Christ Revealed in His Own Word #12

Reveal to Us the things We Need

Sunday Morning, April 28, 1996

Brian Kocourek Pastor, Grace Fellowship

I would like to focus our attention on thoughts that would help us in our humanity and the conditions in which we so struggle in this flesh that Paul called the Body of this death. In order to do so, I still want to keep with the continuity of this Message called, Christ Revealed in His Own Word, this being number 11 in our series. And so tonight let's read from PP. 3 - 5 as follows:

3 CHRIST.REVEALED.IN.HIS.OWN.WORD JEFF.IN V-4 N-10 65-0822M

And we ask that You'll speak to us today through Thy written Word, and may the Spirit reveal to us the things that we have need of, as we have gathered nationwide now, feeling that we are a small people, but have a place among the redeemed, because we have believed on Jesus Christ.

Now, I just want you to catch this thought here, where says, "we ask that You'll speak to us today through Thy written Word, and may the Spirit reveal to us the things that we have need of." There is the key right there. May those things we have need of be Revealed to us.

[ Phil 3: 15] (read) Now in order to grasp what Paul is saying here and what Brother Branham is inferring in his opening prayer, let's grab the full context of Paul's thoughts by going back into the Book of Philippians and reading those other verses of Scripture that will give us a better understanding of Paul's mindset here.

[ Phil 3: 1 -2 ] Notice Paul says, Beware of dogs, Now these dogs are the canine critters, but a false ministry, Men of impure minds concerning the Word of God. That is why he also calls them evil workers. These are men of impure minds, and they show a forwardness in their speech and actions that implies a defiant disrespect as is displayed in their open insults and contemptuous speech and behavior toward them that are the True called of God. That is why we are commanded to beware of these men. The word BEWARE means to take heed of them, to be careful of them, to observe and discover and to understand their ways in order to avoid dealing with them, in order to avoid being ensnared by them. In other words to carefully examine these men and their ways so that you will not be caught off guard concerning their schemes and doctrine. The best thing is to just avoid them as we are told in to do in :

[ Titus 3: 9-10] The word reject here means to avoid. Just forget about them, for after two admonitions or exhortations concerning the word, you will know where they stand and if you haven't been able to change their thinking after two attempts, a third will not get you any further. So don't waste your time any longer with them.

[ 2 Tim 2: 23] Don't even get involved in any further discussions with them because they are usually of such a foolish nature that they not only openly oppose the True Nature and Precepts of God but what they most often do is to run after thought that lead no where. Completely undisciplined in their minds to the things of God. These are self directed men, impossible to take any correction concerning the Word of God. In other words, ignorant "know it all's."

[ Romans 16: 17 ] and again this word avoid means to actually turn out of the way from them. Have nothing to do with them.

[ Matt 7: 6] Don't even give them the knowledge you have, because they will only use it to turn on you. Now you may say what kind of Evangelism is that? That is thus Saith the Lord Evangelism. But don't worry, the law of Scriptural law and law of averages says you won't get invited back any way.

Every Prophet and man of God who were ever sent by God to a people with Thus Saith the Lord, were not accepted by the people they were sent to any way. Only one here and one there will ever receive it. Even John Wesley when he began to expound the Truth of Justification by Faith, Luther's Message, in his biography said, When I began to preach of salvation by faith alone, I preached at St. Lawrence in the morning of May 7th and in the afternoon at St., Katherine Cree's Church. I was enabled to speak strong words at both: and was therefore the less surprised at being informed, "I was not to preach any more in either of these churches." Two days later he preached at St. Helen's where he wrote in His journal, " My heart was now so enlarged to declare the love of God to all that were oppressed by the Devil, that I did not wonder in the least, when I was afterwards told, "Sir, you must not preach here no more." And it was the same when he preached at St. George's, St. John's, and St. Benet's. ....Then when Wesley's Message began to be received by the common people, professional jealousy took over amongst his colleagues in the ministry and all out attempts were made to try and discredit him. The attack of the clergy was reinforced by all the filthy devices of journalism. And we have seen the same attacks in this message against the Presence of Christ. They oppose the Presence, So they must be preaching His absence.

Þ Use example of He's here verses He's absent.

[ Mark 6: 11] if they won't hear you dust off your feet. Even John said in [ 1 John 4: 6]

[ John 3: 19-21] & [ 1 John 2: 18 - 22 ] Who is it that went out from among us as John said, They that are antichrist of course. Read verse 18 then 19 and you get your answer.

Now in getting back to our text, we see Paul in [ Phil 3: 1 -2 ] tell us to beware of these workers of evil. Now this word evil here is a mode of thinking, feeling or acting which is wrong or wicked in it's nature.

