Vykúpenie skrze moc
1Veľmi pekne vám ďakujem. Dobrý večer, priatelia. Je to výsada byť tu dnes večer, aby som vás znovu oslovil v Mene nášho drahého Pána Ježiša Krista. A vždy je to výsada stretnúť Boží ľud kdekoľvek a hovoriť o tom veľkom Mene Ježiš.
Určite si cením pieseň, ktorú náš brat práve zaspieval. To je moja obľúbená. V tom dni, keď sa ľudia snažia urobiť z Ježiša len proroka alebo dobrého človeka alebo učiteľa, ona skutočne prináša Svoje Božstvo, to, čím On bol. A ja verím, že On bol...
3Nikdy nebol na zemi taký ako On, ani nikdy nebude. On bol Emanuel. On bol Alfa, Omega, Počiatok a Koniec, Ten, ktorý bol, ktorý je a ktorý príde, Koreň a Potomok Dávidov; Ranná Hviezda. V Ňom prebývalo Božstvo. V Ňom bol Boh.
„Boh bol vo Svojom Synovi, v Kristovi, mieriac so Sebou svet.“ Ježiš povedal, „Nie som to Ja, kto činí tie skutky, ale to je Môj Otec, ktorý prebýva vo Mne. Môj Otec a Ja sme Jedno,“ Boh, ktorý sa zamanifestoval v tele. Aké nádherné zjavenie Božej lásky voči nám; On odhalil Samého Seba a zostúpil dolu a prebýval v ľudskom tele, aby od ľudskej rasy odstránil hriech a chorobu a vykúpil nás naspäť k Otcovi. To je nádherné, či nie? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] Iste si to ceníme.
5No, myslím, že sa budem musieť trochu ospravedlniť za včerajší večer. Ja... Billy ma včera večer vzal trochu skôr, pretože to bolo trochu... Zoslabol som. Ale tie zhromaždenia, to rozpoznávanie, a nikto nikdy nebude vedieť, čo to je, pokiaľ to len... Musíte do toho vojsť, aby ste to porozumeli. Vidíte? Neexistuje spôsob, ako by sa to dalo vysvetliť. Nie je spôsob, ako by ste to dokázali. Je to jednoducho prežitie, o ktorom nevie nikto, len tí, ktorí cez to prechádzajú. To, čo to robí s ľudskou rasou, to, čo to robí s človekom, to z neho odoberá samotný život.
No, žijete v dvoch svetoch. Ste tu v tomto svete a ste v tamtom svete, ste s niekým iným, možno pred päťdesiatimi rokmi; a môžete byť s niekým mnoho rokov v budúcnosti; a pritom si uvedomujete, že stojíte tu na pódiu a hovoríte niečo, čo sa stalo pred mnohými, mnohými rokmi: možno pred týždňami, mesiacmi, v inom národe, na inom mieste, alebo niečo také. A potom sa snažíte udržať sa v priamom zmýšľaní; poviem vám, to je dosť náročná vec. Ale Pán nás v tom doteraz žehnal. A my sme veľmi šťastní a dúfame, že Boh obdrží slávu z tohto zhromaždenia.
7No, dnes večer pri tých bohoslužbách, premýšľal som, že zatiaľ čo sme zídení spolu ako malá skupina ľudí; naše stretnutia sú tu oznamované len lokálne a je to len pre miestnych ľudí. A predtým, ako sa dostaneme do väčších zhromaždení, rozmýšľal som, že by som sa dnes mohol pokúsiť pre ľudí dostať z Biblie niečo zo staromódneho učenia, že keď príde tá veľká udalosť, ak nám ju Boh pošle, potom tomu budeme schopní lepšie porozumieť.
8Koniec koncov, Božské uzdravenie je len návnadou na háčiku, aby to chytilo rybu, ako viete. To je len... To je jeden... Ryba uchopí návnadu a chytí sa na háčik. Takže naša hlavná, naša jediná voľba je to, aby boli získané duše pre Ježiša Krista.
Ak ťa Boh dnes večer uzdraví, môžeš pred tým, ako zomrieš, znovu ochorieť. O rok alebo o dva roky môžeš byť znovu chorý. Môžeš ochorieť o týždeň alebo zajtra, ja neviem. Ale je tu jedna istá vec: v jednom z týchto dní opustíš tento svet, pretože toto je len zaplátané.
Ale ak tá duša niekedy príde do kontaktu s Duchom Svätým a je znovuzrodená, tak máš večný Život. Bez ohľadu na to, čo sa tu deje, nikdy nezahynieš. Ježiš povedal, „Ten, kto počúva Moje Slová, verí v Toho, ktorý Ma poslal, má (to je prítomný čas) večný Život, nepríde do odsúdenia, ale prešiel (minulý čas) zo smrti do Života.“ To by nás všetkých metodistov malo povzbudiť začať vykrikovať, však? To je pravda. Keď pomyslíme na to, že Boh to urobil. No, to nie je moje slovo; to je Jeho: svätý Ján 5:24.
11Svätý Ján 6, Ježiš povedal, „Ten, kto je Moje Telo a pije Moju Krv, má večný Život, a Ja ho vzkriesim v posledný deň.“ To je pravda. „Ten, kto je Moje Telo a pije Moju Krv, má (to je prítomný čas) večný Život.“ No, ak je to 'večné', nejde to len z jedného prebudenia do toho druhého; to trvá večnosť.
A teraz, pre niektorých z vás kazateľov, ktorí tu sedíte, viete, že ten 'večný Život' pochádza z toho istého slova, ktoré znamená 'Boží Život,' zo slova 'Zoe,' z gréckeho slova, ktoré znamená 'Boží vlastný Život.'
13Potom sa stávame synom alebo dcérou Božou, potomkom Božím, s časťou Božieho Života v nás. Nemohli by sme zahynúť tak, ako by Boh nemohol zahynúť, ak by sa o to pokúsil. Tak máme večný Život a budeme vzkriesení v poslednom dni. Nie je to nádherné? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] To by spôsobilo, že baptisti a metodisti by si podávali ruky a vykrikovali, či nie? Iste áno. To je pravda.
To je tá dobrá vec na starodávnom náboženstve. To jednoducho núti každého dať sa dokopy a milovať jeden druhého. Iste. Berie to preč všetky rozdiely, tvorí nové stvorenia. To spôsobí, že sa oblek a montérky objímu a povedia, „Brat, ako sa máš?“ To je pravda. Iste áno. To spôsobí, že sa hodvábne a obyčajné šaty objímu a povedia, „Sestra, milujem ťa.“ To je to, čo to robí. Istotne to robí, jednoducho to trhá tie rozdiely. „Bohatí alebo chudobní, sluhovia alebo slobodní, všetci sme jedno v Kristu Ježišovi.“
15V nedeľu v našej modlitebni, pričom vidím, že tu sedí celá skupina ľudí z našej modlitebne, mali sme lekciu nedeľnej školy na tému 'Vykúpenie skrze Krv.' A ja som sa do toho tak vnoril, až mám pocit, že som stále v nejakej inej sfére: 'Vykúpenie skrze Krv.'
A dnes večer, potom, čo rodina odišla a prišiel som sem skôr, aby som počul tú službu piesní, a tak ďalej... Bol som v tej miestnosti a zdalo sa mi, že... Začal som čítať v Písmach a našiel som niečo. Pomyslel som si, „No, ak bude Pán chcieť, tak o tom dnes večer budem trochu hovoriť.“
To je nedeľa: 'Vykúpenie skrze Krv.' No, dnes večer budem hovoriť na tému: 'Vykúpenie skrze moc.' A zajtra večer budem hovoriť na tému: 'Vykúpenie v úplnosti, (ak Boh dá, to je to) v radosti. V Krvi, v moci a v radosti; Vykúpenie.
18A vytiahnuť toto... No, mnohí ľudia, ako skvelí, vzdelaní učenci vedia, ako to preraziť a vydať takéto zjavenie, možno o tomto alebo tamtom, alebo niečo zostaviť. Ale ja som jeden z tých negramotných kazateľov, ktorý je... Jediná vec, ktorú viem robiť, aby som si bol istý, že som aj tak celkom blízko, je ísť do tieňov.
Ak by som začal kráčať ku stene a svetlo by bolo na tejto strane, mohol by som povedať, ako približne vyzerám, či som štvornohé zviera alebo vták, alebo čo to je, ak vidím, aký druh tieňa odrážam.
19No, Starý Zákon bol tieňom Nového Zákona. Bol to negatív, ako mesiac pre slnko. Slnko, ktoré svieti na mesiac, to odráža svetlo na zem. A ja jednoducho milujem Starý Zákon. Je to skrátka tak plné podobenstiev, alebo ako len môže byť. No, dokonalý...
V Genesis, keď Boh stvoril najprv slnko, potom mesiac, ten mesiac a slnko predstavujú Krista a Cirkev. Tak, ako slnko vychádza vo svojej moci a sláve, a keď zapadá, odráža svoje svetlo na mesiac v temnote, aby vydal svetlo na zem, zatiaľ čo to slnko je preč. Ježiš, keď odišiel, On išiel do slávy a odrazil Svoje Svetlo naspäť na Cirkev, aby dal Cirkvi Svetlo Evanjelia, dokiaľ sa On nevráti, ó, a potom sa spolu vezmú. To bude nádherné. Bude to jedno veľké Svetlo mesiaca a... „Baránok je jeho svetlom.“ V tom Meste nepotrebovali už viac slnka.
21No, na malú ukážku, poďme naspäť do Knihy Exodus. A dúfam, že vás neomrzí, keď budem rozprávať niečo z Knihy Exodus.
Raz som v mojom zbore za riekou kázal, myslím, asi rok a šesť mesiacov na tému Jóba, každé zhromaždenie. Ľudia sa vrátili; zobral som len malú časť Jóba a pokračoval som; nechali sme to prechádzať cez Bibliu.
Každé Písmo je spolu zviazané. V Božom Slove nie je žiaden rozpor. Nie veru. Každý kúsok, dokonalá... Jediná Kniha, ktorá bola kedy napísaná, ktorá je takto inšpirovaná, ktorá môže dokonale... Bola napísaná mnohými pisateľmi, ktorí boli od seba vzdialení mnoho stoviek rokov; a každý jeden z nich, skrze hovorenie Ducha Svätého, pasujú rovno dokopy. To je dôvod, že všetky tieto ďalšie extra knihy, Makabejské a také veci, ono sa to s Týmto nezhoduje, a preto to neprijímam. Toto je pre mňa Božie Slovo.
24A jedna žena mi napísala list a povedala... Kázal som o Jóbovi na kope popola. Povedala, „Brat Branham, ty si bol, už si mal toho Jóba dosť dlho na kope popola, nemyslíš? Bol tam asi šesť týždňov.“ Povedala, „No, či ho niekedy dostaneš z tej kopy popola?“
No, povedal som, „Keď Duch Svätý prestane na tú tému vytláčať tie Slová, myslím, že budem musieť prestať o tom hovoriť.“ Ale pokiaľ mi On stále o ňom hovorí na kope popola, no, jednoducho zostávam rovno pri tom; a duše dožívajú spasenie.
26Tak, ako keď do mesta prišiel určitý evanjelista. Kázal, jedného večera kázal o pokání. Na ďalší večer kázal o pokání. Na ďalší večer kázal o pokání. Asi po štyroch alebo piatich večeroch sa s ním stretla rada diakonov a povedali, „Brat, nemôžeš kázať niečo iné okrem pokánia?“
Povedal, „Ó, áno. Nech všetci najprv činia pokánie, potom budem kázať o niečom inom.“ Tak to je dobrý nápad. Nech všetci učinia pokánie, potom môžeme kázať o niečom inom. V poriadku.
28A teraz, pre takú malú ukážku, zvlášť pre tých, ktorí v nedeľu ráno neboli v modlitebni. Chceme sa vrátiť do 12. kapitoly. Ale naša základná myšlienka je dnes večer v 14. kapitole, počnúc 13. veršom z Knihy Exodus. No, v nedeľu ráno sme skončili pri 10. verši; pri téme 'Vykúpenie skrze Krv.' Som si istý, že väčšina z vás je s týmto príbehom oboznámená.
No, vieme, že by sme mohli obracať listy tejto Knihy a prevracať tieto stránky, ale je len Jeden, ktorý môže otvoriť tú Knihu: to je Ježiš Kristus.
Ján uvidel Knihu. Ona bola zapečatená. A on plakal, pretože v nebi nebol žiaden človek, ktorý by to otvoril, žiaden človek na zemi, žiaden človek pod zemou. Ale bol tam Baránok, ktorý bol zabitý od založenia sveta; prišiel, vzal Knihu z pravice Toho, ktorý sedel na Tróne, a otvoril Pečate a otvoril Knihu, uvoľnil jej Pečate. A On bol hodný, lebo bol zabitý od založenia sveta.
Hovorme s Ním dnes večer a poprosme Ho, aby To pre nás rovno teraz otvoril.
32A tak teraz, láskavý, milujúci Otče, prichádzame k Tebe, najprv sa obraciame na Teba, v Mene Ježiša, modlíme sa teraz, ako tu stojíme, ukrytí dnes večer pod touto strechou, kde vonku zúri tá búrka, dážď sa krúti a fúka tam, sme tak vďační, že máme dom Boží, do ktorého môžeme vojsť. A sme vďační za to, že existuje veža, útočisko. Povedal si, „Meno Pánovo je mocnou vežou; spravodliví do nej utečú a sú v bezpečí.“ Sme tak radi, že poznáme Meno Pánovo a vstúpili sme do Neho.
A teraz, modlíme sa, aby si nám dnes večer otvoril toto Slovo, Otče. Nech príde Duch Svätý a vstúpi do Slova. Obrež ústa tohoto úbohého pokorného sluhu a srdcia tých, ktorí budú počúvať, Tvoje deti. A nech Duch Svätý vezme len Slová Božie a umiestni ich do každého srdca, presne tam, kde je to potrebné.
Požehnaj nás teraz; obnov dnes večer naše mysle v Tvojom Duchu. Vezmi slávu z tejto služby. Zachráň stratených. Uzdrav nemocných. Priveď domov odpadnutých, Pane. A vzdáme Ti chválu, lebo o to prosíme v Tvojom Mene, Tvojho milovaného Syna, Ježiša. Amen.
34No, obráťme sa do 10. verša z 12. kapitoly Knihy Exodus. Čítali sme o 'Vykúpení skrze Krv,' ako Boh určil, aby bol v každom dome zabitý baránok, ako tam nemalo nič zostať.
Padali tam súdy a teraz bol pripravený padnúť posledný súd. Boh išiel do bodky naplniť Svoje Slovo. A všetky tie súdy tam vtedy boli dokonalým znamením alebo dokonalým predobrazom súdov, ktoré sú teraz pripravené padnúť.
A ak si všimnete, predtým, ako padol súd... No, kazatelia môžu so mnou v tomto nesúhlasiť, čo je v poriadku. Ale predtým, ako začal na Egypt dopadať súd, Boh poslal Izrael do Gózena. Boli v Gózene a nepadla na nich žiadna pliaga, dokonalý obraz Cirkvi, ktorá je prenesená cez súženie. Rozumiete? V poriadku.
37A potom, tou poslednou pliagou, ktorá zasiahla tú zem, alebo zasiahla Egypt, to bola smrť. Všetci, ktorí tu čítate Bibliu, poznáte svoje hodiny nedeľnej školy, a tak ďalej, toto ste absolvovali možno mnohokrát. Ale smrť bola tým posledným nepriateľom, ktorý zasiahol Egypt.
A posledným nepriateľom, ktorý teraz udrie do cirkvi, je duchovne povedané smrť. Tí, ktorí nebudú nasledovať Krista v krste Duchom Svätým, duchovne vyschnú a zomrú; cirkvi, môžete to teraz vidieť. Po mnohých, mnohých veľkých prebudeniach a evanjelistoch, ktorí prešli zemou, a pritom cirkev, mám na mysli tú politicky orientovanú cirkev, je na tom po celý čas horšie. Jej členovia žijú jednoducho tak, ako chcú, robia všetko, čo chcú, a pritom sa nazývajú Kresťanmi a hovoria, že sú v poriadku.
Byť Kresťanom znamená byť 'ako Kristus.' Nechoďte na žiadne miesto, kde by ste nechceli byť, ak by prišiel Kristus. Nehovorte nič, čo by ste nechceli hovoriť, keď prichádza Kristus; nerobte nič, čo by ste nechceli robiť, keď prichádza Kristus. Nemyslite si nič, na čo by ste nechceli myslieť, keď príde Kristus. Majte svoj jediný motív, svoje srdce centrované na Golgote. Amen. „Kráčajte vo Svetle, ako je On vo Svetle, a potom máme obecenstvo jeden s druhým; Krv Ježiša Krista, Božieho Syna, nás očisťuje od každej neprávosti.“ To sú metodisti, baptisti a všetci z nás, spolu nás to robí všetkých jedno v Ňom.
40No, tá posledná vec bola smrť. A predtým, ako tá smrť prišla, bolo tam učinené kvôli nej zmierenie, pre všetkých, ktorí tomu túžili uniknúť.
A pred prvým zničením predpotopného sveta tam bolo zmierenie. Boh mal kazateľa spravodlivosti, Noeho, a on kázal stodvadsať rokov, aby ľudia vošli do korábu. A tí, ktorí dobrovoľne odmietli ísť, nezostávalo tam nič iné ako súd.
A dnes, ľudia, ktorí odmietate chodiť vo Svetle Kristovom, vy ste zavrhli milosrdenstvo, takže tam nezostáva nič iné ako súd. To je celé. Je tam len pravá a ľavá strana, môžete ísť len na jednu z nich. A vy robíte svoju voľbu.
43No, vidíme, pred tým, ako prišla tá veľká hrozná noc, že Izraelu bolo prikázané... a už sme to prebrali, zabitie baránka.
Boh privádzal Svoju cirkev do exodu, aby ju vyviedol z Egypta do zasľúbenej zeme. To sa mi páči. Oni išli, aby zaujali tú zem. Boh im dal tú zem, a predsa bola celá ohradená veľkými a vysokými budovami a plotmi. A múry okolo Jericha, mohli po nich dookola pretekať vozy. A len na to pomyslite, jednako Boh povedal, „Ja som vám to dal, je to vaše.“ Ale oni museli upratať, vyčistiť to.
45A to je to, čo Boh urobil dnes. On dáva krst Duchom Svätým každému jednému z vás, kto to chce. Ale musíte vojsť a zaujať to; to je celé. Bojujte proti rozdielom a zrúcajte múry a začnite tam a dostaňte to.
Poviete, „Pastor povedal, 'To nie je pre nás na dnešný deň.'“ Len choďte rovno okolo toho.
Matka povedala, „Vyženiem ťa z domu.“ Choď rovno okolo toho.
Manžel povedal, „Opustím ťa.“ Choď rovno okolo toho. To je celé. Musíš ísť a zaujať to do vlastníctva. To je všetko.
Božské uzdravenie je pre každého jedného z vás. Každý jeden z vás, ktorý tu dnes večer sedí s rakovinou, má problémy so srdcom, čokoľvek to je, Boh dal zasľúbenie. A to je vaše, ale musíte ísť a zaujať to do vlastníctva.
No, povieš, „No, necítim sa veľmi dobre.“ To s tým nemá nič spoločné. To zasľúbenie je tvoje. Boh ti to dal. Len vojdi rovno do toho a zabi Filištínov z jednej strany na druhú. A odstráň všetkých Hevejov a Amorejov; jednoducho ich vyzabíjaj. Choď ďalej; vezmi to. Boh povedal, „Je to tvoje. Choď si to zobrať.“
49Ale On nepovedal, „No, vojdem dnu, všetko to zmetiem preč a postavím vám niekoľko pekných miest a usadím vás na ľahkej ulici.“ On to nerobí takým spôsobom.
On ti to dáva a ty máš niečo do činenia. On je dosť dobrý, že ti tú zem dal, povedal, že ti pomôže a bude s tebou. Choď, vezmi to.
A ak si dnes večer chorý, zmrzačený, slepý, hluchý, nemý, čokoľvek si, choď a vezmi to. Boh povedal, že to je tvoje. Je to tvoje vlastníctvo. Boh ti to dal.
52Povedal im, že im tú zem dá, poslal pred nimi Anjela, aby sa postaral o cestu a priviedol ich na miesto, kde to bolo.
Pozrite sa na tých vyzvedačov, keď tam prešli. Tu sa vrátilo desať z nich a povedali, „Ó, my to nedokážeme. To je nemožné. No, my sme vedci a preskúmali sme tú vec. Je to vedecky nemožné. Nedokážeme to.“
Ale boli tam dvaja ľudia, jeden z nich sa volal Józue a ten druhý bol Kálef. Nehľadeli na to, čím bola tá vedecká stránka. Dívali sa na to, čo povedal Boh. Povedali, „Dokážeme to.“ A to je pravda. A priniesli naspäť nejaký dôkaz, že je to dobrá zem.
Som tak rád za dôkaz (vy nie?), že rovno nad nami je dobrá zem a dnes večer sme na ceste. Haleluja. V poriadku.
56Teraz tu boli tesne pred vykúpením. Boh vyžadoval od detí Izraela, aby mali istotu, že budú ochránení, aby zabili tohoto baránka a aby dali krv na preklad, takto hore na vrch dverí, a na každý stĺp.
A oni mali vojsť dovnútra a zjesť tohoto baránka, každý kúsok z neho; všimnite si, celý baránok, nielen jeho časť. Každý kúsok z toho mal byť zjedený.
Niektorí ľudia hovoria, „Vezmem len túto časť a budem veriť tejto časti.“ Ale musíte To vziať celé, každý kúsok Toho. Povedzte, „Ó, verím, že On bol zranený pre naše prestúpenia, ale, 'skrze Jeho rany,' ja o tom neviem.“ My To chceme celé. Každý kúsok z Toho má byť zjedený, všetko z Toho. Niečo z Toho je tvrdé, ale jednako to musíme jesť. Boh tak povedal.
59Všimnite si teraz ten 10. verš.
Ani nezanecháte z neho ničoho do rána; a to, čo by zostalo... do rána, spálite ohňom.
A teraz, nemá z neho zostať nič. Všetko... No, On povedal, „Keď ho budete jesť, nejedzte ho surového ani vareného, ale musíte to jesť dobre upečené.“ A to sa mi páči.
Ľudia sa snažia jesť Slovo Božie a berú To, akoby To bolo surové, požujú To a vypľujú To a všetko také, hovoria, „Ó, ja To jednoducho nemôžem prijať, nemôžem to vydržať.“ Nie je to dostatočne upečené. To je to.
Povedal, „Upečte ho na ohni.“ Oheň reprezentuje Ducha Svätého. Najprv prijmi do svojho srdca Boha a On To pre teba upečie. To je pravda. Upečie To; potom je To hotové, okorenené, potom To chutí dobre.
63Nuž, nemôžete takto stáť vonku a hovoriť, „Ó, ja neviem, či je to pre mňa alebo nie. To by mohlo byť na tie dni, ktoré už pominuli.“ Len najprv prijmi Ducha Svätého a sleduj, čo pre teba potom znamená Božské uzdravenie.
Pozri sa, čo pre teba potom znamená úprimné náboženstvo, keď tu máš Ducha Svätého, aby upiekol toho Baránka, zatiaľ čo To prichádza. Amen. To je pravda. Najprv upeč Baránka. A na to, aby si To upiekol, musíš mať najprv oheň. To by malo byť opečené. Ó, vtedy je to dobré. Upeč to, to jednoducho vypáli preč všetky...
65Nedávno som tu stál pred jednou veľkou hutou a všimol som si, aký bol ten oheň horúci a to sa jednoducho varilo a varilo a varilo. A keď to bolo čoraz viac horúce, nečistoty v tých kovoch, v zlate, ono to všetko vyplávalo na povrch a oni to z toho nejako vyberali. A oni v tejto hute zahriali oheň o trochu silnejšie, a potom, keď to vrelo silnejšie, vytiahli z toho ešte rôzne veci, pyrit a podobné veci.
Prvé, čo vyšlo hore, bola nečistota, niečo ako špina a usadeniny. Potom vyšlo hore niečo ako rudy, ó, niečo zlé: nejaká ortuť a všetky tieto veci, vyplávalo to hore a oni to nejako odstredili. Išlo to dolu, rovno dolu, a pyrit bol tou poslednou vecou, ktorú z toho vytiahli. To je klamlivé zlato.
67Viete, v ľuďoch je veľa vecí, ktoré sa snažia navzájom oklamať, keď ste Kresťanom alebo sa tak len správate. Rozumiete? Ale len nechaj Ducha Svätého, aby všetko vyvaril preč, to z teba tiež vezme všetko to falošné zlato.
Falošné zlato, mnoho ľudí ide na západ a nájdu niečo také a myslia si, ó, že narazili na zlatú baňu. To sa leskne lepšie ako zlato. Ale to je falošné zlato, nemá v sebe žiadnu hodnotu.
A teraz, oni to varia a všetko to odstredia a len to varia a varia, až kým to nie je čisté zlato; dovedú to do takého varu, až z toho nezostane nič iné než stopercentné zlato.
A to je to, ako to robí Boh vo Svojej Cirkvi: vylieva na ňu Ducha Svätého a prevarí to, až kým nevyhodí preč všetku tú svetskosť, rozdiely a sebectvo a všetko toto, až kým to nevyvarí preč z každého jednotlivca, ktorý k Nemu príde. Amen.
71No, potom to môžete jesť. Tu je ďalšia krásna myšlienka v 11. verši.
A takto ho budete jesť: svoje... (Počúvajte toto.) bedrá budete mať prepásané... (To sa mi páči.) ...obuv na svojich nohách,... palicu vo svojej ruke, a budete ho jesť v spechu; to je pesach Hospodinovo...
To sa mi páči. Zatiaľ čo budete jesť, buďte pripravení ísť. To je tá vec.
73Obráťme sa do listu Efežanom, niekde v 6. kapitole listu Efežanom, a pozrime sa tu, čo povedal Pavol o príprave Cirkvi: 6. kapitola listu Efežanom, začneme od 14. verša 6. kapitoly.
Tedy stojte majúc svoje bedrá opásané pravdou a súc oblečení v pancier spravedlivosti
...majúc nohy obuté v hotovosti evanjelia pokoja.
A pritom pri všetkom vezmite štít viery, ktorým budete môcť uhasiť... ohnivé šípy toho zlého.
A vezmite aj prilbu spasenia i meč Ducha, ktorým je slovo Božie...
Vidíte, Pavol oblieka muža na bojové pole, na bojový pochod.
Boh, na začiatku vyslobodenia Izraela, On povedal, „No, mali by ste sa pripraviť na pochod. Keď vojdete pod krv, obujte si topánky. Opášte si bedrá. Vezmite si do ruky palicu a pripravte sa na zavolanie.“ To sa mi páči.
Nejaký človek, keď teraz vchádza do Krista, obúva si topánky Evanjelia, aby kázal Evanjelium, nasadí si prilbu spasenia, pancier spravodlivosti; opáše si bedrá. Tam je...
77Pri tých starých vojakoch to obyčajne bolo tak, že keď si obliekali tie vojnové ornamenty, oni mali veľký opasok, ktorý to držal pokope, držalo im to okolo bedier, tieto štíty, aby to zadržalo kopije nepriateľa. Aká je to pre nás skutočná lekcia. A keď tie bedrá začali slabnúť, ten štít zostal len tak visieť, oni si stiahli ten opasok a znovu ich pevne vytiahli hore.
Čo za dokonalý obraz dnešného dňa, keď začnete mať pocit, že slabnete, alebo diabol hovorí, „Nemá to žiaden význam.“ Natiahnite sa dolu a trochu utiahnite ten opasok, pozdvihnite ten meč v ruke trochu pevnejšie a vyrazte vpred. To sa mi páči. Buďte pripravení na bojový pochod.
79Každému človeku, ktorý v tú noc kráčal pod krvou, bolo prikázané, aby tam zostal a nevychádzal, až dokiaľ neprídu rozkazy k pochodu.
A každý človek, ktorý sa narodil z Ducha Božieho, prichádza do Krista, má večný Život, oblieka si svoj štít, svoj pancier, stojí pripravený a má zakázané odchádzať, až kým neprídu rozkazy k pochodu.
Ó, nie je to nádherné? Nie ste radi, že ste dnes večer plne vyzbrojení, vy vojaci?
82Zvykli sme mať v modlitebni vedúceho piesní, našou tematickou piesňou bolo toto:
Prebieha boj, ó, kresťanskí vojaci,
tvárou v tvár v pevnej zostave,
s lesklým brnením, plápolajúcimi farbami,
správne a nesprávne je dnes zosobášené;
Prebieha boj, ale nebuďte unavení,
buďte silní a držte sa pevne v Jeho moci,
ak je Boh za nás, Jeho prápor je nad nami,
nakoniec budeme spievať pieseň víťazov.
Mnoho z tých starých svätých odišlo do hrobu. Ale v jednom z týchto dní tam v novom svete, keď vyjdú do zasľúbenej zeme, bude nad nami prápor kríža a budeme spievať pieseň víťazov. Keď v ten večer budeme sedieť na svadobnej večeri, okolo stola, toho veľkého stola, ktorý bude dlhý možno sto tisíc míľ, a okolo budeme sedieť so svätými, ktorí boli umytí Krvou. Chcem ísť pozdĺž toho stola a potriasť si ruku s každým z nich (Amen.), jednoducho vykrikovať. Chcete ma počuť kričať? Počkajte, kým sa tam dostanem; potom ma sledujte. Nie som na to dostatočne veľký. Ale všimnite si, teraz pri tom pochode. Pripravte sa. Ideme.
84V 38. verši tu nachádzame smutný obraz, predtým, ako prejdeme k našej bežnej lekcii. Tam... Počúvajte.
I mnoho primiešaného ľudu odišlo hore s ich stádom...
Tam urobil Izrael chybu. Udialo sa niečo nadprirodzené. A tí neobrátení ľudia to nasledovali kvôli tomu nadprirodzenému, a nakoniec ich dostali do problémov. A tam ďalej, všimneme si to asi v 42. a 43. verši. Pán hovoril k Mojžišovi a povedal, že nikto okrem tých, ktorí boli obetovaní... alebo lepšie povedané, nikto nemôže jesť tú obeť okrem tých, ktorí boli obrezaní. Nikto cudzí, nikto zvonku, nemal by to prijímať nikto okrem tých, ktorí sú obrezaní.
A akú hanbu máme dnes v tomto dni, milovaní priatelia, keď každý v cirkvi, kto patrí do cirkvi, prijíma komúniu. A to je nesprávne. Len tí, ktorí sú vykúpení, to sú tí, ktorí sú hodní.
87Izaiáš prehovoril a povedal, „Stoly Pánove budú plné zvratkov.“ Povedal, „Koho mám učiť náuku? Tých, ktorí sú odstavení od pŕs?“ Povedal, „Príkaz na príkaz, úprava na úpravu; trochu tu a trochu tam. A pevne sa držte toho, čo je dobré.“ Boh hovorí a vie, že v dni, v ktorom žijeme, bude cirkev tak politicky založená, až dovolí, aby dovnútra vstúpilo všetko možné a všetci ľudia; pokiaľ mali svoje meno v cirkevnej knihe, boli členmi, prijímali komúniu.
A Biblia hovorí, „Ten, kto to je a pije nehodne, je vinný Tela a Krvi Pánovej.“ Ježiš to hovorí v 13. kapitole svätého Jána.
V 2. liste Korinťanom, v 11. kapitole Pavol po rokoch povedal, že „Ten, kto to je a pije nehodne, bude vinný Tela a Krvi Pánovej. Nech človek skúma sám seba,“ hovorí, „predtým, ako to prijíma.“ Citujem Písmo. To je pravda. „Ten, kto to je a pije nehodne, je a pije si odsúdenie, nerozlišuje Telo Pánovo. A z tohto dôvodu sú mnohí medzi vami chorí a slabí a mnohí spia.“ Buďte si istí, že stojíte v poriadku s Bohom.
Tu je to v tieni, že nikto okrem obrezaných... Nezáleží na tom, aký bol verný, ako veľmi pomáhal tej židovskej cirkvi, on musel byť prozelytom, musel byť skutočným obrezaným veriacim, predtým, ako mohol prijímať komúniu alebo jesť ten pesach. Ó, ako veľmi sme dnes vybočili z tej línie.
91No, tak sa poponáhľajme. A Boh ich dnes večer vyviedol von. Obraciame sa teraz k 13. veršu v 14. kapitole.
Boh im dal Ohnivý Stĺp, aby išiel pred nimi. Myslím, že dnes večer tu mali tú fotografiu. A hovorím to s úctou. Podľa môjho úprimného názoru, keď sme tu dnes večer v tejto skupine, verím, že dnes večer je To tu s nami. Ten istý Ohnivý Stĺp, ktorý viedol deti Izraela, ide pred nami a koná tie isté znamenia a zázraky. A každý učiteľ, ktorý tu je, alebo učenec Biblie, vie, že ten Anjel, ktorý nasledoval Izrael a viedol ich do zasľúbenej zeme, bol Anjelom Zmluvy, ktorým bol Ježiš Kristus.
A dnes, Ježiš Kristus, Ten istý včera, dnes i naveky, ide pred touto skupinou, ktorú chcete nazývať náboženskými fanatikmi, ak to chcete (V poriadku.), ide vpred a vedie ich od víťazstva k víťazstvu. Chvála Bohu.
94V tých národoch boli v tých dňoch opovrhovaní a nenávidení, odmietnutí a zavrhnutí národmi; a nazývali ich všetkým možným.
Tak je to aj dnes s pravým veriacim. Viete, že keď sa vo svojich cirkvách postavíte za Krista a hovoríte Pravdu, celá cirkev hovorí, „Pozrite sa na neho. Stratil rozum, zbláznil sa.“ Vidíte?
Nevenujte tomu žiadnu pozornosť. Nasledujte vpred. Teraz ste všetci obrnení. A Krv ide pred vami, Duch Svätý vás vedie. Len sa ďalej hýbte. Nevenujte žiadnu pozornosť tomu, čo vám niekto hovorí. Dívajte sa rovno na Golgotu a pochodujte vpred. Nádherný typ.
97No, oni vyšli von, prešli a dostali... A teraz si všimnite, že vykúpenie krvi ich vyviedlo z Egypta. No, oni teraz museli mať niečo iné, aby ich to previedlo do tej zeme. No, oni len začínajú. Oni vyšli, boli obrezaní, vošli pod krv a vydali sa na pochod. No, oni sa k niečomu dostali. Oni tam prišli s tým, že vedeli, že prešli zo smrti do života, vedeli, že majú večný Život, ale tu teraz prichádzajú a začínajú povstávať ťažkosti. Tu prichádza faraónova armáda, ktorá ich prenasleduje, aby ich dostala. Vyskytol sa problém.
Počúvajte. „Boh je naše útočisko a naša sila, veľmi prítomná pomoc v čase problémov.“ Ó, dúfam, že toto vidíte. Rozumiete? Tu to je. Viete... Ale počúvajte teraz ten 13. verš.
A Mojžiš povedal ľudu: Nebojte sa!
100Milujem to. Potom, ako Ježiš vstal z mŕtvych, Jeho Slová boli ustavične, „Nebojte sa!“
To je to, v čom má dnes cirkev problém, ona je vystrašená na smrť, že zlyhá. Ako môžeš zlyhať, keď si v Kristovi? Nemôžeš zlyhať. Máš večný Život. Všetci démoni v pekle tebou nemôžu zatriasť. Máš večný Život. Ježiš tak povedal. Tak sa nebojte neúspechu.
