The Parables of Christ no. 16

The Condition of the Heart

January11, 2004

Rev. Brian Kocourek

Now, this morning we will continue in our study of the parables, and today we will study the parable found in Matthew 15:15 which deals with the Condition of the Heart.

MATTHEW 15:10 ¶ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Let’s also look at this same parable from Mark Chapter 7.

MARK 7:14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

There are five things I would like to bring out from this parable that Jesus is telling us.

1. Jesus tells us that Defilement comes from within, from the heart. Defilement He says, is not a condition of being infected from without, or affected by that which is without, but defilement is a condition of the heart expressing itself outwardly. Therefore if defilement does not come from that which is without, then there is nothing that can defile you unless that defilement is already in you to begin with.

We ask the question, is a man a thief because he steals? Or does he steal because he is a thief? In this parable Jesus tells us our answer to that question. In this parable, it is very clear that a man is a thief to begin with, and therefore he steals. The stealing does not make him a thief for he must think it first in his heart, and then once he thinks it that thought becomes a seed that is planted. Once that seed is planted, then any watering of that seed by that person will bring forth that seed into manifestation.

Years ago I preached a message concerning this called The Garden of Your Mind, and we found that every thought we think is a seed, just like the thoughts that were in God to begin with were seeds.

Brother Branham said, sin is not drinking and smoking and chasing. Those are just attributes of unbelief’. The man disbelieves and therefore manifests that disbelief by doing those things that are contrary to the Word of God.

And we know that we are all born in sin to begin with, we are born in sin, shaped in iniquity and come to the world speaking lies”, as the Scripture teaches.

Therefore, as the Scripture tells us, There is none that is righteous, no not one, and all of our righteousness is as filthy rags. That’s ISAIAH 64:6 ¶ But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name) that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou have hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. 8 But now, 0 LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Now, Jesus links the heart of man with his lips, or the tongue. He says, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

ROMANS 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous) no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat [ an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [ under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

2. Now, point number 2, we find in Matthew 7 where Jesus tells us, A tree can not bring forth good and evil fruit and James tells us, neither can a well bring forth bitter and sweet water.

MATTHEW 7:15 ¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

We also find James tell us concerning sweet water and bitter water that any single fountain can not bring forth both types of water.

JAMES 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [ and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so [ no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

What do Jesus and James mean by these parables? They are saying that out side things are not that which defile a man, but those things that come forth from the heart are the things that defile the man. Then he lists off a whole lot of things that show defilement within the man. He says, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the head of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries) fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit) lasciviousness) an evil eye, blasphemy, pride) foolishness:

23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

And in MATTHEW 12:33 we read, Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit (and we know in the anointed Ones at the end Time brother Branham said the fruit is the teaching of the season, what they teach. Therefore you judge the tree or man by what comes forth from his lips in terms of teaching, what they teach.) 34 0 generation of vipers, (notice he is calling them serpent seed here. He says you generation of poisonous serpents) how can ye, being evil speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 (now we covered this thought here several weeks ago on where your treasure is there will your heart be also. So lets read on, )But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

And why is that? Because it is your words, the things you say that declare where your heart is and what things you hold dear within your heart. So we are looking at what is in there, deep within the heart. For that is the real you and if that has not been born again, you are in a lot of trouble.

3. Then your heart is what you are, it is your understanding, it is what you think and thus what you express. It is what you understand, and thus a reflection of the condition of your soul. And out of the abundance or overflow of the heart the mouth will speak and the body will act those things out.

EXPLAINING HEALING AND JAIRUS 54-0216 E-37 What you are here is a reflection of what you are somewhere else. “Those who He called, He justifies.” Is that right? “Those who He justified, He has glorified” Already in the Presence of the Father, we have a glorified body. Whew! Wasn’t that deep? All right We’ll find out whether it right or not “If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting” Is that right? That’s right So right now, and what we are there, is a reflection. Here, what we are here, is a reflection of what we arc somewhere else. So if your deeds are evil, you know where it comes from. You know where your other body’s a waiting.

