Follow Me #2 

(Created to be led)

Sunday morning March 8, 1998

Rev. Brian Kocourek

 

Last Sunday we began to look into Brother Branham’s Message Leadership (Follow Me), and we read the opening paragraphs where Brother Branham was given a gift from the children and then they sang a few specials. We saw his gratitude and focused our own thoughts upon the words which he said and those words of Christ Jesus that He quoted. "Insomuch as you give unto the least of these, you have done it to Me.". We also examined Matthew 25 where the righteous are told to enter in because of what they did for the least of these My Brethren.  Therefore we can see the attitude we take toward others is so very important to God, our Father. Matthew 25 tells us that It isn’t so much what you  know, or how great you can preach, or how many souls you can get saved,  but we see that the Judge, or the King rather, looked at the actions that one takes toward another, and what one  does to make others time here on earth better for the brethren.. And here we find Jesus telling us what the great white throne judgment is going to be like, and that  there is basically only going to be two kinds of people that will be there. Those whose nature is like Sheep,  and those whose nature is like  goats. The Sheep look out for one another and the goats who look out only for themselves.

 

This morning I’d like to continue with this Message of Brother Branham’s and we’ll begin where we left off at Paragraph 9 of  Follow Me”. Now, I had you so long this morning, I'll try and make it real quick this afternoon, and talk in a way that may be to little fellows, and the older will understand too. I want to read a Scripture here found in the Book of St. Mark, and I want to read from the 17th verse of the 10th chapter of St. Mark, a portion.  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeling down and asking him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, and that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I done, obeyed, observed... (rather)... from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him,... (this young fellow);... and he said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven: and come, take up thy cross, and follow me. And he was sad at this saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

 

10   Now, to the children, and to the adults and all, I want to make this little Message just as timely as I can, and as quick as I can. And I want to take for a text, "Follow Me," and I want to take for a subject: "Leadership." Follow, and someone to lead; "Leadership," and "Follow Me." The young people, Remember that the first step that any of us ever made, somebody led us. You mothers remember the first steps that junior and the little girl made, and they don't remember it no more. But somebody led you to your first step. I remember Billy Paul when he made his first step, Joseph and all of them, when they made their first step.

 

11   It's usually a mother that gets to lead a child to its first step, 'cause she's home while the daddy's out working, trying to make a living. But it's, they make their first step. And at nighttime when they come in, the father, he's always saying. "Oh, dad," she said, "Johnny and Mary," the little boy or girl, "can walk. Come and look." And just one step, maybe had to hold mother's finger, 'cause you was kind of weak, and kind of turned sideways, you know, and fall down a little. So you had to hold to mama's hand to make your first step. Now, somebody helped you, when you made your first step. And your last step you ever make in life, somebody will be leading you. See, that's right. I want you to remember that. Your first step, somebody led you. And your last step, somebody will be leading you.

 

12   We have to be led. You know, God likened us unto sheep. And did you know a sheep can't lead itself? He'll wander away and stray away, and he just can't lead himself. And he has to have somebody to lead him. And sometime... The shepherd's supposed to lead the sheep. Now, that was back in the days of the Lord Jesus; He was the good Shepherd that led the sheep. But today (You see?), we're living in another day; everything's changed and perverted. You know what man has to lead sheep today? A goat. And you know where that goat leads them? Right into the slaughter. The little sheep don't know where they're going, so the goat goes up a--a pen, up at the slaughter, and the sheep don't know no more than to follow a leader, so it leads them right up into this slaughter. And then the goat jumps over the track, and the sheep goes in and gets killed. See, the goat, a wrong leader...

 

But Jesus, the Good Shepherd Who led the sheep, He led them to Life and held their hand. See, but somebody has to lead the sheep.

 

Now, this morning I would like to take from the Scripture as my Text, [Romans 8:14]  For as many as are led by  the spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”       

 

Now, what we are looking at from this text of brother Branham’s so far is this. He is telling these children, and adults that are listening to him that everyone is made in such a  way that they must follow.

