BOOKS BY REV. W. V.

~RAN'

~ISINC
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DEAD
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Books by Rev. W. V. Grant

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CHAPTER FRANKLIN'S

FUNERAL

The night before the funeral we sat up with Franklin all night! It all seemed like a dream to me, or should I say a nightmare? But it was no dream. It was no nightmare. I only wished it could have been. It was real! There his body lay cold in death. He was pronounced dead, the night before, at the Ouchita River. He was taken out of the water where he had been four hours! I'll never forget how he took my place th-at night at the river. It all came clearly to me there in Franklin's dad's home, where his sisters, mother, dad, and relatives were gathered together to sit up with his corpse. As I remembered I recalled how all the events had happened. He Took My Place He was my classmate in Senior High School at Central. He was the best boy in class. He was tall and handsome, with black hair and brown eyes. He seemed to like me very much. I liked him. We, with twenty-six more boys, stayed on the river all day, where we had barbecued a hog. Franklin, Leroy, and I rode in the boat most of the day. We played cards and other games. We put out several throw lines and some trot-lines about an hour before sundown so we could catch some fish that night. We were planning to go on to the camp, where the other boys were getting the barbecued pig ready for dinner. As we put out the last throw-line it hung on some bushes. I bent over the river that was out of its banks. The angry water was dashing against the ground below. I was holding to a stump. Just then Franklin pulled me back and said, "Let me do that." He reached out to undo the throw-line. Just then the stump on which he was holding broke! 1

Franklin fell into the water. He looked up from under his cap with those brown eyes straight at me. He had on his coat and shoes. He was starring at me as he went down! I went into that water, but never found him. He never came up after he went down the first time. We wondered why. But four hours later, near ten o'clock that night, we found out why. He went into a strong current of water, into a suck-hole. He evidently caught hold of a long log with a death grip. He never turned it loose. As we sat up with his body, the night before the funeral, it all came to me, how it could have been myself; but he took my place! He died in my stead. I was then nineteen years of age and had never been saved. My mind began to run back to the time when another took my place. He became My Substitute Jesus took my place that I might take His place. He died that I might live. He came to earth that I might go to heaven. He became a servant that I may reign as a king with Him. Jesus came down that I might go up. He became sin that I might be free from sin. He took my sickness that I may be healed. He became poor that I may enjoy the riches of heaven. Jesus was tempted that I might overcome temptations. He became the Son of man that I may be the son of God. He was bound that I might go free. He bore the cross that I might wear a crown up there. Jesus took my sorrows that I may share His joy. He went down into prison that I might receive 2

pardon. He went down into darkness that I may have light in my soul. He took on Himself a natural body that I may have a spiritual body. Jesus bore the penalty that I may be acquitted. He 'tasted of death that I may go to sleep in Jesus. He even suffered eternal death that I may have eternal life. He was humiliated that I may be exalted with Him forever! Jesus took my infirmities that I may have health. He became weary that I may enter into rest. He took my guilt that I may live without condemnation. His side was 'riven that-I may have salvation. Jesus went through the valley that I may have mountain-top experiences. He went to heaven to send back the Holy Ghost to me. He became an intercessor that I can be free from sin. He emptied Himself that I may be full of His Spirit. Jesus was punished that I may receive pardon. He was born of a virgin that I may be born again. He became small that I may be great with Him. He was temporarily defeated by Satain that I may overcome the devil. Jesus was persecuted that I may have power over persecutions. He was overcome that I may be an overcomer. He was blindfolded that I may see. His heart was broken that I may have a heart full of courage. Jesus suffered that I may be free from pain. His hand were pierced; it should have been mine. They pulled out his beard and spit in his face. 3

He was buffeted and mocked in my place! In the Garden I believe that when Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, that hurt Him more than the nails that went into His hands. When Peter denied that he ever knew the Lord, I believe that hurt Him worse than the spikes that went into His feet. When the disciples all fell asleep, while Jesus was praying in the Garden, that must have hurt worse than the thorn bush that was pressed down into his tender head. When all the disciples forsook Him and fled, that must have been harder on Him than the spear that went into His side. Judas wanted to betray Him, so he knew just where he could find Him. It was near the old olive tree in the garden, where he went regularly. That would be a good testimony for us, if people knew just where to find us at a certain time of day, alone in prayer with the Lord. While Jesus was praying there in the garden, He felt that the time had come for His arrest. They had tried to take Him before, but they had failed in their attempt, because His time had not come. The officers returned only to make the report that "never man spake like this man." No doubt when they approached Him He put out his tender hands and gave the invitation, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." While Jesus was in prayer in the garden, there was put to His sinless lips look upon Him! No wonder Jesus cried "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The Father could not look upon sin with allowance! What was in thai cup? . In that cup must have been all the disease for SIX thousand years. Every disease, regardless of how horrifying they can be, were all there. All the fever, arthritis, cancer, polio, ulcers: growths, t.umors, an~ things too numerous to mention, were all 10 ~ha:, cu~. No wonder Jesus backed off a litt.le and said, If It be possible, let this cup pass from me." It is n~ woI_lder that He had great agony of soul and body. It IS no wonder that there was such a strain upon his soul, mind, nerves, and body that His heart literally tore asunder! Physicians say that when the blood and water were mixed 'together that proved that His hea.rt mu~t have been ruptured. When the spear was put into HIS side, while He was on the cross, blood and water came out together. , The pain in His heart was the hardest to bear.
If It Be Thy Will

