<TITLE>09. Par 37-41</TITLE>L-37 Now, I don't mean this critically, and God knows that. It's a million miles from it. But I've been to meetings of where preachers would be preaching, and he'd say, "Some of you go back down through the aisles, find your friends, bring him up here." Now, I always was a little reluctant on that. I believe if the--the Word don't convict... And if it does, the Holy Spirit will lead. It's too much emotional. A man coming to Christ must come sanely, reverently, upon the basis of the Holy Spirit convicting him, and--and showing him that Someone died to save him, coming sanely upon the basis of the Word, believing, accepting Christ, the substitute for his life.

L-38 Now, I believe that a man coming to Christ, and Christ is our Refuge. Now, that's the New Testament Refuge, is Christ. Now, a man coming to this refuge must want to come. And he must remember another thing, he's got to stay there. Oh, my. He can't just run in till the pursuers get by and then go out again. He's got to be satisfied.
And I believe if a man with his right mind could see that the death was galloping behind him, and the devil's hell he's going to, and could find a place of refuge, and then want to go out again, there's something wrong with that man. And as long as he's in the refuge, he's safe. And if he ever goes out again, he's subject to his slayers. And in Christ we have a refuge and are secured, that we have safety from the wrath of God, and the wrath of hell that's coming upon us.

L-39 Now, this place of refuge, this man must want to stay. And the same is it today. We must want to stay. And let me say this. I've been behind the pulpit now soon be thirty-two years. I started preaching when I was just a little boy. And I say this from the depths of my heart. I have never seen one time that I ever wanted to leave this glorious place. "I'm safe in God's pavilion, happy in His love and grace." As the writer says, that "I'm living on the hallelujah side." I'm so happy to be here. "Not for all earth's golden millions, would I leave this blessed place. No, though the tempter to persuade me oft has tried; but I'm safe in God's pavilion, happy in His love and grace." Oh, it's such a comfortable place to be. I know I'm safe from my enemy as long...

L-40 Now, when this man, running, a enemy behind him... Soon he will catch him and slice him to pieces for the sin that he did. But when he's in there, he can let off the pressure. He's safe. The guard at the gate will catch him, his slayers, before they get in, because he's made it safe to the tower of refuge. Now. Then when he's in there how he could feel safe and let off the pressure. "Whew, my. They were ready to get me, but I'm all safe now." What a place to find a refuge, a place of safety. Outside he'd die; in there he's all right.
So God made us a tower of refuge. Now, the Bible says that, "The Name of the Lord is a mighty tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe." Not they'll be hunted for any more, but they are safe. Oh, I just love that. God's provided safety place. Amen. The enemy can't catch you, for you are safe in Christ.

L-41 As I've often told, of one time over in the orient, I was riding in a jeep with a minister friend, and we were going up over a hill. And there was some sheep out there, and some donkeys, and everything, pasturing. And there was a man watching them, and I said, "What--what would you call that fellow?"
He said, "Brother Branham, he is a shepherd."
And I said, "Well, I thought a shepherd just herded sheep."
"Oh," he said, "No. A shepherd herds sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, whatevermore."
And I said, "Well, I didn't know that."
He said, "But here's something I want you to know, Brother Branham." He said, "When the sun starts setting, the shepherd goes out amongst all the--the animals, and he hunts until he finds the last sheep. And he brings them into the corral, and he puts them in the corral at night. But the rest of them stay outside, though he herds all of them."


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