Preparation #1, The Sovereignty of God

Sunday February 7^th, 1999

This morning I would like to shift gears away from our study of relationships for a while. It has been a very difficult thing for me to these studies, because the majority of things written on relationships comes from outside this Message, and let’s face it, nothing outside the revealed Word comes to life. Therefore, I have had to study, and search and pull and work harder than I am used to and I’m sort of burnt out from all that work.

You know, my ministry works on a gift. I go to my study and I ask God what He would want His children to know, and then as I would open the Message or Scriptures, He takes me on a journey. He shows me what that thing is that Brother Branham is talking about and as I submit myself to those thoughts, I enter into the conduit of His thinking, and then it just flows. But to take a subject like relationships, takes an inordinate amount of study, and preparation work on my part before I can even begin to put together a sermon. Hours and hours of reading, and sifting and seining materials, taking only those things which truly line up with what God’s Prophet has brought to us, and chucking out the rest. And then I only have a sense that what is being said is from God, and only because it lines with what we have learned from His Prophet and by the scriptures.

But when it comes down to it, we as a people like to hear those things because that is our nature. We are all looking for the magic bullet that will improve our relationships, or improve our marriage without having to change ourselves what we are doing, or the way we have approached our marriage. If there is one law I can tell you that will fix any marriage and that will fix any condition, it is the law of sowing and reaping. You get what you put into it, period. In that light Jesus told us to treat others was we would want them to treat us in return. And that about sums up what can and is said in all the marriage manuals that I have come across. One simple principle. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and that is sowing and reaping. Put into anything, and you will get out something. The more you put into it the more you get out of it.

Now with that in mind, I would like to begin a new study this morning from the Message Preparation which brother Branham preached in Owensboro, Kentucky on Armistice day, November 11, 1953. I have chosen this message not only because of it’s title, but because of it’s subject matter. And considering that we have been preparing for the oncoming storm which, whether there is a real storm coming or just a perceived storm coming, I have to agree with brother Vayle who said, “It is not the computer problems that we need to be concerned about, but what they, that powers that be, do with it.”

From an article in the Southampton Newspaper, a suburb of Toronto, Ottowa, written by Jim Bronskill and Kathryn May, and published on Thursday December 3, 1998. it reads as follows.

Food shortages, power and water disruptions and an increase in crime are just a few of the problems the RCMP foresees when the millennium computer bug bites.

The Mounties are preparing for the worst on January 1, 2000, as communities grapple with fallout from the programming glitch that could make electronic systems go haywire or shut down altogether.

A planning document drafted by the force says there may be civil unrest if computer problems knock out basic services, prevent employers from paying workers or leave banks unable to dispense cash.

The RCMP also fear the period of uncertainty will provide an opportunity for the unscrupulous to strike, says the document prepared in September by the Force’s Year 2000 project office.

“An increased risk of criminal activity is likely as people take advantage of abnormal events to disguise illegal activities.”

The warnings follow release of a report by Auditor General Denis Desautels on Tuesday that concluded the government was falling behind in it’s race against the so-called Y2K bug.

But the federal Y2K project team quickly dismissed Desaurel’s concerns. Wednesday, arguing his audit was six months out of date. The team claims departments have completed about 74% of the work needed to have their systems ready by 2000, compared with the 43% the auditor found in June. “This is an issue that moves so quickly that a lot can happen in a few months,” said the team’s Dona Vallieres.

The RCMP planning document says nobody can be certain how many failures will occur. “Disruptions may be isolated or multiple, and the public’s response may either be rational or anarchic.”

The RCMP will be one of the agencies on the front lines of emergency response efforts to any millennium bug problem.

“The force is examining how the bug might affect everything from ambulance services to telecommunications systems, with the aim of helping communities prepare”, said Dave Mooreau, the RCMP’s year 2000 project director.

Now, as you know, brother Branham made a statement that we have looked at over and over where he said, “And God always prepares the people for the events that's just about to happen. And may I stop right here just a minute and say: I believe that the people are in the preparation of the last great destruction this world will ever know. I believe we're at the end. You can speak to people; you could put a Billy Graham in every city in the United States; they'd drink whiskey and smoke cigarettes and laugh at you and everything else just the same. They are in the spirit of the last days. And God cannot send destruction before the people are in the spirit for destruction. God never did--never did destroy anything. Man always destroys himself.”

Now, with this in mind, I felt that this message, Preparation, where brother Branham spoke these words would be a good Message to study. Therefore, let’s begin our study now, by reading from the beginning. As we begin I want you to notice how brother Branham begins first by speaking of the sovereignty of God. He sets the tone for this entire message by first declaring God is sovereign and He has a plan. Now keep that in mind, as we begin. And also keep in mind the subject of this entire message is preparation.

