Doctrine no 4

The Ones to Whom He Reveals Himself no 2

Brian Kocourek, May 1, 2015

 

1 Corinthians 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.  11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

 

Questions and answers COD 64-0823E P:82

302. Please explain I Corinthians 13:8-12. Now that the perfect Word is restored to the church are these verses fulfilled? Now, I think I just went through that, didn't I? "And when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away with." Paul said, "Though I speak with tongue of men and angels, and I do all these things here... But when that which is perfect is come..." Now, is there anything perfect but God? No, sir. Is God the perfect? In the beginning was the [Congregation replies, "Word."--Ed.] and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word's still God. See? All right. When that which is perfect is come, that which is in part is done away with.

 

Questions and answers COD 64-0823E P:27 I Corinthians 13 says this: "When that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away with." So all these little things of jumping up-and-down like a kid, trying to talk in tongues, and all these other things, when that which is perfect... And we do have today, by God's help, the perfect interpretation of the Word with Divine vindication. Then that which is in part is done away with. "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child; but when I become a man, I put away childish things."

 

Notice he said in verse 12: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."

 

Now it comes down to this. If we do not know Him, then how will we know even as He is known. A Groom does not make love to Himself and say that He knew His Wife. It takes two to know, Two to have an experiential relationship.

 

Mary herself said, in Luke 1:34  "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

 

“ In other words, How can I be with child having known no man in an experiential way?

 

Therefore, I believe this knowing, which is the Greek word "Ginosko", not only speaks of  a mental and rational sort of  behavior, but speaks also of a relationship which becomes established through and intimate knowledge or sharing in something. And this intimate knowledge which He has shared with His Bride is Himself.

 

The Bible tells us in this hour that knowledge shall be ever increasing.  Daniel 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

 

And we see this even in this Message. Everyone has computers and everyone has therefore an ability to look up Scriptures and quotes as in no other age. But how many have received an experiential knowledge of Him. In other words, a knowing him through experiencing Him in the power of His resurrection. Because if they haven't go that relationship with him, that experiential knowledge, then they will be rejected no matter what they claim to have done for him.

 

Matthew 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied (preached) in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: (I never ginsko'd you, I never had an intimate experiential relationship with you) depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

In fact we are told in 2 Timothy 3:5 that at the end time they will not only be  "Having a form of godliness, but they will even be denying the power thereof: from such turn away. And in verse  7  we are told the reason they have a dform but deny the experiential power of His resurrection is because they will be "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."  That's Ginosko, that intimate experiential relationship the truth brings with it, because He is the way the truth and the Life. 

 

Again we read in Matthew 24:38-39 "For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

 

They will be so caught up into the cares of this life they will miss him. These are not people who out-rightly reject by saying no to. They say no to Him by just being so preoccupied with other things.

 

Christ is the mystery 63-0728 P:233 Why do you hunger, Church? Why do you thirst? It's the Father trying to reveal this hidden secret to you, but you let so many things get it out of you. You let your job, you let your wife, you let your husband, you let your children, you let the cares of the world, you let some pastor, you let somebody else get that out of you, when you know that way down in your heart you're a-thirsting, hungry. It's God trying to reveal it to you (See?), the revelation. The last day is here.

 

And brother Branham also said, Because they don’t know Him they won’t know when He leaves the earth.”

 

In the book of Malachi 4:1 we read  "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;

 

Notice, he came with a great healing campaign, just like Jesus came the first time with healing and then His message followed. They loved the healing but turned down the Message.  

 

And just as Moses came so we are promised an Elijah ministry to come and he has come an they missed it. 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.

 

And we see the curses coming upon the earth, but don't we realize that they are not only promised to come but to over take as well? There is no stopping what has already been set in motion.

 

Deuteronomy 28:15  But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

 

So we see there is coming a time of great woe as this world has never seen, but just like it was in the days of Noah, God promised to send forth a Message of deliverance.

 

So My question to you this evening, have you even recognized what he's still here doing? You might look back 50 years ago and say God sent His prophet but are you aware what God is doing tonight, this 2nd Day of May 2015?

 

If not, you are not ready to be taken out of here because you are not yet positionally placed. And that is how the Jews missed Jesus, they knew he was to come, but when he came according to Scripture but not according to their understanding of Scripture, they rejected Him, because he did not come the way they thought he would come.

