Questions
and Answers No. 7
Laying
in the Presence to Ripen
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
Wednesday June 13, 2007
1 GOD'S PROVIDED
PLACE of WORSHIP 65-1128.1M 40 I believe
the church is beginning to hear the Message, and beginning to understand. But
friends, listen, we've got to lay in the Presence of the Son, we've got to be
ripened. Our--our faith isn't ripe. Intellectually we're hearing the Message
that God has give us, and seeing the signs that He showed us, and proving it by
the Bible as that; but, oh, how the church needs to lay in His Presence till it
tenders up in the heart, gets sweet in the Spirit so that it can bathe down.
Sometimes in speaking the Message, you get harsh, have to break it in like
that, because you've got to clinch a nail to make it hold. But when the Church
once gets It, the Elected is called out and separated (then in the Presence of
God), I know it'll be something like the people was there when it takes its
Rapture.
2 ROMANS.12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to
every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he
ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man
the measure of faith.
Dealt,
merizo signifies to
divide into parts, and give out, hence to share. To portion out.
Now Faith is a gift from God to each of
us that believe. and like any real Father, He wants us to be happy and be
blessed and be fulfilled. So He gives us gifts. And this being Christmas time
and we seem to celebrate the Birth of Christ by giving gifts, I would like to
take the Message this morning on this subject. But to keep in the same channel
of thought as we have been studying from the Message of God's only provided
place of Worship, and this is number 14 in our series and I believe, number 6
in our mini series on Faith, I would like to look at this subject on Faith in a
different sort of way this morning. Faith is a Gift from our Father. And as a
gift, it is for our use and enjoyment. Now gifts come in all shapes and sizes.
We give our children gifts with many different purposes in mind. Some gifts are
for their education such as books and certain types of games, while other gifts
are given for their recreation and enjoyment such as bicycles and skates and
skis. We also give our children gifts of clothing, and of food, and music and
for various other reasons.
3
So you see, Gifts are from oneself to another, and in doing so we want to bring
forth joy and fulfillment to the one we give the gifts too. And so is it with
our Heavenly Father. And so this morning we will examine this Gift of Faith He
has given each of us and we shall look at the many different reasons and uses
that we can use our gift of Faith for.
EPHESIANS.2:8 For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the
gift of God:
I PETER 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, [even
so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of
God.
PROVING.HIS.WORD 64-0816 64
Now, there is also an old proverb that says, "Prove it, and I will believe
it." Now, they got one of our state, one of our states in the nation, they
have a slogan, "I'm from
4
In Romans 12: 3,
we see that God has given to every man the Measure of Faith. And Jesus said in Matthew 17
that if we had Faith the size of a mustard seed we could move mountains. Then
Paul in 1
Corinthians 13, speaks of having All Faith so that we could move
mountains, and so we see that whether you have a little modicum of Faith or
having All Faith it will do the same thing. So why do you long for all Faith
when having a little portion is all you need. It is not the size of the Faith
that is at issue then, since every man is given a measure of Faith, and it
doesn't really matter to what degree or quantity you have. But what really
matters is whether you use what you have.
So then what does it matter if I have all
faith or just that of a mustard seed. Both can move the same mountain. And so
it is not in the measure we must strive for we are all given a measure by the
same Father. I do not give each of my children the same gifts at Christmas time
or at their birthdays. I give them each a different gift, because a gift is
from the heart and as a parent you try to satisfy the desires of each of your
children. And since each child is different and may have different tastes and
different like and dislike, you them meet the desire as best you can depending
on your particular circumstances. I remember when Elisabeth was just a little
baby. Her first Christmas, I gave her a little baby doll. And as each of my
girls have come forth, They have desired dolls and so that is what I gave them.
Now with the boys it is different. One might want a dump truck and the other a
set of cowboy guns or something. Each child has different desires and needs and
we try to fulfill these needs as best we can. And in trying to fulfill their
little desires we give them gifts. This is one way we express ourselves to
them. And our heavenly Father is no different.
