Episode 232: The Family Altar Audio Devotional – Day 198

Episode Summary:

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. (Psalm 42:1)

43 David also wrote in, I believe the 47th Psalm, being a woodsman, he said, “As the hart thirsts for the water brook, my soul thirsts after Thee, O God.” As the hart, the deer, panteth for the water brook, my soul thirst after Thee.

Now, being acquainted with the outdoors, and in Africa, and in the jungles, and the eastern countries where this Book the Bible was written, they have over there great herds of wild dogs, wolves. And David was acquainted with these animals.

And a little deer, when these wild, savage dogs run into a herd of deer… They have long fangs, and they… One of their choice spots is to grab the deer is just behind the ear, sink those fangs in, and then swing his weight. When he does it, he rips the deer’s neck. That’s all of it. The deer goes right down.

44 And if the deer, he cannot catch him in the jugular vein here, as we call it, he’s got another choice place. He grabs him right in the flank. And he will grab it with his teeth like that, and when he swings his weight, he throws the deer off his feet. And the dogs cover that deer and rip him to pieces just in a moment.

Now, many times the deer, when the dog grabs him in the side or up here, if he gets too tight a hold, well, he will—sometimes the swinging of the deer will make the chunk of meat pull out. Then the animal has the meat in its mouth, and if there’s no other dogs standing to cut it off, it can sometime escape. But it’s bleeding. The blood’s a pouring from the little fellow.

Now, if any hunter here knows anything about hunting, if a deer can get to water he can live. If that deer can’t get to water, he’s dead. And David knew that. And he said, “As the hart panteth for the water brook, my soul thirst after Thee.”

45 Could you imagine, the hounds has just grabbed and pulled a big chunk out of his side, his blood’s life is running out. The little deer stands sniffing for water, the hounds are just behind him. He—he’s got to find water or he will die.

David said, “That’s the way my soul thirsts for Thee. Oh, I must have You, Lord, or I’ll perish.” If you only knew, sinner friend, that the hounds of hell is right behind you, crippled and wounded by sin, and you’ve got to find Christ or perish. When that sort of a desire gets into a man’s heart, he will find Christ, when you get in that shape.

46 “As the hart panteth for the water brook. I must have it. I’m wounded. If I don’t have it, I’m gone.” And when you get to a place that you want Christ so bad, you must have Him or perish, you can’t sleep at night; you can’t eat; you’ve just got to find Him; blessed are you when you hunger and thirst after righteousness, you’ll find Eternal Life.

May God help you this afternoon to have that thirst for that Life, for there’s only one Life that’ll last forever; that’s Eternal Life, and given only by knowing Jesus Christ in the forgiveness of your sin. “He that heareth My Word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath passed from death unto Life, and shall never come to the judgment.” You’ve done passed from death to Life. What it means…

57-0811a – “The Greatest Gift In The Bible”
Rev. William Marrion Branham

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