Adoption

Adoption

ADOPTION A Series of Sermons by

William Marrion Branham

William Marrion Branham Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

2

Adoption

Contents

Adoption Part 1 - Ephesians Parallels Joshua ……………………..………………………..

6

Adoption Part 2 - Manifested Sons Of God …………………………………...……………..

27

Adoption Part 3 - Position In Christ ………………………………………………….………..

53

Adoption Part 4 – Adoption ………………………………………………………………..…..

78

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

3

Adoption

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

THE DEFINITIVE ‘WILLIAM BRANHAM STOREHOUSE COLLECTION’ Carefully catalogued and available on Six DVD’s for US$29.95, delivered to your door. Christ shows Himself alive in our generation! Jesus Christ had more success through William Branham’s Ministry than He did through His own, such was the extent and the wonderment of the miraculous that accompanied this modern day prophetic ministry which even overshadowed the legendary Old Testament Seers of the Bible. William Branham single-handedly spearheaded the worldwide Healing Revival of the late 1940’s and early 50’s, from which came forth the major ministries of the day such as Oral Roberts, TL Osborn and AA Allen etc., and changed the direction of the full Gospel Christian Church forever. But to what purpose? A prophet to the Gentiles Before the Gospel had been rejected by the Jews and the Holy Ghost had turned to the Gentiles, and long before the Christian Church had lost the power of God that was so ably demonstrated by the early disciples, Jesus spoke of a future prophetic ministry to be sent to “restore all things” in readiness for His second coming, i.e., a future forerunner. He went on to warn that generation that they had missed their day of visitation because John the Baptist (Christ’s first forerunner) had “come already and they knew him not.” (Mat 17:11-12). Could history have repeated? Might we also have missed our day of visitation? The most amazing true story ever William Branham’s life story is the most amazing true story of the supernatural you will ever read. It is your chance to update and build your faith to a new level. He left us a Gospel Message to restore God’s people to the original Apostolic faith and power, even to enter into rapturing faith. His Message is today fulfilling it’s purpose to encourage, sustain and transform believers into Christ’s likeness before His return. This vital insight, wisdom and spiritual counsel is for all Christian believers who are earnest in their desire to walk closer with Christ, coming as it does from a man who manifested the love, humility and power of Christ the likes of which has not been known since the Master Himself walked the shores of Galilee. Against the Odds The Jewish nation is back in her homeland after an absence of 1900 years just as their prophets foretold millennia ago. The devout Jews are looking for their Mashiach (Messiah) to return, world social and other conditions are deteriorating rapidly. Evil is taking hold at an alarming rate. The Gentile nations have experienced (and ignored) a God-given, vindicated prophetic ministry which demonstrated the works of Christ more than any has done before. Revival fires are burning low and storm clouds are gathering. What can be next? Bible readers know that at such a time, Jesus Christ promised to return to receive a people who had made themselves ready for His coming (the wise virgins). Christ has shown Himself alive in our day and if you have ears to hear, you should be in haste to prepare because the hour of His return is upon the world. The comprehensive William Branham Storehouse Collection contains; 1188 Anointed Audio ‘Message’ sermons plus transcribed text. These can now be read or heard by simply clicking a link on an Index. Please note that through the generosity of the people who complied this material, this part of the collection is free of charge to you. A Powerful Searchable ‘Message Database’ program. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

4

Adoption

Quickly and easily find all references to any topic, word or phrase that interests or concerns you in any Sermon or 20 other associated major Message Publication (including A Man Sent from God, A Prophet Visits South Africa, The Acts of the Prophet, etc.) and the complete text of the King James Version Bible. The William Branham Memorial Photograph Album This new self playing digital album has over 700 catalogued, timeless photos, including some never published before. It is an extensive record of people and places where notable events or miracles occurred. The photos allow you to understand William Branham’s ministry and the Divine Healing revival almost as if you had been there. Meet those who were healed and absorb the background information. The ‘Tucson Years’ Photograph Album 1963-1965 The arrival of Brother Branham and his family in Tucson in January 1963, began a series of incredible events, the likes of which have no precedent. God visited His servant in amazing ways. Over 200 photos trace these happenings in detail and the photos are accompanied by extensive background information. Multimedia Experience all of the William Branham film footage, see his unfailing gift of discernment in action, view Rebekah Branham-Smith’s insightful slideshow and marvel at an additional 90 hours of audio and 25 hours of spellbinding video testimony of the miracles and the supernatural from over 30 eyewitnesses, or simply be uplifted by listening to selections of some 400 minutes of anointed campaign singing. The ‘Evidence’ Consider the newspaper reports, the many magazine articles, photographs, documents and eyewitness accounts, the written personal testimonies of healing, the amazing and the miraculous. Be encouraged by the biographies of spiritual giants of bygone eras or study the extensive materials detailing more than twenty five separate significant ‘Places and Events’ associated with William Branham’s ministry. Review the Timeline of the major milestones in William Branham’s life and his seven major prophecies of world events, the first five of which have already been fulfilled in detail. Los Angeles Earthquake Review new information about the ‘Big One’ to come & the judgment prophesied by William Branham. Inspired Spiritual Insights Over 500 pages of William Branham’s inspired insights have been compiled and catalogued so you can review what he told us to expect and to prepare for as the coming of the Lord draws near. Bonus Items These include twenty three classic Christian books that are sure to strengthen and encourage, plus various Bible study tools and several premium computer software programs to ensure you can easily access, search and view all the information and to find answers to your questions. Discover what William Branham really taught and believed and how this contributed to his outstanding success. Study in the privacy of your own home Experience and share the love, humility, faith and hope that so motivated William Branham’s life and permeated his character. The William Branham Storehouse Collection DVD series is a rich, inexhaustible treasure, laden with spiritual food and insights for the hungry soul. Prayerfully listen and study in the privacy of your own home away from other influences – just you and God alone. Draw near and allow Him to lead you into all Truth. Purchase your copy or find out more at www.williambranhamstorehouse.com May God bless you abundantly,

g{x `|wÇ|z{à VÜç

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 © 2013 The Midnight Cry. All Rights Reserved

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

5

Adoption

ADOPTION – PART 1 “EPHESIANS PARALLELS JOSHUA”

Branham Tabernacle JEFFERSONVILLE.IN SUNDAY 60-0515E

Well, it's... always, as I've said before, "I was happy when they said unto me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord,'" I believe David made that statement once, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." I don't know any better place to be, do you, than in the house of the Lord. Now, tonight we are... We got some friends here that's all the way from Georgia. And they'll probably be driving down after--after the lunch tonight. And then we will... Some of them from way down, I hope you stay over. And what rooms we got is open to you. And then Wednesday night we'll continue on, on the study, and then, the Lord willing, next Sunday again. And then Chautauqua begins on the sixth. So all that's got your vacations planned, we're expecting a great wonderful time at the Chautauqua. There's where we always have such a marvelous time. Not too big a crowds, we run sometimes... It'll hold up to about... I suppose we could put ten thousand in it, easy. But, usually, last year I think we had around about seven thousand, something like that. Was a packed out place, but there's plenty of room to stand, and seats that they can run all the way out. And so we are looking forward to that. And glad to see many of our minister brothers in. I can't never think of his name here, the missionary, Brother Humes. And Sister Humes, is that you setting right here, and the little ones, we're glad to have them, a missionary. Other ones, Brother Pat, Brother Daulton, and, oh, just so many, Brother Beeler. And seen Brother Collins just a few moments ago. And, oh, it'd be kind of hard to call them all. But we're very happy to have you in the house of the Lord tonight. This great precious Brother Neville setting behind me here to pray with me while we are going to teach the Word... Charlie, glad to see you and Sister Nellie here tonight, the little ones. This is... And Bible teaching is usually a very... Yes, Brother Welch, I just... was looking for you; I see you setting back there now. And... Bible teaching is usually a little treacherous, a little, you know, kind of walking out on the thin ice; we call it. But we just feel that maybe at this point and at this time, it might be good to kinda bring the--the church to what I think to a--a complete understanding, positionally, of what we are in Christ Jesus. And sometimes I think that preaching is a wonderful thing, but I believe sometimes, Brother Beeler, that teaching goes beyond that, it kindly... Especially to the church. Now, preaching usually catches the sinner, brings him under condemnation by the Word. But teaching places a man positionally what he is. And we can never rightly be able to have faith until positionally we know what we are. Now, if the United States of this fair land here, sent me over to Russia as an ambassador of this nation, to Russia, then if they have officially sent me to Russia, all the power that the United States has is behind me. My word is just the same as the United States, if I have been recognized as an ambassador.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

6

Adoption

And then if God has sent us to be His ambassadors, all the power that's in heaven, all that God is, all of His Angels and all of His power stands behind our words if we are correctly an ordained, sent messengers to the people. God has to honor the Word, for He has so solemnly written, that "Whatever you bind on earth, that will I bind in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth, that will I loose in heaven. And I give unto thee the keys to the Kingdom." Oh, such great promises He's given the church. And I am, after the other day, of many of you I suppose was here this morning to hear as I tried to in my humble, simple way, to explain the--the vision that I saw of heaven... I would, by no means, ever try to doubt anything that anyone ever told me that God told them. I'd believe it; even if I didn't see it in the Scripture I would still want to believe that brother's word. I--I might just stay right along with the Bible, but still I would believe that maybe the brother just misunderstood it some way, that he might have just got it mixed up a little. And still I would believe he--he to be my brother. And if there's anything that burns within my heart, and I hope it never leaves in my years to come, that I'll never forget what happened last Sunday morning, as a week. It has done something to me that's revolutionized my life. I--I do not fear. I--I have not one fear of death. Death has no fear at all. And it--it doesn't for you if you just understood. Now, maybe if... You'd have to have the experience to know it, because there's no way to explain it. You cannot find words, because it doesn't lay in the English dictionary, or no other dictionary; because it's in an eternity: no yesterday, no tomorrow, it's all present tense. And it's no, "I feel pretty good," and a hour from now, "I don't feel so well," and another hour, "feel good again." It's present tense all the time (See?), never a cease, just that glorious peace and something. And there can be no sin; there could be no jealousy; there could be no sickness; there--there could be nothing ever reach that heavenly shore. And if I may have the privilege of saying this, which, maybe I do not... If I do not, then I pray God forgive me. But if I have the privilege, and it was that God let me be caught up to see something, I would refer to the first heavens. And then I believe, one in the Bible by the name, I believe it was Paul, that was caught up into the third heaven. And if it was this glorious in the first heavens, what does that third heavens hold? No wonder he couldn't speak of it for fourteen years. He said he did not know whether he was in body or out of body. With that great apostle, not to share his--his--his office, or not to try to make ourselves anything like he was, but I can say with him: I don't know whether I was in this body or out of the body. Only thing, it was just as real as I'm looking at you. And I've always wondered about if I'd pass by, I'd see a little cloud floating by, a spirit, and say, "There goes brother and sister; that's Charlie and Nellie. That's Brother and Sister Spencer going there." That always puzzled me. If my eyes is in the grave, decaying, rottening, if my ears is not here to hear any more, and if my blood has all gone back and they've embalmed it, and it's in the waters or in the ground, and my mental faculties, my brain cells are all gone, then how would I be any more than just a spirit floating around? And that wearied me. How would I like to say, "Hello, Brother Pat, oh, so glad to see you. Hello, Brother Neville, how I would like to see you." But I thought, "Well, if I don't have anything to see with, any mouth to speak with, it's rotten, it's dust, how would I be able to say, 'Hello, Brother Pat,' 'Hello, Brother Neville,' or so forth, 'Hi, Charlie'?" But now I know that that's wrong. For it is written in the Scriptures, which I say it's not contrary, "For if this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting," another tabernacle that has eyes, ears, lips, mental faculties. If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, it has a body that can feel, can talk.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

7

Adoption

And now it comes to me, just now, that Moses had been dead and in a in--unmarked grave for eight hundred years, and Elijah had went to heaven five hundred years before, but on Mount Transfiguration they were found talking with Jesus. After Samuel had been dead for at least three to five years, and the witch of En-dor called him up, and she fell on her face, and she said, "You have deceived me, because you are Saul, yourself." She said, "Because I see gods." She was a heathen (You see?), "I see gods rising up." And Saul couldn't see him yet, and he said, "What does he look like? Describe him to me." Said, "He's thin, and he has a mantle over his shoulder." Said, "That's Samuel the prophet; bring him here before me." I want you to notice that Samuel had not lost any of his personality. He was still a prophet; he told Saul exactly what would happen the next day. So, you see, death does not completely diminish us as we weep and wail and lament at the grave. It only changes our dwelling place. It takes us from a place to... What is age? If I live one more hour, I'll outlive a many sixteen-year-old person. I'll outlive a many five-year-old person. Age is nothing. We're just set here for a purpose, to do something. Well now, many of these little pretty-faced mothers setting here, some of them sixty or seventy years old, would say, "Well, what have I done, Brother Branham?" You've raised your children. You've done what you were supposed to do. Maybe some old Dad setting here say, "Well, I've harrowed the fields; I've done this. I never preached." But you did just what God sent for you to do. There's a place for you. Speaking to an old doctor yesterday, one of my doctor friends, buddies, eighty-something years old... And his sister-in-law is here at the church tonight, and she's been just a teeny-teeny bit worried about him. And I went to see him. And as soon as I begin to talk to him, he brightened up, told me about a hunting trip he taken many years ago up in Colorado, the very same country I hunt at. Just as brilliant and bright... And I said, "Doctor, how long you been practicing?" He said, "When you were nursing." And way down I said... "And many a time," he said, "I've practiced taking my buggy; I put my saddle bags over my horse. I took the little satchel and I've walked." And I said, "Yes, down along the creek banks, two o'clock in the morning with your flashlight, trying to find a house where a little child had a tummy ache or a mother in labor pains." "That's right." And I said, "You know, doctor, I believe, across this dividing line here between mortal and immortality, God has a place for good old doctors that's served like that." Great tears come in his eyes, and he started crying; he reached up his feeble hands and said, "Brother, I hope so." Across the land, God judges a man's soul, what he is. Then I give him this satisfying Scripture. Many times, plowing through those dark muddy fields at night, trying to help somebody, maybe never get a penny for it, but it's all right. I said, "Jesus said in the Scripture, 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.'" And that is true. And tonight we want to set the church in these three lessons, if God permits, how and what to look to, what we are. We're going to begin at the 1st chapter of the Book of Paul's letter to Ephesus. And we're going to take the three first chapters in our next three studies, trying to get a chapter a evening, if we can, tonight, Wednesday, and next Sunday morning. Ephesians, the 1st chapter... Now, as we study together, I'd like to say this, that this Book of Ephesians perfectly parallels the Old Testament Joshua: Ephesians, the Book of Ephesians...

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

8

Adoption

Now, remember, if we happen to get just a little off to your teaching, just forgive us and bear with us awhile. Before we open It, let's ask Him to help us, as we bow our heads. Lord, we are approaching Thy holy and sacred Writ, which It is more secure than all the heavens and earth. For we read in this Word, called the Bible, that "Both heaven and earth will pass away, but My Word shall never fail." Then upon this solemn hour that I come to this pulpit tonight before the purchase of Your Blood, these precious darling mortals that sets here tonight, grasping for every little hope that they can to hold on for that Life that is to come, may it be so sufficient tonight, that every believer here will see his position, and everyone who has not yet come into this great fellowship will press the Kingdom, Lord, and knock at the door until the Keeper opens the door. Grant it, Lord. We are reading in here where this Bible is of no private interpretation. God forbid that I Your servant or any other servant would ever try to put their own interpretation to the Word. Let us just read It and believe It the way It is written. And especially we shepherds of the flocks, we pastors who someday will gather yonder in that glorious land with the little flocks, and we'll stand in the Presence of the Lord Jesus, and we'll see that generation come up, of Paul, and of Peter, and of Luke, and Mark, and Matthew, and all them, and see them judged there with their groups. God, grant that I can lay ten million trophies at Your feet while I humbly crawl up and lay my hands upon Your precious feet and say, "Lord, they are Yours." O God, fill us freshly with Thy Spirit and with Thy love and Thy goodness. And may we, as the poet has expressed in the song many years ago, "Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious Blood shall never lose its power, until all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more. And ever since, by faith, I saw that stream Thy flowing wounds supplied; redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die. Then in a nobler, sweeter song," he goes on to say, "I'll sing Thy power to save; when this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave." Then the grave does not hold any death for Your children. It's only our resting place, or our hiding place, where this corruption will put on incorruption. And may we tonight see this, Lord, plainly, as it is given to us in the Word. Give us understanding. And place us, Lord, at our post of duty, that we might serve faithfully until You come. We ask this in Jesus' Name, and for His sake. Amen. Now, the Book of Ephesians, as I was just saying, I--to my opinion, is one of the greatest Books of the New Testament. It leaves us on where Calvinism runs out on one limb, and Arminianism runs out on the other limb, but the Book of Ephesian draws it together and positionally places the church. Now, I've typed it with Joshua. If you notice, Israel was brought up out of Egypt, and there's three stages of their journey. One stage was leaving Egypt. The next stage was the wilderness. And the next stage was Canaan. Now, Canaan does not represent the age of the millennium. It only represents the age of the overcomer, the dispensation of overcoming, because in Canaan they killed and burned and took cities. And there'll be no death in the millennium. But another thing that it does, it brings up justification by faith, after they believed in Moses and left Egypt; sanctification through following under the Pillar of Fire and the atonement of the sacrificial lamb in the wilderness; and then entering into a land that had been promised. Now, what is the land promised to the New Testament believer? The promise is the Holy Spirit. "For it shall come to pass in the last days," Joel 2:28, "that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. And upon My handsmaids and My maidservants will I pour out of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. I'll show wonders in the heavens above. And in the earth, pillars of fire, and smoke, and vapor." And Peter said, on the day of Pentecost, after www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

9

Adoption

taking his text and preaching, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission," to remit, to forgive, to take away all back trespasses. Did you notice, Joshua? Before they crossed Jordan, Joshua said, "Go through the midst of the camp and clean your clothes and sanctify every one of you, and let no man come at his wife, for within three days you'll see the glory of God." See? It is a--it is a process of getting ready to inherit the promise. Now, the promise to Israel was... God gave Abraham the promise of the land of Palestine, and it was to be their possession forever. And they was to always remain in this land. Now, they come three stages, coming to this promised land. Now, watch; it's perfectly typed in the New Testament. Now, this, as I have said, disagrees with some of the thinking of yours. Some of you precious Nazarene people, Church of God, and so forth, don't let it hurt, but just watch it close and watch the types. Watch and see if every place don't hit just perfect. There was three stages of the journey, and there's three stages of this journey. For we are justified by faith, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, forsaking the land of Egypt, come out, and then are sanctified through the offering of His Blood, washed from our sins, and become pilgrims and sojourners, claiming that we are seeking a land, a city that's coming, or a promise. So did Israel in the wilderness, sojourners, no place to rest, traveling night after night, following the Pillar of Fire, but finally come to the promised land where they settled down. That's where the believer comes. He comes first to a recognition that he's a sinner; then he is separated by the waters, the washing of the water, by the Blood, and--or the washing of the water by the Word, rather, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, being justified by faith, he becomes a partaker, and at peace with God through Christ, baptized into the Name of Jesus Christ to omit him into the journey. You get it? Into the journey. Then he becomes a sojourner and a pilgrim. He's on his journey to what? A promise that God made. Israel had not yet received the promise, but they were on their journey. And without, raising... Please do understand. That's where you, the Nazarene and Pilgrim Holiness, and so forth, fell. Because Israel, when they come to the spot of Kadesh-Barnea, when the spies went over and said, "The land is great." But some of them come back and said, "We can't take it, because the cities are walled up, and so forth." But Joshua and Caleb stood out, and said, "We're more than able to take it." Because of their already signed-up documated statements, they believed in two works of grace, justification and sanctification, and could not move any farther. And listen, that whole generation perished in the wilderness but two that went over into the promised land and brought back the evidence that it was a goodly land, "and we were more than able to take it, because it was God's promise." Then instead of the people going on, receiving the Holy Spirit, speaking with tongues, receiving the power of God, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, signs, wonders, miracles, they felt that it would break down their tradition of doctrine. And what happened to it? Perished in the land. That's right. But the believers, the Caleb and Joshua outfit, that was going on to the promise, they moved on over into the land, and took the land, and settled down in the land as a possession. And we never stop at justification, sanctification. Let's go on to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Let's not stop at believing on the Lord Jesus, being baptized. Let's not stop because He cleaned us up from a life of sin. But now we pressed on into a position, to a promise of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. For Peter said on the day of Pentecost, "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

10

Adoption

So Ephesus here sets us like Joshua, positionally. You notice, Joshua, after crossing over the land and taking the land, then he divided the land. "Ephraim here, Manasseh's here, and this one here, Gad here, Benjamin here." He divided the land. And notice. Oh, this just burns our hearts. Each one of those Hebrew mothers giving birth to those children, she spoke the very place in her labor pains, where they would be positioned in the promised land. Oh, it's a great study. If we could only go into it in details, which would take hours after hours... Someday when we get our church fixed, I'd just like to come and take a solid month or two, just stay right in it. Watch when they, each one of those mothers, when she called out, "Ephraim," when she was in labor, positionally placed him where his feet was setting in oil. Just exactly every one of them where they were at... And Joshua, not knowing this, but by inspiration, led of the Holy Spirit, after being into the promised land, give each man his promise, exactly what the Holy Spirit promised through the birth back there. How that God has set some in the church, through the labor pains... Oh, they get tremendous sometime. When a church is groaning under the persecution of the outside world, believing on the Lord Jesus, that the promise of the Holy Ghost is just as real to us as it was to Pentecost, how they groan and cry under labor pains. But when they are born, and positionally born into the Kingdom of God, then the Holy Ghost has set in the church, some apostles, some prophets, some teachers, some pastors, some evangelists. Then He's give into there, speaking with tongues, interpretation of tongues, knowledge, wisdom, gifts of healing, all kinds of miracles. Where the church is... Now, this is my purpose of doing this. The church is always trying to take somebody else's corner. But don't do that. You can never raise corn in Ephraim's corner, if you're Manasseh. You've got to take your place in Christ, positionally take it. Oh, it gets deep and rich when we get in here, how that God puts one in the church to speak with tongues, another... Now, we have been taught many times, we all have to speak with tongues. That's wrong. "We all got to do it." No, we don't. They all didn't do one thing, each one was... Each... The land was provided and divvied up by inspiration. And each one... I could take the Scriptures and show it to you exactly, that he put them in the place where they was supposed to be, positionally, how that the two half tribes was to stay across the river, how that their mothers cried that in their birth, and how that each place was supposed to be. And now after you are in, that don't mean that you're out free from war. You still have to fight for every inch of ground you stand on. So see, Canaan did not represent the great heaven, because it's war and troubles and killings and fightings, and so forth. But it did represent this: that it must be a perfect walk. And there's where the church is failing today: on that walk. Do you know that even your own behavior can knock somebody else out of getting healed? Your misbehavior of unconfessed sins of you believers, can cause this church to bitterly fail. And at the day of the judgment you'll be responsible for every bit of it. Oh, you say, "Now, wait a minute, Brother Branham." Well, that's the truth. Think of it. Joshua, after he crossed over into the land, God gave him the promise that... Just think, to fight an entire campaign without losing a man, without even getting a scratch, without having to have a nurse, or a first aid or a Band-Aid. God said, "The land's yours; go fight." Think of fighting a campaign, and there's no Red Cross around at all; there's nobody going to get hurt. And they slayed the Amorites and the Hittites, but there wasn't one hurt among any of them until sin come in the camp. And when Achan took that Babylonian garment and that gold wedge, and hid it under his camp, then the next day they lost sixteen men. Joshua said, "Stop. Stop. Wait a minute; there's something wrong. Something's wrong here. We're going to call seven days of fast. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

11

Adoption

God made us a promise. There will be nothing hurt us. Our enemies will fall at our feet. And there's something wrong here. Something went wrong somewhere, 'cause we got sixteen dead men laying here. They're Israelite brothers, and they're dead." Why did they die, innocent men? Because one man stepped out of the line. You see the reason this needs to be taught? The church lining up, lining up with the Word of God, lining up with God and lining up with each other, walking perfectly upright, soberly, before all men, fearing God. Because one man stole a garment and done something that he should not done, took the life of sixteen men. I think it was sixteen, maybe more. I believe it was sixteen men that was dead. Joshua called, said, "There's something wrong. God made the promise, and something's wrong." When we bring the sick up before us and they fail to be healed, we need to call a solemn fast, call an assembly. Something's wrong somewhere. God made the promise. God's got to stick to that promise, and He will do it. And he called a fast. And they found out, they cast the lots. And Achan confessed it. And they killed Achan's family and all, and burnt their ashes, and left it there for a memorial. And Joshua went right on through the battles, taking everything without a scratch or a wound. There you are. One day he had--needed a little time, extra time. The sun was going down; the men couldn't fight very good at nighttime. Joshua, that great warrior, anointed of God, positionally placed into the land, like Ephesians to the new church, possess--possessed in the--possessing the land, taking it over. He needed some time, so he said, "Sun, stand still." And she stood still for about twelve hours until he took the land. See? Now, the Book of Ephesians placed us positionally in Christ, what they was in the holy land. We are placed not in the holy land, but in the Holy Ghost. Now, let us read just a Word, see how perfect the church is. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,... Oh, I like that. God made him an apostle. No elders laid hands on him, no bishops sent him anywhere, but God called him and made him an apostle. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints... (sanctified ones)... which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Jesus Christ: Watch how he addresses this. This is not to the unbelievers. This is to the church. It's called to the called-out ones, the sanctified and called ones that are in Christ Jesus. Now, if you want to know how we get in Christ Jesus, if you'll turn to I Corinthians 12, it said, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body." How? Baptized by what? The Holy Ghost. Not by water baptism, you church of Christ people, but by one capital S-p-i-r-i-t, by one Spirit. Not by one handshake, by one letter, not by one sprinkle, but by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body, our possession, the land that God give us to live in, the Holy Ghost. Just as He give Canaan to the Jews, He's give us the Holy Spirit. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body. You get it? Now, he's talking to the spiritual Canaanites, Israel, the spiritual Israel who has possessed the land. Oh, aren't you glad you've come out of Egypt's garlic? Aren't you glad you're out of the wilderness? And remember, they had to eat manna, Angel's food out of heaven, until they crossed over into the land. And when they crossed over into the land, the manna ceased to fall. They were fully matured then, and they eat the old corn of the land. Now, now that you're not babies any more, now that you're not desiring the sincere milk of the Gospel, that you don't have to be babied, and patted, and persuaded to come to church, now that you're real fully matured Christians, you're ready to eat strong meats now. You're ready to come into something:, he said. You're ready to understand something that's deep and rich. Oh, we'll get into it directly. And, oh, it's been hidden since the foundation of the world. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

12

Adoption

He said, "Now, that you've come into this, I'm addressing this to you," not to those who've just left Egypt, not to those who are still in the journey, but to those who are in the promised land, that has received the promise. How many's received the promise of the Holy Ghost? Oh, aren't you glad that you're in the land over here now, eating the old corn, eating the strong things of God, and got a clear understanding. Your--your spiritual mind is all unmuddled up. You know exactly Who He is. You know exactly What He is. You know exactly where you're going. You know exactly all about It. You know in Whom you have believed and persuaded He's able to keep that which you've committed to Him against the day. Oh, that's the one; that's who Paul's talking to now. Listen close. Now, watch... ... the faithful in Christ Jesus: Now, let me have the church to repeat that. How do we get into Christ? By joining church? No. By putting our name on a book? No. By being baptized by immersing? No. How do we get into Christ? By one Holy Spirit are we all baptized into one promise, the Body, and are partakers of all that belongs into the land. Amen. Oh, I--I like that. If I wasn't hoarse, I could shout. My, when I get in this land, it's mine. I'm home now; I'm in Canaan. I'm subject to anything God wants to use me for. I'm walking on holy ground, a child of the King, all robed and ready. I've come out of Egypt, come up through the promised land, stood the trials, passed over Jordan into this blessed promise. Oh, how did I get it? By one Spirit, the same way Paul got It, acted on me the same way It did on him, same way It did on you. By one Spirit we are all baptized, not sprinkled, just a little sprinkle of it, feel pretty good, but immersed under: all made to be swim under in the Holy Ghost. That's the promise. Our Ephesians, our Joshua, which is the Holy Spirit... "Joshua" means "Jesus, Saviour." Joshua means the Holy Spirit representing it in the spiritual as that was in the natural, that He is our great Warrior. He's our great Leader. As God was with Joshua, so is God in the Holy Spirit, moving us about. And when sin comes in the camp, the Holy Spirit demands a halt, "What's wrong in this church? Something's wrong." Oh, can't you see how we got too many sons of Kish now, too many Sauls coming from seminaries and theological schools and going out and teaching this perverse things, as the Bible said they would do, seemingly, not having the faith, separating themselves from you, having no fellowship with you, and so forth, having a form of godliness and denying the power thereof, from such turn away." They don't know where they come from; they can't give any reason. I say this from Brother Booth-Clibborn, a friend of mine, if there's anything that's an ill--illegitimate un-god-created, anything in the world, is a mule. A mule is the lowest of all things. He is a... He-he don't know what he is. He cannot produce himself no more. A mule cannot be bred to another mule and become a mule. He's finished. He don't know where his papa come from, neither does he know his mama; for he is a little--a little donkey and a mare horse. God never did that. Don't you lay such as that onto God. God never done that. God said, "Everything shall bring forth of its kind." Yes, sir. But a mule is a--a... His papa was a donkey and his mama was a mare horse, so he don't know what he does belong to. He--he--he's a horse trying to be a mule, or a mule... or he's a horse trying to be a donkey, a donkey trying to be a horse; He don't know where he does belong. And he is a hard-headedest thing there is in the world. You can never put a bit of trust to him. And that's the way a lot of people are in church. They don't know who their papa is; they don't know who their mama is. Only thing they know: they're either Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, or Pentecostal, or something. They don't know where they come from. And an old donkey, you can just holler at him as much as you want to holler at him, and he will stand there and stick them big ears out and look. You can preach to him all night long, and they don't know a bit more when they www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

13

Adoption

left than what they did when they come in. Now, that's just right. I don't mean to be rude, but I want to tell you the truth. But there's one thing they can do; they're good workers. Oh, they just work, work, work, work. That puts me in the mind of a bunch of these Arminians that's always trying to work their way into heaven (That's right.), a mule. Oh, the Ladies Aid Society, and the chicken supper, for they pay the preacher, "And we got to have this dance, and this social." It's just work, work, work, work, work, work, work. And, they... What are they working for? Ask them, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" They stick out their ears, and don't know where they belong; "What do you mean? What about this? What do you mean, the Holy Ghost? I've never heard nothing about It. Oh, you must be some kind of fanatic." See, they don't know who papa was, or who mama was, either. And you have to beat them on everything you do, beat here and beat there, and beat here and beat there. That's right, an old mule. But I tell you, you don't have to do that by a real thoroughbreded horse. Just crack the whip over him one time, and brother, he's gone. He knows what he's doing. Oh, how fine it is to ride a thoroughbred. How nice. You just say, "Come on, boy." Oh, man (See?); you better hold tight; he will leave the saddle in the air. That's the way it is with real thoroughbreded Christians. Hallelujah. "Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Repent, every one of you and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins." Gone; just as quick as they can get to the water, they're gone. They can't rest day and night until they receive the Holy Ghost. Why? You know, a Christian knows who his Papa was. See, it takes two to make a birth (That's right.): papa and mama. The mule don't know which was papa, which was mama. But we know Who Papa and Mama was, for we were borned of the written Word of God, confirmed by the Spirit. Peter said on the day of Pentecost, "If you will repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." And brother, a real borned again Christian (Oh, my.), his spirit... As soon as he gets the Word, he receives the Holy Ghost. Ask him something then. He knows where he's standing. "Do you believe in Divine healing?" "Amen." "You believe in the Second coming?" "Amen." Ask a mule that. The mule religion, "Uh, I don't know. Doctor Jones said one time..." Oh, there it... Go on after Saul. See? "Oh, they don't know. Well, I tell you, my church is not sure of It." Oh, brother, but a borned again man and woman is just as sure of the coming of the Lord Jesus; they're just as sure they got the Holy Ghost as there is a Holy Ghost to be given. Now, Jesus said... The woman at the well, "We worship in this mountain, and the Jews worship at Jerusalem." He said, "Woman, hear My Words. The hour is coming, and now is, when the Father seeketh those that'll worship Him in the Spirit and the Truth." "Thy Word is the Truth." And every man that'll read the Bible and believe every Word that Bible says, and follow Its instructions, and receive the same Holy Ghost that they received, the same way they received It, same results they received It, same power they got when they received It, he knows Who his Papa and Mama was. He knows he's washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ, borned of the Spirit, filled with God's unction. He knows where he's standing. Sure. He's in Canaan. He knows where he come from. And that's the way it is with a real Christian. Ask him, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

14

Adoption

"Amen, brother." Standing the other day by an old saint, ninety-two years old, talking to her eighty-year old pastor, I said, "Grandma?" Just as bright as she could be, she said, "Yes, my son." I said, "How long has it been since you received the Holy Ghost?" She said, "Glory to God. About sixty years ago I got It." Now, if she had been a mule, she'd said, "Now, wait a minute. I was confirmed and sprinkled when I was... Well, certainly, and they taken me into the church, and I took my letter over to so." Oh, mercy me. They don't even know where they belong. But she knowed where her birthright come from. She was there when it happened. She was borned of the water and of the Spirit. She knowed, and the water through the washing of the water by the Word, takes the Word. Now, watch how this is addressed, "To those that are in Christ Jesus." Paul, now remember... I'm taking a long time, but I ain't going to get through this chapter. But I'll hurry... You like it? Oh, It tells us where we are, but we can't do it in just one night. We need a month or two of this, every night, just go right through It, Word by Word. Go back and bring it up in the histories and lay it right out Word by Word, and show you that It's the Truth. Now, let me read that verse quickly again. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God... (not the will of man),... to the saints which are in Ephesus, and... (conjunction)... to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Means they've been called out, separated, and now have been baptized by the Holy Spirit, and are in Christ Jesus. "I'm addressing this epistle to you, my beloved ones." Oh, I think of Paul over there with them right now, oh, how happy. That little old apostle had his head chopped off down there. I stood by the place where they chopped his head off. But, oh, his head's on in that new body, and can never be chopped off again. And he's standing over there with them this very minute, the same apostle that wrote this. And said, "To you that are in Christ Jesus, by one Spirit we're all baptized into this one Body." Now, watch. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and... the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all... (Oh, do you hear that, Charlie?)... has blessed us with all spiritual blessing... Not just some to the apostles, and some to this, but He's blessed us with all spiritual blessings. The same Holy Ghost that fell on the day of Pentecost is the same Holy Ghost here tonight. The same Holy Ghost that made Mary shout and speak with tongues, and have a wonderful time, and rejoice, and the things that she did, is the same Holy Ghost here tonight. The same Holy Ghost that let Paul on that old ship, where it looked like it was water-logged and was gone, fourteen days and nights, no moon or stars, he looked out there and every wave had a devil on it, glancing and gleaning his teeth, and said, "I'll sink the old boy now. I got you now." And while Paul went down to have a little prayer, there stood an Angel, said, "Don't you fear, Paul...?... This old ship's going to be wrecked upon a certain island. Go ahead and eat your supper; it's all right now." Here he come with them chains on his little old arms, dragging them on his feet, and said, "Be of a good courage, men, for the God, the Angel of God, Whose servant I am, stood by me and said, 'Paul, don't you fear.'" That same Holy Ghost is here tonight, same Spirit of God, ministering to us the same spiritual blessings. ... blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places...