 

So my question to you this evening is, are you aware what he has been doing these last 50 years since the prophet went off the scene? We have a promise we will be taken out of here before the great judgments of Malachi 4 and Isaiah 2 and Isaiah 28 take place. Are you ready?

 

And because they do not know Him, in the power of His resurrection, then destruction alone remains for them. So we see that they miss it because they not aware, because they have not known Him experientially. They have not experienced him for themselves. They were just depending on someone else to have that experience for them.

 

Expectation 55-1001 P:24 Now, God is not known by intellectual faith. God is known by the experience of new birth, only alone. Jesus said, "Except a man be born again of the Spirit of God, he cannot even see the Kingdom of God." Now, any Bible scholar here knows that the word "see" there does not mean "look with your eye." It means "understand." You say, "Looking at something or other, say, "I just don't see it." You mean; you don't understand it; you're looking right at it. You look with your eyes, but understand with your heart. That's right. You can't understand it. And no man can know nothing of God, until first you're borned of the Spirit of God. The Bible said, "No man can call Jesus, Christ. Only by the Holy Spirit" is the only thing that... You can say, "Well, I believe He's the Son of God." If you haven't been born again, you're taking somebody's word for it. You say, "The Bible said so." That's right; the Bible's right, but what about you? You say, "The preacher said so." The preacher's right, but what about you? "Mother said so." Mother's right, but what about you? It's a personal experience of your own that you've got to be borned again or you'll never understand God.

 

What brother Branham just said is as plain as day in 1 Corinthians 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

 

Notice how to really Know Him changes your actions. Look at Paul, when he was zealous without knowledge he set out to kill Christians, yet when He came face to face and He knew as He was known, it changed his actions.

 

"9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God knows. 12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 

 

Notice the natural man, and his characteristics verses the Spirit filled man. The difference lays in what they are able to discern.

 

16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

 

Again we see in John 8:42  "Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43  Why do ye not understand Ginosko my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.  even because you can not perceive what I am saying.

 

Romans 1:27-28 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; And therefore they are turned over to a reprobate mind . They had no experiential relationship with God because they didn't want it. They put Him out of their mind, and their life altogether.

 

Hebrews 10:25-26 25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

 

Now, the word "despised" chosen by the King James Version, doesn't give the right meaning to the Greek word that was used here.

 

The English word despise means "to regard  with contempt,  distaste, disgust, or disdain; scorn; to loathe."

 

And so most people who sin willfully think, "well, I don't regard the Word with contempt, or disgust, or disdain. I love the word."

 

But the actual Greek word used here was "Athetereo" and it means:  to set aside, i.e. (by implication) to disesteem, That means to esteem it less than God esteems it. or to value it less than God values it. To neutralize it or cast off, despise, disannul, frustrate, bring to nought, reject. And they say, I don't reject the Word, but by not doing what it calls for you to do, you  are in effect making the Word of God of None effect in your own life.

 

So actually we could read this as: 28  He that paid no attention to Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

 

And that is what he said it would be at the end time. Just as it was in the days of Noah, they ate , they drank, they married and were given in marriage. They were so full of seld and living for now, they did not make ready for what was to come, and to excape the judgments that were coming. 

 

And then he warns, 29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 

If we disbelieve willfully, after we have received this knowledge there will be no more repentance left.

 

We ought to know what is left for the church after brother Branham left because God's prophet said in the Church Age Book  Chapter 9 - The Laodicean Church Age P:15 "I still maintain this prediction after thirty years because, Jesus did NOT say no man could know the year, month or week in which His coming was to be completed. So I repeat, I sincerely believe and maintain as a private student of the Word, along with Divine inspiration that 1977 ought to terminate the world systems and usher in the millennium."

 

Now, many have criticized brother Branham for this and many who have fallen away want to use this to say, see he was wrong and although he said he was not prophesying, he still made a prediction and he said he was divinely inspired to make this prediction. But these people say those things because they are not aware that these things have already taken place, and that is because they have misinterpreted what br. Branham said. But his words were very accurate and they have as well been very accurately fulfilled.

 

His statement speaks of two things. 1st the termination of the world systems, and 2nd an ushering in period before the millennium can arrive.

 

The first one concerns the world systems. There is only one world system that concerns the entire world. It is the financial monetary system in which the world was brought together during WW2 at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire to work out a world banking system for exchange between nations. It was Called the Bretton Woods System. In it all nations would be tied to the US dollar and the US dollar was to be tied to gold. Thus stability in world currencies could be assured.

