<TITLE>20. Par 200-212</TITLE>L-200 Depends on what kind of a spirit that's in you, what you're feeding on. Your life is feeding on something. And I said, "Don't be a vulture eating the dead carcasses of the old a carrion of the earth. Feed on the Heavenly things, the Word of God. Jesus said, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" Feed upon His Word. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]

L-201   Therefore when Jesus come, they had it so figured out till they had Him so great. They couldn't see how a great Person like this could ever be born in a stable. They couldn't see how a great Person like that could ever be so simple.

L-202 That's the same thing today. The people thinks that religion, Christian religion, has to have a great big church, great big building, great big million-dollar pipe organ, fine plush pews.

L-203   Was you ever in Ireland? Did you ever notice Saint Patrick, who you Catholics called a Catholic? He was just about as much as I am. So did you ever go up there? He wouldn't even have a crucifix hanging in his place. He protested the Roman church as hard as he could. He wouldn't even let the people set down. He let them squat down on a piece of--of old board, not board, but a rock in the--in the building. His building still stands there. He taught them the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Saint Francis, and saint...

L-204   And those great early reformers and men back in those days, how they taught the baptism of the Holy Ghost! How Saint Martin, Irenaeus, those great men, taught the baptism of the Holy Ghost! They wouldn't let their people be comfortable, and set around in plush, and things like we do today. And yet we call that a prosperous church. Man calls prosperity, sometime, religion.

L-205 It was said in California, that, "A man is not spiritual till he can own three Cadillacs." To my opinion, that's when he gets away from God. That's right. The Pentecostal church today is certainly acting different what the early pentecostal Church did.

L-206   I was speaking at a Christian Business Men one time, down there. I don't know how they ever had me back. I guess, 'cause they love me. But I--I--I don't...

L-207 I tell them just what I--I know the Lord says. I don't say it to be smart. If I do, I need to be down there at the altar. I say it because I love them. I respect them.

L-208 One night down there, testifying before businessmen of the world, how many Cadillacs they have, and what their little business. I said, "Them men don't want that. Tell them about the humility of Christ." I said, "You're so much different from the early pentecostal Church. They sold everything they had, and give to the poor, and went out preaching the Gospel." I said, "You people trying to say how much you prospered, how much you got." Not how much you got; how much you can get rid of!

L-209   I thought, that fellow last night, speaking of the same thing. A certain little pentecostal brother from Chicago raised up. He said, "Brother Branham, I'd like to call your hand."
I said, "Call it."
And he said, "That's where the Church made the mistake."
I said, "The Holy Spirit make a mistake? It can't."

L-210 He said, "It did there. See, when the persecution rose, they didn't have any home to go to."

L-211 I said, "Exactly the will of God. Then they went everywhere, scattering the Gospel, 'cause they had no other place to go." You can't beat God. Yes, sir. God just sold everything out from under them, so they didn't have no place to go, and they just went preaching everywhere, the only way God could get them to go.

L-212 But, today, we like to smother down, you know, and we set comfortably. And if the pastor says anything we don't like, in the Assemblies, then we move over to the Oneness. When he says anything we don't like, well, finally, we'll wind up in the Baptist or Presbyterian, or somewhere where we can do anything we want to. That's--that's what. That's us. Then call ourselves "Christians"? You want some...


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