Christ
is the Mystery no. 23
The
God of Mercy
August 26,
2012
Brian
Kocourek
Last night we spoke from the first part of 2
Corinthians 3:15 where the Apostle Paul said, But even unto this day, when Moses is read,
the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it (the heart) shall turn to the
Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 17 Now
the Lord is that Spirit: and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord.
We focused on the Holy Spirit and the condition of our heart and how God
doesn’t even look at what you do unless it is done from the bottom of your
heart. So it matters not what your mind is capable of knowing, but rather it
matters altogether what condition your heart is in. And you know, I really
loved what Martin Luther had to say about our motives for what we do. He said
if what we do is out of fear or out of seeking reward, then God is not
interested in what we do, and we might as well not do it to begin with because
our motives are wrong.
And I enjoyed that article from
that Science magazine that was showing the recent science behind how we
actually think with our heart, and we discern with our heart, and our intuition
is from the heart, and that in our heart we actually have a brain that does our
real intuitive thinking and then it sends the signal to our brain. Because that
scientific article really lined up with what the Scriptures teach and what
Brother Branham said about “as a man thinketh in his heart so is he”.
Now, this morning I would like to take another step forward into 2
Corinthians 4 and read from : one since this is a continuation of the same
letter as we read in 3.
4:1 Therefore
seeing we have this ministry, (what
ministry? The ministry that takes the Word and Spirit of God like ink and
writes on the tables of man’s heart and etches out the image of the invisible
God which is the very likeness of the Son of God, only it is now in earthen
vessels, in the hearts of the sons of God. And then Paul continues, as we have received mercy, we faint not; (In other
words there is something about receiving mercy that gives us energy and
purpose. Notice these Words, as we have received mercy, we faint not; Now, you
faint when you are either too tired to continue to stand, or you faint when you
are become dizzy from too much action. But here he says that we don’t faint, we
have a pill called mercy and when we receive this mercy, it causes us to not
get too dizzy, and it causes us not to get so tired that we fall down faint.
Now, I like that because when you have been beaten down under condemnation, and
you are constantly exhausting yourself from the battle, and one day you enter
into a place of rest and peace, which comes because there is not any
condemnation, and there is only Mercy and Peace, then it gives you energy to
do. You are energized by mercy. Now, isn’t that strange. You would think peace
and rest would make you lazy and not want to do, but this Scripture tells us
that as we receive mercy we faint not.
Now, I remember as a
kid, I would faint in church a lot, especially if I had to sit next to a fat
woman who smelled funny to me. But as soon as I fainted, my dad would take me
out and open a bottle of smelling salts and that would straighten me right up.
Hewey!!!!
And this scripture
tells us here that when we receive mercy we are energized. There’s something
about receiving mercy that energizes you. There’s something about mercy that
revitalizes you. There’s something about mercy that makes you want to come
around mercy and enter into that atmosphere again and again.
So let’s look at this
attribute of the invisible God because Jesus was the Image of the invisible God
and it wasn’t his beard or hair or body size that was the image of the
invisible, because invisible doesn’t have beard, or hair, or body size. But
invisible can be seen by the expression of attributes and characteristics.
And brother Branham
told us that Jesus was the character of God. He was God’s character expressed
too the world.
From his sermon, Identification 64-0216 P:23 Brother Branham said, “the
Character of God was Christ. He was the Reflection. He was God made visible: notice, God
made visible. In the beginning was God. He wasn't even God then. No, a God's an
object of worship. Only thing He was, was the eternal, and in Him was
attributes. And those attributes were
thoughts. And those thoughts was
expressed to words, and word was made manifest. What is it? It's all God becoming tangible. And you are part of God. And Jesus
come to redeem those that was put on the Lamb's Book of Life before the
foundation of the world. It was in God's thoughts. And that's what He come to
redeem. And them, as soon as it strikes
to them, they see it, because the life is in there. But if the life isn't
in there, then what can they do? See? They don't see it. They'll never see it.
See? And the whole thing is, Jesus said, "At that day you'll know I'm in
the Father, the Father in Me, I in you, and you in Me."
The whole thing is God becoming material, like a husband and wife becoming one
together: God and His church becoming one.
And one of those
attributes that manifested the character of God was mercy, and Jesus was the
expression of God’s mercy, and when you come into that atmosphere it gives you
a boost and you faint not.
