Svedectvo na mori
Viete, muselo to byť asi v tom čase, keď zhromaždenie svedectiev pokračovalo. Viete, ako tam títo učeníci vonku na mori svedčili, to muselo byť niekde tam v čierňave noci, niekde hore na severe, že Satan sa musel preniesť ponad vrch a pozrieť sa dolu. Pozrel sa na to zhormaždenie svedectiev a zistil, že oni odišli preč bez Neho. Tam bola jeho šanca. Vidíte, myslím, že tá scéna sa práve teraz znovu vrátila, zopakovala sa. Oni v tom nadšení z prebudenia odišli preč bez Neho.
A ja verím, že to je veľakrát to, čo sa stalo nám dnes v tejto hodine zamiešania po tom veľkom prebudení, ktoré sme videli. Zachvátilo to celý svet. Každý národ vybudoval ohne prebudenia, a to horelo; veľké služby uzdravovania; ľudia prijímali Ducha Svätého, desiatky tisícov krát tisícov. A v tom nadšení z toho, ako títo učeníci, keď svedčili, čo urobil, “ó, videli sme Ho robiť toto, a videli sme Ho robiť tamto,” verím, že sme odišli preč ako oni, bez Neho.
1Skôr ako skloníme svoje hlavy k modlitbe, rád by som prečítal niečo z Božieho Slova. Vždy rád čítam Jeho Slovo, lebo moje slová sklamú, oni sú ľudské, ale Jeho Slovo nemôže sklamať. A vy, ktorí sledujete text a tak ďalej, čítajme dnes večer z Matúša 14.kapitoly, počnúc od 22.verša.
A Ježiš hneď prinútil svojich učeníkov, aby vstúpili do lode a predišli ho na druhú stranu, dokiaľ by vraj nerozpustil zástupov.
A rozpustiac zástupy vyšiel na vrch osobitne modliť sa. A keď bol večer, bol tam sám.
A loď už bola naprostred mori, zmietaná vlnami, pretože bol odporný vietor.
Potom za štvrtej stráže vnoci prišiel k nim Ježiš chodiac po mori.
A učeníci vidiac ho chodiť po mori zľakli sa a vraveli, že je to nejaká obluda, a skríkli od strachu.
Ale Ježiš hneď prehovoril k nim a povedal: Dúfajte, ja som, nebojte sa!
2 Skloňme teraz svoje hlavy k modlitbe. Kým sú naše hlavy a srdcia sklonené pred Bohom, je tu dnes večer v tejto budove nejaká potreba, ktorú chcete dať poznať Bohu zdvihnutím svojich rúk a chceli by ste byť spomenutí v modlitbe? Nech sa Pán na vás pozrie a nech nám je milostivý.
3Náš Nebeský Otče, prichádzame teraz do Tvojej Prítomnosti skrze cestu a Meno Pána Ježiša, vediac s požehnanou istotou, že On nám zasľúbil, ak budeme “čokoľvek prosiť” v Jeho Mene, že Ty nám to dáš. Sme za to veľmi vďační. Slová nemôžu vyjadriť to, ako to cítime, s istotou, ktorú máme, že nás práve teraz počuješ.
4Videl si tie ruky, Pane. Vieš, akú mali potrebu. Ty si vševedúci, všemohúci, nekonečný Boh, a my vieme, že Ty poznáš ľudské srdcia. Poznal si naše myšlienky. Dokonca ešte predtým, ako sme boli stvorení, poznal si každú myšlienku, ktorú kedy budeme mať, lebo Ty si nekonečný.
5A modlíme sa, Pane, v tejto hodine, keď sa naša túžba nesie ku Tebe, pohliadni dolu z Nebies, Pane, a vezmi naše prosby ku Tvojmu vlastnému srdcu, Pane, a odpovedz nám podľa Svojho bohatstva v Sláve. Daj nám túžbu nášho srdca, dôverujúc, že je to Tvoja Božská vôľa. A my vieme, že je to Tvoja záľuba, aby sme činili Tvoju vôľu.
6Daj nám znovu dnes večer veľké vyliatie Tvojej Prítomnosti, Pane. Uzdrav chorých. Zachráň stratených, pozdvihni tých, ktorí sú mŕtvi v hriechu a previneniach, a priveď ich dnes večer do nového Života. Nech môžeme vidieť Ježiša. Prosíme to v Jeho Mene. Amen.
7Môžete si sadnúť. Je nám ľúto, že nie sme schopní pojať toľko ľudí kvôli kapacite miest na sedenie. Ale od prvého večera vraveli, že museli poslať preč veľké množstvo ľudí, tak nás to veľmi mrzí. A brat Grant jednoducho ešte nedokončil ďalšiu miestnosť na... Myslím, že je to naľavo, kam ide posunúť túto priečku. Ten vzácny, vzácny brat ma dnes požiadal, či by som toto neurobil ako každoročnú vec, vrátiť sa späť do Dallasu, do jeho cirkvi. Také skvelé pozvanie ako toto v tejto hodine, keď sa dvere tak rýchlo zatvárajú a potom ten človek chce, aby som sa vrátil späť a urobil to každoročnou záležitosťou. Cením si to.
8Mal som s nimi dnes ráno obecenstvo, s bratom Gordonom Lindsayom a mnohými z nich. Brat Pearry Green, ktorý je sponzorom blížiaceho sa stretnutia dolu v Beaumont, dnes večer sedí za mnou. A mnoho našich priateľov, brat Don a jeho manželka. Sme tak šťastní, že ich tu máme. Nech ich Pán požehná.
9No, dnes večer len... Snažil som sa urobiť svoje Posolstvá práve tak jednoduché, ako len môžu byť, aby ich aj dieťa mohlo porozumieť.
10Zajtra popoludní je evanjelizačná služba a prajem si, aby ste všetci mohli prísť.
11No, keď máte bohoslužby vo svojom vlastnom zbore, no, zostaňte tam, kde máte svoje miesto. Nechceme, aby niekto opustil svoj vlastný zbor, aby... A potom, keď ste chorí a chcete prísť, aby sme sa za vás modlili, a váš zbor má zajtra popoludní službu, hovorte o tom so svojim pastorom, aby si nemyslel niečo zlé, viete. Dajte mu vedieť, že my sme tu v spolupráci, aby sme pomohli celému Telu Ježiša Krista, ktoré sa nachádza tu v Dallase a v okolí.
12Takže zajtra popoludní, myslím, že o pol tretej. Mal by som hovoriť evanjelizačné Posolstvo. A potom sa budeme modliť za všetkých chorých ľudí, vyberieme všetky modlitebné karty a veci, ktoré sme nechali počas toho týždňa a zajtra sa za nich všetkých budeme modliť.
13Teraz, moja téma dnes večer je skôr taká malá dráma, len na malú chvíľu. A budem sa dnes večer snažiť tak, ako sa len bude dať, aby som sa dostal ku modlitbám za chorých. Môj text je, “nebojte sa, Ja som,” hovorí Ježiš. Mojou témou je: Svedectvo na mori.
14Muselo to byť neskoro popoludní, slnko muselo zapadať, keď sa toto odohrávalo a musel byť horúci deň, tak ako je tu.
15Klimatizácia je pokazená, pracujú na nej. To je dôvod, prečo som zmenil moju tému, s ktorou som chcel pokračovať, aby som sa mohol poponáhľať, aby ste nemuseli sedieť v takomto teple.
16Tento veľký rybár po tom, čo videl, čo mal v priebehu dňa, pozoroval Ježiša v Jeho veľkej službe.
17Bol by som rád, keby som bol žil v tom dni, aby som Ho nasledoval. Ale, viete, som rád, že stále mám to privilégium robiť tú istú vec, sledovať Ho robiť skutky. A je to väčšie sledovať Ho dnes, než ako to bolo vtedy. Teraz mám v Neho väčšiu vieru a môžem mať viac viery, ako by som mal vtedy, pretože my sme mali dvetisíc rokov na potvrdenie, že Evanjelium je pravdivé. A po dvoch tisícoch rokoch On stále žije a robí presne to, čo robil vtedy, takže teraz máme väčšiu istotu a viac základu pre vieru, než ako mali oni vtedy.
18Lebo On bol len nejaký Muž, ktorý rozširoval tvrdenie, že bol poslaný od Boha a že bol Synom Božím, a že Boh potvrdzoval Svoje zasľúbené Slovo na ten deň skrze Neho, a oni akosi mali dôvod tomu neveriť, tí teológovia. A všimnite si, bola to žalostná vec, bolo to naozaj žalostné, pretože tí teológovia by Tomu verili, ak by Boh nezaslepil ich oči. Biblia tak povedala.
19A vedeli ste, že On zasľúbil, že dnes znovu zaslepí ich oči, aby To nevideli? Oni budú “náhli, nadutí, viacej milujúci rozkoše ako milujúci Boha, nezmierliví, pomluvační, nezdržanliví, pohŕdači tých, ktorí sú dobrí, majúci formu pobožnosti, ale zapierajúci jej Moc.” Presne to zasľúbenie znovu rovno späť. A vy sotva môžete niečo urobiť, iba týchto ľudí poľutovať, že sú ich oči zaslepené na dnešný deň s Písmami, ktoré Boh zasľúbil, že sa stanú práve v tomto dni, v tejto hodine, a my sa pozeráme rovno na to a pozorujeme to. A potom sa ľudia pozrú a krútia hlavou a odchádzajú preč hovoriac, “Nevidím To.” Je to žalostná vec, ale jednako sa Písmo musí vyplniť. Musí to tak byť.
20Tak títo učeníci boli vybraní od Boha. Všimli ste si, že Ježiš im povedal, “Pred založením sveta, “ ich On vybral a oni boli predurčené semeno Božie. Preto, keď prišli problémy a ľuďom sa zdalo, že dostali Ježiša do úzkych kvôli nejakej otázke, tak oni s tým nemali žiadny problém. Nemohli tomu rozumieť, ale boli rozhodnutí nepoznať nič iné, len Jeho. “Jedine Ty máš Slovo Života.” A oni boli rozhodnutí zostať s Tým, lebo oni boli do toho úradu ustanovení.
21A tak je to dnes, že muži a ženy, ktorí sú určení do Večného Života, prídu do Večného Života. “Všetci, ktorých mi dal Otec, prídu ku Mne.” To je Jeho Slovo a to nemôže zlyhať. To je Božie Slovo.
22A vidíme teraz tých učeníkov, že mali v ten deň skvelé zhromaždenie, vonku na veľkom poli pri vrchu. A Ježiš im povedal, “Teraz choďte hore cez more, predo Mnou.” A On odišiel hore na vrch, sám, na modlitbu. A títo učeníci, po stretnutí s priateľmi, viem si proste predstaviť, ako sa cítili.
23Pretože, stretnúť priateľov a potom mať s nimi obecenstvo; práve keď sa zoznámite, potom musíte povedať zbohom. A z toho ma vždy tak trochu bolelo srdce, keď som po celom národe, okolo sveta, stretával priateľov a potom ich opúšťal vediac, že je mnoho tých, ktorých už viac neuvidíte, až kým ich nestretnete na Súde. Je to tak trochu smutná vec.
24Viem si predstaviť ten čln, ako sa prednou časťou tlačí k brehu. Musel to byť Šimon Peter, s veľkými svalnatými ramenami a plecami, ktorý tlačil ten čln a smeroval ho von na more a všetci mávali na rozlúčku tým na brehu a oni kričali, “Príďte zas a vezmite Majstra k nám! Príďte, aby sme mali ďalšie prebudenie, boli sme dnes tak požehnaní!” A noví priatelia mávajú. On vyliezol ponad ostatných učeníkov a sadol si, pravdepodobne vedľa svojho brata, Andreja, a zodvihol veslá.
25Vtedy boli lode poháňané buď vetrom alebo veslami, ktorými zaberali. Potom možno sedeli dvaja v lodi, dvaja na každej strane, a oni... alebo dvaja na jednom mieste, lepšie povedané, možno šesť alebo osem zárezov pre veslá. Potom naraz potiahli a takto mohli udržať loď v rovnováhe, keď bola búrka. Potom, keď vetry viali primerane, mohli napnúť plachtu a plaviť sa.
26Muselo to byť horúce popoludnie, podľa Písma práve pred touto udalosťou, a tak muselo byť skutočne tiché, slnečné, horúce popoludnie. Slnko zapadalo. A oni, ako veslovali, uvoľnili sa a mávali na rozlúčku tým ľuďom, “Dúfame, že sa niekedy zasa uvidíme,” a odišli na more. A západ slnka a súmrak a po chvíli nastala tma.
27Ako veslovali, museli nabrať peknú rýchlosť, a to je ťažká práca, keď sa tie ťažké veslá vnárajú do mora. A väčšina z nich boli rybári a veľkí silní muži zvyknutí na more. A tak, ako očakávali na Ježiša, kým sa dostane na loď a bude ich čoskoro nasledovať, no, museli vyraziť a trochu plynúť zotrvačnosťou, aby rozbehli loď a potom si vydýchnuť.
28Možno mladý Ján musel byť prvý, kto začal hovoriť, lebo bol najmladší zo skupiny. A musel to byť on, kto povedal, “Začínam byť trochu unavený. Poďme sa len trochu plaviť bez veslovania, moment, nemusíme sa ponáhľať. Ešte sem neprišiel, tak my tiež môžeme trochu počkať a trochu sa nadýchať vzduchu.”
29A ako si tam sadol s trochu sklonenou hlavou, určite začal zhromaždenie svedectiev. A to je to, o čom chcem hovoriť. Musel to byť on, kto povstal prvý a povedal, “Bratia, nezáleží na tom, čo ľudia hovoria a ako ktokoľvek chce neveriť, som si teraz úplne istý, po dnešku, že my nenasledujeme podvodníka. Nenasledujeme nič menej ako Boha, lebo žiaden človek nemôže robiť to, čo On robil dnes, jedine, že by to bol Boh. Viete, keď zobral tie chleby a lámal ich a nasýtil tam tých päťtisíc, to je pre mňa tá najúžasnejšia vec. Do dnešného dňa mohla byť nejaká otázka,” ja len opakujem jeho svedectvo tak, ako to bolo, “ale teraz je to vyriešené.”
30Povedal, “Pamätám sa pred rokmi, býval som dolu blízko Jordánu. A pamätám sa, ako malý chlapec, ako ma moja pekná židovská matka zvykla popoludní zodvihnúť a posadila ma na svoje kolená a kolísala ma vonku na lavičke, keď popri brehu Jordánu kvitli vlčie maky. A zvykla sa pozrieť smerom k púšti tam, odkiaľ boli naši ľudia cez túto púšť vzatí. Zvykla mi rozprávať biblické príbehy. Jedným zo skvelých príbehov, ktoré si pamätám, bola Sunamitská žena, keď jej malý chlapec bol mŕtvy a prorok toho malého chlapca znovu vzkriesil z mŕtvych. To bol napínavý príbeh.”
31“Ale jeden z najnapínavejších príbehov... a matka mi zvykla vravieť, ‘Vieš, Ján, ty si len malý chlapec, ale chcem, aby si si pamätal, keď vyrastieš, že veľký Jehova vyviedol náš ľud von z Egypta a prišli sme cez tamtú pustatinu na druhej strane tej rieky. A počas štyridsať rokov všetci putovali po tej pustatine; žiadne miesta, kde by sa dal získať odev, žiadne miesta, kde by sa dalo najesť a Boh každú noc posielal dolu z neba chlieb a v tej pustatine nasýtil náš ľud, lebo oni boli v línii svojej povinnosti nasledujúc veľkého Jehovu. A teraz, jedného dňa sa Jehova stane telom tu na zemi vo forme Muža, On bude nazvaný Pomazaný, Mesiáš.’”
32“A pamätám sa,” povedal, “ako malý chlapec, ako sa na to môj malý detský rozum snažil prísť, snažil som sa na to prísť, ‘Ako Boh nasýtil všetkých tých dva a pol milióna ľudí v tej púšti? Odkiaľ zobral toľko chleba?’ a pýtal som sa mamy, ‘Mami, bol On, mal Jehova v nebi veľké množstvo pecí a piekol všetok chlieb a bežal v noci dolu a položil to na zem pre ľudí, a veľké nebesia Jehovu sú plné pecí?’ Ona povedala, ‘Nie, synček, si príliš mladý, aby si to porozumel. Pozri, Jehova je Stvoriteľ. On nepotrebuje pece. On len povie a Jeho Slovo sa uskutoční. Keď On hovorí, On je veľký Jehova. On to jednoducho vypovedal a Anjeli to rozniesli dolu po zemi pre ľudí.’”
33“A dnes, keď Ho tam vidím stáť, všimli ste si ten výraz na Jeho tvári? V Jeho mysli nebola žiadna pochybnosť. Vyliezol som hore za skalu a pozoroval som Ho, ako vzal ten chlieb a lámal ho a dával tým... Jeho služobníkom, nám, aby sme to rozdávali ľuďom. A potom, keď siahol späť, aby znovu lámal, ten bochník bol znovu celý. A urobil to niekoľko stokrát, až kým všetci neboli nasýtení a boli zozbierané plné koše. Viem, že to nemohlo byť nič menej ako Jehova, lebo On konal ako Jehova. Iba Jehova môže stvoriť. A ja viem, že ten Muž nie je podvodník, je len jeden Stvoriteľ a to je Jehova. A tak zo všetkých vecí, ktoré som videl, to ma uspokojilo.”
34“Chcem teraz, aby ste vedeli, že moje srdce je úplne odovzdané a absolútne verím, že On nie je iba prorok. On je prorok, ale je viac ako prorok. On nie je nič menej ako Jehova Boh prebývajúci medzi nami, lebo stvoril chlieb a má spôsoby Jehovu. Niet divu, že môže povedať, ‘Ak nečiním skutky Môjho Otca, potom mi neverte, ale ak činím skutky Môjho Otca a vy my nemôžete veriť, verte tým skutkom, lebo oni svedčia o Mne a hovoria Kto som.’ Vyzeralo to, ako by to ľudia mohli ľahko vidieť.”
35A Ján bol uspokojený, že On bol Mesiáš, Ten, o ktorom Izaiáš povedal, “Syn nám bol darovaný, a Jeho Meno bude Radca, Knieža Pokoja, Mocný Boh, Večný Otec.” A Ján bol uspokojený z toho, čo videl. Mladý chlapec, ktorý vydáva svoje svedectvo.
36Vtedy povedal Šimon Peter, “No, počkajte chvíľu. Ak máme zhromaždenie svedectiev, rád by som niečo povedal. Viete, bol som veľmi nedôverčivý v celej tej veci, keď Andrej, môj brat, ktorý navštívil prebudenecké zhromaždenie proroka Jána, ktorý svedčil, že Mesiáš prichádza a on Ho predstaví. A ja som bol trochu nedôverčivý v tom, čo mi Andrej povedal, lebo som počul všetky druhy príbehov o Mesiášovi a všetko ďalšie.”
37“Ale vy všetci bratia si pamätáte môjho starého otecka. Volal sa Jonáš. A pamätáte sa na neho, ako bol veľmi neochvejný veriaci. Ako si pamätám matku a otca a všetkých z nás, ako sme rybárčili, aby sme sa uživili a nechytili sme žiadnu rybu. Potrebovali sme chlieb a ako sme kľakli na zem a modlili sa k Bohu, ‘Daj nám dnes úlovok, Bože, aby sme mohli predať naše ryby a vyplatiť naše dlhy, aby sme mali čo jesť.’ A ako sme išli na more v búrke a odvážili sme sa čeliť tým búrkam.”
38“A otec, môžem vidieť jeho sivé vlasy visiace na chrbte ako jedného dňa sedel na člne a hovoril ku mne povediac, ‘Šimon, si môj najstarší syn. Vieš, že som vždy veril, Šimon, že uvidím Mesiáša. Náš ľud Ho očakával už od Edenu. A sme si istí, že On prichádza, nezáleží na tom, ako dlho. Bolo to pred štyritisíc rokmi, povieš, ale ja verím, že Mesiáš príde. Každý Žid veril, že uvidí Mesiáša vo svojej generácii. Ja dúfam, že Ho uvidím vo svojej generácii. Ale vyzerá to tak, že starnem, musím skončiť s morom, a začínam mať menšie bolesti a ťažkosti, takže pravdepodobne Ho neuvidím vo svojom čase. Ale ty možno áno, môj synu.’”
39“‘A chcel by som ťa vyučiť v Písmach. Synu, predtým, ako Mesiáš povstane na scéne, bude tu všetko možné, všetky druhy falošných vecí, lebo Satan to bude robiť, aby zničil vplyv toho skutočného Mesiáša, keď On príde.’” Vždy to tak bolo, stále je to tak.
40A potom zisťujeme, ako povedal, “Pamätám sa, ako položil okolo mňa svoje ramená a povedal, ‘Synu, je len jeden spôsob, ako budeš môcť rozpoznať toho Mesiáša. Teraz sme mali stovky rokov bez akéhokoľvek proroka. Malachiáš bol náš posledný prorok. Za týchto štyristo rokov sme nemali žiadneho proroka, ale pamätaj, Mojžiš nám v Písmach povedal, že keď príde Mesiáš, On bude prorok, keď povstane na scéne. My, Židia, sme vyučovaní, aby sme verili prorokovi. A Mesiášova púť na zemi je vypovedané Božie Slovo, ktoré nám zasľúbil. A Slovo vždy prichádza ku prorokovi a prorok potvrdzuje to Slovo. Nikdy na to nezabudni, synu! Možno povstanú veľké veci, možno budú veľké nadšenia a veľké veci. Ale pamätaj, Mesiáš bude prorok, lebo vieme, že Boh nikdy nemení Svoj spôsob, a On povedal, že Mesiáš bude prorok. Tak pamätaj, synu, proroci sú tí, ktorí majú Slovo Pánovo. A keď príde Mesiáš, On bude prorok.’”
41“Ešte stále cítim jeho rameno,” povedal Šimon, “ako ho ovinul okolo mňa. A Andrej tam vtedy stál umývajúc sieť. Pamätáš sa, Andrej?”
“Áno, Šimon, pamätám sa na to.”
42“A Andrej sa mi snažil povedať, že tento Ján bol prorok. Mal som iné veci na práci, musel som predať ryby a veci. Tak otec už bol mŕtvy niekoľko rokov, ale vždy som to držal v mysli. Ocko povedal, ‘Tento Mesiáš bude Písmom potvrdený prorok a nezabudni na to, lebo je to vypovedané Božie Slovo, a to Slovo neustále prichádzalo ku prorokom. To potvrdilo alebo zamanifestovalo to, čo bolo zasľúbené pre ten vek.’”
43A teraz Šimon, “Jedného dňa,” povedal, on povedal, “viete, Andrej ma poprosil, či by som nešiel na zhromaždenie. A šiel som tam dolu na to zhromaždenie, kde bol tento chlapík, Ježiš. Počul som všetky možné druhy klebiet: Pred Ním povstal nejaký Ježiš, ktorý sľúbil, že bude niečo veľké, vyviedol ich štyristo a oni všetci zahynuli a tak ďalej. Myslel som, že to bude jednoducho len ďalší tohoto druhu s nejakým druhom veľkého nadšenia z nejakého prebudenia alebo urobia nejakú skvelú denomináciu. Ale jedného dňa som myslel, že sem prídem s mojím bratom Andrejom.”
44A viem si predstaviť, niekedy v tom čase, že čln sa začal knísať. Niekto začal kričať a povedal, “Sadni si! Nehýb s tým člnom. Počkaj, seď pokojne.”
45A povedal, “Viete, keď som šiel tam dolu a kráčal som po prvýkrát ku Nemu, pozrel sa mi rovno do očí a povedal mi, ako sa volám. Nikdy predtým ma nevidel. Nielenže poznal mňa, ale On poznal toho môjho zbožného starého otca, ktorý ma vyučoval Písmam. A ja som vedel, že To je Mesiáš. Tým to bolo pre mňa vybavené, rovno tam. To bolo pre mňa potvrdenie.”
46Musel to byť Filip, ktorý povedal, “Môžem tu niečo povedať?” Povedal, “Brat Natanael, dúfam, že ťa to nezraní, lebo, viete, že my sme roky a roky študovali zvitky, aký bude Mesiáš. Ale keď som Ho to videl robiť, šiel som a vzal som sem môjho priateľa, Natanaela. A keď prišiel...”
Natanael povedal, “Nechaj ma to povedať. Nechaj ma to povedať.”
47Ó, viete, je niečo na tom, keď Ježiš pre vás niečo urobil, že vy jednoducho ťažko môžete zostať ticho, vy to musíte povedať, vy sami. Nie je to tak? Ak je to niečo skutočné, vy to jednoducho musíte povedať. Keď ma On naplnil Duchom Svätým, chcem o tom povedať. Chcem, aby to niekto vedel. Nie, aby to niekto iný povedal; ja to chcem povedať, ja sám.
48A predstavujem si, ako bol Natanael celý nadšený a povedal, “Viete, ja by som to rád povedal. Veľmi som ti nedôveroval, Filip, keď si mi to povedal. Opýtal som sa ťa, ‘Môže z Nazareta vyjsť niečo dobré?’ A ty si mi dal tú najlepšiu odpoveď, ktorú ktokoľvek kedy mal, ‘Poď a vidz.’” To dobre funguje aj dnes. To je správne. Nezostávajte doma a nekritizujte. Príďte, presvedčte sa sami. “Povedal som, ‘Môže z Nazareta vyjsť niečo dobré?’ Povedal si, ‘Poď a vidz sám.’ A ty vieš, čo si mi povedal.”
49“A keď som kráčal do Jeho Prítomnosti a On mi povedal, že som ‘Hebrej, Izraelita, a že som úprimný muž,’ vedel som to.”
50“Ale bol som zvedavý, ‘Ako je to možné?’ Vyzeral ako obyčajný človek. Očakával som, že Mesiáš príde dolu zlatým koridorom z Neba, rovno dolu k hlave denominácie, tu do Jeruzalema, bude kráčať a povie, ‘Kaifáš, prišiel som.’ Ale zistili, že pochádza z Nazaretu, z chudobnej rodiny, a vlastne tak trochu zlé meno za Ním, ako “nemanželské dieťa”. Tu On stál oblečený v obyčajných šatách, nie ako kňaz alebo niekto; len obyčajný muž. A myslel som si, keď som tam išiel, ‘Ako to môže byť Mesiáš? Má na sebe jedno staré rúcho, ktoré nosil odkedy bol mladým chlapcom a tu má to isté rúcho na sebe a vlasy mu visia dolu na chrbte, ako obyčajný muž na ulici.’”
51“A pozrel sa mi do tváre a povedal, ‘Predtým, ako ťa Filip zavolal, keď si bol pod tým stromom, videl som ťa.’ Tým to bolo pre mňa vybavené. Vedel som podľa Slova, že to bol Mesiáš. To bol On.”
52A čln sa knísal a zhromaždenie svedectiev pokračovalo. Ó, aký nádherný čas mali tam vonku na mori, jednoducho mali skvelý čas.
53Andrej povedal, “Rád by som povedal niečo, čo ma tak trochu na chvíľu zmiatlo. Pamätáte sa, ako sme išli dolu do Jericha? On povedal, ‘Musíme ísť hore; musím ísť cez Samáriu.’ Tak On šiel hore do Samárie a tam pri meste Sychar nás všetkých poslal preč, aby sme v tom meste kúpili potraviny.”
54“Ó, áno, dobre sa na to pamätám!” Všetci z nich, “Áno, áno!” Čln sa proste triasol, ako mal každý nádherné svedectvo po tom, čo prebudenie skončilo. Tak oni mali to zhromaždenie svedectiev.
55A povedal, “Áno, a pamätáte sa, ako sme sa prekĺzli a na naše prekvapenie, videli sme, ako sa náš Majster rozpráva s očividnou prostitútkou. ‘Ú-ha,’ pomysleli sme si, ‘to je zlé. Pozrite sa na Neho, ako sa tam rozpráva s touto mladou ženou. A poslal nás preč a On tu sedí s touto ženou zlej povesti.’ Pamätáte sa, ako sme stáli rovno za kríkmi a počúvali sme ich rozhovor?”
56“A počuli sme Ho, ako jej povedal, ‘Žena, choď, vezmi svojho muža a príďte sem.’”
57“A povedali sme, ‘No, možno sme sa mýlili, možno tá žena predsa len bola legálne vydatá.’”
58“A pozrela sa Mu späť do tváre a povedala, ‘Pane, nemám žiadneho muža.’”
59“Pamätáte sa, ako naše srdcia zlyhali? ‘Náš veľký Mesiáš, v ktorého sme mali dôveru, tu bol chytený v klamstve, krížová paľba, lebo povedal, “choď a vezmi svojho muža,” a ona svedčila, že nemá muža. Teraz sa Mu to vrátilo.’ Pamätáte sa, ako sme všetci vyzerali prekvapene a vyrazilo nám to dych?”
“Áno, pamätám sa.”
60“A pamätáte sa potom na tie ďalšie slová? Povedal, ‘Povedala si pravdu, lebo si mala piatich a ten, s ktorým teraz žiješ, nie je tvoj.’ Ó, pamätáte sa na to zhromaždenie svedectiev za kríkom? Ó!” Vidíte, nemôžete Ho dostať do úzkych. On je Boh. “Ó,” povedal Šimon, “to je proste...” Andrej povedal, “Tým to bolo pre mňa vybavené.”
61Bartolomej povedal, “Počkajte, rád by som poznamenal jedno svedectvo. Môžem, bratia?”
62“Ó, dobre, verím, že áno, máme veľa času. Ešte zatiaľ neprišiel, tak jednoducho budeme ešte trochu pádlovať. Dobre, Bartolomej, rozprávaj.”
63“No, jedna z najväčších vecí pre mňa. Pamätáte si dolu v Jerichu našu sestru, menom Rebeka?”
“Áno.”
“A jej manžel tam dolu vlastnil reštauráciu.”
“A-ha.”
64“A on bol obchodník a volal sa Zacheus.”
“Áno, áno, dobre si ho pamätám.”
65“Pamätáte sa, ona bola jednou z našich sestier. Uverila v Pána a tak veľmi sa bála, že Zacheus to všetko nechá prejsť okolo bez toho, aby prijal Ježiša. A, ó, Zacheus bol veľmi dobrý priateľ tamojšieho kňaza. A tak ona sa modlila, aby sa niečo stalo, aby jeho oči boli otvorené a on by rozpoznal, že toto je Majster, že to je potvrdené Božie Slovo, ktoré sa stalo telom medzi nami. A snažili sme sa jej povedať... povedať mu o tom, ako Ježiš z Nazaretu poznal tajomstvá srdca, ukazujúc, že On je Slovo, lebo Slovo rozpoznáva myšlienky v srdci.”
66“‘Nezmysel,’ povedal, ‘ja verím kňazovi. To, čo povie kňaz, mi stačí.’ Lebo patril ku všetkým spolkom v meste, Kiwanis a všetko ďalšie, viete, bolo to pre neho tak trochu ťažké unížiť sa ku tomu. Tak Rebeka nás všetkých poprosila, aby sme sa modlili, modlili. A vždy, keď sme sa dostali k tomu, že je prorok, povedal, ‘Nezmysel! Kňaz hovorí, “On je Belzebub. Je diabol. Robí to mocou diabla. A je len čítač myšlienok. To je všetko, čo na tom je. Nič na tom nie je.” Takže v tomto dni nie je žiadna taká vec. Nemali sme prorokov stovky rokov. A ako by mohol tento chlap, dokonca bez členskej karty, ako by on kedy mohol byť prorok? Ó, nie je možné, aby ním bol!’”
67“Ale, viete, Rebeka vydržala, jeho žena, a modlila sa. A jedného rána, keď Ježiš prichádzal do mesta, no, potom sme zistili, že, Rebeka nám povedala, že Zacheus šiel von na ulicu, aby Ho videl. Tak on neveril, že To bol prorok, tak povedal, ‘Len sa na Neho dobre pozriem,’ ako nám svedčil v reštaurácii jedného dňa, keď jedol. Tak vyliezol na platan a povedal, ‘Viete čo, ja sa tu hore zamaskujem, tak On ma nebude môcť vidieť. Ja som každopádne malý chlapík, veľmi nízky. Ja Ho nemôžem vidieť tam dole, v zástupe, tak ja len vyleziem sem hore na strom.’ A dostal sa tam, kde sa stretávajú dva konáre a sadol si tam, medzi tie konáre.”
68To je práve dobré miesto, kde sa dá sadnúť a preštudovať to. To je tam, kde sa stretávajú dve cesty, tvoja a Božia; tvoje predstavy. To je dobrá vec, premyslieť si to.
69“Tak on povedal, ‘Viete čo, On musel byť prorok. Mohol by byť. Je možné, že som sa mýlil. Tak viete čo, ja sa dobre na Neho pozriem a On ma nebude poznať. Tak ja len vezmem všetky tie listy a potiahnem ich takto okolo mňa a zamaskujem sa, takže On ma dokonca vôbec neuvidí. Budem Ho pozorovať, keď bude prechádzať okolo. A ak On nebude vyzerať ako ten správny druh človeka, poviem Mu, čo si o Ňom myslím, ako tu budem sedieť na tomto strome.’ Tak on pozoroval a mal ten list tak, aby sa mohol nadvihnúť a vidieť Ho, keď príde spoza rohu.”
70“A keď On vyšiel spoza rohu kráčajúc dolu ulicou, viete, pozeral z jednej strany na druhú a učeníci vraveli, ‘Ustúpte. Prepáčte,’ a ľudia s chorými deťmi a rôznymi vecami. ‘Je mi ľúto, Majster je veľmi unavený kvôli tej veľkej službe včera večer. Zdvorilo, mohli by ste sa prosím ustúpiť bokom a nechať Ho prejsť? No, On ide dolu do mesta, prosíme, mohli by ste ustúpiť bokom?’ A Zacheus sediac tu hore na strome pozeral dolu na Neho.
71“A Ježiš prišiel rovno presne pod strom, zastavil sa, pozrel hore a povedal, ‘Zacheus, poď odtiaľ dolu. Idem s tebou dnes domov, na večeru.’ Tým to bolo pre mňa vybavené. On vedel, že bol tam hore a poznal jeho meno, čo on bol. Tým to bolo vybavené. Podľa mňa to je Mesiáš. Tak veru. Lebo my vieme, že Mesiáš to mal robiť. Určite. Tak On musel ísť ten deň s ním domov, povedal, na večeru. Aký to bol veľkolepý čas! Pamätáme si to.”
72Viete, muselo to byť asi v tom čase, keď zhromaždenie svedectiev pokračovalo. Viete, ako tam títo učeníci vonku na mori svedčili, to muselo byť niekde tam v čierňave noci, niekde hore na severe, že Satan sa musel preniesť ponad vrch a pozrieť sa dolu. Pozrel sa na to zhromaždenie svedectiev a zistil, že oni odišli preč bez Neho. Tam bola jeho šanca.
73Vidíte, myslím, že tá scéna sa práve teraz znovu vrátila, zopakovala sa. Oni v tom nadšení z prebudenia odišli preč bez Neho. A ja verím, že to je veľakrát to, čo sa stalo nám dnes v tejto hodine zamiešania po tom veľkom prebudení, ktoré sme videli. Zachvátilo to celý svet. Každý národ vybudoval ohne prebudenia, a to horelo; veľké služby uzdravovania; ľudia prijímali Ducha Svätého, desiatky tisícov krát tisícov. A v tom nadšení z toho, ako títo učeníci, keď svedčili, čo urobil, “ó, videli sme Ho robiť toto, a videli sme Ho robiť tamto,” verím, že sme odišli preč ako oni, bez Neho.
74Odišli sme za veľkými príležitosťami, ktoré to prebudenie poskytlo. Odišli sme kvôli príležitostiam zarábania veľa peňazí, cirkví, stavania väčších budov, obrovské, veľké miliónové miesta, veľké školy, vzdelávacie systémy, a aby sa naša denominácia rozrástla. A potom máme svoje komunistické programy, antikomunistické, to je všetko, o čom dnes dokážeme hovoriť. A tá prvá vec, viete, Satan nás uvidel na našich antikomunistických programoch, na našich veľkých denominačných programoch a na našich “o milión viac” a tak ďalej, ako to oni majú.
75A odišli sme bez starodávnych modlitebných zhromaždení a navracajúceho sa krstu Duchom Svätým, až kým oheň nezačal slabnúť. Môžete kričať a snažiť sa dostať ľudí ku oltáru, a oni len kráčajú, akoby boli takmer mŕtvi, desia sa prísť. A potom poproste kazateľov, aby prišli a modlili sa s nimi, “Ó, prečo ma o to požiadal?” Oni idú dolu a sotva ich do toho môžete doviesť. Budú tam len na pár minút stáť, pozrú na vás a idú naspäť a sadnú si na svoje miesta. Podľa mňa, ten oheň odišiel preč! Niečo sa stalo. [Br.Branham trikrát zatlieska. – pozn.prekl.] Počúvajte! To, čo potrebujeme, je prebudenie, keď hriešnici hľadia na Krista a činia pokánie, bežia so zdvihnutými rukami ku oltáru kričiac o milosť a celá cirkev je plameňom ohňa so slávou Božou.
76Naše nadšenie z tej príležitosti, že naše denominácie budú rásť, postavili sme väčšie školy, aby sme mohli vzdelávať našich kazateľov a posielať ich ďalej od Boha, než boli na začiatku. Boha nemožno poznať cez vzdelanie. On sa nedá poznať cez teológiu. Boh je poznaný cez vieru. Nemôžete vysvetliť Boha. On je poza vysvetlenie.
