God’s Only Provided Place of Worship # 63

Brian Kocourek, July 23, 1995

Trial By Word

 

Prayer   Our last meeting together, we spoke from paragraph 214 of God's Provided place of worship and we emphasized brother Branham's statement   The Word interpreted  [ is] the manifestation of the Name of God.

 

What I would like to focus upon this morning is this thought, "The Word interpreted is the manifestation of the name of God, because we know that a name is just a word that expresses or describes the characteristics or quality of someone or something. And since he said under inspiration of the Holy Ghost that The Word Interpreted is the manifestation of the name of God we can then say that the Word interpreted is the manifestation or the outward expression of the characteristics and thus the very nature of God. It is the expression of  Who He is and What He is.

 

E-45  INVESTMENTS.THE  64-0314   That's what makes the gospel today. It's the unusualness, because God is unusual. His Word is interpreted unusual to what we sometimes have it interpreted. But as I've said before, God needs nobody to interpret his Word. He does his own interpretation by bringing to pass the things that He said He would do. He interprets his own Word. He doesn't need our interpretation. It's... our interpretation is our own manmade thoughts that we put with it.

 

2 Peter 1: 16 - 21  Now here Peter said the Word of God is of no private interpretation. In other words, you can't just take one scripture and say this is that.  You must take all the scripture as it comes together. Then when God brings it to pass, you can be sure. Brother  Branham said that the entire New Testament speaks of this hour. Then if this is so, we can't just take one scripture and say this is it. That is why for so many years people would walk around and even today many in this message are walking around with only Luke 17:30 to identify with Brother Branham's Ministry when the entire New Testament identifies what God is here doing.

 

And when you only take one scripture and try to nail down the doctrine you come up short. That is why people don't understand the doctrine. They don't have an arsenal full of ammo. They have their one or two scriptures and the Baptists have there arsenals full. And so when you come up to them, with your pea shooter and go puff, puff, and zing out goes your entire revelation based on one scripture and then they come back and point their cannon at you and go KABOOOOOM.

 

It reminds me of the women here in Cincinnati a few years back. Some guy opened her door to her car and he told her to get out, that he was going to take her car. She pulled out a little hand gun she had in her perse and pointed it at him. He then pulled out an automatic uzzie at her and so she decided right there, "Ok, you win, just take the car". And so has it been with your denominational combat. You pulled out a scripture and they pulled out five. You felt you couldn't win. But Jesus did not come with a limited arsenal. He came with the entire book open. What good is the book open if we don't know what's inside.

 

So when we see the scriptures all tied together in a continuity we then can see what God is trying to tell us. But only after it comes to pass can we be certain that it was truly God and not our own imagination. That is why brother Branham said, "God interprets His own Word by bringing it to pass."

 

Now we began by reading what Peter had to say about the Word of God and how he explained it by illustrating an experience that took place where he was personally privileged to see the hand of God in operation.  Matthew 17: 1 - 5    from the Unveiling of God, he said,  " God interprets His Word by Manifesting it."

 

Looking at the unseen  10-03-58 Man must not think for himself, but he must let the mind that was in Christ be in him. We are not to think for ourself. We are to call anything contrary to what He said, as though it is not., no matter what our eyes claim to see. We do not live by what we see; we live by what we believe. 

 

E-45  Investments  64-0314   That's what makes the gospel today. It's the unusualness, because God is unusual. His Word is interpreted unusual to what we sometimes have it interpreted. But as I've said before, God needs nobody to interpret his Word. He does his own interpretation by bringing to pass the things that He said He would do. He interprets his own Word. He doesn't need our interpretation. It's... our interpretation is our own manmade thoughts that we put with it.

 

In the Message "Christ Revealed in His Own Word" brother Branham said, there are three things we must not do.  We must not misinterpret the Word, we must not misplace the Word, and we must not mislocate the Word. In various other Messages he also said, we must not misconstrue the Word which is to misinterpret the Word.  Any of these three must not's will cause a wrong result from the Word.

 

Interpret :  Webster = To have or show one's own understanding  of the meaning  of ; to construe; to give one's own conception of. And the word conception comes from the word to conceive which is the beginning of the process of  life. So to misinterpret is to misconstrue and to misconstrue in to give a misconception. That is to give a wrong seed. Or give life to a wrong thing.  What is a lie but a truth mistold. But when you speak the lie as though it is truth, then as you pass it from one to another, you are giving that lie life in those who hear it and believe it. And the most effective lie is one that is 99% true. Because when it is checked out, if the 99% are checked out and the other 1% is not checked out, then for every % that is checked out to be as the lie stated, it only reinforces the lie. So then the 99% that is truth reinforces the 1% that is a lie. But the life of the lie is a perversion. It is not the same life as though it were 100% true. Do you follow what I'm saying. Your words are seeds bringing to life the things you speak. Whether true or false, a seed is sowed every time you speak. And brother Branham told us that we, our minds are only a battle ground for God and Satan. So the life that comes forth from our mouth is either God Life or satanic perverted life. Jesus said, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. And out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."

