<TITLE>05. Par 46-54</TITLE>L-46   Now, if the spiritual or... The natural is a type of the spiritual. Then, the choosing of a bride, in the natural, is a type of choosing a Bride, the Bride, in the spiritual.

L-47 Now, it's a serious thing when we go to choose a wife, a man, for the vows here is until death do we part. That's how we should keep it. And you take that vow before God, that only death will separate you. And I think we should. A man in his right mind, that's planning a future, that he should choose that wife very careful. Be careful what you're doing. And a woman choosing a husband, or accepting the choice of a husband, should be real careful what she's doing, and especially in these days. A man should think and pray before he chooses a wife.

L-48   I think, today, what's got so many divorce cases now, that we lead the world in America, in divorce cases. We lead the rest of the world. There's more divorces here than anywhere else, this nation, and supposed to be, and thought of, a Christian nation. What a reproach, our divorce court! I think, the reason of it, is because that men has got away from God, and women has got away from God.

L-49 And we find, that, if a man prayed and a woman prayed over the matter; not just look at a pretty set of eyes, or big strong shoulders, or such as that, or some other worldly affection; but would look first to God, and say, "God, is this Your plan?"

L-50   I think, today, there's so much cheating, just like in school. When--when the kids come by, of a morning, many of the kids in the neighborhood, that--that friends of mine, will come by and say, "Brother Branham, will you pray for us? We're having a--a test today. I--I worked all night, and I don't seem I can--can get it settled. Pray for me." I think that any school kid, if you would, if... And the parents at the table of a morning, you could. Say, "Mother, John has got a test today. Let's pray for him now." I think it would beat all that you could ever do in any other way, or looking over on somebody else's paper and cheating. I think if you just come out and pray over the matter.

L-51   And if we would study what we're doing when we're going to get married, when we choose our wife, our husband, if we'd study it over! A man should pray earnestly, for he could ruin his entire life. Remember, the vow is "until death do we part," and he could ruin his life by making the wrong choice. But if he knows what, he making the wrong choice and is marrying a woman that isn't fit to be his wife, and he does it anyhow, then it's his fault. If the woman takes a husband and knows that he's not fit to be a husband to you, then that's your own fault, after you know what's right and wrong. So, you shouldn't do it until you thoroughly pray through.

L-52   The same applies by choosing a church. Now, you must pray over the church that you are fellowshiping in. Remember, churches carry spirit.

L-53 Now, I don't want to be critical. But I realize that I'm an old man, and I got to leave here, one of these days. I've got to answer at the Day of the Judgment for what I say tonight or any other time. And I, therefore, I got to be dead earnest and truly convicted.

L-54 But, you go into a church, and if you'll watch the behavior of that church, you just watch the pastor awhile, and you'll usually find that the church acts like the pastor. Sometime, I wonder if we just don't get one another's spirit in the stead of the Holy Spirit. You get to a place where a pastor is real radical and carrying on, you'll find out the congregation is the same way. I'll bring you to a church where I see the pastor stand, jerk their heads back and forth. You watch the congregation, they do the same thing. You take a pastor, just gulp down anything, usually the church will do the same thing. So, if I was choosing a church, I'd choose a genuine, fundamental, Full Gospel, Bible church, I was choosing one to put my family in. Choose. I looked...


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