WIKIPEDIA states: The Nixon Shock was a series of economic measures undertaken by United States President Richard Nixon in 1971, the most significant of which was the unilateral cancellation of the direct convertibility of the United States dollar to gold.

While Nixon's actions did not formally abolish the existing Bretton Woods system of international financial exchange, the suspension of one of its key components effectively rendered the Bretton Woods system inoperable. While Nixon publicly stated his intention to resume direct convertibility of the dollar after reforms to the Bretton Woods system had been implemented, all attempts at reform proved unsuccessful. By 1973, the Bretton Woods system was replaced de facto by a regime based on freely floating fiat currencies that remains in place to the present day.

In 1944 in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, representatives from 44 nations met to develop a new international monetary system that came to be known as the Bretton Woods system. Conference members had hoped that this new system would “ensure exchange rate stability, prevent competitive devaluations, and promote economic growth."[1] It was not until 1958 that the Bretton Woods System became fully operational. Countries now settled their international accounts in dollars that could be converted to gold at a fixed exchange rate of $35 per ounce, which was redeemable by the U.S. government. Thus, the United States was committed to backing every dollar overseas with gold. Other currencies were fixed to the dollar, and the dollar was pegged to gold.

For the first years after World War II, the Bretton Woods system worked well. With the Marshall Plan, Japan and Europe were rebuilding from the war, and countries outside the US wanted dollars to spend on American goods — cars, steel, machinery, etc. Because the U.S. owned over half the world's official gold reserves — 574 million ounces at the end of World War II — the system appeared secure.[2]

However, from 1950 to 1969, as Germany and Japan recovered, the US share of the world's economic output dropped significantly, from 35% to 27%. Furthermore, a negative balance of payments, growing public debt incurred by the Vietnam War and Great Society programs, and monetary inflation by the Federal Reserve caused the dollar to become increasingly overvalued in the 1960s.[2]

In France, the Bretton Woods System was called "America's exorbitant privilege"[3] as it resulted in an "asymmetric financial system" where non-US citizens "see themselves supporting American living standards and subsidizing American multinationals". As American economist Barry Eichengreen summarized: "It costs only a few cents for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to produce a $100 bill, but other countries had to pony up $100 of actual goods in order to obtain one".[4] In February 1965 President Charles de Gaulle announced his intention to exchange its U.S. dollar reserves for gold at the official exchange rate.[5]

By 1966, non-US central banks held $14 billion, while the United States had only $13.2 billion in gold reserve. Of those reserves, only $3.2 billion was able to cover foreign holdings as the rest was covering domestic holdings.[6]

By 1971, the money supply had increased by 10%.[7] In May 1971, West Germany left the Bretton Woods system, unwilling to revalue the Deutsche Mark.[8] In the following three months, this move strengthened its economy. Simultaneously, the dollar dropped 7.5% against the Deutsche Mark.[8] Other nations began to demand redemption of their dollars for gold. Switzerland redeemed $50 million in July.[8] France acquired $191 million in gold.[8] On August 5, 1971, the United States Congress released a report recommending  devaluation of the dollar, in an effort to protect the dollar against "foreign price-gougers".[8] On August 9, 1971, as the dollar dropped in value against European currencies, Switzerland left the Bretton Woods system.[8] The pressure began to intensify on the United States to leave Bretton Woods.

From 1977 to 1981 the inflation in America hit 50%. This would be considered hyperinflation. By 1978 President Jimmy Carter trying to stabilize the US dollar, issued what is known as the  Carter Bonds. Carter bonds were a series of Treasury bonds issued by the United States in 1978 to prevent a fall of the US Dollar. The name comes from the US President Jimmy Carter. It was enacted under the Exchange Stabilization Fund.


In contrast to typical Treasury bonds, which are denominated in US dollars and so did not expose the US Government to currency risk, Carter bonds were denominated in West German Deutschmarks and Swiss Francs. The US dollar was dead. It has been floating ever since.

 

Now, let's look at the 2nd part of brother Branham's statement. Here he said there will be an ushering in period before the millennium can arrive. Since the root word is "usher" we must look at what an usher does. An Usher is a person who meets the people at the door before the drama begins, and takes each person from the door and then walks them to their pre-assigned seat, where they are positionally placed.