Cup

I think I see in that cup all the sins that were ever committed for six thousand years (four thousand years before the cross and two thousands years after the cross). Every sin, regardless of how gruesome it may be; regardless of how horrible it may seem; they were all piled upon Christ our substitute. No wonder the Father turned His face from Jesus and would not 4

As all this weight fell upon the Son of Man He shrank from it, and prayed for the cup to pass from Him if ~t were the will of the Father. As long as He prayed that way He did not receive the answer to His prayer. But as soon as He chang~d His prayer around and said, "Thy will be done," HIS prayer was answered! . A prayer, "If it be thy will" is not a prayer of f.alth. When we pray, "Thy will be done" then we begin to pray the prayer of faith. . When we are praying for healing we are praying; "Thy will be done," for healing is in the w~ll of God. Jesus came to do the will of the Father. While He was here He healed all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. . Salvation is the will of God. It is not the Will of God that any should perish, but that all should come to
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repentance. Therefore, when you pray for salvation you are praying, "Thy will be done," and not "If it be Thy will." This is the will of God, even your sanctification. (I Thes. 4 :3.) So wt.en you pray to be sanctified you are praying for the will of God. The Holy Ghost is for you, and your children, and to even as many as the Lord shall call. (Acts 2 :38-39.) So when you pray for the Holy Ghost you do not need to pray, "If it.be Thy will, give me the Holy Ghost." You first look in His will (The Testament) and see what His will is. See that it is His will to give you the Holy Ghost. Then pray, "Lord, it is Your will, give me the Holy Ghost." But if we pray for something that we are not sure whether it is the will of the Lord or not, we can pray, If it be Thy will." Jesus Arrested

of these you do it unto Jesus. All the disciples fled when the army of men came to arrest Jesus. Judas sold Jesus. He gave up His part in this ministry and went out into the night. The covetous spirit opened the door for a suicide spirit. He took His own life and went to a grave of doom and the regions of the damned-The man who once had power with God to cast devils and heal the sick! Peter, another man who had his name written in heaven, one who had part in this ministry, the man who saw many signs and wonders, the man who had power over the devil, let a little maid cause him to backslide, curse, and deny that he ever knew the Lord! Many strong men today, who have power to do great things and take cities for God, let some little maid cause them to go down and lose out with God! Jesus Did Not Resist

When Jesus knew that the officers were on their way to arrest Him, and that it was His time to go, that was the Spiritual Gift of the Word of Knowledge in action in His life. All of His disciples went to sleep and failed to watch with Him during the hour of darkness. That was before they received the Holy Ghost. If you think that you can overcome and keep the victory during the' tribulation days without the Holy Ghost you are sadly mistaken. God says for you to take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand in the evil day. Judas told the officers that the man that he kissed would be the man they were looking for. He loved money so much that he betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Many people today are willing to give up Jesus for less money than thirty pieces of silver. 1 have seen people give someone a big kiss just after they had been talking about them. When you do that to the least 6

An army of strong men with swords, staves, torches and lanterns came out that dark night and started to arrest the innocent man. But they all fell backward and fell upon 'the ground. They had come once before to arrest Him, but went back without Him, saying, "Never man spake like this man." But this time' Jesus knew that His work was finished on this earth as the Son of Man. He told the men if they wanted Him that He would not resist. He requested that they not arrest the disciples. The officers were really under arrest .They did what Jesus requested. Jesus could have called six thousand angels down to help deliver Himself, but He did not. He was not forced to surrender. He chose to. He would have done that had there been no sinner but me! He loved me that much! Who killed Jesus? fiid the Jews kill Him? Was it the Gentiles? Did the Roman soldiers kill Him? No one killed Him. He laid down His life. (John 10:17-18.)

Yet in their hearts the Jews and Gentiles were guilty of murder. The guilt comes upon everyone who rejects Jesus as Saviour! Everyone is forced to be for or against Jesus. (Matt. 12 :30.) Jesus Healed His Enemy Peter had a fighting spirit. He fought for his Lord. Many people fight for their Lord today, but in the wrong spirit. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We fight not against flesh and blood. Peter became heavily anointed with his own spirit and cut the high priest's servant's ear off! Had Jesus not healed him instantly it would probably have been bad for Peter. Jesus picked up the ear and healed it! It was made whole! Jesus showed mercy to His enemy and healed Him. If He would do that He surely would heal one of His own children! Healing in the children's bread. (Matt. 15 :26.) If we ask Him for bread will He give us a stone? (Luke 11 :11.) CHAPTER II HIS TRIAL Jesus was bound and carried, during the night, to the Sanhedrin Court, before the High Priest. He did not have a chance to wait until day light. He had nochance to secure a lawyer, ajury, or make any preparations whatsoever! The whole thing was illegal! It was more like a "kangaroo" court! They already had planned just what they would do. They sought for witnesses and found none. Finally they found two false witnesses that told lies. Their testimonies did not agree! But that made no difference. The high priests condemned Him to dearth, which was not lawful. These high priests spit in Jesus' face, hit Him with their fists, slapped Him-and had Him blindfolded. They heard that the Spiritual Gift of the Word of 8

