt. And then they begin to complaining about their leader. Oh, they was afraid that he was leading them astray; after he'd showed himself to be a leader, and God had proved that he was the leader. "Well, maybe we've acted a little bit fanatically. And--and maybe we've got off, all on the wrong foot," or something like that. See? They was chatting against God and against Moses: God and His leader.
85 Now, when we get to a place, saying, "I don't know whether the Word means this, or not. And I don't know about the Holy Spirit; I'm a little bit skeptic of That. I know others that don't." Well, go on to Egypt. See?
But if you're really determined to stay on the road, stay right with this Leader, the Holy Spirit, stay right with the Word. And if you stay with the Spirit, It'll keep you in the Word. That's right. It'll take you right down along the line, the path of the Word. And don't be afraid of It. It won't hurt nothing; It'll just help you if you are hurt. It'll heal all the hurts; the Holy Spirit will.
87 Now, we find out that, along this road, after they got like this, they come to a place of Horeb. And H-o-r-e-b, Horeb, then we find out... Let's break that name down. That's where the--the name "Horeb" means, a "dry place" or a "desert."
And when we get out of fellowship with one another in the church, and out of fellowship with the Holy Spirit, it brings us to a dry place, a desert, nothing alive, everything got stickers on it. See, a--a desert, a little piece of cactus with that sticker on it. Did you know what that is? That's a precious little tender leaf that hasn't had no water; it's just wound itself up so tight till it's a sticker. And when you see somebody like that, maybe it's a precious soul that could been watered right, would've been a tender little leaf or something. But instead of that, it's wound itself up till it's a sticker, just punching at everything, you know, finding fault. Only thing it needs is just water. That's all. It just--it just needs a--a revival, or a breaking up, a refreshing from the Lord. It'll--it'll unfold its little self, if you'll just put it to the water.
89 But that's where them who live in that place has to suffer with the conditions of that place. And those who desire to live in that kind of an atmosphere of where everything's just punching and fussing, and quarreling and stewing like that, well, you'll just live under that atmosphere; that's all. But we don't have to live there; it's not necessary for us to stay there.
Now, this Horeb was the place where God was discouraged with the people, because they had wondered into this place and had got in this condition. And He brought them right around to it, because that they wouldn't walk in the path. They got off the--the main road, got off over on this side road. And then it caused God to do something that was terrifically. He... Caused God to have Moses to take the judgment rod that he had judged the nation with and smite the Rock to bring forth water.
Now, there's a beautiful lesson here if we could just get it. See? And because that we get so out of cater, and world bound, and things, it caused God to take the judgments of the world and smite His Own Son with it at Calvary, that we might go free. Do you see what I mean?
92 Now, in order to get these people to some water, after they got over there, this dry place was made a Calvary. And there God told Moses; He said, "Take the rod and the elders, and go forth, and I will stand on the Rock before you." And this Rock was Christ. And Moses, with the rod that he had brought judgment upon the nation of Israel, took this same rod and smote the judgments of God upon the Rock. See? He took the sins of the people onto this rod. Which he should've smote the people, instead of smiting the people he smote the Rock. And the Rock, through a work of God, brought salvation, brought water to a perishing people. It brought life to a dying people. And that's what God did by taking His--His wand of a judgment rod, and winding my sins and your sins around this rod; when it should have struck us, but it struck Christ; that from Him come forth waters, which means "Spirit." The Holy Spirit came forth from Him, to give us Life. Now, we have Eternal Life. Now, that Rock was Christ. Now, we want to notice.
93 I've seen so many intellectual drawings of this Rock. I seen one of the most critical ones not long ago, till where there was a--a little rock laying up on top of a hill. And--and Moses was supposed to have smitten this rock, and Israel was down in there with a tea cup, getting them a drink out of a little sprinkle that fell down out of this rock. Now, that is just somebody's idea.
But when this Rock brought forth its waters, there were over two million people, besides the ox, and camels, and everything else that drank in tubs of water from it. It was a gushing stream that come forth out of there.
95 That's the way they try to make Christ, the Holy Spirit today. It's just a little sprinkle (See?), just enough to make you believe that there is a God. No. It is an abundance of Water. David said, "My cup runneth over." It's just a gusher of the Holy Spirit.
People are afraid of It. Some people say, "Well, I'm just a little afraid I'll do this or that, or if I happen to go a little too deep. I can show you someone went a little too far." But you never do point to that one didn't go far enough. See? Just how about the ones that didn't go far enough?
98 Now, we have had some people that got into the flesh, and got off on the wrong foot. And--and not God, but the people got... Because of not good leadership, and so forth, got them off on the wrong foot, and they went into fanaticism. And then the whole world, the devil points them, "See that? See that?"
Well, let me stand this morning and point back to these tens of millions times more that never even made a start. What about them? See, look at their condition. Look at a guy like Eichmann today, with the highest... They say, "The Pentecostals are unethical and uncouth, and they're not educated," and so forth like that. Look at Eichmann, one of the highest educated men in the world. And he put to death six million children and women and men, six million souls. You don't want to point to somebody like that.
100 But some little fellow that couldn't read, hardly, called maybe some name of the Bible wrong, and, or maybe said something or did something wrong, or made some mistake, the newspapers wants to write it up everywhere, and say, "They're not to be trusted."
Then if that cannot be trusted, why not education, the things and intellectuals that they have today? Look at Adolf Hitler. Look at the brains of the world today. Look at them. The old saying, "The sauce for the goose is for the gander."
