Follow Me #11 

(Moses, the other Rich Young Ruler)

Saturday Evening April , 1998

Rev Brian Kocourek

 

This evening we will continue with our study of this Message that brother Branham spoke to the young people out in Prescott Arizona called Follow me and which dealt with the subject of Leadership. We will pick up at paragraph 91 where Brother Branham has just finished talking about the rich young ruler who turned down the opportunity to follow Christ and ended up in hell although he was a religious man.

 

Brother Branham now turns our attention to Moses who was an example of someone who accepted the Leadership of the Holy Spirit.

 

91  Follow Me  Now, let's take another. Would you like, would you have time to take another rich young ruler, that made the right move? Would you like to hear that? All right, we'll try it now. Now, let us take another rich young ruler who was confronted with the same thing. Now, we see where that boy went, that lived a pretty good life, but died and was lost in hell. And now here we're going to talk about another young man who was confronted with the same thing. He was a rich man, a young man, and was a ruler, but he accepted the leadership of Christ: like the little boy told us awhile ago, that we should let lead us. He accepted it.

 

 92   The Scripture for this is found (if you want to look it up after I get through here), is [Heb 11:23-29] Let me just read It. Is that all right? You'll bear with me just a little bit, won't you? You don't mind if I don't, don't you? So we'll just read this, then you say, "I heard Brother Branham read this out of the Bible." See? And you know it's there then. It wasn't what I said; it's what He said. Now, you listen here to what the Bible said here of this nice fellow. See? Now, look.

            23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

            24  By faith Moses, when he... come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; (listen)  25 Choosing rather to suffer the affliction with the people of God, then to suffer the pleasures of sin for a season; 26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ...  Way back in Moses' time, it was still Christ. See? He's the only One has Eternal Life. See?  "Esteeming the reproach," to be called a fanatic, holy-roller, or something like that, you know. See?  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

 

  95  Now, you know what that means? It means this, that, Moses was borned a poor boy, real poor. His father's name was Amram. His mother's name was Jochebed. And they were real poor, but they were Christians. They worked hard. They was in slavery. They had to make mud bricks and things for the old king. You know what? That king's daughter went down one day to the river where mother...  Moses' mother, Jochebed, had taken him and put him in a little raft out on the river like that. And the old crocodiles had eaten up all the little babies; and they were killing them, throwing them out into the river. But she put him right out there. And you know how she got them crocodiles away from him? She made this little--little ark she put him in, she made it out of pitch. You know what that is? It's turpentine. An alligator would come up, say, "Hum, a little fat Hebrew, I'll get him." Hear him crying like that. Went over, "Whew" What a smell. Uh." See? See, the mother was led, how to protect her baby. So he backed off from it; he didn't want nothing to do with that.  And then he went on down the river a little farther. And his little sister named Miriam, followed him down the river, watched for it.

 

 98   And then Pharaoh's daughter come out and was going to get him, you know, and she pulled him out. And you know, all... You know, your mother thinks you're the prettiest child in the world (See?); she should do that. But the Bible said this little boy was really pretty, really a fair little boy. And, oh, he was just screaming and kicking his little heels. He was missing his mama. See? And so you know what happened? Then God put in Pharaoh's daughter, the king's daughter, all the love that a mother could have for a little baby. Her heart just fell for him. She said, "That's my baby."  But, you know, she was a young woman. See, them days they didn't have these bottles that you, the babies was raised on, so they had to go get a mother that had had a baby, and had that--that could nurse.  So Miriam was right there on hand; she said, "I'll go get you the right mother."  "Well, you go get her."  You know who Miriam went and got? Moses' own mother. That's right. Yeah, went and got... That was wisdom, wasn't it? And so then went and got Moses' own mother. And she said, "I'll take and raise the little boy for you."

 

Follow Me #11  (Moses, the other Rich Young Ruler)

 

 102   She said, "You know what, I'm going to give you three hundred dollars a week to raise that baby. And you can stay in the palace." See how God does when you trust Him (See?) when you're sure of faith. That baby was a prophet (See?), and she knowed.  So they went into the palace and--and she raised Moses, and the mother, the own mother, and got three hundred dollars a week to take care of everything. Just think of that.  And then, you know, after while, after that went on for a  little while, Moses begin to get old enough to read and write. She taught him how to read and write. And then she told him, said, "Moses, you are borned a correct child. Your father and I have prayed. God has revealed to us that you're a prophet, and you're going to be a deliverer of the people in the days that is to come."

 

  105   And you know when he got big, then what was he? He was adopted into the king's family. Oh, my. He didn't have to...  And he looked out on his own people, and they didn't have no clothes. They were Christians, and they were crying. And them old taskmasters whipping them with whips, and the blood fly out of their back. His cousins, and uncles, papa and mama, all of them; whipping them with whips, out there in them mud pits. And so, but Moses, being something way down in his heart, he knew that they were God's promised people. He knew it.  Now, the next thing he was going to do was to become king. He'd be king over everything, a rich man, my, all the money of Egypt. And Egypt controlled the world at that time. But, look, the Bible said he esteemed the reproach to be a mud dauber like out there, a Christian. When they made fun of them, and laughed at them, kicked them. If they said anything back, they killed them. See? But Moses chose to go with that group instead of being called the king's son.

  Look at that. See, because he seen the end time. See that rich young man? But he seen Jesus, like we see Him in a vision, that the end time's what is going to pay. Now, and he accepted Christ's leadership, and Moses esteemed the reproach greater treasures.

 

  109   You know, sometime when you little boys in school, little boys will say bad words and they want you all to say them. You little girls, the little girls will say bad things and want you all to say them. You say, "No. I'm a Christian."  They say, "Aw, you big sissy." You know, go onto you like that.  See, stand up, say, "I'm glad to be that." See? 'Cause (See?) that's what Moses did. He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater treasures than all of Egypt. Now, let us follow him, led by Christ, and see what he did.

 

  112   Now, see, this young man was rich, the first young man, but he didn't want Christ. He didn't want to be a follower of Jesus. And so we find him very popular, might come a movie star, and great everything, in all the things that he could do, and everything he wanted. But when he died, he didn't have anybody to lead him. So his education, that was good; his money, that was good; but when death come, that was all; he couldn't use it no more. He couldn't buy his way up to heaven. And he couldn't... By his education, he couldn't go to heaven. See?  I would also like to ad here, that people often tell you, get an education, because that can never be taken from you. Now, an education is good if you want to have a better job and not have to do manual labor, but what about your soul? Eternal Life is the only thing that can never be taken from you, because even if in this body you die, if you’ve received God’s Life in you, your Life now is Eternal and you can never lose it. It will never leave you. But with money, you can have all the riches in the world and what good will it do you when you are dead. What good will your education do when you lay rotting in the grave.

 

Look, there are many men who were famous, and some who were infamous. But although those men may have shaped the destiny of their nations, yet they will have to all stand before the white throne judgment and give an account of what they did with their power and their fame.  You see, every thing you receive in this life is a gift given to you from God and you will one day have to give an account of what you did with what you have. Did you use your gift to make merchandise of others, or did you use your gift to help others. Did you use your money to further the Kingdom of God and to help His children, or did you use your money selfishly to please your own self. You will answer one day for every act that you did in this flesh. Therefore, redeem the time that has been given to you.

[Matt 12:34-37] 

[1 Peter 4:1-19]

[Eph 5:14-21]

[Luke 16:1-13]

[Romans 14:12]

 

Follow Me #11  (Moses, the other Rich Young Ruler)

 

  113   But this young man now, he had all these things. He had education too (See?), smart. He went to school, with and his mother taught him, and he had a good education. And he was real smart, till even he could teach the Egyptians. He taught his teachers, he was so smart. Look how smart he was. But, you know what, above all that smartness, above all that he had, the potentials he had, he still said, "I'll forsake it all to follow Jesus." You know what they done with him? They run him out. He become a mud slave like the rest of them.  But one day when he become a grown man, he was herding sheep on the back side of the desert. And what happened? Anybody tell me what happened? What was it? [A child says, "There was a Fire in the bush."--Ed.] That's right, there was a Fire in the bush, and It attracted his attention. He turned aside.  And you know what? Me... Instead of teaching children, now the children are going to get up and teach me. So... And this little boy here, he's right on the mark. Who's your daddy? [The child says, "Mr. Shantz."] Mr. Shantz is your daddy. That boy's been taught, hasn't he? Each one of them little bright eyes looking the same way, one to get ahead of the other one. You see?

 

  116   So the... Now look, he did in that... And that bush attracted him, on fire, and he said, "I will turn aside and see what this is."  And God said to Moses, "Take off your shoes, the ground you're standing on is holy. I have chosen you to go down and deliver My people. I'm giving you power; you can smite the earth with plagues; you can turn the water into blood; you can bring fleas and lice. Nothing's going to harm you. I'll choose you." Why? Because he chose Christ. See? You choose Christ, and He chooses you. See? Now, He said, "You chose Me, and now I have chose you to go down there in Egypt." And look what he done. He led two million people, two million people out, his people, and brought them into the promised land. And now, he followed... We follow him all through the wilderness; and you children has heard Brother Leo and Brother Gene, and your papa and mama, tell you what all taken place in the wilderness, how he brought bread down out of heaven and fed the hungry people, and all these things.

 

  119   And now we find out, he is an old man now, gets real old; he's one hundred and twenty years old. And he's in the wilderness. And the people didn't treat him nice even. See? Sometimes people that call themselves Christians don't treat you nice. But Jesus always treats you right. See, see? So we find out that the people rebelled against him, but he stayed right with them anyhow. And he was a leader, and he had to stay with them. And the Angels of the Lord talked to him. Wouldn't you love to have that happen to you? Then make the right choice, and choose Jesus, and He'll do it.  Now, then we find out, the end of the road he got real old. He couldn't preach no more, and his voice got low. So he blessed Joshua, and went up on top the hill to die.   You know what happened when he died? There was--what, what happened? [A boy says, "He died, and then He raised him from the dead."--Ed.] That's exactly right. That's exactly right.  Now, you say, "Where is that at?"  Now, just a minute; the boy's right. See? He was raised up from the dead. Now, and...?... See, see? Now, look. He raised him up from the dead. Why? Because eight hundred years later, here he was over in Palestine, standing with his Leader yet, Jesus, Who esteemed the reproach of His Name greater treasures than all the riches of Egypt. He esteemed... His Leader was standing there. You know, He was called...

 

124   In the--in the Bible, you know, there was a Rock that went with Israel. And when Moses got ready to die, he stepped up on this Rock. And that Rock was Jesus. You remember when Jesus was talking in--in St. John the 6th chapter?   Well, they said, "Our fathers eat manna in the wilderness."  Said, said, "My Father gave you that manna." He said, "Yeah, they eat manna. That's right. And they're every one dead, because they wouldn't keep on going on." See? Said, "They're every one dead." But said, "I am the Bread of Life that come from God out of heaven."   "Our fathers drank from the Rock. Moses smote the Rock," and said, "and the waters came forth."   He said, "I am that Rock that was in." And look, when Moses died, he stepped onto that Rock. You know what happened? The Bible said that Angels come and got him What a difference from that other young man. That young man (See?) when he died, he didn't have nobody to hold him, so he just sank down through the darkness into hell; he's there now. There...

 

  129   Then when Moses stepped out of life, when he went, he had took a Leader. His mama led him right; his father taught him right. And then when he got to be of age, a young man, then he said, "I see Eternal Life, if I'll go down with these poor, neglected people, and walk with them, because they're God's people... I don't have to. I could be a king, But I don't want to be a king. I can have all the money there is in Egypt, 'cause I'm going to be owner of it. I don't want it. I'd rather walk with Jesus," and then when he walked through life. And then when he started to step out of life, there was his Leader to catch him by the hand.  Don't you want that Leader? Don't we all want that Leader to hold him by His hand?  Hundreds of years later he was seen with his great Leader. He had led. He made the--he made the choice of his youth, and so therefore, God was holding him.

 

133   You know what? The rich man is in hell, that one young rich man that refused. See, now remember, he had education; he had religion; he went to church; he was a good man; but he refused Jesus. See?  And this young man, he was educated, and he had religion, but he wanted Jesus. See? Moses would've been a much richer man than this young fellow would've been, 'cause he just had some money, probably farms and things like that, and maybe politics and so forth, but Moses was to be king over the earth. And he forsook all of that.  And you know what, children? When there is no Egypt, and when there is no treasures, there'll still be a Moses, because he chose the right thing. See? He chose the right thing to lead him.  When there's no more big pyramids. You read about the pyramids in Egypt? One of these days they'll be dust under the atomic bomb. All the riches of the world, people will throw it in the air, and scream, and say it's cankered into their flesh, and scream and howl. See? It'll pass away.  But them who accept Jesus to lead them, they'll never die. They have Eternal Life. Though they die naturally here, Jesus will raise them up again.

 

137 You must make a choice. Your choice will determine what your eternal destination will be. Remember, Jesus asks each one of us, "Follow Me if you want Life." See? Leadership, "Follow Me, and you will have Everlasting Life." And I'm sure even to us adults, we get something out of this too. If you want Life, you have to accept It. If you want religion, you accept it if you want. What you have to do, what you accept, that's what you get. But to me and to you, and to these little children, remember, you have an invitation. Jesus said, "Follow Me, and have Eternal Life." That's what we want to do, don't we?  Now, how many of you wants to really follow Jesus, and you say, from... "When I get big enough and old enough to make my choice, and to do what... I don't care how much money I got, how poor I am, how much people laugh at me, or everything else, I want to follow Jesus. I want to make Moses' choice, not the rich young man"? How many wants to do that right here?

 

139   Now, you really want to do it? I want you to stand up with me. I want you to put your left hand on your heart, and you hold your right hand up. I want you to close your eyes now, and bow your head, and just say these words after me. [Those standing repeat after Brother Branham--Ed.]  Dear Jesus ["Dear Jesus,"], I pledge my life to You ["I pledge my life to You."]. I have heard this sermon ["I have heard this sermon,"], where two young men made their choice ["where two young men made their choice."]. I do not want to go the way of the rich young ruler ["I do not want to go the way of the rich young ruler."]. But I do want to go the way of Moses ["But I do want to go the way of Moses."]. I am just a child yet ["I am just a child yet."]. Lead me, dear Jesus ["Lead me, Dear Jesus,"], to Eternal Life ["to Eternal Life."]. Amen ["Amen."].