Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
James 5:5
15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
Acts 14
Now Hollywood puts out lots of movies and—and televisions, and so forth, that even uncensored, where they curse and—and—and use God’s Name in vain. And—and it used to be it was wrong for the children in the holiness churches to go to—to—to bioscopes or picture shows, and now Satan got one jump ahead, by bringing it right in the house, in the form of television, and then uncensored, and—and so forth. And that’s the Satan’s way of gradually entering in.
Like the old toboggan slide used to be. Many of you don’t remember it, ’cause you’re too young. Used to have entertainment for the children; you set down on your toboggan and just move around, around. There was a hole, a shoot, and everyone would dare one another, who could go the closest to it. And after a while, before you knew it, [Brother Branham snaps his finger—Ed.] down you went.
That’s the way sin is. Don’t trifle with it. Don’t see how close you can get to it. See how far you can stay away from it. See? Don’t take no chance. If you’re going to take a chance… I don’t want no chance.
An old Scotchman, one time, they said, was going to cross a mountain. And the carriages was waiting, each man wanted take him across. He said, “I want the best teamster to take me.”
One of them said, “Well, I can drive my six head of horses at a full gallop within—within ten inches of that rim around that mountain.” Fall off, it’s death. Said, “I’m a good enough teamster to drive my horses, safety, around there, within ten inches of my wheels, and not fall off.”
The other one said, “I can beat that. I can drive within six inches, or four inches, and never fall off.”
He said, “What about you, sir?”
Said, “Well, I don’t know. I don’t like to do that. I—I just hug the bank.”
He said, “You take me.” That’s right. That’s the one.
It isn’t how close you can come, and how well you think you are fortified, stay just as far away from sin as you can stay. Just get just as far away as you can. Say, “Well, I can do this. There is no harm in doing this.” Well, if there is a question in your mind, don’t you do it at all. Anywhere there’s a question, stay away from it. Then, you see, then you’re absolutely living by faith, if there’s no question. If there’s a question, then leave it, don’t go around it at all.
And I think that many times that it’s the parents that get away. I know there is sometimes that the—the schools, and things. And Sunday school about a half hour, or hour on Sunday morning, and the world has the kids the rest of the week, and cram into them more than a teacher. And many times, too many times, the teacher has got a little quarterly that she teaches about, while she paints her lips and fixes her hair, let the children do the best they can.
And then at home they get no Christian training at all. Mother is out somewhere to a card party, and dad is down at the bowling alley, and—and sis is out with somebody with a hot rod. And here you are, see. What, where do we—where do we go? You just, it’s just it’s… It’s terrible. And then we find out that all these things together. Junior out, beating up-and-down the street, on his motorcycle. And, oh, it’s some of them down playing golf, and others playing pool, and it’s just something another for entertainment. And the church is let go.
“Influences”, 64-0215, William M. Branham
We lived our past in pleasure
Realizing never hidden treasures in our soul
That gene of God that is placed within
And at the time appointed we were anointed
To believe this present Word
The only evidence that His life is within
Now justified we are free from sin
CHORUS
We were born to rise and shine
For the Lord has come
We’ll rise and shine
We were made to overcome
We’ll rise and shine
Like the stars above
By holding the vision before every decision that’s how we overcome
The Lord is having then the pre-eminence
We’ll trust Him ever and doubt Him never
All the promises He has made
Realizing there is no need to be afraid
For His word can never fail
We’ll suffer affliction by this confession the scripture has foretold
We consider our trials more precious than gold
Leaving these worldly pleasures far behind for greater riches we must now claim
Never mind the reproaches you bear for His name for God’s children won’t be ashamed
Amidst this world’s frustration we have restoration
The earnest of the Promise Land only be thou courageous and strong
We have the hidden manna six barley measures
We’re awaiting that final one
Our Lord won’t rest till his work is done
We’ll have the fullness of the sun
We’re made superhuman
over every condition
by the power of His word
Holding our confession unto the end
And by His election we’ll change dimensions to a world that’s so sublime
No more to be mortal creatures of time
There forever we shall shine
“Rise And Shine”, Ulric Andrews
Eleventh Hour Productions 