Leadership

[A group of children sing the “Old Time Religion.”] If it's good enough for you all, it's good enough for us, too! [A brother says, “Now they give their present for you.”] My, that's sweet. [The children give Brother Branham a gift.] Thank you. [A sister says “Just a little gift, Brother Branham. The children saved their pennies and nickels and wanted to buy you something.”] Thank you, thank you, my little brother. Thank you, children. I sure thank you very, very much. And God bless you. You know, Jesus said, “Insomuch as you give unto the least of these, you have done it to me.” You're the men and women of tomorrow; if there is a tomorrow, you will be.

Got the penny. Thank you very much honey. Should I open it? [Brother Branham opens the gift and reads the card—Ed.] You got it so pretty, it's kind of hard to…oh my, it's cute. Grandfather has to get his glasses, you know: “Faith in…a grain of mustard seed…Message of you…”

Isn't that sweet? See? Oh, my, my! I hate for you to give me this. “Dear Brother Branham, Oh, you are such a good friend. We are hoping you'll—you'll be blessed with all the things you found. We love you; in all that happiness; and might, dear Lord Jesus richly bless you.”

Oh, that's really cute. Thank you, sweetheart, each and every one of you. That's really nice.

[A brother says, “Brother Branham, I believe you'll agree we got a good Sunday School teacher.”—Ed.]

You sure have. (Just hold this for me, Billy.) Now, this is so, done up so nice, I hate to undo it. Very pretty. I bet one of the mommies did this one. Is that right? [Brother Branham opens another gift—Ed.] Huh? Well, I have to…It won't jump out? Oh, my. Oh. Oh, my. That's really sweet…?…we'll go with that. Leo, going to wonder which family he belongs to. He push it in every picture. That's really nice.

Now, children, that's the horn of plenty and I'll take this and hang it in our new home. And I suppose as long as—as we have a home we'll have this in memory of this little Sunday school here at Prescott. I give thanks to God, give thanks unto the Lord for everything; and I give thanks unto God for such fine little boys and girls as you all are. Just to think of me in this—this time. God bless all of you. Thanks a lot, yeah, it's really nice. Inspiration, that's just what we was wanting, something like that. Wasn't we?

[A brother speaks—Ed.] Fine.

[A brother says the singing was planned at the last minute.] That's when it's better.

[A group of sisters sing Down From His Glory, then the audience joins in.]

[The sisters continue singing the chorus of Down From His Glory. A brother leads in Only Believe—Ed.]

I believe I could preach four hours now, after all that. I was beginning to think I was getting tired. No wonder you little girls can sing so well, you little girls and little boys. Listen how your big sisters sing, and your mothers. Wonderful singers! That's really pretty. Who is this little girl that led that song? Aren't you the little girl I met across there? Sure have a beautiful voice, all of you. You just.... I believe the best singing I have ever heard is right here. You all practice that all the time? [A brother says, “No. That's how we sing.”] Well, I tell you, you certainly are blessed with some real good singing.

I like good singing. I just love real good singing. I've always said when I get to heaven I want to get where they're singing, and listen. I never could get my fill of singing.

You know, singing gives courage. You know that, don't you? The soldiers, when they're going to battle, you know what they do? They play music, and sing and things, to give them courage. And when we're going to battle, we sing, and it gives us courage to go on.

I thank you, little fellows, for that nice gift. And it's ... Mrs. Branham, and from Rebekah, and Joseph, and Sarah, and all of us, we thank you very much. It's hard to say, how to tell them little fellows, knowing you saved your pennies. I don't want to take it. You know how I feel. I don't want to take it. But yet.... I looked in here and they had a ten-dollar bill in this card. I thought, “Can I take that?” I thought, “How can I do it?”

But I remember a little story I want you to know, one day.

There was a widow woman. She had a bunch of children. Perhaps her ... them little children's papa was gone. And she only had two pennies. And she come down the street, one time, and it was tithing money—just pennies like you all saved—and she threw it into the treasury of God. Jesus was standing there watching her.

And I've wondered, what would I have done if I'd been standing there. I'd probably run up and said, “No, no, Sister. Don't do that. We don't ... really don't need it. You need it for them children,” see. Now, I wouldn't have let her done it. But Jesus let her do it, see. He let her do it. Why? He knows it's more blessed to give than it is to receive. He knowed what He would do for her, see.

So I thank you, little fellows, with all my heart.

I want to thank each and every one of you, for this fine time of fellowship, Brother Leo and Gene. This has actually been three days of worship for me. Even out in the jungle, when I try to let myself go, and think I was hunting, I ... somehow or another, I look at you, and hear your talk.

I had the privilege this afternoon to visit your homes. I never seen ... walked into any—I'm going to call it a village—that I ever seen so many clean, neat homes, and people; and so much respect for Christ, and the gospel. I never seen it anywhere. And you're certainly started on the right road. Just keep going, and God'll be with you.

And I got to see some of you.... I seen the other day these sisters. I didn't even know them, because all I could see would just be about their eyes and nose, out from under one of those hoods. And now I believe I'll know you better, through the courtesy of Brother Leo and Gene, to take me around and visit your homes; and get to shake hands with the little children, the prophets and prophetesses of the age to come, if there is a age to come.

You know, Jesus loves little children? You know, He does. And there was a little boy one time, named Moses. We're going to talk about him, just in a little bit. And he was a very fine.... You know what made him, helped make him a fine boy? He had a good mother to raise him, see. That's what. She taught him about the Lord. And you little boys and girls has got the same kind of mothers to raise you, teach you about the Lord. Just mind them.

You know what ... you know what the first commandment is, in the Bible? The first commandment with promise, with a promise? May be a little hard for you to understand these commandments. The first commandment is not to have any other God but Him. But the great commandment, and the first commandment that has a promise to it, see, is to the children. Did you know that? He said, “Children, obey your parents, which may lengthen the days upon the earth that the Lord thy God has given thee.” To mind your parents, and do what you're doing—it may give you longer life upon the earth that the Lord has given you, more time to serve Him. I hope today, that I'm looking at a bunch of preachers, and singers, and evangelists of the day that is to come, if there is a day after ours.

And there is only one thing up here. You kill a fellow with kindness. I eat till I couldn't eat. And I never was treated so much.... If I had been an angel dropped out of heaven, I couldn't have been treated any nicer. The only thing I can say to you is, “Thank you.” And when you're down Tucson way, I might not be able to treat you that nice because I don't know how—I haven't got the manners to do it—but I'll do the best I can. Come down.

Brother and Sister Shantz, I want to certainly thank them (and I had the privilege of meeting your pretty young daughter, and son, this afternoon) and for letting us have his home, here, open for worship. There was such things taking place in the Bible day, you know, that the gospel was.... I know it sounds very little; we would think it isn't. But this is just the same (as God) to God as them was in that day. Remember, if there would be another many years, they'd look back here and say, “If I'd have only lived in the days up there at Prescott! If I'd have only lived...,” see. Now we are living in that day, see. Then we come down to the end of the road; then we wait for our reward at the big day.

Now, we're going to open the Word of God and read. But just before we do, let us speak to Him just a moment.

Dear Jesus, I cannot express my feelings and my gratitude towards Brother Mercier, Brother Goad, and all these fine people and their little children, of how kind they have showed us since we've been here. The kindness is beyond anything that we expected. And we know that they were lovely and sweet, but we didn't know that we'd be treated in such a real, royal way. And Lord, I pray that your presence will always be in this camp of people, the Holy Spirit will fill every heart here, and You will give them eternal life.

And may we, as we enjoy today, may there be an endless day, that when we'll meet in the presence of Him who we are worshipping and love, and give all praise for these things. Till that time Lord, keep us loyal to Him and to his Word. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Now I had you so long this morning, I'll try to make it real quick this afternoon, and talk in a way that, maybe to little fellows, and the older will understand, too.

I want to read a scripture here found in the book of St. Mark. And I want to read from the seventeenth verse of the tenth chapter of St. Mark, a portion.

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeling down and asking him saying, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, and that is, God.

Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I [done obeyed] observed [rather] from my youth.

Then Jesus beholding him loved him [this young fellow], and he said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven: and come, take up thy cross, and follow me.

And he was sad at this saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Now, to the children and to the adults, and all, I want to make this little message just as timely as I can, and as quick as I can. And I want to take for a text, “Follow Me.” And I want to take for a subject, “Leadership”—follow, and someone to lead. “Leadership,” and “Follow Me.”

The young people, the.... Remember that the first step that any of us ever made, somebody led us. You mothers remember the first step that Junior, and the little girl made? And they don't remember it no more, but somebody led you to your first step. I remember Billy Paul when he made his first step; Joseph and all of them, when they made their first step. It's usually a mother that gets to lead a child to its first step, because she's home while the daddy is out working, trying to make a living. But it's ... they make their first step.

And at nighttime when they come in, the father, he is always saying.... “Oh, Dad,” she said, “Johnny and Mary (the little boy or girl), can walk! Come and look!” And just one step. Maybe mother had to hold—had to hold mother's finger because you was kind of weak, and kind of turned sideways, you know, and fall down a little. So you had to hold to Mama's hand to make your first step.

Now, somebody helped you when you made your first step. And you'll ... your last step you ever make in life, somebody will be leading you, see. That's right. I want you to remember that. Your first step somebody led you, and your last step somebody'll be leading you.

We have to be led. You know God likened us unto sheep. And did you know a sheep can't lead itself? He'll wander away, and stray away, and he just can't lead himself. And he has to have somebody to lead him, and sometimes.... The shepherd is supposed to lead the sheep. Now, that was back in the days of the Lord Jesus. He was the good shepherd that led the sheep.

But today, you see, we're living in another day. Everything is changed and perverted. You know what man has, to lead sheep today? A goat. And you know where that goat leads them? Right into the slaughter. Them little sheep don't know where they're going. So the goat goes up a pen up at the slaughter. And the sheep don't know no more than to follow a leader, so it leads them right up into this slaughter. And then the goat jumps over the track, and the sheep goes in and gets killed. See, the goat—a wrong leader.

But Jesus, the good shepherd who led the sheep, He led them to life, and held their hand, see.

But somebody has to lead the sheep.

The first is the mother's kindness; then the father's word. After the mother gives you your first step, then you look to your daddy (all of us) for wisdom, because he's the head of the house. And he usually—not that he's any smarter—but he's just made a leader of his family. So we follow what our daddy says do.

When he says, “Now, son, I would like for you to do a certain, certain thing,” then we listen to him, because it's wisdom that we listen. See, he's learned a whole lot. And we've got to ask him, to see what he learned; and then we can profit by his ... what he's learned. He tells us, “Now, don't go and do this, because I did that. My father told me not to do it, but I did it; and it caused this to happen to me [something bad].” So we see, we'll ... then he ... daddy tells us how to do, and what to do right.