The thing you have to do is be able, by the Holy Spirit, to divide what's right and wrong, and take what is right and wrong.
103 Now, we find out that this Calvary that they had, and the waters of life gushed forth for the people...
Now, some people has upon their hearts and mind, that all Israel drank, and then they packed up the camels and tied their hitches on their horses, and so forth, and took their kids and journeyed on into somewhere else, and left the Rock there, sprinkling. That is wrong. That Rock followed them, and that water followed them. Now, in I Corinthians the 10th chapter, I believe, and the 11th verse, you can find it, that that Rock followed Israel. Wherever they went from that day henceforth, the Rock went with them, and the waters followed them.
106 What a beautiful type, and a--a beautiful hold and an anchor for the believer today, that knows that that Rock that was once smitten, that Water that once poured forth from Calvary, goes with us wherever we are. Oh, my. It's not go back to a certain place and say, "Well, we did have Water day before yesterday, over there." We got Water today right here, because that Rock was Christ. And Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. See?
That Rock followed Israel. They never followed the Rock, but the Rock followed them. Amen. Israel went on their journey. They had but one thing to do, that's keep the straight course, right straight on into the promised land. And the Rock and the water followed them... the Rock following them... I Corinthians tells you so, the 10th chapter. All right. That Rock was Christ.
108 God took the judgments of the people and placed them upon Christ, and smote Him. Did you notice, there was a cleft in the Rock from then on? The Rock had a cleft in it where Moses smote. And Christ had a cleft when He was smitten, "He was wounded for our transgressions, and with His stripes we were healed." From that Life come forth the Waters of Life that we so enjoy today.
109 Now, in order to obtain this Life... Remember, the Life of Christ stays with the church. Hallelujah. Oh, if we could anchor our thoughts there for the next ten minutes... Christ does not leave the church. "I'll be with you always, even to the end of the world." It's the people that leaves Christ, not Christ leaving the people. The people leave it by their unbelief. They leave Christ, not Christ leaving the people.
Israel left the stream, not the stream leaving Israel. See? For the Bible plainly states that the Rock and the water followed Israel: followed them. Wherever they went, it went too.
111 Oh, I'd like, this morning, if we had time, to turn over to the 1st chapter of Joshua, where He said, "Everywhere the soles of your feet shall trod, I've given to you. Wheresoever thou goest, the Lord thy God is with thee. Don't you fear any man. Be courageous. Just wherever you make a footstep, I'm right there with you, no matter where it's at." God going with Joshua...
The same God goes with His church this morning that's drink from this Fountain yonder. Wherever you make a footstep, there's where God will be right with you to water in and give you Life. "I'll be with thee always, even unto the end of the age." Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. The laws of God...
113 Now, you say, "Then, Brother Branham, why is it that we do not do the things then that we should do? How is it our gifts and things in the church does not come to its color, to where it should be? How is it our church does not lift up into the spot where it should be?" The people in the testing time drops away like Israel did. They think that God has left them.
But remember, the Rock never left Israel. Israel left the Rock; it forgot about the Rock being with them all the time. It was right there, went right with them to the end of the road. "It followed them." It wasn't out of speaking distance. It wasn't out of hearing distance. Or it wasn't out of seeing distance. And neither is Christ with the Church today; He's not out of speaking distance.
Some of you have backslid, and done that which is wrong, and you've lost that joy, and your Water is dried up. He's still in speaking distance of you. He follows you. He knows every move you make and everything you do. He's longing to hear you call Him on the scene.
116 And this great Pentecostal move today, God is waiting for you to call Him on the scene. You're not out of speaking distance with Him. Though we've done wrong, and sinned, and turned our backs on Him, and--and done things we ought not to do, but yet He's with us. Christ said He would be with us.
The Bible said, "The waters followed the children of Israel." When they got thirsty, they knowed the water was near.
118 Now, these things are controlled by laws. All of God's system is put up by laws. Now, we'll take... Let's stop for a minute.
Let's take the world. It turns; every twenty-four hours it makes a complete revolution, so perfect, that we have never been able, with all of our science, to make a watch to keep perfect time. Every once in a while, the best watches they ever make, in the run of a year, will gain or lose many minutes. But the world never fails but what she's right there on the second. It's so perfect till the scientists today, the astronomers can tell you in twenty years from now, or fifty years from now, just exactly the sun and the moon will pass one another. When it turns its twenty-four hour circle, and it turns its time around the orbit for a season, it does not miss a tick. Hallelujah. It's perfectly, because it's running according to the law of God.
120 They know just exactly when that tide will go out just to the minute, because they know what time the moon drops. And God's got everything set in order by a law. And when that moon goes down, away goes the tide with it. When that moon comes up, here comes the tide with it. And they know exactly, by timing, when that moon will go down. They can put it on a almanac calendar for years ahead, and tell you to the minute when that tide will start dropping. Sure, because that's the way the moon is going out, because it is set in the order of God's law.
121 I was standing the other day by Lake Michigan. And I went over to Lake Superior on my road to Canada, that large body of water. And I stood there, and I thought, "How many miles is it across this great straight of water here?" And then after I crossed Michigan--or Lake Superior, I would come into Michigan, almost an equal body of water. And to there, from Lake Superior to Lake Michigan, from Lake Michigan to Lake Ontario, and just--and Huron, and all the lakes together. How many billions times billions times billions, and innumerable barrels of fresh water lays within that lake.