 

Now, this morning I would like to take this thought here that Brother Branham is expressing to the people and break it down into three main parts.

 

I.  God Created man to follow.

II. We follow because we have confidence and trust in the one who is leading.

III. We follow because we are asked to follow.

 

Now, let’s begin our study this morning by focusing our thoughts on this first point.

 

I.  God Created man to follow.   You must follow somebody... But where? where are you going ? Where are you being led to? Because where you end up is all dependant on who you are following. And so the real question we have this morning is what or whom are you following?

 

Now, we have often heard the scripture in the Christian world that tells us, [Romans 8:14]  For as many as are led by  the spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”  But just what does this mean? I have seen pathetic Pentecostal and Charismatics quote this scripture and they know not what Spirit they are following.  The Scripture is quite emphatic here when it tells us that Sons of God are led by the Spirit of GOD! Not just what they feel in their Spirit. I remember years ago this sister in a group of Christian college students who gathered together for a group I helped start at the University of Minnesota. During the summer she cut her hair, and when I saw her on campus the next fall, I asked her why she did it, and she said God told me to. I said, the devil told you to because God’s own Word said for a Woman to let her hair grow.

 

Another sister who left this church years ago told me a week before she left that God had told her to stay, but then a week later she said He told her to leave. I asked her which one was God because God doesn’t change His mind, He’s the same yesterday, today and forever. But what these two illustrations point out to you is this one thing. The scripture plainly tells us that Sons of God are led by  the Spirit of GOD, not by their own spirit or any other Spirit. Then how do we know the Spirit of God? Because God is the Word. (JN 1:1). And Jesus also told us that His Words are Spirit and they are Life. (JN 6:63).

 

We find that even in this Message we have people who will say, how can your doctrine be right because  your spirit is wrong. Now when I read (1 JN 4:1) It tells me that you are to “Try the Spirit by the Word”, it does not tell me to try the Word by the Spirit. Brother Branham never told us to give it the Spirit test, He said, “give it the Word test”.

 

Now the next question we must ask ourselves in following the Spirit of God is this. The scripture plainly states that Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. Then we should ask ourselves, if Sons will be led by the Spirit of GOD, then what about The SON of GOD. And in this thought we have an example to live by.  God sent us His only begotten Son to show us how this is to be done. Jesus came into flesh to show us how to follow the Spirit of God. Now if you are Oneness you will believe that Jesus was following His own Spirit. But that would be like a dog following it’s own tail. You would never get any where.

 

Now, to show you this is so, God sent forth His only begotten Son in to the world to give us an example of what it means to be led by the spirit of God.        

 

Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

 

Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

 

Now what Spirit do you suppose He was following. If you check the verses just before this you will see that The Spirit of God had just descended down and abode upon Him. Then it’s Gods Spirit we are talking of.

Follow Me #2  (Created to be led)

 

Now how did Jesus go about doing and saying what He said. Was He doing what He felt he should do? NO! He said “The Son can of Himself do nothing, But what He seeth the Father do, that the Son doeth Likewise!” (JN 5:19, 30)

 

Therefore ever Son of God must come forth in the same image. And if in the same image, then the Pattern is already set. Jesus learned obedience by the things which he suffered.” He learned to obey the Spirit’s call.

 

Now, how then can you follow the Spirit of God if you do not know what the Spirit of God is?  You say we must follow Jesus. The denominational Christians sing, I have decided to follow Jesus, and yet I ask you which Jesus. By what Spirit? By what Gospel.

 

LUKE 9:23 And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. And what does He mean by Deny Himself? DENY WHAT? HIS OWN THINKING.

 

Now point number II is this. II. We follow because we have confidence and trust in the one who is leading.  You do not follow those who know less about the way than you do, you follow because you are confident that the person knows how to get there. And Jesus said, I have gone to prepare a place for you that where I am you might be also. This means that we follow because we believe. And you can not believe unless you are ordained to believe. Therefore, only Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God is His Word.

 

(Acts 13:48)

(Matthew 13: 11-17)

( 1 Cor 2:7-16)

 

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

 

John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will [my] Father honour.

                                 

John  21:20-22 Read .... Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee? follow thou me.

 

akoloutheo {ak-ol-oo-theh'-o}   Ä follow   reach   1) to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant,

   accompany him  2) to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple, side with his party

 

Then  to follow Him is the all important call. Notice that Jesus went about selecting out his own disciples. He called unto them and they came. They were obedient to the call. Therefore the call is all important to us. We must take heed to hear the call and come when He says come. My sheep hear my call. Be careful how you hear. And we know that brother Branham taught us that to hear is to understand. Therefore, when the call comes it is an understanding that comes and we must take heed to that understanding.  And what is the call to the Virgins at the end-time? Behold!  And what does behold mean? It means to come and look and see for yourself. And what was the next thing said after behold the BrideGroom? Come out to Meet Him. reach   1) to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant,  accompany him  2) to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple, side with his party

 

Now Jesus is looking at what our attitude will be toward following Him. Some of the people that heard the call said, can you wait while I go bury my father? And He replied, Let the dead bury the dead.  Others said, “Hay,. wait a minute while we go make ready, we don’t have any oil in our lamps. We don’t have any anointing to our understanding?  But what Did the Groom do? He shut the door.

 

Now why do we follow and drop everything that would hinder our following the Spirit of God? Because we have confidence in His Word. He said, All things shall work together for the Good of those who are the Called according to His Purpose, His Plan.  

 

Now, this brings us to point number III. We follow because we are asked to follow.  He said, My sheep hear my voice and they follow.  We are not asked to wander by ourselves. We are not asked to go forth and make our own way in life. we are not given this life to make the best of it for ourselves. But we are asked to follow. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 

By following Gods Spirit which is His Word, we are showing that we are subject to Him in all things. Therefore we are asked to follow to show our obedience to Him that we are willing to be subject to Him in all things.

 

( JN 14    )  The Holy Ghost will lead you into all Truth.

(JN 6:45) Evidence that you are sons is that you will be taught of God.

[Gal 5:18]  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

 

II.TIMOTHY.3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

                      

 I.CORINTHIANS.12:2  Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

                        

 II.TIMOTHY.3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

                          

II.PETER.3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know [these things] before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

 

LUKE.18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

                        

GALATIANS.5:14-6:7 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.   [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.  For every man shall bear his own burden.  Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

                          

PROVERBS.22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

MATTHEW.6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

                          

MATTHEW.15:14

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

 

MARK.13:11 But when they shall lead [you], and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

 

MARK.14:44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead [him] away safely.

                           

 LUKE.6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

 

LUKE.11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

                           

LUKE.13:15 The Lord then answered him, and said, [Thou] hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or [his] ass from the stall, and lead [him] away to watering?

                          

 ACTS.13:11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord [is] upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

                       

 I CORINTHIANS.9:5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and [as] the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

                         

 I TIMOTHY.2:2 For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

                         

II.TIMOTHY.3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

                         

  HEBREWS.8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

                        

 REVELATION.7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

                            

LUKE.21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am [Christ]; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

 

