Christ Revealed in His Own Word #68

Misplacing and Misleading

Sunday, January 12, 1997

Brian Kocourek, Pastor Grace Fellowship

This Morning I would like to continue with the Message Christ Revealed in His Own Word, and we will begin reading again from PP. [77 and continue through PP. 83]

[77] See, down through the age we started off from the foundation, from the first church age when the Seed went in the ground, the complete Seed. Then it come out through the feet, Luther, come back out then through Wesley, then into Pentecostals, the tongues and the lips. See? Now, it's in the eyes, prophetic, of Malachi 4 and so forth. And now, there's nothing else left for it to come, but Him Himself to step into that, 'cause that's the last thing there is. The next is the intelligence, and we have no intelligence of our own; it's His. See? We have no sight of our own. How can a man foresee those things? He can't do it; It's God Himself. See, it's becoming to a place... And He's governed the body all the way through. Then the complete Body of Christ is revealed in the form of a Bride that was taken out of His side, like Adam did at the beginning--like Adam's was, rather, at the beginning.

Now, brother Branham is taking our thoughts back tot he beginning here, and always remember, since Alpha has got to be repeated in the Omega, then keep this in mind also as we read further into this Message of “Christ Revealed in His Own Word.” And remember this, Brother Branham identified His Ministry, with Paul and William Branham. And yet He often said, in referring to God being here on the scene in His Ministry, he would say, “He did more in this hour through my humble ministry than He did in His own. yet He is talking about the body of Jesus, in this hour, only it is called the Bride of Christ.

[78] Yes, God... This would set the whole Bible in a confusion, break the first commandment, and make a god, a pagan god of three. It would just ruin the whole picture of the Bible, so you must not misinterpret the Bible. Now, that's just one thing. When every Scripture in the Bible has the same application, you got to set It in It's place. And to misplace It, you might make Him God in one age, and the next age you'd make Him a history: To misplace It. So you mustn't misplace the Scripture. He's God all the time. If you made Him today a God of history, what was back yonder, and He isn't the same today, what are you going to do with Hebrews 13:8? See? He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now, so see what this would do, and what it has done. It's already done it. Make Him deny His own Word to misplace the Scriptures.

Now this is also a key for us to check ourselves in these three must not’s. If we hold to the Word which tells us that He is the same, yesterday, today and forever, then we will not misplace Him. he said, “to misplace It, you might make Him God in one age, and the next age you'd make Him a history: To misplace It. So you mustn't misplace the Scripture. He's God all the time.”

[81] To dislocate the Scriptures, you might put His body together wrong, the foot where the head should be or something. Just the same as a... In other words, you might have Jesus teaching Moses' message. You might have--or even Wesley teaching Luther's age. You might have now, our age teaching Pentecost, the Pentecostal message. You see what a mess it would be in? Pentecost has already showed its colors. Luther's already showed his: went off into denomination; it died right there. The age struck; there it went Notice, just as soon as it was organized, it died. Now, just see if that isn't right. Look back through the pages of history. Every time it organized it died right there; there never was no more to it. It become a worshipper of the god of this world. It went off into organisms, and organizations, and denominations, and illusions. A bunch of Ricky’s got into there and put their own objections into it, or injected their own thoughts, rather, into it. And what did it happen? It become a mess. Going to head up in the god of this world where they'll throne Satan himself, thinking that they're having a great world leader to bring them peace.

[83] I told you the other day; I say it again; that even civilization itself today is absolutely contrary to God. Civilization is contrary to God. Education is a million miles from Him. Science is a million miles. Science and education is trying to disprove God (See?) through theological seminaries, and schools, and rooms of science, and so forth. They've had their shake. How about the vision the other night of the man when he screamed to those scientists down there pouring that stuff in like that. They just turned, and looked up, and went on. There'll be one more ride.

Now this morning, I would like to stop here and focus our thinking on a few things that Brother Branham is bringing to our attention. These things might not seem very significant to you right now, but God does not speak through His Prophets in vain. He said in [Eccl 3: 1] “To every thing, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” So we see that all these things are significant in themselves.

[1 Cor 14:6-22] Now as we read from this scripture, I want you to notice the emphasis that Paul gives to the importance of understanding. And that is exactly what we are trying to do as we approach each of these thoughts that Brother Branham is bringing to us as we advance along with this Message. We want to understand what it is that God was trying to present to our minds through this Message. And if this is not the case, then we should not listen, for what good does it do for God to speak if we do not listen and take to heart what He is trying to tell us. (read)

Now, brother Branham said, “To dislocate the Scriptures,... You might have now, our age teaching Pentecost, the Pentecostal message. You see what a mess it would be in? Pentecost has already showed its colors. Now, maybe that is why they call this the message, if you look at it carefully, that word is actually the combination of two words, mess and age, and the Pentecostal message being preached today is so far away from the Truth of what God is and what He is doing that to us it is a message but to them it is a mess-age. He said, “To dislocate the Scriptures,... You might have now, our age teaching Pentecost, the Pentecostal message. You see what a mess it would be in? And that is exactly what has happened. He said, those little Ricky’s have come in and messed up everything. He said, “Every time it organized it died right there; there never was no more to it. It become a worshipper of the god of this world. It went off into organisms, and organizations, and denominations, and illusions. And then immediately after he called it illusions, he tells us how it became an illusion. He said, “A bunch of Ricky’s got into there and put their own objections into it, or injected their own thoughts, rather, into it. And what did it happen? It become a mess.”

Now, let’s just stop here for a moment and look at this thought here of the Message, by having little Ricky’s interjecting their own thoughts into it, it has become just an illusion. What is an illusion anyhow?

Now, look. We need to know what an illusion is, because Brother Branham is telling us here that this is what becomes of the Word of God when the Little Ricky’s inject their own thoughts into it. He said, it becomes and illusion and then a mess. Now, Webster tells us that an illusion is: a false idea or conception; belief or opinion that is not in accord with the facts. An deception that is not real, a misleading appearance or image. A false perception, conception, or interpretation of what one sees. A misleading image resulting in a wrong impression. So we see again that these thoughts of a false interpretation . And Brother Branham further called them an illusion which means the Word is interpreted in such a way as to make it appear to be different than it really is. Like a mirage in the desert that you think you see but is not really there.

Now how many know what a mirage is? It is an illusion. Webster tells us that an illusion is the same as an hallucination. And he also tells us a hallucination is the same thing as a delusion, or a mirage. And mirages are dangerous because they give you a false hope, but you can’t quench your thirst by drinking from a mirage anymore than you could get warm sitting by a painted fire. That is just a false illusion.

[Isaiah 29: 7] The Word Ariel here is a Word which means the LION of GOD. And we know that at the end-time He is to come with a Loud Voice as when a Lion Roareth. [Rev 10: 1-3] Now we know that God Himself likens the roar of the Lion to His Own Voice which is a prophetic utterance as we see in the book of [Amos 3: 7-8]. Now, back in [Isaiah 29:7] This passage refers not to the Lord Himself but she which has taken His name, which would have to make this His Bride. And here we see the scripture warning us about what will happen to those who are found fighting against the elect Bride. [Isaiah 29: 8] (read) Notice that these men are living in a delusion. They eat from the Bread of Life but it is only in a dream. When they awake from their dream they will still be empty, because they are living in a delusion. A false vision of deception. And what has caused this? Their own opinions are held in more esteem to themselves than the Word of God. Notice that in verses [10-12] we are told that they will be in slumber, and the Lord will have brought on this deep slumber and their dreams will not produce anything for them.

Now, remember on Wednesday night we spoke from [Romans 10] And so we see the importance of not only hearing, but how we hear. In [Luke 8:18] we are commanded to “take heed how we hear.” And in [1 Cor 3:10-15] we are commanded to take heed how we build upon the Word seeing that the foundation is Christ. Remember the man who Irenaeus told us about who built an Image of the King, and these others who claim they are called come along and destroy the Image that was correct and by taking the same jewels of the Word, they rebuild it from their own conception of what the King looked like, only it now looks like a dog or a fox, and because the people are gullible, and don’t know what the King looks like, they accept just about anything.

In [Romans 10:13-18] we see Paul tell us that the people could never believe and therefore call upon God for Salvation if they never heard of Him. And what if they heard incorrectly? Remember, not every one is ordained to know and understand. [Matt 13:10-16] and [Mark 4:11-12]

So we see Paul raise the question, How can they call on Him if they don’t believe in Him, and how can they believe in Him if they have never heard of Him. And how can they hear of Him without a preacher. And yet what if that preacher is not a True God sent Preacher? Then, unless they hear a True God sent Preacher, they will not hear the True God sent Message, and therefore, if they hear a false preacher, they will receive a false message, and therefore they will have a false hope in the false word of a false god, and there you are. That is why Paul was so concerned in the First Church Age, because already by this time false brethren had crept in unawares. [Gal 2: 4-5]