And yonder in Nevada, and in Arizona, New Mexico, eastern California lay millions of acres of parched burning ground, that's so fertile that, if that water could ever get on that ground, this nation could feed the world, without any hungry people, and have surplus to throw in the sea. That's right. The millions of acres that would grow tons times millions of tons of potatoes, and cabbage, and beans, and--and lettuce, and radishes and celery, and cucumbers, and whatmore. The ground would grow it; it's--it's just longing for the water.
123 And here's the water up here, and here is the ground down here. Now, we can see it, and we know it would do it, because we can test the water and see it's fresh, and test the soil and see it's fertile. Now, all the wishing that we can do will never put them together. But there is a law, and that law is gravitation. Now, if we'd work according to gravitation, we could water every bit of that land, taking the water from the lakes and watering it. But we'll have to work according to the law of gravitation. We can't wish it out there. We can't scream it out there. We can't holler it out there. We've got to work according to the laws of gravitation to get it there. God puts everything in a law.
124 Here I was thinking; I don't know whether I ever told you this or not. I was down in Kentucky, squirrel hunting, with Brother Wood about a year ago. And we... The squirrels was kinda scarce, and so we went over to a fellow's house to find out about hunting. A man had several acres of ground, and on this ground there was much woods. But Brother Wood told me that the man is an infidel. He's--he's an unbeliever. So he said that he knew him, so he--or his father knew him; he'd go over and ask if we could have permission to go hunting.
We drove up to the gentlemen's place. And he and another man, both of them in their seventies, they were setting under an apple tree. And Mr. Wood went into this man, and he said to him, "Could I hunt a little bit on your place?" And he said, "Well," he said, "all right." He said, "What Wood are you? Are you Jim Wood's boy?"
He said, "I am."
He said, "Well, old Jim was honest and so forth." And said, "You can hunt anywhere you want to, on my place. I got so-many hundred acres here; help yourself. Go down in them hollows, wherever you want to. Just make yourself at home."
I set in the car, because I thought the preacher and infidel wouldn't go good together, if we was going to ask a favor of the infidel.
128 So then after while, Brother Wood said, "Well, now, could I have my pastor with me? I guess it would be an right for him to come along."
And this old man turned around on his cane, and he said, "Wood, do you mean to tell me that you've stooped so low, till you have to have a preacher with you wherever you go?"
And so that, I thought, after that I'd better get out of the car. So I got out of the car, and talked to the old gentleman a few minutes. And he let me know right quick that he didn't have much use for preachers, because he thought they were talking about something that they didn't know nothing about.
He said, "They just blat out at something they don't know nothing about. Well," he said, "when a man talks to me, I want him to know what he's talking about." Now, that's good sense. That's good sense. He said, "Now, if a man talks to me, I don't want him talk on some something, another, supposition that he knows nothing about. I want him to speak something that he knows what he's talking about." Well, I honored that. I respected that in the old gentleman.
And so I said, "Well, of course, that's every fellow to his own opinion."
133 And he said, "There was one preacher that come here in this country a few years ago, that had a meeting over at Acton." And he said, "This preacher, one night, being a stranger in the country, said to a--a lady that was setting in the audience, 'You have a handkerchief in your pocket. And you're Mrs. So-and-so. And you have a sick sister over on the hill here. Her name is So-and-so. She's dying with cancer in the stomach.' And said, 'Take this handkerchief and lay it on your sister, and tell her, "THUS SAITH THE LORD," she's not going to die, but live.'"
He said, "This same woman was a friend of ours." And said, "We took this woman... This handkerchief up; or this man to the person..." First he said, "This woman, my wife and I had been up there that morning and had took, waited on this woman. And she was so bad the doctors had give her up long ago. She was so bad till we had to move her in a sheet, lift her up to put her on the bedpan, take her back. Turn her in the sheet, she was so bad." He said, "One night, over there, there come a noise like they had somebody had died."
135 That was Ben over there with that handkerchief, taking it over there. I believe it was you, wasn't it, Ben? [Brother Ben says, "Amen. Amen."--Ed.] It was Brother Ben over there, getting that handkerchief, 'cause he took the woman over there.
And said, "The next morning she was eating fried apple pies." And said, "She don't only does her own work, but she does the neighbor's work. She was so well." He said, "Now, I've often wondered. If I ever seen that preacher, he knew what he was speaking about," said, "I--I'd like to talk with him."
Brother Wood looked over to me, and I looked over to him. Standing there, dirty, and sweaty, and filthy, had been camping in the woods, and--and squirrel blood all over us. And so I said, "Well," I said, "is... You mean that you could talk to this fellow and he'd tell you how he done that?"
He said, "Yes, sir, that's what I mean."
I said, "Well, that's--that's a good thing."
138 I was eating one of his apples. Little old yellow jackets was getting on them there, you know, in the fall of the year in August. So I had this little apple, and I'd eaten on it. And I said, "That's a very good apple." I said, "How long has that tree been there?"
"Oh," he said, "I planted that tree there, thirty or forty years ago, or something another."
"Yes, sir." I said, "I would just like to ask you a question." I said, "How in the world... I see those apples have dropped off that tree, and its leaves are dropping off, and here it is only in the middle of August." And I said, "We haven't had not even a cool spell; we haven't even had a frost or anything, and yet them leaves are dropping off of that tree. Why is that?"
He said, "The sap has left the tree."
"Oh," I said, "where did it go to?"
He said, "Down in the roots."
And I said, "Then how long will it stay down there?"
He said, "Till spring."
And I said, "Then it'll come back up, and bringing you up new leaves for a shade, new apples to eat."
He said, "That's right. Exactly right."
