Christ is the Mystery no. 4

“The hearts of the children”

June 3, 2012

Brian Kocourek

 

Let’s open our Bibles this morning to Malachi 4: for our text, and begin reading at verse 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

 

Now, we know the importance of this Scripture being that this Scripture was one of several theme Scriptures for the prophet William Branham’s Message. But what good does it do for us to read this if we do not take to heart that his ministry was to change our hearts.

 

You see, brother Branham said in his sermon Getting in the Spirit 61-0428 P:47 I don't care if the man's wrong. If he's wrong and sincere in his heart and you're right in your belief and you're wrong in acting the way you're acting. I'd rather be in his place than be in yours. That's right. I'd rather be wrong in my doctrine and right in my heart. God will respect it more. So if a man is wrong, what of it? Help him. He needs help. Love him. If you can't love your enemy the same as you love those who love you, you're no better off than the publicans. That's right. That's what the Church has failed to get. I hope you get it tonight. I hope you see what I'm talking about. something wrong in here. See?

 

And he also said from his sermon, Godhead explained 61-0425B P:40 I would rather be wrong in my doctrine and right in my heart, than to be right in my doctrine and wrong in my heart." See? I said, "After all, it's your heart's condition.” And I made that a practice to know this, that if a man, no matter what he does and how much he differs, and what he says about me, if in my heart, not from just a duty, but from my heart I can't love that man as well as I love anyone else, then I know there's

 

Notice he said, "After all, it's your heart's condition." Therefore we must look to the heart as the source of needed change if we are to be conformed to the Image of the first born son. There is still way to much head knowledge being passed in this Message as having the right spirit. Let me tell you something my brothers and sisters. The devil knows more Scripture than you ever will in this body, so don’t tell me it’s what you know. It’s not what you know but who you know. They told brother Branham he didn’t know  his Bible, but he sure knew the author of the Bible real well.

 

So this morning as we continue reading from the pre “text” words of Br. Branham, those statements he makes before he takes his Scripture for his text in his sermon Christ is the Mystery of God Revealed, we will read from paragraphs 9 through 11 where he is speaking about and to Br. Daugh who was 87 years old when he received His new Birth, and God changed his heart. Then he talks about just how in the natural a doctor examines your natural health by examining first your heart.

 

And we will see that God, the Great Physician does the same. He is the Word of God and we know the Word is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

  9   Does anybody know whether the Dauch family, any of them got down today or not: Sister Dauch? Brother Brown, are you here, Brother Brown? Yes, I'm glad... And the... Brother Dauch is still with us? Wonderful! Brother Dauch almost left us. See, we can't say too much or ask too much; he's already twenty-one years a-past the time that God told him to live. That's a ordinary lifetime, a past the time that God told him he could live.
  10   But we had a call the other morning that he was dying, and we rushed up there, and the Lord God was really good to him and spared him. Just... I think he's ready and just waiting the coming of the Lord. But you know, we all hold on to one another. We just... The old fellow is like a, like a dad to me here. I remember him setting right down here in the old tabernacle (the old part). When that Light flashed across on that water baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, right out of there he come, at about eighty-seven or eighty-eight years old on a stick; come right up here and said, "
I want to go right in there and be baptized.” Somebody went and got him some clothes. He couldn't wait till the next time; he had to come right then, right then. So I like that. He said the other day (I was talking to him); he said, "Do you think I'm all right now, Brother Branham?" I said, "Did you ever go to a doctor for a physical checkup? "He said, "Yes, sir." I said... The doctor will put stereoscopes in his ears, and put them on your heart to see if your heart's beating right, and an electrical cardiogram, and then blood pressure, urine test, and so forth--instruments to find out whether your physical being... Now, the way he does that, he looks back on a book where specialists on these different subjects writes down: "If this takes place, this is what's wrong."

  11   And I said, "Now, the only stereoscope that I have is the Bible (See?) for the soul." And I said, "I'm going to give you the test." I said, "St. John 5:24 said, 'He that heareth My words...'" I said, "That isn't just setting and listening to it; that's receiving it (See?), receiving it. You believe it. Something inside of you tells you it's right. You've accepted it; you believe it; it's yours. 'He that heareth (it's already yours) My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me...' You believe that?" He said, "I do." I said, "Then I'll tell you what the Chief Doctor said: 'He's passed from death unto Life, and shall no more come into condemnation or judgment.'" I said, "As far as I know, according to the Books, you passed the examination." That old man, nearly a hundred years old, not a church man at all, but just the first time that Light flashed across his path, he received It. See that predestinated Seed laying there? Yes, sir. See, as soon as the Light strikes it, it comes to Life right quick.

Now, although this seems to the natural mind that what brother Branham is saying here is just small talk, let me tell you it isn’t. The Spiritual mind will see much more than just small talk here.