Choosing
of a bride 65-0429E P:69 See, we choose by sight. God chooses by character. Character, there never was a Character like Jesus Christ.
It lives in Him, manifests in.
We see it true. It's not worldly beauty of Him that attracts His Bride; it is His character, the character of the
church that Jesus looks for; not whether it's big buildings; whether it's
great denominations; whether it's big membership. He promised to meet with
wherever two or three are gathered together. Truly. That's where the true
believer rests his hopes, is upon that Word of God being vindicated in truth,
what it is. Choose by His Word. Not a
worldly loving group, they hate that. No wonder she is divorced from Him,
because she's missed His revelation, and she don't have it. He cares not for her, the way she acts and
does, and how much of this worldly stuff she has; He's looking for her
character, the character of Christ.
Now, here is the thing I am trying to say. Jesus is th very character of
God expressed.
In fact when brother Branham explains the prayer of Jesus in John 17 he
tells us that God is the Word and how Jesus and God were one is that Jesus
expressed God’ Word.
From the sermon HARVEST TIME
641212 87 034 William Branham said, Jesus said, "That they might be one, Father, as You and I are one." Not for some man to be over something, it never will
work; one denomination wants to take over the other, and one man over the
other. But that you might be one with God, like Christ and God was one; that's
what the prayer is. That... He was the
Word, and Jesus prayed that we might
be the Word, reflecting Him. That's His prayer to be answered. See how
Satan scruples it up in the carnal mind? But that wasn't Jesus' prayer, at all,
that we might all congregate together and all have a certain creed and so
forth. Every time they do it, they go further and further from God. He wants us
to be one with God, and God is the Word. Each individual in his heart must be
that one with God.
So we se here in brother Branham's own
words that the Oneness that Jesus had with the Father and that he prayed that
we would have is that we might be one with the Word even as Jesus was One with
God's Word, for God is the Word. And that is how God will come into us when we
say the same thing, do the same things, act the same way, reflect the same
character. When our confession becomes His confession. When our thoughts become
His thoughts,
"let this mind be in you that was in Christ
Jesus."
What more can a man ask of his wife than
to have the same mind-set concerning the family and the raising of the
children. What grater oneness than to share the same values, opinions, and
judgments. And what more could a Father ask of his children than for them to
share His values, opinions, and judgments. And that is what Jesus prayed for.
GIFTS 56-1207 E-30 Now,
notice closely. Now, God dwelling in Christ used His voice to speak by. Jesus
said in His miracle, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can
do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing, that doeth the Son
likewise." Is that right?
And why do you think
we’ve had to wait almost 50 years since God took home His prophet. He's waiting for us to get ourselves out of
the way, that God might have the pre-eminence, and that we might think
God's thoughts, and do His actions, and speak only His words. That's what He's
waiting for. And adoption can not come until the son has the mind of the
father.
From the sermon, SHOW US THE FATHER
AND IT WILL SATISFY 60-0731 E-15 Brother Branham said, "The
works that I do, shall you also.” And seeing the same results by human beings so
submitted to God, until the Holy Spirit can work through those human beings
just like the Holy Spirit worked through Jesus, Who just has confessed
that, "I and My Father are One. My Father dwelleth in Me. He doeth
the works. It's not My words; it's His words."... See? He was so submitted to God.
And from the sermon, UNVEILING OF GOD
64-0614M 257 Brother Branham said, Jesus once said, "When you see Me,
you see the Father.” See? God and His Word
is One. Now you understand? When the Word is manifested, what is It? Right.
See? 260 Jesus said, "Search the
Scriptures, you think you have... You believe in God, believe also in Me. If I
do not the works of My Father, then don't believe Me. But if I do do the works,
I and My Father are One. When you see Me, you have seen the Father.” And when you see
the Word made manifest, you see the Father God, because the Word is the Father;
the Word is God. And the Word made
manifest is God Himself taking His Own Word and manifesting It among believers.
Nothing can make It live but believers, just believers.
Now, in getting back
to
Now, we are talking about how God and Jesus are one, and in the same way
how we become one with God. And if God is the God of Mercy, then we must become
the children of God expressing that attribute of our Father which he is full of
Mercy.