142 I said, "Well, I want to ask you something, sir. You talk about these fellows that don't know what they're talking about." I said, "Could you explain to me what Intelligence makes that sap leave that tree? If it stayed there through the winter, the tree would die. You'd kill the tree. The germ of life is in that sap." So I said, "It would kill the tree. What Intelligence makes that sap go out of that tree, down into the roots, and stay until springtime, and then come back up again, and bring some more apples?" I said, "Put water in a bucket and set it on a post, and see if in August it'll go down to the bottom of the post and come back up in springtime. See?" I said, "There is some law; there is a law of nature. Some Intelligence set this law in order. Not only that, but that same Intelligence has to operate that law, that runs it down into the root of the tree and comes back."
He said, "I never had thought of that."
I said, "Can you... If you can ever find out the Intelligence that makes that sap go from that tree limb down into the roots and come back, that's the same Intelligence that told me over there that night, 'Go, put that handkerchief on the woman.'"
He said, "And you're that preacher?"
I said, "Yes, sir, that is right."
144 Last year I was over (He's gone away.), and when His widow was sitting on the porch, peeling apples off that same tree... Brother... First they was going to run us out; they didn't know who we were. And I went and told her about it, that we had permission from him. And told about it, said, "He made a full confession of Christ before he died."
You see, what does that tree, what Intelligence runs that down? It's a law. It's a law that God has set in order. And that law is God's law that will take care of the subject. Amen.
You know, I don't care how, much you cry out, and say--say now, "It ain't going to... The sun ain't going to shine no more this summer." It'll shine, anyhow. How much you're going to say, "I--I--I ain't going to let nighttime come." It'll come, anyhow. Because this thing that we live on, called the world, is controlled by a law of God.
147 Now, brethren and sisters, I want to ask you something. Then if we are borned again of the Spirit of God... God don't have little weak parts and big strong parts; He's altogether God! And if you had enough of God in you, till It was just barely a shadow, that's enough power to make a new earth. That's enough power to make a new moon and a new system. It's God, and it's strong. And right now in every believer in here has Life Eternal, which is God's Spirit in you; enough power that'll raise up the dead, that'll heal the sick, that'll set orbits in conditions. But you're... It's controlled by a law, that Spirit that's in you. You are sons and daughters of God. That same Spirit that you've got in you, will raise yourself up at the day of the resurrection.
148 Jesus, when He was here on earth, when He died, His soul descended into hell, and preached to the spirits that were in prison, the souls in prison, that repented not in the long-suffering of the days of Noah. His body went into the grave. But before He died, He commended His Spirit into the hands of God. His Spirit went to God; His soul went to hell; and His body went to the grave. And Jesus was barred out from resurrection until the Scripture could be fulfilled. He could not come back, because He had to stay in the grave for three days and nights. But when the Scripture was all fulfilled, this bar was taken away; His Spirit descended to His soul, His soul to His body, and He rose again.
149 And when we die, our souls will go under the altar of God, where I was privileged to see a few mornings ago, as you know, in the vision, where the Bible speaks of. Our spirits will go to God Who give it, and our bodies shall return to the dust of the earth. But someday where the Scripture is fulfilled, our spirits will be released from God, will pick up the soul, and the soul to the body. And the power that'll raise us up, is right in us now. We are now in heavenly places. We are now in the power of the resurrection.
If there wasn't a law to that, sons and daughters of God would create them a world out here and go live a private life on it. You have the power in you to do it. If you've got a shadow of the power of God in you, you got power to do it. God is omnipotent. See what I mean? The power that's in you will make... You could speak a world into existence and go live on it. Hallelujah. There you are.
That's what power is in the Church now, but it is controlled by a law. And that law is not keeping a bunch of commandments. It's a law of faith. Jesus said, "All things are possible to them that believe." And if you can believe it, whatever God will lead your soul to believe, that is yours. Every place the soles of your foot can set upon by faith, God gives it to you. Amen. It's yours; you possess it, if you can find the key to this law of faith that opens it to you. You see what I mean? That power is controlled by... If you are a son of God, you are a daughter of God, that never leaves you. It's with you all the time. But your faith gets away from It, but It's still there. Hallelujah.
152 When you are saved, God gives you faith to rise from the muck of the earth. Your faith overcomes the things of the world. What is your faith? Your faith is that act that God has did in you to make you a son of God. You quit your lying, you quit your stealing, you quit your drinking, because your faith rises you up above it. Amen. If you don't do it, you don't have any faith. "And by faith are you saved, and that through grace."
As much as your faith will be released, that's how much power you can have, because in you dwells the power to make heavens and earth. God dwells in you, and you are sons and daughters of God. Amen. There you are. But it's your faith. Jesus said, "According to your faith, be it unto you. If thou canst believe, all things are possible. Verily, I say unto you, if you say unto this mountain, 'Be moved,' and don't doubt, but believe that what you have said..."
154 Then what kind of people ought we to be, having faith in this great redeeming Christ that lives in us, this smitten Rock that never leaves the church? "I am with you always, even to the end of the world," the ever-Presence of the great gusher of salvation and power that poured forth from Calvary into the church, the ever-Presence of the living God, great flowing, smitten Rock that goes with us in our journey.
155 Israel lost their faith. They got off the path. They begin to lust for the flesh pots. If they'd stayed with faith, and believing that God was going to take them to the land, there'd have been nothing hinder them. They'd already opened up seas; they'd smote plagues upon their enemies; they'd crucified their enemies behind them, and had walked over into the land, and still couldn't have faith to go on to the promise. Joshua and Caleb had that faith. They said, "We are more than able to conquer anything that would come before us."