Now, in the parable Jesus is telling us that the mouth is the means whereby we know what is in the heart. And if our mouth is not true to what is in our hearts, then we are hypocrites, which is the worse kind of sinner.

CONDEMNATION BY REPRESENTATION 60-1113 4-1 When a person is preaching a doctrine, then you’ve got to stay with your own belief, If you don’t, then you’re a hypocrite. If you say something because someone else says it, and in your heart you don’t believe that, then you’re a hypocrite because you’re saying something that you don’t believe. I’d rather be criticized a little upon things that I do believe than to be a hypocrite in the sight of God trying to compromise with someone else.

I believe that is the reason why I have had so much success around the world teaching the doctrine. It is because I truly believe what I teach is the Whole Truth and nothing but the Truth, and I have not only the Scriptures to prove what I teach is true, but I have also a vindicated Prophet’s own words to back it all up.

Now, there are a lot of people who claim to believe this message but their mouth declares them to be hypocrites, because on the one hand they say, “say only what the prophet says,” and then when you do, they criticize you for it. These are people who say one thing but believe another, and Jesus called them hypocrites. And that is what brother Branham is telling us here.

Now, let’ s see some other things brother Branham tells us about these kind of people.

UNCERTAIN SOUND 55-0731 64 As I was saying a few days ago, either here or somewhere, speaking on the lie detector. Now, notice close now. I want you pay close attention. Put a lie detector on you, and you try to impersonate that truth, and try to say that it’s truth, but down on the inside of you, in the subconscious, lays a place called the soul. And this intellectual mind does not govern that vibration of the system. The mind is only a director. It will direct you, and it’s very incapable of bringing you to God: your mind. You cannot know God by your mind, intellectual It’s one of the resources, or the channels that would lead to it, but your soul is what governs you. You are what you are, by your soul. Jesus said to the Pharisee, said, “Why, you hypocrites. How can you speak good things?” When, they was calling Him, “Good Master,” and so forth. Said, “Out of the abundance of the heart speaketh the lips. And in your heart you hate Me. And in your lips you call Me, ‘Good “‘ He said, “You hypocrites” See, your soul is thinking one thing, and you’re speaking with your lips another thing. What a case. What a horrible thing. What a deceitful thing is a hypocrite. For out of their mind they say one thing, when their soul says another thing.

68 Now, the lie detector will not work on your mind. It’ll work on your soul It’ll not work on your intellects. There ! some people can impersonate the truth. They impersonate. Yet, it being a lie, and can impersonate it till they can deceive like anything. And Satan is the best of that there is, for he has deceived Eve by that way, saying them same things. And the biggest lie was ever told, had a lot of truth in it. 70 Now, this person, what if you could ever get this soul on the inside, so in harmony with God, that your soul and God would be one together, then you could ask what you will, and it shall be given to you. Many people come to me, many times in the prayer line, and stand there, and say, “Oh, Brother Branham, I have plenty faith. I’ve got faith like to move mountains.” And, yet, they haven’t any faith. They hardly have enough faith to get to the platform. But they are conscious of one thing, that they do believe.

They are believing intellectually with their mind. And their mind will never bring them to God. Your mind is reasoning’s. And God has no reasoning’s. 72 If you can reason it out, your mind will tell you, “Now, looky here, the doctor says I can’t get over that. It’s impossible.” Now, the doctor, with his intellects, with His intelligence, with His knowledge of medical science, he’s told you the best of the travel of his mind. And you taking your mind, and using the same thing the doctor has told you, you... God can never touch that line, as long as you reason. But let’s put down reasoning. God never made us to live by our intellect. We live by the Holy Spirit that’s in our soul, that says “no” to any reasoning’s that’s contrary to God’s Word. When God’s Word says its so, there’s nothing in the world stands in Its way. Then when you do that, you’re getting down on the right side of God. You’re getting down, till you can ask what you want to, and it’ll be given to you, ‘cause there’s nothing between there. There’s no reason. Let’s cast away those reasoning’s. They stand in your way. Get your mind out of the way. And don’t you say what you reason, what you see, what you think; say what God says to be the Truth. And that can only come from the inside, from the heart, not from the intellects.

