Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. REV 4:11

LOVE

Here sometime ago while I was game warden in Indiana, over at the old Burke Farm, where the old quarry is, there's the Walnut Ridge graveyard, just below where my dear loving wife is resting tonight, her body, her and the baby, right down in there, it was called the Burke's Farm, there was a big old bull. And he killed a colored man down there. And they sold him up there to a fellow named Guernsey, this side of Henryville. I was letting some fish loose down there, at a--in a big lake where a steam went through it. This fellow made a lake in there and he was going open it up to the public; and we stocked it for him, the conservation. Well, we're supposed to pack a little old pistol around wherever we went. That was a law; we had to do it. So I happened to know of a brother across the field that was sick. So I thought, "I believe I'll go over and pray for him. I'll turn these fish loose." I unbuckled this little old pistol and throwed it up in the car, and went out over there where the... started across the field where the brother was. I forgot that that killer was in the field. So on my road across the field, over, going across that way, there was a little bunch of shrubs out there, little scrub oaks. And I happened to get about two hundred yards, or three hundred from the fence, about the same distance the other side, little swamp of a pond in the middle there. And out... And all of a sudden within thirty feet of me, this killer bull raised up. And there I was.

First, I reached for the gun: No gun. See how God takes care of things just right? No, gun. I looked to the fence; he was too close to me. No tree to get into, death laid before me. He was a killer, warnings all around, "Don't enter here." Well, I forgot about it. And there I was. Well, there's only one thing for me to do, straighten myself up and don't die like a coward, die like a man. I straightened myself up; I thought, "Well, this is the end of it." I pulled myself up, no need of trying to run. He was in twenty feet of me. Oh, just throwed his horns in the ground, like that, and bellowing with all he could, fall on his knees, and throwed his horns, and kicking the dirt, and getting ready. So I was just standing there; that's all I could do. I thought, "Well, I certainly will do this. I'll not go down a coward. I'll go down showing my love of God in my heart." And I looked back at that bull, and all of a sudden something happened. Now, this sounds kiddish; it sounds like a little baby talk. But that's what's the trouble with us tonight, we tried to be an adult in God, when we ought to be babies in God. We know so much. God dwells in the center of humility and simplicity. Don't never forget that. I looked at the bull; if anything I could've cried for him. Why, I thought, "Poor creature. Well, how wrong I am." Now, ordinarily I wouldn't feel that way about it.

First, I--I was looking for the gun. I was glad I didn't have it; I'd have shot him, and then went and paid for it. But I didn't have the gun. I thought, "Well, poor creature." Why, I--I'm in--I'm in your pasture; this is your home, and you're just a brute. You don't know any different. And you wouldn't want to kill me anyhow. But I disturbed you. I'm sorry I did that. I didn't mean to disturb you." Talking like I am now... I just couldn't help it; there was Something talking in me. Oh, my! It's--it's too bad we ever have to leave that. Just submit it. God just took over. And the bull roaring and going on. He lowered his head. And I said, "Now, creature of God, I'm the servant of God. I'm on my way to pray for a sick man, over here dying. And I come across the field here, where you're home is; I'm sorry I broke into your home?" That's what I did. I broke into his home. That's all the home he knows of. Now, now, stop and think; that's true. I said, "I--I come into your house. I broke in on you. I'm sorry. You forgive me. I'll go across the field; I--I won't bother you." And I said, "Now, in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Creator, go over there and lay down again. I'll not bother you." And that bull took towards me as hard as he could. And when he got to about six or eight feet of me, I wasn't a bit more afraid than I am standing right here. "Perfect love casts out all fear." I don't care, if death is staring you in the face, you can sing, "Happy day, happy day, since Jesus washed my sins away."

No wonder Paul could stand in the face of death and say, "O death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?" Sure. Through tribulations he had learned the love of God. Suffering brings patience, works tribulations to bring patience, of course. Now, patience makes love, trust. And when that bull got within to about six or eight feet of me, he just threw his feet out and stopped. And he looked at me. He looked this way, and that way, so depleted, just quietened right down, walked over and laid down. I walked within five feet of that bull, and he never even turned and looked at me. I walked right out of the pasture. What is it? It was the love of God, the power of God. You say, "Brother Branham, I don't believe that story." Well, you don't have to. But it's true. The same God that could close the mouth of the lion's--in the lion's den for Daniel, can certain tame a bull in a few minutes when the love of God has been projected. Then when I love the Lord, and the love in my heart comes back to that bull, then when love has come to its end, Divine sovereign grace steps in to take the place. Hallelujah. Oh, my. Why would I fear when death comes? How I want to love the Lord, that when it comes to the place, where everything is gone, Divine grace will step in someday, and pack me across river of Jordan yonder, into a better land, where there's no sickness, or death, or sorrow. I love the Lord. You love the Lord. We have got nothing, no sickness, no diseases, nothing else can separate us. That love of God goes right on. And when you love Him, and come to the end where love can't act no longer in your behalf, sovereign grace will take love's place. Amen. LOVE 56-0726