Christ Revealed in
His Own Word #85
Wednesday, March 12 1997
Brian Kocourek,
Pastor Grace Fellowship
[Matt 7:18-27] Let us pray... Now, this Evening I would like to
continue with our series in Christ
Revealed in His Own Word, this
is #85. I would like to look again
at Paragraph 98 where Brother Branham said, ... 98 Now, we notice then, it
makes It a Book of God and not a book of man. If It was of man... Now, let us
look how It would express Itself. Look how It exposes sin of the men who wrote It.
Now, we just read the
scripture where Jesus is telling us that those who are diligent when it comes
to believing His word will actually do what the Word calls for them to do, but
those who are dilatory will not take heed tot he Word of God, and therefore
when the same trials come upon them, they will not be fortified against them,
and they will utterly perish. In
Paragraph [98] We find brother
Branham telling us that the Word of God, because this is a Book written by God
and not man, that is exposes the sins of those men who were used by God to
write it. Tonight I would like to address this thought of “not only does this
Bible expose the sin of those who wrote it, but it also exposes the sin of
those who read it as well. And that is our biggest problem by far that we face
in this Laodicean age. The people in general, are in such a terrible condition
spiritually, and yet they don’t even
know it. Because we live in an age of opulence, and affluence, because we are
rich and increased with goods, we have been blinded to the real condition of our
hearts, and that is that the average heart of man in this hour is wretched,
miserable, blind and naked, and the sad thing is that they don’t even know it.
And I am not just talking about the denominations out there. I’m talking to
those of us in here who know better and won’t consecrate ourselves to what we
know to be the Truth.
[Revelations 3:14] And unto the angel (The messenger) of
the church of the Laodiceans write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful
and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, ( I know thy deeds, that word is ergon which
means employment, business or that thing which occupies your life). I know that
thing which occupies your life. and I
find that you are neither cold nor hot: and I would that you were either cold
or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will
spew thee out of my mouth. (I
would that you had some sort of commitment either for or against this Word, but
because you remain so indifferent toward it, I will have nothing to do with you).
In fact brother Branham said that is the most disappointing thing about this
age that we live in. The people are so luke warm that they are repulsive.
Brother Branham said, “If I wasn’t for Him, then I would be
against Him. I would be standing here talking against Him. I’d be against Him
if I wasn’t for Him.”
But what is it that makes
the people so lacking in commitment toward God today? It is a lack of
character. I believe the baby boom generation and the generation X as we know
it are a spoiled generation. Our grandparents and parents struggled for every
inch of ground that they could obtain, and because they had to fight world
wars, and make great sacrifices, they did not want to see their kids have to do
the same. And it has been this attitude that has destroyed this nation’s
greatest treasure, their children.
We are an opulent
generation. Rich and increased with goods to the place that we think we have
need of nothing. We have more things, and more food, and more creature comforts
that we have come to the place until we think we can keep going on in our
filthy ways and God will continue to bless us. But just remember one thing, in
the days of Joseph, there were seven years of plenty before there came forth
the drought. And those who were not ready for the drought when it did come,
perished.
And it is prophesied that
there will come a drought in the last days as well. And those who are not
ordained to Life will perish in it.
[Amos 8:11-13] behold the days come, saith the Lord God,
that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for
water, but of hearing the Words of the Lord: and they shall wander from seas to
sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the
Word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In that day shall their fair virgins
and young men faint for thirst.”
[Deut 8:3] God wants us to hunger and
thirst after Him and for righteousness. And has promised to fill those who do so.
[Matt 5:6] But the problem with our
hungering and thirsting is that man, so many times thinks he has the solution
to this thirst for God, but because he misreads what this thirst is, he
substitutes other things than what God has promised, and his thirst is never
quenched.
Men too often think that
they can work out there own salvation through some effort of their own. “There
is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the ways thereof are the ways of
death.” In the old days men would fast and put on sack cloth and ashes
to show the world that they were in a real straights as to there situation. But
over time we see man doing this not from a true heart felt conviction, but from
other motives, such as to be seen, or for a public show. Kind of like the politicians
today. The Jesse Jackson’s of this world will show up at every tragedy that
they think the media will show up at. So they can get some photo opportunities,
and media exposure. But men like that will burn a little longer in hell for
using other people’s misfortunes for their own personal advantage.
[Isaiah 58:1-14] In verse [3-4]
We find God asking, what is your motive for fasting? Then He tells us what our
motives really are. We want to be seen,
to be somebody. But this is not His way at all.
In verse [5-7] God begins to compare our fasting
with His own chosen way of fasting, and He shows us not only the error and self
centeredness of our way, but how His way is much better, because it then
becomes beneficial to others and edifying to the children of God.
Blindness: [Isaiah 59:10-11] We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no
eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead
men. we roar like bears and yet we mourn like doves: we look for judgment and
yet there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. For our transgressions
are multiplied before Thee, and our sins testify against us: for our
transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them; In
transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God,
speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of
falsehood. and judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off:
for truth is fallen in the street, and equity can not enter.
But God wants us to use what
efforts we make in trying to better our own focus to also take into
consideration the focus of others. [Isaiah
58: 8-14]
Now, I know that we are not yet
ready as a people to receive the Voice or resurrection. But the only thing that
really hinders us is our own selves. Brother Vayle recently made the comment, “I
wonder if the Bride isn’t all in and what we are waiting for is just the child
training to finish up.” Could
it be later than we think? Remember, after the Bride is gone into Glory, there
will be people still coming into the churches and think they are getting saved,
but it will be too late. [Revelations
22:10-14]. Notice that He brings
His rewards with Him. And every man
shall receive his reward for what he has done in his flesh. In other words,
these are not just positive rewards, but these are the just dues that every man
has been sowing for. Your going to get what is coming to you whether you like
what’s coming or not. And what is His reward for those that Long for His
Appearing? A crown or Righteousness, which is the very mind of the Father and
that Eternal reward which shall never fade away. But what about those who are filthy still, when He comes? And
haven’t taken heed to the warning before judgment? They shall receive there
just recompense as well. They will be kept out of the Holy City and His
Presence, and they shall be delivered up to the lake of fire for annihilation.
[Revelations 22:14-15] Dogs
= kuon
= a man of impure mind, impudent, male prostitutes who sell themselves
to the highest bidder, for a price. Politicians. Sorcerers = pharmakos = pharmacy or druggist.
One who uses drugs or sells drugs for others to pollute their minds with them.
whoremongers, = pornos = a man who would indulge in pornography or prostitute
his own body for hire. [1 Cor 5: 9-13]
[1 Cor 6: 9-11]
[Ephesians 5: 5-21]
[2 Corinthians 6: 14-7:1]
[Hebrews 12:14]