Then, after mother leads us, till a time we have to get a little wisdom, to understand, from daddy, then we get another, we get another leader: and that's a teacher, a good school teacher. She tries to teach you, and give you an education to fit you better in life, for a place, a position—that you can ... you can read your Bible, and you can read the songs, and you can learn of God; and read, yourself, you see.

And then another thing, maybe you'd have business, and somebody write you a letter. Mama, daddy, somebody write you a letter, you couldn't read it, see. So the teacher, she has you then. And she leads you to learn to write, and to read. And it's a good thing, a good teacher to teach you right.

But now, after you leave that, you.... After you leave the teacher, one teacher after the other one, from a little primer, a little first grade, on till you get out of high school, or go to college.... Then, when you leave college, then the teacher is through leading you, see.

Now, mama has taught you to walk, see. Papa has taught you how to be brilliant, and a nice young man, and how to take care of yourself, and behave yourself. The teacher has taught you an education: how to read and write. Right. But now, you are leaving papa, you are leaving mama, and you are leaving the teacher. Now, somebody has to take you from here on. Now, who do you want to take you from here on? [A child says, “Jesus.”] That's right. Jesus to take you from there on. Now, that's a very good answer, very fine. Jesus takes you from there on.

Now, you see this young fellow that we're talking about? He is called the rich young ruler. Now, this fellow, he had been guided pretty well. Now, his mother had taught him to walk. And you see, he was yet a young man, maybe just out of high school, and a very popular young man; and by being well-trained, maybe walked correct, and so forth, like his mother had taught him.

And he had been a successful young man too, because look, he was already rich. And he was just a young man, maybe eighteen years old, just out of high school, and he was rich. Now, you see he had the right kind of a teacher to teach him to walk right. And he had a right kind of a teacher (his father) till, even yet a young man, and he was rich in money. He had made him a lot of money. He might have been a real.... He was a ruler—even at that age very successful, see. And now, he had a teacher that had taught him—taught him the right thing, how he would.... He had his education.

And then, another teacher this young man had had (which that depends on how you're raised up), but this young man had a religious teaching in his home.

Now, some children.... Did you know there's a lot of little children that don't have any religious teaching at home? Their father and mother don't believe in God? And their father and mother drink, smoke, fight, and run out at one another at night, and things; and don't cook their little boys and girls suppers, and things? Aren't you glad you got a real good Christian father and mother? Now, when you have children, don't you want to be the same kind of a father and mother as your father and mother is, see? Now, but that's all good.

Now this young man had had.... And he had a religious teaching, see. That was far beyond what some of them had, because they don't have religious teaching. But this young man had had religious teaching because, see, because he said he kept the commandments since he was a boy.

Now, you all got good religious teachers too, each one of you. And you little teen-age girls and boys, you all have good teachers. Your father and mother, here in this camp, got everything that you —every potential—that you know that's possible, for you to make a real good man and woman, a servant to God. Because remember, you're going to die some day, or either be translated into heaven.

And if you die before his coming, you'll be raptured first. Did you know that? Did you know those who are dead.... If mama and papa dies before you do, and Jesus doesn't come in our generation, do you know these ... papa and mama will come forth first, glorified before you? See? The trumpet of God shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. And then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them. We'll be changed in it like them. We've got to remember that's the main thing in life. You understand now? That's the main thing in life we got to do, is to get ready to meet God.

Now, just religion won't work. See, this young ruler here, he said, “Good Master....” Now, remember, before I say it, he had been taught to walk right; he had a good education; he'd been taught business and was rich; and was a ruler; and had religion. But he was confronted with another problem. And it confronts all of us—eternal life.

Religion doesn't give us eternal life. Religion is a covering, but it don't give us eternal life. And yet him, taught with the best teachers there was, he was yet lacking something. And the young man knew it, because he said, “Good Master, what can I do to inherit eternal life?”

Now you believe Jesus is God, don't you? So He knew the thoughts of the young man. So He said, “Keep the commandments.” He went right back to his religion, to see what he would say about his religion. He said, now in other words, “Keep your religion.”

He said, “I have did this since a boy [little boys like you]. My Mama, and Papa, and my priest taught me religion. But I know in my religion that I still don't have eternal life.” See?

You can be good, don't steal, don't smoke, don't lie. Don't lie to papa and mama. Don't tell that first lie, because ... tell one, then it's easy to tell another one, see. But you mustn't do that. Don't tell the first one.

Did you know your body is not made to lie? You know, they got a device now, it's on your nerves. They can put a little band around your wrist, here, and put one across your head. And then you can say there, say, you say, “I—I—I lied about that. But I can say it so easy, that they, they'll believe that I'm telling the truth.”

And you can say.... They would say, “Was you at a certain place—like, did you sit in that Brother Shantz's trailer, while Brother Branham preached Sunday afternoon, on this day?”

And you'd say, “No, sir, I didn't sit there. No, sir.”

You know what that lie detector will say? “Yes, sir, you did. Yes, sir, you did.”

You say, “I did not.”

It'll say, “Yes, you did.”

Why? Because a lie is such a horrible thing. The body wasn't made to lie. And it's such a horrible thing, till it upsets the whole nerve system, when you lie. Whew! Upset like that will give you ulcers, fungus growth, it could kill you. And then, a lie is a bad thing. Because see, you're not supposed to lie, to steal, to do any of these things.

