Rising of the son no 8

Seed for Every Season no 7

Attributes of God Seed pt4

Hold Fast to the Word

October 12, 2016

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

In continuing our examination of the Rising of the Son, and what brother Branham said in paragraph 20 concerning the seeds that God placed in the earth before the earth was even framed, and so we have been in a mini series concerning a Seed for Every season.

From his sermon Works is faith expressed 65-1126 P:65 brother Branham said, "Like God in Genesis 1, He said, "Let there be light. Let there be this. Let there be that." Created man in His Own image, image of God created He them, male and female, and there was nothing on the earth yet. Then we find out in Genesis 2 here He made man in His Own image. There was no man to till the soil, after the rest the creation. What was it? It's His Words; He was speaking It. And when He spoke, He said, "Let there be light." There might've not been light for eight hundred years afterward, might not have been no light, but He said It. And as long as He said It, "Let there be a palm tree. Let there be an oak tree. Let there be this," them seeds was forming down beneath that water. That's right. And in the season, in the time, in its own season, it brought forth. It can't fail; it's God's Word. It just can't fail; It'd been expressed.

And so this evening we will examine a few more of the attributes and characteristics of God Seed.

The attribute I would like to begin with tonight is that God Seed will Hold only to a vindicated Word.

The Apostle Paul said in 1Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Proving His Word 64-0816 P:31 Now, it is possible that staunch Christians, fine people, hold, sometimes hold to the wrong thing thinking it is right. But then these things should be proven, whether they are right or wrong. And it's the duty of all of us, as we are expecting to go to heaven when Jesus comes... And it's the minister's duty, when any question is brought up, that he solves this out, and then proves it before the people, that they might understand, because no one wants to be found wrong, holding to the wrong thing. So we have a Scripture (And Jesus said, "all Scriptures must be fulfilled.") that we should prove all things. And then, "hold fast," or, "hold tight, get a death grip on it, and don't turn it loose, hold fast to that which is good."

And the Apostle Paul also said in 2Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Look, brother Branham said in his sermon, Proving His Word 64-0816 P:117 Do you now believe it? Do you believe it? If so, reach out by faith and touch His garment, because He's passing this way. He will prove He's the same yesterday, today, and forever: Hebrews 13:8. "Lo, I am with you always to the end of the world," Matthew. yes. And He is a High Priest, according to Hebrews, the Book of Hebrews, 4th chapter and the 15th verse, "He is the High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities." Do you believe that? Reach out and touch the Lord. He's ever present, "Lo, I am with you always." Look down through the ages. "Prove all things. Hold fast to that what's good." Now, if you belong to a church that don't believe that He's the same yesterday, today, and ever, the same in every way, get away from it. Prove...

Proving His Word 64-0816 P:30 A very odd little text, three words that I want to speak from out of all this reading. You might say, "That's a very small thing, three words out of all that you read, a portion of two chapters of the Bible." But I--I did that for a background to take these three words: "Proving His Word."You know, there's a Scripture in the Bible, in I Thessalonians 5:21, where it is written, "Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good." When anything is proven, it will either be proven right or wrong. And when there's anything in question, it should be proven until you find out what is right. And then as you find what is right, It said, "Hold fast." In other words, "Grip it; don't turn it loose. Hold it fast." In other words, "Hold it tight, so that it will not slip." Hold fast to that which is good, after it's been proven right. And anything that's proven not right, then turn it loose as quick as you can, get away from it. Don't never hold onto the wrong thing.

60-0911E  Five Identifications of the True Church of the Living God pp. 90 "John 14:12, He gives the teaching what the church should do. In John the 14th chapter, and the 12th verse, we'll see what that says. John 14:12, so we read it, make it official. All right, John 14 and the 12th verse. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father." That's the message of the church: "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever," living in the church, King of the church, raised from the dead, same yesterday, today, and forever, performing the same works, doing the same things that Jesus did. That's the message of the church. If the church isn't teaching That, it's teaching some false theology. That's what Jesus commanded them to preach.

That is exactly what we did concerning John 14:12 and the Spirit of Adoption, and being conformed to the image of the first born son. Look, brothers and sisters, what good will understanding the Father and Son relationship if you are not a part of that relationship, and if that relationship is not for you as a son as well.

I'm sorry, but there is no salvation in learning for learning sake. Theology is just man made ideas about God, but The Doctrine of Christ is not just doctrine for your mind, but teaching for your soul, to bring you into that same relationship. And if it is not for you then who needs it. What good does it do you to know and not experience what you know.

What good are promises of God if they are not for you. I'm not interested in promises of God for Israel, I'm interested in promises of God that include me.

Now, that isn't selfish, that is just being "Convinced then concerned".

