Benefits 34

Attributes of God Life

February 6, 2005

Brian  Kocourek

 

To begin our message this morning I would first like to say that we will be speaking on the subject of Life, God-Life. Therefore for our text I would like to turn in our Bibles first to the Gospel of John.

 

JOHN 5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

 

And then let’s turn to the Book of ROMANS 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Now, either God means what he said here or he doesn’t. And if he doesn’t he’s a liar. And if  He does, then don’t let the devil talk you out of believing this. He said ALL things work together for your Good. And then Paul tells you how it all works out. 29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

 

Now, I want you to stop here for just a moment and consider this statement Paul made here. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son… Now, this conforming to the image of His Son is what it is all about, and that is what the all things working together are all about as well. You see he said we are predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. So then if we are predestined to be conformed then the “all things working together are for one purpose and that is to bring about your conforming to the image of  His Son. Now, stop  and think about that. What does it mean to be predestined?

 

The word predestine means to determine or decide before hand. There are two Greek words that make up the Greek word “proorizo”. The word “pro” meaning beforehand, and the word “horizo” which means to determine, or “to mark out the boundaries or limits”, to appoint or ordain. Then if God determined it before hand, or marked out the limits before hand, or ordained our footsteps beforehand,  then God by foreknowledge made the determination how you will be conformed to the image of His Son. 

 

PSALMS 37:21    The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. (Now, why do the righteous show mercy and have a giving heart? Because God made them that way. ) 22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of the righteous are ordered by the LORD: (The Hebrew Word here for ordered means to prepare, to arrange, to establish, to direct towards, to be stable, to be settled, to be made ready, to be provided for. So you see the hand of God is in every step that you take, even when your step is a backsliding step, He is still there to guide you through your own error which comes by your own choices that you make that are contrary to His Choosing.) and He (God) delighteth in his (the righteous man’s )way. (Now, you might say, well does God delight in our falling down? David in this Psalm tells us in his very next verse what God thinks. Notice…) 24  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: ( Now, I like the NIV translation for this verse better for it says, though he stumble, he will not fall, because this shows the righteous can not fall away, but they can stumble. )(for the LORD holdeth him up with his hand.

 

Jesus told us that if a brother were to err, we are to forgive him 70 times 7. Now that is not that we are to become permissive to sin, or even take a lax attitude towards sin, but rather we are to understand the nature of transgression, and the effect it has upon the transgressor.  For when the heart of the transgressor repents and tries to come back to where it left God and His Word, we should be more than willing, 70 times 7 willing to help that person come back to Christ all the way. I think we as a Christian Church today have a lot to learn what the image of Jesus Christ is all about, and I believe that as Sons we are all subject to the child training from our heavenly Father in order for us to learn what our roles as sons and daughters is all about. 

 

But what Paul is telling us in Romans 8:28 and David is telling us in the Psalms, is that God has everything under control, and not one thing is out of order even though for the time being it might seems that way to  us.  

 

David continues, Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. 28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29  The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. 32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. 34   Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see [it].

 

Now, Paul told us “all things shall work together for our Good, and that is exactly what David tells us here as well.

 

Again in PSALMS 34:19 Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

 

And again we are told what we should do in PSALMS 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

 

PSALMS 64:10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

 

PROVERBS 15:28    The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.  29 ¶ The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

 

So we ought to take courage that God hears our prayers and is more than willing to give us those things that we have need of. That is why Paul continues by saying in verse ROMANS 8:31    What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? So you see, everything that happens to us is already foreknown by God to work into us the image of His Son that we might be conformed to the same image as God conformed His Son. So how did God bring His Son into His own Image?  Paul continues in verse 32.

 

Romans 8: 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Therefore, the whole essence of God predestinating our conformity to the image of Christ is in the understanding of what it means to be “conformed” to the image of Christ.

 

The word conform comes from two Greek word “Sun” meaning to accompany and “morphe” which means to strike the vision. Therefore together meaning, to accompany the striking of the vision.