In [ Hebrews 5: 14 ] We are told to have our senses exercised to know the difference between Good and this evil. (Read) Brother Branham told us that there has got to be another Ephesus, is that right? Well, what was the attribute of the people in Ephesus that God so loved? [ Rev 2: 2] And did not John admonish us in [ 1 John 4: 1] to try or put to the test every spirit? Then why are people so gullible? I'll tell you why. Because they are children of disobedience and not true sons. For the True Sons of God will exercise discernment. They will be able to know the difference between those who are true and those who are not. [2 THESS 2: ] Wuest Do you not remember that while I was with you I kept on telling you these things? And now you know with a positive assurance that in speaking of the departure of the church, the saints shall be assembled together to the Lord, and this assembling is preventing the full disclosure of the man of lawlessness as to his true identity, but in his strategic, appointed time he shall fully be manifested. However, this already mentioned lawlessness is already now operating. Only He, The Holy Spirit Who is holding this lawlessness down, will continue to do so until He goes out from the midst of humanity. And then shall the lawless One be disclosed in his true identity, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of His Mouth and render inoperative amongst the Elect by the sudden Appearance of His Personal Presence. Satan too shall have his own personal presence and become incarnate in this man of lawlessness. His presence shall come forth with every kind of deception which will be 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 tot he end that they might be saved. And because of this God will send them a strong deluding influence resulting in their believing the Lie, in order that they may all be judged who did not believe the Truth but actually took delight in wickedness.

In Fact in { Malachi 3: 16 - 18 ] We also see at the time of the Great Gathering together unto Him, there will be a group of people who will also be exercised to know the difference between those who serve God and those who don't. We know at the end time this evil mindset will be prevalent among those who pose as shepherds but are not.

[ Matt 24: 42-51 ] And so we see that there is a certain mindset amongst those who believe and are faithful and those who are not. The faithful shall be feeding the flock the Meat for the season while the others so not. Then what are they feeding? Themselves and their ministries. Or should I say themselves and their own self importance.

[ Ezek 34: 1 - 16] So notice that He musty come and when He does it is in Judgment, as the Great Judge.

[ Matt 21: 33 - 41] Now with this parable in mind, what can we say are the attributes of the evil servants? Is he not self serving in his nature. But look at the attributes of the true servant, he will render back to God the Fruits of the season which we are told by brother Branham that the fruits of the season is the teaching of the season.

Now with this in mind let's read again from Brother Branham's opening prayer where he said, "we ask that You'll speak to us today through Thy written Word, and may the Spirit reveal to us the things that we have need of."

Again let's read from [ Philippians 3: 1 - 3] Now notice here that Paul tells us that we can not have any confidence in the flesh. Not in ours, nor in that of any others. And this is the key that I want to bring home this Communion service. But to expand this thought let's continue in [Philippians 3: 4 - 21] read.

Now in verse [9] he let's us know that we are not to depend upon our own right - wise - ness, for we have none. "There is a way that seems right unto man, but the ways thereof are the ways of death." This is the key to understanding the body of this death as we have studied in [Romans 7] a few weeks ago.

As we continue reading in [Philippians 3] we find Paul further state that although we have attained to a certain degree higher than what we were in our past, we have yet to attain to the perfection. And thus not having attained, completely what we are ordained to attain, we therefore press toward the high calling in Christ Jesus. And in those things we have attained, we should walk and conduct our lives in accordance with them. Read [ Philippians 3: 12 - 16] again.

Now is this double talk? What does Paul mean when he says we have not attained and then we have attained. I hear people speak in this Message of having arrived and yet I don't see any one with anything that even looks to a 50% stature of what Brother Branham had. So what does Paul mean by having attained and yet not having attained. And why does he say, having not attained we therefore press toward the mark of the High Calling in Christ Jesus?

Well, to find our answer let's turn to the Book of [ Romans 12: 1- 2] And let's read.

So what we see here is a call to present arms so to speak. In verse 1 - 2 we are told that we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice and then in verse 3 we are told not to get to puffed up when things seems to go well in our presentation of this body. For of a certainty as long as we live in the body of this death we shall have victory and defeat. For to Live is Christ and to Die is our gain.

In verse 1 he tells us that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice which is acceptable to God in the sight of God. But then in verse 2 he tells us that it is not an altogether body thing that we do but it is a Spiritual thing, of a nature which has to do with the mind. The mind must change first and then the body will follow after the mind. And then in verse 3 he let's us know that we should not get puffed up by our victories, because after all "it is not I that liveth but Christ who liveth in Me."

[ Romans 7: 14 - 25] So we see here that we have a warfare going on inside. The flesh is pulled to the things of the flesh because it was sewn by an act of the flesh and we know that "whatsoever seed is sewn that's the thing that we shall also reap." You sew a sexual seed, you reap children of a sexual nature." You can't get away from it. But the new birth is Spiritual, and reaps spiritual rewards, which when fully attained will bring into manifestation a fully developed Son or Daughter of God. But in the mean time we have this warfare in our flesh and tonight I want to try and help us to understand this struggle much better that we might be able to deal with our own humanity.