5 JAMES.1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither
shadow of turning.
Now, we don't usually give our children
gifts that we don't want them to use. In fact, sometimes we give them gifts
that we wish we had when we were young. My mother told me that my father had
bought me an electronics set for building an intercom system when I was 3 years
old. I don't remember it, but she said she made him take it back. He was an
Electrical Engineer before he went to night school to become a lawyer. So I
guess he had a desire for me and thus he gave me a gift to direct me . So gifts
have all sorts of uses. But the main thing is that gifts are for using. We give
gifts expecting them to be used.
No one likes to give a gift knowing that it will be
put in the corner somewhere out of sight. No, we give gifts as a means of
expressing our selves, and therefore, we give them in anticipation that they
will use it. (Now remember that as we proceed in this study, because I wish to
show you many uses for your Faith this evening.)
6
And so then the real issue we must consider is this. Faith is worthless unless
it is being used. It is given to be used. And when it is used it will produce
in you the very thing it was intended to do. So then Faith has a goal. As we
said before, Faith is the assurance of things we earnestly expect. And so if it
is the assurance of things we earnestly expect, then it has to do with
expectations. So then Faith has a goal. Whether your Faith is just a little
tiny seed like faith or whether you possess all faith. Both will bring forth
the same result. Then we can say that Faith has a result, an expectation, a
goal. And so we must focus our Faith on the Goal at hand. For Faith without an
earnest expectation is worthless. And since Faith is placed within us for our
own use, then it must be used. Now if God places the Faith of His Son in our
hearts to move us and motivate us then surely when we are not operating in the
realm of Faith we can not be pleasing to Him. He is child training us to see
what we will do with our Faith. Didn't Jesus Himself say, "I surely will
do nothing until my Father reveals it to me first"? Isn't that why brother
Vayle has preached so diligently on passive Faith all these years. So that we
might come to the place that we will wait upon the Lord. You see passive Faith
waits for the promise. Passive Faith is patient, and thus it is Mature. Faith
takes over for you, and you rest in that Revelation, knowing that He which made
the promise surely will finish what He has started to do.
7
James 1: 3 Knowing this, that
the trying of your Faith worketh Patience. But let patience have her perfect
work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting noting." And there's your
key.
Faith is to work a maturity into us
through patience. Patience is the one true characteristic of the mature person.
They are willing to wait because they have faith, confidence in the promise.
And thus when we wait patiently for the promise, this waiting is actually an
act of Faith. It then is a passive which has gone to the active. Now, God has
given us each our measure of Faith and it doesn't matter what our measure is if
it all can move the same mountains. So what is important is that we keep our
Faith active. That we learn how to use this Faith, this gift which we have been
all given., Jesus said, He surely can't even do anything Himself unless the
Father shows Him first." So, we then must use our Faith only in what God
has shown us to use it for. And then if He is the One who has given us our
measure of Faith, then won't He be the One Who shows us how to use it and when
to use it?
8
Then it is up to Him to help us to exercise this Faith that He has given us.
Not that I am trying to tell you that we are to be lazy with our Faith, but
let's face the reality tonight. He gives us the measure of Faith we possess. He
allots to each a certain measure, yet it doesn't really matter what measure we
have because it all does the same thing. It all has the same backing, and thus
the same power.
I Peter 1: 7 - 9
'That the Trial of your Faith (Revelation), being much more precious than gold
that perishes, that your Faith may be found after scrutiny to result in praise
, honor and Glory at the Appearing of Jesus Christ:" So we see
here that There is to be a trial or a testing of your faith. Your Revelation.
And the result of this testing will actually produce in you, praise, honor and
Glory. So then the testing will as James said, bring forth Patience, and when
patience has it's perfect work, it'll produce a fully mature son of God in the
very image of the Father just as His First born was. Remember, Jesus Himself,
God's firstborn, learned obedience to God's Word by the things that He
suffered.