77Pozrite, čo to spôsobilo, my, letniční ľudia, ktorí sme zvykli byť letniční. Naše ženy si ostrihali vlasy, nosia make-up. Naši muži to dovoľujú. Naši kazatelia to dovoľujú. Boja sa niečo o tom povedať. Cirkev ich vyhodí, ak niečo povedia. Ó, ak nepotrebujeme vyčistenie domu rovno od kazateľne až po suterén! Je to hanba. Je to potupa.
78Jeden muž prišiel nedávno za mnou a povedal, “Brat Branham, ľudia ťa milujú.” Ale povedal, “Ty vždy na nich reveš, reveš na tie ženy ohľadne krátkych vlasov a podobných vecí.”
Povedal som, “Biblia povedala, že je to pre ňu hanba, aby to mala.”
79Ona zneucťuje svojho muža, keď to robí. A to je absolútne znak toho, že si sa oddelila od Boha. Pamätajte, v Samsonovom prípade boli dlhé vlasy nazarejským znakom, že sa oddelil od sveta ku Božiemu Slovu. A keď si striháte vlasy, ženy, popierate, že ste nazarejským znakom. Odišli ste do Hollywoodu namiesto späť do Biblie. Biblia povedala, “Nech sa oholia.” Vidíte, to je hanba a kazatelia na to nič nepovedia.
80Tento muž mi povedal, “Prečo nenecháš tie ženy na pokoji?” Povedal, “Považujú ťa za proroka.”
Povedal som, “Nikdy som nepovedal, že som prorok.”
81Povedal, “Oni ťa za neho pokladajú. Uč ich, ako prijať duchovné dary a niečo robiť. Mal by si ich učiť veľké veci, významné veci.”
82Povedal som, “Ako ich môžem učiť algebru, keď sa nechcú učiť ani abecedu, ako žiť slušne podľa toho? Ako to urobíte? Áno, choďte dolu k tej prvej veci.”
83Rok po roku prechádzam národom a je to po celý čas horšie. Niekde je niečo zlé, nejde to so Slovom. Niet divu, že nemôžeme mať horiace ohne prebudenia. Potrebujeme čas upratovania domu. Boh to nikdy neurobí, kým sa znovu nevrátime späť. Potrebujeme čas upratovania domu.
84A vy, muži, necháte svoje ženy, aby robili také veci, nosili šortky! To nie sú Metodisti, Baptisti, to sú letniční, tak je to, “forma pobožnosti, laodicejský cirkevný vek, vlažný,” Letniční len podľa mena, to je všetko. Letniční nie je meno, to je prežitie krstu Duchom Svätým, ktorý očisťuje ľudí. Niet divu, že nemôžeme mať veľké uzdravovacie služby a tieto veci, tam niekde sa stalo niečo zlé. To je Satan, uvidel nás vonku, ako sa snažíme...
85“No, keď niečo o tom povieme, oni zmenia svoje členstvo.”
86Pamätajte, vy sa s kresťanmi nemaznáte. Kresťania sú tvrdí. To sú Boží muži a ženy, ktorí stoja za Bohom bez ohľadu na to, čo ktokoľvek iný povie. Nemusíte ich prosiť a presviedčať a voňavkovať ich a nosiť ich ako bábätká. To sú skleníkové, skrížené rastliny, nie sú na nič dobré, nikdy nič nevyprodukujú.
87To mi pripomína, ako... Čoskoro bude čas hniezdenia. Všimol som si dnes malé vtáčky, tam, malé vrabce ako nosia slamu do svojich hniezd. Zakrátko budú hniezdiť, pripravovať svoje vajíčka na liahnutie. Viete, malý vtáčik môže mať hniezdo vajec a ona môže sedieť na tom hniezde vajec a obracať ich každých pár minút, vezme svoju malú nôžku a obracia ich a sedí tam. No, ak tie vajcia nechá vychladnúť po tom, čo už raz boli zohriate, nič sa z nich nevyliahne. A ona len odlieta a berie si plné ústa potravy a vracia sa späť na ne.
88A viete, že tá stará vtáčia samica, ona by tam mohla sedieť na tých vajciach a obracať ich každé dve minúty, a ne... dokonca sa toľko obetovať a postiť, až kým nie je taká slabá, že sa nemôže pohnúť z hniezda. Ale pokiaľ tá vtáčia samica nebola v kontakte s vtáčím samcom, nič sa z tých vajec nevyliahne. Nezáleží na tom, čo, ako veľmi ich maznáte, nič sa z nich nevyliahne. Budú ležať rovno v tom hniezde a zhnijú.
89A ak kedy bol čas, keď by sa letniční mali zísť s Mužom, Ježišom Kristom, lebo sa nestaneme ničím, iba hniezdom zhnitých vajec, popierajúc Vieru, idúc do Ekumenickej rady a budeme to nazývať veľkými vecami, sedieť pri pápežovi a hovoriť, “je to duchovné.” Čo na svete sa vám stalo, vy, Letniční ľudia? Či neviete, že Biblia povedala, že tieto veci sa stanú? A my vykrikujeme, lebo Metodisti a Baptisti sa pripájajú a potom všetky tieto veci. Či si neuvedomujete, že keď si spiaca panna odišla kúpiť Olej, to bola práve tá hodina, keď prišiel Ženích? A ony nedostali Olej! Viete, Vytrhnutie príde tak tajomne, odchod preč, niekedy v týchto časoch, že dokonca ani nebudete vedieť, že sa to stalo. Bude to preč a vy sa budete čudovať, čo sa stalo.
90Ako Ján prišiel na zem. A oni Mu povedali, “No, Biblia povedala, že najprv musí prísť Eliáš.” On povedal, “On už prišiel a vy ste to nepoznali.”
91Tak to bude, jedného dňa, oni povedia, “Myslel som, že toto sa má stať pred obdobím súženia. Myslel som, že má byť Vytrhnutie.” Mohli by prísť slová, “Už sa to stalo a vy ste to nepoznali.” Ú-ha! Môže byť neskôr, ako si myslíte. Ó, zobuď sa, cirkev! Radšej s tým skončím; nikdy som sem neprišiel kvôli učeniu, len som myslel, že to tam vsuniem, len tak na okraj.
92Pamätaj, brat, satan videl tieto veľké programy, jedna cirkev sa snaží predstihnúť druhú, jedna denominácia sa snaží predstihnúť druhú, odstraňujú všetku negramotnosť a musia im dať psychologický test, musia mať psychológa, aby otestoval človeka predtým, než odíde na misijné polia. Letniční! Nie, to nie sú Presbyteriáni, to sú Letniční. Istou skupinou Letničných je požadovaný psychologický test, veľkou skupinou, predtým, než misionári môžu vyraziť na pole.
93Čo keby oni mali taký test? Oni mali test. To bol letničný test na začiatku, keď čakali v hornom príbytku, až kým tam neprišiel Oheň z Výsosti a Moc Božia. To bol ten test.
94Nie nejaký svetský, napoly opitý psychológ stojaci tam snažiac sa trochu rozrušiť myseľ, alebo také niečo, hovorí, “Vy ste všetci úplne zruinovaní.” Keď to absolútne dokazuje, že človek, ktorý je extrémne duchovný, je nervózny, on musí byť v takom stave, aby sa do Toho dostal. Tak tu to máte, vidíte, a oni len zamiešavajú to, čo sa Boh roky snažil robiť, a prichádzajú rovno späť so svojimi programami a svojimi veľkými...
95Sú nadšení, keď vidia množstvo ľudí zhromaždených spolu. Povedia, “Keby som ich všetkých mohol urobiť Zbormi Božími! Keby som ich všetkých mohol urobiť Jednotármi! Keby som ich všetkých mohol urobiť Metodistami!” Metodisti sa snažia všetkých urobiť Metodistami, Baptisti sa snažia všetkých urobiť Baptistami, Letniční všetkých Letničnými! Ó, nič s tým nemôžete urobiť, Boh predurčil tých od založenia sveta. My máme kázať Evanjelium. To je všetko. Ale naše veľké programy, odišli sme preč bez toho Ohňa. Odišli sme preč a urobili sme si podomácky vyrobený oheň, ako to bolo.
96A náš komunizmus, teraz sme tak prestrašení, komunizmus prepukol, “Čo sa stane?” Ale, viete, tá veľká vec nie je komunizmus. Dovoľte mi to teraz povedať, ja nemám strach z komunizmu.
97Ale z čoho mám strach je, že vás, Letniční, táto Ekumenická rada vás vezme. To je tá vec. Vyformuje to znamenie šelmy a vy budete musieť ísť do toho, lebo ste organizácia, vy musíte do toho nastúpiť alebo vypadnúť z toho von. To je tá vec, a každá dobrá, citlivá, duchovná osoba to vie. Potrebujeme ďalšie svedectvo na mori, zisťujeme to teraz. A naši Letniční, len to prehĺtajú, háčik aj s navijakom, “Aká to bude veľká vec.” Keď metodisti, presbyteriáni, luteráni, cirkev Kristova a letniční, vy musíte zamietnuť vaše veľké apoštolské učenie, aby ste tam boli. Oni budú musieť urobiť to isté. Nebudeš mať s tým čo robiť. Všetko sa to zlučuje s Rímom, presne tak, ako to bolo dokázané. Písmo tak povedalo.
98Čo sa stalo s kazateľmi, že nechajú, aby sa tieto veci dostali do takého stavu bez toho, aby varovali ľudí!? Boh to bude vyžadovať z ich rúk. Rovno v tomto čase problémov, oni boli v problémoch, boli. Nenastáva komunizmus; to je Ekumenická rada, ktorá sa chystá prehltnúť celú skupinu. A pamätajte, keď poviete, “Keď sa to stane,” potom bude príliš neskoro, už ste prijali znamenie šelmy. Potom už do toho patríte.
99Radšej by ste z toho mali teraz vypadnúť, tak veru, byť zapečatení v Kráľovstve Božom. Telo Kristovo je tajomné Telo Kristovo, do Ktorého sme pokrstení Duchom Svätým; nie pripojení do Toho, privedení do Toho, prehovorení do Toho, vjazykovaní do Toho, vkričaní do Toho. Vy ste do Toho narodení, Duchom Svätým. Tak je to. Určite.
100Teraz vidíme tieto veci, problém prichádza znenazdania. Ó, diabol sa pozrel a povedal, “A-ha, oni začali šalieť, sú tam vonku a skáču hore-dolu, kričia, majú veľký čas. Viete čo, práve teraz je môj čas, aby som ich potopil. Idem ku nim hneď teraz.”
101Tak on vyšiel spoza vrchu a začal viať svoj jedovatý dych, fúú: “Dni zázrakov pominuli. Nakoniec, verím, že tí ľudia sú len nervózni. Myslím, že by mali mať psychologický test predtým, než pôjdu na misiu.” Letniční. Vidíte jeho jedovatý dych ako zabíja Slovo, “Ó, myslím, že je to niečo iné, verím tomu...” Vidíte, ide rovno naspäť, ako šli všetky ostatné denominácie, je to presne tá cesta, ktorou kráčajú. Oni budú, to to zabije. V presne tú hodinu, v ktorej to zorganizujete, vtedy to zabije. Vždy to tak bolo. Vždy to tak bude. Nikdy to už viac nepovstane. Nikdy v histórii to nebolo známe. V tomto Laodicejskom veku bol Kristus mimo cirkvi, klopúc, snažiac sa dostať dovnútra. A oni To proste nemôžu zniesť. Nemôžu To počúvať. Teraz zisťujeme, že v hodine, v ktorej žijeme, prišli problémy.
102A potom začíname zisťovať, že zázraky sa už viac nedejú tak, ako sa diali. Chorí idú domov chorí. To nie je kvôli Bohu. To je kvôli nedostatku prebudenia medzi ľuďmi. Nie je žiadne prebudenie. Oni sedia a počúvajú, idú domov, povedia, “No, myslím, že to bolo celkom dobré, hmm.” Vidíte, nie je tam to nadšenie. Nie je tam to niečo v ľuďoch, čo by tam malo byť.
103Pamätám sa pred pätnástimi rokmi, tu v Arkansase, keď som mal malé zhromaždenie tam hore v Jonesboro, keď sa tam snažilo dostať okolo štyridsaťtisíc ľudí, aby prišli na zhromaždenie do pätnásťtisícového mesta. A ležali pod nákladnými autami s bavlnou a pod všetkým možným a držali noviny nad svojimi chorými deťmi, len aby sa mohli dostať dnu. Sedeli na svojich miestach a nepohli sa deň a noc a posielali svojich milovaných, aby kúpili hamburger a fľašu malinovky a zostali tam, deň vnútri a deň vonku, deň vnútri a deň vonku. Ich srdcia horeli ohňom. Len najmenšiu malú vec Boh urobil, to ich zapálilo. A stovky ich prišli.
104On je stále ten istý Boh dnes večer, ako bol pred pätnástimi rokmi. On je stále ten istý Boh dnes večer, ako bol, keď stvoril nebesia a zem.
105Ale čo to je? Všetci sme sa nadchli a chceli sme stavať naše organizácie, chceli sme stavať toto a stavať toto a urobiť niečo skvelé a žiarivé, porovnávať sa s Jonesovcami, s Metodistami, s Baptistami, s Presbyteriánmi. Vy nie ste z nich. Nie, vy nie ste. Oni sú denominační ľudia, čo je v poriadku, nič proti nim. Je veľa dobrých kresťanov medzi nimi, ale vy by ste sa nemali spájať s tými neveriacimi skupinami. “Ľudia, ktorí zapierajú jej moc,“ vy by ste nemali byť s nimi.
106Viete, problém je v tom, že sa snažíte dostať Hollywood do cirkvi. Tá vec, ktorú by ste sa mali snažiť robiť, je dostať Hollywood von z cirkvi. Vidíte? Snažíte sa urobiť svoju budovu tak peknú, snažíte sa urobiť svoju denomináciu tak veľkú, až kým neupúta pozornosť ľudí. Nemôžeme ísť na ich stranu. My ich musíme dostať na našu stranu. Všetko žiarivé, pamätajte, Hollywood sa leskne svetskosťou, kým Evanjelium žiari skromnosťou. Je dosť rozdiel medzi leskom a žiarou. Evanjelium žiari skromnosťou a miernosťou a pokorou a mocou. Zatiaľ čo Hollywood sa leskne a každý vykrikuje a huláka a ide do toho. Vidíte? Nepotrebujeme to.
107My chceme žiť také Svetlo. On povedal, “Vy ste soľou zeme.” “Ak soľ stratí svoju slaň,” to je jej moc v Evanjeliu. Mali by sme mať niečo hýbajúce sa v našich zboroch, aby Metodisti, Baptisti, Presbyteriáni a všetci z nich túžili prísť. Mali by sme byť tak slaní! Soľ spôsobuje smäd, vytvára smäd. Soľ je chuť, ak sa toho dotknete. Musíte sa toho dotknúť.
108A zisťujeme, že v našich veľkých záchvatoch šialenstva sa snažíme porovnávať s Metodistami a Baptistami, s veľkými budovami a veľkými miestami a dobrými vzdelanými ľuďmi a väčšími školami a väčšími univerzitami a všetkým týmto. Vyrazili sme v záchvate šialenstva a tu nastal problém.
109A duchovná myseľ sa pozrie dookola a povie, “Tu, počkaj chvíľu, ideme všetci do tej Ekumenickej rady? Pôjde celá naša skupina do toho?” Určite, pôjdete. Presne tak. Sledujte a uvidíte, či nie. Biblia povedala, že pôjdete, presne, a Kristus bude vonku. Mesiac sa zatmieva pred pápežom (prvý, ktorý kedy išiel do Ríma), v tú noc ukazujúc vám znak v nebesiach. Nebolo to ani predpovedané a stalo sa to. Ako Pán robí veci v tomto dni, úžasné!
110Potom v tejto veľkej hodine temnosti, keď tam boli, prišiel vietor. Všetky nádeje na prežitie boli preč. No, čo urobíte, keď vaša denominácia pôjde do Ekumenickej rady? Čo sa potom stane so všetkými našimi veľkými vecami, ktoré sme si postavili na zemi? Posledná nádej odišla.
111Ale viete, keď oni začali kričať a všetka nádej odišla, nemohli byť zachránení; a zrazu Ho videli prichádzať, ako kráča po vode. V hodine temnosti On prišiel, vkročil tam.
112Viete čo? Keď ich opustil, On vedel, že sa to stane, tak vyšiel na najvyšší vrch, ktorý bol v krajine. Čím vyššie pôjdete, tým ďalej môžete vidieť. A On vyšiel hore, tak ich mohol pozorovať, viete.
113A On vedel, že toto príde. On predpovedal, že tento deň tu bude. “Ako bolo vo dňoch Sodomy, tak bude pri príchode Syna človeka, keď Syn človeka bude zjavený.” Potom, Syn mal byť zjavený. Táto hriešna a cudzoložná generácia bude hľadať znamenie. Ona bude mať znamenie. Odmietne ho tak, ako to urobili vtedy, ale to bude znamenie vzkriesenia. On stále žije a robí tak, ako vždy robil.
114Zisťujeme, že v tejto veľkej hodine, keď boli všetci títo učeníci v tiesni, vyšiel hore, aby ich mohol pozorovať. Sedel tam hore na vrchu a pozoroval ich.
115A teraz On nevyšiel na horu, ale On vyšiel z hrobu, vyšiel cez povetrie, za mesiac, hviezdy, až kým nevyšiel tak vysoko, že sa musel pozrieť dolu, aby videl Nebesia. A tam On sedí, na Výsosti. Jeho oko hľadí na vrabca a ja viem, že nás pozoruje. On pozoruje.
116A rovno tu v tejto hodine temnosti, keď všetky cirkvi odišli do veľkých programov a oni majú tento program a tamten program, všetci naprogramovaní ako tie ostatné cirkvi, denominácie. A čo sa stalo? V hodine temnosti, keď sa skutoční duchovne naplnení ľudia čudujú, “Čo sa stane? Pozri na moje deti!” Muž hovorí, “Pozri na moju ženu! Pozri na toto!”
117A zavčasu opúšťajú nedeľné alebo stredňajšie nočné modlitebné zhromaždenie, aby mohli v televízii pozerať Máme radi Zuzanku alebo niečo podobné. “Milujúci svet viac ako milujúci Boha.” Správajú sa ako oni.
118Minule som povedal jednej dáme, bola oblečená do takých úzkych šiat. Povedal som, “Sestra, tie šaty sú príliš tesné. Možno to pre mňa neznie dobre, aby som ti to povedal, ale je to tak. Si kresťanka a mohla by si byť kameňom úrazu.”
119Povedala, “No, Brat Branham, vieš čo?” Povedala, “To je jediný druh, ktorý vyrábajú.”
120Povedal som, “Stále predávajú látky a šijacie stroje. To nie je ospravedlnenie.” Áno.
121Počúvajte, dovoľ mi povedať ti niečo, moja drahá priateľka. Nie som voči tebe zaujatý. Nie, veru. Snažím sa ťa zadržať od trápenia. Pokiaľ je ten duch v tebe, budeš to robiť. Tak je to. Musíš sa narodiť z toho von. No, môžeš sa na tej poznámke uspokojiť, ale dovoľ mi povedať ti niečo, vidíš, “Kde je vaše srdce, tam je aj váš poklad.”
122Dovoľ, aby som ti niečo povedal. Môžeš byť práve tak čistá ako ľalia, ku svojmu mužovi a ty môžeš byť práve tak čistá ako ľalia, ty, mladé dievča, ku svojmu mladému chlapcovi, ale jedného dňa ťa Boh bude brať na zodpovednosť za páchanie cudzoložstva. Si vinná, keď sa takto obliekaš. Ježiš povedal, “Ktokoľvek sa pozrie na ženu so žiadosťou, už s ňou spáchal cudzoložstvo vo svojom srdci.” A keď sa ten muž musí zodpovedať, ten hriešnik, za to, že sa na ňu pozerá, za spáchanie cudzoložstva, kto mu to ponúkol? Myslite na to. Vy, letničné ženy, hanba vám! Vidíte? Hanba vám!
123Milujem vás, to je ten dôvod, prečo to hovorím. Láska napráva.
124Sme vo veľkom záchvate šialenstva, veľkom šialenstve obliekania. Je to ako spôsob a móda tohoto sveta. On povedal, “Nemilujte sveta ani vecí tohoto sveta, lebo ak to robíte, láska Božia nie je vo vás, “ nestarám sa o to, ako veľmi hovoríte v jazykoch, skáčete hore-dolu, tancujete; striháte si vlasy, nosíte takéto šaty. Vy, muži, to dovoľujete. Vaše vlastné ovocie vám hovorí, kde sa nachádzate. To je presne tak. Niet divu, že sme v takom chaose v akom sme kde dujú vetry komunizmu, vetry cirkvizmu, vetry ekumenickej organizácie!
125Je to čas pripájania, čas zjednocovania. Odbory zjednocujú pracujúcich, hádajú sa o tom. Národy majú Spojené národy, oni sa zjednocujú. Cirkvi sa zjednocujú spolu. Čo to všetko ukazuje? Ukazuje to, že Kristus a Nevesta sa pripravujú na zjednotenie. To je to, o čom to hovorí. Všetky tieto tiene vecí ukazujú, že prichádza ten pozitív. Sledujte teraz, keď končíme, lebo už meškám.
126A teraz si všimnite, v tejto veľkej hodine, keď všetka nádej bola preč, nádej prežitia, uvideli Niekoho prichádzať, ako kráča po vode, kráča hore. A tá vec, tá smutná časť, počúvajte pozorne, tá jediná vec, ktorá im mohla pomôcť, tej sa báli. Povedali, “Vyzerá to ako duch. Možno to je, viete, duch.”
127Či sa to nestalo znovu? Oni sa Toho boja. Oni sa boja veštenia, bojíte sa nejakého druhu diabolskej moci; keď Ježiš povedal, že sa To stane v tomto dni. Jediná vec, ktorá im môže pomôcť, je Ježiš Kristus. Nie ďalšia denominácia, nie všetci z nich spájajúci sa spolu; to ich len urobí horšími ako boli kedykoľvek predtým. Jediná vec, ktorá vám môže pomôcť, je Ježiš Kristus.
128A keď On zasľúbil, že sa v posledných dňoch vráti v tejto forme a bude robiť toto, zasľúbiac, že (tak ako pred tým, než prišiel zasľúbený syn Abrahámovi, prvé semeno) to kráľovské semeno Abrahámove, Ježiš povedal, uvidí tú istú vec. Pred zasľúbeným Synom, Boh sa zamanifestuje v tele a bude robiť presne tak, ako robil Ježiš, ako povedal, že bude robiť v posledných dňoch. A tu všetky tieto zasľúbenia, ktoré by sme mohli vyložiť v tuctoch, rovno tu pred vami, že toto sa má stať.
129A cirkvi, ktoré by mali byť s otvorenou náručou, aby To prijali, “Trochu sa Toho bojím. Nepatrí to k našej skupine, vidíte.” A oni sú z Toho vystrašení. Jediná vec, ktorá ich môže priniesť ku Kristovi, je Kristus Sám, a oni sa boja, že je To strašidelné. “Ó, ja neviem. Môže to byť duch, vidíte. A nepoznám To.” Vystrašení z tej jedinej veci, ktorá im môže pomôcť.
130A v tej temnej hodine nebezpečenstva, tá vyvolená cirkev, tá skupina sediaca tam vonku, vystrašená, že to môže byť strašidlo, nechceli s tým mať nič spoločného. Potom prišiel ten sladký Hlas, “Nebojte sa. To som Ja.”
131On je Slovo. Však? [Zhromaždenie, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.] On sa nikdy nemení, aby bol Slovom. No, môžete počuť to Slovo, ako hovorí dnes večer, “On je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky. Nebojte sa; to som Ja”? [“Amen.”]
Skloňme svoje hlavy.
132Nebeský Otče, večer je horúci. Hodina je temná, ako ten Oheň odišiel od oltára. Zhromažďuješ z poľa. Povedal si, “Kráľovstvo je podobné človeku, ktorý vzal sieť a šiel k moru, vrhol ju doň a keď to vytiahol... Také bolo Kráľovstvo.” Pane Bože, jedného dňa tá posledná ryba, ktorá je v tej vode! Povedal si, “Oni vybrali všetky druhy.” Tá sieť Evanjelia chytá všetky druhy; chytilo to korytnačky, kraby, pavúky, hady, ryby, ktoré zbierajú odpadky. Nevieme, čo to chytí, ale bola tam nejaká ryba, za ktorou si Ty išiel. Ty si ten Jediný, ktorý si Sudcom. Ale uvedomujeme si, že rýchlo sa korytnačka, krab a všetky vrátia znovu späť do bahennej diery, naspäť do vody. Ale jedného dňa tá posledná ryba, ktorá bola predurčená, ustanovená, aby prišla, tá posledná časť toho Tela, bude vytiahnutá von z toho mora.
133Rozhodil si sieť v dňoch Luthera a Wesleyho, Alexandra Campbella, Johna Smitha, Calvína, Knoxa, Finneyho, Sankeyho a tak ďalej; v Letničnom veku, dňoch F. F. Boswortha a Frochmana, tých veľkých mužov. Rozhodil si siete vo dňoch Billyho Sundaya, dolu cez ten vek.
134A teraz stále prečesávaš more. Sedí tu niektorý z nich dnes večer, Pane? Ak áno, nech sú ako tá malá žena pri studni. Dokonca v jej prostitútskom stave, stále rozpoznala, že Ty si Mesiáš. Uvidela ten znak. To bolo to. Povedala, “Vidím, že si prorok.” Ona nemala tušenia, že by to mohol byť Mesiáš. Povedala, “My čakáme na Mesiáša,” inými slovami. “Vieme, že keď Mesiáš príde, On nám bude hovoriť tieto veci.” A Ty si povedal, “Ja som On.” To bolo to.
135No, dnes večer, Pane, nech uvidia, že, “To som Ja; nebojte sa. To je Moje zasľúbenie.” Uzdrav chorých, Pane, zachráň stratených, naplň prázdnych.
136Nech pôjdeme preč dnes večer a povieme vo svojich srdciach, ako pôjdeme preč, ako tí, ktorí prišli z Emauz, “Či nehoreli naše srdcia, keď nám slúžil dnes večer v budove, Jeho Božská Prítomnosť!” Keď spoznali, že si to bol Ty, pozvali Ťa dovnútra a ich oči sa otvorili. Nech Ťa každý z nás dnes večer pozve dovnútra. Ak Tomu nerozumieme, nech Ťa každopádne pozveme dovnútra. To je ten jediný spôsob, ako sa môžeš odhaliť.
137A všimli sme si ten spôsob, ako Si sa odhalil po Tvojom vzkriesení, urobil si niečo takým istým spôsobom, ako si to urobil pred Svojím ukrižovaním. Tak príď dnes večer, Pane, povedal si, že si “ten istý včera, dnes a naveky.” Urob znovu, pre nás, tak ako si robil vo dňoch, keď si stál tu v tele, na zemi. Pôjdeme domov bezstarostní ako tamtí. V Ježišovom Mene sa modlíme. Amen.
138No, v službe dnes večer, viem, že je hrozne teplo a máme už dvadsať minút navyše. [Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.] Som...
139Nemôžem zastaviť alebo zabrzdiť tie veci, ktoré robím. Som vedený Niečím, Čím som vždy bol, celý život a vždy To bolo správne. Nikdy mi To nepovedalo nič, čo by nebolo v Biblii. Nemôžem to zastaviť. Nemôžem s tým nič urobiť. To to proste robí, akokoľvek. A som si istý, že ak som poslušný, tak tam bol niekto, kto to potreboval. A ja budem verný. A v tom Dni, chcem, ako veľký Svätý Pavol povedal, “Na mojich rukách nie je krv žiadneho človeka.” Ach. Chcem vám povedať Pravdu. Nie ako som... Milujem vás.
140A keby ste mali malého chlapca... No, pomyslite na to, dámy, vy, ktorým som pred chvíľou vynadal, vy, sestry s ostrihanými vlasmi a tými vecami. Ak by... Ak by váš malý chlapec sedel vonku na ulici a vy by ste povedali, “Maličký, drahý, mal by si ísť radšej dnu, drahý. Mohlo by to byť, ja neviem, tie autá ťa možno obídu.” Vy nemilujete to dieťa. Tak je to. Vy tam pôjdete a zderiete z neho kožu alebo ho prinútite, aby šiel dnu. Tak je to. Milujete ho.
141Také je Evanjelium. Boh vás miluje. “A tých, ktorých miluje, trestá a karhá každé dieťa, ktoré prichádza k Nemu.” Ak nemôžete zniesť trestanie, idete preč a nahneváte sa za to, potom ste nelegitímne deti, nie ste deti Božie. Tak len pamätajte, to je proste Písmo.
142No, slovo od Neho, jedno slovo, bude znamenať viac, ako by som mohol povedať za milión životov. To je On. Poznáme Jeho zasľúbenie. Vieme, čo zasľúbil, že bude robiť. No, ja neviem, či... urobil...budeme z...
143Rozdal znovu karty? Rozdal si dnes karty? Čo to bolo? “J”, v poriadku. V poriadku, aby sme ušetrili čas, začnime proste od čísla jeden. No, oni sú pravdepodobne po celej budove. “J”, číslo jedna.
144A teraz to máme trochu roztrúsené. Začali sme od, raz, odtiaľto, inokedy, trochu späť a dopredu, a okolo, ale máme ich tu okolo roztrúsených. Ale všetci ľudia, ktorí prichádzajú, každý deň, majú šancu dostať sa do rady. To neznamená, že keď ste tu...
145Koľkí viete, že v tomto zhromaždení bolo takmer dvojnásobne viac uzdravených v publiku, ako ich bolo tu hore? Iste, viete to. Vidíte, modlitebná karta proste len dostane ľudí tu hore, dostane Ducha Svätého medzi nich, lebo ste to zvykli robiť. Nemusíme to dokonca práve teraz mať. Môžeme vynechať modlitebné karty.
146Tak ako sme to robili včera večer, vôbec sme včera večer nemali modlitebné karty. Duch Svätý vyšiel von medzi tých, ktorí nemali modlitebné karty. A videl som mnoho vecí, o ktorých som nič nepovedal, lebo som nevedel, či to tak bolo alebo nie. Stále to bolo nad nimi tmavé a tak som to proste nechal tak. Nevedel som. Nebolo by to dobré , aby som ich zavolal. Čokoľvek On povie, je správne, tak počúvajte, čo On hovorí.
147No, povedal si, že to bolo “J”? “J”, číslo jedna. “J”, číslo jedna, kto má modlitebnú kartu, zodvihnite ruku. Musel si sa pomýliť, synu; musí to byť nejaký... Ó, prepáč. Ó, smerom späť oproti stene vzadu. Poďte sem, pani. Prinášajú tieto karty teraz dolu, chlapec, Brat Borders alebo Billy, jeden, niekedy obaja, miešajú tie karty pred vami a potom vám dávajú vašu kartu, čokoľvek chcete. My nevieme, oni sú proste... Tento môže dostať číslo päť, a tamten dostane číslo sedem, tento dostane číslo pätnásť, a tamten deväťdesiatpäť a my nevieme. A potom znovu, keď prídem, ja proste, kdekoľvek to leží na mojom srdci, zavolám odtiaľ, nezáleží, kde to je. Ja len... Ak poviem... Niekedy počítam, koľko ich je v rade a rozdelím to medzi tých v tejto rade a dostanem odpoveď. Vidíte? A potom, ak to neurobím, prečo, ja len... čokoľvek príde prvé na moju myseľ, to zavolám.
148Číslo jeden. “J”, číslo dva. Číslo dva, číslo tri, číslo štyri, číslo päť, číslo šesť, sedem, osem, deväť, desať, nechajte ich prísť, vidíte. Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, päť, šesť, sedem, osem, deväť, desať. To je dobré. Tak to má byť, prichádzajte rovno... Počkajte, jeden šiel inakade. Bol som... Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, päť, šesť, sedem, osem, deväť. To je správne. No, tu, tu to je, desať. V poriadku.
149Jedenásť, dvanásť, trinásť, štrnásť, pätnásť. To je ďalších päť. Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, päť. Dobre, to je dobre.
150Šestnásť, sedemnásť, osemnásť, devätnásť, dvadsať. Jeden, dva, tri, štyri. Vidím len štyroch. Dvadsať, ozval sa dvadsiaty? V poriadku. No, nechceme, aby ich stálo naraz príliš veľa. No, keď prejdeme týchto a to je dosť, vezmeme, ďalších. Nevoláme... Možno my...
151Skúsme niekoľkých ďalších. Skúsme ďalších piatich. Dvadsaťpäť ku dvadsaťpäť. Jeden, dva, tri, tam vzadu, štyri. Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, to je päť. V poriadku, zastavme sa tam. V rade je dvadsaťpäť a zoradili sa tu dolu.
152No, chcel by som vás poprosiť o láskavosť. Venujete mi svoju plnú... Venujte Bohu svoju plnú pozornosť najbližších pätnásť, šestnásť minút. Urobíte to? A urobíte toto, otvoríte svoje srdcia? No, pamätajte, čo som povedal. Nenechajte, aby to prešlo pomimo vás, ako voda stekajúca po kačacom chrbte, ako hovorí staré príslovie. Nerobte to. Zvážte Toto.
153Ak vám poviem niečo, čo nie je v Písme, a zasľúbenie na tú hodinu, je vašou povinnosťou a ste zaviazaní, aby ste išli tu k manažérovi a povedali mi o tom. Tak je to. Neučím nič okrem toho, čo je v Slove. A ak stojím rovno s tým Slovom a ak poviem, že je To takto a Boh... To je v Biblii. Ak mi Anjel Pánov povedal niečo, čo nie je v Biblii, to by nebol Anjel Pánov. Tak je to. On mi nikdy ani jediný raz nepovedal nič okrem toho, čo bolo v tom Slove a vy ste mi svedkami. On nikdy nepovedal jednu vec, zo stoviek tisícov a tisícov a medzi jazykmi sveta, či On niekedy povedal niečo nesprávne, alebo povedal niečo, čo sa nestalo?
154Počúvajte. Poproste manažéra a ich tam. Toto, čo tu všetci vidíte, je tá amatérska stránka toho. Je to tak, bratia? [Bratia hovoria, “Správne.” - vyd.] No, tam vonku a vonku v súkromnom živote, kde On povie, “Choď dolu na toto miesto a uvidíš toto. A toto sa stane. A toto povedz tu, tu dolu.” To je neustále, po celý čas, vidíte, rok po roku. Ľudia v publiku vidia len tie malé veci. Ale teraz, ak budete úctiví.
155No, je mi každý v tejto modlitebnej rade, ako tu stojíte, cudzí? Zdvihnite svoje ruky, ak ste mi cudzí. V poriadku. Koľkí z vás tam vonku vedia, že o vás nič neviem? Zodvihnite ruky. No, kým... Ďakujem. Nestarám sa, kde ste, či ste hore na balkóne, vzadu pri stene, dolu tuto, kdekoľvek ste. Idem...
156No, to je pre vaše dobro. To je pre váš úžitok. Vidíte, to je pre váš úžitok.
157Myslel som, že to ku mne hovorí môj malý vnúčik, ale nebol to on. Mám tu niekde svojho malého vnúčika, dnes večer, on je asi takýto veľký a myslel som si, že to bol malý Paul. Vždy hovoril, že príde, postaví sa na pódium a bude pre mňa kázať a on nemá ešte ani dva roky. Myslím, že tento malý chlapček zháňa svoju mamičku.
158Tak pamätajte, snažím sa vám pomôcť. Ja... Boh to vie. Snažím sa vám pomôcť, vidíte. No pozrite, chcem, aby ste z toho vzali úžitok, ak On medzi nás príde.
159No, myslite na to, Osoba Ježiša Krista účinkujúca v tele, ako zasľúbil, že bude robiť na konci. Koľkí vedia, že to zasľúbil? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.] Tak ako to bolo tam dolu pri Sodome, keď Anjel obrátený chrbtom a ... To bol Boh. Veríte, že to bol Boh? Koľkí veria, že to bol Boh? [“Amen.”] Iste, že bol. Biblia hovorí, že bol. A On, Ježiš, o tom hovoril. No, všimnite si.
160No, vy tam vonku bez modlitebných kariet, chcem, aby ste pre mňa niečo urobili, kdekoľvek ste. No, pamätajte, tieto veci, sledujte, keď vám To povie, že ste, ste uzdravení, alebo čo vám To povie, aby ste urobili. Sledujte, čo To povie. Ak vám To len povie, to je na to, aby to budovalo vašu vieru. A potom, keď vaša viera príde na miesto, vy sa natiahnete a prijmete Boha. To nie som ja, lebo Nebeský Otec vie.
161Pozerám sa na túto radu a nevidím ani jednu osobu, ktorú by som poznal. Nevidím, ale sú možno dvaja, traja ľudia v celom publiku, ktorých poznám. A ja neviem ako, práve teraz, môžem povedať, ukázať jedného. Viem, že Edmund Way bol tu pred pár minútami. Myslel som, že ho vidím a minul som...
162Ak sa nemýlim, vidím niekoho, koho poznám, je to muž a jeho manželka a malé dievča, volá sa Fritzinger, hore z Ohio. Je to, si brat - brat Fritzinger? Sedíte tak trochu v malom krúžku, kde... To je brat a sestra Fritzinger, z Ohio, moji priatelia.
163A mimo toho, tam vzadu sedia, tam je... Vidím tu na boku, je jeden starý muž, ktorý bude mať deväťdesiatdva rokov, volá sa William Dauch. On a jeho manželka. Ona je zdravotná sestra. William Dauch, v Ohio, môj veľmi osobný priateľ. Nedávno mal, deväťdesiatjedenročný mal úplné zlyhanie srdca, srdcový záchvat a jeho manželka mi volala, aby som ihneď prišiel, on rovno vtedy umieral. A na...