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

15

Adoption

Oh, let's stop just one more minute here. "In heavenly places." Now, just not out anywhere, but in heavenly places. We are assembled in "heavenly," it means that the position of the believer. That if I'm prayed up, you're prayed up, or the church is prayed up, and we're ready for the message, and we have assembled ourselves together as saints, called out, baptized with the Holy Ghost, filled with God's blessings, called, elected, set together in heavenly places now, we are heavenlies in our souls. Our spirits has brought us into a heavenly atmosphere. Oh, brother. There you are: a heavenly atmosphere. Oh, what could happen tonight? What could happen tonight if we would be setting here in a heavenly atmosphere, and the Holy Spirit moving over every heart that's been regenerated and become a new creature in Christ Jesus? All sins under the Blood, in perfect worship, with our hands up to God and our hearts lifted, setting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, worshipping together in the heavenly places... Did you ever set in one? Oh, I've set till I would weep for joy and say, "God, never let me leave here": just heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Blessing us with what? Divine healing, foreknowledge, revelation, visions, powers, tongues, interpretations, wisdom, knowledge, all the heavenly blessings, and joy unspeakable and full of glory, every heart filled with the Spirit, walking together, setting together in heavenly places, not one evil thought among us, not one cigarette smoked, not one short dress, not one this, that, or the other, not one evil thought, nobody got anything against one another, everybody speaking in love and harmony, everybody with one accord in one place, "then suddenly there come from heaven a sound like a rushing mighty wind." There you are, "Has blessed us with all spiritual blessings." Then the Holy Spirit might fall upon somebody, and say, "THUS SAITH THE LORD. Go to a certain place and do a certain thing." Watch it happen just like that. See? "THUS SAITH THE LORD. Do a certain thing in a certain place." Watch it happen like that. Blessed us together in all heavenly blessings in heavenly places... Watch. According as he has chosen us... Did we choose Him, or He chose us? He chose us. When? The night that we accepted Him? Chosen... According as he has chosen us in him before the foundations of the world, that we should be holy... without blame before him in... (denominations?)... in love: When did God choose us? When did God choose you that's got the Holy Ghost? When did He choose you? Before the foundation of the world... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] He chose you and sent Jesus that He might be the propitiation of your sins, to call you to reconciliation, to Himself, to love. Oh, wish we had just a few more minutes' time. Let me, before we go any farther, go back, Genesis 1:26. I'll pick it up Wednesday. When God made man... Before He made man, He called Himself "El," E-l, El; E-l-h, "Elah," "Elohim." The word means, in the Hebrew, "the self-existence," all by Himself. Nothing existed before Him. He was all the existence there ever was, self-existent One: "El, Elah, Elohim," means the "allsufficient, all-powerful, Almighty, self-existent One." Oh. But in Genesis 2, when He made man, He said, "I am Y-a-h-u, J-u-v-u-h, Yahua, Jehovah. What did it mean? "I am the all-existence One Who has created something off of Myself to be a son of Mine, or a temporary, or an amateur little one of Mine." Oh, glory. Why? He gave man... "Jehovah" means that He gave man to be an amateur god. Because He is Father God, and He made a man an amateur god, so He isn't self-existence any more; He exists with His family. Amen. Elah, Elah, Elohim... Now, now He is Jehovah, "Jehovah" meaning the "One Who exists with His family." Now, God made man to be the predominate over all the earth; he had dominion. And the earth was man's dominion. Is that Scripture? Then if that's his domain, he was god over the earth. He www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

16

Adoption

could speak, and it would be so. He could speak this, and it would be so. Oh. There He is, God, Jehovah, the One Who once existed in self-existence, but now exists with His family, and His little ones with Him... There you are. Now, read that. We'll get into it Wednesday night, when we got more time. We just about fifteen more minutes and we'll... I thought I'd get to a certain spot here, but I--we won't, to where we're sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. All right. Now, when was we called to be servants of God? When was Orman Neville called to be a servant of God? Oh, my. It staggers me. I'll tell you; let's get some Scriptures. I want you to get I Peter 1:20. And Pat, get Revelation 17:8. And I'll get Revelations 13. Now, we want to listen here. You want to know when God called you to be a Christian. Oh, I love this. This is... "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." All right, Brother Neville, you got I Peter 1:20? So read 1:19 and 1:20. Listen to this. Yes. [Brother Neville reads I Peter 1:19-20: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you--Ed.] When was He foreordained? Before the foundation of the world. Brother Pat, read Revelations 17:8 for me. [Brother Pat reads Revelation 17:8: The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is--Ed.] Who's going to be deceived? Who's going to be deceived by this religious person like Saul was? That was just so cunning and so perfect till it would deceive the what? Very E... [Congregation answers, "elect"--Ed.] if? if possible. All right, Revelations 13:8, let me read it for you. And all that dwell upon the earth shall... all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names were not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. When was our names put in the Lamb's Book of Life? When the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world. When God was Jehovah, El, Elah, Elohim, the self-existence One. Just like one great big Diamond, and He could not be nothing else, but inside of this diamond His attributes was a Saviour. In this attributes on the inside of Him, was a Healer. Well, there was nothing to save and nothing to heal, but His attributes produced it. So then before the foundation of the world, when He knowed, that the great display in here of Him, that He would be a Saviour, that He would come and be made flesh and dwelled among us, and He knowed by His stripes we'd be healed, He slayed the Lamb on His Book before the foundation of the world, and wrote your name on that Book before the foundation of the world. Oh, my. Listen to this. Predestination looks back to foreknowledge--I mean election. Election looks back to foreknowledge, and predestination looks to destiny. Don't forget that, that election looks back here, here it is, "I was a cocklebur. I was borned in sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies, born amongst sinners. Father and mother and all my whole family, sinners. I was a cocklebur. But all of a sudden I become a wheat grain. How did it happen?" I--That, what is that? Election. God, before the foundation of the world, elected that the cocklebur was to become a grain of wheat. "Now, I know I'm a grain of wheat, because I'm saved. How do I do it?" Look back and see that He predestinated it, long time ago. By foreknowledge He seen that I would love Him, so He made a propitiation through His Own Son, that through Him I might become from a cocklebur to a www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

17

Adoption

grain of wheat. "Now, where am I at now?" I'm saved; I'm walking in the grace of God. "What does predestination look?" To destiny. "Where will He take me to, and where am I going?" That's got you. There you are. Now, let's read just a little farther, and then we'll have to close pretty shortly. According as he... chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy... without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption, predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, What did He do? He, by foreknowledge, foresaw us, knowing that He was a Saviour, selfexistence. There was no Angels, no nothing; just God, Elah, Elohim, the self-existence One, nothing but Him alone. But in Him was a Saviour. Well, what's He going to save? There's nothing lost. Knowing that, that He knowed that this great attribute in Him would project something out yonder that He could save. Then when it did that, by foreknowledge He looked down and He saw everyone that would accept It. And then by doing so, He said, "To save that, the only way I can do it, will be come down Myself and be made flesh and take the sin of the man upon Him, and die for him, that I might be the One that's worshipped," because He is God, the object of worship. Then He came down and taken upon Himself. And while He did that, He did that that He might save you who wants to be saved. Do you see what I mean? By foreknowledge, the infinite God, Who knowed all things, saw the Lamb, and He slayed the Lamb before the foundation of the world, and He put your name on the Lamb's Book of Life. And He seen the deceitfulness of Satan, what he would do. So He put your name on there. And He said that the antichrist would be so religious, so good, such a fine fellow, such a smart man, such a religious man, that he would deceive the very elected if it was possible. But it isn't... impossible, because their names were foreordained before the foundation of the world. By election He chose them, and by predestination they knowed where they are going. There you are. Now, who could doubt that? That's what Paul said. That's Paul's Scripture. That's Paul's writing. That's what he taught his church. The church, positionally, before the foundation of the world, when God in His labor pain was bringing forth, bringing forth you, knowing what you would do, He positionally placed you into His Own Body, to be a housewife, to be a farmer, to be a preacher, to be a prophet, to be this, or to be that. He placed you positionally. Then when we have come from the garlic lands of Egypt, through sanctification and is baptized into the promised land... For the promise of God is the Holy Ghost. Ephesians 4:30, said, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed until the day of your redemption." Then God, having predestinated the church, He said, "And all the peoples, there will be millions times millions that'll walk very religious and be deceived." The only ones that will not be deceived will be those that have come over into the promised land, who before the foundation of the world had their names put on the Lamb's Book of Life, and's come over into the promised land, and enjoying it. Many people are afraid you're going to act funny. Many people are afraid the Holy Ghost will make you do something you--you'll be ashamed of people. Many people are afraid they'll cry, and their sweetheart will see them crying, or mama, or your neighbor, or your boss will see you. Let me tell you about a man one time, before closing. There was a man named David, and when the ark of God had been down in the Philistine land, and it come across, pulled by an ark, an old ox was a-pulling them, when David saw that ark coming, he had a little gown on him, he run out there, he kicked his feet in the air, and he'd jumped around, and screamed and jumped, and danced and jumped and danced, and him, the king of Israel. And his wife looked out of the window and saw him acting so strange, she despised him. Why, she must have said, "The idiot, look at him out there, the way he's acting, throwing his feet up in the air, and jumping around and acting like that, why, he must be crazy." And that night when he's come in, she said, in words like this, www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

18

Adoption

"Why, you've embarrassed me. Why, you the king, my husband, out there doing like that, acting like that." David said, "Tomorrow I will do better than that. Yes, sir." He said, "Don't you know I was dancing unto the Lord?" He crossed over. He was in the land of the promise. He had lost all self-styles and muck of the world. He was so happy to know that the ark was coming into his own city. And, oh, I tell you, some people's afraid to receive the Holy Ghost, afraid that they might speak with tongues. They're afraid that somebody would say, "Now, he's one of them tongues guys." They're afraid to come to the church to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, because they're ashamed of It. Uh. Oh. Somebody said I will have to recall my tapes, because I had preached of being baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. I ain't recalling them. I'm making more. That's right. That's... Making more... That is the Bible. If they don't like what we did yesterday, just watch what we're going to do tomorrow. That's the thing to do (See?), just keep on going. There's no end to it, because it is of the Lord. It's God. You know what God did? God looked down out of the heaven; He said, "David, you're a man after My Own heart." David wasn't ashamed. He was a servant of the Lord. He loved the Lord. And he was so happy, so overjoyed, till he didn't think about human prestige. You see, as I said in my sermon this morning, we are so much afraid, that we want a Saul to teach us. We want a Saul from some seminary to tell us how we must do our religion and how we must do it. That is on the other side of the--the Jordan. This side, the Holy Spirit leads. Over here you're out of that muck. Over here you don't care what they think. Over here you're dead, and your life is hid in Christ through the--and sealed by the Holy Ghost. You don't care. You're living in Canaan. You can stand good corn. You're a new creature in Christ Jesus. You're bound for the promised land. I remember standing yonder, Brother Collins, some thirty years ago, when this church wasn't built yet, was a little tent meeting setting here on the corner, my first meeting. I was preaching this same Gospel, same thing, the unsearchable riches of Christ, water baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, believing every Word to be the truth, baptism of the Holy Ghost, Divine healing, the powers of God, just like I preach It now, never varied one inch from any of It. God's revealed more of It to me, so as He reveals It, I just keep bringing It on. He never takes away from what has been; He just keeps adding more on to It. I stood down there when about five hundred people stood on the banks singing, On Jordan's stormy banks I stand, And cast a wishful eye, To Canaan's fair and happy land, Where my possessions lie. When shall I reach that healthful shore And be forever blest, When shall I reach and be in my Father's... And forever rest... When they begin to sing that, I was taking a boy out into the river to baptize him out there into the Name of the Lord Jesus. I said, "Heavenly Father, as I bring this boy to You upon his confession..." Just a boy, myself, got the pictures of it at home. I said, "When I baptize him with water, Lord, upon his confession, in the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, You fill him with the Holy Ghost." And about that time Something let out a whirl, and here It come whirling down, the

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

19

Adoption

Bright and Morning Star stood there. There stood that Light that you see right there on the picture. There It stood. It went around the world, way up in Canada and around. They said, "A mystic Light appears over a local Baptist minister while he's baptizing." A few days ago when Doctor Lamsa come to me, and never knowed nothing about that, and brought me a picture, which brother's got it there with him now... Have you got that picture? Have you got the Bible with you, laying there; it was in your book? All right. There was a picture of the old ancient Hebrew sign of God, just exactly that that existed in the days of Job, before the Bible was ever wrote. God in His three attributes, not three gods; one God in three attributes, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three offices that God worked into. Not three gods, three attributes. And there It was. When that great man, Doctor Lamsa, the translation of the Lamsa Bible, when he said that morning when I told him that, I said--I said, "What's that sign?" He said, "That's God's ancient sign in the Hebrew: God, one God in three attributes." I said, "Such as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?" He stopped, and he set his cup of coffee down; he looked at me. Gene, believe you was there, Leo. Said, "You believe that?" I said, "With all my heart." He said, "Last night, standing in your meeting, Brother Branham, I seen that discernment. I've never seen it before in America, or in my land." He said, "These American people don't even know the Bible. Only thing they know is their denomination. They don't even know where they're standing." Said, "They don't know nothing." He said, "But when I stood there last night," I said--I said... Now, Brother Gene, I just say this with reverence and love and such; He said, "I said, 'That must be a prophet.' But when I see that you believe that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost was no three gods, it was attributes, then I know that you are a prophet of God, or it wouldn't be revealed to you like that." He said, "That's a perfect sign." Said, "I've never..." Said, "You're not Oneness?" I said, "No, sir. I am not the Oneness. I believe in God being the Almighty God, and the three attributes are only three offices that the one God lived in." He said, "Bless your heart." He said, "Someday you'll pour your blood upon the earth for that," but said, "prophets always die for their cause." And I said, "So let it be, if it pleases my Lord." The translation of the Lamsa Bible... Oh, it is so true. How many times did I say to this church, as Samuel said before they chose Saul, "Before you go out and join some denomination now, and get yourself all tied up in some kind of a religion, why don't you let the Holy Spirit lead you?" Why don't you take God for your Leader. Let Him bless you, and forget about your denomination. Now, I'm not saying don't belong to any denomination of church; you belong to any one you want to. That's up to you. But I'm telling you, as an individual, you let the Holy Spirit lead you. You read the Bible. And what the Bible says do, you do it. God bless you. And now, I've waited a long time. I wonder if there's any here that wanted to come through the prayer line to be prayed for. If they are, would they raise their hands? Just one, two, three. All right. You all come right up here and stand here then if you wish to, at this time, and--and we'll have prayer. And then we're... I don't want you to leave yet. I want to officially do something else here just before we--we close. How many likes the study of the Book of Galatians? Oh, I mean Ephesians? Now, Wednesday night we're going to go into the Seal. And then on next Sunday morning we're going into the positionally placing the church. Oh, if... We'll probably get in on that on this coming Wednesday www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

20

Adoption

night, to you people here in Jeff: Positionally placing the church where they belong, each one, how we're called by the adoption. God has adopted us unto the sons; we are sons by birth, adopted and positionally placed by the Holy Spirit. Look. They were every one Hebrews, when they crossed the river, but Joshua divided the land and give each one his land according to the utterance of his mother at the birth, where the Holy Spirit told her. And look at Jacob when he was dying, a prophet, blinded, pulled his feet up into the bed, said, "Come forth ye sons of Jacob and I'll tell you where you'll be at the last day." Oh, oh, I know I may seem strange. The people may seem strange. But, oh, if you only knew the--the assurance, the-the burning in the heart. "Come forth and I'll tell you where you'll be in the last days." And I can take that same Scripture, and take the map of where the Jews are setting today and prove to you they're exactly on the same spot that Jacob said they'd be in the last day. And they never did; they haven't been on that spot until they returned since May the seventh, 1946, the night the Angel of the Lord appeared to me up there and said for this mission. And I can show you that when they come back into the new land, they struck exactly the spot where Jacob said they would be setting. And there they are setting there today. Oh, oh, my, oh, my. We're one day nearer home, is all. You dear people, you're sick, or you wouldn't be standing there just to be standing. I'm your brother. I have a commission from God to pray for the sick. Not as my--as I have power to heal, I do not. But I have power of prayer. As I said this morning, David didn't have nothing but a little slingshot, but he said, "I know what it'll do with the power of God on it." See? I only have a little prayer to offer for you, and my hands to lay on you, but I know what faith in God will do. It's done for others; it'll do for you. You believe that now as you step right up... just a little closer to the place. And I wanted to make this so efficient, if I wouldn't ask my brother to come here and anoint them with oil. Will you do that, Brother Neville? I'll ask the church if you'll bow in prayer. Now, remember, last week when I was so sick with that old castor oil, I would just have give anything if somebody would've come by and laid hands on me. If I could've had somebody come by, that God had blessed and helped, I would so appreciate it. You all feel to now like I did then. You feel now you want me to do just like I wanted somebody to do for me then. God forbid I ever shirk the job. Let me always, whether I'm tired, where I'm weary, where I can hardly move one foot from the other, let me go, because I'm going to meet every one of you again over in that land over there. Then you old women, older men, broken down, hair gray and falling away, and falling to pieces like a rose that's opened up its little bud, shed off its petals and dropping away, you're just coming to pieces, aren't you? That's right. Just... And the only thing you want to stay together for is to shine for the glory of God. So when the enemy has grabbed you now and run out, I'm coming with the slingshot of God, with a faith, with a gift that God give me. Here's what I said, so that you'll understand it. I said, "If Peter would just come in, or some of them..." Don't say that. You don't have to pray for me. Just come in like this, and say, like to this woman, say, "Are you Sister Soand-so?" What's your name? Sister Howard. Say, "You're Sister Howard. You're a believer, Sister Howard? You believe, you are a believer? Then, you see, you have rights to all the redemptive blessings." Then I'd say, "Sister Howard, everything will be all right, and walk away." Oh, how... I said, "I would scream; I'd shout." I'd say, "Lord, it's just got to be. It's just got to be." And I thought, "Well, people think that same thing when I come pray for them." So that's what. You see what I mean? And I've stood, a lot of times, and took people, and say, "Oh, precious sister, will you believe it? Oh, will you believe it?" "Lord, O God, make them believe It. Have them to believe It." "Oh, please,

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

21

Adoption

will you accept it now?" That's not it. I passed from that...?... I passed away from that. I just say this, "Sister Howard, you a believer?" "Yes, I am." "All right, Sister Howard, if you're a believer, you're a heir to everything that God has." And just take her hand. See, I believe that. I contact Sister Howard by laying my hands upon her. Jesus never said, "Pray for them," He said, "Just lay their hands on them." That's it, then she gets healed. She can say, "Everything will be all right," Sister Howard. Then go home and be well. God bless you. You're sister? Sister Hamdon, you are a believer, aren't you? You're an heir to everything that He has. God be with you, Sister Hamdon. You go home and be well now; Jesus Christ will heal you. Amen. You're sister? Slaugh. Brother Jack... You're the woman we prayed for out at the hospital the other day. You're a believer then, Sister Slaugh, a heir to all that we have. Sister Slaugh, may you receive what you've asked for and be well. God will grant it to you. Brother Gene, you believe that God will heal you? And may the Lord God give to you, Gene, exactly what you ask for...?... I know you now. All right. You are evangelist, sister. I know you. This is your husband there. He's the one I prayed for over the phone that day. I'll always remember that. Couldn't go to the meeting in Tulsa. Come to the meeting, and the Lord healed him, and send him on to the meeting. In proxy you stand for someone else, what a Christian thing it is, sister. See, He was in proxy also that He stood for all of us. You're a believer and have a right to everything that God promised. I'm His servant. And by the Name of Jesus Christ I give you what you ask for...?... Come, Brother Bill. God bless you. Been awfully good to you. You're a believer; I know you are. I believe that God will give you everything you ask for, for you are a believer. And as His servant, to you, my brother, in the Name of Jesus Christ I give you the desire of your heart. Go now and receive it. God bless you. Sister Bruce, I know you. The little nurse was at back me and you. She used to be down yonder the Motel J, J, Twin J, or something like that. You been standing for others. And what's your desire when asking Father? For yourself tonight... Then the enemy has jerked you beyond the doctor's reach; but I'm coming after you with a slingshot. And in the Name of Jesus Christ I direct the slingshot at the arrows--the rock that's got into the kidneys and blocked condition, and bring you back to...?... (See?) now, and bless you, through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. ...?... our father's name, sir. You a believer? That hurting in your side, low and on the left side... Do you believe that God will give it to you, sir? And it's His servant. Lord, this hand perhaps has done a many hard day's work, come here for a purpose, something to do. Give the desire of his heart, Father, as I pray in Jesus Name that You will. Amen. Don't doubt; that hurting will stop you from hurting down there, and you'll be all right. God bless you, brother...?... You are a believer, aren't you? You're a believer, and you're a--you're a heir to all these blessings. Thank you. Father, I bring this my sister into a line of...?... in the center of the target, and I bring her back to you from the enemy's clutch, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen. That's just the way it will be. You don't want a operation. O Lord, as this young woman stands here, yet in the bloom of youth, I pray for her, and a lung that would have to be taken out, and she'd stoop the rest of her life. You're our Father, and I aiming the fire of prayer right at her, Lord, right straight to that lung. I send this prayer in Name of Jesus Christ; may it be like that...?... in the Name of Jesus Christ...?... Amen. 141a You're a Christian? Sister Dird...?... head is drawn from me. You are a believer and an heir to all God's blessings, Sister Dird. Lord, I bring her to You with this little sling that You give me. As You give David a sling to watch his father's sheep, and if the enemy come in after the www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

22

Adoption

sheep, he wasn't afraid; he grabbed up that little sling and went right after lions and--and bears, and he brought the sheep back. This is a prayer of faith. You told me if I'd get the people to believe and be sincere... I bring Sister Dird back tonight. I snatch her from the hands of the enemy. She's Your sheep. I bring her back to the Father's fold, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Sister Lowe, high blood pressure... And you're a believer, are you, Sister Lowe, a heir to all the blessings? Then, Father God, I aim this prayer tonight as from the sling of God for Sister Lowe's high blood pressures. May the next time the physicians takes the blood pressure, may he look at her and say, "It's normal now." She'll know what did it. In the Name of Jesus Christ I give it to her. Amen. Yes... I wished I had my daddy here tonight that I could offer prayer for him right now. I will for yours too. I understand. Heavenly Father, the man that sired this boy, that he's here on earth tonight because of him. And his own son desires that his father will be brought back, way out yonder in the world of sin, alcoholic. O Lord, I'm sending this prayer with faith and strength, and with all that I can throw it, this--this little pebble in the Name of the Lord Jesus, I sling it at that devil that's put that...?... on there...?... and may he come safely to the fold in Jesus' Name. Amen. Amen. You have a desire too? You want to come into the land where all the promises is. Now, Lord, this boy is just across the river, camped on the other side and Jordan is swelling. And there's no way for him to cross except You make a way like You did for Joshua and for Israel. And, Father, I am asking You as Your servant; let our precious brother, O God, let him enter into this promised land, this promise that on the other side as I was carried the other night... May I have the privilege of grabbing and throwing my arms around him in that other land, saying, "My precious brothers." Grant it, Lord. May he receive the promise of God, the Holy Ghost. Amen. O Lord, this is my gracious brother. This hand has been kind to me, has been standing for me at untold hours. He believes and has faith. And now, an enemy tries to grab, this my friend. Sugar... And he thinks that it--he can grab this boy; but I come after him. I'm coming to bring back Your own, Lord, slinging this rock with a zerod faith in the Name of Jesus Christ I fight that sugar diabetes he's...?..., bring back Your own sheep to the fold, Father, in the Name of Jesus. Amen. A gland... O Lord, our sister knows that this overweight is, so the doctor says, is a thing that kills. Each pound overweight takes a year off, according to the insurance chart. And she wants to live to the honor and praise of God. And there's no doctor can do this, Father God; it's just in--in Your hand. And Sister Bell's been very faithful, and she's been kind and considerate...?... She's went through many deep trials; I come for her tonight, Lord. I come to meet that enemy yonder. And I aim with all the accuracy that I can aim with; in the Name of Jesus Christ I hurl that stone of faith at this enemy that's got her. May it scatter him, and run him away from her, and she be able to be restored back to shady green pastures and to still waters, through Jesus Christ. Amen. It shall be, Sister Bell. Just don't doubt. Sister Spencer? [A sister testifies--Ed.]...?... I certainly do sister...?... God bless you. Amen...?... loved one's saved...?... Yes, sir, I know all about it. We all claim it, Sister Spencer, and know that how her and Brother Jesse are going through the...?... whether to come down to the church here. When I cross over the other side, they won't be toddling along like this; they'll be young, oh, Brother Jesse...?... all of that. You all know how just--just across the little...?... yonder, you go back to that lovely young girl again, and Brother Jesse to the young boy. God promised you. Now, look. I want to give you just a little teeny bit of teaching, being that you're the last one here. I want get... 'Cause I know this is your little boy, Charlie. You want it to be prayed for...?... I want to say this one thing. Did you ever read in the Scripture where the Bible said this? Paul told the Roman Centurion (Can you hear me all right?), told the Roman when he pulled his sword to kill hisself up at Philippi when he was in jail. And a--the earthquake shook the jail down. He said, www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

23

Adoption

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thy and thy house shall be saved." Did you ever hear that? "Thy and thy house..." Now, look. If you had faith enough for salvation for yourself, can't you also have faith enough for your child? God will some way...?... And Lord, I pray for Sister Spencer and Brother Spencer tonight, that every child--them and their children will all be in that glorious happy land there where there'll be no sickness or no old age, no sorrow or disappointment, and all this little life here will fade into a nightmare that's passed by. May they receive this, and may all of her children, and her husband, all of her loved ones, and all that love her, and all that she loves, may they be there with her, in Jesus' Name. God bless you, sister. Eighty-two years old. You're getting down...?... Just like the world is falling apart, Sister Spencer. Well, you're just ready to go to rest, you see...?... all the time...?... just--just keep your faith right in Him...?... you'll cross over...?... And just as sure as I stand here at this...?... tonight, Sister Spencer, by His grace I'll see you and Jesse across the border yonder, young and free. You'll all be running, hollering, "My brother, my brother." I'll see you. It's her nerves. Father God, this girl would have a breakdown, and she's got to reach...?... as only...?... what hinders. But I come for her tonight. I come to You, Father. I come asking You to direct the shot that I shall fire. May it be exactly zeroed, the crosshairs right on his...?... May this prayer in the Name Jesus Christ strike that nervousness and tear it to pieces, bring back this sheep of God's pasture. Amen. It just has to be now, honey...?... God of heaven, grant that her six children that she desires to be saved... She's heard that testimony of Brother Daulton, his lovely daughters. She desires her six children, Father. May she have them. May they meet her in that land where there is no night, safely protected and sheltered by the Blood of Jesus Christ. Amen. May you have it, sister, is my prayer. I believe... There's nothing hardly can help it: they give them a little stuff that looked like a--oh, something like an acetomin; it's a... Cortisone, they call it, and that--that kills you though, tear's your blood up so...?... But the... See that the arthritis is like the lion who grabs the sheep and runs way away. Now, what will a slingshot do? Oooh, my, there's a big roaring lion with a lamb. And he loves the lamb, so he's run off with the lamb; but David took the slingshot and went after him. See, now watch. He had five rocks: f-a-i-t-h, himself, i-n. His sling was in this hand: J-e-s-u-s. He's a dead shot. Something has to happen; let's go after that arthritis tonight by this prayer, may God give it to you. She wants to be baptized in the Name... You want her to be baptized...?... Thank you, sister. Not because that that's the way...?... It isn't because... Now, if that was in the Bible for Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I--I'd believe in that and stay right with it you see. I--I wouldn't want to be any different. I--I--I'd want that...?... I wouldn't want... I--I'm going to be responsible for that. You see? And I've got to say it just the way that that say it, not to be different, but to be honest. Now, Father, we come for her loved ones. She's got arthritis and here she wants her to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus, for that is the entrance; that's the open gate. That's where Joshua opened up one path that crossed over into the promised land. There was no two or three places opened up; there was just one. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, when the was church first inaugurated, opened up a path, said, "Repent every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ." Never did they vary from that same path; each one crossed into the promised land. Some of them were trying to get across way down at another ford, and Paul said to him, "Unto what was you baptized? Where are you trying to cross at?" And they said, "Down here where John looked." He said, "Well, John only pointed to the time and the place." And then when they heard this, they were baptized at the right ford, and they went across into...?... Spirit life. Grant it to our sister and her loved ones, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

24

Adoption

Brother Lyle... Oh... Yes...?... That and vision He give...?... It's over now though. God bless you. You're on the road to the promised land now, brother...?... How many here remembers of just before this ministry was confirmed to me and me being fishing with a man one day, down to a river, a lake? And I was catching little fishes, and the Holy Spirit came upon me. There was a... This man is a Jehovah Witness, was. His brother's here somewhere, Banks Wood. He's in here somewhere, which is my neighbor. This is Lyle. And these people were Jehovah Witness. And they said one day when we was fishing down there after this boy got converted, I told him that it was something in his life, and all what taken place, and all about it, which he's just now told me, and he's just now got it out of his life. That's right. Praise the Lord. It's exactly right. His father was the one that was a--a reader. Is...?... in the building? And he and his wife both was baptized to bear witnesses in the Name of Jesus Christ here in the pool. And this man was setting by him, my brethren. Banks, where are you? Is he inside? Back in the corner. Yes. And we were fishing. And brother, my little boy had killed... I thought he'd killed a kitten a few days before that. A little old mother cat had a bunch of little kittens and he'd picked it up and dropped it. And I thought... And I said, "The Lord is going to raise a little life as--up, the day before. Is that right, Lyle? Standing out there in the cold. And I said, "That's THUS SAITH THE LORD." And we fished all night and caught nothing. The next morning, we were fishing back in a little cove for some bluegill; that's small fish. And Brother Lyle had a big a pole, and he let a little bluegill swallow the big hook he had, till when he pulled it out, the little strand was all the way down, the big hook in the little bluegill's belly. And when he pulled it out, he just had to pull the entrails and everything else out of the little bluegill to get it and just pulled it all out, 'cause the big hook had got caught down in the fish's belly. And when he did, he threw it down on the water, and he just quivered four or five times, and that was it; because his entrails and gills was hanging out of his mouth. And he floated around there for about a half hour, floated back up into the bushes. And I was setting there fishing, and all of a sudden the Holy Spirit come, said, "Speak to that fish." I said, "Little fishy, Jesus Christ gives you your life again," and that little fish, laying dead on the water, turned over on his side and went rrrrrrttt, out into the water as fast as it could go. Brother Lyle, Brother Wood is setting present. Brother Lyle said, "Brother Branham, that was for me because I said to the little...?... said, "I--I ain't...?..." He said, when he pulled the entrails out of him and throwed him out there, said, "You shot your last wad, little fellow," just like that. Throwed it out, he said, "It--it meant me." And I said, "No, Brother Lyle, that wasn't it." Brother Banks back there said, "How many people in this world, how many thousands, would love to be standing where we're standing right now to see the power of God come down and perform of something like that?" In other words, he's like... I believe we all felt like Peter did, "It's good to be here. Let's build three tabernacles." That's right. Now, Brother Lyle, you're anointed of the Holy Spirit now. You've left Egypt; the garlic pots and the filth of the world is left behind. You're standing down on the Jordan bank now, just across yonder. May God take you over. Almighty God, here's Your trophy. He sure would've been in awful fix, Lord, but my heart went for him. Our prayers just struck the very chilling blow yonder, for the very thing that held him is gone from him. It's been smashed, and now he's walking down into the Jordan. Take him to the promised land, Lord, and seal him among the people, that on that glorious day when we shall meet yonder, may I feel the warmth of his arms screaming, "My precious brother." And I know...?... Bring Banks along with him, Lord, will You? Papa, mama, and all of them, sister, and all that great family. May we all meet yonder, Lord, and every one of them be filled with the Holy Ghost. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

25

Adoption

You will receive It, brother. God bless you, brother. Yes, Brother...?... There's someone dying on a long distance call; I'll turn the service to Brother Neville while...?... [Brother Neville speaks and leads the congregation in dismissal prayer. Brother Branham returns and speaks--Ed.] A young preacher dropped dead in the pulpit...?... So we sent the rock of faith...?... Grant tonight...?... he was a wonderful man, for I send prayer after him, in the Name of Jesus Christ...?... is the hour that his pulse...?... went from him...?... his pulse...?... eyes set in his head...?... dropped in the pulpit...?... This is still open? Can I have your attention?...?... a young evangelist, a preacher up here in Indiana was preaching, dropped dead in the pulpit just about a hour ago, while he was preaching fell forward, and died in the pulpit, a noted evangelist, a preaching up here at Indiana. The pastor just come and has was called me. He died right while preaching under the anointing of the Spirit, fell forward, his eyes set, his respiration left him. He's pronounced dead, been laying dead for an hour. And something told them to call the church and have me to pray. So I sent prayer to bring him back in the Name of the Lord Jesus. May you join with me by faith, that it won't miss the target, but...?... and bring him back. Thank you. God be with [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] you till I see you Wednesday night. And you people from Georgia and around, bye-bye. God be with you. Brother pastor... [Brother Branham speaks and prays for others--Ed.]... and I offer this...?... in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen...?... [The words are not very intelligible--Ed.] Is this all of you together?...?... [Brother Branham greets the people--Ed.] Thanks for the card. Happy to meet you all could be here...?... So nice to see you...?... Oh, is that right? [The words are not very intelligible--Ed.]...?... So nice to see you. How do you do? How are you brother? Yes, I... What say? That's fine. Wonderful. Now, they got a special place...?... Was you here this morning?...?... Good. I'm so glad. That's really good sister...?... God bless you and your husband and little children. Good bye honey. God bless you honey. Thank you sir, thank you. I'm so glad you were here. Enjoyed being with you and worshipping with you too...?...

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

26

Adoption

ADOPTION – PART 2 “MANIFESTED SONS OF GOD”

Branham Tabernacle JEFFERSONVILLE.IN WEDNESDAY 60-0518

... that we bow our heads tonight as a church, as a group of called-out, believing people here tonight to teach Thy Word, positionally placing us into the Body, that where we belong, and where we can work fitly together as members of the Body of Christ. And now it is called upon us to go immediately to God. And each of us fathers thinks that what if that was our little girl, how our hearts would burn and hurt within us, and we would call to the churches to immediately have prayer. And some father's heart is burning, aching. Lord, may that great Person of the Holy Ghost come just now to that father's heart. Take away every shadow of doubt, and every ache, and let him know that Thou art God and there's no disease can stand in Thy Presence when Thy Divine commission has been carried out by Thy church and Thy people. And as through the week, we praying, since last Sunday I have thought on these ways or these means of prayer. We do not have very much of a weapon as far as it looks to the world, but this little slingshot is deadly when it's held in the fingers of faith. O Lord, may our prayers strike home, that death yonder that's hanging over that child, and may it be shattered; the darkness, glooms away from the bedside of that infant, or that baby or child, little girl. May the great Light of God's Presence shine upon it and may it come from that hospital, a well child. God, we know just across the river our loved ones wait, and it is glorious. But we love our little ones. And we pray, Lord, that for Your glory, that You'll spare the life of that child. We, as Your church, rebuke that death, and say, "Stand still yonder. You can't take that child, because we claim its life for the Kingdom of God's sake." Grant these things, Lord, to go straight to the mark as we direct them, in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, Amen. Do we believe? I don't know what I could do if I wasn't a Christian. I just wouldn't want to stay any longer. There's nothing to live for, only to get others saved, is the best that I know. Now, tonight we want to just start a little background of our previous lesson. And I will try to read, because the entire chapter, if I can tonight. So Sunday morning I'll have to maybe push in both Sunday morning and night, if that's all right, to try to get in this setting of what I want the church to see. Oh, it's glorious to find your position. And no one can do anything unless you know properly what you're doing. What if you were going to be--have an operation, and there was a young doctor that had just come from school that he would--never had an operation before. Yet, he was young and handsome, and his hair was combed slick, and he was dressed very fine, natterly, and everything. And he said, "I've sharpened the knives, and I've sterilized all the tools and things." But you'd have a little funny feeling about that. I'd rather have an old doctor that went through that operation many times before, 'fore I want to be cut on. I--I want to know that somebody not just out of school; I want somebody with some experience. And the best experienced One that I know to call on tonight, is the Holy Spirit. He's God's great Physician and great Teacher.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

27

Adoption

And as backgrounding my message tonight, still from Sunday's sermon, that it is... They rejected Samuel with the Word of the Lord and accepted Saul, the son of Kish; and rejected Samuel, which represented the Holy Spirit, because he only spoke as the Spirit led him to speak. And when he called their attention to it, he said, "Remember, I've never said nothing to you in the Name of the Lord but what the Lord brought it to pass. Neither have I walked misbehavingly before you. And no one can accuse me of sin." Like Jesus said, "Who can condemn Me of sin?" See? And he said again, that, "I have not come to you and begged you for money and so forth. I've took nothing from you. But all that I have said has been for your good, that I've brought to you from the mouth of the Lord." And all the people give witness, "That's true. All that's true, but still we want to have a king. We want to be like the rest of the world." Now, tonight our Scripture is dividing... The Book of Ephesians is the Book of Joshua of the New Testament, It's dividing up and setting in order the overcome ones. Now, it's just a background for a few minutes to get a place before we start reading, beginning with the 3rd verse. Now, we find last Sunday night that the God in the Old Testament had made Israel a promise of a land of rest, because they had become pilgrims and wanderers. And they were in a land that wasn't theirs; and God had promised through Abraham that he sojourn--his seed would sojourn for four hundred years in a strange people, and be mistreated; but by a strong hand he would bring them out into a goodly land that was flowing with milk and honey. And now, when the time of the promise drew nigh, God raised up someone to bring them to that land. How many in the class tonight who that one was--knows who that one was? Moses. Notice, a very, very a real type of our One that was given to bring us to the Promised Land: Christ. Now, we have a promise, 'cause our promise is spiritual rest, where theirs was physical rest. And so they was coming to a land that they could say, "This is our land; we are no more wanderers; we've settled down; this is our land, and here we have rest. We'll plant our corn, our vineyard, and we'll eat from our vineyards. And then when we pass on, we'll leave it to our children." Oh how we could go into the land of it, the laws of inheritance, like Naomi and Ruth, Boaz, bring all that back. How a brother in Israel, how that he must--anything that he had lost must be redeemed by a kinsman. Oh, how beautiful. It would take weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks; we'd never leave this chapter to go through it. We could tie the entire Bible right into here, right into this one chapter. And, oh, I just love to study It. We used to take It, and take it for a year and a half, and never leave a Book, just stay right with It. Now, but, it was such a great thing that the inheritance, how it was that an inheritance in the land that no one else but a close kinsman could redeem that inheritance. Now, let me just drop on a little token here that I touched on the other night to you mothers. How many has prayed for your loved ones, lost? All right. There you are again (See?), "Your inheritance." See? Paul told the Roman, said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou and thy house shall be saved." If you got faith enough for your ownself to be saved, have faith enough, no matter how wayward that boy is, or that girl is, they'll be saved anyhow. God somehow, if He has to lay them on their back, laying there in a hospital, dying, they'll be saved. God promised it. The inheritance... Oh. "And they shall be there," said Isaiah, "and all their offsprings with them. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord." Oh, I've got a little spot I hope I can get to tonight, for you: just burning in my heart, of that comes back to that. But now, on forward. Then did you notice Moses, that great miracle performer that brought down Israel down through the land, and brought them up to the promised land, but did not place their inheritance to them? www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

28

Adoption

He did not give them their inheritance; he led them up to the land, but Joshua divided the land to the people. Is that right? And Christ brought the church up to the place to where their possession was made to them, was given to them, just the Jordan to cross, but the Holy Spirit is the One Who sets the church in order, the Joshua of today puts the church in its order, giving to each one, gifts, places, position. And He is the Voice of God speaking to the inner man that Christ has saved: the Holy Spirit. Now, do you get that much of it? Now, we're getting over into the Book of Ephesians. Now, the same way, He's positionally placing the church where they belong. Now, Joshua placed them in the natural land. Now, the Holy Spirit is placing the church positionally, in the land that they--in the position that they belong in, their inheritance. Now, the first thing he starts off here; he addresses his letter, Paul. Which we're going to find out after while that all this mystery was revealed to him, not in a seminary, not by any theologian, but it was a Divine revelation of the Holy Ghost that God gave Paul. Knowing that the mystery of God, he said, that had been hid since the foundation of the world, had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit amongst the people was setting each one in order, setting the church in position. Now, the first thing Paul starts out here to tell the people, is to get all the... Remember, this is to the church, not to the outsider. It's a mystery and riddles to him, never able to understand it, goes over the top of his head; he does no more know about it than nothing. But to the church it's honey in the rock; it's joy unspeakable; it's the blessed assurance; it's the anchor of the soul; it's our hope and stay; it's the Rock of Ages; oh, it's everything that is good. For heavens and earth will pass away, but God's Word shall never pass away. But the man outside of Canaan knows nothing of it; he's still wandering. Not saying that he's not a good man, I don't say that. I don't say the man even in Egypt's not a good man, but he's--until he has come over into this possession, and the possession that... The promise that was given to the church is not a natural land, but a spiritual land; for we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Then in this royal priesthood, holy nation, peculiar people, called out, elected, chosen, set aside, then all the world is dead on the outside. And we are led by the Spirit. Sons and daughters of God are led by the Spirit of God, not by man, but by the Spirit. All in love, the whole thing is bundled up now. This has been tried to be taught on many times, and no doubt what great theologians has struck it lot deeper than I could. But the thing I want to try to get to you is this: That a man that is in Christ with the Holy Ghost, can bear with a man when he's wrong, long-suffering, gentle, patient. He's sweet, humble, faithful, filled with the Spirit, never negative, always positive. He's a different person. Not just a man that, "We once had it. If we shouted, we had it, us Methodists. Oh, when we shouted, we was in the land." That's good, that's all right, I believe that too. Then the Pentecostal come along speaking with tongues; they had it; everyone that spoke in tongues had it. I believe that too. But still we found out that a lot didn't have It yet. See, see? Now, they're... We are now coming to this great hidden mystery that's been hid since the foundation of the world and now being revealed in the last days to the sons of God. You believe that to be true, that sons of God are manifested? Before we even go anywhere, let's turn over to Romans the 8th chapter just a minute, let me read you something. See if this is this coming up to what I'm speaking of here. Now, we're going to get Romans 8, the 19th verse of the a--of the 8th chapter of Romans. For the earnest expectation... the creation waiteth for the manifestations of the sons of God.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

29

Adoption

With earnest expectations, the whole creation is waiting for the manifestation (See?), the manifestation. What is the manifestation? Making known. The whole world. The Mohammedans over yonder, they're looking for it. All around, everywhere, they're looking for it. "Where is these people?" We've had the... We've had a mighty rushing wind; we've had thunders and lightnings; we've had oil and blood; we've had all kinds of things; but we failed to hear that little still small Voice that attracted the prophet, that wrapped the robe around him, and walked out, said, "Here am I, Lord." See? Now, the whole creation is groaning and waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God. Now, Paul is going to first place the church exactly where it belongs. Now, just to get the background, let's read again. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints... (That's the sainted ones.)... which are at Ephesus, and... the faithful in Christ Jesus: Now, so the class won't forget it, how do we get in Christ? Do we join the church to get in Christ? Do we make a profession to get in Christ? Do we be immersed in water to get in Christ? How do we get in Christ? I Corinthians 12th chapter, "For by one Spirit (one, capital S-p-i-r-i-t, which is Holy Spirit.) we are all baptized into the promised land." In this promised land, everything belongs to us in the promised land. See it, Brother Collins? See, everything in the promised land... When Israel crossed over this Jordan into the promised land, fought down everything... Now, remember, in this promised land, that don't mean that you are immune from sickness; that don't mean that you're immune from troubles. But it does spell this (Oh, let this sink deep.); it says this, that it's yours. Just rise and take it. See? When it... And, remember, the only way that Israel ever lost a man, is when sin got in the camp. That's the only way we could ever lose a--a victory, is for sin to get in the camp, something wrong somewhere. When Achan stole that wedge and that Babylonian garment, sin was in the camp, and the battle went wrong. You give me this spotless church tonight, this group of people, perfectly, perfectly in the promise of God with the Holy Ghost, walking in the Spirit, I'll challenge any disease, or any affliction, or anything that there is, every Joe Lewis there is in the country, with all of his infidelity, and all of the unbelievers that there is, to bring any sickness or affliction in this door, and they'll walk out of here perfectly whole. Yes, sir. God gave the promise; only sin of unbelief can keep it away. Now, we're going to get down to what this little sin is, after while. Now. ... that are in Christ Jesus: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and... the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, in--in Christ: When we are in Christ, we have spiritual blessing. Outside of Christ we have sensations. In Christ we have positive blessings, not make-beliefs, not shams, not put-ons. But as long as you're trying to say that you're in the promised land, and are not, your sins will find you out. And the first thing you know, you'll find yourself phony and--and all, as we'd call it in the world, gaumed up. You'll find out that you haven't got what you're talking about. But when you're in Christ Jesus, He's promised you heavenly peace, heavenly blessings, heavenly Spirit; everything is yours. You're in the promised land and in full possession of everything. Amen. How beautiful. Oh, let us study it. According as he has chosen us... Now, here's where the church stumbles so bad. According as he has chosen us in him... (In Who? Christ.)

