God’s Only Provided Place of Worship # 9

Sunday Morning December 3, 1994

Fully Grown

 

Heb 10: 38 - 39    Wednesday night we spoke from pp. 39 where brother Branham said....

 

 39 GOD'S PROVIDED PLACE WORSHIP  65-1128.1M

  Amazing grace, how sweet the sound! See? Just no way of ever explaining what it is. Just take my word if you believe me. Be sure to burn every bridge of the world behind you.

 

We spoke on this subject of burning every bridge of the world behind you. We examined this thought by the scripture and we know by common sense that he was not ordering us to physically go out and be destructive and burn bridges. But what he is saying here is a metaphor.

 

How many know what a metaphor is? It is a saying or expression that really means something else. It comes from two words, Meta meaning “over” and pherein or phora which means to “carry or to bear” Thus to bring over. Or implied in speech as using an expression or figure of speech to imply a comparison. So then we must ask what the comparison is.

 

So then what does he  mean. “To burn every bridge of the world behind you”. What does it mean to burn every bridge. What do you do when you burn a bridge. Now, you know that what he is saying here is not a literal thing that you are supposed to do. HE is not telling you to go out and burn every bridge you can find. Neither is he even suggesting that you burn even one physical bridge. But what this expression is telling us is that we are to leave the world and the things of the world behind.

 

Now the way this expression came to being. This metaphor was used to express the brave  men who would have to go on  very dangerous missions, one that was so important and many times so trying that the men were often tempted to turn back. So in order to prevent them from turning back they were ordered to destroy every bridge they crossed over, any means of escape that would enable them to change their mind and turn away from their goal. 

 

I believe this latter meaning is what brother Branham is referring to here, when he says we should “Be sure to burn every bridge of the world behind you.”

 

Hebrews 11: 13 - 16  Now we could go on and on about this subject, but get the tape from Wednesday night and you will see how pertinent this subject is and how timely it is for the Bride. We see that it is one of the essential strategies that God used in every age when He came down to help His children through an Exodus.

 

But this morning I want to press ahead  for time is running out.

 

 40 GOD'S PROVIDED PLACE WORSHIP  65-1128.1M

  I believe the church is beginning to hear the Message, and beginning to understand. But friends, listen, we've got to lay in the Presence of the Son, we've got to be ripened. Our--our faith isn't ripe. Intellectually we're hearing the Message that God has give us, and seeing the signs that He showed us, and proving it by the Bible as that; but, oh, how the church needs to lay in His Presence till it tenders up in the heart, gets sweet in the Spirit so that it can bathe down. Sometimes in speaking the Message, you get harsh, have to break it in like that, because you've got to clinch a nail to make it hold. But when the Church once gets It, the Elected is called out and separated (then in the Presence of God), I know it'll be something like the people was there when it takes its Rapture.

 

Now notice what he says here. The church is now just beginning to hear the Message. He preached over 1100 messages that were recorded before this one and he is saying they are now just beginning to hear and understand mentally?  So what were they doing all this time? From 1933 to 1965? For 33 years what were they doing?

 

Matthew 13: 10 - 17   They hear but do not perceive.

 

Romans 2: 13  Now  anyone within the sound of his voice could hear, but unless they are focused

                       upon what is said, they will miss it entirely.So then the action is the real indication

                      that you are hearing. Because you hear and obey.

 

RIPE: Webster  = fully grown or developed. sufficientl advanced by being kept in storage  or subjected to treatment. to be ready for use. fully developed by study experience etc. Mature in knowledge and judgment.