164On mi bol tak blízkym priateľom. Trápil som sa na svojej ceste za ním. A zastavil som a jedno z mojich kolies nebolo vyvážené, to jednoducho trhalo moju pneumatiku na kúsky, a šiel som na stanicu Texaco, aby som nabral trochu paliva a oni vyšli von, aby sa na to pozreli. A pozrel som sa hore a videl som brata Daucha, ako kráča dolu ulicou do môjho zboru a potriasa mi rukou. Povedal som, “Chvála Pánovi.” A pozrel som sa takto naspäť a tu on išiel dolu ulicou a potriasol mi rukou. Šiel som k nemu.
165Videl som jeho lekára, mladého Žida alebo v stredných rokoch, Židovský muž. A povedal som, “Čo je s ním, doktor?”
166Povedal, “On ani nemal šancu bojovať.” Povedal, “Je pod kyslíkovým stanom.” Povedal, “Zomrie rovno tam.” Povedal, “Pamätajte, má deväťdesiatjeden rokov.”
Povedal som, “Áno, pane.”
167Povedal, “Je to úplné zlyhanie srdca. Nič sa nedá robiť.” Povedal, “Je čas ísť.”
168A ja som povedal, “Áno, pane. Ale nie, on nepôjde. To je všetko.”
169Vošiel som dovnútra, položil som svoju ruku pod stan. Povedal som, “Brat Dauch, počuješ ma?” Pozrel sa hore na mňa. No, v skutočnosti, v jeho mene, on je Nemec, D-a-u-g-h, a ja to proste vyslovujem Dauch, vidíte. A položil som svoju ruku pod stan a povedal som, “Počuješ ma, brat Dauch?”
Povedal, “Áno.”
Povedal som, “Ty neodchádzaš, ja som videl, že neodchádzaš.”
170Týždeň na to, ako som stál vo svojom zbore, kto prichádza kráčajúc do zboru, ak nie brat Dauch! Odišiel som zo zhromaždenia a šiel som ponad rieku do bufetu, aby som sa najedol. A keď som vystupoval z auta a kráčal som hore ulicou, tu prichádza brat Dauch s vystretou rukou. Tie videnia nezlyhávajú.
171A ten deväťdesiatjedenročný muž navštevuje každé zhromaždenie, bol v Kalifornii. Zodvihol by si proste ruku, brat Dauch, ako tam sedíš, aby ľudia videli, čo to znamená byť skutočný vojak. Tu, sedí rovno tu, vidíte, deväťdesiatjedenročný a navštevuje každé zhromaždenie. Keď som v modlitebni, šoféruje stovky míľ každý deň, aby ma počul kázať malú kázeň a ide naspäť. Bože, “Bude Svetlo v čase večera.”
172Povedal som, minule som s ním hovoril, povedal som, “Čo by som pre teba mohol urobiť, brat Dauch?”
173“Len jedno želanie, brat Branham. Keď On príde, chcem ísť s Ním.”
174Povedal som, “Netráp sa. To je zaistené. Iste.” No, ten muž prichádza tu, bol pokrstený, ó, prišiel a prijal krst Duchom Svätým a všetko, proste skvelý služobník Kristov.
175No, poprosím vás každého, aby ste boli skutočne úctiví, pozrite sa takto a modlite sa.
176No, koľko učiteľov tu vie, že On je Najvyšší Kňaz, práve teraz, ktorého sa môžeme dotýkať našimi slabosťami? [Zhromaždenie, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.] Dobre, ak je On ten istý včera, dnes a naveky a je tým istým Najvyšším Kňazom, On bude konať takým istým spôsobom. Len Jeho telo je na Tróne Božom. Koľkí to vedia? [“Amen.”] Telo Ježiša je na Tróne Božom. Ale On používa naše telo, aby sa cez neho manifestoval, tak ako to zasľúbil robiť. “Skutky, ktoré ja robím, budete tiež robiť.”
Poprosím vás, aby ste ticho sedeli, buďte úctiví, sledujte a modlite sa.
177No, Nebeský Otče, snažil som sa pri tom byť tak úctivý, ako som len vedel. No, len slovo od Teba teraz, Pane, a potom môže tichý, jemný Hlas prísť dolu cez toto publikum a povedať, “To som Ja, nebojte sa.” Daj to, Otče. A porúčam sa Ti, s Posolstvom, ktoré bolo dnes večer kázané, s Tvojím Slovom, aby bolo potvrdené. Ty to nemusíš urobiť. Ale Ty to urobíš alebo Ty to robíš, lebo si to zasľúbil. Modlím sa, aby si to dal, v Mene Ježiša. Amen.
178A každý skutočne úctivý, len skutočne úctivý. Ako sa máte? No, dám vám Písmo, ako pôjdeme ďalej. Ak to Pán urobí, ja neviem. Ale len... A ja som takto kázal, vidíte, to je jeden druh pomazania. Toto je iný druh pomazania. To bolo len požehnanie. Táto jedna vec, to jednoducho rovno z vás berie ten život.
179No, pani tu stojí. Nikdy vo svojom živote som ju nevidel. Sme si cudzí? Verím, že si to povedala, pred chvíľou, nepoznám ťa. Boh ťa pozná. On pozná mňa. Vieš, že ako tu teraz stojíme, budeme sa za to musieť zodpovedať v Deň Súdu? [Sestra hovorí, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.] Si si toho vedomá? Vieš, že za to, čo teraz robíme, Boh nás tam hore vezme na zodpovednosť? Povedal som to proste za nejakým účelom. No, ak mi Pán Ježiš zjaví, čo robíš, čo je v tvojej mysli alebo niečo také, budeš tomu veriť? Musela by si tomu veriť, však? [“Amen.”]
180Budete tomu veriť tam vonku, vy v publiku? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.]
181Teraz stojíme presne tak, ako tá žena pri studni a náš Pán, muž a žena sa stretávajú prvý krát. Vidíte? Tu sme, stretnutie pre... To je Svätý Ján 4.kapitola. No, ak Svätý Duch povie... Ak si tu kvôli niekomu inému, ak si chorá, ak je to domáci problém, ak sú to finančné problémy, čokoľvek to je, ja nemám predstavu. Ale On má. Ale On môže rozpoznať myšlienky, ktoré sú v tvojom srdci. On je Slovo. Ja nemôžem. Ja som človek. Si len trochu nervózna a to je dôvod, prečo toto robím, vidíš.
182To je jeden z tvojich problémov, to je nervozita. Tak je to. A tiež máš cukrovku, to je ďalšia vec, čo je s tebou zle. Tak je to. Komplikácie, proste mnoho vecí je zlých. Je to tak? Ak je to tak, zodvihni svoju ruku. Vidíte? Veríš, že On ťa uzdraví. [Sestra hovorí, “Verím.” – pozn.prekl.] Veríš? No, tvoja nervozita je zapríčinená tvojím vekom, vidíš, ale teraz ťa to všetko opustí. A verím, že vierou pôjdeme na Golgotu, budeme mať transfúziu Krvi.
183No, to je presne to, čo On urobil. Povedal žene pri studni, aký bol jej problém. Jej bol ten, že mala veľa manželov. Tvoj bol ten... Myslím, že to bola nervozita a ďalšie dve alebo tri zlé veci. Je to tak, že? To je tá istá vec.
184No, keď On prišiel ku Šimonovi, povedal mu, kto on je. Veríš, že Boh mi môže povedať, aké je tvoje meno? Urobí to, že budeš veriť viac? Urobí to? Pani Strongová... [Sestra hovorí, “Rozhodne.” - pozn.prekl.] Rozhodne, budeš veriť? Choď a ver, a ty... Je tomu koniec. Amen.
185Poď. Veríš? Aj tebe som cudzí. Nepoznám ťa. Boh ťa pozná. Veríš, že On mi môže zjaviť, aký je tvoj problém? A ak to urobí, potom nech je Pán Boh požehnaný. Je to pravda? [Sestra hovorí, “Áno, je to pravda.” – pozn.prekl..] No, nemusíš sa báť, vidíš, to je On, že to cítiš. V poriadku. Trpíš tiež stavom nervozity, duševnej nervozity a ľahko sa zrútiš. A trpíš problémom močového mechúra, niečo je zlé s pečeňou a máš anémiu. Tak je to. Máš niečo...
186Stále sa tu zjavuje nejaký muž. Veríš, že Boh ťa môže uzdraviť? [Sestra hovorí, “Áno, verím.” – pozn.prekl.] A že môže uzdraviť aj tvojho manžela, aby mu bolo dobre? Myslíš, že ten problém so žalúdkom odíde a on bude v poriadku? To je to, na čo on trpí. Choď a polož svoje ruky na neho, povedz mu to a opustí ho to.
187Som ti cudzí. Pán Ježiš nás oboch pozná, však? Veríš, že Boh môže učiniť, aby ti bolo dobre? Ak mi Pán Ježiš zjaví vec, ktorá... že si... ktorá je v tvojom srdci, veríš, že On spôsobí, aby ti bolo dobre? Mala si nejaký problém. Máš problém so žlčníkom, po prvé. A ďalšia vec, to spôsobuje, že tvoj žlčník je pokrytý vredmi, ale to je to, čo povedal tvoj lekár. No, ďalšia vec je, že oni to chcú operovať. To je presne tak. Nie je to pravda? No, veríš, že On to môže obísť? Myslíš si, že tvoja viera je v Neho? Vieš, že to nie som ja, kto to robí. Veríš? V poriadku. Choď a ako si uverila, nech sa ti tak stane.
188Predpokladám, že sme si cudzí. Pán Boh nás oboch pozná. Veríš, že On je schopný zjaviť mi tie veci, ktoré ti pomôžu? [Sestra, “Áno, viem to.” – pozn.prekl.] Ty, ty veríš, že On to urobí. [“Jednoznačne.”] Hovorím... “Jednoznačne,” to je veľmi dobré. To je veľmi pekné. No, máš veľa vecí, ktoré nie sú v poriadku, tak veľa komplikácií a vecí a niečo ako kašeľ a ty sa z toho nemôžeš dostať. A ty si skutočne nervózna. A to, je to tak.
189Potom, máš na srdci bremeno a to bremeno je za niekoho, čo je tvoj syn. A on má problém, nejaké domáce problémy. On a jeho žena, stále sa hádajú... A ty sa tým trápiš. Tak je to. Teraz ver z celého svojho srdca a to sa celé vyjasní a odíde. Veríš teraz. Pán nech ťa žehná.
190Ako sa máš, pane? Som ti cudzí a ty si cudzí mne. A to je začiat... Videnie, vidím, vyzerá to, akoby sa celý dom práve osvetľoval, akoby nejaký vír chodil dookola. Vidíte? Ale veríš, že Pán Ježiš by mi mohol zjaviť, prečo tu stojíš? Veríš, že On to urobí? Ja tomu tiež verím. Ja sa len s tebou rozprávam, aby som sa skontaktoval s tvojím duchom, to je presne to, prečo to robím. Vidíš, ja ťa nepoznám, tak to musí byť niečo mimo mňa, čo to robí. Ja len musím seba samého dostať úplne preč od seba, aby to On mohol robiť Sám. Rozumieš?
191No, jedna vec, trpíš obrovskou nervozitou a tá nervozita trvá nejaký čas. Tak je to. [Brat hovorí, “Tak je to.” – pozn.prekl.] A tá nervozita spôsobila, že máš tiež vysoký krvný tlak. A mal si porážku. [“To je pravda.”] To je to. Povedz, ty si buď bol kazateľom alebo si kazateľ. [“Som.”] No, si kazateľ; videl som ťa stáť za kazateľňou. Potom, maj vieru v Boha a tá nervozita ťa opustí. Všetci kazatelia to majú. Budeš v poriadku. Vráť sa ku svojej kazateľni a poslúchaj Boha a zostaň verný tomu Slovu, Ježišovi Kristovi.
192Veríš, že problém s tvojím chrbtom ťa opustí, ako sedíš na kresle? Veríš tomu? [Sestra hovorí, “Áno.” – pozn.prekl.] V poriadku, pane, potom len pokračuj ďalej, hovoriac, “Ďakujem Ti, Pane.”
193Poď, pani. Ako sa máš? Veríš, že som Jeho sluha? [Sestra hovorí, “Istotne verím.” –pozn.prekl.] V poriadku. Veríš, že ten dámsky problém, ženský problém, ťa opustí? [“Amen.”] Áno? Potom choď napred, povedz, “Ďakujem Ti, Pane.”
194Problém s obličkami, problém s chrbticou, v tvojom chrbte. Veríš, že Boh ťa uzdraví a urobí, aby si sa mala dobre, od toho? Veríš, že On spôsobí, že ti bude dobre? V poriadku, vezmi si svoje...?...
195Poď, pani. Som ti cudzí. Ak by som ti vôbec nič nepovedal, verila by si, že Prítomnosť Božia je tu, aby uzdravila chorých? [Sestra hovorí, “Určite, verím tomu.” – pozn.prekl.] Áno? Nuž, ak áno, tvoj problém so žalúdkom... Povedal som ti, vidíš. Je to preč. Povedal som ti, vidíš. [“Vďaka Bohu! Ó, ďakujem Ti, Ježišu.”]
196Ako sa máš, pane? Boh žije v srdci. A nedávno sa tu ukázalo, že s tvojím srdcom je zle. Veríš, že On to napraví? Pokračuj na svojej ceste a ver tomu. Boh nech ťa žehná. Veríš; On to dá do poriadku.
197Si nervózny a to spôsobuje, že máš problém so žalúdkom, žalúdočný vred. Trápi ťa to po jedení. Veríš, že je to teraz celé preč? Choď si zohnať niečo na jedenie.
198Je ti tak trochu ťažko postaviť sa, chrbát ťa tak veľmi trápil. [Pacient hovorí, “Áno, pane.” – pozn.prekl.] Už ťa to viac nebude trápiť, ak tomu budeš veriť. Budeš? [“Áno, pane.”] V poriadku, pokračuj a nech ťa Pán Ježiš učiní úplne zdravým.
199Z čoho si taký nervózny? Len pokračuj, povedz, “Ja už viac nebudem nervózny,” a nebudeš. Choď a ver. V poriadku, pane.
200Poď, pani. No, Etiópska žena a biely muž, presne tak ako, niečo také, čo jedného dňa stretlo Ježiša. Oni mali oddelenie, tak ako to zvykli mať na juhu, ale teraz to už nemáme. Ježiš im dal vedieť, že všetci ľudia sú Boží ľudia. Nebol žiaden rozdiel, vidíte, či bola Židovka alebo Samaritánka.
201No, ak ti Boh nepomôže, tak veľmi skoro ťa tá artritída zmrzačí. Ale veríš, že On ti pomôže, že ti bude dobre? Presne tak, ako urobila tá žena, choď svojou cestou a povedz svojim ľuďom, aké veľké veci pre teba urobil Boh. V poriadku.
No, je tam chirurg pripravený vytiahnuť nôž.
202Moment. To nebola táto žena. No, len moment, nech je teraz každý úctivý. To je Satan, snažil sa niečo urobiť. Tu to je. Nádor, nádor, obaja. Tak je to. Máš nádor, ona má nádor a ten diabol volá o pomoc toho druhého. Ale Duch Svätý volá tiež. Komu budeš veriť, Jemu? V poriadku. Vstaň z toho lehátka, pani. Povstaň z toho nosidla. Postav sa z toho a ver. Choď, ver Mu teraz. Amen.
203Veríš? Všetko je možné. Veríš? A čo vy, v publiku? [Zhromaždenie a tí, ktorí boli práve uzdravení, sa všetci radujú – pozn.prekl.]
204Postavme sa rovno teraz na svoje nohy. Práve teraz je čas urobiť to. Nech sa každá osoba... Boh nech ťa žehná. Nech sa každá osoba teraz postaví na svoje nohy. Vzdajte Bohu chválu. Zodvihnite svoje ruky.
205Ďakujem Ti, Pane Ježišu! Chválime Ťa za Tvoju veľkosť a za Tvoje uzdravenie chorých. [Zhromaždenie sa raduje. – pozn.prekl.]
1 Before we bow our heads for prayer, I would like to read some of God's Word. I always like to read His Word; because my words will fail, they're a man, but His Word cannot fail. And you who keep track of the text, and so forth, let's read from Matthew the 14th chapter, tonight, beginning with the 22nd verse.
And straightway Jesus constrains his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when... evening was come, he was there alone.
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of a good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
2 Let us bow our heads now for prayer. While our heads and hearts are bowed before God, is there a need in the building, tonight, that you would like to make known to God, by lifting up your hands, and be remembered in the prayer? The Lord look upon you, be merciful to us.
3 Our Heavenly Father, we are coming now into Thy Presence, by the way and the Name of the Lord Jesus. Knowing, with the blessed assurance, that He promised us, if we would "ask anything" in His Name, that You would grant it to us. We are very grateful for this. Words cannot express the way we feel about it, with assurance that we have, that You're listening to us just now.
4You seen those hands, Lord. You know what they had need of. You're the omniscient, omnipotent, infinite God, and we know that Thou knowest the hearts of the people. You knowed our thoughts. Even before we were ever created, You knowed every thought that we'd ever have, for You are infinite.
5And we pray, Lord, at this hour, as our desires is reaching for You, look down from the Heavens, Lord, and take our requests to Thy Own heart, Lord, and answer us according to Thy riches in Glory. Give to us the desire of our heart, trusting that it's Your Divine will. And we know that it's Your good pleasure to do Your will.
6Give us a great outpouring of Thy Presence, tonight, again Lord. Heal the sick. Save the lost, raise up those who are dead in sin and trespasses, and bring them to a new Life, tonight. May we see Jesus. We ask it in His Name. Amen.
7 You may be seated. We're sorry that we're not able to accommodate the people, for seating capacity. But, since the first night, they say they've had to turn away great multitudes of the people, so we are sorry for that. And Brother Grant just didn't quite get another room built, either, to... I believe it's to the left that he is going to move this partition. The precious, precious brother today asked me if I would make this an annual thing, to return back to Dallas, to his church. Such a great invitation as that, in this hour, when doors closing so fast, and then the man want me to come back and make it an annual thing, affair. I appreciate that.
8I had a time of fellowship with them this morning, with Brother Gordon Lindsay and many of them. Brother Pearry Green, who is the sponsor of the oncoming meeting down at Beaumont, sitting behind me here tonight. And many, our friends, Brother Don and his wife. We're so happy to have them here. The Lord bless them.
9 Now, tonight, just... I been trying to make my Messages just as simple as they could be, so that even a child could understand them.
10Tomorrow afternoon is an evangelistic service, and I wish that you could all come out.
11Now if you have services at your own church, why, you--you stay where you're--where you're stationed at. We don't want no one to leave their own church, to... And then if you're sick and want to come to be prayed for, and your church is having service tomorrow afternoon, speak to your pastor about it, so he won't think bad, you know. Let him know that we're here in cooperation, to--to help the entire Body of Jesus Christ that's sojourning here in Dallas and around about.
12So, tomorrow afternoon, I think, at two-thirty, I'm to speak an evangelistic Message. And then we're going to pray for all the sick people, pick up all the prayer cards and things that's been left over through the week, and pray for them all tomorrow.
13 Now my subject tonight is more like a little drama, just for a few moments. And I'm going to try to get in as much tonight as I can, on praying for the sick. My text is, "be not afraid, it's I," Jesus speaking. My subject is: A Testimony On The Sea.
14 It must have been about late in an afternoon, the sun must have been going down when this taken place, and now must have been a hot day about like it is in here.
15The air conditioner is out, and they're working on it. That's the reason I changed my subject from out there, what I was going to speak on, so I could hurry with it, so you wouldn't have to sit in the heat like this.
16 This big fisherman, after seeing what he had through the day, been watching Jesus in His great ministry.
17I would have loved to have lived in that day, to followed Him. But, you know, I'm glad I still have the privilege of doing the same thing, watching Him do things. And it's greater to watch Him today than it was then. I have more faith in Him now, and can have more faith now than I could have then, because we've had two thousand years to prove that the Gospel is right. And after two thousand years, He is still alive, doing just as He did then, so we have a greater assurance and a more foundation for faith now than they had then.
18Because, He was just a Man going around with a claim that--that He was sent from God and was the Son of God, and that God was vindicating His promised Word of that day, by Him, and they had somewhat the reason to doubt it. The theologians, they were! And you notice it was a pathetic thing, it was really pathetic, because them theologians would have believed That if God hadn't have blinded their eyes. The Bible said so.
19 And did you know He promised that He would blind their eyes again today, that they wouldn't see It? They would be "heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, despisers of those that are good; having a form of godliness, but would deny the Power thereof." Just exactly a promise right back again. And you can't hardly but just feel sorry for people, and their eyes being blinded to this day. With the Scriptures that God has promised that would come to pass right in this day, in this hour, and we're looking right at it and watching it. And then people look, and shake their head and walk away, say, "I don't see It." It's a pathetic thing, but yet the Scriptures has got to be fulfilled. It must be that way.
20 So these disciples had been chosen of God. Did you notice, Jesus told them, "Before the foundation of the world," He chose them, and they were an ordained seed of God. That's why when the troubles come up, and the people looked like had Jesus in the corner, on a question, there was no question to them. They couldn't understand it, but they were determined to know nothing else but Him. "Thou only has the Word of Life." And they were determined to stay with It, because they were ordained to that office.
21And so is it today, that men and women, who are ordained to Eternal Life, will come to Eternal Life. "All the Father has given Me will come to Me." That's His Word, and that cannot fail. It's--it's God's Word.
22 And we see these disciples now, that had a great meeting that day, out in a great field along the side of a mountain. And Jesus had told them, "Now you go ahead across the sea, ahead of Me." And He was going up into a mountain, alone, for prayer. And these disciples, after meeting friends, I can just imagine how they felt.
23Because, to meet friends, and then have to part with friends; just about the time you get acquainted, then you have to say good-bye. And that's always been kind of a heartache to me, across the nation, around the world, has been meeting friends and then leaving them, knowing that there is many that you won't see no more until you meet them at the Judgment. It's kind of a sad affair.
24 I can imagine the boat, with the--the bow of it pushed into the bank. And must have been Simon Peter, with the great brawny arms and shoulders, that pushed the boat around and headed it out into the sea. And they was all waving good-bye to those on the bank. And they was screaming, "Come back again and bring the Master over to see us! And come have another revival; we've been so blessed today!" And new friends waving. And he climbed over the rest of the disciples, and sat down probably by the side of his brother, Andrew, and picked up the oars.
25The--the ships then were propelled by either the wind or by oars that they pulled. And then maybe they would be sitting two in a boat, two on a side, and they would... or two in one seat, rather, maybe six or eight oarlocks. They would pull in time, and that way they could hold the boat in its keel when the storms was on. Then, the winds blowing normally, they could hoist up a sail, and sail.
26 Must have been a hot afternoon, from the looks of the Scripture just before this event, and so it must have been a real quiet, sunny, hot afternoon. The sun was setting. And they, as they oared, and then turned loose and waved good-bye to the people, "Hope to see you again sometime," as they moved out into the sea. And the sunset, and the evening twilight, and then after a while the--the darkness set in.
27And they must have picked up a pretty good speed of--of oaring, and that's a hard job when those great heavy oars dips into the sea. And most all of them were--were fishermen, and great strong men, used to the sea. And so as they expecting Jesus to get in the boat and follow them on, pretty soon. Why, they got out there, and they must have coasted just a little bit; kind of get your ship started, and then let up.
28 Maybe young John must have been the first one to speak up, 'cause he was the youngest of the group. And it must have been he that said, "I'm getting just a little bit tired. Let's coast for a little bit. Wait a minute, we don't have to hurry. He hasn't come along yet, so we might as well wait a little while and kind of get a good breath of air."
29And as he sat there with his head down a little bit, he must have started a testimony meeting. And that's what I want to talk about. It must have been he that raised up first, and said, "Brethren, no matter what the people say, and how much anyone wants to disbelieve, I am certainly a sure now, after today, that we're not following a faker. We are following nothing less than God, for no man could do what He did today 'less it was God. You know, when He took those biscuits and broke them, and fed that five thousand there, that's the most amazing thing to me. There could have been a question until today," now I'm just repeating his testimony as it was, "but that settled it."
30 Said, "I can remember years ago. I used to live down close to the Jordan. And I can remember, as a little boy, how my pretty, Jewish mother used to pick me up, in the afternoon, and set me upon her lap and rock me, out on the porch, when the poppies was blooming along the side of the banks of the Jordan. And she used to look across towards the desert, from whence our people was brought through this desert. She used to tell me Bible stories. One of the great stories that I remember, was the Shunammite woman and when her little boy was dead, and--and the prophet raised up this little boy again from the dead. That used to be a thrilling story.
31 "But one of the most thrilling stories, and mother used to tell me, she would say, 'Now, John, you're just a little boy; but I want you to remember, as you grow older, that, great Jehovah brought our people up out of Egypt, and we come through that wilderness across the river there. And all for forty years, they journeyed in that wilderness, no places to get clothes, and no place to eat. And God rained bread down out of heaven, every night, and fed our people in that wilderness, 'cause they were in the line of duty, following great Jehovah. And now, someday, Jehovah is going to be made flesh here on earth, in the form of a Man, He'll be called the anointed One, the Messiah.'"
32 "And I remember," he would say, "as a little boy, how that my little boy mind used to figure out, try to figure out, 'How did God feed all those, two and a half million people, in that wilderness? How did He get all the bread?' And I used to ask mama, 'Mama, did He, has--has Jehovah got great big bunch of ovens up there in the sky, and He would bake all the bread, and run down at night and put it out upon the--the ground, for the people, and Jehovah's big skies are full of ovens?' She would say, 'No, son, you're too young to understand. See, Jehovah is a Creator. He doesn't need ovens. He just speaks, and His Word is made manifest when He speaks. He is great Jehovah, and He just spoke it. And the Angels distribute it down upon the ground, for the people.'"
33 "And today, when I seen Him stand there, did you notice that look on His face? There was no doubt in His mind. I climbed over behind the rock, and watched Him as He took that bread and broke it, and hand it over to the... His ministers, us, to distribute it to the people. And then when He reached back to break again, that loaf was whole again. And He done that hundreds of times, until everyone was filled, and there were baskets, full, taken up. I know that could been no less than Jehovah, because He acted like Jehovah did. Only Jehovah can create. And I know that that Man is not a faker. There is only one Creator, and that's Jehovah. And now, of all the things that I've seen, that satisfied me.
34"I want you to know now that my heart is completely surrendered, and I believe completely that He is not merely a prophet. He is a prophet, but He is more than a prophet. He is nothing less than Jehovah God dwelling among us, because He created bread, and He had the habits of Jehovah. No wonder He could say, 'If I do not the works of My Father, then believe Me not; but if I do the works of My Father, and you can't believe Me, believe the works, for they testify of Me and tell Who I am.' Looked like people could have seen that, easy."
35And John was satisfied that He was the Messiah, the One that Isaiah said, "Unto us a Son is born, and His Name shall be called Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Everlasting Father." And John was satisfied because what he had seen. The young fellow giving his testimony.
36 About that time, Simon Peter said, "Well, now, just a minute. If we're going to have a testimony meeting, I would like to have something to say. You know, I was very skeptic of the whole thing, when Andrew my brother, which attended John the prophet's revival, who had testified that the Messiah was coming and he would introduce Him. And I was a little skeptic of what Andrew would tell me, because I have heard all kinds of Messiah stories and everything else.
37"But all you brethren remember my old dad. His name was Jonas. And you remember him, of how that he was a very staunch believer. How that I can remember mother and dad, and all of us, as we fished for a living, and we'd catch no fish; we needed bread, and how that we'd get down in the floor and pray to God, 'Give us a catch today, God, that we might be able to sell our fish, and pay off our debts, have food to eat.' And how we'd go out on the sea, in the storm, and dare to--to face those storms.
38 "And dad, I can see his gray hair hanging down his back, one day as he sat upon the brail of the boat and talked to me, saying, 'Simon, you're my oldest son. You know, I've always believed, Simon, that I would see the Messiah. Our people has looked for Him since Eden. And we are sure that He's coming, no matter how long. That's been four thousand years ago, you say. But I believe that Messiah will come. And every Jew has believed that he would see the Messiah in his generation. I hope to see Him in my generation. But it looks like, I'm getting old now, I've got to stop the sea, and getting my aches and pains, I probably won't see Him in my time. But maybe you will, my son.
39"'And I want to train you in the Scriptures. Son, before the Messiah rises on the scene, there will be all kinds of things going on, all kinds of false things, because Satan will do that, to destroy the influence of the real Messiah when He comes.'" It's always been that way; still that way.
40 And then we find out, he said, "I remember he put his arm around me, said, 'Son, there is only one way that you'll be able to identify that Messiah. Now we've had hundreds of years without any prophet. Malachi was our last prophet. That's been four hundred years ago, we haven't had a prophet. But remember, Moses told us, in the Scriptures, that, when the Messiah come, He would be a prophet, when He rose on the scene. We Jews are taught to believe the prophet. And the Messiah's journey on earth is a spoken Word of God, that He has promised us. And the Word always comes to a prophet, and a prophet vindicates that Word. Don't you never forget that, son! There may be great things rise, there may be great enthusiasms and--and great things. But remember, the Messiah will be a prophet, 'cause we know that God never changes His way, and He said the Messiah would be a prophet. So remember, son, prophets are those who have the Word of the Lord. And when the Messiah comes, He will be a prophet.'"
41"I can just still feel his arm," said Simon, "as he put it around me. And Andrew was standing there washing the net, at the time. You remember it, Andrew?"
"Yes, Simon, I--I remember it."
42 "And Andrew trying to tell me that this John was a prophet. I had other things to do, had to sell the fish and things. So father has been dead for years, but I've always kept that on mind; daddy said, 'This Messiah would be a Scriptural identified prophet, and not forget it, because it's a spoken Word of God. And that Word has constantly always come to the prophets; that identified it, or manifested what was promised for the age.'"
43And now Simon, "One day," said, he said, "you know, Andrew asked me to go to a meeting. And I went down there to the meeting where this Fellow, Jesus, was. And I had heard all kinds of rumors. There was a Jesus raised up, before Him, that promised to be some great something, led four hundred out and they all perished, and so forth. I thought it was just another one of them kind, with some kind of a great enthusiasm of some revival, or some great denomination they were going to make. But one day I thought I would go with Andrew here, my brother."
44 And I can imagine, about that time, the boat begin to shake. Somebody begin to shout, and he said, "Sit down! Don't rock the boat. Wait a minute. Sit still."
45And he said, "You know, when I went down there and walked into the face of Him, the first time, He looked me right straight in the eye and told me what my name was. He had never seen me before. Not only did He know me, but He knowed that godly old father of mine, that had instructed me in the Scriptures. And I knowed that That was Messiah. That settled it for me, right there. That was. That made it right, for me."
46 Must have been Philip said, "Can I say a word here?" Now he said, "Brother Nathanael, don't let this hurt you; because, you know we studied the scrolls for years and years, what the Messiah would be. But when I seen Him do that, I took off and got my friend here, Nathanael. And when he come over..."
Nathanael said, "Let me tell it. Let me tell it."
47Oh, you know, there is something about when Jesus has done something for you, you--you just can't hardly stand still, you got to tell it, yourself. Isn't that right? If it's something real, you just got to say it. When He filled me with the Holy Ghost, I want to tell about it. I want somebody to know about it. Not somebody else tell it; I want to say it, myself.
48 And I just imagine, Nathanael got all enthused and said, "You know, I'd like to say this. I was a little skeptic of you, Philip, when you told me. I asked you, 'Could any good thing come out of Nazareth?' And you gave me the best answer that any man ever had, 'Come and see.'" That works good today. That's right. Don't stay home and criticize. Come, find out for yourself, see. "Said, 'Could anything good come out of Nazareth?' Said, 'Come and see for yourself.' And you know what you had told me.
49"And when I walked up into His Presence, and He told me that I was 'a--a Hebrew, an Israelite, and was an honest man,' I knew that.
50"But I wondered, 'How could it be?' He looked like an ordinary man. I was expecting the Messiah to come down a golden corridors from Heaven, right down to the head of the denomination here, to Jerusalem, walk out and say, 'Caiaphas, I have arrived.' But they find out, He come out of Nazareth, from a poor family; and actually kind of a black name behind Him, as 'an illegitimate child.' Here He stood, dressed in ordinary clothes, not like a priest or somebody; just an ordinary man. And I thought, when I walked up there, 'How can that be a Messiah? One old garment on, He had wore since He was a young fellow, and here this same garment on; and His hair hanging down His back. And like an ordinary man of the street.'"
51"And He looked me in the face, and said, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw you.' That settled it for me. I knowed, by the Word, that was Messiah. That was Him."
52 And the boat must have shook, and the testimony meeting was going on. Oh, what a wonderful time they were having, out on the sea there, just having a great time.
53Andrew said, "I'd like to say something that kind of puzzled me for a little while. You remember when we--we was going down to Jericho? He said, 'We must go up; I have need to go by Samaria.' So, He went up to Samaria and there at the city of Sychar, when He sent us all away to buy victuals over in the city."
54"Oh, yes, I remember that, well!" All of them, "Yes, yes!" The boat was just a shaking, everybody having a wonderful testimony after the revival was over. So they were having this testimony meeting.
55 And he said, "Yes, and you remember we slipped up, and, to our surprise, we saw our Master talking to a marked prostitute. 'Uh--huh,' we thought, 'that's bad. Look at Him out there talking to this young woman. And sent us away, and here He is out here with this ill-famed woman sitting here.' Remember, we was standing just behind the bushes, and we listened to their conversation.
56"And we heard Him say to her, 'Woman, go get your husband and come here.'"
57"And we said, 'Well, we might have been mistaken, maybe the woman was just legitimately married.'"
58"And she looked Him back in the face, and said, 'Sir, I don't have any husband.'"
59"You remember how our hearts failed? 'Our great Messiah that we had confidence in, here was caught in a lie, a cross fire, 'cause He said, "go get your husband," and she had witnessed back that she had no husband. Now it's backfired on Him.' Remember how we all looked surprised, and the breath was gone out of us?"
"Yes, I remember it."
60"And then you remember the next words? He said, 'Thou has said the truth, because you've had five, and the one you're living with now is not yours.' Oh, you remember the testimony meeting behind the bush? My!" See, you can't corner Him. He is God. "Oh," Simon said, "that just..." Andrew said, "That settled it for me."
61 Bartholomew said, "Wait, I would like to put in a testimony. Can I do it, brethren?"
62"Oh, well, I suppose you can, we got plenty of time. He hasn't come up yet, so we'll just make a few paddles. Go ahead, Bartholomew, you testify."
63"Well, one of the great things to me. You remember our sister down in Jericho, named Rebekah?"
"Yes."
"And her husband run a restaurant down there."
"Uh-huh."
64"And--and he was a businessman, and his name was Zacchaeus."
"Yes, yes, I remember him well."
65 "You remember, she was--she was one of our sisters. She had believed on the Lord, and she was so afraid that Zacchaeus would let it all get by without accepting Jesus. And, oh, Zacchaeus was a very good friend to the priest there. And so she was praying that something would happen that his eyes would come open, and he would recognize that this was the Master, this was the vindicated Word of God, made flesh among us. And we tried to tell her... tell him about how that Jesus of Nazareth knowed the secrets of the heart, showing that He was the Word, 'cause the Word discerns the thoughts in the heart.
66"'Nonsense,' he said, 'I believe the priest. What the priest says is good enough for me.' Because he belonged to all the--the orders of the city, the Kiwanis and everything else, you know, so kind of hard for him to let down on it. So Rebekah had asked us all to pray, to pray. And every time we'd come up to the subject He was a prophet, he would say, 'Nonsense! The priest says, "He is Beelzebub. He's a devil. He does that by the power of the Devil. And He's just a mental telepathist. That's all there is to it. There is nothing to it." So there is no such a thing in this day; we haven't had prophets for hundreds of years. And how could that Guy, not even with a fellowship card, how could He ever be a prophet? Oh, no way He was such a thing!'"
67 "But, you know, Rebekah kept holding on, his wife, and praying. And one morning when Jesus was coming into the city, well, then we find out that, Rebekah told us that Zacchaeus had went out to the--the street, to see Him. So he didn't believe He was a prophet, so he said, 'I'll just get a good look at Him,' how he testified to us at the restaurant the other day when we was eating. So he climbed up in a sycamore tree, and said, 'You know what, I'll just disguise myself up here so He won't be able to see me. I'm a little fellow, anyhow, very short. And I can't see Him down there, in a crowd, so I'll just climb up here in the tree.' And he got to where two--two limbs meet, and there he sat down, by these limbs."
68That's just a good place to sit down and study it over. That's where two ways meet, yours and God's; your ideas. That's a good thing, to think it over.
69 "So he said, 'You know what, He must have been a prophet. He could have been. It could be possible I could be wrong. So I'll tell you what, I'll get a good look at Him; and He won't know me. So I'll just take all the leaves and pull them in like this, around me, and I'll disguise myself so He won't even see me at all. And I'll watch Him when He comes by. And if He doesn't look like the right kind of a person, I'll give Him a piece of my mind, sitting up here in this tree.' So he watched, and had a leaf so he could raise up and see Him when He come around the corner.
70"And when He come around the corner, walking down the street, you know, looking from one side to the other, and the disciples saying, 'Stand aside. I'm sorry.' And people with sick children and things. 'I'm sorry, Master is awful tired; that great service last night. And, gentlemanlike, would you please stand aside and let Him by. Well, He is making His way down to the city, and would you please just stand aside?' And Zacchaeus sitting up here in the tree, looking down at Him.
71 "And Jesus come right straight under the tree, stopped, looked up and said, 'Zacchaeus, come down from there. I'm going home with you for today, for dinner.' That settled it for me. He knew he was up there, and knew his name, what he was. That settled it. That's Messiah, to me. Yes, sir. Because, we know the Messiah was to do that. Certainly. So He had to go home with him, said, that day for dinner. What a great time that was! We remember it."
72 You know, it must have been about that time, the testimony meeting was going on. You know, these disciples out there on the sea, testifying, it must have been down in the blackness of the night somewhere, up in the northlands there, that Satan must have moved up over the hill and looked down. He looked in that testimony meeting, and he found out that they had gone off without Him. There was his chance.
73See, I think that scene has just about returned again, repeated itself. They had, in the enthusiasm of the revival, they had gone off without Him. And I believe that that's a lot that's happened to us today, that, in this hour of confusion, and after this great revival that we've witnessed. It's swept around the world. Every nation has had revival fires built, and burning; great healing services; people receiving the Holy Ghost, by the tens of thousands times thousands. And in the enthusiasm of it, like those disciples testifying what He has done, "and, oh, we seen Him do this, and we seen Him do that," I believe we've went off like them, without Him.
74 We've went off on great big opportunities that--that the revival has presented. We've went off on opportunities of making a lot of money, the churches, building greater buildings, great big millions-of-dollar places, great schools, educational systems, and making our denominational grow. And then having our communism programs, anticommunism, that's all we can talk about today. And the first thing you know, Satan has seen us on our anticommunism programs, on our big denominational programs, and on our "million more," and so forth, as they've got.
75And we've gone off without the old-time prayer meetings and the baptism of the Holy Ghost coming back, until the fire has burnt low. You can cry out, and try to get people to the altar, and they just walk up like they were almost dead, a dread to come. And then ask ministers to come pray with them, "Oh, why did he ask me for?" And they get down there, and you can't hardly get them. And they'll stand there just for a few minutes, look up at you, and go back and sit down in their seats. To me, the fire has gone out! Something has happened. Listen! What we need is a revival, that sinners, looking upon Christ, repent, run to the altar with their hands up, screaming for mercy, and the whole church is a flame of fire, with the glory of God.
76 Our enthusiasm for opportunity to make our denominations grow, we've built bigger schools to educate our ministers, and send them farther from God than they was at the beginning. God is not known by education. He is not known by theology. God is knowed by faith. You can't explain God. He is beyond explaining.
77Look what it's done, we Pentecostal people that used to be pentecost. Our women has bobbed off their hair; wearing makeup. Our men is permitting it. Our ministers are permitting it. They're afraid to say something about it. The church will turn them out if they do. Oh, if we don't need a housecleaning, from the pulpit plumb to the basement. It's a shame. It's a disgrace.
78 Some man come to me, not long ago, and said, "Brother Branham, the people love you." But said, "You're always bawling them out, bawling them women out, about having short hair and things like that."
I said, "The Bible said it was a disgrace for her to have it."
79She dishonors her husband when she does it. And it is absolutely a sign that you've departed from God. Remember, in Samson's case, long hair was a Nazarite sign that he had departed from the world, to the Word of God. And when you bob off your hair, women, you deny you're the Nazarite sign. You've went to Hollywood instead of back to the Bible. The Bible said, "Let them be unshaved." See, it's a shame, and the ministers don't say nothing about it.
80 This man said to me, "Why don't you leave them women alone?" Said, "They regard you as a prophet."
I said, "I never said I was a prophet."
81Said, "They regard you as that. Teach them how to receive spiritual gifts and do something. You ought to teach them big things, great things."
82I said, "How can I teach them algebra when they won't even learn their ABC's, how to live decent about it? How you going to do it? Yeah, go down to the first thing."
83Year after year, crossing the nation, and it gets worse all the time. There is something wrong somewhere, it ain't with the Word. No wonder we can't have revival fires burning. We need a housecleaning time. God will never do that till we come back again. We need a housecleaning time.
84 And you man, you will let your wife do a thing like that, wear shorts! Them ain't Methodists, Baptists. That's Pentecostals, that's right, "form of godliness, Laodicea Church Age, lukewarm," Pentecost by name, that's all. Pentecost is not a name, it's an experience of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, that cleans the people up. No wonder we can't have great healing services and things, there is something went wrong somewhere. It's Satan, saw us out trying to...
85"Well, we say anything about it, they'll change their membership."
86Remember, you don't pet Christians. Christians are rugged. They are men and women of God, who stand for God, regardless of what anybody else has got to say. You don't have to beg them and persuade them, and perfume them and baby them around. That's hotbed, hybrid plants, it's no good at all, they'll never produce nothing.
87 Reminds me, like a... It soon be nesting time. I noticed little birds today, over there, little sparrows packing the straw into their nests. It won't be long till they'll be nesting, making their little eggs to hatch. You know, a little bird can have a nest of eggs, and she can sit on that nest of eggs, and she turns them every few minutes; takes her little feet and turns them over, and sits there. Now, if she lets them eggs get cold, after they once get warmed up, they won't hatch. And she just flies off and get a mouthful of food, and right back on them again.
88And you know, that old mother bird, she could sit there on those eggs, and turn them every two minutes, and not... even sacrifice and fast until she is so poor she can't get off the nest. But unless, then, that mother bird has been in contact with the male bird, them eggs won't hatch. No matter what, how much you baby them, they won't hatch. They'll lay right in the nest and rot.
89 And if there ever was a time that Pentecost ought to get with the Mate, Jesus Christ; 'cause we're getting nothing but a nest full of rotten eggs, denying the Faith, going into the Ecumenical Council, and calling it great things, to sit by the pope, and saying "it's spiritual." What's the world's the matter, you Pentecostal people? Don't you know the Bible spoke them things would happen? And we holler 'cause the Methodists and Baptists are coming in, and then all these other things like that. Don't you realize that when the sleeping virgin come to buy Oil, that was the very hour that the Bridegroom came? And they did not get the Oil! You know, the Rapture will come so secret, and going away, some of these times, you won't even know it happens. It'll be gone, and you'll wonder what happened.
90 Like John came on the earth. And they said to Him, said, "Well, the Bible said, Elias must first come." He said, "He's already come, and you didn't know it."
91So will it be, someday, they'll say, "I thought this was to happen before the Tribulation period. I thought the Rapture was to take place." The words could come back, "It's already happened and you didn't know it." Uh-huh. It may be later than you think. Oh, wake up, church! I better quit that; I never come here for doctrine, I just thought I'd punch that in just so you could have that on the side.
92 Remember, brother, Satan has seen these big programs, one church trying to outdo the other, one denomination trying to outdo another, weeding out all the illiteracy and have to give them a test of psychology, have a psychologist to test a man before he goes into the mission fields. Pentecost! No, that--that--that ain't the Presbyterians, that's Pentecost. A psychic test is required of a certain group of Pentecostals, big group, before the missionaries can take the field.
93What if they had a test like that? They got a test. It was a pentecostal test in the beginning, when they waited in the upper room until there came Fire from on High, and the Power of God. That was the test.
94Not some worldly, half-drunk psychologist standing there trying to make the mind, if you're a little bit excited, or something, say, "You're all altogether undone." When, it absolutely proves that a man that's extremely spiritual is nervous, he has to be in that condition to get into It. So there you are, see, and just messing up what God has tried to do for years, and come right back around with their programs and their great...
95 They're enthused when they see lots of people gathered together. Say, "If I could make all them Assemblies! If I could make all them Oneness! If I could make all Methodist!" The Methodist is trying to make all of them Methodist, the Baptist trying to make all Baptist, the Pentecostals all Pentecostals! Oh, you can't do nothing about it, God has ordained those from the foundation of the world. We got to preach the Gospel. That's all. But, our big programs, we've went off without that Fire. We've went off and made ourself a homemade fire, as it was.
96 And our communism, now we're so scared, communism has set in, "What's it going to happen?" But, you know, the great thing ain't communism. You let me tell you that now, I ain't afraid of communism.
97But what I'm afraid of, you Pentecostals, this Ecumenical Council is going to take you. That's the thing. It's going to form the mark of the beast, and you're going to have to go into it. Because you're an organization, you have to get in or get out. That's the thing, and any good, sensible, spiritual person knows that. We need another upon-the-sea testimony, we find it now. And our Pentecostal, just swallowing it, hook, line and sinker, "What a great thing it will be." When, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, church of Christ, and Pentecostals, you'll have to deny--deny your great apostolic doctrine, to be in there. They'll have to do the same. You won't have nothing to do into it. It's all consolidating with Rome, just exactly what's been proven. The Scripture said so.
98 What's the matter with the preachers that let these things get in this condition, without warning the people? God will require at their hands. Right in this time of trouble, they were in trouble, they were. Communism not setting in; it's the Ecumenical Council going to swallow up the whole bunch. And remember, when you say, "Won't..." It happens, then it's too late. You've done took the mark of the beast. You belong to it then.
99You better get where you can get away from it now, yes, sir, be sealed in the Kingdom of God. The Body of Christ is the mystical Body of Christ, that's baptized into It by the Holy Spirit; not joined into It, took into It, talked into It, spoke-in-tongues into It, shouted into It. You are born into It, by the Holy Ghost. That's right. Certainly.
100 Now we notice these things, trouble comes up all at once. Oh, the Devil looked over and said, "Uh-huh, they've gone off on a tantrum, they're just out there jumping up-and-down, shouting, having a big time. You know what, right now is my time to sink them. I'll get even with them now."
101So he raised up over the hill and begin to blow his poison breath, whew, "Days of miracles is passed. After all, I believe these people are just nervous. I think they ought to have a--a--a mental test before they take the foreign fields." Pentecostals! Uh-huh. See his poison breath killing the Word, "Oh, I think It's something else, I--I believe it..." See, going right straight back like all the rest of the denominations did, that's just exactly the road they're walking. They'll, it kills it. The very hour you organize it, that kills it. It always has. It always will. It'll never rise again. It's never been known in history. In--in this Laodicea Church Age, Christ was on the outside of the church, knocking, trying to get in. And they just can't stand It. They can't listen to It. Now we find, the hour we're living, trouble has set in.
102 And then we begin to find out, miracles isn't taking place no more, like they were. The sicks go home sick. It isn't because of God. It's because of the lack of the revival among the people. There is no revival. They--they sit and listen; go home, say, "Well, I guess that was pretty good. Uh-huh." See, there is not that zeal. There is not that something in the people that should be there.
103 I remember fifteen years ago, here in Arkansas, when I was having a little meeting up there at Jonesboro, when about forty thousand people trying to attend this, come to the meeting at a city of about fifteen thousand. And they laid under cotton trucks and everything else, and hold papers over their sick children, just to get inside. They sat in their seats and wouldn't leave, day and night, and had their loved ones to go get hamburger and a--a bottle of pop; and stay there, day in and day out, day in and day out. Their hearts were burning, on fire. Just the least little thing God did, it set them afire. And hundreds of them come in.
104 He is still the same God, tonight, that He was fifteen years ago. He is still the same God, tonight, that He was when He created heavens and earth.
105But what is it? We got all enthused and wanted to build up our organizations, wanted to build up this, and build this, and make something great and shiny, compare with the Joneses, with the Methodists, with the Baptists, with the Presbyterian. You are not of them. No, you're not. They're denominational people, which is alright, nothing against them. There is plenty of fine Christians out among them, but you oughtn't to associate yourself in that unbelieving groups. "People that deny the Power thereof," you're not to take sides with them.
106 You know, the trouble of it is, you're trying to get Hollywood in the church. The thing you ought to be trying to do is get Hollywood out of the church. See? You're trying to make your building so pretty, you're trying to make your denomination so big, till it'll attract the attention of the people. We can't go over on their side. We've got to have them on our side. Everything shiny, remember, Hollywood glitters with worldliness, while the Gospel glows in humility. There is quite a difference between shining and glowing. The Gospel glows in humility, and meekness, and humbleness, and power. While, Hollywood shines, and everybody hurrahing and hollering, and going to it. See? We don't need that.
107 We want to live such Light. He said, "Ye are the salt of the earth." "If the salt has lost its savour," that's its strength in the Gospel. We should have something moving in our churches, that Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and all of them, would long to come. We should be so salty! Salt makes thirst, creates a thirst. Salt is the savour, if it contacts. It's got to be contacted.
108And we find out, our great tantrums try to compare with the Methodist and Baptist, with big buildings and big places, and fine educated people, and greater schools and bigger colleges, and everything like that. We've went off on a tantrum, and here trouble has set in.
109And the spiritual mind looks around and says, "Here, wait a minute here, are we all going to have to take that Ecumenical Council? Will all our whole group go into it?" Sure, you're going. That's exactly. You watch and see if you don't. The Bible said you would, exactly, and Christ would be on the outside. The moon blacked itself out before the pope (the first one ever went to Rome), the other night, showing you a sign in the heavens. Unpredicted, it did it. How the Lord is doing things in this day, marvelous!
110 Then in this great hour of darkness, when they was there, the winds come up. All hopes of survival was gone. Now what are you going to do if your denomination goes into the Ecumenical Council? What's going to happen then to all of our great things that we built here on earth, the last hope gone?
111But you know, as they were about to scream, and all hopes was gone, they couldn't be saved; and all of a sudden, they seen Him come, walking on the water. In the hour of darkness, He came, walking in.
112 You know what? When He left them, He knew that was going to happen, so He climbed the highest hill there was in the land. Higher up you go, further you can see. And He climbed up so He could watch them, you know.
113And He knowed this was coming. He predicted this day to be here. "As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man, when the Son of man is being revealed." Then, the Son has to be revealed. This wicked and adulterous generation will seek after a sign. It'll have a sign. It'll reject it as they did then, but it'll be the sign of the resurrection. He is still alive, doing as He did.
114 We find out, that in this great hour, those disciples all in distress, He climbed up so He could watch them. He was sitting up there on a hill, watching them.
115And now He didn't climb a mountain this time, but He climbed from the grave, climbed through the air, beyond the moon, stars, till He went so high till He has to look down to see Heaven. And there He sits, on High. Now His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He is watching us. He is a watching.
116 And right here in this hour of darkness, when the churches has all gone into great programs, and they got this program and that program, all programmed out like the rest of the churches are, the denominations. And what's happened? In the hour of darkness, when the real spiritual-filled people wonder, "What's going to happen? Look at my children!" The man say, "Look at my wife! Look at this!"
117And they let out Sunday, or Wednesday night prayer meeting, early, so they can go watch We Love Sucy, or something like that, on the television. "Lovers of the world, more than lovers of God." Acting like them.
118 I told a lady the other day, she was dressed so tight in her dress. I said, "Sister, that dress is too tight. It may not sound good for me to tell you that, but it is. You're a Christian, and you would make a stumblingblock."
119She said, "Well, Brother Branham, you know what?" She said, "This is the only kind they make."
120I said, "They still sell goods, and they got sewing machines. There is no excuse." Yeah.
121Listen, let me tell you something, my dear friend. Not picking on you. No, Sir. I'm trying to keep you out of the torment. Long as that spirit is in you, you're going to do it. That's right. You have to be born out of it. Now you can suit yourself on that remark, but let me tell you something, see, "What your heart is, there your treasure is also."
122 Let me tell you. You might be just as pure as a lily to your husband, and you might be just as pure as a lily, young girl, to your boy friend, but someday God is going to make you answer for committing adultery. You are guilty when you dress like that. Jesus said, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart." And when that man has to answer, that sinner, for looking upon you, for committing adultery, who presented it to him? Think of it. You Pentecostal women, shame on you! See? Shame on you!
123I love you, that's the reason I'm saying that. Love is corrective.
124 We're on a great tantrum, a great dress tantrum. It's just like, and fashioned like, the world. He said, "Love not the world, nor the things of the world; if you do, the love of God is not even in you," I don't care how much you speak in tongues, jump up-and-down, dance; cut hair, wear dresses like that. You man permit it. Your own fruits tells you where you're at. That's exactly right. No wonder we're in such a chaos as we are, and the winds of communism, the winds of churchism, the winds of ecumenical organization!
125It's a--it's a joining time, a unionizing time. The unions are unionizing labor, fussing about it. The nations have the--the United Nations, they're uniting. The churches are uniting together. What's it all showing? It's showing that Christ and the Bride is fixing to unite. That's what it's speaking of. All these shadows of things are showing the positive coming. Watch now as we close, 'cause I'm getting too late.
126 And now notice, in that great hour when all hope was gone, of survival, they seen Somebody come, walking on the water, walking up. And the thing, the sad part, listen close, the only thing that could help them, they was afraid of. They said, "It looks spirity. It might be, you know, a spirit."
127If that hasn't happened again! They're afraid of It. They're afraid of fortunetelling, they're afraid of some kind of a devil power; when Jesus said It would happen in this day. The only thing that can help them is Jesus Christ. Not another denomination, not all of them joining together; that's just going to make it worse than ever. The only thing that can help you is Jesus Christ.
128 And when He promised to return in the last days, in this form, and do this, promising (just like before the promised son returned to Abraham, the first seed) the royal seed of Abraham, Jesus would... said would see the same thing. Before the promised Son, God would manifest Hisself in flesh and do exactly like Jesus did, like He said He would do, just like said would be done in the last days. And here all those promises, that we could lay them out, by dozens, right here before you, that this is supposed to take place.
129And the churches, which ought to be with arms out, to receive It, "I'm a little afraid of That. It don't belong to our group, see." And they're a scared of It. The only thing that can bring them to Christ, is Christ Himself, and they're afraid that It's scary. "Oh, I don't know. That might be spirited, you see. And I don't know about It." A scared of the only thing that can help them.
130 And in that dark hour of distress, those elected Church, that group sitting out there, scared that it might be spooky, they didn't want to have nothing to do with it. Then come that sweet Voice, "Be not afraid. It is I."
131He is the Word. Isn't He? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] He never changes, to be the Word. Now can't you hear the Word say, tonight, "He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Be not afraid; it is I"? ["Amen."]
Let us bow our heads.
132 Heavenly Father, the--the evening is hot. The hours are dark, how that the Fire has gone from the altar. You're gleaning across the field. You said, "The Kingdom is like unto a man that took a net and went to the sea, cast it in, and when he brought it out. The Kingdom was like that." Lord God, someday that last fish that's in that water! You said, "They taken all kind." That Gospel net catches all kind; it caught turtles, crawfish, spiders, serpents, scavenger fish. We don't know what it catches, but there was some fish there You were after. You're the One that's the Judge. But we realize, quickly the turtle, the crawfish, and all, get back to the mudhole again, back to the waters. But someday that last fish that's ordained, predestined to come, that last part of the Body, will be drawed out of that lake.
133 You throwed out a net in the days of Luther, and Wesley, Alexander Campbell, John Smith, Calvin, Knox, Finney, Sankey, so forth; in the Pentecostal age, the days of F. F. Bosworth, and Frochman, those great men. You throwed out nets, the days of Billy Sunday, on down through the age.
134And now You're still combing through the sea. Is there one of them sitting here tonight, Lord? If it is, may they be like that little woman at the well. Even in her prostituted state, she still recognized that You was the Messiah. She saw that sign. That was it. She said, "I perceive You're a prophet." She had no idea that it could be Messiah. She said, "We are looking for a Messiah," in other words. "We know when the Messiah cometh, He'll tell us these things." And You said, "I am He." That was it.
135 Now, tonight, Lord, let them see that, "It is I; be not afraid. It's My promise." Heal the sick, Lord, save the lost, fill the empty.
136May we go away tonight, and say within our hearts, as we go away, like those who came from Emmaus, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He ministered to us tonight in the building, His Divine Presence!" How they knew it was You, they invited You in and their eyes come open. May every one of us, tonight, invite You in. If we don't understand It, may we invite You in, anyhow. That's the only way You can reveal Yourself.
137And we notice the way You revealed Yourself after Your resurrection, You did something in the same manner You did before Your crucifixion. Now come tonight, Lord, You said You was "the same yesterday, today, and forever." Do again, for us, like You did in the days when You stood here in flesh, on the earth. We'll go home, lighthearted, like those. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
138 Now in the service, tonight, I know it's awfully warm, and we got twenty minutes to get out in time. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] I'm...
139I can't stop or hinder the things that I do. I am drove by Something, I always have been, all my life, and It's always been right. It's never told me nothing but what was in the Bible. I can't stop it. I can't do nothing about it. It just does it, anyhow. And I'm sure, if I'm obedient, there was somebody that needs it. And I'll be faithful. And at that Day, I want to, like the great Saint Paul said, "No man's blood is on my hand." Huh-uh. I--I want to tell you Truth. Not as I'm... I love you.
140 And if you had a little boy... Now think of it, lady, you that I scolded a while ago, you sisters with bobbed hair and things. If I... If you had a little boy sitting out on the street, and you said, "Junior, dear, you had better come in, dear. It might be, I don't know, they'll probably drive around you." You don't love that child. That's right. You will get out there and shuck the hide off of him, or make him come in. That's right. You love him.
141That's the way the Gospel is. God loves you. "And those that He loves, He chastens and rebukes every child that comes to Him." If you can't stand chastisement, you go away and get angry about it, then you're illegitimate children, you're not the children of God. So just remember, it's just the Scripture.
142Now a word from Him, one word, will mean more than I could say, a million lifetimes. It's Him. We know His promise. We know what He promised to do. Now I don't know whether... did... we'll from the...
143 Did he give out cards again? Did you give out cards today? What was it? J, all right. All right, to save time, let's just start from number one. Now, they're probably all over the building. J, number one.
144And now we got some stragglings. We started from, one time, from this one, over time, some back and forth, and around, but we got them straggling around here. But every people that comes in, every day, has a chance to come up into the line. That don't mean because you're here...
145 How many knows, in this meeting, there has been nearly twice as many healed out in the audience, as there was healed up here? Sure, you know it. See, a prayer card is just simply get the people up here, get the Holy Spirit among them, so as you're used to doing that. We don't even have to have it right now. We can omit the prayer cards.
146Just like we did last night, we never had prayer cards last night. The Holy Spirit went out among them that didn't have prayer cards. And I seen many things I didn't say nothing about, 'cause I didn't know whether it was so or not. It still held dark over them, and I just let it alone. I didn't know. Wouldn't do no good to call them. Whatever He says is right, so listen to what He says.
147 Now did you say that was J? J, number one. J, number one, who has a prayer card, raise up your hand. You must be mistaken, son; must be some... Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, way back against the wall in the back. Come up here, lady. They--they just bring these cards down now, the boy, Brother Borders or Billy, one, sometimes both of them, mix those cards up before you, and then give you your card, whatever you want. We don't know, they're just... This one might get number five, and that one get number seven, this one get number fifteen, and that one ninety-five, and we don't know. And then, again, when I come, I just, wherever it lays upon my heart, I call from there, no matter where it's at. I just... If I say... Sometimes I count how many is in a row, and divide it by the ones on this row and get an answer. See? And then, if I don't, why, I just... whatever comes to my mind first, I call.
148 Number one. J, number two. Number two, number three, number four, number five, number six, seven, eight, nine, ten, let them come, see. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. That's good. That's the way, come right... Wait, one went the other way. I was... One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. That's right. Now, here, here it is, ten. All right.
149Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen. That's five more. One, two, three, four, five. Good, that's good.
150Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty. One, two, three, four. I only see four. Twenty, did twenty answer? All right. Now, we don't want to get too many standing at once. Now if we get through with these, and it's early enough, we'll go for some more. We don't call... Maybe we...
151Let's try a few more. Let's try five more. Twenty-one to twenty-five, in the J's, let them stand if you will. Twenty-one to twenty-five. One, two, three, way back in the back, four. One, two, three, four, that's five. Okay, now let's just stop there. There is twenty-five in the line, and they're--they're lining up down here.
152 Now I'm going ask you one favor. Will you give me your undivided... Give God your undivided attention, for the next fifteen, sixteen minutes. Will you do that? And will you do this, open up your heart? Now remember what I've said. Don't let it go over your back, like water falling on a duck's back, as the old saying is. Don't do that. Consider This.
153If I tell you anything that's not in the Scripture, and a promise for the hour, you are duty bound to see the manager here and come tell me about it. That's right. I--I teach nothing but what's in the Word. And if I stay right with that Word, and if I say It's that way, and God... It is in the Bible. If the Angel of the Lord told me something that wasn't in the Bible, it wouldn't be the Angel of the Lord. That's right. He has never one time told me anything but what was in that Word, and you bear me record. He has never said one thing, out of the hundreds of thousands and thousands, and the languages of the world, has He ever one time said anything wrong, or said anything that didn't come to pass.
154 Listen. Ask the manager and them here. This what you all see here, is the amateur side of that. Is that right, brethren? [The brethren say, "Right."--Ed.] Why, out there, and out in the private life, where He says, "Go down to this place, and see this. And this will come to pass. And say this over here, down here." It's just constantly, all the time, see, year in and out. The people in the audience just sees the--the little things. But now if you'll be reverent.
155Now is everybody in this prayer line, standing here, strangers to me? Raise up your hands if you are. All right. How many out there is, knows that I don't know nothing about you? Raise up your hand. Now while... Thank you. I don't care where you are, if you're up in the balcony, back against the wall, down through here, wherever you are. I'm going to...
156Now, this is for your good. This is for your benefit. See, this is for your benefit.
157 I thought that was my little grandson talking to me then, but it wasn't. I got a little grandson in here somewhere, tonight, he's about that size, and I thought it was little Paul. He always said he's going to come, stand on the platform, preach for me, and he's just not quite two years old. I think that little boy is hunting for his mommy.
158So remember, I am trying to help you. I... God knows that. I am trying to help you, see. Now look, I want you to get the benefit, if He does come among us.
159Now think of it, the Person of Jesus Christ working in flesh, like He promised He would do in the last. How many knows He promised that? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Just as it was down there at Sodom, when the Angel with His back turned, and the... That was God. Do you believe that was God? How many believes that was God? ["Amen."] Sure, it was. The Bible said it was. And He, Jesus, referred to it. Now notice.
160 Now you out there without a prayer card, I want you to do something for me, wherever you are. Now remember, these things, watch when It tells you you're healed, or what It tells you to do. Watch what It says. If It just tells you, that's to build your faith. And then when your faith comes to a spot, you just reach out and accept God. It isn't me, 'cause the Heavenly Father knows.
161I look down this line here, I don't see one person that I know. I can't see but about two or three people in the whole audience, that I know. And I don't know as, right now, I can say, show one. I know that Edmund Way was here a few minutes ago. I thought I seen him, and I--I missed...
162 If I'm not mistaken, I do see somebody I know, is a man and his wife, and a little girl, named Fritzinger, from up in Ohio. Is that, are you brother--Brother Fritzinger? You're sitting kind of in a little loop where... That's Brother and Sister Fritzinger, from Ohio, friends of mine.
163And outside of that, sitting back there, is a... I see on the side over here, is an old man going on ninety-two years old, by the name of William Dauch. He and his wife. She is a nurse. William Dauch, in Ohio, a very personal friend of mine. Not long ago, he had, ninety-one years old, had a complete heart failure, heart attack, and his wife called me, to come at once, he was dying right then. And on...
164 He's been such a bosom friend to me. On my road up to see him, I was worried. And I stopped, and one of my wheels got out of line, was just cutting my tire to pieces, and I went in a Texaco station, got some gas, and they come out, looked at it. And I looked up, and I seen Brother Dauch walking down through my church, shaking my hand. I said, "Praise the Lord." And I looked back this way, and here he come down the street, and shook my hand. I went to him.
165I seen his doctor, a young Jew, or a middle-aged man, Jewish man. And I said, "What about him, doctor?"
166Said, "He hasn't even got a fighting chance." Said, "He's under the oxygen tent." Said, "He'll die right there." He said, "Remember, he is ninety-one years old."
I said, "Yes, sir."
167Said, "It's a complete heart failure. Nothing can be done." Said, "His time's to go."
168And I said, "Yes, sir. But, no, he ain't going. That's all."
169I went in, put my hand under the tent. I said, "Brother Dauch, can you hear me?" He looked up at me. Now really, in his name, he's a German, D-a-u-g-h, and I just pronounce it Dauch, see. And I--and I put my hand under the tent, and I said, "You hear me, Brother Dauch?"
He said, "Yeah."
I said, "You're not going. I done seen you're not going."
170 A week from then, standing in my church, who come walking up through the church but Brother Dauch! I left the meeting and went over the river, to a cafeteria, to eat. And when I got out of my car, and was walking up the street, here come Brother Dauch with his hand out. Them visions doesn't fail.
171And that man of ninety-one years old, and follows every meeting, was in California. Would you just raise up your hand, Brother Dauch, sitting there, that the people will see what a real soldier is now. Here, sitting right here, see, ninety-one years old, and follows every meeting. When I'm at the tabernacle, he drives hundreds of miles every day, to hear me preach a little sermon, and go back. God, "It shall be Light in the evening time."
172I said, the other day I was talking to him, I said, "What can I do for you, Brother Dauch?"
173"Just one request, Brother Branham. When He comes, I want to go with Him."
174Said, "Don't worry. That's secure. Sure." Now, the man come in, was baptized, oh, come in and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and everything, just a wonderful servant of Christ.
175 Now I'm going to ask everybody, real reverent, you look this a way and pray.
176Now how many teachers here know that He is the High Priest, right now, that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Well, if He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and the same High Priest, He would act the same way. Only, He, His body is at the... on the Throne of God. How many knows that? ["Amen."] The body of Jesus is on the Throne of God. But He uses our body to manifest Himself through, just like He promised to do. "The works that I do shall you also."
I'm going to ask you to sit still, be reverent, watch, pray.
177 Now, Heavenly Father, I've tried to be just as reverent as I know how to do, about it. Now just a word from You now, Lord, and then may the still, little Voice come down through this audience and say, "It is I; be not afraid." Grant it, Father. And I commit myself to You, with the Message that's been preached tonight, with Thy Word to be confirmed. You don't have to do it. But if You will do it, or You do do it, because that You promised to. I pray that You'll grant this, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
178 And everybody real reverent, just real reverent. How do you do? Now I'll give you Scripture as we go along. If the Lord does, I don't know. But ju-... And I been preaching like that, see, that's one kind of anointing. This is another kind of anointing. That was just blessing. This, just one thing, just takes the life right from you.
179 Now the lady stands here. I've never seen her in my life. Are we strangers? I believe you said, a while ago, I didn't know you. God knows you. He knows me. Do you know that what we are standing here now, we're going to have to answer for it at the Day of Judgment? [The sister says, "Amen."--Ed.] You aware of that? You know that what we do now, God is going to make us answer for it up there? I just said that for a purpose. Now, if the Lord Jesus will reveal to me what you're doing, what's on your mind, or something like that, would you believe it? You would have to believe that, wouldn't you? ["Amen."]
180Would you believe it out there, you audience? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]
181 Now we stand just exactly like the woman at the well, and our Lord, a man and a woman meeting for their first time. See? Here we are, meeting for... That's Saint John the 4th chapter. Now if the Holy Spirit will say... If you are here for somebody else, if you're sick, if it's domestic trouble, if it's financial troubles, whatever it is, I have no idea. But He does. But He can discern the thoughts that's in your heart. He is the Word. I can't. I'm a man. You're just a bit nervous, and that's the reason I'm doing this, you see.
182That's one of your troubles, is nervousness. That's right. And you also have diabetes, that's another thing that's wrong with you. That's right. Complications, just many things are wrong. Is that right? If that's right, raise up your hand. See? Do you believe He'll heal you? [The sister says, "I do."--Ed.] You do? Now, your nervousness is caused from your age, see, but now that'll all leave you. And I believe that by faith we'll go to Calvary, have a Blood transfusion.
183 Now, that's just exactly what He did. He told the woman at the well what her trouble was. Hers was too many husbands. Yours was what... I think was nervousness, and two or three more things wrong with you. That's right, isn't it? That's the same thing.
184Now, when He come to Simon, He told him who he was. You believe God can tell me what your name is? Would it make you believe more? It would? Mrs. Strong... [The sister says, "Stout."--Ed.] Stout, would you believe? Go and believe, and you... It's all over. Amen.
185 Come. You believe? I'm also a stranger to you. I don't know you. God does know you. Do you believe that He can reveal to me what's your trouble is? And if He does, then the Lord God be blessed. Is that true? [The sister says, "Yes, it is true."--Ed.] Now don't--don't have to be worried, see, that's--that's Him, that you feel that. All right. You are suffering also from a nervous condition, mental nervous, and get tore up easy. And you're suffering with a bladder trouble, something wrong with the liver, and you're anemia. That is right. You got something...
186It keeps being a man appearing here. Do you believe that God can heal you? [The sister says, "Yes, I do."--Ed.] Heal your husband, too, make him well? You think the stomach trouble will leave, and he'll be all right? That's what he is suffering with. Go put your hands on him, tell him so, and it'll--it'll leave him.
187 I am a stranger to you. The Lord Jesus knows both of us, doesn't He? Do you believe that God can make you well? If the Lord Jesus will reveal to me the thing that's... that you're... that's in your heart, do you believe that He will make you well? You've had some trouble. You got a--a--a gallbladder trouble, for one thing. And another thing, it's caused your bladder to have an ulcerated condition, but that's what your doctor said. Now, another thing is, that they want to operate for that. That's exactly right. Isn't that true? Now do you believe He can bypass that? You think your faith's in Him? Now you know that isn't me doing that. You believe? All right. Go, and as you have believed, so be it to you.
188 We are strangers to each other, I suppose. The Lord God knows both of us. Do you believe He is able to reveal to me the things that would help you? [The sister says, "Yes, I know it."--Ed.] You, you believe He will. ["Positive."] I'm saying... "Positive," that's very good. That's very fine. Now you have many things wrong with you, so many complications and things, and the cough like, and you can't get over it. And you're real nervous. And--and that, that's right.
189Then, you've got a burden on your heart, and that burden is for somebody, which is your son. And he is having a--a trouble, some domestic troubles. Him and his wife, they're always fussing and going on and carry on. And you're burdened for it. That is right. Now you believe with all your heart, and it'll all clear up and be gone. You believe now. The Lord bless you.
190 How do you do, sir? I am a stranger to you, and--and you're a stranger to me. And it's--it's begin... The visions now, I see, look like the whole house is just getting light, like kind of a whirl-like going around. See? But do you believe that the Lord Jesus could reveal to me what you're standing there for? You believe that He would? I believe that, also. I'm just speaking to you, to contact your spirit, exactly is what I'm doing it for. See, I don't know you, so it's got to be something besides me do it. I've got to get myself just so completely away from myself, that He does it Himself. You understand?
191 Now, one thing, you are suffering with a tremendous nervous condition, and this nervous condition has been for some time. That is right. [The brother says, "That's right."--Ed.] And that nervous condition has caused you having a high blood pressure, also. And you've had a stroke. ["That's right."] That's it. Say, you've either been a preacher, or you are a preacher. ["I am."] Now you are a preacher; I seen you stand in the pulpit. Then, have faith in God, and that nervousness will leave you. All ministers have that. You'll get all right. Go back to your pulpit, and obey God and stay true to that Word, Jesus Christ.
192You believe your back trouble left you, sitting in the chair? Do you believe it? [The sister says, "Yes."--Ed.] All right, sir, then just keep moving on, saying, "Thank You, Lord."
193 Come, lady. How do you do? You believe me to be His servant? [The sister says, "Sure do."--Ed.] All right. Do you believe that lady's trouble, female trouble, is going to leave you? ["Amen."] You do? Then go ahead, say, "Thank You, Lord."
194Kidney trouble, back trouble, in your back. Do you believe that God will heal you and will make you well, from that? You believe that He will make you well? All right, take on your...?...
195Come, lady. I'm a stranger to you. If I didn't say nothing to you, at all, would you believe that the Presence of God is here to heal the sick? [The sister says, "Certainly, I believe it."--Ed.] You would? Well, if you do, your stomach trouble... I done told you, you see. It's--it's gone. I told you, see. ["Thank God! Oh, thank You, Jesus."]
196 How do you, sir? God lives in the heart. And your heart has been showing up here lately, bad. Do you believe that He'll make it right? Go on your road and believe it. God bless you. You believe; He'll make it right.
197You are nervous, caused you to have a stomach trouble, a peptic ulcer. It bothers you after eating. You believe it's all gone now? Go get yourself something to eat.
198Kind of hard for you to get up, the back has been bothering you so bad. [The patient says, "Yes, sir."--Ed.] It won't bother you no more, if you'll believe it. Will you? ["Yes, sir."] All right, go on, and may the Lord Jesus make you completely well.
199What's you so nervous about? Just go on, say, "I ain't going to be nervous no more," and you won't be. Go and believe. All right, sir.
200 Come, lady. Now, the Ethiopian woman, and white man, just exactly like something like that met in that day, Jesus. They had a segregation like they used to have in the South, but we don't have it no more. Jesus let them know that all people was God's people. There was no difference, see, whether she was Jew or Samaritan.
201Now, if God doesn't help you, pretty soon that arthritis will cripple you up. But do you believe He is going to help you, make you well? Just as the woman did, go on your road and tell your people what great things God has done for you. All right.
Now, there is a surgeon ready to scoot out a knife.
202 Just a moment. It wasn't this woman. Now, just a moment, everybody reverent now. Is--is Satan, tried to do something. Here it is. Tumor, tumor, both of you. That's right. You got tumor, she has got tumor, and that devil screaming for help from one another. But the Holy Spirit is screaming, too. Who you going to believe, Him? All right. Get up out of that cot, lady. Raise up out of that stretcher. Get up off of that, and believe. Go, believe Him now. Amen.