That's the trouble with the church. We can conquer every disease. We got the power in us. We are sons and daughters of God, nothing can stand before us. Only thing, He wants to find somebody who will believe it, who will believe what God's already done for you. "Not we will be; we are now." And the ever-living Presence of the Spirit is with us. Amen. There you are.
158 That's what I mean when I spoke of the subject this morning, "The Ever-Present Water From The Rock." The ever-present Water from the Rock is right here now, that ever-present Water from that smitten Rock at Calvary. When that Holy Ghost came out of Him on Calvary, that come back on the church on the day of Pentecost, that same Holy Ghost is present this morning. And It's give us a promise.
That's the reason, walking before the sick people, when He commissioned me yonder, I believe it; God said so. That's how visions happen; God promised it. God can't lie.
160 Believe it. You got to believe it. Got to be Something there open that damper, open that thing to let you in on it. What we need today is not pray for more power. You got enough power to make a new earth. What you need is faith to use that power. What you need is to control that life, and live such a godly life, that when you ask God anything, you know. We have confidence in God, of that. We know, if we keep His commandments, He'll withhold no good thing from us if we walk with Him. God walking with us. Oh, my.
161 They had but one thing to do. They had but one thing to do; that's stay straight on the course, not wander off over here, and wander off over there, but stay on the course. The church has got but one thing to do: stay on the course. They had a Pillar of Fire that they had to keep themselves in course by: follow that Pillar of Fire. That's what led them. Their object they could see, was that Pillar of Fire. They seen It working through Moses, and they knowed that he was the leader.
Today we got the Word. We follow the Word. And we see the Word working in the believers, and we know it's so then: God working with us, confirming the Word with signs following. We stay with the Word. The Word produces the results.
They stayed with the--Moses. Because the Pillar of Fire, Moses followed That. And they followed. When they begin to turn against Moses, and fuss against God and against Moses, they got to wandering off to one side and the other. Troubles come in. Sure.
164 We stay with the Word, and the Word produces signs. Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe the Word." See, it stays with the... You stay with the Word; the Word produces the signs. But Moses, what did he do?
They wandered off, and what did they do? Wandered off the path, and they lost their water supply.
I think that's what the church has done today. It's wandered off the path of the Scripture. They've got off onto isms. They've got off onto little things that they should not do. They adopted things. They adopted things like Apostles' Creed. Where do you find that in the Bible? They adopted catechisms that they read. They adopted denominations in the stead of an experience. They adopted shaking hands instead of a borned again experience. They adopted sprinkling instead of water baptism. They adopted an evil form, "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," when there's no such a thing in the Bible. The Bible said, "In the Name of Jesus Christ." There's only one thing to do if you want that same Water, come back to the path again. Get back on the... He hasn't left; He's still here.
167 You take creeds in the stead of Christ. You wander off on tantrums. One said, "Well, I'm a Methodist." The other say, "I'm a Baptist." That shows you're not a Christian then. We are Christ's. We belong to Him. You say, "Well, if me, a Baptist." If that's all you are, then you're none of Christ's; you're a Baptist. You say, "Well, I'm Pentecostal." If you're just Pentecostal by denomination, that's all you are.
But if you've got the Pentecostal experience... And the Pentecostal Word will bring forth a Pentecostal experience. Follow the same thing those disciples did; stay up there until you're filled with the Holy Ghost. And then if that you get contrary to the Word, that spirit in you goes contrary to what the Word says, then it isn't the Holy Spirit. It's the devil impersonating the Holy Spirit. You see where we got on it?
169 Oh, some of us spoke with tongues; we had shouting spells and things like that, and denied all these other things. We suffered everything that wasn't in the Scripture to come into the church. Where we got to today? We're back to another desert, dried up organization. We organized; we lost our Water. That's exactly what Pentecost did. When it begin to organize, it begin to break up fellowship, and saying, "Well, now, we won't associate, if this guy believes that."
Go ahead, stay with him till he comes to the Word of Truth, the knowledge of Truth. Whatever it is, let it go anyhow. Just go on, be as brothers.
But, oh, we had to organize, and say, "Well, because you're not Oneness, because you're not Twoness, or Threeness, or like this, we won't have no fellowship with you." Then when we do that, what do we do? We bring ourself right back to a desert again. That's right.
But remember, when Israel wandered off of the path, the course to the promised land, the Rock never left them; It stayed right there; so did the water. So is the Holy Spirit, is staying right there. We don't have to wander back.
173 Now, here God teaches us a great thing. God teaches us here a lesson. Christ was smitten once, giving us a Pentecostal experience one time for all. Now, when that Rock was smitten, It did not have to be smitten again. It was only smitten once.
Moses made a mistake by smiting It the second time, showing the weakness of his faith in the Atonement. But when Christ was smitten once, He don't ever have to be smitten again. Well, what was Moses doing? Moses was setting up something new, trying to make a new thing.
And that's the way our clergymen has done today. They've tried to make something new. "We'll make ourself the Assemblies of God. We'll make ourself the Pentecostal Church of God. We'll make ourselves the General Council. We'll make ourselves this, that, or the other." That's not what God did. That wasn't His idea.
176 Christ was smitten once. That's the original experience. That's the original way. On the day of Pentecost, Peter said, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ."
"We sprinkle in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost, give all kinds of creeds and everything else about It." When we get off the Word, no wonder we can't get nowhere...?...