 

Mislocate:  To put in the wrong place, or to look in the wrong place.  In other words, to mislocate the Word would be to wrongly divide it. This is how you get the cow eating grass up in the tree when doing jig saw puzzles.  From the Message Jehovah Jireh  3-9-57 brother Branham said,  You must not take just one little scripture to prove anything. It must lay out in the whole view of the Bible. That's the way we want to do it. The subject must run completely from Genesis to Revelations; it must tie right in with the rest of the Bible in the right place.

 

2 Timothy 2: 15 " Study to show thyself  approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth."     Orthotomeo = To teach the Truth directly and correctly.

 

Now this Word orthotomeo suggests that the Word is to be given directly and correctly. In other words, straight to the point. It is not to be given in a way that you beat around the bush. If you ever notice the trick that so many who try to paint themselves as  being extra spiritual, they will always try to make their little pet doctrines so spiritual and mystical that you must be able to see things that are not really there. They are quick to let you know that if you don't see it like they see it that you must not be spiritual enough.

 

Anyone who does not rightly divide the Word does not teach the Word directly and therefore they are not teaching it correctly. If it is not direct, then it is not in a strait line. Therefore it must be a curve ball. And to do so let's us see that the intent is wrong to begin with.  What is the intention of a pitcher who throws a curve ball? It is to let the man think he is throwing a strait pitch but then at the last minute it takes it's detour. The same with a change up. You go through your motion in your windup and delivery that appears to be a fast ball, but it is not and so your delivery deceives the batter and he expects the ball to come ripping past the plate and he in turn swings early and misses the ball. But they say the old time hitters like Tie Cobb could watch the rotation of the ball as it left the pitchers fingers and they could tell you how many rotations that ball took from the time it left the pitchers fingers until it reached home plate. And these men were the great hitters as a result. The same way with Revelation. If the Revelation of Jesus Christ is truly resident in your heart and mind, then when a curve ball is delivered to you, you will see it coming and be ready to hit it a mile.  

 

83-1 EPHESIAN.CHURCH.AGE -- CPT.3   "Thou hast tried them that say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars." My, that is a blunt statement. "Thou hast tried them who call themselves apostles." Isn't that presumptuous? What right has a people to try those who call themselves apostles? And how do they try them? Oh, I love this. Here it is in Galatians 1:8, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have (already) preached unto you, let him be accursed." It was the apostles who brought the original Word to the people. That original Word could not change, not even a dot or dash of it. Paul knew it was God Who had spoken to him so he said, "Even if I come and try to give a second revelation, try to make one little change in what I gave originally, let me be accursed." You see, Paul knew that first revelation was correct. God can't give a first revelation, then a second revelation. If He did, He would be changing His mind. He can give a revelation and then add to it, as He did in the Garden of Eden when He promised the Seed to the woman, and then later designated that Seed had to come through Abraham, and then later said it would come by the same blood lines in David. But it was the same revelation. It only gave the people more information to help them receive and understand it. But God's Word can't change. The Seed came exactly as revealed. Hallelujah. And see what those false apostles were doing. They came with their own word. Those Ephesians knew that Word as Paul had taught it. They were full of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of Paul's hands. They looked those false apostles in the eye and said, "You are not saying what Paul said. You are, therefore, false." Oh, that sets my heart on fire. Get back to the Word! It is not you that really tries the apostle, and prophet and teacher, IT IS THE WORD THAT TRIES THEM. One of these days there is going to come a prophet to the Laodicean Church Age and you will know if he is the real one sent from God or not. Yes you will, for if he is of God HE WILL BE IN THAT WORD EXACTLY AS GOD GAVE IT TO PAUL. HE WON'T DEVIATE FROM THAT WORD FOR A MOMENT, NOT BY ONE IOTA. In that last age, when there will be many false prophets appearing, watch and see how they keep telling you that if you don't believe them and what they say, you will be lost; but when that LAST DAY PROPHET comes on the scene, if he is truly that prophet, he will be crying out, "Get back to the Word or you are lost." He won't build on a private revelation or interpretation, but on the Word. Amen, and Amen!"

 

Genesis  4: 7 Septuagint: "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? Thou has rightly offered, but thou has not rightly divided."