203Do you believe? All things are possible. Do you believe? How about you in the audience? [Congregation and those just healed are all rejoicing--Ed.]
204Let us stand on our feet right now. Right now is the time to do it. Let every person... God bless you. Let every person stand on your feet right now. Give God praise. Raise up your hands.
205Thank You, Lord Jesus! We praise You for Your greatness, and Your healing for the sick. [Congregation rejoices--Ed.]
1Skôr ako skloníme svoje hlavy k modlitbe, rád by som prečítal niečo z Božieho Slova. Vždy rád čítam Jeho Slovo, lebo moje slová sklamú, oni sú ľudské, ale Jeho Slovo nemôže sklamať. A vy, ktorí sledujete text a tak ďalej, čítajme dnes večer z Matúša 14.kapitoly, počnúc od 22.verša.
A Ježiš hneď prinútil svojich učeníkov, aby vstúpili do lode a predišli ho na druhú stranu, dokiaľ by vraj nerozpustil zástupov.
A rozpustiac zástupy vyšiel na vrch osobitne modliť sa. A keď bol večer, bol tam sám.
A loď už bola naprostred mori, zmietaná vlnami, pretože bol odporný vietor.
Potom za štvrtej stráže vnoci prišiel k nim Ježiš chodiac po mori.
A učeníci vidiac ho chodiť po mori zľakli sa a vraveli, že je to nejaká obluda, a skríkli od strachu.
Ale Ježiš hneď prehovoril k nim a povedal: Dúfajte, ja som, nebojte sa!
2 Skloňme teraz svoje hlavy k modlitbe. Kým sú naše hlavy a srdcia sklonené pred Bohom, je tu dnes večer v tejto budove nejaká potreba, ktorú chcete dať poznať Bohu zdvihnutím svojich rúk a chceli by ste byť spomenutí v modlitbe? Nech sa Pán na vás pozrie a nech nám je milostivý.
3Náš Nebeský Otče, prichádzame teraz do Tvojej Prítomnosti skrze cestu a Meno Pána Ježiša, vediac s požehnanou istotou, že On nám zasľúbil, ak budeme “čokoľvek prosiť” v Jeho Mene, že Ty nám to dáš. Sme za to veľmi vďační. Slová nemôžu vyjadriť to, ako to cítime, s istotou, ktorú máme, že nás práve teraz počuješ.
4Videl si tie ruky, Pane. Vieš, akú mali potrebu. Ty si vševedúci, všemohúci, nekonečný Boh, a my vieme, že Ty poznáš ľudské srdcia. Poznal si naše myšlienky. Dokonca ešte predtým, ako sme boli stvorení, poznal si každú myšlienku, ktorú kedy budeme mať, lebo Ty si nekonečný.
5A modlíme sa, Pane, v tejto hodine, keď sa naša túžba nesie ku Tebe, pohliadni dolu z Nebies, Pane, a vezmi naše prosby ku Tvojmu vlastnému srdcu, Pane, a odpovedz nám podľa Svojho bohatstva v Sláve. Daj nám túžbu nášho srdca, dôverujúc, že je to Tvoja Božská vôľa. A my vieme, že je to Tvoja záľuba, aby sme činili Tvoju vôľu.
6Daj nám znovu dnes večer veľké vyliatie Tvojej Prítomnosti, Pane. Uzdrav chorých. Zachráň stratených, pozdvihni tých, ktorí sú mŕtvi v hriechu a previneniach, a priveď ich dnes večer do nového Života. Nech môžeme vidieť Ježiša. Prosíme to v Jeho Mene. Amen.
7Môžete si sadnúť. Je nám ľúto, že nie sme schopní pojať toľko ľudí kvôli kapacite miest na sedenie. Ale od prvého večera vraveli, že museli poslať preč veľké množstvo ľudí, tak nás to veľmi mrzí. A brat Grant jednoducho ešte nedokončil ďalšiu miestnosť na... Myslím, že je to naľavo, kam ide posunúť túto priečku. Ten vzácny, vzácny brat ma dnes požiadal, či by som toto neurobil ako každoročnú vec, vrátiť sa späť do Dallasu, do jeho cirkvi. Také skvelé pozvanie ako toto v tejto hodine, keď sa dvere tak rýchlo zatvárajú a potom ten človek chce, aby som sa vrátil späť a urobil to každoročnou záležitosťou. Cením si to.
8Mal som s nimi dnes ráno obecenstvo, s bratom Gordonom Lindsayom a mnohými z nich. Brat Pearry Green, ktorý je sponzorom blížiaceho sa stretnutia dolu v Beaumont, dnes večer sedí za mnou. A mnoho našich priateľov, brat Don a jeho manželka. Sme tak šťastní, že ich tu máme. Nech ich Pán požehná.
9No, dnes večer len... Snažil som sa urobiť svoje Posolstvá práve tak jednoduché, ako len môžu byť, aby ich aj dieťa mohlo porozumieť.
10Zajtra popoludní je evanjelizačná služba a prajem si, aby ste všetci mohli prísť.
11No, keď máte bohoslužby vo svojom vlastnom zbore, no, zostaňte tam, kde máte svoje miesto. Nechceme, aby niekto opustil svoj vlastný zbor, aby... A potom, keď ste chorí a chcete prísť, aby sme sa za vás modlili, a váš zbor má zajtra popoludní službu, hovorte o tom so svojim pastorom, aby si nemyslel niečo zlé, viete. Dajte mu vedieť, že my sme tu v spolupráci, aby sme pomohli celému Telu Ježiša Krista, ktoré sa nachádza tu v Dallase a v okolí.
12Takže zajtra popoludní, myslím, že o pol tretej. Mal by som hovoriť evanjelizačné Posolstvo. A potom sa budeme modliť za všetkých chorých ľudí, vyberieme všetky modlitebné karty a veci, ktoré sme nechali počas toho týždňa a zajtra sa za nich všetkých budeme modliť.
13Teraz, moja téma dnes večer je skôr taká malá dráma, len na malú chvíľu. A budem sa dnes večer snažiť tak, ako sa len bude dať, aby som sa dostal ku modlitbám za chorých. Môj text je, “nebojte sa, Ja som,” hovorí Ježiš. Mojou témou je: Svedectvo na mori.
14Muselo to byť neskoro popoludní, slnko muselo zapadať, keď sa toto odohrávalo a musel byť horúci deň, tak ako je tu.
15Klimatizácia je pokazená, pracujú na nej. To je dôvod, prečo som zmenil moju tému, s ktorou som chcel pokračovať, aby som sa mohol poponáhľať, aby ste nemuseli sedieť v takomto teple.
16Tento veľký rybár po tom, čo videl, čo mal v priebehu dňa, pozoroval Ježiša v Jeho veľkej službe.
17Bol by som rád, keby som bol žil v tom dni, aby som Ho nasledoval. Ale, viete, som rád, že stále mám to privilégium robiť tú istú vec, sledovať Ho robiť skutky. A je to väčšie sledovať Ho dnes, než ako to bolo vtedy. Teraz mám v Neho väčšiu vieru a môžem mať viac viery, ako by som mal vtedy, pretože my sme mali dvetisíc rokov na potvrdenie, že Evanjelium je pravdivé. A po dvoch tisícoch rokoch On stále žije a robí presne to, čo robil vtedy, takže teraz máme väčšiu istotu a viac základu pre vieru, než ako mali oni vtedy.
18Lebo On bol len nejaký Muž, ktorý rozširoval tvrdenie, že bol poslaný od Boha a že bol Synom Božím, a že Boh potvrdzoval Svoje zasľúbené Slovo na ten deň skrze Neho, a oni akosi mali dôvod tomu neveriť, tí teológovia. A všimnite si, bola to žalostná vec, bolo to naozaj žalostné, pretože tí teológovia by Tomu verili, ak by Boh nezaslepil ich oči. Biblia tak povedala.
19A vedeli ste, že On zasľúbil, že dnes znovu zaslepí ich oči, aby To nevideli? Oni budú “náhli, nadutí, viacej milujúci rozkoše ako milujúci Boha, nezmierliví, pomluvační, nezdržanliví, pohŕdači tých, ktorí sú dobrí, majúci formu pobožnosti, ale zapierajúci jej Moc.” Presne to zasľúbenie znovu rovno späť. A vy sotva môžete niečo urobiť, iba týchto ľudí poľutovať, že sú ich oči zaslepené na dnešný deň s Písmami, ktoré Boh zasľúbil, že sa stanú práve v tomto dni, v tejto hodine, a my sa pozeráme rovno na to a pozorujeme to. A potom sa ľudia pozrú a krútia hlavou a odchádzajú preč hovoriac, “Nevidím To.” Je to žalostná vec, ale jednako sa Písmo musí vyplniť. Musí to tak byť.
20Tak títo učeníci boli vybraní od Boha. Všimli ste si, že Ježiš im povedal, “Pred založením sveta, “ ich On vybral a oni boli predurčené semeno Božie. Preto, keď prišli problémy a ľuďom sa zdalo, že dostali Ježiša do úzkych kvôli nejakej otázke, tak oni s tým nemali žiadny problém. Nemohli tomu rozumieť, ale boli rozhodnutí nepoznať nič iné, len Jeho. “Jedine Ty máš Slovo Života.” A oni boli rozhodnutí zostať s Tým, lebo oni boli do toho úradu ustanovení.
21A tak je to dnes, že muži a ženy, ktorí sú určení do Večného Života, prídu do Večného Života. “Všetci, ktorých mi dal Otec, prídu ku Mne.” To je Jeho Slovo a to nemôže zlyhať. To je Božie Slovo.
22A vidíme teraz tých učeníkov, že mali v ten deň skvelé zhromaždenie, vonku na veľkom poli pri vrchu. A Ježiš im povedal, “Teraz choďte hore cez more, predo Mnou.” A On odišiel hore na vrch, sám, na modlitbu. A títo učeníci, po stretnutí s priateľmi, viem si proste predstaviť, ako sa cítili.
23Pretože, stretnúť priateľov a potom mať s nimi obecenstvo; práve keď sa zoznámite, potom musíte povedať zbohom. A z toho ma vždy tak trochu bolelo srdce, keď som po celom národe, okolo sveta, stretával priateľov a potom ich opúšťal vediac, že je mnoho tých, ktorých už viac neuvidíte, až kým ich nestretnete na Súde. Je to tak trochu smutná vec.
24Viem si predstaviť ten čln, ako sa prednou časťou tlačí k brehu. Musel to byť Šimon Peter, s veľkými svalnatými ramenami a plecami, ktorý tlačil ten čln a smeroval ho von na more a všetci mávali na rozlúčku tým na brehu a oni kričali, “Príďte zas a vezmite Majstra k nám! Príďte, aby sme mali ďalšie prebudenie, boli sme dnes tak požehnaní!” A noví priatelia mávajú. On vyliezol ponad ostatných učeníkov a sadol si, pravdepodobne vedľa svojho brata, Andreja, a zodvihol veslá.
25Vtedy boli lode poháňané buď vetrom alebo veslami, ktorými zaberali. Potom možno sedeli dvaja v lodi, dvaja na každej strane, a oni... alebo dvaja na jednom mieste, lepšie povedané, možno šesť alebo osem zárezov pre veslá. Potom naraz potiahli a takto mohli udržať loď v rovnováhe, keď bola búrka. Potom, keď vetry viali primerane, mohli napnúť plachtu a plaviť sa.
26Muselo to byť horúce popoludnie, podľa Písma práve pred touto udalosťou, a tak muselo byť skutočne tiché, slnečné, horúce popoludnie. Slnko zapadalo. A oni, ako veslovali, uvoľnili sa a mávali na rozlúčku tým ľuďom, “Dúfame, že sa niekedy zasa uvidíme,” a odišli na more. A západ slnka a súmrak a po chvíli nastala tma.
27Ako veslovali, museli nabrať peknú rýchlosť, a to je ťažká práca, keď sa tie ťažké veslá vnárajú do mora. A väčšina z nich boli rybári a veľkí silní muži zvyknutí na more. A tak, ako očakávali na Ježiša, kým sa dostane na loď a bude ich čoskoro nasledovať, no, museli vyraziť a trochu plynúť zotrvačnosťou, aby rozbehli loď a potom si vydýchnuť.
28Možno mladý Ján musel byť prvý, kto začal hovoriť, lebo bol najmladší zo skupiny. A musel to byť on, kto povedal, “Začínam byť trochu unavený. Poďme sa len trochu plaviť bez veslovania, moment, nemusíme sa ponáhľať. Ešte sem neprišiel, tak my tiež môžeme trochu počkať a trochu sa nadýchať vzduchu.”
29A ako si tam sadol s trochu sklonenou hlavou, určite začal zhromaždenie svedectiev. A to je to, o čom chcem hovoriť. Musel to byť on, kto povstal prvý a povedal, “Bratia, nezáleží na tom, čo ľudia hovoria a ako ktokoľvek chce neveriť, som si teraz úplne istý, po dnešku, že my nenasledujeme podvodníka. Nenasledujeme nič menej ako Boha, lebo žiaden človek nemôže robiť to, čo On robil dnes, jedine, že by to bol Boh. Viete, keď zobral tie chleby a lámal ich a nasýtil tam tých päťtisíc, to je pre mňa tá najúžasnejšia vec. Do dnešného dňa mohla byť nejaká otázka,” ja len opakujem jeho svedectvo tak, ako to bolo, “ale teraz je to vyriešené.”
30Povedal, “Pamätám sa pred rokmi, býval som dolu blízko Jordánu. A pamätám sa, ako malý chlapec, ako ma moja pekná židovská matka zvykla popoludní zodvihnúť a posadila ma na svoje kolená a kolísala ma vonku na lavičke, keď popri brehu Jordánu kvitli vlčie maky. A zvykla sa pozrieť smerom k púšti tam, odkiaľ boli naši ľudia cez túto púšť vzatí. Zvykla mi rozprávať biblické príbehy. Jedným zo skvelých príbehov, ktoré si pamätám, bola Sunamitská žena, keď jej malý chlapec bol mŕtvy a prorok toho malého chlapca znovu vzkriesil z mŕtvych. To bol napínavý príbeh.”
31“Ale jeden z najnapínavejších príbehov... a matka mi zvykla vravieť, ‘Vieš, Ján, ty si len malý chlapec, ale chcem, aby si si pamätal, keď vyrastieš, že veľký Jehova vyviedol náš ľud von z Egypta a prišli sme cez tamtú pustatinu na druhej strane tej rieky. A počas štyridsať rokov všetci putovali po tej pustatine; žiadne miesta, kde by sa dal získať odev, žiadne miesta, kde by sa dalo najesť a Boh každú noc posielal dolu z neba chlieb a v tej pustatine nasýtil náš ľud, lebo oni boli v línii svojej povinnosti nasledujúc veľkého Jehovu. A teraz, jedného dňa sa Jehova stane telom tu na zemi vo forme Muža, On bude nazvaný Pomazaný, Mesiáš.’”
32“A pamätám sa,” povedal, “ako malý chlapec, ako sa na to môj malý detský rozum snažil prísť, snažil som sa na to prísť, ‘Ako Boh nasýtil všetkých tých dva a pol milióna ľudí v tej púšti? Odkiaľ zobral toľko chleba?’ a pýtal som sa mamy, ‘Mami, bol On, mal Jehova v nebi veľké množstvo pecí a piekol všetok chlieb a bežal v noci dolu a položil to na zem pre ľudí, a veľké nebesia Jehovu sú plné pecí?’ Ona povedala, ‘Nie, synček, si príliš mladý, aby si to porozumel. Pozri, Jehova je Stvoriteľ. On nepotrebuje pece. On len povie a Jeho Slovo sa uskutoční. Keď On hovorí, On je veľký Jehova. On to jednoducho vypovedal a Anjeli to rozniesli dolu po zemi pre ľudí.’”
33“A dnes, keď Ho tam vidím stáť, všimli ste si ten výraz na Jeho tvári? V Jeho mysli nebola žiadna pochybnosť. Vyliezol som hore za skalu a pozoroval som Ho, ako vzal ten chlieb a lámal ho a dával tým... Jeho služobníkom, nám, aby sme to rozdávali ľuďom. A potom, keď siahol späť, aby znovu lámal, ten bochník bol znovu celý. A urobil to niekoľko stokrát, až kým všetci neboli nasýtení a boli zozbierané plné koše. Viem, že to nemohlo byť nič menej ako Jehova, lebo On konal ako Jehova. Iba Jehova môže stvoriť. A ja viem, že ten Muž nie je podvodník, je len jeden Stvoriteľ a to je Jehova. A tak zo všetkých vecí, ktoré som videl, to ma uspokojilo.”
34“Chcem teraz, aby ste vedeli, že moje srdce je úplne odovzdané a absolútne verím, že On nie je iba prorok. On je prorok, ale je viac ako prorok. On nie je nič menej ako Jehova Boh prebývajúci medzi nami, lebo stvoril chlieb a má spôsoby Jehovu. Niet divu, že môže povedať, ‘Ak nečiním skutky Môjho Otca, potom mi neverte, ale ak činím skutky Môjho Otca a vy my nemôžete veriť, verte tým skutkom, lebo oni svedčia o Mne a hovoria Kto som.’ Vyzeralo to, ako by to ľudia mohli ľahko vidieť.”
35A Ján bol uspokojený, že On bol Mesiáš, Ten, o ktorom Izaiáš povedal, “Syn nám bol darovaný, a Jeho Meno bude Radca, Knieža Pokoja, Mocný Boh, Večný Otec.” A Ján bol uspokojený z toho, čo videl. Mladý chlapec, ktorý vydáva svoje svedectvo.
36Vtedy povedal Šimon Peter, “No, počkajte chvíľu. Ak máme zhromaždenie svedectiev, rád by som niečo povedal. Viete, bol som veľmi nedôverčivý v celej tej veci, keď Andrej, môj brat, ktorý navštívil prebudenecké zhromaždenie proroka Jána, ktorý svedčil, že Mesiáš prichádza a on Ho predstaví. A ja som bol trochu nedôverčivý v tom, čo mi Andrej povedal, lebo som počul všetky druhy príbehov o Mesiášovi a všetko ďalšie.”
37“Ale vy všetci bratia si pamätáte môjho starého otecka. Volal sa Jonáš. A pamätáte sa na neho, ako bol veľmi neochvejný veriaci. Ako si pamätám matku a otca a všetkých z nás, ako sme rybárčili, aby sme sa uživili a nechytili sme žiadnu rybu. Potrebovali sme chlieb a ako sme kľakli na zem a modlili sa k Bohu, ‘Daj nám dnes úlovok, Bože, aby sme mohli predať naše ryby a vyplatiť naše dlhy, aby sme mali čo jesť.’ A ako sme išli na more v búrke a odvážili sme sa čeliť tým búrkam.”
38“A otec, môžem vidieť jeho sivé vlasy visiace na chrbte ako jedného dňa sedel na člne a hovoril ku mne povediac, ‘Šimon, si môj najstarší syn. Vieš, že som vždy veril, Šimon, že uvidím Mesiáša. Náš ľud Ho očakával už od Edenu. A sme si istí, že On prichádza, nezáleží na tom, ako dlho. Bolo to pred štyritisíc rokmi, povieš, ale ja verím, že Mesiáš príde. Každý Žid veril, že uvidí Mesiáša vo svojej generácii. Ja dúfam, že Ho uvidím vo svojej generácii. Ale vyzerá to tak, že starnem, musím skončiť s morom, a začínam mať menšie bolesti a ťažkosti, takže pravdepodobne Ho neuvidím vo svojom čase. Ale ty možno áno, môj synu.’”
39“‘A chcel by som ťa vyučiť v Písmach. Synu, predtým, ako Mesiáš povstane na scéne, bude tu všetko možné, všetky druhy falošných vecí, lebo Satan to bude robiť, aby zničil vplyv toho skutočného Mesiáša, keď On príde.’” Vždy to tak bolo, stále je to tak.
40A potom zisťujeme, ako povedal, “Pamätám sa, ako položil okolo mňa svoje ramená a povedal, ‘Synu, je len jeden spôsob, ako budeš môcť rozpoznať toho Mesiáša. Teraz sme mali stovky rokov bez akéhokoľvek proroka. Malachiáš bol náš posledný prorok. Za týchto štyristo rokov sme nemali žiadneho proroka, ale pamätaj, Mojžiš nám v Písmach povedal, že keď príde Mesiáš, On bude prorok, keď povstane na scéne. My, Židia, sme vyučovaní, aby sme verili prorokovi. A Mesiášova púť na zemi je vypovedané Božie Slovo, ktoré nám zasľúbil. A Slovo vždy prichádza ku prorokovi a prorok potvrdzuje to Slovo. Nikdy na to nezabudni, synu! Možno povstanú veľké veci, možno budú veľké nadšenia a veľké veci. Ale pamätaj, Mesiáš bude prorok, lebo vieme, že Boh nikdy nemení Svoj spôsob, a On povedal, že Mesiáš bude prorok. Tak pamätaj, synu, proroci sú tí, ktorí majú Slovo Pánovo. A keď príde Mesiáš, On bude prorok.’”
41“Ešte stále cítim jeho rameno,” povedal Šimon, “ako ho ovinul okolo mňa. A Andrej tam vtedy stál umývajúc sieť. Pamätáš sa, Andrej?”
“Áno, Šimon, pamätám sa na to.”
42“A Andrej sa mi snažil povedať, že tento Ján bol prorok. Mal som iné veci na práci, musel som predať ryby a veci. Tak otec už bol mŕtvy niekoľko rokov, ale vždy som to držal v mysli. Ocko povedal, ‘Tento Mesiáš bude Písmom potvrdený prorok a nezabudni na to, lebo je to vypovedané Božie Slovo, a to Slovo neustále prichádzalo ku prorokom. To potvrdilo alebo zamanifestovalo to, čo bolo zasľúbené pre ten vek.’”
43A teraz Šimon, “Jedného dňa,” povedal, on povedal, “viete, Andrej ma poprosil, či by som nešiel na zhromaždenie. A šiel som tam dolu na to zhromaždenie, kde bol tento chlapík, Ježiš. Počul som všetky možné druhy klebiet: Pred Ním povstal nejaký Ježiš, ktorý sľúbil, že bude niečo veľké, vyviedol ich štyristo a oni všetci zahynuli a tak ďalej. Myslel som, že to bude jednoducho len ďalší tohoto druhu s nejakým druhom veľkého nadšenia z nejakého prebudenia alebo urobia nejakú skvelú denomináciu. Ale jedného dňa som myslel, že sem prídem s mojím bratom Andrejom.”
44A viem si predstaviť, niekedy v tom čase, že čln sa začal knísať. Niekto začal kričať a povedal, “Sadni si! Nehýb s tým člnom. Počkaj, seď pokojne.”
45A povedal, “Viete, keď som šiel tam dolu a kráčal som po prvýkrát ku Nemu, pozrel sa mi rovno do očí a povedal mi, ako sa volám. Nikdy predtým ma nevidel. Nielenže poznal mňa, ale On poznal toho môjho zbožného starého otca, ktorý ma vyučoval Písmam. A ja som vedel, že To je Mesiáš. Tým to bolo pre mňa vybavené, rovno tam. To bolo pre mňa potvrdenie.”
46Musel to byť Filip, ktorý povedal, “Môžem tu niečo povedať?” Povedal, “Brat Natanael, dúfam, že ťa to nezraní, lebo, viete, že my sme roky a roky študovali zvitky, aký bude Mesiáš. Ale keď som Ho to videl robiť, šiel som a vzal som sem môjho priateľa, Natanaela. A keď prišiel...”
Natanael povedal, “Nechaj ma to povedať. Nechaj ma to povedať.”
47Ó, viete, je niečo na tom, keď Ježiš pre vás niečo urobil, že vy jednoducho ťažko môžete zostať ticho, vy to musíte povedať, vy sami. Nie je to tak? Ak je to niečo skutočné, vy to jednoducho musíte povedať. Keď ma On naplnil Duchom Svätým, chcem o tom povedať. Chcem, aby to niekto vedel. Nie, aby to niekto iný povedal; ja to chcem povedať, ja sám.
48A predstavujem si, ako bol Natanael celý nadšený a povedal, “Viete, ja by som to rád povedal. Veľmi som ti nedôveroval, Filip, keď si mi to povedal. Opýtal som sa ťa, ‘Môže z Nazareta vyjsť niečo dobré?’ A ty si mi dal tú najlepšiu odpoveď, ktorú ktokoľvek kedy mal, ‘Poď a vidz.’” To dobre funguje aj dnes. To je správne. Nezostávajte doma a nekritizujte. Príďte, presvedčte sa sami. “Povedal som, ‘Môže z Nazareta vyjsť niečo dobré?’ Povedal si, ‘Poď a vidz sám.’ A ty vieš, čo si mi povedal.”
49“A keď som kráčal do Jeho Prítomnosti a On mi povedal, že som ‘Hebrej, Izraelita, a že som úprimný muž,’ vedel som to.”
50“Ale bol som zvedavý, ‘Ako je to možné?’ Vyzeral ako obyčajný človek. Očakával som, že Mesiáš príde dolu zlatým koridorom z Neba, rovno dolu k hlave denominácie, tu do Jeruzalema, bude kráčať a povie, ‘Kaifáš, prišiel som.’ Ale zistili, že pochádza z Nazaretu, z chudobnej rodiny, a vlastne tak trochu zlé meno za Ním, ako “nemanželské dieťa”. Tu On stál oblečený v obyčajných šatách, nie ako kňaz alebo niekto; len obyčajný muž. A myslel som si, keď som tam išiel, ‘Ako to môže byť Mesiáš? Má na sebe jedno staré rúcho, ktoré nosil odkedy bol mladým chlapcom a tu má to isté rúcho na sebe a vlasy mu visia dolu na chrbte, ako obyčajný muž na ulici.’”
51“A pozrel sa mi do tváre a povedal, ‘Predtým, ako ťa Filip zavolal, keď si bol pod tým stromom, videl som ťa.’ Tým to bolo pre mňa vybavené. Vedel som podľa Slova, že to bol Mesiáš. To bol On.”
52A čln sa knísal a zhromaždenie svedectiev pokračovalo. Ó, aký nádherný čas mali tam vonku na mori, jednoducho mali skvelý čas.
53Andrej povedal, “Rád by som povedal niečo, čo ma tak trochu na chvíľu zmiatlo. Pamätáte sa, ako sme išli dolu do Jericha? On povedal, ‘Musíme ísť hore; musím ísť cez Samáriu.’ Tak On šiel hore do Samárie a tam pri meste Sychar nás všetkých poslal preč, aby sme v tom meste kúpili potraviny.”
54“Ó, áno, dobre sa na to pamätám!” Všetci z nich, “Áno, áno!” Čln sa proste triasol, ako mal každý nádherné svedectvo po tom, čo prebudenie skončilo. Tak oni mali to zhromaždenie svedectiev.
55A povedal, “Áno, a pamätáte sa, ako sme sa prekĺzli a na naše prekvapenie, videli sme, ako sa náš Majster rozpráva s očividnou prostitútkou. ‘Ú-ha,’ pomysleli sme si, ‘to je zlé. Pozrite sa na Neho, ako sa tam rozpráva s touto mladou ženou. A poslal nás preč a On tu sedí s touto ženou zlej povesti.’ Pamätáte sa, ako sme stáli rovno za kríkmi a počúvali sme ich rozhovor?”
56“A počuli sme Ho, ako jej povedal, ‘Žena, choď, vezmi svojho muža a príďte sem.’”
57“A povedali sme, ‘No, možno sme sa mýlili, možno tá žena predsa len bola legálne vydatá.’”
58“A pozrela sa Mu späť do tváre a povedala, ‘Pane, nemám žiadneho muža.’”
59“Pamätáte sa, ako naše srdcia zlyhali? ‘Náš veľký Mesiáš, v ktorého sme mali dôveru, tu bol chytený v klamstve, krížová paľba, lebo povedal, “choď a vezmi svojho muža,” a ona svedčila, že nemá muža. Teraz sa Mu to vrátilo.’ Pamätáte sa, ako sme všetci vyzerali prekvapene a vyrazilo nám to dych?”
“Áno, pamätám sa.”
60“A pamätáte sa potom na tie ďalšie slová? Povedal, ‘Povedala si pravdu, lebo si mala piatich a ten, s ktorým teraz žiješ, nie je tvoj.’ Ó, pamätáte sa na to zhromaždenie svedectiev za kríkom? Ó!” Vidíte, nemôžete Ho dostať do úzkych. On je Boh. “Ó,” povedal Šimon, “to je proste...” Andrej povedal, “Tým to bolo pre mňa vybavené.”
61Bartolomej povedal, “Počkajte, rád by som poznamenal jedno svedectvo. Môžem, bratia?”
62“Ó, dobre, verím, že áno, máme veľa času. Ešte zatiaľ neprišiel, tak jednoducho budeme ešte trochu pádlovať. Dobre, Bartolomej, rozprávaj.”
63“No, jedna z najväčších vecí pre mňa. Pamätáte si dolu v Jerichu našu sestru, menom Rebeka?”
“Áno.”
“A jej manžel tam dolu vlastnil reštauráciu.”
“A-ha.”
64“A on bol obchodník a volal sa Zacheus.”
“Áno, áno, dobre si ho pamätám.”
65“Pamätáte sa, ona bola jednou z našich sestier. Uverila v Pána a tak veľmi sa bála, že Zacheus to všetko nechá prejsť okolo bez toho, aby prijal Ježiša. A, ó, Zacheus bol veľmi dobrý priateľ tamojšieho kňaza. A tak ona sa modlila, aby sa niečo stalo, aby jeho oči boli otvorené a on by rozpoznal, že toto je Majster, že to je potvrdené Božie Slovo, ktoré sa stalo telom medzi nami. A snažili sme sa jej povedať... povedať mu o tom, ako Ježiš z Nazaretu poznal tajomstvá srdca, ukazujúc, že On je Slovo, lebo Slovo rozpoznáva myšlienky v srdci.”
66“‘Nezmysel,’ povedal, ‘ja verím kňazovi. To, čo povie kňaz, mi stačí.’ Lebo patril ku všetkým spolkom v meste, Kiwanis a všetko ďalšie, viete, bolo to pre neho tak trochu ťažké unížiť sa ku tomu. Tak Rebeka nás všetkých poprosila, aby sme sa modlili, modlili. A vždy, keď sme sa dostali k tomu, že je prorok, povedal, ‘Nezmysel! Kňaz hovorí, “On je Belzebub. Je diabol. Robí to mocou diabla. A je len čítač myšlienok. To je všetko, čo na tom je. Nič na tom nie je.” Takže v tomto dni nie je žiadna taká vec. Nemali sme prorokov stovky rokov. A ako by mohol tento chlap, dokonca bez členskej karty, ako by on kedy mohol byť prorok? Ó, nie je možné, aby ním bol!’”
67“Ale, viete, Rebeka vydržala, jeho žena, a modlila sa. A jedného rána, keď Ježiš prichádzal do mesta, no, potom sme zistili, že, Rebeka nám povedala, že Zacheus šiel von na ulicu, aby Ho videl. Tak on neveril, že To bol prorok, tak povedal, ‘Len sa na Neho dobre pozriem,’ ako nám svedčil v reštaurácii jedného dňa, keď jedol. Tak vyliezol na platan a povedal, ‘Viete čo, ja sa tu hore zamaskujem, tak On ma nebude môcť vidieť. Ja som každopádne malý chlapík, veľmi nízky. Ja Ho nemôžem vidieť tam dole, v zástupe, tak ja len vyleziem sem hore na strom.’ A dostal sa tam, kde sa stretávajú dva konáre a sadol si tam, medzi tie konáre.”
68To je práve dobré miesto, kde sa dá sadnúť a preštudovať to. To je tam, kde sa stretávajú dve cesty, tvoja a Božia; tvoje predstavy. To je dobrá vec, premyslieť si to.
69“Tak on povedal, ‘Viete čo, On musel byť prorok. Mohol by byť. Je možné, že som sa mýlil. Tak viete čo, ja sa dobre na Neho pozriem a On ma nebude poznať. Tak ja len vezmem všetky tie listy a potiahnem ich takto okolo mňa a zamaskujem sa, takže On ma dokonca vôbec neuvidí. Budem Ho pozorovať, keď bude prechádzať okolo. A ak On nebude vyzerať ako ten správny druh človeka, poviem Mu, čo si o Ňom myslím, ako tu budem sedieť na tomto strome.’ Tak on pozoroval a mal ten list tak, aby sa mohol nadvihnúť a vidieť Ho, keď príde spoza rohu.”
70“A keď On vyšiel spoza rohu kráčajúc dolu ulicou, viete, pozeral z jednej strany na druhú a učeníci vraveli, ‘Ustúpte. Prepáčte,’ a ľudia s chorými deťmi a rôznymi vecami. ‘Je mi ľúto, Majster je veľmi unavený kvôli tej veľkej službe včera večer. Zdvorilo, mohli by ste sa prosím ustúpiť bokom a nechať Ho prejsť? No, On ide dolu do mesta, prosíme, mohli by ste ustúpiť bokom?’ A Zacheus sediac tu hore na strome pozeral dolu na Neho.
71“A Ježiš prišiel rovno presne pod strom, zastavil sa, pozrel hore a povedal, ‘Zacheus, poď odtiaľ dolu. Idem s tebou dnes domov, na večeru.’ Tým to bolo pre mňa vybavené. On vedel, že bol tam hore a poznal jeho meno, čo on bol. Tým to bolo vybavené. Podľa mňa to je Mesiáš. Tak veru. Lebo my vieme, že Mesiáš to mal robiť. Určite. Tak On musel ísť ten deň s ním domov, povedal, na večeru. Aký to bol veľkolepý čas! Pamätáme si to.”
72Viete, muselo to byť asi v tom čase, keď zhromaždenie svedectiev pokračovalo. Viete, ako tam títo učeníci vonku na mori svedčili, to muselo byť niekde tam v čierňave noci, niekde hore na severe, že Satan sa musel preniesť ponad vrch a pozrieť sa dolu. Pozrel sa na to zhromaždenie svedectiev a zistil, že oni odišli preč bez Neho. Tam bola jeho šanca.
73Vidíte, myslím, že tá scéna sa práve teraz znovu vrátila, zopakovala sa. Oni v tom nadšení z prebudenia odišli preč bez Neho. A ja verím, že to je veľakrát to, čo sa stalo nám dnes v tejto hodine zamiešania po tom veľkom prebudení, ktoré sme videli. Zachvátilo to celý svet. Každý národ vybudoval ohne prebudenia, a to horelo; veľké služby uzdravovania; ľudia prijímali Ducha Svätého, desiatky tisícov krát tisícov. A v tom nadšení z toho, ako títo učeníci, keď svedčili, čo urobil, “ó, videli sme Ho robiť toto, a videli sme Ho robiť tamto,” verím, že sme odišli preč ako oni, bez Neho.
74Odišli sme za veľkými príležitosťami, ktoré to prebudenie poskytlo. Odišli sme kvôli príležitostiam zarábania veľa peňazí, cirkví, stavania väčších budov, obrovské, veľké miliónové miesta, veľké školy, vzdelávacie systémy, a aby sa naša denominácia rozrástla. A potom máme svoje komunistické programy, antikomunistické, to je všetko, o čom dnes dokážeme hovoriť. A tá prvá vec, viete, Satan nás uvidel na našich antikomunistických programoch, na našich veľkých denominačných programoch a na našich “o milión viac” a tak ďalej, ako to oni majú.
75A odišli sme bez starodávnych modlitebných zhromaždení a navracajúceho sa krstu Duchom Svätým, až kým oheň nezačal slabnúť. Môžete kričať a snažiť sa dostať ľudí ku oltáru, a oni len kráčajú, akoby boli takmer mŕtvi, desia sa prísť. A potom poproste kazateľov, aby prišli a modlili sa s nimi, “Ó, prečo ma o to požiadal?” Oni idú dolu a sotva ich do toho môžete doviesť. Budú tam len na pár minút stáť, pozrú na vás a idú naspäť a sadnú si na svoje miesta. Podľa mňa, ten oheň odišiel preč! Niečo sa stalo. [Br.Branham trikrát zatlieska. – pozn.prekl.] Počúvajte! To, čo potrebujeme, je prebudenie, keď hriešnici hľadia na Krista a činia pokánie, bežia so zdvihnutými rukami ku oltáru kričiac o milosť a celá cirkev je plameňom ohňa so slávou Božou.
76Naše nadšenie z tej príležitosti, že naše denominácie budú rásť, postavili sme väčšie školy, aby sme mohli vzdelávať našich kazateľov a posielať ich ďalej od Boha, než boli na začiatku. Boha nemožno poznať cez vzdelanie. On sa nedá poznať cez teológiu. Boh je poznaný cez vieru. Nemôžete vysvetliť Boha. On je poza vysvetlenie.
77Pozrite, čo to spôsobilo, my, letniční ľudia, ktorí sme zvykli byť letniční. Naše ženy si ostrihali vlasy, nosia make-up. Naši muži to dovoľujú. Naši kazatelia to dovoľujú. Boja sa niečo o tom povedať. Cirkev ich vyhodí, ak niečo povedia. Ó, ak nepotrebujeme vyčistenie domu rovno od kazateľne až po suterén! Je to hanba. Je to potupa.
78Jeden muž prišiel nedávno za mnou a povedal, “Brat Branham, ľudia ťa milujú.” Ale povedal, “Ty vždy na nich reveš, reveš na tie ženy ohľadne krátkych vlasov a podobných vecí.”
Povedal som, “Biblia povedala, že je to pre ňu hanba, aby to mala.”
79Ona zneucťuje svojho muža, keď to robí. A to je absolútne znak toho, že si sa oddelila od Boha. Pamätajte, v Samsonovom prípade boli dlhé vlasy nazarejským znakom, že sa oddelil od sveta ku Božiemu Slovu. A keď si striháte vlasy, ženy, popierate, že ste nazarejským znakom. Odišli ste do Hollywoodu namiesto späť do Biblie. Biblia povedala, “Nech sa oholia.” Vidíte, to je hanba a kazatelia na to nič nepovedia.
80Tento muž mi povedal, “Prečo nenecháš tie ženy na pokoji?” Povedal, “Považujú ťa za proroka.”
Povedal som, “Nikdy som nepovedal, že som prorok.”
81Povedal, “Oni ťa za neho pokladajú. Uč ich, ako prijať duchovné dary a niečo robiť. Mal by si ich učiť veľké veci, významné veci.”
82Povedal som, “Ako ich môžem učiť algebru, keď sa nechcú učiť ani abecedu, ako žiť slušne podľa toho? Ako to urobíte? Áno, choďte dolu k tej prvej veci.”
83Rok po roku prechádzam národom a je to po celý čas horšie. Niekde je niečo zlé, nejde to so Slovom. Niet divu, že nemôžeme mať horiace ohne prebudenia. Potrebujeme čas upratovania domu. Boh to nikdy neurobí, kým sa znovu nevrátime späť. Potrebujeme čas upratovania domu.
84A vy, muži, necháte svoje ženy, aby robili také veci, nosili šortky! To nie sú Metodisti, Baptisti, to sú letniční, tak je to, “forma pobožnosti, laodicejský cirkevný vek, vlažný,” Letniční len podľa mena, to je všetko. Letniční nie je meno, to je prežitie krstu Duchom Svätým, ktorý očisťuje ľudí. Niet divu, že nemôžeme mať veľké uzdravovacie služby a tieto veci, tam niekde sa stalo niečo zlé. To je Satan, uvidel nás vonku, ako sa snažíme...
85“No, keď niečo o tom povieme, oni zmenia svoje členstvo.”
86Pamätajte, vy sa s kresťanmi nemaznáte. Kresťania sú tvrdí. To sú Boží muži a ženy, ktorí stoja za Bohom bez ohľadu na to, čo ktokoľvek iný povie. Nemusíte ich prosiť a presviedčať a voňavkovať ich a nosiť ich ako bábätká. To sú skleníkové, skrížené rastliny, nie sú na nič dobré, nikdy nič nevyprodukujú.
87To mi pripomína, ako... Čoskoro bude čas hniezdenia. Všimol som si dnes malé vtáčky, tam, malé vrabce ako nosia slamu do svojich hniezd. Zakrátko budú hniezdiť, pripravovať svoje vajíčka na liahnutie. Viete, malý vtáčik môže mať hniezdo vajec a ona môže sedieť na tom hniezde vajec a obracať ich každých pár minút, vezme svoju malú nôžku a obracia ich a sedí tam. No, ak tie vajcia nechá vychladnúť po tom, čo už raz boli zohriate, nič sa z nich nevyliahne. A ona len odlieta a berie si plné ústa potravy a vracia sa späť na ne.
88A viete, že tá stará vtáčia samica, ona by tam mohla sedieť na tých vajciach a obracať ich každé dve minúty, a ne... dokonca sa toľko obetovať a postiť, až kým nie je taká slabá, že sa nemôže pohnúť z hniezda. Ale pokiaľ tá vtáčia samica nebola v kontakte s vtáčím samcom, nič sa z tých vajec nevyliahne. Nezáleží na tom, čo, ako veľmi ich maznáte, nič sa z nich nevyliahne. Budú ležať rovno v tom hniezde a zhnijú.
89A ak kedy bol čas, keď by sa letniční mali zísť s Mužom, Ježišom Kristom, lebo sa nestaneme ničím, iba hniezdom zhnitých vajec, popierajúc Vieru, idúc do Ekumenickej rady a budeme to nazývať veľkými vecami, sedieť pri pápežovi a hovoriť, “je to duchovné.” Čo na svete sa vám stalo, vy, Letniční ľudia? Či neviete, že Biblia povedala, že tieto veci sa stanú? A my vykrikujeme, lebo Metodisti a Baptisti sa pripájajú a potom všetky tieto veci. Či si neuvedomujete, že keď si spiaca panna odišla kúpiť Olej, to bola práve tá hodina, keď prišiel Ženích? A ony nedostali Olej! Viete, Vytrhnutie príde tak tajomne, odchod preč, niekedy v týchto časoch, že dokonca ani nebudete vedieť, že sa to stalo. Bude to preč a vy sa budete čudovať, čo sa stalo.
90Ako Ján prišiel na zem. A oni Mu povedali, “No, Biblia povedala, že najprv musí prísť Eliáš.” On povedal, “On už prišiel a vy ste to nepoznali.”
91Tak to bude, jedného dňa, oni povedia, “Myslel som, že toto sa má stať pred obdobím súženia. Myslel som, že má byť Vytrhnutie.” Mohli by prísť slová, “Už sa to stalo a vy ste to nepoznali.” Ú-ha! Môže byť neskôr, ako si myslíte. Ó, zobuď sa, cirkev! Radšej s tým skončím; nikdy som sem neprišiel kvôli učeniu, len som myslel, že to tam vsuniem, len tak na okraj.
92Pamätaj, brat, satan videl tieto veľké programy, jedna cirkev sa snaží predstihnúť druhú, jedna denominácia sa snaží predstihnúť druhú, odstraňujú všetku negramotnosť a musia im dať psychologický test, musia mať psychológa, aby otestoval človeka predtým, než odíde na misijné polia. Letniční! Nie, to nie sú Presbyteriáni, to sú Letniční. Istou skupinou Letničných je požadovaný psychologický test, veľkou skupinou, predtým, než misionári môžu vyraziť na pole.
93Čo keby oni mali taký test? Oni mali test. To bol letničný test na začiatku, keď čakali v hornom príbytku, až kým tam neprišiel Oheň z Výsosti a Moc Božia. To bol ten test.
94Nie nejaký svetský, napoly opitý psychológ stojaci tam snažiac sa trochu rozrušiť myseľ, alebo také niečo, hovorí, “Vy ste všetci úplne zruinovaní.” Keď to absolútne dokazuje, že človek, ktorý je extrémne duchovný, je nervózny, on musí byť v takom stave, aby sa do Toho dostal. Tak tu to máte, vidíte, a oni len zamiešavajú to, čo sa Boh roky snažil robiť, a prichádzajú rovno späť so svojimi programami a svojimi veľkými...
95Sú nadšení, keď vidia množstvo ľudí zhromaždených spolu. Povedia, “Keby som ich všetkých mohol urobiť Zbormi Božími! Keby som ich všetkých mohol urobiť Jednotármi! Keby som ich všetkých mohol urobiť Metodistami!” Metodisti sa snažia všetkých urobiť Metodistami, Baptisti sa snažia všetkých urobiť Baptistami, Letniční všetkých Letničnými! Ó, nič s tým nemôžete urobiť, Boh predurčil tých od založenia sveta. My máme kázať Evanjelium. To je všetko. Ale naše veľké programy, odišli sme preč bez toho Ohňa. Odišli sme preč a urobili sme si podomácky vyrobený oheň, ako to bolo.
96A náš komunizmus, teraz sme tak prestrašení, komunizmus prepukol, “Čo sa stane?” Ale, viete, tá veľká vec nie je komunizmus. Dovoľte mi to teraz povedať, ja nemám strach z komunizmu.
97Ale z čoho mám strach je, že vás, Letniční, táto Ekumenická rada vás vezme. To je tá vec. Vyformuje to znamenie šelmy a vy budete musieť ísť do toho, lebo ste organizácia, vy musíte do toho nastúpiť alebo vypadnúť z toho von. To je tá vec, a každá dobrá, citlivá, duchovná osoba to vie. Potrebujeme ďalšie svedectvo na mori, zisťujeme to teraz. A naši Letniční, len to prehĺtajú, háčik aj s navijakom, “Aká to bude veľká vec.” Keď metodisti, presbyteriáni, luteráni, cirkev Kristova a letniční, vy musíte zamietnuť vaše veľké apoštolské učenie, aby ste tam boli. Oni budú musieť urobiť to isté. Nebudeš mať s tým čo robiť. Všetko sa to zlučuje s Rímom, presne tak, ako to bolo dokázané. Písmo tak povedalo.
98Čo sa stalo s kazateľmi, že nechajú, aby sa tieto veci dostali do takého stavu bez toho, aby varovali ľudí!? Boh to bude vyžadovať z ich rúk. Rovno v tomto čase problémov, oni boli v problémoch, boli. Nenastáva komunizmus; to je Ekumenická rada, ktorá sa chystá prehltnúť celú skupinu. A pamätajte, keď poviete, “Keď sa to stane,” potom bude príliš neskoro, už ste prijali znamenie šelmy. Potom už do toho patríte.
99Radšej by ste z toho mali teraz vypadnúť, tak veru, byť zapečatení v Kráľovstve Božom. Telo Kristovo je tajomné Telo Kristovo, do Ktorého sme pokrstení Duchom Svätým; nie pripojení do Toho, privedení do Toho, prehovorení do Toho, vjazykovaní do Toho, vkričaní do Toho. Vy ste do Toho narodení, Duchom Svätým. Tak je to. Určite.
100Teraz vidíme tieto veci, problém prichádza znenazdania. Ó, diabol sa pozrel a povedal, “A-ha, oni začali šalieť, sú tam vonku a skáču hore-dolu, kričia, majú veľký čas. Viete čo, práve teraz je môj čas, aby som ich potopil. Idem ku nim hneď teraz.”
101Tak on vyšiel spoza vrchu a začal viať svoj jedovatý dych, fúú: “Dni zázrakov pominuli. Nakoniec, verím, že tí ľudia sú len nervózni. Myslím, že by mali mať psychologický test predtým, než pôjdu na misiu.” Letniční. Vidíte jeho jedovatý dych ako zabíja Slovo, “Ó, myslím, že je to niečo iné, verím tomu...” Vidíte, ide rovno naspäť, ako šli všetky ostatné denominácie, je to presne tá cesta, ktorou kráčajú. Oni budú, to to zabije. V presne tú hodinu, v ktorej to zorganizujete, vtedy to zabije. Vždy to tak bolo. Vždy to tak bude. Nikdy to už viac nepovstane. Nikdy v histórii to nebolo známe. V tomto Laodicejskom veku bol Kristus mimo cirkvi, klopúc, snažiac sa dostať dovnútra. A oni To proste nemôžu zniesť. Nemôžu To počúvať. Teraz zisťujeme, že v hodine, v ktorej žijeme, prišli problémy.
102A potom začíname zisťovať, že zázraky sa už viac nedejú tak, ako sa diali. Chorí idú domov chorí. To nie je kvôli Bohu. To je kvôli nedostatku prebudenia medzi ľuďmi. Nie je žiadne prebudenie. Oni sedia a počúvajú, idú domov, povedia, “No, myslím, že to bolo celkom dobré, hmm.” Vidíte, nie je tam to nadšenie. Nie je tam to niečo v ľuďoch, čo by tam malo byť.
103Pamätám sa pred pätnástimi rokmi, tu v Arkansase, keď som mal malé zhromaždenie tam hore v Jonesboro, keď sa tam snažilo dostať okolo štyridsaťtisíc ľudí, aby prišli na zhromaždenie do pätnásťtisícového mesta. A ležali pod nákladnými autami s bavlnou a pod všetkým možným a držali noviny nad svojimi chorými deťmi, len aby sa mohli dostať dnu. Sedeli na svojich miestach a nepohli sa deň a noc a posielali svojich milovaných, aby kúpili hamburger a fľašu malinovky a zostali tam, deň vnútri a deň vonku, deň vnútri a deň vonku. Ich srdcia horeli ohňom. Len najmenšiu malú vec Boh urobil, to ich zapálilo. A stovky ich prišli.
104On je stále ten istý Boh dnes večer, ako bol pred pätnástimi rokmi. On je stále ten istý Boh dnes večer, ako bol, keď stvoril nebesia a zem.
105Ale čo to je? Všetci sme sa nadchli a chceli sme stavať naše organizácie, chceli sme stavať toto a stavať toto a urobiť niečo skvelé a žiarivé, porovnávať sa s Jonesovcami, s Metodistami, s Baptistami, s Presbyteriánmi. Vy nie ste z nich. Nie, vy nie ste. Oni sú denominační ľudia, čo je v poriadku, nič proti nim. Je veľa dobrých kresťanov medzi nimi, ale vy by ste sa nemali spájať s tými neveriacimi skupinami. “Ľudia, ktorí zapierajú jej moc,“ vy by ste nemali byť s nimi.
106Viete, problém je v tom, že sa snažíte dostať Hollywood do cirkvi. Tá vec, ktorú by ste sa mali snažiť robiť, je dostať Hollywood von z cirkvi. Vidíte? Snažíte sa urobiť svoju budovu tak peknú, snažíte sa urobiť svoju denomináciu tak veľkú, až kým neupúta pozornosť ľudí. Nemôžeme ísť na ich stranu. My ich musíme dostať na našu stranu. Všetko žiarivé, pamätajte, Hollywood sa leskne svetskosťou, kým Evanjelium žiari skromnosťou. Je dosť rozdiel medzi leskom a žiarou. Evanjelium žiari skromnosťou a miernosťou a pokorou a mocou. Zatiaľ čo Hollywood sa leskne a každý vykrikuje a huláka a ide do toho. Vidíte? Nepotrebujeme to.
107My chceme žiť také Svetlo. On povedal, “Vy ste soľou zeme.” “Ak soľ stratí svoju slaň,” to je jej moc v Evanjeliu. Mali by sme mať niečo hýbajúce sa v našich zboroch, aby Metodisti, Baptisti, Presbyteriáni a všetci z nich túžili prísť. Mali by sme byť tak slaní! Soľ spôsobuje smäd, vytvára smäd. Soľ je chuť, ak sa toho dotknete. Musíte sa toho dotknúť.
108A zisťujeme, že v našich veľkých záchvatoch šialenstva sa snažíme porovnávať s Metodistami a Baptistami, s veľkými budovami a veľkými miestami a dobrými vzdelanými ľuďmi a väčšími školami a väčšími univerzitami a všetkým týmto. Vyrazili sme v záchvate šialenstva a tu nastal problém.
109A duchovná myseľ sa pozrie dookola a povie, “Tu, počkaj chvíľu, ideme všetci do tej Ekumenickej rady? Pôjde celá naša skupina do toho?” Určite, pôjdete. Presne tak. Sledujte a uvidíte, či nie. Biblia povedala, že pôjdete, presne, a Kristus bude vonku. Mesiac sa zatmieva pred pápežom (prvý, ktorý kedy išiel do Ríma), v tú noc ukazujúc vám znak v nebesiach. Nebolo to ani predpovedané a stalo sa to. Ako Pán robí veci v tomto dni, úžasné!
110Potom v tejto veľkej hodine temnosti, keď tam boli, prišiel vietor. Všetky nádeje na prežitie boli preč. No, čo urobíte, keď vaša denominácia pôjde do Ekumenickej rady? Čo sa potom stane so všetkými našimi veľkými vecami, ktoré sme si postavili na zemi? Posledná nádej odišla.
111Ale viete, keď oni začali kričať a všetka nádej odišla, nemohli byť zachránení; a zrazu Ho videli prichádzať, ako kráča po vode. V hodine temnosti On prišiel, vkročil tam.
112Viete čo? Keď ich opustil, On vedel, že sa to stane, tak vyšiel na najvyšší vrch, ktorý bol v krajine. Čím vyššie pôjdete, tým ďalej môžete vidieť. A On vyšiel hore, tak ich mohol pozorovať, viete.
113A On vedel, že toto príde. On predpovedal, že tento deň tu bude. “Ako bolo vo dňoch Sodomy, tak bude pri príchode Syna človeka, keď Syn človeka bude zjavený.” Potom, Syn mal byť zjavený. Táto hriešna a cudzoložná generácia bude hľadať znamenie. Ona bude mať znamenie. Odmietne ho tak, ako to urobili vtedy, ale to bude znamenie vzkriesenia. On stále žije a robí tak, ako vždy robil.
114Zisťujeme, že v tejto veľkej hodine, keď boli všetci títo učeníci v tiesni, vyšiel hore, aby ich mohol pozorovať. Sedel tam hore na vrchu a pozoroval ich.
115A teraz On nevyšiel na horu, ale On vyšiel z hrobu, vyšiel cez povetrie, za mesiac, hviezdy, až kým nevyšiel tak vysoko, že sa musel pozrieť dolu, aby videl Nebesia. A tam On sedí, na Výsosti. Jeho oko hľadí na vrabca a ja viem, že nás pozoruje. On pozoruje.
116A rovno tu v tejto hodine temnosti, keď všetky cirkvi odišli do veľkých programov a oni majú tento program a tamten program, všetci naprogramovaní ako tie ostatné cirkvi, denominácie. A čo sa stalo? V hodine temnosti, keď sa skutoční duchovne naplnení ľudia čudujú, “Čo sa stane? Pozri na moje deti!” Muž hovorí, “Pozri na moju ženu! Pozri na toto!”
117A zavčasu opúšťajú nedeľné alebo stredňajšie nočné modlitebné zhromaždenie, aby mohli v televízii pozerať Máme radi Zuzanku alebo niečo podobné. “Milujúci svet viac ako milujúci Boha.” Správajú sa ako oni.
118Minule som povedal jednej dáme, bola oblečená do takých úzkych šiat. Povedal som, “Sestra, tie šaty sú príliš tesné. Možno to pre mňa neznie dobre, aby som ti to povedal, ale je to tak. Si kresťanka a mohla by si byť kameňom úrazu.”
119Povedala, “No, Brat Branham, vieš čo?” Povedala, “To je jediný druh, ktorý vyrábajú.”
120Povedal som, “Stále predávajú látky a šijacie stroje. To nie je ospravedlnenie.” Áno.
121Počúvajte, dovoľ mi povedať ti niečo, moja drahá priateľka. Nie som voči tebe zaujatý. Nie, veru. Snažím sa ťa zadržať od trápenia. Pokiaľ je ten duch v tebe, budeš to robiť. Tak je to. Musíš sa narodiť z toho von. No, môžeš sa na tej poznámke uspokojiť, ale dovoľ mi povedať ti niečo, vidíš, “Kde je vaše srdce, tam je aj váš poklad.”
122Dovoľ, aby som ti niečo povedal. Môžeš byť práve tak čistá ako ľalia, ku svojmu mužovi a ty môžeš byť práve tak čistá ako ľalia, ty, mladé dievča, ku svojmu mladému chlapcovi, ale jedného dňa ťa Boh bude brať na zodpovednosť za páchanie cudzoložstva. Si vinná, keď sa takto obliekaš. Ježiš povedal, “Ktokoľvek sa pozrie na ženu so žiadosťou, už s ňou spáchal cudzoložstvo vo svojom srdci.” A keď sa ten muž musí zodpovedať, ten hriešnik, za to, že sa na ňu pozerá, za spáchanie cudzoložstva, kto mu to ponúkol? Myslite na to. Vy, letničné ženy, hanba vám! Vidíte? Hanba vám!
123Milujem vás, to je ten dôvod, prečo to hovorím. Láska napráva.
124Sme vo veľkom záchvate šialenstva, veľkom šialenstve obliekania. Je to ako spôsob a móda tohoto sveta. On povedal, “Nemilujte sveta ani vecí tohoto sveta, lebo ak to robíte, láska Božia nie je vo vás, “ nestarám sa o to, ako veľmi hovoríte v jazykoch, skáčete hore-dolu, tancujete; striháte si vlasy, nosíte takéto šaty. Vy, muži, to dovoľujete. Vaše vlastné ovocie vám hovorí, kde sa nachádzate. To je presne tak. Niet divu, že sme v takom chaose v akom sme kde dujú vetry komunizmu, vetry cirkvizmu, vetry ekumenickej organizácie!
125Je to čas pripájania, čas zjednocovania. Odbory zjednocujú pracujúcich, hádajú sa o tom. Národy majú Spojené národy, oni sa zjednocujú. Cirkvi sa zjednocujú spolu. Čo to všetko ukazuje? Ukazuje to, že Kristus a Nevesta sa pripravujú na zjednotenie. To je to, o čom to hovorí. Všetky tieto tiene vecí ukazujú, že prichádza ten pozitív. Sledujte teraz, keď končíme, lebo už meškám.
126A teraz si všimnite, v tejto veľkej hodine, keď všetka nádej bola preč, nádej prežitia, uvideli Niekoho prichádzať, ako kráča po vode, kráča hore. A tá vec, tá smutná časť, počúvajte pozorne, tá jediná vec, ktorá im mohla pomôcť, tej sa báli. Povedali, “Vyzerá to ako duch. Možno to je, viete, duch.”
127Či sa to nestalo znovu? Oni sa Toho boja. Oni sa boja veštenia, bojíte sa nejakého druhu diabolskej moci; keď Ježiš povedal, že sa To stane v tomto dni. Jediná vec, ktorá im môže pomôcť, je Ježiš Kristus. Nie ďalšia denominácia, nie všetci z nich spájajúci sa spolu; to ich len urobí horšími ako boli kedykoľvek predtým. Jediná vec, ktorá vám môže pomôcť, je Ježiš Kristus.
128A keď On zasľúbil, že sa v posledných dňoch vráti v tejto forme a bude robiť toto, zasľúbiac, že (tak ako pred tým, než prišiel zasľúbený syn Abrahámovi, prvé semeno) to kráľovské semeno Abrahámove, Ježiš povedal, uvidí tú istú vec. Pred zasľúbeným Synom, Boh sa zamanifestuje v tele a bude robiť presne tak, ako robil Ježiš, ako povedal, že bude robiť v posledných dňoch. A tu všetky tieto zasľúbenia, ktoré by sme mohli vyložiť v tuctoch, rovno tu pred vami, že toto sa má stať.
129A cirkvi, ktoré by mali byť s otvorenou náručou, aby To prijali, “Trochu sa Toho bojím. Nepatrí to k našej skupine, vidíte.” A oni sú z Toho vystrašení. Jediná vec, ktorá ich môže priniesť ku Kristovi, je Kristus Sám, a oni sa boja, že je To strašidelné. “Ó, ja neviem. Môže to byť duch, vidíte. A nepoznám To.” Vystrašení z tej jedinej veci, ktorá im môže pomôcť.
130A v tej temnej hodine nebezpečenstva, tá vyvolená cirkev, tá skupina sediaca tam vonku, vystrašená, že to môže byť strašidlo, nechceli s tým mať nič spoločného. Potom prišiel ten sladký Hlas, “Nebojte sa. To som Ja.”
131On je Slovo. Však? [Zhromaždenie, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.] On sa nikdy nemení, aby bol Slovom. No, môžete počuť to Slovo, ako hovorí dnes večer, “On je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky. Nebojte sa; to som Ja”? [“Amen.”]
Skloňme svoje hlavy.
132Nebeský Otče, večer je horúci. Hodina je temná, ako ten Oheň odišiel od oltára. Zhromažďuješ z poľa. Povedal si, “Kráľovstvo je podobné človeku, ktorý vzal sieť a šiel k moru, vrhol ju doň a keď to vytiahol... Také bolo Kráľovstvo.” Pane Bože, jedného dňa tá posledná ryba, ktorá je v tej vode! Povedal si, “Oni vybrali všetky druhy.” Tá sieť Evanjelia chytá všetky druhy; chytilo to korytnačky, kraby, pavúky, hady, ryby, ktoré zbierajú odpadky. Nevieme, čo to chytí, ale bola tam nejaká ryba, za ktorou si Ty išiel. Ty si ten Jediný, ktorý si Sudcom. Ale uvedomujeme si, že rýchlo sa korytnačka, krab a všetky vrátia znovu späť do bahennej diery, naspäť do vody. Ale jedného dňa tá posledná ryba, ktorá bola predurčená, ustanovená, aby prišla, tá posledná časť toho Tela, bude vytiahnutá von z toho mora.
133Rozhodil si sieť v dňoch Luthera a Wesleyho, Alexandra Campbella, Johna Smitha, Calvína, Knoxa, Finneyho, Sankeyho a tak ďalej; v Letničnom veku, dňoch F. F. Boswortha a Frochmana, tých veľkých mužov. Rozhodil si siete vo dňoch Billyho Sundaya, dolu cez ten vek.
134A teraz stále prečesávaš more. Sedí tu niektorý z nich dnes večer, Pane? Ak áno, nech sú ako tá malá žena pri studni. Dokonca v jej prostitútskom stave, stále rozpoznala, že Ty si Mesiáš. Uvidela ten znak. To bolo to. Povedala, “Vidím, že si prorok.” Ona nemala tušenia, že by to mohol byť Mesiáš. Povedala, “My čakáme na Mesiáša,” inými slovami. “Vieme, že keď Mesiáš príde, On nám bude hovoriť tieto veci.” A Ty si povedal, “Ja som On.” To bolo to.
135No, dnes večer, Pane, nech uvidia, že, “To som Ja; nebojte sa. To je Moje zasľúbenie.” Uzdrav chorých, Pane, zachráň stratených, naplň prázdnych.
136Nech pôjdeme preč dnes večer a povieme vo svojich srdciach, ako pôjdeme preč, ako tí, ktorí prišli z Emauz, “Či nehoreli naše srdcia, keď nám slúžil dnes večer v budove, Jeho Božská Prítomnosť!” Keď spoznali, že si to bol Ty, pozvali Ťa dovnútra a ich oči sa otvorili. Nech Ťa každý z nás dnes večer pozve dovnútra. Ak Tomu nerozumieme, nech Ťa každopádne pozveme dovnútra. To je ten jediný spôsob, ako sa môžeš odhaliť.
137A všimli sme si ten spôsob, ako Si sa odhalil po Tvojom vzkriesení, urobil si niečo takým istým spôsobom, ako si to urobil pred Svojím ukrižovaním. Tak príď dnes večer, Pane, povedal si, že si “ten istý včera, dnes a naveky.” Urob znovu, pre nás, tak ako si robil vo dňoch, keď si stál tu v tele, na zemi. Pôjdeme domov bezstarostní ako tamtí. V Ježišovom Mene sa modlíme. Amen.
138No, v službe dnes večer, viem, že je hrozne teplo a máme už dvadsať minút navyše. [Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.] Som...
139Nemôžem zastaviť alebo zabrzdiť tie veci, ktoré robím. Som vedený Niečím, Čím som vždy bol, celý život a vždy To bolo správne. Nikdy mi To nepovedalo nič, čo by nebolo v Biblii. Nemôžem to zastaviť. Nemôžem s tým nič urobiť. To to proste robí, akokoľvek. A som si istý, že ak som poslušný, tak tam bol niekto, kto to potreboval. A ja budem verný. A v tom Dni, chcem, ako veľký Svätý Pavol povedal, “Na mojich rukách nie je krv žiadneho človeka.” Ach. Chcem vám povedať Pravdu. Nie ako som... Milujem vás.
140A keby ste mali malého chlapca... No, pomyslite na to, dámy, vy, ktorým som pred chvíľou vynadal, vy, sestry s ostrihanými vlasmi a tými vecami. Ak by... Ak by váš malý chlapec sedel vonku na ulici a vy by ste povedali, “Maličký, drahý, mal by si ísť radšej dnu, drahý. Mohlo by to byť, ja neviem, tie autá ťa možno obídu.” Vy nemilujete to dieťa. Tak je to. Vy tam pôjdete a zderiete z neho kožu alebo ho prinútite, aby šiel dnu. Tak je to. Milujete ho.
141Také je Evanjelium. Boh vás miluje. “A tých, ktorých miluje, trestá a karhá každé dieťa, ktoré prichádza k Nemu.” Ak nemôžete zniesť trestanie, idete preč a nahneváte sa za to, potom ste nelegitímne deti, nie ste deti Božie. Tak len pamätajte, to je proste Písmo.
142No, slovo od Neho, jedno slovo, bude znamenať viac, ako by som mohol povedať za milión životov. To je On. Poznáme Jeho zasľúbenie. Vieme, čo zasľúbil, že bude robiť. No, ja neviem, či... urobil...budeme z...
143Rozdal znovu karty? Rozdal si dnes karty? Čo to bolo? “J”, v poriadku. V poriadku, aby sme ušetrili čas, začnime proste od čísla jeden. No, oni sú pravdepodobne po celej budove. “J”, číslo jedna.
144A teraz to máme trochu roztrúsené. Začali sme od, raz, odtiaľto, inokedy, trochu späť a dopredu, a okolo, ale máme ich tu okolo roztrúsených. Ale všetci ľudia, ktorí prichádzajú, každý deň, majú šancu dostať sa do rady. To neznamená, že keď ste tu...
145Koľkí viete, že v tomto zhromaždení bolo takmer dvojnásobne viac uzdravených v publiku, ako ich bolo tu hore? Iste, viete to. Vidíte, modlitebná karta proste len dostane ľudí tu hore, dostane Ducha Svätého medzi nich, lebo ste to zvykli robiť. Nemusíme to dokonca práve teraz mať. Môžeme vynechať modlitebné karty.
146Tak ako sme to robili včera večer, vôbec sme včera večer nemali modlitebné karty. Duch Svätý vyšiel von medzi tých, ktorí nemali modlitebné karty. A videl som mnoho vecí, o ktorých som nič nepovedal, lebo som nevedel, či to tak bolo alebo nie. Stále to bolo nad nimi tmavé a tak som to proste nechal tak. Nevedel som. Nebolo by to dobré , aby som ich zavolal. Čokoľvek On povie, je správne, tak počúvajte, čo On hovorí.
147No, povedal si, že to bolo “J”? “J”, číslo jedna. “J”, číslo jedna, kto má modlitebnú kartu, zodvihnite ruku. Musel si sa pomýliť, synu; musí to byť nejaký... Ó, prepáč. Ó, smerom späť oproti stene vzadu. Poďte sem, pani. Prinášajú tieto karty teraz dolu, chlapec, Brat Borders alebo Billy, jeden, niekedy obaja, miešajú tie karty pred vami a potom vám dávajú vašu kartu, čokoľvek chcete. My nevieme, oni sú proste... Tento môže dostať číslo päť, a tamten dostane číslo sedem, tento dostane číslo pätnásť, a tamten deväťdesiatpäť a my nevieme. A potom znovu, keď prídem, ja proste, kdekoľvek to leží na mojom srdci, zavolám odtiaľ, nezáleží, kde to je. Ja len... Ak poviem... Niekedy počítam, koľko ich je v rade a rozdelím to medzi tých v tejto rade a dostanem odpoveď. Vidíte? A potom, ak to neurobím, prečo, ja len... čokoľvek príde prvé na moju myseľ, to zavolám.
148Číslo jeden. “J”, číslo dva. Číslo dva, číslo tri, číslo štyri, číslo päť, číslo šesť, sedem, osem, deväť, desať, nechajte ich prísť, vidíte. Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, päť, šesť, sedem, osem, deväť, desať. To je dobré. Tak to má byť, prichádzajte rovno... Počkajte, jeden šiel inakade. Bol som... Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, päť, šesť, sedem, osem, deväť. To je správne. No, tu, tu to je, desať. V poriadku.
149Jedenásť, dvanásť, trinásť, štrnásť, pätnásť. To je ďalších päť. Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, päť. Dobre, to je dobre.
150Šestnásť, sedemnásť, osemnásť, devätnásť, dvadsať. Jeden, dva, tri, štyri. Vidím len štyroch. Dvadsať, ozval sa dvadsiaty? V poriadku. No, nechceme, aby ich stálo naraz príliš veľa. No, keď prejdeme týchto a to je dosť, vezmeme, ďalších. Nevoláme... Možno my...
151Skúsme niekoľkých ďalších. Skúsme ďalších piatich. Dvadsaťpäť ku dvadsaťpäť. Jeden, dva, tri, tam vzadu, štyri. Jeden, dva, tri, štyri, to je päť. V poriadku, zastavme sa tam. V rade je dvadsaťpäť a zoradili sa tu dolu.
152No, chcel by som vás poprosiť o láskavosť. Venujete mi svoju plnú... Venujte Bohu svoju plnú pozornosť najbližších pätnásť, šestnásť minút. Urobíte to? A urobíte toto, otvoríte svoje srdcia? No, pamätajte, čo som povedal. Nenechajte, aby to prešlo pomimo vás, ako voda stekajúca po kačacom chrbte, ako hovorí staré príslovie. Nerobte to. Zvážte Toto.
153Ak vám poviem niečo, čo nie je v Písme, a zasľúbenie na tú hodinu, je vašou povinnosťou a ste zaviazaní, aby ste išli tu k manažérovi a povedali mi o tom. Tak je to. Neučím nič okrem toho, čo je v Slove. A ak stojím rovno s tým Slovom a ak poviem, že je To takto a Boh... To je v Biblii. Ak mi Anjel Pánov povedal niečo, čo nie je v Biblii, to by nebol Anjel Pánov. Tak je to. On mi nikdy ani jediný raz nepovedal nič okrem toho, čo bolo v tom Slove a vy ste mi svedkami. On nikdy nepovedal jednu vec, zo stoviek tisícov a tisícov a medzi jazykmi sveta, či On niekedy povedal niečo nesprávne, alebo povedal niečo, čo sa nestalo?
154Počúvajte. Poproste manažéra a ich tam. Toto, čo tu všetci vidíte, je tá amatérska stránka toho. Je to tak, bratia? [Bratia hovoria, “Správne.” - vyd.] No, tam vonku a vonku v súkromnom živote, kde On povie, “Choď dolu na toto miesto a uvidíš toto. A toto sa stane. A toto povedz tu, tu dolu.” To je neustále, po celý čas, vidíte, rok po roku. Ľudia v publiku vidia len tie malé veci. Ale teraz, ak budete úctiví.
155No, je mi každý v tejto modlitebnej rade, ako tu stojíte, cudzí? Zdvihnite svoje ruky, ak ste mi cudzí. V poriadku. Koľkí z vás tam vonku vedia, že o vás nič neviem? Zodvihnite ruky. No, kým... Ďakujem. Nestarám sa, kde ste, či ste hore na balkóne, vzadu pri stene, dolu tuto, kdekoľvek ste. Idem...
156No, to je pre vaše dobro. To je pre váš úžitok. Vidíte, to je pre váš úžitok.
157Myslel som, že to ku mne hovorí môj malý vnúčik, ale nebol to on. Mám tu niekde svojho malého vnúčika, dnes večer, on je asi takýto veľký a myslel som si, že to bol malý Paul. Vždy hovoril, že príde, postaví sa na pódium a bude pre mňa kázať a on nemá ešte ani dva roky. Myslím, že tento malý chlapček zháňa svoju mamičku.
158Tak pamätajte, snažím sa vám pomôcť. Ja... Boh to vie. Snažím sa vám pomôcť, vidíte. No pozrite, chcem, aby ste z toho vzali úžitok, ak On medzi nás príde.
159No, myslite na to, Osoba Ježiša Krista účinkujúca v tele, ako zasľúbil, že bude robiť na konci. Koľkí vedia, že to zasľúbil? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.] Tak ako to bolo tam dolu pri Sodome, keď Anjel obrátený chrbtom a ... To bol Boh. Veríte, že to bol Boh? Koľkí veria, že to bol Boh? [“Amen.”] Iste, že bol. Biblia hovorí, že bol. A On, Ježiš, o tom hovoril. No, všimnite si.
160No, vy tam vonku bez modlitebných kariet, chcem, aby ste pre mňa niečo urobili, kdekoľvek ste. No, pamätajte, tieto veci, sledujte, keď vám To povie, že ste, ste uzdravení, alebo čo vám To povie, aby ste urobili. Sledujte, čo To povie. Ak vám To len povie, to je na to, aby to budovalo vašu vieru. A potom, keď vaša viera príde na miesto, vy sa natiahnete a prijmete Boha. To nie som ja, lebo Nebeský Otec vie.
161Pozerám sa na túto radu a nevidím ani jednu osobu, ktorú by som poznal. Nevidím, ale sú možno dvaja, traja ľudia v celom publiku, ktorých poznám. A ja neviem ako, práve teraz, môžem povedať, ukázať jedného. Viem, že Edmund Way bol tu pred pár minútami. Myslel som, že ho vidím a minul som...
162Ak sa nemýlim, vidím niekoho, koho poznám, je to muž a jeho manželka a malé dievča, volá sa Fritzinger, hore z Ohio. Je to, si brat - brat Fritzinger? Sedíte tak trochu v malom krúžku, kde... To je brat a sestra Fritzinger, z Ohio, moji priatelia.
163A mimo toho, tam vzadu sedia, tam je... Vidím tu na boku, je jeden starý muž, ktorý bude mať deväťdesiatdva rokov, volá sa William Dauch. On a jeho manželka. Ona je zdravotná sestra. William Dauch, v Ohio, môj veľmi osobný priateľ. Nedávno mal, deväťdesiatjedenročný mal úplné zlyhanie srdca, srdcový záchvat a jeho manželka mi volala, aby som ihneď prišiel, on rovno vtedy umieral. A na...
164On mi bol tak blízkym priateľom. Trápil som sa na svojej ceste za ním. A zastavil som a jedno z mojich kolies nebolo vyvážené, to jednoducho trhalo moju pneumatiku na kúsky, a šiel som na stanicu Texaco, aby som nabral trochu paliva a oni vyšli von, aby sa na to pozreli. A pozrel som sa hore a videl som brata Daucha, ako kráča dolu ulicou do môjho zboru a potriasa mi rukou. Povedal som, “Chvála Pánovi.” A pozrel som sa takto naspäť a tu on išiel dolu ulicou a potriasol mi rukou. Šiel som k nemu.