IMPERSONATION OF CHRISTIANITY 57-0120M E-29 And in this being the intellectual type of churches that we have today in America, and all over the world, when we get to that type of school, then the Christian, the believer, the church member, reading the Bible sees that he must try to act humble. He must try to be this way. But in doing so he only makes a carnal impersonation. Let that soak deep. A carnal comparison, he’s trying to act something that he really isn’t in his heart. In his heart he’s thinking one thing, and trying to act another, which in real genuine language, that makes him a hypocrite

E-30 Jesus said, “You hypocrites, how can you speak good things, for out of the abundance of the heart speaketh the mouth.” If you don’t speak according to what’s in your heart, your heart thinks one thing and you speak another, that makes you a hypocrite. The very word “Pharisee” means, “actor” They acted out their religion for they had a stony heart They come and said, “Good Master, we would see a sign from Thee to prove that you are what You said.” Said, ‘How do you call Me good, when there’s none good but God?”

UNCERTAIN SOUND 55-0731 75 There’s where so many people today, is going to be so terribly disappointed at the day of judgment: to know that they’ve lived in church, to know that they have done good deeds, to know that they have treated their neighbor right, to know that they have been loyal to the people, loyal to the church, and in their mind have believed that Jesus Christ the Son of God and be condemned at the day of judgment. Jesus said, “Many are called and few are chosen. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to Life, and but few there will be that find it. “Now, to you people here this morning, I want you to set up and take notice to this. You’re old enough now. You’ve heard enough Gospel preaching, till you ought to be able to get off of milk and to come to a real solid Gospel diet: come to a place where men and women ought to stand. Paul said, “When you ought to be teachers, why, you have to be taught to, yet”

78 Now, in the soul where the man lives, you are what you are in your soul, not in your mind, not in your reasoning. Not because you say, “I will have a better standing. 1 can associate with better company ff1 become a Christian.” That’s reasoning. See? You mustn’t do that Don’t do that Let it become from a new experience, a new Birth, something that’s happened, not in the mind, but in the soul, that’s taken all reasoning’s away, and you become a new creature. And you’re in Christ Jesus.

GOD MAKING HIS PROMISE 56-1209A E-17 Now, if you’re trying just to impersonate it, then it, you’re just making a hypocrite out of yourself You see? ‘Cause you can? do that. Christianity is something that has to come from the heart. Jesus speaking to the Pharisees, said, “Ye hypocrites, how can you say good things when out of the abundance of the heart speaketh the mouth?” Then if the heart thought one thing and the mouth spoke something else, it becomes hypocrisy. See? We must from our heart express exactly how we feel. We must express it from our heart And if we can’t express the right thing, then keep still Don’t say nothing about it And now, if the church ever gets to practicing that, they might have fewer members for a while, but they’ll have better members while they’re having it. God grant the day that when every man or woman will be and express just what they are.

EXHORTATION ON HEALING 51-0501 E-45  We learned this, friends, that God knows what your heart is. See? And if you don’t speak from your heart, then you’re a hypocrite. Is that right? And I really mean it

WORD BECAME FLESH INDIA TRIP 54-1003M 223 Jesus said to the Pharisees, “You hypocrites. How can you say good things?” That’s what made them a hypocrite; they thought one thing in their head, and expressed their lips with something else. A hypocrite is that. That’s what makes a hypocrite. Said, “How can you, being hypocrites. For out of the abundance of the heart speaketh the mouth. You don’t speak what you really think.” And see what! mean? You must say what you think. If you don’t think it, don’t say it. See? Speak your words; let them be come from the bottom of your heart Like Jesus said of that tree, “No man eateth from thee” Why, there wasn’t a shadow of doubt in I- whole heart, what that tree would wither away. Why? His heart was coming from pure from... It was the Spirit of God in Him, that was making Him that way, teaching those disciples a lesson. See what I mean? All right

225 Then let that be pure. Let your thoughts run pure, and your expressions pure. Live pure and be pure. Now, out of your heart proceedeth evil thinking, adultery, and all these different things; if that comes out of your heart, that’s what’s in your heart. But if out of your heart comes righteous, peace, love, joy, oh, my, then it’s coming from a resource here that s made up of that See what I mean? It’s made up of the Spirit of God here that’s expressed Itself through the words, and what you say then will come to pass.

You See then, The hearts that we are born with are no good to begin with. And if that is so, then we are dependent upon God to give us a right heart. God must give us a new heart, for the heart we are born with is corrupt to begin with, then He gives us another Spirit and then His own Spirit

Ezekiel 11:19-21 And I will give them one heart, and! will put a new spirit wIthin you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But [ for them] whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, Saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 36:26-28 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will / put within you: and I will take away the stony head out of your flesh, and / will give you an head of flesh. And! will put my SpirIt within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [ And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and / will be your God.

PP 37 inter veil 56-0121 Notice. There is an intellectual faith. And there’s a faith that comes from the heart. The old unbeliever said years ago, “When the Bible said, ‘As a man thinketh in his heart... “ Said, “That’s crazy. There’s no mental facilities in the heart” Said, “You think with your mind. There’s no mental facilities in the heart.” But last year they found that’s wrong. God was right down in the heart, in the center of the heart, there’s a little compartment where there’s not even a blood cell in it, It’s not in the animal heart, only in the human heart. And they say, it’s the occupation, or the occupant of the soul The soul lives in the head. Then after all, God was right, when He said, “As a man thinketh in his heart.” And I’d like to add, So is he!

And so this brings us to the last part of this question, what about the heart? And the heart Now this is very important that you understand about the head as I just read this wonderful quote. Because “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” And of course if the Soul resides in the heart then what if a man’s heart is removed from him and he receives someone else’s heart? Are they a living soul or just a living beast? What about it? I believe they have already died and their soul has gone to it’s eternal destination and all you have remaining is a living beast. But what of those people who are purely serpent seed? What then? Do they have a soul? Good question.

51 Hear ye Him 60-0712] Man ain’t measured by muscles; that’s beast. Man’s measured by character. I seen men that weighted two hundred pounds and all muscle and didn’t have an ounce of man in him. Throw a baby out of a mother’s arms and ravish her, that ain’t a man; that’s a beast. That’s brute. Man is character. There never was a man like Jesus Christ But the Bible said there was no beauty that we should desire Him. Probably a littIe, bitty Fellow, stooped in the shoulder or something... We all hid as it was our faces from Him. But He... There never was a character like that That’s what real man is. You don’t measure a man muscles, but by the bags of the knees in his pants where he’s been praying. That’s the way you measure a man, by character It’s true.

What does it take to make a Christian Life? 57-0113 Now, I want you to listen for a few moments before closing. I want you to notice one thing and watch closely now. Watch the order of the Scripture, “I will take away the stony heart and give you a new heart.” Now, the heart is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit “And I will give you a new spirit.” I want you to watch the order. Now, many people get mixed up there. They think they got the Holy Ghost, but they just get a new spirit Watch.

What does It take to make a Christian Life? 57-0113 “I’ll give you a new heart, and a new spirit And then I will put My spirit.. “Now, the new Spirit God had to give you a new spirit, but that’s a new spirit God give you so you could get along with the Holy Ghost. With that old spirit you had, you couldn’t get along with your neighbor; you couldn’t get along with yourself; so you know you couldn’t get along with God; so God gives you a new spirit And many times under enthusiasm, and if you’ll watch the life that it bears... I hope I’m not hurting, but / hope I’m uncovering. See? A lot of times you’d think that you’d have the Holy Spirit “Oh,” you said, “ sung; I spoke in tongues.” Certainly. Being that close to it you might do all of that, but that isn’t the Holy Spirit yet See? The Holy Spirit bears record of Jesus Christ Now, He taken, and what did He do? Give you a new heart, give you a new spirit, and then He puts His Spirit, His Spirit in you. It’s just like.. You don’t have to go around and pretend that you’re a Christian man. That new spirit brings new life. The Holy Spirit in your new spirit, in your new head... Your new heart, your new spirit and the Holy Spirit goes right in the center of your new spirit, and your new spirit goes right in the center of your new head.

