Romans  98

Fervent in Spirit

January 12, 2003

Brian Kocourek

 

ROMANS 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

 

Let’s bow our hearts and heads in prayer.

 

Dear Father, we have assembled ourselves this morning to gaze upon your Eternal Word for when we do so, we know that we are looking into the Face of You Almighty God, who are the Word. “For in the Beginning was the Word and the Word was God.” And we know that You have come to us in this hour with a Shout, which is a Message, and Your Great Presence is here and has vindicated Your Message to be The word for this Hour. Then, that being so, Father, we would ask that you would help us to seek that Word with al that we have within us, from the depth of our hearts in sincerity, to the very strength we have within every member of our body, grant Father that we might get ourselves out of the way, and that you might make known to us the un-searchable riches in Christ, for we ask it in Your name, the Name you gave your firstborn also, The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen… 

 

Now, this morning I would like to continue our study of Romans chapter 12, and we are looking at verse 11 where we read that we are not to be slothful in business but fervent in Spirit. Now, in reading this from the King James Version, it would appear that this is speaking of having a certain way of approach in our business, perhaps a sort of vigor, or energies, but then it seems to switch thought line and then says, fervent in spirit. In our society when we use the word business we automatically think of our place of occupation, or our vocation, and when used in conjunction with our spiritual fervor, it seems quite odd that Paul would be telling us to be focusing on our Occupation, and then to be  fervent in the Lord. Because a man can not serve two masters, as Jesus taught us. Therefore, as you will see, the word used here that was translated for business is not a proper translation. It is not speaking of business, but rather zeal.

 

The Greek word used here that was translated as the word business by the King James Theologians, is the word, spoude (spoo-day) and it means haste or speed. Now, this might seem quite odd that Paul would say, do not be slothful or sluggish in your haste. So I think we should find a translation that would much better speak what Paul was attempting to tell the church here. The rendering used in the King James version here is not very accurate. On the other hand the NIV translation actually gets across the message much more accurately in this case.

 

NIV ROMANS 12:11  Never be lacking is zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

 

Notice that both parts of this verse fit very well when translated as such. Also, you will find the Wuest Translation saying, “With respect to Zeal, never be lazy…”

 

So we are looking at a mindset that would be on guard against getting lazy in our spirit, and relaxing or getting too laid back. Because that is exactly what happened to the Church at Ephesus, and brother Branham taught us that Alpha must repeat in Omega.

 

THE MASTERPIECE  64-0705 170    The Alpha has become Omega. The first become last; and the last is the first. The Seed that went in has come through a process and become the Seed again….      172  The Alpha and Omega is the same. He said, "I am Alpha and Omega." He never say anything in between, "I'm Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last." That's it. The first ministry and the last ministry is the same. The first Message and the last Message is the same thing. " I was in Alpha; I'm in Omega." "There'll be a day that won't be called day nor night, but in the evening time it shall be Light." See? Alpha and Omega; it's become the first and the last.

So we see that what took place in the first Message must also come to pass in the last Message, and what happened in the first Church Age? What was the first church Age? It was the Ephesian church age, right? PARADOX A 65-0117 89    But we're promised, according to Revelations 10, and according to Malachi 4, and Saint Luke 22:17, and so forth, that there is got to come an Ephesians to this. There is promised it, friends. There must come an Ephesians, that these sevenfold mysteries of the Word of God must be unfolded. And it's in the Laodicean age that this takes place. I believe that we're there. I believe we're right in the shadows of the coming of the Son of God. And as Joshua, just before the Ephesians raised up, so did John the Baptist raise up just before the next Ephesians. And we're promised another, another Ephesians. It's predicted here in the Scripture; therefore, I think that we are living in the Ephesians again. Back again to... We are promised that what was left off during those seven ages...

 

GOD WHO IS RICH IN MERCY  65-0119 29 And now then, we find out that we have come to another Ephesians, another Ephesus now. Where that in our intellectual denominations and so forth, and all of our educational programs has come to its--its Jordan, then we must have an--an Ephesians again. We must have an exodus we--to "come out" and to "go into," for the rapture.

 

And what happened to it?  We must find out for if we are to know what is the outcome of this church age, we can simply look at the outcome of the first church age. For Alpha has become Omega, and Brother Branham told us we are in another Ephesians. 

 

Then what about the church at Ephesus. We find Paul writing to Timothy who took over the work after Paul had started it, and notice Paul’s warning to Timothy.

 

I Timothy 1:1-3,  "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, Which is our hope; Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine. 4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: [so do]. 5 ¶  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and [of] a good conscience, and [of] faith unfeigned:  6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. "

 

Now, remember, Alpha must repeat in Omega. And we see here that this first Age was an Age of teaching. Paul was the Teacher to the Gentiles. In Chapter 2 of this letter to Timothy, Paul calls himself a teacher to the Gentiles. I TIMOTHY 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, [and] lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

 

II TIMOTHY 1:11  Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. 15 ¶ This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

 

Notice Paul says he is a teacher to the Gentiles, and then says for this cause I also suffer. For what cause did he suffer? Because he taught, he was a teacher, and it was his teaching that he was persecuted for. And then He speaks how that Asia has turned against him.

 

And so we find great things happening in Asia when Paul first arrived there, but after he went forth teaching, they turned on him.