You see, we are Sons and Daughters of God. Right? How many of you believe that you are truly a Son or Daughter of God? And what has been the most difficult thing for the church to deal with pertaining to the Godhead? Has it not been this. "What to do with the Body?" Is it not true that the Jews did not understand the Body Principle in the Godhead? That God stepped into a Body which was not God but in that Body God did dwell? Did not Paul say , Great is the Mystery of Godliness, For God was manifested.

And How was God manifested? In a body. And if people have struggled with understanding Godhead or Godhood because of the body, then won't we also have the same difficulty in understanding our own Position in the Family of God do to the same reason? Our own bodies? That is why He says in [ 1 John 3: 2] Beloved, now we are sons but it doesn't really look like it, but at the Parousia of Christ something will happen when we see for what He really is and then we will begin to manifest in our bodies even as He did manifest Himself in a body right in our very presence." Now that might be a paraphrase but it brings us into a 20th century understanding of what this Great Mystery of Christ is all about. And that is why I believe this Message Christ Revealed in His Own Word is so vital to our understanding. Because as we see Him in the complete complex of God in His Humanity, so too we may begin to more readily understand our own role as well.

[ Romans 12: 1 - 2] Notice that this sacrifice is a living one. And therefore if it is living it is still developing. Martin Luther said in His Commentary on Romans, The Christian life does not mean to stand still, but to move that which is good to that which is better. " He then quoted St. Bernard of Clairvaux as saying, " As soon as you do not desire to become better, then you have ceased to be good." It does not help a tree to have green leaves and flowers if it does not bear fruit besides it's flowers. And for this reason many nominal non fruit bearing Christians perish in their flowering. The Christian is always in a state of nakedness before God. Always in a state of becoming. Always in a state of potentiality, always in the state of activity. He is always in Sin and always in Justification. He is always a sinner, but also always repentant and so always righteous. We are in part sinners and in part righteous, and so nothing else but penitents. No one is so good that he could not become better, and no one is so evil that he could not become worse.

That is why I believe Paul tells us in [Roman 12] that we must be transformed by the renewing of our mind. The way in which Paul said this does not suggest a one time illumination, but a continuos illumination.

He said, in [ 2 Cor 4: 16 ] that we are renewed day to day. ( read) This then tells us that as long as we are in the bodies of this death we must have a daily renewal taking place and brother Branham told us that when Word is pile upon Word it will take over our bodies, and a Word Body will develop Word cell upon Word cell. We must not stop and relax and kick back our feet and say I have arrived until that day we receive the change in our bodies and I have this great feeling that we shall ever and ever into all of Eternity have a need of drinking from the River of Life that so freely flows from the fountain of God. That is exactly :

[ Col 3: 10] Our new man is renewed by the knowledge of God. Why?

Christ Revealed in His Own Word #12

Sunday Morning, April 28, 1996

[ Romans 12: 2] That ye may know what is that Good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Now we know that the evil one as we spoke of before will set his sights on the Elect because he already has everyone else under his spell. But we have as a promise [ Rom 8: 28] which tells us that all things will work out to our Good , and so then we know that every thing that satan throws our way will actually work out to our benefit in the long run. All his attacks upon our soul only renders our souls the more humble. Indolence makes it all the more industrious, selfishness and greed makes it all the more generous, anger makes it all the more gentle. Gluttony makes it all the more obedient. In this way temptation turns out to be a great blessing. Sin indeed rules in humanity if we yield to it; but we must resist it and make it our servant .

[ 1 John 5:4] Brother Branham told us in the CA book that Character is a victory, not a gift. And here we are told that it is our faith that gives us the victory. In Romans 12 we are told that our change must come in our thinking first and then the body will follow. Therefore it is necessary that the wisdom of the flesh which is perverted reasoning, be changed and give up it's form, and that man must accept the form of the Word. This takes place when through Faith reason is taken captive and has been overcome, and the believer confesses that the Word is True and that reason is false. This is the special mark by which the True believer is known. First the soul must become pure through FAITH, so that the sanctified mind purifies also the body for God's sake as we see in [Matt 23: 26]

4 Grant these things to us, Lord, and when we close the service and we go to our different homes across the nation, may we say like those from Emmaus, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He spoke to us along the road?"

5 Now, Father, I know that whatever I would say would be certainly insufficient. With the fine Christians throughout the nation now that's tuned in, it wouldn't be adequate. It would not be something that I could say that could do any good, because we're all in the same category. We're human, mortals, but let the great Holy Spirit speak; may He take ahold the Word and just reveal Himself. We're waiting on Him now, in Jesus' Name. Amen. (May be seated.)