1 ... service, my new year's meeting being we're just opening up. This is my first real campaign since the new year's. Oh, I had a few nights at home, then was down at that Fort Huachuca. Is that what you would pronounce it now? I can't see how you spell Huachuca with an H. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]

2 We don't, we're not going to have a rearview mirror affair. A rearview mirror only looks back and sees where you have been. We are looking forward to see where we're going. See? That which is in the past, Paul said, "Forgetting those things which are in the past, I press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ." And that's what we want to do. A man, we can look back fifteen, sixteen years ago, when I come to Phoenix the first time; there's been many things happen since then, good and bad; that all goes to the judgment, in the hands of God. But what I'm looking forward now is what will I do in this coming year, towards inbetterment the Kingdom, doing more, all that I can for the Kingdom of God.

3 Now, this afternoon I want to speak this new year's message to the Church in Christ, and then tomorrow night we're going to start praying for the sick. And we'll give out prayer cards between... I think the service starts at seven, seven-thirty. Better be here about six or quarter after then to get your prayer cards, so you won't interfere with the rest of the service.
We want to thank the--the management here of the Ramada to let us have this building for this meeting, before this convention. The Lord bless them.

5 And now, if you wish to turn in the Scriptures to where we're going to read, I'm going to read from Isaiah the 60th chapter, and the--the 2nd, 1st and 2nd verse. And Psalms 62:1-8: Psalms 62:1-8, first.
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
How long will you imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
They only consult to cast down, to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectations is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength,... my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him all the time; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

6 I like the way David speaks that, "the rock." You notice, so many times, "God is my rock." You know what a rock is referred to in the Bible? Rock is a revelation.
Like Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
He said, "Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonas. And upon this rock, this revelation..." God revealed it to him. "Flesh and blood never revealed this, but My Father which is in heaven. Upon this rock (this revelation) I'll build My Church."
And David here crying out, "God is my Rock, my revelation."

10 Now, in the 60th chapter of Isaiah, the 1st and 2nd verse.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
For, behold,... darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall rise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Let us pray. Lord Jesus, as meditating upon these Words, we go now in the--starting this service, to the honor of Thee. Bless us, Father, we ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

12 Now, my subject this afternoon is one word: "Shalom." In the Hebrew means "peace," peace, or it's--it's a greeting; it's a "peace be unto you," or, "welcome," "good morning," any kind of a--a greeting. But the main word I found in the Hebrew here, there's many things it means, but all pertaining to the same thing, "peace."

13 As we face this new years, we are facing both, as I have read, darkness and Light. Now, we see that David, speaking here, said, "Trust in the Lord. Put your confidence in Him."
Isaiah said, "Gross darkness is coming upon this people," but for the Church to rise and shine in the glory of the Light.
So we face this year just like we do all years; there is a--a regret of our mistakes in the past, and a looking forward for a future of the glorious Light of Christ. No doubt, if we live through this year, we'll find many mistakes that we have made, and we just expect that because it goes along the pro and con. That's the law of average that we live by here in this life. But we're so glad we have a Mediator Who sets at the right hand of God to make intercessions. When we are willing to admit our mistakes that we done wrong, then He forgives them. He's full of grace and mercy to forgive us for those mistakes.

15 This gross darkness, I wish to speak on first, that there is so much of that in the world today, and growing darker and darker all the time. Each year, we find that, that the--the world gets darker, spiritually speaking, because they're groping in darkness. There's more sin. Just passing through what we have, the assassination of the President, and so forth, and people being murdered right here in our country. Where we wouldn't think that would happen in the time of modern civilization, but we sure have it, because gross darkness is upon the people. Now, those who will not turn to Light, then there's only one thing I can say for the coming year, you're going to stoop darker and darker as the year goes on.
But to those who will turn on this new year's to the Light, then you'll get brighter and brighter, unto that perfect day that we look for, His appearing, where all darkness will be fade--faded away. And the reason of that, is why I say to the Church of the living God today, "Shalom," because we are His Lights. Jesus said, "Ye are the Light of the world."

17 Now, the prophet said, "Gross darkness upon this people," upon the people of the world, gross darkness."
Have you noticed, in the last few years, some of you men and women around my age, that how each year, it seems like that darkness comes more and more? I was speaking the other day, and I said to my wife, "You know, it seems like that as the years go on, as it just seems like that people begin to get further and further away from the real thing that they should be coming closer and closer to."
I've noticed amongst men. Look out on the streets, and most amongst the women, watch their desires and what they like to do, and they're--they're changing attitudes all the time. Men are becoming more like women, and women are becoming more like men, and seems like there's no way to stop it. I cross the nation, preaching against the thing, and come back the next year and it's worse than it was when I started. It's... Them people want to do right, but, they--there's something about it that won't let them do right. It just presses down on them, forces them. It's--it's like a heavy, dark fog over the whole earth. Not only in Phoenix, but all over the world, there seems to be just a grouping darkness that's gathering, getting more dense and dense all the time, just smothering out real manhood, real womanhood. I'm talking in the natural.

20 And they, seems like that the--it's coming more and more into the churches. And then when you raise up and say something against it, then they condemn you for doing it. See, you--you--you can see it coming, and--and then when you speak against it, somebody misunderstands it. Sometimes women misunderstand it; men misunderstand it, take the wrong attitude.
Men sometime, good men, have to cope with such things in order to hold their rights in the religious ranks that they belong to, because if they don't, they're excommunicated, and then they're--they're on their own. And then being once excommunicated from a certain people, then it's hard to get in with someone else, because they once knew that you belonged to this other group, then, "What happened over here?" Then you've got to stand to your convictions, or go on your own, or deny your convictions. So it makes it real hard for the people.

22 And it looks like the time is, you can't see that real stand out, like men ought to be. I... Even in taking it back, from the spiritual now to the natural, I... It seemed to me that men wearing velvet pink shoes, and all kinds of things like that, it just seems like they've become more like women. And women smoking cigarettes, now they've got cigars, and they just... and cut their hair like men; and it seems like that the--the dainty, lady, feminish something is gone. And the real masculine man is gone; all he seems to think about is something evil on the other side.
I think it's just about like it was in the beginning: every thought in a man's heart continually becomes evil. Our--our programs, television and--and radio is uncensored. Men can say anything, nearly, they want to, even swear and say dirty, smutty jokes that--that--that simply it's not ought to be, couldn't--shouldn't be said in a barroom. Yet they can say it on television, on radio, and send it right into the people's homes. It seems like that gross darkness covers the whole thing. The whole world seems to become polluted.

24 Now, for years, I've been trying to hold a standard, God's Word. And I'm more determined this coming year to hold that standard than I ever was in my life (See?): stand right straight with that Word. Now, I hope that anyone that gets in their mind that I'm doing that to act smart, then, brother, sister, you're certainly wrong. I'm doing that because I'm duty bound to That. I--I am bound to stay with that Word. Whatever It says, put no private interpretation, just say It that way. Now, there's some that might be able to interpret It and make It sound a little different, but I can't do that. The only language I know is what is wrote on Here, just the way is this a-way.

25 Now, a few, about three years ago, it will be now, that, at home, at my home church, the Holy Spirit spoke to me, said, "Go to Tucson; there's a--something waiting." I stood on this platform and told every one of you, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, something's fixing to happen." There's probably hundreds of people setting here that know it. I just told you what I saw. The message is on tape, "What Time Is It, Sir?" I saw a constellation of Angels like a--a pyramid come down just north of Tucson; up in this way, north of Tucson. And They spoke to me something, and I didn't know what it was. And one day there... There's men setting right present now, two of them, that was with me, back over there when that happened.
And they took the picture of It in the sky. It come out in--in the magazine. I thought I had a copy. I do. That's it. You see it here in "Life" magazine, this copy, just exactly the way the Holy Spirit said it would be.
And there stood those seven Angels just as natural as you see me standing here, and told me to return to my home, that the mysteries that the reformers down through the ages had failed to pick up, the mysteries of the Bible, which the Seven Seals held, would be revealed. I challenge anybody, get in those Seven Seals and look them over, and find a fault with them. See, see? Because it's given by inspiration of God.
Prior to that, I preached on the seven church ages. And then drawed them out on the blackboard in my Tabernacle.

29 My doctrine, I don't preach doctrine out here, nothing but just great evangelical fundamentals; because I'm with brethren, might different with me, and I don't give that out before the people here. I just try to stay on the real fundamentals of the Scripture, such as what we believe. But at my Tabernacle, they tape it. If you want it, you can have it. If your pastor don't want you to have it, don't take it. See, that's up to you.
But in there, preaching on the seven church ages and to have a sanction from God, drawing them out of how that the darkness come into the church, Nicaea, and the church angels, the messengers. It must have been right, for, as soon as I got them drawed at the last church age on Sunday morning at eleven o'clock, that great Light came down into the building, before almost as many people as setting here; come down and flickered Itself on the side of the wall, before all those people, and drawed those church ages just exactly the way I had them drawed there. Now, there's hundreds and hundred of witnesses there to prove that, just...

31 Well, now, we realize that God always shows things in the heaven before He shows them on the earth. Like the wise men followed the star, and so forth. A heavenly sign takes place, first, then the earthly vindicates the heavenly sign. God deals, works in signs, signs and wonders. They are to follow believers everywhere. The Jews always looked for a sign, 'cause they were God's chosen, and they looked for the sign. "Show us the sign, then we'll believe." And, then, when the wise men came with their story, the Magis, of the birth of Christ, just at the new year...

32 Now, we find that the moon in the Bible represents the church. It shows light on the earth in the absence of the sun. Revelations the 12th chapter really explains that, the woman with the moon under her feet, the sun at her head. And how that in the absence of the sun, when the sun is gone to the other side, the moon reflects the sun to the earth. The church is to reflect Jesus Christ to the world in the absence of the Son of God. We all believe that. It's a strange thing, as much indifference.

33 But speaking here, in 1933, of the pope taking his place out of, or coming out, rather, of Rome, and making a visit to the--the holy lands. He'll also come here. And the strange thing, is, a few nights before he left Rome for the first time it ever was in history, the moon came down and went in total eclipse. Just that, what was it? Shadowing off the reflected Light of the Son. In this he spoke to the orthodox father; and they're all in agreement, "The pope does this for fellowship, good neighborly fellowship." Which sounds to the natural ear the most wonderful thing could happen. But to the spiritual ear it's darkness. And how that we churches, we Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and Pentecostals, could ever join into such a mess as that, and knowing our Bible teaches us different, it's a marvelous thing to me, that how Spirit-filled men can set in places and say, "It feels spiritual to be in such a place." To me it's horrible.

34 Now, I guess you got it here in Phoenix. If anyone... How many in here ever seen where I had them pictures drawed of the church ages? Raise up your hands. I guess... See how the Lord drawed them in the skies the other night? Just exactly the way it's drawed up there at the Tabernacle. Perfectly, exactly the way that the Holy Spirit gave it by inspiration three years ago at the Tabernacle, there it happened in the skies. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established." The Holy Spirit first moved by inspiration; I drawed them on the platform. Then He came down Himself and made His vindication of it, as the moon and the Light going out, going out, and to this Laodicea age going into total darkness again. And here He comes down and vindicates it on the moon, just at the time that all the churches are going together in a consolidation of the federation of churches.
No wonder, as Isaiah said, "Gross darkness is upon the earth, upon this people."

36 I know it's unpopular, speak against organization, but that's the mark of the beast. That's the thing that's carrying us right into that. It's making an image unto the beast. I don't say that for to be angry. I say that because it's truth, brethren. The day will come when Phoenix will raise up, and maybe I'm gone on, but you'll know that that was THUS SAITH THE LORD. It is true. And how that the great Holy Spirit has a-vindicated those messages and foretold the things, never to fail one time. And why do we grope on in darkness? Why don't people wake up before it's too late? One of these days, it'll be too late, when you've already taken the mark, and then there's no... There's nothing else you can do about it then. You'll be caught in that system, that you're marked with that system.

37 Why don't you come to Christ, be filled with the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His resurrecting power that can set you free, and make you a candle that sets on the hill? No matter how dark it gets, say, "Well, why should we do it? The rest of them..." Listen, right now is the time to let it shine, when it's the darkest. That's when Light shines better is when it's in darkness. We must always let the Light shine where it's dark.
Prophet saying, "Gross darkness would be upon this people," and it certainly is the truth.
Now, we find out what made the moon reflecting the light. God showing, first, on the blackboard; next, by His Own Presence; then in the heavens He showed the sign. And then out of Rome went the pope over into Palestine; which to the ordinary eye, people screamed and fell on their faces, and worshipped the man. Not any more against him than I would be a minister that would join up with such. It's all the same spirit.

40 It seems like that gross darkness has settled upon the people till they think the only thing there is to do is to go to church and be a pretty good person, put your name on the book, and some little mysterious thing, "God will twist the key when you die, and change that spirit in you to Him." You're mistaken. When you die, that spirit that's on you, that's the way you'll forever be. And remember, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and so forth, was very religious people.

41 God is a jealous God. He's jealous, and he wants His wife pure. He wants her a virgin, chaste, nothing in the world into her, at all; altogether His Word, part of Him. We must be a part of the Word, not a part of the creed: a part of the Word; not a part of the church, a part of the Bride. Church is condemned; we know that. She goes to outer darkness, but the Bride goes up.

42 Now, if people could only wake up for a few moments and realize what the great thing is. It's pride that does that. It's people who--who wants to go like the rest of the world. You can't do that. You're not of the world. Do you think a woman laying in her casket will want to know whether she had her hair waterdoed, or whatever you want to call it? You think she would pay attention to how she was dressed if she was laying in a casket, or some man? They wouldn't do it.
That's the reason today there's so much stuff that we have to copy after the neighbors, or some Hollywood star, or some fashion, or something like that, is because that we haven't died yet to Christ and His Word. It's what's the matter with the churches. We're in darkness, groping in darkness. Said, "There would be gross darkness upon the people."

44 A gross darkness on the people now, what does it all mean? It means this, that when the world... What made the moon fade out, was because that the--the sun--the earth got in the shadow of the sun, that was reflecting itself on the earth. The world got in the shadow. That's what's the matter with the church. That's what's the matter with the Presbyterian, Methodist, Pentecostals. That's what's the matter with all of us. The world shuts out the Light that we're supposed to be reflecting. Swings itself around and gets into it, and, as they pass one another, it throws darkness over it.
And the world has come into the church in the--in the name of denomination, the name of some creed, and we're religious and all this and all this, but yet it denies the resurrecting power of Christ to vindicate His Word that's prophesied for this day. There can only be Light through the Word of God. We know that. God in the beginning said, "Let there be light," and there was light, vindication of His Word that He had spoken.

46 Blackness, blacked out, the world got in line with the reflection of the sun to the moon and blacked it out. That's exactly what's happened in the natural, or in the spiritual. As it happened in the natural, foreshadowed and told us, that's exactly what's taken place.
Now, you see how that comes out at the end. Many of you young people, you won't have to get too old until you will see it, anyhow, if you live three or four more years.

48 The moon now, we are in the Laodicea church age. In the Laodicea church age, of all of the other churches, the Laodicea, last lukewarm church age, Christ was on the outside of the church. Any Bible reader knows that. Revelations 3, He was on the outside of the church, trying to get His way back in again, and it never did say He got in. "But as many as He loved, He rebuked and chastened." The message would rebuke and chasten those who He loved. Now, was knocking, trying to get in; darkness shut it off, exactly what's come to pass. The Light that has been shining, soon will absolutely be shut completely out. It'll all go in to form an image unto the beast. And we know what that means here; that's the end time.

49 God in the beginning separated the light from the darkness, and that's again what God is a doing. God separates light from dark. "In the beginning," He said, "let there be light." Now, remember, there can be no light outside of the Word of God. The very sun out there is the Word of God vindicated. There was gross darkness upon the earth, fog and mist upon the earth, and God said, "Let there be light." Now, what if no light come? Then it wouldn't do Him no good to speak. But when He said, "Let there be light," and light come into existence, vindicating that His Word was right. That light we live by today.
And the only Light that we can have today in the church is God vindicating His Light to this generation.

51 Each generation was 'lotted so much, happened in their days. We all know that. The prophets come on the scene. They... The Word of the Lord came to them, understood It. A "seer" in the Old Testament means that, "one that the Word is revealed to." And how they know it, because he foreknows things that'll come. Then the Word of the Lord came to them, each age.
Jesus said to John, about John, "He was the bright and shining light for a while." Why? Isaiah, seven hundred and twelve years before he was born, said, "There's a voice of one crying in the wilderness." Malachi the 3rd chapter, said, "Behold, I send My messenger before My face to prepare the way before Me." See, He was that Word being vindicated, the Word that was promised for that day. He was the light, because He was making come to pass the very Word that God had spoke about him.
And when Jesus came, John said, "I must fade out now; He must come in view." And He was the Light. All down through the ages, how God spoke of that hour coming...

54 How did those clergymen fail to see it? How did they fail? How did those Pharisees and Sadducees fail to see? He said, "Search the Scriptures, for in Them you think you have Eternal Life, and They are They that testify of Me." How did they fail to see it, brethren? It's because it'd been prophesied that they would do it.
And so is it today, that gross darkness is coming upon the people, and here we are. God has 'lotted His Word to be manifested this day, and it's the only Light we have. And God's going to let somebody manifest that Word. Somebody's going to do it. He promised it, and He works just exactly like He always did by it.
He's never changed His pattern of work. He's prophesies what will happen, then He sends somebody down and vindicates that. And it goes over the head of millions, because darkness covers the earth at that time. And people love darkness better than they do Light, 'cause darkness has a lot of pleasure.
I seen a Hollywood play not long ago, said, "Life begins after the sun goes down." That's when death begins. All these night clubs, and where they think they're living, they're dying.

58 God, at the beginning, separated the light from the darkness. He's always done that. What does He do? He presses the... By the coming light He presses the darkness to the other side of the earth.
And that's exactly what's coming to pass now. It's just before day. The morning star has come out to hail the day coming, and the Holy Spirit showing Its Light. It's coming a time when the Light and darkness will have to be separated, one from the other. Church and its order will take the order of the day; and Christ and His Light Word promise will go in the rapture. That's the only thing that's left for them to do. It's a day. Today is the dawn of a new day, for many who are looking for His coming.

60 So many, good sincere people today, that's what burns their hearts. So many, good sincere people like Mary and Joseph. They were coming from the feast, and they missed Jesus. Many people do that same thing today, thinking that He's with them. Now, I want to place this little light to you to show you how infallible the Word of God is.
We all here, this afternoon, who are Christians, believe that Jesus Christ was God's Word manifested. We believe He was virgin born. He was a Tabernacle in which Almighty God tabernacled in here on earth: not just a prophet, not just an ordinary man, but God Himself manifested in the form of a man. He was Emmanuel, "God with us." We believe that with all of our heart.

62 And now notice when Martha, or Mary, rather, and Joseph, thinking Jesus was with them, they were just perceiving He was with them, thinking, "It just must be all right. He's bound to be with us." But they were sadly mistaken. He wasn't.
So many good people is like that today. They think... They see the hour approaching, they know something's fixing to happen. What do they do? They go join church, thinking He's with them. They shake hands with the preacher, thinking that's all they have to do, "He's with them." Confirmed or baptized a certain way, that's all they have to do, thinking Jesus is with them. Brother, sister, just like Mary, Joseph, of old, real sincere people, yet they are mistaken...

64 Your life proves whether Jesus is with you or not. Your life shows whether He's occupied here, or whether He's still in His heavens or not, whatever you are. "The works that I do shall you do also." How could you have Christ in you, and then the very Spirit in you deny His Word, take up a creed instead? It can't do it. He would defeat Himself by denying His Own Word.
Just because somebody put a wrong interpretation to It? You got a Bible, you can read like anybody else. Be sincere.
David said, "Put Him always before your face." Know that when we're meeting this new year, we're meeting it in the power of the resurrection of Christ. "He's always before me. I shall not be moved."

67 Notice how infallible the Word is. Mary and Joseph... Now, to you, my dear Catholic friends, that said Mary was the mother of God. Mary wasn't even the mother of Jesus, let alone being the mother of God. How could she be? That's right. Not one time did He ever address her as mother; not at all.
They come to Him one time and said, "Your mother and brothers wait outside."
He looked on His congregation, said, "Who is My mother? Who is My brethren?" Looked at His disciples, said, "The ones that does the will of My Father, that's the same as My mother, My..."
On the cross when He was dying, He also spoke the same thing. He said to John, John here, this man, "Son, behold your mother." Not, "Mother, behold thy son," "Woman, behold your son." Not (See?) she wasn't no mother of God.
She was just a borrowed womb that God used; no more than any other woman that God take a notion to use. He might use (your) the womb of your heart to declare His Son, if you--if you'd just let Him do it. See? Not no mother of God. There'd have to be a sensation, even to be a seed of Mary. He wasn't even a seed from Mary.

72 See, it was, the whole thing was God the Creator. If the first Adam back there was created without father and mother, the Second Adam was the same thing. And anything less than that wouldn't put Him on equal with him. That's right. The same God, He created a body that He Himself dwelt in.
Now, we find, look how, look, if Mary was the mother of God, how she slipped up there. She said, "Thy father and I have sought Thee with tears," denying the virgin birth: "Thy father, Joseph, and I, have sought Thee."
Watch that twelve year old Boy, twelve year old Child, saying, "Don't you know that I must be about My Father's business, debating with them denominations up there?" Now, if He was with--about Joseph's business, He'd been down at the carpenter shop. Joseph wasn't His father. God was His Father. That's right. "Don't you know I ought to be about My Father's business?" Up there, at twelve years old with them learned priests, not a day in school, but yet they were astonished at the wisdom. And look at the...

75 He was the Word. When He was born, He was the Word. He's still the Word. Notice, the Word will not take counterfeit. She said, "Thy father and I have sought Thee with tears."
Said, "Don't you know that I must be about My Father's business?"
Rebuked His Own mother, why? He was the Word. There would be a question in somebody's mind if Mary here, who once said the "Holy Ghost" overshadowed her and brought forth a Son, and then here calling Joseph the father. The Word's infallible. It can't fail.
"You know not that I ought to be about My Father's business?" And He was about the Father's business, not--not Joseph's business, making doors and--and carpenter things. He was about His Father's business, straightening out the religious politics they had in that day. "Know ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" Yes, sir.

79 Many people today in a lot of these fine churches are going into that council of church: not going in, they're already there. They're perceiving that that's just exactly the thing to do, "Friendly, nice, why can't we all come together?" Why, they've been trying, all for years, to make all Methodists Baptists, and all Baptists Presbyterian; Pentecostals has tried to make all of them Pentecostals. You can't do that, but a council is the answer for you. That's the answer, what the Bible says they will do, and that's just exactly what they've done. Friendly churches is, yes, sir, a get-together, "Fine, let's have fellowship."
Bible said, "How can two walk together unless they be agreed?"

81 Some of them deny the virgin birth. Eighty percent of the Protestant churches deny the virgin birth. And they deny the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They deny the signs of His coming, the resurrection power. They deny He's the same yesterday, and forever. How can you, when God put all this chaos in the world because a woman one day doubted one little phase of His Word... Satan told her the Truth, all but one thing, but that was the thing that caused all the trouble. Now, if all this heartache and sadness that you have to look at, because one little phase of It was doubt, do you think one little phase of doubt will ever take us in?
That's the reason Jesus is coming for a chaste Virgin, pure, filled with the Holy Ghost, and not of the world, but of the power of God. Oh, how wonderful to know that there is a possibility to get into this group. How do you do it? You'll never do it by joining into organization. You will do it when you're baptized by the Holy Spirit into the mystical Body of Jesus Christ, raised with Him in resurrection, free from death and sin. That's the only way.

83 Darkness... Great denominations, and a great group of men gets together and sets their ideas about it, and that throws you right back into a twist like it was at the beginning. No hopes at all in that case, you're simply gone. And all of them just seem to be so stirred up about this friendly churches, think if God will be with them. "Well, the millennium's going to start when the council all gets together up there, and all the ecumenical moves, and so forth," and they join in. What they doing? Making a image unto the beast, a power, that where all the undenominationals and so forth, that won't join in with them, will be shut out. Just watch and see if that happens.
I've got it wrote down here, the very day we--the Lord let me see that in 1933. And here it is just exactly the way that it is--the way It said, just coming the same way, how the pope would leave Rome, and so forth.

85 Now, they are good people, but mistaken. Joseph and Mary was fine people, but real mistaken. But what was it? God used a twelve-year-old Boy to show that that Word has to stay pure, exactly what It was, what It said the first place, "He was virgin born," and that's what He was.
Thinking He was with them when they joined the churches, and so forth, but It wasn't. Now, but to the elected... Now, that's the darkness, and I could stay on that for another hour. But to the elected, precious and called saints of God, I say to you this coming year: Shalom, God's peace.

88 The hour is here. If I could've been back there before the days that the world was created, and looked down and seen the whole thing, and the Father had said to me, "What day would you want to live?" I'd say now, right now; this is the hour. This is the greatest hour that the Church has ever moved into just before the coming of the Bridegroom. Oh, the real Church of the living God ought to be on fire, burning with the Light of the Gospel being vindicated among them. "Rise and shine, for the Light's come to you," the Light of this day. Isaiah was the light of his day. Noah was the light of his day. Why? He had the Word manifested. And the Gospel, the Bible Word for this day, is the Light of the day. What a glorious time that we're living.

89 Now, "good morning" means "peace." Darkness is gathering. What's it gathering for? To show the Light. Isaiah 60:1, "Rise and shine, for the light is come to you." That's the reason I can say shalom; the Light has come to you, God's peace to the elected woman, to the elected lady, those who God before the foundation of the world called out and ordained to that.
The rest of them will never see it. They'll never know nothing about it. The Bible said so. And Jesus said, "No man will come to Me except My Father draws Him first; and all the Father has given Me will come." That's...

91 There stood Judas, Light shining up here, but back in his heart was dark seed. When the showdown come, the darkness showed.
Here was a little old woman all blacked out up here in front, but down here was a predestinated seed. And when the Light come, It scattered the darkness, and it showed forth. "We know Messiah's coming, and when He does, He'll show us these things."
Jesus said, "I am He."
But Judas doubted It, yet supposed to be walking in the Light. See, the Light up here doesn't matter; it's the Light down here that counts. The Light up here will walk and fellowship, and everything else; but when the real power of God comes in, it can't come back to this dead seed; it'll reflect off in a denomination.
But when It's back down here, a genuine, predestinated seed, when that Light comes down here, shows all the darkness away from you, and puts you in fellowship with Christ. He was the One Who gave you Life before the foundation of the world, otherwise you'll never see It. It's what God said.

95 Now, to you predestinated Seed, Shalom. Amen. God's peace rest upon you, because we're near the end now. We're right down near the end. We're going to talk about that group for a while. Shalom: God's Light has come. The Word Light is vindicated again so that you can see the manifestations of the promise of God for this day. "Search the Scriptures, in Them you think you have Eternal Life." They testify of the day that we're living in. What is the Light of the day? What did the Bible promise for this day? See what hour it is.

97 No wonder Jesus rebuked them for not believing John. He was the light, because the prophet said he would come. And there he was, the manifested light. They didn't see it. They didn't understand it; they thought he was the Messiah, and they thought something else, and this another. They failed to see it.
Jesus come on. Two lights can't shine at the same time. There can't be a church light and God's Light shine at the same time. It's got to be God's Light putting out the church light. That's exactly what's taking place today. God's separating churchism from His Light of the promised Word of this hour that we're living in. That's the truth, friend. You might not want to believe that, but you just wait and find out if it's so or not. Don't wait; you better get in right now while there is a chance to get in.

99 The Word is Light when It's vindicated. Until the Word, it--that's promised for the day is a-vindicated, then it is not Light. It cannot be. If God said, "Let there be light," and no sun come in existence, there's no sign of light. But when God said, "Let there be light," and there was light... When God promised a Messiah, Messiah come, then His Word was fulfilled and He was the Light of the hour. When He promised Noah, and He promised the others, and on down, they was the light of the hour.
And there's a Light of the hour today; that's Jesus Christ in the power of His resurrection, His Word that's promised for this day. "The works that I do, shall you also; greater than this will you do, for I go to the Father." Greater works, greater things than He did? You believe it? I believe it. It seems humble. It seems like it goes over the top of people's head. Look when He was here on earth. How could you do greater works? I've translated that, many times, "more," but the same thing. "Greater," He said in St. John 14:12, "greater works than this shall you do."

101 Did you notice? When He went to make water into wine, He took water first, a already created substance, and turned it into wine. When He fed five thousand people, He took a fish that once swam in the water, broke it, hand it out, and multiplied creation. He took bread that was once wheat, baked into bread, broke it and hung it out to the--hand it out to the people, and it returned back again: multiplied creation.
But in the last days, where there is no sign of creation, He speaks it into creation anyhow, shows to be the same God that was in the beginning. He can create squirrels. He can create whatever He wants to, because He's God. "Greater things than this will you do, for I go unto My Father." The Word's infallible, and has to be manifested and has to be fulfilled. "Greater than this shall you do," not multiplying, but speaking out into creation.

103 Notice at the Word now when He promised. What are... Where we at then? What day are we living in? What is the hour? The manifesting of the Word of God like it is in all hours. You got the message on the seven church ages. Watch exactly how each one of those beasts that went out, and the Beasts that followed them. Watch exactly if it didn't hit down through the reformers age, and every age, just exactly the way it was supposed to be, exactly what the Word said. And so will the Holy Spirit manifest today just exactly what the Bible said it would be.
We see the shadowing in the heavens and on earth, and all the things, and the councils and things getting ready. And we see in the midst of all that the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, promised for this day, manifesting Itself. We're living in a wonderful time. Shalom to you who have Word down in your heart, chose before the foundation of the world to hear the Word for this day. If you don't, it's a bad year for you ahead. If you are, it's a great world for you ahead, or great day, great year coming now, new year.
Not to turn a new page; a lot of people try to turn a new page on new year, turn it back the next day.

107 Like a little story I was reading the other morning. A woman hollered in to her husband, who'd got up early and went out and got the morning paper, and was reading the morning paper. He said... She said, "Is there anything new in the news?"
He said, "No, just the same thing, only different people."
That's about the way it is today: same thing, we got a new organizations, same old doctrine; just pet it around, somebody get a little phase of it going this way or that way.
This is a new day. Hallelujah. This is a day that we should rise and shine in the power of Jesus Christ. Gross darkness settling upon the earth, there should be a new day for us, yes, indeed, doing it just the way He does it. But turn to His Word and see the promise that's promised for this day, and you'll know whether you're living in day Light or not. Changing the calendar doesn't change the time; it only changes the calendar.

110 Now, closely listen. Do as David did. Put your future in His hand. "How? What am I to know what to do, Brother Branham?" Put your future in His hand. No matter what comes or goes, trust Him. He is the Word.
Now, know. David said, "His time is in My hand. Trust in Him all the time. Always trust in Him." He knew Who held the future; David did; that's the reason he could say this. There's only One holds the future; that's God. He holds the--the future, let Him hold you. All right.

111 Some people says, "But, Brother Branham, I have tried and I have tried."
But wait a minute. Patience is virtue. Patience is Holy Spirit virtue. "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength."
You say, "How can I wait any longer?" Just keep on waiting. When you've done all you can do to stand, then stand (See?); just stand. "How am I going to do it?" Stand. He said it's the Truth, and it's the Truth. He said it'll happen. How, I don't know; but it'll happen. He said so. He promised it. If He promised it, it's going to happen. That's all. It can't wait.
So now just remember, God took thousands of years to fulfill His promise of a coming Saviour. Four thousand years God took to fulfill that promise. But He knowed from the beginning just when it was going to happen. He knew; no one else did. He just said it would happen. And when it happened, the people was in such a delusion, till they didn't know how to accept it. If that same thing hasn't repeated again. It always does, never fails, both sides always.

115 What did He do during these years? He showed types of Him coming. He showed it in Joseph. If you'd look at Joseph's life: hated of his brothers, loved of his father. Why? Because he was spiritual, because he saw visions. The rest of them didn't see visions; they were patriarchs but they didn't see visions, interpret dreams. But they were jealous of him. And he was sold almost for thirty pieces of silver, raised up out of the ditch where he was supposed to be killed, set at the right hand of Pharaoh. And when he left the throne, the trumpet sounded, "Bow the knee; Joseph is coming."
Just exactly what Jesus was done, sets at the right hand of God. And when He leaves the throne, the trumpets will sound. And every knee shall bow and confess to Jesus Christ the Son of God. Exactly.
He showed it in types of David, when he was upon the--a rejected king looking over Jerusalem, weeping. "How oft would I have hovered you, as a hen would her brood, but you would not."

119 Down through the age He showed it in types, knowing that someday the last type would be fulfilled, and the full manifestation of His promised Messiah would be there. And when the full promise come, though He typed it... Day after day, year after year He typed it. And when it come to the reality, they didn't believe it.
He's done the same thing, typed it, and showed it in the church ages, and everything to the hour that we're living, and people are in gross darkness, seem like they just can't comprehend it. Such a sad thing.

121 No more than see the young man out here, fine, big, fine-built fellow with his hair, what he curl it up like the women do, and legotards on, and a big long sweater hanging down, purple shoes on. Masculine? Oh, my, what a horrible thing to call a man. What a thing to call a man. That's right.
See some woman, supposed to be daintish and loving, come out with a pair of men's trousers on, a cigarette in her mouth, and bobbed hair. What a thing to call a woman. Jesus called Mary, "woman." Shouldn't even be called that; just a female.

123 Notice, and the hour... Why? Sometimes people who claim and think they're sincere, but a gross darkness has got them in this. The Bible said they would be like that. Read Isaiah 6 and find out if the women wasn't to do that way in the last days, just exactly is what the Bible said they would be. It's the Word of God. Jeremiah and different ones spoke of this hour that we're now living, 'cause they seen the end from the beginning. So we see these things, and gross darkness upon the people.

124 Yes, it took God thousands of years, throw--showing types and everything, and finally they did not know Him when He come, though He was portrayed in Joseph, and David, and Elijah, and all down through there. He was portrayed with them, and yet we can't understand why they didn't see It. And there it was right in the Scriptures: out of Bethlehem of Judaea He would be born. We find that in the Scriptures how He was to be born, a virgin. "A virgin shall conceive and bear a Child, and they call His Name Emmanuel."

125 Why'd they kill Him for? Because He made Himself God, and He was God. Sure, they admit it. "He said He'd make Himself God, equal with God, saying, 'I'm the Son of God.'" Why, He was.
The Bible said He should be called, "Counselor, Prince of Peace, the mighty God, The everlasting Father, Wonderful." That's what He was. Why didn't they understand that?
No wonder He said, "You ought to search the Scriptures."
They said, "We're Moses' disciples."
Said, "If you was Moses' disciples, you'd know Me. Moses wrote of Me." And they didn't know it.

128 And the hour is upon the people again, when they'll go to their creeds and things instead of the lovely Jesus. That's right. These great big things coming up, and is bringing them right into more darkness and more darkness. And God declaring it in His Word, by signs and wonders in the heavens, and showing forth, telling things that happens just exactly to the hour and to the minute what would take place; and then they continually walk right on the same way. Looks like they just can't help it. Good people (Yes, sir.), doing the same thing now as they did then.

129 We are creatures of time. God is creatures of eternity--God is the creature of eternity. He never did begin and He never will end. So why not just commit yourself to Him? Look up and shine with the joy of the Light of God's Word that's shining today. Why can't people see that, friends?
Listen, I'm your brother. I love you. Wouldn't it be easier, for me just to tolerate when--and go ahead and say, "Oh, well, I'll compromise on this, I'll comp..." I'm not made out of that. No, sir. When it's the Word, it's the Word. God help us to stand for that thing which is true. Yes, sir. It would be fine, sure, you'd get more pats on the back. But what I--will I do standing there that day when them bony fingers point in my face and say, "You knowed better, but you failed to tell us"? Whew. No.
I'll be like Paul, "I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God." No man's blood's upon me. Let it go where it may be. That's truth. God knows it, and He backs it up and says it's the truth.

132 Turn to what? To Brother Branham? You--you'd be foolish to do such a thing. Turn to Christ, and He is the Word. Turn to Christ. Get away from creeds. Get back into... I don't care, you might started your creed five hundred years ago, that--you just... That don't mean one thing to God. Them Sadducees and Pharisees started long before you did and were condemned.
Oh, you try to place your evidence of the Holy Spirit upon different actions. I believe in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. What does it do? The Pentecostal says, "Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost." I've seen witches and wizards speak in tongues. I've seen them to speak in tongues and drink blood out of a human skull, and prophesy and deny there was such a thing as God. I've been in the witch camps where they lay a pencil on the table and make it jump up-and-down, and write in unknown tongues, and interpret it. That's right. That don't have a thing to... Yet, I believe God speaks in unknown tongues through His people. But you put so much stress on that, "Why should there be an interpreter? Why should it have to be a message to the church?"

135 Then you other people, you say, "The fruits of the Spirit, that's how we know. Love, joy, that's how we got the evidence." It is? Then the Christian Science has got you all beat. They exercise that more than all you Pentecostals, Methodists, and Baptists put together.
Watch what happens. Let me show you the fruits of the Spirit, and see if you could go for that anymore. Let's take Jesus. God forgive me for these words I'm going to say; I'm going to turn against Him for a minute to show you, take these council of men here, and this council of men here this afternoon.

137 I'll say, "Sirs, there's a young Fellow around here by the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, have nothing to do with Him. Who was the first... What does our Bible teach us? God is love. Who was the first with you when you were born? Your kind old priest. That's right. Who come to you when you was in need, didn't have no money, and loaned you some money? Your kind old priest. It's exactly. Who put his hand on your shoulder and on mother's shoulder, when you was about to separate, and prayed you back to God? Your kind old priest. Who was it took sides with you, when you and your neighbor was in fussing, and brought you back together in fellowship? Your kind old priest. That's right. Who is it, is the last words they're going to say over you at the day out yonder? Who is it? They let you lay there and rot; but your kind old priest comes, and blesses you, and sends the Word of God along with you. Your kind old priest."
"What about this Guy called Jesus of Nazareth, then (See?) what school did He come from? Your kind old priest had to sacrifice all of his life. His grandfather was a priest. His great-great-great-great-great-grandfather was a priest. He put his whole time in the organization. He's trained to the Word; he knows what he's talking about."
Now, we're talking about fruits of the spirit: kind, love, joy, peace, understanding, long-suffering, patience (See?), fruit of the Spirit.

140 "What about this Jesus, where'd He come from? We haven't got a word that He ever come out of any school. All He does is try to tear up the schools that we've built." Not much fruit of the Spirit there, is it?
"What did He do up there where them poor merchants down there, and businessmen that had to... They--they don't raise sheep, so they--they set a little pen out there so the man can bring in a sheep. That poor businessman, he--he wants to offer a sheep, 'cause it's God's requirement. He brings in the--the sheep to sell to the businessman, so that he can offer for his soul. What has this Jesus of Nazareth done? Kicked over his tables, took some leather and plaid it together, beat them priests out of there, and called your kind, old priest, a snake in the grass, a hypocrite."

142 Now, you call that fruit of the Spirit? Certainly not. Then where is your fruit of the Spirit landing up at? No more than you think of compassions, and Him going through a multitude of people there, multitudes laying, blind, crippled, afflicted, withered, halt, lame, and never healed any of them: full of compassion. People with a carnal mind will never know it. Seminaries don't teach it. It's a revelation. Certainly. Fruit of the spirit drops off there, doesn't it? Them priests had ten times the fruit of the Spirit.
How would you know what's right? The manifestation of the spoken Word of God being made manifest, Light of the hour. Certainly. There is what the evidence of the Holy Spirit is, believing the Word of God when It's manifested. He was the Word, manifested. And some of them denied It, laughed at It, made fun of Him and called Him a--a fortuneteller, some evil spirit; there's evidence, speaking in tongues, there is evidence of the fruits. The only evidence there is, is when man believe the written Word. When It's vindicated, walk in the Light of It. Jesus was the Light of the hour because He was the promised Word of the hour, and tried to tell them so, but they were too--too much in darkness to understand It. So is it today.

144 Now, now, creatures of time, we are. Commit your ways to Him, and He will bring the future out right, because we just see Him as He is in the Word.
You've seen Him vindicate the Word promised of today. You see it in the signs in the moon. You see it in the churches. Remember.
"You said, 'in the church,' what does that have to do with the church?"
Just a moment. The moon represents the church. Jerusalem is the oldest known church city in the world. Melchisedec come from that city: King of Salem, King of peace, King of Jerusalem. That's right, the oldest city in the world. And that was a moon, like where the law was established, and here come this wave of Gentile darkness coming over it. He said they'd--the church would trod down the walls of Jerusalem till the Gentile dispensation was up. And here she is. We're living right into it. She's going right back, just as certain as my name's William Branham. Yes, sir, we can see it. She is shadowed, foreshadowed, foretold: calling the elect out. They grope right on in darkness, the rest of them, as they go along. All right.

148 Now, we see His Word vindicated. We believe. So if He vindicated the Word of today, what It is, what do I care about what the year brings? What do I care about next year? What do I care whether I live today or die today? Every Word that He promised will be vindicated, every one. If He's able to do it today, after promising it two thousand years ago; if it's a hundred thousand years from today, Jesus will return to the earth in a visible body, for a Church, a--a Redeemed, a Bride, and take her out of here. Regardless of what comes, goes, fashions can go on, and people can wade on in total darkness and believe anything they want to believe, but Jesus Christ will return again. I trust the future to Him, then. "Lord God, I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know You hold tomorrow."

149 His Word is just like a great symphony. How many of you ever heard a symphony? Well, everybody has. Now, remember, a symphony is when music is played in a drama. I think I have that right, a symphony. "Peter and the Wolf," you remember that, the old story how they used to... I've heard that, how they take the drums and make the--the little woodpecker pecking, and Peter going out, and the growling of the wolf, and the tooting of the horns: a symphony.

150 Now, if you don't understand a symphony, it's a big bunch of racket to you, if you don't understand it. You've got to understand what it is. And it's all done by signs and motions, but it acts out a drama in this symphony. Now, we notice, the only one that understands a symphony is the composer and those who are interesting in knowing it, knows its changes, knows what takes place.
The composer knows every move from the end to the begin--from the beginning to the end. Did you know that? The one who wrote it up, he composes this, he knows every little junction. If he knows every junction, so does the director have to do, to direct it. Now, how you going to twist your creed in that? One little miscue of that stick, that sign, one little mis-sign at a junction, would throw the whole orchestra off, throw the whole symphony out. Now, you know that's true. The composer and director has to be in the same spirit.

152 That's why the minister and the Word of God, God's great Symphony He's been playing since the dawn of time, the minister, at the Word has to not look over here and say, "I believe this ought to be; you ought to make It this way." He's got to go the way the sheet Music says take it. That's the way the Gospel's got to be preached, the way the Word says take It. You know, if you'd throw a creed in There, you got the whole thing messed up. It's got to go to make the drama just exactly right.
The director has to go what the composer said, beat out just exactly so, the music. Now, watch. It's all done by signs, and it's got to be the right kind of sign to give the right kind of a sound.
Paul said, "If the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for war?
Now, you see the Composer, God, Who wrote the Bible, it's altogether the revelation of Jesus Christ. He knowed the changes of time. And the man, the--the director who's directing the--the sign of the age, has to go just exactly with the Bible signs. Hallelujah. My, my, my, my. See?

156 Oh, brother, sister, what's the matter with the world? Why am I crazy? There's something wrong somewhere. The symphony is not in harmony with the sheet Music. They're making church creed and everything else, when it's the Word that's supposed to be preached to be manifested. Something wrong with the directors, then the whole band's mixed up; they don't know what to do. They're all funny, "What happened? Why'd this do? What'd this happen? This... How's that happen?" They don't know what to do now. Scattering, because it never come in harmony with the Word. That's what's the matter with our, what we call, last day revival. That's what's the matter with our Pentecostal message. We've got out of beat with the Bible, went and organized like they did back there. She went off beat.
God have mercy. I wished I had words that I could make it sink in, as it was, that I could spread it open and pour it in.

158 Can't you see, my brother, sister, it's got to be in harmony. The director's got to be with the Word. When It says one thing, don't say something else; it'll give the wrong sign, then the whole thing goes out of rhythm. That's right. God's Word is a great sympathy--a symphony, rather. Excuse me. You must begin like he did in the Music. You must begin with Him. Notice, get in the rhythm of It.
Say, "Well, I joined church." That's not the rhythm. "I did so." That's not the rhythm. "I went up to the altar and I--I said, 'I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'" Satan does the same thing. That's not the rhythm. See? You get out of swing. What happened? Maybe some director told you, "Shake hands and put your name on the book; join our club, our organization." You're all out of swing.
Then when the real thing begins to happen out here amongst a little bunch, you'll say, "Well, what about That? They're out of harmony." Go back to the Word and see who's out of harmony (See?), see what God promised. See what the Composer said about It.

161 See, you got everybody in your audience. That's the reason the world's looking around. When the church ought to be looked upon as a bright, shining star, a Light that's setting on a hill, that no man can outshine, no man condemn It.
And today it's the laughingstock of the world, because that the directors got it out of harmony with the Composer. See what I mean? They're beating out things that isn't in there. The musicians hardly knows what to do now; the church, they're all in a twist. We've been talking about all this stuff, all years, and condemning it, and now joining right in with it. Oh, something wrong somewhere.

163 Notice, you must begin in the Music like He did, get into the rhythm of It, get into the promised Word. See the way He done it at the beginning; see the way He done it in the middle age; see the way He does it now: always the same.
Watch the director, how He does it. If he doesn't do it, if he points you to some organization, there never was a director done that. A director always pointed you to the Word. The prophets of old pointed to the Word. They was the Word. They lived the Word. And what did it do? It manifested God. That brought the written Word for that day to life, because It come to them. It was revealed to them. That was their Rock. Hallelujah.

165 Jesus Christ, God's Word, is our Rock, "Upon this Rock I'll build My church," the revealed Word of God. Shalom, to the real believer. Peace. We're at the end time. "On this Rock I'll build My Church," the revelation of the Word.
One said, "Well, You're a great man. You're like Moses. You're a great man. You're like..." That ain't it.
But the revelation said, "Thou art the Son of God."
Said, "Flesh and blood never revealed it to you, but My Father which is in heaven. Upon this revealed Truth, I'll build My Church."
What is it? He is the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," and the Word is still God. Just He is same today, manifest Himself as He was; Moses and Elijah on down, and Jesus, and the same God today, makes Him Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever: Hebrews 13:8. See? They never pointed you to a group. They pointed you to a Person, pointed you to a Word: God.

169 "Where do I begin, Brother Branham?"
At the Cross, begin at the Cross with Him. Repent, believe the Word. That's what the Bible said. Then follow through the rhythm of the rest of the Word.
You say, "Well, what shall I do?"
Just keep on following the rhythm of the Word. If repent is the first thing in recognizing, do that; that's your first step. Put your next step where the Word says: on, on and on and marching on with Him.
Don't break the rhythm if you're a part of God's symphony. Don't break the rhythm of the Word. Don't ask, "Well, why? Why did this happen? I tried it, Brother Branham, and when they turned me out, you know what I done? I just like to starved to death." Don't ask why. He knows the rhythm, how it's got to change, and what junctions it's got to make (Yes, sir.), for it's written. He knows all about it. He knows the rhythm. Don't ask why. Believe it.

172 God has moved down through the time of history with His promised Word in each age, and has never failed to break the rhythm by the power of God, when it come to the elected and vindicated people. The rhythm of His Word in the days of Noah, the rhythm of His Word in the days of--of Noah, in the days of Moses, in the days of Elijah, in the days of John, in the days of David, in the days of Jesus, on down, He keeps the rhythm of the Word right on down, never has broke It. He's come right down through history. And the elected seed that seen it and believe it, fall right into that rhythm with it.

173 The others say, "Well, but the church says..." Now, that's got nothing to do with It. You're not born to do that.
You're born into the Word, for you're born into Christ. Christ is the Word. Yes, sir. Each one in its age...
You say, "Well, I'll just tell you, Brother Branham, I can't look ahead."
Then look up. God promised if you'd look up, see Him; shalom, peace, God's peace rest you.
You say, "Then why does others make fun of me, Brother Branham? You know, others make fun of me, and saying I--I got long hair; I'm old fashion to the women." The man, "Because I believe the Bible, you don't have fellowship with us no more. We can't accept you because that--that you believe such-and-such."
And you know it's exactly the way the Word's written. God's duty bound to you to back that up then. He certainly is. Don't matter about that, why they say to make fun of us. God's a jealous God. Remember, suffering for His Word's sake is growing pains of His grace. When you suffer for His Word's sake, it's just growing pains.
You know how a little kid, ten, twelve years old, gets pains. Come in, say, "Mama, my arms hurt and my legs are hurting," so forth. It's growing pains. It shows he's got some good vitamins. He's growing up.

180 And when somebody begins to make fun of you, say, "She's old fashion. Look at him, he's... Oh, I'll tell you; he used to be..." All right, just remember, it's growing pains. That's that persecution's good for you. It's growing pains.
Oh, yes, He permits crosses and crossroads and junctions. He always does that in order to perfect us for His service. He permits those things to happen. Can't you understand that? He does that so He can perfect you for the calling He's called you for. That's your growing pains. He did Daniel that way, you know. He did the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. What did the fiery furnace do? The fiery furnace only broke the bands that had them bound. That's all the furnace did, just burnt loose the bands.

183 Sometimes it takes trials to break the bands of the world off of us, take you out of the world. Might be have to take you out of your creed first. Like the man drowning in the river, you have to take him out of the river 'fore you get the river out of the man. That's about the way God has to do sometime. Let them throw you out, one time, then they get the world out of you. Got to--got to get you out of the world first. Sometime these growing pains is what does that. Oh, yes.
God stands on the promised Word for each new year. He stands on It this year to fulfill what He's got promised for this year. Whatever it is, I want to be right in the center of His will in the future, like they did.

185 Like Abraham, when he met his crossroads, he didn't know how he would do it. God told him, "I'm going to give you a son." Twenty-five years he waited for it. Finally the son come, then God said, "Now, by this son, I'm going to make you a father of many nations. Take him up there and kill him." Take him up and kill him, destroy the very thing that he'd waited twenty-five years on. "Take him up and kill him."
Abraham never worried. It never bothered him. He picked up the wood and put it upon a little donkey, and took his son, took him up the top of the hill, to offer him up, because Abraham knew that he had received him as one from the dead. Sarah's womb was dead; he was sterile, so there was no way. And the boy... He was a hundred years old, and she was ninety, so he come by a promised Word. The same God that made the promise, said, "I'll make you a father of nations." After twenty-five years, and being a hundred years old, him and his wife received the child. If God told him to offer him up, God was able to raise him up. Amen.

187 Praise God, brethren. I feel good. I feel religious. So how good I feel. I know this one thing: He's able to raise him up again. We'll stand on that unadulterated Word of Light for this hour. God will raise us up when this generation comes forth, as shining Lights against this generation. Amen.
No wonder He said the queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with her generation and condemn this one; because she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. How that little queen, way down, a heathen saw that Light, and come for miles through the desert, three months on a camel's back, to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and them standing right there, with Solomon being a type, a figure of Him.
And then come and seeing Wesley, Luther, all the others, denominations back there, being a figure and a type of what's happening now, and they walk right through it. Oh. All right.

190 For so the new year is determined by God, just determine to stay in His Word. Walk where the Word says walk (as we come now to the close) like others, elected seed did in their day when they saw the Word. What did they do it? They walked in It, if they were elected seed in other ages, for He is the unfailing Word. How many believe that Jesus Christ is the Word? Oh, my.

191 I heard a program the other day of a certain denomination of people; Mr. H. M. S. Richards said he had wrote the book for the year. I don't want to disagree with a man like that. Although, being a Seventh-day Adventist, I don't agree with Seventh-day Adventist doctrine, but I certainly like the man. But I'll disagree with him. That might be H. M. S. Richards' book for the new year.
But my Book and your Book for the new year is the Book of the old year, the Bible, God's Word. Just make It live to what It's promised to live for. Yes, sir. And every coming year to come, and every year that has been, He's the eternal God living through the eternal Word that He spoke, when every Bible Truth and every promise in It has been vindicated, as It has been down through the years.

193 How God promised that He'd destroy the world with water, and He vindicated it by Moses--or by Noah. He promised that He would send a deliverer and bring Israel up out of Egypt; they'd sojourned for four hundred years. He did just exactly that. And He swore that He'd raise up David, and how David would be a--a son--Christ would be his son, through David would come Christ... How He swore that He would do that; He did just that. He promised He would send John the Baptist before the coming of Jesus Christ. He did just that. He promised He would send the Messiah. He did just that.
He promised the world would get into a great group of organizations and make a system, a power, known as the beast, and would be up there setting on seven hills. It did just exactly that. How the church would be persecuting them to death, they did just exactly that.

199 How they'd come out in the reformation, they did just exactly that. How he promised in each age it would be, and He promised for this age. And here He is today, making that Word live, just exactly like He did in the beginning. Certainly.
And when every promise is fulfilled, death is swallowed up in victory; Jesus will come. And the last one is vindicated, then there will come an eternal peace upon the earth, and an eternal shalom. An eternal shalom, peace, will rest upon the earth.
When Jesus came, the Prince of Peace, why wasn't there peace? Because all the Word wasn't fulfilled in His day. He's fulfilling It today. But when all of His promised Word, which was a thought of God...
A "Word" is a "thought expressed." God, in His thinking, thought It and expressed It through His prophets, and now It has to be fulfilled. And when He foretold us of these things so we wouldn't make a mistake and blunder in darkness then when we see it being fulfilled...
Now, He promised to send Christ the second time. And whenever He does, when Christ comes the second time, there will be an eternal shalom.

205 Listen, friends, as we close. Remember, the Bible is the fountain of all wisdom. It doesn't come from Doctor, Ph.D., LL.D. It comes from the Word of God.
There was Doctors of Divinity setting there by the hundreds, and a little twelve-year-old Boy called them down, because He was the Word. The little Boy had no education at all, yet He was the Word. Because He was the Light spoken for that day, He was manifesting that Word. The Word was in Him. It had to be. No wonder what He said come to pass, because He was the Word. You understand? All that understand, say, "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] He was the Word.

207 Remember the Bible, not some book-of-the-year that's written by man... "Let every man's word be a lie, but Mine the Truth."
And cults, and religions, and--and so forth, all just get it so conglomerated up when you get a bunch of men into it. God never did deal in such a group. If Jesus would come today, would He take sides with the Methodists, with the Baptists, with the Adventists, Jehovah Witness, Christian Science, Pentecostals, Presbyterians? No, sir. He certainly would not.
It's an individual affair: you and God. There's no two men see eye to eye, together alike: no two thumbs alike. God deals with a individual. Now, how you know whether he's right or not? Then look back and see if he's with the Word. If he's with the Word, then God's dealing with him; if he isn't, something else is dealing with him. See? That's right.

210 Remember, the Bible is the Fountain of all wisdom and holds all the hopes of the future in It. Shalom, God's peace.
Like a story was told one time, about a little boy lost his daddy before he was old enough to see his father: just a infant baby when his father died. One day he got about ten, twelve years old. He had another brother, called John. He went to his brother, and he said, "Uh, John," which was several years older, said, "do you--you remember dad?"
Said, "Yeah."
Said, "What was he like?"
Said, "Well, he was a tall man, and he was a very fine man. He was always good to mother; he was kind to--to me, and he was kind to everybody."
He said, "Well, is that all you know about him, John?"
He said, "Well, I'll tell you." Said, "Henry," said, "everybody says that I--I look like him." And said, "Everybody says that I got a nature like him."
He said, "Oh, that's good. That's what I want to know." Said, "When I see you, I see my daddy."
There it is. When the--the world sees Jesus Christ, it'll be in you," when this Word that's written of today...

216 Where do you see Jesus in David? When the Word was made manifest through him. How do you see Christ, God in Elijah, in that chariot going into heaven, see Jesus in Elijah? 'Cause the Word was vindicated.
How do you see It in Moses? Jesus was in Moses. The Bible said so. See? That's right. He was the burning bush that was with Moses in the wilderness.
How will people know Jesus Christ? When they--he sees Him in you, when they see Jesus in you. For He said, "The works that I do shall you do also. Greater than this shall you do, because I go to My Father." Is that right? That's how they, world knows.

220 Not because that the Pentecostal Oneness is greater than the Pentecostal Twoness, or the Twoness is greater than the Threeness, or whatever you have; not because the Methodists is greater than the Baptists; or the Southern Baptist taking the prize this year for all the--all the Baptist churches, all the Protestants. They got more members this year than any of the rest of them, I understand, by the count. That doesn't make them any different. God doesn't know you by numbers. The heathen's got you outnumbered any time. The Catholics got you all. Mohammedanism got all them. See?
You are known when Jesus Christ lives in you by His Life and promised Word of this day reflects itself. See?

222 Now, the same Word that was reflected in Moses could not be reflected in Elijah, because that was another day. Same one that was reflected in Noah could not be in Moses, 'cause (See?) Noah built an ark. Moses led a people, just exactly what was promised. The same light was reflected in one, wasn't in the other, but one told of the other one.
And all the New Testament speaks of this hour. Jesus Christ speaks of this hour. Who is it then, some man? It's Jesus Christ, the Son of God manifesting, reflecting the Light on the Word that He promised for this day.
When men see you living like Him, when he sees your character, your conduct with the Word just exactly like He was, the Word being manifested, then men will see Jesus Christ. They won't have to look around anywhere else, say, "What does this creed teach, what does that creed teach?" They'll know what God is when they see you.