Notice Paul tells us that God is the Father of Mercy in 2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
And in Ephesians 2:4 He tells us God
is rich in mercy… But
God, who is rich in mercy, for his
great love wherewith he loved us,
And Romans 9:16 So
then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. So if that is the character of God on display for you
and me, then what ought our character be displaying but his character.
That’s why Jesus tells us in Luke 6:36 Be
ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Why? Because every seed must bring forth after it’s
kind or nature. And if God is merciful, he says we also must be full of mercy.
And notice our promise in Matthew 5:7 Blessed
are the merciful: for they shall obtain
mercy.
And so Paul tells us in Colossians 3:12 Put
on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering;
And again he says in Philippians 2:1 If
there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
And listen what Paul tells us in Romans 11:31 Even
so have these also now not believed, that
through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Why do you think brother Branham called us little Messiahettes?
Look we are the people who were not in mercy but now we are in mercy.
What a difference life makes when you live in an atmosphere of mercy.
Peter 2:10
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God:
which had not obtained mercy, but now
have obtained mercy.
James 3:17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable,
gentle, and easy to be intreated, full
of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Romans 9:23
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore
prepared unto glory,
So we see those who
have obtained mercy faint not, because when you show mercy it gives those
people you are showing mercy to a certain lift, a certain energy. Like people
who have said, I had gotten to the place where I didn’t even like to go to
church, but now I am excited about coming to church again. That’s because of
the atmosphere which is the projecting of mercy and love. When we receive mercy we faint not.
Choosing of a bride 65-0429E P:33 The
real true borned again church must have the character that was in Christ, because the husband and wife are one.
And if Jesus did only that which pleased God, kept His Word and manifested His
Word, His Bride will have to be of the
same kind of character. She could not by no means be a denomination,
because then no matter how much you want to say "No," she's
controlled by a board somewhere that tells her what to do and what she can't
do, and many times a million miles off the true Word.
When we receive mercy we faint not.
God identified by characteristics 64-0311
P:21 The prophets were God with them. Jesus said
so. He said, "If you call them who the Word of God come to, 'gods,' how
can you condemn Me when I say I'm the Son of God?" See? So where the Word that's been spoken by God is
a-vindicated, then that is God making Hisself known by His characteristic, fulfilling His Word. It needs no
interpretation. It's already interpreted Itself, proves what It is. Just the
same as He said, "Let there be light" and there was light; you don't
have to say, "Well, what did that mean?" It means just... There it
is; that proves it. It's already come to pass.Now, Jesus said that, "If I
do not the works of My Father," or other words, "if
I don't have the characteristic of My Father, don't believe it. They identify
My character, Who I am. If you can't believe Me, then believe the
identification that God has give. If I don't... If My character doesn't
identify My position, then don't believe My claims.”
See? You get it tonight? How many understands it? Raise your hand. See? "If
My character does not identify Who I claim to be,"
said Jesus, "then If you can't believe Me, why, just
believe the identification of the character that I am."
And what is one of his identifiable characteristics? He is the God of
Mercy, and Jesus said, Luke 6:36 Be
ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Identification 64-0216 P:41 The Word molds God's character to us.
your character will not mix with the world, if you are being molded in the form
of God, by letting the mind that was
in Christ be in you. That's the control tower, the direction.
Token
the 63-0901M P:138 And it displays His power. John, 14:12,
says, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do
also." New Testament is new covenant, new life. Shows Jesus has met every
requirement for us that God required to make us back truly sons and daughters
of God, under the Blood where there is no more condemnation. Romans
8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to
them that are in (not those who are believing it),
those who are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit." "And My Word is Spirit and life?."
Oh, couldn't I take a text from that, and stay about a couple more hours, but
we'll hurry over it. You see? No more
condemnation; free from sin; free from the cares of the world. No
condemn... Why? To them that have been by one Spirit baptized into one Body,
there the Blood of the Lamb has been applied. The God of heaven has accepted
you. And His life is in you, and you
are sons and daughters of God. Your
character is God's character.
And now, listen…if there is now therefore no condemnation to them that
are in Jesus what then is your character reflecting? No condemnation. You don’t
go around judging, you pray for those who need help, you don’t criticize them
and tear them down, you reach out and help them up.
Remember what we read last night? Brother Branham said, so what if they
are wrong, help them, love them. That’s the Character of the Messiah, and
that’s your character. We become one with God by becoming reflectors his Word.
