Rising of the Son no 43

That we might become Him

February 15, 2017

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

 

Let us continue standing as we open our Bibles to the Book of Colossians for the reading of our text.

 

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

 

Let us pray, ...

 

Now, this morning we will continue with our study of brother Branham's sermon, the Rising of the Son, and this will be number 43 in our study. We will pick up at paragraph number 88.

 

88 Now, notice this Quickening Power, "Zoe," bringing the Word, the mind that was in Christ was in you then. I'm trying to show you, that you, when God raised Jesus from the dead, He raised up you also, and also quickened to Life with Him (You are now quickened to Life.), although then you were but an attribute in His thoughts, but God had saw all in Him at the finish. See? When God looked down upon the body... (The Spirit left Him in the Garden of Gethsemane; He had to die a man.) Remember friends, He didn't have to do that. That was God. God anointed that flesh, which was human flesh, and He didn't have... If He'd went up there as God, He'd have never died that kind of death; can't kill God. But... He didn't have to do it, but remember, He went there with you in Him. See? God had never separated the Bride from the Groom yet. So when God looked down upon the Body of Christ, He saw both male and female. It was all redeemed in that one Body. See? They are one, the same, same Word. the same Word spoke of the Groom speaks of the Bride.


John 17:14  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

 

John 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22  And the glory (The Doxa, the opinions, values, and judgment) which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

 

89 Well, how can the Bride come and fail to manifest everything was promised of Him, and the Groom come, and He wouldn't be the Bride? But when He did everything, even to proving it by raising Himself up from the dead afterwards, then don't the Bride have to do the same thing, have to be exactly what the Word said She'd be in these last day? Don't She have to return through Malachi 4? Don't She have to be manifested like it was in the days of Sodom? Don't the world and every--have to be just exactly like it is? Isn't these things a perfect identification of the Word of God made known to us? Well, friends, I know I'm keeping you a long time, fifteen minutes yet till dinner, but maybe I'll get through by then. But notice. Looky here. What a perfect thing it is. (I don't know when I'll see you again. See?)


90   Look. Notice this. But God foresaw the Bride in the Groom. Hallelujah. See? To save His Wife, like Adam, He had to go with Her. Adam knowed what he was doing. Eve didn't know what she was doing, but Adam walked out with his wife. See? And Jesus took His Wife's place and became sin for Her.

 

That's Revelations 13:8 "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" and Ephesian 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

 

Let's continue reading, "Remember, He became you; He stood your punishment that you might stand in His place. He stood in your place that you might stand in His place. What a love. What a fellowship. How can we deny it? How can we do anything but love Him, friend. I could stay on it hours, but let's move on a little farther."

 

Now, let me just read some Scriptures so you will understand perfectly that this statement by Br. Branham is very scriptural.

 

The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

And the Apostle John said in 1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

 

And again The Apostle John said, 1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

Again in 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

 

And again in 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

And even the Apostle Peter taught the same doctrine in 1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

 

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

 

1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

 

1 John 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

 

Brother Branham said in his sermon, His wonders to perform 58-0112A P:42 God hates sin, but he loves the sinner. He loves you so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that He might drink the bitter cup for you. Remember, He became you, that you might become Him. He become a sinner, a separated from the Father, when He screamed, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" He was separated from God in His death, that you in your death might have God's Presence. He become a child of sin, your sins, not His own, yours, that you might become a child of obedience. He took your place as a creature of time, that you might take His place as an eternal son and daughter of God."

 

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

 

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

 

Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

 

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

 

Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

 

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

 

Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

 

we can see in all these Scriptures that Christ who was righteous took on our sin that he might take on our punishment as well. Thus He became us that we might become Him. There are 35 sermons where brother Branham taught us that he became us that we might become him. This is not just a trivial pursuit, my brothers and sisters, this is a reality what Jesus has done for us. let me read just a few of them.

 

Earnestly contending for the faith 55-0123E P:12 Look what He was for us. He in His riches became poor, that in His poverty we might become rich. In His immortality He became flesh that He might take our sickness, that in His sickness we might have health. And all of my sins He became; He was sinless, and taking my sins, that I might be sinless. He became me that I might become Him in heaven. He stands as mine and your Representative. Then God don't look to us; He looks to our Representative. Oh, isn't that marvelous, Christ standing in our stead, representing us before the Father? You ever in a court trial? The Representative, He stands as our Attorney, standing to plead.