 

As brother Branham told us the story of the old fisherman who had so much of God in him, that all he saw was God. And if you believe as brother Branham said, “all my thoughts are of God”. Then you will see much more than small talk here. You will see “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.

 

Now, I believe brother Branham was showing us by illustration something that is very important for us to know and consider. He is telling us something about a brother in the natural which actually has to do with all of us in the spiritual. In the natural we go to the doctor and he checks our heart to see if our hearts are beating right. That is what he was talking about here to Br. Dauch, right? Then he showed us that the same thing takes place when we go the great Physician.

 

The first thing God does is discerns the thoughts and intents of your heart. So how can you believe the Presence of the Great physician is here and yet not be too concerned whether your heart is right or not. You say, I got the doctrine right, so my heart is right. And how wrong that attitude is. In fact your heart is the most important organ in your body, and that is why the physician checks it first when he wants to know the general well being of your health.

 

They might check your lungs secondarily, but the first thing the doctor does is he places that stethoscope up to your chest and listens to your heart. And God takes His Word and lays it across your heart and discerns the very thoughts and intents of your heart. So if you want to know your spiritual condition my brothers and sisters, start with your heart.

 

According to science your heart is known as the epicenter of all your emotions, your new ideas and inspirations. It’s considered the miracle organ that starts working as soon as the 21st day of conception in the mother’s womb and goes on till the last breathe of life you take. It pumps your blood to all the cells of your body bringing oxygen and nutrition to every fiber of your body. It works without ceasing all day and all night long. While your mind rests your heart keeps on beating and feeding the rest of your body. And it works your entire life, until the minute you die. Therefore the importance of your heart is countless; and we don’t consider it’s importance enough.

 

And in the natural the condition of your heart depends a lot on several things. 1)good genes, 2) good physical activity, and 3) eating the right kind of food.

 

Well we can say the same thing in the spiritual. A right heart depends a whole lot on having the right genes if you know what I mean. 2) What you do to keep your heart right before God and 3) the spiritual food in due season you are taking in.

 

Therefore in the natural, with the exception of your genes, your heart health can be easily controlled by your lifestyle and being careful how and what you eat.  Now, that is your natural heart, but let’s look this morning at the heart from a Scriptural viewpoint. Because remember, the ministry of Elijah has one purpose in mind, and that is to restore the hearts of the children to the hearts of the fathers.

The doctor in the natural in order to check your health he must listen to your heart, and so in the spiritual, the great physician Himself listens to your heart to know what spiritual condition you are in as well.  In fact he is the only one who can listen to your heart for we see in Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.


So we see that God who is the great physician, checks our well being by checking our heart first, and if your heart is right then everything else will most likely be right with God as well.

 

Therefore I have broken down this simple end-time study concerning our hearts into seven points.

 

1. The first is that God searches and tries your heart: That is what any good physician would do, and so the great physician could no less.

 

Romans 8:27 And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.We find the

1 Thessalonians 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

Scripture speaks of God who searches the hearts in Revelation 2:23 and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Acts 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

Luke 2:35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

 

So what is the great Physician looking for?  He first looks for a healthy heart. And that brings us to point number 

 

2. A healthy heart is one that Loves God with all our heart:

Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

 

3. Heart disease, how the heart becomes hardened: In the natural it is called atherosclerosis. When this takes place your heart has a very hard time to pump oxygen and nutrients to the rest of your body thus weakening the body. And in the spiritual when we see the same thing when the hearts are hardened, the people become weak in their will to serve God and build up the body of Christ. The rest of the members of the body also suffer when the heart becomes hardened. Jesus said in

John 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Ephesians 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Acts 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Hebrews 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Mark 3:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Matthew 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Hebrews 3:15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

Hebrews 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Acts 7:39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Luke 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Luke 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

Romans 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

 

So when the heart becomes hardened there are things that we can do to cleanse our hearts in the natural just as there are things that we can do in the spiritual as well. For starters we need to change our diet. Because what we feed on determines much the condition of your heart. We know that science has certain products that it uses to cleanse the heart. Well, God uses the Word of God and His Spirit to cleanse our hearts and make them soft and supple in the spiritual.

 

Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

 

Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

 

4. God cleanses your heart:

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

James 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Acts 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

 

5. God places His Word in your Heart:

Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

2 Thessalonians 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

Romans 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

 

6. The Heart is the Dwelling place of the Holy Spirit:

Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

2 Corinthians 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 

Finally in step seven we see that after our heart operation is successful and God has injected our heart with his Word and Life, we see that we have an assurance in our hearts, and assurance brings rest, and peace which is contrary to the stress which brings heart disease.

 

7. God places an assurance in your heart:

1 John 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

2 Thessalonians 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

Colossians 4:8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

 

Colossians 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6:22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.