9
Now this word suffered is a word which means to under go mistreatment or to be
maltreated on account off the Word sake. So we see that the trial of your Faith
is exactly that. Your faith is put to the test. God places you in situations
because of your faith to see how you will utilize your Faith. Remember Daniel
in the Lion den and the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. They all possessed
the revelation of their hour and so God tested them by it. The Revelation you
possess is your Faith. And thus in order to get you to use it, and to apply it,
God allows affliction and suffering to come your way because of your stand for
your faith. Thus the suffering is a result of your already possessing Faith and
puts you into the place of having to rely only upon your Faith to see you
through. That is exactly what Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego went through. And
Daniel & Moses, Abraham and all God's prophets Each had to go through a
trial of His Faith, A trial of His Revelation. The trial came because of the
Revelation and thus he learned to wait upon God and in due course when God
brought forth His Faith for testing again, it caused the Revelation to energize
his own faith.
You Faith is given you to be used. But
you can't just use it for any purpose. It must be of God's choosing and
according to His timing. But believe me when I tell you this, If God has given
you this measure of Faith, then He will just as surely as He gave you this
Faith, He will test it and cause it to be of use to you. So when you enter into
the trials of your faith, just Let go and let God.
10
KJV HEBREWS 11:
1 Now
Faith is the Substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Now
in examining this scripture we see the word substance means assurance and in Hebrews 1:3
it is used also as the very Nature of God. So we see then it is not only and
assurance to you mentally, but it is the very nature of being confident. In
other words it takes over your whole disposition and changes you from a confused
creature of circumstances to one who is sure and confident. You no longer are
reactionary in your Christian endeavor, but you become proactive. You have
purpose behind what you do. You have a plan that is laid out for you and you
simply follow it.
AMPLIFIED Faith is the assurance ( the confirmation,
the title deed ) of things we hope for or earnestly expect, being the proof of
things we do not see and the conviction of their reality - faith perceiving as
real fact what is not revealed by the senses.
HABAKKUK 2:4 Behold, his soul [which] is lifted up is
not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
11 MATTHEW 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little
faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great
calm. ( Faith lacks fear. Fear is caused by not being sure. )
MATTHEW 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick
of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick
of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
MATTHEW 9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying,
According to your faith be it unto you.
MATTHEW 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw
her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And
the woman was made whole from that hour.
MATTHEW 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his]
hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore
didst thou doubt?
MATTHEW 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O
woman, great [is] thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her
daughter was made whole from that very hour. (Just like Haddie Wright,
whatsoever you say. Speak to this mountain and do not doubt and you can move
it. You Faith can be used for just about any purpose)
12 MARK 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that
ye have no faith?
LUKE 8:25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith?
And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is
this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him. (And what
about creating squirrels? And didn't this same faith stop a storm in
LUKE 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way:
thy faith hath made thee whole.
ACTS 3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath
made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath
given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
ACTS 15:9 And put no difference between us and them,
purifying their hearts by faith.
ACTS 26:18 To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them]
from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may
receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by
faith that is in me.
13
ROMANS 1:17 For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just
shall live by faith.
ROMANS 3:22 Even the righteousness of God [which is] by
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no
difference:
ROMANS 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
ROMANS 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
GALATIANS 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the
works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in
Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the
works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
ROMANS 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth
on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
ROMANS 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir
of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but
through the righteousness of faith.
14
ROMANS 4:16 Therefore [it is]
of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to
all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is
of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
ROMANS 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered
not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet
the deadness of Sara's womb:
ROMANS 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God
through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
ROMANS 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into
this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
ROMANS 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God.
ROMANS 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat,
because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.
15 I CORINTHIANS 2:5 That your faith
should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1 Cor 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these
three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.
II CORINTHIANS 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
II CORINTHIANS 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the
faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus
Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
GALATIANS 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I
live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me.
GALATIANS 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye
the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
GALATIANS 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the
Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, [doeth he it] by the works of the law,
or by the hearing of faith? ( Brother Branham taught us that even Christ
wouldn't of had a ministry if there was no one who had faith to believe. So your
own faith pulls on the gift, what ever that gift is. Whether it be the Five
fold ministry or even God's prophet or even the Holy Spirit Himself.)
16
GALATIANS 3:7 Know ye therefore
that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
GALATIANS 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God
would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto
Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all nations be blessed.
GALATIANS.3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed
with faithful Abraham.
GALATIANS.3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on
the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the
Spirit through faith.
GALATIANS.3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to
bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
GALATIANS.3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith
in Christ Jesus.
GALATIANS.5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope
of righteousness by faith.
GALATIANS.5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
17
GALATIANS 5:22 But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
EPHESIANS.1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your
faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
EPHESIANS.3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with
confidence by the faith of him.
EPHESIANS.3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by
faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
EPHESIANS.4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fullness of Christ: 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of
faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
6:23 Peace [be] to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
PHILIPPIANS 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
COLOSSIANS 1:21 - 23
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked
works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to
present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue
in the faith grounded and settled, and [be] not moved away from the hope of the
gospel, which ye have heard, [and] which was preached to every creature which
is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
18
COLOSSIANS 2:7 Rooted and built up
in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein
with thanksgiving.
I THESSALONIANS 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of
faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in
the sight of God and our Father;
II THESSALONIANS 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you,
brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the
charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
II THESSALONIANS 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that
our God would count you worthy of [this] calling, and fulfill all the good
pleasure of [his] goodness, and the work of faith with power:
I TIMOTHY 3:13 For they that have used the office of a
deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the
faith which is in Christ Jesus.
I TIMOTHY 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of
these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in
the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
19
I.TIMOTHY 6:12 Fight the good
fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and
hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
II.TIMOTHY 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the
holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus.
PHILEMON 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may
become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in
Christ Jesus.
HEBREWS 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as
well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed
with faith in them that heard [it].
HEBREWS 6:12
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience
inherit the promises.
HEBREWS 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water.
20
HEBREWS 10:23 Let us hold fast
the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that
promised;)
HEBREWS 11:3
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so
that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
HEBREWS 11:4 By
faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he
obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it
he being dead yet speaketh.
HEBREWS 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he
should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for
before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
HEBREWS 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to
please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he
is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
21
HEBREWS 11:7 By faith Noah,
being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark
to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became
heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
HEBREWS 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received
strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age,
because she judged him faithful who had promised.
HEBREWS 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid
three months of his parents, because they saw [he was] a proper child; and they
were not afraid of the king's commandment.
HEBREWS 11:27 By faith he forsook
HEBREWS 11:28 Through faith he kept the Passover, and the
sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
HEBREWS 11:29 By faith they passed through the
22
HEBREWS 11:30 By faith the walls of
HEBREWS 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with
them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
HEBREWS 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
HEBREWS 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher
of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
HEBREWS 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you,
who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the
end of [their] conversation.
JAMES 1:3 Knowing [this], that the trying of your
faith worketh patience.
23
JAMES 1:6 But let him ask in
faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven
with the wind and tossed.
JAMES 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God
chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he
hath promised to them that love him?
JAMES 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is
dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew
me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
JAMES 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his
works, and by works was faith made perfect? teleioo {tel-i-o'-o} from 5046;
TDNT Ä 8:49,1161; vb make perfect (12)perfect finish fulfill be perfect
consecrate 1) to make perfect, complete; to carry through completely, to
accomplish, finish, to bring to the end (goal)
JAMES 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the
sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they
shall be forgiven him.
I PETER 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through
faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
24
I PETER 1:7 That the trial of
your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be
tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ:
I PETER 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, [even] the
salvation of [your] souls.
I JOHN 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the
world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.
EPHESIANS 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
I PETER 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, [even
so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of
God.