Christ Revealed in
His Own Word # 5
Cleansed From all Faults
Wednesday
Evening April 3, 1996
[ Brian Kocourek,
Pastor Grace Fellowship]
This evening I would like to try and move a little further
ahead in this Message of brother Branham’s. Now up to this point we have spent
most of our study in focusing on brother Branham’s opening prayer and how He
brings up into His thinking [ 1 Peter 5:
4] which speaks of when the Great
Shepherd will Appearing we will receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away.
We examined this Crown in light of other scriptures in which it is called a
Crown of Righteousness by Paul in [ 2
Timothy 4] which we are to receive at the Appearing because we love the
Appearing, and we found out that James spoke of this in [ James
1; 12] as well where he addressed it as a Crown of Life. All three Apostles
taught that this crowning of the Elect was to accompany the Appearing of the
Lord, and we focused our thoughts on what this Crown represents to us. A giving
up of our own thinking and receiving in place of our own thoughts, a change of
the Mind, receiving the Mind of Christ in us.
We covered this thought in quite detail showing that this
crown is a crown of protection that will keep us from the error and deception
that is to come upon this last age. We also showed that you will either receive
this crown or the mark in the forehead called the mark of the beast. And with
this in mind, tonight I would like to focus our thoughts on the second
scriptural point that is brought out in brother Branham's opening prayer, and
that is a cleansing that comes by the Presence of the Lord. Let’s read his
opening prayer again. "Let us bow our heads. Lord Jesus, the
Shepherd of the great flock", he went on to pray, "we are so in debt to Thee, Lord, that we
could never pay Thee for the love that
Thou has shed abroad in our hearts.
We feel so unworthy as we bow our heads and stand in Thy Presence. We ask You to cleanse us from all faults and all sin. Now to find these words in scripture we turn
to the book of Romans.
[Romans 5:1-8] Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ: By whom also we have access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God. And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; And
patience, experience which is character; and character works into us hope which is an earnest expectation: And
this earnest expectation maketh us not
ashamed;( why? )
because (1) the love of God
is(2) shed abroad in our hearts ( How? ) (3) by the Holy Ghost which is given unto
us. For when we were yet without
strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
Now, let's read this opening Prayer of Brother Branham's
again as we hear him say, "Lord
Jesus, the Shepherd of the great flock, we are so in debt to Thee, Lord, that we
could never pay Thee for the love that Thou
has shed abroad in our hearts. We feel so unworthy as we bow our heads and stand in Thy Presence. We ask You to cleanse us from all faults and all
sin" Now notice how he
speaks of a Love that is shed abroad in our hearts and then this love leads us
to stand in His Presence while we are being cleansed. We first find Paul speak
of this Love in [Romans 5] And so we are looking at Justification by Faith which we
know is revelation. A revelation
justifies us as though we never did do sin in the first place. It also frees us
from the guilt associated with sin and wrong doing. It leaves us clean and pure
in the sight of God our Father. Now let's read this from an amplified version
to see the effect Revelation has upon our lives.
[Romans 5:1-8] Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ: By whom also we have access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God. And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; And
patience, experience which is character; and character works into us hope which is an earnest expectation: And
this earnest expectation maketh us not
ashamed;( why? )
because (1) the love of God
is(2) shed abroad in our hearts
( How?) (3) by the Holy Ghost which is
given unto us. For when we were yet
without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a
righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even
dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
Now, the first thing that comes to my mind is that Brother
Branham is quoting Scripture because
the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given
unto us we therefore are cleansed through this Love by His Presence.
Now this is [ 1 John
3: 1 - 3] Notice the sequence of events.
1st the love 2nd
His Presence or Appearing and thirdly
the cleansing which comes as a result
of this Appearing.
"Lord Jesus,
the Shepherd of the great flock, we are so in debt to Thee, Lord, that we could
never pay Thee for the love that Thou
has shed abroad in our hearts. We feel so unworthy as we bow our heads and stand in Thy Presence. We ask You to cleanse us from all faults and all
sin" Now, notice how His Message immediately goes back to Alpha to
begin with. His Thoughts are reflected in His prayer and His Prayer is a giving
back to God His own Word which we find in [Romans
5] And so, in essence before brother Branham even opens His Bible to begin
His Lesson, we are already brought into the Presence of God by the Word of God.
And so we are looking at Justification by Faith which we know is revelation. A
revelation justifies us as though we never did do sin in the first place. It also frees us from the guilt associated
with sin and wrong doing. It leaves us clean and pure in the sight of God our
Father. Now let's read this from an amplified version to see the effect
Revelation has upon our lives.
[ Romans 5: 1 - 5] Therefore Since we are justified - acquitted and declared righteous,
and have been given a right standing with God through Revelation, let us
therefore grasp the fact that we have the peace of reconciliation to hold and
enjoy, peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Brother. And through
Him we have our access and entrance introduced by Revelation into This Grace,
this state of God's favor - in which we firmly and safely stand. Then let us
rejoice and exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produces patience and
unswerving endurance. And endurance which is fortitude develops maturity of
character - that is, an approved Faith or revelation and tried integrity. And
character of this sort produces the habit of joyful and confident hope or
earnest expectation of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or
deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit Who has been
given to us.
Now in viewing brother Branham's opening prayer in light of
this scripture we see that Paul spoke of a Faith which we know is a Revelation that
will not only set us free from guilt and shame, but actually exonerates us and
crowns us with a crown of the Word of Life. Bringing to us an understanding of
Him, and filling us with the Word of God.
God' thoughts in us living and abiding in our very being.
Now I think this prayer will be significant as we study this
Message of Christ Revealed in His Own
Word because we are studying Christ and the effect of what He has done for
us as we study the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Remember, Brother Branham told
us that His Ministry is to declare Christ, #1, and that He is Here! #2.
So we see that in declaring Christ, which is to reveal Him,
we then are looking at a total and complete Justification. Because it is by
Faith which is Revelation of Christ that we are totally and completely set free
from guilt and association with sin and unbelief.
Now Paul said in [ 1
Cor 13:9-12] When that which is perfect is
come then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child I spoke as
a child but when I became a man I put away childish thinking. And then Paul tells us in verse 12
that at the time of Perfect Love coming down among us we which see
through a dark smoked up glass now, shall at that time see face to face and
then we shall know Him even as we are known by Him. And of course this brings relaxation and peace with it
knowing we are totally and completely justified as though we never did do sin
in this body.
That is why it is called a crown of rejoicing that comes
from His Very Presence. Now as long as we do not have this Love of God that has
been shed abroad in our hearts or
understanding, we shall never have peace and freedom from guilt. We find
that we then have fear of reprisal which is due to the fact that we know what we
have done in this body of death, and thus we fear our judgment. But What Paul
and Brother Branham are teaching us here is that when we once receive this
Revelation of Jesus Christ we shall be totally overwhelmed and caught up into
the Grace of God and we shall have no fear any longer, knowing that we have
been totally declared righteous in the sight of God.
The NIV states [ 1
John 4: 16-18] this way...And so we know and come to rely on the love
God has for us, for God is love and whosoever lives in love lives in God, and
God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have
confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are to be made like
Him, ( and I might add, how does this come about? Through the renewing
of the mind). There is no fear in love, But perfect love drives out fear, because
fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect, complete
and mature in love.
So then what Brother Branham is doing in this opening prayer
is to bring us into a realm of God as He truly is, A god of Love and Peace and
also a God who is Judge. But to Know Him in the power of His Resurrection and
His Word, will set us free from the effects of the sin which has been done in
the body of this death and shall set us free from guilt and shame.
Now in [1 Peter 1: 13]
we read , Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self controlled; set your
hope fully on the Grace which is to be given you at the time when Jesus Christ
is to be Revealed. And why is that? Because we also read in [ 2 Peter 1: 2] That Grace and peace are multiplied
or brought into abundance through the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.
He even goes on to tell us in verse 4
that through
this knowledge of Him we are given everything we will have need of in this Life
including Godliness and the Divine Nature which is God's own Nature.
That is why we hear Paul declare in
[ Acts 17:28] For in Him we live and move and have our
being: for we are His offspring.
Now it is interesting in this hour of complete insanity when
the world has gone stark raving mad, that God has come to crown His Elect with
His very mind. And remember, Malachi tells us that unless He comes and does
this, the earth will be smitten with a curse. So He must come, and when He does
those that receive Him will be above the curse and He will crown us with
protection as we shall crown Him with bringing preeminence back to the Head. [ Isaiah 28: 5] we come like He came [ Psalm 8:5]
[Hosea 4: 6 - 10] My
people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected
knowledge, I also will reject you as My priests. Because you have ignored the
Law of your God, I also will ignore you children. ( that means the Token will
do them no good!) The more the priests increased, the more they sinned (
disbelieved) against me; They have exchanged My Glory for something
disgraceful. They feed on the sins ( disbelief) of My people and relish in
their wickedness. ( and what is this wickedness? It is
wrong understanding based on outdated word or word for another day as we see in [1
John 3: 10-12] Notice Cain's
offering was one representing first fruits which is resurrection, without the
shedding of blood first. And with out shedding of blood there's no remission of
sins.) And it will be: Like people, like
priest . ( that's) [ 2 Tim 4: 3-4 & Jer 5: 30-31] I
will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. They
will eat but not have enough; they will engage in prostitution ( selling out
themselves) but they shall not increase, because they have deserted the Lord to
give themselves prostitution, to old wine and new, which takes away the
understanding of My people.
[ Isaiah 30: 9-11]
They don't want to know that they are standing before the Judge. They just want
pleasant things told to them like how Great they are and all that female Holy
Ghost and Fullness of God in the Bride stuff.
[ Isaiah 29: 6-24]
Read and explain God promised us that He will send a testing of The new
understanding, and because they are not predestined to pass the test, they come
up short and are easily offended by the Word.
Some people come so far but when the Word speaks of things that hit them
in the pocket book or speaks of things
that we should do or a manner of living that makes them loose their popularity
with the guys or girls, then they lose what desire they did have and before
they know it, they fall away from the
Truth. Brother Branham said God will not place His Word in Just anybody. He
will not place His Spirit in just anybody. So we find in [ Hebrews 12: 6-7] Paul teaching us, that "Every Son that cometh to
God must first be tried and tested. And if you can't take the testing then you
are not a True Son but a bastard born, meaning you are illegitimate to the
Word."
[Matthew 13:18-23 ] Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then
cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.
This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he
that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth
for a while: for when tribulation or
persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
He also that
received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the
deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and the Word becometh unfruitful. But
he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and
understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth fruit with
patience, some an hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty.
So you can see how important understanding is to the
believer. And that is why Eve fell. Notice Eve had understanding. She knew
better than to partake with the Serpent, because she told the serpent we must
not eat of the Forbidden tree. It is cursed. And yet the Serpent pulled one
over on her and got her to eat anyway. Now, he didn't tell her that her
understanding was wrong entirely, but he told her that she just didn't quite
have the full understanding of the
picture. And so he explained it away from her.
And so she stepped out from behind the protection of the Word and she
fell for His interpretation or understanding of the Word of God. And that is exactly what we are warned of
will happen in [ 2 Peter 2: 1 - 3 ]
( Read) . These men will come into the Message and give a wrong understanding
of the Word of God and the people will be caught up into what these men say as
evil interpreters of the Word of Truth.
[ 2 Thess 2: 10 - 13]
(read) then show Wuest: every kind of wicked deception geared to the
gullibility of those who are perishing, this gullibility being caused by the
fact that they did not accept the love for the Truth to the end that they might
be saved, and for this cause God will send them a deluding influence resulting
in their believing the Lie, in order that they all might be judged who did not
believe the truth but took delight in wickedness.