E-1 001 I don't know what the Lord will do. Coming over I usually fast and wait till I feel the anointing of the Spirit on me. Let none come get me till that time. If they knock on the door, I don't even come out. Then I come right to the platform, then I start praying for the sick immediately; 'cause there's a different anointing when you're speaking on the Word here and when you're under the inspiration. Now, let me explain it one more time so that you'll thoroughly understand. Gifts and callings are without repentance. Do you know that? You can never make yourself something that you're not. See? You're born in this world sovereignly by God with different things to do. You take a man that wants to be a preacher and goes off to get himself an education. He will never make a preacher. He might make a lecturer, but preachers are borned. God calls preachers. That's right. See? And you might try to be a singer and you set up and squeak tenor for four or five hours every day, or something there like that, you'll never make a singer. Singers are born. That's right.

E-2 002 Well now, in gifts and callings... Now, like on this... How many of you here ever dreamed a dream? Let's see your hands. Well, there's most of you. Certain percent of you never, and that's right. There's some people doesn't dream dreams. They never had a dream in their life. But they can't help 'cause they don't dream a dream. They just don't dream a dream. Now, what is a dream? Now, let's listen close. It's your subconscious. And here you are, here's you in your first conscious, here's your second conscious. Now, when this conscious inactive, this one becomes active and you dream of things that you did while you were here in the earthly conscious, this conscious. Then when you wake up in this conscious, this one's inactive, You remember things that you dreamed years ago. Is that right? Well now, there's some part in you somewhere, because it's impressed this conscious so much that you remember what you saw while you was in this conscious. If you understand, say, "Amen." You understand. See?

E-3 003 Now, what if I told you, "Dream me a dream." You say you can dream a dream, why, dream me a dream. Why, you couldn't do it if you had to. Now, God deals in that subconscious. Many times He promised in the last days that old men would dream dreams, but the young men would see visions. Now, a dream is something like a vision, only that you're in a sleep. A vision is not quite that way.

E-4 004 But now, this man can't help because that he dreams a dream. Now, there's some of you here didn't raise your hand, perhaps you never had dreams. Well now, that man, his subconscious is way away from him, way back like at the wall there. He never gets back to it. He sleeps sound. A man that dreams, he is not sound asleep. He's between being awake and asleep, and that's when he dreams. Now, if there's an interpreter, a correct interpretation of dreams... God dealt with Joseph in dreams, and He dealt with King Nebuchadnezzar in dreams, but it's not too accurate. But now, this man can't help because he dreams dreams. This man can't help because he doesn't dream dreams. Now, a seer, a vision seer, or a prophet, whatever you want to call it... A prophet is a compound word. Just like sanctification is a compound word, means "cleaned and set aside for service." And there's many words, and especially in our English words are compound. But a prophet means to give a personal experience under inspiration or foresee something.

E-5 005 Now, but this seer, his subconscious is not back there, neither is it here. It's right here. Both of them are right together. He can't help that. Now, if you're subconscious is back there, there's no reason of you trying to see a vision. You wasn't made up like that. If you're subconscious is here in a dream, if you're a dreamer, not a vision. And this man that sees visions can't help it, he's just made up like that. God made this man not to dream dreams, this one to dream dreams, and made this one to see visions. Now, instead of going to sleep, a seer, his one conscious... He doesn't go to sleep like the dream does, but it's just so close to him till he just breaks from one to another. And he sees things just like a dream.

E-6 006 Could you imagine being asleep and dreaming, wake up and on the platform, asleep and dreaming of this man, seeing him a hundred years ago, or twenty years ago, or ten years ago, or two hours ago. Then wake up on the platform... And here you're talking to him over here. And when you're talking over there you know your voice is here on the platform before a group of people... Here you are standing here seeing a vision of somebody and you see them back yonder twenty years ago up here in the hills of Kentucky, take something that was wrong, and you're standing right there watch them do it, speaking like that, and knowing your voice is back there; yet you're up here in the hills of Kentucky twenty years ago. You let that happen once, and you find out just how--when you come out of it just where you're at. You're just--you're just weaving. And then let it happen again, and the first thing you know, you can't tell whether you're up there in Kentucky or down here, or where you're at. But yet, there's something in the human heart that pulls out the love of God for the people. And in all of that trying... That's a gift. And trying with all of that, with all the heart and strength I have to magnify Jesus Christ... And if any time that anything that I ever say or do that's unscriptural, you owe it to me to come to me about it. That's right. 'Cause here it has to be right here first; this is God's Word. And if everything we do--or isn't found right here in God's Word... Now, it may not be according to your theology. But if it's in God's Word, and God has promised it, that's all right. But it must be found in God's Word, 'cause that's the infallible truth. Paul said, "If an angel from heaven would come preach any other Gospel, let him be accursed."..?. So we know this is the truth.