Also from his sermon, Mark of the beast 61-0217 P:38 William Branham said, "Now, remember, the Bible said, "Don't spare nothing." Little or young or old or all. All that hasn't got this seal of God would be marked otherwise. And look who was marked out of it? Lifelong men who gave their lives for the clergy, priests and renowned men, great priests and scholars. Now, how many knows that's true? Why, sure it is. Sure it's true. Just as scholar... Just as holy, just as sweet, perhaps fine people, citizens of the country... But that's no excuse. When God sends something and you fail to walk in it, then you're out; that's all. You either do or you don't. That's the way it was. All that didn't get in the ark, drowned, and that was all there was to it, no matter who they was. That's the same thing, all that's not in Christ today will perish without Christ. It's true. So you can't say, "I'm a Methodist, or Baptist, or Pentecostal, or anything else; you've got to be of Christ. And if you're of Christ, you do the works of Christ. That bears record and proves that it is. It's just as clear as the Scripture, I know how to say it. That's just as plain as the nose on this big face, or big nose on this face of mine, rather. That's right.

We would see Jesus 61-0208 P:37 Now, remember that God always gives signs and wonders. How many believes that? Now, in the Old Testament... Now, listen close. Just... It won't take long. If we can get you to see the message, there won't be a person in here in a wheelchair. There won't be a sick person in this building in forty minutes from now, if you'll listen and catch it close. Now, let's just prove it. That's what the Bible said. "Prove all things." Now, if He made the promise, He's got to keep the promise. And God, in the Old Testament, if a prophet prophesied, or a dreamer dreamed a dream, the way they found out whether that was true or not, they went down to the Urim Thummim. The pastors and so forth knows about that: the breastplate of Aaron. He had the twelve stones, the birthstones of the patriarchs. It hung on a post in the temple. And when the prophet begin to prophesy, or the dreamer tell the dream, no matter how real it sound, if it didn't reflect that conglomeration of lights in there, the supernatural wasn't working. So they refused the message. I don't care how much as good it sound, how it fit up with Dr. So-and-so's theology, or how it fit up with this church or that organization, they condemned it because the supernatural didn't act. Amen. I begin to feel religious. Yes, sir. Where a supernatural God is, there's going to be supernatural things happening. Hallelujah... can't keep from it. It's just got to be that way.

Do you realize what he just aid? All those people who are claiming He is here but don't believe in John 14:12? They don't really believe he is here. Then al they have is a theology, but no life. A mechanics with no dynamics.

In The Messiah 61-0117 P:62 Wm Branham says, “They look like him. They act like him. They are his flesh, his blood, his spirit. Amen. That's the way God's church is, His Eaglets, His Messiahettes. They look like Him; they act like Him; they preach like Him; they do the works that He did. "The things that I do shall he also. More than this shall he do, 'cause I go to the Father." Amen. "These signs shall follow My eaglets." Amen "They'll do just as I do. If My Spirit's in them, then they'll do the works that I do. If they don't do the works I do, it's because that My Spirit's not in them."

Let me read it again so it will strike home to you. Where a supernatural God is, there's going to be supernatural things happening.

Church Age Book Chapter 2 - The Patmos Vision P:32 That's the way the church is. The vine has been split and limbs have been grafted in. They have grafted in Baptist limbs, Methodist limbs, Presbyterian limbs, and Pentecostal limbs. And those limbs are bearing Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, and Presbyterian fruit. (Denominational seeds from which they produce their fruit.) But if the vine ever brings forth another branch of itself, that branch will be exactly like the vine itself. It will be the same kind of a branch that was brought forth at Pentecost. It will speak in tongues, prophesy, and have the power and signs of the resurrected Jesus Christ in it. Why? Because it's thriving on the natural resources of the vine itself. You see, it wasn't grafted into the vine; it was BORN in the vine. When those other branches were grafted in, all they could do was bear their own fruit for they were not born of that vine. They don't know about that original life and original fruit. They cannot know for they were not born of it. But if they had been born of it, that same life that was in the original stem (Jesus) would have come through THEM and manifested through THEM John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father."

Birth pains 65-0124 P:64 The claim of the people, that doesn't make it so; it's what God said and proves that it's true. Prove all things. Hold fast to that which is good.

Adoption or placing 60-0522E P:23 The church has got to be so perfectly like Christ, until Christ and the church can unite together, the same Spirit. And if the Spirit of Christ is in you, It makes you live the life of Christ, act the life of Christ, do the works of Christ. "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also." Jesus said that.

God's gifts always find place 63-1222 P:36 Notice now, we find that if He identified... The works that He did identified that He was Deity, showed that He was. For He said, "If I do not the works of My Father, then don't believe Me." And could not the Christian say today, "If I do not the works of my Saviour, believe me not"? See? "As the Father sent Me, so send I you." And if you did the works, creation works of the Father that sent Him, then it's a creation... The Christ the Creator that sends us, does the works of Christ the Creator. See? "As the Father sent Me, so send I you. And if I do not the works of My Father, believe me not." Then the Christian today has got to do the Life that Christ did or we have a right to say, "It's not so."

