Preparation #21 (I'd Rather Have)
Brian Kocourek
Preparation 018 Don't depend
on your knowledge, and don't never try to figure anything out that God says. If
you could figure it out, or I could figure it out, or any other preacher could
figure it out, we would be equal with God. We are not supposed, and never will
be able to figure it out, because when we can figure it out, it's not faith any
more. We've got to accept it by faith. Is that right? God said so. I don't know
how. I can't tell you how He's going to do it, but He's going to do it 'cause He said so. That's the basis. God is going
to do it because He promised to do it. He's God, and He can't break His
promise, how it is. And some of God's preparations has been so ridiculous
to the people who depend on the tree of knowledge. God's preparation has been
absolutely ridiculous to the natural mind, 'cause the natural can't conceive
the things that are of God. Because they are foolishness to him, and he just
thinks it's horrible to think. "Why, God would do..."
Now, I believe sometimes we try to press too hard and we find ourselves
pressing for an answer from God, and when we do that we do more harm, not only
to ourselves, but those around us as well. We mustn't do that. We must learn to
trust God. Did not He promise us, that if we really Love Him all things would
work together for our good? Then what are we worried about. We should be the
most relaxed people in the world.
Q & A COD
54-0103M 057 Now, I'll admit that people study too much, and
try to go too far ahead, and try to
think too hard, and sometimes have mental breakdowns and things on account
of studying about the Lord. You must
quit that. You don't have to do that. The only thing you have to do is fall in love with Him, and just go
right on loving Him. Amen. It's not
trying to push into something or make yourself something you're not; just
go ahead and let God use you the way He
wants to use you. Just yield
yourself; commit yourself and walk on, happy, singing, rejoicing. That's
the way. 058 The Bible said, "All things work together for good to them
that love Him." So just be sure that you love Him; that's the only
thing you have to know. Amen. Just love Him and walk on. Say, "Lord, I
love You; You know I love You." "You love this?" "No, Sir,
I love You, Lord." See? Say, "Well, don't you want to be... Wouldn't
you like to be a great preacher? Wouldn't you like to be this?" "No.
Now, Lord, what... If You want me to be, I will. If You don't... Amen. I'll be
right here, just a doormat at this church." "Well, now, I believe if
you do something like this the people would think a lot more of your
church." "I don't care what
the people think; I want to know what You think, Lord. I'll just stay right
with You, what You tell me to do. I love all them, sure." "Well, now,
you know Sister So-and-so; you don't love her." "Yes, I do, Lord.
Yes, I sure do. I love her." "Why?" "'Cause You love her,
and You're in me. And I have to love her, 'cause
it's You in me loving her out of me." Whew. That will get it.
I'd like to read 1 Corinthians chapters 1 & 2 from the
1 Corinthians
1:9 God is ever true to His promises, and it was by Him that
you were, one and all, called into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ, our
Lord.
1:10 Now I entreat you, brethren, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, to cultivate a spirit of
harmony — all of you — and that there be no divisions among you, but rather
a perfect union through your having one
mind and one judgment.
WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND
THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE INTELLIGENT
I WILL BRING TO NOUGHT.”
1:22 Seeing that Jews demand miracles, and Greeks go in
search of wisdom,
1:23 while we proclaim a Christ who has been crucified — to
the Jews a stumbling-block, to Gentiles foolishness,
1:24 but to those who have received the Call, whether Jews or
Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1:25 Because that which the world deems foolish in God is
wiser than men’s wisdom, and that which it deems feeble in God is mightier than
men’s might.
1:26 For consider, brethren, God’s call to you. Not many who
are wise with merely human wisdom, not many of position and influence, not many
of noble birth have been called.
1:27 But God has
chosen the things which the world regards as foolish, in order to put its wise
men to shame; and God has chosen the things which the world regards as
destitute of influence, in order to put its powerful things to shame;
1:28 and the things
which the world regards as base, and those which it sets utterly at nought — things that have no existence — God has chosen in
order to reduce to nothing things that do exist;
1:29 to prevent any
mortal man from boasting in the presence of God.
1:30 But you — and
it is all God’s doing — are in Christ Jesus: He has become for us a wisdom
which is from God, consisting of righteousness and sanctification and
deliverance;
1:31 in order that
it may be as Scripture says, “HE WHO BOASTS — LET
HIS BOAST BE
IN THE LORD.”
CHAPTER 2
2:1 And as for myself,
brethren, when I came to you, it was not with surpassing power of eloquence or
earthly wisdom that I came, announcing to you that which God had commanded me
to bear witness to.
2:2 For I determined to be
utterly ignorant, when among you, of everything except of Jesus Christ, and of
Him as having been crucified.
2:3 And so far as I myself was
concerned, I came to you in conscious feebleness and in fear and in deep
anxiety.
2:4 And my language and the
Message that I proclaimed were not adorned with persuasive words of earthly
wisdom, but depended upon truths which the Spirit taught and mightily carried
home;
2:5 so that your trust might
rest not on the wisdom of man but on the power of God.
2:6 Yet when we are among
mature believers we do speak words of wisdom; a wisdom not belonging, however,
to the present age nor to the leaders of the present age who are soon to pass
away.
437
2:7 But in dealing with truths
hitherto kept secret we speak of God’s wisdom — that hidden wisdom which,
before the world began, God pre-destined, so that it should result in glory to
us;
2:8 a wisdom which not one of
the leaders of the present age possesses, for if they had possessed it, they
would never have crucified the Lord of glory.
2:9 But — to use the words of
Scripture — we speak of THINGS
WHICH EYE HAS
NOT SEEN NOR EAR HEARD, and which have never entered the heart of man: ALL THAT
GOD HAS IN READINESS FOR
THEM THAT LOVE
HIM.
2:10 For us,
however, God has drawn aside the veil through the teaching of the Spirit; for
the Spirit searches everything, including the depths of the divine nature.
2:11 For, among
human beings, who knows a man’s inner thoughts except the man’s own spirit
within him? In the same way, also, only God’s Spirit is acquainted with God’s
inner thoughts.
2:12 But we have not
received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes forth from God,
that we may know the blessings that have been so freely given to us by God.
2:13 Of these we
speak — not in language which man’s wisdom teaches us, but in that which the
Spirit teaches — adapting, as we do, spiritual words to spiritual truths.
2:14 The
unspiritual man rejects the things of the Spirit of God, and cannot attain to
the knowledge of them, because they are spiritually judged.
2:15 But the
spiritual man judges of everything, although he is himself judged by no one.
2:16 For WHO HAS
PENETRATED THE MIND OF THE LORD, AND WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.
WAY TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP 55-1009 E-18
018 I'd rather have a church...
Listen, just a moment. I would rather have a church that knows nothing about
any spiritual gift, and just be so in love with each other and with Christ, I'd
rather have that than every spiritual gift operating in the church. Now, that
might sound hard in a Pentecostal group, but I would rather have it. Where
there is gifts, they'll fail. Where there is gifts, they'll bring confusion.
Where there is gifts, they can be questioned. But where there is love, it is
perfect. That's right. And if you had perfect love you'd have perfect gifts.
That's right. So work first with love. That brings fellowship, and fellowship
brings gifts.
BELIEVEST THOU THIS? 50-0716 052
I'd rather have a man that didn't know split beans from coffee, and knowed God in His heart to deal with my people, than I would
some man with enough education to choke a mule, and know nothing about God.
That's right. God bless your heart, brother. An old fashion sassafras
experience, what we need today.We don't want to know
"genealogy," you need a little "kneeanology."
That's what man needs today. Back to God; back to the prayer life where...?...
speaking out. Pray, hold on to God till it comes to pass. God will do it.
Hallelujah!
WORKS THAT I DO BEAR WITNESS OF ME 51-0413
022 After all, I'd rather have the love of God sealed
in my heart than all the gifts there is in the Bible. That's right.
WORKS THAT I DO BEAR WITNESS OF ME
51-0413 029 "Brother,
I know the Author better than I know His Book." Amen. I'd rather have the
Author anyhow anytime. His Book's fine. That's right. But I'd rather know the
Author. Wouldn't you? And you know Him by the love...
ANGEL.OF.GOD.title TOLEDO.OH
51-0720 But I'd
rather be poor and have favor with God than the best home you got in Toledo.
That's right. I'd rather have it. 'Cause this is my--my work, to serve God.
That's what's in my heart.
RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS 51-0729A E-61
061 I ain't got nothing against,
but we need today... I'd rather have a man with my boy, who didn't know the
difference between split beans and coffee and know the Holy Ghost, than to have
all the education in the world and try to pump into him. That's right.
Hallelujah. I feel pretty religious.
ISRAEL AT KADESH BARNEA 53-0328
written in the Lamb's Book of Life. I'd rather have mine There than in
all the "Who's Who?" Hallelujah. That tells who's who; there's a name
written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
ISRAEL IN THE HOME AND 51 030 Moses was a type of the church organization,
which, he was the law. And Moses glorified himself before the people in the stead
of glorifying God. And God turned from him. And today the church has begin to
glorify themselves in the stead of glorifying God. They're trying to get more
members, better churches, better organs, and better pews, and a bigger church.
God don't give [Brother Branham snaps his finger--Ed.] that much for that. You
ought to be glorifying God. I'd rather have a little old mission somewhere,
cleaned up, down on the bowery somewhere, where they could really get free and
shout, and praise God, and have a good time, than all the great cathedrals in
the world. Amen. That's right. God is finished with the church ages.
SHOW US THE FATHER IT'LL SATISFY
53-0610 I'd rather have God in me than all the
silver and gold in the world. Yes, sir.
TALK ON THE WORD 53-0831 054
Brother, I'd rather have a little bit and be in the Kingdom of God, and
doing what God wants me to do, than have a whole lot, and be away from the
Kingdom of God. I'd rather take my way with a bunch of little holy-rollers and
live in the Presence of God than to belong to the biggest church in Chicago and
be out of the Kingdom of God. Amen.
TESTIMONY 53-0902
032 Those Arkansas people are poor as they can
be. But brother, under them old blue shirts beats some real good true Holy
Ghost filled hearts. Yes, sir. I'd rather have one of them with me any time,
than maybe a slicker with his collar turned around in the back, and I couldn't
trust him out of my sight.
BELIEVEST THOU THIS 53-0906A
I'd rather have a man that didn't know his ABC's and could preach the
Bible under the power of the Holy Ghost than all the theology you could poke
down his throat in ten years. Hallelujah. Whew. What am I feeling this way
about? Look. Amen. Yes, sir. What we need today is what? Is a new cleaning up
in the church. Don't you believe that?
LIFE STORY 53-1108A I'd rather have favor with God than to have
anything that I know of in the world. And if I got favor with God, I can serve
His people.
PREPARATION 53-1111 E-40
040 Strange God appears in fire.
They say this is wild fire. Well, I admit we got some wild fire, but I'd rather
have a little wild fire than no fire at all, wouldn't you?
Q & A COD
54-0103M "I'd
rather have a church that had such a burden on their heart for prayer that they
just stayed at this altar and would be here day and night, and everything else;
and in their house, was constantly in prayer, and humble, and trying to get
people to come to God, and making calls at the hospital, and visiting the sick,
and trying to get people to come to church and do right. I'd rather have that
than all the other put together; although the other is right, it belongs in the
church."
REDEMPTION BY POWER 54-0329
I'd rather have a little fanaticism than to set still and do nothing. I
sure would. A man that's going to do something...
TO SEE JESUS 54-0718E E-52
052 Now, you know me, that I
only have a grammar school education. I know nothing of psychology. I know
nothing about medics. I know nothing about the anatomy. I--only thing I know, I
love the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart. That's all I know. I'm
uneducated, illiterate, and I have no abilities of my own, not even, a--a
normal personality. That's right. But I know one thing, and I'm thankful for
that: I know how to submit myself that Jesus Christ can work through me. That's
the... I'd rather have that than all your education that there is in the world.
I'd rather know how to submit myself to the Spirit of God, and say, "Lord,
here I am." I'd rather have that secret in my heart, than have the secret
of every hydrogen and atomic bomb in the world, or could be made. For it's more
powerful than all the atomic bombs that could be thought of. So under His
everlasting wings, I take my refuge tonight, and in the Name of Jesus Christ, I
minister to the sick. The Lord bless you.
MANIAC OF GADARA 54-0720A -I'd rather have favor with God and be
called a holy-roller, or fanatic, or whatever they want to call me, and have
favor with God to know that He's standing here this afternoon, than all the wealth
Chicago's got or all the glory that the world has got. I'd rather be standing right here now a
holding this picture and telling you what that is and know that He's standing
right here within five feet of where I'm standing right now. I'd rather have this
feeling and consolation that I have right now, than to be king over all the
earth for a million years. That's right.
UNPARDONABLE SIN 54-1024 77
028 Yes, sir. I'd rather have
that than all the popularity of the women, men, or whoever it was on this
earth. I'd rather have favor with God.
GOD PERFECTING HIS CHURCH 54-1204
I'd rather have an old plow boy couldn't say his ABC's, teaching my
children the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ, than all the D.D.'s in the world that knows nothing about God. Nothing
to your theology...
GREAT WARRIOR JOSHUA 55-0119
I'd rather have one filled with the Holy Ghost, and full of God's
power, than a thousand times thousand church joiners. Rather have one alive
with God who'd believe.
SEVEN COMPOUND NAMES OF JEHOVAH
55-0120 I'd rather have prayers than all the
money.
FELLOWSHIP BY REDEMPTION 55-0403 real Divine taste of fellowship with
Christ, I'd rather have it than all the vacations and things in the world.
ENTICING SPIRITS 55-0724
I'd rather have a drunkard with me any day than a liar
RESULTS OF DECISION 55-1008
I'd rather have a man preach
to me with a pair of overalls on and mud on his shoes and know God, than all
the D.D.'s that you could put before me. The...
Hallelujah. Back to the old hewing line again, brother. That's where we ought
to go, somebody to preach the full Gospel, believe in Divine healing, the power
of God, the resurrection, that Jesus the same yesterday, today, and forever.
JEHOVAH JIREH 56-0429
I'd rather have favor with God than anything I know of.
LOVE
56-0726 I asked my
wife, not long ago, I said, "I want to ask you something, honey,
I..." I said, "What is real true value placed on?" I believe I
told you that though, the other night, what the true value... Nothing but lost souls, is the only thing
that's got any value in it. Money passes away. Homes decay and go away.
Everything in the earth moves away. The only value, lasting value, I'd rather
have one soul in glory, that I won to Christ, to know and see that that Light
of God circles around that soul, through all eternity, my name to be associated
with that, than to have every penny of money in the whole earth, 'cause I'd
have to lose--lose it all. But what you send up there, is Eternal. And that's
the reason we're trying. My lost brother
and sister tonight without hope without God, that's why I'm here to speak to
you, to try to get you to love the Lord Jesus.
SPIRITUAL ADOPTION 56-0923 I'd rather have a man that didn't know
his abc's to teach my child, that had the Holy
Spirit, than all the professors in the world who didn't have the Holy Spirit,
for he speaks of the Father. See? And the Holy Spirit speaks of the Father. And
then It'll teach the child not to be tossed about with every wind of doctrine,
but to accept and believe the principles that the Father has laid down. That's
the reason Divine healing becomes so simple to the real believer, because he's
been taught of the Holy Spirit to believe all things.
GOD KEEPS HIS WORD 57-0115 029
I'd rather have an old home with no rug on the floor, and with a little
old iron bedstead setting there, and an old dresser somewhere, or whatever, and
a little old kitchen table made out of boxes with a sign hanging on it,
"God bless our home" than all the fine homes in the world, your
pin-ups and nonsense that you have today, and a Bible laying on the table
instead of all these old love story magazines and things laying around of dirt,
and filth, and lust, and everything else to breed into the children. How can
you expect anything else but a bunch of infidels and agnostics to answer out.
That's true, friends. Bring up a child in the way that it should go, teaching
him on the Word of God. Abraham Lincoln, until he was a grown man, had two
books: One of them was the Bible and the other was the Foxe
"Book of the Martyrs." Abraham Lincoln... And he studied that so
hard, he read; he--he concentrated on that. That's what developed that kind of
a character that Abraham Lincoln was.
JEHOVAH JIREH 57-0326 I'd rather have the Presence of God
with me and be called a "holy-roller" than be a archbishop in some
other church that couldn't believe the powers of God. That's right. If I had to
worship in a mission or a brush harbor, I'd like to be where the Spirit of God
is. That's exactly right.
WE WOULD SEE JESUS 57-0516 you have the privilege tonight to have
Christ by you. And what... I'd rather have that than all of the money the world
ever did have or ever would have. To know that I'm standing here now in the
Presence of the Lord Jesus, the Redeemer, and His loving grace has reached out
to us. Here He is, standing here tonight, doing the same things that He did
when He was here on earth, working through you and through me. Well, if He just
worked through me, and didn't through you, it would never work. It's your faith
that does that.
THIRSTING FOR LIFE 57-0613 042
Listen, I want to say this just on the side. That's the kind of songs I
love. I'd rather have them, than all your little old chopped up boogie-woogie
things that you try to put in church and take the place of the old fashion
hymns. It'll never do it. No, sir. The Holy Spirit loves those old fashion
songs.
THIRSTING FOR LIFE 57-0630 I'd rather
have favor with Christ then to be the president of the world.
THIRSTING FOR LIFE 57-0630
I'd rather have that real sweet, mellow Holy Spirit moving into my life
and making all the world pass away, than to have all the noise and... Now, I believe in shouting, sure. I shout and
scream myself. That's right. I believe in every gift. I wouldn't be here
preaching healing. I believe in all those things. But brother, that isn't it
yet. That's not it. These gifts and signs, that's not it. It's Christ in the
heart. That's it. Then you'll stay. That's life.
HEBREWS CHAPTER 6
57-0908E There's something about those
old fashion songs, the old-time hymns. I'd rather have them than all these new
worldly songs put in, in Christian churches.
JEHOVAH JIREH 58-0127
I'd rather have someone preaching in my church, that didn't even know
his ABC's or knowed split peas from coffee. If he knowed Christ in the power of His resurrection, I'd rather
have him, than all the students and scholars that these incubators could hatch
out in their theological machines. I don't mean to be rude by misstating facts.
We want men and women who know God, separating themselves from unbelief.
HEAR YE HIM 58-0209A I'd rather have His love than every gift
He's got in His Kingdom. Give me His love. That's what the world is looking for
today, is to see a display of real love. It'll win souls when you got love.
They can tell it when you got love. We got to much make-believe love.
WILL CHURCH GO BEFORE TRIBULATION
58-0309E I'd rather have my hopes built in Christ, taking my
solemn stand upon His grace and mercy, than any educated group of people who
would form an organization, say, "This is the way." Christ said,
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Light. And no man cometh to the Father
except he comes by Me."
WHY ARE WE NOT A DENOMINATION?
58-0927 Why, here's a far greater gift right
here. Which would be the best, the gift of the Holy Ghost of wisdom to put the
Word of God together and to show the church where we're standing, than just to
get somebody healed? We all want to be well; but I'd rather have my soul well,
than my body well anytime. Oh, my.
GOD'S PROVIDED WAY 59-0415A I'd rather have my spirit covered with
the robe of His holiness, than to have the best suits that could be bought in
all the world. Sure. Rich in the Kingdom of God.
IMAGES OF CHRIST 59-0525
a sweet Spirit? I'd rather have it than anything I know in the world.
I... You can take all the rest of the world and its fancies, all your
intellectuals, all your doctors, rabbis, bishops, holy fathers; give me Jesus.
That's right. Just let me have Him that old fashion way. I feel Him way down in
my heart. And watching my lives and sees my desires is to serve Him, humble,
meek, and lowly. That's what we need, friends, is a re... That's Jesus. That's
the Jesus of the Bible, not a Jesus of the intellect, but a Jesus of the soul.
DECEIVED CHURCH BY THE WORLD 59-0628M I want the
real Holy Ghost like is on me now. I want to keep It. I'd rather have It than
all the things of the world.
Q & A COD 59-0628E
I'd rather have a man that really knowed God
if he didn't know his a-b-c's to belong to my church
(right) as long as he's the seed of Christ.
FROM THAT TIME 60-0716 I'd rather
have somebody with one of my children out here on a--in the sage brush field,
somewhere down by an old stump, that didn't even know his ABC's or know which
was right or left hand. If he knows Jesus Christ, I'd like to have him by side
of my child, before I would any professor that knows a lot of theology, and
knows no more about God than a rabbit knows about snow shoes. I want... I'll
tell you, brother, what we need today is back to the Bible and the old fashion
baptizing of the Holy Ghost back into the church, and so much of this other
stuff cut out. I'm not trying to support ignorance. I mean, if you've got the
education plus that, amen. But the educational covenant will fall one of these
days, but the covenant with God will last forever and forever and forever.
It'll go on through the eons of times into eternity
AS THE EAGLE STIRS HER NEST 61-0122
I'd rather have a little wild fire than none at all.
PRESUMING 62-0408 I'd rather
have my name on the big Book up there, than the big board down here.
WHY
62-0622E I'd rather lose
my job than lose my life. "Your wife will leave you." I'd rather lose
a wife than lose my Christ. … I'd rather have my neighbor make fun of me and be
right with God.
SUPER SIGN 62-0624 I'd rather have love than all the gifts
that God has, because where there's tongues, they shall cease; where there's
prophecy, it shall fail; but when it's love, it endures forever.
JEHOVAH JIREH PART 2 62-0706 I'd rather some man, being my family or
my child, that didn't know the difference between split beans and coffee, and knowed Christ. That's right. Take him out yonder somewhere
by an old stump and kneel down on his knees and pray with him till the Holy
Ghost comes into him. I'd rather have that than all the psychology you could
pour into him by a doctor's degree. Tell him the Word of God. Yes.
FALLING APART OF THE WORLD 62-121 I'd rather have my consolation built
upon the Word of God, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Presence of
Christ, than all the security that politics or churches could ever give you.
Certainly, 'cause I know That'll stand6
TURN ON THE LIGHT 64-0125 I'd rather have what I've got, than all
the education in the world. I have Jesus Christ. And I see Him live His Word
right through, and that's all I need to know. And if a man is born of the
Spirit of God, he'll search the Scripture to see if It's the answer for today.
The answer of the day is Christ. Christ is the Word. When the Word comes to
life, It shows the Light that's promised of the day. In this dark Laodicean age, just a few, "As many as I receive, I
chasten, I rebuke. Repent," Jesus said, "and return back." Turn
to the Word. He is the Word. Come to Him. Yes, sir.