Poviete, „No, obávam sa, že budem fanatik.“ Radšej by som mal trochu fanatizmu, ako by som sa mal zastaviť a nič nerobiť. Som si istý, že áno. Muž, ktorý niečo urobí...
103Hovorí sa to o Ballardovi, ktorý je tu hore. Prišiel tam nejaký chlapík, aby si u neho našiel prácu, a on povedal, „Podpíšte sa tu.“ On si vybral ceruzku, aby sa podpísal. On povedal, „Kde máte gumu?“
Povedal, „Ja nerobím žiadne chyby.“
On povedal, „Nemôžem vás použiť; nebudete nič robiť.“
To je pravda. Ak neurobíte žiadne chyby, to znamená, že nič nerobíte. Poď, brat. Vzchop sa a choď. Páči sa mi Longfellow:
Nehovorte mi v trúchlivých číslach,
že život je iba prázdnym snom!
A duša je mŕtva a drieme,
a veci nie sú také, aké sa zdajú.
Povedal, áno, život je reálny! A život je skutočný!
A hrob nie je jeho cieľom.
Prach si a v prach sa obrátiš,
to nebolo povedané o duši.
Vzchopme sa a konajme
s odvážnym srdcom.
Nebuď ako nemý, hnaný dobytok!
Buď hrdinom!
105Nečakaj, kým ťa ľudia budú presviedčať ku Kristovi. Postav sa ako muž alebo dáma, prijmi Ho a kráčaj vpred vo víťazstve. Amen. To je to, čo Boh chce, drsných, pripravených vojakov. Možno nie si... vážiš okolo 50 kíl, ale stále môžeš byť drsný, brat, a plný moci, ak len dovolíš Bohu, aby konal Jeho spôsobom. Videl som mužov, ktorí vážili cez 90 kíl, a nemali v sebe ani 30 gramov z muža. To je pravda. V poriadku. Všimnite si.
Mojžiš povedal ľudu: Nebojte sa! Stojte a vidzte spasenie Hospodinovo...
To je dobré. Len pochodujte vpred. Nebojte sa ničoho. Ak si prijal Krista ako svojho Spasiteľa, pokračuj ďalej.
107„Brat Branham, chcem krst Duchom Svätým.“ Len sa ďalej hýb vpred. Neboj sa.
Povieš, „Teraz som chorý, brat Branham. Nemôžem ísť ďalej.“ Nerob si starosti. Len pokračuj ďalej; vidz spasenie nášho Pána. Prijmi to. Len choď ďalej.
„Ako to bude? Lekár ma odpísal.“ No, ten človek urobil to najlepšie, čo mohol, ale Boh ešte neurobil to najlepšie, čo mohol. To je pravda. Len chvíľu, teraz ho počúvajte. V poriadku.
…spasenie Hospodinovo, ktoré vám učiní dnes, lebo Egypťanov...(pokušiteľov, pravda - tých, ktorí robia problémy)...
110Poviete, „Brat Branham, ak by som len dokázal prestať fajčiť... Ak by som len dokázal skoncovať s pitím... Ak by som len dokázal prestať kradnúť... Ak by som len dokázal prestať robiť toto, to a tamto.“ Nerob si starosti. Len kráčaj ďalej. Boh sa postará o to ostatné.
„Keby som vedel, že to dokážem, brat Branham, hneď teraz by som prijal Krista.“ Neboj sa. Choď ďalej. Len pokračuj. Uvidíš spasenie Pánovo.
...lebo Egypťanov, ktorých vidíte dnes, neuvidíte nikdy viacej až na veky. (Amen. Po chvíli to bude vybavené.)
Hospodin bude bojovať za vás, a vy budete mlčať.
A Hospodin riekol Mojžišovi: Čo kričíš ku mne? Hovor synom Izraelovým, aby sa rušali. (To sa mi páči.)
113Nesnažte sa hovoriť a povedať, „No, ja som sa pripojil k cirkvi pred desiatimi rokmi, brat Branham. Bol som dobrým verným členom.“ To je v poriadku; cením si to. Ale poďme dnes večer ďalej. Boh sa posúva ďalej. Ľudia sa tu dnes posúvajú naspäť; hovoria, „No, teraz...“
Veda, pred stopäťdesiatimi rokmi; vo Francúzsku existovala veda, ktorá hovorila, „Ak by človek niekedy išiel rýchlosťou 30 míľ za hodinu, gravitácia by ho odniesla zo zeme a bol by preč.“ Aha. Tridsať míľ za hodinu? On teraz ide okolo 1600 míľ za hodinu. Nikdy nepočujete, že by sa veda odvolávala na toho človeka. On bol v poriadku vo svojom dni, ale ľudia žijú v inom dni. To je pravda.
Ale my kazatelia, ó, nie. „Božské uzdravenie? No, dovoľte, aby som sa pozrel, čo o tom povedal svätý Moody, Finney, Knox, Kalvín.“ Vo svojich dňoch boli v poriadku. Ale my ideme ďalej a posúvame sa vpred. Máme niečo iné.
116Ježiš tam povedal v tom podobenstve o rozsievačovi, keď vyšiel rozsievač a zasial semená. A niektorí... Naokolo prešiel nepriateľ a zasial medzi tú pšenicu nejakú burinu. On povedal, „Nech rastú spolu.“
Stále poukazujete na to, akým zlým sa stáva svet, ale nedokážete vidieť, akou mocnou sa stáva v tom istom čase Cirkev. Ona sa dvíha, stojí na poli. Ó, ona je malým stádom, ale, brat, Boh je s ňou. A ona zvíťazí tak isto, ako Kristus vstal z mŕtvych. Amen. Božia Cirkev nikdy nezlyhá. „Brány pekla ju nepremôžu.“ To ukázalo, že budú proti nej, ale nemôžu zvíťaziť. Cirkev ide zvíťaziť skrze Krv Ježiša Krista vo víťaznom pochode. Som si vedomý tejto jednej veci, že Boh bude mať Cirkev bez škvrny, vrásky alebo bez nečistoty. Amen. Som z toho tak šťastný.
118No, ak som v tej Cirkvi, amen... „Brat Branham, ako si sa do nej dostal, skrze list?“ Nie. „Ako sa do nej dostanete?“ Skrze narodenie, ste do nej narodení.
Šiesteho dňa tohto nadchádzajúceho apríla to bude štyridsaťpäť rokov, čo som v rodine Branhamovcov. Nikdy odo mňa nežiadali, aby som sa pridal k ich rodine. Narodil som sa ako Branham. Vždy budem Branham.
Narodil som sa ako Kresťan v Ježišovi Kristovi. Budem Kresťanom, lebo Boh to tak určil skrze vyvolenie. On nás povolal skrze milosť Svojho vlastného milovaného Syna. Prijali sme Ho a dostali sme večný Život. Jedným potrasením ruky? Jedným členstvom? Jedným listom? Skrze jedného Ducha sme všetci pokrstení do jedného Tela, Ježiša Krista, a tam sme sa stali spoluobčanmi Kráľovstva.
121Dnes som rozmýšľal, zatiaľ čo som sa modlil, že toto je ten deň, za ktorý sa budeme musieť zodpovedať. Nebudem sa musieť zodpovedať za generáciu, ktorá bola predo mnou, ani za generáciu, ktorá bude po mne. Ale na súde mám stáť s touto generáciou. A povedal som, „Pozrite, ženská fotka na reklamnej tabuli, ako pije pivo, alebo niečo iné, píše sa tam, že je 'bez dychu', alebo niečo také.“ Povedal som, „Áno, a tiež bez Života.“ V poriadku. Tu to máte. Povedal som, „Aká hanba.“
„Pri všetkom tom kázaní,“ povedal som, „niekedy sa zdá...“ povedal som svojej žene; povedal som, „Niekedy sa zdá, že to nerobí nič dobré, ale jednako musím byť hlasom varovania, bez ohľadu na to, čo s tým ľudia robia. Musím aj tak kázať Evanjelium a vydávať svedectvo vzkriesenia a moci Ježiša Krista.“ Nech to opustia a obrátia sa chrbtom; Boh ich za to bude súdiť na súde. Ja som zodpovedný len za kázanie; a tak isto ostatní kazatelia, ktorí kážu Evanjelium.
123No, milujem to. Všimnite si, „Teraz sa rušajte vpred,“ a uvidíte slávu Božiu. Ale počúvajte teraz, v 16. verši čítame toto:
Ale ty pozdvihni palicu...
Palica - to bola palica súdu. No, to nebola Mojžišova palica. To bola Božia palica. Ak si všimnete Mojžiša, on vzal tú palicu; takto ju podržal hore; prichádzajú blchy. Podržal ju nad vodami; obrátili sa na krv. To bola Božia súdna palica. A tá istá palica... Pochopte to. Tá istá palica bola tým, čím udrel tú skalu; a na boku tej skaly sa vytvorila puklina a z tej skaly vyšli vody.
No, tá Skala bola Kristus a to bol Boží súd („V ten deň, kedy z neho budete jesť, v ten deň zomriete.“), udrel Krista na Golgote a zaplatil tou trpkou, trýznivou smrťou. Žiaden človek nikdy nedokázal opísať, čo to bolo, ani to nikdy nedokáže. Tam na Neho Boh položil všetok Boží súd a udrel Ho do boku, kde z Jeho boku vyšla voda a Krv a Duch pre naše vykúpenie.
126Ako ľudia niekedy maľujú Jeho obraz, že je na kríži odiaty v rúchu alebo niečom takom. Nie je to tak. Vystavili toho Človeka každej hanebnej, nečistej veci, ktorej mohli; ale On na tom musel tak byť. Tam On bol, najvyšší a najvernejší z celého sveta, aký kedy bol alebo bude, a potom bol odhalený, nahý na kríži: zranený, udretý, krvácajúci, na tvári Mu viseli posmešné pľuvance, na hlave mal výsmešnú tŕňovú korunu. Ale práve tam premohol smrť, peklo, hriech, chorobu a hrob a zaplatil cenu za nás všetkých.
Často sa niekedy hovorí, „Tam On vzal smrti to žihadlo.“
To je to, kde Pavol povedal, „Ó, smrť, kde je tvoje žihadlo?“
Bolo mi povedané, že mnoho druhov hmyzu, včiel a podobne, oni majú žihadlo a majú tam jed. Ale keď raz bodnú, stratia to žihadlo.
Smrť v sebe raz mala žihadlo, ale Kristus na Golgote to žihadlo smrti odobral preč. Haleluja. Ó, keď na to pomyslím, On vytrhol pre mňa a pre teba žihadlo smrti, celé to žihadlo smrti.
130Pavol povedal, keď mu chceli odrezať hlavu v rímskom väzení, povedal, „Smrť, kde máš žihadlo?“ Ukázal naspäť na Golgotu a tam bolo zo smrti vytrhnuté to žihadlo. „Hrob, kde je tvoje víťazstvo?“ On povedal, „Ale vďaka Bohu, ktorý nám dáva víťazstvo skrze nášho Pána Ježiša Krista.“ Amen. V poriadku.
...palicu (súd) a vystri ju na more a rozpolti ho, a synovia Izraelovi vojdú doprostred mora a pojdú po suchu.
A ja, hľa, zatvrdím srdce Egypťanov, a vojdú za vami, a oslávim sa na faraonovi a na všetkom jeho vojsku, na vozoch a na jazdcoch.
A zvedia Egypťania, že ja som Hospodin, keď sa oslávim na faraonovi, na jeho vozoch a na jeho jazdcoch.
A anjel Boží...
Počúvajte. Teraz utiahnite tú zbroj.
A anjel Boží, ktorý išiel pred táborom Izraelovým... (On je stále tu.) Vtedy sa pohol anjel Boží, ktorý išiel pred táborom Izraelovým, a obrátiac sa išiel za nimi a tak prešiel oblakový stĺp spopred nich a stál za nimi. (Inak povedané: Vyšiel odtiaľto hore a stál tu vzadu, ako prostredník v čase problému.)
132Keď sa ťa začína zmocňovať problém, choroba na každej strane, problém, prichádza Anjel Boží, vchádza medzi teba a tú chorobu a stojí tam v ceste a vyzýva ťa, aby si vzal Božie Slovo.
Boh dal Izraelu zasľúbenie, že idú do tej zeme. Pravdepodobne tam bol milión mužov, ktorí prišli, aby ich prenasledovali, dobehli a rozsekali ako nejaké stádo zvierat. Ale Anjel Pánov, ktorý tam bol, aby ich preniesol do zasľúbenej zeme, vstal z tábora a išiel a stál medzi nimi a tým nebezpečenstvom. Haleluja.
On to stále robí. On urobí cestu. Ó, ja Ho za to jednoducho milujem, a vy? On urobí cestu každému chorému človeku, ktorý tu práve teraz sedí. On už urobil cestu a On stojí medzi tebou a medzi tým problémom.
135A viem, že On tu práve teraz je. Môžete ma nazvať fanatikom, ak chcete; nie som zodpovedný za to, čo hovoríte. Ale som zodpovedný pred Bohom za to, čo hovorím ja. Ale Ten, ktorý viedol deti Izraela, ak som to správne usúdil, na tom Svetle, ktoré vidíte dnes večer alebo vidíte na tej fotografii... Myslím, že dnes večer nejaké rozdajú. Ten istý Anjel Boží je práve teraz v tejto budove, aby robil presne to, čo Ježiš robil v tom dni. On je tu, aby to potvrdil. Práve to, čo robil vtedy, On je teraz a vždy bude tým istým, Anjelom Božím, ktorý sa hýbe, aby stál medzi nami a chorobou, stál medzi nami a smrťou.
Niet divu, že Dávid povedal, „Áno, hoci prechádzam údoliami tieňa smrti, nebudem sa báť zlého, lebo Ty si so mnou.“ Iste.
137Stál tam Anjel Boží, išiel pred izraelským táborom a odišiel a išiel a postavil sa medzi nich a nepriateľa.
A Anjel Boží tu dnes večer stojí medzi každým jednotlivcom a nepriateľom. Viem, o čom hovorím. Viem, že keď tu teraz stojím na pódiu, pred touto malou skupinou ľudí dnes večer, viem, že Boh zostúpil, prišiel dole zo slávy a stojí teraz v tejto budove. Ak sa len odvážite pohnúť sa podľa Božieho Slova, vidzte, či sa On teraz nepohne pred vami. Sledujte to.
A prišlo To medzi ten tábor a Egypťanov. On prichádza medzi teba a tvoju chorobu. On práve teraz stojí medzi tebou a tvojimi hriechmi. Prečo? Nachádzame sa v exode Cirkvi. Egypt bol vždy nazývaný svetom. A keď Izrael vyšiel z... Pamätajte, oni tam dolu boli členmi cirkvi. Ale potom, čo bolo vykonané zmierenie a krv, stali sa obrezanými Božími.
A dnes je tou obriezkou krst Duchom Svätým. „Všetci,“ povedal Štefan, „vy všetci neobrezaní v srdci a ušiach, prečo sa stále protivíte Duchu Svätému? Tak, ako to robili vaši otcovia, tak robíte aj vy.“ Duch Svätý robí obriezku v srdci a odrezáva preč veci sveta. Bývalo to tak, že starodávna cirkev svätosti podľa toho žila, správala sa tak, žila tak. Ale dnes je to ako so zvyškom sveta. Je to hanba. Spustili sme ohrady.
141Starý brat Spurgeon zvykol hovoriť, ako jeden môj starý priateľ a metodistický kazateľ, zvykol spievať pieseň:
Spustili sme ohrady, spustili sme ohrady,
urobili sme kompromis s hriechom.
Spustili sme ohrady, ovce utiekli von.
Ako sa tam dnu dostali kozy?
Pretože ste spustili ohrady. To je to. Spustili ste úroveň kresťanského života, pretože semináre vyliahli niekoľko kazateľov a poslali ich dole, aby robili kompromisy s Pravdou. Ale Duch Svätý tu vždy bol, aby odsúdil hriech, a dnes večer stojí medzi veriacim a svetskými vecami. Amen.
A vošiel medzi tábor Egypťanov a medzi tábor Izraelov a bol Egypťanom oblakom a tmou a Izraelovi osvecoval noc, takže sa nepriblížili jeden k druhému cez celú noc.
Pozrite, to isté, čo bolo dané tejto skupine veriacich, Svetlo, to tamtých oslepovalo.
144Dobre, oblečte si svoje šoku-odolné bundy. Tu to prichádza. Pozrite, každý človek, ktorý odmieta Svetlo, oslepne a kráča v temnote, pretože neprijíma Svetlo. Amen. Boh posiela kazateľov, ktorí kážu Evanjelium. On posiela medzi ľudí znamenia a zázraky, aby potvrdil, že je to pravda; a ľudia to odmietajú. Nezostáva pre teba nič iné, len tma. Kráčaj vo Svetle, kým to Svetlo svieti, môj brat. Prijmi Svetlo. Kristus je Svetlo. On prišiel, aby ti priniesol Svetlo. Ale tí, ktorí odmietli Svetlo, obdržali temnotu. A každý muž a žena, ktorí dnes večer odmietajú Svetlo, kráčajú v temnote a nevedia, kam idú. Taký človek sa riadne potáca, a pritom je populárny medzi ľuďmi, ale zaujímalo by ma, ako sa postaví v prítomnosti Božej.
145Všimnite si to. Aká tu je nádherná vec. On bol pre jedného Svetlom a pre toho druhého temnosťou. Potom, keď sa Mojžiš pomodlil, Izraeliti mohli v pokoji odpočívať. No, sledujte to.
A Mojžiš vystrel svoju ruku na more. A Hospodin hnal more východným vetrom silným cez celú noc, a obrátil more na sušinu, a rozstúpily sa vody.
A tak vošli synovia Izraelovi doprostred mora a išli po suchu...
Ak si všimnete, zatiaľ čo deti Izraela, ktoré vyšli z temnosti a prijali Svetlo, keď sa dostali do problémov, Svetlo sa obrátilo naspäť. A oni prespali celú noc. A zatiaľ čo oni spali, Boh posielal vietor, ktorý fúkal dolu na more a otváral cestu úniku.
147Haleluja Baránkovi. Som tak rád, že som dnes večer naplnený Duchom Svätým. Zatiaľ čo spíme, radujeme sa, odpočívame v zasľúbení Božom...
Boh im zasľúbil, že vytvorí cestu úniku. A zatiaľ čo ľudia odpočívali na tomto zasľúbení, Boh bol tam dolu pred nimi a otváral cestu.
Každý muž a žena dnes večer, ktorí prijmú Ježiša Krista na tomto základe, Ducha Svätého, zatiaľ čo vy spíte, zatiaľ čo odpočívate v Jeho zasľúbení... Možno si chromý; možno si slepý; možno nepočuješ; možno nevidíš; možno si chorý: srdcové problémy, rakovina alebo niečo také, zomieraš. Prijmi dnes večer Svetlo a odpočívaj na Ňom.
A vietor, ktorý prichádza ako mocný nesúci sa vietor na deň Letníc, sa bude pohybovať tam dolu a otvorí ti cestu (Haleluja), cez ktorú prejdeš rovno, rovno cez to údolie choroby, rovno znova naspäť do zeme zdravia. Prejdeš rovno cez tú zem chladných, formálnych, spútaných, ľahostajných náboženstiev, k Duchom Svätým naplnenému, šťastnému, radujúcemu sa srdcu, ktoré je plné radosti.
151Boh ukazuje Svoju moc a ukazoval ju (Prepáčte, som príliš hlasný.), a ukazuje vykúpenie skrze moc. Pri tej jednej veci tam On ukázal Krv. On tu ukázal Svoju moc skrze Svoju Krv skrze vykúpenie, ukázal Svoju moc uniknúť smrti, skrze Krv. Ukázal Svoju moc, aby urobil cestu úniku vykúpením skrze moc.
A dnes vy, ktorí ste prijali (Amen.), vy, ktorí ste prijali Krv Ježiša Krista, aby vás očistila od hriechu, moc Ducha Svätého je tu, aby vás viedla do krstu Duchom Svätým. Moc Božia je tu, aby vás premenila od choroby do zdravia. Boh, ktorý sa pohybuje ďalej v exode Svojej Cirkvi, ona prichádza do rozkvetu, kde Boh za chvíľu zhromaždí Svoju Pšenicu. Úžasné, vychádza z temnoty do nádherného Svetla, ako to milujeme, ako to milujem, čo to dnes večer znamená pre moju dušu. Priatelia, vy...
153Dnes som hovoril s jedným mužom, ktorý ma stretol, keď som bol vonku. A on povedal, „Snažil som sa to povedať ľuďom.“ Povedal, „Odkedy si bol dieťa, Billy, veľmi som sa zmenil.“ Povedal, „Zvykol si prechádzať okolo mojej práce a hovoriť mi, že by som sa mal dať do poriadku s Bohom, že by som mal byť v poriadku s Bohom.“ A povedal, „Trochu som sa ti smial.“ Ale povedal, „Billy, teraz sa to zmenilo.“ Povedal, „Teraz už viem, o čom hovoríš.“
Pomyslel som si, „Chvála Bohu.“
On povedal, „Snažím sa o tom povedať ostatným,“ a povedal, „zmenia tému a hovoria o nejakých vtipoch v časopise alebo niečom takom. Ó, to nie som ja. Tento ďalší chlapík za rohom, on môže zomrieť. On je ďalší. Možno jeho číslo je to ďalšie, nevieme, koho číslo je tým ďalším.“ Dnes večer to môže byť to tvoje, priateľu. Toto môže byť čas, keď Boh zavolá teba.
155Bože, ten veľký Duch Svätý, ktorý tu dnes večer stojí medzi smrťou a Životom, stojí tu dnes večer medzi chorobou a zdravím... Viem, o čom hovorím. To je pravda. Práve teraz, ten istý Duch Svätý, ktorého teraz cítite, každá znovuzrodená osoba je nútená cítiť toho Ducha v tejto miestnosti. Nemôžete si pomôcť. Ak máte nejaký Život, viete, že tam je. V poriadku.
156Ako nejaký magnet, keď je... Keď sa nejaký veľký magnet približuje k tomu materiálu, to sa začína pohybovať a plaziť sa (prečo?) bližšie, ako sa to približuje... Ako nejaký veľký magnet, ktorý sa spúšťa dolu; ako raz tam v Hammond, Indiana. Sledoval som, ako z podlahy zberajú kovové hobliny. Potiahli velikú páku a tam dolu sa spustil obrovský magnet. A všetky tie hobliny mali pozametané na strede podlahy. A keď to prechádzalo, všetky tie hobliny, ktoré boli zmagnetizované ku tomu magnetu, železo, išli rovno hore a vyšli s tým magnetom von. A oni to odmagnetizovali, spadlo to do takej kupoly a znovu to spracovali. Zostalo tam veľa hliníkových hoblín. Povedal som, „Prečo neodišli?“
On povedal, „Oni nie sú magnetické voči tomu magnetu.“
Povedal som, „Chvála Bohu.“ Povedal som, „Prečo neodišli tieto časti, ktoré sú tu dolu, tento kúsok železa?“
Povedal, „Ak si všimneš, je to tam priskrutkované.“
A to je podobne, ako to je dnes večer s mnohými ľuďmi, priatelia. Stal si sa členom nejakého zboru, ale nie si zmagnetizovaný krstom Duchom Svätým. Potom dovolíš, aby ťa niečo pripútalo dolu, nejaký rozdiel ťa pripúta dolu.
159Ale v jednom z týchto dní prichádza z východu veľký magnet, nazývaný Syn Boží, ktorý prejde cez túto zem. A každá osoba, ktorá je mŕtva v Kristovi, vstane s Ním, aby odišla preč. A tieto staré telá budú premenené a učinené na Jeho podobu, ako Jeho vlastné slávne telo, kde budeme žiť na veky vekov, slobodní od chorôb, slobodní od staroby, slobodní od všetkého ostatného; a budeme v sláve Božej, aby sme žili naveky v Jeho požehnanej prítomnosti. Amen. Nech vás to nevystraší. Práve teraz sa cítim nábožne. Som si istý, že áno. V poriadku.
„Lebo viem, že môj Vykupiteľ žije a v posledných dňoch bude stáť na tejto zemi; hoci kožné červy zničia toto telo, jednako v mojom tele uvidím Boha; ktorého uvidím na vlastné oči; moje oči uvidia, a nie iný.“
Nemyslite si, že som blázon. Nie som. Ak som, nechajte ma tak. Som takto šťastnejší, ako som bol predtým. Tak veru. Len ma nechajte, aby som zostal na tom takto. Ó, iste, je to bláznivé pre svet, lebo tie veci, ktoré svet nazýva bláznivými, Boh ich nazýva požehnanými. Musíte stratiť rozum pre tento svet. Prečo? Nie ste z tohto sveta.
162Keď prekročíte tú deliacu hranicu, stanete sa spoluobčanmi Kráľovstva Božieho. Ó. Aké je to dobré? No, stali ste sa novým stvorením (Ó!), zmeneným od toho, čím ste teraz. Vy ste teraz synovia Boží. Teraz spolu sedíme v ponebeských miestach; nie, že budeme až v Miléniu. My sme teraz, práve teraz sme synovia Boží. Práve teraz spolu sedíme v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi, nielen v zbore; sme v Kristu Ježišovi.
Vzkriesený Pán Ježiš je tu. On je tu vo Svojej moci. On je tu vo Svojej moci vykúpenia. On je tu kvôli exodu. On je tu, aby priviedol každého člena zboru do obecenstva s Ním. On je tu, aby priviedol každého hriešnika, bez ohľadu na to, ako si nízko, On je tu, aby priniesol moc Svojho vzkriesenia do tvojho života a urobil ťa novým stvorením.
164Pred pár rokmi sa tu stretli všetky náboženstvá sveta, myslím, že to bolo v Londýne, v Anglicku alebo niekde tam. Nepamätám si to presne. Ale keď všetci hovorili za rôzne cirkvi, mohamedáni a budhisti, a všetko také; malý chlapík, ktorý reprezentoval americkú cirkev svätosti, John Witt, myslím, že to bolo jeho meno... Tak potom, keď nastal jeho čas, on vstal, aby prehovoril; na tomto veľkom zhromaždení boli zastúpené všetky náboženstvá; on porozprával príbeh Lady Maccabee o tom, aká bola nízka: bola zatknutá v Oklahome s cigarou v ústach, šoférovala... alebo prekročila povolenú rýchlosť, prechádzala ulicami na dostavníku. Vykonala toľko vrážd a bola taká špinavá a taká krutá, že keď prišli, aby ju natreli smolou a perím, ani na ňu nepoložili ruky, báli sa, že budú zanečistení.
A keď ten príbeh rozprával tak dramaticky, že každý poslucháč sedel na konci stoličky, povedal, „Páni z náboženstiev tohto sveta, má vaše náboženstvo niečo, čo by očistilo ruky Lady Maccabee?“ Nikto nepovedal ani slovo. Vyskočil do vzduchu, kopol si podpätkami o seba a zatlieskal. Povedal, „Krv Ježiša Krista nielenže očistí jej ruky, ale tiež očistí jej srdce!“ Amen. To je pravda.
166Krv Ježiša Krista vezme tú najupadnutejšiu prostitútku v Louisville v Kentucky a urobí z nej svätú dámu. Vezme pašeráka z toho miesta, ktoré je tam dole, a urobí z neho džentlmena a svätého Božieho.
Moji priatelia, občania Kráľovstva, moji blížni z Kentucky a Indiany a naokolo, nemyslíte si, že dnes večer je čas, aby ste zobrali do úvahy tohto Pána Ježiša predtým, ako pominie vaša posledná šanca?
168Keď vidíte, že Cirkev ide v tomto veľkom exode, vidíte ten Ohnivý Stĺp, ktorý nás vpredu vedie, stojí, činí zázraky a robí znamenia... On je tu dnes večer vo všetkej Svojej vykupiteľskej moci. On je tu, aby zachránil každého hriešnika, aby prinavrátil naspäť každého odpadlíka. On je tu, aby uzdravil každého chorého človeka.
On je plným Evanjeliom. A my kážeme plné Evanjelium. Jedzte celého Baránka. Opečte to s Duchom Svätým a vedzte, že to je dobrý Pokrm, lebo Duch Svätý nám predpovedal, že je to skutočne dobré. Ochutnajte a vidzte, že Pán je dobrý. Chutí To ako med v skale.
Náš Pán Ježiš je tu vo Svojej láske a moci, vo Svojich veľkých vykupiteľských požehnaniach, ó, ako On stojí dnes večer medzi Cirkvou a hriechom. Ako On stojí medzi vami a súdom, krváca, modlí sa...
171Nedávno som tu vošiel do jedného miesta, tu v Ohio, kde som sa práve chystal vyniesť svoj úsudok o súde. Jedával som v malej Dunkardovej reštaurácii. Mali sme veľké zhromaždenie. Musel som zostať niekoľko kilometrov od toho kraja v takom malom moteli. Jedával som v Dunkardovej reštaurácii, sú to milí dobrí ľudia. A v nedeľu mali zatvorené a išli do cirkvi. Musel som ísť oproti na obyčajné malé americké miesto, kde som sa mohol navečerať.
Keď som vošiel do dverí, na moje prekvapenie tam stál štátny policajt, rukou objímal nejaké dievča a hral na hracom automate. No, hazardné hry sú v Ohio nelegálne a tam bol samotný strážca zákona, ktorý porušoval zákony; a bol to muž asi v mojom veku, možno ženatý a niekde mal rodinu, stál tam a objímal rukou nejakú mladú dámu.
Rozhliadol som sa dozadu cez tú reštauráciu, sedeli tam nejakí opití chlapci a jedna mladá pani, ktorá sa vôbec nesprávala morálne. Pozrel som sa, po mojej pravej strane smerom ku búdke, kam som si bol pripravený sadnúť, tam sedela nejaká staršia pani, mala asi päťdesiatosem, šesťdesiat rokov (bola stará asi ako moja matka), sedela tam, mala úplne zvráskavenú pokožku, bola oblečená v kratučkom oblečení. A, ó, bolo to strašné. A nechty na nohách mala namaľované na fialovo, pery mala namaľované na fialovo, bol to ten najstrašnejší pohľad, aký ste kedy videli. Vlasy mala ostrihané veľmi nakrátko a takto upravené a pila.
Sedeli tam s ňou dvaja muži, vyzerali hrozne, boli opití a jeden z nich ležal na tanieri, ktorý bol na stole. A keď sa ospravedlnili a odišli na záchod...
176Stál som tam. Pomyslel som si, „Ó, Bože, ako to môžeš zniesť? Ako sa na to môžeš dívať? Keď dokonca v mojom srdci, a to som pritom tak zlý; jednako som zvedavý, či moja malá Sára a Rebeka budú musieť vyrastať v takej generácii a vidieť tieto veci? Pane, prečo to jednoducho nezotrieš z povrchu zeme?“ Pomyslel som si, „Prečo to jednoducho neurobíš, Pane?“
Sedel som tam a jednoducho som začal plakať. Uvidel som videnie. Videl som, ako to bolo, svet, ktorý sa krútil vo vzduchu, a okolo toho sveta stála dúha. A niekto, kto ku mne hovoril, povedal, „To je Krv Ježiša Krista okolo tohto sveta, ktorá Ho zadržuje od toho, aby ju nezničil. Ak Boh môže uvidieť hriech, 'V deň, keď z neho budete jesť, v ten deň zomriete.' Každý človek pod tou Krvou má slobodné rozhodnutie, aby mohol učiniť svoju voľbu. Ale ak niekedy zomrieš a tvoja duša sa vznesie ponad milosť tej Krvi, si odsúdený už predtým, ako sa tam dostaneš. Nič tam pre teba nezostáva.“
178Potom som videl samého seba. Videl som tam stáť môjho Pána Ježiša, na hlave mal tŕňovú korunu a tiekli Mu slzy, ktoré boli zmiešané s Krvou a stekalo Mu to po brade. A videl som, že pred Neho prichádzajú moje hriechy. A zakaždým, keď takto pred Neho prišli... [Prázdne miesto na páske. - pozn.prekl.] ...až sa triasol. Tŕne sa Mu silnejšie zabodli do čela. Zapotácal sa. Povedal, „Otče, odpusť mu, on nevie, čo robí.“ A znova som niečo urobil, a potom bola Jeho Krv ako nárazník na aute, ktorý chráni auto, chránil ma pred hnevom Božím; nezaslúžene.
A pomaly som k Nemu prichádzal a kľakol som si pred Ním. Povedal som... Pozrel som sa tam dolu, ležalo to predo mnou, a bola tam stará kniha hriechu a moje meno bolo napísané na jej vrchu. Povedal som, „Pane, či mi odpustíš?“
„Istotne,“ povedal s milujúcim pohľadom; načiahol sa k Svojmu boku, vytiahol trochu Krvi a napísal na ňu, „Omilostený,“ a hodil ju dozadu do mora zabudnutia. Povedal, „No...“
Povedal som, „Ďakujem ti, Pane.“
On povedal, „No, Ja ti odpúšťam a ty ju odsudzuješ.“ Ó, to mi zmenilo ten obraz.
182Vyšiel som z toho. Prešiel som tam a sadol som si k nej a začal som rozprávať. A ona mala za sebou nejaký drsný život. Povedal som, „Nikdy si nebola Kresťankou?“
Povedala, „Bola som vychovávaná v kresťanskom dome.“
A povedal som, „Čo sa stalo?“
Povedala mi o nejakom nešťastí so svojím manželom a o tom, čo bolo s deťmi, a tak ďalej. Povedal som, „Po všetky tie roky si nikdy nežila pokojne, odkedy si stretla Boha, že?“
Povedala, „Pane, to je pravda.“
Povedal som, „Či Ho teraz neprijmeš.“
Povedala, „Prijme ma?“
Povedal som, „On ti teraz klope na srdce.“
A vedľa tej kabínky sme si kľakli na zem pred tým publikom ľudí; tie hracie automaty sa zastavili, zastavili sa vulgárne nadávky a aj všetko ostatné. A pozdvihol som ruky a moje ruky... a tie úbohé vráskavé ruky, a priviedol som ju k Ježišovi Kristovi. Potom odišla... To je to, priatelia. Ne... Pozrite... Ježiš...
Je mi jedno, čo si urobil, aké čierne sú tvoje hriechy, aký špinavý je tvoj život; Boh dnes večer stojí, klope na dvere tvojho srdca, aby ti odpustil, bez ohľadu na to, kto si.
186Skloňme na chvíľu svoje hlavy. Sestra, príď tam k organu, dobre?
Nebeský Otče, ó, modlím sa, aby si práve teraz prišiel, zatiaľ čo sa v budove pohybuje Duch Svätý... Hľadajme najprv Kráľovstvo, aby sme u Teba našli priazeň, a potom verím, že uzdravíš chorých. Ale práve teraz, Otče, zatiaľ čo cítim, že je tu veľký, hlboký záujem a usvedčenie, ľudia vedia, že Tvoja Cirkev sa nachádza v exode a my ideme smerom k súdu... Neviem, ale ráno môže niekto prísť k posteli a my tam budeme ležať, odišli sme. Zajtra večer o takomto čase môžeme byť niekde v márnici a naše duše budú tam vo večnosti.
Ó, Bože, toto môže byť posledná hodina. Toto môže byť posledná šanca, ktorú ľudia dostanú. Mnohí z nich tu nepochybne sedia, muži a ženy, ktorí túžili, ktorí žili len normálny, dobrý život, ale nikdy neboli znovuzrodení, nevedia, čo to znamená byť naplnený Duchom Svätým, úplne vydaný život, kedy od nich bola vzatá všetka hanba a ostych, a Boží Duch ich pokrstil do Svojho milosrdenstva.