God
identifying Himself 64-0320 P:31 The Bible don't give an uncertain sound. It identifies the characteristic of God in
Its sounding. Jesus said in St. John 10:37,
"If I do not the works of My Father, and I don't have that
character of My Father, then don't believe Me. They are the one... They
identify His character in Me, His characteristics, because the Father is the
Word." In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. And the
characteristic of God is displayed by His promise for that age.
Now isn’t that a
beautiful thought? If I do not reflect the character of God then you don’t have
to believe me. Why do we so love brother Branham? Was it because he taught us
doctrine? Now, come on, millions of people follow this man’s ministry and have
no clue to the doctrine. They love him because he reflected the character of
God in his life.
The Bible says we love
God because he first loved us. And we love that character even if we don’t have
it ourselves, but when we saw a man that had the character of Christ we want to
be like that man, because deep down we want to have that character ourselves.
And when you come into
an atmosphere where you are shown mercy it causes those who are wore out to
faint not.
Therefore we see that
the scripture points us to be focused upon God's Mercy as we see in James 5:11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end
of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Also we see the same attributes expressed
in the book of Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your
most holy faith, (Revelation) praying in the Holy Ghost, 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.
Let me read this from the Message Translation:
But
you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by
praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping
your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus
Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! 22-23Go easy on those who
hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with
sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.
In closing, brother Branham said in his sermon, Testimony on the sea 62-0720 P:28 God
have mercy upon us. If we are the sons and daughters of God, yet we're an alien
in this life... God's looking for
character from men and women who can conduct themselves as sons and daughters
of the King. God have mercy on us, that we will do it. That's what I'm after friends: character. That's what God's pulling for, character for that Bride that will be
taken out. And as sons and daughters of God, let's act like it; be sons and
daughters. God help us.
And if sons and
daughters of God then as Jesus the first born son of God said, Luke 6:36 Be ye therefore
merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
And be ever mindful of the words of the apostle Paul who said in Romans 11:31 that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
And again as Jesus said in Matthew 5:7 Blessed
are the merciful: for they shall obtain
mercy.
God in His people 50-0227 3 And
then, as I bring Christ to you, He will be on your hand. And you'll have to
answer for what attitude you took towards it: if you turned it down, or if you
accepted it. God will have you to answer for your attitude of this meeting, so
you must realize it's a very sacred thing.
And not only do you
receive what you expect, but you will also be judged for your attitude. It is
the attitude that expresses what we are, and that you will be judged for. And
you will take your attitude with you because your attitude is an expression of
your character. It is an expression in your body of the
nature of your inner man. And for that you will be judged.
1. Your attitude will
produce a result, depending on the attitude you display.
2. Your attitude does
not create an atmosphere, but rather expresses the atmosphere in which you live.
It is the expression of the nature of your soul and thus it creates an
atmosphere around you of who you are. You are identified with the attitude you
express.
3. And thus you are
judged, and will be judged for the attitude you display to others, and the
attitude you display toward God.
4. Thus your attitude
will not only affect your own self, but has an affect on others.
Your attitude then
shows outwardly what you are thinking inwardly. You can not hide an attitude,
it shows, it manifests. You might be able to hide your thoughts but
an attitude goes beyond inner thoughts. Attitude speaks of the
expression of your disposition, the way you show it in your body language; in
your eyes, in your facial expression, in your tone of voice, and in your
posture. Therefore attitude is the expression of your opinion, and your
disposition.
Now the word disposition
comes from two words, "dis", and “position”. Together they
speak of the putting in order and refers to the normal aspects of ones nature.
Therefore what we see in attitude is the disposition or the setting in order or
the outward reflection of ones true nature. Now, this leads us to our final point
which is this…
What is the right
mental attitude is. Well, to have the
right attitude means you would first have to have the rights thoughts about
whatever the object of your thinking is. And that means you must have the right opinion, and there is only one
right opinion and that is God's opinion. What does God think about it, Because His thoughts are not
our thoughts, for His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and if
we are to have a right thinking about anything, it must be what God thinks
about it. And in order to know what God's thoughts are about anything, it must
come through the instrument of His Word, for out of the abundance of the mouth
the heart speaketh.
Let u spray…