Knowledge worked in His life, so they asked Him who slapped Him while He was blindfolded. They told Him if He really had the power of God in His life He could prophesy for them. But He refused to prophesy or to manifest the Word of Knowledge, because He only worked as His Father worked through Him. (John 5 :19.) He tells us that when we are brought before the rulers to only say that which the Holy Ghost gives us to say. (Mark 13: 1.) The high priest asked Jesus if He was the Christ. He said that He was. This made them mad, because He confessed it. It makes the religious leaders of today mad for us to say that Jesus is really the Christ. They claim that He was only a great teacher, or "A son of man." They accused Him of blasphemy. Why did they do all that to Him? It was because of envy. (Matt. 27 :18.) When you are jealous you are afraid someone will do something bad. When you are envious you are afraid someone will do something good. They were mad because Jesus did good works, because- He cooled the fever for little children and raised mothers from sick bed. It was because He had the crowd. It was because the cruel clergymen lost some members. Some of their members came to Jesus' meetings and were saved! The church crucified Christ. People are doing so in their hearts today when they are fighting divine healing and casting out devils! Before Pontius Pilate. Nothing would satisfy the religious rabbis but to. put Jesus to death. After they had tortured Him until daylight they carried Him bound to the Roman governor Pilate. There they secured false witnesses against Jesus. They falsely accused Him. These ch urch leaders were so religious they would not go inside Pilate's court. They were afraid they would defile themselves. But they had so much of the devil that they wanted to kill the Prince of Life. The 9

devil can give you religion. The Lord can give you salvation. Religion is cruel. Salvation is merciful. Pilate's wife had seen Jesus in a dream the night before. She was so afraid. She tried to persuade her husband to. have nothing to do with the just man. But, like many politicians today, he tried Ito straddle the fence and please everybody. That was his downfall. He tried to please everybody. He tried to please the Lord and the devil, too. He wanted to please the wicked crowd. That is the reason he- later lost his office and was exiled to an island and died! He asked Jesus a question and was so amazed because Jesus would not talk. Jesus knew when to keep quiet. It takes more power to keep quiet than it does to give someone a whipping. The Holy Ghost can give us power to keep our mouth shut as well as give us power to speak. If a freight train would not pop off so much steam beforehand it would have power to pull the grade. Most everyone who came to Pilate tried to talk themselves out of trouble. So Pilate could not understand why Jesus didn't talk. Like many leaders today, Pilate tried to "pass the buck." He tried to shift the load from his shoulders and put the responsibility on the other man. He thought of a plan. After Pilate learned He was from Galilee. Sent Jesus to Herod. Herod was in Jerusalem at that time. Herod's father had tried to put Jesus to death when He was a baby, so this Herod did not care anything about Jesus. He was against Him. He also treated Jesus unmerciful. He tortured Him. No wonder he was smitten by an angel and eaten by worms a little later! (Acts 12:23.) Herod and Pilate had been enemies until now. But now they became friends. They were bound together in unity for one common cause-wrong against right! Many denominations today will fight each other until

a real revival comes to town. Then they will all make friends. They will join together for one mutual cause and fight the power of God-at least until that revival is over. Then they will take up their fight of theology again. Herod had been wanting to see Jesus a long time. He wanted to see Him turn water into wine, put money into the mouth of a fish, multiply the fish, or show him how he could catch a hundred and fifty-two fish at one catch. So he demanded that Jesus perform a few miracles. This Jesus refused to do. The Lord never works miracles to show that He has power to do so. Great theologians today teach that Jesus only healed people in those days to show that He had power to do it. That is wrong. Had Jesus healed people to show His power He would have healed someone to prove to Herod that He could do so. Had Jesus healed people to show His power why did He put people out of the house when he started to heal people? Why did He first drive out the unbelievers? Why did He lead people out of some towns to heal them? Why did He tell people not to tell some miracles until after He arose from the dead? Jesus does not heal to show people He can any more than a mother would feed her children to prove she could. A mother feeds her children because she loves them, because she is a mother. Jesus has more compassion than a mother. (Isa. 49:15.) Healing is the children's bread. (Matt. 15:26.) His mercy endures forever. (Ps, 136.) He is just as merciful as He ever was. Herod's men put a purple robe on Jesus after they took off His clothes. They went through a mockery service and bowed their knees before Him. After they shamefully treated Him and beat on Him He was sent Back To Pilate's Court. Pilate could not get away from the responsibility. He had to make a decision and' make it quickly, for a 11

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mob was forming ! The howling mob of religious leaders, and the people whom they could stir up, began to howl, "Crucify him, crucify him." Pilate admitted that there was no fault in Jesus, but what could he do? How could he retain his office if he did not keep down a revolution? He decided to whip Jesus and let Him go. But that did not please the blood thirsty priests. They cried louder than ever, "Crucify him." Then Pilate thought of one more plan. If that one did not work he was at his wit's end. He told the people that here was a custom practiced among them. One time each year he could let one prisoner go free. Instead of letting Jesus go, the priests wanted to release a wicked man. This prisoner's name was Barab, bas. He was a very dangerous man, in fact a gangster and a killer! Pilate suggested that Jesus go free, but the people wanted Barabbas to be set free instead. National Heroes.
If you will go to the shows or look on television screens you will see just such men as Barabbas. You will see gangsters .. You will see wicked killers. They can shoot, kill, rob, steal, and tear up the other man's home. They can rob a bank, and run away with the other man's wife; yet, to the worshippers of the silver screen they are heroes. In action the boys and girls are saying, "This is the man we want. Away with Jesus. Give us this man who can shoot a gun the best and kill the most men." People go wild over the superman today. :..ut Jesus is the superman we need to know about. Jesus is the hero we need to let Our children spend their time reading about and hearing about. How can three-fourths of the nation spend all their spare time thinking about and admiring a gangster, a murder, or an adulterer and be anything else but criminals!