Drahý Otče, či sa dnes večer, v Mene Tvojho milovaného Dieťaťa Ježiša, pohneš do každého srdca a rovno teraz prehovoríš? A nech v jednoduchosti svojho srdca pozdvihnú svoje myšlienky k Tebe, pozdvihnú svoje srdce a povedia, „Tu som, Ježišu. Vezmi ma teraz takého, aký som, a formuj ma a urob ma niečím odlišným. Učiň ma takým človekom, akým by si ma chcel mať. Celý môj život si so mnou hovoril. Hovoril si ku mne. Snažil si sa ma presvedčiť, aby som robil niečo iné. Snažil si sa spôsobiť, aby som sa poddal. Ale teraz je ten deň minulosťou, Pane, ale ja som teraz pripravený prísť.“ Udeľ to, Otče. Zatiaľ čo milosť vyvoláva pred tým, ako príde súd; a exodus Cirkvi opúšťa Egypt, nech prídu, nech idú s veľkou skupinou vyvolaných. Prosíme o to v Jeho Mene.
190A zatiaľ čo máme sklonené hlavy a zatvorené oči a Kresťania sa modlia, zaujímalo by ma, či by si len zodvihol ruku a povedal, „Brat Branham, pamätaj na mňa. Verím, že každé slovo, ktoré hovoríš, je pravda o Ježišovi Kristovi. A všetci potrebujeme byť naplnení Duchom a ja ešte nie som. Bol som členom cirkvi.“ Alebo možno, že si vôbec nebol. Možno si bol hriešnik, nikdy si neprijal Krista, alebo si bol členom nejakého zboru a nebol si znovuzrodený. Zodvihol by si ruku a povedal, „Brat Branham, pamätaj na mňa vo svojej modlitbe. Chcem byť v poriadku.“
Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná, a teba, a teba, teba, teba; aj teba, môj brat; aj teba, sestra; a teba, brat; teba, teba, aj teba, brat, sestra. Vidím to.
Ó, koľkí tu po mojej ľavici? Zodvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Pamätaj na mňa, brat Branham, chcem sa narodiť.“
193Pamätajte, hovorí k vám Duch Svätý. Ak som Božím sluhom, viem s takou istotou, ako stojím na tomto pódiu, že Duch Svätý tu hovorí do sŕdc.
Priatelia, možno som pre vás zvláštny, ale nie som žiaden fanatik. Viem, o čom hovorím, ak viem, v čom máte problém, a aká je vaša choroba, a Boh vypočúva moju modlitbu za vás. A rovno tu v tejto budove sedia ľudia, ktorí boli uzdravení, mali rakovinu, slepotu a hluchotu; boli chromí a všetko možné. Pozrite sa na tie milióny po celom svete. Čo teraz s tebou? Čo to teraz urobí? Ak On vyslyší moju modlitbu za tie veci, či tiež nevypočuje moju modlitbu za stav tvojej duše? Ak mi zjaví, kde je tvoj problém, či mi tiež teraz nezjaví, kde je tvoj problém?
Koľkí ešte zodvihnú ruku a povedia, „Brat Branham, pamätaj na mňa. Chcem, v tomto čase, prosiť Boha, aby mi bol milostivý“? Nech ťa Boh žehná, a teba; a teba; a teba. Ó, jednoducho po celej budove, všade...
195Zatiaľ čo máte sklonené hlavy. Zaujímalo by ma, či by ste vy, ktorí ste zodvihli ruku, mali len trochu viac milosti a povedali, „Pane, mal som dosť milosti na to, aby som zodvihol ruku, daj mi dostatok milosti, aby som sa postavil, zatiaľ čo sa on bude modliť. Ak pre mňa prídeš pred svitaním, Pane, toto je moje znamenie pre Teba, že chcem byť v poriadku. Chcem sa s Tebou jedného dňa stretnúť. Keď vyjde zo mňa tento kašeľ a ja budem zomierať a stískať vankúš, lekár odíde od môjho lôžka; už sa nedalo nič urobiť. A potom, Bože, zmiluj sa nad mojou dušou. Zatiaľ čo sa v miestnosti budú vznášať studené hmly smrti, nech príde tá stará loď Siona, aby ma zobrala preč. Postavím sa, Pane. To si vyžaduje veľa milosti, ale niečo mnou hýbe. Stojím.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat.
Postaví sa ešte niekto ďalší a povie, „Ja stojím, Pane.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat, sestra. Len zostaňte stáť. Každý, kto chce byť spomenutý v tejto modlitbe za spasenie svojej duše, postavíte sa? Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladý muž. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pane. Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Nech ťa Boh žehná, moja sestra. Nech ťa Boh žehná, sestra; aj teba, brat.
Postaví sa teraz ešte niekto ďalší a povie, „Tu som. Brat Branham, nestojím pred tebou, stojím pred Bohom. Niečo mi povedalo, aby som sa postavil, a stojím.“ Urobíte to? Len sa postavte na nohy. Len takto vezmite Boha. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani.
198Je ich tam viac. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani. To je pravda. Úbohá matka, ktorá drží svoje malé bábätko a snaží sa vstať, v očiach má slzy. Či neprídeš? Znovu sa postavte. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani; postavila sa tam staršia pani, skutočne stará, vie, že v jednom z týchto dní musí čeliť Bohu. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Kto ďalší sa teraz postaví, povie, „Postavím sa.“ Len zostaňte stáť na modlitbe.
Niekto ďalší? Mám pocit, že niekto ďalší sa chce postaviť. Možno sa len chcete trochu priblížiť. Už to viac neodkladajte. Len sa postavte. Urobíte to, vy, ktorí chcete byť bližšie k Bohu? Nech ťa Boh žehná. To je pravda. Žeby niekto... Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani. Tak veru.
Sú tam najmenej traja ďalší ľudia, na ktorých sa rovno dívam, ktorí by tam mali stáť, pretože tam stojí Anjel Boží. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani. To je pravda. No, v poriadku, brat, čo s tým? V poriadku. Viem, že tam stojí Anjel Pánov. Vidím to a viem, že niekto by mal teraz stáť. Počkám ešte chvíľu. Nech Boh... Ty vieš, že On tlačí na tvoje srdce. On tam stojí, môj priateľu. To je On, ktorý ti hovorí, aby si sa postavil. Neurobíš to? Len sa postav a prijmi Ho, práve teraz. V poriadku.
Si si tým teraz istý? Ak by ťa Boh zavolal dnes večer na tomto zhromaždení, pri tejto kázni, toto pozvanie ťa stretne tam, keď zomrieš. Čo si s tým urobil? Ak si nie si istý, tak sa teraz postav, aby On videl, že to chceš prijať, kráčať vo Svetle.
202A teraz, náš láskavý nebeský Otče, tieto Tvoje drahé deti majú obmäkčené srdcia, dnes večer do ich srdca padlo Slovo. „Viera prichádza skrze počutie a počutie Slova.“ A oni mohli počuť. A Ty si obmäkčil ich srdcia, mnohí stoja, muži a ženy, chlapci a dievčatá, vyznávajú Ťa ako svojho drahého Spasiteľa a Vodcu.
A nech Anjel Boží, ktorý je tu dnes večer, nech ich sprevádza životom. Nech sú práve teraz vedení v srdci na Golgotu a nech prijmú Ježiša ako svojho Spasiteľa. A nech Duch Svätý skrze Krv Kristovu zostúpi na ich duše a odstráni všetku ľahostajnosť a naplní ich krstom Duchom Svätým. Nech je toto tým najväčším večerom v ich živote. Vieme, že je, lebo dnes večer Ťa prijímajú. Udeľ to, Pane, práve teraz. A nech odtiaľto dnes večer pôjdu domov, šťastní, radujúci sa, chváliaci Boha z celého svojho srdca. Modlím sa za toto požehnanie skrze Meno Krista Ježiša.
No, nech vás Pán žehná, ako sa posadíte.
204Dovoľte, aby som sa vás teraz opýtal. Každý jeden z vás, ktorí ste stáli a viete, že sa vám niečo stalo, zatiaľ čo ste stáli, zodvihnite ruku. Len zodvihnite ruku; viete, že sa niečo stalo. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná. To je pravda. To musí tak byť, priatelia. Musí. Stál som, práve teraz som tu videl toho istého Anjela, o ktorom hovorím, prechádzal rovno cez túto budovu, ten istý Anjel Pánov, ten Ohnivý Stĺp. Posledných päť alebo desať minút som kázal pod tou inšpiráciou. Cítim to, jednoducho vidím, ako sa To pohybuje cez túto budovu. No, možno si myslíte, že si to vymýšľam, ale je to pravda.
No, nemyslím si, že vôbec zavolám nejaký modlitebný rad. Myslím, že budem stáť rovno tu a budem len prosiť Boha, aby potvrdil, že som vám povedal pravdu (To je pravda) znameniami, zázrakmi.
206Koľkí tu chcú byť uzdravení, chorí ľudia? Zodvihnite ruky. Kdekoľvek ste, len zodvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Prijímam to.“ V poriadku.
Chcem, aby ste sa pozreli, žili a verili. Niekto tu v tomto publiku, niekto tu, len sa pozrite a povedzte, „Pane Ježišu...“
Takto... Myslím, že ten dôvod, prečo som najprv spravil zavolanie ku oltáru, bolo to preto, aby sme u Neho našli priazeň. Toto je pre mňa niečo nové. Najprv musím u Neho nájsť priazeň. Potom, ak som našiel priazeň a urobil som priazeň... A vy, tucet alebo dva, duše, ktoré ku Nemu práve prišli. Iste, iste...
209No, každý jeden z vás, ľudí, ktorí ste prišli ku Kristovi, potom si nájdite dobrý zbor, ktorý je naplnený Duchom Svätým, a choďte do neho a tam hľadajte Jeho krst, až kým ho nenájdete; len choďte, jednoducho každý večer, každý deň, len sa ďalej modlite. A keď sa dívate...
No, vy, ľudia, ktorí ste chorí, ak som vám povedal pravdu, Boh bude svedčiť, že to je pravda. To je pravda. Jedine to môže urobiť... A Boh to dá najavo, ak sa len budete modliť a veriť z celého srdca. Len sa pozrite a povedzte toto...
211Keď ma Anjel Pánov pred ôsmimi rokmi stretol tam v Green's Mill v Indiane, potom, ako ma od detstva nasledoval a ukazoval videnia; keď som prišiel k Nemu, povedal, „Ak budeš úprimný a privedieš ľudí do toho, aby ti verili, nič pred tou modlitbou neobstojí.“
No, On by pre vás teraz mohol urobiť to isté, čo mohol urobiť vtedy. On vstal z mŕtvych. A On... Tam pred Ním bolo to obecenstvo. On vie, čo je na každom z vás, čo ste urobili, aké sú vaše problémy, všetko o tom. Veríte tomu? Potom tomu verte z celého srdca.
213Všimol som si mladého muža, ktorý tu sedí, verí, snaží sa, má vieru. Veríš, že Boh mi dá poznať, čo s tebou nie je v poriadku? Veríš? Ak to On urobí, prijmeš svoje uzdravenie? Máš problémy so srdcom. Nie je to tak? Čo ak by som ti teraz povedal, že si sa z toho dostal? Veril by si tomu? Postav sa len na chvíľu. Máš nervózne srdce a šelest na ňom. Už nejaký čas ťa to trápi. Jediný raz - keď si ľahneš, tiež ťa to dusí a máš tam mnoho búšenia tam a späť. Je to tak? Pretože to spôsobujú tráviace ťažkosti zo žalúdka, prechádza to cez tú žilu. Nie je to pravda? Už sa s tým viac nebudeš trápiť. Len si drž to, čo máš práve teraz; môžeš ísť domov a byť v poriadku.
Nečítam tvoju myseľ. Som ti úplne cudzí. Si len človek, ktorý tam sedí. Je to tak? Nikdy v živote som ťa nevidel a nikdy som o tebe nič nevedel. Je to pravda? No, Anjel Pánov je tu.
Úprimne povedané, mladý muž, chcem sa ťa niečo opýtať a uvidíš, či je to pravda alebo nie. Pred chvíľou, keď som začal hovoriť o tom, ako to žihadlo vypadlo z toho bodca, zrazu na teba prišlo niečo zvláštne. Nebolo to tak? Nebol to taký zvláštny pocit, ktorý si mal,...?... Nie je to tak? A či si sa na mňa v tom istom čase nepozrel a moje oči ťa v tom istom čase nezachytili? Vtedy si bol uzdravený od tých srdcových problémov, práve tam. Amen. To je presne tak. On je tu.
216Nečítam vám myšlienky, priatelia. Hovorím len pravdu a Boh potvrdzuje, že je to pravda.
Čo si o tom myslíš, ty, čo sedíš tam vedľa neho? Veríš? Veríš mi, že som Boží prorok? Či veríš, že Boh... Ty sedíš, lebo si na prednom sedadle, to je ten dôvod, prečo s tebou toľko hovorím. Vidíte, je to tam vzadu a okolo mňa. Ale veríš, že ak môžem kontaktovať tvojho ducha, Boh zjaví, čo nie je v poriadku? Prijal by si svoje uzdravenie? Si diabetik. Je to tak? Ak to je pravda, zodvihni ruku. Postav sa na nohy. Prijímaš teraz svoje uzdravenie? Nech ťa Pán Ježiš Kristus kompletne uzdraví. Nech ťa Boh žehná.
218Majte vieru. Niekto tu verí. Majte vieru z celého srdca.
Vidím tam sedieť mladého muža, ktorý má oblečený modrý oblek. Rovno nad ním To stojí. Máš kožné ochorenie, však, mladý muž? Nie je to tak? Postav sa na nohy. Ó, vidím, ty si s touto delegáciou. Je to tak? No, chceš ísť domov zdravý? Zodvihni ruku a povedz, „Pane Ježišu, teraz verím, že Anjel Pánov vedie vpred, a verím, že som uzdravený.“
Čo si o tom myslíš, ten muž, ktorý sedí vedľa neho, či tiež veríš? Postav sa na chvíľu na svoje nohy, aby som sa na teba mohol pozrieť. Veríš z celého srdca, že som Boží služobník? Chceš prekonať ten srdcový problém? To je to, čo si mal, že? Povedal som, že to je to, čo si 'mal.' Ty to teraz nemáš. Môžeš ísť tiež domov.
Ďalší muž, ktorý je za ním, čo si o tom myslíš, pane? Veríš z celého srdca? Veríš mi, že som Boží prorok? Postav sa na nohy. Veríš teraz z celého svojho srdca? Bol si nervózny. Nie je to tak? Vidíte? Je to tak? Zodvihni ruku. Teraz môžeš ísť domov zdravý. Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje.
222A čo ten ďalší muž, ktorý sedí tam v tom rade, veríš z celého srdca? Postav sa na nohy. Či mi veríš, že som Boží prorok, že som Jeho sluha? Veríš, že On mi povie, čo s tebou nie je v poriadku, aby si tak prijal svoje uzdravenie? Je to v tvojom hrdle. Je to tak? Choď domov a buď zdravý; v Mene Ježiša Krista.
Ktokoľvek ďalší v tejto budove, kto chce byť uzdravený, môže povstať a byť uzdravený. Ak mi veríš ako Božiemu služobníkovi, postav sa na svoje nohy. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Ženské problémy, rakovina, tam to odchádza. Nech je Boh požehnaný. Každý jeden z vás, zodvihnite ruky k Bohu.
224Náš nebeský Otče, teraz odsudzujem každú chorobu v tejto budove, vyháňam každého zlého ducha a nech teraz Duch Svätý vládne a uzdraví každú osobu.
Položte všade ruky jeden na druhého a povedzte, „Chvála Pánovi,“ A radujte sa a buďte šťastní, lebo Ježiš Kristus je tu, Baránok Boží, aby vás uzdravil, každého jedného.
1 Thank you, kindly. Good evening, friends. It's a privilege to be here tonight to address you again in the Name of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. And it's always a privilege to meet God's people anywhere, and to speak of that great Name Jesus.
I certainly appreciate the song our brother just sang. That--that's my favorite. In the day that when they're trying to make Jesus just merely a prophet, or a good man, or a teacher, that really brings out His Deity, what He was. And I believe that He was...
3 There was never One like Him on earth, never will be. He was Emmanuel. He was Alpha, Omega, the Beginning and the End, He that was, which is, and shall come, the Root and Offspring of David; the Morning Star. In Him dwelt Deity. In Him was God.
"God was in His Son, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself." Jesus said, "It's not me that doeth the works, but it's My Father that dwelleth in Me. My Father and I are One," God made manifest in flesh. What a marvelous revelation of God's love to us, He would unfold Himself and come down and dwell in human flesh in order to take away sin and sickness from the human race and redeem us back to the Father. That's wonderful, isn't it? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] We sure appreciate that.
5 Now, last night I guess I'll have to kind of apologize. I... Billy got me a little quick last night, because it was kind of a... I got weak. But those meetings, that discerning, and no one will never know what that is, 'less it's just... You have to come into it to know it. See? There's no way of trying to explain it. There's not a--a way that you could do it. It's just an experience that--that no one knows about, only those who go through it. What it does to the human race, what it does to the man, brings the very life right of him.
Well, you're living in two worlds. You're in a world here, and you're a world there, you're with somebody else maybe fifty years ago; and you may be with somebody years from today to come; and yet you realize you're standing on the platform here, and you're speaking something that happened many, many years ago: maybe weeks ago, months ago, another nation, another place, or something. And then you try to keep yourself straight in that in thinking; tell you, it's quite a thing. But the Lord has blessed us so far in it. And we're very happy, and trust now that God will get glory from the meeting.
7 Now, in the--the services tonight, I thought while we're just a little handful of people together; our meetings is only advertised locally here, and it's just for the local people. And before we get into the larger part of the meetings, I was thinking today, that I would try to maybe get some of the old fashion teaching out of the Bible to the people, that when the great event comes, if God sends it to us, then we'll be able to understand it better.
8 After all, Divine healing is just the--the bait on the hook to catch the fish, as you know. It's just... That's the one... The fish grabs at the bait and gets the hook. So our main, our one alternative is this, that souls won to Jesus Christ.
If God heals you tonight, you may get sick again before you die. You may be sick again in a year from now, or two years from now. may be sick in a week from now, or a day from now, I don't know. But there's one thing sure: you're going to leave this world some of these days, 'cause this is just patched up.
But if that soul ever comes in contact with the Holy Spirit and is born again, you have Eternal Life. No matter what happens here, you never perish. Jesus said, "He that heareth My Words, believeth on Him that sent Me, hath (that's present tense) Everlasting Life, shall not come into condemnation; but hath (past tense) passed from death unto Life." That'd make us all Methodists and start shouting, wouldn't it? That's right. To think that, that God has did that. Now, that's not my Word; that's His: Saint John 5:24.
11 Saint John 6, Jesus said, "He that eats My flesh, and drinks My Blood, has Everlasting Life; and I'll raise him up at the last day." That's right. "He that eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, has (that's present tense) Everlasting Life." Now, if it's "everlasting," it doesn't just go from one revival to the other one, it would go through Eternity.
And now, for some of you ministers that's setting by, knowing that that "Everlasting Life" comes from the same word that means "God's Life," the word "Zoe," Greek word, which means "God's Own Life."
13 Then, we become a son or a daughter of God, an offspring of God, with part of God's Life in us. We could no more perish than God could perish, if He tried. So we have Everlasting Life and going to be raised up in the last day. That wonderful? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] That would make Baptists, Methodists shake hands and shout, wouldn't it? Sure would. That's right.
That's the good thing about the old-time religion. It just makes everybody set together and love one another. Sure does. Takes all the differences away, makes new creatures. It'll make a--a tuxedo coat and a pair of overalls put their arms around one another and say, "Brother, how you getting along?" That's right. Sure will. It'll make a silk dress and a calico put their arms around and say, "Sister, I love you." That's what it does. It sure does, just tears down the difference. "Rich or poor, bond or free, we're all one in Christ Jesus."
15 Sunday at the Tabernacle, which I see there's a whole group of Tabernacle people setting here, we had--we had a--a Sunday school lesson on the Redemption By the Blood. And I got so wound up in it, till I--I feel like I'm still in another sphere somewhere on: Redemption By Blood.
And tonight, after the family had left and had come over here early to get to hear the song service and so forth... I was in the room, and seemed like... I begin to read in the Scriptures and I found something. I thought, "Well, if the Lord willing, I'll just talk on that a little while tonight."
That's, "Redemption By Blood," Sunday. Now, tonight I'm going to speak on "Redemption By Power." And tomorrow night I'm going to speak on "Redemption In Completeness" (if God willing, that is) In Joy. In Blood, in Power, and in Joy; Redemption.
18 And to pull this out... Now, many people, as fine, educated scholars knows how to break through and give these kind of revelation, maybe, for this, or that, or cast some. But, me, I'm kind of one of these here illiterate type of preachers, that's... Only thing that I know to do, to be sure that I'm pretty near right anyhow, is to go to the shadows.
If I started walking towards the wall, and the light on this side, I could tell what, just about what I looked like, whether I was a four-footed beast, or--or fowl, or what it was, if I see what kind of a shadow I reflect.
19 Now, the Old Testament was a shadow of the New Testament. It was the negative, like the moon, to the sun. The sun shining on the moon, reflects the light to the earth. And I just love the Old Testament. It's just as full of parables like that, or, as it can be. Now, the perfect...
In Genesis when God made the--the sun first, the moon next, that moon and sun represents Christ and the Church. Just as the sun comes up in its power and glory, and when it goes down, it reflects its light to the moon in the darkness, to give light on the earth while the sun is gone. Jesus, when He left, He went into glory and reflected His Light back on the Church, to give the Church Light of the Gospel until He returns (Oh, my.), and then they'll get married. That'll be wonderful. It'll be one great Light of moon and... "The Lamb is the light thereof." They needed no more sun in the City.
21 Now, for a little preview, let's go back into Exodus. And I hope you don't get tired of me talking in Exodus.
One time in my church across the river, I preached, I believe, about a year and six months on Job, every night. They'd come back; I'd just take a little part of Job, and going on; we'd make it run through the Bible.
Every Scripture dovetails together. There's no contradiction in God's Word. No, sir. Every bit, perfect... The only Book ever written that's inspired like that, that can perfectly... Wrote by many writers, and many hundreds of years apart; and every one of them, by the Holy Spirit speaking, dovetails right together. That's the reason on all these extra books, the Maccabees and things, it don't coincide with This, so I don't accept it. This is God's Word to me.
24 And some woman wrote me a letter and said... I was preaching; Job on the ash heap. She said, "Brother Branham, you been, had Job on the ash heap about long enough, don't you think? Been there about six weeks." Said, "Why, you ever going to get him off of the ash heap?"
Well, I said, "When the Holy Spirit quits pushing the Words out of there, I guess I'll just have to quit saying." But--but as long as He kept me talking about him on the ash heap, well, I just stayed right with it; and souls getting saved.
26 So, like the evangelist came to the city. He preached, one night, he preached on repentance. The next night, he preached on repentance. The next night, he preached on repentance. After about four or five nights, the deacon board met him and said, "Brother, can't you preach anything else besides repentance?"
Said, "Oh, yeah. Let them all repent first, then I'll preach on something else." So that's a--a good idea. They every one repent, then we can preach on something else. All right.
28 For a little preview now, to those, for especially those who were not at the Tabernacle Sunday morning. We want to drop back over to the 12th chapter. But our basic thought tonight is in the 14th chapter, beginning with the 13th verse of Exodus. Now, we left off on the 10th verse Sunday morning, of the "Redemption By Blood." Most all of you are acquainted with the story, I'm sure.
Now, we know that we could pull back the leaves of this Book and turn these pages over, but there's only One Who can open the Book: that's Jesus Christ.
John saw the Book. It was sealed. And he wept because there was no man in Heaven could open It, no man on earth, no man beneath the earth. But there was a Lamb that had been slain from the foundation of the world, come took the Book out of the right hand of Him that set upon the Throne, and opened the seals and--and opened the--the Book, loosed the seals thereof. And He was worthy, for He had been slain from the foundation of the world.
Let's speak to Him tonight and ask Him to open It for us just now.
32 Now, kind, loving Father, we come to Thee, addressing Thee first, in the Name of Jesus, praying now, that as we stand here, sheltered under this roof tonight, where that storm is a raging outside, rains a twisting and blowing, we're so thankful to have the house of God to come into. And we're thankful that there is a tower, a refuge. You said, "The Name of the Lord is a mighty tower; the righteous run into it and are safe." We're so glad that we know the Name of the Lord and have come into It.
Now, we pray that You'll open this Word to us tonight, Father. May the Holy Spirit come and get into the Word. Circumcise the lips of this poor humble servant and the hearts of those who will listen, Your children. And may the Holy Spirit take just the Words of God and place It in every heart, just where It's needed.
Bless us now. Renew our minds tonight in Thy Spirit. Get glory out of the service. Save the lost. Heal the sick. Bring home the backslidden, Lord. And we'll give Thee the praise, for we ask it in Thy Name, of Thy beloved Son, Jesus. Amen.
34 Now, turn to the 10th verse of the 12th chapter of Exodus. We were reading, the "Redemption By Blood," how that God had ordained a lamb to be slain in each house, how there was to be nothing left over.
The judgments had been falling, and the last judgment now was ready to fall. God was going to fulfill His Word to the letter. And all those judgments back there was a perfect sign, or a perfect type, of the judgments which are ready to fall now.
And if you'll notice, before the judgment fell... Now, ministers may disagree with me on this, which is all right. But before the judgment started hitting Egypt, God sent Israel to Goshen. They were in Goshen, and no plague fell on them, a perfect type of the Church carried over through the tribulation. See? All right.
37 Then at the last plague that struck the earth there, or struck Egypt, was death. All you Bible readers here know your Sunday school lessons and so forth, has taken this, perhaps, many times. But death was the last enemy that struck Egypt.
And the last enemy that's going to strike the church now is death, spiritually speaking. Those who will not follow Christ in--in baptism of the Holy Spirit, will spiritually dry up and die; the churches, you can see it now. After many, many great revivals and evangelists has passed through the land, and yet the church is, that is, politically-church speaking, is getting worse all the time. Its members are just living any way they want to, doing anything they want to, yet, calling themself Christians, and say they're all right.
To be a Christian, means to be "Christ-like." Go no place you wouldn't want to be if Christ would come. Say nothing you wouldn't want to be saying when Christ comes, doing nothing that you wouldn't want to be doing when Christ comes. Think nothing you wouldn't want to be thinking when Christ comes. Keep your one motive, your heart centered on Calvary. Amen. "Walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, and we have fellowship one with another; the Blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all unrighteousness." That's Methodists, Baptists, and all of us, together, makes us all one in Him.
40 Now, the last--the last thing was death. And before that death come, there was an atonement made for that death, for all who desire to escape it.
And there was an atonement made before the first destruction, of the antediluvian world. God had a preacher of righteousness, Noah, and he preached a hundred and twenty years for people to come into the ark. And those who willfully refused to go, there wasn't nothing left but judgment.
And today, men who refuse to walk in the Light of Christ, you have spurned mercy, so there's nothing left but judgment. That's all. There's just right and left side, the only one you can go to. And you make your choice.
43 Now, we see, before the--the great awful night come, that Israel was commanded. And we already taken that, of killing the lamb.
God was bringing His Church into the exodus to bring it out of Egypt, into the promised land. I like that. They were going over to possess the land. God gave them the land, and yet it was all fenced in with big, great buildings and fences. And walls around Jericho, the chariots could run races around it. And just think of that, yet God said, "I've give it to you. It's yours." But they had to clean up, clean it up.
45 And that's what God has did today. He's give every one of you that wants It, the baptism of the Holy Ghost. But you got to go in, possess It; that's all. Fight out the differences, and tear down the walls, and get started in there and get It.
You say, "The pastor said, 'It's not for us today.'" Just walk right on a past it.
Mother said, "I'll run you away from home." Go right on a past it.
Husband said, "I'll leave you." Go right on a past it. That's all. Got to go and possess It. That's all.
Divine healing's for every one of you. Every one of you setting here tonight with cancer, heart trouble, whatever it is God has give the promise. And it's yours, but you have to go and possess it.
Now, you say, "Well, I just don't feel just very good." That has nothing to do with it. The promise is yours. God give it to you. Just go right in and slay Philistines, from one side to the other. And take out all the Hivites and--and Amorites; just kill them out. Go on in; take it. God said, "It is yours. Go get it."
49 But He didn't say, "Now, I'll go in, sweep it all out, and build you up some nice cities, and set you down on easy street." He doesn't do that way.
He gives it to you, and you got something to do. He's good enough to give you land, said He'd help you and be with you. Go, take it.
And if you are sick tonight, crippled, blind, deaf, dumb whatever you are, go, take it. God said it was yours. It's your possession. God give it to you.
52 He told them that He would give them that land, sent an Angel before them to take care of the way, bring them into the place where it was.
Look at them spies when they went over. Here come ten of them back, said, "Oh, we can't do it. It's impossible. Why, we're scientists, and we've looked the thing over. It's scientifically impossible. We can't do it."
But there was two fellows, one of them named Joshua, and one named Caleb. They wasn't looking to what the scientific side was. They was looking to what God said. Said, "We can do it." And that's right. And they brought back some evidence that it was a good land.
I'm so glad of that evidence (aren't you?) that there's a good land just above us, and we're on our road tonight. Hallelujah. All right.
56 Here they was now, just before redemption. God required the children of Israel, that they'd be sure to be protected, to kill this lamb, and to put the blood on the lintel, the top of the door, like this, and each post.
And they were to go in and eat this lamb, every bit of it; notice, all the lamb, not just part of it. Every bit of it was to be eaten.
Some people say, "I'll just take this part, and I'll--I'll believe this part." But you've got to take It all, every bit of It. Say, "Oh, I believe He was wounded for our transgressions, but, 'by His stripes,' I don't know about It." We want It all. Every bit of It is to be eat, all of It. Some of it gets tough, but we have to eat it anyhow. God said so.
59 Notice the 10th verse now.
And ye shall--ye shall let nothing of it remain until... morning; and that which remains... until the morning... shall burn with fire.
And now, none of it is to remain. Everything... Now, He said, "When you eat it, don't eat it raw, or sodden, but you must eat it well cooked." And I like that.
People trying to eat the Word of God, and they take It like It was raw, chew on It, and spit on It, and everything else, say, "Oh, I just can't take It. I can't stand It." It isn't cooked done enough. That's all.
He said, "Cook it with fire." Fire represents the Holy Ghost. You get God in your heart first, and It'll cook It for you. That's right. Cook It out, done, seasoned, then It tastes good.
63 Now, you can't stand off like this, outside, say, "Oh, I, I don't know whether It's for me or not. That might be for days gone by." Just get the Holy Ghost first, and watch what Divine healing means to you then.
Look what a heartfelt religion means to you then, when you've got the Holy Spirit here to cook the Lamb as It comes. Amen. That's right. Cook the Lamb first. And you have to have fire to cook It with. It--it should be roasted. Oh, my, that's when It's good. Roast It, it just burns out all the...
65 I was standing here, not long ago by a big smelter, and I noticed how hot that fire was, and it just cooked and cooked and cooked. And as the hotter it got, the--the dross in the metals, in the gold, all come to the top, and they skimmed it off. And they'd heat the fire a little hotter in this smelter, and then when this would boil more, they'd get some more different stuff, pyrite and stuff, out of it.
The first come up was the dirt, like dirt and mud. The next come up was ores like, oh, something no good: some quick silvers, and all these things, they come up, and skim that off. Went on down, right down, and the last thing they took out of it was pyrite. That's fool's gold.
67 You know there's a lot of things in people that try to fool one another when you're a Christian, or acting like it, anyhow. See? But you just let the Holy Ghost go to boiling everything out, take--takes all the fool's gold out of you too.
Fool's gold, many people go out West and they find some of it, and they think, oh, they struck a gold mine. It shines better than gold does. But it's fool's gold, hasn't got no value to it.
And now, they cook that, and they skim it all off, and just keep cooking it and cooking it, until it's pure gold, boiled down to nothing but one hundred percent gold.
And that's the way God does in His Church: pours the Holy Spirit on It, and cooks down in there till He throws out all the worldliness, and the differences, and the selfishness, and all this, till He just boils it out of every individual that will come to Him. Amen.
71 Now, then, you can eat it. Here is another beautiful thought here, on the--on the 11th verse.
And thus shall you eat it; with your... (listen to this) loins girded... (I like that)... shoes on your feet,... staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste; it's the LORD's passover.
I like that. While you're eating, be ready to go. That's the issue.
73 Let's turn over to Ephesians, about the 6th chapter of Ephesians, and look in here what Paul said about getting the Church ready: 6th chapter of Ephesians, beginning at the 14th verse of the 6th chapter.
Stand therefore, having your loins girded about with truth,... having on the breastplate of righteousness;
.. your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
And above all things, take the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench... the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
See, Paul dressing up a man for the battlefield, for the march.
God, in beginning of delivering of Israel, He said, "Now, you ought to get ready for the march. When you come under the blood, put on your shoes. Gird up your loins. Get your staff in your hand and get ready for the call." I like that.
A man now, when he comes into Christ, he gets his Gospel shoes on to preach the Gospel, the helmet of salvation on, the breastplate of righteousness; girds up his loins. There's a...
77 Usually, in the old soldiers, when they put on those ornaments of war, they had a big belt, that buckled it together, holding over their loins, these shields, to keep the enemy's spears off. What a real lesson that is to us. And when the--the loin begin to get weak, hang down, the shield, they'd tighten up on their belt, bring them up tight again.
What a perfect picture today, when you begin to feel like you're slacking, or the devil says, "It's no use." Reach down and tighten up the belt a little bit, pull up the sword a little tighter in the hand, and go forward. I like that. Be ready for the march.
79 Every man walking under that blood that night, was commanded to stay there, not go out until the orders come to march.
And every man that's born of the Spirit of God, comes into Christ, has Everlasting Life, puts on his shield, his breastplate, standing ready, and forbidden to leave until orders to march.
Oh, isn't it marvelous? Aren't you glad you got it all harnessed up, tonight, you soldiers?
82 Used to have a song leader at the Tabernacle, our theme song was:
The fight is on, O Christian soldiers,
Face to face in stern array,
With armor gleaming, colors streaming,
The right and wrong's engaged today;
The fight is on, but be not weary,
Be strong and in His might hold fast;
If God be for us, His banner over us,
We'll sing the victor's song at last.
Many of them old saints has gone to the grave. But one of these days, yonder in a new world, when they come forth into the promised land, the banner of the cross will be over us, and we'll sing the victor's song. When we set at the Wedding Supper that night, around the table, that great table, maybe a hundred thousand miles long, with the Blood-washed saints setting around there. I want to go down along the table and shake hands with every one of them (Amen.), just shouting. You want to hear me shout? Wait till I get over there; watch me. I ain't big enough, yet for this. But notice, on the march now. Get ready. We're going.
84 Here's a sad picture, before we get over to our regular lesson, is found in the 38th verse. There... Listen.
And a mixed multitude went up with their flock...
There's where Israel made a mistake. The supernatural had been done. And unconverted people followed because of the supernatural, finally got them into trouble. And on down, we'll notice here in about the 42nd verse and the 43rd verse. The Lord speaking to Moses, said that no one but those who were sacrificed... could eat the sacrifice, rather, but those who were circumcised. No strangers, no outsiders, no one should take it but those who are circumcised."
And what a disgrace that we have today in this day, beloved friends, that when, in the church, everybody that belongs to the church takes communion. And that's wrong. Only those who are redeemed, that's all who are worthy.
87 Isaiah spoke and said, "The tables of the Lord would be full of vomit." Said, "Who shall I teach doctrine? Them that are weaned from the breasts." Said, "Precept must be upon precept line upon line; here a little, and there a little. And hold fast to that what's good." God speaking, knowing that the day that we're living in, that the church would be so politically, till they'd let everything, people, come in; long as they had their name on the church book, they were members, they taken communion.
And the Bible said, "He that eats and drinks it, unworthy, is guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord." Saint John, 13th chapter, Jesus speaking.
Second Corinthians the 11th chapter, Paul said, years later, that, "He that eats and drinks this, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself," he says, "before he take." I'm quoting Scripture. That's right. "He that eats and drinks, unworthy, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. And for this cause many are sick and weakly among you, and many sleep." Be sure that you're standing right with God.
Here it is in the shadow, that no one but the circumcised... No matter how loyal he was, how much he helped the Jewish church, he had to be a proselyte, had to be a real circumcised believer, before he could take the communion or eat the passover. Oh, how far we got off the line today.
91 Now, let's go quickly then. And God brought them out tonight. We're turning now to the 13th verse of the 14th chapter.
God gave them the Pillar of Fire to go before them. I think they had the picture here tonight. And I say it with reverence. To my honest opinion, while we're here in this group tonight, I believe That is with us tonight. The same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel is going before us, performing the same signs and wonders. And any teacher here, or scholar of the Bible, knows that the Angel that followed Israel and guided them to the promised land, was the Angel of the Covenant, which was Jesus Christ.
And today, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever" is following before this group that you want to call holy-rollers, if you want to (All right.), going on, leading from victory unto victory. Praise God.
94 In them nations, in them days they were despised and hated and rejected, and turned down by the nations, and called everything.
So is it today with the true believer. You, in your churches, you know, when you take a stand for Christ and speak for Truth, the whole church says, "Look at him. He's lost his mind. He's gone crazy." See?
Don't pay no attention to that. Follow on. You're all armored up now. And the Blood's going before you, the Holy Spirit leading you. Just keep moving. Don't pay no attention to what nobody tells you. Look straight to Calvary and march on. Beautiful type.
97 Now, they had come out, through, and got... And now notice, blood redemption brought them out of Egypt. Now they had to have something else now to take them on over into the land. Now, they're just beginning to start. They had come out, been circumcised, come under the blood, and on the march. Now, they'd got up to something. They was going along there, knowing that they'd passed from death unto life, knowed they had Eternal Life, but here they are, coming up now, and difficult begins to rise. Here comes Pharaoh's army pursuing them to take them. Trouble set in.
Listen. "God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble." Oh, I hope you see this. See? Here it is. Know... But listen, 13th verse now.
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not...
100 I love that. After Jesus rose from the dead, His words were constantly, "Fear not."
That's what the trouble with the Church today, is scared to death you're going to make a failure. How can you fail when you're in Christ? You can't fail. You've got Everlasting Life. All demons in hell can't shake you. You got Everlasting Life. Jesus said so. So don't be scared of failure.
You say, "Well, I'm afraid I'll get fanatic." I'd rather have a little fanaticism than to set still and do nothing. I sure would. A man that's going to do something...
103 It's told about Ballard's up here. A fellow come to get a job from him, and he said, "Sign your name here." He took his pencil, to sign. He said, "Where's your eraser at?"
Said, "I don't no... make no mistakes."
He said, "I can't use you; you ain't going to do nothing."
That's right. If you don't make no mistakes, you're not--you're not doing nothing. Let's go, brother. Be up and going. I like Longfellow there:
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
And the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Said, yes, life is real! And life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Let us be up and doing,
With a heart for any strife;
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero!
105 Don't wait for people to persuade you to Christ. Stand like a man or a lady, accept Him, and walk forward in victory. Amen. That's what God wants, rugged, ready soldiers. You might not be, weigh a hundred and five pounds, but you can still be ruddy, brother, and full of power, if you'll just let God have His way. I've seen men that weighed two hundred pounds, didn't have an ounce of man in them. That's right. All right. Notice.
Moses said unto the people, Fear... not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD,...
That's good. Just march on. Don't get scared about nothing. If you've accepted Christ as your Saviour, go on.
107 "Brother Branham, I want the baptism of the Holy Ghost." Just keep moving. Don't fear.
You say, "I'm sick now, Brother Branham. I can't go much farther." Don't worry. Just keep moving on; see the salvation of our Lord. Accept it. Just move on.
"How's it going to be? The doctor turned me down." Now, the fellow done the best he could, but God hasn't done His best yet. That's right. Just a moment, listen at him now. All right.
.. the LORD, which he will show unto you to day: for the Egyptians... (the assayers, the truth--the troublemaker)...
110 Say, "Brother Branham, if I could just quit smoking... If I could just lay down drinking... If I could just quit my stealing... If I could just quit my doing this, that, and the other." Don't worry. Just walk on. God will take care of the rest of it.
"If I knowed I could do it, Brother Branham, I'd accept Christ right now." Don't you worry. Move on. Just go on. You'll see the salvation of the Lord.
.. for the Egyptian's who you have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. (Amen. It's going to be settled, after while.)
The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall be a hold your peace.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward: (I like that.)
113 Don't try to say, say, "Well, I joined the church ten years ago, Brother Branham. I've been a good faithful member." That's fine; I appreciate that. But let's move on, tonight. God's moving on. The people today here, they go back; they say, "Well, now..."
Science, a hundred and fifty years ago; there was a science in France, that said, "If a man ever went the terrific speed of thirty miles an hour, gravitation would take him off the earth, and he'd be gone." Huh. Thirty miles an hour? He's going about sixteen hundred miles an hour now. You never hear science refer back to that fellow. He was all right in his day, but they're living in another day. That's right.
But we preachers, oh, no. "Divine healing? Now, let me see what--what Saint Moody, Finney, Knox, Calvin, some of them said about It." They were all right in their days. But we're moving on, going forward. We got something else.
116 Jesus said in the parable there of the sower, when a sower went forth and sowed seeds. And some... The enemy come around and sowed some weeds in the wheat. He said, "Let them grow together."
You're always pointing how wicked the world's a getting, but you fail to see how powerful the Church is a getting at the same time. She's rising up, standing on the field. Oh, She's a little flock, but, brother, God's with Her. And She's going to triumph just as certain as Christ rose from the dead. Amen. God's Church shall never fail. "The gates of hell shall not prevail against It." Showed they'd be against It, but they cannot prevail. The Church is going to triumph through the Blood of Jesus Christ to the victory march. I'm positive of this one thing, that God will have a Church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish. Amen. I'm so happy about that.
118 Now, if I am in that Church, amen... "Brother Branham, how do you got into It, by letter?" No. "How do you get into It?" By birth, borned into It.
I've been in the Branham family, it'll be forty-five years the sixth day of this coming April. They never did ask me to join their family. I was born a Branham. I'll always be a Branham.
I was borned a Christian in Jesus Christ. I'll be a Christian, 'cause God has ordained it so by election. He called us through the grace of His Own beloved Son. We accepted Him and got Eternal Life. By one handshake? By one membership? By one letter? By one Spirit we're all baptized into one Body, Jesus Christ, and there become fellow citizens of the Kingdom.
121 I was thinking today as I was away praying, that how that this is the day that we're going to have to answer for. I'm not going to have to answer for the generation that was before me or the generation that will be after me. But in the judgment I'm to stand with this generation. And I said, "Looky there, a woman's picture on the sign, beer-drinking, something another, said she was 'breathless,' or something." I said, "Yes, and Lifeless too." All right. There you are. I said, "What a disgrace."
"With all the preaching," I said, "sometimes it seems..." I told my wife; I said, "Sometimes it seems it doesn't do any good. But I've got to be the voice of warning anyhow, regardless of what people does about it. I've got to preach the Gospel anyhow and give a witness unto the resurrection and the power of Jesus Christ." Let them forsake It, and turn their back; God will judge them at the judgment for it. I'm only responsible for preaching, and other ministers too, who preach the Gospel.
123 Now, I just love it. Notice, "Go forward now," and you will see the glory of God. But listen, the 16th verse now, we read this:
But lift... up the rod,...
"The rod," that was the judgment rod. Now, it wasn't Moses' rod. That was God's rod. If you'll notice Moses, he took that rod; he held it up like this. Fleas come. He held it over the waters; it turned to blood. It was God's judgment rod. And that same rod... Get it. That same rod was what he smote the rock with; and a cleft come in the side of the rock, and waters came out of the rock.
Now, that Rock was Christ, and it was God's judgment ("The day you eat thereof, that day you die.") smote Christ at Calvary, and paid that bitter, agonizing death. No man never could describe what it was or never will. There God placed all the Divine judgment upon Him and smote Him in the side, when out of His side come water and Blood and Spirit for our redemption.
126 How people paint His picture sometime, with a robe around Him, or something another, on the cross. That is not so. They disposed that Man of every foul, vulgar thing that they could; but He had to be. There He was, the highest and loyalest of all the world, that ever was or will be, and then exposed, naked, on the cross: wounded, smitten, bleeding, gobs of mockery spit hanging from His face, a mocking crown of thorns on His head. But there's when He conquered death, hell, sin, sickness, and the grave, and paid the price for us all.
It's often said, sometime, "There's where He took the sting out of death."
That's where Paul said, "O death, where is your sting?"
I've been told that many insects, bees and things, they've got a stinger, and they're poison with it. But one time they sting, they lose their stinger.
Death had a sting in it one time, but Christ on Calvary took the stinger out of death. Hallelujah. Oh, when I think of it, there He pulled the stinger out of death for me and you, all the sting of death.
130 Paul said, when they was going to cut his head off in the Roman prison, he said, "Death, where is your sting?" Pointed back to Calvary, and there's where stinger was taken out of death. "Grave, where is your victory?" He said, "But thanks be to God, that gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen. All right.
.. the rod (the judgment), and stretch it out... cover the--the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go over on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
And I, behold, I will harden the heart of the Egyptians, and they shall follow thee: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, and upon the chariots, and upon the horsemen.
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, and I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
And the angel of God,...
Listen. Tighten up the harness now.
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel,... (He's still here.) The angel of God, that went before the camp of Israel, removed and went back behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: (or, went up from here, and stood back here, a go-between in the time of trouble.)
132 When trouble begins to face you, sickness on every hand, trouble, the Angel of God comes up, goes out between you and the sickness and stands there in the way, a challenging you to take God's Word.
God had give Israel the promise, that they was going to the land. There was a million, probably, of men coming to pursue them and run them down, and chop them down like a bunch of animals. But the Angel of the Lord Who was there to carry them to the promised land, rose up from the camp and went and stood between them and danger. Hallelujah.
He still does it. He will make the way. Oh, I just love Him for that, don't you? He will make the way for every sick person sitting here right now. He's already made the way, and He's standing between you and trouble.
135 And I know He's here right now. You can call me a fanatic if you want to; I'm not responsible for what you say. But I'm responsible for what I say before God. But He Who led the children of Israel, if I have judged it right, on that Light that you see tonight or seen on that picture... I suppose they put some out tonight. That same Angel of God is in this building right now to do just exactly what Jesus did in that day. He's here to confirm. Just what He did then, He is now, and will always be the same, the Angel of God, moving up to stand between us and sickness, stand between us and death.
No wonder David said, "Yea, though I walk through the valleys of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil: for thou art with me." Sure.
137 Standing there, the Angel of God went before the camp of Israel, and removed, and went and stood between them and the enemy.
And the Angel of God is standing tonight between every individual here and the enemy. I know what I'm speaking of. I know while standing here now on the platform, before this little group of people tonight, I know that God has condescended, coming down from glory, and standing in this building now. If you'll only dare to move out on God's Word, see if He don't move before you now. Watch.
And It came between the camp and the Egyptians. He's coming between you and your sickness. He's standing between you and your sins right now. Why? We are in the exodus of the Church. Egypt was always called the world. And when Israel come out of... Remember, they were church members down there. But after the blood and the atonement was made, they become the circumcised of God.
And the circumcision today is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. "All," said Stephen, "all you uncircumcised in the heart and ears, why do you always resist the Holy Ghost? As your fathers did, so do you." The Holy Spirit circumcised in the heart, cutting away the things of the world. It used to be the old fashion holiness church lived it, acted like it, lived like it. But today it's just like the rest of the world. It's a disgrace. We let down the bars.
141 Old Brother Spurgeon used to say, an old Methodist preacher friend of mine, used to sing a song.
We let down the bars, we let down the bars,
We compromised with sin.
We let down the bars, the sheep got out.
How did the goats get in?
Because you let down the bar. That's it. You let down the standard of Christian living, because the seminaries hatched out a few preachers and sent them down to compromise with the truth. But the Holy Ghost has always been there to condemn sin, and is tonight standing between the believer and the things of the world. Amen.
And it came between the camp and the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud of darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all night.
Look, the same thing that was given this group of believers, Light, was blinding them.
144 All right, put on your shock-proof jackets. Here it comes. Look, every man that rejects Light goes blind and walks in darkness because you don't accept Light. Amen. God sends ministers who preach the Gospel. He sends signs and wonders among men to a vindicate it to be the truth; and men reject It. There's nothing left but darkness for you. Walk in the Light while the Light's a shining, my brother. Receive the Light. Christ is the Light. He's come to bring Light to you. But those who rejected Light received darkness. And every man and woman tonight, who rejects Light, walks in darkness, not knowing where he's going. He's staggering along pretty good, popular with the people, but wonder how he stands in the Presence of God.
145 Notice it. What a marvelous thing here. He was Light to one and darkness to the other. The Israelites then, after Moses prayed, they could lay down in peace. Now, watch.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea a dry land, and the waters were divided.
And the children of Israel went unto the midst of the sea upon the dry ground:...
If you'll notice, while the children of Israel, who had come out of darkness and accepted the Light, when they got in trouble, the Light turned back around. And they slept all night. And while they were sleeping, God was sending a wind, blowing down across the sea, opening up a way of escape.
147 Hallelujah to the Lamb. I'm so glad that I've been filled with the Holy Spirit tonight. While we are sleeping, rejoicing, resting in the promise of God...
God promised them to make a way of escape. And while they were resting on this promise, God was down there, before them, opening up a way.
Every man and woman tonight, that will accept Jesus Christ on those grounds, the Holy Spirit, while you're asleep, while you're resting in His promise... Maybe you're crippled; maybe you're blind; maybe you can't hear; maybe you can't see; maybe you're sick: heart trouble, cancer, or something, dying. Accept the Light tonight and rest upon It.
And the wind, coming like a rushing mighty wind on the day of Pentecost, will move down through there and open up a way for you (Hallelujah.), that you'll pass right through that valley of sickness, right back into the land of health again. You'll pass right through that land of cold, formal, shackled-down, indifferent religions, to a Holy Ghost filled, happy, rejoicing, heart full of joy.
151 God shows His power, and was showing it (Excuse me, I'm getting too loud.), showing redemption by power. He showed the blood back there on one thing. He showed His power here by His Blood, through redemption, showed His power to escape death, through the blood. He showed His power to make a way of escape by redemption of power.
And today, you who have accepted (Amen.), you who have accepted the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse you from sin, the power of the Holy Ghost is here to lead you to the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The power of God is here to transform you from sickness to health. God, moving on in the exodus of His Church, She's coming into the blossom, where God will gather after while His grain. Wonderful, coming out of the darkness, into the marvelous Light, how we love that, how I do, what that means to my soul tonight. Friends, you...
153 I was talking to a man today, who just met me while I was out. And he said, "I been trying to tell people." Said, "I've changed a lot, Billy, since you was a kid." Said, "You used to come by and tell me, at my place of business, that I ought to get right with God, I ought to be right with God." And said, "I kind of laughed at you." But said, "Billy, things has changed now." Said, "I know now what you speak of."
I thought, "Praise God."
He said, "I try to tell others about it," and said, "they'll change the subject and go talking about a funny paper or something. Oh, it ain't me. This next guy over on the corner, he may die. He's the next one. Maybe his number is the next one, not knowing whose number is next." It may be yours tonight, friend. This may be the time God calls you.
155 God, the great Holy Spirit, standing here tonight between death and Life, standing here tonight between sickness and health... I know what I speak of. That's right. Right now, the same Holy Spirit that you feel now, every born-again person's bound to feel that Spirit in the room. You can't help it. If you got any Life, you know It's there. All right.
156 How like a magnet, when it's... When a great magnet's coming near the material, it begins to move and crawl (why?) closer it gets... Like a big magnet come down, up here, one time, at Hammond, Indiana. I was watching them take up shavings on the floor. They pulled a great big lever, and down come a great big magnet. And they had all the shavings swept out in the middle of the floor. And as it passed by, all those shavings that was magnetized to the magnet, iron, went right up and went with the magnet out. And they demagnetize it, dropped it into the cupola, and mold it again. There was a lot of aluminum shavings left. I said, "Why didn't they go?"
He said, "They're not magnetized to the magnet."
I said, "Praise God." I said, "Why didn't these go down here, this piece of iron?"
Said, "If you notice, it's bolted down."
And that's about like a lot of peoples tonight, friends. You become a church member, but not magnetized by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Then you let something shackle you down, some difference shackle you down.
159 But one of these days, there's a great magnet coming from the east, called the Son of God, that'll sweep this land. And every person that's dead in Christ shall rise with Him, to go yonder. And these old bodies will be transformed and made in His likeness, unto His Own glorious body, where we shall live forever and ever, free from sickness, free from old age, free from everything else; and in the glory of God, to live in His blessed Presence forever. Amen. Don't let that scare you. I feel religious right now. I sure do. All right.
"For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and at the last days He will stand on this earth; though the skin worms destroys this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself; mine eyes shall behold, and not another."
Don't think I'm crazy. I'm not. If I am, just let me alone. I'm more happier this way than I was the other way. Yes, sir. Just let me stay this way. Oh, sure, crazy to the world, for those things that the world calls crazy, God calls blessed. You have to lose your mind to this world. Because why? You're not of this world.
162 When you cross over that separating line, you become fellow citizens of the Kingdom of God. Oh, my. How good is it? Why, you become a new creature (oh, my), changed from this what you are now. You are now the sons of God. Now, are we sitting together in heavenly places, not, we will be in the Millennium. We are now, right now we're the sons of God. Right now we're sitting together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, not just in the church; we're in Christ Jesus.
The resurrected Lord Jesus is here. He's here in His power. He's here in His redemption power. He's here for the exodus. He's here to bring every church member into fellowship with Him. He's here to bring every sinner, no matter how low you are, He's here to bring the power of His resurrection into your life and make you a new creature.
164 Here a few years ago, all the religions of the world met, I believe it was in London, England, or somewhere. I don't remember exactly. But when they was all speaking for different churches, the Mohammedans, and the Buddha's, and everything, a little, a fellow that represented the American Holiness church, John Witt, I believe, was his name... So then when he got up, to his time to speak, all the religions represented in this great gathering, he told the story of Lady Maccabee, how low she was: got arrested in Oklahoma with a cigar in her mouth, driving a--or breaking the speed law, going through the streets with a stagecoach. She had done so many murders, and so filthy, and so ornery, until when they went to tar and feather her, they wouldn't even put their hands on her, afraid they'd be polluted.
And when he got the story told in such a dramatic way till every listener was sitting on the ends of their seat, he said, "Gentlemen, of the religions of this world, has your religion got anything that would clean the hands of Lady Maccabee?" Nobody said a word. He jumped up in the air, and kicked his heels together, and slapped his hands. He said "The Blood of Jesus Christ won't only clean her hands, but It'll clean her heart." Amen. That's right.
166 The Blood of Jesus Christ will take the lowest prostitute in Louisville, Kentucky, and make a lady, a saint out of her. It'll take the bootlegger out of the place down yonder and make a gentleman out of him, and a saint of God.
My friends, citizens of the Kingdom, my fellow men of Kentucky and Indiana, and around about, don't you think tonight it's about time for you to consider this Lord Jesus before your last chance is taken?
168 When you see the Church going in this great exodus, see the Pillar of Fire leading before us, standing, performing miracles and signs... He's here tonight in all His redeeming power. He's here to make whole every sinner, to take back every backslider. He's here to heal every sick person.
He's the full Gospel. And we preach the full Gospel. Eat the whole Lamb. Roast It with the Holy Ghost, and know that It's good eating, for the Holy Spirit has Divined to us that It is real good. Taste and see the Lord is good. It tastes like honey in the rock.
Our Lord Jesus here in His love and power, in His great redemptive blessings, oh, how He stands between the Church and sin tonight. How He stands between you and judgment, bleeding, praying...
171 Here not long ago, I walked into a place up here in Ohio, where I had been just about to pass my opinion of judgment. I'd been eating at a little Dunkard restaurant. We was having a great meeting. I had to stay several miles out in the country at a little motel. I'd been eating at a Dunkard restaurant, nice lovely people. And on Sunday they closed and went to church. I had to go across to an ordinary little, common, American place to eat my dinner.
When I walked into the door, to my surprise there stood a state police with his arm around a girl, playing a slot machine. Now, gambling is illegal in Ohio, and there the lawman himself breaking the law; and perhaps, a man at my age, perhaps married, with a family somewhere, with his arms around some young lady standing there.
I looked back across the restaurant, some boys sitting back there drunk, and a young lady not acting morally at all. I looked, sitting down to my right side here to a booth, which I was ready to set down, there set an elderly lady, somewhat around fifty-eight, sixty years old (old as my mother), setting there, skin all wrinkled up, the little bitty clothes on. And, oh, it was terrible. And her toenails painted purple, her lips painted purple, the horriblest looking sight you ever seen, her hair cut real short and fringed up like that, and she was drinking.
There set two men with her, sitting there, horribly-looking, drunk, and one of them laying across the plate of the table. And when they excused themselves, and went out to the rest room...
176 I stood there. I thought, "O God, how can You stand it? How can You look at such as that? When even in my heart, and I'm as bad as I am, yet, still I wonder if my little Sarah and Rebekah will have to raise up in such a generation to see that coming on. Lord, why don't You just wipe it off of the face of the earth?" I thought, "Why don't You just do it, Lord?"
I set down there and just started to weeping. I saw a vision. I saw as it was, the world whirling around in the air, and there stood a rainbow around that world. And someone that was speaking to me, said, "That's the Blood of Jesus Christ around this world, that keeps Him from destroying it. If God can see sin, 'The day you eat thereof, that day you die.' Every man under that Blood there has a--is a free moral agent to take your choice. But if you ever die, and your soul soars beyond the mercy of that Blood, you're already judged before you get there. There's nothing left for you."
178 Then I seen myself. I seen my Lord Jesus standing there with a crown of thorns on His head, and the tears running down, mixed up with Blood, as it washed off of His beard. And I seen my sins coming before Him. And every time they would come before Him like that... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... till He was shaking. The thorns would stick in His brow more. He'd stagger back. He'd say, "Father, forgive him; he don't know what he's doing." And again I would do something, and then His Blood was like the bumper on the car, protecting the car, shielding me from the wrath of God, undeserving.
And I come to Him slowly, knelt down to Him. I said... Looked down there, laying in front of me, and there was an old book of sin, and my name wrote across the top. I said, "Lord, will You forgive me?"
"Certainly," He said with loving eyes; reached to His side, got some Blood out, and wrote on it, "Pardoned," and throwed it back in the Sea of Forgetfulness. He said, "Now..."
I said, "Thank You, Lord."
He said, "Now, I forgive you; and you're condemning her." Oh, that changed the picture for me.
182 I--I come out of it. I walked over there and set down to her and begin to talk. And she had some rough life back before her. I said, "Was you never a Christian?"
She said, "I was raised in a Christian home."
And I said, "What happened?"
She told me about a miscue with her husband, and how the children, and so forth. I said, "All, for all these years, you've never lived peaceful since you met God?"
She said, "Sir, that is the truth."
I said, "Won't you receive Him right now."
She said, "Will He take me?"
I said, "He's knocking at your heart now."
And out of that booth there, on the floor, and knelt down before that audience of people; slot machines stopped, vulgar cursing stopped, and everything else. And I lifted up my hands, and my hands... and them poor wrinkled hands, and led her to Jesus Christ. Then she went... That's it, friends. Don't... Look... Jesus...
I don't care what you've done, how black your sins are, how smutty your life is; God's standing tonight, knocking at your heart's door, to forgive you, no matter who you are.
186 Let's bow our heads a minute. Sister, come to the organ there, will you?
Heavenly Father, oh, I pray that You'll just now, while the Holy Spirit is a moving in the building... Let us seek first the Kingdom, to find favor with You, and then I believe You'll heal the sick. But right now, Father, while feeling that there's a great, deep interest and a conviction, people knowing that Your Church is in the exodus, and we're going on towards judgment... Not knowing but, in the morning, someone may come to the bedside, and there we're laying gone. This time, tomorrow night, may be in a morgue somewhere and our souls out yonder in eternity.
O God, this may be the last hour. This may be the last chance that men will receive. Many, no doubt, are setting here, men and women, who desired, who's lived just a normal, good life, but never have been borned again, doesn't know what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, a complete surrendered life, with all the shame, bashfulness taken from them, and God's Spirit baptize them into His mercy.
Father, dear, won't You tonight, in the Name of Thy beloved Child Jesus, move to every heart and speak just now. And may they in the simplicity of their heart, raise up their thoughts to Thee, raise their heart and say, "Here I am, Jesus. Take me now just as I am, and mold me and make me something different. Make me the kind of man You'd have me to be. All through my life, You've talked to me. You've spoke to me. You've tried to get me to do different. You've tried to make me to make that surrender. But now the day is far spent, Lord, with me, but I'm ready to come now." Grant it, Father. While mercy is calling before judgment, and the exodus of the Church is leaving Egypt, may they come, go along with the great group of the called-out. We ask it in His Name.
190 And while we have our heads bowed, and eyes closed, and Christians praying, I wonder if you'd just raise up your hand, say, "Brother Branham, you remember me. I--I believe every word you're saying is the truth about Jesus Christ. And we all need to be filled with the Spirit, and I'm not yet. I've been a church member." Or, maybe you haven't been at all. Maybe you've been a sinner, never have accepted Christ, or you've been a member of the church, and haven't been born again. Would you raise up your hand, say, "Remember me, Brother Branham, in your prayer. I want to be right"?
God bless you. God bless you, and you, and you, you, you; and you, my brother; you, sister; and you, brother; you, you, you, brother, sister. I see.
Oh, over to my left, how many over here? Raise your hand, say, "Remember me, Brother Branham, I want to be born."
193 Now remember, the Holy Spirit's speaking to you. If I be God's servant, I know, as sure as I'm standing on this platform, that the Holy Spirit's speaking to hearts here.
Friends, I may be peculiar to you, but I'm not a fanatic. I do know what I speak of, if I know what you're trouble is out there, and what your disease is, and God hears my prayer for you. And right here in this building sets people that has been healed, with cancer, and blindness, and deafness, and cripples, and everything else. Look at the millions around the world. What about you now? What about it now? If He will hear my prayer for that, won't He hear my prayer for your condition of your soul? If He will reveal to me where your trouble is, won't He reveal to me now where your trouble is also?
How many more will raise your hand, say, "Brother Branham remember me. I want, at this time, ask God to be merciful to me."? God bless you, and you, and you, you, again. Oh, my, just all over the building, everywhere...
195 While you have your heads bowed. I wonder, if you that's raised your hand, just have just a little more grace, say, "Lord, I had enough grace to raise my hand, give me enough grace to stand up while he prays. If You shall come for me before daylight, Lord, this is my sign to You that I want to be right. I want to meet You someday. This cough will come up my sleeve, and I'll press a dying pillow. The doctor will leave my bedside; nothing could be done. Then, God, have mercy on my soul. While the cold fogs of death is floating in the room, may the old ship of Zion come, pack me a way. I'm going to stand, Lord. It's taking a lot of grace, but Something's moving me. I'm standing." God bless you, brother.
Someone else will stand, say, "I'm standing, Lord." God bless you, brother. God bless you, brother, sister. Just remain standing. Everyone that wants to be remembered in this prayer for the salvation of your soul, would you stand? God bless you. God bless you, young man. God bless you, sir. God bless you, brother. God bless you, my sister. God bless you, sister, you, brother.
Someone else stand now and say, "Here I am. Brother Branham, I'm not standing before you. I'm standing before God. Something told me to stand up, and I'm standing." Will you do it? Just stand to your feet. Just take God this much. God bless you, lady.
198 There's more. God bless you, lady. That's right. Poor mother holding her little baby, trying to get up, tears in her eyes. Won't you come? Stand up again. God bless you, lady, elderly lady stood up there, and real elderly, knowing that she's got to face God one of these days. God bless you. Who will stand up next now, say, "I'll stand." Just remain standing for the prayer.
Someone else? I just feel like that someone else wants to stand. Maybe you just want to get a little closer. Don't put it off any more. Just stand. Will you do it, you ones that wants to be closer to God? God bless you. That's right. Would somebody... God bless you, lady. Yes, sir.
There's at least three more people, I'm looking right straight at, ought to be standing up, 'cause there stands the Angel of the God. God bless you, lady. That's right. Now, all right, brother, what about it? All right. Angel of the Lord standing, I know. I see It, and I know that someone should stand right now. I'll wait just a minute longer. May God... You know He's pressing at your heart. He's standing there, my friend. That's Him that's telling you to stand up. Won't you do it? Just stand and accept Him, just now. All right.
Are you sure now? If God would call you tonight in this meeting, this sermon, this invitation's going to meet you yonder when you die. What have you done about it? If you're not positive sure, stand now, so that He will see you want to accept, to walk in the Light.
202 Now, our kind Heavenly Father, these Thy dear children, softened hearts, the Word fell in their heart tonight. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing of the Word." And they could hear. And You softened their hearts, many are standing, men and women, boys and girls, confess Thee as their own dear Saviour and Leader.
And may the Angel of God, Who is here now tonight, may He guide them through life. May they be guided to Calvary just now in their hearts and accept Jesus as their Saviour. And may the Holy Spirit, through the Blood of Christ, come down upon their souls, and take all the indifference away, and fill them with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. May this be the greatest night of their life. We know it is, for tonight they're receiving You. Grant it, Lord, just now. And may they go home from here, tonight, happy, rejoicing, praising God, with all their heart. I pray this blessing through Christ Jesus' Name.
Now, may the Lord bless you as you be seated.
204 Let me ask you now. Each one of you that stood, and you know that something happened to you while you were standing, raise your hand. Just raise your hand; you know something happened. God bless you. God bless you. That's right. It has to, friends. It has to. I stood, seen here just now, the same Angel that I speak of, going right through this building here, the same Angel of the Lord, the Pillar of Fire. I've been preaching the last five or ten minutes, under that inspiration. I feel It, just see It moving through this building. Now, you may think that I'm storying to you, but it's the truth.
Now, I don't think I'll even call a prayer line. I think I'll stand right here and just ask God to confirm that I've told you the truth (That's right.) with signs, wonders.
206 How many in here wants to be healed, the sick people? Raise your hands. Wherever you are, just raise your hand, say, "I accept it." All right.
I want you to look, live, and believe. Somebody in this audience, through here, somebody through here, just look, and say, "Lord Jesus..."
Like this... I believe, the reason I made that altar call first, we've got to find favor with Him. This is something new to me. I've got to find favor with Him first. Then if I've found favor, and done a favor... And you, a dozen, or two, souls come to Him just then. Surely, surely...
209 Now, each one of you people that come to Christ, then, find a good Holy Ghost-filled church and go to it, and there seek His baptism until you've found it; just go, just every night, every day, just keep praying. And when you're looking...
Now, you people that's sick, if I've told you the truth, God will testify that it's truth. That's right. Only can do it... And God will make it known, if you'll just pray and believe with all your heart. Just look, and say this...
211 When the Angel of the Lord met me out there at Green's Mill, Indiana, eight years ago, after being since a child, following me, showing visions; when I went to Him, He said, "If you'll be sincere, get the people to believe You, nothing shall stand before the prayer."
Now, He could do the same for you now that He could then. He's risen from the dead. And He... There the audience out there before Him. He knows what's on every one of you, what you've done, what's your trouble, everything about it. Do you believe that? Then believe it with all your heart.
213 I notice a young man setting here, believing, trying to, having faith. Do you believe that God will let me know what's wrong with you? You do? If He will, will you accept your healing? You have heart trouble. Isn't that right? What if I told you now that you was well of it? Would you believe it? Stand up just a minute. You got a nervous heart and a murmuring heart. It's bothered you for some time. The only time, when you lay down too, it smothers you, and you have a lot of beating back and forth, fluttering. Is that right? 'Cause, it causes an indigestion from your stomach to run up through them vein. Isn't that true? You'll not be bothered with it no more. Just keep what you have right now; you can go home and be well.
I'm not reading your mind. I'm a perfect stranger to you. You're just a man sitting there. Is that right? Never seen you in my life, and never knowed nothing about you. Is that true? Well, the Angel of the Lord is here.
Frankly, young man, I want to ask you something, and you see if this is truth or not. About a few moments ago, all of a sudden something strange come over you when I begin to talk about the sting gone out of the stinger. Wasn't that right? Wasn't it a strange feeling you had, a...?... Isn't that right? And didn't you look at me at that same time, and my eyes catch you at the same time? That's when you were healed with heart trouble, right there. Amen. That's exactly. He's here.
216 I'm not reading your mind, friends. I only speak the truth, and God vindicates it to be the truth.
What do you think about it, setting there next to him? Do you believe? Do you believe me to be God's prophet? Do you believe if God... You setting 'cause you're on the front seat, that's the reason I'm talking to you so much. See, it's back in behind there and around me. But do you believe, if I can contact your spirit, God will reveal what's wrong? Would you accept your healing? You're a diabetic. Is that right? Raise up your hand if that's the truth. Stand up on your feet. Do you accept your healing now? May the Lord Jesus Christ make you every whit whole. God bless you.
218 Have faith. Somebody in here believe. Have faith, with all your heart.
I see a young man setting there with a blue suit on. There It stands right above him. You have a skin disease, don't you, young man? Isn't that right? Stand up on your feet. Oh, I see, you're with this delegation. Is that right? Well, do you want to go home well? Raise up your hand, say, "Lord Jesus, I now believe the Angel of the Lord leads along, and I believe that I am healed."
What do you think about it, next man to him there, do you believe too? Stand up on your feet a minute, so I can look at you. You believe me to be God's servant, with all you heart? You want to get over that heart trouble? That's what you had, wasn't it? That's what you "had," I said. You don't have it now. You can go home too.
The next man to him, what do you think about it, sir? Do you believe with all your heart? Do you believe me to be God's prophet? Stand up on your feet. Do you believe with all your heart now? You had nervousness. Isn't that right? See? Is that right? Raise up your hand. You can go home well now. Jesus Christ make you well.
222 What about the next man, setting down the row, you believe with all your heart? Stand up on your feet. Do you believe me to be God's prophet, to be His servant? You believe He'd tell me what's wrong with you, that you'd accept your healing? It's in your throat. Is that right? Go home and be well, in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Anybody else in this building, that wants to be made well, can raise and be made well. If you believe me, as God's servant, stand to your feet. God bless you. Female trouble, cancer, there it goes. God be blessed. Every one of you, raise your hands to God.
224 Our Heavenly Father, I now condemn every disease in this building, cast out every evil spirit, and may the Holy Ghost take over now and make every person well.
Lay your hands over on one another, and say, "Praise the Lord," everywhere. And rejoice and be happy, for Jesus Christ is here, the Lamb of God, to make you well, every one.
1Veľmi pekne vám ďakujem. Dobrý večer, priatelia. Je to výsada byť tu dnes večer, aby som vás znovu oslovil v Mene nášho drahého Pána Ježiša Krista. A vždy je to výsada stretnúť Boží ľud kdekoľvek a hovoriť o tom veľkom Mene Ježiš.
Určite si cením pieseň, ktorú náš brat práve zaspieval. To je moja obľúbená. V tom dni, keď sa ľudia snažia urobiť z Ježiša len proroka alebo dobrého človeka alebo učiteľa, ona skutočne prináša Svoje Božstvo, to, čím On bol. A ja verím, že On bol...
3Nikdy nebol na zemi taký ako On, ani nikdy nebude. On bol Emanuel. On bol Alfa, Omega, Počiatok a Koniec, Ten, ktorý bol, ktorý je a ktorý príde, Koreň a Potomok Dávidov; Ranná Hviezda. V Ňom prebývalo Božstvo. V Ňom bol Boh.
„Boh bol vo Svojom Synovi, v Kristovi, mieriac so Sebou svet.“ Ježiš povedal, „Nie som to Ja, kto činí tie skutky, ale to je Môj Otec, ktorý prebýva vo Mne. Môj Otec a Ja sme Jedno,“ Boh, ktorý sa zamanifestoval v tele. Aké nádherné zjavenie Božej lásky voči nám; On odhalil Samého Seba a zostúpil dolu a prebýval v ľudskom tele, aby od ľudskej rasy odstránil hriech a chorobu a vykúpil nás naspäť k Otcovi. To je nádherné, či nie? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] Iste si to ceníme.
5No, myslím, že sa budem musieť trochu ospravedlniť za včerajší večer. Ja... Billy ma včera večer vzal trochu skôr, pretože to bolo trochu... Zoslabol som. Ale tie zhromaždenia, to rozpoznávanie, a nikto nikdy nebude vedieť, čo to je, pokiaľ to len... Musíte do toho vojsť, aby ste to porozumeli. Vidíte? Neexistuje spôsob, ako by sa to dalo vysvetliť. Nie je spôsob, ako by ste to dokázali. Je to jednoducho prežitie, o ktorom nevie nikto, len tí, ktorí cez to prechádzajú. To, čo to robí s ľudskou rasou, to, čo to robí s človekom, to z neho odoberá samotný život.
No, žijete v dvoch svetoch. Ste tu v tomto svete a ste v tamtom svete, ste s niekým iným, možno pred päťdesiatimi rokmi; a môžete byť s niekým mnoho rokov v budúcnosti; a pritom si uvedomujete, že stojíte tu na pódiu a hovoríte niečo, čo sa stalo pred mnohými, mnohými rokmi: možno pred týždňami, mesiacmi, v inom národe, na inom mieste, alebo niečo také. A potom sa snažíte udržať sa v priamom zmýšľaní; poviem vám, to je dosť náročná vec. Ale Pán nás v tom doteraz žehnal. A my sme veľmi šťastní a dúfame, že Boh obdrží slávu z tohto zhromaždenia.
7No, dnes večer pri tých bohoslužbách, premýšľal som, že zatiaľ čo sme zídení spolu ako malá skupina ľudí; naše stretnutia sú tu oznamované len lokálne a je to len pre miestnych ľudí. A predtým, ako sa dostaneme do väčších zhromaždení, rozmýšľal som, že by som sa dnes mohol pokúsiť pre ľudí dostať z Biblie niečo zo staromódneho učenia, že keď príde tá veľká udalosť, ak nám ju Boh pošle, potom tomu budeme schopní lepšie porozumieť.
8Koniec koncov, Božské uzdravenie je len návnadou na háčiku, aby to chytilo rybu, ako viete. To je len... To je jeden... Ryba uchopí návnadu a chytí sa na háčik. Takže naša hlavná, naša jediná voľba je to, aby boli získané duše pre Ježiša Krista.
Ak ťa Boh dnes večer uzdraví, môžeš pred tým, ako zomrieš, znovu ochorieť. O rok alebo o dva roky môžeš byť znovu chorý. Môžeš ochorieť o týždeň alebo zajtra, ja neviem. Ale je tu jedna istá vec: v jednom z týchto dní opustíš tento svet, pretože toto je len zaplátané.
Ale ak tá duša niekedy príde do kontaktu s Duchom Svätým a je znovuzrodená, tak máš večný Život. Bez ohľadu na to, čo sa tu deje, nikdy nezahynieš. Ježiš povedal, „Ten, kto počúva Moje Slová, verí v Toho, ktorý Ma poslal, má (to je prítomný čas) večný Život, nepríde do odsúdenia, ale prešiel (minulý čas) zo smrti do Života.“ To by nás všetkých metodistov malo povzbudiť začať vykrikovať, však? To je pravda. Keď pomyslíme na to, že Boh to urobil. No, to nie je moje slovo; to je Jeho: svätý Ján 5:24.
11Svätý Ján 6, Ježiš povedal, „Ten, kto je Moje Telo a pije Moju Krv, má večný Život, a Ja ho vzkriesim v posledný deň.“ To je pravda. „Ten, kto je Moje Telo a pije Moju Krv, má (to je prítomný čas) večný Život.“ No, ak je to 'večné', nejde to len z jedného prebudenia do toho druhého; to trvá večnosť.
A teraz, pre niektorých z vás kazateľov, ktorí tu sedíte, viete, že ten 'večný Život' pochádza z toho istého slova, ktoré znamená 'Boží Život,' zo slova 'Zoe,' z gréckeho slova, ktoré znamená 'Boží vlastný Život.'
13Potom sa stávame synom alebo dcérou Božou, potomkom Božím, s časťou Božieho Života v nás. Nemohli by sme zahynúť tak, ako by Boh nemohol zahynúť, ak by sa o to pokúsil. Tak máme večný Život a budeme vzkriesení v poslednom dni. Nie je to nádherné? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] To by spôsobilo, že baptisti a metodisti by si podávali ruky a vykrikovali, či nie? Iste áno. To je pravda.
To je tá dobrá vec na starodávnom náboženstve. To jednoducho núti každého dať sa dokopy a milovať jeden druhého. Iste. Berie to preč všetky rozdiely, tvorí nové stvorenia. To spôsobí, že sa oblek a montérky objímu a povedia, „Brat, ako sa máš?“ To je pravda. Iste áno. To spôsobí, že sa hodvábne a obyčajné šaty objímu a povedia, „Sestra, milujem ťa.“ To je to, čo to robí. Istotne to robí, jednoducho to trhá tie rozdiely. „Bohatí alebo chudobní, sluhovia alebo slobodní, všetci sme jedno v Kristu Ježišovi.“
15V nedeľu v našej modlitebni, pričom vidím, že tu sedí celá skupina ľudí z našej modlitebne, mali sme lekciu nedeľnej školy na tému 'Vykúpenie skrze Krv.' A ja som sa do toho tak vnoril, až mám pocit, že som stále v nejakej inej sfére: 'Vykúpenie skrze Krv.'
A dnes večer, potom, čo rodina odišla a prišiel som sem skôr, aby som počul tú službu piesní, a tak ďalej... Bol som v tej miestnosti a zdalo sa mi, že... Začal som čítať v Písmach a našiel som niečo. Pomyslel som si, „No, ak bude Pán chcieť, tak o tom dnes večer budem trochu hovoriť.“
To je nedeľa: 'Vykúpenie skrze Krv.' No, dnes večer budem hovoriť na tému: 'Vykúpenie skrze moc.' A zajtra večer budem hovoriť na tému: 'Vykúpenie v úplnosti, (ak Boh dá, to je to) v radosti. V Krvi, v moci a v radosti; Vykúpenie.
18A vytiahnuť toto... No, mnohí ľudia, ako skvelí, vzdelaní učenci vedia, ako to preraziť a vydať takéto zjavenie, možno o tomto alebo tamtom, alebo niečo zostaviť. Ale ja som jeden z tých negramotných kazateľov, ktorý je... Jediná vec, ktorú viem robiť, aby som si bol istý, že som aj tak celkom blízko, je ísť do tieňov.
Ak by som začal kráčať ku stene a svetlo by bolo na tejto strane, mohol by som povedať, ako približne vyzerám, či som štvornohé zviera alebo vták, alebo čo to je, ak vidím, aký druh tieňa odrážam.
19No, Starý Zákon bol tieňom Nového Zákona. Bol to negatív, ako mesiac pre slnko. Slnko, ktoré svieti na mesiac, to odráža svetlo na zem. A ja jednoducho milujem Starý Zákon. Je to skrátka tak plné podobenstiev, alebo ako len môže byť. No, dokonalý...
V Genesis, keď Boh stvoril najprv slnko, potom mesiac, ten mesiac a slnko predstavujú Krista a Cirkev. Tak, ako slnko vychádza vo svojej moci a sláve, a keď zapadá, odráža svoje svetlo na mesiac v temnote, aby vydal svetlo na zem, zatiaľ čo to slnko je preč. Ježiš, keď odišiel, On išiel do slávy a odrazil Svoje Svetlo naspäť na Cirkev, aby dal Cirkvi Svetlo Evanjelia, dokiaľ sa On nevráti, ó, a potom sa spolu vezmú. To bude nádherné. Bude to jedno veľké Svetlo mesiaca a... „Baránok je jeho svetlom.“ V tom Meste nepotrebovali už viac slnka.
21No, na malú ukážku, poďme naspäť do Knihy Exodus. A dúfam, že vás neomrzí, keď budem rozprávať niečo z Knihy Exodus.
Raz som v mojom zbore za riekou kázal, myslím, asi rok a šesť mesiacov na tému Jóba, každé zhromaždenie. Ľudia sa vrátili; zobral som len malú časť Jóba a pokračoval som; nechali sme to prechádzať cez Bibliu.
Každé Písmo je spolu zviazané. V Božom Slove nie je žiaden rozpor. Nie veru. Každý kúsok, dokonalá... Jediná Kniha, ktorá bola kedy napísaná, ktorá je takto inšpirovaná, ktorá môže dokonale... Bola napísaná mnohými pisateľmi, ktorí boli od seba vzdialení mnoho stoviek rokov; a každý jeden z nich, skrze hovorenie Ducha Svätého, pasujú rovno dokopy. To je dôvod, že všetky tieto ďalšie extra knihy, Makabejské a také veci, ono sa to s Týmto nezhoduje, a preto to neprijímam. Toto je pre mňa Božie Slovo.
24A jedna žena mi napísala list a povedala... Kázal som o Jóbovi na kope popola. Povedala, „Brat Branham, ty si bol, už si mal toho Jóba dosť dlho na kope popola, nemyslíš? Bol tam asi šesť týždňov.“ Povedala, „No, či ho niekedy dostaneš z tej kopy popola?“
No, povedal som, „Keď Duch Svätý prestane na tú tému vytláčať tie Slová, myslím, že budem musieť prestať o tom hovoriť.“ Ale pokiaľ mi On stále o ňom hovorí na kope popola, no, jednoducho zostávam rovno pri tom; a duše dožívajú spasenie.
26Tak, ako keď do mesta prišiel určitý evanjelista. Kázal, jedného večera kázal o pokání. Na ďalší večer kázal o pokání. Na ďalší večer kázal o pokání. Asi po štyroch alebo piatich večeroch sa s ním stretla rada diakonov a povedali, „Brat, nemôžeš kázať niečo iné okrem pokánia?“
Povedal, „Ó, áno. Nech všetci najprv činia pokánie, potom budem kázať o niečom inom.“ Tak to je dobrý nápad. Nech všetci učinia pokánie, potom môžeme kázať o niečom inom. V poriadku.
28A teraz, pre takú malú ukážku, zvlášť pre tých, ktorí v nedeľu ráno neboli v modlitebni. Chceme sa vrátiť do 12. kapitoly. Ale naša základná myšlienka je dnes večer v 14. kapitole, počnúc 13. veršom z Knihy Exodus. No, v nedeľu ráno sme skončili pri 10. verši; pri téme 'Vykúpenie skrze Krv.' Som si istý, že väčšina z vás je s týmto príbehom oboznámená.
No, vieme, že by sme mohli obracať listy tejto Knihy a prevracať tieto stránky, ale je len Jeden, ktorý môže otvoriť tú Knihu: to je Ježiš Kristus.
Ján uvidel Knihu. Ona bola zapečatená. A on plakal, pretože v nebi nebol žiaden človek, ktorý by to otvoril, žiaden človek na zemi, žiaden človek pod zemou. Ale bol tam Baránok, ktorý bol zabitý od založenia sveta; prišiel, vzal Knihu z pravice Toho, ktorý sedel na Tróne, a otvoril Pečate a otvoril Knihu, uvoľnil jej Pečate. A On bol hodný, lebo bol zabitý od založenia sveta.
Hovorme s Ním dnes večer a poprosme Ho, aby To pre nás rovno teraz otvoril.
32A tak teraz, láskavý, milujúci Otče, prichádzame k Tebe, najprv sa obraciame na Teba, v Mene Ježiša, modlíme sa teraz, ako tu stojíme, ukrytí dnes večer pod touto strechou, kde vonku zúri tá búrka, dážď sa krúti a fúka tam, sme tak vďační, že máme dom Boží, do ktorého môžeme vojsť. A sme vďační za to, že existuje veža, útočisko. Povedal si, „Meno Pánovo je mocnou vežou; spravodliví do nej utečú a sú v bezpečí.“ Sme tak radi, že poznáme Meno Pánovo a vstúpili sme do Neho.
A teraz, modlíme sa, aby si nám dnes večer otvoril toto Slovo, Otče. Nech príde Duch Svätý a vstúpi do Slova. Obrež ústa tohoto úbohého pokorného sluhu a srdcia tých, ktorí budú počúvať, Tvoje deti. A nech Duch Svätý vezme len Slová Božie a umiestni ich do každého srdca, presne tam, kde je to potrebné.
Požehnaj nás teraz; obnov dnes večer naše mysle v Tvojom Duchu. Vezmi slávu z tejto služby. Zachráň stratených. Uzdrav nemocných. Priveď domov odpadnutých, Pane. A vzdáme Ti chválu, lebo o to prosíme v Tvojom Mene, Tvojho milovaného Syna, Ježiša. Amen.
34No, obráťme sa do 10. verša z 12. kapitoly Knihy Exodus. Čítali sme o 'Vykúpení skrze Krv,' ako Boh určil, aby bol v každom dome zabitý baránok, ako tam nemalo nič zostať.
Padali tam súdy a teraz bol pripravený padnúť posledný súd. Boh išiel do bodky naplniť Svoje Slovo. A všetky tie súdy tam vtedy boli dokonalým znamením alebo dokonalým predobrazom súdov, ktoré sú teraz pripravené padnúť.
A ak si všimnete, predtým, ako padol súd... No, kazatelia môžu so mnou v tomto nesúhlasiť, čo je v poriadku. Ale predtým, ako začal na Egypt dopadať súd, Boh poslal Izrael do Gózena. Boli v Gózene a nepadla na nich žiadna pliaga, dokonalý obraz Cirkvi, ktorá je prenesená cez súženie. Rozumiete? V poriadku.
37A potom, tou poslednou pliagou, ktorá zasiahla tú zem, alebo zasiahla Egypt, to bola smrť. Všetci, ktorí tu čítate Bibliu, poznáte svoje hodiny nedeľnej školy, a tak ďalej, toto ste absolvovali možno mnohokrát. Ale smrť bola tým posledným nepriateľom, ktorý zasiahol Egypt.
A posledným nepriateľom, ktorý teraz udrie do cirkvi, je duchovne povedané smrť. Tí, ktorí nebudú nasledovať Krista v krste Duchom Svätým, duchovne vyschnú a zomrú; cirkvi, môžete to teraz vidieť. Po mnohých, mnohých veľkých prebudeniach a evanjelistoch, ktorí prešli zemou, a pritom cirkev, mám na mysli tú politicky orientovanú cirkev, je na tom po celý čas horšie. Jej členovia žijú jednoducho tak, ako chcú, robia všetko, čo chcú, a pritom sa nazývajú Kresťanmi a hovoria, že sú v poriadku.
Byť Kresťanom znamená byť 'ako Kristus.' Nechoďte na žiadne miesto, kde by ste nechceli byť, ak by prišiel Kristus. Nehovorte nič, čo by ste nechceli hovoriť, keď prichádza Kristus; nerobte nič, čo by ste nechceli robiť, keď prichádza Kristus. Nemyslite si nič, na čo by ste nechceli myslieť, keď príde Kristus. Majte svoj jediný motív, svoje srdce centrované na Golgote. Amen. „Kráčajte vo Svetle, ako je On vo Svetle, a potom máme obecenstvo jeden s druhým; Krv Ježiša Krista, Božieho Syna, nás očisťuje od každej neprávosti.“ To sú metodisti, baptisti a všetci z nás, spolu nás to robí všetkých jedno v Ňom.
40No, tá posledná vec bola smrť. A predtým, ako tá smrť prišla, bolo tam učinené kvôli nej zmierenie, pre všetkých, ktorí tomu túžili uniknúť.
A pred prvým zničením predpotopného sveta tam bolo zmierenie. Boh mal kazateľa spravodlivosti, Noeho, a on kázal stodvadsať rokov, aby ľudia vošli do korábu. A tí, ktorí dobrovoľne odmietli ísť, nezostávalo tam nič iné ako súd.
A dnes, ľudia, ktorí odmietate chodiť vo Svetle Kristovom, vy ste zavrhli milosrdenstvo, takže tam nezostáva nič iné ako súd. To je celé. Je tam len pravá a ľavá strana, môžete ísť len na jednu z nich. A vy robíte svoju voľbu.
43No, vidíme, pred tým, ako prišla tá veľká hrozná noc, že Izraelu bolo prikázané... a už sme to prebrali, zabitie baránka.
Boh privádzal Svoju cirkev do exodu, aby ju vyviedol z Egypta do zasľúbenej zeme. To sa mi páči. Oni išli, aby zaujali tú zem. Boh im dal tú zem, a predsa bola celá ohradená veľkými a vysokými budovami a plotmi. A múry okolo Jericha, mohli po nich dookola pretekať vozy. A len na to pomyslite, jednako Boh povedal, „Ja som vám to dal, je to vaše.“ Ale oni museli upratať, vyčistiť to.
45A to je to, čo Boh urobil dnes. On dáva krst Duchom Svätým každému jednému z vás, kto to chce. Ale musíte vojsť a zaujať to; to je celé. Bojujte proti rozdielom a zrúcajte múry a začnite tam a dostaňte to.
Poviete, „Pastor povedal, 'To nie je pre nás na dnešný deň.'“ Len choďte rovno okolo toho.
Matka povedala, „Vyženiem ťa z domu.“ Choď rovno okolo toho.
Manžel povedal, „Opustím ťa.“ Choď rovno okolo toho. To je celé. Musíš ísť a zaujať to do vlastníctva. To je všetko.
Božské uzdravenie je pre každého jedného z vás. Každý jeden z vás, ktorý tu dnes večer sedí s rakovinou, má problémy so srdcom, čokoľvek to je, Boh dal zasľúbenie. A to je vaše, ale musíte ísť a zaujať to do vlastníctva.
No, povieš, „No, necítim sa veľmi dobre.“ To s tým nemá nič spoločné. To zasľúbenie je tvoje. Boh ti to dal. Len vojdi rovno do toho a zabi Filištínov z jednej strany na druhú. A odstráň všetkých Hevejov a Amorejov; jednoducho ich vyzabíjaj. Choď ďalej; vezmi to. Boh povedal, „Je to tvoje. Choď si to zobrať.“
49Ale On nepovedal, „No, vojdem dnu, všetko to zmetiem preč a postavím vám niekoľko pekných miest a usadím vás na ľahkej ulici.“ On to nerobí takým spôsobom.
On ti to dáva a ty máš niečo do činenia. On je dosť dobrý, že ti tú zem dal, povedal, že ti pomôže a bude s tebou. Choď, vezmi to.
A ak si dnes večer chorý, zmrzačený, slepý, hluchý, nemý, čokoľvek si, choď a vezmi to. Boh povedal, že to je tvoje. Je to tvoje vlastníctvo. Boh ti to dal.
52Povedal im, že im tú zem dá, poslal pred nimi Anjela, aby sa postaral o cestu a priviedol ich na miesto, kde to bolo.
Pozrite sa na tých vyzvedačov, keď tam prešli. Tu sa vrátilo desať z nich a povedali, „Ó, my to nedokážeme. To je nemožné. No, my sme vedci a preskúmali sme tú vec. Je to vedecky nemožné. Nedokážeme to.“
Ale boli tam dvaja ľudia, jeden z nich sa volal Józue a ten druhý bol Kálef. Nehľadeli na to, čím bola tá vedecká stránka. Dívali sa na to, čo povedal Boh. Povedali, „Dokážeme to.“ A to je pravda. A priniesli naspäť nejaký dôkaz, že je to dobrá zem.
Som tak rád za dôkaz (vy nie?), že rovno nad nami je dobrá zem a dnes večer sme na ceste. Haleluja. V poriadku.
56Teraz tu boli tesne pred vykúpením. Boh vyžadoval od detí Izraela, aby mali istotu, že budú ochránení, aby zabili tohoto baránka a aby dali krv na preklad, takto hore na vrch dverí, a na každý stĺp.
A oni mali vojsť dovnútra a zjesť tohoto baránka, každý kúsok z neho; všimnite si, celý baránok, nielen jeho časť. Každý kúsok z toho mal byť zjedený.
Niektorí ľudia hovoria, „Vezmem len túto časť a budem veriť tejto časti.“ Ale musíte To vziať celé, každý kúsok Toho. Povedzte, „Ó, verím, že On bol zranený pre naše prestúpenia, ale, 'skrze Jeho rany,' ja o tom neviem.“ My To chceme celé. Každý kúsok z Toho má byť zjedený, všetko z Toho. Niečo z Toho je tvrdé, ale jednako to musíme jesť. Boh tak povedal.
59Všimnite si teraz ten 10. verš.
Ani nezanecháte z neho ničoho do rána; a to, čo by zostalo... do rána, spálite ohňom.
A teraz, nemá z neho zostať nič. Všetko... No, On povedal, „Keď ho budete jesť, nejedzte ho surového ani vareného, ale musíte to jesť dobre upečené.“ A to sa mi páči.
Ľudia sa snažia jesť Slovo Božie a berú To, akoby To bolo surové, požujú To a vypľujú To a všetko také, hovoria, „Ó, ja To jednoducho nemôžem prijať, nemôžem to vydržať.“ Nie je to dostatočne upečené. To je to.
Povedal, „Upečte ho na ohni.“ Oheň reprezentuje Ducha Svätého. Najprv prijmi do svojho srdca Boha a On To pre teba upečie. To je pravda. Upečie To; potom je To hotové, okorenené, potom To chutí dobre.
63Nuž, nemôžete takto stáť vonku a hovoriť, „Ó, ja neviem, či je to pre mňa alebo nie. To by mohlo byť na tie dni, ktoré už pominuli.“ Len najprv prijmi Ducha Svätého a sleduj, čo pre teba potom znamená Božské uzdravenie.
Pozri sa, čo pre teba potom znamená úprimné náboženstvo, keď tu máš Ducha Svätého, aby upiekol toho Baránka, zatiaľ čo To prichádza. Amen. To je pravda. Najprv upeč Baránka. A na to, aby si To upiekol, musíš mať najprv oheň. To by malo byť opečené. Ó, vtedy je to dobré. Upeč to, to jednoducho vypáli preč všetky...
65Nedávno som tu stál pred jednou veľkou hutou a všimol som si, aký bol ten oheň horúci a to sa jednoducho varilo a varilo a varilo. A keď to bolo čoraz viac horúce, nečistoty v tých kovoch, v zlate, ono to všetko vyplávalo na povrch a oni to z toho nejako vyberali. A oni v tejto hute zahriali oheň o trochu silnejšie, a potom, keď to vrelo silnejšie, vytiahli z toho ešte rôzne veci, pyrit a podobné veci.
Prvé, čo vyšlo hore, bola nečistota, niečo ako špina a usadeniny. Potom vyšlo hore niečo ako rudy, ó, niečo zlé: nejaká ortuť a všetky tieto veci, vyplávalo to hore a oni to nejako odstredili. Išlo to dolu, rovno dolu, a pyrit bol tou poslednou vecou, ktorú z toho vytiahli. To je klamlivé zlato.
67Viete, v ľuďoch je veľa vecí, ktoré sa snažia navzájom oklamať, keď ste Kresťanom alebo sa tak len správate. Rozumiete? Ale len nechaj Ducha Svätého, aby všetko vyvaril preč, to z teba tiež vezme všetko to falošné zlato.
Falošné zlato, mnoho ľudí ide na západ a nájdu niečo také a myslia si, ó, že narazili na zlatú baňu. To sa leskne lepšie ako zlato. Ale to je falošné zlato, nemá v sebe žiadnu hodnotu.
A teraz, oni to varia a všetko to odstredia a len to varia a varia, až kým to nie je čisté zlato; dovedú to do takého varu, až z toho nezostane nič iné než stopercentné zlato.
A to je to, ako to robí Boh vo Svojej Cirkvi: vylieva na ňu Ducha Svätého a prevarí to, až kým nevyhodí preč všetku tú svetskosť, rozdiely a sebectvo a všetko toto, až kým to nevyvarí preč z každého jednotlivca, ktorý k Nemu príde. Amen.
71No, potom to môžete jesť. Tu je ďalšia krásna myšlienka v 11. verši.
A takto ho budete jesť: svoje... (Počúvajte toto.) bedrá budete mať prepásané... (To sa mi páči.) ...obuv na svojich nohách,... palicu vo svojej ruke, a budete ho jesť v spechu; to je pesach Hospodinovo...
To sa mi páči. Zatiaľ čo budete jesť, buďte pripravení ísť. To je tá vec.
73Obráťme sa do listu Efežanom, niekde v 6. kapitole listu Efežanom, a pozrime sa tu, čo povedal Pavol o príprave Cirkvi: 6. kapitola listu Efežanom, začneme od 14. verša 6. kapitoly.
Tedy stojte majúc svoje bedrá opásané pravdou a súc oblečení v pancier spravedlivosti
...majúc nohy obuté v hotovosti evanjelia pokoja.
A pritom pri všetkom vezmite štít viery, ktorým budete môcť uhasiť... ohnivé šípy toho zlého.
A vezmite aj prilbu spasenia i meč Ducha, ktorým je slovo Božie...
Vidíte, Pavol oblieka muža na bojové pole, na bojový pochod.
Boh, na začiatku vyslobodenia Izraela, On povedal, „No, mali by ste sa pripraviť na pochod. Keď vojdete pod krv, obujte si topánky. Opášte si bedrá. Vezmite si do ruky palicu a pripravte sa na zavolanie.“ To sa mi páči.
Nejaký človek, keď teraz vchádza do Krista, obúva si topánky Evanjelia, aby kázal Evanjelium, nasadí si prilbu spasenia, pancier spravodlivosti; opáše si bedrá. Tam je...
77Pri tých starých vojakoch to obyčajne bolo tak, že keď si obliekali tie vojnové ornamenty, oni mali veľký opasok, ktorý to držal pokope, držalo im to okolo bedier, tieto štíty, aby to zadržalo kopije nepriateľa. Aká je to pre nás skutočná lekcia. A keď tie bedrá začali slabnúť, ten štít zostal len tak visieť, oni si stiahli ten opasok a znovu ich pevne vytiahli hore.
Čo za dokonalý obraz dnešného dňa, keď začnete mať pocit, že slabnete, alebo diabol hovorí, „Nemá to žiaden význam.“ Natiahnite sa dolu a trochu utiahnite ten opasok, pozdvihnite ten meč v ruke trochu pevnejšie a vyrazte vpred. To sa mi páči. Buďte pripravení na bojový pochod.
79Každému človeku, ktorý v tú noc kráčal pod krvou, bolo prikázané, aby tam zostal a nevychádzal, až dokiaľ neprídu rozkazy k pochodu.
A každý človek, ktorý sa narodil z Ducha Božieho, prichádza do Krista, má večný Život, oblieka si svoj štít, svoj pancier, stojí pripravený a má zakázané odchádzať, až kým neprídu rozkazy k pochodu.
Ó, nie je to nádherné? Nie ste radi, že ste dnes večer plne vyzbrojení, vy vojaci?
82Zvykli sme mať v modlitebni vedúceho piesní, našou tematickou piesňou bolo toto:
Prebieha boj, ó, kresťanskí vojaci,
tvárou v tvár v pevnej zostave,
s lesklým brnením, plápolajúcimi farbami,
správne a nesprávne je dnes zosobášené;
Prebieha boj, ale nebuďte unavení,
buďte silní a držte sa pevne v Jeho moci,
ak je Boh za nás, Jeho prápor je nad nami,
nakoniec budeme spievať pieseň víťazov.
Mnoho z tých starých svätých odišlo do hrobu. Ale v jednom z týchto dní tam v novom svete, keď vyjdú do zasľúbenej zeme, bude nad nami prápor kríža a budeme spievať pieseň víťazov. Keď v ten večer budeme sedieť na svadobnej večeri, okolo stola, toho veľkého stola, ktorý bude dlhý možno sto tisíc míľ, a okolo budeme sedieť so svätými, ktorí boli umytí Krvou. Chcem ísť pozdĺž toho stola a potriasť si ruku s každým z nich (Amen.), jednoducho vykrikovať. Chcete ma počuť kričať? Počkajte, kým sa tam dostanem; potom ma sledujte. Nie som na to dostatočne veľký. Ale všimnite si, teraz pri tom pochode. Pripravte sa. Ideme.
84V 38. verši tu nachádzame smutný obraz, predtým, ako prejdeme k našej bežnej lekcii. Tam... Počúvajte.
I mnoho primiešaného ľudu odišlo hore s ich stádom...
Tam urobil Izrael chybu. Udialo sa niečo nadprirodzené. A tí neobrátení ľudia to nasledovali kvôli tomu nadprirodzenému, a nakoniec ich dostali do problémov. A tam ďalej, všimneme si to asi v 42. a 43. verši. Pán hovoril k Mojžišovi a povedal, že nikto okrem tých, ktorí boli obetovaní... alebo lepšie povedané, nikto nemôže jesť tú obeť okrem tých, ktorí boli obrezaní. Nikto cudzí, nikto zvonku, nemal by to prijímať nikto okrem tých, ktorí sú obrezaní.
A akú hanbu máme dnes v tomto dni, milovaní priatelia, keď každý v cirkvi, kto patrí do cirkvi, prijíma komúniu. A to je nesprávne. Len tí, ktorí sú vykúpení, to sú tí, ktorí sú hodní.
87Izaiáš prehovoril a povedal, „Stoly Pánove budú plné zvratkov.“ Povedal, „Koho mám učiť náuku? Tých, ktorí sú odstavení od pŕs?“ Povedal, „Príkaz na príkaz, úprava na úpravu; trochu tu a trochu tam. A pevne sa držte toho, čo je dobré.“ Boh hovorí a vie, že v dni, v ktorom žijeme, bude cirkev tak politicky založená, až dovolí, aby dovnútra vstúpilo všetko možné a všetci ľudia; pokiaľ mali svoje meno v cirkevnej knihe, boli členmi, prijímali komúniu.
A Biblia hovorí, „Ten, kto to je a pije nehodne, je vinný Tela a Krvi Pánovej.“ Ježiš to hovorí v 13. kapitole svätého Jána.
V 2. liste Korinťanom, v 11. kapitole Pavol po rokoch povedal, že „Ten, kto to je a pije nehodne, bude vinný Tela a Krvi Pánovej. Nech človek skúma sám seba,“ hovorí, „predtým, ako to prijíma.“ Citujem Písmo. To je pravda. „Ten, kto to je a pije nehodne, je a pije si odsúdenie, nerozlišuje Telo Pánovo. A z tohto dôvodu sú mnohí medzi vami chorí a slabí a mnohí spia.“ Buďte si istí, že stojíte v poriadku s Bohom.
Tu je to v tieni, že nikto okrem obrezaných... Nezáleží na tom, aký bol verný, ako veľmi pomáhal tej židovskej cirkvi, on musel byť prozelytom, musel byť skutočným obrezaným veriacim, predtým, ako mohol prijímať komúniu alebo jesť ten pesach. Ó, ako veľmi sme dnes vybočili z tej línie.
91No, tak sa poponáhľajme. A Boh ich dnes večer vyviedol von. Obraciame sa teraz k 13. veršu v 14. kapitole.
Boh im dal Ohnivý Stĺp, aby išiel pred nimi. Myslím, že dnes večer tu mali tú fotografiu. A hovorím to s úctou. Podľa môjho úprimného názoru, keď sme tu dnes večer v tejto skupine, verím, že dnes večer je To tu s nami. Ten istý Ohnivý Stĺp, ktorý viedol deti Izraela, ide pred nami a koná tie isté znamenia a zázraky. A každý učiteľ, ktorý tu je, alebo učenec Biblie, vie, že ten Anjel, ktorý nasledoval Izrael a viedol ich do zasľúbenej zeme, bol Anjelom Zmluvy, ktorým bol Ježiš Kristus.
A dnes, Ježiš Kristus, Ten istý včera, dnes i naveky, ide pred touto skupinou, ktorú chcete nazývať náboženskými fanatikmi, ak to chcete (V poriadku.), ide vpred a vedie ich od víťazstva k víťazstvu. Chvála Bohu.
94V tých národoch boli v tých dňoch opovrhovaní a nenávidení, odmietnutí a zavrhnutí národmi; a nazývali ich všetkým možným.
Tak je to aj dnes s pravým veriacim. Viete, že keď sa vo svojich cirkvách postavíte za Krista a hovoríte Pravdu, celá cirkev hovorí, „Pozrite sa na neho. Stratil rozum, zbláznil sa.“ Vidíte?
Nevenujte tomu žiadnu pozornosť. Nasledujte vpred. Teraz ste všetci obrnení. A Krv ide pred vami, Duch Svätý vás vedie. Len sa ďalej hýbte. Nevenujte žiadnu pozornosť tomu, čo vám niekto hovorí. Dívajte sa rovno na Golgotu a pochodujte vpred. Nádherný typ.
97No, oni vyšli von, prešli a dostali... A teraz si všimnite, že vykúpenie krvi ich vyviedlo z Egypta. No, oni teraz museli mať niečo iné, aby ich to previedlo do tej zeme. No, oni len začínajú. Oni vyšli, boli obrezaní, vošli pod krv a vydali sa na pochod. No, oni sa k niečomu dostali. Oni tam prišli s tým, že vedeli, že prešli zo smrti do života, vedeli, že majú večný Život, ale tu teraz prichádzajú a začínajú povstávať ťažkosti. Tu prichádza faraónova armáda, ktorá ich prenasleduje, aby ich dostala. Vyskytol sa problém.
Počúvajte. „Boh je naše útočisko a naša sila, veľmi prítomná pomoc v čase problémov.“ Ó, dúfam, že toto vidíte. Rozumiete? Tu to je. Viete... Ale počúvajte teraz ten 13. verš.
A Mojžiš povedal ľudu: Nebojte sa!
100Milujem to. Potom, ako Ježiš vstal z mŕtvych, Jeho Slová boli ustavične, „Nebojte sa!“
To je to, v čom má dnes cirkev problém, ona je vystrašená na smrť, že zlyhá. Ako môžeš zlyhať, keď si v Kristovi? Nemôžeš zlyhať. Máš večný Život. Všetci démoni v pekle tebou nemôžu zatriasť. Máš večný Život. Ježiš tak povedal. Tak sa nebojte neúspechu.
Poviete, „No, obávam sa, že budem fanatik.“ Radšej by som mal trochu fanatizmu, ako by som sa mal zastaviť a nič nerobiť. Som si istý, že áno. Muž, ktorý niečo urobí...
103Hovorí sa to o Ballardovi, ktorý je tu hore. Prišiel tam nejaký chlapík, aby si u neho našiel prácu, a on povedal, „Podpíšte sa tu.“ On si vybral ceruzku, aby sa podpísal. On povedal, „Kde máte gumu?“
Povedal, „Ja nerobím žiadne chyby.“
On povedal, „Nemôžem vás použiť; nebudete nič robiť.“
To je pravda. Ak neurobíte žiadne chyby, to znamená, že nič nerobíte. Poď, brat. Vzchop sa a choď. Páči sa mi Longfellow:
Nehovorte mi v trúchlivých číslach,
že život je iba prázdnym snom!
A duša je mŕtva a drieme,
a veci nie sú také, aké sa zdajú.
Povedal, áno, život je reálny! A život je skutočný!
A hrob nie je jeho cieľom.
Prach si a v prach sa obrátiš,
to nebolo povedané o duši.
Vzchopme sa a konajme
s odvážnym srdcom.
Nebuď ako nemý, hnaný dobytok!
Buď hrdinom!
105Nečakaj, kým ťa ľudia budú presviedčať ku Kristovi. Postav sa ako muž alebo dáma, prijmi Ho a kráčaj vpred vo víťazstve. Amen. To je to, čo Boh chce, drsných, pripravených vojakov. Možno nie si... vážiš okolo 50 kíl, ale stále môžeš byť drsný, brat, a plný moci, ak len dovolíš Bohu, aby konal Jeho spôsobom. Videl som mužov, ktorí vážili cez 90 kíl, a nemali v sebe ani 30 gramov z muža. To je pravda. V poriadku. Všimnite si.
Mojžiš povedal ľudu: Nebojte sa! Stojte a vidzte spasenie Hospodinovo...
To je dobré. Len pochodujte vpred. Nebojte sa ničoho. Ak si prijal Krista ako svojho Spasiteľa, pokračuj ďalej.
107„Brat Branham, chcem krst Duchom Svätým.“ Len sa ďalej hýb vpred. Neboj sa.
Povieš, „Teraz som chorý, brat Branham. Nemôžem ísť ďalej.“ Nerob si starosti. Len pokračuj ďalej; vidz spasenie nášho Pána. Prijmi to. Len choď ďalej.
„Ako to bude? Lekár ma odpísal.“ No, ten človek urobil to najlepšie, čo mohol, ale Boh ešte neurobil to najlepšie, čo mohol. To je pravda. Len chvíľu, teraz ho počúvajte. V poriadku.
…spasenie Hospodinovo, ktoré vám učiní dnes, lebo Egypťanov...(pokušiteľov, pravda - tých, ktorí robia problémy)...
110Poviete, „Brat Branham, ak by som len dokázal prestať fajčiť... Ak by som len dokázal skoncovať s pitím... Ak by som len dokázal prestať kradnúť... Ak by som len dokázal prestať robiť toto, to a tamto.“ Nerob si starosti. Len kráčaj ďalej. Boh sa postará o to ostatné.
„Keby som vedel, že to dokážem, brat Branham, hneď teraz by som prijal Krista.“ Neboj sa. Choď ďalej. Len pokračuj. Uvidíš spasenie Pánovo.
...lebo Egypťanov, ktorých vidíte dnes, neuvidíte nikdy viacej až na veky. (Amen. Po chvíli to bude vybavené.)
Hospodin bude bojovať za vás, a vy budete mlčať.
A Hospodin riekol Mojžišovi: Čo kričíš ku mne? Hovor synom Izraelovým, aby sa rušali. (To sa mi páči.)
113Nesnažte sa hovoriť a povedať, „No, ja som sa pripojil k cirkvi pred desiatimi rokmi, brat Branham. Bol som dobrým verným členom.“ To je v poriadku; cením si to. Ale poďme dnes večer ďalej. Boh sa posúva ďalej. Ľudia sa tu dnes posúvajú naspäť; hovoria, „No, teraz...“
Veda, pred stopäťdesiatimi rokmi; vo Francúzsku existovala veda, ktorá hovorila, „Ak by človek niekedy išiel rýchlosťou 30 míľ za hodinu, gravitácia by ho odniesla zo zeme a bol by preč.“ Aha. Tridsať míľ za hodinu? On teraz ide okolo 1600 míľ za hodinu. Nikdy nepočujete, že by sa veda odvolávala na toho človeka. On bol v poriadku vo svojom dni, ale ľudia žijú v inom dni. To je pravda.
Ale my kazatelia, ó, nie. „Božské uzdravenie? No, dovoľte, aby som sa pozrel, čo o tom povedal svätý Moody, Finney, Knox, Kalvín.“ Vo svojich dňoch boli v poriadku. Ale my ideme ďalej a posúvame sa vpred. Máme niečo iné.
116Ježiš tam povedal v tom podobenstve o rozsievačovi, keď vyšiel rozsievač a zasial semená. A niektorí... Naokolo prešiel nepriateľ a zasial medzi tú pšenicu nejakú burinu. On povedal, „Nech rastú spolu.“
Stále poukazujete na to, akým zlým sa stáva svet, ale nedokážete vidieť, akou mocnou sa stáva v tom istom čase Cirkev. Ona sa dvíha, stojí na poli. Ó, ona je malým stádom, ale, brat, Boh je s ňou. A ona zvíťazí tak isto, ako Kristus vstal z mŕtvych. Amen. Božia Cirkev nikdy nezlyhá. „Brány pekla ju nepremôžu.“ To ukázalo, že budú proti nej, ale nemôžu zvíťaziť. Cirkev ide zvíťaziť skrze Krv Ježiša Krista vo víťaznom pochode. Som si vedomý tejto jednej veci, že Boh bude mať Cirkev bez škvrny, vrásky alebo bez nečistoty. Amen. Som z toho tak šťastný.
118No, ak som v tej Cirkvi, amen... „Brat Branham, ako si sa do nej dostal, skrze list?“ Nie. „Ako sa do nej dostanete?“ Skrze narodenie, ste do nej narodení.
Šiesteho dňa tohto nadchádzajúceho apríla to bude štyridsaťpäť rokov, čo som v rodine Branhamovcov. Nikdy odo mňa nežiadali, aby som sa pridal k ich rodine. Narodil som sa ako Branham. Vždy budem Branham.
Narodil som sa ako Kresťan v Ježišovi Kristovi. Budem Kresťanom, lebo Boh to tak určil skrze vyvolenie. On nás povolal skrze milosť Svojho vlastného milovaného Syna. Prijali sme Ho a dostali sme večný Život. Jedným potrasením ruky? Jedným členstvom? Jedným listom? Skrze jedného Ducha sme všetci pokrstení do jedného Tela, Ježiša Krista, a tam sme sa stali spoluobčanmi Kráľovstva.
121Dnes som rozmýšľal, zatiaľ čo som sa modlil, že toto je ten deň, za ktorý sa budeme musieť zodpovedať. Nebudem sa musieť zodpovedať za generáciu, ktorá bola predo mnou, ani za generáciu, ktorá bude po mne. Ale na súde mám stáť s touto generáciou. A povedal som, „Pozrite, ženská fotka na reklamnej tabuli, ako pije pivo, alebo niečo iné, píše sa tam, že je 'bez dychu', alebo niečo také.“ Povedal som, „Áno, a tiež bez Života.“ V poriadku. Tu to máte. Povedal som, „Aká hanba.“
„Pri všetkom tom kázaní,“ povedal som, „niekedy sa zdá...“ povedal som svojej žene; povedal som, „Niekedy sa zdá, že to nerobí nič dobré, ale jednako musím byť hlasom varovania, bez ohľadu na to, čo s tým ľudia robia. Musím aj tak kázať Evanjelium a vydávať svedectvo vzkriesenia a moci Ježiša Krista.“ Nech to opustia a obrátia sa chrbtom; Boh ich za to bude súdiť na súde. Ja som zodpovedný len za kázanie; a tak isto ostatní kazatelia, ktorí kážu Evanjelium.
123No, milujem to. Všimnite si, „Teraz sa rušajte vpred,“ a uvidíte slávu Božiu. Ale počúvajte teraz, v 16. verši čítame toto:
Ale ty pozdvihni palicu...
Palica - to bola palica súdu. No, to nebola Mojžišova palica. To bola Božia palica. Ak si všimnete Mojžiša, on vzal tú palicu; takto ju podržal hore; prichádzajú blchy. Podržal ju nad vodami; obrátili sa na krv. To bola Božia súdna palica. A tá istá palica... Pochopte to. Tá istá palica bola tým, čím udrel tú skalu; a na boku tej skaly sa vytvorila puklina a z tej skaly vyšli vody.
No, tá Skala bola Kristus a to bol Boží súd („V ten deň, kedy z neho budete jesť, v ten deň zomriete.“), udrel Krista na Golgote a zaplatil tou trpkou, trýznivou smrťou. Žiaden človek nikdy nedokázal opísať, čo to bolo, ani to nikdy nedokáže. Tam na Neho Boh položil všetok Boží súd a udrel Ho do boku, kde z Jeho boku vyšla voda a Krv a Duch pre naše vykúpenie.
126Ako ľudia niekedy maľujú Jeho obraz, že je na kríži odiaty v rúchu alebo niečom takom. Nie je to tak. Vystavili toho Človeka každej hanebnej, nečistej veci, ktorej mohli; ale On na tom musel tak byť. Tam On bol, najvyšší a najvernejší z celého sveta, aký kedy bol alebo bude, a potom bol odhalený, nahý na kríži: zranený, udretý, krvácajúci, na tvári Mu viseli posmešné pľuvance, na hlave mal výsmešnú tŕňovú korunu. Ale práve tam premohol smrť, peklo, hriech, chorobu a hrob a zaplatil cenu za nás všetkých.
Často sa niekedy hovorí, „Tam On vzal smrti to žihadlo.“
To je to, kde Pavol povedal, „Ó, smrť, kde je tvoje žihadlo?“
Bolo mi povedané, že mnoho druhov hmyzu, včiel a podobne, oni majú žihadlo a majú tam jed. Ale keď raz bodnú, stratia to žihadlo.
Smrť v sebe raz mala žihadlo, ale Kristus na Golgote to žihadlo smrti odobral preč. Haleluja. Ó, keď na to pomyslím, On vytrhol pre mňa a pre teba žihadlo smrti, celé to žihadlo smrti.
130Pavol povedal, keď mu chceli odrezať hlavu v rímskom väzení, povedal, „Smrť, kde máš žihadlo?“ Ukázal naspäť na Golgotu a tam bolo zo smrti vytrhnuté to žihadlo. „Hrob, kde je tvoje víťazstvo?“ On povedal, „Ale vďaka Bohu, ktorý nám dáva víťazstvo skrze nášho Pána Ježiša Krista.“ Amen. V poriadku.
...palicu (súd) a vystri ju na more a rozpolti ho, a synovia Izraelovi vojdú doprostred mora a pojdú po suchu.
A ja, hľa, zatvrdím srdce Egypťanov, a vojdú za vami, a oslávim sa na faraonovi a na všetkom jeho vojsku, na vozoch a na jazdcoch.
A zvedia Egypťania, že ja som Hospodin, keď sa oslávim na faraonovi, na jeho vozoch a na jeho jazdcoch.
A anjel Boží...
Počúvajte. Teraz utiahnite tú zbroj.
A anjel Boží, ktorý išiel pred táborom Izraelovým... (On je stále tu.) Vtedy sa pohol anjel Boží, ktorý išiel pred táborom Izraelovým, a obrátiac sa išiel za nimi a tak prešiel oblakový stĺp spopred nich a stál za nimi. (Inak povedané: Vyšiel odtiaľto hore a stál tu vzadu, ako prostredník v čase problému.)
132Keď sa ťa začína zmocňovať problém, choroba na každej strane, problém, prichádza Anjel Boží, vchádza medzi teba a tú chorobu a stojí tam v ceste a vyzýva ťa, aby si vzal Božie Slovo.
Boh dal Izraelu zasľúbenie, že idú do tej zeme. Pravdepodobne tam bol milión mužov, ktorí prišli, aby ich prenasledovali, dobehli a rozsekali ako nejaké stádo zvierat. Ale Anjel Pánov, ktorý tam bol, aby ich preniesol do zasľúbenej zeme, vstal z tábora a išiel a stál medzi nimi a tým nebezpečenstvom. Haleluja.
On to stále robí. On urobí cestu. Ó, ja Ho za to jednoducho milujem, a vy? On urobí cestu každému chorému človeku, ktorý tu práve teraz sedí. On už urobil cestu a On stojí medzi tebou a medzi tým problémom.
135A viem, že On tu práve teraz je. Môžete ma nazvať fanatikom, ak chcete; nie som zodpovedný za to, čo hovoríte. Ale som zodpovedný pred Bohom za to, čo hovorím ja. Ale Ten, ktorý viedol deti Izraela, ak som to správne usúdil, na tom Svetle, ktoré vidíte dnes večer alebo vidíte na tej fotografii... Myslím, že dnes večer nejaké rozdajú. Ten istý Anjel Boží je práve teraz v tejto budove, aby robil presne to, čo Ježiš robil v tom dni. On je tu, aby to potvrdil. Práve to, čo robil vtedy, On je teraz a vždy bude tým istým, Anjelom Božím, ktorý sa hýbe, aby stál medzi nami a chorobou, stál medzi nami a smrťou.
Niet divu, že Dávid povedal, „Áno, hoci prechádzam údoliami tieňa smrti, nebudem sa báť zlého, lebo Ty si so mnou.“ Iste.
137Stál tam Anjel Boží, išiel pred izraelským táborom a odišiel a išiel a postavil sa medzi nich a nepriateľa.
A Anjel Boží tu dnes večer stojí medzi každým jednotlivcom a nepriateľom. Viem, o čom hovorím. Viem, že keď tu teraz stojím na pódiu, pred touto malou skupinou ľudí dnes večer, viem, že Boh zostúpil, prišiel dole zo slávy a stojí teraz v tejto budove. Ak sa len odvážite pohnúť sa podľa Božieho Slova, vidzte, či sa On teraz nepohne pred vami. Sledujte to.
A prišlo To medzi ten tábor a Egypťanov. On prichádza medzi teba a tvoju chorobu. On práve teraz stojí medzi tebou a tvojimi hriechmi. Prečo? Nachádzame sa v exode Cirkvi. Egypt bol vždy nazývaný svetom. A keď Izrael vyšiel z... Pamätajte, oni tam dolu boli členmi cirkvi. Ale potom, čo bolo vykonané zmierenie a krv, stali sa obrezanými Božími.
A dnes je tou obriezkou krst Duchom Svätým. „Všetci,“ povedal Štefan, „vy všetci neobrezaní v srdci a ušiach, prečo sa stále protivíte Duchu Svätému? Tak, ako to robili vaši otcovia, tak robíte aj vy.“ Duch Svätý robí obriezku v srdci a odrezáva preč veci sveta. Bývalo to tak, že starodávna cirkev svätosti podľa toho žila, správala sa tak, žila tak. Ale dnes je to ako so zvyškom sveta. Je to hanba. Spustili sme ohrady.
141Starý brat Spurgeon zvykol hovoriť, ako jeden môj starý priateľ a metodistický kazateľ, zvykol spievať pieseň:
Spustili sme ohrady, spustili sme ohrady,
urobili sme kompromis s hriechom.
Spustili sme ohrady, ovce utiekli von.
Ako sa tam dnu dostali kozy?
Pretože ste spustili ohrady. To je to. Spustili ste úroveň kresťanského života, pretože semináre vyliahli niekoľko kazateľov a poslali ich dole, aby robili kompromisy s Pravdou. Ale Duch Svätý tu vždy bol, aby odsúdil hriech, a dnes večer stojí medzi veriacim a svetskými vecami. Amen.
A vošiel medzi tábor Egypťanov a medzi tábor Izraelov a bol Egypťanom oblakom a tmou a Izraelovi osvecoval noc, takže sa nepriblížili jeden k druhému cez celú noc.
Pozrite, to isté, čo bolo dané tejto skupine veriacich, Svetlo, to tamtých oslepovalo.
144Dobre, oblečte si svoje šoku-odolné bundy. Tu to prichádza. Pozrite, každý človek, ktorý odmieta Svetlo, oslepne a kráča v temnote, pretože neprijíma Svetlo. Amen. Boh posiela kazateľov, ktorí kážu Evanjelium. On posiela medzi ľudí znamenia a zázraky, aby potvrdil, že je to pravda; a ľudia to odmietajú. Nezostáva pre teba nič iné, len tma. Kráčaj vo Svetle, kým to Svetlo svieti, môj brat. Prijmi Svetlo. Kristus je Svetlo. On prišiel, aby ti priniesol Svetlo. Ale tí, ktorí odmietli Svetlo, obdržali temnotu. A každý muž a žena, ktorí dnes večer odmietajú Svetlo, kráčajú v temnote a nevedia, kam idú. Taký človek sa riadne potáca, a pritom je populárny medzi ľuďmi, ale zaujímalo by ma, ako sa postaví v prítomnosti Božej.
145Všimnite si to. Aká tu je nádherná vec. On bol pre jedného Svetlom a pre toho druhého temnosťou. Potom, keď sa Mojžiš pomodlil, Izraeliti mohli v pokoji odpočívať. No, sledujte to.
A Mojžiš vystrel svoju ruku na more. A Hospodin hnal more východným vetrom silným cez celú noc, a obrátil more na sušinu, a rozstúpily sa vody.
A tak vošli synovia Izraelovi doprostred mora a išli po suchu...
Ak si všimnete, zatiaľ čo deti Izraela, ktoré vyšli z temnosti a prijali Svetlo, keď sa dostali do problémov, Svetlo sa obrátilo naspäť. A oni prespali celú noc. A zatiaľ čo oni spali, Boh posielal vietor, ktorý fúkal dolu na more a otváral cestu úniku.
147Haleluja Baránkovi. Som tak rád, že som dnes večer naplnený Duchom Svätým. Zatiaľ čo spíme, radujeme sa, odpočívame v zasľúbení Božom...
Boh im zasľúbil, že vytvorí cestu úniku. A zatiaľ čo ľudia odpočívali na tomto zasľúbení, Boh bol tam dolu pred nimi a otváral cestu.
Každý muž a žena dnes večer, ktorí prijmú Ježiša Krista na tomto základe, Ducha Svätého, zatiaľ čo vy spíte, zatiaľ čo odpočívate v Jeho zasľúbení... Možno si chromý; možno si slepý; možno nepočuješ; možno nevidíš; možno si chorý: srdcové problémy, rakovina alebo niečo také, zomieraš. Prijmi dnes večer Svetlo a odpočívaj na Ňom.
A vietor, ktorý prichádza ako mocný nesúci sa vietor na deň Letníc, sa bude pohybovať tam dolu a otvorí ti cestu (Haleluja), cez ktorú prejdeš rovno, rovno cez to údolie choroby, rovno znova naspäť do zeme zdravia. Prejdeš rovno cez tú zem chladných, formálnych, spútaných, ľahostajných náboženstiev, k Duchom Svätým naplnenému, šťastnému, radujúcemu sa srdcu, ktoré je plné radosti.
151Boh ukazuje Svoju moc a ukazoval ju (Prepáčte, som príliš hlasný.), a ukazuje vykúpenie skrze moc. Pri tej jednej veci tam On ukázal Krv. On tu ukázal Svoju moc skrze Svoju Krv skrze vykúpenie, ukázal Svoju moc uniknúť smrti, skrze Krv. Ukázal Svoju moc, aby urobil cestu úniku vykúpením skrze moc.
A dnes vy, ktorí ste prijali (Amen.), vy, ktorí ste prijali Krv Ježiša Krista, aby vás očistila od hriechu, moc Ducha Svätého je tu, aby vás viedla do krstu Duchom Svätým. Moc Božia je tu, aby vás premenila od choroby do zdravia. Boh, ktorý sa pohybuje ďalej v exode Svojej Cirkvi, ona prichádza do rozkvetu, kde Boh za chvíľu zhromaždí Svoju Pšenicu. Úžasné, vychádza z temnoty do nádherného Svetla, ako to milujeme, ako to milujem, čo to dnes večer znamená pre moju dušu. Priatelia, vy...
153Dnes som hovoril s jedným mužom, ktorý ma stretol, keď som bol vonku. A on povedal, „Snažil som sa to povedať ľuďom.“ Povedal, „Odkedy si bol dieťa, Billy, veľmi som sa zmenil.“ Povedal, „Zvykol si prechádzať okolo mojej práce a hovoriť mi, že by som sa mal dať do poriadku s Bohom, že by som mal byť v poriadku s Bohom.“ A povedal, „Trochu som sa ti smial.“ Ale povedal, „Billy, teraz sa to zmenilo.“ Povedal, „Teraz už viem, o čom hovoríš.“
Pomyslel som si, „Chvála Bohu.“
On povedal, „Snažím sa o tom povedať ostatným,“ a povedal, „zmenia tému a hovoria o nejakých vtipoch v časopise alebo niečom takom. Ó, to nie som ja. Tento ďalší chlapík za rohom, on môže zomrieť. On je ďalší. Možno jeho číslo je to ďalšie, nevieme, koho číslo je tým ďalším.“ Dnes večer to môže byť to tvoje, priateľu. Toto môže byť čas, keď Boh zavolá teba.
155Bože, ten veľký Duch Svätý, ktorý tu dnes večer stojí medzi smrťou a Životom, stojí tu dnes večer medzi chorobou a zdravím... Viem, o čom hovorím. To je pravda. Práve teraz, ten istý Duch Svätý, ktorého teraz cítite, každá znovuzrodená osoba je nútená cítiť toho Ducha v tejto miestnosti. Nemôžete si pomôcť. Ak máte nejaký Život, viete, že tam je. V poriadku.
156Ako nejaký magnet, keď je... Keď sa nejaký veľký magnet približuje k tomu materiálu, to sa začína pohybovať a plaziť sa (prečo?) bližšie, ako sa to približuje... Ako nejaký veľký magnet, ktorý sa spúšťa dolu; ako raz tam v Hammond, Indiana. Sledoval som, ako z podlahy zberajú kovové hobliny. Potiahli velikú páku a tam dolu sa spustil obrovský magnet. A všetky tie hobliny mali pozametané na strede podlahy. A keď to prechádzalo, všetky tie hobliny, ktoré boli zmagnetizované ku tomu magnetu, železo, išli rovno hore a vyšli s tým magnetom von. A oni to odmagnetizovali, spadlo to do takej kupoly a znovu to spracovali. Zostalo tam veľa hliníkových hoblín. Povedal som, „Prečo neodišli?“
On povedal, „Oni nie sú magnetické voči tomu magnetu.“
Povedal som, „Chvála Bohu.“ Povedal som, „Prečo neodišli tieto časti, ktoré sú tu dolu, tento kúsok železa?“
Povedal, „Ak si všimneš, je to tam priskrutkované.“
A to je podobne, ako to je dnes večer s mnohými ľuďmi, priatelia. Stal si sa členom nejakého zboru, ale nie si zmagnetizovaný krstom Duchom Svätým. Potom dovolíš, aby ťa niečo pripútalo dolu, nejaký rozdiel ťa pripúta dolu.
159Ale v jednom z týchto dní prichádza z východu veľký magnet, nazývaný Syn Boží, ktorý prejde cez túto zem. A každá osoba, ktorá je mŕtva v Kristovi, vstane s Ním, aby odišla preč. A tieto staré telá budú premenené a učinené na Jeho podobu, ako Jeho vlastné slávne telo, kde budeme žiť na veky vekov, slobodní od chorôb, slobodní od staroby, slobodní od všetkého ostatného; a budeme v sláve Božej, aby sme žili naveky v Jeho požehnanej prítomnosti. Amen. Nech vás to nevystraší. Práve teraz sa cítim nábožne. Som si istý, že áno. V poriadku.
„Lebo viem, že môj Vykupiteľ žije a v posledných dňoch bude stáť na tejto zemi; hoci kožné červy zničia toto telo, jednako v mojom tele uvidím Boha; ktorého uvidím na vlastné oči; moje oči uvidia, a nie iný.“
Nemyslite si, že som blázon. Nie som. Ak som, nechajte ma tak. Som takto šťastnejší, ako som bol predtým. Tak veru. Len ma nechajte, aby som zostal na tom takto. Ó, iste, je to bláznivé pre svet, lebo tie veci, ktoré svet nazýva bláznivými, Boh ich nazýva požehnanými. Musíte stratiť rozum pre tento svet. Prečo? Nie ste z tohto sveta.
162Keď prekročíte tú deliacu hranicu, stanete sa spoluobčanmi Kráľovstva Božieho. Ó. Aké je to dobré? No, stali ste sa novým stvorením (Ó!), zmeneným od toho, čím ste teraz. Vy ste teraz synovia Boží. Teraz spolu sedíme v ponebeských miestach; nie, že budeme až v Miléniu. My sme teraz, práve teraz sme synovia Boží. Práve teraz spolu sedíme v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi, nielen v zbore; sme v Kristu Ježišovi.
Vzkriesený Pán Ježiš je tu. On je tu vo Svojej moci. On je tu vo Svojej moci vykúpenia. On je tu kvôli exodu. On je tu, aby priviedol každého člena zboru do obecenstva s Ním. On je tu, aby priviedol každého hriešnika, bez ohľadu na to, ako si nízko, On je tu, aby priniesol moc Svojho vzkriesenia do tvojho života a urobil ťa novým stvorením.
164Pred pár rokmi sa tu stretli všetky náboženstvá sveta, myslím, že to bolo v Londýne, v Anglicku alebo niekde tam. Nepamätám si to presne. Ale keď všetci hovorili za rôzne cirkvi, mohamedáni a budhisti, a všetko také; malý chlapík, ktorý reprezentoval americkú cirkev svätosti, John Witt, myslím, že to bolo jeho meno... Tak potom, keď nastal jeho čas, on vstal, aby prehovoril; na tomto veľkom zhromaždení boli zastúpené všetky náboženstvá; on porozprával príbeh Lady Maccabee o tom, aká bola nízka: bola zatknutá v Oklahome s cigarou v ústach, šoférovala... alebo prekročila povolenú rýchlosť, prechádzala ulicami na dostavníku. Vykonala toľko vrážd a bola taká špinavá a taká krutá, že keď prišli, aby ju natreli smolou a perím, ani na ňu nepoložili ruky, báli sa, že budú zanečistení.
A keď ten príbeh rozprával tak dramaticky, že každý poslucháč sedel na konci stoličky, povedal, „Páni z náboženstiev tohto sveta, má vaše náboženstvo niečo, čo by očistilo ruky Lady Maccabee?“ Nikto nepovedal ani slovo. Vyskočil do vzduchu, kopol si podpätkami o seba a zatlieskal. Povedal, „Krv Ježiša Krista nielenže očistí jej ruky, ale tiež očistí jej srdce!“ Amen. To je pravda.
166Krv Ježiša Krista vezme tú najupadnutejšiu prostitútku v Louisville v Kentucky a urobí z nej svätú dámu. Vezme pašeráka z toho miesta, ktoré je tam dole, a urobí z neho džentlmena a svätého Božieho.
Moji priatelia, občania Kráľovstva, moji blížni z Kentucky a Indiany a naokolo, nemyslíte si, že dnes večer je čas, aby ste zobrali do úvahy tohto Pána Ježiša predtým, ako pominie vaša posledná šanca?
168Keď vidíte, že Cirkev ide v tomto veľkom exode, vidíte ten Ohnivý Stĺp, ktorý nás vpredu vedie, stojí, činí zázraky a robí znamenia... On je tu dnes večer vo všetkej Svojej vykupiteľskej moci. On je tu, aby zachránil každého hriešnika, aby prinavrátil naspäť každého odpadlíka. On je tu, aby uzdravil každého chorého človeka.
On je plným Evanjeliom. A my kážeme plné Evanjelium. Jedzte celého Baránka. Opečte to s Duchom Svätým a vedzte, že to je dobrý Pokrm, lebo Duch Svätý nám predpovedal, že je to skutočne dobré. Ochutnajte a vidzte, že Pán je dobrý. Chutí To ako med v skale.
Náš Pán Ježiš je tu vo Svojej láske a moci, vo Svojich veľkých vykupiteľských požehnaniach, ó, ako On stojí dnes večer medzi Cirkvou a hriechom. Ako On stojí medzi vami a súdom, krváca, modlí sa...
171Nedávno som tu vošiel do jedného miesta, tu v Ohio, kde som sa práve chystal vyniesť svoj úsudok o súde. Jedával som v malej Dunkardovej reštaurácii. Mali sme veľké zhromaždenie. Musel som zostať niekoľko kilometrov od toho kraja v takom malom moteli. Jedával som v Dunkardovej reštaurácii, sú to milí dobrí ľudia. A v nedeľu mali zatvorené a išli do cirkvi. Musel som ísť oproti na obyčajné malé americké miesto, kde som sa mohol navečerať.
Keď som vošiel do dverí, na moje prekvapenie tam stál štátny policajt, rukou objímal nejaké dievča a hral na hracom automate. No, hazardné hry sú v Ohio nelegálne a tam bol samotný strážca zákona, ktorý porušoval zákony; a bol to muž asi v mojom veku, možno ženatý a niekde mal rodinu, stál tam a objímal rukou nejakú mladú dámu.
Rozhliadol som sa dozadu cez tú reštauráciu, sedeli tam nejakí opití chlapci a jedna mladá pani, ktorá sa vôbec nesprávala morálne. Pozrel som sa, po mojej pravej strane smerom ku búdke, kam som si bol pripravený sadnúť, tam sedela nejaká staršia pani, mala asi päťdesiatosem, šesťdesiat rokov (bola stará asi ako moja matka), sedela tam, mala úplne zvráskavenú pokožku, bola oblečená v kratučkom oblečení. A, ó, bolo to strašné. A nechty na nohách mala namaľované na fialovo, pery mala namaľované na fialovo, bol to ten najstrašnejší pohľad, aký ste kedy videli. Vlasy mala ostrihané veľmi nakrátko a takto upravené a pila.
Sedeli tam s ňou dvaja muži, vyzerali hrozne, boli opití a jeden z nich ležal na tanieri, ktorý bol na stole. A keď sa ospravedlnili a odišli na záchod...
176Stál som tam. Pomyslel som si, „Ó, Bože, ako to môžeš zniesť? Ako sa na to môžeš dívať? Keď dokonca v mojom srdci, a to som pritom tak zlý; jednako som zvedavý, či moja malá Sára a Rebeka budú musieť vyrastať v takej generácii a vidieť tieto veci? Pane, prečo to jednoducho nezotrieš z povrchu zeme?“ Pomyslel som si, „Prečo to jednoducho neurobíš, Pane?“
Sedel som tam a jednoducho som začal plakať. Uvidel som videnie. Videl som, ako to bolo, svet, ktorý sa krútil vo vzduchu, a okolo toho sveta stála dúha. A niekto, kto ku mne hovoril, povedal, „To je Krv Ježiša Krista okolo tohto sveta, ktorá Ho zadržuje od toho, aby ju nezničil. Ak Boh môže uvidieť hriech, 'V deň, keď z neho budete jesť, v ten deň zomriete.' Každý človek pod tou Krvou má slobodné rozhodnutie, aby mohol učiniť svoju voľbu. Ale ak niekedy zomrieš a tvoja duša sa vznesie ponad milosť tej Krvi, si odsúdený už predtým, ako sa tam dostaneš. Nič tam pre teba nezostáva.“
178Potom som videl samého seba. Videl som tam stáť môjho Pána Ježiša, na hlave mal tŕňovú korunu a tiekli Mu slzy, ktoré boli zmiešané s Krvou a stekalo Mu to po brade. A videl som, že pred Neho prichádzajú moje hriechy. A zakaždým, keď takto pred Neho prišli... [Prázdne miesto na páske. - pozn.prekl.] ...až sa triasol. Tŕne sa Mu silnejšie zabodli do čela. Zapotácal sa. Povedal, „Otče, odpusť mu, on nevie, čo robí.“ A znova som niečo urobil, a potom bola Jeho Krv ako nárazník na aute, ktorý chráni auto, chránil ma pred hnevom Božím; nezaslúžene.
A pomaly som k Nemu prichádzal a kľakol som si pred Ním. Povedal som... Pozrel som sa tam dolu, ležalo to predo mnou, a bola tam stará kniha hriechu a moje meno bolo napísané na jej vrchu. Povedal som, „Pane, či mi odpustíš?“
„Istotne,“ povedal s milujúcim pohľadom; načiahol sa k Svojmu boku, vytiahol trochu Krvi a napísal na ňu, „Omilostený,“ a hodil ju dozadu do mora zabudnutia. Povedal, „No...“
Povedal som, „Ďakujem ti, Pane.“
On povedal, „No, Ja ti odpúšťam a ty ju odsudzuješ.“ Ó, to mi zmenilo ten obraz.
182Vyšiel som z toho. Prešiel som tam a sadol som si k nej a začal som rozprávať. A ona mala za sebou nejaký drsný život. Povedal som, „Nikdy si nebola Kresťankou?“
Povedala, „Bola som vychovávaná v kresťanskom dome.“
A povedal som, „Čo sa stalo?“
Povedala mi o nejakom nešťastí so svojím manželom a o tom, čo bolo s deťmi, a tak ďalej. Povedal som, „Po všetky tie roky si nikdy nežila pokojne, odkedy si stretla Boha, že?“
Povedala, „Pane, to je pravda.“
Povedal som, „Či Ho teraz neprijmeš.“
Povedala, „Prijme ma?“
Povedal som, „On ti teraz klope na srdce.“
A vedľa tej kabínky sme si kľakli na zem pred tým publikom ľudí; tie hracie automaty sa zastavili, zastavili sa vulgárne nadávky a aj všetko ostatné. A pozdvihol som ruky a moje ruky... a tie úbohé vráskavé ruky, a priviedol som ju k Ježišovi Kristovi. Potom odišla... To je to, priatelia. Ne... Pozrite... Ježiš...
Je mi jedno, čo si urobil, aké čierne sú tvoje hriechy, aký špinavý je tvoj život; Boh dnes večer stojí, klope na dvere tvojho srdca, aby ti odpustil, bez ohľadu na to, kto si.
186Skloňme na chvíľu svoje hlavy. Sestra, príď tam k organu, dobre?
Nebeský Otče, ó, modlím sa, aby si práve teraz prišiel, zatiaľ čo sa v budove pohybuje Duch Svätý... Hľadajme najprv Kráľovstvo, aby sme u Teba našli priazeň, a potom verím, že uzdravíš chorých. Ale práve teraz, Otče, zatiaľ čo cítim, že je tu veľký, hlboký záujem a usvedčenie, ľudia vedia, že Tvoja Cirkev sa nachádza v exode a my ideme smerom k súdu... Neviem, ale ráno môže niekto prísť k posteli a my tam budeme ležať, odišli sme. Zajtra večer o takomto čase môžeme byť niekde v márnici a naše duše budú tam vo večnosti.
Ó, Bože, toto môže byť posledná hodina. Toto môže byť posledná šanca, ktorú ľudia dostanú. Mnohí z nich tu nepochybne sedia, muži a ženy, ktorí túžili, ktorí žili len normálny, dobrý život, ale nikdy neboli znovuzrodení, nevedia, čo to znamená byť naplnený Duchom Svätým, úplne vydaný život, kedy od nich bola vzatá všetka hanba a ostych, a Boží Duch ich pokrstil do Svojho milosrdenstva.
Drahý Otče, či sa dnes večer, v Mene Tvojho milovaného Dieťaťa Ježiša, pohneš do každého srdca a rovno teraz prehovoríš? A nech v jednoduchosti svojho srdca pozdvihnú svoje myšlienky k Tebe, pozdvihnú svoje srdce a povedia, „Tu som, Ježišu. Vezmi ma teraz takého, aký som, a formuj ma a urob ma niečím odlišným. Učiň ma takým človekom, akým by si ma chcel mať. Celý môj život si so mnou hovoril. Hovoril si ku mne. Snažil si sa ma presvedčiť, aby som robil niečo iné. Snažil si sa spôsobiť, aby som sa poddal. Ale teraz je ten deň minulosťou, Pane, ale ja som teraz pripravený prísť.“ Udeľ to, Otče. Zatiaľ čo milosť vyvoláva pred tým, ako príde súd; a exodus Cirkvi opúšťa Egypt, nech prídu, nech idú s veľkou skupinou vyvolaných. Prosíme o to v Jeho Mene.
190A zatiaľ čo máme sklonené hlavy a zatvorené oči a Kresťania sa modlia, zaujímalo by ma, či by si len zodvihol ruku a povedal, „Brat Branham, pamätaj na mňa. Verím, že každé slovo, ktoré hovoríš, je pravda o Ježišovi Kristovi. A všetci potrebujeme byť naplnení Duchom a ja ešte nie som. Bol som členom cirkvi.“ Alebo možno, že si vôbec nebol. Možno si bol hriešnik, nikdy si neprijal Krista, alebo si bol členom nejakého zboru a nebol si znovuzrodený. Zodvihol by si ruku a povedal, „Brat Branham, pamätaj na mňa vo svojej modlitbe. Chcem byť v poriadku.“
Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná, a teba, a teba, teba, teba; aj teba, môj brat; aj teba, sestra; a teba, brat; teba, teba, aj teba, brat, sestra. Vidím to.
Ó, koľkí tu po mojej ľavici? Zodvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Pamätaj na mňa, brat Branham, chcem sa narodiť.“
193Pamätajte, hovorí k vám Duch Svätý. Ak som Božím sluhom, viem s takou istotou, ako stojím na tomto pódiu, že Duch Svätý tu hovorí do sŕdc.
Priatelia, možno som pre vás zvláštny, ale nie som žiaden fanatik. Viem, o čom hovorím, ak viem, v čom máte problém, a aká je vaša choroba, a Boh vypočúva moju modlitbu za vás. A rovno tu v tejto budove sedia ľudia, ktorí boli uzdravení, mali rakovinu, slepotu a hluchotu; boli chromí a všetko možné. Pozrite sa na tie milióny po celom svete. Čo teraz s tebou? Čo to teraz urobí? Ak On vyslyší moju modlitbu za tie veci, či tiež nevypočuje moju modlitbu za stav tvojej duše? Ak mi zjaví, kde je tvoj problém, či mi tiež teraz nezjaví, kde je tvoj problém?
Koľkí ešte zodvihnú ruku a povedia, „Brat Branham, pamätaj na mňa. Chcem, v tomto čase, prosiť Boha, aby mi bol milostivý“? Nech ťa Boh žehná, a teba; a teba; a teba. Ó, jednoducho po celej budove, všade...
195Zatiaľ čo máte sklonené hlavy. Zaujímalo by ma, či by ste vy, ktorí ste zodvihli ruku, mali len trochu viac milosti a povedali, „Pane, mal som dosť milosti na to, aby som zodvihol ruku, daj mi dostatok milosti, aby som sa postavil, zatiaľ čo sa on bude modliť. Ak pre mňa prídeš pred svitaním, Pane, toto je moje znamenie pre Teba, že chcem byť v poriadku. Chcem sa s Tebou jedného dňa stretnúť. Keď vyjde zo mňa tento kašeľ a ja budem zomierať a stískať vankúš, lekár odíde od môjho lôžka; už sa nedalo nič urobiť. A potom, Bože, zmiluj sa nad mojou dušou. Zatiaľ čo sa v miestnosti budú vznášať studené hmly smrti, nech príde tá stará loď Siona, aby ma zobrala preč. Postavím sa, Pane. To si vyžaduje veľa milosti, ale niečo mnou hýbe. Stojím.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat.
Postaví sa ešte niekto ďalší a povie, „Ja stojím, Pane.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat, sestra. Len zostaňte stáť. Každý, kto chce byť spomenutý v tejto modlitbe za spasenie svojej duše, postavíte sa? Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladý muž. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pane. Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Nech ťa Boh žehná, moja sestra. Nech ťa Boh žehná, sestra; aj teba, brat.
Postaví sa teraz ešte niekto ďalší a povie, „Tu som. Brat Branham, nestojím pred tebou, stojím pred Bohom. Niečo mi povedalo, aby som sa postavil, a stojím.“ Urobíte to? Len sa postavte na nohy. Len takto vezmite Boha. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani.
198Je ich tam viac. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani. To je pravda. Úbohá matka, ktorá drží svoje malé bábätko a snaží sa vstať, v očiach má slzy. Či neprídeš? Znovu sa postavte. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani; postavila sa tam staršia pani, skutočne stará, vie, že v jednom z týchto dní musí čeliť Bohu. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Kto ďalší sa teraz postaví, povie, „Postavím sa.“ Len zostaňte stáť na modlitbe.
Niekto ďalší? Mám pocit, že niekto ďalší sa chce postaviť. Možno sa len chcete trochu priblížiť. Už to viac neodkladajte. Len sa postavte. Urobíte to, vy, ktorí chcete byť bližšie k Bohu? Nech ťa Boh žehná. To je pravda. Žeby niekto... Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani. Tak veru.
Sú tam najmenej traja ďalší ľudia, na ktorých sa rovno dívam, ktorí by tam mali stáť, pretože tam stojí Anjel Boží. Nech ťa Boh žehná, pani. To je pravda. No, v poriadku, brat, čo s tým? V poriadku. Viem, že tam stojí Anjel Pánov. Vidím to a viem, že niekto by mal teraz stáť. Počkám ešte chvíľu. Nech Boh... Ty vieš, že On tlačí na tvoje srdce. On tam stojí, môj priateľu. To je On, ktorý ti hovorí, aby si sa postavil. Neurobíš to? Len sa postav a prijmi Ho, práve teraz. V poriadku.
Si si tým teraz istý? Ak by ťa Boh zavolal dnes večer na tomto zhromaždení, pri tejto kázni, toto pozvanie ťa stretne tam, keď zomrieš. Čo si s tým urobil? Ak si nie si istý, tak sa teraz postav, aby On videl, že to chceš prijať, kráčať vo Svetle.
202A teraz, náš láskavý nebeský Otče, tieto Tvoje drahé deti majú obmäkčené srdcia, dnes večer do ich srdca padlo Slovo. „Viera prichádza skrze počutie a počutie Slova.“ A oni mohli počuť. A Ty si obmäkčil ich srdcia, mnohí stoja, muži a ženy, chlapci a dievčatá, vyznávajú Ťa ako svojho drahého Spasiteľa a Vodcu.
A nech Anjel Boží, ktorý je tu dnes večer, nech ich sprevádza životom. Nech sú práve teraz vedení v srdci na Golgotu a nech prijmú Ježiša ako svojho Spasiteľa. A nech Duch Svätý skrze Krv Kristovu zostúpi na ich duše a odstráni všetku ľahostajnosť a naplní ich krstom Duchom Svätým. Nech je toto tým najväčším večerom v ich živote. Vieme, že je, lebo dnes večer Ťa prijímajú. Udeľ to, Pane, práve teraz. A nech odtiaľto dnes večer pôjdu domov, šťastní, radujúci sa, chváliaci Boha z celého svojho srdca. Modlím sa za toto požehnanie skrze Meno Krista Ježiša.
No, nech vás Pán žehná, ako sa posadíte.
204Dovoľte, aby som sa vás teraz opýtal. Každý jeden z vás, ktorí ste stáli a viete, že sa vám niečo stalo, zatiaľ čo ste stáli, zodvihnite ruku. Len zodvihnite ruku; viete, že sa niečo stalo. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Nech ťa Boh žehná. To je pravda. To musí tak byť, priatelia. Musí. Stál som, práve teraz som tu videl toho istého Anjela, o ktorom hovorím, prechádzal rovno cez túto budovu, ten istý Anjel Pánov, ten Ohnivý Stĺp. Posledných päť alebo desať minút som kázal pod tou inšpiráciou. Cítim to, jednoducho vidím, ako sa To pohybuje cez túto budovu. No, možno si myslíte, že si to vymýšľam, ale je to pravda.
No, nemyslím si, že vôbec zavolám nejaký modlitebný rad. Myslím, že budem stáť rovno tu a budem len prosiť Boha, aby potvrdil, že som vám povedal pravdu (To je pravda) znameniami, zázrakmi.
206Koľkí tu chcú byť uzdravení, chorí ľudia? Zodvihnite ruky. Kdekoľvek ste, len zodvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Prijímam to.“ V poriadku.
Chcem, aby ste sa pozreli, žili a verili. Niekto tu v tomto publiku, niekto tu, len sa pozrite a povedzte, „Pane Ježišu...“
Takto... Myslím, že ten dôvod, prečo som najprv spravil zavolanie ku oltáru, bolo to preto, aby sme u Neho našli priazeň. Toto je pre mňa niečo nové. Najprv musím u Neho nájsť priazeň. Potom, ak som našiel priazeň a urobil som priazeň... A vy, tucet alebo dva, duše, ktoré ku Nemu práve prišli. Iste, iste...
209No, každý jeden z vás, ľudí, ktorí ste prišli ku Kristovi, potom si nájdite dobrý zbor, ktorý je naplnený Duchom Svätým, a choďte do neho a tam hľadajte Jeho krst, až kým ho nenájdete; len choďte, jednoducho každý večer, každý deň, len sa ďalej modlite. A keď sa dívate...
No, vy, ľudia, ktorí ste chorí, ak som vám povedal pravdu, Boh bude svedčiť, že to je pravda. To je pravda. Jedine to môže urobiť... A Boh to dá najavo, ak sa len budete modliť a veriť z celého srdca. Len sa pozrite a povedzte toto...
211Keď ma Anjel Pánov pred ôsmimi rokmi stretol tam v Green's Mill v Indiane, potom, ako ma od detstva nasledoval a ukazoval videnia; keď som prišiel k Nemu, povedal, „Ak budeš úprimný a privedieš ľudí do toho, aby ti verili, nič pred tou modlitbou neobstojí.“
No, On by pre vás teraz mohol urobiť to isté, čo mohol urobiť vtedy. On vstal z mŕtvych. A On... Tam pred Ním bolo to obecenstvo. On vie, čo je na každom z vás, čo ste urobili, aké sú vaše problémy, všetko o tom. Veríte tomu? Potom tomu verte z celého srdca.
213Všimol som si mladého muža, ktorý tu sedí, verí, snaží sa, má vieru. Veríš, že Boh mi dá poznať, čo s tebou nie je v poriadku? Veríš? Ak to On urobí, prijmeš svoje uzdravenie? Máš problémy so srdcom. Nie je to tak? Čo ak by som ti teraz povedal, že si sa z toho dostal? Veril by si tomu? Postav sa len na chvíľu. Máš nervózne srdce a šelest na ňom. Už nejaký čas ťa to trápi. Jediný raz - keď si ľahneš, tiež ťa to dusí a máš tam mnoho búšenia tam a späť. Je to tak? Pretože to spôsobujú tráviace ťažkosti zo žalúdka, prechádza to cez tú žilu. Nie je to pravda? Už sa s tým viac nebudeš trápiť. Len si drž to, čo máš práve teraz; môžeš ísť domov a byť v poriadku.
Nečítam tvoju myseľ. Som ti úplne cudzí. Si len človek, ktorý tam sedí. Je to tak? Nikdy v živote som ťa nevidel a nikdy som o tebe nič nevedel. Je to pravda? No, Anjel Pánov je tu.
Úprimne povedané, mladý muž, chcem sa ťa niečo opýtať a uvidíš, či je to pravda alebo nie. Pred chvíľou, keď som začal hovoriť o tom, ako to žihadlo vypadlo z toho bodca, zrazu na teba prišlo niečo zvláštne. Nebolo to tak? Nebol to taký zvláštny pocit, ktorý si mal,...?... Nie je to tak? A či si sa na mňa v tom istom čase nepozrel a moje oči ťa v tom istom čase nezachytili? Vtedy si bol uzdravený od tých srdcových problémov, práve tam. Amen. To je presne tak. On je tu.
216Nečítam vám myšlienky, priatelia. Hovorím len pravdu a Boh potvrdzuje, že je to pravda.
Čo si o tom myslíš, ty, čo sedíš tam vedľa neho? Veríš? Veríš mi, že som Boží prorok? Či veríš, že Boh... Ty sedíš, lebo si na prednom sedadle, to je ten dôvod, prečo s tebou toľko hovorím. Vidíte, je to tam vzadu a okolo mňa. Ale veríš, že ak môžem kontaktovať tvojho ducha, Boh zjaví, čo nie je v poriadku? Prijal by si svoje uzdravenie? Si diabetik. Je to tak? Ak to je pravda, zodvihni ruku. Postav sa na nohy. Prijímaš teraz svoje uzdravenie? Nech ťa Pán Ježiš Kristus kompletne uzdraví. Nech ťa Boh žehná.
218Majte vieru. Niekto tu verí. Majte vieru z celého srdca.
Vidím tam sedieť mladého muža, ktorý má oblečený modrý oblek. Rovno nad ním To stojí. Máš kožné ochorenie, však, mladý muž? Nie je to tak? Postav sa na nohy. Ó, vidím, ty si s touto delegáciou. Je to tak? No, chceš ísť domov zdravý? Zodvihni ruku a povedz, „Pane Ježišu, teraz verím, že Anjel Pánov vedie vpred, a verím, že som uzdravený.“
Čo si o tom myslíš, ten muž, ktorý sedí vedľa neho, či tiež veríš? Postav sa na chvíľu na svoje nohy, aby som sa na teba mohol pozrieť. Veríš z celého srdca, že som Boží služobník? Chceš prekonať ten srdcový problém? To je to, čo si mal, že? Povedal som, že to je to, čo si 'mal.' Ty to teraz nemáš. Môžeš ísť tiež domov.
Ďalší muž, ktorý je za ním, čo si o tom myslíš, pane? Veríš z celého srdca? Veríš mi, že som Boží prorok? Postav sa na nohy. Veríš teraz z celého svojho srdca? Bol si nervózny. Nie je to tak? Vidíte? Je to tak? Zodvihni ruku. Teraz môžeš ísť domov zdravý. Ježiš Kristus ťa uzdravuje.
222A čo ten ďalší muž, ktorý sedí tam v tom rade, veríš z celého srdca? Postav sa na nohy. Či mi veríš, že som Boží prorok, že som Jeho sluha? Veríš, že On mi povie, čo s tebou nie je v poriadku, aby si tak prijal svoje uzdravenie? Je to v tvojom hrdle. Je to tak? Choď domov a buď zdravý; v Mene Ježiša Krista.
Ktokoľvek ďalší v tejto budove, kto chce byť uzdravený, môže povstať a byť uzdravený. Ak mi veríš ako Božiemu služobníkovi, postav sa na svoje nohy. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Ženské problémy, rakovina, tam to odchádza. Nech je Boh požehnaný. Každý jeden z vás, zodvihnite ruky k Bohu.
224Náš nebeský Otče, teraz odsudzujem každú chorobu v tejto budove, vyháňam každého zlého ducha a nech teraz Duch Svätý vládne a uzdraví každú osobu.
Položte všade ruky jeden na druhého a povedzte, „Chvála Pánovi,“ A radujte sa a buďte šťastní, lebo Ježiš Kristus je tu, Baránok Boží, aby vás uzdravil, každého jedného.
1 Thank you, kindly. Good evening, friends. It's a privilege to be here tonight to address you again in the Name of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. And it's always a privilege to meet God's people anywhere, and to speak of that great Name Jesus.
I certainly appreciate the song our brother just sang. That--that's my favorite. In the day that when they're trying to make Jesus just merely a prophet, or a good man, or a teacher, that really brings out His Deity, what He was. And I believe that He was...
3 There was never One like Him on earth, never will be. He was Emmanuel. He was Alpha, Omega, the Beginning and the End, He that was, which is, and shall come, the Root and Offspring of David; the Morning Star. In Him dwelt Deity. In Him was God.
"God was in His Son, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself." Jesus said, "It's not me that doeth the works, but it's My Father that dwelleth in Me. My Father and I are One," God made manifest in flesh. What a marvelous revelation of God's love to us, He would unfold Himself and come down and dwell in human flesh in order to take away sin and sickness from the human race and redeem us back to the Father. That's wonderful, isn't it? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] We sure appreciate that.
5 Now, last night I guess I'll have to kind of apologize. I... Billy got me a little quick last night, because it was kind of a... I got weak. But those meetings, that discerning, and no one will never know what that is, 'less it's just... You have to come into it to know it. See? There's no way of trying to explain it. There's not a--a way that you could do it. It's just an experience that--that no one knows about, only those who go through it. What it does to the human race, what it does to the man, brings the very life right of him.
Well, you're living in two worlds. You're in a world here, and you're a world there, you're with somebody else maybe fifty years ago; and you may be with somebody years from today to come; and yet you realize you're standing on the platform here, and you're speaking something that happened many, many years ago: maybe weeks ago, months ago, another nation, another place, or something. And then you try to keep yourself straight in that in thinking; tell you, it's quite a thing. But the Lord has blessed us so far in it. And we're very happy, and trust now that God will get glory from the meeting.
7 Now, in the--the services tonight, I thought while we're just a little handful of people together; our meetings is only advertised locally here, and it's just for the local people. And before we get into the larger part of the meetings, I was thinking today, that I would try to maybe get some of the old fashion teaching out of the Bible to the people, that when the great event comes, if God sends it to us, then we'll be able to understand it better.
8 After all, Divine healing is just the--the bait on the hook to catch the fish, as you know. It's just... That's the one... The fish grabs at the bait and gets the hook. So our main, our one alternative is this, that souls won to Jesus Christ.
If God heals you tonight, you may get sick again before you die. You may be sick again in a year from now, or two years from now. may be sick in a week from now, or a day from now, I don't know. But there's one thing sure: you're going to leave this world some of these days, 'cause this is just patched up.
But if that soul ever comes in contact with the Holy Spirit and is born again, you have Eternal Life. No matter what happens here, you never perish. Jesus said, "He that heareth My Words, believeth on Him that sent Me, hath (that's present tense) Everlasting Life, shall not come into condemnation; but hath (past tense) passed from death unto Life." That'd make us all Methodists and start shouting, wouldn't it? That's right. To think that, that God has did that. Now, that's not my Word; that's His: Saint John 5:24.
11 Saint John 6, Jesus said, "He that eats My flesh, and drinks My Blood, has Everlasting Life; and I'll raise him up at the last day." That's right. "He that eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, has (that's present tense) Everlasting Life." Now, if it's "everlasting," it doesn't just go from one revival to the other one, it would go through Eternity.
And now, for some of you ministers that's setting by, knowing that that "Everlasting Life" comes from the same word that means "God's Life," the word "Zoe," Greek word, which means "God's Own Life."
13 Then, we become a son or a daughter of God, an offspring of God, with part of God's Life in us. We could no more perish than God could perish, if He tried. So we have Everlasting Life and going to be raised up in the last day. That wonderful? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] That would make Baptists, Methodists shake hands and shout, wouldn't it? Sure would. That's right.
That's the good thing about the old-time religion. It just makes everybody set together and love one another. Sure does. Takes all the differences away, makes new creatures. It'll make a--a tuxedo coat and a pair of overalls put their arms around one another and say, "Brother, how you getting along?" That's right. Sure will. It'll make a silk dress and a calico put their arms around and say, "Sister, I love you." That's what it does. It sure does, just tears down the difference. "Rich or poor, bond or free, we're all one in Christ Jesus."
15 Sunday at the Tabernacle, which I see there's a whole group of Tabernacle people setting here, we had--we had a--a Sunday school lesson on the Redemption By the Blood. And I got so wound up in it, till I--I feel like I'm still in another sphere somewhere on: Redemption By Blood.
And tonight, after the family had left and had come over here early to get to hear the song service and so forth... I was in the room, and seemed like... I begin to read in the Scriptures and I found something. I thought, "Well, if the Lord willing, I'll just talk on that a little while tonight."
That's, "Redemption By Blood," Sunday. Now, tonight I'm going to speak on "Redemption By Power." And tomorrow night I'm going to speak on "Redemption In Completeness" (if God willing, that is) In Joy. In Blood, in Power, and in Joy; Redemption.
18 And to pull this out... Now, many people, as fine, educated scholars knows how to break through and give these kind of revelation, maybe, for this, or that, or cast some. But, me, I'm kind of one of these here illiterate type of preachers, that's... Only thing that I know to do, to be sure that I'm pretty near right anyhow, is to go to the shadows.
If I started walking towards the wall, and the light on this side, I could tell what, just about what I looked like, whether I was a four-footed beast, or--or fowl, or what it was, if I see what kind of a shadow I reflect.
19 Now, the Old Testament was a shadow of the New Testament. It was the negative, like the moon, to the sun. The sun shining on the moon, reflects the light to the earth. And I just love the Old Testament. It's just as full of parables like that, or, as it can be. Now, the perfect...
In Genesis when God made the--the sun first, the moon next, that moon and sun represents Christ and the Church. Just as the sun comes up in its power and glory, and when it goes down, it reflects its light to the moon in the darkness, to give light on the earth while the sun is gone. Jesus, when He left, He went into glory and reflected His Light back on the Church, to give the Church Light of the Gospel until He returns (Oh, my.), and then they'll get married. That'll be wonderful. It'll be one great Light of moon and... "The Lamb is the light thereof." They needed no more sun in the City.
21 Now, for a little preview, let's go back into Exodus. And I hope you don't get tired of me talking in Exodus.
One time in my church across the river, I preached, I believe, about a year and six months on Job, every night. They'd come back; I'd just take a little part of Job, and going on; we'd make it run through the Bible.
Every Scripture dovetails together. There's no contradiction in God's Word. No, sir. Every bit, perfect... The only Book ever written that's inspired like that, that can perfectly... Wrote by many writers, and many hundreds of years apart; and every one of them, by the Holy Spirit speaking, dovetails right together. That's the reason on all these extra books, the Maccabees and things, it don't coincide with This, so I don't accept it. This is God's Word to me.
24 And some woman wrote me a letter and said... I was preaching; Job on the ash heap. She said, "Brother Branham, you been, had Job on the ash heap about long enough, don't you think? Been there about six weeks." Said, "Why, you ever going to get him off of the ash heap?"
Well, I said, "When the Holy Spirit quits pushing the Words out of there, I guess I'll just have to quit saying." But--but as long as He kept me talking about him on the ash heap, well, I just stayed right with it; and souls getting saved.
26 So, like the evangelist came to the city. He preached, one night, he preached on repentance. The next night, he preached on repentance. The next night, he preached on repentance. After about four or five nights, the deacon board met him and said, "Brother, can't you preach anything else besides repentance?"
Said, "Oh, yeah. Let them all repent first, then I'll preach on something else." So that's a--a good idea. They every one repent, then we can preach on something else. All right.
28 For a little preview now, to those, for especially those who were not at the Tabernacle Sunday morning. We want to drop back over to the 12th chapter. But our basic thought tonight is in the 14th chapter, beginning with the 13th verse of Exodus. Now, we left off on the 10th verse Sunday morning, of the "Redemption By Blood." Most all of you are acquainted with the story, I'm sure.
Now, we know that we could pull back the leaves of this Book and turn these pages over, but there's only One Who can open the Book: that's Jesus Christ.
John saw the Book. It was sealed. And he wept because there was no man in Heaven could open It, no man on earth, no man beneath the earth. But there was a Lamb that had been slain from the foundation of the world, come took the Book out of the right hand of Him that set upon the Throne, and opened the seals and--and opened the--the Book, loosed the seals thereof. And He was worthy, for He had been slain from the foundation of the world.
Let's speak to Him tonight and ask Him to open It for us just now.
32 Now, kind, loving Father, we come to Thee, addressing Thee first, in the Name of Jesus, praying now, that as we stand here, sheltered under this roof tonight, where that storm is a raging outside, rains a twisting and blowing, we're so thankful to have the house of God to come into. And we're thankful that there is a tower, a refuge. You said, "The Name of the Lord is a mighty tower; the righteous run into it and are safe." We're so glad that we know the Name of the Lord and have come into It.
Now, we pray that You'll open this Word to us tonight, Father. May the Holy Spirit come and get into the Word. Circumcise the lips of this poor humble servant and the hearts of those who will listen, Your children. And may the Holy Spirit take just the Words of God and place It in every heart, just where It's needed.
Bless us now. Renew our minds tonight in Thy Spirit. Get glory out of the service. Save the lost. Heal the sick. Bring home the backslidden, Lord. And we'll give Thee the praise, for we ask it in Thy Name, of Thy beloved Son, Jesus. Amen.
34 Now, turn to the 10th verse of the 12th chapter of Exodus. We were reading, the "Redemption By Blood," how that God had ordained a lamb to be slain in each house, how there was to be nothing left over.
The judgments had been falling, and the last judgment now was ready to fall. God was going to fulfill His Word to the letter. And all those judgments back there was a perfect sign, or a perfect type, of the judgments which are ready to fall now.
And if you'll notice, before the judgment fell... Now, ministers may disagree with me on this, which is all right. But before the judgment started hitting Egypt, God sent Israel to Goshen. They were in Goshen, and no plague fell on them, a perfect type of the Church carried over through the tribulation. See? All right.
37 Then at the last plague that struck the earth there, or struck Egypt, was death. All you Bible readers here know your Sunday school lessons and so forth, has taken this, perhaps, many times. But death was the last enemy that struck Egypt.
And the last enemy that's going to strike the church now is death, spiritually speaking. Those who will not follow Christ in--in baptism of the Holy Spirit, will spiritually dry up and die; the churches, you can see it now. After many, many great revivals and evangelists has passed through the land, and yet the church is, that is, politically-church speaking, is getting worse all the time. Its members are just living any way they want to, doing anything they want to, yet, calling themself Christians, and say they're all right.
To be a Christian, means to be "Christ-like." Go no place you wouldn't want to be if Christ would come. Say nothing you wouldn't want to be saying when Christ comes, doing nothing that you wouldn't want to be doing when Christ comes. Think nothing you wouldn't want to be thinking when Christ comes. Keep your one motive, your heart centered on Calvary. Amen. "Walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, and we have fellowship one with another; the Blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all unrighteousness." That's Methodists, Baptists, and all of us, together, makes us all one in Him.
40 Now, the last--the last thing was death. And before that death come, there was an atonement made for that death, for all who desire to escape it.
And there was an atonement made before the first destruction, of the antediluvian world. God had a preacher of righteousness, Noah, and he preached a hundred and twenty years for people to come into the ark. And those who willfully refused to go, there wasn't nothing left but judgment.
And today, men who refuse to walk in the Light of Christ, you have spurned mercy, so there's nothing left but judgment. That's all. There's just right and left side, the only one you can go to. And you make your choice.
43 Now, we see, before the--the great awful night come, that Israel was commanded. And we already taken that, of killing the lamb.
God was bringing His Church into the exodus to bring it out of Egypt, into the promised land. I like that. They were going over to possess the land. God gave them the land, and yet it was all fenced in with big, great buildings and fences. And walls around Jericho, the chariots could run races around it. And just think of that, yet God said, "I've give it to you. It's yours." But they had to clean up, clean it up.
45 And that's what God has did today. He's give every one of you that wants It, the baptism of the Holy Ghost. But you got to go in, possess It; that's all. Fight out the differences, and tear down the walls, and get started in there and get It.
You say, "The pastor said, 'It's not for us today.'" Just walk right on a past it.
Mother said, "I'll run you away from home." Go right on a past it.
Husband said, "I'll leave you." Go right on a past it. That's all. Got to go and possess It. That's all.
Divine healing's for every one of you. Every one of you setting here tonight with cancer, heart trouble, whatever it is God has give the promise. And it's yours, but you have to go and possess it.
Now, you say, "Well, I just don't feel just very good." That has nothing to do with it. The promise is yours. God give it to you. Just go right in and slay Philistines, from one side to the other. And take out all the Hivites and--and Amorites; just kill them out. Go on in; take it. God said, "It is yours. Go get it."
49 But He didn't say, "Now, I'll go in, sweep it all out, and build you up some nice cities, and set you down on easy street." He doesn't do that way.
He gives it to you, and you got something to do. He's good enough to give you land, said He'd help you and be with you. Go, take it.
And if you are sick tonight, crippled, blind, deaf, dumb whatever you are, go, take it. God said it was yours. It's your possession. God give it to you.
52 He told them that He would give them that land, sent an Angel before them to take care of the way, bring them into the place where it was.
Look at them spies when they went over. Here come ten of them back, said, "Oh, we can't do it. It's impossible. Why, we're scientists, and we've looked the thing over. It's scientifically impossible. We can't do it."
But there was two fellows, one of them named Joshua, and one named Caleb. They wasn't looking to what the scientific side was. They was looking to what God said. Said, "We can do it." And that's right. And they brought back some evidence that it was a good land.
I'm so glad of that evidence (aren't you?) that there's a good land just above us, and we're on our road tonight. Hallelujah. All right.
56 Here they was now, just before redemption. God required the children of Israel, that they'd be sure to be protected, to kill this lamb, and to put the blood on the lintel, the top of the door, like this, and each post.
And they were to go in and eat this lamb, every bit of it; notice, all the lamb, not just part of it. Every bit of it was to be eaten.
Some people say, "I'll just take this part, and I'll--I'll believe this part." But you've got to take It all, every bit of It. Say, "Oh, I believe He was wounded for our transgressions, but, 'by His stripes,' I don't know about It." We want It all. Every bit of It is to be eat, all of It. Some of it gets tough, but we have to eat it anyhow. God said so.
59 Notice the 10th verse now.
And ye shall--ye shall let nothing of it remain until... morning; and that which remains... until the morning... shall burn with fire.
And now, none of it is to remain. Everything... Now, He said, "When you eat it, don't eat it raw, or sodden, but you must eat it well cooked." And I like that.
People trying to eat the Word of God, and they take It like It was raw, chew on It, and spit on It, and everything else, say, "Oh, I just can't take It. I can't stand It." It isn't cooked done enough. That's all.
He said, "Cook it with fire." Fire represents the Holy Ghost. You get God in your heart first, and It'll cook It for you. That's right. Cook It out, done, seasoned, then It tastes good.
63 Now, you can't stand off like this, outside, say, "Oh, I, I don't know whether It's for me or not. That might be for days gone by." Just get the Holy Ghost first, and watch what Divine healing means to you then.
Look what a heartfelt religion means to you then, when you've got the Holy Spirit here to cook the Lamb as It comes. Amen. That's right. Cook the Lamb first. And you have to have fire to cook It with. It--it should be roasted. Oh, my, that's when It's good. Roast It, it just burns out all the...
65 I was standing here, not long ago by a big smelter, and I noticed how hot that fire was, and it just cooked and cooked and cooked. And as the hotter it got, the--the dross in the metals, in the gold, all come to the top, and they skimmed it off. And they'd heat the fire a little hotter in this smelter, and then when this would boil more, they'd get some more different stuff, pyrite and stuff, out of it.
The first come up was the dirt, like dirt and mud. The next come up was ores like, oh, something no good: some quick silvers, and all these things, they come up, and skim that off. Went on down, right down, and the last thing they took out of it was pyrite. That's fool's gold.
67 You know there's a lot of things in people that try to fool one another when you're a Christian, or acting like it, anyhow. See? But you just let the Holy Ghost go to boiling everything out, take--takes all the fool's gold out of you too.
Fool's gold, many people go out West and they find some of it, and they think, oh, they struck a gold mine. It shines better than gold does. But it's fool's gold, hasn't got no value to it.
And now, they cook that, and they skim it all off, and just keep cooking it and cooking it, until it's pure gold, boiled down to nothing but one hundred percent gold.
And that's the way God does in His Church: pours the Holy Spirit on It, and cooks down in there till He throws out all the worldliness, and the differences, and the selfishness, and all this, till He just boils it out of every individual that will come to Him. Amen.
71 Now, then, you can eat it. Here is another beautiful thought here, on the--on the 11th verse.
And thus shall you eat it; with your... (listen to this) loins girded... (I like that)... shoes on your feet,... staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste; it's the LORD's passover.
I like that. While you're eating, be ready to go. That's the issue.
73 Let's turn over to Ephesians, about the 6th chapter of Ephesians, and look in here what Paul said about getting the Church ready: 6th chapter of Ephesians, beginning at the 14th verse of the 6th chapter.
Stand therefore, having your loins girded about with truth,... having on the breastplate of righteousness;
.. your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
And above all things, take the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench... the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
See, Paul dressing up a man for the battlefield, for the march.
God, in beginning of delivering of Israel, He said, "Now, you ought to get ready for the march. When you come under the blood, put on your shoes. Gird up your loins. Get your staff in your hand and get ready for the call." I like that.
A man now, when he comes into Christ, he gets his Gospel shoes on to preach the Gospel, the helmet of salvation on, the breastplate of righteousness; girds up his loins. There's a...
77 Usually, in the old soldiers, when they put on those ornaments of war, they had a big belt, that buckled it together, holding over their loins, these shields, to keep the enemy's spears off. What a real lesson that is to us. And when the--the loin begin to get weak, hang down, the shield, they'd tighten up on their belt, bring them up tight again.
What a perfect picture today, when you begin to feel like you're slacking, or the devil says, "It's no use." Reach down and tighten up the belt a little bit, pull up the sword a little tighter in the hand, and go forward. I like that. Be ready for the march.
79 Every man walking under that blood that night, was commanded to stay there, not go out until the orders come to march.
And every man that's born of the Spirit of God, comes into Christ, has Everlasting Life, puts on his shield, his breastplate, standing ready, and forbidden to leave until orders to march.
Oh, isn't it marvelous? Aren't you glad you got it all harnessed up, tonight, you soldiers?
82 Used to have a song leader at the Tabernacle, our theme song was:
The fight is on, O Christian soldiers,
Face to face in stern array,
With armor gleaming, colors streaming,
The right and wrong's engaged today;
The fight is on, but be not weary,
Be strong and in His might hold fast;
If God be for us, His banner over us,
We'll sing the victor's song at last.
Many of them old saints has gone to the grave. But one of these days, yonder in a new world, when they come forth into the promised land, the banner of the cross will be over us, and we'll sing the victor's song. When we set at the Wedding Supper that night, around the table, that great table, maybe a hundred thousand miles long, with the Blood-washed saints setting around there. I want to go down along the table and shake hands with every one of them (Amen.), just shouting. You want to hear me shout? Wait till I get over there; watch me. I ain't big enough, yet for this. But notice, on the march now. Get ready. We're going.
84 Here's a sad picture, before we get over to our regular lesson, is found in the 38th verse. There... Listen.
And a mixed multitude went up with their flock...
There's where Israel made a mistake. The supernatural had been done. And unconverted people followed because of the supernatural, finally got them into trouble. And on down, we'll notice here in about the 42nd verse and the 43rd verse. The Lord speaking to Moses, said that no one but those who were sacrificed... could eat the sacrifice, rather, but those who were circumcised. No strangers, no outsiders, no one should take it but those who are circumcised."
And what a disgrace that we have today in this day, beloved friends, that when, in the church, everybody that belongs to the church takes communion. And that's wrong. Only those who are redeemed, that's all who are worthy.