 

Thus  we find how God was in Christ and How God enmorphed Himself in the Body of His Son until His Son’s body was so reflecting of the image of God that it is said to be the outraying of the Glory of God. Therefore the Life of God was so outraying itself through His Son that His Son became the enmorphe of God, that which strikes the vision. And we know that it was not an easy thing for “although he were a son yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered.”  Hebrews 5:8

 

Therefore we are talking about the very Life of God reflecting itself out from your form, so that the Life of God might strike the form in you, which is “Christ in you the hope of Glory.“

 

That is why when we read that all things work together for your good we are talking about how God works all things in such a way as to bring forth the image of His son into our forms that The God Life might become enmorphed in our very vessel as it was in the vessel of His first born son, as we read last week for our text, “It is God working in you to will and to do His Good pleasure.”

 

Therefore when we read In COLOSSIANS 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. We know that this speaks of the end time appearing of Christ in this hour, and at that time when He appears we are also to appear in same manner because it is the Life that is appearing in the form. When Christ who is our Life shall appear, we shall also appear, because it is the same life doing the appearing in both forms.

 

That is why Paul himself who was a prisoner of Jesus Christ because He had emptied himself of everything contrary to Christ, and allowed God in the form of the Holy Ghost working through the Pillar of Fire to refocus His entire life around the Good news, and thus he could say in GALATIANS 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

Not just the life I now aspire too, but the Life that is living itself out through me is the very life that was in Christ Himself, that is the Life that I am living by in this flesh.

 

Now, Paul further explains that it is not just what things we do or the actions we do, that has nothing to do with it. But the fact is this, the very life in you is what moves within you to will and to do. In the next verse in  GALATIANS 3:21 he continues,  Is the law then against the promises of God?  God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

 

Therefore, what he is telling us here is that the action you do is not the thing itself, no more than doing works is a sign that you have love. Because “you can give without having love and yet you can not love without giving?” Think about that for while. “you can give without having love and yet you can not love without giving?”

 

Paul said in , I CORINTHIANS 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.  So you could even give until you have given everything you own, even to your own life, but you can do it without love and it absolutely means nothing to God. But if you do the same action because the Love of God constrains you to do it, then you have everything.

 

So what we are talking about is this predestined conforming to the image of His son. And why is that so important? Because we are talking about the very Life of God, the God-Life taking over your own life and bringing it into conformity with the image of His Son. 

 

Now, then how do we know that we are coming into this conformity to the image of His Son? John tells us in

 

I JOHN 3:14   We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (And how do we lay down our life for the brethren? )17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20   For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23   And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and He (the God Life) in him. And hereby we know that He (God’s own Life) abideth in us, by the Spirit which He(God) hath given us.

 