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

30

Adoption

We find out now, back in--in Genesis and in Revelations, Revelations 17:8, that He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Now, the word... Let me read the next one ... foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him... Having predestinated us... Now, I want to stop on that word of "predestinated." Now, predestinated isn't say, "I'll choose Brother Neville, and I--I--I--I--I won't choose Brother Beeler." That isn't it. It's the foreknowledge of God that knowed which one would be right and which one wasn't right. So by foreknowledge God knowing what He was going to do, He predestinated by His foreknowledge to make all things work together for the good to them that love God, that He might in the ea--age that is to come, call all things together in One, which is Christ Jesus. Let me draw you a little--little illustration here. It's good. We go back... I believe I talked on it a little bit the other night, or struck it in Genesis the 1st chapter, 1:26, when God called His Name, "Lord God," it's in the word of "El, Elah, Elohim," which means "the self-existing One." There was nothing else existed but Him. There was no air; there was no light; there was no stars; there was no world; there was no nothing else. It was God, and God alone: El, Elah, Elohim. Now, He made that. Inside of that was attributes, which meant that He was a... Inside of this great El, Elah, Elohim was an attribute or a... You know what an attribute is, or let me say it like this, was a nature. That's so the little fellow will get it. And I'm one of the little fellows that has to get it that way. Inside of Him was the nature to be a Father. But He's self-existent, there ain't nothing for Him to be a Father by. And now, down inside of that was something else, that He was God; and a god is an object of worship; but He was self-existent: El, Elohim, Elah, Elohim, so there was nothing to worship Him. Inside of that, He was a Saviour. And there's nothing lost to be saved. See? Inside of that He was a Healer (See?), but there was nothing sick to be healed, or nothing to be sick. Now, do you get the picture? So His attributes, His nature produced what is today. Some people say, "Well, why didn't God just stop it in the beginning? He's a cruel-hearted brute," said Joe Lewis, the one that condemned Joe, or Jack Coe. See? Said, "He's just a cruel-hearted brute. There's no such a thing as God. If there was such a thing, He'd be a..." Oh, I... He just called Him all kinds of names. See? But it's just because he might have a lot of knowledge up here, but he ain't got nothing down here. Now, that, that's where it's at. See? This Word tells it here, and He's hid it. And these mysteries has been hid now, remember, the Bible said, "Since the foundation of the world, waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God," to display them to the church. Oh, my. You get it? Now, I'll stop on my story just a little bit, or I'll bring... I'll go to my next thought till I get this. Now, remember, all through the ages of Moses, back through the ages of the prophets, back through all ages, they've waited until this latter day for these things to be displayed, according to the Scripture (That's right.), for it to be revealed to the sons of God. Why? From the lost... Until like the pyramid, as I have said, building closer, closer, closer... As I've often made this remark and said God made three Bibles. The first one, He put It in the sky, the zodiac. Did you ever see the zodiac? What is the first figure in the zodiac? The virgin. What's the last figure in the zodiac? Leo the lion. He come the first time through the virgin; He comes the second time as the Lion of the tribe of Juda. See? He made the next one in the pyramid, back in the days of Enoch, when they made the pyramid. And they measure them. I don't understand it. But to the wars, where they stoop and go on their knees for so long, and can measure the distance of the wars. You know where they measure to now? Plumb across the king's chamber. And as this pyramid went up... We could not build it, with everything that we got today. We couldn't build it.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

31

Adoption

It's built right up like this to a point. And the stone on the capstone never was found. They never did put a cap on top of the pyramid. I don't know whether you know it or not. The big pyramid of Egypt, it never had a top stone on it. Why? The Capstone was rejected; Christ, the Headstone (See?), was rejected. But as we grow from the Lutheran age, Baptist age, Methodist age, Pentecostal age, we're right up to the Capping Stone now (See?), waiting and longing for that Capping Stone to set down; the building's complete. Have not you read in the Scripture, "the stone was rejected." 'Course, we realize that was talking to the Solomon's temple. "But the rejected Stone has become the Chief of the corner." But I'm saying this only to make a--a picture to you. Now, and in the Bible, we're living in the last days, the top of the pyramid, the crossed fishes of the cancer age in the zodiac, in the time of the coming of the Leo the lion, in the capping Stone, and in the days of the manifestation of the sons of God in the Bible. See? See where we're at? We're right at the end time. How many's been reading the paper this week, what Khrushchev and them said? Oh, they're ready; so are we. Amen. In that east... It's all right. Oh, what a--what a--what a privilege, what a day. If the Christians could only realize the day that we're living in. My. What do you think the writer of this Book that seen it, and seen where it would be manifested in the last days, waiting and groaning for those sons of God to rise in the last days with the power of the Holy Ghost at the end of the age, to reveal the secret things from the foundation of the world, to bring it up. Now, let's go back into the foundation of the world again and get a revelation and see if we're right or not. I hope I don't make myself sacrilegious by calling God, "Papa," but I want to say it that way so you'll understand it. Papa, Papa wanted some children, so what did He do? He said, "Let there be Angels." And they come around Him. Oh, that's fine. They worshipped Him, then He was God, the attribute. Remember, He was El (E-l), Elah, Elohim, self-existence, nothing but Him. The first thing come around was Angels. Then Angels could do no more than worship. They couldn't be lost, so they couldn't be sick; they were immortal beings. So He couldn't display His healing power; He couldn't display His salvation. So then, before... Now let... Then after that, He said, "We'll make something tangible." So He made a earth. And when He made the earth, He made all the creatures of the earth, and then He made man. Everything that come up out of the earth, starting off with a--a polliwog or a jellyfish, just a form of flesh floating on the water, started from there, to--from that to a frog, which is the lowest type of life that we can find, they claim, is a frog. Highest type is human being. From the frog it started to the lizard, from a lizard on and on and on, and every time the Holy Ghost begin to "whew," breathe, life come again; "whew," greater life. And the first thing, something come up in the image of God; that was a man. Nothing has ever been, never was, never will be created any more, anything higher than a man, because a man is in the image of God. See? Then man... When He made His first man. Now, when He made his Angelic beings... He made man, "Created He them male and female," all in the same unit. He was both man and woman, feminish and masculine. When He made Adam and put him in flesh... Remember in Genesis 1, He made man and woman. And in Genesis 2, there was no man yet to till the soil, flesh man, no man that could take a hold of anything and till the soil, but yet there was a man in His image. And God is a... [Congregation says, "Spirit."--Ed.]. That's right. See? He made the first man, "male and female created He them." Now, when He made the first man... Now, remember, altogether He had it in His mind. And Sunday night I went through that. A--a word is a thought expressed. God thought how He could be God, how He could be worshipped, how He could be a Healer, how He could be a Saviour; and as soon as He spoke the Word, it was www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

32

Adoption

finished forever. Oh, if these sons of God now could only lay hold of that Word like that. When God speaks a Word, it is finished. Absolutely. He might've waited... Chronology says that, oh, and archaeologists and all, they claim that maybe the world was millions and millions and million... I don't know; it might've been trillions and trillions of years. I don't know how long it was. God does not exist in time. He has not one minute less time than He did when He spoke it. He is still God; there's no time with Him. I never knew that like that till the other night, other morning, rather. Eternal, no yesterday, no tomorrow, it's all now. Did you ever notice the word "I AM"? Not "I was" or "I will be." It's Eternal, "I AM!" See, "I AM," always. Now, but He wanted to put things in time. He had to make something to worship, so His attributes produced this. Then He made the man. Then in this man he looked lonesome. So now, to show now His great mind, what He had in picture of the Christ and the church, He took not a different piece of clay and made a woman, but He took from the side of Adam, a rib; and took from the spirit of Adam, the feminish, and put it in this rib. When you see a man that acts like a sissy, there's something wrong. And when you see a woman that wants to act like a man, there's something wrong. See, there's something wrong. They are two different spirits, altogether. But, together they make one unit: "These two are one." So He made woman and man, and they never was to be old, never die, never get gray, never... They eat, they drank, they slept, just like we do; but they never knowed what sin was. Now, I'll bypass right here for another lesson sometime, on the seed of the serpent. Which they asked me to recall that. Let me see somebody come and show me something different. That's what I want to know. See? Now, but then after all this, then when sin set in, what takes place? Way up yonder above, a million, hundred million miles, there's a space that big, and that is perfect agapao love. Every time you make a step this way, it narrows a inch. And you know how little it would be time it got to the earth. It's a shadow of the shadow of the shadows. That's what you have; that's what I have: a shadow of shadow of shadows of agapao love. There's something in you; there's something in every woman in here past twenty; there's something in every man in here past twenty, that would long to remain. You've only got five years; that's from fifteen to twenty. After twenty you start dying. But from fifteen, you're just an adolescent child till then. And then you mature up to you're twenty... And after twenty, oh, you say, "I'm just as good a man." You just say that, but you're not. You're dying and you're burning away, no matter what you do. God made you up to that age, but then you're going to die. Now, what happens? Now, you start dying, but in there there's something in you that says, "I want to be eighteen again." Now, I want to ask you something. What if you was born five hundred years ago and you remained eighteen years old until today? If you wouldn't be an antique with your ideas of five hundred years ago, before the pilgrim fathers ever come over here, and you were a young lady with that kind of an idea. Why, you'd be better off just to went ahead and got old and lived five hundred years. See, there's something wrong. You say, "Well, right now I feel pretty good, Brother Branham. Oh, I'm--I'm--I'm eighteen; I'm sixteen, I feel good." Honey, let me tell you something. How do you know that your mother's aliving at this minute, if she's not in this church? How do you know that your boyfriend didn't get killed just a few minutes ago, or your girlfriend? How do you know that in the morning you won't be a corpse in your house? How do you know you're going out of the church tonight alive? It's such an uncertainty. There's nothing certain. If you're fifteen, twelve, nineteen, seventy-five, or ninety, there's--everything's uncertain. You don't know where you're standing. But yet you long to go back to fifteen, eighteen. What makes you do that?

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

33

Adoption

Now, if you go back to eighteen and remain there, and never be sick and never be... You'd have to have other people with you, because you'd outgrow it. See? People would go on in other ages and you'd be an antique. You'd be worse than it--you would be if you went old with them. But there's something that calls for you to be there. That's that little agapao, that little shadow that makes you... Something above here... Now, the other night, or the other morning, at seven o'clock, when the Holy Spirit, by His goodness and His grace, taken me from this body, I believe (I believe. Yes or no, I don't say.), and entered into that land and saw those people, and they were all young. And I seen the prettiest people I ever seen in my life. And He said to me, "Some of them was ninety years old. They're your converts. No wonder they're screaming, 'My brother, my brother'" Now, that is a celestial body, that when we die we don't become a myth; we become a body. If we'd every one die, if the atomic bomb would blow us up at this minute, in five minutes from now we'd be shaking one another's hands and hugging their neck, and screaming, and carrying on, and glorifying God. Yes, sir. And Brother and Sister Spencer setting here, I guess one of the oldest couples in here, will be eighteen, twenty years old. Brother Neville will be just a young boy, and I'd be a young kid. And we'd just all be... That's exactly this truth. "If this earthly tabernacle of habitation be dissolved, we have one already waiting." When a little baby drops from its mother, as in natural birth, its little body is a-twisting and legs ajumping, and so forth. Excuse the expression, you young women. But when it does, it's got life muscles a-jerking. But when it comes to the earth, the first thing, it catches its breath, and there is a spiritual body of nature to come into that baby right then. Let it alone, it'll take its little head and root against its mother's breast and begin to nurse. If it didn't do that, the milk would not even come down. Did you ever notice a calf when it's born, it's... soon as it can get strength enough to get on its legs? Who tells it? Walks right around to its mother, starts rooting around and starts nursing. Oh, yeah. For when this earthly body is brought here, there is a spiritual body ready for it. And as soon as this... Oh, hallelujah. "If this earthly tabernacle of our habitation be dissolved, there is one waiting yonder." Just as soon as we step out of this one, we step into that one: one that don't want a cold drink of water, don't have no need of a drink of water; one that don't eat, they're not of the dust of the earth. But they're just as real, and can feel, and shake hands, and just love, and everything is perfect. And that body is waiting yonder. It's part of it. There's three of them. You begin your Eternal Life right here at the altar. Here's where you start eternity. Oh. You start Eternal Life right here. Then you are borned again, a son of God. And then when you die, you begin... When your death strikes you in this body and the heart quits beating, and the mortal wheels begin to stand still, that little shadow that was a shadow of the shadow, in one second it becomes a shadow of the shadow, then the next it becomes the shadow, then the next it becomes a little trinkle, then the next it becomes a creek, then the next it becomes a river, and the next it becomes the ocean; and after while you're standing in the presence of your loved ones standing yonder, clothed in the garments of a celestial body, that you know one another, love one another. You've turned back to a young man and young woman again. Exactly right. It waits there until the coming of the Lord Jesus. And someday that glorified body of His... Now, remember, that is a celestial body, not a glorified, a celestial body. And someday that celestial body will leave heaven with Jesus. "For I say this unto you," Fir... II Thessalonians, the 5th chapter, or I Thessalonians 5th chapter, one or the other, "I say to you; I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those that are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe Christ died and www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

34

Adoption

rose again the third day, even so those that sleep in Christ will God bring with Him. For we say this unto you by the commandments of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent or hinder (the best word) hinder those which are asleep. For the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise first." These celestial bodies come down and put on earthly glorified bodies. "And we which are alive and remain shall be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye, and shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air." "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine nor eat no more until I eat it anew with you in My Father's Kingdom," the wedding supper. For the three-and-a-half years the antichrist finishes up his reign, the whole world is destroyed. The Jews are called out, Joseph makes hisself known to the Gentiles--or to the Jews. Remember, when Joseph made hisself known to the brethren, there wasn't one Gentile present. When he sent... You know the story. Joseph, the perfect type of Christ, in every manner. And when Joseph sent for his brethren, and they came down, and he looked and seen little Benjamin, and he seen them there, and then he... They said, "Why, this fellow. We--we oughtn't to have killed our brother, Joseph." The Jews seeing that they'd made a mistake now when Christ, when He's making Hisself known to them... And Joseph was so full, he had to weep, nearly; so he dismissed his wife and his children, and all the guards and everything else, and sent them to the palace. Exactly right. And then in the presence of the Jews alone, he said, "I'm Joseph, your brother. I am your brother." And then they fell and begin to tremble, said, "Now, we know we'll get it, because that we killed our brother. We've said we killed our brother; now he's this great king." He said, "God did it for a purpose, to save life." That's exactly the reason God did it: to save us Gentiles. But the Gentiles was in the palace. Hallelujah. Being rejected of His brethren, Joseph, He took on a Bride; and the Bride was a Gentile, not a Jew. All right. Now, where you getting to now? After we put on this glorious body, and the great age that is to come when this glorified body, this celestial body has been made a glorified body... You get what I mean now? Then I can walk over and say, "Brother Neville." Let me just give you a little illustration. I say, "Brother Humes, let's go up to Papa this morning." He's God. We know Him now; He's a Saviour; He's a Healer. There never was such a thing as a creation of sin. That didn't go down good, did it? Sin is not a creation. No, sir. Sin is a perversion. There's only one Creator; that's God. Sin is righteousness perverted. What's an adultery? Righteousness perverted. What's a lie? The truth misrepresented. Certainly. What's a curse word? It's God's blessings turned to a curse word, to God, instead of a blessing. Sin is not a creation. Sin is a perversion. So Satan could not create sin; he only perverted what God had created. That's exactly right. Death is only a perversion of life. Now, notice this, notice this. Then I'll walk up, and I'll say, "Brother Humes, let's you and I, and Brother Beeler, and some of the brethren, we'll go up to Papa God and say, let's take a little journey. You boys liked mountains when you..." "Yeah, we sure did." "Oh there's a couple million miles of them out yonder in that new world. Go ahead out, roam over them." "I have to...?... the sun each day, come up high I'll hear you. While they're yet speaking, I'll hear." Isaiah 66. That's right. And you know, I'm walking out through there; all of us walking out through there just for about five hundred years, just a little journey, a million, don't make any difference. See? And now--now that sounds like crazy, but it's the truth. See, it's the truth, because there's no time; it's eternity. And when I go out there, I walk along down through there, and you know who I--I--I meet out there? I say, "Well, if there ain't Sister Georgie Bruce. Why, Sister Georgie, been a long time since I seen www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

35

Adoption

you." Looks just like she always. See? She maybe is ten million years old, but just as young as she ever was. She'd be scratching somebody on the back, and I look there; it's Sheetah, the lion. I say, "How are you this morning, Sheetah?" "Meow," like a kitten. "Oh, I been down there talking to some of the sisters around them big flowers down there; we been there about five hundred years (See?), looking around." Now, that sounds crazy, but it's the truth. That's exactly. That's the way God intended it. Well, bless your heart, Sister Georgia, no harm can come, nothing at all. In the evening time we'll go up on top of the mountain, and say, "O Papa God, I once was lost. Oh, I was once in the muck of sin, Papa God, and You saved me." Why, people that's tried to express that's went crazy. Well, that man who wrote the last verse of that "O Love Of God," that was penned on the insane wall of an institution, who tried to express the love of God. How that He stooped to save sinners, and how that He did, His love that come down to save you and I. Talk about worship, Angels don't know nothing about it. The worship... A-an--a--wa--an Angel only knows he stands there and wands his wings back and forth, and un--to-across, "Hallelujah. Hallelujah." But, oh, mercy, when it comes to knowing I was lost and now I'm found; I was dead, I'm alive again. O God, I was sin; I was muck; I was down on the dump. Here's the best that life could give you. Did you ever go down here to Colgate dump? It's the stinkingest place I was ever at. That old smoke just makes me sick to smell it. Laying down there in all that old smoke, so sick that your stomach just turning inside out, after taking castor oil. See, just as sick as You can be, and rats running all over you, trying to eat on you, and that's the best of life. And then somebody reach down and pick you up. And you're real old and can't help yourself. And just pick you up and turn you to an eighteen-year-old boy, set you up on top of a mountain, the very bloom of health, my, good breath of fresh air like that, good cold drink of water. Would you ever want to go back to that dump again? No, brother, never, never go to that dump again. Now, that's what it means, friends. That's what that vision, or translation, whatever, a vision. I'll say vision, 'cause I'm afraid that would hurt somebody to say translation; that's what that was. Now, there's when God... what God did to bring sons and daughters to Him. Now, who are these people? How did they ever... What did these people do to merit this? How did they ever do it? God, at the beginning, before an Angel was ever made... How many knows He's infinite? Now, you trinitarian brethren, I'm not wanting to hurt you, but how in the name of the good Word of God could you ever place Jesus being a separate person from God Himself? If Jesus could take another person and make Him go and die to redeem this person here, He would be an unjust being. There's only one way that God could ever do it, would be take the place Himself. And God became flesh that He might taste the pains of death, to take the sting and death away from us, that we might be redeemed by His own. That's why He will be so worshipped. Jesus was a man, sure He was. He was a man, m-a-n, borned in the virgin Mary. But the Spirit that was in Him was God without measure. In Him dwelled the fulness of the Godhead bodily. He was Jehovah-Jireh; He was Jehovah-Rapha; He was Jehovah-Manasses; He was Jehovah, our Shield, our Buckler, our Healer; He was Alpha, Omega, the Beginning and the End; He was the First, the Last; He Was, Which Is, and Shall Come; the Root and Offspring of David, the Morning Star, why, He was All-in-all. In Him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And death always had a stinger, that it stung people. "Ah" the devil says, "I got you, because you listened to me. Sting you, I'll put you in the grave. That sheep's blood can't help you any, that's just an animal's blood." But God, in His wisdom, knowed that there would be a Lamb coming, slain from the foundation of the world. Yes, sir. And they... He waited for that time, for the fulness of time to come. But one day when this Lamb come, this Man, Satan was even fooled. He looked around Him; he said, "If thou be the son of God, do this. If thou be the son of God, perform a miracle and let me www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

36

Adoption

see you do it. Let me see you do it. Uh-huh, I'll tie a rag around His face, smite you. If you're a prophet, tell us who hit you. Hmm. I don't--I don't believe you're the guy. If you are, tell us straightly: you are, or you aren't." See, all like that. "Oh, tell us you are." He opened not His mouth. Oh, oh, did He pull the wool over his eyes then. He looked around to the disciple and said, "I could speak to My Father and He'd send Me a twelve legions of Angels...?..." "Pilate didn't hear that, you know. If thou be... If thou be... Oh, that ain't him. Why, look at him bleeding. Hey, some of you soldiers go over there and spit in his face." Spit, mocked Him, pulled handfuls of beard out of His face. "Oh, he ain't... Naw, that ain't him. I'll anchor my stinger in him, boy. I'll get him up there. I got you now." When He was--last cry, "Eli, Eli. My God, My God," That was a man. "Why hast Thou forsaken Me?" In the Garden of Gethsemane, the anointing left Him, you know, He had to die as a sinner. He died a sinner, you know that; not His sins, but mine and yours. That's where that love come in, how He took mine. Oh, hallelujah, how He took mine. And there He was; He couldn't open His mouth. Satan said, "You know, I believe that was just an ordinary man. He wasn't virgin born, so I'll anchored my stinger in him." And here he come, socked his stinger in Him, but that was the wrong time, boy. He got his stinger pulled out then. He can't sting no more from then; he left his stinger in there. Rose up on the third day and said, "I'm He that was dead, and is alive again, and alive forevermore, I have the keys of death and hell." Yes, sir. He failed to see Who that was. "And because I live, you shall live also. It does not yet appear..." One day, three or four days after that, after He had ascended to the Father, had returned back, then some said, "Oh, He's a... He--He must be a spook. He must be kind of something spooky about that Guy. And when you seen, you seen a vision." "No, He was the real Jesus." Thomas said, "Let me see His hands and everything, I'll tell you if it is." He said, "Here I am." Said, "You got any fish and bread over there? Bring me a sandwich." And they brought Him a sandwich, and He stood there and eat it. Said, "Now, does a spirit eat like I eat? Does a spirit have flesh and bones like I got?" See? He said, "I am He. I'm that." And Paul said, "It does not yet appear just exactly what kind of a body we'll have, but we know we'll have a body like His." What? Did He ever have that theophany body? Yes, sir. When He died, the Bible said that, "He," is a personal pronoun again, "He went to hell and preached to the souls in prison." Hallelujah. How did He do it? He had senses of feeling; He had senses of hearing; He had senses of speech; He preached with that same kind of body I saw those glorified ones in the other night. He preached to the souls that were in hell, that repented not in the longsuffering of the days of Noah. But when He rose up on Easter, it was not possible that that Body should see corruption, 'cause David the prophet foresaw it, "I'll not leave His soul in hell, neither will I suffer My holy One to see corruption. Moreover My flesh shall rest in hope, because He will not leave My soul in hell, neither will He leave My holy One see corruption." And on seventy-two hours before corruption could set in, that theophany, that body that went and preached to the souls that were in prison, that repented not in the long-suffering of days of Noah, rose again, and the mortal put on immortality, and He stood and He eat, and He told us that He was a Man. Hallelujah. That's how we'll see Him, Brother Evans. That's when He'll set on the throne of David. Hallelujah. That's when we'll walk up and down now, I'll--I'll take a trip with you across the mountains for a million years (See?), just a few days, just a few minutes, we'll go across there, set around over there. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

37

Adoption

And it comes time to eat, you know, first thing you know, Sister Wood said... I said, "Sister Wood, well, where have you been all this time? I haven't seen you for, seems to me like it's been fifteen minutes." "Oh, that's two thousand years ago, Brother Branham." "Uh-huh. How you feeling?" Oh, course you can't feel nothing but good. "Hey, come here, boys, I'll show you all something, brethren, my darling brethren. Here's the--a fountain of water here, the best you ever drank. And, oh, we'll get a good cold drink. I will reach up there and get a great big bunch of grapes, and we'll all set down there and eat it." Won't that be wonderful? That's exactly what it is. That's just it. How did we get this? How do we know it? God, before the foundation of the world predestinated us. Who? Those that are in the promised land. ... predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ... according to His good pleasure of his will, To the praises of His glory... (That we might praise Him like He said. That's what He is, God, we want to praise Him.)... praises of His glory of his grace, wherein he has made us acceptable in the beloved. (In Christ we are accepted.) In whom we have redemption through the blood, the forgiveness of s-i-n-s... I got to go back to adoption, but I want to stop on "sins" here a minute. "Sins," did you notice that? You know God don't condemn a sinner for sinning? He condemns him for being a sinner. If a sinner smokes a cigar, He don't condemn him for it; he's a sinner anyhow. See, see? He don't have any sins, the sinner don't. He's just a sinner (See?); he don't have any sins. But you have sins, you that's Christians. You notice here, he's talking to the church. Keep her straight. See, see? "Forgiveness of sins," s-i-n-s. We commit sins. But the sinner is just a sinner; God don't forgive him. Now, you say, "Well, he went out here and shot a man. What you going to do about it?" That ain't none of my business. I ain't a reformer; I'm a preacher. The law will take care of that; they're reformers. They're the... Well say, "He committed adultery." That, that--that's up to the law. That's between him and the law. I--I--I--I'm not a reformer; I don't reform people. I want to get them converted. I'm a preacher. See? My business is to get him to God. If he sinned, that's his business; he's a sinner. God condemns him on a higher level. He's a sinner to begin with, he's condemned to start with. He didn't even get to first base, he--he's nowhere. He's a sinner to start with. He don't have any sins; he's a sinner. You couldn't go out and say, "This much is night, and this much isn't night." No, it's all night; it's all night. That's what God said. That's right. He's just a sinner; that's all. "Now, he did this. This much is night; this is real bright night right here." I know, but it's just all night, that's all. See? Now, I couldn't say, "This much is light right here." No, it's just all light (See?), it's light; you can't say how much. See? But if there's a black spot in this, then there's darkness in it. So "sins," s-i-n-s, we have forgiveness of our sins through His what? Blood, precious Blood. ... according to the riches of his... (How do we for--get it? Because we're worthy, we did something to have our sins forgiven? His what?)... grace; Oh, my. Nothing in my arms I bring, Lord. Nothing could I do; there isn't a thing I could do. Look. He predestinated me; He called me; He chose me. I never chose Him. He chose me; He chose you; He chose all of us. We didn't choose Him. Jesus said, "You didn't choose Me; I chose you." He said, "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him first, and all the Father's given Me will come to Me. And none of them's lost, except the son of perdition, to fulfill the--the Scriptures." See? Said there "All the Father's given Me will come to Me." www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

38

Adoption

Oh, I'm getting too late, ain't I? And I ain't never got out of this. I ain't got started on this yet. Let me hurry up. I got to get to something right here, and just right quick now if we hurry. I got to get back to this adoption just a minute. Oh, will you forgive me just for--just for a minute? Let's get this here... Some of these people are all the way from Georgia here only for tonight, bless their heart. Now, brother Georgian, and Texas, and wherever you're from, listen to this 5th verse, let's linger on it a few minutes. Having predestinated us unto--unto... What does the word "unto" mean, the word "unto"? It means there's something we're coming to, unto. "I am going unto the fountain. I am going unto the chair." Brother Humes, you get that? "I'm going unto the desk." (Now.)... He predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according as his own good pleasure of his will, How much pleasure? Whose pleasure was it, whose goodness? His Own, His own good pleasure of His Own Will. Now, what is adoption? Now, let me get this now; I don't know whether... I won't have time to get through this, but I'll hit it. Then if there's a question, you can a--ask me a little later on sometime in the message, something. Listen. Your adoption is not your birth. Your adoption is your placing. When you were borned again, John 1:17, I believe. When we are borned of the Spirit of God we are sons of God. But we were predestinated. Now, here's what I'm trying to get you to, for this sons of the last day (You see?), to the... See? We were predestinated to--unto adoption. Now, now here we are. Now, this is what hurts Pentecostal a little. They say, "I got borned again. Praise the Lord, got the Holy Ghost!" Fine. You're a child of God. That's right. But yet that ain't what I'm talking about. See, you were predestinated unto adoption. Adoption is placing a son. I'm too close to that, 'cause Becky told me that I get too close to it; you can't hear in the back. I am. See? A child... How many knows the rules of adoption in the Old Testament? Of course, you've... Look. A son was born. I believe I got it in some sermon. What is that, Gene, you remember? It's on a tape. Oh, what was that? I--I--I--I've struck on it. Oh, yeah, I got it, "Hear Ye Him," "Hear Ye Him," the adoption of children. Now, in the Old Testament, when a--when a child was borned in a family, he was a child when he was born, because he was borned of his parents; he was a son of the family and heir of all things. Now, but this son was raised by tutors: Galatians, 5th chapter, 17th to the 25th verse. All right. He was raised by tutors, raisers, teachers. Now, for instance, if I had a son born, now, say, I'm a father and... And that's the reason in the King James, how many ever thought that read awful funny in the King James Version, said, "In My Father's house is many mansions"--a house, many mansions? See? Really, in the--in the days that the Bible was translated by King James, a "house" was a "domain." "In My father's domain is many mansions." Not in a house, mansions, but he was called the father of this domain. They had it very Biblical; in the Bible that's the way it is. When a father had a great big thousand-acre farm, or something other, he had a bunch of people living over here. He had hired hands living over here to take care of sheep; he had some over here to take care of cattle; he had some here that went up to the upper range up there a hundred miles away, and he had some right over here taking care of goats, and he had some taking care of mules and--and different things. He--he just had a big kingdom. And he got on his little donkey and he rode around to each one to see how they was getting along, the sheep-shearing and everything like that. He didn't have time...

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

39

Adoption

You can't hear me when I walk away from there. I--I--I'll try to stay back here. Can you hear me all right now, here? Watch. He rode away, and went away, trying to--to take care of his--his--his kingdom. So now he wants... That son is going to be heir of everything that he's got. He's a heir. And when we are born in the Kingdom of God by Jesus Christ, we're a heir of heaven, joint heirs with Jesus, because He took our place. He became us (sin), that we might become Him (righteousness). See? He become me that I might become Him (See?), joint heirs with Him. All right. Now, remember that's to each one of you. Now, remember, God predestinated you by foreknowledge, that you were coming to this. Everybody understand it, raise your hand. See? God, by foreknowledge, predestinated you to come to the promised land. What is the promised Land for the Christian today? Just raise up your hand if you know. "The promise is unto you and to your children, to them that are far off. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, that I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, your sons and your daughters." And in Isaiah 28:18, "Precept must be upon precept, line upon line; here a little, there a little; hold fast to that what's good. For with stammering lips and other tongues will I speak to this people. And this is the Rest, thi--the Rest, the sabbath land that I said that they should enter into. And, for all this, they would not hear, but they wagged their heads, and walked away, and wouldn't hear It." See? Exactly. What was it? Just exactly like those people who had come all the way from Canaan--or from Egypt, all the way up through the wilderness, and got right next to, close enough to taste grapes that come out of the land. Brother, there... Them men want me to draw back that--that on Hebrews 6. How can I do it? Them's borderline believers; they'll never go over. They can't go over. Jesus said... They said, "Our fathers eat manna in the wilderness." And Jesus said, "They're every one dead." That's just separated. They're every one dead. That's right. Said, "But I'm the Bread of Life that come from God out of heaven. The man that eats this Bread, he will never die. That's right. Yes, sir, he's got Eternal Life if he eats This. I'm that Tree of Life from the garden of Eden." Now, see, these people come up so close... See, if you notice in Hebrews 6, not going back to that, but in Hebrews 6, "These people once made partakers, come so close, and have tasted of the heavenly gift." They set around; they seen healings done; they seen people in the power of God; they seen lives changed; but they won't put a hand on it. No, sir. No, sir. "And have tasted the power of the world to come; and if they should try to renew themselves again unto repentance, seeing that they--that they have crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh, and counted the Blood of the covenant wherewith they were sanctified with..." "I belong to a church that believes in sanctification." That's good as far as it goes, but you don't go far enough. See? Yes, sir. The wilderness sanctified them. Yes, indeedy. They had the--they had the brazen serpent and the--the brazen altar, and everything out there, sanctification, but they entered into Palestine for rest. Didn't... Look over in Hebrews 4, didn't he say another rest? God created the seventh day and gave them rest on the seventh day. Another place he spoke of rest saying, "today in David..." Then He give them another Rest, "Come unto Me all ye that labor and heavy laden, I will give you rest." Enter into this rest. For we which have entered into this rest have ceased from our works as God did from His on the sabbath. Certainly. There's your sabbath, rest. There's your real rest in this promised land. The Holy Ghost is a promise of the people. And why will they want educated scholarly preachers who will let them wear shorts and cut their hair, and wear lipstick, and men to gamble and drink beer, and tell jokes, and go on, and carry on like that, and call themselves members of church. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

40

Adoption

Why, they will take something like that and refuse the leadership of the Holy Ghost. Why, the Bible said the Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword that cuts you asunder of the bone, and even the Discerner of thoughts of the heart (Yes.), even the thoughts of the mind. And if we love the world or the things of the world, the love of God's not even in us. "Many are called; few are chosen; for strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to Life, and but few there'll be that'll find it. Many will come to Me in that day and set down in the Kingdom," said Jesus, "with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But the children of the kingdoms will be cast--cast out, and say, 'Lord, have not we did this in Your Name? Have not we preached? Have not we been Doctor So-and-so and Reverend So-and-so?' I never knew you. Depart from Me you workers of iniquity; I didn't know you. Not all that saith, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter in. But the ones that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven, that's the one that goes in." There you are, entering into this promised land. How do we get into it? We are predestinated to it, the church, by the foreknowledge of God. Has been predestinated to what? To His honor, by His grace, to the glory and worship and glory of God. Papa, setting back there in the beginning, selfexistent, nothing around Him, wanted something to worship, so He foreordained and predestinated a church, and before the foundation of the world, and put their names in the Lamb's Book of Life when they was slain before the foundation of the world, that they might appear to His glory and to His praises at the end of time, when will gather all things in that one Man, Christ Jesus. Whew. Glory. That's it. That's just... And that's it right there, my brother, sister. Don't you never move from that. God by His election grace called you. God by His election grace sanctified you. God by His election grace and His power baptized you and put you into this land of rest. They which have entered into this rest has ceased from their going astray. They ceased from their works like God did from His. They have joy unspeakable and full of glory. The Tree of Life is blooming in them. They have long-suffering, gentle, goodness, patience, faith--faith--faith, meekness, gentleness, and so forth. The Tree of Life is blooming in them because their hope is anchored in Christ Jesus, the witness of the Holy Ghost bearing record with signs and wonders following the believers. "These signs shall follow them that believe." As they go along, they heal the sick; they cast out devils; they speak with tongues; they see visions. They... And they walk with God; they talk with God. No devil can move them; they're steadfast, looking for Eternal Life. Forgetting those things that are in the past, they press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. There they are. There you are. That's that church. How did they get there? You can't say, "Well, Lord, you know, one day I started smoking cigars, and I fell down, then I thought I'd..." Oh, no, no, no, no. Predestination He called us and when we followed Him is when we say, "God, we were lost and undone. We didn't even have a mind to even save ourself. We were as... Nature was pig; we were pigs to begin with." You go out to a pig pen and look to an old sow, and say, "Now, look here, old gal, I want to tell you something. It's wrong for you to drink slop." She'll say, "Oink-oink." See? Now, that's just as much as you have of saving your ownself. That's exactly. You say, "Lady, you shouldn't wear clothes like that; you should dress neatly. You should do this. You should not go to... You should not have these card parties. You shouldn't smoke cigarettes. You shouldn't do this. Mister, you shouldn't carry that." Says, "Oink-oink. I belong to the Oink-oink." Uh-huh. "Oink," that's just about as much as they know. "Well, I'll let you know I'm just as good as you are. Oink-oink." See, they reject the

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

41

Adoption

leadership of the Holy Ghost, for the Bible said that if you love the world or the things of the world, the love of God's not even in you. What makes them peculiar? You are a holy nation. What have you done? Entered out of that land. You're over in another land. How did you get over there? That's the promised land. What kind of a promise? "It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh." By one Spirit we are all baptized into this one promised land. Amen. Brothers and sisters (Hallelujah.) with the purity of heart, no jealousy, no enmity, nothing... I don't care if a brother goes astray, no matter what he does, you'll go after him. I went after a brother not long ago, had went astray. A young fellow said to me, said, "Let that rascal go. Let him alone." I said, "If I ever get to a place that my heart don't go with my brother, then it's time for me to go to the altar, because I've fallen from grace." I said, "I'll go as long as he's got breath in his body, and I'll catch him somewhere along the line." Yes, sir. And I caught him (Hallelujah.), brought him back. Yes, sir. He's back in the fold safely now. Yes, sir. He'd have went astray as sure as the world. Awhile ago when I seen that poor little woman setting there, and the sheriff called me, said, "Why, she ought to be in a straitjacket." Said, "She's just delirious; she's out of her head. She--she... They put her in a hotel till I came. I said, "That's all right." Said... Sheriff said, "Why, Billy." I know him real well, and knowed him since he was a kid. He said, "If there's anything I can do to help you..." I said, "That's all right." Said, "Can you help her?" I said, "No, but He can." I said, "Give her to me." So they brought her out there. And when she left awhile ago in peace... What was it? We sent a prayer out after her. Amen. She was so... They said, "Do you want to get a doctor?" Said to her husband, "Do you want to get a doctor?" He said, "A doctor can't do nothing for her." And that's right. She was insane. "Doctor can't do nothing for her." Said, "Our only hope is get there." And he said, "Billy, I don't understand that." I said, "I don't expect you to. See? Don't expect you to." But, oh, my, neither do I understand it. No. Oh, but brother, I remember when I was a way out yonder one time. Something come after me. Amen. It wasn't because that I wanted to come, but 'cause Something come after me. Because before the foundation of the world, God predestinated (Hallelujah.) that we would be His, to His honor and glory. Listen. Those who He foreknew, He has what? Called. That right? Did He call you? Yeah. Why did He call you? Foreknew you. Those who He foreknew, He called; those who He has called, He has justified. Is that right? And those who He has justified, He hath glorified. Amen. That's what the Bible said. Those who He foreknew, He called: every generation. Those who He called, He has already glorified. What? Now let me read the Scripture here. All right. Having predestinated them unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to His Own pleasure... To the praises of His glory... Do you get it? To the praises of His glory. That He could set there in the eternal ages that is to roll on, and His children would scream, "Abba, Father. Abba, Father." And the Angels say, "What they talking about? What are they talking about?" So beautifully displayed in the prodigal son. "I was lost." "This is my son. He was lost and now he's found. He was dead, and he's alive again. Bring forth the fatted calf, the best robe, a ring and put it on his finger. And let's..." No wonder when the morning stars sang together, and the sons of www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

42

Adoption

God shouted for joy, when they seen the plan of salvation, God putting your name on the Book before the foundation of the world. Why, you say, "Calvin believes something like that." I didn't believe Calvin. Calvin was a murderer. Calvin put a man to death because he baptized in Jesus' Name. He was a rascal, needed to be converted himself. Yes, sir. But what he said about some of the things he said was right. Don't... But what his action, a man would kill a man for something like that, that's horrible; that's sinful. All right. Wherein he has abounded towards us... Oh, wait, I didn't get that "adoption," did I? Am I too late? Let's see what this clock says up here, what time we got. All right. Yes, just let's take ten minutes for the sake of these people who's come so long. Look. Look. "Adoption," let me show you wh--how it's done now. A father has a big kingdom; he rides around. Now, he's got a son born. Oh, he's so happy. (Now, that's God.) So you know what that father does? He finds the very best raiser, tutor. You know what a tutor is, don't you? It's a school teacher. He finds the very best school teacher he can find in all the country. (And then we're going now, listen.) And he finds the best school teacher he can find. He don't just get just a scalawag; he wants his boy to be a real fellow. Don't you want your children that way? Sure, best you can give them. Yes, sir. So if a natural man thought that, what do you think God thinks about for His children? The best He could get... So he wants a man that'll be honest. Now, he don't man--want a man to say, "Now, look, I--I... Junior, you just do anything you want to, honey." "Oh, yes, father, uh-huh, he's getting along fine; he's a fine boy." Get a little pat on his back and a straw in his hat... No, no. That guy would get fired right now. Sure. He wants a man that'll be truthful. If that boy's coming right, tell him. If he isn't, tell him what's wrong. And if a earthly father thought that... Wouldn't you want a man to be honest with you, the school teacher be honest about your children? Sure. Well, what do you think God thinks, and He knows; we don't; He does. We're finite; we couldn't tell. But He's infinite and does know. So you know what the Father did? He never said, "I'm going to get a pope to watch over My children." Neither did He say, "I'm going to get a--a bishop." No, no. He didn't do that, 'cause He knowed the pope would be wrong, so would the bishop. See? He never said, "I'm going to get a general overseer to watch over My churches." No, no. He got the Holy Ghost. That was His Tutor (Uh-huh.) to raise His children. All right. Then how would you know the Holy Ghost don't... He speaks through human lips. How do you know then It's telling the truth? When you see the Holy Spirit speaking through a lips that's telling the truth exactly every time, predicting and coming to pass just perfectly, like Samuel said, then you know that's true. It's coming right. Because God said, "If he speaks and what he says don't come to pass, don't hear him, 'cause I'm not with him. But if he does, well, then hear him, 'cause I'm with him." See? There you are. That's how He does. Now, then He goes around. Now, what do you think that Tutor would say if he had to go up to the Father, and say, "Your--Your children's acting awful. I tell you: That boy of Yours, he--he--he's a renegade. He's a roustabout; I never seen such a fellow. My, You know what he does? And that girl of Yours... Oh, whew, I don't know what You'll do with her. Hmm. Well, you know what? She looks just like... See? She--she's all painted up like some of them girls over yonder, Philistine. Yes, sir. She wants to act just like they do." "My daughter?" www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

43

Adoption

"Yes, Your daughter." That's what the Holy Spirit has to say about the church today. No wonder we can't have a revival. See? Now, that's true. "What about Your son?" Huh? Same thing." "What?" "Well, you know you always said that those sheep should herd in that pasture up there on that sheep food up there. Yeah, you know what he did? He drove them down there in that weed pile. Just took them down there and dumped them all in that creek, and let them lay around in that weed pile, eating them old willows, and they're so poor they can't hardly get out of there." That's bishops, pastors who deny the power thereof. "Well they... I tell you the truth; I never seen such a bunch of nervous sheep in My life." He don't like that. No. "And You know what? Them cattle up here, you know, you--you told them to feed on that--that alfalfa up there, you know, to make them fat?" "Yeah." You know what he's giving them?" "No." "Them old ironweeds. Yeah. He's making them join societies and everything. You never see the likes in Your life. You never seen such in all Your life. You know what he's doing? Going along out there smoking a big cigar, reared back. He's got his wife with him, she's wearing shorts just like the Philistines are doing out there. Yeah." That's the kind of message the Holy Spirit has to take about church today. Now, what do you think about that? That's adoption. What did He do? He predestined us--us unto adoption. He give us the Holy Ghost; but wait a minute; adoption, that's what we're talking about. Adoption... "Well, You know what he does? The bishop come by the other day, and so he was having a little healing service down there; the bishop come by. Some guy, a brother come by and was praying for the sick. And he said, 'You stop that.'" "Oh... oh, yes, father bishop, I'll do that." "Don't you cooperate." "Oh, no, no, father bishop, sure not." "And here I come and tell him the Truth right out of Your Word. See, here It is. I read Your laws to him exactly what to do, and he won't listen to Me. He said, 'Oh, that was for another age, another son some other time. That don't mean me.'" There you are. That... Now, that's truth, friend. Now, don't you see where the church misses its placing, why we haven't got revivals, why we haven't got things going on? That's where it lays. Joshua say, "Gad, I want you to... Right in here lays your place according to the blueprint, your place lays here, right here. You get in here, Gad, and stay here. Benjamin, you go right down here. And now, you all stay away from the border of the Philistines." Joshua comes back, here they all over in the Philistines, having a big old shindig, just dancing up like that, and all the women painted up, and dancing around, having a big time. And Joshua scratches his head and say, "Now, what?" Now, that's just exactly what's taking place; not all, thank God, not all, but too many. All right. Now, what takes place then? That's what happened. Don't you imagine that Man, the Holy Spirit blushes before the Father when He has to say that? Oh, my. "I--I--I told him, but he--he--he wouldn't listen to it. I told him that, and let him read right there in the Book. I had--I had a little minister to come by and show him that Jesus Christ was the same yesterday, today, and forever. And you know what? He let one of them--let one of them old goat herders come over here and tell him that that was for another age. See? And he smelled so bad time he got over there, with goat smell (You know, cigars...?... you know, and so forth), smelled so bad when he got over here. But I tell You, that goat herder had enough medals pinned on him (Right.) where I tell You, if You'd write www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

44

Adoption

his name in the paper, it'd take (his obituary) would take a half a sheet to make his titles. Yes, sir. They sure like him over there in that country, but I tell You, he sure don't know how to feed sheep. That's one thing wrong. He just won't listen to Me," says the Holy Spirit. "I tried to tell him that You're the same yesterday, today, and forever, but he--he just won't do it. He's the biggest coward I ever seen in my life. Yeah. And the church has made him an overseer, bishop, so forth; all the people are listening to him. And then You know what? They take those... They got a little old thing down there they call a television. You turn a little old thing on like that, and--and them women come on and carry on, all kind of halfway dresses, that's... And You know, a lot of your daughters are...?..." "Oh, surely not." See? Say, "Yes, they are. Yep, they're doing it. Umm. Some of them are crying out for revival, Father, some of them really want it. Some of them are really walking the line; some of them are standing just as true on that Word as they can be. Others, I don't know what to do; they're--they're way out there. You know what them others doing? Making fun of them, saying, 'They're just a bunch of cracks.'" "Well, that makes Me feel pretty bad." But now let's change the picture. Now, the Father, His son is a good boy. His Father right--right along... Here's a Tutor, the Holy Spirit. Which way the Holy Spirit... He said, "I'm going to walk..." The Tutor said, "I'm..." The child said, "I'll walk right with You. I'll go right with You." "Oh, the hill's awful high, son." "I'll go right with You. I got confidence in You. If I start getting tired, You'll raise my hand up and hold me on." "But there's lions up on the hill there." "Don't matter as long as You're around, don't make a bit of difference. I'm walking right on in." "There's trouble up there; it's slick rocks." "I don't care, as long as You're holding my hand, I'll walk right with You. I'll walk right with You." "Oh, you know what? Your Dad used to do that. See?" "That's good. Yes, sir." Get up on top of the hill there. "Oh," He said, "You know what, Father? Your son is just like a chip off the old block. He is absolutely, exactly like You. Every Word that You say, he says 'amen' to It. I--I had him turn over in the Bible the other day, and It said, 'Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.' You know what he said? He screamed and throwed his hands up in the air, and he said, 'Hallelujah, amen.' Oh. And you know It said here, in--in Your Word, you know, here where You said, 'The works... He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also'?" "Yeah, I remember writing that to My son. Yeah, I remember writing that." "Oh, when he saw that, he just screamed and jumped up and down, hollering, 'Hallelujah, Lord. Take all the world out of me. Make me like that.' Yes, Sir. And all those things that he done..." "Oh," the Father said, "It's time. I'm--I'm--I'm happy for that son. That's a fine son. All right. Keep a eye on him for a few years; see how he--see how he comes on, how he progresses." After while the years pass by. "How's he getting along?" "Oh, my, he's even growing in grace. Oooh, my, he just... He's shelling the woods. I'm telling You; he--he's really... Why, he takes them sheep, can handle them just--just like You do. He will never give them seaweeds. He will never give them ironweeds. When they come around, saying, 'we want to join the churches,' you say, 'Shut your mouth, you don't need that. No, sir. Here's what you need, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. You shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' Yes, Sir, there's what he said." "Oh, does he really say that?" www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

45

Adoption

"Yes, Sir, he sure does." "Well, that's just the way I wrote It." "That's just the way he says It." "Hmm, yes, Sir." Some of them said, "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem till you're endued with power from on high. After that the Holy Ghost come upon you be witness of Me in Jerusalem, Judaea, and Samaria, and uttermost parts of the world." When he read that, he hollered, 'Hallelujah, that's what you need!'" You know what he does? He just gets them right down there till they get it, that's all, stays right with them." "And if they start fussing, he say, 'Whoop. whoop, whoop, wait a minute, wait a minute. That's the way goats act, not sheep. See, see? Oh, sometimes they get a little peeved at him, but he kind of pats them on the back a little bit, say, "Wait a minute, sh-sh, sh, sh, sh. It's all right." He really knows how to control them sheep. Yes, Sir, I tell You.'" "You know what? I seen Archbishop So-and-so tell him this: he--he couldn't come to this town and hold a meeting.' But, you know, I kind of led him; I said, 'Go anyhow.' (See?) "Withdraw these tapes, and don't you let them go out." "They went anyhow. Went over in these towns here, said, 'Well, we won't spon...'" "And you know the devil got down there said, 'I bet you I can keep him out of that town.' I said, 'Can't do it. If I tell him to go, he will go. I bet you he will go.' 'No, no, no, no, no, I'll tell him. I'll go down and say, "Now, all my agents, you all gather together. You don't want that old fanaticism down here, all that old Divine healing and that old Holy Ghost stuff. That passed back with the apostles years ago. You know that's no good, back there. Trying to give them them old ironweeds, everything like that." They--they... "But You know what, he went right on down there anyway. Went right on down there and begin to throw out alfalfa. And come back, You know what, them sheep started eating, they're getting as fat as they can be. Yes, Sir. Why, they're having healings and meetings and, You know, a lot of them young fellows begin... Why, they seen if they got a big bunch of hay like that alfalfa. You wonder what they done with it, it was so good till they run over to the neighbors, said, 'Taste This! Taste This!' They said. 'Teen-agers, get ready...?...' Yes Sir, like this. Right here. Here It is right here. Right here It is. See? Now, just repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus, you can get the Holy Ghost. It's for whosoever will, let him come, let him come here to see what the Bible said.' See? And they're just having a great time down there." "Oh, that's My son! That's My boy. Well, You think he's well matured?" "Yep. Sure do," said the Holy Spirit. "I've give him tests. Boy, I tried him this way, and tried him that way. I've throwed him down, sick; I've put him under. I stomped him; I let the devil do everything to him he could do; he come right back up again. He come the same, come up again. I made him sick. I done this. I throwed him in the hospital. I took him out here and I done this; I done that. I turned his wife against him; I turned his neighbors against him; I turned everything. That didn't make a bit of difference. Said, 'Though He slay me, yet I'll trust Him.' I killed his family. I took this; I did this; I done all this; I did this, that, other. Still he stood right up, 'Though He slay me, yet I'll serve Him. He's mine.'" "Oh! Well, I believe We ought to call him out somewhere to a little special place and have an adoption." Now, when the father in the Old Testament, understood that his son was come of age, and had been seasoned out unto adoption... Unto... They're borned a child, but, when--they're a son right then. But then they'll never be no more than just a child, just an ordinary son, until they mature and show what they are. Then he calls him out then.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

46

Adoption

Now, here we are, church. Are you ready? Now, it's a little bit late, everybody bite your finger, pinch your soul, and pluck your heart, just for a minute. See? Now, we're going to place the church. Now, when the church gets to that place, He says, "Manasses, you belong over here. Ephraim, you over here." Then he takes them out to a certain place, the father does, and he sets him up on a high place like this, and he has a ceremony, and they all come around. And he said, "I want everyone to know that this is my child, and I adopt my son. And I want anyone to know, from henceforth, that his name... I dress him up, a special dress on him. And I want you to know that his name is just as good on any check as my name is. He's my child; I adopt him into my family, although he's been my son since he was born. Since he received the Holy Ghost, he's been My son. But now I'm going to place him positionally in authority. What he fires is fired, what he hires is hired. "And verily, verily, I say unto you, if you say to this tree, if you say to this mountain, 'Be moved,' and don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you've said will come to pass, you can have what you've said." See? There you are; there you are. See? "He's my son." How many knows that the adoption, that the--they adopted the son after he'd proved to be a... Everybody ever read the Bible, placing a sons. Now, God did the same thing to His Son when He took Jesus up on Mount Transfiguration. He took Peter, James, and John up there, that's three witnesses of the earth. There was Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, and God, up on the mountain. There they stood up there on the mountain. And first thing you know, they looked, and Jesus was glorified before them. Is that right? How many knows that's the Scripture? What'd He do? He--He dressed Him in the robe of immortality. And he said, "His raiment shined like the sun." Is that right? And a cloud overshadowed Him. And Peter and John and them, fell on their face. And they looked, and there stood Moses and Elijah, talking to Him. And Moses had been dead and buried in a unmarked grave for eight hundred years. And Elijah took a chariot ride to heaven, five hundred years before that. My, but they were still there. There they was talking to Him. See, He had taken Jesus up to see them, to see what it was all about, see there, show Him these things. And they talked with Him, had a conversation with Him. Then as soon as Peter looked back again and the glorification was off of Jesus, they seen Jesus only, and a voice come from that cloud, and said, "This is My beloved Son, hear ye Him. His Name's just as good as Mine now. (That's right.) Hear ye Him." That's it, adopted, or a placed sons. Now, there's where God is trying to get the Pentecostal church in the Book of Ephesians. See? Do you--do you understand? We got to close because it's getting too late (See?), the kiddies getting sleepy. And I wanted to get down here to this verse right here, but I can't do it, till the--the 13th verse (See?), the last part, "sealed by the Holy Ghost of promise." We'll get that Sunday. See? Look. Now... how... what brings us in, and how we're kept by This... But now to "place," how are you? You're first born into the Kingdom by the Holy Ghost. How many knows that? All right. The next, you are predestinated unto the what? Adoption. What is that? You are predestinated unto the placing. Oh, Sister Scott, I believe it is, setting here. Aren't you the one that was up home today? A teaching going around somewhere in the world, around different parts of the country, I've heard of it lots: that Jesus is here on earth, walking around in a body, He comes in and does this. That's a lie. His Holy Spirit's here, and He is trying to place His church, to get His church in order, place it in the promised land, so they can enter--so that all the enemies can be drove out. Manasses can't take his land. I can't have a healing service when half of the... When the--I go out there and preach the baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, and the--and the trinitarian brethren

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

47

Adoption

saying, "Oh, he's old Jesus Only." And I can't go over here and have Divine healing when half of them says, "Divine healings all right." And a lot of them enjoy the miracles of the Lord and say, "Well, I believe Brother Branham's a prophet, but let me tell you something. As long as the Spirit is on him, and he's discerning, he's the Lord's servant. But his teaching is rotten. It's no good." Whoever heard of such tommyrot? It's either of God or it isn't of God. That's right. It's either all God or none God. That's the way it is. But how you going to act? Manasses won't keep his ground; Ephraim won't keep his ground; Gad won't keep his ground; Benjamin won't keep his ground; they're all running out here with the Philistines and all mixed up. How we going to get placed? But we have been born by the Holy Ghost, all of us. Is that right? What are we be born to? Predestinated... Then after being born, we are predestinated unto the adoption, to be placed in the Body of Christ. You see what I mean? What is the Body of Christ? Some are apostles; some are prophets; some are teachers; some are evangelists; and some are pastors. Is that right? We're called to. Others has gifts of tongues, interpretation of tongue, wisdom, knowledge, miracles, working of miracles, all these different gifts. And now what'd they do? They practiced that a little bit. What? Let it run loose just like I don't know what. One raise up, speak in tongues, and the other one go talking, [Brother Branham imitates the sound of disorder and confusion--Ed.]...?... Preacher will be preaching, make an altar call, and somebody raise up, speak in tongues and "Hallelujah, glory to God." If the--if the preacher happens to go on with his message, being anointed, then the people say, "old backslider." See, it's because they're not taught. The Bible said the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophet. God is no author of confusion. When I'm standing here, I minister here under the anointing of God. No matter how much you want to speak with tongues, you hold your peace till God's finished here. Then if you speak with tongues, it can't be just some repeating of Scripture, 'cause God said don't use vain repetition. But it's a message directly to somebody. Ask me one time, put your finger on one time that the Holy Spirit ever, under the discernment, told somebody, repeated a Scripture over and over. It told him something that was wrong with them and something that they had done, and something that they must do, or something had to happen, or something like that. Is that right? So is speaking in tongues and interpretation. If there's one in the church that speaks with tongues, and another interpret it, let it say this. Let Brother Neville raise up and speak with tongues, and this brother here give the interpretation, say, "Tell this man here that--that yesterday he went out here and done something wrong that you done. Now, the doctor told him today he had cancer. Go make that thing right, come back here and get right with God." The man say, "Truly, that's the truth." Then God's with you. But how we going to do it this way? See? It's just bump [Brother Branham illustrates--Ed.], just haphazard, any way, no placing at all. Now, that's... See, Ephesians, are trying... See, they miss that. See, then they miss it. We are predestinated unto the adoption of sons. Now, how many understands what I mean, raise up your hands. Adoption. We're born in the Spirit of God, sure receive the Holy Ghost, and cry, "Abba, Father. Hallelujah. Glory to God." We're... That's right. We're children, but we can't get nowhere. We can't whip the Philistines. Look at Billy Graham standing over there. And that Mohammedan saying, "Prove It." Look at Jack Coe standing down yonder. And that atheist, that Church of Christ shaking hands with the atheist out there, and taking hands. Supposed to be a Christian, and shaking hands with a devil like Joe Lewis, and a free thinker, and even cuss God and said there was no such a thing as a God, anyhow, to begin with, and things like that in a church that calls themselves a Church of Christ, shaking hands with him, and taking sides against Brother Jack Coe. How you going do anything?

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

48

Adoption

And the Pentecostals, many of them, against him; when every preacher, in our land ought-ought've stood toe-to-toe with him and said, "God, send down Your power." See, there we are, we're can't be placed. Ephraim don't want to stay. One of them go over here, we find the Manasses just over here, say, "Oh, my, the Lord's give me a good cornfield." Then here comes over here a... a... Gad, said, "Well, now, now, wait a minute." Said, "I'm supposed to raise oats, but I'm going to get corn too. Hallelujah." See? You ain't got nothing to do with corn; get oats; oats is your part to raise. You ain't supposed to herd sheep when you're supposed to herd cattle. God wants to place the church. But every one of them wants to do the same thing. "Hallelujah." You can't tell them a thing about it. No, no. They still got that goaty nature, "Butt, butt, butt, butt, butt, butt, butt." See, you can't tell them. That's right. Now, isn't that true? And you can't place the church. See? The church is supposed to be predestinated unto the adoption of children, where a man--God can take a man and adopt him into the family and give him something that... First, try that and see if it's right. The Bible said try the spirits. This man claims a certain thing; try it and see if it's right. If it's as right, move right with it. Then say, "Lord, send us something else." Keep moving (See?); just keep moving say, "Every fellow take his place." Then you're going to see the church of God begin to get its place. Then's when the Philistines will go to backing up. The shorts will go off, hair will grow down, faces will be washed; cigars will be missing. That's right. When the church begins to get into its mighty power, when they have an Ananias and Sapphira, few of them. Yes, sir. You'll see when that holy church stands together in its power, positionally placed as sons of God, adopted into the family of God, powerful church standing there in its glory. Oh, that's what He's coming for. See how far we are off, brethren? You can't even get together on Scripture. And any man, any man that can't see water baptism in the Bible, in the Name of Jesus Christ, he's either blind or something mentally wrong. And there's where the big fight is. I'll--I'll tell any person that'll bring me any Scripture where anybody was ever baptized in any other name besides the Name of Jesus Christ, in the new church. Or, if he was baptized any other way, he had to be baptized over again in the Name of Jesus Christ, to get the Holy Ghost. You come show me. There's not no such. There's no such a commission. When Jesus said over there, "Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." Father, Son, nor Holy Ghost, neither one's a name, none of them. Peter turned, right ten days later, said, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." And everywhere in the Bible. And then here was some was baptized down there some other way by John, just unto repentance. Paul said, "You got to be rebaptized again. You got to come again." "Oh, but we been baptized by a great holy man, John, who baptized Jesus." "All right, this is the Gospel. This is the Spirit of God that's been to be revealed to me. I am an apostle of the Lord, and if a angel from heaven comes and preaches anything else..." Let me read that. The Bible said, "If an ang..." Paul said, "If an angel from heaven said anything else... Bishop, archbishop, pope, overseer, whatever he may be, if he preaches anything else besides This that I've preached unto you, let him be accursed." There's no... We have no such customs as that. No, sir. You just... There's just no such thing. Get we... And then--then (See?), why is it people can't see that? Why is it people won't--won't--won't believe that? [Someone in congregation says, "Predestinated"--Ed.] See? Somebody hit it right there, Gene. "Predestinated," exactly. Why? "All the Father has given Me will (What?) come to Me." How exactly. "All the Father has given Me will come, will come to Me." What's the matter with me, and me trying to find here? Here we are. All right.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

49

Adoption

Let me just read this verse and then I'll tell you what Paul, the things that... The very message I preached tonight, here's what Paul said on predestination, on water baptism in Jesus' Name, the Holy Ghost baptism, the setting in the church, and so forth. Here's what he said: I marvel... (telling these Galatians)... that you're so soon moved from him that called you unto... grace of Christ,... (I am so ashamed of you, in other words, that you let somebody come in and twist you away from that.)... unto another Gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would prevent the Gospel of Christ--prevent the real Gospel of Christ. But watch. Now, remember, it was Paul that constrained every person that had not been baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, to come and be baptized over again in the Name of Jesus Christ. How many knows that's true? How many know it was Paul that said these secrets had been hid since the foundation of the world, and been revealed to him, that we were predestinated to be the sons, and unto adoption. It was taught. Look here what he said. But though we, or a angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Just don't say, "I don't agree with you, mister." Just let him be accursed. Let me read the next verse. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that we have already received, let him be accursed. That's right. Now, brother, sister, if it was God the other day, and I--I say that hoping not irreverent, that taken me to see this little... Now, I get excited; I don't guess I get excited; I just get blessed in preaching. I get beside myself and I keep you here till I know you're sleepy and tired. But, oh, I... If you--if you could only know how I want you over there. See? And when I, once I say this again, when I... When He said... I said, "It would do..." He said, "Would you like to see what the end is?" And I looked back and seen myself laying there on the bed. Surely you've knowed me long enough to know that--that--that I tell you the truth. I want to ask you something, as Samuel said before they anointed Saul, have I ever told you anything in the Name of the Lord but what was true? Is that right? It's always been true. Have I ever come, begged you for money or anything like that? No, I never have. Have I ever did anything but tried my best to lead you to Christ? Exactly. Now, they want to say I'm a mental telepathist, you know, a super-sensory perceptionist. 'Course them things has got to rise, the Bible said they would. As Jambres and Jannes withstood Moses, they did pretty near the same thing Moses did, till it comes in a showdown. That's right. But remember, Jambres and Jannes could not heal. They could not heal. They could bring plagues, but not take them away. See? All right. Now, God is the Healer. God's Word remains Truth. I have tried to be honest with you; I've tried to tell you the Truth. I've--I've... For about thirty-one years I've stood at this pulpit, off and on, for thirty-one years, and someday may leave to go to glory aside this pulpit. There's been a wife, a daughter, father, brother, all buried right across there, precious friends. I've watched their caskets and the flowers set here, and know someday that mine will be too. Now, that's true. But sincerely, from all my heart, I tell you with all my heart, I believe I've preached to you the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that you should be baptized, every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ, and receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. And whenever you do, it'll bring to you a joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, meekness, gentleness, patience, faith. And the other day, what happened to me on that morning, I don't know. I can't say yet whether I was here at my body and just seen a vision, or whether I was taken away from here, over there. I don't know; I can't say. Only thing I know, that I--I was always afraid of dying, that little place of sting. But not afraid Jesus wouldn't come get me now; I wasn't afraid of that, 'cause I--I didn't fear www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

50

Adoption

that. But if I'd meet you and just be a little old mist flying out through the air... But I see now. When I seen those people, they were real. Ever was a man that ever represented Pentecost and was a true apostle, it was F. F. Bosworth, clean, straight, real Gospel (See?), it was Bosworth. And when I held him in my arms, and I screamed, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof." He said, "Son, stay on the field." Said, "Beat some of these young fellows to the foreign fields if you can. Before they get a lot of fanaticism over there, take them that real Gospel that you've got." See? He said, "Your ministry hasn't began yet to what it will." Said, "You're a brand new Branham." Said, "You're young, son." I said, "Brother Bosworth, I'm forty-eight years old." He said, "You haven't started yet." He said, "Don't let these young Pentecostal preachers get over there with a lot of nonsense, and poison the thing up, and get all the--the diplomats, and all the country against It before you get there." Said, "Move on, Brother Branham, go on with the Gospel that you got." He said, "I--I believe that you are an apostle, or a prophet of the Lord our God." I looked at him, I hugged him in my arms. I said, "Brother Bosworth, I want to ask you a question. What was the happiest time of your--moment of your--all your years that you preached?" He said, "Right now, Brother Branham." I said, "Do you know you're dying." He said, "I cannot die." I said, "What--why would you say this is your happiest time?" There was a little door. He said, "I'm laying here with my face turned towards that door. Most any minute, the One that I've loved, and One that I preached for and stood for all these, my life, He will come to that door for me, and I'll go with Him." I looked at him, I thought I--I was looking the same as I would be to Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. I took his hand, I said, "Brother Bosworth, we both believe the same God; we believe the same thing. By the grace of God I'll preach until the last breath leaves my body. I'll stay true to God as I know how to stay. I'll not compromise with the Gospel on any side or any place. I'll stay as true as I know to stay. Brother Bosworth, I'll meet you in a better land where you'll not be young--or not be old any more, but young." He said, "You'll be there, Brother Branham; don't you worry." A hour before, two hours before he died, about two months later, I thought he was dying then; my wife come in and seen him (he always thought so much of her), and then Mrs. Bosworth. And about two hours... He'd been laying, sleeping. He raised up; he looked, and he jumped up from his bed. He said, "Mother, well, I haven't seen you for years. Dad, Brother Jim, why," said, "let's see, you was one of my converts to the Lord at Joliet, Illinois." He'd been dead for fifty years. See? "Yes." He said, "Here's Sister So-and-so. Yes, I led you to the Lord at--at the Winnipeg meeting. Yeah. Why, here's Sister So-and-so. I haven't seen you... Yeah, see, you come to the Lord at soand-so." And for two straight hours he shook hands with ones that he'd led to the Lord, walked right back to his place, and laid down, crossed his hands, and that was it. Did Brother F. F. Bosworth enter that land that Jesus let me view the other night? If it is, he's there a young man tonight. God rest his soul. And may I ever live so faithful that I'll enter that land. And may I be so true a--a servant to Christ... I'm ashamed of my life. I'm ashamed, but I--I--I... If I've sinned before you people, you--you owe it to me to come, tell me. See? I tried to live upright in everything that God lets me do by His grace. See, see? But look, friends, you owe it to me if you know anything that's wrong with my life, come tell me so. And look, I owe it to you to stand here and preach you the true Gospel. I owe it to you, because I'm expecting to see each one of your faces, young men and women, just across that bar

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

51

Adoption

over yonder that's just one breath between where you are now and there. Now, that's right. It's there. And may the God of all grace, the God of heaven, not sacrilegious, but in reverent, "Papa," on that great day when we be presented back here and have our earthly bodies again, so we can drink and eat the grapes and the fruit of the land. They'll build houses and another won't inhabit. They'll plant vineyards and another won't eat thereof. See? One man plants a vineyard; his son takes it, and then his son takes it, and his. But not in this case; he will plant it and stay there. See, that's right. We'll be there forever. And may, in that land, may I see every one of you. And I know that I'm talking in here even to trinitarian ministers. And my brethren, I do not say this; I do not say this to hurt. I'm a trinitarian too; I believe in the trinity, the--the three attributes of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but not three Gods. See? I believe there to be three attributes, absolutely; I do that with all my heart: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but they are not three Gods. They're just three attribute. Or other, three offices of God. God lived once in the Fatherhood, Sonship, and now the Holy Ghost. It's the same God in three offices. And they have... And Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is not no Name of God. God has one Name, and His Name is Jesus. The Bible said the family in heaven is named Jesus, and the family in earth is named Jesus. That's right. So God had one Name, human Name. He was--had a name called JehovahJireh, Jehovah-Rapha, that was His titles of Deity. But He had one Name, Jesus. That's Him. And truly, my brethren, if you disagree with me, remember, I--I--I'll meet you over there, anyhow. See? I'll--I'll be there with you. And God bless you. And I love you. And I want the church to remember... Now, Sunday morning we're going to pick up from here, and I'm going to try not to keep you no longer than two o'clock, so you can have an afternoon meeting, if we possibly can, and if I do as well as I've done tonight, ten-thirty. Do you forgive me? Friends, we ain't got much time left, honey. I--I--I'll call you "honey" because you are. You--you are my honeys. You know what? Let... Here's a Scripture come. Paul said, "I am jealous over you (His church) with godly jealous, for I espouse you." There you are; that's got it. That's it. "For I espouse you, engage you to Christ as a chaste virgin." Now, if that was true then on that day, he said (them, the people said to me), said, "Jesus will come to you, and you will present us to Him, a chaste virgin." Judged by the Word that you preached to them. And, look, if I preach to you just what Paul preached to his church, if his group gets in ours will too, 'cause we got the same thing. Amen. Let us bow our heads now while we say, "God bless you." Now...?...