165Videl som jeho lekára, mladého Žida alebo v stredných rokoch, Židovský muž. A povedal som, “Čo je s ním, doktor?”
166Povedal, “On ani nemal šancu bojovať.” Povedal, “Je pod kyslíkovým stanom.” Povedal, “Zomrie rovno tam.” Povedal, “Pamätajte, má deväťdesiatjeden rokov.”
Povedal som, “Áno, pane.”
167Povedal, “Je to úplné zlyhanie srdca. Nič sa nedá robiť.” Povedal, “Je čas ísť.”
168A ja som povedal, “Áno, pane. Ale nie, on nepôjde. To je všetko.”
169Vošiel som dovnútra, položil som svoju ruku pod stan. Povedal som, “Brat Dauch, počuješ ma?” Pozrel sa hore na mňa. No, v skutočnosti, v jeho mene, on je Nemec, D-a-u-g-h, a ja to proste vyslovujem Dauch, vidíte. A položil som svoju ruku pod stan a povedal som, “Počuješ ma, brat Dauch?”
Povedal, “Áno.”
Povedal som, “Ty neodchádzaš, ja som videl, že neodchádzaš.”
170Týždeň na to, ako som stál vo svojom zbore, kto prichádza kráčajúc do zboru, ak nie brat Dauch! Odišiel som zo zhromaždenia a šiel som ponad rieku do bufetu, aby som sa najedol. A keď som vystupoval z auta a kráčal som hore ulicou, tu prichádza brat Dauch s vystretou rukou. Tie videnia nezlyhávajú.
171A ten deväťdesiatjedenročný muž navštevuje každé zhromaždenie, bol v Kalifornii. Zodvihol by si proste ruku, brat Dauch, ako tam sedíš, aby ľudia videli, čo to znamená byť skutočný vojak. Tu, sedí rovno tu, vidíte, deväťdesiatjedenročný a navštevuje každé zhromaždenie. Keď som v modlitebni, šoféruje stovky míľ každý deň, aby ma počul kázať malú kázeň a ide naspäť. Bože, “Bude Svetlo v čase večera.”
172Povedal som, minule som s ním hovoril, povedal som, “Čo by som pre teba mohol urobiť, brat Dauch?”
173“Len jedno želanie, brat Branham. Keď On príde, chcem ísť s Ním.”
174Povedal som, “Netráp sa. To je zaistené. Iste.” No, ten muž prichádza tu, bol pokrstený, ó, prišiel a prijal krst Duchom Svätým a všetko, proste skvelý služobník Kristov.
175No, poprosím vás každého, aby ste boli skutočne úctiví, pozrite sa takto a modlite sa.
176No, koľko učiteľov tu vie, že On je Najvyšší Kňaz, práve teraz, ktorého sa môžeme dotýkať našimi slabosťami? [Zhromaždenie, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.] Dobre, ak je On ten istý včera, dnes a naveky a je tým istým Najvyšším Kňazom, On bude konať takým istým spôsobom. Len Jeho telo je na Tróne Božom. Koľkí to vedia? [“Amen.”] Telo Ježiša je na Tróne Božom. Ale On používa naše telo, aby sa cez neho manifestoval, tak ako to zasľúbil robiť. “Skutky, ktoré ja robím, budete tiež robiť.”
Poprosím vás, aby ste ticho sedeli, buďte úctiví, sledujte a modlite sa.
177No, Nebeský Otče, snažil som sa pri tom byť tak úctivý, ako som len vedel. No, len slovo od Teba teraz, Pane, a potom môže tichý, jemný Hlas prísť dolu cez toto publikum a povedať, “To som Ja, nebojte sa.” Daj to, Otče. A porúčam sa Ti, s Posolstvom, ktoré bolo dnes večer kázané, s Tvojím Slovom, aby bolo potvrdené. Ty to nemusíš urobiť. Ale Ty to urobíš alebo Ty to robíš, lebo si to zasľúbil. Modlím sa, aby si to dal, v Mene Ježiša. Amen.
178A každý skutočne úctivý, len skutočne úctivý. Ako sa máte? No, dám vám Písmo, ako pôjdeme ďalej. Ak to Pán urobí, ja neviem. Ale len... A ja som takto kázal, vidíte, to je jeden druh pomazania. Toto je iný druh pomazania. To bolo len požehnanie. Táto jedna vec, to jednoducho rovno z vás berie ten život.
179No, pani tu stojí. Nikdy vo svojom živote som ju nevidel. Sme si cudzí? Verím, že si to povedala, pred chvíľou, nepoznám ťa. Boh ťa pozná. On pozná mňa. Vieš, že ako tu teraz stojíme, budeme sa za to musieť zodpovedať v Deň Súdu? [Sestra hovorí, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.] Si si toho vedomá? Vieš, že za to, čo teraz robíme, Boh nás tam hore vezme na zodpovednosť? Povedal som to proste za nejakým účelom. No, ak mi Pán Ježiš zjaví, čo robíš, čo je v tvojej mysli alebo niečo také, budeš tomu veriť? Musela by si tomu veriť, však? [“Amen.”]
180Budete tomu veriť tam vonku, vy v publiku? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, “Amen.” – pozn.prekl.]
181Teraz stojíme presne tak, ako tá žena pri studni a náš Pán, muž a žena sa stretávajú prvý krát. Vidíte? Tu sme, stretnutie pre... To je Svätý Ján 4.kapitola. No, ak Svätý Duch povie... Ak si tu kvôli niekomu inému, ak si chorá, ak je to domáci problém, ak sú to finančné problémy, čokoľvek to je, ja nemám predstavu. Ale On má. Ale On môže rozpoznať myšlienky, ktoré sú v tvojom srdci. On je Slovo. Ja nemôžem. Ja som človek. Si len trochu nervózna a to je dôvod, prečo toto robím, vidíš.
182To je jeden z tvojich problémov, to je nervozita. Tak je to. A tiež máš cukrovku, to je ďalšia vec, čo je s tebou zle. Tak je to. Komplikácie, proste mnoho vecí je zlých. Je to tak? Ak je to tak, zodvihni svoju ruku. Vidíte? Veríš, že On ťa uzdraví. [Sestra hovorí, “Verím.” – pozn.prekl.] Veríš? No, tvoja nervozita je zapríčinená tvojím vekom, vidíš, ale teraz ťa to všetko opustí. A verím, že vierou pôjdeme na Golgotu, budeme mať transfúziu Krvi.
183No, to je presne to, čo On urobil. Povedal žene pri studni, aký bol jej problém. Jej bol ten, že mala veľa manželov. Tvoj bol ten... Myslím, že to bola nervozita a ďalšie dve alebo tri zlé veci. Je to tak, že? To je tá istá vec.
184No, keď On prišiel ku Šimonovi, povedal mu, kto on je. Veríš, že Boh mi môže povedať, aké je tvoje meno? Urobí to, že budeš veriť viac? Urobí to? Pani Strongová... [Sestra hovorí, “Rozhodne.” - pozn.prekl.] Rozhodne, budeš veriť? Choď a ver, a ty... Je tomu koniec. Amen.
185Poď. Veríš? Aj tebe som cudzí. Nepoznám ťa. Boh ťa pozná. Veríš, že On mi môže zjaviť, aký je tvoj problém? A ak to urobí, potom nech je Pán Boh požehnaný. Je to pravda? [Sestra hovorí, “Áno, je to pravda.” – pozn.prekl..] No, nemusíš sa báť, vidíš, to je On, že to cítiš. V poriadku. Trpíš tiež stavom nervozity, duševnej nervozity a ľahko sa zrútiš. A trpíš problémom močového mechúra, niečo je zlé s pečeňou a máš anémiu. Tak je to. Máš niečo...
186Stále sa tu zjavuje nejaký muž. Veríš, že Boh ťa môže uzdraviť? [Sestra hovorí, “Áno, verím.” – pozn.prekl.] A že môže uzdraviť aj tvojho manžela, aby mu bolo dobre? Myslíš, že ten problém so žalúdkom odíde a on bude v poriadku? To je to, na čo on trpí. Choď a polož svoje ruky na neho, povedz mu to a opustí ho to.
187Som ti cudzí. Pán Ježiš nás oboch pozná, však? Veríš, že Boh môže učiniť, aby ti bolo dobre? Ak mi Pán Ježiš zjaví vec, ktorá... že si... ktorá je v tvojom srdci, veríš, že On spôsobí, aby ti bolo dobre? Mala si nejaký problém. Máš problém so žlčníkom, po prvé. A ďalšia vec, to spôsobuje, že tvoj žlčník je pokrytý vredmi, ale to je to, čo povedal tvoj lekár. No, ďalšia vec je, že oni to chcú operovať. To je presne tak. Nie je to pravda? No, veríš, že On to môže obísť? Myslíš si, že tvoja viera je v Neho? Vieš, že to nie som ja, kto to robí. Veríš? V poriadku. Choď a ako si uverila, nech sa ti tak stane.
188Predpokladám, že sme si cudzí. Pán Boh nás oboch pozná. Veríš, že On je schopný zjaviť mi tie veci, ktoré ti pomôžu? [Sestra, “Áno, viem to.” – pozn.prekl.] Ty, ty veríš, že On to urobí. [“Jednoznačne.”] Hovorím... “Jednoznačne,” to je veľmi dobré. To je veľmi pekné. No, máš veľa vecí, ktoré nie sú v poriadku, tak veľa komplikácií a vecí a niečo ako kašeľ a ty sa z toho nemôžeš dostať. A ty si skutočne nervózna. A to, je to tak.
189Potom, máš na srdci bremeno a to bremeno je za niekoho, čo je tvoj syn. A on má problém, nejaké domáce problémy. On a jeho žena, stále sa hádajú... A ty sa tým trápiš. Tak je to. Teraz ver z celého svojho srdca a to sa celé vyjasní a odíde. Veríš teraz. Pán nech ťa žehná.
190Ako sa máš, pane? Som ti cudzí a ty si cudzí mne. A to je začiat... Videnie, vidím, vyzerá to, akoby sa celý dom práve osvetľoval, akoby nejaký vír chodil dookola. Vidíte? Ale veríš, že Pán Ježiš by mi mohol zjaviť, prečo tu stojíš? Veríš, že On to urobí? Ja tomu tiež verím. Ja sa len s tebou rozprávam, aby som sa skontaktoval s tvojím duchom, to je presne to, prečo to robím. Vidíš, ja ťa nepoznám, tak to musí byť niečo mimo mňa, čo to robí. Ja len musím seba samého dostať úplne preč od seba, aby to On mohol robiť Sám. Rozumieš?
191No, jedna vec, trpíš obrovskou nervozitou a tá nervozita trvá nejaký čas. Tak je to. [Brat hovorí, “Tak je to.” – pozn.prekl.] A tá nervozita spôsobila, že máš tiež vysoký krvný tlak. A mal si porážku. [“To je pravda.”] To je to. Povedz, ty si buď bol kazateľom alebo si kazateľ. [“Som.”] No, si kazateľ; videl som ťa stáť za kazateľňou. Potom, maj vieru v Boha a tá nervozita ťa opustí. Všetci kazatelia to majú. Budeš v poriadku. Vráť sa ku svojej kazateľni a poslúchaj Boha a zostaň verný tomu Slovu, Ježišovi Kristovi.
192Veríš, že problém s tvojím chrbtom ťa opustí, ako sedíš na kresle? Veríš tomu? [Sestra hovorí, “Áno.” – pozn.prekl.] V poriadku, pane, potom len pokračuj ďalej, hovoriac, “Ďakujem Ti, Pane.”
193Poď, pani. Ako sa máš? Veríš, že som Jeho sluha? [Sestra hovorí, “Istotne verím.” –pozn.prekl.] V poriadku. Veríš, že ten dámsky problém, ženský problém, ťa opustí? [“Amen.”] Áno? Potom choď napred, povedz, “Ďakujem Ti, Pane.”
194Problém s obličkami, problém s chrbticou, v tvojom chrbte. Veríš, že Boh ťa uzdraví a urobí, aby si sa mala dobre, od toho? Veríš, že On spôsobí, že ti bude dobre? V poriadku, vezmi si svoje...?...
195Poď, pani. Som ti cudzí. Ak by som ti vôbec nič nepovedal, verila by si, že Prítomnosť Božia je tu, aby uzdravila chorých? [Sestra hovorí, “Určite, verím tomu.” – pozn.prekl.] Áno? Nuž, ak áno, tvoj problém so žalúdkom... Povedal som ti, vidíš. Je to preč. Povedal som ti, vidíš. [“Vďaka Bohu! Ó, ďakujem Ti, Ježišu.”]
196Ako sa máš, pane? Boh žije v srdci. A nedávno sa tu ukázalo, že s tvojím srdcom je zle. Veríš, že On to napraví? Pokračuj na svojej ceste a ver tomu. Boh nech ťa žehná. Veríš; On to dá do poriadku.
197Si nervózny a to spôsobuje, že máš problém so žalúdkom, žalúdočný vred. Trápi ťa to po jedení. Veríš, že je to teraz celé preč? Choď si zohnať niečo na jedenie.
198Je ti tak trochu ťažko postaviť sa, chrbát ťa tak veľmi trápil. [Pacient hovorí, “Áno, pane.” – pozn.prekl.] Už ťa to viac nebude trápiť, ak tomu budeš veriť. Budeš? [“Áno, pane.”] V poriadku, pokračuj a nech ťa Pán Ježiš učiní úplne zdravým.
199Z čoho si taký nervózny? Len pokračuj, povedz, “Ja už viac nebudem nervózny,” a nebudeš. Choď a ver. V poriadku, pane.
200Poď, pani. No, Etiópska žena a biely muž, presne tak ako, niečo také, čo jedného dňa stretlo Ježiša. Oni mali oddelenie, tak ako to zvykli mať na juhu, ale teraz to už nemáme. Ježiš im dal vedieť, že všetci ľudia sú Boží ľudia. Nebol žiaden rozdiel, vidíte, či bola Židovka alebo Samaritánka.
201No, ak ti Boh nepomôže, tak veľmi skoro ťa tá artritída zmrzačí. Ale veríš, že On ti pomôže, že ti bude dobre? Presne tak, ako urobila tá žena, choď svojou cestou a povedz svojim ľuďom, aké veľké veci pre teba urobil Boh. V poriadku.
No, je tam chirurg pripravený vytiahnuť nôž.
202Moment. To nebola táto žena. No, len moment, nech je teraz každý úctivý. To je Satan, snažil sa niečo urobiť. Tu to je. Nádor, nádor, obaja. Tak je to. Máš nádor, ona má nádor a ten diabol volá o pomoc toho druhého. Ale Duch Svätý volá tiež. Komu budeš veriť, Jemu? V poriadku. Vstaň z toho lehátka, pani. Povstaň z toho nosidla. Postav sa z toho a ver. Choď, ver Mu teraz. Amen.
203Veríš? Všetko je možné. Veríš? A čo vy, v publiku? [Zhromaždenie a tí, ktorí boli práve uzdravení, sa všetci radujú – pozn.prekl.]
204Postavme sa rovno teraz na svoje nohy. Práve teraz je čas urobiť to. Nech sa každá osoba... Boh nech ťa žehná. Nech sa každá osoba teraz postaví na svoje nohy. Vzdajte Bohu chválu. Zodvihnite svoje ruky.
205Ďakujem Ti, Pane Ježišu! Chválime Ťa za Tvoju veľkosť a za Tvoje uzdravenie chorých. [Zhromaždenie sa raduje. – pozn.prekl.]
1 Before we bow our heads for prayer, I would like to read some of God's Word. I always like to read His Word; because my words will fail, they're a man, but His Word cannot fail. And you who keep track of the text, and so forth, let's read from Matthew the 14th chapter, tonight, beginning with the 22nd verse.
And straightway Jesus constrains his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when... evening was come, he was there alone.
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of a good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
2 Let us bow our heads now for prayer. While our heads and hearts are bowed before God, is there a need in the building, tonight, that you would like to make known to God, by lifting up your hands, and be remembered in the prayer? The Lord look upon you, be merciful to us.
3 Our Heavenly Father, we are coming now into Thy Presence, by the way and the Name of the Lord Jesus. Knowing, with the blessed assurance, that He promised us, if we would "ask anything" in His Name, that You would grant it to us. We are very grateful for this. Words cannot express the way we feel about it, with assurance that we have, that You're listening to us just now.
4You seen those hands, Lord. You know what they had need of. You're the omniscient, omnipotent, infinite God, and we know that Thou knowest the hearts of the people. You knowed our thoughts. Even before we were ever created, You knowed every thought that we'd ever have, for You are infinite.
5And we pray, Lord, at this hour, as our desires is reaching for You, look down from the Heavens, Lord, and take our requests to Thy Own heart, Lord, and answer us according to Thy riches in Glory. Give to us the desire of our heart, trusting that it's Your Divine will. And we know that it's Your good pleasure to do Your will.
6Give us a great outpouring of Thy Presence, tonight, again Lord. Heal the sick. Save the lost, raise up those who are dead in sin and trespasses, and bring them to a new Life, tonight. May we see Jesus. We ask it in His Name. Amen.
7 You may be seated. We're sorry that we're not able to accommodate the people, for seating capacity. But, since the first night, they say they've had to turn away great multitudes of the people, so we are sorry for that. And Brother Grant just didn't quite get another room built, either, to... I believe it's to the left that he is going to move this partition. The precious, precious brother today asked me if I would make this an annual thing, to return back to Dallas, to his church. Such a great invitation as that, in this hour, when doors closing so fast, and then the man want me to come back and make it an annual thing, affair. I appreciate that.
8I had a time of fellowship with them this morning, with Brother Gordon Lindsay and many of them. Brother Pearry Green, who is the sponsor of the oncoming meeting down at Beaumont, sitting behind me here tonight. And many, our friends, Brother Don and his wife. We're so happy to have them here. The Lord bless them.
9 Now, tonight, just... I been trying to make my Messages just as simple as they could be, so that even a child could understand them.
10Tomorrow afternoon is an evangelistic service, and I wish that you could all come out.
11Now if you have services at your own church, why, you--you stay where you're--where you're stationed at. We don't want no one to leave their own church, to... And then if you're sick and want to come to be prayed for, and your church is having service tomorrow afternoon, speak to your pastor about it, so he won't think bad, you know. Let him know that we're here in cooperation, to--to help the entire Body of Jesus Christ that's sojourning here in Dallas and around about.
12So, tomorrow afternoon, I think, at two-thirty, I'm to speak an evangelistic Message. And then we're going to pray for all the sick people, pick up all the prayer cards and things that's been left over through the week, and pray for them all tomorrow.
13 Now my subject tonight is more like a little drama, just for a few moments. And I'm going to try to get in as much tonight as I can, on praying for the sick. My text is, "be not afraid, it's I," Jesus speaking. My subject is: A Testimony On The Sea.
14 It must have been about late in an afternoon, the sun must have been going down when this taken place, and now must have been a hot day about like it is in here.
15The air conditioner is out, and they're working on it. That's the reason I changed my subject from out there, what I was going to speak on, so I could hurry with it, so you wouldn't have to sit in the heat like this.
16 This big fisherman, after seeing what he had through the day, been watching Jesus in His great ministry.
17I would have loved to have lived in that day, to followed Him. But, you know, I'm glad I still have the privilege of doing the same thing, watching Him do things. And it's greater to watch Him today than it was then. I have more faith in Him now, and can have more faith now than I could have then, because we've had two thousand years to prove that the Gospel is right. And after two thousand years, He is still alive, doing just as He did then, so we have a greater assurance and a more foundation for faith now than they had then.
18Because, He was just a Man going around with a claim that--that He was sent from God and was the Son of God, and that God was vindicating His promised Word of that day, by Him, and they had somewhat the reason to doubt it. The theologians, they were! And you notice it was a pathetic thing, it was really pathetic, because them theologians would have believed That if God hadn't have blinded their eyes. The Bible said so.
19 And did you know He promised that He would blind their eyes again today, that they wouldn't see It? They would be "heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, despisers of those that are good; having a form of godliness, but would deny the Power thereof." Just exactly a promise right back again. And you can't hardly but just feel sorry for people, and their eyes being blinded to this day. With the Scriptures that God has promised that would come to pass right in this day, in this hour, and we're looking right at it and watching it. And then people look, and shake their head and walk away, say, "I don't see It." It's a pathetic thing, but yet the Scriptures has got to be fulfilled. It must be that way.
20 So these disciples had been chosen of God. Did you notice, Jesus told them, "Before the foundation of the world," He chose them, and they were an ordained seed of God. That's why when the troubles come up, and the people looked like had Jesus in the corner, on a question, there was no question to them. They couldn't understand it, but they were determined to know nothing else but Him. "Thou only has the Word of Life." And they were determined to stay with It, because they were ordained to that office.
21And so is it today, that men and women, who are ordained to Eternal Life, will come to Eternal Life. "All the Father has given Me will come to Me." That's His Word, and that cannot fail. It's--it's God's Word.
22 And we see these disciples now, that had a great meeting that day, out in a great field along the side of a mountain. And Jesus had told them, "Now you go ahead across the sea, ahead of Me." And He was going up into a mountain, alone, for prayer. And these disciples, after meeting friends, I can just imagine how they felt.
23Because, to meet friends, and then have to part with friends; just about the time you get acquainted, then you have to say good-bye. And that's always been kind of a heartache to me, across the nation, around the world, has been meeting friends and then leaving them, knowing that there is many that you won't see no more until you meet them at the Judgment. It's kind of a sad affair.
24 I can imagine the boat, with the--the bow of it pushed into the bank. And must have been Simon Peter, with the great brawny arms and shoulders, that pushed the boat around and headed it out into the sea. And they was all waving good-bye to those on the bank. And they was screaming, "Come back again and bring the Master over to see us! And come have another revival; we've been so blessed today!" And new friends waving. And he climbed over the rest of the disciples, and sat down probably by the side of his brother, Andrew, and picked up the oars.
25The--the ships then were propelled by either the wind or by oars that they pulled. And then maybe they would be sitting two in a boat, two on a side, and they would... or two in one seat, rather, maybe six or eight oarlocks. They would pull in time, and that way they could hold the boat in its keel when the storms was on. Then, the winds blowing normally, they could hoist up a sail, and sail.
26 Must have been a hot afternoon, from the looks of the Scripture just before this event, and so it must have been a real quiet, sunny, hot afternoon. The sun was setting. And they, as they oared, and then turned loose and waved good-bye to the people, "Hope to see you again sometime," as they moved out into the sea. And the sunset, and the evening twilight, and then after a while the--the darkness set in.
27And they must have picked up a pretty good speed of--of oaring, and that's a hard job when those great heavy oars dips into the sea. And most all of them were--were fishermen, and great strong men, used to the sea. And so as they expecting Jesus to get in the boat and follow them on, pretty soon. Why, they got out there, and they must have coasted just a little bit; kind of get your ship started, and then let up.
28 Maybe young John must have been the first one to speak up, 'cause he was the youngest of the group. And it must have been he that said, "I'm getting just a little bit tired. Let's coast for a little bit. Wait a minute, we don't have to hurry. He hasn't come along yet, so we might as well wait a little while and kind of get a good breath of air."
29And as he sat there with his head down a little bit, he must have started a testimony meeting. And that's what I want to talk about. It must have been he that raised up first, and said, "Brethren, no matter what the people say, and how much anyone wants to disbelieve, I am certainly a sure now, after today, that we're not following a faker. We are following nothing less than God, for no man could do what He did today 'less it was God. You know, when He took those biscuits and broke them, and fed that five thousand there, that's the most amazing thing to me. There could have been a question until today," now I'm just repeating his testimony as it was, "but that settled it."
30 Said, "I can remember years ago. I used to live down close to the Jordan. And I can remember, as a little boy, how my pretty, Jewish mother used to pick me up, in the afternoon, and set me upon her lap and rock me, out on the porch, when the poppies was blooming along the side of the banks of the Jordan. And she used to look across towards the desert, from whence our people was brought through this desert. She used to tell me Bible stories. One of the great stories that I remember, was the Shunammite woman and when her little boy was dead, and--and the prophet raised up this little boy again from the dead. That used to be a thrilling story.
31 "But one of the most thrilling stories, and mother used to tell me, she would say, 'Now, John, you're just a little boy; but I want you to remember, as you grow older, that, great Jehovah brought our people up out of Egypt, and we come through that wilderness across the river there. And all for forty years, they journeyed in that wilderness, no places to get clothes, and no place to eat. And God rained bread down out of heaven, every night, and fed our people in that wilderness, 'cause they were in the line of duty, following great Jehovah. And now, someday, Jehovah is going to be made flesh here on earth, in the form of a Man, He'll be called the anointed One, the Messiah.'"
32 "And I remember," he would say, "as a little boy, how that my little boy mind used to figure out, try to figure out, 'How did God feed all those, two and a half million people, in that wilderness? How did He get all the bread?' And I used to ask mama, 'Mama, did He, has--has Jehovah got great big bunch of ovens up there in the sky, and He would bake all the bread, and run down at night and put it out upon the--the ground, for the people, and Jehovah's big skies are full of ovens?' She would say, 'No, son, you're too young to understand. See, Jehovah is a Creator. He doesn't need ovens. He just speaks, and His Word is made manifest when He speaks. He is great Jehovah, and He just spoke it. And the Angels distribute it down upon the ground, for the people.'"
33 "And today, when I seen Him stand there, did you notice that look on His face? There was no doubt in His mind. I climbed over behind the rock, and watched Him as He took that bread and broke it, and hand it over to the... His ministers, us, to distribute it to the people. And then when He reached back to break again, that loaf was whole again. And He done that hundreds of times, until everyone was filled, and there were baskets, full, taken up. I know that could been no less than Jehovah, because He acted like Jehovah did. Only Jehovah can create. And I know that that Man is not a faker. There is only one Creator, and that's Jehovah. And now, of all the things that I've seen, that satisfied me.
34"I want you to know now that my heart is completely surrendered, and I believe completely that He is not merely a prophet. He is a prophet, but He is more than a prophet. He is nothing less than Jehovah God dwelling among us, because He created bread, and He had the habits of Jehovah. No wonder He could say, 'If I do not the works of My Father, then believe Me not; but if I do the works of My Father, and you can't believe Me, believe the works, for they testify of Me and tell Who I am.' Looked like people could have seen that, easy."
35And John was satisfied that He was the Messiah, the One that Isaiah said, "Unto us a Son is born, and His Name shall be called Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Everlasting Father." And John was satisfied because what he had seen. The young fellow giving his testimony.
36 About that time, Simon Peter said, "Well, now, just a minute. If we're going to have a testimony meeting, I would like to have something to say. You know, I was very skeptic of the whole thing, when Andrew my brother, which attended John the prophet's revival, who had testified that the Messiah was coming and he would introduce Him. And I was a little skeptic of what Andrew would tell me, because I have heard all kinds of Messiah stories and everything else.
37"But all you brethren remember my old dad. His name was Jonas. And you remember him, of how that he was a very staunch believer. How that I can remember mother and dad, and all of us, as we fished for a living, and we'd catch no fish; we needed bread, and how that we'd get down in the floor and pray to God, 'Give us a catch today, God, that we might be able to sell our fish, and pay off our debts, have food to eat.' And how we'd go out on the sea, in the storm, and dare to--to face those storms.
38 "And dad, I can see his gray hair hanging down his back, one day as he sat upon the brail of the boat and talked to me, saying, 'Simon, you're my oldest son. You know, I've always believed, Simon, that I would see the Messiah. Our people has looked for Him since Eden. And we are sure that He's coming, no matter how long. That's been four thousand years ago, you say. But I believe that Messiah will come. And every Jew has believed that he would see the Messiah in his generation. I hope to see Him in my generation. But it looks like, I'm getting old now, I've got to stop the sea, and getting my aches and pains, I probably won't see Him in my time. But maybe you will, my son.
39"'And I want to train you in the Scriptures. Son, before the Messiah rises on the scene, there will be all kinds of things going on, all kinds of false things, because Satan will do that, to destroy the influence of the real Messiah when He comes.'" It's always been that way; still that way.
40 And then we find out, he said, "I remember he put his arm around me, said, 'Son, there is only one way that you'll be able to identify that Messiah. Now we've had hundreds of years without any prophet. Malachi was our last prophet. That's been four hundred years ago, we haven't had a prophet. But remember, Moses told us, in the Scriptures, that, when the Messiah come, He would be a prophet, when He rose on the scene. We Jews are taught to believe the prophet. And the Messiah's journey on earth is a spoken Word of God, that He has promised us. And the Word always comes to a prophet, and a prophet vindicates that Word. Don't you never forget that, son! There may be great things rise, there may be great enthusiasms and--and great things. But remember, the Messiah will be a prophet, 'cause we know that God never changes His way, and He said the Messiah would be a prophet. So remember, son, prophets are those who have the Word of the Lord. And when the Messiah comes, He will be a prophet.'"
41"I can just still feel his arm," said Simon, "as he put it around me. And Andrew was standing there washing the net, at the time. You remember it, Andrew?"
"Yes, Simon, I--I remember it."
42 "And Andrew trying to tell me that this John was a prophet. I had other things to do, had to sell the fish and things. So father has been dead for years, but I've always kept that on mind; daddy said, 'This Messiah would be a Scriptural identified prophet, and not forget it, because it's a spoken Word of God. And that Word has constantly always come to the prophets; that identified it, or manifested what was promised for the age.'"
43And now Simon, "One day," said, he said, "you know, Andrew asked me to go to a meeting. And I went down there to the meeting where this Fellow, Jesus, was. And I had heard all kinds of rumors. There was a Jesus raised up, before Him, that promised to be some great something, led four hundred out and they all perished, and so forth. I thought it was just another one of them kind, with some kind of a great enthusiasm of some revival, or some great denomination they were going to make. But one day I thought I would go with Andrew here, my brother."
44 And I can imagine, about that time, the boat begin to shake. Somebody begin to shout, and he said, "Sit down! Don't rock the boat. Wait a minute. Sit still."
45And he said, "You know, when I went down there and walked into the face of Him, the first time, He looked me right straight in the eye and told me what my name was. He had never seen me before. Not only did He know me, but He knowed that godly old father of mine, that had instructed me in the Scriptures. And I knowed that That was Messiah. That settled it for me, right there. That was. That made it right, for me."
46 Must have been Philip said, "Can I say a word here?" Now he said, "Brother Nathanael, don't let this hurt you; because, you know we studied the scrolls for years and years, what the Messiah would be. But when I seen Him do that, I took off and got my friend here, Nathanael. And when he come over..."
Nathanael said, "Let me tell it. Let me tell it."
47Oh, you know, there is something about when Jesus has done something for you, you--you just can't hardly stand still, you got to tell it, yourself. Isn't that right? If it's something real, you just got to say it. When He filled me with the Holy Ghost, I want to tell about it. I want somebody to know about it. Not somebody else tell it; I want to say it, myself.
48 And I just imagine, Nathanael got all enthused and said, "You know, I'd like to say this. I was a little skeptic of you, Philip, when you told me. I asked you, 'Could any good thing come out of Nazareth?' And you gave me the best answer that any man ever had, 'Come and see.'" That works good today. That's right. Don't stay home and criticize. Come, find out for yourself, see. "Said, 'Could anything good come out of Nazareth?' Said, 'Come and see for yourself.' And you know what you had told me.
49"And when I walked up into His Presence, and He told me that I was 'a--a Hebrew, an Israelite, and was an honest man,' I knew that.
50"But I wondered, 'How could it be?' He looked like an ordinary man. I was expecting the Messiah to come down a golden corridors from Heaven, right down to the head of the denomination here, to Jerusalem, walk out and say, 'Caiaphas, I have arrived.' But they find out, He come out of Nazareth, from a poor family; and actually kind of a black name behind Him, as 'an illegitimate child.' Here He stood, dressed in ordinary clothes, not like a priest or somebody; just an ordinary man. And I thought, when I walked up there, 'How can that be a Messiah? One old garment on, He had wore since He was a young fellow, and here this same garment on; and His hair hanging down His back. And like an ordinary man of the street.'"
51"And He looked me in the face, and said, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw you.' That settled it for me. I knowed, by the Word, that was Messiah. That was Him."
52 And the boat must have shook, and the testimony meeting was going on. Oh, what a wonderful time they were having, out on the sea there, just having a great time.
53Andrew said, "I'd like to say something that kind of puzzled me for a little while. You remember when we--we was going down to Jericho? He said, 'We must go up; I have need to go by Samaria.' So, He went up to Samaria and there at the city of Sychar, when He sent us all away to buy victuals over in the city."
54"Oh, yes, I remember that, well!" All of them, "Yes, yes!" The boat was just a shaking, everybody having a wonderful testimony after the revival was over. So they were having this testimony meeting.
55 And he said, "Yes, and you remember we slipped up, and, to our surprise, we saw our Master talking to a marked prostitute. 'Uh--huh,' we thought, 'that's bad. Look at Him out there talking to this young woman. And sent us away, and here He is out here with this ill-famed woman sitting here.' Remember, we was standing just behind the bushes, and we listened to their conversation.
56"And we heard Him say to her, 'Woman, go get your husband and come here.'"
57"And we said, 'Well, we might have been mistaken, maybe the woman was just legitimately married.'"
58"And she looked Him back in the face, and said, 'Sir, I don't have any husband.'"
59"You remember how our hearts failed? 'Our great Messiah that we had confidence in, here was caught in a lie, a cross fire, 'cause He said, "go get your husband," and she had witnessed back that she had no husband. Now it's backfired on Him.' Remember how we all looked surprised, and the breath was gone out of us?"
"Yes, I remember it."
60"And then you remember the next words? He said, 'Thou has said the truth, because you've had five, and the one you're living with now is not yours.' Oh, you remember the testimony meeting behind the bush? My!" See, you can't corner Him. He is God. "Oh," Simon said, "that just..." Andrew said, "That settled it for me."
61 Bartholomew said, "Wait, I would like to put in a testimony. Can I do it, brethren?"
62"Oh, well, I suppose you can, we got plenty of time. He hasn't come up yet, so we'll just make a few paddles. Go ahead, Bartholomew, you testify."
63"Well, one of the great things to me. You remember our sister down in Jericho, named Rebekah?"
"Yes."
"And her husband run a restaurant down there."
"Uh-huh."
64"And--and he was a businessman, and his name was Zacchaeus."
"Yes, yes, I remember him well."
65 "You remember, she was--she was one of our sisters. She had believed on the Lord, and she was so afraid that Zacchaeus would let it all get by without accepting Jesus. And, oh, Zacchaeus was a very good friend to the priest there. And so she was praying that something would happen that his eyes would come open, and he would recognize that this was the Master, this was the vindicated Word of God, made flesh among us. And we tried to tell her... tell him about how that Jesus of Nazareth knowed the secrets of the heart, showing that He was the Word, 'cause the Word discerns the thoughts in the heart.
66"'Nonsense,' he said, 'I believe the priest. What the priest says is good enough for me.' Because he belonged to all the--the orders of the city, the Kiwanis and everything else, you know, so kind of hard for him to let down on it. So Rebekah had asked us all to pray, to pray. And every time we'd come up to the subject He was a prophet, he would say, 'Nonsense! The priest says, "He is Beelzebub. He's a devil. He does that by the power of the Devil. And He's just a mental telepathist. That's all there is to it. There is nothing to it." So there is no such a thing in this day; we haven't had prophets for hundreds of years. And how could that Guy, not even with a fellowship card, how could He ever be a prophet? Oh, no way He was such a thing!'"
67 "But, you know, Rebekah kept holding on, his wife, and praying. And one morning when Jesus was coming into the city, well, then we find out that, Rebekah told us that Zacchaeus had went out to the--the street, to see Him. So he didn't believe He was a prophet, so he said, 'I'll just get a good look at Him,' how he testified to us at the restaurant the other day when we was eating. So he climbed up in a sycamore tree, and said, 'You know what, I'll just disguise myself up here so He won't be able to see me. I'm a little fellow, anyhow, very short. And I can't see Him down there, in a crowd, so I'll just climb up here in the tree.' And he got to where two--two limbs meet, and there he sat down, by these limbs."
68That's just a good place to sit down and study it over. That's where two ways meet, yours and God's; your ideas. That's a good thing, to think it over.
69 "So he said, 'You know what, He must have been a prophet. He could have been. It could be possible I could be wrong. So I'll tell you what, I'll get a good look at Him; and He won't know me. So I'll just take all the leaves and pull them in like this, around me, and I'll disguise myself so He won't even see me at all. And I'll watch Him when He comes by. And if He doesn't look like the right kind of a person, I'll give Him a piece of my mind, sitting up here in this tree.' So he watched, and had a leaf so he could raise up and see Him when He come around the corner.
70"And when He come around the corner, walking down the street, you know, looking from one side to the other, and the disciples saying, 'Stand aside. I'm sorry.' And people with sick children and things. 'I'm sorry, Master is awful tired; that great service last night. And, gentlemanlike, would you please stand aside and let Him by. Well, He is making His way down to the city, and would you please just stand aside?' And Zacchaeus sitting up here in the tree, looking down at Him.
71 "And Jesus come right straight under the tree, stopped, looked up and said, 'Zacchaeus, come down from there. I'm going home with you for today, for dinner.' That settled it for me. He knew he was up there, and knew his name, what he was. That settled it. That's Messiah, to me. Yes, sir. Because, we know the Messiah was to do that. Certainly. So He had to go home with him, said, that day for dinner. What a great time that was! We remember it."