 

Queen of the south 57-0614 P:27 It is a great hour that we're living, a great day that we're living. And God has sent His Son as a propitiation for our sins. He died in our stead. He was the innocent One that became guilty, that we guilty might be innocent. The story is this. Think of it as you measure your own corruptible life in His Presence. Jesus became you that you through His grace might become Him. You who were going to hell, He took your place, that you might set in heaven with Him at His place. You who were a son of the devil by nature, He took the nature or the sin of your nature that you might become a son of God and set in the heavenlies with Him. That's the story. And He did not leave us without witness.

 

In the following quote brother Branham gives us several eamples of how he became us that we might become him.

 

Hebrews  2 part 2 57-0825E P:16 Men give Him the lowest seat, give Him the worst place, the lowest name. God raised Him up and give Him the highest seat, and the highest Name. That's the difference what man done with the Son of God, and what God done with the Son of God. (1) He stooped that we might be lifted. He become us, that we through His grace, might become Him. (2) He come to the homeless, and became homeless Hisself, that we might have a home. (3) He came to the sick and was made sick Hisself that we might be healed. (4) He came to the sinner, and made sin Himself, that we might be saved. No wonder He was exalted. No wonder He is Who He is tonight. God has exalted Him. And all the powers in heavens and earth is give to Him.

 

Brother Branham said in his sermon What it takes to overcome all unbelief 60-0729 P:52 Right after that, or before that, previous to that, He gave the great 11th  of Hebrews which give a heroes of faith, "By faith Moses, by faith Abraham, by faith Enoch, by faith Noah." All the great heroes of faith, then saying, "Seeing that we are compassed about with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin (the unbelief) that does so easily besets us." Here we are tonight right in the shadows of the coming of the Son of God, and yet, we find the church in anemic condition. We ought to be great, strong, mighty warriors of faith, that would shake a nation. God gives it to us. We would just receive it. So there's little things upon us that holds us back from running. Let's lay aside all those little weights now, because we're looking to the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ, Who was made man on earth, and dwelt among us, and was made sin, that through His righteousness we might be forgiven of our sins. He became us, sinners, that we might become His righteousness. In other wise, like this, He become me that I might become Him. He was the Son of God; I was a sinner. He taken my place, become a sinner, that I might be Son of God. And when we see that, it ought to attract the attention of every man and woman, to lay aside every little skeptic talk. Oh, I love that. Lay aside every weight, and the little unbelief that does so easily beset us. Some little something come up, and we say, "Well, I never heard of that before." Search it out in the Scripture, if it's the Bible, stay with it.

 

Evening messenger 63-0116 P:11 Our heavenly Father, we are laying aside now every other thought, cleansing our minds, and we're coming in Thy Presence for the cleansing of our soul. And we bring before us the Blood of the Lord Jesus. We're confessing that we're not worthy of any blessing that You would give us, but because that He died that we might obtain these blessings, and have told us to come boldly before the throne, that we have access to these blessings through the grace of our Lord Jesus, Who came to the earth, Emmanuel, and taken the place of the sinner. He became we, oh, that we might become He. What an exchange, Lord. A sinful, hell bound life that we had, and to know that One came and taken that life upon Himself, and purged our sins by the shed Blood of His Own Life. It's more than our hearts could even think about, Lord. And then, besides all of that, He made a way to take away our iniquity and to heal us by His stripes. We're so thankful that He promised that He would keep us well while we served Him.

 

Time tested memorials of God 57-0818 P:56 When the Angels question Him one day, "Why did you go to earth," He will come back and present that church without fault, without spot, without wrinkle. There's the material. There's the thing, His reputation. He must do it. That bridge builder had to build the bridge. He must do it or loses his reputation. Christ will have a Church. And He must do it because He came to the earth and become flesh and dwelled among us and became sin that we might become righteous. He become us, that we, by His grace, might become Him. He came to take our place as a sinner, to let us have His place as sons and daughters of God in the presence of His majesty. What a grace of God. How could we say them words are not right. "Heavens and earth shall pass away, but them words will never pass."

 

Notice the same theme in so many sermons he preached, "He became sin that we might become the very righteousness of God. he became us that we might become Him.

 

The Apostle Paul said this very same thing in Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

 

Notice he never said we are to grow up unto him, but we are to grow up into him,  we must become him, for He has already become us that we might become him, grow up into him. The very righteousness of God.