  E-40  EXPECTATIONS  51-0714  On down the street I went. Just a little while longer. (And you people from Fort Wayne and across the line know of this.) I was going down the street. My wife said, "What... Are you ready to go in now?"  I said, "I don't know." We got down there, and I seen some fishing tackle. And I started to turn for that. Just then the Holy Spirit moved down again and begin to move over. This is my inside life I'm telling you about. It's happened right here in this city too, today. And then here It moving around. I felt It. I said, "Oh, It's again." I said, "Now, honey, you go on over and get the... at the drug store over there and get that little coloring book for the baby." Had to keep her in a room all day. I said, "You all go on back in. I don't know when I'm going to be able to--to... the Holy Spirit will relieve me now." I went on down at the... Started down at the end of the street. And I walked up there and begin to look towards that tackle and stuff. And I got back to the side; I said, "Heavenly Father, where would You have Your servant go?" I thought maybe He wants me to stand here a little bit. And I stood a little bit; nothing happened. I thought, "Well..." I started to walk towards the corner.   He said, "Go across the other corner." And the cop blowed the whistle there. And I went across the other side, and stood there a little bit, about ten minutes. I didn't know why I was standing there. People passed. I was just standing there. That's all I knowed. When you're led of the Spirit, God wants you do what He says do. He's the One on the other end of the line doing the work.I just stood there a little bit. And I thought, "Oh, what is going to happen?"  And a big Irish cop out there blew the whistle again; the pedestrians crossed. And coming behind was a little woman with a checkered dress on, a checkered tam, looked like a Canadian. She was packing a pocketbook on her arm. She had her head down. She went walking along like this, and she...  The Holy Spirit said, "Stand over here." And she passed that close to me, just went right on by. I thought, "Why is that?" She went a little farther. I thought, "Well, that's strange. And He told me to stand here by her. Wonder why. Maybe she just caught the blessing as went by like that."

 

  E-43  EXPECTATIONS 51-0714   In a few moments she turned around, and said, "Oh," she said, "Brother Branham..." And she come back. She said, "I don't... I'm beside myself."  I said, "I don't think so, sister. What's the matter?"  She said, "I'm from Canada. I'm only allowed a hundred and fifty dollars a year to come over here." She said, "I--I spent all my money." And she said, "I--I--I was in the hotel lobby, and I had five cents for coffee this morning." She said, "And I was on my road back to hitchhike back to Canada." Said, "I couldn't get in the lines, and I was praying." And said, "Something just turned me around and made me come up two or three blocks and walk across this a way." Oh, my. There He is.  I seen her holding her hand. I said, "Is it your arm, sister?"  She said, "Yes, I fell on a rock. I was riding a dog when I was a little girl, and I fell on a rock and hurt this arm like this." And while she was talking, here come her arm coming out like that. She begin screaming the top of her voice.  And that big cop said, "I know who you are, Brother Branham."  You talk about a prayer line, we had it all up-and-down the street there for awhile, the people standing, moving. Oh, how marvelous.

 

  E-19  LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD  56-0723   Now, that won't work. Now, that's flesh. I don't condemn the person, but I condemn the--the way they're using the gifts of God. If they're used correctly, they're the most marvelous things there is, but if you don't use them right, it'll bring a disgrace to the Church.   So we must be led of the Spirit, and when we're led of the Spirit, then God makes everything work just exactly in harmony.

 

  E-69  LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD   56-0723   I think that's a good way to feel today. And while she was thinking on those things, the Holy Spirit got a hold of her and led her right out to Him. She was led by the Holy Ghost, and she said, "Lord, if Thou would have been here, my brother would not have died, but even now whatever You ask God, God will do it." Amen.   Said, "Thy brother shall rise again." How could He say anything else? Excuse me. Said, "Do you believe I'm able to do this?"   "Yea, Lord, I believe. In my heart Something tells me; I'm led of the Spirit to say this, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'"   Said, "Where have you buried him?"  "Come and see." He went out to the grave weeping. When He got out to the grave, He was always led by the Spirit of God, 'cause God was in Him without measure. He was God, was on the inside of Him.

 

  E-43  EXPECTATION THE 58-0508  If God can lead a blind woman... It's a lot worse to be spiritual blind than it is physical blind. If I have to lose either sight, let it be my physical sight; let me keep in touch with God, spiritually.  And the God that led them that day has not changed. He is the same God tonight. But the trouble of it is, that people are looking to what someone else is going to say, what John is going to say.   What if King George, when I prayed for him, with those multiple sclerosis, what if he would've a went down and ask one of the Anglican ministers, what would've taken place? He wouldn't have believe it.  What if Florence Nightingale, with a shadow of a woman--the granddaughter of the great Florence Nightingale, the founder of the Red Cross... There's her picture in the book. Weighed about sixty-four pounds, dying with cancer... And when I flew to England to make prayer for her, and while I was praying, a little dove come and set on the window and cooed, while we were praying, and then flew away.   And the woman is perfectly healthy, weighing about one hundred and seventy pound. What if she would considered what the people said? But she was led of the Spirit. Don't look to what anyone says. Look to what God says and be led by His Spirit.

 

  92  POSITION.IN.CHRIST  JEFF.IN  AD.3  60-0522M   Our sins; an atonement, love for our sins, or we'd never have a chance. How we could just anchor on them Words. ... according to the riches of his grace;  Wherein he--he has abounded... (What is "abound"? Oh, my.)... Wherein He has abounded,... (great heaps of it)... he has abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence;...   "Prudence, all the wisdom He has abounded towards us with all wisdom, not worldly. The wisdom of the world is foolish to Him, and the wisdom of God is foolish to the world. Just like day and night, one can't agree with the other one. But when the sun begins to rise and daytime comes, night scatters from place to place. And when the Light of the Gospel begins to come in, all the things of the world just begins to fade out and what does it do? He abounds the Sunlight upon His children, walking in the Spirit, led of the Spirit of God, abounding in His grace with all prudence, and wisdom, understanding, and shrewdness to know how to walk. You see it's wrong; then be careful what you do, how you... If it's wrong, be careful even how you approach it. Prudence... Be real close, real sure that you know how to approach it: wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove. That's what Jesus said.

 

  E-53  REJECTED KING  60-0610   Puts me in the mind of some of these cold, formal morgues that we've got today: get so far away from God you don't how to get back. You'll never come back by creeds. You've got to have inspiration to lead you, brother. And that inspiration comes by the Holy Ghost. Yes. Led of the Spirit, Sons and daughters of God are led by the Spirit of God. They love the Spirit. They don't try to say, "Now, wait a minute. My church, they don't say 'amen.' My church, they never raise their hands; they're very quiet. Why, we'd give our pastor chills and fever if somebody hollered 'amen.'" Well, you ought to chill him up once in awhile then. Just find out what would take place. That's right.

 

  173  UNFAILING REALITIES OF GOD  60-0626   And if people want to act like they do on the earth, and then go on and say they're going to heaven, but what a disappointment that's going to be. Jesus said, "There'll be many come to Me in that day. They'll stand by the tens of millions and say, 'I've belonged to this, and I've did this.'"  He said, "Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. You served creeds."   If you was led of the Spirit... All sons and daughters of God are led by the Spirit of God. They move by the Spirit, odd, strange. They stay right, and every action is with the Bible. They stay, all their doctrine stays right with the Bible. They won't vary on one thing. Where the Bible says it, they'll move right on into it. If they stop for a minute, they're trying to study and see which way to make; and then the Holy Spirit reveals it, and he moves right on. And he does the same thing, follows the same rules, lays the same foundation, the same God comes upon him, and the same wonders, the same miracles, the same sign follows him, that followed Him.   175 He said, "If you can't believe Me, being a Man, believe the works that I do. Believe Me. If I do not the works of My Father, then don't believe Me." See, there's works goes with this faith. "Show me your works by your--without your faith, and I'll show you my works by my faith," said Paul. See?

 

  E-41  QUEEN.OF.SHEBA  KLAMATH.FALLS.OR  60-0710   And Jesus had surely proved to them that He'd give them the sign of the Messiah, that the end time was there for them; and they did not believe it. And He was upbraiding them and telling them. And He referred back then, back in the verse preceding this one, in the 41st verse; He preferred there--referred (rather) to Jonah: "In the days of Jonah..."   I always felt sorry for Jonah; so many people condemn Jonah. Why, Jonah was a prophet; he was a great man of God. You hear them say, "Well, he's a Jonah." I believe that Jonah did just exactly what God told him to do.   I don't believe that any servant of God, led of the Spirit, can get out of the will of God. Because as long as he's led by the Spirit, that's God's will. Sometimes he does things that he don't even what he's doing hisself and don't realize why he does do it, but it's God working it around for the good. "Everything works together for good to them that love God." said the Scripture.

 

  E-9  WHY  BEAUMONT.TX  61-0125   Now, so I moved out into the country, about three miles out of the city. And so we were--been having dinner over at a little Dunkard restaurant where the... I believe it was the Mennonites. And they were a fine bunch of people that believes in holiness. And them little ladies, dressed just as nicely and godly, with their little--with their clothes hanging nice on them, and long hair, and clean as a pin; I just loved to eat there. And they were attending my meeting, and we just had a wonderful time. So on Sunday they closed the little place up. They was at the meeting. And especially, on Sunday they didn't run it.   So I'd been fasting for about two or three days, and I was just going to preach that afternoon. I thought, "Well, seems like..." You never want to fast until you're led to fast. Then if you get hungry, it's time to eat. "Afterwards Jesus was afterwards an hungered." Some of this saying, these people fasting and say, "I'm going to fast forty days," and the false teeth falling out and losing weight, and... My, you better stop that. You wait till God leads you to do that on those things. Be led of the Spirit.

 

  E-32  ABRAHAM.RESTORED  LONG.BEACH.CA  61-0211  He said, "Then when the persecution come on, they didn't have any home to go to. I guess you think that was a mistake."  I said, "Shame on you. Not know no more, had been in Pentecost as long as you have, know no more about God than that. That's exactly what God had to do. They had nothing to go back to; they went everywhere scattering the message throughout the country. God knows what He's a doing." Let them be led, sure. God don't make no mistakes. It's you and I that makes the mistakes. God doesn't make it. When you feel led of the Spirit, move on, move on, just keep going on.

 

  E-26  WHY  61-0413  And they sent for Him. Did He go back? "Your friend Lazarus is sick, ready to die." He knowed what the Father had told Him, so He just went on. They sent again, "Lazarus is sick. Come, see him right quick, he's going to die." He just went on.   If you'd sent for your pastor and he didn't come, you would have went and joined the next church. See? That's the reason you don't get nowhere. You've got to believe the servant God sends you. See? If He's led of the Spirit, let him alone.   Then after four days, Jesus turned around, 'cause that's what the Father, no doubt had told Him, 'cause He said He did nothing till the Father showed Him. He turned around and said to His disciples... He knowed the time was fulfilled, He said, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep."  "Oh," they said, "he's doing well." He said...  Then He told them in their own language, "He is dead. And for your sake, I'm glad I wasn't there." So He said, "But I'll go wake him."   And when He got to the grave, listen what He said, "I thank Thee, Father, Thou has already (See?) heard Me. But I just say these--this for those who stand by. I said if for their sake," See? Then He said, "Lazarus, come forth." Lazarus came forth.

 

 E-57  GREATER THAN SOLOMON IS HERE 62-0725   Now, Moses, Moses was God's servant. Now, Jesus speaking here, He said, "The men of Nineveh shall rise in the judgment because they repented at the preaching of Jonah." Jonah was a prophet.   Now, a lot of people just talk bad about poor old Jonah, and they said he was a--a backslider. I don't think so. I think the Bible says that the footsteps of the righteous is ordered of the Lord. Now, we do things that don't... We don't understand why we do it, but we just keep still. As long as you're led of the Spirit, go do it anyhow. It may be contrary to our thinking, but when the Holy Spirit said, "Go," we go.   For instance right now I've got a meeting, be set in New York; I'd have it this week, where there was three hundred Spanish-speaking people takes Madison Square Garden that seats nineteen thousand, and wanted this very week here that I'm in here, to be in New York. See? But the Holy Spirit led me over here. Seems like it'd be contrary. But I don't know why, but I'm here. You see, children of God are led by the Spirit of God. We don't understand. See?