Pilate Weakened. He finally let the children of the devil take Jesus

and turn Him over to be whipped and crucified. The soldiers pulled off His clothes and tied Him to a post. They put leather straps around his wrists and fastened Him up so high that his toes barely touched the ground. . Then a strong, husky soldier, with demons dancing in his eyes, took a long whip out of a t~b of water. This whip had nine prongs on the end, With medal on the end of each prong. This soldier hit the tender back of Jesus one lick and the blood flew every direction. It splattered on him. This made the soldier mad! So he hit Jesus as hard as he could! This cut his hair off and made another deep gash in his back. Another deep gash and nine more smaller gashes! The blood flew all over the ground and on the soldier. This wicked soldier kept lashing the back of Jesus until there ~ere thirty-eight deep gashes, across the back of my SaVIOur and three hundred and forty-two smaller gashes! By His stripes I am healed. . .. They tell me that here are thirty-eight major diseases in the world and hundreds of minor diseases. I believe there is a gash in Jesus' back for each disease. The blood was running down His face from His head from the place where the crown of thorns had been. The blood was coming from His face where they pulled out His beard. Pilate washed his hands and declared that he was free from the blood of the Just Man. But water did not wash the guilt away. A million years from now he will no doubt still be washing his hands in a liquid fire and trying to wash the guilt away. All the world is guilty until they accept Jesus as Saviour. That is why He was born of a virgin, so He could atone for your sins and my sins. A child is formed from the blood of his father. But Jesus had no earthly father. So He was not defiled by sin. He was the only man who has ever lived that was not defiled by sin. That is why He could die and redeem our souls after we were sold into sin. There is no other way

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to be saved. If we do not accept Him as the Christ, as our substitute, the wrath of God abides on us. We are forced to be for, or against Him. (Matt. 12 :30.) There Is No Beauty. Abcut one out of ten people ever live after they go to that whipping post. Jesus was marred more than any man that ever lived. His body was mangled and cut. He was not a pretty Jesus like you may wear around your neck. You could not tell who He was. No man was ever beaten as that man. He did not look like a man. He looked about fifty years of age when He was thirty-three. (John 8 :57.) "As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men." (Isa. 52 :14.) " ... he hath no form or comliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a Iamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth ... Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him . . . for he shall bear their iniquities." (Isa. 53.) Himself took our infirmities and bare our sickness. By His stripes you were healed! If He bore it why should you? Would you let Him do it in vain? CHAPTER III HIS CRUCIFIXION Jesus had lost so much of His blood that He fell to the ground. They say He stumbled over skulls and skeletons of people who never made it up the hill from the whipping post. 14

A colored man came along and bore His cross for Him. We should love the Lord as much as Simeon loved Him. We should be willing to bear our cross. Many people were watching the cruel treatment from a distance. His mother was looking on. She had given to the world a Saviour. So they were rejecting Him. After a long time they reached the top of that hill in the form of a skull. Then He was laid on the cross. AHer the crowd reached Golgotha someone offered Jesus a stupefying drink, but He refused to take it. We can see that He did not want to be doped when He went out of this world. He was willing to bear our iniquities and sicknesses with a sober mind. He was willing to suffer the pain completely. There is one time I want to be in my right mind. That is when I start to leave this world and go to the next one. It is when I cross the great divide and am ushered into the presence of a holy God! I would rather make that journey knowing what I am doing. I want to meet the Lord in my right mind. Thousands of people go out of this life while they are on dope. Sometimes it looks as if it is necessary; but I'd like to know what I'm doing when I am on an important engagement. I can almost see the rough soldiers as they laid Jesus down on the cross. It was not a pretty cross like people wear around their neck. It was not a cross made of gold or silver. It was an old ugly cross. It was the cld rugged cross. They say it was made of wood frorr: a dog-wood tree and was very, very heavy. It was so heavy that Jesus fell beneath it! Then Simeon carried it. Must Jesus bear the cross alone And all the world go free. There is a cross for everyone And there -is a cross for me. As they lay Him there they must have quickly put some nails into His hands and hit them hard with a

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hammer. They must have put some large spikes into His feet as fast as they could. Then it seems that I see them as they raised Him into the air. Then when that heavy cross fell into the hole it seems that I see the flesh tear around the nail holes in His hands and His feet! His whole body hangs by those nails! It was not really the four nails that held Him there. Four letters held Him to that old cross. The four letters are l-o-v-e. He loved me so much that He would have done that for me. He would have done i,t for you alone. He loved you that much! How could one reject such a Saviour? He was numbered with the transgressors. A thief was crucified on each side of Jesus. Those people could have received forgiveness then and there had they wanted forgiveness, for Jesus did not hold any grudge against them. In fact Jesus prayed to the Father, "Forgive them for they know not what they do." The soldiers wanted His seamless robe. They gambled for his garments. As Jesus hung there the high priests mocked Him They told Him to come down from the cross if He had power. They said they would believe in Him if He would deliver Himself. They said that He could save Himself if He really saved others; that He should be able to heal Himself if He healed the people. Had He delivered Himself and come down the cruel clergymen would still not have believed! Interested in Others.