 

Again the Apostle Paul says this very same thing in Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

 

Again if we turn to Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, (That’s also Ephesians 1:3-4 we were in Him before the foundations of the world) For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Now, if Jesus Christ is the firstborn amongst many brethren, then He is the Eldest Son in a very large family of brothers.

 

Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate beforehand, them he also called beforehand: and those whom he called beforehand, them he also justified beforehand: and whom He has already  justified beforehand, them he also has glorified already in His thoughts before the foundations of the world.

 

That is why the same Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and without blame before him (or in His Presence). Then 5: in love  He Has predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

 

So not only did He choose us or select us while we were yet in Him before the foundations of the world, but He that selected us also for-ordained our end to be adoptable sons, and to be conformed to the Image of His Uniquely born, first born son Jesus. So he pre-destined our path to that very conforming to the Image of the first born son. And if we are ordained to be conformed to the image of the first born son, then we are ordained to be him. He became us that we might become him.

 

Now, in the Message Spoken Word is the Original Seed, in paragraph 83 we hear brother Branham say… All of God's sons must be the same. Yes, sir. To be born of the Word and Spirit brings us back to the spoken Word again like in John 3. See? To be born of the Water and the Spirit, what does it do? Then it brings you right back again unto the place of where you should've been at the beginning

 

And I would like to add, where were we at the beginning? The way God saw us in Himself before the foundations of the world. He saw us as, and ordained us to, the adoption of sons.

 

Then brother Branham says, …See? That's the reason of Christ's death: brings us right back again to where? Sons of God.

 

Now, then let’s jump forward to paragraph 85 where he says,


85 Now, now, this brings you right back to the spoken Word. Then we are God's Word made manifest. See? Jesus said the same thing. "He that believeth on Me, the things that--Who I am, what I come for and the purpose I do, to bring a man back to believe the Word of God and take nothing else with it, the works that I do, He will do also." There you are.

 

That is why John 14:12 is such an integral part of who we are and our being conformed to the image of the first born son.  Because if there is no John 14:12 there is no conforming to his image.

 

Now, you cannot be conformed to His image if you do different than he does. You cannot be conformed to his image if you say different than he does and you cannot be conformed to his image if you think different than he does. In fact you cannot be conformed to his image if you live different than he does or do works that are different than what he does.

 

So you see, God wants all His children to be like the first born son. That is His purpose in having many Sons. And we are ordained to be conformed to that Image. And since that Image was the expressed Image of the Father according to Hebrews 1:3 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers through the prophets, 2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us in His Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?


Now, in getting back to what brother Branham was saying, in the Rising of the Son paragraph 86 Why is it not being done today? It's hybrid, bastard children, mixed up. It don't, it's a mule; it don't know what it believes. A mule don't know who his daddy is, who his mama is. He don't... He's no pedigree; there's nothing to him. He's a illegitimate creature. That's the way any person that claims to believe God and don't believe His Word will take a denominational creed and breed it with the Word. See, you're not of God; you're dead. You can't be dead and alive at the same time. So even the Word of God don't even grow. You're just playing the part of a hypocrite. Let that go for bishop, priest, cardinal or whoever it might be. That's right. It's got to be the Word or you're dead, just a illegitimate child. And God's Word... God part won't grow. You might grow in the same field as we're getting to directly, but you're sure not in the fold. It won't grow.

 

That is why we see in Matthew 13 the parable of the son of Man who sent forth sowing the word, and it fell into several different types of people, and if you will notice the Word did not produce any fruit but in only one type of believer.  John 14:12 is that fruit that was produces in one type of believer, those who are ordained to be conformed to the image of the first born son.

 

So you see, if we were in God before the foundations of the world, then as the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet it is not I that is living, but Christ is living in me: and the life which I am now living in the flesh, I am living by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Therefore, it is not I that am living, but Christ, the anointed Life of the Father that was in His firstborn Son, that is also living itself out in me. And that is manifested in John 14:12

 

That is what Paul also said in Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in the same glory, the same doxa, the same opinions, values, and judgments. Thus John 14:12 what he is we are in this world.

 

And that is 1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

 

That means we must come to the place where we are willing to die out to self. We must come like Jesus to the place where we are not trying to dodge the new birth, but we are willing to surrender ourselves to it. So it is not what you do, but what you just surrender yourself to.

 

Brother Branham said in , Hebrews 7 part 2 57-0922 P:43 God takes men and makes them different, not man taking God and becoming different. God takes men and makes him different. It's not what you do, what you will, what you think; it's what God does.

 

Romans  :16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

 

To whom is arm of Lord revealed? 50-0824 P:42 Now, the first thing you must do, is surrender yourself entirely to Christ, and surrender your mind to His Word. "Lord, I won't act upon my own feelings, upon my own thoughts. I will only act upon Your Word. I'll have no control of my own thoughts concerning it. I will act upon Your Word." Now, get that straight.

 

How can I overcome 63-0825M P:48 See, if the little baby keeps trying, "Oh, I can do it; I can do it." And he's just everywhere; He can't do it. Neither can you; neither can I. But if we just hold still and let Him do it, just yield to Him, "Here, Lord, here I am. Just let me be nothing. And I yield; You put my hand in the right place." That's the victory; that's overcoming. The thing you have to overcome is yourself, your ideas, your things, and surrender yourself to Him. He overcome for you. He knows the way; we don't.

 

Uncertain sound 60-1218 P:61 …it's God's love and mercy measured out to you to take It. Don't cost you one thing. Only thing It costs you, is just to surrender your life to Him, and receive It. How simple. Just forget all you ever knew and just surrender yourself to Him. And that's how It comes, is just receive, receiving It that way.

 

It wasn't so from the beginning 60-0306 P:47 Every man's got to be born again, and this sinful nature killed in him, and a new Man born in him, which is Christ Jesus, the Son of God. Then you surrender yourself completely to Christ, and Christ comes in, and writes a book of acts through you. How I know that's the truth, my friend, how I know it's the truth.

 

Christianity :s idolatry 61-1217 P:90 We, in His image, a living image of a living God. When you surrender yourself to God, and God comes into you, what does it make you? A living image of God.

 

So that is what we want to be by God’s Grace this morning, just a living image of the living God, just Like his First born son was. But we must die to self, and we must surrender our hearts and our minds to God and accept every word that he says, as our guide, and as our instructions for how to Live and how to Love.

 

Jesus said, "the things I speak are what my Father commanded me what to say." There you are, that’s how to be the Son in the Image of the first born.

 

Listen to what Jesus said of His relationship with the Father. 

 

In John 12: 49-50 "For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak."

 

And He also said in John 5:19 "the Father works and I work hitherto." Not, my own ideas of what I think my Father might want me to do, or say. No, that’s not it at all. That would be our own mental reasoning. But He said, "the Son can do nothing but what He sees the father do, that doeth the son likewise."

 

From his sermon From that time 60-0302 P:21 Brother Branham said,  "And she got down on her knees, and I asked her to pray. And she prayed for a few moments; she looked over at me, and she said, "Brother Branham, I now am going to make a new start." I said, "Sis, it won't do one bit of good. You're going just exactly the same road you've been over. It won't work. "And she said, "I mean it in my heart." I said, "I know you do, but that devil's stronger than any mental powers that you could put to him. That's the reason I don't believe in an intellectual religion. I believe a man's got to be born again of the Holy Spirit. It's got to be deeper than your thinking, it’s got to be an experience." And she said, "What must I do?" I said, "Just stay right there." And we prayed and prayed. I went ahead and prayed with some people and come back. She was praying. I come back to her again, and after while I come back, and she was deeply in sincerity. In a few moments, she raised up, with tears running down her cheek; she looked me in the face. She said, "Brother Branham, something's happened." I said, "You don't have to turn no new pages now." The woman's married and got a family, and a lovely, sweet, born again Holy Spirit filled saint. 'Cause God could take her back to a place where she started to do wrong. That's His goodness, and from that time, she was a changed woman. From the time of a young girl, to at one time she was evil. God taken her back, and from that time she was different.

 

You see, God is not coming for a people who think his Message is just a new creed or something. And the Doctrine of Christ is not theology to be argued over, no, not at all. The Doctrine of Christ is a reality of your position in the family of God. 

The Doctrine of Christ, to know it and understand it from your heart will bring with it the same Life that was in the first born son, and you will see your own life become a reflection of His Life. Because God wants to live out your life for you, in your own set of circumstances.

 

Paul said in Ephesians 4:11  "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying" (that’s the building up) "of the body of Christ: 13  Till we all come in the unity of The Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man," (that’s a mature man) "unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:" 

 

You see without the knowledge of the Son of God, without the Revelation of Jesus Christ and our understanding of the relationship between the Father and His First Born son, we would never know how to act as children of God. We will never grow up.

 

Paul said in verse 14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working" (that is the energy of God) "in the measure of every part,"

 

So it matters not what measure you have been given, that same energy of God will work in you in the same way, in the same nature and with the same results that it worked in the whole, and it will) "maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."

 

The trials and tests God gives to each of you are very unique to your own life circumstances, and God wants your vessel to reflect Himself through your circumstances.  And it matters not who you are. My circumstances are different with my wife’s circumstances and hers are different from our daughters. And each of my daughters have a set of circumstances that are unique to themselves, but God wants to live out their lives and show Himself the same yesterday, today and forever in each one of them, and in all of his children's lives.

 

No matter who you are, if you are a son or daughter of God, he wants to borrow your body, so just loan it to him, or give it to Him, Just surrender yourself to Him that he might use your vessel to manifest His life through it. That is what God-Life is all about. It’s not seeing what you can do with this vessel, but allowing God to use it to see what He will do with it.

 

When I go overseas and speak to brethren who live in such a different world than we live in, yet I see that we have the same Father and God wants to live out their lives no less the same  as he lived out His life through His son Jesus. And that is because God has already ordained it as brother Branham said in the Spoken Word is the original seed, "All of God's sons must be the same."

 

And so It is God that sets the circumstances that surround your life. He did it, not you. It was not good luck that placed you where you are? It was God who set you where you are today. Psalms 37:23The footsteps of the righteous are ordered of the Lord, and he delights in his way.”

 

Proverbs 16:9  A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

 

Proverbs  3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

But where I see the problem with the church today is that the people want to dodge what God has for them. We do not accept that our set of circumstances means anything to God. But it does. And your unique sort of trial is there to build His own character in you.

 

From his sermon, Turning Northward 61-0129 P:20 These twin revivals, one brings forth a man that's supposed to be intellectual; most have been schooled. They're trying to dodge that issue of new birth. The church is trying to dodge it. Today we take people in by water baptisms, put them in the church by water baptism. You might put them in the church by water baptism, but you'll never put them into Christ by water baptism. You got to be born in there by the Spirit. That's right. As I've often said, I say again. I don't care what kind of a birth it is, any birth is a mess. If it's in a pig pen, or if it's in a corn shock, or if it's is a pink decorated hospital room, it's a mess. And so is the new birth a mess. It'll make you do things that you never thought you'd do. It'll make you weep, bawl, cry, and raise up your hands, and turn all kinds of shines, and everything else. And you'll act disgraceful before a starchy, self-styled group. But you don't care, as long as you get birth out of it.

 

Why 61-0128 P:46 Now the thing of it is, that they're trying to dodge that new birth. They got too much prestige. They got too much head knowledge.

 

(That is why brother Vayle said to me, brian, the people that come int this message that were either rank heathens of Catholics do best when it comes to understanding this message, because the Baptists and pentecostal come in with too much knowledge that they learned wrong, and have a lot more to purge in their minds than the heathen or catholic)

 

brother Branham continues, "Whenever you get to a place that you feel you're just a little better than somebody else, when you get to a place that you think that your stand in life is just a little higher than the other one, you ain't going to get it anyhow. That's right. But there's one thing about the new birth: it'll make a tuxedo suit and a pair of overalls put their arms around one another, call each other "Brother." It'll make a gingham dress and a silk dress put their arms around one another, and call each other "Sister," whenever you really get down to business with God. That's right".  

 

Meanest man in Santa Maria 62-0630E P:83 And the new birth is the same thing. It's a mess. But it comes life out of that mess. Only way you can receive life, is through a birth. It's messy, but it makes life. People try to dodge it. They don't want to wash the mascara off their face. You'd look a whole lot prettier if you wouldn't wear it, Yes. If you'll try a little Acts 2 and 4, it'll beat all that Max Factor ever could make. I'll tell you that. If you'll just try a little of that, it'll be an eternal beauty, a sweet, meek, quiet spirit. That's what this woman had. That's what Esther had when she come before the king. That's the reason she overrun the other girls, because she come adorning herself with a sweet spirit before him.

 

Now, listen, All men try to dodge what God has for them. Even Jesus Christ Himself tried to dodge the cross what God had for him, did you know that? Jesus Christ, our eldest Brother. The first born of God wanted to dodge the Cross, but after praying all night he just surrendered Himself to God’s will for His Life. Now, that is not my opinion, that was what a vindicated Prophet of God said.

 

From his sermon, Souls in prison now 63-1110M P:94 Brother Branham said,  I've told you the Truth. I've hated to do it, not hating because I don't want to do what God tells me to, but I love you. I don't want to hurt you, so what am I going to do? But pure Divine love will drive you to do it. Jesus even prayed to dodge the cross. "Is it possible that the cup should pass," said, "nevertheless, not My will, Thine."

 

And from his sermon, God hiding Himself in simplicity 63-0412E P:132 When you surrender fully, He'll come in fully. But until you surrender, He can't come in fully. Surrender. Surrender your thoughts; surrender your thinking; surrender your life; surrender your all; surrender your prestige. Surrender everything to Him now, and He'll come in and fill you with the Holy Ghost. That's what He's here to do.

 

In paragraph 87 of  the spoken Word is the original Seed brother Branham said, "All right. All right, we notice then. See, the spoken Word... Then we are God's Word made manifest. That's how God wants His church: is to manifest Himself. How can He manifest Himself unless His Own Seed is in that person? How can you use your own thoughts and God manifest Himself through you? How can you take your own belief and say, "Well, my pastor teaches... My creed says that this... days of miracles..." How you going to do that and then be a manifested son of God? How you going to do it? The death of Jesus wasn't nothing to you. "Oh, I accept Him as my Saviour." You don't. You say you do, but you don't. Your works proves what you are. Jesus said the same thing. "If you think I am illegitimately born..."They said, "We're Abraham's son and need nobody to teach us." Said, "If you was Abraham's children, you'd know Me." See? Said, "Which one of you condemns Me of sin (unbelief)? Show Me one thing that God promised of Me that ain't fulfilled. Show Me one thing that the Father promised that I haven't fulfilled. (Sin is unbelief.) Let's see you produce it then." That de-horned them. See? Certainly. Said, "Who's accusing Me? Who can condemn Me with sin (unbelief)?" See? "If I don't believe, then why is the Father doing through Me like He's doing, every Word that He promised? Now, let Me see where you got it in yours."

 

What brother Branham told us is that we are ordained to reflect the image of the original seed. And that could not be possible unless we have the life that was in the first born seed. For if we have the life, then we have the nature, for the two are one in the sense the nature of the life is the reflected attributes and manifested characteristics of the life in the seed. Look, if we are so absorbed by our own daily life we cannot let Christ live our life for us.

 

Paul said in Romans 13:8-10 MESSAGE Version  "Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law says don't sleep with another person's spouse, don't take someone's life, don't take what isn't yours, don't always be wanting what you don't have, and any other "don't" you can think of finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can't go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law, the sum total is love. 11 But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-to-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the work he began when we first believed. We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!

 

So in order to put on Christ you must first put off self. And let the mind that was in Christ will be in you. That is what He wants.

 

Jesus Christ the same 55-0806 P:19 You have to move your thoughts. You have to move your thinking, and get away from reason and move your thoughts from your own way of thinking to what God thinks. "Let the mind that was in Christ Jesus be in you." And then when you begin to think His thoughts, you'll begin to live His life and do the things that He did. See what I mean? Now, because it's not you; it's Christ.

 

Look, This is not positive thinking. The devil has positive thinking, but we don't want that. We want the Mind of Christ to be in us. That is what we want. That is what God wants. He wants us to be conformed to the image of His first born Son who as the first born son came in the very image of His Father.

 

Why it had to be shepherds 64-1221 P:40 You hear so much today about positive thinking: you just put your mind on anything, and think positive on it. The Devil can do that. There's only one thing that rules over all, and that's God's Word. If you're thinking contrary to the Word; forget your thinking. Think on the Word."

 

Future home 64-0802 P:76 Now, many of you wonder how that discernment comes? I'm going to tell you. See, it's a word that I say, and it isn't my thinking, 'cause I don't know. I don't know of the thinking of it. How can I tell you who you are and where you come from, when I don't know you? How can I tell you what you done ten years ago, when I never seen you in my life? How can I tell you where you do and what you'll do ten years from now? How do I know the future? But it is Somebody Else's thought." Let the mind that was in Christ be in you. Let the mind that was in Christ be in you." See, then it isn't your thinking; it's His thinking through you, and you're not expressing your own words; you're expressing His Words.