178 God teaches us a lesson. Moses wasn't supposed to say, "Now, we'll start a new something here now, and we'll organize, and we'll make the Catholic church." That's the first thing they done. No, then after while, "Well, we'll start something new off of that; we'll make the Lutheran." Then come the Anglican, and then the Baptist, and whatmore, and Campbellites, and Church of Christ, and antichrist, and all other things. See? They all started going, one after the other one, one after the other one, making denominations and organizations. That wasn't it. See there what they're doing? They're smiting the Rock again to start something new. We don't need a new doctrine.
179 Every man in the Bible was baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. Every man in the Bible that's got the Holy Ghost come God's way, exactly the way God do--performed at the...?... They did the same thing. They had the same experience. The same signs followed them. The same works followed them. Why? They lived by the Rock. They got the same Water.
And today, the reason we got so many creeds and denominations, is because we're starting something new. We don't need nothing new. Go back... Moses wasn't supposed to smite the Rock again, start something new. He was supposed to speak to them of the original Rock. Oh, I hope you getting that. Moses was supposed to speak of the original smitten Rock, not try to smite It again, not try to start a new thing, but to speak to the old Thing.
182 God, help me. If I die a pauper in the pulpit, I'll speak of the original Rock. I'll speak of the original experience. I'll speak of the original Scriptures that gave them the baptism of the Holy Ghost: "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." The ever-presence of the flowing Waters from the Rock is still with us. It'll bring forth the same thing. It'll bring forth visions. It'll bring forth healings. It'll bring forth prophesies. It'll bring forth every thing that they did.
183 When Israel got lined back up in the Scriptures again, and got back on the road, they went on to the promised land. But taken them forty years.
Pentecost has been about forty or fifty years, wandering around in the wilderness. Come back to the Rock. It's in sight. Here it is written right here on the Word. The Holy Spirit's here performing the same thing He always did, so the ever-presence of the Water is here. Just come back to It, come back to the former, the original.
185 How was it in the original? "Well, they shook hands with the preacher." No such a thing. "They was baptized in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost." There's no such a thing. There's no persons in the Bible, anywhere, or outside, three hundred years outside of the Bible, was ever baptized in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost. That's a Catholic creed, not a Bible doctrine. See?
186 They had the Holy Spirit. These signs followed them that believed. It'll do it again today. That Rock is just as ever-living as it ever was, that smitten Rock.
Let's not say, "Well, now you come over and join our Pentecostal church, get in our Pentecostal realms." "No, you come over and join the Baptist, or the Methodist, or the Presbyterian, or Catholic." What is that? That's smiting the Rock over again, trying to start something new.
Tell them, "Repent, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ," for the remission of their sins, "and these signs shall follow them that believe." Now, you're back on the road, back to the same Water. The same Water will give the same refreshments. It'll give the same scourge to the body. It'll give the same cleansing power. It'll give the same healing power. It'll do the same thing it did then, if we'll only get back to the same Spirit.
189 Life in a grapevine will bring forth grapes. If it did last year, it'll bring the same thing this year. That's a law of God. The law of God is, that if this is a grapevine, leave it alone, it'll produce grapes. You can interbreed it with something else, but then leave it alone and it'll come right back to the same grapes again.
So we've interbred the church with Pentecostalism, with Baptistism, with Methodistism, with Presbyterianism, with--with the Anglicanism, and every other kind of an ism. Why don't you leave it alone? Come back to the Vine; it'll come back to the same power. Amen. Amen. I like that.
191 "Start something new." Same thing we've done. Not try to show our authority. "Doctor So-and-so is the founder of the great So-and-so church of the so-and-so--so." That wasn't it.
That's what Moses said, "I'll show them what I can do. I'll bring it anyhow." He smote It; it didn't come. And He hollered again, "Show what I can do." God dealt with him for that.
Don't you think, if you just hold onto some denomination. God will deal with you for that. That's exactly right. You got to come back to that original. Come back.
194 Just speak to the people. Don't tell them, "You come join our church. You come say our creed." "You come back and repent, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, if your heart's right. And these signs will follow the believers. A group of believers, these signs will go with them." Because why? The Rock, the smitten Rock and His Waters of Life is coming right forth, producing the same thing that He did. It just can't help it.
Oh, yes. We want to show off, and say, "We're Methodists and Baptists."
196 Just speak to the Rock; He's ever-Present. Don't try to join It. "I had to joy it down here." Don't try to join It. You can't join This, that's one thing sure. You can join the Methodists you can join the Baptists; you can join the Pentecostals; you can join the Anglicans; but you can't join This. No. You have to be filled with This. Don't join It; just be filled with It. That's all. It's filled with what? Filled with power, filled with the Spirit, filled with Life, filled with joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, power of the Holy Spirit in your life, for the everlasting Presence is there. Remember. (I'll have to close 'cause it's getting late.)
197 But remember, that Rock never left them. It never did leave them. And Christ will never leave us; Christ said, "I'll be with you always, even to the end of the world." Is that right? And that Rock stayed with them all the way from Horeb to Nebo. It did. Down to the Jordan, It was still there. O God, I want to see It at the Jordan.
Moses, when he was at the Jordan, the Rock was with him all the way through. And he was standing up there, looking down at a--a bunch of people who had backslidden and gone away from God; His heart was yearning for them. And he looked over Jordan. There he was at the Jordan: Jordan, spiritual, I'm talking about. And there he was standing there; death was coming up his sleeve. But he looked, laying there by the side of him, there laid the Rock. He just stepped over on the Rock, and the Angels come, packed him away.