Jesus did not please Himself. He lived for others; He died for others. He was interested in souls. He saved a thief as He suffered. The two thieves began to join in with the high priests. They mocked Jesus also. They said if He really was the Christ He should save Himself and them. Finally one thief was convicted and stopped mocking

J\

Jesus. He confessed the truth. In effect he said, "I am guilty. I am suffering justly for my sins, but you are innocent. You are holy. You are the Saviour!" As soon as he confessed his sins Jesus forgave them. The man who justified himself was lost in torment. The one who confessed went to paradise that day! Perhaps that thief denied that he had stolen anything during his arrest. No doubt he denied everything in his trial. Maybe his lawyer made it appear that he was innocent, but now, as he faced death, as he came in contact with the presence of the Lord he confessed that he was guilty, and was forgiven! It is the same today. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. But many people, like the. other thief, would rather die in their sins than to confess that they are wrong. I'm sure that the church leaders who crucified Jesus did not believe that the thief was saved. I'm sure many of them said that he could not be saved without going through their ceremonies and joining their church, but I believe what Jesus said. I believe that the thief was forgiven then and there on the spot! That is how quickly anyone can be saved if he will only confess his sins and confess that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus was interested in others. He looked around at His mother in spite of the fact that He was suffering such pains. He even left arrangements for a home for his mother. He instructed her to live with John. That is a noble thing for a dying man to do. Every man should make arrangements for his mother, or for father, or wife, that they will be taken care of after he is gOTIf~. He Bore It All. Jesus actually took our sins. The Father turned. His face from Him as He was made a curse for us. God cannot look upon sin. How some folk think they can be excused and get into heaven with sin on their life

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is beyond me. God would not make any allowance for His own Son as He took our sins and bore them! When the Father turned His face from His Son this must have hurt Him worse than the nails or the crown of thorns. Jesus cried out "My God, my' God why hast thou forsaken me." And 'then the demons laughed. The devil grinned. The rabbis rejoiced. Everyone knows how a high fever can make one thirsty. Jesus was bearing every kind of fever and every kind of disease as well as our sins. Many people know how thirsty a dying man can be. Jesus cried out, "I thirst." But he was offered vinegar to drink. How can one become any more unmerciful? As people looked on in amazement Jesus said, "It is finished." I wish everyone could hear that. He paid in full for your salvation and your healing. It is finished! You do not need to suffer. You do not need to do penance. Come as you are. You do not need to work for your salvation. It is not necessary for you to beg for your healing or your salvation. Why ask God to give it to you? He has already given salvation, the Holy Ghost and healing. All you need to do is to accept salvation. Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Arise and walk. Be thou healed! If I offer you a deed to a place I have done my part. It is up to you to take it. Take what God has given you! After it was finished why would Jesus stay here any longer? He dismissed His Spirit. He laid down His life. No man took it from Him. He said, "Father into thy hands I commit my spirit." The
SUD

f.
t

on each side pulling, to tear it; but it tore open from top to bottom when Jesus was crucified! Until then only the priest could go into the presence of God, into the holiest of holies. But since then, since Jesus' body was torn, any of God's children may go into the presence of God. We can be priests unto God. Through prayers we may intercede for others! Even the heathen decided that Jesus was the Son of God. The centurion smote his breast and said Jesus was Christ. _Jesus Was Lifted U~. Many people testify that they want to lift Jesus up. But when you lift Jesus up you, crucify Him. He preached a sermon before He died, "If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me." (John 12 :32, 3 :14, 8 :28.) Jesus preached the next sermon found in John 3 :16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." In the same sermon Jesus said, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Notice one thing. He did not say "believeth ON Him," but He said "believeth IN Him." He is the ark. We must be IN Him to be saved. W:Jen Jesus preached this wonderful sermon He preached a sermon on divine healing as well as on sal~ation. F?r everyone who looked at the brazen serpent In the wildemess was healed. There was a life for a look. If Jesus did not have as much power as the serpent I would not serve Him. The anti-type has as much power as the type. Jesus said that the serpent was a type of Himself. Stand and look! Behold the lamb of God. "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." Look and be healed. I suppose many people in Moses' day would rather die than to look at the brazen serpent. I can almost

Hid Its Face.

1:

The church leaders were not ashamed, but the sun refused to shine. Jesus was crucified at nine o'clock in the morning. From twelve o'clock until three o'clock there was total darkness over the face of the earth. You could not see your hands before you. The veil of the temple was torn 311: the same time. It was so strong that it would require a team of oxen,

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hear them say, "I'll never join that brazen serpent church. I believe like my grandfather believed. But Moses was not trying to get them to join a church. He wanted them to look and be healed. So many mothers undoubtedly would rather their children die than to look at the serpent. So it is today. Many mothers would rather their children die than to be prayed for and be healed. Some mothers would rather their daughters have a career on Broadway, or in Hollywood than to repent and be converted. Cruel Clergymen. Ask Jesus why He is hanging there. If He would talk He could say, "I am here because the people became envious. I am here because I healed the little crippled children." Jesus, why are you treated in this shameful way? "I am hanging here because I multiplied the loaves, because I restored the widow woman's son, because I stopped the issue of blood, because I had mercy and compassion on the starving multitude." Why are you hanging there Jesus? "I am here because the crowd followed me for deliverance, because the church leaders lost some of their crowd, because I healed the broken hearts, and opened the poor man's blind eyes, because I forgave the sins of the harlots and gave them a new life and the living water in their souls. The church leaders had me put here because I went about doing good, because some of their members were saved." Is there any other reason you are there? "Yes, I am here to take your place. That is the main reason." The church leaders had so much religion that they would not let Jesus hang on the cross on the sabbath day, but they were so full of the devil that they were the cause of Jesus' shameful death. They put to death the son of God. Religion is cruel. Salvation is merciful. Jesus died on the cross not to bring us religion, but to 20