 

 

 

ACTS 19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 13    Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of [one] Sceva, a Jew, [and] chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all [men]: and they counted the price of them, and found [it] fifty thousand [pieces] of silver. 20    So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. 21 ¶  After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

Paul was the founding pastor of the church at Ephesus, and after he died, John pastored that church. It was while John was Pastoring that work that the Spirit of the Lord showed him while he was on the isle of Patmos having been imprisoned for also teaching. And God showed him what had happened to that church which represented the first church age believers in general.

 

REVELATION 2:1  Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

 

In the church age book we read the following concerning the Ephesians church.

 

77-1 EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE  -  CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT 3 The very name, Ephesus, has a strange compound meaning, "Aimed at", and "Relaxed". The high aspirations of this age that had begun with the fullness of the Spirit, "the depth of God", whereby they were aiming at the high calling of God, began to give way to a less watchful attitude. A less ardent following of Jesus Christ began to manifest itself as an omen that in the future ages the physical vehicle called the church would sink to the awfulness of the "depth of Satan". It had become relaxed and was drifting. Already the age was backsliding. It had left its first love. The tiny seed planted in that Ephesian Age would one day grow in the spirit of error until all foul birds of the air would roost in its branches. So inoffensive to human reasoning would that little plant appear to that New Eve (the New Church) that again she would be deceived by Satan. The Ephesian Age had presented to her the opportunity for God's best, and for awhile she prevailed, and then relaxed, and in that unguarded moment Satan planted the seed of complete ruination.

 

 

 

 

Again we find another word about this church in the church age book. 88-2    EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE  -  CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT 3 The fervent desire to please God, the passion to know His Word, the cry for reaching out in the Spirit, all begins to fade and instead of that church being on fire with the fire of God it has cooled off and become a bit formal. That is what was happening back there to the Ephesians. They were getting a bit formal. The abandonment to God was dying out and the people weren't too careful about what God thought of them as they began to be careful about what the world thought of them. That second generation coming on was just like Israel. They demanded a king to be like the other nations. When they did that, they rejected God. But they did it anyway. That is the history of the church. When it thinks more of conforming to the world instead of conforming to God, it isn't long until you see them stop doing things they used to do, and start doing things they wouldn't do initially. They change their manner of dress, their attitudes and their behaviour. They get lax. That is what "Ephesus" means: relaxed--drifting.

 

So we see then that there is a warning to us not to let slip our zeal for the Lord, because that is exactly what happened to the first Church at Ephesus, and we know this has to repeat in our age for Alpha must become Omega and we know it already has, according to a vindicated Prophet. Why do you see the zeal of the people of the Lord who follow this message falling away to nothing. You only have to look around you to see that the people are more concerned with jobs than they are with the Glorious return of Christ in His Great Parousia Presence among us. It ought to bring us together regularly but I doesn’t. 

 

HEBREWS 10:24 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. 26 For if we sin (disbelieve) willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

 

Now, we began here by looking at verse 11 where the Apostle Paul said, “Never be lacking is zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” And we have found that the first church lost their first Love for the Word and became relaxed, and began to drift spiritually. That is the history of the church. When it thinks more of conforming to the world instead of conforming to God, it isn't long until you see them stop doing things they used to do, and start doing things they wouldn't do initially. They change their manner of dress, their attitudes and their behavior. They get lax. That is what "Ephesus" means: relaxed--drifting.

 

Now, on the other hand if our zeal is not based on knowledge it will also bring about our destruction. HOSEA 4:6  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

 

And Proverbs 19:2 tells us  It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.

 

Romans 10:2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

 

Then if we do not have His Right-Wise-ness, we are left with only our own right-wise-ness and you all know that there is a way that seems right to man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. PROVERBS 14:12

 

 

Now, it is not that these men have no knowledge. It is just that the knowledge they have is not from God. It is a self made knowledge. As Jesus said, “Be careful how you hear for with what measuring instrument you use, so shall it be measured to you.” In other words, if you use your own measuring instrument to know and understand the Word of God, then that is all you will ever attain is what you already know, and you will never come into the Knowledge of God.

 

Brother Branham told us that is what denomination is all about. They have a filter over their minds and they filter everything through their denominational filter. Then everything they see has a denominational slant to it.

 

In ISAIAH 50:11 we read,  Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your own fire, and in the sparks that you have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow. In other words, if you reject God’s light and make up your own light, you had better expect to receive no help from God. But He also said, if you walk in THE Light, as He is IN THE light, you have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from all your sin which is unbelief.

 

Numbers 25:10-13 The LORD said to Moses, 11 "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them. 12 Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. 13 He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites."

 

In the book of Isaiah we are told the Lord will come in such a way the it will appear that He has wrapped Himself in a cloak of Zeal.

 

Isaiah 59:17 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. 19 From the west, men will fear the name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along. (I wonder if that flood of 37 is what this scripture is speaking of here. ) 20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion (that’s the Elect), to those in Jacob who repent of their sins," declares the LORD. 21 "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the LORD.

 

Let’s just bow our heads in prayer. Gracious Father we recognize our day and it’s Message and the condition of the age in which we are living. Help us Father to be over-comers in this hour of darkness where the love of many is waxing cold. May we never leave our first love and may the zeal of the Lord be our staff and our comfort. Gather us to Your Word, and into Your Presence, and make us a people who are ready,  a prepared people who are ready to leave this dimension, in order to meet your first born Son, for this we ask it in Jesus Christ’s name.