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

52

Adoption

ADOPTION – PART 3 “POSITION IN CHRIST”

Branham Tabernacle JEFFERSONVILLE.IN SUNDAY 60-0522M

Brother Neville... Good morning, class. We're very happy to be back again to greet you again in that all-sufficient Name of the Lord Jesus. Trusting that you've had a great week of His praises and blessings... Just coming in this morning, I met a little boy there and he gave me a little plaque of the guardian Angel watching over two little children. I didn't know that that was the Daulton--little Daulton boy. And here a few weeks ago, or a few--about two weeks ago, there was a father, Christian father, asked for his teen-age daughter that was not yet a Christian. While he was standing in the prayer line, and the Holy Spirit said to, "I--I give you your child." And here she is this morning, saved and baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus, setting on the platform, just as the Holy Spirit said. And the other children are all setting around. I know the Daulton family's happy. See the little lady there that they'd had prayer for the baby last Sunday, thought was going to die. I see it's still with us this morning, and we're so happy for that, sister. They thought it had muscular dystrophy, and it didn't have it. So we are very thankful. See all of our good friends. I remember this man here coming to me in a special interview at--at Chautauqua one time, I believe it was. I had breakfast with you and your wife and children, I believe it, or you and your wife, or children, yes, too. Middletown, that--where we all... I forget that name, so I just call it Chautauqua. Yes, sir. Many of my good friends... Brother Charlie Cox and Sister Nellie over here, who's been a second home to me, and nothing but it could be my own children. I go down there; it's where I spend most my time of relaxing's down there. He's the best squirrel hunter in Kentucky when I'm in Indiana. And so in the... And Charlie, I'm telling you I'm just longing, feeling awful much like I ought to catch a few of them crappies or striped bass before I start up in there. I just really feel like I could stand it lots. Brother Parnell--Arnette, from South Carolina, and Brother... Well, just so many different ones here from different places, that come in this morning to visit with us. You know, we don't have any regular membership here. We just have fellowship one with the other, while the Blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Now, we are having a wonderful study, just glorious. And we are, at least I'm know I'm enjoying it, and I know all you are enjoying it too. I get started sometimes through the day to speak about it or read about it; I get about two verses; and I get started through the Scriptures, and the first thing you know, I've done been from Genesis to Revelations, still going. And, you know, I'd like to take a time where we could--where we could get on the Book of--of Hebrews, and take just like... Well, when squirrel season comes in, like Septem--about Oct-August you know, and go on through until time to go overseas, just each night on the Book of Hebrews, or the Book of Exodus. How God, Exodus, bringing out His people out of Egypt, an

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

53

Adoption

exodus, very beautiful type of us now getting ready for our exodus. It's, oh, it's such a beautiful thing. The whole Scripture just ties together, and it's one big story. Now, this morning we're--we're still in the book of... We was going to take the first three chapters of--of the Book of Ephesians, Paul's letter to the Ephesians at Ephesus, trying, positionally placing the church. And just before we approach it, could we just spare another moment or two for prayer, just before we do. O Lord our God, we are coming into Thy Presence now, as unworthy as we are, yet we know that there is a Blood Sacrifice there waiting, cleansing us from all uncleanliness, and presenting us before the Father, blameless, faultless. Not nothing that we could ever do to merit this, but because that Jesus has done this for us, we bow humbly to His Presence and His Name, asking that You'll send the Holy Spirit this morning in our midst. And as not being a theologian or knowing how to set Scripture in order, but just enthused and grateful to the feeling of the Holy Spirit as It moves through my being, may It bless all of us together as we read Thy written Word, that It might become to us Life Eternal. Grant it, Father. We ask it in Jesus' Name and for Jesus' sake. Amen. Now, I might say in here first, that if any time that I might say something that would be disagreeable, not setting just right, maybe absolutely wrong to your teachings, or something that you could not agree with, I'm trusting the Holy Spirit, that He'll make it so seasoned and so sweet until there'll no--be no offense at all (See?), that it'll--it'll be through love and fellowship, that that's what it's... It's meant that way. And this all begin with a sermon last Sunday, I believe it was, last Sunday morning, as "The Rejected King." Has anybody got the tape yet? I think they've got them, and you can have them if you wish them, "The Rejected King." Now, just a few days and we will be beginning at--up at the--the Middletown, Ohio. We want all that has their--their vacations stationed for that time to be sure to meet with us there, 'cause we're expecting a great time of fellowship at Middletown, Ohio. Doctor Sullivan is the chairman, I think, of the committee. And there'll be five nights of it; I'll be preaching as the--the--the guest speaker at the International Convention of the Interdenominational Church. And then--then after that, will be our own meeting from then on. We have got it staged till the twelfth, but under the understanding that we may go on through even another week after that, just depends on how the Holy Spirit leads. We all want to be led by the Spirit; just what the Spirit says do, then do it quickly. And let's remember, while we're obeying the Spirit, one great lesson that we want to learn is never be hastily (See?), take your time, have faith. If we have asked God anything, remember, God answers prayer. He does it in His time, the way it's best, makes it work just right for us. And if that isn't so, then what are we doing here this morning? What--what are we claiming Christianity for? God... If this isn't the Word of God, then It isn't true, then we are found among people most miserable. I'm so glad to join hearts with many here that know that This is the infallible Word of God. Then It... It is every Word the Truth, every Word of It, every phase of It. And with the grace of God, as I've been privileged to view the land to which someday we shall travel... Yesterday... People don't know what depressing times comes with this type of ministry. I got real depressed, and I said to the wife, "I wished I could just go on." She said, "Why do you say that, Bill?" I said, "I... Oh, here I have troubles and things." And then seemed like the Holy Spirit said, "Are you trying to bypass them? Are you, are you trying to dodge them?" See? "No," I said, "just let me stand right up in the face of all of it and face it out (See?), just..." See? www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

54

Adoption

It's so much better. Honestly, truly, I say this by eyewitness, that just after this life is over, we enter a land that's beyond anything that anyone could think. And if there be any strangers here, I trust that you do not... I pray to God that you do not consider me a fanatic. I--I want, if anything, is to be honest and to tell the truth. And what good would it do me to tell something that was wrong, when there's so--there's so much that's here that's truth? We all... Why we have to tell anything wrong about it? See? It's--it's just truth. And no wonder, I believe Paul was caught up into the third heaven and he saw things that it wasn't expedient for him to speak of. And one day he said, "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, or has it either entered the heart of men, what God has for them in store that love Him." Oh, it's just living... We're living in a dump pile down here (That's all.), just a rubbish heap full of--of smoldering smoke from filth of... Even if we are not contaminated with it ourselves, we are living in it, where the smoke is coming from smoking emberals of sin. One of the most sickening things I can think of, is an old city dump a-burning. Was you ever near one? That horrible, contaminated smell of smoke coming up through all kinds of filth, and--and you get a breath of it, and it just turns you around. I remember having to go down to New Albany, down on the--below Eighteenth Street, there where the old dump used to be, and I'd have to collect down in there and read meters. And I just dreaded the day when (That was route eighteen.)--when I had to take that down in there, because it was to smell that horrible smell. Yet, laying out on there was bodies of rats and dogs and everything, you know, that was smoldering, and that old smoke coming up through it. Now it, yet, that is what this life is compared to, at its best: just a smoldering, sin just smells from everywhere, as it was, spiritually speaking. But oh, where the wind is blowing free, and everything is lovely, and peace, and joy, and Eternal Life, just across the river... But we're in a battle, so let's not just lay down and say, "Let's hurry up and get over there"; let's bring every one with us that we can bring. Let's... And now, the purpose of these lessons is to anchor those that have already come across the land. The purpose of this study in this Book of Ephesians is to positionally place the church where it absolutely stands in Christ. It is a type of the Old Testament and the Book of Joshua, where Joshua 'lotted (Last Sunday we had it.)--where Joshua lotted the land to each man. And he done it by inspiration. How Moses was--brought the people out of Egypt, the garlic, leek, out, and gave them a place to where God had promised four hundred years later--or four hundred years before, that He would bring them into a place, a goodly land flow with milk and honey. And Moses led the children of Israel right up to the land, but did not take them over. And Jesus, to the spiritual, to the people that will... We been promised a Holy Spirit since the beginning; Jesus led us up to the promise. But the Holy Spirit came as Joshua to take over and lead, and direct, and to possess the land, or possess the church. We find out, basically, then that in our... Now, here's where, maybe, people might think that I am rude and trying to disregard brethren. I am not. God be my Judge I am not. See? I'm only trying to point out something that is a truth. See? We have chosen leaders of men, instead of leading--leaders--leadings of the Holy Spirit. We have wanted men to allot out our part and to lead us, denominations like Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Church of Christ, Pentecostal, and different denominations, to set an organization as an example, and we follow that. But we are... Nowhere in the Bible are we to do such as that. There isn't one text of Scripture in all of God's Bible, where He ever organized a church, or where He ever spoke of an organization: not one place in the Bible, but always contrary to it. He doesn't want us to be fashioned like the things of the world. He wants us peculiar, set aside. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

55

Adoption

I don't mean now to be "silly," as we call it. I mean to be a called-out people, oh, a blessed holy nation, living lives that's above reproach, acting, behaving ourselves just like He would, working in us, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Now, Wednesday night, many of you wasn't here Wednesday night, but we got into the... I believe it's the 3rd verse, or the... No, it's the 5th verse, unto the adoption, or placing of the people, how that God trying to place His people. And when God places one, then, oh, all the whole church wants to be like that one, have the same kind of things, do the same thing. We are cut out different; we're made different; we are natured different; and we are positionally placed different, each one for a different work; maybe one for just a little kind of a work, another for a large work. I believe it was David or one of the prophets; I forget now, said, "I would rather be a doormat at the house of the Lord, than to be--to dwell in the tents with the--the wicked." Now, we're going to stop just a second on the adoption, the 5th verse, trying to get down as far as we possibly can on it. But now, remember the theme; it is altogether on placing. How many understands that? Let's hear you say it with one word. Placing [Congregation says, "Placing'!--Ed.] the Body ["the Body"--Ed.] of Jesus Christ ["of Jesus Christ"--Ed.] positionally ["positionally"--Ed.] in Christ ["in Christ"--Ed.] where the Holy Spirit ["where the Holy Spirit"--Ed.] is leading us ["is leading us"--Ed.]. There you are; now we got it. See? Positionally placing us, the Book of Ephesus is to do that. And watch this master teacher, Paul. The first thing he does is knock out all the idea of falling away. Knock out all the idea of ever being a Christian today, and tomorrow, "I'm gone, and the next day God condemned me and the next day I'm back again." That's nonsense. Now, this is... This Book is not addressed to evangelistic teaching, evangelists' sermons. We don't... I don't touch this on the fields. I bring this to the church; for Paul addressed it to the saints, those that are called, and preserved, and are filled, and are set aside, and are in the Holy Spirit, already in Canaan's land. He's trying to tell them, the first thing, get it out of your mind that you're going to get lost, and you're going to do this, and you're scared of this. Don't be scared of nothing, for he's trying to tell you where you're at, who you are, how you're standing. Now, you might do things wrong, and every time you do anything wrong you are going to get paid for it. Yes, sir, you'll reap what you sow. But that has not one thing to do with your salvation. When you're borned of the Spirit of God, you got Eternal Life and can no more die than God can die. You're a part of God; you're a son of God. I was borned a Branham. You might make me some other name, some other name, but won't make me one less; I'm still Branham. I was born Branham, always will be Branham. I'll... I may be so disfigured someday, drawed with arthritis, have a wreck and all tore up till I look an animal, but I'll still be Branham. Why? Branham blood's inside. That's what you are. And as long as God has made you... Now, remember, I'm not talking to those outside of Christ. I'm talking to those that are in Christ. How do you get in Christ? "By one Spirit... (Capital S-p-i-r... which means) By one Holy Spirit we are all baptized into one Body. How are we, how do we get in? By water baptism? How disagreeable I am with you Baptists and you Church of Christ. Not by water baptism, by no means. I Corinthians 12, said, "By one Spirit (Holy Spirit) are we brought into that Body," and are just as safe as that Body's safe. God is--promised it. How could God judge Him again, when He went to Calvary? Going up Golgotha, He was beaten, bruised; He could not heal; He could not even speak a word, hardly. 'Cause why? He had the sins of the world on Him, not because that He was a sinner, but He was made sin for me and for you. All the sins of the world from Adam until His coming, rest upon His shoulder. And God was not punishing His Son. He was punishing sin. See how horrible it was? He was making a propitiation. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

56

Adoption

He was making a way of escape for all those that God, by His foreknowledge, knowed would come. We're going to get into that in a few minutes. Now, then, when you were... By one Spirit we are baptized into that Body, one Body which is Christ, and we are safe forever. Now, there's where it seems to strangely strike, especially the--the--the Arminian believers, that they are--have to do something that to merit theirself, or some meritorial something. How can it be by two things at the same time? It's either by grace or by works, one. It can't be by the same thing, it's by two different things, it's got to be by the one. It... I... My... I just can't see nothing else but the grace of God. That--that's my makeup. I always did believe in grace. I'm just grace all over; that's all. It isn't I--I... Even in my life when I was a boy, I couldn't see nothing, just grace, grace. They say, "I'll--I'll... You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." Well, it's an awful expression. But I don't care whether you scratch mine or not; if yours needs scratching, I'll scratch you anyhow. See? Grace... Yes, sir. See, grace works by love. If you need it... Regardless if you never done nothing for me, I--I don't have one thing to do with you, if you need it I'll do it anyhow: Grace Because that you need it... I needed saving. There was nothing could save me. There's nothing I could do about myself; I could no more save myself than nothing. But I needed saving, because I believed in a God. And God sent His Son, made in the likeness of sinful flesh, to suffer in my place. And I was saved, by grace alone was I saved; not one thing could I do, or you do, to save yourself. And those who He foreknew before the foundation of the world... We been into it last Wednesday, we pictured God in His Elah, Elohim, and showed that He was self-existence. But inside of Him was Fatherhood, inside of Him was different merits, such as a Saviour, such as a Healer. That was all in God, and God was self-existence. But being that He was a Saviour, He was a Father. He didn't have an Angel; He didn't have nothing. There wasn't nothing but Himself. He was self-existence. Nothing else existed but God. But being that He was God, then there must be something to worship Him, because He loved worship. And His Own Being created creatures to worship Him. Now, temporarily, let's hit it again. Temporarily now, we won't go through the whole thing, but you'll get it on the tape. But then because that He was God, He made Angels, and Angels worshipped Him. Angels still worship Him. While the Angels that stand in the Presence of God have six sets of wings, six wings. They carry two over their face, two over their feet, and fly with two in His Presence, crying day and night, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." That's what the Scripture says. They worshipped Him, now that created something to worship Him. Then inside of Him was an attribute of Saviour. How could one of those creatures, when there was no sin or no thoughts of sin, how could one of them be lost? It couldn't be. So there had to be something made that could be lost, so that He could be a Saviour. Inside of Him was a Healer. Do you believe He's a Saviour? You believe He's a Healer? Well, what if there wasn't nothing to save or heal? See, there had to be something made that way. So... Now, He never made it that way, but He put man on free moral agency, "If you take this you live, if you take that you die." And every man that comes into the world is still set with the same thing. God, by His foreknowledge, knew who would and who would not. If God being... The question was asked yesterday by a theologian, to me, that's been attending the meetings or hearing the tape; said, "One question." He said, "Then is God omnipresent?" Then he said, "He can be everywhere?" I said, "He is not omnipresent in the way that the word speaks omnipresent. He cannot be a Being and then be an omnipresent. If He's omnipresent, why would you pray for the Holy Spirit? If He's www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

57

Adoption

omnipresent, He fills every crack, corner, crevice, every cell, fiber, everything else there is." I said, "Why did He hunt for Moses if He's omnipresent at the end? Why did He run up and down the garden of Eden, crying, 'Adam, Adam, where art thou?' if He's omnipresent?" He's omnipresent because He's omniscient. He knows everything because He's infinite, being infinite makes Him omnipresent. Being omnipresent then... Being infinite, then He sets in the heavens, He abides in a place because He is a Being. But being infinite, then He knows all things, knowing every time a gnat bats its eye; knowed every bumblebee, where he goes into the comb to get his honey. He knows every sparrow that sets in the tree. He knows every thought that's in your mind, because He is infinite and omniscient. That is, He not only is He infinite, He's omniscient; He knows everything. But He is a Being. God is a Being, and out of this Being begin to bring forth these. And sin... I said the other night, "Sin is not a creation." There's nothing created but perfection. God created all things good. Sin is not a creation. Said, "Well, that's the very creation of sin." You've heard that. But that's an error, Sin... There's only one Creator; that's God. God could not create sin, because He's holy and there's nothing in Him to make it. Sin is perversion, not creation, but it's perversion. An adultery is the righteous act perverted. A lie is the truth told wrong. Any sin, any sin is righteousness perverted. Therefore now, God sets. He's already manifested Himself, He's God. He's already manifested Himself as a Saviour: man was lost and He saved us. He's already manifested Hisself as a Healer. Don't make any difference what people say He is; and He is, anyhow, just the same. He's a Healer; He's a Saviour; He's God; He's eternal. And He has a purpose and a... His purpose was in the beginning, to make creatures that would love Him and worship Him. And He made creatures, and creatures fell. And then God, by His infinitecy, looked down through the stream of time and saw every man that would be saved. Every man, He knew it by fore--by foreknowledge. Therefore if He, by foreknowledge, knew who would be saved and who would not be saved, He could predestinate. The word's not such a bad word after all, is it? He could predestinate, because He knew who would and who would not. Therefore, in order to catch those who would, He had to make a--a propitiation for their sins. Oh, if we can, we want to get to it, just--just a few verses below. He predestinated us to Eternal Life, knowing that those who would lay aside everything, and no matter how indifferent it would look towards the children of the world, it wouldn't mean one thing to them, because they were children of God. And He called them, and He sent Jesus, that His Blood might be an atonement, Blood atonement, to make a propitiation, or a acceptions, or a cleansing, a cleansing process to constantly, not just one time at one revival, but ever living, making intercessions, that the Christian is kept clean day and night. There is the Blood of Jesus Christ that makes a--an acception on the cross there, up in the Presence of God, that cleanses us constantly, day and night, from all sin. And we are safely tucked in. Tucked in how? By the Holy Spirit into the Body of the Lord Jesus and safe. "He that heareth My Words and believeth on Him that sent Me, has Everlasting Life and shall never come into the judgment, but has passed from death unto Life." No more judgment, the Christian never goes to the judgment. Christ went for him. My Attorney stood in my place. He pleaded my case, that I was ignorant. He told the Father that I wasn't worthy, that I was ignorant. But He loved me and He took my place, and pleaded my case; and today I'm free. Yes, sir. And He shed His Blood to offer there for our sins. Remember last Wednesday night, no Christian... Christians sin, but a sinner cannot sin. A sinner doesn't sin, because he's a sinner. He's just a sinner to begin with and that's all. Here, take the-the back of this book; it's black, how much of that is black? It's all black. There's just no white to it; www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

58

Adoption

it's black. You say, "This much here." No, it ain't; it's the whole thing's black. It's all black. That's the way a sinner is. He's just condemned to start with. Well, you say, "What about if he commits adultery? What if he ravishes some woman? What if he--what if he--he gambles? What if he shoots somebody?" That's none of our business. That's none of our business; we got laws down here to take care of that. We're not reformers; we're preachers of the Gospel. We don't condemn him for what he done; we don't condemn him for committing adultery. We condemn him because he's a sinner. If he was a Christian, he wouldn't do it. That's right. If he's been changed, he won't do that. But because he is a sinner, that's what makes him do that. There's where it knocks the--the props out from under legalists. Yes, sir. Brother, let me tell you, "It's not by works, but by grace are we saved, and that by faith." Yes, sir. Now, I won't condemn legalist brethren; they're my brothers. They'll be there just the same as any of the rest of them will be there, 'cause God foreordained His church to be there. But just the thing, you--you keep the people so tore up; they don't know what. "Today, well, maybe if I--I..." Just let them know; as long as they got the hunger of the world, they're not there to begin with. I don't live true to my wife because I think she'd divorce me. I live true to my wife because I love her. It's a legal position that we have taken, that we love one another. First, before it could be there, it had to be a love. I love her. Although I believe if I done something wrong, she'd forgive me; still I wouldn't do it anyhow. I love her. That's the way it is with Christ. If I--if I live... I'm fifty; if I live to be ninety or a hundred, have another fifty years to preach, and I never preach a time, go down and set on the river, I'm saved anyhow. God saved me by His grace, unmerited of anything I ever could do, did do, or anything else. I preach because I love Him, and I love His people. And I... That's the reason I know I've passed from death unto Life, because that I love them, and I go after them. No matter what kind of condition they're in; I go after them anyhow. Go get them anyhow, pull them anyhow. If ministers disagree and others disagree, and denominations disagree, that don't stop me. There's something... It didn't stop Him. He come right in the midst of unbelief, and it didn't stop Him; He moved right on anyhow. That's what we do: go out and get them, catch them anyhow. No matter, reach, grab, hold on with all your might. You don't know who they are. Save them. That's because of love. Not because that I have to, but because I love, because you love. Say, "I ought to go make that right with that woman, but I'll you right now, I guess 'cause I go to church I ought to go make it right." No, you're the one ought to get right first. See, see? If you ain't got the love of God in your heart, something or another makes you know that you're wrong, then you go--then you go make it right with God. Then you'll make it right with your neighbor. Jesus taught the same thing. He said, "If you come to an altar, and there's a--remember there's an ought against a neighbor or the brother, go make it right with him first." Now... Now in the ages that has to come. We had Wednesday night, "the manifestations." We catch it again this morning, in "the manifestations of the sons of God," In other word, God is waiting. And then at the end time when we all stand before Him... Angels wasn't lost. They won't know how to enjoy the blessings as we do; they never was lost. But I know what I come from; I know the rock where I was hewed from, a sinner. You know where you was hewed from. Now, when we're found, then we can stand before God. Oh, what a day that will be. Then adoption, placing... Now, God's goodness ought to work. And now if I can get this to you, then we'll start right on now the 5th verse, I want to read It. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to His Own good pleasure of his will,

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

59

Adoption

It's God's pleasure to do His will: adopting, placing. Now, what's He doing? Placing His church. First, He's called His church, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptists, calling them. Then what did He do? Sent forth the Holy Spirit and give them the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I want you Pentecostal people to get this out of your heart. Pentecost is not a denomination. Pentecost is an experience. It's the Holy Ghost. It's not a organization. You couldn't organize the Holy Ghost. He won't stand for it. Now, you've got an organization that you call that, but the Holy Ghost moves right out and makes you set right where you're at, and just keeps on going. See, see? Pentecost is not an organization. Pentecost is an experience. And then God gave His children new birth by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They came right near It when they cleansed theirself up through Nazarene, Pilgrim Holiness. Then come into the experience of Pentecost, of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the restoration of the gifts. They went forth speaking with tongues and interpret tongues, and given gifts of healings and miracles; and signs and wonders begin to accompany them. Now, they're children; they're God's children. They're positionally in Christ; they become children by birth. And the new birth and the conversion Itself is the Holy Ghost. You're not even converted till you get the Holy Ghost. That's what the Scripture said. Jesus told Peter. Ask anyone; read your Scripture. He was justified by believing on the Lord Jesus, become a follower, an apostle. Jesus gave him the keys to the Kingdom. And John 17:17, He sanctified and give them power, sent them out, cast out devils and things, sanctified them. "Sanctify them, Father, through Thy Truth. Thy Word is the Truth. I sanctify Myself because of them." That's one of the sweetest words that I ever heard. "Father, I sanctify Myself for their sake." Do you know He had a right to have a home? He was a human. You know right--He had a right to have a wife? He was a man. He had a right to all these things, but He said, "Father, I sanctify Myself for their sake. I sanctify Myself." I was talking to a little preacher yesterday: going to preach for him in a few nights up here on the highway. And I asked him about a certain thing, he said, "Yes, Brother Branham, but the most of my people doesn't believe in that." I said, "Most all of them are legalists?" "Yes." Brother doesn't believe that. But he said, "For their sake..." Oh, I wanted to hug his neck. "For their sake (See?), I sanctify myself for their sake." Oh, Jesus was training twelve men, that through those twelve men was to take the Gospel to the world. And He said, "For their sake I sanctify Myself." Make yourself for your neighbor's sake, for somebody else's sake. "Don't use your liberty for a cloak," said Paul, "but sanctify yourself." Behave yourself in the neighborhood, like a real Christian ought to. Let your communications be... If you meet your enemy, sanctify yourself for his sake, not knowing what you might do. Now, placing the son. First thing after the son was in, he become a son, but then we find out his behavior is what set him to adoption, whether he behaved right or not. And it's the--the Pentecostal... Now, just let me show you that Pentecost is not a denomination. How many Baptists in here that was Baptist, that received the Holy Ghost, let's see your hand. See? How many Methodists that's in here that received the Holy Ghost, raise up your hand. How many Nazarenes in here received the Holy Ghost, raise up your hand. Presbyterian, receive the Holy Ghost (See?), Lutheran, other denominations that did not belong in the Pentecost at all, just belong to some denomination, receive the Holy Ghost, let's see your hand. See? So then Pentecost is not a denomination; it's an experience.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

60

Adoption

Now, God took you into the Body of Christ. Now, what does He do? After you have proved yourself, sanctified yourself with your good behavior, obedient to the Holy Spirit, no matter what the world said. I--I'm going to rub this really hard (See?), because I don't mean it to be rude. I--I... Please don't-don't--don't really. See? Don't really think that I'm--I'm mean. I--I don't want to be. What worries me is to take people and preach to them this God-sent Truth, and they'll turn right back around and just keep on doing the same thing, and say they got the Holy Ghost. That just nearly ruins you. See? What's the matter? They come right back to the same thing, just like the children of Israel, they wanted a king so this king could rule over them and make them act like the Amorites and the Amalekites and the Philistines. Do you know, ladies, that it's wrong to wear slacks? Do you know that? Do you know it's wrong to cut the locks of your hair off? Do you know it's wrong, mister, for you to continue to smoke and act the way you do? Do you know It's wrong for you not to be the husband of your house, your wife get a little temper spell and kick you out the door, and you say, "Yes, bless your heart, honey, I'll come right back"? Do you know you... How can you be a tender at the house of God when you can't even control your own house? That's exactly right. Do you know, sister, that your husband is not only your husband, but he is your ruler? God said so. Because that the husband was not deceived, the woman was deceived. And you preachers will continue to make women pastors and preachers in your churches, knowing that the Word of God condemns it. You'll continually use that name "Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost" to baptize, when there's not one speck of Scripture for it in the Bible. I want a archbishop or somebody else to show me where anybody in the Bible was ever baptized in the name of "Father, Son, Holy Ghost." I want somebody to show me anybody that was ever baptized any way besides the Name of Jesus. But John's wasn't baptized... They were baptized believing that He was coming, but they didn't know who He was. But as soon as they recognized that, they had to come to be rebaptized again in the Name of Jesus Christ. I want somebody to... I--I've asked the Assemblies of God, the other preachers, the Baptist, Presbyterian, and everything, they won't--they won't talk about it. I want to see the Scripture. And then I'm a fanatic huh? then I'm crazy, out of my mind, I'm a madman, just because I'm trying to tell you the Truth? Now, that's--that's honest, brothers. If a man is sold out for God, you sold out lock, stock, and barrel. You--you--you--you're--you're set aside; you're--you're a different creature. Many are called, few are chosen. Yes, many people are called, you get a calling in your heart, "Yes, I believe God loves me. I believe He does it." But, brother, that, you're going to be as far lost as the rest of them, because they'll come there that day, even saying, "Lord, I've cast out devils in Your Name. I've done everything else in Your Name. I've had healing services. I've preached the Gospel. I've cast out devils." And Jesus say, "Get away from here, I don't even know you, hypocrites. It's he that doeth the will of My Father." Why can't people see it? Now, I know that rubs us. And I don't--I don't mean it to hurt. I don't mean it to be that way. But, brother, I--I... Looks to me like we're at--we're at the end time, and God is adopting, setting positionally in church, in the Body of Christ, His... Now, there's not going to be too many He put in there. I'm going to tell you that to begin with. Well, you say, "Oh, well, is there going to be such a great number?" But He's had six thousand years to pull them out of too. Remember, the resurrection comes, and we're caught up with them. Just a few of them... See? You search out your salvation quickly. Look yourself over and see what's gone wrong. See? See just--just what's the matter. I know that's--that's hard, but, brother, it's the truth. It's God's truth. Adoption...

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

61

Adoption

We should be so on fire for God; we should be going day and night. Nothing should be able to stop us, and we should be so sweet, and so pleasant, and so kind, so Christ-like in our lives. It takes every day's life. Jesus said, "Consider the lily of the field, how it grows, toil and spin; yet I say unto you that Solomon in all of his glory is not arrayed like one." Solomon had robes that was arrayed with glorious silk and needle work and things, but that--that didn't--that wasn't what He was talking about. In order for a lily to grow, it has to toil both day and night. What do you want to come up back here on the little end of the line for? If the righteous be scarcely saved, where will the sinner (That's the unbeliever.) and the ungodly, the man that hears the Word and refuses to walk in It? Now, what are we going to do? See? Now, that... They--this is my--this is our church. We got maybe four or five strangers among us. But this is the church. I'm teaching you. This goes on tapes. I want people that listen to tapes to remember, this is to my church. Out amongst the people out yonder, I try to be gentlemen enough to tell them to-to kind of stay along where could baby along in their little bitty skimmed milk ideas. But when it comes to really laying the truth down, let's lay it down. Adoption, placing positionally... Where they at? Show me where they're at? God calling His children aside by manifestation, they don't have to say one word about it; you see something's happened. Positionally placing His son, getting him into order just exactly with the same things. And he--he's just as in much authority; his word's just as good as an Archangel: better. The son was adopted, put on a high place, set out there, changed his robes, changed his colors. The father had a ceremony, said, "This is my son; from henceforth he's governor. He's the ruler. He's over all my heritage. All that I got belongs to him." That's right. Then we could go back to the same, Elah, Elah, Elohim, Elohim (See?), where He's self-existent. And then come back through Jehovah Who made something; He gave man dominion over the earth. What are we waiting for? The manifestations. The earth is groaning. Let's get down to it and read it. All right ... predestinated... to the adoption of children by... himself, according to His good pleasure of his will, To the praise--to the praise of the glory of his grace,... What is His grace? Back before, when He wasn't a Father. His grace, His love, made Himself a child, that we might be predestinated unto the adoption of children, to the praise of His grace. See? ... wherein he has made us acceptable by the--the... (the Person)... beloved, which is Christ. Made us accepted how? By Him. How we get into Him? By one Spirit, all baptized into Him. Listen. In whom we have redemption, we have redemption through (the) his blood, the forgiveness of... (s-i-n-s...) How can you preach predestination of God, foreordaining and setting, unless there's a sin atonement somewhere? Why is it each day you make a mistake, each day you do wrong? But if you're borned again, man or woman, as soon as you make the mistake, God knows you're sorry for it. You can stand in the Presence of--of President Roosevelt or anybody else and say, "I'm wrong; God forgive me for this thing." Why? And there's where the Blood atonement... You notice that s-i-n-s. A sinner is a sinner; he does not commit sins. But the church commits sin, does wrong, gets a wrong thought, wrong impression, makes scruples, wobbles like a little child walking, trying to learn how to walk. He just don't know how to walk good yet, 'cause he's a little boy. But we have a hand that reaches down if we--gets us and steadies us, and say, "Make this step this a-way, son." He doesn't pick us up and spank us because we made a mistake; He doesn't beat us to death because we're trying to walk. He loves us like we love our children.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

62

Adoption

A real, real daddy wouldn't whip his child when he's trying to walk, if he falls down on the floor. Reach right down with a big strong hand and pick him up, take both hands ahold of him, say, "This is the way you do it, son. Walk like this." That's the way God does His church: reaches down and gets him in His arm, picks him up, and say, "Walk like this, son. Here, don't--don't--don't say it like that; talk it like this. Now, I don't care what the church says, what this says, what that says, you say it like this...?..." Like this, this is It. "My Word preaches it, you stay right with It, walk with It. Stay right with It. Don't care what everybody else says, stay right with It. Walk like This. This is the way you make your steps." Our sins; an atonement, love for our sins, or we'd never have a chance. How we could just anchor on them Words. ... according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he--he has abounded... (What is "abound"? Oh, my.)... Wherein He has abounded,... (great heaps of it)... he has abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence;... "Prudence, all the wisdom He has abounded towards us with all wisdom, not worldly. The wisdom of the world is foolish to Him, and the wisdom of God is foolish to the world. Just like day and night, one can't agree with the other one. But when the sun begins to rise and daytime comes, night scatters from place to place. And when the Light of the Gospel begins to come in, all the things of the world just begins to fade out and what does it do? He abounds the Sunlight upon His children, walking in the Spirit, led of the Spirit of God, abounding in His grace with all prudence, and wisdom, understanding, and shrewdness to know how to walk. You see it's wrong; then be careful what you do, how you... If it's wrong, be careful even how you approach it. Prudence... Be real close, real sure that you know how to approach it: wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove. That's what Jesus said. Oh, these are nuggets, friends. We could just stay on day after day. Aren't they wonderful? Prudence, wisdom, He's abounded towards us: poured out, not give us a spoonful, but took a big scoop shovel and just kept throwing it like that: abounded towards us, wisdom with prudence of His grace. Oh, amazing grace! how sweet the sound. Now... Wherein he has abounded towards us in all wisdom... prudence; Having made known to us the mystery of his will,... Who's He talking to? Denominations? Please, my brethren, don't think I'm downing your denomination; I'm not. I'm trying to tell you it was a wrong thing to start with. Jesus said, "Go, preach the Gospel." We went and made denominations. That's the reason we haven't got it. We're walking after the wisdom of men. If Calvin could rise... Why, I stood not long ago by the grave of great man, a great reformer. And I thought what a great man he was. He was. Well, it... I won't... It was John Wesley. And I thought, if John Wesley could rise from this grave today and see the condition of his church, he'd be ashamed of his name. John Wesley was a godly man, a firebrand snatched, as he called it. John Wesley was a holy man who believed in God and walked step by step after Him. But after John died, they said, "We'll make a church to John so we'll have a church, and we'll call it the Methodist church because of his method of sanctification being the second work of grace." Then they made a church, and today them church men deny everything that John Wesley stood for. John Wesley preached Divine healing. John Wesley believed in the baptism of the Spirit. John Wesley believed in all the restoration of the gifts. John Wesley, Martin Luther, many of those great men spoke in tongues and interpreted. And today you would speak in tongues in a Methodist church or a Lutheran church, they'd kick you out the door. What's the matter? Right in the time where we ought to be placing sons, what is the matter? They have adopted something else, because they don't know the mystery of God. And they'll never know It through a seminary.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

63

Adoption

Let me just read something to you. Is it all right? All right. Let us turn over now; I got something wrote down here. Let's find out how Paul... Now, here--here's the teacher of this message. Let's go to Acts 9:5, just a minute. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] Let me know when I'm out...?... And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings... (Oh, that little hook-nosed, high-tempered, mean Jew,)... slaughtering against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogue, that if he found any... "I'll go look them up. If I can just find them, boy, what I'll do to them (See?) if I can just find them." But he was predestinated. How do you know that old bootlegger down here is not predestinated to life? How do you know that old streetwalker that you won't even speak to, how do you know that a little handshake and invite her to church wouldn't make a saint of God out of her yonder in the glory with... How do you know she's not? That's what we don't know. But that's our duty. Like a fisherman throwed a net into the sea and pulled out, he brought frogs, fish, lizards, water spiders, and everything else; but some of them was fish. He didn't know; he just cast the net. That's what we do. Watch Paul. ... desiring letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any in this way, whether they were men or women, he might bind them and bring them to Jerusalem. (Brother, he was really rough.) And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined around him... There came a priest up the road, Doctor F. F. Jones, and said to him, "You need a--a seminary experience now, son, and I believe God could use you"? Wouldn't that be a horrible looking Scripture to read it like that? Now, that's just as much sense... I ain't saying that for a joke. That speaks, that's just as much sense as what we get out of it today. "You know, your mother was a good woman; I believe you'd make a good preacher." Watch what happened. And--and as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined around him about, a light... (Whew, starts off supernatural)... a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and he heard a voice saying... Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said unto him, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: and it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembled and was astonished and said, Lord, what will thou have me do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou should do. And the men journeyed with him, and went on... And they found a man, Ananias, down there saw a vision, all supernatural. And old Saul, that old mean guy... This Ananias saw a vision, he looked in his house. He was a prophet, in his house praying, and he saw a vision. He... The Lord spoke to him and said, "There's a man coming down the road over yonder; he's just as blind as a bat, and his name is Saul; he's Saul of Tarsus." He said, "Lord, I've heard great things. Don't send me; I'm a little man. Don't send me after him." He said, "But, behold, on his road down, I showed him a vision. I appeared to him in the Pillar of Fire. I struck him just as blind as he can be. And I had to blind him and tear him up before I could make anything out of him. See, I had to tear all of his theology. You know, he was--he was--he was a great fellow in one of those churches up there. He had all kinds of degrees; he didn't have to polish up on anything. But He said, "What I had to do is take it all out of him." That was the thing. It wasn't get more into him, but take it out of him. I think that's what's the matter with a lot of our clergymen today, that take out of them where God can put in them the Holy Spirit. Take out... There he said he... And he said, "Lord, but this--this--this man's a terrible man." He said, "But, behold, he prayeth. Now, you'll go down through a certain street and you'll come to a fountain. You pass that fountain on the left, and you go down. There'll be a white house, go up, www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

64

Adoption

knock on the door. He's just laying there in the hall; that's as far as they ever got him. Lay your hands upon him; take him down to the river of Damascus; and baptize him in the Name of Jesus. 'Cause I tell you what I'm going to do, he's going to have to suffer many things for Me, for he is My messenger to the Gentiles." Amen. "Well now, wait a minute, Lord! Now, what school should I advise?" I'll tell you what let's do, let's read Galatians and find out, just the next--next chapter right back. Let's find Galatians 1 and begin at the 10th verse, and let's find out what school Paul went to, what seminary, and whose hands was laid on him, and oh, all that took place. Galatians the 1st chapter, to save time, let's begin about his conversion, the 10th verse. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I seek yet to please men, I be not the servant of Christ. Oh, my, my, my. May I just say a little something be--a--before this here: Galatians 1, get the 8th chapter. How many knows that Paul was the one that made them people be baptized over again in Jesus' Name: Acts 19? Sure did. Let's take just a little above here, the 8th--8th verse. Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel to you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed...?... Where'd you get this Gospel, Paul? The 9th verse. We said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other Gospel to you than that which you have heard... received, let him be accursed. If he's an archangel, if he's a bishop, if he's a general overseer, if he's Doctor So-and-so, whoever he is, if he doesn't preach the water baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, doesn't preach the restoration of the gifts, the coming of Christ, all these things, let him be accursed. If he tries to take any of this Word here and say it was for another day and place it over on some new fandangled idea that we learned off of some seminary, let him be accursed. Let's read on, see how Paul got it, see how--what I'm trying to say to--to you this morning. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I just pleased men, then I not be the servant of Christ. How can I expect anything, how can a man that loves God, and a preacher, especially, expect to do anything but be hated by men? Men will hate you. Well, they said... Jesus said, "If they call Me, the Master of the house... I'm the Master, the greatest of all of you. I'm the One can perform more miracles and do more with the Holy Spirit than all of you, 'cause I got the whole Fullness in Me. And if they called Me Beelzebub, how much more are they going to call you?" But said, "Don't take no thought what you'll be saying, for it'll not be you that speaks; it'll be the Father that dwells in you, do the speaking at that time. Just stay right with the Word." And He... When He got through writing the Book, He said, "Any man that'll take one Word out of this Book or add one word to It, the same will be taken out of the Book of Life, for him." God help us to stay right with It. Now, the next verse, let me read now, read quickly now. But I certify... (That's take you to judgment.)... I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man... ("Now, I'm neither Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, or Pentecostal.)... it was not after man. Neither... For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it,... "I never received it from man, no seminary, no doctor, no divinity, no school of education. I never received it that way. I never taught it that way. I never found it that way. it never come to me that way." How did it come then, Paul? ... taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. "When Christ revealed Himself to me, that He was the Son of God, when that Pillar of Fire fell upon me that day, I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' He said, 'I'm Jesus.'"

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

65

Adoption

Now, look. I'm going to show you what--what happened to him. Now, right now if a fellow had experience, they'd want to give him ten years to learn Greek, and ten more years to learn something else, and by that time he's gone. Look... ... neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversations in times past in the Jewish religion,... "I was a big doctor, boy. I had it." He was taught under Gamaliel, the highest teacher that they had in the land. How many knows that Gamaliel was one of the great--greatest teachers? Yes, sir. "My Jewish religion, boy, I had it down; I knowed all how to say the Apostles' Creed and all those things. You see? I knowed how to say all the morning prayers and to bless the people." See? ... how that beyond measure then I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: (How that I tried to stop that bunch of holy-rollers. See, see?) And I profited in the Jewish religion... "I was a great man. Boy, I really... I profited; I showed them I could smash them down, 'cause I killed Stephen and a whole lot of other things I done. See how I done." How that beyond measure he persecuted. ... I profited in the Jewish religion above many my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of their fathers. Now, remember, not the Word of God, "the tradition of the fathers," tradition of the church, in other words. "I guess I was a Methodist to the core; I was a Baptist to the core; I was a Pentecostal to the core." Oh, you are? I want to be God to the core. Yes, that's it. See? See? All right. ... traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God,... (Oh, oh, Paul, here you come.)... who separated me from my mother's womb... (Who even brought me to this world),... and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me,... How is that? "The Holy Spirit in me... It pleased God to take me, Who separated from my womb, and give me the Son (which is the Holy Ghost in the form of the Spirit) in me, to reveal Hisself in me." Oh, my. Whew. I--I--I believe I want to shout just a little. Look, let me tell you, brother. When it pleased God... Oh, hallelujah. When it pleased God... A drunkard father, a mother... God bless you, mom, I'm not saying nothing against you. But a mother that knowed no more about God than a rabbit knowed of snowshoes. And a father that laid drunk on the streets. And with not even shoes to go to school, and long hair down my neck, and everybody hated me because I was a Kentuckian over here in Indiana. And how, oh, how it was just a stinking sight. But it pleased God. Amen. It pleased God, Who separated me from the womb of my mother, that He might reveal His Son in me, by making a minister of the Word, that would stay right straight with It, that would show visions and signs and wonders and miracles. And, oh, my... See what He was talking about? It pleased God to do that. How? Listen close. "To re..." Take the 16th verse now. To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with the church: "I never went to any bishop and asked him what I ought to do. I never went to any flesh and blood, any organizations, or anything else. I never had anything to do with them. I never conferred with flesh and blood. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to all the great holy priests, and the holy fathers, and all those, and said, 'Now, you know, I had a vision; what must I do about it? I saw the blessed Lord Jesus in a vision.' They'd said, 'Get out of here, you... What's... You holy-roller. Well, what's happened to you?' No, I had all their degrees to start with." Had... And Paul said over here; I can show you in the Scripture, that he said he had to forget everything that he ever learned, and count it as nothing, that he might know Christ. Oh. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

66

Adoption

Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and turned again unto Damascus. And after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. And as we read on, we find out that he and the apostle Peter never seen one another in life, never knowed one another, never seen one another, but when they come together they were preaching the same Gospel. God's got a school. Yeah. Here was Peter, stood up on the day of Pentecost, said, "Repent, every one of you, be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Philip said, "Oh, how glorious this is. I got to do something too. Down to... I got a call down to Samaria. Went down there and got to testify in the street. First thing, a sick person come up, laid hands on him, and begin jumping and leaping, said, 'Glory to God, here we are.' Started to having a big meeting." He said, "You all need the Holy Ghost." He said, "What you got to do, you've got to be baptized in Jesus' Name." So he took them, every one, out there and baptized them all in Jesus' Name. Said, "Come on, Peter, lay your hands on them now." And they got the Holy Ghost. Peter, up at the house of Cornelius, the same way. Paul had never even seen him or heard nothing about him. But he passed through the upper coasts of Ephesus, and he finds certain disciples. He found a Baptist preacher; he was: Apollos, a converted lawyer, smart, brilliant, taking the Old Testament and proving by it that Jesus was the Son of God. Yes, sir. He was a smart man. And they were shouting, they were having joy. The Bible said so. Read the 18th and 19th chapter of Acts and see if that's not right. They were having joy; they were dancing in the Spirit, running all around, you know. Paul said, "But have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" And to you Baptist brethren that tries to poke that down the people's throat, and said the original Greek said, "Did you receive the Holy Ghost since, or when you believed?" I challenge you to bring me the Greek. I've got the original Greek in my own possession. I have also the Aramaic, and the Hebrew also. Each one of them says, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" By faith are you saved; that's your faith in God. The Blood keeps you clean from sin, because it makes a sacrifice. The Blood doesn't save you; the Blood keeps you clean. How do you say-saved? By faith are you saved, and that by God's foreknowledge, calling you. You are saved, and the Blood makes an atonement, constantly keeping you clean. And then by one Spirit you're baptized into the Holy Ghost, into the fellowship of the believers, and into the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, doing signs, wonders. Wait, coming on, waiting for something, just a little bit we get it, hope we do anyhow. I told you to call me at this time, wasn't it? Just happened to be I looked at it. Just--just--just a word or two more, just--just--just a little bit more. How long is this salvation lasting, how long? What kind of salvation is it? From church to church? From... Let's turn to Hebrews 9:11, just a minute, just--just to look just see how long, just for a few minutes. Turn over to the Book of Hebrews and let's just find out just how long this salvation is lasting. See what kind of a salvation it is. Let's read now Hebrews 9:11. But Christ becoming a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say,... (Now, this is the same teacher, Paul. See?)... not of the building, of this building; Neither by the blood of goats or calves, but by his own blood he has entered in once... (How many times? Once.)... unto the holy place, having obtained... (salvation for a week, salvation to the next revival? What kind?)... eternal redemption for us. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

67

Adoption

What's the word "eternal" mean? In Christ, after I have believed... No man can call Jesus "Christ," only by the Holy Ghost. Therefore there's three classes of people: unbelievers, make-believers, and believers. But them ones who have believed unto Eternal Life, has entered into the courts. Take the old tabernacle, what was the first thing they did? Entered into the courts, the Gentile. The next was the brazen altar where they washed the sacrifice at the golden laver. The next was the killing of the sacrifice, and the sprinkling of the blood upon the altar. Then once a year Aaron anointed (Oh, with what?) with the Rose of Sharon perfume, with precious oil that had perfume in it, they poured it on his head; it went plumb down to the hems of his skirt. Watch how this man had to go in behind them curtain, once a year, packing before him the blood for the mercy seat. And he took his rod in one year and forgot it. When they went back after it, it'd done budded out and blossomed. An old stick that he'd packed maybe for forty years in the wilderness, laid in that holy place... Watch, when them took out a blood of the covenant, the blood, he was anointed. And he had garments on that had little jingle bells in them, a pomegranate and a bell. And that man had to walk in such a way, that every time when he moved his leg, and moved like this, and made his step, they played "Holy, holy, holy, unto the Lord. Holy, holy, holy, unto the Lord. Holy, holy, holy, unto the Lord." Oh, my. What am I talking about? Hear It, Branham Tabernacle. You've had your chance. When a man once is anointed with the Holy Ghost, to be adopted into the family of God, to be positionally placed by the Father, and set into a service out here, into his purpose of life, or what God has called him for, his walk must be holy, holy, holy unto the Lord. Holy, holy, holy..." "Oh, you must turn aside to this and be..." Holy, holy, holy unto the Lord. "Oh, you must believe all that the elder said, this." But holy, holy, holy unto the Lord. Let His Word be first; let It be everything that there is, and settled in your heart. Your walk must be in the Word. "Holy, holy, holy unto the Lord." "Oh, if you'll just come over here, I'll tell you what we do; we'll organize, put you in our organization; you'll be a great man." "Holy, holy, holy unto the Lord. Holy, holy, holy unto the Lord," moving on. Don't make any difference what anybody says. "Withcall these tapes. Do this, do this, do that, do that, the other." "Holy, holy, holy unto the Lord." You've got your eyes set towards Calvary, and there's nothing going to stop you. The very walk of your life; you're walking down the King's Highway, anointed with the precious anointing Oil, moving into the holiest of holies. Whew. Amen. All right. Paul said he didn't get this from man. Now, what does he say, back to Galatians, our lesson. "Having made known to us the mystery of His will." What is His will? "Made known the mysteries of His will..." You that's taking down, the 9th verse. I'm going to hurry right quick and get this out, 'cause we're running late. Oh, every Word is such a...?... Oh, each Word is a nugget. You can just take It and just keep polishing It. You can dig. I can... You can take one of them Words out of there, take it over to Genesis and polish it, take it over to Exodus and polish it again, you can take it over to Leviticus and polish it again, and, time you get over to Revelations, it's every bit Jesus. Amen. You can just polish it as much as you want to; it'll be Jesus when you hit--when you hit Revelations. For He said, "I am He that Was, Which Is, and Shall Come. I am the Root and Offspring of David, the Morning Star. I'm Alpha, Omega." That's A and Z in the Greek alphabet. "I am from A to Z. I AM. I'm All-in-all." That's right. "I'm He that was alive and was dead, and is alive forevermore. I have the keys of death and hell." Oh, my. Every nugget you pick up here and start polishing it, it'll polish right into Jesus. Now, just a little later and then we'll--we'll--we'll--we'll, we'll stop. Yeah. What are we waiting for, then? What's you here in the meeting for? What's the purpose of it? What's the world groaning www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

68

Adoption

for? What's the atomic bomb hanging yonder for, what's the molecules and the atoms? And, oh, what's it all about? Turn to Romans the 8th, just a minute. What's it waiting for? What's all this a-waiting for? What's the time? Romans the 8th chapter, and let's begin and read about the, oh, I'd say the eight. Let's start along about the nine--or the 19th verse, and just--just read right here for making it, making it real sweet. That's right. I know where you're getting to there. All right. Romans the 8th chapter, I believe I'm right now. Yes, sir. The 8th chapter, and let's begin here about the 18th verse. Let's just begin at the 14th verse. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are... sons of God. (That's right.) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;... "Oh, wonder if I can just hold out. Oooh, if I can just hold out now." Hold out nothing. It isn't whether I held out; it's whether He held out. I'm in Him now. See? Well, you say, "Well, if I'm in Him..." Now, you--you Presbyterians say, "Aw, we always believed that." But your life proves that you're not, unless you walk the kind of life that He walked, you believe the same Gospel He preached. You say, "Oh..." Baptists say, "Sure, I believe in eternal security." And go out here and smoke cigars, and run to dances, and women cut their hair, paint their faces, and act like I-don't-knowwhat? Your fruits proves that you don't believe It. When I say, "Do you believe in Divine healing?" "Oh, our Doctor Jones said it was so; that was in the days back." Why you hypocrite, what's the matter with you? You poor deluded child, you're so far off the Gospel till it's a pity. You've been sidetracked on some muddy road on some burning dump. Don't you see here what He said? That every spirit that confesses that Jesus is not come in the flesh right now, is of the wrong spirit. The Bible said Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What He said then, He is now; He's for always that way. Just listen. For ye haven't received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of a... [Congregation says "adoption"--Ed.] Now, after you're adopted, all right, after you're adopted, you're placed; then you understand, after the ceremony's said and you've been put into the Body correctly. You're a son, sure, a daughter; when you're borned again you're... That--that's your birth. But now you're positionally placed. We've not received the spirit of fear...; but we have received the Spirit--we have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Which means, "my God." All right.) The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we're--we're children of God: How does it do it? You say, "Glory to God. Hallelujah. It don't bother me; I'm a child of God," and go out and do the things you do? The Spirit of God will do the works of God. Jesus said, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also." See, see? If--if--if--if this vine comes forth and it produced a bunch of grapes, and the next one comes forth and produced a bunch of pumpkins, there's something wrong. See? It's a drafted church, it's a drafted vine, it's a grafted person. And if a person by some denomination, belongs to a denomination and call themselves a Christian, and don't have the Holy Ghost and have the power of God, and--and all these things... Now, if you go out here and act like a bunch of these that...?... just 'cause you spoke in tongues. I seen devils speak with tongues. Yes, sir. I've seen them dance in the Spirit and shout and froth at the mouth, and everything else, and all that. I've seen that. I'm a...?... I ain't talking about that. I'm talking about the Spirit of God. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are... children of God: And if then children, heirs; heirs of God,... joint-heirs with Christ; if so... that we suffer with him, that we may... also glorified together. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

69

Adoption

For I reckon that the suffering... (Just listen to this. Oh, if this isn't beautiful.) For I reckon that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (In us.) For the earnest expectations of the creature... (You got here, got a little--got a little word there, a little marginal reading, "creation" is right, in Greek.)... expectations of the creation, the creation is waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God. What's everything waiting on? What's the whole creation waiting for? The manifestations of the sons of God. It's waiting for the church to become into its position. Who was the son of God, when Adam, where was His domain? The earth. He--he had domain on earth. Is that right? He wasn't Elah, Elah, Elohim then; He was Jehovah. See? That is, "I am God, and I've made some lesser ones under Me. And I've give them a dominion. And in their domain, the dominion under them is the earth." Man had dominion over the earth. And all the whole creation is waiting for the sons of God to be manifested. Oh. We're watching for the coming of that glad millennium day, When our blessed Lord shall come and catch His waiting Bride away; Oh, the earth is groaning, crying for that day of sweet release When our Saviour shall come back to earth again. Is that right? Waiting, God trying to place His church in position to manifest Hisself, getting one that He can work through like this, say, "There's My Spirit flowing freely. There It is. That, that, I--I-I can work here." Get another one over here and place him, "I can place him." Adoption, placing, manifesting, take him out here and put a ceremony on him, visit him with an Angel, tell him something. Now, if he's told the truth... Now, if he's just making up something, it won't work. No, no, that--that won't work, we've had a lot of that. But I mean--but I mean manifestations of sons of God, when God manifests Himself and He sends him out. And then he goes forth, and what he says is truth. What he does is the truth. What he does, he manifests Christ. How you judge him? By the way he stays with the Word, right with the Word. See, that's how you know all men, is by the way he stays with the Word. "If they speak not according to the Word, there's no Life in them," says the Bible. See? Leave them away. Now, let's read, then we--well have to stop, 'cause our time's getting away. All right, in the 10th verse, or 9th verse, rather. Having made known to us the mystery of his will... (to adopt us),... according to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself: He purposed this Himself before the foundation of the world. How many understands it? See? That in the dispensation... (Oh, my, here we come again. See? Oh, let--let's just pass it. See?)... dispensation of the fulness of time... You believe in dispensations? Bible said so, "In the dispensation of the fulness of time..." What is the fulness of time? There's been a dispensation of, well, there was a dispensation of the Mosaic law. There was a dispensation of--of--of John the Baptist. There was a dispensation of Christ. There's a dispensation of church organization. There's dispensation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Now's the dispensation of adoption, what the world's waiting, groaning. "And when the fulness of time comes, when the dispensation of the fulness of time..." What is that fulness of time? When the dead rises, when sickness ceases, when--when all the earth ceases to groan. "The fulness of the dispensation of time..." Watch this. When in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ,... Aren't you glad? How is He going to do it? Gather together all things in Who? [Congregation says, "Christ"--Ed.] How do you get in Christ? ["By one Spirit"--Ed.] By one Spirit we're all baptized into ["One Body'--Ed.] one Body. And that Body is Who's Body? ["Christ's"--Ed.] Already judged, He www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

70

Adoption

took our judgment. Then what are we? "When I see the ["Blood"--Ed.] Blood, I'll pass over you." Every time He looks at the Body, there It is setting there, bloody. I'm in there by how? The Holy Ghost. He passes over. Oh, my. And when the fulness of the dispensation of time, that he might gather together... all things in Christ, both which are in heaven... Now, if you want to talk about a Name, we'll just start on it right now for a while. All the family in heaven is named what? [Congregation says "Jesus Christ."--Ed.] All the family in earth is named what? ["Jesus Christ"--Ed.] There's some fine women in here, fine...?... real lady, ladies. There's one Mrs. Branham, Mrs. William Branham; she's my wife. She goes home with me. See, the rest of you goes with your husband. There's one great living church of the living God; she bears His Name; She's filled with His Spirit. That's right. I don't say... I don't condemn the good works, I don't condemn their hospitals and good things they do. I think that's wonderful, and God's blessings to poor, suffering humanity. I don't condemn all these other things they're doing: fine, that's just right. And their great organizations and millions of dollars, I'd sure had rather see that than bootleg joints on the corner any time. I certainly honor them as ministers standing in the pulpit. But when it comes to the gathering together at the end of the dispensation, it'll be waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God in that dispensation, that He might gather all together, all that has been brought into Christ. What is Christ? How many--how do we get into Him? I Corinthians 12, "By one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body, which is the Body of Christ, and made partakers of every gift and every good thing that He's got." Is that right? And the whole earth is groaning, crying, waiting for the manifestations that when Christ and His church will unite together. That... dispensation of the fulness of time... gather together in one... in all Christ, both which are in heaven, and in earth; and even in him:... earth; even in him: In whom... we have obtained an inheritance,... Oh, Brother Neville, forgive me for taking this time. I just... That word "inheritance." Oh, God. I know you... It's my kinsman Brother. I don't... I hope I'm not crazy. I--I--I just... I don't think I am. But, oh, my. A what? "An inheritance." We have obtained an inheritance. Somebody has to leave you something. God, before the foundation of the world, left you something: A name written on the Book, that when the Lamb would be slain you'd be recognized with It. Oh, let's save that for tonight. Let's just read on just a little bit. My, my. How we ever going to get to the 3rd verse tonight? So...?... We ain't even got four or five verses out of this. Now, we're fixing to close though. I'll just have to read it and let it go. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being... What? How do we get this heri--inheritance? How did we get it? Because we walked upright? How do we get this inheritance? Because we were predestinated. Whew. My Arminian brothers, I know that's awfully hard. I don't aim to hurt, but it just does me so good to know that it... You--you--you got it; you got it, brother, all right. You just don't see it. You got it just the same. See? You're all right (See?); you're all right. See? But you--you can... Oh, but it's so good to look at it. Just like what Brother Neville said about the arcade that time, "Get you a stepladder and go around and see what you got." Yes, sir. That's what; this is what. God's Holy Spirit is our Stepladder to tell us what we got. See? See, an inheritance. Oh, my. Being... What kind of an inheritance? ...being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

71

Adoption

When He was... Before He was a Papa, before He was God, before He was a Saviour, before He was a Healer, before all of this, He predestinated, put the Lamb's Name on the Book, looked down through by His foreknowledge and seen your name, put it on there too. What is it? And after while we come in the world, born of sinful parents; we walk around on the world, you know. First thing you know, like that little hook-nosed Jew, Paul, you know, and--and he was carrying out, and the first thing, Something said, "Here, here, here, here, here." You say, "Oh, Abba, Father." Here we begin to come. See? Predestinated us to our inheritance in Him, which was predestinated to us; we--we inherited it before the foundation of the world. See? Oh. For His Own purpose to work out His Own good will (That's exactly.) to be a God and Saviour. In whom ye also trusted, after that you heard the word of the truth,... And Who is the Truth? Jesus is the Truth, the Truth of the Gospel. Now, what Gospel? There's only one Gospel. Galatians 1 said, "Though an Angel preach any other Gospel, let him be accursed." This is the Gospel, the Gospel of your salvation, not another; there is not another--not-not another Name given under heaven whereby you must be saved." But in the Name of what? [Congregation says, "The Lord Jesus Christ"--Ed.] Oh, me. ...in whom... after that you believed, you were sealed... Oh, "After you believed.." How can we just run over that, brethren? Let's just leave it for tonight, what do you say? Oh, my. I--I just can't go any--any farther than that. Let's leave it for tonight. I just can't leave that word "sealed," how you get in that. See? Inheritance by predestination. I inherited something. What inheritance? There had to be somebody leave me an inheritance. Why, you say, "Jesus left you an inheritance." Beg your pardon? Jesus never left me an inheritance; Jesus never left you an inheritance; He only came down and paid for your inheritance, brought you to your inheritance. But your name was put on the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world. God give you your inheritance. Your inheritance was first. Jesus only come... A lot... Here's the way they try to make it, "God said, 'Well, there's a lot of people lost; I don't want them... be saved, so I'll send Jesus down and perhaps maybe He'll... somebody feel sorry, and know what I've done and--and get saved.'" Oh, mercy. I wouldn't run my office like that, even as poor as I do run it sometimes then. I wouldn't do it like that. How about God? God, by His foreknowledge, seen exactly who would be saved and who wouldn't be saved. He sent Jesus to save those that He had already chosen. Didn't Paul say five verses behind this, that He chose us in Him before there even was a world? That's our inheritance. God chose us, and let Jesus come and pay the price. The what? His shedding of His Blood, that no sin would be accounted to us. Nothing you do. But if you... "He that sins wilfully after receiving the knowledge of the Truth, there's no more sacrifice." Now, and there's where you'll rise up again, say, "How about that, Brother Branham?" But just remember (See?), "who have received the knowledge of the Truth." They never received the Truth; they just received the knowledge of It. See? It's impossible for those who are once enlightened and made partakers of Holy Ghost, tasted the power of the good Word. Like them borderline believers back there. So many's wrote me letters on that. Those borderline believers walked right up there, Joshua and Caleb went right over there. Why? Now, we're going to call that the Holy Ghost, the land out there. Here they are back here. It's up here, say this is the Holy Ghost, and they're back out there. You see? There's where the promise is, is there. Well, they say, "Send out ten spies, one out of each tribe, so that all of us tribes can know what our inheritance is, where we'll be placed over there, where we'll be placed, so I'm going to send out some spies." They all got over there, "Oh, my. Well, we'll be called holy-rollers!...?... No, no, no, I--I we couldn't do that." See? www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

72

Adoption

Joshua and Caleb said, "I'll see what it looks like." So they come over here and looked over on the...?... My, they reached up there and cut off a big cluster of was their grapes and come back down. Said, "Boy, she's fine," said, "Oh, just fine. Here it is; just taste some of them, they're really good." "Oh, that's good, but, oh, look at those big... Oh, we couldn't do it. Stand against all them big denominations, all those big things? Oh, it's too bad; we can't do it. No, sir...?... No, sir." And they begin to say, "Oh, let's go back to the fleshpots of Egypt. We might as well have stayed down there. We can't do it; this road's too straight. We... Oh, we can't do this; we can't do that." Old Caleb said, "Stand still, all of you." Joshua said, "Shut up, every one of you. Let me say something." "Oh, alas, alas, alas, we can't do it. Oh, we couldn't... Well, if I had to quit my card party, Brother Branham. If I have to let my hair grow out like some old woman, I just don't know what I'd do. If I have to take my little shorts off, I--I--I'd have to quit, you know. And if I'd to give up my cigars, if I have to do this..." You poor deliberate example... Yes. "Just can't do it." Joshua said, "Oh, it's good. Hallelujah. We can take it." What was it? They were looking at the big cities that were walled up. And Joshua and Caleb was looking at a promise God made. Stay with the Word no matter who you are. Stay with the Word. For Peter said, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins, for the promise is unto you (what promised land), and to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Don't let this hurt, closing, please don't. See? There you Pilgrim Holiness and Nazarenes, you come right into sanctification, walked right up here to the spot to where you even could see the grapes, and then turned and went back. See what's happened? That's what's the matter; you never walked over into the land. Show me one Nazarene or Pilgrim Holiness, or any of them on the grounds today, having great healing campaigns and signs and wonders done. Show me one. You've settled down with Egypt, went back to the garlic pots. You stopped at Kadesh-barnea. That's right. Watch, let me give you a spot in Hebrews the 6th chapter. "For it is impossible for those which were once enlightened (You know better. If you don't, you know it now. See?), and was made partakers, and tasted the heavenly gifts..." Tasted... See? People go to church, and set around there, and say, "You know, they--they could be right. That--that--that could be right. Could be, just the same, but I tell you, boy, it takes a lot of faith to do that." "Taste the heavenly gifts, and has counted the Blood of the covenant an unholy thing, which you was sanctified..." Like a preacher, his mother sends him away. He says, "I got a calling to be a servant of the Lord." "All right. The first thing I have to do is wash over a board, honey; I'm going to send you away to some school." The worst thing she ever done. That's right. They'll take all out of him that God trying to put in him. Then... Now, watch. "For if we sin wilfully, wilfully sin after we have received the knowledge of the truth (the knowledge: see it in the Scripture and know that the Bible says He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.). See that it--it's the knowledge of the Truth... To see it, we turn away, and count the Blood of the covenant..." A man say, "Oh, yes, I believe in--in God." All right, you make the first step. "Sure, I believe in sanctification." All right, you're on the borderline, right up here ready to receive the Holy Ghost. But you look over and say, "Aw, I--I don't know about that. If I'd have to act like, you know... Huh--uh. I don't know. You know what they call them people? Uh-huh, I don't know whether I could do that or not. No, I believe I'll just go on and join...?..." See? www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

73

Adoption

And you know what happens? He said, "It's impossible for them to ever enter in." They have sinned away their day of grace. The Bible said so. I know that's rough, but the Bible said, "Have tasted the heavenly gifts, and counted the Blood of the covenant wherewith..." They say, "I believe in sanctification, a good, clean, holy life." Sure, but you, when you seen the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and the baptism and all these other things in the Bible, and you have done what? You've counted the Blood of the covenant wherewith you were sanctified, an unholy thing. What in the world brought you up there, man? What caught you, and what kept you from being a lowdown sinner? What took sin out of your life, and smoking, and drinking, and women and things out of your life, that shouldn't been there? What did that? The Blood of the covenant. Then you come up close enough to taste the grapes in the other land, and ashamed of the Gospel, afraid of your denomination? God have mercy. Yes, sir, "Counted the Blood of the covenant an unholy thing, and done despite to the works of grace. It's impossible for him to ever enter into the land." What happened? I ask you. Now, I'm a typologist, and any man that knows the Bible is a typologist. Did one of those men ever hit that promised land? Not one of them. Who done it? Who went over there? Those who went first, come back, and said, "We can take it. We can have the Holy Ghost 'cause God said so." "Peter said on the day of Pentecost, if I'd repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, I should receive the Holy Ghost, the promise is to me. I'm willing to do it. Mine, the promise is mine." You get it? Now, the promise is mine. I receive it; it's mine. Sure it is. They was the only ones. "Oh," you say, "but, Brother Branham, in the resurrection..." They won't be there. "Oh, they won't?" No, sir. Jesus said. They said, "And You're making Yourself as great as Moses, and You said You was--You saw Abraham." And he said, "And--and--and Abraham's been dead. Why, you're not--you're not over fifty years old, and you said you saw Abraham?" He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." Oh, my. The "I AM," ever-present, eternal God, not yesterday, not tomorrow, "I AM" (See?), the ever-present God, the Elohim, "I AM." Then they took up; they was going to kill Him then. He said, "Well, our fathers eat manna in the wilderness. For forty years God rained bread right down out of heaven and fed them. They went to church and they were good church members for forty years. My old mama died right in the church," and everything like that. "My fathers eat manna in the wilderness for forty years." And Jesus said, "And they're every one dead." "Dead" means the "eternal separation," "They're every one dead. But I say unto you, that I'm the Bread of Life that come from God out of heaven. A man eats this Bread of the Spirit, he's got Eternal Life, and he can't perish. And I'll raise him up in the last day." Oh, brother, isn't He wonderful? Isn't He wonderful, wonderful, wonderful? Isn't Jesus our Lord wonderful? Eyes have seen, ears have heard, what's recorded in God's Word; Isn't Jesus our Lord wonderful? Is that right? We see His discerning Spirit going through our midst. We see Him performing miracles and signs and wonders. We hear It written right out of the Word here, and see It confirmed right out there. Oh, my. Eyes have seen, ears have heard, What's recorded in God's Word; Isn't Jesus my Lord wonderful? www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

74

Adoption

In another two minutes, or three, there'll be a water baptismal service rendered here. And now, those who are going to be baptized, let the women go over here, and the men over on this side. And now, the men to my left, over here on this side. And the women over here. There'll be sisters in there with clothes ready. And if any man or any woman here this morning, that's convinced that you believe in the Word of God, and you believe that God keeps His promise, that if a man will thoroughly repent of all his sin... Now, the Blood hasn't done a thing yet. No, it's just your faith in God. And God's calling, just [Brother Branham illustrates, "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh"--Ed.] calling you That's what's doing it now. ["whoosh, whoosh"--Ed.] "I've never been baptized." ["whoosh, whoosh"--Ed.] "Well, well, if I can just start and do different." ["whoosh"--Ed.] That's--that's the thing: start, then--then you be different after you make your start. See? You got to turn around, get started. See? You say, "Well, I--I--I never seen it just like that." Well, brother dear, I want you to show me one Scripture where any man... I've offered this for thirty-one years of ministry around the world before bishops and so forth, where one person, one person was ever baptized any other way than but in the Name of Jesus Christ. And everyone that wasn't baptized in Jesus' Name, had to come and be baptized over again in the Name. God only had one Name, and His Name is Jesus. That was His Son; He took the Name of His Son. God... Now, Jesus, the body was a man. We know that. That was the Son of God that was overshadowed. Now, we do not believe in--in a oneness type, the people that says God's like your finger. We believe there's three attribute--attributes of God, three attributes of God, God manifested in. But there's one God. See? That's right. We do not believe... We believe in the--in a... Let me make it like this, we believe that God lived in three offices. He had an office on earth one time. Now, you women go to this side, and you men go to this side, that's getting ready. And they're getting ready for baptismal service now. And now, God had three offices. One of them was called the Fatherhood, or the Father dispensation; the other one was called the Sonship; and the other one was called Holy Ghost. Now, today, what--what dispensation is Father working in today? [Congregation says "Holy Ghost"--Ed.] Holy Ghost. What was He in the days that went by? Jesus. What was He in the days before that? ["Father"--Ed.] But there was just one God. Is that right? He's Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, those three, those three offices of one God: One God. But now, Father is not a name, is that right? I want to ask you. Now, I give you Matthew 28:19, where Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptize them in the Name (N-a-m-e)--Name of the Father..." I want us to see how well you know your Scripture. Tell me when I get off the line. And He said unto the them, "Go ye into all the world, preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. These signs shall follow them that believe; In My Name they shall cast out devils (Is that all true?), speak with new tongues, take up serpents." Now, I'm going to quote to you in Matthew... Now, and listen. I ask any historian. Now, this is on tape; this goes to all the world. I ask any historian to come to me and bring me any text of Scripture, any text of--or not Scripture, any text of Scripture or any history, any verse of history that ever showed that any Protestant, that anybody ever baptized in the name of "Father, Son, Holy Ghost" until the Catholic church ordained it in the Nicene Council. Now, that's on tape; it goes across the world, thirty-seven different languages they're translated in. I'll pay your way across the ocean. That's right. "Father Son, and Holy Ghost" is a false, bogus Catholic dogma, and not a Christian baptism. That's right. Luther brought it from the Catholic church with catechism; Wesley adopted and come on. But this is the day of the www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

75

Adoption

manifestation of the sons of God, when the mysteries that been hid since the foundation of the world is to be made known. This is the hour. Sure. Remember, there was never a person in the Bible ever baptized in the name of "Father, Son, Holy Ghost." For three hundred years after the death of the last apostle, there was no one ever baptized in name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost. They had... I've read both "Pre-Nicene Fathers," "The Nicene Council," and from there they've organized what they called the "Christian universal church" and made an organization out of it, and forced all people to it, which was the Catholic church. The very word "catholic" means "universal," a universal Christian church, worldwide, one church to cover the world in it's Christianity. They forced people to it. In there they adopted, they've taken down Venus and put up Mary. They've taken down Paul--or Jupiter, and put up Paul. It's still pagan. That's right. The Catholic church come out of there, and after five hundred years... They got a play going on in Louisville now, "Ben Hur." They had the "Ten Commandments" not long ago. I wish they'd ever take one of, if they could, of the fifteen hundred years of dark ages. I wish they'd put that on: (see?) Fifteen hundred years of pagan persecution, when they forced everybody and killed them, murdered them, strung them up. Put an ox on one and an ox on the other hand, and make them either kiss the crucifix or start one this way or that way. I've put my hand, right in Switzerland, behind the posts where they stood there and cut their tongues out and called them witches and everything else. That's exactly right. Right. And that same spirit exists today. It's just the law that holds it down. Wait till it gets its freedom. The Bible said so. Just wait till it shows its colors, it gets a chance to. You might vote it in pretty soon, for all I know. See? It will; it'll come. There's no way of keeping it out. It's got to come. That's right. It's got to come; it's coming. So when it does, you just watch. But, brother, you want to know this one thing; I know Who I have believed. Amen. Marching right on. See? That's it. There's a time when the--when the writer, when I told the writer of the Lamsa--Lamsa--Lamsa Bible, when he looked and seen that ancient sign of God, just exactly that exactly, three little dots in it, I said, "What's those?" He said, "That's God in three attributes." I said, "Such as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?" He looked at me; he said, "Do you believe that?" And I said, "Yes, sir." He said, "I seen that discernment the other night; I thought you was a prophet of the Lord." Said, "God bless your heart." Put his arm around me, said, "Now, I know it is." He said, "These American people don't even know what..." Said, "They don't even know nothing." Said, "They're trying to take an ea--eastern Book and make a western Book out of It. They don't even know their Bible. He said, "There's no other Name given under heaven, no other Name, for everybody was ever baptized other than in the Name of Jesus Christ. There's no such a thing as three persons in one God." And if that isn't Brother Lamsa, Doctor Lamsa, the translator of the Lamsa Bible, which is a bosom friend to Eisenhower and all the great diplomats of the world, and everything else, throwed his arms around me, said, "Someday they'll shoot you for that." But said, "Remember, all those people die for a cause." I'd like to be like when old Peter was setting in the prison. There was a little old boy in there; and he was all nervous. And he said, "Oh, what's the matter?" Said, "You know you're going to be executed?" Peter said, "Yep." He said, "Well, you're fixing to die today." He said, "Yep." He said, "Well, they're--they're... Aren't you afraid?" www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

76

Adoption

He said, "Nope." He said, "You must be one of them they call the Christians." He said, "Yep." Said, "What happened?" And he told him, he set down and told him the story. And as it went on, come down, he said, "And I could've been free this morning. I could've went and joined some of their denominations and just lived on. See? I could've been free. But I started out the gate of the city, and I seen One coming, walking in. I knowed Who He was. I said, 'Lord, where You going?' He said, 'I'm going back to be crucified again.'" Said, "I come right on back." Just then they said, 'Whose name is Simon Peter?'" Said, "Here I am!"

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

77

Adoption

ADOPTION – PART 4 “ADOPTION”

Branham Tabernacle JEFFERSONVILLE.IN SUNDAY 60-0522E

...?... To our precious friends, we are happy to be back here in the church tonight. A little warm, and so we'll try to hurry just quick as possible, get right straight into the message. First, we have some announcements to make and a--a special p--prayer request. I got your letters in back there that was given, and for the sister that feels she has tumor on brain, and there was another in Louisville, and another minister's brother, his--his father has a heart attack. And there's many, many sick people in the world today. Many are calling in, and we sure do pray for them with all of our heart that God will help us. Usually about ninety-five percent of my ministry is always that praying for the sick (You see?), but I'm--I just kinda got a--kinda got a little view that... I still pray for the sick now. Remember that. That goes right on with it, but oh, if we could get the--the church where positionally set and--and get in order so we can go to work. You see? Got to get organized (See?) get everything together. Something else just struck my heart a few moments ago. That's when a little old veteran man, one of his arms almost shot off, leg almost shot off... He's not around here to listen at me just now, but a real prince of a fellow by the name of Roy Roberson, one of our trustees here at the church and one fine, Christian gentleman... He stepped just there and said, "Brother Branham, don't forget the president." Said, "It made me feel so sorry when he stepped..." Saw on a television, him stepping off of the plane, the tears coming down his cheeks and his mouth twisting sideways... You know, he was right over there with Roy and them in that--that battle. No matter if you different with him in politics, he's still our president. Yes, sir. To me, I'm--I'm neither Democrat nor Republican; I'm a Christian. But I--I tell you; I've certainly had a great admiration for--for President Dwight Eisenhower. Yes, sir. He sure has been one great man in my way of thinking. If he was running again, and I was voting, I'd vote for him again. That's right. I don't care if he was--if he was a hundred years old, I'd still be voting for him, because I like him. And let's remember him in our prayers tonight. J. T., I certainly appreciate that nice meeting you all--you and Brother Willard had this week. If I'd have walked in from the outside, you all said, "All right, Brother Branham, now you know so-andso," but it's better just stand outside and listen at you. Don't you see? [Brother Branham laughs-Ed.] All right. Very fine. I got some offers for some churches if you all want them. If you're ready to go to pastoring now, if you got your training and, which I believe you have, and got all settled down, I got one in Oregon, and some in Washington, California, and Arizona, different places. And if you ever want to take a church or anything, why, right here's a good place to start from, right here. And there's souls crying everywhere even to the Indian reservations and whatever you want to go to. Just let us know, because I believe that you boys are anchored now. That's right. I just love to see them do that. There's Brother Ruddell up there on the road. Going up to have meeting for him in a few days, going to have a revival, Brother Ruddell is. And I--I remember I used to push that little fellow www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

78

Adoption

around everywhere trying to make him get out in the harness and preach. He was so backward. He'd say, "I just can't talk." Ha. You ought to hear him. See, see? You don't know what you can do till you let Holy Spirit gets ahold of you. That's right. Brother Graham Snelling in Utica and Brother Junior Jackson down there, we--we consider all them our little sister churches right with us. We're all together. We don't disagree on our doctrines; our--our hopes, our aims, our doctrines are one. We stand together just every thing together. We're just one church, and we'd sure like to have them scattered throughout. We got some in Africa, some in India, and all around over the country. We... That's where we want them, scattering the news. And I see these young fellows coming on like Brother J. T. Parnell here, and--and Brother Willard, and them when they're coming on, young fellows when I'm getting older... If there is a tomorrow, they'll be that men of tomorrow. I don't want this message to never die. It just can't. It must live on, and I don't believe we got too much longer to bring it. The little baby that they said was going to die, I see you've had in church all day today, sister. That's very fine. We're thankful to the Lord for that, that the Lord is gracious, full of mercy. Just keep believing what was told you right here. See? It'll be all right. Now, are you enjoying teaching? You like teaching? Oh, I--I--I really think it does us good. It gives us a little rest from praying for the sick, and visions, and Divine healing. 'Course now tonight we, after the service, we'll pray for the sick again tonight. We always want to do that. Baptize anybody at any time. How many remembers when I used to walk the power lines? Well, I've walked right through the power lines many times. Had to walk thirty miles a day through the wilderness. I had two hundred and eighty miles of line to walk. I'd go down through there, skirt in my hands, and oh, so tired, walking through them jungles and green briars cutting. Meet some old farmer and set down under a tree and talk to him about being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. He'd say, "Well, I've always wanted to be baptized." I said, "It ain't very far to the creek." And he'd say... And I've took a many a one right down there and baptized him in the Name of Jesus. Take right on down the line just as hard as I could go. That's right. Many time in my old working clothes, baptize one, come right down off of a pole. Set up there working across the pole; I was a lineman too, working across the pole, with a man, talking to him about the Lord. He'd say, "Well, Billy, one of these days I'm coming up to your church and be baptized." I'd say, "Why do you want to wait till then for? We're right by the river, there's plenty of water right there." Catch them right now. That's right. That's the time. Philip said... The eunuch said to Philip, "Here's water, what does hinder us?" That's right. Nothing, if you're ready, that's the time. Don't let the devil get a chance to wedge something in there. Don't put off for tomorrow the things that you could do today. Tomorrow might not come for you. I remember one time I did that, learned, taught me a lesson. I put off something that I should've done one day, and the next day was too late. Now, truly, I don't want to keep you all this time, but I just get so--so wound up and I don't know. I just feeling so good, till I just get beside myself almost; I just feel so good. Now, let us bow our heads just a moment before we approach the Word. Our heavenly Father, Thou art the living God, ever alive. The sun that just went down, that same sun, Daniel looked at it when it set; Jeremiah looked at it setting; Adam looked at it setting; Jesus looked at it setting. And it's the same world that they lived in and walked in, and You still remain the same God.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

79

Adoption

Tonight there's many requests: a man with tumor on the brain; a sister fears the same thing. You're the only hope, Lord, there is for that. That tumor has become malignant; there's nothing can be stopped. It's way out of the reach of the hands of the doctor. But tonight we go with our little slingshot, after that Lamb to bring it back to Father's fold. In the Name of the Lord Jesus we direct our prayer to slay the lion, the tumor, the malignancy, safely to bring them to the fold. And we, God, do remember tonight, our lovely President, brother--or Dwight Eisenhower. He has guided the land, Lord; he's tried to keep us out of war. He promised the Korean War would end if he had any way he could. He promised those mothers he'd bring those boys back. But he said, "For me to do it, I can't do it. I can put my efforts, but God alone will have to do it." And You was with him, Lord, and now it's all settled up. Why couldn't they have seen that in the first place? God, I pray that You'll help him. Bless that gallant soul, Lord. And we pray that You'll choose for us the leader that is to be next. Your predestinated will be done, Lord. But the One that we are so interested in tonight, besides of our national affairs, is that great and glorious One that's coming to set up a Kingdom that'll have no end, the Lord Jesus Thy Son. Then they'll stack arms; the taps will sound, and there'll be no more wars. They'll plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. They'll build houses, inhabit them. And there'll never be no more trouble then after that. Bless us now as we approach the Word. And Father, Thou knowest the reason that I'm approaching the Word from this very Scripture here. It's because that I--I feel that You want me to do it this a way, that it's Your Divine will; it's in Your order; it's in the... It's the order of the day to let the people positionally find their place and be ready for the hour of battle. As our brother said in his prayer to You not long ago, "Oh, You have trained us so long, Lord." Now, Father, give us our ranks. Put us out there to what were supposed to do, so we can be about the Father's business. For we ask it in Jesus' Name, Thy Son. Amen. Had rather a wonderful afternoon this afternoon, talking to a famous doctor in Louisville, his nurse. They heard about the glorious things of the Lord. And her father is a doctor. And she came over and set in my room most the afternoon, just come in, dropped in, a wonderful person: rather a little hard, you know, kind of a staunch, real Presbyterian to start with, but left with tears running down her cheeks. Oh, I... God's got them just sticking everywhere in doctors' offices, and nurses. I don't believe there's a nurse in Norton's Infirmary Hospital that I didn't testify to about having the Holy Ghost, and asked her if she was baptized in the Name of Jesus. Not a doctor that I come in contact with, anywhere, nothing... See? Tell them about It. You ain't got much time, brother. No matter how hard it seems here, just wait till you cross that last breath yonder and see, then you'll wish you had've done it. Yes, sir. Don't wait till that time; let's do it right now. This is the hour. Oh, they might disagree, and fume and fuss a little about it, but they don't mean it. They really don't mean it. They--they--they're all right. They go to fussing at you, just--just remember, they--they don't really mean it. They don't mean it. They just maybe been taught something, and they just hang to that, so you--you can see their idea. Don't fuss with them; don't fuss with no one, but just love them right into It. Then pray for them. Well, I think we got down to the 9th verse; I'm not sure. I... That's a long ways from the 3rd chapter, isn't it, men? But oh, it's honey in the rock to me. We were speaking now, remember, so we can get a little background again. And now, Brother Neville, you--you pull me a little bit now if I fail to see the time getting away, so I can have prayer for the sick. We want to get every little speck that we can in tonight. I want an altar call. I... Ending up on this which I may be able just to read the rest of it.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

80

Adoption

But the purpose of this, is seeing your position in Christ, seeing that it's not something that you just stumbled into, or something that might have, you merited somewhere, but it's what God did for you Himself. Not that you were so good that you went to a church one night, that some poor brother led you up to the altar, and it wasn't that. It was God, before the foundation of the world predestinated you to Eternal Life. When you get there that day, no wonder the forty--twenty-four elders laid off their crowns; everybody laid down their crown; everyone fell on their faces; they didn't have one thing they could say, no preacher, no elder, no nothing. All praise to the Lamb, God will gather in Him all things at that day. Oh, if we'd ever know and recognize Who that was, Who they crucified. Now, on the... We'll start at the 8th verse, to get a little background. Wherein he has abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known to us the mystery of his will... "The mysteries of His will..." And remember how we hung on that? How many was here this morning? Let's see. How we stuck on that, "the mystery of His will." Now, it is not just a little thing; then it's a mystery. God's will is a mystery. And each man has to seek out the will of God for his or herself, God's mystery. How do we find out? Paul, it was known to him. He said he didn't confer with any man, no flesh and blood. He went to no school, no seminary. He had nothing to do with it. But he... It was revealed to him by Jesus Christ, Who met him on the road to Damascus in a--a Light like a Pillar of Fire, and It called him. And he went to Arabia, and there dwelt three years. Oh, don't you imagine that was some time, Brother Egan? Three years Paul was down there in Arabia, rented him a little building somewhere, walking up and down the floor with all the old scrolls. They didn't have the new ones; Paul wrote them, mostly. Right in these old scrolls, how that God, at the beginning predestinated us unto Eternal Life, how that He would send Jesus, that through this Sacrifice we'd all have a right to the Tree of Life. "Those who He foreknew, He called; those who He called, He has already justified; those who He justified, He has already glorified." God, since the beginning of the world, predestinated us to the adoption of sons. Now, the whole creation groaning, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. Oh, I'd imagine Paul had a wonderful time. I'd like to have been there with him, wouldn't you? Now, he said, "He made known to us the mystery." Get the Holy Spirit on you sometime, and start running that, and just watch how it goes. This afternoon I had, oh, about thirty minutes to study, just to look the lesson over; maybe not, I'll not say half of that, fifteen minutes between the time. And I got to running, and I thought, "The mystery, how mysterious." And the Scripture packed me back into the Old Testament, then back over into the New Testament, tied something together, see the mystery of His coming, the mystery of His will, the mystery of us setting together. Remember, it cannot be taught in any seminary. It's a mystery. You cannot know it by education, by theology. It's a mystery that's been hidden since the foundation of the world, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. Tell me, my brother, tell me, my sister, when was the time that the sons of God was ever to be manifested outside of this time now? When were there ever a time in the history, this that ma-manifest the time to deliver all nature? Nature, the nature itself is groaning, waiting for the time of the manifestation. Why, before the atonement was made, before the Holy Ghost was ever poured out, before all the--all the Old Testament, on down there, there couldn't have been manifestation. It had to wait till this time. Now, all things has been brought, coming, shaping up to a headstone, to the manifestation of sons of God coming back, and the Spirit of God coming into these men, so perfectly, until their ministry will be so close like Christ's, till it'll join Him and His church together. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

81

Adoption

How many ever studied the history of the pyramids? I guess maybe one lady here raised her hand. All right. God wrote three Bibles. One of them was the Zodiac in the skies. That's the first Bible. Man was to look up to realize that God is from above. Follow the Zodiac; did you ever study it? It even gives every age, even the cancer age. It gives the beginning, the birth--the birth of Christ. What is the first figure in the Zodiac? The virgin. What's the last figure? Leo the lion. The first coming and the second coming of Christ, all of it is written in there. Then the next Bible was written, was in stone, called pyramid. God wrote in the pyramids. If you study them, watch the ancient histories and wars, how they were built before the antediluvian destruction. The third was wrote on paper, the Bible, for the great, smart intellectual world to come. Now, as God has moved down through the age, we're at Leo the lion. We're at the capping of the pyramid. We're in the Book of the Revelations at the last chapter. Science says we're three minutes before midnight. Oh, think of where we're at. And notice, let's take the pyramid; it's easy. It runs kind of like in a triangle. When we were down here beginning at the early age of the church, after the reformation in Luther's time, just a man to say he was a Christian, either meant his life or death. They kill him for even saying he was a Christian. Therefore to go through persecution... Every age, through every time, there's been persecution. "All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." In the age of Luther, it was horrible to say "a Lutheran." You was considered a fanatic and could be put to death. Many times they killed them at stakes, burn them, and everything else, for Lutherans. Then the church narrowed, as like the pyramid. It come into another step of grace, which was sanctification: Wesley's time, when he protested the Anglican church, taught sanctification. It come into the minority again, then they were called a bunch of fanatics. How many in here that was Methodist, or used to be, or was once connected with Methodist church? Half of you. Did you know the Methodist church al--almost had the Holy Ghost one time? I've went to Methodist churches and see them fall on the floor, and throw water in their face and fan them with a fan, keep the Holy Ghost from coming on them. That's right. Now, that's the truth, down in the hills of Kentucky where we had Methodists. You guys are church joiners out here. We had Methodists back there, and Baptists. We got down at the altar and beat one another in the back till we got something. We come through; we lived different after that. But you just come up, put your name on the book, and say, "I'm a Methodist." And get the salt shaker and sprinkle a little water on you, and that's all of it. Go on out and wear shorts, makeup, run the horse races, bet, gamble, play slot machines and everything else, still good Methodists. See? That's not Methodists. That's just church joiners. That's right. Baptists, the same way, Presbyterian, on down the same way. As... David duPlessis said, "Grandchildren, God don't have any grandchildren." God never had a grandchild. He's got sons, but no grandsons. That's right. You... And people that come into the Methodist church, or Pentecostal church, or Baptist church, because your mother or father was Pentecostal or Baptist, then you're a grandson. They were sons. You're a grandson. See? So God don't have anything like that. The church has a lot of that, but not--but not the--not the--not the... God doesn't.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

82

Adoption

Now, notice these, on down till it comes down now, as it becomes to the minority of the church. The Pentecostal age come in. That certainly cut off a lot of bumps. Then it... What did it do? It just left the Methodist and Lutheran all behind. Now, the Holy Spirit's moved right on away from the Pentecostal age. What did they do? They organized, made themselves, "We are the Assemblies of God. We are the Oneness. We are the Twoness. We are the Church of God. We are the this, or that. You don't belong; you can't get into heaven 'less you got your name on our book." Oh, such nonsense. I don't care if you're a Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian; you put your name on the Book of Life when God puts it on there. If you were predestinated to Eternal Life, God will call you some way, somehow, some--some way or other. He sure will. "All the Father has given Me will come to Me." No matter what church you belong to, that has nothing to do it. But the denomination will never do one thing to you, but might hinder you a lot from going on with God, but it'll--it'll never do nothing else: Congregate you together with a bunch of believers and unbelievers. Of course, you hit that everywhere you go, and they even had that in heaven. So it's all right, but you're looking to your denomination. Look to Jesus; He's the One to look to. Now, as we're coming right down to... They had... How many... I believe this woman here raised her hand that she'd studied the pyramids. You know, the pyramid never was capped, was it? Never did have a capstone put on it. They never, couldn't even find it. They don't know what ever happened to it. Why? Why wasn't the capstone put on it, the headstone, the top of it? Because He was rejected when He come. He was the rejected Stone. That's right. But it will be capped. That's right. And then those stones that fit around that headstone, will have to be stones that'll be so completely like that stone, that'll fit it joint and every--everywhere. The pyramid is so perfect you can't run a razor blade between them, where them stones go together, such beautiful masonry. Some of them would weigh hundreds of tons up in the air, and so perfectly set together. That's the way God's bringing His church. We're fitly joined together, one heart and one accord. Now, somebody say, "Well, the Lutherans back there had nothing." Don't you believe it. The Lutherans will come forth in the resurrection just the same as the rest will come forth in the resurrection. Baptist, Presbyterians, and all of God's children will come forth in that resurrection. And that's the reason today people say, "Oh, well, there'll be a sweeping revival that'll go out here and save a hundred million Pentecostals and all get saved, and there'll be the rapture." You're mistaken. That rapture will be hundreds of thousands; that's right; but they'll be all made up in six thousand years of salvation too, six thousand years back. Man walks in the Light as the Light comes to him; he crosses the bridges when he find--comes to them. Now, if he refuses It, then he's left in darkness. But if he keeps moving on... Now, notice, then the coming of the Lord Jesus is so close at hand, until the Spirit from way down in here, just barely justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and now right into the time of the coming of the Headstone... The church has got to be so perfectly like Christ, until Christ and the church can unite together, the same Spirit. And if the Spirit of Christ is in you, It makes you live the life of Christ, act the life of Christ, do the works of Christ. "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also." Jesus said that. See? Now, we're going to have... We got a ministry coming that's just exactly like the life of Christ. What does that ministry identify? The coming of the Lord. Look at it in the world today, and watch what Khrushchev's saying, all these other great things, and great worldwide conflicts right at hand at any time, could go to powder at any second. That's right. And if that, we know that that's close. Any sensible person can read in the newspaper or listen to a radio, will know that that is close. Well, remember, Christ comes for His church before that happens. So how close is the coming of the Lord Jesus? Maybe before this meeting ends tonight. We are at the end time. Certainly true. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

83

Adoption

Watch the church as it's come, as it move. Just take it in your own mind, you historians, that studies history. Look at the Lutheran church under justification, coming just so freshly from Catholicism; look at it moving. Then look at Wesley coming a little closer, into sanctification, weaving into the Scriptures. Look at right in between, the Wesley. Then the next thing come in was the Pentecostal age, and the Pentecostal age with the restoration of the gifts, the spiritual gifts. Now, look at the age coming now right up to the Headstone. See what I mean? The coming of the Lord, the made known. God and all creations is waiting for the church to positionally find its place. Trouble with today, I, pretty near everyone I met... I was rolled out; we was taking... I have to have a physical examination, you know, for going overseas. You missionaries and so forth, know that. When I was taking examination, they brought me out of the room there, I'd been drinking that old, looked to me like dough meal or something, and I--I'd been drinking it. And come out there, set down, and wait for a half hour, and see whether it went out of my stomach or not. I looked across there, and there was some little woman, looked like she was just about to die. She was so--little legs and little arms. And I kept moving down from this man to that man, this man to that man, getting closer to her, till I got down to where she was. She looked like poor little thing was about to die. And I got up close to her; I said, "Pardon me, madam." She said, "How do you do?" Oh, she was so sick. And I said, "What's wrong?" She said, "I went to Tucson to visit my daughter. I got sick; they can't find what's wrong." And I said, "One thing I want to ask you." I said, "I'm a Gospel preacher. Are you a Christian? Are you ready to go if that hour shall come?" And she said, "I belong to Such-and-such a church." I said, "That wasn't the question I asked you. Are you a Christian filled with God's Spirit and ready to go when He calls you?" The woman didn't even know what I was talking about. See? Oh, what a pitiful sight the world is in. Now, "make known unto us the mysteries of His will," the coming of... Let me read you something. I was reading over... Let's turn over now to "the mystery of His will." Let's turn to Hebrews here just a minute, the 7th chapter of Hebrews, I believe it is. I'd like to read you something that would just make you feel so good when we think that we're setting together in heavenly places: Hebrews the 7th chapter. For this Melchisedec... (Now, watch.)... King of Salem, priest of the most high God... What's the mystery now? Here's the mystery, watch this. Who is this Fellow making, knowing, the mystery of His will, this Melchisedec? I'm waiting for everybody here, the Bibles still turning. Hebrews, 7th chapter, Paul speaking, same man of Galatians... For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God... met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a part, tenth part of all; first being... interpretation, by interpretation King of righteousness... after that... King of Salem... (Who is this Fellow?)... which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor ending of life;... Who was this Man? Who was He? He never had a father; He never had a mother; He never had when He begin, or He never did have a time He'd ever die. He met Abraham coming from the slaughter of the kings. What was he doing? He went out to get Lot, his lost brother, to bring him back. And he slaughtered the kings; which, them kings had slaughtered; I believe ten or fifteen www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

84

Adoption

kings, and their kingdoms. But Abraham armed his servants and went after him, separated himself by night. See when he caught him? In the nighttime. Oh, brother, we're working in darkness now; the only Light we have is the Gospel Light. But he separated himself, and caught him, and brought him back. And on his road back, after the battle was over... Let's go to Genesis 14, just a minute, to get the story more plainer. Let's go over here in Genesis, the four... I believe it's the 14th, Genesis 14. Yes, let's take Genesis 14:18, begin. Let's start just a little before that. Let's start, yeah, the 18th verse, Genesis 14:18, "And Melchisedec..." Now, that's Abraham returning now from the slaughter of the kings. Came back, on his road back, bringing back Lot, all the people that they had taken away... All like David, who went and got the... What did David do? Took the little slingshot, went out, and grabbed this little lamb out of the lion's mouth. Think of a slingshot, going after a lamb. Who in the world would do that? Tell me what man in here would do it, rise up your hand. I'll tell you right quick you're wrong. You didn't see me put mine up. No, I wouldn't go after him with a .30-06, hardly. But he went after him with a slingshot, a little piece of leather like, with two strings on it, winding around. Because, and when it come time for Goliath to make his boast, he went after Goliath, and he said, "The God of heaven has let me deliver a lamb out of the mouth of the lion, out of the mouth of a bear." He knew it wasn't a slingshot. It was the power of God that went with him. He was the One that brought that lamb back. And that's what we say today. God's got Davids sticking around (Yes, sir.), that's feeding Father's sheep. And once in a while a tumor will come, or a cancer will come, or something, and jump plumb out of the hands of the doctor. That won't stop that David; he'll go right on out there after that fellow, with a little slingshot of: "Ask anything in My Name; it shall be given." I don't care; doctors can laugh; and everybody else can make fun of him; he'll go after him anyhow, bringing that sheep back to the fold. Yes, sir. "It's God's child, take your hand off of him." Knock this lion down, then the lion rose up; he grabbed him by the beard and killed him: a little bitty ruddy boy, probably weigh eighty or ninety pounds. Now, watch. Melchisedec, the King of Salem, which is King of Peace, which actually Salem lays across the hill. It's the King of Jerusalem, Who it was. That's exactly Who it was, King of Jerusalem, which Jerusalem was first called Salem, which was peace; that was Jerusalem first, before it was called Jerusalem. He was the King of Jerusalem. He was the King of righteousness, the King of peace, the King of Salem. He had no father; He had no mother; He had no beginning of days; He had no ending of life; He had no descent. Ha, ho, ho, ho, ho. Who is this Fellow? Watch Him. After the battle was over, after the victory was won, watch what He said. "And Melchisedec..." 18th verse, the 14th chapter, Genesis. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heavens and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which has delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him a tenth of all. Let's read a little farther. And the king of Sodom said unto Abraham, Give me the persons, and take the goods for thyself. And Abram said unto the king of Sodom, I have lifted up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heavens and earth... (Listen how he abbreviated that, hmm, how he give it to him.) That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatch, and that I will not take any thing, (not any thing)... that... and...?... that, and that of thine, lest thou should say, I have made Abram rich: www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

85

Adoption

Save only that which the young men eat,... Notice, this Melchisedec, as soon as He met Abraham coming from the slaughter of the kings... The mystery of God now being made known, Who was He? Nobody... They can't find any history of Him, because He didn't have any father; He didn't have any mother; He never had any time He began; He never had any time He'd ever die; so ever Who He was is still alive. He never did have a beginning, so He couldn't have been nobody else but El, Elah, Elohim; self-existent, self-abiding, Almighty God. Jesus had a Father; Jesus had a Mother; Jesus had a beginning of days; Jesus had an ending of earthly life. But this Man had neither father nor mother (Amen.), no father nor mother. Jesus had both Father and Mother. This Man had neither father nor mother. Amen. And what did He do? After the battle was over, after Abraham had took his position... After the church takes its position, we're called to the adoption of sons by the Holy Spirit. And when each man takes his position, what God has called him to do, and stand to the end of the road, going after the lost... First, Paul takes all the scare out of it. So now, if you're called, if you're not just worked up in your mind by some kind of theology; if you're really borned of the Spirit, then God predestinated you before the foundation of the world, put your name on the Lamb's Book of Life; and now we come together to set in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: "A holy people, a holy nation, a peculiar people, royal priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices unto God, that is, the fruits of our lips giving praise to His Name." People come in and say, "Them people are crazy." Sure they are; the wisdom of God is foolish to man, and the wisdom of man is foolish to God. They're contrary, one to the other. But a real Spirit-filled church, full of power of God, setting together in heavenly places, offering spiritual sacrifices, praises of God, the Holy Spirit moving among them, discerning sin, and calling out the things that's among them that's wrong, straightened out and making it flat and level... Because why? Always in the Presence of God is that bloody Sacrifice. Now, remember, we went through it this morning. You wasn't saved by the Blood; you're kept saved by the Blood. But you were saved by grace, through faith, believing it. God knocked at your heart, because He predestinated you. You looked up, and believed it, accepted it. Now, the Blood makes an atonement for your sins. Remember, I said, "God does not condemn a sinner for sinning." He's a sinner to begin with. He condemns a Christian for sinning. And then because He has condemned him, Christ took our condemnation. So there's no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And if you do anything wrong, it isn't willfully. You don't sin willfully. A man that sins willfully, goes out and willfully sins, never come into that Body yet. But a man that's once in there, he's dead, and his life is hid in God through Christ, sealed by the Holy Ghost, and the devil can't even find him; he's so far back in there. He would have to come out of there before the devil can ever get in, for you are dead. Tell a dead man he's a hypocrite and see what happens. Kick him on the side and say, "You old hypocrite, you..." He'll not say a word. And that's right; he'll just lay there. And a man that's dead in Christ, you can call him hypocrite, call him anything you want to; he'll never rise up about it. If anything, he'll slip off somewhere and pray for you. That's right. But, oh, some of them's very much alive. That's what I think about; we're supposed to bury dead people. Them that's dead in Christ, we bury them in water. Sometimes we bury too many people that's alive: too much malice and strife, and there's too much in the church. But we can't separate that, but God does. He knows His people. He knows His sheep. He knows every voice. He knows www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

86

Adoption

His children. He knows who He can call out; He knows who He's predestinated. He knows who He's given these things to, what He's making Hisself known through. How He... God can put confidence in His children on what to do, knowing that they will do exactly. You believe God does that? Why, Satan said to--to Job one day--or said to God one day, "Yeah, You got a servant." God said, "There's none in the earth like him. He's a perfect man," had confidence in him. Satan said, "Oh, yes, he's got everything easy. Let me have him a little while; I'll make him cuss You to Your face." He said, "He's at your hands, but don't you take his life." See? And he done everything but take his life. But, oh, Job, instead of... What did he do? Did he cuss God when God took his children, when he done all these evil things to him, and everything? Job didn't question. He fell on his face and worshipped (Hallelujah.), said, "The Lord gave, and the Lord taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord." There you are. God knowed His trust in Job. God knows how much He can trust you. He knows how much He can trust me. But what we're speaking of now is placing this child. Now, when the Bible--when the battle is all over, when everything is finished, then what is the next thing we do? What is the thing we do after the battle's over? Did you know what we do? We meet Melchisedec. Let's turn, Matthew 16:16, right quick, see if that's right or not. Saint Matthew, 16th chapter and 16th verse, I'm pretty sure that's right, Matthew 16:16. Matthew 6... No, that's wrong, couldn't be that close, 26:26. 'Cause 16 here, He's talking to Simon Peter. Pardon me, I didn't mean to say that. 26:26, 'cause just the last supper, that's what I'm trying to get to. Matthew the 26th chapter and the 26th verse, now we got her; here we are, at the last supper. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to His disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, for--which is shed for many for the remission of sins... (S-i-n-s, sins, Christians who does things wrong) All right, but--but listen, 29th verse... ... I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom. What? The same thing Melchisedec did after Abraham had got his position, set his men in order, and won the battle, and had come home, and Melchisedec come out with bread and wine. After the battle's over, then we'll eat the wedding supper with the Lord Jesus in the new world. Oh, blessed be the Name of the Lord. All right. The mysteries of His will, according to His good pleasure... (Back over now again in Ephesians 9)... which he has purposed in Himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of time... And remember that, we just passed over it: Ephesians, 1st chapter, 10th verse. That in the dispensation of the fulness of time... Now, we learned that the fullness of time is waiting for what? The fullness of all time, the time that when sin will cease, the time when death will cease, the time when sickness will cease, the time when sin will cease, the time when all of the perversions and perverted things that the devil has perverted will cease, when time itself shall cease. Watch. That in the dispensation of the fulness of time that he might gather... in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on the earth; even in him: "Gather all things through Christ..." As I said this morning, all the little nuggets that we find, these great little things, you can polish them in Genesis; you can polish them in Exodus; you can polish www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

87

Adoption

them in Leviticus, and bring them through; and in Revelations they'll end up being Jesus. You take Joseph; you take Abraham; you take Isaac; you take Jacob; you take David; you take any of those nuggets, those men of God, and see if you don't see Jesus Christ displayed in each one of them. "That He might gather all things into One, Christ Jesus." Now, a little farther now, now that 11th verse... In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,... Oh, "an inheritance..." Somebody has to leave you something to inherit it. Is that right? An inheritance, what inheritance do we have? What inheritance did I have? I didn't have any. But God left me an inheritance when He put my name on the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world. Oh, you say, "Now, wait a minute, brother, Jesus did that when He died for you." No, He never. Jesus come to purchase that inheritance for me. Read the very next ver, or very next line. I--in whom we also have obtained apparent... obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own good will: God, before the foundation of the world, as we've took it down through the lesson, you people: How we seen God was self-existence, how that in Him was love. In Him was to be God; there was nothing to worship Him. In Him was to be a Father; there was... He was by Himself. In Him was to be a Saviour: nothing lost. In Him was to be a Healer. That's the attributes of Him. There was nothing there. So His Ownself, His own good counsel produced these things, that He might through this one Man, Christ Jesus, gather it all together again. Oh, eye has not seen ears not... No wonder it's a mysterious thing. Look, "has predestinated us unto this inheritance..." If I'm a right inheritance of something, if God is knocking at my heart and saying, "William Branham, I called you a long time ago before the foundation of the world to preach the Gospel," I have an inheritance, an inheritance of Eternal Life. Now, God sent Jesus to make that inheritance real to me, because there was nothing I could do to--to inherit it. It was blank; it was valid; there's nothing I can do. But in the fullness of time God sent, in His Own good time, Jesus the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. His Blood was shed, that I might go to my inheritance. To be what, what inheritance? To sonship, to be a son of God. And now, this may just choke you to death. But did you know that men that are sons of God are amateur gods? How many ever knowed that? How many knows that Jesus said so? The Bible, Jesus said, "Did not your law say itself that you are gods? And if you call them gods..." Which, God said in Genesis 2 that they were gods, because they were--had full domain over the dominion of the world. He give him dominion over all things. And he lost his godship; he lost his sonship; he lost his domain; and Satan took it over. But, brother, we are waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God, who will come back and take it over again. Waiting for the fullness of time, when the pyramid gets up to the top, when the full sons of God will be manifested, when the power of God will walk out (Hallelujah.) and will take every power that Satan's got away from him. Yes, sir, it belongs to him. He's the Logos that went out of God; that is true; that was the Son of God. Then He made man that little god. And He said, "If they call those who the Word of God came to, the prophets, if they call them gods who the Word of God came to..." And God said so Himself that they were gods. He told Moses, "I made you a god, and made Aaron your prophet." Amen. Whew. I--I may act like a religious crank, but I'm not. Oh, when your eyes can come open and see those things... All right. He made man a god, a god in his domain. And His domain goes from sea to sea, from shore to shore. He has the control of it.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

88

Adoption

And when Jesus came, being the one God without sin, He proved it. When the winds blowed, He said, "Peace, be still." Amen. And when the tree, He said, "No man eat from thee." "Verily, I say unto you, you, that's little gods, if you'll say to this mountain, 'be moved,' and don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you've said will come to pass, you can have what you've said." Go right back to Genesis, to the original; what is it? Now, the world and nature is groaning, crying; everything's a moving what? For the manifestation of the sons of God, when true sons, born sons, filled sons speak and their word is backed. I believe we're on the border of it right now. Yes, sir. Say to this mountain, let it be so. "Brother, I--I desire so-and-so, a certain thing done. I'm a believer in Jesus Christ." "I give it to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Amen. There's a manifestation. "Oh, brother, my crops are burning up out yonder. I haven't had any rain." "I'll send you a rain in the Name of the Lord God...?... bless your crop." Oh, waiting, groaning, all nature, waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God. God ordained it at the beginning. He gave man the domain. He gave Jesus Christ, and Jesus gave it in His Name, with this assurance, "Ask the Father anything in My Name, and I'll do it." Oh, Brother Palmer. Waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God, the position, the church... As I said, the Book of Ephesians is the Book of Joshua, and Joshua placing the people where they belong. Now, if they wouldn't stand still, and he put Ephraim here, and said he run over on Manasseh's land. And this one would come back a fussing and stewing, how they ever going to get along? When one said, "I'm a Baptist; I'm a Methodist; I'm a Pentecostal; I'm oneness; I'm twoness; I'm So-and-so." how you going to do it? Stand still. God's wanting to place His church, sons and daughters of God. God, let me live to see it, is my prayer, so close till I can just feel it with my hands almost, look like; it's right there. That's what I've longed to see, waiting for the time when walk down the street; there lays a cripple laying there from his mother's womb, "Silver and gold have I none...?..." Oh, waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God (Hallelujah.), when God will make Hisself known, when they'll stop sickness, they'll stop cancer, they'll stop diseases. You think cancer's something? The Bible said there's coming a time when men will rot right in their flesh, and the buzzards will eat off of carcasses before they even die. Cancer's a toothache to what's a coming. But, remember, that horrible thing was forbidden in that day to touch those who had the Seal of God. That's what we're striving for now, to get in and be positionally placed into the Kingdom of God before these horrible plagues strike. Oh, how good. The dispensation of time, fullness of time, the i--inheritance... In whom we also... obtained... inheritance, being predestinated... How was our inheritance given to us, through what? Predestination. Predestination is foreknowledge. How did God know He could trust you to be a preacher? His foreknowledge. "Not he that willeth or he that runneth, or he... It's God that showeth mercy." That's right. Predestination, He knew what was in you. He knowed what was in you before you even come on the earth. He knowed what was in you before there was ever a earth for you to come on. That's-that's Him. That's the infinite God, the infinite. We're finite; we can only think finite. It's been so much to me since that what happened to me, I don't know. When I think there, when I stood there for those few joyful moments, and thought, "There's no tomorrow." There was no yesterday; there's no sickness; there's no sorrow. There's no little bit of happiness, then a whole lot of happiness; it's all happiness. Oh, my. Oh, when I stood there, and I said, "What is this?"

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

89

Adoption

That Voice said, "This is perfect love, and everything that you ever loved and everything that ever loved you is here with you now." "And you'll present us to the Lord Jesus when He comes, as trophies of your ministry." I seen those beautiful women standing there, all grabbing me and screaming, "My precious, darling brother." Seen those man with that shaggy hair around their neck here, running, grabbing me, and saying, "Our darling brother." And I thought, "What does this mean?" He said, "They're your people." I said, "My people? There couldn't be that many Branhams; there's millions..." He said, "They're your converts." Hallelujah. "They are your converts. They're the ones that..." Said, "You see that one standing there?" The most beautiful woman I ever seen... Said, "She was a past ninety years old when you led her to God. No wonder she's crying, 'My darling brother.'" Said, "She'll never be old no more. She's passed from that. She's in the splendor of youth. She's standing here. She can't drink a cold drink of water; she don't need it. She can't lay down and sleep, 'cause she don't get tired. There's no tomorrow, no yesterday, nor nothing. We're in eternity now. But some glorious day the Son of God shall come, and you will be judged according to the Word that you preached to them." Oh, brother, I said, "Will Paul have to bring his group?" "Yes, sir." I said, "I preached It just exactly like Paul said It. I never divvied; I never took into any church creeds or anything else. I stayed the same." And all of them screamed with one accord, "We know that. We're resting with assurance." Said, "You will present us to Him, and then we'll all go back to earth again to live forever." Oh, my. Just then I started coming to. I looked, laying there on the bed, and I seen my old carcass here, getting old and wrinkled, and drawed up, and--and diseased up, and afflicted, and I seen my hands behind my head, and I thought, "Oh, will I have to go back in that thing again?" And I kept hearing that Voice, "Keep pressing on. Keep pressing on." I said, "Lord, I've always believed Divine healing; I'll keep believing it. But I'll press for them souls, so help me. I'll have so many there I'll... Let me live Lord, and I'll put another million in there, if You'll just let me live." I don't care what color, what creed, what nationality, what they are; they're all one when they get there. Them old boundary lines has passed away. Oh, I can see those women, so pretty, never seen... with lo--long hair way down their back, long skirts way down. They was barefooted. See them men with shaggy hair around their neck, redheads, blackheads, and all different colors. And they were throwing their arms around me. I could feeled them. I felt their hands. Jud--God is my Judge, and this sacred Book open, I could feel them just the same as I feel my hands on my face. And they was throwing their arms around me, no sensation of women like would be now. I don't care how holy you are, who you are, what kind of a preacher you are, priest, or whatever you might be; there's no man can let a woman throw his arms around her, without having a human sensations. That's exactly the truth. But, brother, when you pass between here and yonder, it ain't that way there. Oh, my. It's so, oh, there's... It's impossible. It's all love. Everything is real brother and everything's real sister. There's no death, no sorrow, no jealousy, no nothing, nothing can enter there. It's just perfection. That's what I'm striving for. That's what I'm placing for. I said, "O Lord, that's what I'm here at the church for, trying to set the church in order," telling you, brother and sister, there's only one thing that can enter that; that's perfect love. Not because you're loyal to the Branham Tabernacle, or the Methodist church, or Baptist church, them's all right; you should be. But, oh, friends, you've got... Not because you spoke with tongues, danced in the Spirit, because you cast out devils, or moved mountains with faith. That all's all right, for that's www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

90

Adoption

all right, but still unless that real perfect love is in there. That was where perfect... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] ... They have obtained an inheritance... (We inherit what? Eternal Life)... being predestinated... How? Does everybody understand that? Did you call on God? No, God called on you. No man never sought God. It's God seeking man. Jesus said, "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him first." See, it's the nature of man to run from God. And you say now... That--that's what bothers me though, to preach to you people; don't remain on in the same condition you've been going in; change now. Hear me as I say it, THUS SAITH THE LORD. I've never called myself this; I'm not. But you called me your prophet, or a prophet. The world believes that, the world around, millions and millions and millions of people. I've spoke directly and indirectly to ten or--ten or twelve million people, or more, directly speaking. I've seen tens of thousands of visions, and signs and wonders, and not one of them have ever failed. And that's right. He's foretold me things that's never failed to happen just exactly. I'll bring any man to trial for that. That's right. I don't claim to be a prophet, but you listen to me. THUS SAITH THE LORD, it'll take perfect love to put you in that place, for that's all there was there. No matter how many, how much religious demonstrations, how many good deeds you done, or whatever you done, that won't count nothing on that day. It'll take perfect love. So whatever you do, you lay aside everything else, until you are just so filled with the love of God, till you can love those who hate you. I'm just, as I said this morning, I was made... My whole makeup is grace. A lot of people say, "Now, you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. Yeah, you do something for me, and I'll do something for you." That's not grace. Grace is, if your back is itching, I'll scratch it anyhow, whether you scratch mine or not; you slap me on the face, and say, "my back needs itching, needs scratching," I'll scratch it. See? That's it; do something. I don't believe in works; I believe that works is love. Works is--works is the manifestation that grace has taken place. I don't live true to my wife because I believe she'd divorce me if I didn't; I live true to her because I love her. I don't preach the Gospel, 'cause I think I'd go to hell if I didn't; I preach the Gospel because I love Him. Certainly. You think I'd cross those stormy seas, and them planes diving back and forth, and lightning flashing around, and--and everything else, and most any minute... and everybody screaming, and "Hail Mary's" a going on through the plane, and everything... Them people aswinging in them safety belts, and the pilot saying, "Enough gas to last fifteen minutes longer, don't know where we're at." Do you think I'd do that just--just for the fun of doing it? Huh. You think I'd get back out there in the jungles where German soldiers had to put their arms around me like this each night and take me in and out of the meeting, until the Holy Spirit begin to perform miracles, communists setting with night scopes, to shoot me a mile away. You think I'd do that just for the fun of it? Because something in me, love. They're humans that Christ died for. Paul said, "I'm not only willing to go up to Jerusalem, but I'm going up there to be crucified. I'm going up to die. I'm going up there to die for the cause of the Lord." It's something, love that constrains you, that makes you. That's exactly right. If I'd preach the Gospel for money, if it would've been, I wouldn't have been twenty thousand dollars tonight in debt. I wouldn't been that in debt. No, sir. Because I'd have kept some of the-some of the millions that had been given to me. One man, one man sent an FBI agent with a million-five-hundred-thousand dollar money draft. And I said, "Take it back." Not for money, it isn't money. I don't preach the Gospel for money, not for that. It's because of the love. The thing I want to do, is, when I cross that last breath yonder, which may be in five minutes from now; it may be in two hours from now; it may be fifty years from now. I www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

91

Adoption

don't know when it'll be. But when it does, I do arrive there, I want to see the splendor of youth running, hollering, "My darling brother, my brother." That's what's in my heart. That's why. I don't try to disagree with you to be--be different, but I'm trying to put you on the road that's right. That's the way in. Not your church, not your denomination, but your birth in Christ. Oh, my. Whew. In whom... we have obtained... inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: Listen. We're going to close in a few minutes. Listen close now 'fore we close. That we should be to the praises of his glory, who first trusted... Christ. In whom ye also trusted... Watch this now, closely. Get on your jackets, Gospel jackets. Hold your ears open; listen close. I'm on the 13th verse. In whom you also trusted, after that ye heard... ("Faith cometh by hearing the Word of...) [Congregation says "God."--Ed.]... after that you heard the word of truth... What is Truth? The Word of God. Is that right? John 17:17, you that's taking down Scriptures, Jesus said, "Sanctify them, Father, through the Truth; Thy Word is Truth." ... after you heard the truth, the Gospel of your salvation... What was the salvation he was trying to tell them? Predestinated before the foundation of the earth (Is that right?) to adoption of sons, predestinated to Eternal Life. Now, after you come into Eternal Life, after you been saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Spirit, you're sons. Now, God wanting to place you positionally, oh, so that you can work for His Kingdom and His glory. That's the Gospel. Being first, hear the Word, "Repent, be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." Taking away all your sins, calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the promised land... The promise is unto every sojourner that's on your road. If you left your home tonight, a sinner, saying, "I'll walk over to the Branham Tabernacle," God gives you the opportunity tonight. There's one thing lays between you and the promised Land. What is the promised Land? The Holy Ghost. What laid between Joshua and the promised land was the Jordan. Exactly right. Moses, being a type of Christ, led the children up to the promised land; then Moses did not take the children in the promised land. Joshua took the people in and divided up the land. Jesus paid the price, led them up to the Holy Spirit. God sent the Holy Spirit down, and He positionally put the church in order, each man, filling him with His Presence of His Being. You see what I mean? All in Christ Jesus, how God predestinated this to the calling of this Gospel. Paul, Galatians 1:8, said, "If an Angel come preach anything else, let him be accursed." The Truth, the Gospel... Now, listen close as we read on, finishing the verse. ... the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also... (Listen closely)... after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, In the last days, the Bible said... Now, watch. In the last days there's going to be two classes of people. One of them's going to have the Seal of God, the other one the mark of the beast. Is that right? How many knows that? Well, if the Seal of God is the Seal of... If the Seal of God is the Holy Ghost, then without the Holy Ghost is the mark of the beast. And the Bible said that the two spirits would be so close together, it would deceive the very Elected if it was possible. It'll never do it, because they were elected to Eternal Life. See? Church going just as an ordinary... Ten virgins went out to meet the Lord, all sanctified, all holy, every one of them sanctified. Five were dilatory and let their lights go out. Five had oil in their lamps. "And, behold the Bridegroom cometh." And the five that had oil in their lamps went into the wedding supper. And the others was left outside , where they were weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Be ready, for you don't know what minute the Lord comes. Have... What is the Oil represented in the Bible? Holy Spirit.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

92

Adoption

Now, if you today are Seventh-day Adventist brethren who said the seventh day is God's seal, produce one Scripture to prove it. The Bible said that the Seal of God is the Holy Ghost. Watch this. Which, watch the 13th verse now. ... after that you believed, you were sealed with the--with the Holy Spirit of promise. Turn to Ephesians 4:30; I believe that's it. See if we don't get 4:30; see if this isn't the same: Ephesians the 4th chapter and the 30th verse, yeah, here it is, 4:30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed until the day of redemption. How long? When you really, really receive the Holy Ghost, how long is It to last you? Until the next revival? until Grandma crosses your path? until the boss bawls you out? Until the day of your redemption. Hallelujah. After you have died, after you have passed into that land, that you're standing there with your loved ones, you are still filled with the Holy Ghost. Scripture... You're just as you are now, only you've got a--you've moved into another body. You've just changed houses. This one got old; you couldn't tack the shingles on it no more; the rafters got rotten. That's right. So you just turned the old thing away, and let it rot on down, and moved into a new one. Is that right? "For if this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one waiting." You remember the other day, going through that? When the little baby is being formed in the womb of the mother, and its little muscles are kicking and jumping and going on... But just as soon as the mother drops the baby, and the baby's to earth, the first thing, there is a spiritual body to catch that little natural body. Maybe the doctor give it a [Brother Branham slaps his hands together--Ed.] like that, or something to shake it, and "wha, wha, wha." And immediately right to that mother's breast it'll go, "um, um," moving its little head up and down on the mother's breast, to make those milk veins bring milk. A little calf, as soon as it's dropped from the mother, it'll get up on its little knees after a few minutes. What will it do? Move right straight back around, get ahold of that mother, and begin to shake its little head up-and-down like that, and get its milk, Hallelujah. Yes, sir. When this natural body comes into earth, there's a spiritual body waiting for it. And when this natural body's dropped on the ground (Hallelujah.), there is one waiting yonder. We just move from one into another; we change our dwelling places. This mortal must put on immortality; this spiritual, this corruption put on incorruption. This old wrinkled up, drawed, stooped over body, but it won't change its appearance at all; I mean when it gets yonder, you'll still have the same spirit. Let me give you a little something sounds twisting to you, but it's the Bible. Then I'll give you one that'll untwist it for you. Watch this one. When old Saul, the--the king, the--the old, big old denominational preacher down there that time, you know, that got head and shoulders above them all, and was afraid; he didn't know nothing about the supernatural. David had to come and deliver the lamb out of the lion's mouth, kill Goliath. Watch him. He got so far back from God; he got to hating this holy-roller preacher. Instead of being for him to try to help him, he turned against him. If that just isn't the picture exactly, exactly the picture: turned right from him. How many was in here when I left on my first trip and preached, "David, a slaying Goliath," when I left? Many, some, a few of the old timers. I'm fixing to leave again on this. Remember, we see what just come around last Sunday? It's moving right into another phase. David's second campaign, second phase of his ministry. That's exactly right. Which, then he become king over Israel. Notice the ministry now is moving out into a greater phase, coming out greater. So did David. Now, notice this as he come, David, oh, when God had David come out there and slay the lion, notice, and slay the bear, then slay the Philistine... Now, there come a time when God gave a evil spirit over to this old boy. And now, to what? To hate David. And I believe... www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

93

Adoption

Now, these tapes... Now, listen, brethren, you on these tapes, if you disagree with me, forgive me. See, I love you. I'm going to meet you over yonder anyhow (See?), 'cause if you're a man of God, I'm going to meet you anyhow. But I want to say this: here's the reason. Just because that Saul saw that David had something that he didn't have... Then what happened? A little old ruddy, drawed over... The Bible said he was ruddy. That wasn't a very fair child, "ruddy" is just a little old drawed up sort of a fellow. And he went out there, and Saul... When he put Saul's armor on him, I imagine the shield come plumb down over his feet. And he said, "Take this stuff off of me." All right. Now, maybe he give him a doctor's degree, a Ph.D. or LL.D., or something, you know. How he said, "I don't know nothing about that stuff, because I haven't proved it. Let me have this what I know what I'm doing with." Yes, sir. He took the slingshot. And they made David mad because the daughters, the churches, the churches was singing, "Saul, might've killed his thousands, but David killed his tens of thousands." Then he got jealous, "That old Jesus' Name stuff, there's nothing to it." That's right. And what did God do to him? God sent an evil spirit upon him (See?) to hate David, and he hated David without a cause. David could've wrung his neck a few times. He could, but he just let it go. He just never said nothing. He sure could've done it. He went over and cut the tail of his coat off one night, come back, said, "Looky here, you see?" Yes, sir, he could've done it, but he just let him alone. He could've broke his congregation up, and scattered them, and started an organization of hisself if he wanted to. But he didn't do it; he just let Saul go on. Let God do the fighting. Yes, sir. So as he went on out, and the campaign finished on, it got on, that evil spirit got so that Saul couldn't get no answer from God. After while he... The Spirit of the Lord had departed from him. And old Samuel, the one that they had turned down, the one that really was the Voice of God to them, the one that said to them before they even wanted to act like the world... Why does the church want to act like the world? Why does Pentecostal, baptized, Holy Ghost experienced Methodists, and Baptists, and Presbyterian want to act like the world? Why do they do it? I don't know. I--I just can't understand it. You say, "Well, it's no fun to play poker, just a little bit for fun, just a little penny ante," ever what you call it. It's a sin. You shouldn't have them things in your house. "Why, it's no harm to take this little bitty glass of beer out there. Uh, we just got a few. Me and my wife has a few in the afternoon." And the first thing you know, your children's got a few. Sure it is. And you women, Hmm. Devil's just made a... That's what he did in the beginning, and he certainly has made a target out of you sisters. He just does that just to... 'Cause he knows what he can do. He can deceive a woman a thousand times quicker than a man. I know that hurts your feelings, but that's the truth. That's exactly. That's what he done in the garden of Eden. He can make... Now, she was honest; she was sincere, but she was deceived. "Adam was not deceived," the Bible said. He wasn't deceived, but she was deceived. So he can deceive her. And yet pastors will go right out and ordain women preachers, put them out over flongre--congregations like that, and this Bible condemns it from Genesis to Revelation. You say, "Well, it's all right. It's all right. They got... They can preach just the same as any." I know that's right. Like somebody started speaking in tongues one time; I just kept on preaching. And when I got outside, a woman said to my son, said, "I've got a message to give tomorrow night," said, "when your daddy comes on the platform." Said, "Why, a message, what do you mean?" And that night when it got ready, when I was fixing to make the altar call, she fixed her hair all up, and pulled up her stockings and everything, got ready, jumped up in the middle of the floor and begin to jump up-and-down, spoke in tongues, and prophesied. I just kept on preaching, make my altar call. Well, I never really respect it a bit; it wasn't right. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

94

Adoption

So then, well, the Bible said not to, said, "The--the Spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophet." God's on the... God's speaking at the platform, let Him speak. Paul said, "If something be revealed to one, let him hold his peace till the next one finishes." That's right. Now, then when I got outside, these people said, a big bunch of people, said, "You grieved the Holy Ghost tonight." I said, "What doing? What'd I do?" Said, "Well, when that sister gave that message. Hallelujah, said that..." "Why," I said, "I was preaching. She was out of order." "Oh," said, "that was fresh right off the throne. That's fresher than what you was preaching." Ha. Now, that just shows the... That shows either this... And I say it to your respects, either insanity, or either disrespects, or illiterate teaching that don't know no more about God than a rabbit knows about snowshoes. Now, that, I don't say that to be a-a silly remark, because this no place to joke. But that's--that's exactly the truth. A person that would know that God's not a author of confusion. He's of peace. The Bible they don't know. All they knowed how to do is jump up-and-down, speak in tongues, say, "I got the Holy Ghost. Hallelujah." I've stood and seen, in Africa, witch doctors and things speak, by the five thousands of them at a time, jumping up-and-down, blood all over their faces, speaking in tongues, and drink blood out of a human skull, call on the devil, and speak in tongues. And yet speaking in tongues is a gift of God, but that's not the infallible proof of the Holy Ghost. Let me tell you that now. I do believe that all inspired saints speak with tongues. I believe a man sometime when you get so inspired with God till you will speak with tongues. I believe that. But I don't believe that's any sign you got the Holy Ghost. Yes, sir. I believe there's times when you have faith, a person, you can walk right up and lay hands on a little kid that's got a cancer, when fifty preachers had prayed for it, and it'd be healed; because that mother has faith for that child. God's give it to her; she's a member of the Body of Christ. Yes, sir. I believe that. I seen that done, and I know that's true. But what it is, is get the church in order, set in order so we can work. Now, let's finish the rest of this verse here 'fore we go. ... after that you receive, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise... Seal, what is the seal? What is a seal? A seal is, first thing it shows is a work that has been completed, a completed work. The next thing it shows is ownership. And the next thing it shows is security, keeping it. Say, for instance, I used to work for the Pennsylvania Railroad; I used to work with my father on the railroad. We would load cars. And we'd put in down here at this packing company; we'd put in tin cans. And we'd set some up here, and some down here, and some up this a way. But before that car was ever sealed, the inspector come through there, and he pushed on it, shoved on this one, shook that one. "Aw. Condemn it. They'll break all to pieces 'fore they get there. Condemn it. Take them out. Do it over." The inspector condemned the car. The Holy Ghost is the Inspector. He shake you a little bit, and you rattle. Do you believe all the Word of God? "I don't believe that old Jesus' Name stuff." Condemn it. You rattle. See? "I don't believe in Divine healing or no such a thing." Still rattles, take them out. You believe Jesus Christ is the same yesterday... "Well, in some way." You rattle. Kick it out; it ain't ready yet. Yes, sir. Brother, when it's ready to say "amen..." Have you received the Holy Ghost? "Amen." Has everything been completed? "Amen." Then what does the Inspector do? Everything's packed in good and tight, full of the Gospel. Oh, every Word of God is good. Everything is perfect. "I believe every Word. Amen. Amen. Amen." Do you believe that God still heals? "Amen." Do you believe Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever? "Amen." You believe the Holy Ghost is just as real as It ever was? "Amen." You believe the same Spirit fell on Paul falls on us? "Amen." You

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

95

Adoption

believe It does the same things on us it did on them? "Amen." Uh, oh, she getting tight now. See, getting tight now; we're ready to close the door. All right. Then the inspector closes the door. What does he do? He puts a seal on it. Then he gets down here and gets ahold of these little pliers of a thing, reaches over there on this little thing and seals that. You'd better not break it. If them, that car, its destination is Boston, it cannot be broken. It would be an--a penitentiary offense to break that seal until it gets to Boston. And a man that has the authority can open that seal, and him only. That's right. It's owned by the certain-certain railroad company. It's their seal. It's their assurance that this car has been packed; this car is ready. It belongs to them. They couldn't put the "B & O" on the Pennsylvania. You've got to be sealed, and when it's sealed... And when the Christian is packed with the Gospel, filled with the goodness of God, all the good things of God laying in him, with an open heart, ready to work, willing to be positionally placed, do anything that the Holy Spirit tells him to do, passed from death unto Life, sanctified from all the things of the world, walking in the Light as the Light comes to him, moving on; he's ready. Then God shuts the door of the world behind him, and kicks it together like that, and seals him with the Holy Ghost of promise. Hallelujah. How long? Until the destination. Don't get him out here on the railroad track, and break it open, and see if everything's all right again. It's all right; just leave it alone. The Inspector has done inspected it. How long are you sealed? Until the day of your redemption. That's how long you're sealed. "Well, when you die, then, Brother Branham, what about after you die, you said you still have It?" You have It forever. Where does Life begin? At the altar. Right there you see a little bit of shadow. That's the shadow, the Seal of the Holy Spirit. Then it's a shadow of the shadows of the shadows, as I said the other day. But when you die, you keep on going through those shadows until you come to moisture, from moisture to a little trickling spring, from a spring to a creek, from a creek to a river, from a river to an ocean (See?) of the love of God. You're just the same person. Looky here. Old Saul, the old backslider, he could not get through to God, yet he wasn't lost. He certainly wasn't. He was a prophet, but he just got outside of God. That's the reason, brethren, I said, "You're not lost." So then you remember, he just got out of the will of God; so then the first thing you know, he--he wouldn't agree. Now, maybe I shouldn't have said that. All right, I'm just going on 'fore a happy congregation tonight. So then, you know, and the first thing you know, oh, my, then he went to the--the Urim Thummim. You know what the Urim of Thummim was, it was the breastplate, the ephod that--that Aaron wore. And it was always, God always has been a supernatural God answering in supernatural ways. And when a prophet prophesied, and them mystic lights didn't come across that Urim Thummim, he was wrong. When a dreamer told a dream, and it didn't flash on that Urim Thummim, I don't care how good it sounded; it was wrong. That's right. And I don't care just exactly how many doctor's degrees you got and how big your organization is, when you prophesy or preach, it ain't according to this Word, you're wrong, brother. You're... This is God's Urim Thummim. When you say you wasn't predestinated before the foundation of the world, she won't flash; because the Bible said you was. When you say that you ought to be baptized in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost, it doesn't flash; because nobody in the Bible was ever baptized that way, only in the Name of the Lord Jesus. It won't flash, so there's something wrong somewhere. So the Urim Thummim wouldn't answer old Saul, and he couldn't even have a dream. He was so far gone, till he couldn't even have a dream. So you know what he done? He went down to the www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

96

Adoption

witch, and this old witch, the old devil doctor down there, witch doctor. And he said, "Can you divine?" She said, "Yes, but Saul said he'd kill everybody divining." He said, "I'll protect you," dressed like a footman. He said, "Divine for me and bring me up from the world of the dead that's passed on beyond here." Now, listen to this. "Bring me up the spirit of Samuel the prophet." And she went in to--to divine. And when she did, she fell on her face; she said, "I see gods coming up." See, she was a heathen, "gods," two or three of them, like Father, Son, Holy Ghost, or something like that, you know. She said; she said, "I see gods coming up." Said, "Describe him. How does he look? What does he look like?" Said, "He's thin, and he's got a mantle over his shoulders." He hadn't changed a bit. He said, "It's Samuel. Bring him in this room; bring him here before me." And watch when Samuel come before Saul, he said, "Why did you call me, seeing you've become an enemy to God?" And watch. Not only was he still Samuel; he still maintained the spirit of prophecy. Say it's wrong; let anyone say it's wrong. It's the truth. He was still a prophet. For he said, he prophesied and said, "The battle's going against you tomorrow, and you and your sons will fall in battle tomorrow, and by this time tomorrow night you'll be with me." Is that right? He was still a prophet. Now, you say, "Oh, but that was a witch did that." All right, I'll tell you One that wasn't a witch. Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and went up to Mount Transfiguration one time, and was standing up on top of the mountain. And Jesus, God was placing His Son like I'm trying to--had the other night, placing son. And when they did, they looked around and found out that there stood Moses and Elijah. They were talking, communing, not little white flags floating around, or little white clouds, rather, floating around. But they were men, talking. Moses had been buried in an unmarked grave for eight hundred years. And Elijah had went home in a chariot five hundred years. And here they both was, still just as much alive as they ever was alive, standing there talking to Him before He went to Calvary. Hallelujah. "Sealed until the day of our redemption..." I'll hurry, and then we'll close, 'cause it's late, and we'll pray for the sick, about five more minutes. 14th verse...?... when you read the 13th over it, get it background. In whom you... trusted, after that ye heard the word of the truth, the Gospel of your salvation:... Now, remember, what salvation they had? These were--these were Ephesian Christians. They... Now, look, did you notice the Corinthians? He always had to tell them, "When I come among you, one has a tongue, one has a tongue, one has a psalm, one has a prophecy, one has..." See, he couldn't teach them nothing, 'cause they was always desiring this, that, or the other. These people had the same thing, but they had it in order. He never taught the Corinthians nothing like this; he couldn't. The church wasn't in order to teach it. Now, he could teach these people the real thing. ... which, your salvation: ... in whom also after... ye believed, you were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest... (Oh, let me not pass that.)... the earnest of our inheritance until... redemption of the purchased poss--possession, unto the praise of his glory... (Whew.) What is the Holy Ghost? Now, then I'll read the rest of it real fast if you'll bear with me this much. Where was we at the other night, Brother Mike? Where they were all happy, oh, everything was peace; that was perfect love. Now, every time you come this way, you drop down a little, drop. Every time you make a step, you come inches closer. When it gets down to the earth, you got a shadow of the shadow of the shadow of shadows. Now, that's how much Holy Spirit you got in you. That's love. But oh, you thirst for something.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

97

Adoption

Oh, would not people like old, old people... How would I like to go back and be fifteen again, twenty. Oh, I'd give anything. What good would it do me? I might be fifteen and die yet tonight. It's uncertain. What if you was fifteen tonight, how do you know whether mother would be living when you got home or not? How you know you're going to get home? How do you know you're going to be living tomorrow if you're twelve years old, perfect health? You may be killed in a accident, drop dead, anything might happen to you. Uncertain (See?), there's nothing here certain. But you long for that. What is it? It's that up there making you long for it. Now, you walk into this, then you have Eternal Life. Now, what does it happen? It is the "earnest." What is the earnest money on anything? If I come to you to buy a car, I'd say, "How much is that car?" You say, "This car, Brother Branham, costs you three thousand dollars." "What's the down payment?" "Well, I'll let you have it for five hundred dollars." "All right, here's the five hundred dollars. I'll--I'll bring the rest of it to you sometime, soon as I can. You hold the car." I give you five hundred dollars; that's the earnest. Is that right? Now, hold that, it's the earnest; it's the down payment. ... after you were sealed by the... Spirit of promise, the Spirit of promise,... after you were sealed... Which is... (What, what is this Seal of promise, the Holy Spirit promised?)... Which is the earnest of our inheritance until... redemption of the purchased possession,... What is it? It's the down payment. And brother, Oh, if this is the down payment, what's it going to be when we get...?... What is it going to be? If this is the... If this what we enjoy now, and get so happy till... I've seen men ninety years old just couldn't har... I seen an old preacher that raised up one night. He come out, he said, like this, coming out on the platform. I said, "That old man going to preach?" He said, "Well, bless the Lord." An old colored fellow, great big old long preacher's coat on. I said, "Why didn't they let some of them young preachers preach? That old man, how can he ever preach?" He said, "Well," he said, "brethren," he said, "today I've been hearing the brothers preach all day long," he said, "about what Jesus done on earth. I'm going to tell what He done in heaven." He said, "I'll take my text tonight from Job 7:27," said, "when it was way back yonder before the foundation of the world," said, "when He said the morning stars sang together and sons of God shouted for joy." Going like that... Said, "You know, there's some went--something went on back there." He said, "You know..." And he begin to bring on what taken place in heaven. He brought it down the horizontal rainbow in the second coming. About that time, the Holy Ghost struck him. Now, they had to lead the old fellow out; he was around ninety-five years old. He's just like this, all bent over, and just a little rim of hair, you know, like this. Got out there and he started preaching, said, "Whoopee. Hallelujah. Glory." Got to jumping up-and-down like that. Said, "Oh, you ain't got enough room here for me to preach. Jumping up-and-down like that, hard as he could go. And that's just the earnest. Oh. What does the Holy Spirit do? Oh, here's a good place. Let me read the 1st verse of the next chapter. Can I? Is it all right? Say, "amen." [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] All right, the 1st verse of the 2nd chapter, quickly. Listen. You who were... you... And you has he quickened, who were one... were dead in trespasses and sins: "You has He quickened..." What does "quickened" mean? "Made alive." Just about gone, but He quickens you just by the earnest money. What will it be when you--when you really get ahold of the dividends?...?... Oh. No wonder Paul, caught up into the third heaven said, "Eye has not seen; ear has not heard; neither has it entered in, entered the heart of man, what God has for them in www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

98

Adoption

store that love Him." What will that be? You talk about joy unspeakable and full of glory. Whew. Umm. You who were once dead in sin and trespasses, has He quickened together by the shadow of the shadow of the shadows. What's it going to be when you come to the shadow of the shadows into the shadow, the shadow then into the creek, the creek into the river, the river into the ocean? And what is it when you're way out there in redemption with a brand new body, you've turned back to a young man altogether again, or a young woman; you're never going to die no more. And you look down on earth and think, "I could enjoy some grapes and some good cold water, but, you know, I don't need it here." But someday Jesus is coming, and this angelic body, this theophany that I'm living in, will not come through the womb of a woman any more; it'll not come through sexual desire any more; but because that He was born without sexual desire, I'll be resurrected without it. And He will speak someday, and the dead in Christ shall rise, and that body that I once lived in will resurrect into a glorified body; and I'll walk; and I'll talk; and I'll live; and I'll enjoy (Hallelujah) I'll...?... to the...?... ages that is to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. There you are, brother; that's the Gospel. "Wherefore I also..." Paul's just telling now what he is. I'll read the rest of this, and then we pray for the sick. "Until the possession, this is the earnest until the possession, unto the praises of His glory." Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith... (I heard that you believed this stuff; I heard that you really believed in predestination, Eternal Life, and salvation, and so forth)... in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all... saints, Cease not to give thanks to you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in... knowledge of him:... (Just keep revealing Himself to you all the time, growing from grace unto grace, from power unto power, glory unto glory. Not fall back; but from glory unto glory, keep moving on. I'll keep praying for you.) The eye o--the eyes of your understanding... Umm. You know, and the Bible said you were blind and didn't know it. But here Paul said, "I'm going to pray that your eyes of understanding..." You understand with your heart. That's what he's talking about. You look with your eye, but you see with your heart. You know that. All right. "That the God of glory..." Let's see, that--the 18th verse. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of the calling, and what the riches of... glory of his in--inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward... (Whew. They say the power's gone? The--the power hasn't even arrived yet.)... who believed, according to the working of his mighty power, "You who have believed to the working of His mighty power, I just pray that God will just pour out His power upon you." See? Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from... him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in... heavenly places, Far above... principalities... powers... might... dominion, and that every name that is named,... Oh. For... No, I better not. We could sure take the rest the night on that. ... every name that is named, not only in this world, but that in the world to come: What is every--what's every name every name of, every person will bear the Name of what? [Congregation says "Jesus."--Ed.] The whole heaven's named Jesus. The whole church is named Jesus. Everything is named Jesus, for it's the only Name that God ever had. He's called Jehovah, Jehovah-jireh, the Lord's provided Sacrifice; Jehovah-rapha, the Lord that healeth thee; Jehovah, the Lord's banner, Manasses; and Jehovah, di--different Jehovahs. He's called the Morning Star. He's called Father: He's called Son; He's called Holy Ghost. He's called Alpha; He's called www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

99

Adoption

Omega. He's called Beginning; He's called the Ending. He's called the Branch. Oh, He's called-He's just called all kinds of titles, but He had one Name. That's what Matthew was talking about when he said, "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name (not in names), in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." Father's not a name; Son's not a name; Holy Ghost is not a name. It's a title to a Name. It's a name of three attributes that belongs to one God. What was His Name? The Angel said, "Thou shall call His Name [Congregation says, 'Jesus.'] for He shall save His people from their sin." That's the reason they all baptized that way in the Bible. That's how Saint Augustine baptized the King of England, about--about a hundred and fifty, two hundred years after the death of Christ, in the Name of Jesus Christ. All right. Far above... principalities... powers... might... dominion, that--that every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And has put all things under his feet, and has given him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body,... Now, if my body has the power over all things, then what my body is, is what I am. Is that right? That's what I am; that's what you know me as. Is that right? Well, then, all that God was, He poured into Jesus, for He was the Fullness of the Godhead bodily. Is that right? And all that Jesus was, He poured into the church. "These things that I do, shall you do all things--also. Even greater than this shall you do, for I go to the Father." Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Oh, how I love that. How I love that. I was reading the other day a book that was wrote about of the trip I went to minis--minister in Africa. Never did read it before. How many ever read the book, "Prophet Visits Africa"? In there I was looking at a little Indian boy. How many seen that picture? I heard a certain evangelist, been praying for the sick for about fifteen years or more; he said, "I never seen a miracle performed in my life." He said, "I've seen people that said they had headaches, got well. I seen people say they had tummyache, got well, and so forth. But a miracle, something that created and made something..." I thought that boy ought to have been standing there and seen that. That Indian boy's leg was just about this big around, one of them. The other one was a normal leg, like the human being's leg. And if you notice his brace, there was his shoe about fourteen inches, or fifteen inches, higher like this. He had an iron plate on the bottom of it. His shoe set up on top of two long standards that stood. He walked up to where I was standing; they brought him up there. He had two crutches. He took this big iron shoe and chomped it down like that. I looked at his leg; it was about that big around. Now, them people are Mohammedan, Mohammedans. Did you remember last Sunday when I read you what the papers had to write? I've got it right here myself from Africa, sent to me by return missionary, Brother Stricker. There's the article how Billy Graham backed up on it. That's exactly. There's the Mohammedan pushing him right into the sea. What's the matter? The missionaries are leaving the field. What's the use of staying any longer; they're just whipped. I love Billy Graham; I think he's a wonderful man of God. But what Billy Graham ought to have charged him with, say, "Wait a minute..." If some of these self-starched Baptists would've let him do it, I believe he would've done it. I believe Billy Graham's a man of God. But if he'd said, "Wait a minute. I'm a minister of the Gospel. You believe in the Old Testament, and you said that Jesus wasn't nothing but a man. I challenge you on a debate." I don't believe in taking the devil's challenges, no, sir. But I'd have challenged him back, and said, "Let's you and I come together. I'm a Doctor of Divinity." Billy Graham is a Doctor of Divinity. "Let me challenge you on this, and let me prove to you that Jesus was the Christ. Now, when it comes to Divine healing, I don't possess those gifts, but we got some brothers that does. Now, if you want to bring them people out there, www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

100

Adoption

let me just call one of them, Oral Roberts or somebody, somebody that has a great ministry that would really get there." Come over there, and then seen what take place, say, "Christianity is not what you think it is." Now, everybody feels let down 'cause he just walked off and left him. 'Course now, I don't believe in the devil giving you a challenge. I've spit in his face too like that, and walked away from him. That's right. But when it comes to a place where... Billy could've--could've made that Mohammedan feel like a little weed like that. He could've took that Bible and took Isaiah 9:6, and said, "Who was he talking about, 'Unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given'? Who was this Man? Who was these--that he was talking about? Who was this Prophet? Who was this Messiah that was to come? Show me where he produced Hisself in Mohammed. 'He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquity, chastisement of our peace upon Him, with His stripes we were healed.' Show it to me in Mohammed. How did he cry, 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? They pierced My hands and My feet,' and so forth? Show me by your own word, your own testament." Why, he'd have beat that Mohammedan so bad till he wouldn't knowed where he was at. That's right. But when the paper had to turn around, that's what hurt--what made my heart jump, when it said there, "Though Billy had to back up and made a back up, how can the Mohammedans say that it was wrong," said, "when Reverend William Branham at Durban, South Africa, on undisputed miracle after miracle, with Divine power, when ten thousand Mohammedans fell on their face at one time and surrendered their life to Jesus Christ..." Absolutely, they know about it. Them fundamentals know about it. Don't you tell me. One time there's one come to Jesus, said, "Rabbi..." You know he was a Pharisee. Said, "We know You're a Teacher come from God. We know it. We know it, 'cause no man could do the things You do except God be with Him. We understand. We know it. But we just can't confess it (See?), 'cause if we do, well, we'll be put out of our church. See, we'll lose our prestige." And so Jesus said, begin to tell him he must be born again. On that Mohammedan boy, when he was standing there; there's his picture. The camera won't take a lie. There he's standing there, one leg that much shorter (about fourteen inches) than the other one, standing on that iron shoe. Said to him, I said, "You speak English?" "No, sir." Couldn't speak English. Interpreter said, "He don't speak English." "How long you been that way?" The interpreter asked him. "Since birth." "Can you move the leg at all?" "No, sir." "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?" Said, "I'm a Mohammedan." I said, "Will you accept Jesus Christ if He'll make you well?" "I will accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour if He make me well." "If He'll make that well, that leg come like the other, you'll accept Him?" "I will." Thought, "God, what will You do?" This was the next thing. All questions are answered. Brother Mike, that's the feeling. I'll wait just a minute to see what He was going to say. I looked over there; I seen the boy going, walking along, like aside of the walls like that; I said, "How many of you Mohammedans will accept it? Here's a Mohammedan boy; look at him; stand him up there." I said, "You doctors, you want to look at him? There he stands." Oh, you know where you're at then. See, you know where you're standing. Nobody... Here he was.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

101

Adoption

I said, "Walk across this way, son." And they got him, here he come. (Cha-lomp, cha-lomp.) I said, "Look like about twelve, fourteen inches shorter. About like that." "Yeah." I said, "But Jesus Christ the Son of God can make him well. Will you Mohammedans believe it and accept Him as personal Saviour? There's thousands of those black hands went up out through like that. "Oh, Lord, now's the time." I said, "Heavenly Father, if You ever answered, answer me now; this is for Your glory; this is for You. I pray You make this boy well." I just prayed over him like that. I said, "Take off your shoe." He looked at me real funny, the interpreter. I said, "Take off your shoe." He unlaced it. 'Cause I done seen that vision, what was going to happen. He took off that thing. When he took it back and walked over there to me, both legs just as normal, and both of them walking like this. I said, "You want to walk back and forth?" He started crying like that, going back and forth; he didn't know what to do. Walking like that, he said, "O Allah. Allah." I said, "Jesus. Jesus." Oh, "O Jesus, Jesus," then. "Jesus. Jesus," like that. I said, "Is there any questions, any questions?" Julius Stadsklev, how many knows him? Brother Stadsklev's come here at the church. Just--just went to Germany. See? Said, "Just a minute, Brother Branham, just a minute." said, "bring the photographer right quick and I'll get his picture?" I said, "Help yourself." "Walked over here, stand your shoe here." He stood like that, took the picture of the boy there, with both legs just as normal and straight as they could be. There stood his old show and brace like that--like that. I said, "How many of you Mohammedans now reject Mohammed as prophet, and believe Jesus to be the Son of God, and accept Him as your personal Saviour?" Ten thousand hands went...?... Hallelujah. They don't want a... They try to keep it back, because we're "holy-rollers," they call us. You see? Just the same, God's a moving, placing His church. He's doing the exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could even do or think. He's just as much God tonight as He ever was. So little friends, let me tell you something right now. My darling precious people, you here in this land, and the others in tape lands which will be overseas and wherever you are, don't be afraid. Everything's all right. Father God, before the foundation of the world, knew everything that would happen. Everything works right along. You love Him? Keep your heart right. And, remember, when this breath passes from this life, to you old people, or to you young people... And you mothers, when you see your little babies, that little girl baby that died when she wasn't eight days old or five days old, she'll be a beautiful young woman when you see her. That old grandpa was all so stooped over; he couldn't hardly see where he was going; when you see him, grandmother, he'll be a fine handsome young man, just as young as about twenty years old, just in the splendor of youth. And he'll be that way forever. You'll can touch his hand; you can shake hands with him. You'll throw your arms around him, but he won't be hubby; he'll be brother. Oh, my. He'll be so much greater than hubby. You think you loved him? Sure you did. But that was phileo; wait till you get agapao. Wait till that real Divine love catches, and then see what is. This here just is like an old smoldering dump; it's no good; there's nothing to it. Only thing I advise you to do now, is this, my--my--my friends. A little later on I'll... Would you like for me to pick up them other two chapters sometime? The Lord... I've--I got to rest just a little before Chautauqua. Now, I can't preach these things in them meetings. There's too many un--too many different beliefs. See? This is just church alone. See? I can't preach... But I got a right to preach in here whatever I want to. This is my Tabernacle. See? And I'm telling you. Now, I believe them people www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

102

Adoption

are saved. Yes, sir, I truly believe it. But oh, how much more it is to walk when you know where you're walking. How much, know--it is to know what you're doing (You see?), instead of staggering, stumbling along. Let's just stand up in the Light, and walk in the Light, and know which way you're headed. That's true. The Lord be with you. And if each one of you in here now has not been positionally placed... You might not be nothing but a housewife. Well, you say, "Brother Branham, I never done a thing in my life. I'm not a preacher." Well, maybe God brought you here to raise a family of children; out of that family of children may come another family of children, that'll be a preacher that'll send a million souls to Christ. You had to be here. You're here for a purpose. Did you know that? Well, you say, "All I ever done was harrow across these old clods. And I'd take out early a evening, didn't know how to make my kids a living. I looked at the poor little fellows with no shoes on. I've set and cried. I got an old buggy, and me and maw went to church." Don't you worry, brother. You just keep loving Him; He's got a purpose for you. You just stay right the way you are; just go right on. See? You might not never preach a sermon, but you might be the greatgrandfather of one that'll do it. Did you know that God credited (Let's see now, what was his name?) Levi, to pay tithe when he was in the loins of Abraham, when Melchisedec met him? How many knows that? And let's see, Abraham begot Isaac; Isaac begot Jacob; Jacob begot Levi, which was father, grandfather, greatgrandfather. When he was in the loins, in the seed of his great-grandfather, the Bible credited him for paying tithes to Melchisedec. Oh, my, my, my, my brother. Oh, I'm... As the little--as the little Englishman got converted over there one night in England, he said, "I am so hoppy. I am so hoppy." Yes, so happy to know that that is true. And some glorious day, I don't know when that day will be, but if that was a vision... I don't say I was here. Remember, always bear this in mind; may the tape holders do the same. Whether I was in a vision or carrying away in the Spirit, I do not know. But it was just as real as I hold my Brother Neville like that, just as real. And I could look and talk to those people. And there stood my first wife; she didn't holler, "My husband"; she said, "My darling brother." There stood a girl that I used to go with years ago. Perhaps some of her people's setting here, Alice Lewis from Utica, very fine royal Christian girl. Got married a little late in life, and had her first baby, and died in childbirth: Alice Lewis. I walked into the funeral home to see her. I just got in home; I heard she was dead. I walked down there, was nobody in the room, I said, "Is there a woman here, Mrs..." Her name was Emmerke. She married a fine Christian boy, and she was a fine Christian girl. I've been with that girl everywhere, all kinds of places, and everything, as just kids, eighteen, nineteen years old, everywhere. Fine Christian, never knowed nothing about her but genuine Christianity. And I was a sinner. But I would go with her. I walked into... And her husband a born again Christian, real man. And I didn't know; I knowed she was died; I'd seen in the papers. And I went down; they told me. I went down there to Coot's, and I said, "Have you got a Mrs. Emmerke?" He said, "Billy, she's right in the room there." I went in there and stood there by the side of the casket. I thought, "Alice, I've been in the darkest of dungeons; I've been over dark roads. You and I have walked together down through the roads and down across by the--by the river. When they used to have the old showboats, we'd set down there and listen to that calliope play. Up and down the lanes, what a lady you were. How I thank God for your life. Rest, my dear sister, rest in the peace of God." And the other night in the vision, there she come running to me. She said, "My blessed brother," and threw her arms around me. Oh, oh, brother, sister, it's changed me. I can never be the same no more. It's so real. It's just--it's just as real as I'm looking at you, just that real. So there's no fear. I may die before the night's over. www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

103

Adoption

I want to raise my little boy back there, Joseph. I want to see him in the pulpit, when I can take this Bible... When I get to a place I see Joseph in the pulpit preaching as a--as a young man filled with the Holy Ghost, anointed with the Spirit of God upon him... And I believe he'll be a prophet. The day when I--when I-when I saw him six years before he was born, you remember me telling you he was coming. Remember when I caught him right there at the side of the altar, not knowing what I was saying, dedicating babies, I said, "Joseph, thou art a prophet." And the other day standing out in the yard, he come in to me, and he said, "Daddy, has Jesus got a hand like yours?" And I said, "Well, yes, son. Why?" He said, "I was setting on my bicycle, watching for Sarah (That's his little sister.) to come home from school." Setting out there, I won't let him go out on the road; he was setting back like this. And said, "I looked up," and said, "when I did, there was a hand like yours, with a white sleeve holding over me." And said, "It went on up." Said, "Was that Jesus' hand going up?" I looked at the mother; mother looked at me. We went down to Mrs. Wood's. Ever where she's at, setting here. We cross-questioned him, back and forth, and every way we could. It was a vision. He saw it. When I can see the time of little Joseph standing... I hope I live to see him married, if Jesus tarries. And I'm an old man, the gray whiskers hanging around my neck here. I've sent... I want to send two or three more million souls to Christ if I possibly can. It's my determination to preach the Gospel to every corner of the earth. Yes, sir. So help me, God, I'll do it. So when I can see that time come, Brother Mike... I can look at the time mama, Meda, I call her, my darling... See, she's... We're getting old, see her hair turning gray, and see us going away, fading away. Rebekah, I'm so grateful for Rebekah. Her music teacher told me the other night, said, "My, if she keeps that up, Brother Branham," says, "it's hard tell what she'll do." See, going on in music. I want her, and I want... I want Sarah on the organ, Becky on the piano; I want Joseph in the pulpit. When I can see that happen, then me and mama can stagger in, me on my old cane, some night, come down along the road, and I can look in there and see my boy standing there anointed with the Holy Ghost, preaching this same Gospel. I want to take this old Book and say, "Son, here It is; It's yours. You stand with It. Don't you compromise on one Word. You stay right with It, honey. Don't you, don't care... I don't care who's against you, who's against; God will be for you. You preach every Word just the way It's wrote in There; daddy will see you across the river." I'd like to reach around and take her in my arms, my wife, and cross over Jordan. Until that time, God, let me stay on the field, loyal. Let me, I don't care what the cost is, or how many, what I do, or this, that, or the other. Let me stay loyal and true to the Word of the living God, that when that day come, and I cross over there, and I can look across, and say, "There you are. Oh, my precious friend, my precious brother, my precious sister." Young preacher, get into the field; stay into the harness. All you young preachers and things, don't you set around. Don't you just set and do nothing. Get out yonder and win a soul. Do something. Get on; get moving. Don't stop, young preacher over there. God bless your heart. He reminds me of when I was about that age, I guess, and maybe a little younger than him. I was only about twenty something years old when I laid that cornerstone there. I remember, I used to wear a blue coat and a white pair of pants, and stood there and laid that cornerstone about thirtyone years ago. See how old I was, I was just a boy. I was standing there, laying that cornerstone. I haven't compromised on one Word. I've kept It just exactly the way I laid that cornerstone. Yonder's my testimony laying yonder, where I wrote it out on the flyleaf of the Bible, and tore it out, and laid it in that cornerstone, and she still lays there. And may it be written on the pages of God's eternal Word in heaven. Let me stand true unto the end.

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

104

Adoption

Let us bow our heads now just a minute for prayer. In the closing of this night, closing of these, one chapter, which is not justified. You ought to have the other one, how he goes ahead and places the church in its place. I'll get it to you sometime, God willing. I've got to get just a little rest now before I go into the Chautauqua yonder, to another big meeting, then I cross over from there to Oklahoma...

www.williambranhamstorehouse.com

105