THAT DAY ON CALVARY  60-0925   15-3    He was just one Man, the perfect Man. He gave His life, and He made an example for you. Now, what must we do. Now, the first thing I want to say is: Jesus never lived for Himself. His Life was spent for others. That's perfectly Eternal Life. When you say you go to church and you do good things, that's fine. But when you live your life to yourself, you haven't Eternal Life. Eternal life is living for others. It proved it when He come in the Lamb of God. He lived and had Eternal Life, because He did not live for Himself. He lived for others. And you receive Eternal Life by receiving that day, and you don't live for yourself no more. You live for others.   15-6    Someone said, "How can you stand and let anyone call you such bad names?" You don't live for yourself. You live for others that you might redeem that man. You become sons. And the trouble of it is that the church has forgot they were sons. You are sons. You're taking Christ's place. You are sons; so don't live for yourself; live for others. "Well, Brother Branham, I can live for this brother because he sure is a nice man." That's not it. Live for that man who hates you. Live for that person who'd kill you if they could. That's what they done to Him. They killed Him, and He died that He might save them. That's Eternal Life. When you, that's in your bosom, you're facing heaven then. But you sacrifice your own things, give them up like the sheep gives its wool. You look on towards Calvary. 15-8  I hope this helps you to get in a place... That's what the Tabernacle, that's what all people has got to do, is find out what you are and what's the purpose. Church isn't going to church just to play music, sing songs. Church is a place where correction... Judgment begins at the house of God. We must reckon ourselves dead and alive to Christ. Then He made the way that we could sacrifice ourselves to His service to follow Him. If we follow Him, we lead the life that He led. That's wonderful. Jesus said, and spoke of it. Let me just give you a few quotations on it. Listen close. Don't miss it.  16-1 Jesus said at that day He would separate the people like the sheep and the goats, and He would say to the goats, "Stand on the left side," and to the sheep, "Stand on the right side." And He said to the goats, "Depart from Me, because I was hungry and you didn't feed Me. I was in prison, and you did not visit Me. I was naked, and you clothed Me not. I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink. I was sick, and you didn't visit Me. So depart from Me." And on the sheep, He said, "I was hungry and you fed Me. I was naked and you give Me clothing. I was sick and you ministered to Me." And notice, don't fail to get this, church. Keep this in your heart forever. It was so unconsciously done. The people don't do it for a line of duty. A man that gives you something or other because he ought to do it, a man that feeds you because he ought to do it, he's got a selfish idea. It should be your very life, your very action. 16-2 It was so surprising to these sheep that they said, "Lord, when were You hungry and we wouldn't feed You? When were You hungry, and we fed You? When were You naked, and we give You clothes? When were You thirsty, and we give You drink? When were You sick, and we ministered to You?" It was so automatically, out of love, it's just their life lived in them. God, let the people see what Calvary did for us. So automatically, "When were You, Lord. We never knew that." Look what Jesus turned and said, "Insomuch as you have done unto these, you did it unto Me." Unselfish life, not the second thought, not to think about it; but you are so dead to the things of this world, and so alive in Christ, and so walking on the highway, that these things are just an automatic thing. You just do it.  16-5  Now, I say, "When the Lord would--the Lord want me to do that." It's not that. You're just part of Him. His Spirit's in you, and you act the way He acted. Do get it. "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the way of death. Not all that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter in, but they that do the will of My Father," just from their hearts, just freely. Now, that day at Calvary paid that price so we could be that way. Not say, "You know, widow Jones one time was... She was out of coal, and I went and bought her some coal. Uh, I tell you, I seen a brother that needed a suit of clothes, and I went and got him a suit of clothes. Bless God, I'm a Christian." Oh, my, you selfish, poor, miserable person, you are hypocrites. Don't let the right hand know what the left's a-doing, nor the left know what the right's a-doing. Just so automatically dead in Christ till you do it anyhow. It's your nature; it's your makeup. You do it anyhow. It's just the life that lives in you. You're completely yielded to that Spirit, and It just lives Itself in you.  17-2    Oh, you feel that blessed Spirit, that life, "Not me that liveth," said Paul, "but Christ liveth in me." Just so automatic... "Well, I tell you, Brother Branham. We are Christians here. We help these people. We help them people." Oh, my, shame on you. That's not Christianity. Christianity is just automatically got a--it's to be done. And you just forget about, all about... Go do it. Christ just completely surrendered His Life to God. He gave Hisself as a public Servant to the people. He gave His Life freely. He didn't have to do it. He didn't begrudgingly do it. He didn't say, "Now, brother, you all ought to think a whole lot of Me, because I come to die for you." He never said a word about it. He died anyhow, because it was God in Him. It's God in you. It's God in me that makes us look at others.  17-5    Sheep on one side. One of them will say, "Well, Lord, I did this, and, Lord, I did that." He said, "Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity, I never even knew you." If the church can ever come to those fundamental facts, that it's not something you try to do, you work yourself up to do; it's something that's born in you.

 

And in 1st Peter we are told that we are born again by the Word of God which Liveth and abideth forever. And in JOHN 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And in 2 Peter we are told that the evidence that this God life has been born into you is that the nature of God will display itself in you as well.  II PETER 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power (That’s his Word according to Romans 1:16) According as his divine power (God breathed Word) hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godlikeness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these (Promises, that’s his Giving us His Word) ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 

TO WHOM WOULD WE GO 60-0606   E-29    He's the same God; He works in all natures. You can see God anywhere you look. The sun brings forth all botany life, plant life. The little seed... Did you ever lay your sidewalk in the wintertime, lay a big rock down, make your sidewalk, pour concrete three or four feet apart, or wide, rather, pour it down the long strip? Where is the most grass at the next year? Right around the edge of the concrete. Why? You can't hide life. When that sun begins to shine, that life will come forth. A little seed laying way back in the middle of this sidewalk will press its way around, out through that concrete, over and around, under rocks and sticks and everything else, till it gets out and sticks its little head up to praise God. You just can't hide life. It'll bring forth life as sure as that springtime comes and the warm sun begins to bathe the ground, all plant life lives, if it's got life in it. That's s-u-n. And there's only one thing that can bring Eternal Life: That's when the S-o-n comes, the Son of the living God. Nothing has ever died in Christ Jesus. You might bury it in the sea, or wherever it might be, it'll come when that Light begins to shine. He is the Light. He is the only true Light.