Be certain of God 59-0708E P:49 If I told you I had the spirit of Al Capone, you'd better call the police in and arrest me; I might have his gun. If I told you I had the spirit of some famous artist, you'd expect me to paint these hills out here just as natural as they are. 'Cause that's what the artist would do if I had his spirit. If I had the Spirit of Christ, I'll do the works of Christ. Jesus said, "If I do not the works of My Father, then believe Me not." And if the church does not do the works of Christ, then don't believe that church. Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." And we've perverted it by works of man, doctrines of man. The Bibles said, "In the last days, they'd be heady, high-minded, and lovers of pleasure more than of God, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, and despisers of those that are good." You say, "Them is communists." No, them is Christians, so-called, and church members. "Having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." Saying, "Oh, God did that in another age, not this age." The Bible said, "From such, turn away." We're living in that day.

Revelation chapter 4 pt 3 throne mercy 61-0108 P:77 I believe that many thousands of trinitarian people who believe in three Gods is saved, because they don't know any different. We're going to get to that on down in the message. Now, don't you all stop your tape and walk out of the house, you Trinitarian brethrens, listen to this. But you just set still a few minutes. You owe it to yourself. You owe it to your congregation. See? Don't stop getting the tapes; just stay with it. Search it by the Word and see if it's right. The Bible said, "Prove all things."I know it's unpopular; so was Jesus; so was the message, always. You loved me when I come and healed the sick and afflicted among you; you thought it was great, great crowds and build up the church. Now, Jesus did the same thing until one day He had to get down to truth. And when He did, even seventy turned away from Him. And He turned to the rest, the twelve, and said, "Will you go also?"And Peter said those notable words, "Lord, who would we go to, for Thy Words alone are eternal?"And God's Word alone is eternal. And find me anywhere that God ever had anybody baptized in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost.

Planting the vine and where to plant it 59-0920 P:52 Now, here is the time that everything that I've said has got to be proven to be right or wrong. Don't the Bible say, "Prove all things and hold fast that which is good."? Now, if Jesus, being the Vine of God, wrapped around the throne of God, brought forth Eternal Life to the Church, and we are the branches of that Vine...See, He planted Israel in Palestine. It didn't work. They become like... Their fruits withered away like a puff-ball. It grew up overnight and gone. Showed it wasn't right, didn't have eternal. But the fruits that's in Christ Jesus shall remain forever. They have to. And if His Spirit, that was on Him, is still alive today... It ain't a puff-ball denomination; it's a living God that produces the same Life that He did. You believe that? Now, it won't just puff away and say, "Oh, them things is for another day, or something like this." If it does, you be puffed up this morning. It's a real... It's real Life, It's a real Christ.

Israel in Egypt 53-0325 P:16 Now, we must prove all things by the Scripture. If It's contrary to my faith, and yet the Scripture says so, the Scripture's right and I'm wrong. See? The Scripture's always right; and the only way you can do anything, is come back to the Scripture.

Now not only will we hold fast to the Word of God, but we will hold fast our profession and confession of Faith, because we live by the faith of the son of God.

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession

Hebrews Chapter 4 57-0901E P:79 Listen. Watch: Neither is there any creature that is not manifested in his sight: but all things are naked and open before His eye to him... who we have to do with. Seeing then that we have a great high priest,... (Listen now: to the sick.)... that has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confessions."Hold fast," that don't mean just keep testifying. If you don't live the life, you don't hold it fast. You're living a hypocritical thing. You'd be better off and just say you're a sinner and forget about it. Don't profess a Christian and live something else; you're the biggest stumbling block the world's ever had. If you're a sinner, admit it and go on, get right with God. If you're a Christian, hold fast your confession; stay there.

Stature of a perfect man 62-1014M P:60 And now, we're supposed to do His work. He said, "He that believeth on Me..." (St. John 14:7) "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also." You're beginning to reflect the works of Christ. But so many of us try to do the works of Christ before the reflection of Christ is in us. Now, there's the trouble. We find those things happening. You know it. I know it. We see these stumbles along the road. We find the scrap heaps of ministers, of Christians, piled along the road. Is because they didn't go into it right. And that's why I'm here this morning, is to try to teach this little church, and myself, how that we can become the dwelling place of the living God. How many'd like to be that? The dwelling place of the living God...

Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Perseverance 63-1116E P:82 He was a man when He died on the cross, crying for mercy. That's right. But He was God on Easter morning, when He broke the seals of the tomb, rose up and ascended on high (Yes, sir.), ever living to make intercessions. Every man and woman that ever amounted to a hill of beans believed that. Yes, sir. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. "Believest thou this?" Yes, sir. He's just as great right here among us, tonight, as He was then. Believest thou this? He's the same Healer tonight, He was then. Believest thou this? Sure. He can't fail. Be persistent. Hold your position in Christ, your confession. Hold fast your confession in Christ. She was persistent and she got the resurrection of her brother.

And what is your confession? It should be the same as His if we are echoing Him and His Word. and he said in Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Let us pray...