1962 – Calling to the ministry
Then came the year 1962. It was Monday, April 2nd, just before the day broke forth, before the sun rose it happened and I'm telling you the truth. My Bibles – the German Lutheran Bible second edition, over 400 years old placed before me and the English one also – and God Almighty, who is the Judge of all, He knows it – it just happened, I had no knowledge, I didn't pray for it, but it took place in Krefeld, Luissen Street 160 on the second floor. I woke up early, went to the window, pull the curtains right and left and looked out – it was a new day breaking forth, no cloud in the sky. I just came away from the window, having a short prayer, committing the day to the Lord and after this prayer, from about two to three yards or meters I looked towards the window, and from up, from the right, came the tremendous voice of the Lord where every word was spoken with direct precision in the German language. The Lord said these words: “My servant, your time for this city will soon be over, I will send you to other cities to preach my Word.” Friends, the next moment I collapsed. I just fell to the floor landing on my left arm on the carpet, having no strength left in my body. Only after some time I regained a little strength and could start to move my left arm towards the right and finally I could stand to my feet and I was looking towards the window. My body was shaking like this and I said these words: „Lord, they will not hear me, they have got all things in plenty. They are not ready to listen.“ I had just spoken these last words and the Lord spoke the second time: “My servant, the time will come when they will hear you! Store in food, for a great famine is coming. Then thou shalt stand amidst the people to give out the food.”
Beloved, you who live in different countries and continents, might not fully understand my situation, but it was in 1961 and 1962, when the climax of the cold war was. There was the Cuba crisis, the Berlin crisis, in Berlin the tanks, the Russian tanks and American tanks were facing each other and we thought at any moment some tragedy could happen to our country. Because natural groceries were mentioned I just did to the best of my knowledge: I told the small congregation “Thus the Lord has spoken…“ And we all had put in store groceries of all kinds. But no famine came, no tragedy happened, but about me it was something different – I just said: “Lord, I cannot live on, I will not preach anymore, because you have spoken, but it did not happen.” Then the thought came to me that I should take the flight and meet Brother Branham – expecting that the Lord would use him to speak to me, to give me an answer. I did not want to face December 31st in that year 1962. So it was Monday, December 3rd, when I was together with brother Branham. Brother Banks Wood and also brother Fred Sothman were in the same car. Brother Branham sitting behind the steering wheel, I was sitting next to him on the right side – picking me up from the place I stayed. Then we had a meal together and brother Branham spoke about meetings in Germany and Switzerland, but finally the time came when we continued the conversation. I had to say: “Brother Branham I would like to ask you something.” Just then his right hand went up a little like this and he said: “Brother Frank, may I tell you what the Lord has spoken to you?” And friends, you may believe it, you may not. I had brothers from other countries, who made the trip to the United States asking Banks Wood, asking Fred Sothman whether they were there when brother Branham spoke to me and they returned to Europe, those brothers being from Germany, from France, from other countries, confirming from their lips having heard the testimony I am giving you now. Brother Branham repeated word for word, sentence for sentence, in the precise order what the Lord had spoken to me in Germany. From that moment I could not say a word. The presence of God was just so mighty and then, after having told me what the Lord had spoken, he said: “Brother Frank, you misunderstood what the Lord said. You were under the impression that there would be a natural tragedy and the natural famine and therefore you have stored in natural food…” And he continued that God would send a famine to hear His Word and the food I am to put in store is the promised Word of God for this time revealed by the Holy Spirit and kept in the sermons, which are on tapes. Brother Branham used the word “tapes” when he made this statement.
Of course, right from September 1958 I received all the sermons brother Branham preached in America – three weeks later I received them in Germany and so I actually grew under his ministry year after year. It was ordained of Almighty God in such a way. The final words he said on December 3 in that conversation: “Brother Frank, wait with the giving out of the food until you receive the rest of the food that goes with it.” This part I did not understand, but I didn't dare to ask what it meant.
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