IMPERSONATION.OF.CHRISTIANITY JEFF.IN 57-0120M Now, when you do that, and don bear the fruit of the Spirit, then you’re in the new spirit You didn’t use to do that; that’s right. But God had to give you a new spirit. Why, the spirit you had, you couldn’t even get along with yourself So how are you going to get along with God? So God had to give you a new head, not a patched up one, a new heart. That’s your intellects that you think with, a new way of thinking. Then He give you a new way of thinking, “Yes, that’s right....{ notice the new heart is a new mindset, a new way of thinking) Then He said after that, “Then I’ll give you a new spirit” What’s that? A new desire, “I want to do right” “Now, / know I’m a Christian, I got to... I’ll smoke one more and then I’ll throw it away. See? And I’ll--I’ll--I’ll just see.. I--I--I’ll just stay home tonight, and you know, I’ll just...” all these little just, just, that’s exactly.., Eve stopped just for a moment. That’s all she had to do. But now, that’s the new spirit Then notice the order of the Scripture. After you get a now heart and a new spirit, He said, “Then I’ll put My Spirit..” See? Oh, what? That’s the what the Scripture says here. That’s the order, the pneumatics and numerical order of the Scripture: a new head, a new spirit, and then My Spirit. E-44 Then God’s Holy Spirit.. God’s new heart that He put in you, sets right in the center of you. That’s your—your impulse, where you--you--your--your emotions goes out And the new Spirit sets right in the center of the new head. And God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, sets right in the center of your new Spirit, and there It controls your emotions. -69 But to accept it, and to have a new heart, a new spirit, and His Spirit, part of the Logos in you controlling your emotions... And when He coos through His Word, you coo back and answer to Him. “Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today, and forever...”

Impersonation of Christianity 57-0127A Yes, watch the order of the Scripture. “I will take away the old stony head, and I’ll give you a new heart.” That’s the first order. Some of them stop on that first order. Now, that’s... You are--you’re just getting started. Then He said, “I’ll give you a new spirit.” There’s where a lot of you Pentecostals fail You had to have a new spirit Oh, you felt good and you felt like that, “Oh, wel4 I just, oh, I feel fine. I--I--I couldn’t have it.” Well, you just got started. You’re just getting fixed up now to just... You’re just coming in line. He had to give you a new spirit. Why you couldn’t get along with yourself with the old spirit So how could you get along with God’s Spirit? So He had to give you a new spirit

Matt 13:15] For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and [ ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [ eyes, and hear with [ ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

So we are dealing with the heart as the receptacle of the Soul. Then the heart and its condition is very important because of the influence it plays on the condition of the soul. You raise up a child in the way they are to go and when they get old they will not depart. Therefore, if you raise up that child in a condition or atmosphere of unbelief, it will have a very strong influence on what they believe the Word of God. A child raised up in a very irreverent home will have a much harder time coming to grips with his need for salvation than one who is raised up in a home where love, and respect for God are taught.

And the five fold ministry can not give you a revelation, but they can prepare your mind to receive revelation from God. And you parents can prepare the minds of your children to receive the Word of God as well. That is your duty before God as a steward of your household.

Deauteronomy 6:4 Hear, 0 IsraeL The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. (and how do you do that? God says,) Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

Blasphemous Names pg. 23, as saying, Coming to your mental faith, right here, comes the Holy Spirit; coming down into your mental faith making it a Spiritual Faith. Then the Spiritual Faith only recognizes the Word.”

And so, in looking at this condition of the mind, we see that God has come down in this hour to bring about a change of our mind that we might receive His mind. Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” And we also know in Colossians 3:4 we are told, that “when Christ Who is our Life shall appear, then we shall appear with Him in the same Glory or mindset.” So then, if it is a condition of the mind, then it must first come to our mind, before it can move down into our heart and soul and take over the very ambitions and desires of our heart. That’s why the scripture tells us, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

in Luke 6: 45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good: and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of his heart the mouth speaketh.’ And so here we find the Scripture telling us that our hearts will only reflect the real treasure that lays inside of it, and it will show what our treasures really are in the things that we talk about.

