MASTERPIECE No. 7

From Righteous to Saint

Sunday, May 29, 2005

Rev. Brian Kocourek

This morning I would like again to continue in examining this opening prayer of Brother Branham’s from this wonderful sermon called the Masterpiece.

We shall begin this morning by reading from paragraph number 3.

Notice that after brother Branham has asked God to help us and cleanse us from all sin and unbelief, he then continues in paragraph three by saying, 3. Give to us the desires of our heart, for we truly have these desires to serve You. And in these weakening conditions and afflictions and things of the world that's put upon us sometime to perfect us... We've been told that, that He said, "Think it not strange that these trials come." They're only working out for our good and to perfect us and bring us into that place. These great deserts of experience, where righteous men are molded into saints, we thank Thee for these experiences, Lord. We would no wise want to do anything contrary to Your will; but we pray, Father, that in this we'll be brought closer to You.

Therefore this morning I would like to examine these fiery trials which brother Branham tells us here are given to us to mold and perfect our character.

Notice in this prayer he asks God to give us the desires of our hearts, and then quickly adds, “for we truly have these desires to serve You, and remember the You he is talking to is God Himself.

Now, this next part is what I wish to focus our thoughts upon this morning. “And in these weakening conditions and afflictions and things of the world that's put upon us sometime to perfect us... We've been told that, that He said, "Think it not strange that these trials come." They're only working out for our good and to perfect us and bring us into that place. These great deserts of experience, where righteous men are molded into saints, we thank Thee for these experiences, Lord. We would no wise want to do anything contrary to Your will; but we pray, Father, that in this we'll be brought closer to You.

Now, there are three things he says here that I would like to examine.

1. He says these weakening conditions and afflictions are put upon us to perfect us.

2. He says, these great deserts of experience mold the righteous men into saints.

3. He tells us that the reason for all these trials is to bring us closer to God.

Now, let’s begin our study by examining point number one, where he says these weakening conditions and afflictions are put upon us to perfect us.

First off, I want you to notice his choice of words. He did not say these things happen to us and we become perfected by them as if they come by chance and somehow they bring forth a perfection in us. But he said, they are put upon us which means that someone other than ourselves had to have a hand in the selection of the very trials that we must go through in life.

Now, this is important to understand if we believe that God is sovereign. For in being sovereign, God is not only all powerful, but omniscient as well. Now, many people do not understand predestination and election. They think we come into this world by the act between a man and woman and thus our being here is by chance. I do not believe that anything is by chance.

God does not roll the dice to determine which direction we might go. The Bible tells us is Psalms 37:43 “The steps of the righteous are ordered of the Lord.” That means they are ordained of the Lord. And again in Proverbs 16: 9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. Now, if the Lord directs our footsteps then he has an active part in the path we take.

Although a man may contemplate and even plan his way, yet God has the ultimate say so and will direct the very footsteps of that man. Jonah was a classic example of this. The Lord told Him to do such and such and when Jonah had what he thought was a better plan, God just took over the situation and produced exactly what He intended to produce. Jonah had no choice, or at least his choice meant nothing to what God wanted done.

And so we hear brother Branham in this opening prayer to God, telling us these weakening conditions and afflictions we go through are put upon us for a purpose. In other words they are designed specifically for each individual. Then Brother Branham quotes Peter when he says, we’ve been told that He said, "Think it not strange that these trials come." And then brother Branham explains by saying, “They're only working out for our good and to perfect us and bring us into that place.”

Now, brother Branham is quoting the Apostle Peter from 1 Peter 4: 12 & 13 where he says, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, (not which might try you, but the fiery trial IS to try you. He is not speaking of something that might happen, but he is telling of what is assuredly ordained to happen.) as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering; that, when His Glory (DOXA) shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

Now, this word Glory speaks to us of the DOXA of God which comes by means of a Revealing (the Greek word used here was Apokolupsis) which means revelation by an unveiling. Thus we are promised here by God through Peter that we are to suffer or enter into the sufferings of Christ at the time of the Great Revelation that will come by an Unveiling, and this Revelation will bring us into the Revelation of God's DOXA, which is His Opinion, assessment and judgment, and at this time the Doxa of God will be our focus and although are ordained to suffer because of it, yet we will be glad with exceeding joy .

Now, notice that Peter tells us not to think it is strange concerning these fiery trials. And why is that? Because the trials are to produce something in us.

In I Peter 1:7 we read, That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the APOKALUPSIS (revelation or reveal, unveil) of Jesus Christ:1:13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the APOKALUPSIS (revelation or reveal, unveil) of Jesus Christ.

Notice it is these trials that are to mold us as Brother Branham put, it from a righteous man to a saint. And Peter tells us that these trials are to be considered by us to be more precious than Gold that perishes. Now, I don’t think anyone is fond of the trials themselves, so there is something here about these trials that we are consider to be more precious than gold.

Because there is no one I know that if given the chance to suffer or be given gold, would not accept the gold. Now, that is only human nature. But that is not what the trials are about. No man in his right mind would rather have the trials for than gold. No one is willing or wishing to suffer for suffering sake. You would have to be out of your mind to think that way. Therefore it is not the trial that is precious but what the trial stands for, and what the trial produces in us that are precious. It is the results of the trial, what it produces in us.

Brother Bosworth once was commenting on the early days of Pentecost and how they had to crack corn on the railroad tracks just to eat. He said it was a glorious time but then added, “Mind you, I would never want to do that again.” So it is not the trial itself that is precious, but what the trial stands for, what it produces that is precious to us.

The Wuest translation puts it well when it says, “in which last season you are to be constantly rejoicing with a joy that expresses itself in a triumphant exuberance, although for a little while, at the present time, if perchance there is a need for it, you have been made sorrowful in the midst of many different kinds of testings, in order that the approval of your faith, which faith was examined by testing for the purpose of being approved, that approval, being much more precious than the approval of gold which perishes even though that gold was approved by fire testing, may be discovered after scrutiny to result in praise, Glory and honor at the time of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Church Age Book Chapter 4 - The Smyrnaean Church Age P:18 Why does He stand by? The reason is in Romans 8:17-18, "And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Unless we suffer with Him we cannot reign with Him. You have to suffer to reign. The reason for this is that character simply is never made without suffering. Character is a VICTORY, not a gift. A man without character can't reign because power apart from character is Satanic. But power with character is fit to rule. And since He wants us to share even His throne on the same basis that He overcame and is set down in His Father's throne, then we have to overcome to sit with Him. And the little temporary suffering we go through now is not worthy to be compared to the tremendous glory that will be revealed in us when He comes. Oh, what treasures are laid up for those who are willing to enter into His kingdom through much tribulation.

So you see it is not the trial that makes us glad with exceedingly joy, but our passing the test that comes via the trial. It’s the approval we receive as a result of passing the trial. And notice what Peter tells us here. He says, “which faith was examined by testing for the purpose of being approved,” So you see God gives us our Faith, which is a Revelation, The Revelation of Jesus Christ. And then God tests that Revelation in us, to see whether that Revelation will stand firm in us, and He does this knowing that we will stand firm, for if God reveals it to you, it becomes such a reality to you that no man or trial placed upon you can cause you to deviate from that revelation. And this revelation is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”, for that is what he said here.

if perchance there is a need for it, you have been made sorrowful in the midst of many different kinds of testings, (so you see God knows just what we need, and if you need it he brings the trials to produce in you His own Character and that character reinforces the Hope that you have as a result of the Revelation.) in order that the approval of your faith, which faith was examined by testing for the purpose of being approved, that approval, being much more precious than the approval of gold which perishes even though that gold was approved by fire testing, may be discovered after scrutiny to result in praise, Glory and honor at the time of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Now, notice that the Apostle Paul told us the same thing in Romans chapter 5.

ROMANS 5:1 ¶ Therefore being justified by faith, (and remember, Faith is a Revelation) Therefore being justified by revelation, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith (by the revelation of Jesus Christ) into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. So notice then that this Faith brings us hope in receiving the Glory or Doxa of God 3 And not only so, but we boast in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, approved tried character; and approved tried character, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

So you see, that is why this same Apostle told us in ROMANS 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. 29 ¶ For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his eldest Son, that he might be the firstborn in a vast family of brethren. 30 Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified. 31 ¶ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

So the trials are not against us, they are for us, and we must come to the place that we truly believe that God has our best interest in His mind when we are going through these trials.

Therefore these three points we are looking at from this opening prayer this morning, are:

1. He says these weakening conditions and afflictions are put upon us to perfect us. The trials are to produce in us praise, glory and honor. Praise being the fruit of the lips giving praise to His name, in other words, saying what He says. That is what confession is, it means to say the same thing. The next thing it brings is honor, which is value, we begin to value what God values, and finally it brings us glory which is the Doxa, the opinion, assessment, the judgment of God. In other words, the very mind of God in us to know His will and to know what to do with it.

The Spoken Word is the Original Seed 62-0318E P:175 Notice, what harmony. Jesus never did anything until seen of the Father or the Father showed Him first: (Harmony between God and Christ. See? John 5:19) So will the Bride, and He shows Her His Word of Life (He shows Her), and she receives It. She never doubts it. Nothing can harm her, not even death; for if the Seed be planted, the water will raise it up again. Amen. (Now, I got a great big "Hallelujah.") Here is the secret: the Word is in the Bride and the mind of Christ to know what He wants done with the Word, and She does it in His Name. She has THUS SAITH THE LORD. Then it is germitized; so the Holy Spirit waters it until it is grown and serves its purpose. They do only His will. (Amen. I'll believe that.) No one can persuade them different. They have THUS SAITH THE LORD, or they keep still. Then they will do the works of God. For it is Himself in them, continuing His Word to fulfill as He did complete in His day. All things when He was here--He did not complete all when He was here, for it was not time yet.

Now, the next point I wanted to bring out that brother Branham said here, is that these great deserts of experience mold the righteous men into saints.

Now, we know the word righteous comes from the old English word meaning to be rightly wise. In other words those that have the right doctrine. Those that are right, but notice the molding is to take us from knowing what is right to being sanctified and set aside for service. That is what it means to be a saint. A Saint is not just someone who claims to believe the Message. Brother Branham said to believe every word he said just means you can read. But God takes that person who is rightly wise and then molds them to the place of sanctifying them and getting them ready for service.

I think one of the most misunderstood statements that brother Branham ever said is when he said the evidence of the Holy Ghost is believing the Word for the hour. People in this message have misunderstand those words probably more than any other statement brother Branham ever said. Why? Because they do not understand the process of the new birth. Brother Branham also said,

Token the 63-0901M P:103 Don't just come this far, say, "I believe the message." You obey the message. Come into Christ. You say, "Oh, I believe every word you said, Brother Branham." That’s good. But that is just being able to read. Take the Message; take it into your heart, that you must have the Token, the very Life that was in Christ, be in you.

But the biggest problem I see in this Message is the same problem that every denominational church seems to have, and that is the focus of the church and the ministers is to build up the size of the church instead of the character of the people in that church.

Brother Branham said in his sermon, Convinced then Concerned 62-0118 P:49 We're so concerned today about filling our churches up. We want to see if we Pentecostals can't get more than the Baptists. The Baptists wants to get more than the Methodists. And they're gradually hollering they're getting more and more all the time. But what have they got? They haven't got nothing but just the riffraff from the streets in there, when there shouldn't nothing be brought in the church but the holy and sanctified and set aside. No wonder the sinner has an awful time. Why, the people, even our Pentecostals, presuming that they are Christians, going around and dallying in the world, running to picture shows and parties and dances, women cutting their hair and wearing immoral skirts.

You see god placed in the church a certain five-fold ministry to build up the people, and to bring them through the ministry of His Word into a perfection which is a capping off, or full maturity. But they have not been faithful to that calling. Instead they use their resources to build up a congregation’s size instead of their character.

EPHESIANS 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness 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 in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:

Revelation chapter one 60-1204M P:79 We're of a Kingdom, and we have a King. And He's the King of saints. And the word "saint" come from the word of the "sanctified ones.” Then when a person is sanctified, Christ, the Holy Spirit, moves into the heart and becomes King over that. Oh, my. That ought to go home. Oh, when the sanctified vessel of God... Christ the King, the Holy Ghost, moves in and He... A king has his domain. Oh. Amen. And your whole being is ruled by the King of saints, a Kingdom... Every kingdom on earth will be shook, tore down by atomic power. But the Bible says, "We receive a Kingdom that cannot be moved." Amen. The King of saints...

Finally point number three, brother Branham tells us that the reason for all these trials is to bring us closer to God. And how much closer to God can you get than for Him to place His very own Life in you. That is why we are molded into saints, because God is getting us aside from the world and getting us ready for the filling, and thus ready for service.

Let us bow our heads in prayer.

Dear Merciful Father, Thou the fountain of all Life, we thank You Father, for having expressed your great plan to us through this humble prayer of your servant William Branham. We are humbled Father to think that all that happens to us, and the trials that we go through and the weaknesses we suffer are all to perfect us and bring us from a right knowing into a sanctified condition that you might fill us with your God-Life, and that you may use us as a testimony to this lost and dying world.

Grant us Father to be like minded by placing the very mind that was in Christ into our mortal beings, which we might be conformed to the image of your eldest Son and be considered worthy to be called Sons of the most High God. We ask you to bless us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, for we ask these things in that wonderful name you named your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ., Amen!