purchase salvation for us. The world already had enough religion. Religion put Jesus to death. Jesus died on the cross not for us to see who could preach the best, but to purchase deliverance for us all. He died on the cross not for the people ,to sing in church special songs, but He died for our deliverance. He did not die for us to see how many member-s we can get, but He died that you may be delivered from disease, that all people may be set free from sin and sickness! A Broken Heart. They did not want Jesus to hang on the cross on the sabbath day, so the soldiers were sent to finish killing Him and take Him down. Alas, when they came they found that He was already dead. People marveled. Many times people hung there two or three days without dying, but He was dead. The soldier who was sent to break His legs drew back the opposite end of his long spear to give Jesus a hard lick on the legs; but something stopped his hands? The Scriptures could not be broken. It was written centuries before that not a bone of Him could be broken. It was impossible for that soldier to make a lick. It was impossible for God's Word not to be true. Then the soldier slowly turned that spear around. He put the point of it into the side of Jesus to make sure that He was dead! What made that soldier turn that spear around? The Scriptures had to be fulfilled. God's Word had to be true. It was written many years before "They shall look on Him whom they have pierced." When they put the spear into Jesus' side blood and water came out together. That He died with !l broken heart is plain to be seen, for His heart must have ruptured in the Garden of Gethsemane as all the sins of the world were piled upon Him, as He interceded for you and me.

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Jesus Suffered. as no man has ever suffered, both physically and spiritually. Jesus cried, groaned, and roared. He said, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (Ps, 22:1.) . Jesus did not even look like a man. He was regarded lower than a human begin. He had no form. (Isa, 53 :2.) People hid their face when they saw Him. "But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people." (v. 6.) We can't put dependence in people. One day the people wanted to worship Paul. In a few minutes the.y stoned him. One time they wanted to pluck out their eyes and give to him; but soon they wanted to pull ?ut his eyes. One day the people praised Jesus and cried, "Hozanna, hozanna." The next day they cried, "crucify him, crucify him." The people walked by Jesus as He hung on the cross and laughed at Him. The church leaders did that. "All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him." (vv. 7-8.) To make things even worse the demons danced around about Him. They appeared in different forms to laugh and make fun. "Many bulls have compassed me ... They gaped upon me with their mouths as a ravening and a roaring lion." (vv. 12-13.) The bones of his hands, arms, shoulders, ankles, knees, hips, back, neck, and pelvis were out of joint. There was great perspiration which was caused by inense suffering. His heart was melted. The action of His heart was affected as the blood and water mixed together. "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the 22

midst of my bowels." (Ps. 22 :14.) No wonder He became so thirsty as all the water poured out of His body in perspiration. As He cried in His dying hour, "I thirst" the cruel men offered Him vinegar to drink! Th'3 intense thirst in His dying hour caused His strength to leave. He hang limp there by His pierced hands and feet! "My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cIeaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death." (Ps, 22 :15.) Did you ever see a man start to die, when a spoon had to be put into his mouth to keep him from swallowing his tongue? Did you ever see people who went in convulsions, just as they were overpowered by demons, how they would try to swallow their tongue? Then you .can imagine a little of the suffering Jesus went through as the enemy hounded Him on all sides! The demons possessed the men who crucified Him, putting beastly hatred and animal nature into them. "For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet." (Ps. 22:16.) Can you imagine the cruelty in those men as they took the points of their bayonets and stuck His feet and ~'ands! People could stand off away from His almos; completely nude body and even count all His bones! The blood and water had left His body! He looked like a skeleton. "I :nay tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me." (Ps. 22:17.) I have seen people with arthritis in an awful condition. It is a horrible disease. Their bones come loose when they get to a certain stage. Their bones melt in do not even look like a human being. They have stubs for hands and feet. Jesus there suffered all that arthritis; not only arthritis, but every kind of sickness and disease. He had tuberculosis of the bone, cancer of the bones, rheumatism, neuritis, and all kind of bone trou-

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ble, so that my bones may be well and strong. He did that for me! At the same time He bore all our sickness and sin. "They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture." (v. 18.) A sword was piercing through his soul as He bore my sins in my place. "Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog." (Ps. 22 :20.) He did not despise my suffering and my afflictions. "For he hath not despised the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard!" He was heard. He got His prayer through, for my healing, my deliverance! "They shall come, and declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that HE HATH DONE THIS." (Ps. 22 :31.) "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. .. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." He was afflicted with my afflictions. He bore them. Why should I bear them? If I bear them, then Fe bore them in vain! He was wounded. He was bruised. He bore stripes. He was smitten for me. It was for my peace, salvation, and healing. The Lord laid on Him ill our iniquities. He was oppressed. He was afflicted. He was stricken. He was put to grief. His soul was offered for my sins in place of my soul. He was wounded for our transgressions He was bruised for our iniquities Surely He has borne our sorrows And by His stripes we are healed. He travailed. He interceded-for you, for me. The blood came down from His head, from His hands, His feet, His side until it was all gone. It came from His face where His beard had been. It dripped, 24

dripped, dripped upon the ground. The modernist say that it dried up and stayed there. But no, a thousand times no! It formed a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel's veins And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains. There is a fountain open in the house of David for sin and uncleanliness. It was the blood that stained the Old Rugged Cross. On the cross, the rugged cross My blessed Saviour died, Shed His blood to pay the awful cost. o soul so far away, come and plunge today In the blood that stained the old rugged cross. The Modernist. would have us to believe that Jesus' body was put into the ground by the rich man Joseph and stayed there. but no, a thousand times no! I will admit His body was put there, but Jesus left His body and went down into the heart of the earth, eight thousand miles below, to a bottomless pit. The religious leaders in some churches would have us believe that Jesus was put into the ground on Friday evening and came out on Sunday morning very early. But Jesus said that He was in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. The modernist tell us that a whale can't swallow Jonah, but Jesus said that a whale did swallow oJnah. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be THREE DA YS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH." (Matt.-12:40.) That settles it. Jesus must have been crucified on Wednesday. In The Jaws of Death. I saw a lady die. She was crying, "Help! help! Its