[Martin Luther in his Commentary on Romans 10.] How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? (10:14) Here the apostle meets the arrogance of all who teach falsely and are a haughty mind. Oh, that the false prophets (or teachers) only would heed these words! How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? (10:14) Even though they say they hear, they boast in vain, unless they hear true preachers; for to hear false prophets means as much as not to even hear. They hear and they do not hear; they have ears, but do not hear, nor do they preach (the Word of God). This is a striking statement against all conceited hearers and students of the Bible. How shall they preach, except they be sent? (10:15) This is directed against conceited teachers and arrogant instructors. These four statements (10: 14 -15) follow one another in such a way that one leads to the other, but so that the last forms the foundation on which the others rest. Thus, 1) It is impossible that those preach who are not sent. 2) It is impossible that those hear who are without a preacher. 3) It is impossible that they believe who do not hear. 4) It is impossible that they call upon Him who they do not believe. To this add a last one, namely: 5) It is impossible that they who do not call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. So then, the entire source and origin of salvation rests on this, That God sends out someone, ( A true minister of the Word). If He does not send out any, then they who are preaching are preaching falsely, and their preaching is no preaching at all. In fact they would be better off had they never preached at all. Then they who hear, hear error, and it would be better for them to not have heard . Then they who believe, would believe false doctrine, and it would be better for them to not believe. Then also they who call upon Him would be calling falsely (upon a false Lord), and it would be better for them not to call. For such preachers do not preach; such hearers do not hear; such believers do not believe, and such callers do not call; and they will be damned because they would be saved by falsehood. So we read in Proverbs 1: 28 “Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer, they shall seek Me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.” ... Then only they can preach with certainty who proclaim the Gospel without error. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace ( 10: 15). By this quotation the Apostle shows that only those can preach who are sent by God. Those cannot preach the Divine Word and be messengers of God whom He has not sent and to whom He has not entrusted His Word. So with these same words the Apostle points out the nature of Spiritual Peace and it’s gifts. These blessings are heard only in the Divine Word and are apprehended only by Faith. They can not be presented in visible form...

Now the words “ Beautiful” stands for purity, (and I’d like to add, that according to Strong’s it means belonging to the right hour or season ( timely) by implementation to be flourishing.)

Luther went on to say, look at the motive behind what you’re being told. he said, “for they that preach the Gospel of Peace and bring glad tidings of good things do not proclaim the Gospel for their own advantage or on account of vain Glory, as this happens here and there today. They preach solely from obedience to God and for the sake of the salvation of their hearers.”

Now, remember we were showing how the little Ricky’s will come in with their own opinions and turn the Message into a Mess, and bring forth an illusion tot he people. We further see evidence of this in ...

[Jer 23:32] Notice that their dreams will not profit the people any. Therefore, what purpose is there for these men to keep up with their own lies? [Isaiah 66:4-5] Notice that God will send them their own delusion. Now God Himself does not place these lies in them, but He allows a lying spirit to enter into these men who are false, and to lead them further away from the Truth by tempting them to turn further. And since they themselves already have turned down the Truth, God then only allows to happen to them what they have already shown a desire for, and that is for a the lying spirit to come down and lead them further into their own deceit as we see in [2 Chronicles 18:18-24]

[2 Thes 2: 10-13] Now I want you to know the difference here between those who are Elect and those who are not. And that is why God gave us a ministry as Paul and Martin Luther pointed out who will not bring forth delusions or illusions, but will speak the Truth in Love as we see in [Eph 4: 11-15]

[1 Thes 2: 3-13] And so we see how God will put the people to the test to see what they really believe.

In fact John tells us the same thing in [1 John 4:6]. Notice this word for error here is the same Greek word used for the delusion that will affect the make believer. But notice how the true Believer will not be deceived, he will identify with the True Ministry, not because of the man, but the Word. And how do you recognize the Men who speak the Truth from those who don’t? You check out what they teach you with the Word itself. [1 John 4:1] and

[1 Cor 2: 12-15a]

[Jer 23: 16-32] Here we find God warning the people to not even pay any attention to these false prophets who would speak His word falsely.

As Paul said, [1 Cor 14:37] You not only have to be able to recognize vindication, but those who are preaching that vindicated message as well. And so in order to test you God will allow others to rise up. And these others are ordained to take of those who are not in the True fold. [John 10: 7-8, 14-16]

[Deut 13: 1-5] God allows these things to test His people, to see what reaction they will have, to follow after signs or the Word of the Lord.