72 You know, it must have been about that time, the testimony meeting was going on. You know, these disciples out there on the sea, testifying, it must have been down in the blackness of the night somewhere, up in the northlands there, that Satan must have moved up over the hill and looked down. He looked in that testimony meeting, and he found out that they had gone off without Him. There was his chance.
73See, I think that scene has just about returned again, repeated itself. They had, in the enthusiasm of the revival, they had gone off without Him. And I believe that that's a lot that's happened to us today, that, in this hour of confusion, and after this great revival that we've witnessed. It's swept around the world. Every nation has had revival fires built, and burning; great healing services; people receiving the Holy Ghost, by the tens of thousands times thousands. And in the enthusiasm of it, like those disciples testifying what He has done, "and, oh, we seen Him do this, and we seen Him do that," I believe we've went off like them, without Him.
74 We've went off on great big opportunities that--that the revival has presented. We've went off on opportunities of making a lot of money, the churches, building greater buildings, great big millions-of-dollar places, great schools, educational systems, and making our denominational grow. And then having our communism programs, anticommunism, that's all we can talk about today. And the first thing you know, Satan has seen us on our anticommunism programs, on our big denominational programs, and on our "million more," and so forth, as they've got.
75And we've gone off without the old-time prayer meetings and the baptism of the Holy Ghost coming back, until the fire has burnt low. You can cry out, and try to get people to the altar, and they just walk up like they were almost dead, a dread to come. And then ask ministers to come pray with them, "Oh, why did he ask me for?" And they get down there, and you can't hardly get them. And they'll stand there just for a few minutes, look up at you, and go back and sit down in their seats. To me, the fire has gone out! Something has happened. Listen! What we need is a revival, that sinners, looking upon Christ, repent, run to the altar with their hands up, screaming for mercy, and the whole church is a flame of fire, with the glory of God.
76 Our enthusiasm for opportunity to make our denominations grow, we've built bigger schools to educate our ministers, and send them farther from God than they was at the beginning. God is not known by education. He is not known by theology. God is knowed by faith. You can't explain God. He is beyond explaining.
77Look what it's done, we Pentecostal people that used to be pentecost. Our women has bobbed off their hair; wearing makeup. Our men is permitting it. Our ministers are permitting it. They're afraid to say something about it. The church will turn them out if they do. Oh, if we don't need a housecleaning, from the pulpit plumb to the basement. It's a shame. It's a disgrace.
78 Some man come to me, not long ago, and said, "Brother Branham, the people love you." But said, "You're always bawling them out, bawling them women out, about having short hair and things like that."
I said, "The Bible said it was a disgrace for her to have it."
79She dishonors her husband when she does it. And it is absolutely a sign that you've departed from God. Remember, in Samson's case, long hair was a Nazarite sign that he had departed from the world, to the Word of God. And when you bob off your hair, women, you deny you're the Nazarite sign. You've went to Hollywood instead of back to the Bible. The Bible said, "Let them be unshaved." See, it's a shame, and the ministers don't say nothing about it.
80 This man said to me, "Why don't you leave them women alone?" Said, "They regard you as a prophet."
I said, "I never said I was a prophet."
81Said, "They regard you as that. Teach them how to receive spiritual gifts and do something. You ought to teach them big things, great things."
82I said, "How can I teach them algebra when they won't even learn their ABC's, how to live decent about it? How you going to do it? Yeah, go down to the first thing."
83Year after year, crossing the nation, and it gets worse all the time. There is something wrong somewhere, it ain't with the Word. No wonder we can't have revival fires burning. We need a housecleaning time. God will never do that till we come back again. We need a housecleaning time.
84 And you man, you will let your wife do a thing like that, wear shorts! Them ain't Methodists, Baptists. That's Pentecostals, that's right, "form of godliness, Laodicea Church Age, lukewarm," Pentecost by name, that's all. Pentecost is not a name, it's an experience of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, that cleans the people up. No wonder we can't have great healing services and things, there is something went wrong somewhere. It's Satan, saw us out trying to...
85"Well, we say anything about it, they'll change their membership."
86Remember, you don't pet Christians. Christians are rugged. They are men and women of God, who stand for God, regardless of what anybody else has got to say. You don't have to beg them and persuade them, and perfume them and baby them around. That's hotbed, hybrid plants, it's no good at all, they'll never produce nothing.
87 Reminds me, like a... It soon be nesting time. I noticed little birds today, over there, little sparrows packing the straw into their nests. It won't be long till they'll be nesting, making their little eggs to hatch. You know, a little bird can have a nest of eggs, and she can sit on that nest of eggs, and she turns them every few minutes; takes her little feet and turns them over, and sits there. Now, if she lets them eggs get cold, after they once get warmed up, they won't hatch. And she just flies off and get a mouthful of food, and right back on them again.
88And you know, that old mother bird, she could sit there on those eggs, and turn them every two minutes, and not... even sacrifice and fast until she is so poor she can't get off the nest. But unless, then, that mother bird has been in contact with the male bird, them eggs won't hatch. No matter what, how much you baby them, they won't hatch. They'll lay right in the nest and rot.
89 And if there ever was a time that Pentecost ought to get with the Mate, Jesus Christ; 'cause we're getting nothing but a nest full of rotten eggs, denying the Faith, going into the Ecumenical Council, and calling it great things, to sit by the pope, and saying "it's spiritual." What's the world's the matter, you Pentecostal people? Don't you know the Bible spoke them things would happen? And we holler 'cause the Methodists and Baptists are coming in, and then all these other things like that. Don't you realize that when the sleeping virgin come to buy Oil, that was the very hour that the Bridegroom came? And they did not get the Oil! You know, the Rapture will come so secret, and going away, some of these times, you won't even know it happens. It'll be gone, and you'll wonder what happened.
90 Like John came on the earth. And they said to Him, said, "Well, the Bible said, Elias must first come." He said, "He's already come, and you didn't know it."
91So will it be, someday, they'll say, "I thought this was to happen before the Tribulation period. I thought the Rapture was to take place." The words could come back, "It's already happened and you didn't know it." Uh-huh. It may be later than you think. Oh, wake up, church! I better quit that; I never come here for doctrine, I just thought I'd punch that in just so you could have that on the side.
92 Remember, brother, Satan has seen these big programs, one church trying to outdo the other, one denomination trying to outdo another, weeding out all the illiteracy and have to give them a test of psychology, have a psychologist to test a man before he goes into the mission fields. Pentecost! No, that--that--that ain't the Presbyterians, that's Pentecost. A psychic test is required of a certain group of Pentecostals, big group, before the missionaries can take the field.
93What if they had a test like that? They got a test. It was a pentecostal test in the beginning, when they waited in the upper room until there came Fire from on High, and the Power of God. That was the test.
94Not some worldly, half-drunk psychologist standing there trying to make the mind, if you're a little bit excited, or something, say, "You're all altogether undone." When, it absolutely proves that a man that's extremely spiritual is nervous, he has to be in that condition to get into It. So there you are, see, and just messing up what God has tried to do for years, and come right back around with their programs and their great...
95 They're enthused when they see lots of people gathered together. Say, "If I could make all them Assemblies! If I could make all them Oneness! If I could make all Methodist!" The Methodist is trying to make all of them Methodist, the Baptist trying to make all Baptist, the Pentecostals all Pentecostals! Oh, you can't do nothing about it, God has ordained those from the foundation of the world. We got to preach the Gospel. That's all. But, our big programs, we've went off without that Fire. We've went off and made ourself a homemade fire, as it was.
96 And our communism, now we're so scared, communism has set in, "What's it going to happen?" But, you know, the great thing ain't communism. You let me tell you that now, I ain't afraid of communism.
97But what I'm afraid of, you Pentecostals, this Ecumenical Council is going to take you. That's the thing. It's going to form the mark of the beast, and you're going to have to go into it. Because you're an organization, you have to get in or get out. That's the thing, and any good, sensible, spiritual person knows that. We need another upon-the-sea testimony, we find it now. And our Pentecostal, just swallowing it, hook, line and sinker, "What a great thing it will be." When, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, church of Christ, and Pentecostals, you'll have to deny--deny your great apostolic doctrine, to be in there. They'll have to do the same. You won't have nothing to do into it. It's all consolidating with Rome, just exactly what's been proven. The Scripture said so.
98 What's the matter with the preachers that let these things get in this condition, without warning the people? God will require at their hands. Right in this time of trouble, they were in trouble, they were. Communism not setting in; it's the Ecumenical Council going to swallow up the whole bunch. And remember, when you say, "Won't..." It happens, then it's too late. You've done took the mark of the beast. You belong to it then.
99You better get where you can get away from it now, yes, sir, be sealed in the Kingdom of God. The Body of Christ is the mystical Body of Christ, that's baptized into It by the Holy Spirit; not joined into It, took into It, talked into It, spoke-in-tongues into It, shouted into It. You are born into It, by the Holy Ghost. That's right. Certainly.
100 Now we notice these things, trouble comes up all at once. Oh, the Devil looked over and said, "Uh-huh, they've gone off on a tantrum, they're just out there jumping up-and-down, shouting, having a big time. You know what, right now is my time to sink them. I'll get even with them now."
101So he raised up over the hill and begin to blow his poison breath, whew, "Days of miracles is passed. After all, I believe these people are just nervous. I think they ought to have a--a--a mental test before they take the foreign fields." Pentecostals! Uh-huh. See his poison breath killing the Word, "Oh, I think It's something else, I--I believe it..." See, going right straight back like all the rest of the denominations did, that's just exactly the road they're walking. They'll, it kills it. The very hour you organize it, that kills it. It always has. It always will. It'll never rise again. It's never been known in history. In--in this Laodicea Church Age, Christ was on the outside of the church, knocking, trying to get in. And they just can't stand It. They can't listen to It. Now we find, the hour we're living, trouble has set in.
102 And then we begin to find out, miracles isn't taking place no more, like they were. The sicks go home sick. It isn't because of God. It's because of the lack of the revival among the people. There is no revival. They--they sit and listen; go home, say, "Well, I guess that was pretty good. Uh-huh." See, there is not that zeal. There is not that something in the people that should be there.
103 I remember fifteen years ago, here in Arkansas, when I was having a little meeting up there at Jonesboro, when about forty thousand people trying to attend this, come to the meeting at a city of about fifteen thousand. And they laid under cotton trucks and everything else, and hold papers over their sick children, just to get inside. They sat in their seats and wouldn't leave, day and night, and had their loved ones to go get hamburger and a--a bottle of pop; and stay there, day in and day out, day in and day out. Their hearts were burning, on fire. Just the least little thing God did, it set them afire. And hundreds of them come in.
104 He is still the same God, tonight, that He was fifteen years ago. He is still the same God, tonight, that He was when He created heavens and earth.
105But what is it? We got all enthused and wanted to build up our organizations, wanted to build up this, and build this, and make something great and shiny, compare with the Joneses, with the Methodists, with the Baptists, with the Presbyterian. You are not of them. No, you're not. They're denominational people, which is alright, nothing against them. There is plenty of fine Christians out among them, but you oughtn't to associate yourself in that unbelieving groups. "People that deny the Power thereof," you're not to take sides with them.
106 You know, the trouble of it is, you're trying to get Hollywood in the church. The thing you ought to be trying to do is get Hollywood out of the church. See? You're trying to make your building so pretty, you're trying to make your denomination so big, till it'll attract the attention of the people. We can't go over on their side. We've got to have them on our side. Everything shiny, remember, Hollywood glitters with worldliness, while the Gospel glows in humility. There is quite a difference between shining and glowing. The Gospel glows in humility, and meekness, and humbleness, and power. While, Hollywood shines, and everybody hurrahing and hollering, and going to it. See? We don't need that.
107 We want to live such Light. He said, "Ye are the salt of the earth." "If the salt has lost its savour," that's its strength in the Gospel. We should have something moving in our churches, that Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and all of them, would long to come. We should be so salty! Salt makes thirst, creates a thirst. Salt is the savour, if it contacts. It's got to be contacted.
108And we find out, our great tantrums try to compare with the Methodist and Baptist, with big buildings and big places, and fine educated people, and greater schools and bigger colleges, and everything like that. We've went off on a tantrum, and here trouble has set in.
109And the spiritual mind looks around and says, "Here, wait a minute here, are we all going to have to take that Ecumenical Council? Will all our whole group go into it?" Sure, you're going. That's exactly. You watch and see if you don't. The Bible said you would, exactly, and Christ would be on the outside. The moon blacked itself out before the pope (the first one ever went to Rome), the other night, showing you a sign in the heavens. Unpredicted, it did it. How the Lord is doing things in this day, marvelous!
110 Then in this great hour of darkness, when they was there, the winds come up. All hopes of survival was gone. Now what are you going to do if your denomination goes into the Ecumenical Council? What's going to happen then to all of our great things that we built here on earth, the last hope gone?
111But you know, as they were about to scream, and all hopes was gone, they couldn't be saved; and all of a sudden, they seen Him come, walking on the water. In the hour of darkness, He came, walking in.
112 You know what? When He left them, He knew that was going to happen, so He climbed the highest hill there was in the land. Higher up you go, further you can see. And He climbed up so He could watch them, you know.
113And He knowed this was coming. He predicted this day to be here. "As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man, when the Son of man is being revealed." Then, the Son has to be revealed. This wicked and adulterous generation will seek after a sign. It'll have a sign. It'll reject it as they did then, but it'll be the sign of the resurrection. He is still alive, doing as He did.
114 We find out, that in this great hour, those disciples all in distress, He climbed up so He could watch them. He was sitting up there on a hill, watching them.
115And now He didn't climb a mountain this time, but He climbed from the grave, climbed through the air, beyond the moon, stars, till He went so high till He has to look down to see Heaven. And there He sits, on High. Now His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He is watching us. He is a watching.
116 And right here in this hour of darkness, when the churches has all gone into great programs, and they got this program and that program, all programmed out like the rest of the churches are, the denominations. And what's happened? In the hour of darkness, when the real spiritual-filled people wonder, "What's going to happen? Look at my children!" The man say, "Look at my wife! Look at this!"
117And they let out Sunday, or Wednesday night prayer meeting, early, so they can go watch We Love Sucy, or something like that, on the television. "Lovers of the world, more than lovers of God." Acting like them.
118 I told a lady the other day, she was dressed so tight in her dress. I said, "Sister, that dress is too tight. It may not sound good for me to tell you that, but it is. You're a Christian, and you would make a stumblingblock."
119She said, "Well, Brother Branham, you know what?" She said, "This is the only kind they make."
120I said, "They still sell goods, and they got sewing machines. There is no excuse." Yeah.
121Listen, let me tell you something, my dear friend. Not picking on you. No, Sir. I'm trying to keep you out of the torment. Long as that spirit is in you, you're going to do it. That's right. You have to be born out of it. Now you can suit yourself on that remark, but let me tell you something, see, "What your heart is, there your treasure is also."
122 Let me tell you. You might be just as pure as a lily to your husband, and you might be just as pure as a lily, young girl, to your boy friend, but someday God is going to make you answer for committing adultery. You are guilty when you dress like that. Jesus said, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart." And when that man has to answer, that sinner, for looking upon you, for committing adultery, who presented it to him? Think of it. You Pentecostal women, shame on you! See? Shame on you!
123I love you, that's the reason I'm saying that. Love is corrective.
124 We're on a great tantrum, a great dress tantrum. It's just like, and fashioned like, the world. He said, "Love not the world, nor the things of the world; if you do, the love of God is not even in you," I don't care how much you speak in tongues, jump up-and-down, dance; cut hair, wear dresses like that. You man permit it. Your own fruits tells you where you're at. That's exactly right. No wonder we're in such a chaos as we are, and the winds of communism, the winds of churchism, the winds of ecumenical organization!
125It's a--it's a joining time, a unionizing time. The unions are unionizing labor, fussing about it. The nations have the--the United Nations, they're uniting. The churches are uniting together. What's it all showing? It's showing that Christ and the Bride is fixing to unite. That's what it's speaking of. All these shadows of things are showing the positive coming. Watch now as we close, 'cause I'm getting too late.
126 And now notice, in that great hour when all hope was gone, of survival, they seen Somebody come, walking on the water, walking up. And the thing, the sad part, listen close, the only thing that could help them, they was afraid of. They said, "It looks spirity. It might be, you know, a spirit."
127If that hasn't happened again! They're afraid of It. They're afraid of fortunetelling, they're afraid of some kind of a devil power; when Jesus said It would happen in this day. The only thing that can help them is Jesus Christ. Not another denomination, not all of them joining together; that's just going to make it worse than ever. The only thing that can help you is Jesus Christ.
128 And when He promised to return in the last days, in this form, and do this, promising (just like before the promised son returned to Abraham, the first seed) the royal seed of Abraham, Jesus would... said would see the same thing. Before the promised Son, God would manifest Hisself in flesh and do exactly like Jesus did, like He said He would do, just like said would be done in the last days. And here all those promises, that we could lay them out, by dozens, right here before you, that this is supposed to take place.
129And the churches, which ought to be with arms out, to receive It, "I'm a little afraid of That. It don't belong to our group, see." And they're a scared of It. The only thing that can bring them to Christ, is Christ Himself, and they're afraid that It's scary. "Oh, I don't know. That might be spirited, you see. And I don't know about It." A scared of the only thing that can help them.
130 And in that dark hour of distress, those elected Church, that group sitting out there, scared that it might be spooky, they didn't want to have nothing to do with it. Then come that sweet Voice, "Be not afraid. It is I."
131He is the Word. Isn't He? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] He never changes, to be the Word. Now can't you hear the Word say, tonight, "He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Be not afraid; it is I"? ["Amen."]
Let us bow our heads.
132 Heavenly Father, the--the evening is hot. The hours are dark, how that the Fire has gone from the altar. You're gleaning across the field. You said, "The Kingdom is like unto a man that took a net and went to the sea, cast it in, and when he brought it out. The Kingdom was like that." Lord God, someday that last fish that's in that water! You said, "They taken all kind." That Gospel net catches all kind; it caught turtles, crawfish, spiders, serpents, scavenger fish. We don't know what it catches, but there was some fish there You were after. You're the One that's the Judge. But we realize, quickly the turtle, the crawfish, and all, get back to the mudhole again, back to the waters. But someday that last fish that's ordained, predestined to come, that last part of the Body, will be drawed out of that lake.
133 You throwed out a net in the days of Luther, and Wesley, Alexander Campbell, John Smith, Calvin, Knox, Finney, Sankey, so forth; in the Pentecostal age, the days of F. F. Bosworth, and Frochman, those great men. You throwed out nets, the days of Billy Sunday, on down through the age.
134And now You're still combing through the sea. Is there one of them sitting here tonight, Lord? If it is, may they be like that little woman at the well. Even in her prostituted state, she still recognized that You was the Messiah. She saw that sign. That was it. She said, "I perceive You're a prophet." She had no idea that it could be Messiah. She said, "We are looking for a Messiah," in other words. "We know when the Messiah cometh, He'll tell us these things." And You said, "I am He." That was it.
135 Now, tonight, Lord, let them see that, "It is I; be not afraid. It's My promise." Heal the sick, Lord, save the lost, fill the empty.
136May we go away tonight, and say within our hearts, as we go away, like those who came from Emmaus, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He ministered to us tonight in the building, His Divine Presence!" How they knew it was You, they invited You in and their eyes come open. May every one of us, tonight, invite You in. If we don't understand It, may we invite You in, anyhow. That's the only way You can reveal Yourself.
137And we notice the way You revealed Yourself after Your resurrection, You did something in the same manner You did before Your crucifixion. Now come tonight, Lord, You said You was "the same yesterday, today, and forever." Do again, for us, like You did in the days when You stood here in flesh, on the earth. We'll go home, lighthearted, like those. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
138 Now in the service, tonight, I know it's awfully warm, and we got twenty minutes to get out in time. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] I'm...
139I can't stop or hinder the things that I do. I am drove by Something, I always have been, all my life, and It's always been right. It's never told me nothing but what was in the Bible. I can't stop it. I can't do nothing about it. It just does it, anyhow. And I'm sure, if I'm obedient, there was somebody that needs it. And I'll be faithful. And at that Day, I want to, like the great Saint Paul said, "No man's blood is on my hand." Huh-uh. I--I want to tell you Truth. Not as I'm... I love you.
140 And if you had a little boy... Now think of it, lady, you that I scolded a while ago, you sisters with bobbed hair and things. If I... If you had a little boy sitting out on the street, and you said, "Junior, dear, you had better come in, dear. It might be, I don't know, they'll probably drive around you." You don't love that child. That's right. You will get out there and shuck the hide off of him, or make him come in. That's right. You love him.
141That's the way the Gospel is. God loves you. "And those that He loves, He chastens and rebukes every child that comes to Him." If you can't stand chastisement, you go away and get angry about it, then you're illegitimate children, you're not the children of God. So just remember, it's just the Scripture.
142Now a word from Him, one word, will mean more than I could say, a million lifetimes. It's Him. We know His promise. We know what He promised to do. Now I don't know whether... did... we'll from the...
143 Did he give out cards again? Did you give out cards today? What was it? J, all right. All right, to save time, let's just start from number one. Now, they're probably all over the building. J, number one.
144And now we got some stragglings. We started from, one time, from this one, over time, some back and forth, and around, but we got them straggling around here. But every people that comes in, every day, has a chance to come up into the line. That don't mean because you're here...
145 How many knows, in this meeting, there has been nearly twice as many healed out in the audience, as there was healed up here? Sure, you know it. See, a prayer card is just simply get the people up here, get the Holy Spirit among them, so as you're used to doing that. We don't even have to have it right now. We can omit the prayer cards.
146Just like we did last night, we never had prayer cards last night. The Holy Spirit went out among them that didn't have prayer cards. And I seen many things I didn't say nothing about, 'cause I didn't know whether it was so or not. It still held dark over them, and I just let it alone. I didn't know. Wouldn't do no good to call them. Whatever He says is right, so listen to what He says.
147 Now did you say that was J? J, number one. J, number one, who has a prayer card, raise up your hand. You must be mistaken, son; must be some... Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, way back against the wall in the back. Come up here, lady. They--they just bring these cards down now, the boy, Brother Borders or Billy, one, sometimes both of them, mix those cards up before you, and then give you your card, whatever you want. We don't know, they're just... This one might get number five, and that one get number seven, this one get number fifteen, and that one ninety-five, and we don't know. And then, again, when I come, I just, wherever it lays upon my heart, I call from there, no matter where it's at. I just... If I say... Sometimes I count how many is in a row, and divide it by the ones on this row and get an answer. See? And then, if I don't, why, I just... whatever comes to my mind first, I call.
148 Number one. J, number two. Number two, number three, number four, number five, number six, seven, eight, nine, ten, let them come, see. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. That's good. That's the way, come right... Wait, one went the other way. I was... One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. That's right. Now, here, here it is, ten. All right.
149Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen. That's five more. One, two, three, four, five. Good, that's good.
150Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty. One, two, three, four. I only see four. Twenty, did twenty answer? All right. Now, we don't want to get too many standing at once. Now if we get through with these, and it's early enough, we'll go for some more. We don't call... Maybe we...
151Let's try a few more. Let's try five more. Twenty-one to twenty-five, in the J's, let them stand if you will. Twenty-one to twenty-five. One, two, three, way back in the back, four. One, two, three, four, that's five. Okay, now let's just stop there. There is twenty-five in the line, and they're--they're lining up down here.
152 Now I'm going ask you one favor. Will you give me your undivided... Give God your undivided attention, for the next fifteen, sixteen minutes. Will you do that? And will you do this, open up your heart? Now remember what I've said. Don't let it go over your back, like water falling on a duck's back, as the old saying is. Don't do that. Consider This.
153If I tell you anything that's not in the Scripture, and a promise for the hour, you are duty bound to see the manager here and come tell me about it. That's right. I--I teach nothing but what's in the Word. And if I stay right with that Word, and if I say It's that way, and God... It is in the Bible. If the Angel of the Lord told me something that wasn't in the Bible, it wouldn't be the Angel of the Lord. That's right. He has never one time told me anything but what was in that Word, and you bear me record. He has never said one thing, out of the hundreds of thousands and thousands, and the languages of the world, has He ever one time said anything wrong, or said anything that didn't come to pass.
154 Listen. Ask the manager and them here. This what you all see here, is the amateur side of that. Is that right, brethren? [The brethren say, "Right."--Ed.] Why, out there, and out in the private life, where He says, "Go down to this place, and see this. And this will come to pass. And say this over here, down here." It's just constantly, all the time, see, year in and out. The people in the audience just sees the--the little things. But now if you'll be reverent.
155Now is everybody in this prayer line, standing here, strangers to me? Raise up your hands if you are. All right. How many out there is, knows that I don't know nothing about you? Raise up your hand. Now while... Thank you. I don't care where you are, if you're up in the balcony, back against the wall, down through here, wherever you are. I'm going to...
156Now, this is for your good. This is for your benefit. See, this is for your benefit.
157 I thought that was my little grandson talking to me then, but it wasn't. I got a little grandson in here somewhere, tonight, he's about that size, and I thought it was little Paul. He always said he's going to come, stand on the platform, preach for me, and he's just not quite two years old. I think that little boy is hunting for his mommy.
158So remember, I am trying to help you. I... God knows that. I am trying to help you, see. Now look, I want you to get the benefit, if He does come among us.
159Now think of it, the Person of Jesus Christ working in flesh, like He promised He would do in the last. How many knows He promised that? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Just as it was down there at Sodom, when the Angel with His back turned, and the... That was God. Do you believe that was God? How many believes that was God? ["Amen."] Sure, it was. The Bible said it was. And He, Jesus, referred to it. Now notice.
160 Now you out there without a prayer card, I want you to do something for me, wherever you are. Now remember, these things, watch when It tells you you're healed, or what It tells you to do. Watch what It says. If It just tells you, that's to build your faith. And then when your faith comes to a spot, you just reach out and accept God. It isn't me, 'cause the Heavenly Father knows.
161I look down this line here, I don't see one person that I know. I can't see but about two or three people in the whole audience, that I know. And I don't know as, right now, I can say, show one. I know that Edmund Way was here a few minutes ago. I thought I seen him, and I--I missed...
162 If I'm not mistaken, I do see somebody I know, is a man and his wife, and a little girl, named Fritzinger, from up in Ohio. Is that, are you brother--Brother Fritzinger? You're sitting kind of in a little loop where... That's Brother and Sister Fritzinger, from Ohio, friends of mine.
163And outside of that, sitting back there, is a... I see on the side over here, is an old man going on ninety-two years old, by the name of William Dauch. He and his wife. She is a nurse. William Dauch, in Ohio, a very personal friend of mine. Not long ago, he had, ninety-one years old, had a complete heart failure, heart attack, and his wife called me, to come at once, he was dying right then. And on...
164 He's been such a bosom friend to me. On my road up to see him, I was worried. And I stopped, and one of my wheels got out of line, was just cutting my tire to pieces, and I went in a Texaco station, got some gas, and they come out, looked at it. And I looked up, and I seen Brother Dauch walking down through my church, shaking my hand. I said, "Praise the Lord." And I looked back this way, and here he come down the street, and shook my hand. I went to him.
165I seen his doctor, a young Jew, or a middle-aged man, Jewish man. And I said, "What about him, doctor?"
166Said, "He hasn't even got a fighting chance." Said, "He's under the oxygen tent." Said, "He'll die right there." He said, "Remember, he is ninety-one years old."
I said, "Yes, sir."
167Said, "It's a complete heart failure. Nothing can be done." Said, "His time's to go."
168And I said, "Yes, sir. But, no, he ain't going. That's all."
169I went in, put my hand under the tent. I said, "Brother Dauch, can you hear me?" He looked up at me. Now really, in his name, he's a German, D-a-u-g-h, and I just pronounce it Dauch, see. And I--and I put my hand under the tent, and I said, "You hear me, Brother Dauch?"
He said, "Yeah."
I said, "You're not going. I done seen you're not going."
170 A week from then, standing in my church, who come walking up through the church but Brother Dauch! I left the meeting and went over the river, to a cafeteria, to eat. And when I got out of my car, and was walking up the street, here come Brother Dauch with his hand out. Them visions doesn't fail.
171And that man of ninety-one years old, and follows every meeting, was in California. Would you just raise up your hand, Brother Dauch, sitting there, that the people will see what a real soldier is now. Here, sitting right here, see, ninety-one years old, and follows every meeting. When I'm at the tabernacle, he drives hundreds of miles every day, to hear me preach a little sermon, and go back. God, "It shall be Light in the evening time."
172I said, the other day I was talking to him, I said, "What can I do for you, Brother Dauch?"
173"Just one request, Brother Branham. When He comes, I want to go with Him."
174Said, "Don't worry. That's secure. Sure." Now, the man come in, was baptized, oh, come in and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and everything, just a wonderful servant of Christ.
175 Now I'm going to ask everybody, real reverent, you look this a way and pray.
176Now how many teachers here know that He is the High Priest, right now, that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Well, if He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and the same High Priest, He would act the same way. Only, He, His body is at the... on the Throne of God. How many knows that? ["Amen."] The body of Jesus is on the Throne of God. But He uses our body to manifest Himself through, just like He promised to do. "The works that I do shall you also."
I'm going to ask you to sit still, be reverent, watch, pray.
177 Now, Heavenly Father, I've tried to be just as reverent as I know how to do, about it. Now just a word from You now, Lord, and then may the still, little Voice come down through this audience and say, "It is I; be not afraid." Grant it, Father. And I commit myself to You, with the Message that's been preached tonight, with Thy Word to be confirmed. You don't have to do it. But if You will do it, or You do do it, because that You promised to. I pray that You'll grant this, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
178 And everybody real reverent, just real reverent. How do you do? Now I'll give you Scripture as we go along. If the Lord does, I don't know. But ju-... And I been preaching like that, see, that's one kind of anointing. This is another kind of anointing. That was just blessing. This, just one thing, just takes the life right from you.
179 Now the lady stands here. I've never seen her in my life. Are we strangers? I believe you said, a while ago, I didn't know you. God knows you. He knows me. Do you know that what we are standing here now, we're going to have to answer for it at the Day of Judgment? [The sister says, "Amen."--Ed.] You aware of that? You know that what we do now, God is going to make us answer for it up there? I just said that for a purpose. Now, if the Lord Jesus will reveal to me what you're doing, what's on your mind, or something like that, would you believe it? You would have to believe that, wouldn't you? ["Amen."]
180Would you believe it out there, you audience? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]
181 Now we stand just exactly like the woman at the well, and our Lord, a man and a woman meeting for their first time. See? Here we are, meeting for... That's Saint John the 4th chapter. Now if the Holy Spirit will say... If you are here for somebody else, if you're sick, if it's domestic trouble, if it's financial troubles, whatever it is, I have no idea. But He does. But He can discern the thoughts that's in your heart. He is the Word. I can't. I'm a man. You're just a bit nervous, and that's the reason I'm doing this, you see.
182That's one of your troubles, is nervousness. That's right. And you also have diabetes, that's another thing that's wrong with you. That's right. Complications, just many things are wrong. Is that right? If that's right, raise up your hand. See? Do you believe He'll heal you? [The sister says, "I do."--Ed.] You do? Now, your nervousness is caused from your age, see, but now that'll all leave you. And I believe that by faith we'll go to Calvary, have a Blood transfusion.
183 Now, that's just exactly what He did. He told the woman at the well what her trouble was. Hers was too many husbands. Yours was what... I think was nervousness, and two or three more things wrong with you. That's right, isn't it? That's the same thing.
184Now, when He come to Simon, He told him who he was. You believe God can tell me what your name is? Would it make you believe more? It would? Mrs. Strong... [The sister says, "Stout."--Ed.] Stout, would you believe? Go and believe, and you... It's all over. Amen.
185 Come. You believe? I'm also a stranger to you. I don't know you. God does know you. Do you believe that He can reveal to me what's your trouble is? And if He does, then the Lord God be blessed. Is that true? [The sister says, "Yes, it is true."--Ed.] Now don't--don't have to be worried, see, that's--that's Him, that you feel that. All right. You are suffering also from a nervous condition, mental nervous, and get tore up easy. And you're suffering with a bladder trouble, something wrong with the liver, and you're anemia. That is right. You got something...
186It keeps being a man appearing here. Do you believe that God can heal you? [The sister says, "Yes, I do."--Ed.] Heal your husband, too, make him well? You think the stomach trouble will leave, and he'll be all right? That's what he is suffering with. Go put your hands on him, tell him so, and it'll--it'll leave him.
187 I am a stranger to you. The Lord Jesus knows both of us, doesn't He? Do you believe that God can make you well? If the Lord Jesus will reveal to me the thing that's... that you're... that's in your heart, do you believe that He will make you well? You've had some trouble. You got a--a--a gallbladder trouble, for one thing. And another thing, it's caused your bladder to have an ulcerated condition, but that's what your doctor said. Now, another thing is, that they want to operate for that. That's exactly right. Isn't that true? Now do you believe He can bypass that? You think your faith's in Him? Now you know that isn't me doing that. You believe? All right. Go, and as you have believed, so be it to you.
188 We are strangers to each other, I suppose. The Lord God knows both of us. Do you believe He is able to reveal to me the things that would help you? [The sister says, "Yes, I know it."--Ed.] You, you believe He will. ["Positive."] I'm saying... "Positive," that's very good. That's very fine. Now you have many things wrong with you, so many complications and things, and the cough like, and you can't get over it. And you're real nervous. And--and that, that's right.
189Then, you've got a burden on your heart, and that burden is for somebody, which is your son. And he is having a--a trouble, some domestic troubles. Him and his wife, they're always fussing and going on and carry on. And you're burdened for it. That is right. Now you believe with all your heart, and it'll all clear up and be gone. You believe now. The Lord bless you.
190 How do you do, sir? I am a stranger to you, and--and you're a stranger to me. And it's--it's begin... The visions now, I see, look like the whole house is just getting light, like kind of a whirl-like going around. See? But do you believe that the Lord Jesus could reveal to me what you're standing there for? You believe that He would? I believe that, also. I'm just speaking to you, to contact your spirit, exactly is what I'm doing it for. See, I don't know you, so it's got to be something besides me do it. I've got to get myself just so completely away from myself, that He does it Himself. You understand?
191 Now, one thing, you are suffering with a tremendous nervous condition, and this nervous condition has been for some time. That is right. [The brother says, "That's right."--Ed.] And that nervous condition has caused you having a high blood pressure, also. And you've had a stroke. ["That's right."] That's it. Say, you've either been a preacher, or you are a preacher. ["I am."] Now you are a preacher; I seen you stand in the pulpit. Then, have faith in God, and that nervousness will leave you. All ministers have that. You'll get all right. Go back to your pulpit, and obey God and stay true to that Word, Jesus Christ.
192You believe your back trouble left you, sitting in the chair? Do you believe it? [The sister says, "Yes."--Ed.] All right, sir, then just keep moving on, saying, "Thank You, Lord."
193 Come, lady. How do you do? You believe me to be His servant? [The sister says, "Sure do."--Ed.] All right. Do you believe that lady's trouble, female trouble, is going to leave you? ["Amen."] You do? Then go ahead, say, "Thank You, Lord."
194Kidney trouble, back trouble, in your back. Do you believe that God will heal you and will make you well, from that? You believe that He will make you well? All right, take on your...?...
195Come, lady. I'm a stranger to you. If I didn't say nothing to you, at all, would you believe that the Presence of God is here to heal the sick? [The sister says, "Certainly, I believe it."--Ed.] You would? Well, if you do, your stomach trouble... I done told you, you see. It's--it's gone. I told you, see. ["Thank God! Oh, thank You, Jesus."]
196 How do you, sir? God lives in the heart. And your heart has been showing up here lately, bad. Do you believe that He'll make it right? Go on your road and believe it. God bless you. You believe; He'll make it right.
197You are nervous, caused you to have a stomach trouble, a peptic ulcer. It bothers you after eating. You believe it's all gone now? Go get yourself something to eat.
198Kind of hard for you to get up, the back has been bothering you so bad. [The patient says, "Yes, sir."--Ed.] It won't bother you no more, if you'll believe it. Will you? ["Yes, sir."] All right, go on, and may the Lord Jesus make you completely well.
199What's you so nervous about? Just go on, say, "I ain't going to be nervous no more," and you won't be. Go and believe. All right, sir.
200 Come, lady. Now, the Ethiopian woman, and white man, just exactly like something like that met in that day, Jesus. They had a segregation like they used to have in the South, but we don't have it no more. Jesus let them know that all people was God's people. There was no difference, see, whether she was Jew or Samaritan.
201Now, if God doesn't help you, pretty soon that arthritis will cripple you up. But do you believe He is going to help you, make you well? Just as the woman did, go on your road and tell your people what great things God has done for you. All right.
Now, there is a surgeon ready to scoot out a knife.
202 Just a moment. It wasn't this woman. Now, just a moment, everybody reverent now. Is--is Satan, tried to do something. Here it is. Tumor, tumor, both of you. That's right. You got tumor, she has got tumor, and that devil screaming for help from one another. But the Holy Spirit is screaming, too. Who you going to believe, Him? All right. Get up out of that cot, lady. Raise up out of that stretcher. Get up off of that, and believe. Go, believe Him now. Amen.
203Do you believe? All things are possible. Do you believe? How about you in the audience? [Congregation and those just healed are all rejoicing--Ed.]
204Let us stand on our feet right now. Right now is the time to do it. Let every person... God bless you. Let every person stand on your feet right now. Give God praise. Raise up your hands.
205Thank You, Lord Jesus! We praise You for Your greatness, and Your healing for the sick. [Congregation rejoices--Ed.]