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got me," from the depth of her soul. She went down, down, down, without God, suffering the agony of death. That is the kind of death Jesus died. He tasted of death in my place. (Heb. 2 :9.) I can see the demons of death as they took hold of Him, how they pulled Him down, down, down, eight thousand miles to the heart of the earth. The Father's face was turned from Him. He had no help. He first descended. (Eph. 4 :10.) He preached to the spirits in prison during that three days and nights. (I Peter 3 :9.) They were the righteous dead that trusted in sacrifices. The blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins. (Heb. 10 :4.) So for thousands of years each time people offered sacrifices they prolonged their sins. They pushed them on ahead until Jesus came and died for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD, for the people four thousand years before the cross and two thousand years afterwards. There they were bound in prison. They were in paradise. There was only a gulf between them and the real hell where the wicked dead were. This place was called Abraham's bosom. (Luke 16.) There Jesus took captivity captive. (Eph, 4 :8.) The Battle Raged. The devil, with the keys on his side, was laughing, because it looked as if he had at last captured Jesus, the hope of the world. No doubt he thought Able was the Messiah. So he had Cain to kill him. He had Joseph sold into slavery. He tried to kill David by the giant. The Jewish women were wanting a man child, hoping that the Massiah would be born to them. Satan had seen that back through the centuries he had not captured the Christ. He had tried to kill Jesus when He was a baby, but He escaped. But now it seemed that he had Him! He laughed a hedious laugh. The demons danced. The devils celebrated! Jesus had to do one more thing. He had to taste of 26

eternal death. He had to taste of natural death and eternal death in my place. The Greek in Isaiah 53:9 says, "and with the rich in his deaths." "Deaths" is in the plural. He suffered more than one death. His soul suffered the tortures of hell for a second, but just that second, as soon as He tasted of eternal torment, and paid for sin, His Father turned His face back toward Him! The anointing came back. His Father did not leave Him there. "Because thou will not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." (Acts 2 :27.) As the anointing returned to Jesus it seems that I see Him as He jerks the gates off hell and turned loose many thousands of people who had been taken captive and trusted in Him to come and redeem them. I see Him as He catches death and puts him under his feet 'and pulls out his stinger! He snatches the keys from the devil's side! He takes the keys of hell. He has fl noticn to kill the devil, but He decides to rob him of his power to all who have faith in Christ. He decides to let him go awhile and then bind him and let him be tortured for a thousand years, and then throw him into the lake of fire forever! CHAPTER IV HIS ASCENSION M03es looks and says, "This is the tree that sweetened the waters." Abraham looks and says, here is the one who appeared to me on the Holy Mount." It seems that I hear Solomon say, "Here is the Lily of the Valley." Isaiah says, "Here is the one I saw high and lifted up." Ezekiel joins in, "Here is the wheel in the middle of the wheel." Jacob says, "This is the angel of the Lord that came to me when I was in trouble." Daniel says, "This is the same one that went with 27

me through the lion's den." The Hebrew children knew it was the same Son of God that was seen walking through the fire with them. At last He was there to lead captivity, move paradise above, and satisfy the longing of the ones who had trusted in Him through animal sacrifices. Jesus turned them all loose and ascended with them. Moses looked and said, "This is the ark I preached." J('SLIS stepped oyer to the wicked dead, that rejected the message that Noah preached to them, and told them that ,they made the mistake of their life, that He was the Messiah they shoulu have believed in, that He was the true ark that Noah preached. He turned loose about one hundred and forty-four thousand people and ascended with them. He brought them out, and proclaimed to the world that the war was over. He spoiled principalities and powers. Every power in the earth, under the .earth, and in the elements must bow to Him now. He has the preeminence. He loosed the spirits from prison. He raised the dead. Like Samson He did more at His death than while He was living! He met Mary at the grave. She thought it was the most gloomy day she had ever experienced, but found that it was the brightest day in history. She was wondering who would roll away the stone but found it was rolled away! And every stone is rolled away today! Don't worry over the future. Satan is conquered '! Your victory is won. The angel is sitting upon the stone. March on! In effect Jesus said this: "Oh grave, where is thy victory, 0 death where is thy sting? (I Cor. 15 :55.) I have the keys of death and hell. (Rev. 1 :15.) The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church. (Matt. 16 :18.) I am He that was dead, but I'm alive for evermore. (Rev. 1: 18.) Because I live ye shall live also. (John 14 :19.) 28

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matt. 28 :18.) I give you power over all the power of the devil. (Luke 10 :19.) Nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10: 19.) You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you. (Acts 1 :8.) The works that I do shall ye do also. (John 14: 12.) Go and tell it. Go preach it ... Heal the sick. Cast out devils. (Luke 9 :1.) Satan is conquered in my name. I give you my name. (John 14:14.) You have the power of attorney. Demons will flee before you. (Matt 10 :1, 28 :20.) Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. (Matt. 18 :18.) As my Father has sent me even so I send you. (John 20 :21.) God has given this power to men. (Mat.t 9 :8.) As I am so are you in this world. (John 4:17.) Go and tell everyone to the end of the world to do what you do. (Matt. 28 :20.) These signs wil follow all believers. They can cast out devils. (Mark 16 :17.) . The devil is conquered for all Christians. (Rom. 8:37.) The same Holy Ghost t hat anointed me will anoint you. (Acts 10 :38.) I have spoiled principalities and powers. (Col. 2 :15.) Now I'm dividing the spoil with the strong. (Isa, 53 :12.) I have taken back from the devil what he has taken from you. (Col. 2: 10.) Be strong in the Lord. (Eph. 6 :10.) My people shall be strong and do exploits. (Dan. 11 :32.) If you cease to spoil ye shall be spoiled. (Isa. 33: 1. , I will ascend on high and give you the gifts of the Spirit." (Eph. 4 :8.) 29

I give you 'the keys to the kingdom. (Mat. 16: 19.) Raising The Dead Many people wear a cross around their neck with Jesus on it. But the cross we know about is an empty cross. Jesus is not on that cross now. Many people tour the Holy Land each year to see the tomb that held Jesus' body at one time. But the grave we know is an empty grave. The other men who claimed to be the Messiah are yet in their graves, but Jesus' grave is empty. "Why do I want to go and see an empty tomb? I have Jesus living within me. If He is alive He can do the works He once did. He is the same today. The angel asked Mary on that first Easter morning, "Why seek the living among the dead?" Why would a man go to an empty grave? Why would they seek Jesus among the dead, formal organizations and denominations. Jesus said, I am He that was dead, but I'm alive forever more." He said, "Because I live ye shall live also." As we were brought before the court for "disturbing people," as we had church the lady said, "They praise the Lord so loud that 1 can't even listen to my radio. It makes me so nervous that 1 have to get up and go to the show." The judge said, "You know how other churches act. Act like they do." A man who was defending me said, "Anyone will be quiet around a graveyard, and respect the dead, but these people are lively people." Weare lively stones. Because He lives we live also. Weare not worshipping a dead Jesus or an empty grave. Mary looked around and saw Jesus in another form. Some folk think they will always see Him in the same way. You can't put Him in a "straight jacket" and make Him work in one way all the time. Peter rushed into the tomb and saw the linen clothes still wrapped up like a cast on a man's leg. That cast 30

was in the form of a human body, but Jesus' body was gone. The church leaders paid the guards to lie. They knew they were supposed to love their lives, so they accepted money from the priests and told that the disciples came and stole Jesus away. The First Fruits Jesus was the first fruits of the resurrection. Just as a wheat crop had three parts of the harvest so there is three parts of the resurrection. The harvest had first fruits, the main harvest, and the gleaning. The Resurrection has the first fruits, the main harvest, and the gleanings. Jesus and the people who came out of the graves with Him were the first fruits of the resurrection. There were many of the saints who came out of the graves and walked into the city of Jerusalem and showed themselves to the people. They had bodies just like the body of Jesus. (I John 3 :2.) Jesus could eat. He had flesh and bones, but not blood. He had glorified body that could appear through closed doors. We will have a body like that some day. We will be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. How many saints arose? There were many. It is recorded that there were many devils in one man, which was a legion. There were thousands of devils in that man. (Mark 5 :9.) In speaking of the number of souls that went into the ark God said there were eight, or a few. A few is eight. A legion is many. No doubt Abraham saw again the place where he offered Isaac, and stopped awhile to worship the Lord. Moses saw the Mountain where he had received the ten commandments. Elijah looked over the spot where he called fire down from heaven. Isaiah viewed again preached barefooted. the places where he once

Daniel must have looked over the old den where t:le

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lions refused to eat him. I see David as he saw where he killed the giants. They all ascended on high as Jesus moved paradise up above. They all joined in singing the song of redemption as the angels folded their wings and listened. They could not understand. They could not join the song. There they are waiting for you and me to join in with them in that song of redemption! There must have been one hundred and forty-four thousand people who arose from the dead when Jesus arose. John looked up and saw one hundred and fortyfour thousand people standing with Jesus. It sounded like many waters as they all harped on their harps. They sang a new song. They are without fault before the throne of God. The Bible declares that they are "FIRST FRUITS TO GOD AND THE LAMB." (Rev. 14 :1-5.) One hundred and forty-four thousand are alive now! I'm sure that here were at least one hundred and forty-four thousand that arose from the grave. Jesus saw several arise from the dead while He was here. Peter saw at 'least one in his ministry. Paul saw one or more. Elisha saw one. Elijah saw one. We have seen a few in our day. God has not promised to raise all the dead now, but He has promised to forgive ALL OUR INIQUITIES AND HEAL ALL OUR DISEASES. (Ps. 103:3.) DEATH CONQUERED.

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A Christian can go to sleep in Jesus. Jesus has tasted death for every man. So a Christian does not need to taste of death. (Heb. 2 :9.) All the people who were raised from the dead in Bible days were young people. So that makes me believe that the Lord does not want us to be taken away in the midst of our days. (Ps. 102 :24.) Bloody and deceitful men will not live out half their days. (Ps, 55 :23.) He says for the children to obey their parents that their days may be long on the earth. (Eph. 6 :3.) He says the number of your days He would fulfill. (Ex. 23 :26.) 32

I am going to send you 60 of my best faith books, on casting out devils, healing the sick, faith, Holy Ghost, prophecy, and almost every subject of the Bible. You will be on my prayer !ist every day until Jesus comes. I'll pray that you will have a double portion ministry. I want you to be my partner and pray for me. When you finish reading these books and filling out the test papers we will send you a diploma which you can frame and have on your wall. It will remind you thaI I am praying for you every day, that you are my partner in prayer. If you are a minister you may receive a license to preach. There is no charge for the packing, boxing, storage, shipping, postage, exam papers, grading, secretary expense, diplomas, or ordination papers. Your dues will be paid up for life. (Others charge $12.00 per year and up). You can pay for them $.50 per week or send in the name of one new student per month, either one you you choose. If you send one name per month all the textbooks are free. 0 Dear TVD Staff: -

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