 

God's gifts always find place 63-1222 P:44 God works through human beings to redeem human beings. He can take you, work through you to redeem humanity, if you'll completely dedicate everything you are .If you're a young woman, dedicate your morals. You're a young man, dedicate your morals, dedicate your mind, dedicate your thinking, dedicate your heart, dedicate your soul, dedicate all you are and let Christ work through that. What a glorious thing.

 

Who is this 59-1004M P:34 God will never come to your level; you'll have to come to His. God will not come to your requirement; you have to come to God's. And then when that requirement is met upon a promise that God made to redeem the people. If that requirement has met, your entire being changes; your thinking changes. Your habits change. Everything about you changes. Your desires change. Your living changes. Your habits change. You change. Everything about you changes, 'cause there's a new life in you.

 

Can we see Jesus 58-0619E P:14 You have to have God on the inside before you can see Him on the outside. And there's many people that doesn't seem to understand what God is. But He has to come in, and look through your eyes, use your eyes, and your mind, your thinking, and your sight, your emotion, all has to be fully controlled by God.

 

Door to the heart 58-0316E P:42 He wants to be your Ruler, not just your Saviour only. You want Him as a Saviour, but what about being your Lord, that'll control you, control your emotions, control your thinking, control your every fiber of you, that you could say like the man years ago who let Him in, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Let Him in, in that way to be Ruler and Lord over you.

 

Door inside door 58-0209E P:31 You must let Him be the supreme Ruler. That is, He's over all. He's over your opinions. He's over everything that you have. He's over your emotions. He's over your ideas. He's controls every fiber of your thinking. Everything that you are you should turn it over to Him, if He's going to be your Saviour and your Lord.

 

God's provided way 64-0206E P:16 You have to die. You have to die before you can be reborn. Any seed has to die before it's regenerated again. Unless it dies, it abides alone. A man's got to die to his own thinking. He's got to die to the thinking of anything but God's Word, and come His way. That's God's ground. We don't meet Him on our thoughts. We meet Him on what He said do. That's God's provided way for us. People dodge it; they don't want it. But it's true just the same. It produces death, and you have to die, die to your thinking." Well, I know the Bible says it, but I can't understand it." Then stay there till God reveals it. That's right. It's got... That's the new birth.

 

Spirit of truth 63-0118 P:13 Now, it's such a marvelous thing, and yet it's so simple if we would just stop and think. We press, we quiver, we fear, we get in flusterations and doubts just thinking. "Well, must I press in?" It isn't that. It's just yielding (See?) realizing that you're nothing, and just let Him completely take you over, take over your thinking, take over...Now, I don't mean to walk up to Christ with just a blank mind. I don't mean that. You come to Him in your right mind, and in a penitent mind, and humble. And then say, "Lord Jesus, here am I.

 

Oneness 62-0211 P:102 What is it? You've got to get with the Word, get yourself killed out. I'm persuaded that many of us, friends, have received the Holy Ghost, but we just receive enough Holy Ghost in us to make us to a place where we don't want to lie, we don't want to steal, we don't want to do anything. But God wants to fill every fiber of His church; He wants to fill your thinking; He wants to fill your mind. He wants to fill every bit of you, just make you completely, totally dead to yourself or to your thinking, just so surrendered in God till His Word's just living right through you. You don't know nothing else but God's Word; just stay right with His Word; It is Life. "My Words are Life," said Jesus.

 

Conferences 63-0608 P:68 You must be born again. Everything has to die away. All your theology, all your thinking, all you ever was or ever expect to be, your life and everything else dies away. And then the Holy Spirit comes in. That's when you take off hats, shoes, stand before God. "Nothing in my arms I bring, simply to thy cross I cling." That's where Moses had to come, where he could obey what God said do: the Burning Bush Conference. Then God said, "I'll show you My glory now," after he was willing to go. And he went down in Egypt.

 

He that is in you 63-1110E P:80 If we only could receive this truth. Now, just a moment. If we only could realize what this Scripture means, "He that is in you is greater than he that's in the world." We can't understand that, yet we say we believe it. And we know it's true, but we really don't understand it. "Greater is He that's in you, than he that's in the world." What is in you that's greater? It's Christ, the anointed; God that was in Christ is in you. "Greater is He that's in you, than he that's in the world." Then if He is in you, it's not you any more living; it's Him living in you. See? It's not your thinking and what you would think about this; it's what He said about this. See? Then if He is in you, He absolutely would not deny what He said. He couldn't do it. But He would keep what He has said, and He's trying to find that person that He can vindicate Himself through.

 

Let us pray...