87 Isaiah spoke and said, "The tables of the Lord would be full of vomit." Said, "Who shall I teach doctrine? Them that are weaned from the breasts." Said, "Precept must be upon precept line upon line; here a little, and there a little. And hold fast to that what's good." God speaking, knowing that the day that we're living in, that the church would be so politically, till they'd let everything, people, come in; long as they had their name on the church book, they were members, they taken communion.
And the Bible said, "He that eats and drinks it, unworthy, is guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord." Saint John, 13th chapter, Jesus speaking.
Second Corinthians the 11th chapter, Paul said, years later, that, "He that eats and drinks this, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself," he says, "before he take." I'm quoting Scripture. That's right. "He that eats and drinks, unworthy, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. And for this cause many are sick and weakly among you, and many sleep." Be sure that you're standing right with God.
Here it is in the shadow, that no one but the circumcised... No matter how loyal he was, how much he helped the Jewish church, he had to be a proselyte, had to be a real circumcised believer, before he could take the communion or eat the passover. Oh, how far we got off the line today.
91 Now, let's go quickly then. And God brought them out tonight. We're turning now to the 13th verse of the 14th chapter.
God gave them the Pillar of Fire to go before them. I think they had the picture here tonight. And I say it with reverence. To my honest opinion, while we're here in this group tonight, I believe That is with us tonight. The same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel is going before us, performing the same signs and wonders. And any teacher here, or scholar of the Bible, knows that the Angel that followed Israel and guided them to the promised land, was the Angel of the Covenant, which was Jesus Christ.
And today, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever" is following before this group that you want to call holy-rollers, if you want to (All right.), going on, leading from victory unto victory. Praise God.
94 In them nations, in them days they were despised and hated and rejected, and turned down by the nations, and called everything.
So is it today with the true believer. You, in your churches, you know, when you take a stand for Christ and speak for Truth, the whole church says, "Look at him. He's lost his mind. He's gone crazy." See?
Don't pay no attention to that. Follow on. You're all armored up now. And the Blood's going before you, the Holy Spirit leading you. Just keep moving. Don't pay no attention to what nobody tells you. Look straight to Calvary and march on. Beautiful type.
97 Now, they had come out, through, and got... And now notice, blood redemption brought them out of Egypt. Now they had to have something else now to take them on over into the land. Now, they're just beginning to start. They had come out, been circumcised, come under the blood, and on the march. Now, they'd got up to something. They was going along there, knowing that they'd passed from death unto life, knowed they had Eternal Life, but here they are, coming up now, and difficult begins to rise. Here comes Pharaoh's army pursuing them to take them. Trouble set in.
Listen. "God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble." Oh, I hope you see this. See? Here it is. Know... But listen, 13th verse now.
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not...
100 I love that. After Jesus rose from the dead, His words were constantly, "Fear not."
That's what the trouble with the Church today, is scared to death you're going to make a failure. How can you fail when you're in Christ? You can't fail. You've got Everlasting Life. All demons in hell can't shake you. You got Everlasting Life. Jesus said so. So don't be scared of failure.
You say, "Well, I'm afraid I'll get fanatic." I'd rather have a little fanaticism than to set still and do nothing. I sure would. A man that's going to do something...
103 It's told about Ballard's up here. A fellow come to get a job from him, and he said, "Sign your name here." He took his pencil, to sign. He said, "Where's your eraser at?"
Said, "I don't no... make no mistakes."
He said, "I can't use you; you ain't going to do nothing."
That's right. If you don't make no mistakes, you're not--you're not doing nothing. Let's go, brother. Be up and going. I like Longfellow there:
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
And the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Said, yes, life is real! And life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Let us be up and doing,
With a heart for any strife;
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero!
105 Don't wait for people to persuade you to Christ. Stand like a man or a lady, accept Him, and walk forward in victory. Amen. That's what God wants, rugged, ready soldiers. You might not be, weigh a hundred and five pounds, but you can still be ruddy, brother, and full of power, if you'll just let God have His way. I've seen men that weighed two hundred pounds, didn't have an ounce of man in them. That's right. All right. Notice.
Moses said unto the people, Fear... not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD,...
That's good. Just march on. Don't get scared about nothing. If you've accepted Christ as your Saviour, go on.
107 "Brother Branham, I want the baptism of the Holy Ghost." Just keep moving. Don't fear.
You say, "I'm sick now, Brother Branham. I can't go much farther." Don't worry. Just keep moving on; see the salvation of our Lord. Accept it. Just move on.
"How's it going to be? The doctor turned me down." Now, the fellow done the best he could, but God hasn't done His best yet. That's right. Just a moment, listen at him now. All right.
.. the LORD, which he will show unto you to day: for the Egyptians... (the assayers, the truth--the troublemaker)...
110 Say, "Brother Branham, if I could just quit smoking... If I could just lay down drinking... If I could just quit my stealing... If I could just quit my doing this, that, and the other." Don't worry. Just walk on. God will take care of the rest of it.
"If I knowed I could do it, Brother Branham, I'd accept Christ right now." Don't you worry. Move on. Just go on. You'll see the salvation of the Lord.
.. for the Egyptian's who you have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. (Amen. It's going to be settled, after while.)
The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall be a hold your peace.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward: (I like that.)
113 Don't try to say, say, "Well, I joined the church ten years ago, Brother Branham. I've been a good faithful member." That's fine; I appreciate that. But let's move on, tonight. God's moving on. The people today here, they go back; they say, "Well, now..."
Science, a hundred and fifty years ago; there was a science in France, that said, "If a man ever went the terrific speed of thirty miles an hour, gravitation would take him off the earth, and he'd be gone." Huh. Thirty miles an hour? He's going about sixteen hundred miles an hour now. You never hear science refer back to that fellow. He was all right in his day, but they're living in another day. That's right.
But we preachers, oh, no. "Divine healing? Now, let me see what--what Saint Moody, Finney, Knox, Calvin, some of them said about It." They were all right in their days. But we're moving on, going forward. We got something else.
116 Jesus said in the parable there of the sower, when a sower went forth and sowed seeds. And some... The enemy come around and sowed some weeds in the wheat. He said, "Let them grow together."
You're always pointing how wicked the world's a getting, but you fail to see how powerful the Church is a getting at the same time. She's rising up, standing on the field. Oh, She's a little flock, but, brother, God's with Her. And She's going to triumph just as certain as Christ rose from the dead. Amen. God's Church shall never fail. "The gates of hell shall not prevail against It." Showed they'd be against It, but they cannot prevail. The Church is going to triumph through the Blood of Jesus Christ to the victory march. I'm positive of this one thing, that God will have a Church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish. Amen. I'm so happy about that.
118 Now, if I am in that Church, amen... "Brother Branham, how do you got into It, by letter?" No. "How do you get into It?" By birth, borned into It.
I've been in the Branham family, it'll be forty-five years the sixth day of this coming April. They never did ask me to join their family. I was born a Branham. I'll always be a Branham.
I was borned a Christian in Jesus Christ. I'll be a Christian, 'cause God has ordained it so by election. He called us through the grace of His Own beloved Son. We accepted Him and got Eternal Life. By one handshake? By one membership? By one letter? By one Spirit we're all baptized into one Body, Jesus Christ, and there become fellow citizens of the Kingdom.
121 I was thinking today as I was away praying, that how that this is the day that we're going to have to answer for. I'm not going to have to answer for the generation that was before me or the generation that will be after me. But in the judgment I'm to stand with this generation. And I said, "Looky there, a woman's picture on the sign, beer-drinking, something another, said she was 'breathless,' or something." I said, "Yes, and Lifeless too." All right. There you are. I said, "What a disgrace."
"With all the preaching," I said, "sometimes it seems..." I told my wife; I said, "Sometimes it seems it doesn't do any good. But I've got to be the voice of warning anyhow, regardless of what people does about it. I've got to preach the Gospel anyhow and give a witness unto the resurrection and the power of Jesus Christ." Let them forsake It, and turn their back; God will judge them at the judgment for it. I'm only responsible for preaching, and other ministers too, who preach the Gospel.
123 Now, I just love it. Notice, "Go forward now," and you will see the glory of God. But listen, the 16th verse now, we read this:
But lift... up the rod,...
"The rod," that was the judgment rod. Now, it wasn't Moses' rod. That was God's rod. If you'll notice Moses, he took that rod; he held it up like this. Fleas come. He held it over the waters; it turned to blood. It was God's judgment rod. And that same rod... Get it. That same rod was what he smote the rock with; and a cleft come in the side of the rock, and waters came out of the rock.
Now, that Rock was Christ, and it was God's judgment ("The day you eat thereof, that day you die.") smote Christ at Calvary, and paid that bitter, agonizing death. No man never could describe what it was or never will. There God placed all the Divine judgment upon Him and smote Him in the side, when out of His side come water and Blood and Spirit for our redemption.
126 How people paint His picture sometime, with a robe around Him, or something another, on the cross. That is not so. They disposed that Man of every foul, vulgar thing that they could; but He had to be. There He was, the highest and loyalest of all the world, that ever was or will be, and then exposed, naked, on the cross: wounded, smitten, bleeding, gobs of mockery spit hanging from His face, a mocking crown of thorns on His head. But there's when He conquered death, hell, sin, sickness, and the grave, and paid the price for us all.
It's often said, sometime, "There's where He took the sting out of death."
That's where Paul said, "O death, where is your sting?"
I've been told that many insects, bees and things, they've got a stinger, and they're poison with it. But one time they sting, they lose their stinger.
Death had a sting in it one time, but Christ on Calvary took the stinger out of death. Hallelujah. Oh, when I think of it, there He pulled the stinger out of death for me and you, all the sting of death.
130 Paul said, when they was going to cut his head off in the Roman prison, he said, "Death, where is your sting?" Pointed back to Calvary, and there's where stinger was taken out of death. "Grave, where is your victory?" He said, "But thanks be to God, that gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen. All right.
.. the rod (the judgment), and stretch it out... cover the--the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go over on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
And I, behold, I will harden the heart of the Egyptians, and they shall follow thee: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, and upon the chariots, and upon the horsemen.
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, and I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
And the angel of God,...
Listen. Tighten up the harness now.
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel,... (He's still here.) The angel of God, that went before the camp of Israel, removed and went back behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: (or, went up from here, and stood back here, a go-between in the time of trouble.)
132 When trouble begins to face you, sickness on every hand, trouble, the Angel of God comes up, goes out between you and the sickness and stands there in the way, a challenging you to take God's Word.
God had give Israel the promise, that they was going to the land. There was a million, probably, of men coming to pursue them and run them down, and chop them down like a bunch of animals. But the Angel of the Lord Who was there to carry them to the promised land, rose up from the camp and went and stood between them and danger. Hallelujah.
He still does it. He will make the way. Oh, I just love Him for that, don't you? He will make the way for every sick person sitting here right now. He's already made the way, and He's standing between you and trouble.
135 And I know He's here right now. You can call me a fanatic if you want to; I'm not responsible for what you say. But I'm responsible for what I say before God. But He Who led the children of Israel, if I have judged it right, on that Light that you see tonight or seen on that picture... I suppose they put some out tonight. That same Angel of God is in this building right now to do just exactly what Jesus did in that day. He's here to confirm. Just what He did then, He is now, and will always be the same, the Angel of God, moving up to stand between us and sickness, stand between us and death.
No wonder David said, "Yea, though I walk through the valleys of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil: for thou art with me." Sure.
137 Standing there, the Angel of God went before the camp of Israel, and removed, and went and stood between them and the enemy.
And the Angel of God is standing tonight between every individual here and the enemy. I know what I'm speaking of. I know while standing here now on the platform, before this little group of people tonight, I know that God has condescended, coming down from glory, and standing in this building now. If you'll only dare to move out on God's Word, see if He don't move before you now. Watch.
And It came between the camp and the Egyptians. He's coming between you and your sickness. He's standing between you and your sins right now. Why? We are in the exodus of the Church. Egypt was always called the world. And when Israel come out of... Remember, they were church members down there. But after the blood and the atonement was made, they become the circumcised of God.
And the circumcision today is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. "All," said Stephen, "all you uncircumcised in the heart and ears, why do you always resist the Holy Ghost? As your fathers did, so do you." The Holy Spirit circumcised in the heart, cutting away the things of the world. It used to be the old fashion holiness church lived it, acted like it, lived like it. But today it's just like the rest of the world. It's a disgrace. We let down the bars.
141 Old Brother Spurgeon used to say, an old Methodist preacher friend of mine, used to sing a song.
We let down the bars, we let down the bars,
We compromised with sin.
We let down the bars, the sheep got out.
How did the goats get in?
Because you let down the bar. That's it. You let down the standard of Christian living, because the seminaries hatched out a few preachers and sent them down to compromise with the truth. But the Holy Ghost has always been there to condemn sin, and is tonight standing between the believer and the things of the world. Amen.
And it came between the camp and the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud of darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all night.
Look, the same thing that was given this group of believers, Light, was blinding them.
144 All right, put on your shock-proof jackets. Here it comes. Look, every man that rejects Light goes blind and walks in darkness because you don't accept Light. Amen. God sends ministers who preach the Gospel. He sends signs and wonders among men to a vindicate it to be the truth; and men reject It. There's nothing left but darkness for you. Walk in the Light while the Light's a shining, my brother. Receive the Light. Christ is the Light. He's come to bring Light to you. But those who rejected Light received darkness. And every man and woman tonight, who rejects Light, walks in darkness, not knowing where he's going. He's staggering along pretty good, popular with the people, but wonder how he stands in the Presence of God.
145 Notice it. What a marvelous thing here. He was Light to one and darkness to the other. The Israelites then, after Moses prayed, they could lay down in peace. Now, watch.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea a dry land, and the waters were divided.
And the children of Israel went unto the midst of the sea upon the dry ground:...
If you'll notice, while the children of Israel, who had come out of darkness and accepted the Light, when they got in trouble, the Light turned back around. And they slept all night. And while they were sleeping, God was sending a wind, blowing down across the sea, opening up a way of escape.
147 Hallelujah to the Lamb. I'm so glad that I've been filled with the Holy Spirit tonight. While we are sleeping, rejoicing, resting in the promise of God...
God promised them to make a way of escape. And while they were resting on this promise, God was down there, before them, opening up a way.
Every man and woman tonight, that will accept Jesus Christ on those grounds, the Holy Spirit, while you're asleep, while you're resting in His promise... Maybe you're crippled; maybe you're blind; maybe you can't hear; maybe you can't see; maybe you're sick: heart trouble, cancer, or something, dying. Accept the Light tonight and rest upon It.
And the wind, coming like a rushing mighty wind on the day of Pentecost, will move down through there and open up a way for you (Hallelujah.), that you'll pass right through that valley of sickness, right back into the land of health again. You'll pass right through that land of cold, formal, shackled-down, indifferent religions, to a Holy Ghost filled, happy, rejoicing, heart full of joy.
151 God shows His power, and was showing it (Excuse me, I'm getting too loud.), showing redemption by power. He showed the blood back there on one thing. He showed His power here by His Blood, through redemption, showed His power to escape death, through the blood. He showed His power to make a way of escape by redemption of power.
And today, you who have accepted (Amen.), you who have accepted the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse you from sin, the power of the Holy Ghost is here to lead you to the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The power of God is here to transform you from sickness to health. God, moving on in the exodus of His Church, She's coming into the blossom, where God will gather after while His grain. Wonderful, coming out of the darkness, into the marvelous Light, how we love that, how I do, what that means to my soul tonight. Friends, you...
153 I was talking to a man today, who just met me while I was out. And he said, "I been trying to tell people." Said, "I've changed a lot, Billy, since you was a kid." Said, "You used to come by and tell me, at my place of business, that I ought to get right with God, I ought to be right with God." And said, "I kind of laughed at you." But said, "Billy, things has changed now." Said, "I know now what you speak of."
I thought, "Praise God."
He said, "I try to tell others about it," and said, "they'll change the subject and go talking about a funny paper or something. Oh, it ain't me. This next guy over on the corner, he may die. He's the next one. Maybe his number is the next one, not knowing whose number is next." It may be yours tonight, friend. This may be the time God calls you.
155 God, the great Holy Spirit, standing here tonight between death and Life, standing here tonight between sickness and health... I know what I speak of. That's right. Right now, the same Holy Spirit that you feel now, every born-again person's bound to feel that Spirit in the room. You can't help it. If you got any Life, you know It's there. All right.
156 How like a magnet, when it's... When a great magnet's coming near the material, it begins to move and crawl (why?) closer it gets... Like a big magnet come down, up here, one time, at Hammond, Indiana. I was watching them take up shavings on the floor. They pulled a great big lever, and down come a great big magnet. And they had all the shavings swept out in the middle of the floor. And as it passed by, all those shavings that was magnetized to the magnet, iron, went right up and went with the magnet out. And they demagnetize it, dropped it into the cupola, and mold it again. There was a lot of aluminum shavings left. I said, "Why didn't they go?"
He said, "They're not magnetized to the magnet."
I said, "Praise God." I said, "Why didn't these go down here, this piece of iron?"
Said, "If you notice, it's bolted down."
And that's about like a lot of peoples tonight, friends. You become a church member, but not magnetized by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Then you let something shackle you down, some difference shackle you down.
159 But one of these days, there's a great magnet coming from the east, called the Son of God, that'll sweep this land. And every person that's dead in Christ shall rise with Him, to go yonder. And these old bodies will be transformed and made in His likeness, unto His Own glorious body, where we shall live forever and ever, free from sickness, free from old age, free from everything else; and in the glory of God, to live in His blessed Presence forever. Amen. Don't let that scare you. I feel religious right now. I sure do. All right.
"For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and at the last days He will stand on this earth; though the skin worms destroys this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself; mine eyes shall behold, and not another."
Don't think I'm crazy. I'm not. If I am, just let me alone. I'm more happier this way than I was the other way. Yes, sir. Just let me stay this way. Oh, sure, crazy to the world, for those things that the world calls crazy, God calls blessed. You have to lose your mind to this world. Because why? You're not of this world.
162 When you cross over that separating line, you become fellow citizens of the Kingdom of God. Oh, my. How good is it? Why, you become a new creature (oh, my), changed from this what you are now. You are now the sons of God. Now, are we sitting together in heavenly places, not, we will be in the Millennium. We are now, right now we're the sons of God. Right now we're sitting together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, not just in the church; we're in Christ Jesus.
The resurrected Lord Jesus is here. He's here in His power. He's here in His redemption power. He's here for the exodus. He's here to bring every church member into fellowship with Him. He's here to bring every sinner, no matter how low you are, He's here to bring the power of His resurrection into your life and make you a new creature.
164 Here a few years ago, all the religions of the world met, I believe it was in London, England, or somewhere. I don't remember exactly. But when they was all speaking for different churches, the Mohammedans, and the Buddha's, and everything, a little, a fellow that represented the American Holiness church, John Witt, I believe, was his name... So then when he got up, to his time to speak, all the religions represented in this great gathering, he told the story of Lady Maccabee, how low she was: got arrested in Oklahoma with a cigar in her mouth, driving a--or breaking the speed law, going through the streets with a stagecoach. She had done so many murders, and so filthy, and so ornery, until when they went to tar and feather her, they wouldn't even put their hands on her, afraid they'd be polluted.
And when he got the story told in such a dramatic way till every listener was sitting on the ends of their seat, he said, "Gentlemen, of the religions of this world, has your religion got anything that would clean the hands of Lady Maccabee?" Nobody said a word. He jumped up in the air, and kicked his heels together, and slapped his hands. He said "The Blood of Jesus Christ won't only clean her hands, but It'll clean her heart." Amen. That's right.
166 The Blood of Jesus Christ will take the lowest prostitute in Louisville, Kentucky, and make a lady, a saint out of her. It'll take the bootlegger out of the place down yonder and make a gentleman out of him, and a saint of God.
My friends, citizens of the Kingdom, my fellow men of Kentucky and Indiana, and around about, don't you think tonight it's about time for you to consider this Lord Jesus before your last chance is taken?
168 When you see the Church going in this great exodus, see the Pillar of Fire leading before us, standing, performing miracles and signs... He's here tonight in all His redeeming power. He's here to make whole every sinner, to take back every backslider. He's here to heal every sick person.
He's the full Gospel. And we preach the full Gospel. Eat the whole Lamb. Roast It with the Holy Ghost, and know that It's good eating, for the Holy Spirit has Divined to us that It is real good. Taste and see the Lord is good. It tastes like honey in the rock.
Our Lord Jesus here in His love and power, in His great redemptive blessings, oh, how He stands between the Church and sin tonight. How He stands between you and judgment, bleeding, praying...
171 Here not long ago, I walked into a place up here in Ohio, where I had been just about to pass my opinion of judgment. I'd been eating at a little Dunkard restaurant. We was having a great meeting. I had to stay several miles out in the country at a little motel. I'd been eating at a Dunkard restaurant, nice lovely people. And on Sunday they closed and went to church. I had to go across to an ordinary little, common, American place to eat my dinner.
When I walked into the door, to my surprise there stood a state police with his arm around a girl, playing a slot machine. Now, gambling is illegal in Ohio, and there the lawman himself breaking the law; and perhaps, a man at my age, perhaps married, with a family somewhere, with his arms around some young lady standing there.
I looked back across the restaurant, some boys sitting back there drunk, and a young lady not acting morally at all. I looked, sitting down to my right side here to a booth, which I was ready to set down, there set an elderly lady, somewhat around fifty-eight, sixty years old (old as my mother), setting there, skin all wrinkled up, the little bitty clothes on. And, oh, it was terrible. And her toenails painted purple, her lips painted purple, the horriblest looking sight you ever seen, her hair cut real short and fringed up like that, and she was drinking.
There set two men with her, sitting there, horribly-looking, drunk, and one of them laying across the plate of the table. And when they excused themselves, and went out to the rest room...
176 I stood there. I thought, "O God, how can You stand it? How can You look at such as that? When even in my heart, and I'm as bad as I am, yet, still I wonder if my little Sarah and Rebekah will have to raise up in such a generation to see that coming on. Lord, why don't You just wipe it off of the face of the earth?" I thought, "Why don't You just do it, Lord?"
I set down there and just started to weeping. I saw a vision. I saw as it was, the world whirling around in the air, and there stood a rainbow around that world. And someone that was speaking to me, said, "That's the Blood of Jesus Christ around this world, that keeps Him from destroying it. If God can see sin, 'The day you eat thereof, that day you die.' Every man under that Blood there has a--is a free moral agent to take your choice. But if you ever die, and your soul soars beyond the mercy of that Blood, you're already judged before you get there. There's nothing left for you."
178 Then I seen myself. I seen my Lord Jesus standing there with a crown of thorns on His head, and the tears running down, mixed up with Blood, as it washed off of His beard. And I seen my sins coming before Him. And every time they would come before Him like that... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... till He was shaking. The thorns would stick in His brow more. He'd stagger back. He'd say, "Father, forgive him; he don't know what he's doing." And again I would do something, and then His Blood was like the bumper on the car, protecting the car, shielding me from the wrath of God, undeserving.
And I come to Him slowly, knelt down to Him. I said... Looked down there, laying in front of me, and there was an old book of sin, and my name wrote across the top. I said, "Lord, will You forgive me?"
"Certainly," He said with loving eyes; reached to His side, got some Blood out, and wrote on it, "Pardoned," and throwed it back in the Sea of Forgetfulness. He said, "Now..."
I said, "Thank You, Lord."
He said, "Now, I forgive you; and you're condemning her." Oh, that changed the picture for me.
182 I--I come out of it. I walked over there and set down to her and begin to talk. And she had some rough life back before her. I said, "Was you never a Christian?"
She said, "I was raised in a Christian home."
And I said, "What happened?"
She told me about a miscue with her husband, and how the children, and so forth. I said, "All, for all these years, you've never lived peaceful since you met God?"
She said, "Sir, that is the truth."
I said, "Won't you receive Him right now."
She said, "Will He take me?"
I said, "He's knocking at your heart now."
And out of that booth there, on the floor, and knelt down before that audience of people; slot machines stopped, vulgar cursing stopped, and everything else. And I lifted up my hands, and my hands... and them poor wrinkled hands, and led her to Jesus Christ. Then she went... That's it, friends. Don't... Look... Jesus...
I don't care what you've done, how black your sins are, how smutty your life is; God's standing tonight, knocking at your heart's door, to forgive you, no matter who you are.
186 Let's bow our heads a minute. Sister, come to the organ there, will you?
Heavenly Father, oh, I pray that You'll just now, while the Holy Spirit is a moving in the building... Let us seek first the Kingdom, to find favor with You, and then I believe You'll heal the sick. But right now, Father, while feeling that there's a great, deep interest and a conviction, people knowing that Your Church is in the exodus, and we're going on towards judgment... Not knowing but, in the morning, someone may come to the bedside, and there we're laying gone. This time, tomorrow night, may be in a morgue somewhere and our souls out yonder in eternity.
O God, this may be the last hour. This may be the last chance that men will receive. Many, no doubt, are setting here, men and women, who desired, who's lived just a normal, good life, but never have been borned again, doesn't know what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, a complete surrendered life, with all the shame, bashfulness taken from them, and God's Spirit baptize them into His mercy.
Father, dear, won't You tonight, in the Name of Thy beloved Child Jesus, move to every heart and speak just now. And may they in the simplicity of their heart, raise up their thoughts to Thee, raise their heart and say, "Here I am, Jesus. Take me now just as I am, and mold me and make me something different. Make me the kind of man You'd have me to be. All through my life, You've talked to me. You've spoke to me. You've tried to get me to do different. You've tried to make me to make that surrender. But now the day is far spent, Lord, with me, but I'm ready to come now." Grant it, Father. While mercy is calling before judgment, and the exodus of the Church is leaving Egypt, may they come, go along with the great group of the called-out. We ask it in His Name.
190 And while we have our heads bowed, and eyes closed, and Christians praying, I wonder if you'd just raise up your hand, say, "Brother Branham, you remember me. I--I believe every word you're saying is the truth about Jesus Christ. And we all need to be filled with the Spirit, and I'm not yet. I've been a church member." Or, maybe you haven't been at all. Maybe you've been a sinner, never have accepted Christ, or you've been a member of the church, and haven't been born again. Would you raise up your hand, say, "Remember me, Brother Branham, in your prayer. I want to be right"?
God bless you. God bless you, and you, and you, you, you; and you, my brother; you, sister; and you, brother; you, you, you, brother, sister. I see.
Oh, over to my left, how many over here? Raise your hand, say, "Remember me, Brother Branham, I want to be born."
193 Now remember, the Holy Spirit's speaking to you. If I be God's servant, I know, as sure as I'm standing on this platform, that the Holy Spirit's speaking to hearts here.
Friends, I may be peculiar to you, but I'm not a fanatic. I do know what I speak of, if I know what you're trouble is out there, and what your disease is, and God hears my prayer for you. And right here in this building sets people that has been healed, with cancer, and blindness, and deafness, and cripples, and everything else. Look at the millions around the world. What about you now? What about it now? If He will hear my prayer for that, won't He hear my prayer for your condition of your soul? If He will reveal to me where your trouble is, won't He reveal to me now where your trouble is also?
How many more will raise your hand, say, "Brother Branham remember me. I want, at this time, ask God to be merciful to me."? God bless you, and you, and you, you, again. Oh, my, just all over the building, everywhere...
195 While you have your heads bowed. I wonder, if you that's raised your hand, just have just a little more grace, say, "Lord, I had enough grace to raise my hand, give me enough grace to stand up while he prays. If You shall come for me before daylight, Lord, this is my sign to You that I want to be right. I want to meet You someday. This cough will come up my sleeve, and I'll press a dying pillow. The doctor will leave my bedside; nothing could be done. Then, God, have mercy on my soul. While the cold fogs of death is floating in the room, may the old ship of Zion come, pack me a way. I'm going to stand, Lord. It's taking a lot of grace, but Something's moving me. I'm standing." God bless you, brother.
Someone else will stand, say, "I'm standing, Lord." God bless you, brother. God bless you, brother, sister. Just remain standing. Everyone that wants to be remembered in this prayer for the salvation of your soul, would you stand? God bless you. God bless you, young man. God bless you, sir. God bless you, brother. God bless you, my sister. God bless you, sister, you, brother.
Someone else stand now and say, "Here I am. Brother Branham, I'm not standing before you. I'm standing before God. Something told me to stand up, and I'm standing." Will you do it? Just stand to your feet. Just take God this much. God bless you, lady.
198 There's more. God bless you, lady. That's right. Poor mother holding her little baby, trying to get up, tears in her eyes. Won't you come? Stand up again. God bless you, lady, elderly lady stood up there, and real elderly, knowing that she's got to face God one of these days. God bless you. Who will stand up next now, say, "I'll stand." Just remain standing for the prayer.
Someone else? I just feel like that someone else wants to stand. Maybe you just want to get a little closer. Don't put it off any more. Just stand. Will you do it, you ones that wants to be closer to God? God bless you. That's right. Would somebody... God bless you, lady. Yes, sir.
There's at least three more people, I'm looking right straight at, ought to be standing up, 'cause there stands the Angel of the God. God bless you, lady. That's right. Now, all right, brother, what about it? All right. Angel of the Lord standing, I know. I see It, and I know that someone should stand right now. I'll wait just a minute longer. May God... You know He's pressing at your heart. He's standing there, my friend. That's Him that's telling you to stand up. Won't you do it? Just stand and accept Him, just now. All right.
Are you sure now? If God would call you tonight in this meeting, this sermon, this invitation's going to meet you yonder when you die. What have you done about it? If you're not positive sure, stand now, so that He will see you want to accept, to walk in the Light.
202 Now, our kind Heavenly Father, these Thy dear children, softened hearts, the Word fell in their heart tonight. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing of the Word." And they could hear. And You softened their hearts, many are standing, men and women, boys and girls, confess Thee as their own dear Saviour and Leader.
And may the Angel of God, Who is here now tonight, may He guide them through life. May they be guided to Calvary just now in their hearts and accept Jesus as their Saviour. And may the Holy Spirit, through the Blood of Christ, come down upon their souls, and take all the indifference away, and fill them with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. May this be the greatest night of their life. We know it is, for tonight they're receiving You. Grant it, Lord, just now. And may they go home from here, tonight, happy, rejoicing, praising God, with all their heart. I pray this blessing through Christ Jesus' Name.
Now, may the Lord bless you as you be seated.
204 Let me ask you now. Each one of you that stood, and you know that something happened to you while you were standing, raise your hand. Just raise your hand; you know something happened. God bless you. God bless you. That's right. It has to, friends. It has to. I stood, seen here just now, the same Angel that I speak of, going right through this building here, the same Angel of the Lord, the Pillar of Fire. I've been preaching the last five or ten minutes, under that inspiration. I feel It, just see It moving through this building. Now, you may think that I'm storying to you, but it's the truth.
Now, I don't think I'll even call a prayer line. I think I'll stand right here and just ask God to confirm that I've told you the truth (That's right.) with signs, wonders.
206 How many in here wants to be healed, the sick people? Raise your hands. Wherever you are, just raise your hand, say, "I accept it." All right.
I want you to look, live, and believe. Somebody in this audience, through here, somebody through here, just look, and say, "Lord Jesus..."
Like this... I believe, the reason I made that altar call first, we've got to find favor with Him. This is something new to me. I've got to find favor with Him first. Then if I've found favor, and done a favor... And you, a dozen, or two, souls come to Him just then. Surely, surely...
209 Now, each one of you people that come to Christ, then, find a good Holy Ghost-filled church and go to it, and there seek His baptism until you've found it; just go, just every night, every day, just keep praying. And when you're looking...
Now, you people that's sick, if I've told you the truth, God will testify that it's truth. That's right. Only can do it... And God will make it known, if you'll just pray and believe with all your heart. Just look, and say this...
211 When the Angel of the Lord met me out there at Green's Mill, Indiana, eight years ago, after being since a child, following me, showing visions; when I went to Him, He said, "If you'll be sincere, get the people to believe You, nothing shall stand before the prayer."
Now, He could do the same for you now that He could then. He's risen from the dead. And He... There the audience out there before Him. He knows what's on every one of you, what you've done, what's your trouble, everything about it. Do you believe that? Then believe it with all your heart.
213 I notice a young man setting here, believing, trying to, having faith. Do you believe that God will let me know what's wrong with you? You do? If He will, will you accept your healing? You have heart trouble. Isn't that right? What if I told you now that you was well of it? Would you believe it? Stand up just a minute. You got a nervous heart and a murmuring heart. It's bothered you for some time. The only time, when you lay down too, it smothers you, and you have a lot of beating back and forth, fluttering. Is that right? 'Cause, it causes an indigestion from your stomach to run up through them vein. Isn't that true? You'll not be bothered with it no more. Just keep what you have right now; you can go home and be well.
I'm not reading your mind. I'm a perfect stranger to you. You're just a man sitting there. Is that right? Never seen you in my life, and never knowed nothing about you. Is that true? Well, the Angel of the Lord is here.
Frankly, young man, I want to ask you something, and you see if this is truth or not. About a few moments ago, all of a sudden something strange come over you when I begin to talk about the sting gone out of the stinger. Wasn't that right? Wasn't it a strange feeling you had, a...?... Isn't that right? And didn't you look at me at that same time, and my eyes catch you at the same time? That's when you were healed with heart trouble, right there. Amen. That's exactly. He's here.
216 I'm not reading your mind, friends. I only speak the truth, and God vindicates it to be the truth.
What do you think about it, setting there next to him? Do you believe? Do you believe me to be God's prophet? Do you believe if God... You setting 'cause you're on the front seat, that's the reason I'm talking to you so much. See, it's back in behind there and around me. But do you believe, if I can contact your spirit, God will reveal what's wrong? Would you accept your healing? You're a diabetic. Is that right? Raise up your hand if that's the truth. Stand up on your feet. Do you accept your healing now? May the Lord Jesus Christ make you every whit whole. God bless you.
218 Have faith. Somebody in here believe. Have faith, with all your heart.
I see a young man setting there with a blue suit on. There It stands right above him. You have a skin disease, don't you, young man? Isn't that right? Stand up on your feet. Oh, I see, you're with this delegation. Is that right? Well, do you want to go home well? Raise up your hand, say, "Lord Jesus, I now believe the Angel of the Lord leads along, and I believe that I am healed."
What do you think about it, next man to him there, do you believe too? Stand up on your feet a minute, so I can look at you. You believe me to be God's servant, with all you heart? You want to get over that heart trouble? That's what you had, wasn't it? That's what you "had," I said. You don't have it now. You can go home too.
The next man to him, what do you think about it, sir? Do you believe with all your heart? Do you believe me to be God's prophet? Stand up on your feet. Do you believe with all your heart now? You had nervousness. Isn't that right? See? Is that right? Raise up your hand. You can go home well now. Jesus Christ make you well.
222 What about the next man, setting down the row, you believe with all your heart? Stand up on your feet. Do you believe me to be God's prophet, to be His servant? You believe He'd tell me what's wrong with you, that you'd accept your healing? It's in your throat. Is that right? Go home and be well, in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Anybody else in this building, that wants to be made well, can raise and be made well. If you believe me, as God's servant, stand to your feet. God bless you. Female trouble, cancer, there it goes. God be blessed. Every one of you, raise your hands to God.
224 Our Heavenly Father, I now condemn every disease in this building, cast out every evil spirit, and may the Holy Ghost take over now and make every person well.
Lay your hands over on one another, and say, "Praise the Lord," everywhere. And rejoice and be happy, for Jesus Christ is here, the Lamb of God, to make you well, every one.