 

2 Corinthians 4: 1 - 5  Not handling the Word of God deceitfully.

 

2 Peter 2: 1 - 3  feigned words.  Plastos = molded or put on. Pretentious.  "As there arose false prophets among the people, so shall there be false teachers among you, who will be of such a character as to bring in alongside of true doctrine destructive heresies, even denying the Lord Who purchased them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their licentious conduct to its consummation, on account of whom the way of truth will be reviled. And in the sphere of covetousness, with fabricated words they will exploit you..."

 

32-4  GREATEST.BATTLE.EVER.FOUGHT   62-0311   Now, what did Satan do? Satan had the others anointed. Now, Satan anoints his servants. Oh, sure, uh-huh, sure. He anoints his servants. What does he anoint them with? With unbelief. Satan and his demons anoints humanity to disbelieve God's Word. Now, if you want to confirm that, you turn to Genesis 3:4. Let's just turn back there and listen to this just a minute, and see if that ain't his first tactic. That's the first thing he did; he never leaves his same tactics; he does it all the time. Now, just see if that--that's what it is. Now, he didn't disagree with the Word; he just caused her to kinda misconstrue that a little, you know, just kinda make It sound like the way he wanted It to sound--don't take the whole Word.

 

Now this brings us to the Point number three. He said do not misinterpret, do not mislocate and point number three, do not misplace the Word of God.

 

Misplace:  To place one's trust or affection  on an undeserving or unsuitable person or object.

2 Timothy 3: 14  Knowing the persons who have taught you.

                                 Knowing = to have regard , cherishing

 

2 Peter 2: 1 - 3  feigned words.  Plastos = molded or put on. Pretentious.   "As there arose false prophets among the people, so shall there be false teachers among you, who will be of such a character as to bring in alongside of true doctrine destructive heresies, even denying the Lord Who purchased them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their licentious conduct to its consummation, on account of whom the way of truth will be reviled. And in the sphere of covetousness, with fabricated words they will exploit you..."

 

Notice here, "and many will follow" That in itself should be a clue.

 

2 Corinthians 11; 3 => 6  "But now I am fearful lest that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, so you minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For you seem so readily to endure it if a man comes and preaches another(allos) Jesus than the One we preached, or in you receive a  spirit of a another nature(heteros)  from the Spirit you once received, or a gospel of a another nature  (heteros)  from the One you then received and welcomed. You seem to tolerate all that well enough! Yet I consider myself as in no way inferior to these ( precious - extra super [ false] apostles.) But even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge - I know what I am talking about; we have made this evident to you in all things."

 

Hebrews 13: 7  Who's faith follow  You do not follow the man, but his faith in God's Word.

3 John 1: 11      Follow not that which is not good

2 Thessalonians 3: 6   withdraw thyself from those who walk not after righteousness

Luke 21: 8          go not after them, don't be deceived.

John 10: 1 - 27   esp ( 5 ) a stranger they will not follow...(27) they will follow me.

Romans 16: 17 - 18  mark (skopeo) them which cause divisions & avoid them because they deceive

Mark 8: 34  Take up his cross deny self and follow me.

Matthew 8: 22 follow me and let dead bury the dead

John 12: 26 if any man serve me he must follow me

John 21: 19 - 22 what is that to thee, follow thou me.

Phillipians 3: 17 mark (skopeo) them which walk so as we walk   mark = look at, take heed, contemplate, direct one's attention to.

Luke 17: 20 - 25  nor follow them

Lu Matthew 13: 20 Receieveth me receiveth whosoever I send

1 John 4: 6 he that is of God heareth us.

Matthew 24: 4 - 11, 24  Elect can't be deceived

2 Timothy 3: 13 evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived.

Mark 13: 5-6  Take heed lest nay man deceive you  heed = to weigh carefully, be observant

Titus 3: 10    reject = paraiteomai  = to avert - to turn away from, avoid

1 John 2: 19 they went out from   exerchomai  ex or ek = to leave erchomai presence or act of arrival

Ephesians 4: 14 let no man deceive you, that we be not deceived. They lie in wait to deceive

Ephesians 5: 6 let no man deceive you

2 Thessalonians 2: 1-3 let no man deceive you by any means, there must be a falling away, a letter, by word or spirit.

1 John 3: 7 let no man deceive you, he that doeth right wiseness is rightly wise.

Matthew 22: 29 you err by not knowing the scripture nor the power of God

Hebrews 3: 10 ye do err not knowing  my ways.

James 5: 19 err from the truth  is the same word used for going astray

1 Peter 2: 25  as sheep going astray   planao = to wander, to go astray, to err or be out of the way

Psalm  95: 10 a people who do not know my ways, that is why they err in their hearts

Psalm 103: 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel.