ONENESS
# 43
Oneness
with God is agreeing with His Word
Brian
Kocourek
Oneness pp. 168 - 169 <read>
168 ONENESS -- JEFF.IN -- V-10 N-2
-- 62-0211
deny the Word of God, you haven't got the Word of God in
you, you
haven't got The Spirit.
You hear the Truth preached, look It up
in the Bible, see It's the Truth, then refuse to do what
it says,
that's not the Spirit of God[1]. Then he says, I don't care
what
you've substituted for the Word, whether
it's speaking in
tongues, getting so excited you shout, How many
churches you have
attended or how many times you've been
baptized, or any other
substitute. [1]The
Word is Truth. That's what vindicates the truth[1].
These other things are fine along with the Word but mean
nothing
apart from the Word.
In PP. 169 he says, "How can the very God that wrote the Bible
turn around and substitute something else for His
Word?" Then at
the end of the paragraph, he calls those that think God would do
so, just "ignorant", then he clarifies
it with saying they are
"spiritually ignorant".
This morning I would like to examine these two things
he says
here.
#1) "How can the very God that wrote the Bible turn
around and
substitute something else for His Word?"
#2)"Those that would think so or do so are Spiritually Ignorant."
Now, let's examine
first the word he uses here, to Substitute.
What does it mean to substitute? What does the word substitute
mean?
SUBSTITUTE: Something serving or used in the place of
another.
You know, according to catholic theology, the pope is the
Vicar
of Christ. The word vicar comes from vicarious which
means in the
place of. A substitute.
And we know that because of that he is
actually antichrist. So that ought to tell you how blasphemous
and antiChrist
it is to substitute anything in the place of
Christ.
And yet brother Branham takes that one step further
and let's you
know that all these things man does are only
substitutes and will
never and can never take the place of the Word of God.
Now, the message
is ONENESS with God and he is attempting to
teach us how we have oneness with God. It is by
the Word of God
and through the Word of God and in no other way can we
come into
Oneness with God except by His Word and through His Word, For
He
is the Word. And when you accept His Word you accept
Him. "For as
a man thinketh
in his heart so is He."So then God [1]is[1] His thoughts and so to you are your thoughts
So, when we read here, that brother Branham is telling
us that we
can not substitute one thing for the Word of God. It
doesn't even
matter if that thing is scriptural substitute.
One Word off or
out of season won't work, for it's Satan's Kingdom. Period.
He said, "The Word is Truth, That's what vindicates
the Truth.”
What Vindicates Truth. The Word. Now, most people think the power
of God in manifestation is what vindicates His Truth.
But Brother
Branham makes a strong point here when he says that the Word
is
what Vindicates Truth.
So people will argue this point and say, The Prophet comes
with
the Word of the Lord and then God backs that up with His
power.
And that sounds real good, but I'd like to ask you, what is
the
Power of God?
Romans 1: 16 says "The Word
of God is the Power of God."
Hebrews 1: 3 <read> NIV "His powerful Word" Or shall we
say "His Word full of Power".
In many places brother Branham quotes 1Cor
Let's just skip a few pages ahead and read what brother
Branham
says beginning in pp. 214 through 216. <read>
214 ONENESS -- JEFF.IN -- V-10 N-2
-- 62-0211
This is God's oneness, when[1]
the spirit that you got agrees with
this Word, and manifests this Word and makes
this Word power to
act the same way It did there.
Now, notice, he
never said, When your spirit makes this Word
power to act the same way but he said When the Spirit that
is in
you makes "This Word Power to act the same way it
did there?"
So we must ask ourselves what Spirit in us?
EZEK 36: 26 - 27 <read>
215 ONENESS 62-0211
Let's say it together.
Oneness[1].
Congregation says, "Oneness" with God[1] "with God" is to have "is to
have" God's Spirit God's Spirit" in you "in you" agreeing
"agreeing" with
the Word "with the Word" all the Word "all
the Word" [1]the
whole Word "the whole Word" and to make It"and
to make It" manifested "manifested" in power "in
power".
He says, "Oneness with God is to have His Spirit
in you agreeing
with All His Word and that will cause His
Word to manifest
Itself in you which is the Word made Power."
216 ONENESS -- JEFF.IN -- V-10 N-2 -- 62-0211
There you are, that's oneness with God. When that power works
in me, works in you, we are one. Amen!
Brother Kidd, when the
power of the Holy
Ghost in me works in you, there's
no
disagreement, [1]the
Word's there[1].
It works. Amen. It makes It what
It is, God made flesh in you [1]by His Word[1]. [1]The Word made
power
among you, every Word[1]!
Now, getting back to
PP. 169, we were looking at his statement
where he said, "How
can the very God Who wrote the Bible turn
around and substitute something else for His Word."
Now, then, notice how
he says this just after he says, "I don't
care how much you spoke n tongues, How much you shouted,
How many
churches you've attended, how many times you've been baptized
or
anything.
These things he lists here are the main things people who
rely
upon experience always go to. All of these things have to
do with
having an experience, or experiences.
Is speaking in tongues a scriptural experience? Certainly it is.
1 COR
Was Cain's sacrifice a scriptural one? Certainly it was.
HEB 11: 4 <read>
DEUT 26: 1-2, 4, 10-11. <read>
So, was Cain's sacrifice a
scriptural one? Certainly it was.
Does that necessarily make it right? No! Not unless it is in
season and in God's Divine order.
What about shouting. We sure heard a few the other night. Is it
scriptural? You bet.
PSALM 32: 11 <read>
The Bible even prophesied that when the Headstone comes it
will
come with Shoutings
of Grace, Grace unto it. ZECH 4:7 "And he
shall bring forth the Headstone thereof with shoutings, Crying
Grace, Grace unto It.
Even God Himself, when He descends with a shout, Cries out Grace,
Grace, and the people echoing back His
Shout cry out "Grace,
Grace unto it!" as He who is the
Capstone and the Headstone comes
down. That's what
this Message is all about. The Grace of
God
shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
Himself descending.
God in our midst. That could cause anybody to shout. They did it
back in Moses day under the Pillar of Fire, we ought to
do so
ourselves.
NUMBERS 23:21b NIV " The
Lord their God
is with them; [1]the
shout of The King is among them[1]."
I Love that translation because it doesn't say that
the shout of
praise for the King, as if it is the people who are
shouting, but
it says [1]the
shout of The king is among them."[1]
Not our shout, His
shout. Oh, we might be rejoicing in it and even shouting
too. But
we can only reflect of echo what he has said.
So we see that shouting is very scriptural. He said, as long as
these things go along with the rest of the Word then
they are ok!
So the emphasis must be on all the Word. Not just a
portion, but
the complete unadulterated Word of God in it's entirety.
He said, I don't care how many churches you been to.
Now that
involves me, see. I've been to around 54
and have preached in
nearly thirty and have sang or participated in opening in
prayer
or some sort in quite a few more since I've come in this
message.
But that don't mean one thing to God. That's ok if it is in
line
with His Word, but it doesn't meanly diddly
squat if it isn't.
I see the young men canvassing the churches and I
think most are
just there looking to put on a show to impress the people or
to
perhaps feather their own position some.
I had a talk with a young minister a while
back who was at
another church. he was really
excited and has the people so
pumped up they didn't even catch a thing he was saying. And that
was too bad because he preached a fine message as far
as staying
right with the Word goes. He wondered why the people didn't seem
to catch what he was trying to tell them. I told him
they were so
caught up into his own emotion that they were missing the
subject
matter. So the last service he toned it down and
began to teach
and you know what? They actually caught something. Maybe some of
the young ones will have benefited from his visit. "Shall
not the
Judge of all the earth do
right?"
But it's not how popular you can become. It's not how many
churches you are invited too. What about those guys who followed
Paul and tried to undo everything Paul
did. They went to a bunch
of churches, but they were just as lost as lost could be.
It's
not how many churches you've gone to. It's whether you
stay with
the Word of God or not. And if you stay with God's Word
you won't
get too many invites back.
He said, "I don't care how many times you been
baptized". You
know he also said, you could be baptized
with the Holy Ghost
every hour of your life and still go to hell. It's that
Seed that
counts.
ACTS 2: 16 - 18 <read>
It's not how many times you've even been anointed by
the Word or
by His Spirit. It's Word upon Word upon Word.
Live or die, sink
or swim. You know, there are even people who have a problem with
that expression and yet I can take and show you where
brother
Branham said it at least a dozen times.
Finally he
said, I don't care what experience you've had. If it
denies this Word it's of the Devil. Even if it's scriptural and
out of season, it's of the devil. Even if it is scriptural and
it's out of God's order, it's of the Devil.
He said, "How can
the very God Who wrote the Bible turn around
and substitute something else for this Word? It's ignorance,
spiritual ignorance."
Substitution and ignorance. The Bible predicted the people
would
be that way in the last days. And it's not just an ignorance as
if they just were not aware. It's a willful ignorance. They
willfully do not want to know. As We read in
!JOHN 4: 6 <read>.
1 JOHN 4: 6 <read>
Thus the scripture reads, "We are of God: he that
knoweth God
Hears and understands our message; he that is not of God
won't
even listen that he might understand."
Now there was a time that God winked at our ignorance, but
that
is well past.
ACTS 17: 22-34 <read>
Now, it said there was a time when God winked at their
ignorance,
but when the Word is presented and you do not move with
it, then
what? It becomes a willful rejection of the Word. What
happens to
them then?
NUMBERS 15: 28 - 36<read>
Now, in that day
the people enacted the judgment. But in
this
hour God will do the stoning Himself. Rev 16 says he will stone
them with hailstones that weigh about a talent which is a
basket
containing about 6,000 denarii or
drachmas and equal to about 240
lbs. ea.
It's a dreadful thing to stand before the Judge of all
the earth
and not receive His Mercy. But if you spurn His Word, your Mercy
is over. In the Ark of the Covenant the Word or Law
was kept. The
box that it was kept in was the Mercy seat. And as 1JOHN 1:7
says, "If
you walk in the light as He is in the Light, you have
fellowship one with another and the Blood
of Jesus Christ
cleanses you from [1]all[1]
sin."
So, to spurn His Word means no more mercy. Now, as long as you
are ignorant of His Word you stood a slight chance of
receiving
Mercy. But What happened to those who knowingly were willfully
ignorant? There is no mercy to be had.
HEB 5: 1-4 <read>
That's why Moses and brother Branham could make an atonement for
the sins of the people as he said when he preached Marriage
and
Divorce. But what about now.
We know better.
There was a time when men did things out of pure
ignorance. That
is what happened with
ROMANS 10: 1 -3[1]
<read>
And what did they do in their ignorance. They turned down their
opportunity for redemption through the blood.
2 PETER 3: 1-11[1]
<read>
They are ordained to be ignorant in this hour. But
this time God
won't wink at their ignorance. They have had ample
opportunity to
hear, but they have willfully turned it down and
therefore are
willfully ignorant. That's why 1 JOHN 4: 6 reads as thus...
1 JOHN 4: 6[1]
<read>
" he that
is not of God won't even listen that he
might
understand."
2 PETER said they were willfully ignorant of the fact
that if
God's Word created the World, then by His Word the
end of it
shall come. He is here as the Judge and He said in [1]JOHN
Words that I speak, they will judge in the last days."
ISAIAH 55: 10 -11 <read>
But what about those who are
willingly ignorant? Let's read on
in
ISAIAH 56.
ISAIAH 56: 1 - 2, 6 - 12
<read>
Notice, it says they
all look to their own way, every one seeks
his own gain from his own corner.
2TIM 3: 1-2 <read> Amplified
" But understand this, that in the last days there will
set in
perilous times of great stress and trouble-hard to
deal with and
hard to bear. For people will be lovers of their own self and
utterly self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an
inordi
nate greedy desire for wealth,..."
I wonder sometimes if those spirits aren't hanging
around the
churches, even message churches. Notice what verse 5 says.
2 TIM 3: 5 <read> Amplified
" For although they hold a form of true religion, they
deny and
reject and are strangers to the power of It-their conduct
belies
the genuine-ness of their profession."
In this Message, we still have our secret sins. The people hide
our televisions like Achan hid
his wedge. But you know what
happened to Achan and his family.
They were stoned. That's in
Joshua chapter 7. Read it. Joshua was called the
Judgment angel
of God and brother Branham said our Joshua is
the Lord Jesus
Christ. And we know that He is here as
Judge. And brother Branham
said those lights they see in the skies are not
UFO's. They are
investigation
judgment angels. I wonder
what they see when they
look into your homes at night. And I wonder what the Lord see's
when He discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts.
MALACHI 3: 5 - 7 <read>
Notice what He will come as. He said, "in that day I will
come
near to you to Judgment."
To judge what? To judge how you are responding to the Word for
your hour. Are you making ready for getting out
of here or are
you still trying to squeeze out what you can out while there
is
still time. Are you preparing your children for a rapture or for
the blast.
MALACHI 3: 6 - 7 <read>
They play ignorant. But they are willfully ignorant. They say,
"Wherein shall we return."
Now let's see if this doesn't hit home. Verse 8
<read>
You say, I pay my tithe. He said tithe and offerings. Brother
Branham said the tithe are to
go to the ministry, for the
ministry of the Word. Not for buildings and phone bills and gas
payments and electric and garbage hauling and building
projects
etc. etc. etc. He said
that is to come from the offerings. yet
this church is negligent in contributing
to the offerings for
support of the building and upkeep. I hold myself responsible up
until today, because I have not held you accountable, and
because
I have never made it an issue before. But I will not shun to
declare unto you the full Gospel of Christ.
I have never made a pull for money and you all know
that. But
this church continues to be negligent in it's desire to
support
Christ's ministry here
beyond the tithe which is God's to begin
with.
It takes about $15 per family per week just to keep
the doors
open. You spend that much on junk food each week and yet
time and
time again their will only be $6 to $9 dollars come
into the
offering plate each week beyond the $60.00 I put in
from my Job.
That is what is the problem with this nation. That's why she is
so in-debt. How can
you people get anywhere spiritually or
financially.
I've been packing this group of people to long. I want
the church
to stand on it's own. I want it off my mortgage.
I want to see
you dedicated. You only get out what you put into it. The ones
who make the most sacrifice are the ones who are reaping
all the
blessings.
MAL 3: 8 - 9 <read>
What curse? Blessings and cursings. Deut 28: 15 - 68 <read>
But all these curses would be blessing if we only live for
him.
We hold our wallets and pocket books more reverently than we
do
our bibles.
DEUT 28 : 1- 14 <read>
The head and not the tail, we will lend and not need
to borrow.