Down in Louisiana, we had an old colored brother down there, a Pentecostal brother, and he was a nice old preacher. I thought a lot of him. And he kindy had my hobby of liking to hunt. And so he one day they had an old fellow there; he's name was Gabriel, but the--they called him Gabe just for short.
And old Gabe was a nice old fellow, but he--we couldn't get him to line up with the church. The pastor would do everything for him he could, but he just wouldn't line up with the church. Had a fine, sainted wife, good woman, and she prayed constantly. And the pastor tried to get him to come to church, but he just wouldn't do it. He loved to gamble a little, and so forth, and drink a little. He just wouldn't line up with the church.
And old Gabe was a nice old fellow, but he--we couldn't get him to line up with the church. The pastor would do everything for him he could, but he just wouldn't line up with the church. Had a fine, sainted wife, good woman, and she prayed constantly. And the pastor tried to get him to come to church, but he just wouldn't do it. He loved to gamble a little, and so forth, and drink a little. He just wouldn't line up with the church.
One day, him and the pastor went hunting. And when--on the road coming home... Now, Gabe was one of the poorest shot there is in Louisiana. He couldn't hit a inside of a barn with the doors closed. So they went out hunting that day, and that evening coming in, they had just loaded down with birds, and rabbits, and so forth. All the game. It was on Saturday afternoon. They was going hobbling along an old familiar path, along side of a hillside, and old Gabe kept looking over his shoulder, seeing the sunset. He walked on a little farther, and directly down his big, dark cheek the tears begin to roll. The pastor was going on in front with rabbits tied over sticks, and a hanging over his shotgun, and going along like that. After while, a great, big, dark hand reached across his shoulder, he--he looked around he said, "Pastor?"
He turned around, and said, "Yes, Gabe."
Said, "You see that sun setting yonder?"
"Yeah."
Said, "That's setting on both of our brows," Said, "setting on both of our brows." He said, "You know what I'm a going to do?" He said, "I'm coming down to the mourners bench in the morning." Down south, I don't know if you know what the mourners bench is here. It's a altar. He said, "Then I'm goin' to rise up from there; I'm going back to my precious wife, and take my seat. And after I--you baptize me, I's going to become a member of this church, and I'm going to remain in that church until death shall set me free."
He turned around, and said, "Yes, Gabe."
Said, "You see that sun setting yonder?"
"Yeah."
Said, "That's setting on both of our brows," Said, "setting on both of our brows." He said, "You know what I'm a going to do?" He said, "I'm coming down to the mourners bench in the morning." Down south, I don't know if you know what the mourners bench is here. It's a altar. He said, "Then I'm goin' to rise up from there; I'm going back to my precious wife, and take my seat. And after I--you baptize me, I's going to become a member of this church, and I'm going to remain in that church until death shall set me free."
The pastor dropped his gun, and throwed his arms around old Gabe, and he said, "Gabe, you know I'm happy to hear that." Said, "I want to ask you something, Gabe." Said, "What sermon did I preach that caused you to change your mind? Or what hymn did we sing in the church that caused you to change your mind?"
He said, "Pastor," he said, "I appreciate every sermon you ever preached. I always enjoyed them, because you tell the truth." Said, "I enjoy every song that I hear the choir sing." Said, "Because I know it speaks of heaven and of God." But said, "It wasn't that pastor." He said, "You know, pastor, I couldn't hit nothing. I'm a poor shot." He said, "Just look at the meat that God--that God has given me." Said, "Surely, He must love me, or He wouldn't be so good to me." He said, "Because He loved me, I love Him, and from this day on, I'm His servant."
He said, "Pastor," he said, "I appreciate every sermon you ever preached. I always enjoyed them, because you tell the truth." Said, "I enjoy every song that I hear the choir sing." Said, "Because I know it speaks of heaven and of God." But said, "It wasn't that pastor." He said, "You know, pastor, I couldn't hit nothing. I'm a poor shot." He said, "Just look at the meat that God--that God has given me." Said, "Surely, He must love me, or He wouldn't be so good to me." He said, "Because He loved me, I love Him, and from this day on, I'm His servant."
Brother, that's it. If we would just look around and see how good God is to us, count our blessings, then we'd be willing to take our place at His throne. Let's bow our heads just a moment.
Is there someone here would like to say, "Brother Branham, I know that God's been good to me, and I haven't been good to Him. I--I would like to raise to my hands, and say, I want to serve Him. I--I want Him to be my Saviour. And I'll raise my hand to Him now."
Now, I--I pray that the sincerity of your heart will be--come to the spot now, this glorious anointing of the Holy Spirit. Now, you may all be Christians. That I don't know. But the Holy Spirit knows. The same One that reveals the secret of the heart will speak to you now, and let you know whether you are a Christian or not. If He says that you're not a Christian, will you raise your hand and say, "God be merciful to me? I now want to accept Jesus as my Saviour."
Is there someone here would like to say, "Brother Branham, I know that God's been good to me, and I haven't been good to Him. I--I would like to raise to my hands, and say, I want to serve Him. I--I want Him to be my Saviour. And I'll raise my hand to Him now."
Now, I--I pray that the sincerity of your heart will be--come to the spot now, this glorious anointing of the Holy Spirit. Now, you may all be Christians. That I don't know. But the Holy Spirit knows. The same One that reveals the secret of the heart will speak to you now, and let you know whether you are a Christian or not. If He says that you're not a Christian, will you raise your hand and say, "God be merciful to me? I now want to accept Jesus as my Saviour."
60-0802, El-Shaddai, Eisenhower High School, Yakima, WA, 109 min
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