225 Shalom, God's peace be Light upon you! And when God's Word is vindicated in this age completely, and you see It and believe It, shalom to you.
Face the new year with this, put Him, as David said, "I put Him always before me. Because He's on my right hand, I shall not be moved." If you meet death this year, what difference does it make? God promised He'd raise you up. If an accident kills you, what difference does it make? You have Eternal Life, "I'll raise him up at the last days." Amen. What if anything happens? No matter what it is, nothing can separate us from the love of God, that's in Christ. Hunger, peril, nakedness, no matter what it is, nothing can separate us from the love of God that's in Christ. And He is the Word. Shalom.

227 Let's bow our heads. Now, everybody keep your head bowed just a moment. God's peace.
"Gross..." [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] "As it was in the days of Noah, where they were eating, drinking, marrying, given in marriage (a Reno, Nevada, and the whole world of red light), so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man."
As it was at Sodom, where God was manifested in a human Being that Abraham called Elohim, the all-sufficient One; stood there, eat meat, drinking milk, and bread, and could tell what Sarah was thinking behind her--behind Him in the tent, He said that will return again at the coming of the Son of man. "A little while, and the world won't see Me no more; yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world."

230 The Jews returning to their land, the things that's taking place that is in this day, would prevent from me from halfway beginning to tell you what's taking place, but we see it. What is it? Word made manifest.
What do you think the Hebrews did when they seen the Word made manifest with a promise? They got ready to leave the land.
If you're not ready today, friend, start this new year out right; start it with your hand in God's hand, God's Word in your heart, saying, "Lord Jesus, I don't know what part of this Symphony that You want me to play, but at when that junction comes for me to be persecuted, laughed at, made fun of, I still take my stand that Your Symphony will not be messed up because of me. I'll stay right with Your Word, no matter what It is. I'll stay right there. And when death beats up to my door, that's part of the Symphony. I know then that just as sure as it beat death up to my door, the resurrection will beat out one of these days too, and You'll raise me up again. It's part of Your Symphony. Lord, let me be part today, will You?"

233 How many would like to take that vow, and say, "Beginning this new year, Brother Branham, starting this meeting, right now, I now promise God to take my stand, to never fail to stay right with His promised Word, and to live just exactly the way He promised it in meekness and humility; that God might take my life and place it into His great Symphony, that that same group He'll raise up at the last days. I'm going to raise my hand, Brother Branham, not to you, but to God. Remember me in prayer." God bless you everywhere. The Lord bless you. My hands is up too.

234 Lord, take me. Lord God, don't never let me get my mind, like Judas, upon a extra dollar, upon some fashion of the world, or somebody to pat you on the back, and say, "Oh, Brother Branham, this is..." No, no. God, never let that happen to me. I'll just take the way with the Lord's despised few. I'll be a brother to man, do everything that I can, Lord, love people with all my heart. But, Lord, never let me move from this Word. I want to raise up at the last day. And only those who are included in this great Symphony, Lord, as I have tried to explain it this afternoon, that's the one that comes forth at the end of the--of the sheet music, when the great resurrection, and all the Angels clap their hands and the saints go marching in. It's those who's acted out that part in this great drama we play--pray, Lord.
We know that in a drama they change masks; they come from one thing to another, and that's what You did. You come from the Spirit, God, the Great Jehovah, and put on the mask of a human being, changed Your--Your--Your strain; You changed. You pitched Your tent. You came down from God and become man, that You might die to redeem man. You changed Your mask.
Then again You've changed it, and You've masked Yourself into the people who'll believe and act out according to the Word that You have written here. Blessed are the eyes that see it; blessed are the hearts that receive it; blessed are the ears that hear it, for there will come a resurrection when the--the Symphony is over. God, let us all be there, will You?

237 Bless this little group. Speaking like this, Father, we know that this tape goes all over the world. And here's a fine, little group setting here today, this visible audience here in Phoenix. O God, fifteen years of hard preaching and scolding, and, God, Thou knowest the reason: love. Love is--is chastening. Love is--is rebuke. Love is discipline.
O God, may I throw myself with this people this week and may You discipline us, Lord, to Your Word. May we see Your power raise up the sick and the afflicted, the eyes of the blind be opened, the great Holy Spirit come visible in the room. May every minister and every church be on fire. May the coming convention of the businessmen, Lord, set every businessman's heart in this city on fire for God. Grant it, Lord. We don't know what to do about it, no more than to ask and believe that it will be done. We commit ourselves to You, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

239 And now, let us stand to our feet. I'm poor of speech, mispronounce my words, and I want to say this 'cause I felt constrained to do it. How many in here will raise your hand, that you understood what I meant by God's Symphony? Raise your hand. Thank you. Good. Do you believe it, that it's a Symphony? See? You'll find It comes to a junction, everybody's all wondering. I call it junction. I don't know music; a musician in here, why, he'd--you forgive me of my rude way. But it's... They're beating out here and have something to act. It'll go real low, way down, you wonder what it is; but (See?) if you get into the rhythm of it, you understand it. That's the only way you'll ever understand God, is get into the rhythm of it.
"What is? How will I? Brother Branham, I'm just as true a Methodist, Baptist, or Pentecostal." That's not the rhythm.
The rhythm is God. God is the Word. The Word is God. God's rhythm is obeying His Word. Then when you obey the Word, He beats the rhythm right to you, then you take your place. Whenever it goes down, down, down, up, whatever it is, you know those junctions.

243 Sometimes you say, "Oh, heartaches and trials..."
Didn't God say, "All things work together for good to them that love Him, while I'm beating out My Symphony"? And you find that then you're afflicted, and struck down, and persecuted, made fun of. Remember, that's the part that goes that way. If that isn't like that, then the Symphony is out of tune.
The great Composer knows exactly what's in it. He knows. He knowed you from the beginning. He put your name on the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world. You believe that? He knows what you're supposed to do. No matter how low it goes, and how dark it looks, it's got to be that way.
But remember, if it goes plumb into the shadows of death, "I am the Resurrection and Life; I'll raise him up again." And when the great Director comes down and beats that stick down, then time shall be no more. When that Angel of Revelation the 10th chapter puts one foot on land and one on the sea, and a rainbow over His head, He swore time shall be no more. When that time comes, you'll rise up from among the dead. While the rest of them lay there, you'll go in.

246 Stay in the Symphony. Stay in God's Word. No matter how hard it is, stay right with It, wherever God's beating.
Sometimes He causes trouble to break the bands and set you free. He does that. You say, "Well, I don't know what I'd do." He does. What difference? You're just--you're just playing the part. He's the One that's got you in His hand. He directs you.
Remember, it's all done by a sign. We see the time we're living in by the sign we're living in, so we know what the Symphony does today. It's a separating time, taking the Light from the darkness.
Let's say it together so you won't forget it, because I feel to say this. [Brother Branham and congregation speak in unison--Ed.]: "It's taking the Light from the darkness." Let's say it again. "It's taking the Light from the darkness."

250 That's God's Symphony. He's showing it in the heavens. He showed it on the blackboards. He showed it by Himself. He's promised it in the Word. We see it vindicated. He's separating the wheat from the chaff. He's taking the Light from the dark.
Do you believe Him with all your heart? Let's sing our good song then.
And I want to say a word to the pastors a minute. Brethren, the Lord bless you. Thank you for dismissing your congregations and bringing them out here. To you pastors out there, I certainly thank you. I'm only here...

253 Let me say, brethren, there might be Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians. Do you hear, I speak just the same to the Pentecostals as I did to you? Just the same. See? It isn't...
If I can't disagree with a man sharply, and still love him... Because if I disagree with him, just to be disagreeing, I'm a hypocrite; I ain't fit to stand up here. But if I disagreed with him because of fellowship and love and understanding, no matter what he does, he's still my precious brother. I stand with him. Yes, indeedy. That's exactly right. If that isn't in my heart, then God take me out of this pulpit; I'm not fit to be here. That's right. I say it because of love, and something that I see coming. And He's never let me be wrong on it so far, because it's always been His Word. So God bless you.

255 Now, let us bow our heads just a moment and sing this good old song that we usually sing, "I love Him, I love Him." If the pianist, or whoever it is, or the ones with the music, will give us a little chord on it, I guess. Yes, all right, let's see if we can sing it then without the music. Everybody together now, with our heads bowed.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
I think they've stopped the tapes now. See, this tape goes every...