199 "I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee." No matter how hard the times gets, how old we get, what kind of a death we die, remember, the Rock will be there at Jordan. It'll never leave or never will forsake. Just remember that. The ever-presence of the Water from the Rock will be with us all down through life and even at the Jordan.
200 Let's bow our heads. [A prophecy is given--Ed.]
While that Spirit is moving among us, the Spirit of God moving among us, would there be those here this morning that does not know Christ, and you're--you're not close to that Rock, not on speaking terms to It this morning? But you know It's present. Look at It working everywhere, see Him moving around, see It moving upon the people. That's the ever-presence of the Water. That's salvation. That's the Spirit that runs their cups to a place till they can't hold their peace any longer; something has to come forth. And you don't know Him, would you like to raise up your hand and say, "Pray for me, Brother Branham. I now want to know Him. And I want to speak with Him, and I want to know Him as the fulness of His Spirit. I want to know that He's right by my side, all the time. I believe He is. But I want to be on speaking terms. And I'm thirsty, and I'm hungry for God. I want to know Him better"?
202 God bless you, sir. And God bless you, sir. And you, brother. You, yeah, way back in the back. Down here, lady, yes. Yes, lady. We see your hands, and God sees them. God bless you, young man. God bless you. And you, lady. Amen. God bless you. Bless you, sister. Someone else now in the silent moment. God bless you, way back there, young fellow.
Think of it. Think of it; the ever-presence of the Water from the Rock, that same Spirit, that He screamed out there at the day of the judgment for Him, when He took our judgment. And God's rod of wrath struck upon Him, and your sins was wrapped in that rod, and struck Him, and His Blood and water gushed forth from Him. He said, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit." And on the day of Pentecost It come to go with us through the journey. And It's so close now.
204 Will you...?... out from under, far away from Home, say, "Lord, I'm coming Home." While we sing this, if you'd like to walk up to the altar and make a reconsecration too of your soul, to Christ... Amen.
I've wandered far away from God, (off of the path)
Now I'm coming home;
The path of (unbelief is a sin) too long I've trod,
Lord, I'm coming home.
Coming home, coming home,
Never more to roam;
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Now, Lord, I'm coming home.
[Brother Branham continues to hum, "Lord, I'm Coming Home"--Ed.]
206 Three little boys just walked right out, real fast, tears in eyes, kneel down by the side of the altar. 'Course they are forgiven. They was forgiven before they even left their seats, when their little mind was made up. They just come forward and kneeled down here to let the people know that, whose side they're on in this this morning.
Why could there be some older people would like to do this, just like to kneel down, and say, "Lord, I--I've wandered far away from the path. I've had so much doubt, and sometimes I wandered out and got in sin. I--I--I want to come back 'fore it's too late. God, I--I'd like to come. I'd just really like to come and kneel down." Amen.
208 Now, Arthur Beam's three little girls about the same size, they come up here, kneel down.
Coming forward is a little girl that just got a little new brother. The other day I said it. Mrs. Wood come up and told me, said this sister was going into the hospital for to have a baby. The Holy Spirit said, "Go, tell them it'll be a boy." When it was born, it was a little boy.
Seems to be the children this morning, the little fellows coming out from Sister Arnold's little class, consecrating their lives. The whole altar, to my right, is full of little children. It would be nice if we'd sing and give over the altar to the rest of the people were adults.
Now, Lord, I am coming home.
211 [Brother Branham talks to the children at the altar, while intermittently singing, "Lord, I'm Coming Home"--Ed.]:
Coming home, coming home,
Never more to roam;
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Lord, I'm coming home.
I'm tired of sin and straying, Lord,
Now I'm coming home;
I'll trust Thy love, believe Thy Word,
Now I'm coming home.
Coming home, coming home,
Never more to roam;
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Now, Lord, I'm coming home.
212 Let us bow our heads just a moment for prayer, for these little fellows.
Heavenly Father, if there is a coming tomorrow, if Jesus shall tarry for another ten or fifteen years, these will be the boys and girls that'll pack this Message along to the other generation to come. No doubt in my mind, Lord, but what all the days of their life they'll remember coming up to this altar. And they're little jewels, Lord. Their young and tender; their little hearts are condemned this morning. Not even hearing all the message; just come out of the room, from hearing our Sister Arnold teaching; move up around the altar here, giving their little lives to Thee.
Now, Father, I've just got through speaking that in us dwells the Holy Spirit. And this Holy Spirit, faith with this Spirit, does all things. And I believe that this very hour, you forgive every sin that they have committed. And I'm asking You with all the faith that's in my heart, that You will keep their little lives down through the road. May they never stray from the Way.
215 This truly is a strange thing. The Spirit said this morning we'd see something strange. God, if You've quit dealing with the others, take little children. How this morning in the altar call, there's not one adult, but the whole group of little children come up. Yet, it was a great message of hard understanding even to adults, but the children caught the Spirit of It. We thank You for them, Father. I give them to You, as Your servant, as the trophies of this meeting; for, remembering that the ever-presence of the Water of Life will flow with them as long as they live. May they have faith now in just what's happening, that God that pulled them from the seat and sent them up here, may they have faith in that God all the days of their life. May their little spirits be brought to You in the day of their death, brought back to their body in the day of the resurrection. They are Yours, Father. We give them to You through Jesus' Name.
216 While we have our heads bowed, I'm going to ask all these little children at the altar, that believes that Jesus is your Saviour and the One Who told you back there in the audience to come up here and kneel down around this altar. Do you believe that Jesus loves you and forgives your sin? I want you all to stand up on your feet and look back towards the audience. Just... That's the way you can tell the people that you believe that Jesus saves you. Now, stand up on your feet, that's right, and look right back towards the audience. All you little boys and girls that love Jesus, stand up and look back towards the congregation there, every one of you.