 

So you see the divine nature comes through our receiving His God breathed Word, for Jesus told us in John 6:63, “My Word is Spirit and it is Life.”

 

And if we receive Eternal Life we are receiving God-Life, for there is only one form of Eternal Life and that is God’s very own Life. And if we truly receive God’s very own Life, then we must indeed not only receive the very nature of that life, but we must also bring forth that nature in our enmophe, for the law of reproduction in Genesis 1:11 tells us, “every seed must bring forth after  it’s nature.” And if it to bring forth that means it is to bring forth the nature through manifestation.

 

I JOHN 1:1¶ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father,& was manifested unto us;

 

THIRSTING FOR LIFE  58-0611  E-21    Life, what is life? Well, life is what controls you. Life is what makes you what you are. And the life that is within you, makes you the written epistle, read of all men. So while we speak of life...  E-22    Now, the slaves were sold to the states here by the Boers, which were Afrikaans. And they brought them over here from Africa and sold them. And they were away from father, mother, babies, husband, wife, never would see them no more as long as time rolled on. And they were sad. And they would have to be whipped many times to make, work. They'd carry whips and stripe them with it to make them work, because they were sad and downtrodden. And they noticed, this certain buyer, that there was one slave among them, that they didn't have to whip him, a young fellow, right up and at it, chin up, chest out, just ready to act at any time. And the buyer said to the owner, "I would like to buy that slave." "Oh," he said, "but he's not for sale." He said, "What makes him so much different from the rest of them? Do you ever have to whip him?" He said, "Never." He said, "What makes him so much different? Is he the boss over all the rest of them?" He said, "No, he's just a slave." He said, "Maybe you feed him a little better than you feed the rest?" Said, "No. He eats out in the galley with all the rest of them." He said, "Well, what makes him so much different from the rest of them?" And the owner said, "Sir, I questioned that myself for a long time, until I found the truth. And this is the truth." He said, "I found out, that over in the homeland he is the son of the king of the tribe. And though he's an alien, and amongst strangers, yet he conducts himself as a king's son."  E-23    Oh, if it would make a negro, who knowed that his father was a king and he was an alien, hold hisself up to conduct hisself as a king's son, what ought it do to the children of God, the sons and daughters of God? We should conduct ourselves as real children of the king. We should be fearless when it comes to making the decision on God's Word. If God says so, stand by. God said it. It can't fail. If God promised us Eternal Life, we have Eternal Life. He can no more lie than He can cease to be God.

 

I JOHN 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; (Now, that is how you get this God-Life is by receiving His Son) and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14    And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life (that means you shall ask God to give him back his life, and allow him to live as he did before his stumbling. It means you are to act as a mediator in the restoration of this fallen brothers life. The NIV says, If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life.) for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. so there are things that you should not even pray for that person.

 

Remember the man who was under the curse of God, and he asked brother Branham to pray for him? Br. Branham could not pray for the man because the man did the sinning. Even when Billy Paul had been living for the devil and got very sick even unto death, when he asked brother Branham to pray for him, Br. Branham told his own son Billy Paul, “Son, You did the sinning, you had better do the praying…” But we must have a balance on when we should pray for those in the fallen condition and when we should not.)

 

17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. 18   We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

 

Again lets look at this conformity to the image of the first born son of God to see how we should act. NIV HEBREWS 12:1 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. 14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See  that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

 

JUDE 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

 

SPEAK TO THIS ROCK 53-1115  E-2  After all what is life? We just don't know how long it's going to last, just might be gone this afternoon; this may be our last time together. Did you know that? But whether it is or whether it isn't, we can't lose. There's no way for Christianity to lose, is there? You just can't lose no matter what you do. There's no loss in Christianity. If I live, I gain; if I die, I gain. If... Well, I'd say die. I can't die. As long as I've any Eternal Life in me, I can't die. Did you know that? You can't die.         

 

II TIMOTHY 1:1   Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,      

 

Let us pray…