 

Since Christ is the door, and He is the Word, there must come a ministry that will do the same.

 

Therefore this ushering in period will not be instant but will requite a period of time.

 

The purpose of this period of time was to get the people positionally placed before the Millennium could come.

 

In his sermon, Ephesians Parallels Joshua 60-0515E P:19 Brother Branham said, "Now, the Book of Ephesians, as I was just saying, to my opinion, is one of the greatest Books of the New Testament. It leaves us on where Calvinism runs out on one limb, and Arminianism runs out on the other limb, but the Book of Ephesian draws it together and positionally places the church. Now, I've typed it with Joshua. If you notice, Israel was brought up out of Egypt, and there's three stages of their journey. One stage was leaving Egypt. The next stage was the wilderness. And the next stage was Canaan."

 

And in hi sermon Paradox a 65-0117 P:33 he says,  But we're promised, according to Revelations 10, and according to Malachi 4, and Saint Luke 22:17, and so forth, that there is got to come an Ephesians to this. There is promised it, friends. There must come an Ephesians, that these sevenfold mysteries of the Word of God must be unfolded. And it's in the Laodicean age that this takes place. I believe that we're there. I believe we're right in the shadows of the coming of the Son of God. And as Joshua, just before the Ephesians raised up, so did John the Baptist raise up just before the next Ephesians. And we're promised another, another Ephesians. It's predicted here in the Scripture; therefore, I think that we are living in the Ephesians again. Back again to... We are promised that what was left off during those seven ages...

 

So we see there must come another Ephesians and he says concerning this that Ephesians parallels Joshua because it positionally places the people. So he was speaking of a period of a ministry and a period of time where the people would be positionally placed before they went into the promised land which is a type of the Millennium.

 

And in his sermon, Position in Christ 60-0522M P:15 brother Branham said, "And now, the purpose of these lessons is to anchor those that have already come across the land. The purpose of this study in this Book of Ephesians is to positionally place the church where it absolutely stands in Christ. It is a type of the Old Testament and the Book of Joshua, where Joshua 'where Joshua lotted the land to each man'. And he done it by inspiration. How Moses brought the people out of Egypt, the garlic, leek, out, and gave them a place to where God had promised four hundred years before, that He would bring them into a place, a goodly land flow with milk and honey. And Moses led the children of Israel right up to the land, but did not take them over. And Jesus, to the spiritual, to the people that will... We been promised a Holy Spirit since the beginning; Jesus led us up to the promise. But the Holy Spirit came as Joshua to take over and lead, and direct, and to possess the land, or possess the church.

 

Hear ye Him 57-0125 P:28 But Jesus was transfigured before them, God placing His Son. And He robed Him with a garment that glistened like the sun shining in its strength. And a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son; hear ye Him". Moses is gone. The law is gone. But "this is My Son; hear ye Him." That ought to tell you. God placing His own Son... So the law has finished. And all of the Old Testament has been lived. And there's none left but Christ. And God's someday, if the people who are borned again of the Spirit of God, and the Tutor brings message to Father one day it's called to the side, and visited by God, and positionally placed into the body of Christ as a teacher, prophet, evangelist, teacher, pastor, whatever you have been obedient since he's been born, God places that person. You see it?

 

Hidden life 55-1006A P:22 Now, after this child become of age... Now, he's still a child. But if the child was reckless, and never paid any attention, and wasn't so interested in the Father's work, that child never become adopted to that family. But if he was a correct child, a good child, and loved the work of his father, and was interested, and tried to do all he could to progress his father's work, then the tutor brought that word to the father, and there was what's called the placing of the son or as Paul gives it in--over in Galatians, "the adoption." That we was predestinated into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, the adoption. Now, the same son that was born into a family could be adopted into the same family, or placed in the same family, or give a position in the family that he was borned into. And I do believe that that is the work of the Holy Spirit today among the church, is trying to place in the church positionally apostles, teachers, prophets, and so forth, as... And we've seen many false alarms and so forth moving amongst the people, which only indicated that the real genuine adoption was at hand. I believe it. God has to place into the church. That's the business of God, not of man.

 

Therefore according to the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4 and brother Branham is the role of the five fold ministry is to take the word and positionally place the people.

 

Ephesians 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12  For the perfecting (equipping an maturing) of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (building up) of the body of Christ: 13  Till we all come in the unity of The Faith, (The revelation of Jesus Christ) and of the knowledge of the Son of God, (His obedient nature tot he Father) unto a perfect (fully mature and finished off) man, unto the measure of the stature (the character) of the fulness (fulfilling) of Christ:  14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him (not unto him, as though we are a separate from Him, but grow up INTO Him for we are the body and He is the head and the body must fit the head) in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

 

So you can see the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the five fold ministry is to positionally place the children, the body of Christ, getting them ready to join to their head, and we can see the rise of the role of the five fold ministry, both true and false since 1977 that has since that time been the main thrust in the Message. Where there are false there has to be true. The true will be identified by those who say only what the tapes say. And their focus will be to get the people ready for the resurrection ministry, and thus the rapture, which will lead us to the Millennium.

 

The false will distract from this positionally placing the people and will divide through giving the people a wrong focus, on wrong doctrines which do not point the people to the head, Christ. They will point the people to many other doctrines that distract from the Head which is Christ. They will focus on camps, and personalities, and isms, but not on Christ which is the head of the body.

 

That would be like trying to dock the space shuttle with the space station, but getting mixed signals and because of all the mixed signals it can not make it's connection. The true five fold will hone right into the life and nature of Christ while the others only bring distractions to keep that honing, that positional placement from taking place. All the while thinking they are doing God a service.

 

This period of ushering in is a work of the Holy Ghost but must come through men, and since brother Branham said in the Third Exodus that the Pillar of fire will lead us to the Millennium, then the Holy Spirit is still here as our teacher to usher us into position with the head.

 

Jehovah-Jireh 58-0127 E-36  And the same Holy Spirit that was in Jesus Christ, will have to be operating in His church to make them coincide together at the rapture, or it won't go up at that time. The Spirit that was in Jesus, will have to be in His church, or the two pieces won't dovetail together, the life of the church and the life of Christ cannot dovetail together.


Hear ye Him 60-0313    E-32    And the church will have to have the same Spirit, doing the same things that Jesus did; or it'll never go in the rapture.

 

Abraham's covenant confirmed 61-0210 P:41 So you see, the great solar system speaks of Christ. Everything that you see speaks of Christ if you just look at it. Look at the church today in its condition, weak, backslidden, gone back into the world. That speaks of Christ, exactly what He said. He'd stand at the door and knock. And put outside, organized Him out, and set Him outside, their creeds and so forth took Him out. But He still stands at the door and knocking and said, "Everyone I love, I chasten and rebuke." That's right. Trying to cut them down and bring them to a spot to where when the great Capstone comes, the ministry that's in the church when the Capstone is come right straight together like a magnet. They just seal right in together. Oh, God, help us to have... It'll be there; don't worry; it'll be there. He said it would be there. So let's us get ourselves to meet that Cornerstone. Let us love and project our lives in Christ and be sincere and stay with the Word, until when He comes we just fit right in like the glove over the hand, like that, with Him. Oh, that's the church that God's a waiting for. Yes, sir.

 

God desires that we enter into this knowledge of Himself in order to come to completion in our character ready for adoption.

 

So you see the effect a true five fold ministry will have on the people? They will become mature and so Christ like, that they as the body will fit beautifully with the head-Christ.

 

But look at the false five fold, and their ministry of distraction.

 

The Apostle Paul said in Romans 10: 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?  17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

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.

 

Mark 4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11  And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12  That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

 

Therefore only a certain people are ordained and fashioned to know.

 

John 10:38  38  But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

 

This knowledge comes by the vindication which is the manifestation of the revelation.

 

Luke 21:25-35 25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 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. 27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption is drawing near. 29  And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30  When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31  So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. 33  Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 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. 35  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

 

By knowing we will overcome the trials ordained for the whole earth and be able to stand in His Presence. and God has ordained His chosen to be filled with His spirit to guide us.

 

John 14:16-21 16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18  I will not leave you comfortless: (orphans) I will come to you. and when is an orphan no longer an orphan? When he is adopted. So this speaks of the time of adoption.  

 

19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. The Spirit of Truth is to make us to know and be known and to recognize the manifestation of Himself.

 

Colossians 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

 

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;

 

Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  It was Paul’s desire to see the people filled with this knowledge

 

John 8:31-32  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

Ye shall know the Truth and it is this knowing of the Truth that shall make you free. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. The Lord knoweth those who are His, He has an intimate relationship with His own.                                                                                

 

Let us pray...