217 What about you little girls here in the front? You believe? Do you love Jesus? These little girls here, you love Jesus with all your heart? Do you? You love Him? You love Him, sweetheart? Stand up here, let the people know that you love Jesus. God bless you.
Now, let's turn around this way and sing for these people 'fore we, "Jesus loves me! this I know. The Bible tells me so." See? Let's just raise up our hands as we sing it now. All right, let's sing it.
Jesus loves me! this I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak...
Now...?... children now, with your hands up, all of them singing, all together.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so.
220 Now, you all repeat after me. I believe [The children at the altar say, "I believe"--Ed.] Jesus Christ ["Jesus Christ"] is the Son of God ["is the Son of God."]. Today ["Today"] I accept Him as my personal Saviour ["I accept Him as my personal Saviour."]. From this day, ["From this day,"] henceforth, ["henceforth,"] I will love Him ["I will love Him"] and serve Him. ["and serve Him."] Amen. ["Amen."]
221 [A brother in the congregation says, "Brother Branham, I've got four children on my heart at this time. Will you please pray for them?"--Ed.] Sure will, Brother Ben.
Heavenly Father, this man sees that other little children coming to Christ, and he cries out, as a father, for his own little ones. And the Spirit that brought these little ones to the altar, may that same Spirit save his children, Lord. Grant it. We give them to You, Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ.
223 Now, as you little fellows go back to your seat, I want everybody along that row to shake hands with these little children, or pat them as they go back. Go on back to your seats this way. And let everybody along there just pat the little fellows. And we love you with all of our hearts. You are members of the Body of Christ, just as much in It as the rest of us.
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
That beautiful City of God.
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known,
Join in the song with sweet accord,
Join in the song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround... (Mighty good singing. Let's raise our hands now.)
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
That beautiful City of God.
Let's just shake one another's hands while we sing now.
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
That beautiful City of God.
224 Now, let's stand with our heads bowed while we pray. Brother Teddy, just a... [Brother Branham begins to hum, "We're Marching To Zion"--Ed.]
I've got some requests here, and handkerchiefs and so forth. They may come from overseas. Billy was telling me they had a little pair of booties from a little baby over in England, about that long, the little thing's all crippled up. And so we was to pray for that too.
226 And so... [In the congregation, Brother Ben says, "Brother Branham, please excuse me for butting in, but pray that, who hit our car last night on my right front fender, pray that that will be revealed. Pray that the Lord reveal it."--Ed.] Amen, Brother Ben, sure will do that.
[Brother Branham continues to hum, "We're Marching To Zion"--Ed.]
228 As we march, Lord, we know that the smitten Rock is right along by us, the ever-presence of the Water from the Rock goes with the Church. O Eternal God, loose to us this morning faith in this God that's with us. I know You will, just as we can find favor with You, that You can trust us with It. If You'd give It to us in the abundance, we might misuse It, Lord. But if we find grace with You, let it happen.
Our brother said someone hit his car. O God, we know the man don't have money to do these things. I pray that You'll bring the fellow under conviction, or something, he might repent of doing this, come, say, "Brother, I'll fix your car; I did it." Help Brother Ben and his loved ones.
230 Here laying in my hand is handkerchiefs and requests, got faith in that God. Moses had faith in that God and he crossed the sea. Daniel had faith in that God, and was brought out of the lions' den. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had faith in Him, and quenched the fire. Paul had faith in Him, and one day when the services was real hard and Paul couldn't get to everybody, he just took a handkerchief; he said, "I believe that God's here with me." He laid his hands upon the handkerchiefs and aprons, and spirits of evil went from the people, and sickness and diseases departed from them. God, I got faith in the same God. May the evil depart. Sicknesses, diseases, afflictions, may it depart, Lord.
231 You're the same God that spoke to me down there in that Pillar of Fire, down on the river. You're the One that's got Your picture hanging here with me, on the wall. You're with us, Lord. You're ever-present, that same Pillar of Fire. And we've enjoyed the Water from the Rock every day, as we joy in the Spirit. Then You're here. We got confidence in You, Lord. We have faith in You. We believe that You'll anoint us and help us. Not for our glory, Lord; we'd be like Moses then, when he done the wrong thing. We want to do something to help You, Lord. That's the intention of our heart, help You, if we can do it. You show us, Father, whatever You want us to do.
232 And now, upon an act of faith, I condemn the sickness that these handkerchiefs represent, and these requests. They'll leave the people. I know You'll do it, Lord. I believe it in my heart, that You'll do it. Heal all the sickness in our midst this morning.
Save those who raised their hands, that said they would like to come to the Rock for Water. God, may they be so thirsty today, may there be such a salty life around them, that'll cause them to thirst for Christ. Grant it.
Be with us tonight, Father. O God, let me find out, through these requests, what's on the people's hearts. If there's nothing on their heart, then, Lord, You give me something to preach to their hearts tonight.
235 Bless our Brother Neville, and his wife, his family; our little church, our trustees, our deacons, our members, and Your Body everywhere; be with us, Father. We commit this to Your hands, in Jesus Christ's Name.
.. Zion; we're marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful City of God.
Now, let's just sing it, real, really to Him now. See?
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known,
Join in the song of sweet accord,
Join in the song of sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround the throne.
With our bowed hearts now.
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful City of God.