Now, having read and commented upon these first thoughts that brother Branham is speaking to us in this message, I would like to examine just what a prophet is, and not just any prophet because we know that there are true prophets and false prophets. Just because a person sees visions does not mean that person is a prophet.

In JOEL 2:28-29 we read, ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

And these things, dreams and visions, are gifts from God. But the gift does not necessarily mean that you have found Grace in the sight of God either. These things are sovereignly given by a Sovereign God who answer to no man for what and why He does what He does.

PSALMS 68:18 18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, [for] the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell [among them].

And that is nothing less than the rain that comes forth upon both the just and the unjust. Those who have been forgiven and those who cannot be forgiven. MATTHEW 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Now, in understanding God and the how and why He deals with man through a prophet, let me just say this. We have already established by His word that we are not just speaking about these gifts as though if you have them that means something. But what means something is vindicated Truth. You can do nothing against Truth. Only for it. The truth will endure eternally, and those who are part of it. But try as they may, those who oppose the truth will never be able to do away with it, for Jesus said, “I am the way and the Truth, and no man can come to the Father except through Me.” Now in order to understand what a prophet is let’s first of all hear what Paul had to say about how God deals with the people.

ROMANS 15:15 15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, 16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. 17 ¶ I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ

I CORINTHIANS 2:1 ¶ And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. ( he says, it is not what I know or what I have been able to study that will do you any good) 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: ( it was not with a wonderful delivery that I spoke to you, but it was backed up by God) Why? 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. The Paul begins to clarify himself. Notice the next verse, 6 ¶ Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: (In other words, I am not saying that what I have to tell you is not wisdom, but it is not wisdom as this world considers wisdom. It is God’s special Wsidom for you that is beneficial to you.) 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory..

Now, this tells us that when God sends a prophet, with a word to declare, it will not be received and is not meant to be received by the world. It is from God to a certain elect people who alone are ordained to receive it. That is why it has been kept hidden from the world. And notice also that Paul never links Himself to the past. He does not say, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is a key to understanding Vindication. God does not deal with the past. He deals with the here and now. Paul said, , when I came to you, I came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God, but my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: Vindicated by God Himself. In other words, everything I tell you is backed up by God Himself, and it is by this authority that I speak to you. I am only a conduit, as brother Branham said,

ANOINTED ONES AT END TIME 65-0725M 269 193 Now, I want you to know this is sure. And you that listen to this tape, you might have thought today that I was trying to say that about myself, being that I was packing this Message. I have no more to do with it than nothing, no more than just a voice. And my voice, even against my better judgment... I wanted to be a trapper. But it's the will of my Father that I declare to do, and determined to do. I wasn't the One that appeared down on the river; I was only standing there when He appeared. I'm not the One that performs these things and foretells these things that happens as perfect as they are; I'm only one that's near when He does it. I was only a voice that He used to say it. It wasn't what I knew; it's what I just surrendered myself to, that He spoke through. It isn't me. It wasn't the seventh angel, oh, no; it was a manifestation of the Son of man. It wasn't the angel, his Message; it was the mystery that God unfolded. It's not a man; it's God. The angel was not the Son of man; he was a messenger from the Son of man. The Son of man is Christ. He's the One that you're feeding on. You're not feeding on a man. A man, his words will fail, but you're feeding on the unfailing Body-Word of the Son of man.

ACTS 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Now, I want you to understand this first of all. God sends a prophet because there are a people that God wants to hear a Message. Therefore, if there were no elect people to hear and believe God would not waste His time sending a prophet.

The purpose of God sending a prophet and then backing up that prophet, which we call vindication is to make you know something. God has something that He wants for you to know. And as brother Branham said in this Message Preparation, “And God always prepares the people for the events that's just about to happen. So we see then that God must have a way of preparing the people.

DEUTERONOMY 18:15 ¶ The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well [spoken that] which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him.

In other words, When I send this prophet, he is coming to cause the people to have make a choice. To judge. And with what judgment they make, they will either be saved or destroyed. Jesus said, MATTHEW 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Now, in Deuteronomy we here God telling us that He will send a True prophet to tell us the things He wants us to know. In other words, He will send a True prophet to prepare us for what is coming, or shall we say, for anything that the Lord is about to do, He comes to tell us in advance that we might be prepared for that event. AMOS 3:5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin [is] for him? shall [one] take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? 6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done [it]? 7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. 8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

When God sends you a prophet, it is because God wants you to know something. This is the man then that you must listen to. And He gives you a choice, listen and be saved, don’t listen and be destroyed.

ACTS 3:22 22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, [that] every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

Deut 18: 20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. 21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

EZEKIEL 13:3 3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing.