Questions and Answers #37
The
Attitude of Christ no. 3
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
December 2, 2007
This Morning we will continue with our study on the
Attitude of Christ. This will be number three in our series.
This morning I
want to focus our attention on point number four of the five points concerning
the attitude of Christ. Thus far as we have examined the attitude of Christ, or
we have seen that an attitude is not a mental conception, Or something that
just resides in the mind. The actual definition of the word attitude strongly
suggests to us that it has to do with the body and an outward expression of
your thoughts, feelings, etc. which are displayed using the body or body
language.
Spiritual amnesia 64-0411 P:29 So we find out when this
spiritual amnesia get a-hold of the people, then they're in a bad condition.
Now, we find the same now. Now, You must be identified. Somewhere you must show, your
life shows, tonight, where you are
identified. You are identified either in Christ or out of Christ. You are
not halfway. There's no such a thing as a drunk sober man. There's no black
white bird. You're either a saved, or you're not saved. You're a saint or a
sinner, one or the other. And your
spiritual attitude towards God's Word identifies you, exactly where you're
standing. God's Word vindicated, proved, that the baptism of the Holy Ghost
is just the same as it ever was on the day of Pentecost, or any other time. And
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And your attitude
towards that identifies whether you have spiritual amnesia or not. That's
right. No matter whether you're a deacon, or even if you're a preacher; it
doesn't make... They get it too. So we find out it's contagious, and hits the
whole thing.
Palmerworm cankerworm caterpillar locust 53-0612 P:26 The
way I treat you, that's my attitude towards God.
Demonology 1 Physical 53-0608A P:23
I take it myself, and before God as my Judge, I put it in the
Gospel work yonder, so I know that on that day that I'll--when I will have to
give an account for my stewardship, it's given correctly. That's exactly right,
'cause I realize as I treat the people I'm treating God. Just my attitude
towards you is my attitude towards Christ. And your attitude towards me is the
same thing (That's right.), towards Christ.
Thus far we have
examined three points concerning the Attitude of Christ, or perhaps I should
say, the attitude of Christ that we should have, and in doing so we have seen,
what an attitude is and what the right mental attitude is. We found that there
is only one right attitude and that is what God thinks about it, and His
actions toward the object of the attitude. We found that Jesus Christ came to
earth to display to the world God’s attitude towards the world, the sinner and
the Seed of God. We found that the right
mental attitude will produce what it is meant to produce.
We examined the
Scriptures, and took a handful of people in the Scriptures and examined there
reaction to the Word of God. Their reaction to the promises of God was their
attitude towards God and His Word, for He is the Word. We showed by many infallible Scriptural
proofs that the right mental attitude towards any divine promise of God will
bring it to pass.
We also examined
Hebrews 11: and we read of many examples of
men and women who displayed the right mental attitude towards God’s word and we
saw how they received the thing God had promised them.
Painted face Jezebel 56-1005 P:12
The Bible says that they were examples in
Hebrews 11. And on over in 12 it says, in Hebrews,... seeing that we're
compassed about with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight, and the sin that doeth so easily beset us,... that we might run with
patience the race that's set before us, Looking to the author and finisher of
our faith;... (the Lord Jesus Christ.) Now, if we see what God did back there
to those people, upon certain attitudes that they taken towards God, and then
if we find out if we'll take the same attitude that they did, we will receive
the same reward that they did. You can just expect, 'cause God never changes.
He's just the same. His blessings is the same, and His penalties is the same.
And Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Last Sunday we
also showed you why we must have a right attitude? Because the attitude is what
brings the results. If you do not come
with the right attitude you will never get anything from God except a rebuke,
and hardship. And that is the way it is with anyone in life. You all know that
raising children. That is one of the first things you teach your children, is
to have a right attitude towards others and to have respect for Mom and Dad,
and authority. And that is the way it is with God.
So you see the
importance of our attitude and the atmosphere that it creates. We set an
atmosphere by the attitude we express by our body language, and the tone of our
voice, and the way we look and the way we posture our body. Body language means
something to people, and it means something to God. It expresses our attitude.
This morning I
wish to speak on point number 4) and that is how our attitude affects those
around us.
Hebrews Chapter 7 part 1 57-0915E P:86 Your
attitude towards Christ will make a great impression on what your children will
be. Your life that you live before your family will make an impression on what
your children will be. 'Cause the Bible said that He'd visit the iniquity of
the parents upon the children to the third and fourth generation. Now, just a
few moments before closing. And therefore if perfection... (There's your
perfection again.)... were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the
people received the law,) what further need that there come another priest
should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of
Aaron?
Look at the
attitude of
GENESIS 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in
law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for
the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto
his sons in law. (the word mocked here speaks of jesting or play acting. It was the way he
said it to them that they doubted his sincerity, they thought he was only
kidding, and it cost them their lives.)15 ¶ And when the
morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and
thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the
city. 16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the
hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being
merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
Discernment of spirit 60-0308 P:1 Our
heavenly Father, I want to express if I can this morning, how in my heart I
feel towards One, the holiest of Holy coming down to the earth and to redeem a
sinner like myself. And I'm sure that these ministers that's present now can
feel the same way, that it was by Your grace that we have been made the
ministers of this covenant that Thou has given with Adam's fallen race. And we
are here this morning, Father, gathered for no other purpose but to know and to
study to know, rather, the will of God and what we must do to make Christ real
to the people of this generation. Knowing
surely that in the day of the judgment we will be brought face to face with
this generation. And, being ministers, we will be judges. And the people to
which we have spoken to, and their
attitude towards the Word that we bring them, will determine their eternal
destination. Therefore, Lord, in that day we would be a judge for or
against the generation that we preached to.
Notice the attitude
they take towards the Gospel that I preach will determine their eternal
destination. Then how ought we to handle the word of God in such a way as to
never knowingly provoke those who are listening to us to turn away from what we
teach because of our own attitude towards them. You can preach the truth with a
Sword and hammer or you can preach it with sincerity and humility and perhaps
by the way you preach it, some might listen that would not have otherwise. And
to realize that life and death lays in our hands as we teach the Good
news.
How sincere
ought we to be, and how consecrated to the truth ought we to be, that to know
that the attitude people take when they hear this great Gospel of the doctrine
of Christ, and if we should preach it with an attitude ourselves that would
cause others to turn away, how they could end up eternally sealing their doom.
Then it ought to be done with love, and sincerity and compassion, with all
humility before God.
Demonology 1 Physical 53-0608A P:23 I
take it myself, and before God as my Judge, I put it in the Gospel work yonder,
so I know that on that day when I will
have to give an account for my stewardship, it's given correctly. That's
exactly right, 'cause I realize as I
treat the people I'm treating God. Just
my attitude towards you is my attitude towards Christ. And your attitude towards me is the same thing
(That's right.), towards Christ.
Angel and three pulls 51-0414 P:8 Now,
the people's attitude... Some people make up their mind, that when they come to
the meeting, that they're coming to find something to criticize. Well now,
Satan will be sure to show you that. If you come determined, you're going to
find something good, God will show it to you. Now, it's your attitude, dear Christian. And notice.
God in His people 50-0227 P:3 And then, as I bring Christ to you, He will be on your hand. And you'll have to answer for what attitude you
took towards it: if you turned it down, or if you accepted it. God will
have you to answer for your attitude of this meeting, so you must realize it's a very sacred thing.
Jesus keeps all of his appointments 64-0418E P:97 Would
you let Jesus set in this day? You say, "If I'd have been back there, if
I'd have seen Him like that, I wouldn't have done that." What about it
right now? Your own present attitude
identifies what you'd have done then. See? The attitude you take now, you
feel like that you're well enough? All right. That's between you and God. I'm
not no judge. I'm just responsible for the Word. See? He's here in the meeting.
They come out of churches too. But they're going in to settle it right now.
That's all of it. They're ready. Why do you want to live a halfway Christian
life for? Either be for God, or be
against Him, so the world will know your colors and know where you stand.
God bless them as they go. They're going in just like to die out to themselves.
They're going to give their life. They're going to
You see how your attitude identifies who
you are, and what you stand for?
Look at Balaam,
and his attitude towards the children of
BLIND BARTIMAEUS
56-0407 E-65 Now,
brother, that's all right. Now, we love the Lord Jesus. It happens to be
tonight, a man is to start the prayer line off tonight. And we're happy to have
this man standing here. He comes to proclaim that he's got faith in God. And he
comes not for that, and then he comes this way, knowing that he believes me, as
His servant. For what if he would be standing here as a hypocrite, or anything,
and penned it. You know what would happen? Perhaps what he come saying, he'd
take. How many knows that those things happen, that's been in my meeting? Oh,
I've seen them stand in the prayer lines; they'd have to pack them out. I've
seen them drop on the platform where they were standing. I've seen
epileptics...?... and run through screaming and jumping, throwing their hands
and everything else. I've seen them walk right there and drop there cold dead
as could be. That's right. We're not playing church.
E-66
You remember that night at that--over there in Toronto, Canada, when
that minister come to the platform, and he thought it was a mental telepathy.
So he said, "What it is, if the person writes what they got on the prayer
card," now imagine, writing their sin on...?... All right. Said,
"Then he transfers it to... The usher picks up the prayer card, holds the
prayer card, and meditates, and transfers it to them." And he come in the
prayer card--in there with a whole lot of stuff on his prayer card, he had, TB,
and a lot of things. He come up there; I said, "There's nothing wrong with
you." He said, "Oh, look. Look at my prayer card." I said,
"It's nothing to do with it. You're here trying to find out something. You
think it's telepathy. Now, the disease that you put on that prayer card, is on
your body." That's right. And when he did, I got a letter here about two
years ago from him. He said, "Oh, Brother Branham, come to me." I
said, "You see that man setting up there in the balcony with the red tie
on, blue suit? You and him set together last night a table, had a green cover
over it. And a woman set over in the corner. And you said that you'd come prove
that it was mental telepathy." And that man said, "That's the God
Almighty truth. That's right. That's right." And the man grabbed me by the
pant's leg, he said, "Pray for me, Brother Branham." I said,
"That's between you and God now. It's out of my hands. He's done spoke it.
That's you now." And the man's laying bedfast to this day. How about up
here in
Look how Pharaoh’s
heart grew harder each time Moses came with a demand to set the people free.
Look at his arrogant attitude. Pharaoh is known throughout all history for his
attitude and the display outwardly of his lack of respect for God.
And notice how
that Easu is noted for his attitude towards the birthright and how he
despised the birthright, and gave it away for a meal ticket.
CAN WE SEE JESUS 58-0619E E- How many has been in meetings and seen
impersonators come to the platform, fall right on the platform paralyzed and
have to pack them out, and they're still paralyzed. Some of them lose their
mind, and go completely insane, put them in the institution to die. See? Just
depends on what the Holy Spirit says. The curse that He puts on them, that
stays forever. See? So just watch now and find out whether it's right or not.
And what about
the Pharisee that invited Jesus to supper? What is that story written
for in this Bible? It is to show us a comparison between having the right
attitude and the wrong attitude. The Pharisee, had the wrong attitude towards Christ but the prostitute
that came in and washed his feet expressed the right attitude.
And what about
those 20 some students who would not bow their heads, and those demons entered
into their bodies and they had to be taken out because they all came down with
epilepsy?
DISEASES AND AFFLICTIONS
50-0100 158 Might
say, while he's getting the lines lined up, every one in here knows the...
We're trying to say this, that you must be reverent. We will not be
responsible... I have to say this by law every night. I am not responsible for
any critic in the meeting. These things go from one to the other, especially
epileptic and so forth like that. I've seen people come in the meeting
perfectly normal; see a spastic setting here, and this spastic go out normal
and the critic go out crippled. I've seen them come in as many as twenty-eight
at a time, fall with epilepsy, in the floor. These demon powers will find a
place to go. And, friends, that's the Bible. How many knows that's Bible
doctrine? Let's see your hand. This is just the New Testament church in action,
isn't it, friends? the power of Almighty God to deliver.
EXPECTATION THE 58-0508 E-13 Sometimes people are critical. It's
because they don't know. If they don't know any better, then we feel sorry for
those people, that they do not know any better. And it would be a horrible
thing to think, friend... What if you were one of those people who were
critical of Christ and did not believe? If you would've followed the meeting
and noticed what would happen, of the people that's gone insane, died with
cancer, set paralyzed, after the meetings were over... That is not just my
word; that's authentic, on record, signed statements and documents. E-14 I've
seen people in the meeting be paralyzed and have to be packed from the meeting,
who come in laughing, cutting up. I've seen people who lost their mind, and two
days later, found on the streets, officials of the city at Phoenix, Arizona,
entirely insane, died the same way, calling for mercy and asking for someone to
come pray for them. We do not play church. That day is over. We live in the
church of the living God. So let us be reverent and have respects for God Who
we worship.
Jesus keeps all of his appointments 64-0418E P:52 If
He could pull some kind of a gimmick, or--or--or do some kind of a--a
miracle... Like He did before Pilate... Pilate, his only opportunity he ever
had, and he asked Him, wanted to see something done, wanted to... "Let's
see some sign." He ought to have repented. That's what this cruel,
hell-bound world ought to do tonight, is repent of their sins. That's what
these church members ought to do; repent of their unbelief, stand up for Him.
He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And He identifies Himself just like He did then. And the people today take
the same attitude as that Pharisee took, same kind of an attitude: let Him
set, after inviting Him. Yet, they don't want Him; they just do it, like, for
manners. He knows it. We've done to Him today, just like they did then, instead
of washing Him, washing His--the reproach away, instead of trying to stand up,
saying, "You're mistaken. It's the Word of God made manifest. It's what He
promised. He said He'd pour out His Spirit in the last days. We're living in
the last days." Instead of that, we just kind of set back like they did.
We're afraid to take a stand.
Abraham is noted as the Father of
our Faith , and yet it was his attitude that no matter what the circumstances
might be, He was going to believe God despite what the flesh, and the
circumstances might say otherwise.
And what about Job?
Job is noted for having the right attitude.
He said, though the skin worms destroy my flesh, yet in my flesh I shall
see the Lord. When his wife told him to curse God and die the death, he told
her she spoke like a foolish woman, and said, “though He slay me, yet I will
trust Him.”
And what of David?
He wasn’t noted for being a righteous man. Neither was he noted for being a
peace loving man. But he had the right attitude towards God and His Promises.
And when he was wrong he admitted it and confessed his sin, and God forgave
him. And God said, He is a man after my own heart. Look at his attitude when some of his men
because of their great love and admiration for David cut their way through
miles of flesh, just to get him a drink because he thirsted. And when they
brought it back, he could not drink it because it was too precious for the
reason that these men risked their own lives for it, so he poured it out to the
Lord as a drink offering, sacrificing his own thirst for respect to God.
And what of Joseph?
He never performed any miracles? He never healed the sick? He never preached a
great sermon. Nor did he perform any feat of great strength. He never conquered
the enemy through military genius, nor did he fight off the enemy with sticks,
or stones, or even a sword. He never displayed the miraculous in any way, but
what God showed us in so many verses of Scripture, is that Joseph was a man
that had the right attitude towards God no matter what his lot happened to be.
He was no different in His opinion and attitude towards God when he was in
prison or when he was second only to Pharaoh. What an attitude, when he
certainly could have made the fool of his brothers and if he had wanted he
could have taken their lives. But he had the right attitude, and he displayed
it towards his brethren, and his attitude was a fore shadow of God’s attitude
towards us. He not only willingly forgave his brothers for selling him into
slavery, but he knew that God had allowed it to bring him to
And why do you
suppose the story of the Shunamite woman was written in the Bible?
Because one little woman had the right attitude towards God’s anointed.
And why do you
think Hattie Wright’s name is so well known to the message believers in
this day? Because her attitude was right towards God and His Servant. And look at the effect that, that woman had
on Elijah, God’s prophet for that hour. If it hadn’t have been for her
determination, and her positive attitude towards the promise of God, Elijah
would never be known for praying for the young lad to come back from the dead.
And what about
that big colored woman down in
And what if
Jesus? What a great attitude he had. He was willing to let go of his own
thinking and receive the mind of the Father. He said, not my will but thy will
be done. He let go of his own desires,
and thoughts, and speech and actions, and let God direct him in all things,
even to his own death.
Investments the 64-0314 P:20 The Bible said here that they
were rich, said they had need of nothing. This young boy was rich, had need of
nothing. "We're a fine denomination. We've got great orders built. We've
got the brotherhood. We've got all this, that, or the other. We've had our
creeds for the hundreds of years. We set... We have need of nothing. Don't tell
us anything about it." Now, that's more of an arrogant attitude than this
young fellow took. He didn't take that type of a attitude. The Bible said that
Jesus looked upon him and loved him .I wonder today, if in the midst of all of
our confusion and our worldliness, and yet trying to hold our Christian profession,
if it isn't the love of God that
constrains the ministry to stay on the field. I wonder if it isn't the same
thing as here we find Him knocking at the door, trying to get in. Now, we find
these things, they... All through the ages it's been this way.
Testimony 53-0902 P:9 And I told her what I'd just
seen. I said, "I stood here and condemned you, and thought God ought to
come in and tear the place up, with such as this going on. But I've changed my
mind. God forgave me. And I want Him to forgive you." And right there at
that seat, I led her to Jesus Christ. Amen. See? It's your attitude towards things. Don't condemn others. If they do
wrong, be good to them anyhow. Just look over those things. Because God's had
to look over a whole lot for you and I. That's right. God help us to have
that attitude always in our hearts. You pray for me that I'll never look upon
people like that no more. No matter what they're doing. That I'll always look
up on them, that they're creatures of God. That God sent His Son to take their
place. And me as a minister, I'm grateful that He forgive me. And I want Him to
forgive them also. That's the way we should do it.
SPEAK TO THIS MOUNTAIN
59-1123 E-30 The Spirit of the Lord came upon me and I
begin to shake. And it said, the Spirit of the Lord said, "There is a trap
set for you, and be thou careful what you say." … And when we got to the meeting that night I
said to the audience, "Remember, THUS SAITH THE LORD, there is a trap set
for me. And all of you pray that I'll know to do the right thing when this
comes to pass."
E-31
And the next night it happened. The devil sent in two people, a young
boy and girl to break up the meeting. And that was in--it was in, not
I went right ahead
speaking just the same. And oh, he got so immoral with her, till I had to stop
again. I said, "Don't do that, sir, please." I said, "If you
want to make love to the young lady, then you leave the building, but this is
a--a religious meeting." I said, "You shouldn't do that.
Don't--please don't do that while I'm preaching." I started again and he
just made it worse.
E-32 And then when I was turn--I said,
"Don't..." And Something said to me, "Say what you will, and
it'll be done." I stood there. Mr. Mercier, the tape boy, and all of them
standing, Brother Fred, and many of them standing present, the perspiration was
just running from me. Something said, "Say, 'Blindness,' it'll be blind.
Say, 'Death,' and they'll pack them out. Say what you will." I couldn't
speak. I couldn't move. And it just left. I thought, "God, what--what must I
do?" And I turned, and he stood there, and his face white, looking at me.
I thought, "What must I say?" Then I turned, and looked like, before
I knew what I'd said, I said, "I forgive you of your act." And it
must have been just the right thing to say. It was God trying a--a reaction on
an action. That night it was revealed to me that I'd said the right thing. I
knew it was all leading to something, but what was it? What to do?
You know you have
to watch what with a Divine gift what you do with it. Remember what Moses did?
So I must've said the right thing. "I forgive you." For you know
John, young John, wanted to burn up