From the message IS YOUR LIFE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL PP 151, Brother Branham said, “the things that you think on, the things that you do, (the actions), the things that you talk about creates an atmosphere!’

What your mind is feeding upon is only a reflection of your Spiritual condition which is only a reflection of your Eternal destination. Gods Elect will hold His Word as their treasure, and it will reflect in their thoughts and actions as well.

From Enticing Spirits brother Branham said, “you let me see what a man reads, let me see what he watches, listen to the music he listens at, and I can tell what spiritual condition he is in.” He said, “because that’s your appetite!’

From What is the Holy Ghost PP 31, brother Branham said, “You let me talk to a man for two minutes; I can tell you whether he’s received the Holy Ghost or not So can you. It separates them; It’s a mark, It’s a sign. And the Holy Spirit is a Sign. And it’s... Any child that refused circumcision in the Old Testament, which was a foreshadow of the Holy Ghost, was cut off from amongst the people. He could not have fellowship with the rest of the congregation if he refused to be circumcised. Now, pattern that to today. A person that would refuse to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost can have no fellowship among those that has the Holy Ghost You just can’t do it You have to be a nature. Like, it’s... My mother there used to say, “Birds of a feather flock together” Well) it’s an old proverb, but it’s a true one. You don? see doves and crows fellowshipping. Their diets are different; their habits are different; their desires are different And that’s the way it is with the world and with a Christian when you have been circumcised by the Holy Spirit, which means to cut off a flesh.

And so we see that there is a certain diet that we partake of. A crow can eat just anything, nothing hardly will bother him, but a Dove can only eat certain kinds of food. That’s his nature. To eat like a Crow would kill it. And Ill tell you I believe that with all my heart. I heard a tape other night of a certain preacher in this message, and all he did was holler and scream and yet nothing was being said. I couldn’t stand it.

THIRST 65-0919 there is a control tower in your soul, that tells you the spiritual things that you have need of, something in your spirit, and, and you by this can tell what kind of a life is controlling you. When you—when you can see what your desires are, then you can tell, by that, what kind of something that’s in you, that’s creating this desire that you have. See, there is a certain thing that you thirst for, and it--and it can tell you in your soul what this desire is, by the nature of the thirst that you have. / hope that you can understand that.

So what we are looking at here is the fact that God has made us to receive His Word with our minds first and then He will anoint the understanding He has given us and t then drops down into our Soul and becomes a Spiritual Revelation. So we are dealing with the mind here and that is why we see Brother Branham pointing to the deteriorating condition of the minds in the people. Now this brings up a question that was handed in to me.

Now, as I have said, the Soul is that part of man that identifies the man. It is His very Life, and nature of the Spirit. When we read I Thess 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [ pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see that the word for Soul here is the Greek word, Psuche which is also translated as the word Life. When Jesus said, he that will lose his Life for my sake shall save it, he was using the word Psuche that is also used as the same word for your soul as we see in I Thess 5: 23 and so many other scriptures.

Now many men have tried to place the Soul as being inferior to the Spirit and men such as Doctor Larken before brother Branham came along, even taught that there is a difference between the Soul and the Spirit. But they could not place it correctly within the Body itself. They taught that the outer is the Body which is correct. But then they taught that next to the body lay the soul and inside of the soul lay the spirit which is error. Brother Branham taught us after the Seals were opened that the first Ring is the Body, then the Spirit and then the Soul. This means that the Spirit was in between the Soul and the Body. In between or in the midst or middle.

Now the question was asked, Where is the mind And we must answer according to the scripture and what Brother Branham told us, the Mind is in the spirit. Yet our Soul still has the last say on our choice. But the Affection, and reasoning, and emotion and memory and conscience all exist in the realm of the spirit. But the Soul is the nature of that spirit. And the next part of this question is Where and what is the Soul? I think I answered this part by saying what the soul is . It is the nature of your spirit. The very Life of your being. Now you ask, where is it. It lies within the deepest recess of your heart.

5. When we are born of God we can not any longer sin, because it is God’s Seed that remains in him. Then that which comes forth from the heart is only Good, and will reflect the fruits of the spirit.