Now, so this young man had probably been.... He hadn't lied, he never stole, and he was conscious that he needed ever ... eternal life. So he said, “What can I do to have it?”

And Jesus is showing here now, that religion won't do it. So He sent right back to him, and said, “Keep the commandments.”

And he said, “Master, I have did this since I was a little boy [or little]. When just a little bitty fellow I have did this.” But he knowed he didn't have eternal life.

So He said, “Then if you would enter into life, eternal life, want to be perfect, then go sell what....” See, now it's all right to have money. See, it's all right to have money, be rich, and be a ruler. That's all right. But it's the way you act after you become that, see. He said, “Go sell what you've got, and give it to the poor, them people that hasn't got anything. Then come follow me and you'll have treasures in heaven.”

But the young man had so much money, till he didn't know what to do with it. Now, see, he was very popular—that young man was

—and he was well equipped for life, the way his father and mother, and the priests, and all of them had equipped him. But still he knowed he was lacking something. (Now, I'm talking to the adults.) He knowed he was lacking something, and he didn't have eternal life. He knew it.

See, religion won't produce eternal life. Forms, sensation, you feel something (you could get scared and feel something, see); crying (that's good), shouting (that's good), but that still ain't it, see. You are confronted with eternal life. You say, “Well, I have been just a staunch Baptist, Methodist, or Presbyterian, or Pentecostal.” That still isn't the question.

This young man was, too. He was taught in the religion of the day, but he still didn't have eternal life. So he wanted to know what to do. He had been guided successful to this. But when he was confronted with it, he refused to be guided to eternal life, or to be led. His other leaders had had such a hold on him, until he didn't want to turn it loose, see.

Now, that's something like what Brother Branham is saying. Some of it's little too deep for you, see. Education is fine. You should go to school and learn, see. That's good. But that won't save you. To have plenty of money, that's good. You could raise your children, give them good clothes, and things and (like papa and mama has worked for you all) and things. That's good. But that still won't save you, see.

Or you could get in a laboratory, and learn how to put different things together, or split atoms (or whatever they do), and get in a rocket and go to the moon. But that won't save you.

You've got to face one thing: eternal life.

And there's only one person who can give that to you. Mama can't give it to you, papa can't give it to you, your pastor can't give it to you, your leader here can't give it to you. Everybody that gets eternal life has got to come to Jesus Christ. He's the only one who can give that part.

Your teacher can give you an education. She can teach you; you have to learn it. Your mother can teach you to walk; you have to learn to walk. Your father can teach you how to be a businessman, or what; you have to learn that. But only Jesus can give you eternal life, see. Your priest, your leader, or so forth, can teach you your religion. You can learn the message that we are trying to teach. But still, that won't give you eternal life. You've got to accept the person, Jesus Christ. You understand that? All of you got to accept the person, Jesus Christ, to have eternal life.

Now. But sometimes, other leadership gets so much influence on us, till we don't know what to do then, when that time comes.

Now, what a fatal thing it is to reject the leadership to eternal life, because, see, that's life that never can end. Now, the education, that's fine; that'll help us here. Business, that's fine; money, that's fine; be a good boy and girl, that's fine. But you see, when life is finished here, that's all. You understand? You adults understand? See, that's all.

But then, we've got to accept Jesus Christ for eternal life. Jesus alone can lead you to that. And though, see, this young man had achieved all these things in school, and by his parents and everything, he lost the greatest thing that he could've had, the leadership of the Holy Spirit, because Jesus said, “Come, follow me.”

And you girls that's just getting out of school—you graduate, probably, some of you, pretty soon—and you young boys: the greatest leadership there is, is Jesus Christ, because that's the leadership to eternal life.

Now, this leadership confronts every human being. They are given the opportunity to choose. And that's one great thing we have in life, is to choose. Some day.... You know, papa and mama, they chose to have a nice little boy and girl, like you all are.

Then, you have the right, after a while, to choose whether you want to learn from the teacher or not. The teacher can teach you—but you can just be a little bad boy—you just won't learn; a little bad girl, won't listen at all. See, you have a choice to do that, yet you're little.

And mother say, “Did you get A's on your report card?”

“No, I got very poor.” See.

Now you can ... mother say, “Now, you have to study.”

And you have to do that then—keep studying, like mother told you, like daddy told you to do. You have to study. But you have a choice: you can do it or not do it. You can say, “I don't want to,” see. You have a choice.

After a while, you'll have a choice of what girl you are going to marry, what boy you're going to marry. You have a choice everywhere in life.

And then you've got a choice again, to whether you want to live after this life; or just be a good, popular person, a movie star or a dancer, or something another. Look at these little girls here. That pretty voice a while ago, singing—that child, have a.... Cultivate that voice, and she'd be an opera singer, or some singer. I hear these little boys' voices. These boys, you could be like an Elvis Presley, selling your birthright, see. But you don't want that, see. It's a talent God gave you. And you've got to choose whether you're going to use that talent for God; or whether you're going to use it for the devil, see.

Brother Leo here, your brother, see.... Now, he had a talent to kind of lead people. Now what's he going to do with it? Is he going into business, and make hisself a millionaire? Or should he come out here, and make a home where people that wants to come together, and get all you little children, see. You have to choose what you're going to do. Each one of us has to make a choice, and it's confronted to us.

But we're all confronted with this one thing: what are we going to do about eternal life? We going to live hereafter, or not? Then we have to come to Jesus to get that. The opportunity of choosing—that's one thing God gave us. He don't force nothing on us; He just lets us make our own choice. So you have to—not be forced—but just make your own choice.

Now, let's just follow this, adults and all now, for a few minutes, and the children, all together. Let's follow this young man, and the choice that he made, and see where it led him. Now, these girls with that ... pretty voices; these young boys.... Now, maybe you come up, and be ... you have a voice to sing. Now let's take that one thing. You could.... My, you might some day take it....

You know this boy called Elvis Presley? You've heard my tapes. You've heard how.... I don't degrade the boy, but that boy was, had the opportunity that you all got, see. And when he found out he could sing, and watch what he did. Just the same thing Judas did, Judas Iscariot. He sold out Jesus. Jesus gave that boy that good voice, and what does he do? Turn around, and sell it out to the devil, see. He's got to come to the end of the road, see. He refused to walk with Jesus.

Now, this young fellow here, this rich young ruler, he did the same thing. Let's follow, and see what he done. No doubt, with the great man that he was—probably a handsome young man, dark hair combed down on the side, nice clothes—the young ladies thought, “Boy, that's a handsome young man!” Oh, they'd ... he'd maybe wave at 'em and they'd flirt back with him, and things.

And he thought he was a great fellow, person, see, because he was handsome. He was young. He wasn't looking down there at the end of the road. He was just looking here. “I'm young, I'm handsome, I'm rich, I can buy anything I want to; I can take these girls. And boy, they all like me, and they know I'm a great man, and....” See, he had all that. He had followed the instructions of his father, and everything. “And I'm very religious, I go to church.” And he gets all of that, see. Very popular, rich and famous.

And he....

Just like today—like you had the opportunity to become a movie star, see, or something like that. Most young kids today, you talk to them, they know more about these movie stars than they know about Jesus, you see. See, you children are learning about Jesus; where they sit down and some play come on, on a movie, or something another, they know the actors and all there, all about it. They know all that better than that.... You tell them about the Bible, they don't know nothing about Bible. See, it's making the wrong choice. Now, some singer selling their God-given talent for fame.

Then we see him at life's end. Let's follow him a little further. You know what the Bible says about this young fellow? He become more successful. So sometimes, success don't mean that you've made the right choice. You know what he did? He went out, and he had all big times, and throwed big parties and spent lots of money and everything, on the girls and everything. And then he got married, and maybe had a family. And he just increased so much, till he had to build new barns, and things.

And he said, “You see, I didn't follow Jesus, and look what I got,” see. You may hear people say that; and I have. “Well, look He's blessed me.” That don't mean it all, see.

And after a while, his barns swelled till even he said, “Why, even soul, take your rest. I've got so much money and so much success, and I'm such great man, I belong to all the clubs, and I have the riches of the world in my hands. I own great sums of land, and sums of money, and why ... my, there—everybody likes me.” A very fine person to be.

But you know, the Bible said that that night God said to him, “I'm going to require your soul.”

Then what did happen?

Now, there was a beggar—a poor, old Christian that laid out there by his gate, and just.... When they.... Up in Jerusalem, over there, they eat up on top of the house. And the bread crumbs fall off like this. And the pieces of meat, and so forth, hit the floor when they drop them. And they don't pick them up, because everything in Jerusalem, the old city, it's.... (Is it all right to say a little joke here?) They're f.o.b.

You know what that is? Flies-on-the-bread; flies-on-the-beef, flies-on-the-butter—f.o.b,—flies on everything. They get out in the street, in the gutters, and everything, and fly in and get right up on it.

So these people up there, they get up on top of the building, and they eat. And then they drop this off. And then they sweep that off, and the dogs in the street eats the crumbs. And he let this poor, old Christian lay there in the street, and just eat the crumbs that dropped from his plate (from his bed), or from his table. And then when he got in.... After a while he had sores, and he didn't have anything to put on his sores. His name was Lazarus. And the dogs come and licked his sores, so he could try to get well.

Well, you know, after a while this rich man when.... He thought he had money to buy all kinds of medicine if he got sick—have all kinds of doctors. But you know, sometimes doctors can't help us, medicine won't help us, nothing can help us. We're at the mercy of God. And he come down to the end of his road. The doctors couldn't help him, and the nurses couldn't help him, and medicine couldn't help him, and he died. And then, when his soul left his body, see, it left all of his money, all of his education, everything that he had, all of his popularity. They give him a great big funeral, maybe half-masted the flag, and the mayor of the city come, and they ... and the preacher come, and said, “Our brother now has gone to glory,” and all like that.

But the Bible said that he lifted up his eyes in hell, in torment, and looked way across that great gulf there and seen that beggar, that had been laying there at his door, over in heaven. And he cried, “Send Lazarus down here with a little water. These flames are tormenting.”

Said, “Oh, no.”

See, he took the wrong choice in life.

See, when he come to the end of the road to step out of life, he had been led by religion, he had been led by education, he had been led by the influence of his success. But you see, he had nothing to hold his hand. Those things end there. You understand, little fellow? You adults see what I'm....

See, he had nothing to hold him. His money couldn't hold him. His friends with the doctors couldn't hold him. Medicine couldn't hold him. His priest, his religion, couldn't hold him. So there was only one thing for him to do. He had refused to accept Jesus, eternal life. So what did he have to do? Sink down into death, into hell. What a fatal mistake that young man had, when he refused to walk with Jesus, be led by Jesus. He refused to do it. So many young people are making that mistake today, refusing to be led by the Lord Jesus.

Now, we see what a fatal thing it is to refuse eternal life and be led by Jesus—a leadership—when He said, “Come, follow me.”

See what this handsome little man said this afternoon?

When you get out of school, when you get away from.... You need another leader. But let that be Jesus. And Jesus is the Bible. Do you believe that? This is Jesus' life, and his commandments, to us in letter form. So we have to look into this to.... See, this is the blueprint, this is the map that He told us to follow to meet Him—eternal life.

Now, we find out that this young man was lost.

Now, let's take another.... Would you like—would you have time to take another rich young ruler, that made the right move? Would you like to hear that? All right, we'll try it now.

Now, let us take another rich young ruler who was confronted with the same thing. Now, we see where that boy went, that lived a pretty good life, but died, and was lost in hell. And now here, we're going to talk about another young man who was confronted with the same thing. He was a rich man, a young man, and was a ruler, and.... But he accepted the leadership of Christ, like the little boy told us a while ago that we should let lead us. He accepted it.

The scripture for this is found, if you want to look it up after I get through here, is in Hebrews the eleventh chapter, and the twenty-third to the twenty-ninth verse. Let me just read it. Is that all right? You'll bear with me just a little bit, won't you? You don't mind if I don't, will you? So we'll just—we'll just read this. Then you say, “I heard Brother Branham read this out of the Bible,” see. And you know it's there then. It wasn't what I said, it's what He said. Now, you listen here of what the Bible said here, of this nice fellow, see. Now look:

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

By faith Moses, when he ... come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter [listen];

Choosing rather to suffer the affliction with the people of God, than to suffer the pleasures of sin for a season;

Esteeming the reproach of Christ [Way back in Moses' time it was still Christ, see. He is the only one has eternal life, see.], esteeming the reproach [to be called a fanatic, holy roller, or something like that you know, see.], esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of ... reward.

Now, you know what that means? It means this: that Moses was borned a poor boy, real poor. His father's name was Amram; his mother's name was Jochebed. And they were real poor, but they were Christians. They worked hard. They was in slavery. They had to make mud bricks, and things for the old king.

You know what? That king's daughter went down one day to the river where mother—Moses' mother, Jochebed—had taken him and put him in a little raft out on the river, like that. And the old crocodiles had eaten up all the little babies, and they were killing them throwing them out into the river. But she put him right out there. And you know how she got them crocodiles away from him? She made this little ... little ark she put him in. She made it out of pitch. You know what that is? It's turpentine. An old 'gator would come up say, “Hum-m, a little fat Hebrew. I'll get him. Hear him crying like that?” Went over there, “Whew! What a smell! Umph!” See? See, the mother was led how to protect her baby. So he backed off from it; he didn't want nothing to do with that.

And then he went on down the river a little farther. And his little sister, named Miriam, followed him down the river, watched for it.

And then Pharaoh's daughter come out and was going to get him, you know. And she pulled him out. You know all.... You know, your mother thinks you're the prettiest child in the world, see. She should do that. But the Bible said this little boy was really pretty, really a fair little boy. And oh, he was just screaming, and kicking his little heels. He was missing his mama, see.

And so you know what happened? Then God put in Pharaoh's daughter, the king's daughter, all the love that a mother could have for a little baby. Her heart just fell for him. She said, “That's my baby.”#85 But you know, she was a young woman. See, them days they didn't have these bottles that you ... the babies was raised on. So they had to go get a mother that would ... had had a baby, and had ... that could nurse. So Miriam was right there on hand. She said, “I'll go get you the right mother.”“Well, you go get her.”

You know who Miriam went and got? Moses' own mother. That's right, yeah, went and got.... That was wisdom, wasn't it? And so then, went and got Moses' own mother. And she said, “I'll take and raise the little boy for you.”

She said, “You know what? I'm going to give you $300 a week to raise that baby, and you can stay in the palace.”

See how God does when you trust Him, see, when you're sure of faith. That baby was a prophet, see, and she knowed. So they went into the palace, and she raised Moses. And the mother, the own mother, and got $300 a week to take care of everything. Just think of that!

And then you know, after a while.... After that went on for a little while, Moses begin to get old enough to read and write. She taught him how to read and write. And then, she told him, said, “Moses, you are borned a correct child. Your father and I have prayed. God has revealed to us that you're a prophet, and you're going to be a deliverer of the people, in the days that is to come.”

And you know, when he got big, then what was he? He was adopted into the king's family. Oh, my! He didn't have to....

And he looked out on his own people, and they didn't have no clothes. They were Christians, and they were crying. And them old taskmasters whipping them with whips, and the blood fly out of their back—his cousins, and uncles, his papa and mama, all of them —whipping them with whips, out there in them mud pits. And so.... But Moses, being ... something way down in his heart, he knew that they were God's promised people. He knew it.

Now, the next thing he was going to do, was to become king. He'd be king over everything—a rich man. My! All the money of Egypt, and Egypt controlled the world at that time. But look, the Bible said he esteemed the reproach to be a mud-dauber, like out there, a Christian, when they made fun of them, and laughed at them, and kicked them. If they said anything back, they killed them, see. But Moses chose to go with that group, instead of being called the king's son. Look at that, see, because he seen the end-time. See that rich young man? But he seen Jesus, like we see Him in a vision, that the end-time is what is going to pay. Now, and he accepted Christ's leadership. And Moses esteemed the reproach greater treasures.

You know, sometimes when you little boys in school.... Little boys will say bad words, and they want you all to say them; you little girls, little girls will say bad things, and want you all to say them. You say, “No. I'm a Christian.”

They say, “Ah-h-h, you big sissy.” You know, go onto you like that, see.

Stand up, say, “I'm glad to be that,” see, because, see, that's what Moses did. He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater treasures than all of Egypt.

Now, let us follow him, led by Christ, and see what he did.

Now, see this young man was rich (the first young man), but he didn't want Christ. He didn't want to be a follower of Jesus. And so, we find him very popular, like become a movie star, and great everything, in all the things that he could do, and everything he wanted. But when he died, he didn't have anybody to lead him. So his education (that was good), his money (that was good), but when death come, that was all. He couldn't use it no more. He couldn't buy his way up to heaven, and he couldn't.... By his education he couldn't go to heaven, see.

But this young man, now, he had all these things. He had education, too. He was smart. He went to school, and his mother taught him, and he had a good education. And he was real smart, till even he could teach the Egyptians. He taught his teachers, he was so smart. Look how smart he was. But you know what? Above all that smartness, above all that he had, the potentials he had, he still said, “I'll forsake it all, to follow Jesus.”

You know what they done with him? They run him out. He become a mud-slave like the rest of them.

But one day, when he become a grown man, he was herding sheep on the back side of the desert. And what happened? Anybody tell me what happened? What was it? [A child says, “There was a fire in the bush.”] That's right. There was a fire in the bush, and it attracted his attention. He turned aside.

And you know what? Me, instead of teaching children, now the children are going to get up and teach me. So, and this little boy here, he's right on the—right on the mark. Who's your daddy? [The child says, “Mr. Shantz.”] Mr. Shantz is your daddy. That boy has been taught, hasn't he? Each one of them little bright eyes looking the same way, one to get ahead of the other one, you see.

So, now look. He did in that.... And that.... That bush attracted him, on fire, and he said, “I will turn aside and see what it is.”

And God said to Moses, “Take off your shoes. The ground you're standing on is holy. I've chosen you to go down and deliver my people. I'm giving you power. You can smite the earth with plagues. You can turn the water into blood. You can bring fleas and lice. Nothing's going to harm you. I choose you.” Why? Because he chose Christ, see? You choose Christ, and He chooses you, see.

Now He said, “You chose Me, and I've chose you to go down there in Egypt.” And look what he done! He led two million people, two million people, out—his people—and brought them into the promised land.

And now, he followed.... We follow him all through the wilderness. And you children has heard Brother Leo, and Brother Gene, and your papa and mama, tell you what all taken place in the wilderness: how he brought bread down out of heaven, and fed the hungry people, and all these things.

And now, we find out he is an old man now, gets real old. He is 120 years old, and he's in the wilderness. And the people didn't treat him nice, even, see. Sometimes people that call themselves Christians don't treat you nice. But Jesus always treats you right, see. So we find out that the people rebelled against him. But he stayed right with them anyhow. He was the leader, and he had to stay with them. The angels of the Lord talked to him. Wouldn't you love to have that happen to you? Then make the right choice, and choose Jesus, and He'll do it.

Now, then we find out the end of the road. He got real old. He couldn't preach no more, and his voice got low. So he blessed Joshua, and went up on top of the hill to die. You know what happened when he died? There was.... What happened? [A boy says, “He died, and then He raised him from the dead.”] That's exactly right. That's exactly right.

Now you say, “Where is that at?” Now, just a minute, the boy is right, see. He was raised up from the dead. Now, and many might not a-knew that, see. Now look. He raised him up from the dead. Why? Because eight hundred years later, here he was over in Palestine, standing with his leader yet: Jesus, who ... he esteemed the reproach of his name greater treasures than all the riches of Egypt. He esteemed.... His leader was standing there. You know, He was called

in the Bible.... You know, there was a rock that went with Israel. And when Moses got ready to die, he stepped up on this rock. And that Rock was Jesus.

You remember, when Jesus was talking in St. John, the sixth chapter? “Well,” they said, “our fathers eat manna in the wilderness.”

Said, “My Father gave you that manna.” He said, “Yeah, they eat manna. That's right. And they're every one dead, because they wouldn't keep on going on,” see. Said, “They're every one dead.” But said, “I am the bread of life that come from God out of heaven.”

“Our fathers drank from a rock. Moses smote the rock,” and said, “and the waters came forth.”

He said, “I am that rock that was with him.”

And look, when Moses died, he stepped onto that Rock. You know what happened? The Bible said that angels come and got him. What a difference from that other young man! That young man, see, when he died, he didn't have nobody to hold him. So he just sank down through the darkness into hell, and he's there now. There.

Then when Moses stepped out of life, when he went, he had took a leader. His mama led him right; his father taught him right. And then when he got to be of age, a young man, then he said, “I see eternal life. If I will go down with these poor, neglected people, and walk with them because they are God's people.... I don't have to.... I could be a king, but I don't want to be a king. I can have all the money there is in Egypt, because I'm going to be owner of it. I don't want it. I'd rather walk with Jesus.”

And then, when he walked through life—and then when he started to step out of life—there was his leader to catch him by the hand. Don't you want that leader? Don't we all want that leader, to hold Him by his hand? Hundreds of years later, he was seen with his great leader. He had led.... He made the choice of his youth, and so therefore God was holding him.

You know what? The rich man is in hell—that one young rich man that refused. See, now remember, he had education. He had religion—he went to church. He was a good man. But he refused Jesus, see.

And this young man—he was educated, and he had religion. But he wanted Jesus, see. Moses would have been a much richer man, than that this young fellow would have been, because he just had some money (probably farms, and things like that, and maybe politics, and so forth). But Moses was to be king over the earth. And he forsook all of that.

And you know what, children? When there is no Egypt, and when there is no treasures, there will still be a Moses, because he chose the right thing, see. He chose the right thing to lead him. When there is no more big pyramids—you read about the pyramids in Egypt? One of these days they'll be dust under the atomic bomb. All the riches of the world, people will throw it in the air, and scream, and say it's cankered into their flesh, and scream and howl, see. It'll pass away. But them who accept Jesus to lead them, they'll never die. They have eternal life. Though they die naturally here, Jesus will raise them up again.

You must make a choice. Your choice will determine what your eternal destination will be. Remember, Jesus asks each one of us, “Follow me, if you want life,” see. Leadership. “Follow me, and you will have everlasting life.”

And I'm sure even to us adults, we get something out of this, too. If you want life, you have to accept it. If you want religion, you accept it; if you want what you have to do, what you accept that's what you'll get. But to me, and to you, and to these little children, remember you have an invitation. Jesus said, “Follow Me, and have eternal life.” That's what we want to do, don't we?

Now, how many of you wants to really follow Jesus? And you say, “Well, when I get big enough, and old enough to make my choice, and to do what.... I don't care how much money I got, how poor I am, how much people laugh at me, or everything else, I want to follow Jesus. I want to make Moses' choice; not the rich young man.” How many wants to do that right here? Now, you really want to do it?

I want you to stand up with me. I want you to put your left hand on your heart, and you hold your right hand up. I want you to close your eyes, now, and bow your head, and just say these words after me. [The congregation repeats each phrase after Brother Branham in the following.] Dear Jesus, I pledge my life to You. I have heard this sermon where two young men made their choice. I do not want to go the way of the rich young ruler; but I do want to go the way of Moses. I am just a child yet. Lead me, dear Jesus, to eternal life. Amen. Now you bow your head.

Dear Jesus, one day in your pilgrimage here on earth they brought to You such little fellows, as I've been speaking to this afternoon. And the disciples said, “The Master is too tired. He preached this morning, He preached this, and that, and He is too tired. Don't trouble Him.”

But Jesus, You said, “Suffer the little children to come to me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Lord God, today receive these little boys and girls here in this school of righteousness, here where our brother has come apart, into the side of the wilderness here, to bring out the families that desires to separate themselves from the things of the world, to sojourn only for You. And now their little ones are here, watching the lives of their father and mother, as we are examples in all that we do.

O, dear God, creator of heavens and earth, guide our feet, Lord, that we'll not do nothing before these little ones that would put a stumbling block in their way. For it is said it would be better that we have a millstone tied at our neck, and be cast into the sea, than to offend one of these little ones. You said, “Their angels always behold my Father's face, which is in heaven,” the great angel and guardian angel over each of these little souls, as they sit this afternoon with their little eyes wide open looking, and answering the questions; and listening at the little baby stories of the Bible, of how these two young men took their choices, and each one of them dedicating their lives to You. O, Jehovah God, lead them, protect them. And may they find this great leader, Jesus Christ, that will lead them when father and mother, and the teachers are finished with them. May You lead them to eternal life, as You did to Moses, as their humble little child prayer went to You. I give them to You, Lord, as your servant, as trophies and gems for your crown. Use them, Lord, to honor You on earth. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

And you little ones, fellows, can.... Now, you feel better about it now? You know Jesus is going to lead you, and guide you. Don't you believe that? And Jesus is going to make you little boys just like Moses, and Miriam the prophetess, and the prophet. Going to make great people out of you.

Now, we older people that have accepted Him, don't we want Him to lead us on, too? I want Him to lead me on, guide my feet, hold my hand, see. And even when I come down to the river, I want to have a hold of his hand. We all want that, don't we?

Dear Jesus, lead us, too, Father. Now we're fixing to separate from each other. I must go back to Tucson. I must get ready for the meetings coming. God, I commit this group of people, Brother Leo and Brother Gene, and all the followers here, into your hands: that You'll bless them, and love them; forgiving all their iniquities, healing all of their diseases, keeping them ever in love and fellowship, and encouraging those who would be ... get weary. And sometime, Satan might come along and cause them to be discouraged.

But remember, You went through the same thing—discouragement—forsaken by men of this earth, and people; and sometimes very dearest of friends, even to relationships we're forsaken. But there is one that we have chosen. He'll never leave us, or forsake us. Lead us, Lord, to life eternal.

I pray that You'll grant that we can come together many more times on earth, and speak of Thee, and talk of Thee. And then in that great day when the world is finished, and all the time has faded into eternity, may we meet in that great kingdom as unbroken families, to live together hereafter forever. Grant it, Lord. Until then, may we work, labor, with all of our might while the sun is still shining, for we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

God bless each one of you. [Someone announces song. Congregation begins, Brother Branham joins in the singing.]

God be with you till we meet again

By His counsels guide, uphold you

With His arms securely fold you;

God be with you till we meet again!

[Till we meet!]

Till we meet! Till we meet!

Till we meet at Jesus' feet;

Till we meet! Till we meet!

[Thank you, people.]

God be with you till we meet again!

God bless you all.