177-1 PERGAMEAN CHURCH AGE CHPTR 5 ‘1 know thy works.” These are the identical words uttered to each of the seven messengers relative to the people of God in each age. As they are spoken to the two vines (true and false) they will bring joy and gladness to the hearts of one group, but they ought to strike terror in the heads of the other. For though we are saved by grace, apart from works, true salvation will bring forth works, or deeds that will please God. I John 3:7, “Little children, let no man deceive you; he that DOETH (worketh) righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.” If this verse means anything at all, it means that what a man DOES he 13. James 3:11, “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” Romans 6:2, “How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” Matthew 12:33-35 “Either make the tree good and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit. 0 generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the head bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” Now if a man is born of the Word (Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever. I Peter 1:23) he will produce the Word. The fruit or works of his life will be a product of the kind of seed or life that is in him. His works, therefore will be Scriptural. And that Word will judge us in the last day. In fact the Word is judging even now, for it is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the head. It cuts asunder the carnal from the spiritual It makes us living epistles read and known of all men to the glory of God. “I know thy works.” If a man fears that he might not please God, then let him fulfill the Word. If a man wonders if he will hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” let him fulfill the Word of God in his life, and assuredly he will hear those words of praise. The Word of truth was the criterion then; it is the criterion now. There isn’t another standard; there isn’t another plumb line. As the world is going to be judged by one Christ Jesus, even so it is going to be judged by the Word. If a man wants to know how he is making out, let him do as James suggested: “Look into the mirror of God’s Word.

Therefore we must train the heart, and the Soul by the Word of God. When a person is born again, he is not filled. The filling comes as you replace the unbelief with belief in the Word of God. And then how do we know what we are believing in our heart? By what things we speak. Unless you are hypocrite, and purposely are acting one thing while you are believing another, you will speak from your mouth what is in your heart. 2 Corinthians 4:i3 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;.”

Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation..”

PROVERBS 18:20 ¶ A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; [ with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

PROVERBS 13:2 ¶ A man shall eat good by the fruit of [ mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. 3 ¶ He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: [ he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

PROVERBS 12:17 ¶ he that  speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. 18 ¶ There is that speaketh like the piercing of a sword: but the tongue of the wise [ health. 19 ¶j The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue [ but for a moment 20 ¶ Deceit [ in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counselors of peace [ joy. 21 ¶j There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief 22 ¶ Lying lips [ abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly [ his delight

Proverbs 10:11 “THE MOUTH OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN ISA WELL OF LIFE.”

James 3:11. A well is not to give forth bitter and sweet water, is that correct? THE MOUTH OF A RiGHTEOUS MAN ISA WELL OF LIFE.”

Proverbs 12:19: ‘THE LIP OF TRUTH SHALL BE ESTABLISHED FOREVER:.

Notice-it! The Lip’s of Truth... and What is Truth? John 17: “THY WORD IS TRUTH.” What ‘will be established? God’s Word, not yours and mine. Proverbs 12:19: “BUT A LYING TONGUE IS BUT FOR A MOMENT.”

What’s a “LYING TONGUE? Anything but what the Word of God is, because Romans 3:4:LET GOD BE TRUE, BUT EVERY MAN A LIAR;...

Anything we say about a thing when God has not said it, is a lie. He alone has the Truth. Proverbs 12:18: ‘THE TONGUE OF THE WISE IS HEALTH.

JUBILEE YEAR 54-1003E 127 When you are thoroughly convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and in your heart, now, not in your imagination, but in your heart something echoes down there, and said, “Now, I am saved.” that’s all you need, right there, brother. Confess it out, and let your words go out. And then watch, watch your life from then on. No more than a corn could bear cockleburs, neither could that man bear evil fruits. He will have to bear good fruits. Jesus said, “He that heareth My Words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, has Everlasting Life, and shall not come into condemnation but’s passed from death unto Life.” That’s because you believed, not imagine, but you believe It. It become a thought in your heart. The next thing, you expressed It as a confession. He that will confess Me before men, him I’ll confess before My Father and the holy Angels” Then something anchors. Thats the reality.

I JOHN 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Let’s just bow our heads in a word of Prayer.