Satan’s
Eden no 6
A
Legitimate Five Fold Ministry pt 1
The
Pattern
October 3, 2021
Brian
Kocourek, Pastor
Satan’s Eden August 29, 1965 pp. 3 I was trying to catch up on some of my
interviews today; this morning, and this afternoon. I still have many, many,
many to go. And I believe it was Jethro
told Moses one time, said, "It's just too much for you." So we've got plenty of brothers here on your problems,
and every one of them have been
legitimate, and they're fine
things that have to be taken care of. And I would recommend our pastor, or
Brother Mann, and other ministers of our faith here; you can go to them. They'd
tell you just exactly the thing to do. Some people, their children,
intermarrying, or things that's wrong. These
men can help you just the same as anyone else, because they're
servants of Christ. And go to
them, and I'm sure they will
give you the help that you need. I
can't get to all of them. There's just so many everywhere you go; they just
keep accumulating higher and higher (You see?); and you want to get to everyone
of them, but you can't do it. But I'm constantly praying that God in somehow
will work it out all right for you.
Now, This
situation first come up during the first Exodus when Moses was being
overwhelmed with needs from the people and people wanting his opinion, r
judgment on situations that came up and Moses father in Law saw this great man
of God being so inundated that he suggested to Moses that he appoint elders to
handle the daily needs of the people so Moses could focus himself on the
greater needs of the people in general.
Exodus 18:12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a
burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of
Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God. 13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that
Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning
unto the evening. 14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that
he did to the people, he said, What is this thing
that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the
people stand by thee from morning unto even? 15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because
the people come unto me to enquire of God: 16 When they have a matter, they come unto
me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them
know the statutes of God, and his laws. 17 And Moses' father in law said unto him,
The thing that thou doest is not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and
this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it
thyself alone. 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give
thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward,
that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: 20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and
laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that
they must do. 21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the
people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place
such over them, to be
rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds,
rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22 And let them judge the people at all
seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter
they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall
it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden
with thee. 23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God
command thee so, then thou shalt be able to
endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. 24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all
that he had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of all
Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of
hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all seasons:
the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged
themselves. 27 And Moses let his father in law depart;
and he went his way into his own land.
I would like to
take for our thoughts this morning on this thought that brother Branham is
placing into our minds concerning these men of God who God placed here for a
purpose. He said Like Moses, I can’t get to everyone who has questions, there
are just too many and they keep stacking up higher and higher, so if you want
to get help go to any of these men of God who have been found to be legitimate.
And that is the key. And what is our absolute for whether a man is legitimate
or not? The fact he stays with the Word regardless. And he says, God placed
these men here to be a help to you.
Now, we know
Mariology is wrong, and we knowing that praying to the saints that have passed
over is wrong, that is called spiritualism or spiritism.
From his
sermon Go awake Jesus 63-1130E P:74 brother Braham was telling us about a conversation
he had with a Catholic priest, and speaking of the priest he said, “He said, "God
is in His church."I said, "God is His Word." So he said,
"And you say it's the highest form of spiritualism you know of?"
Said, "How could you say that?"I said, "Anything that intercedes with
the dead is spiritualism. All them women, walk, going down the
street there, pulling over rocks and things, doing penitence to a dead woman
her lovers killed, and make her a saint, 'cause she was canonized by the
church?" I said, "That's spiritualism." he Said, "You pray to
Jesus, and He died."I said, "But He rose again, sir." That's
right. That's right. Oh, how the things... "See, He rose again."
I said, "I hope I didn't hurt your feelings."Said, "No, no harm
done."I said, "All right." See, see?
Now, I want
you to hold that thought where the Catholic Priest said “God is in His Church”
because we are going to hit that thought this evening for our communion
service, because that very Catholic doctrine is actually being taught right in
this Message. So we are going to show you how false that is this evening.
Again from his
sermon Pergamean church age 60-1207 P:78
br. Branham said, “Oh, when they put a dignitary up there like a god,
(and I would like to add that a dignitary is someone who holds
a high office, and you cannot get any higher office in the church than
a Word Prophet. Then a five-fold ministry under that prophet.) But notice he is
talking what people do to the man in that office.
He said, “Oh, when they put
a dignitary up there like a god, and he'd have a
few ceremonies said...And notice that the pagans prayed to their dead
ancestors. And a Protestant church that would stand up and say, "I
believe in the holy Roman Catholic church and the communion of saints..." You,
Methodists, hide your face, Presbyterians, and Lutherans. Anything that intercedes with
the dead is spiritualism. Sure. But now, the Protestant can't
laugh at the Catholic; he does the same thing, makes this all-sufficient
confession that he believes the same thing: baptized right back into the
Catholic church by his water baptism, rejecting, and making fun of
people who try to live that right; go to a church and see people shouting under
the power of God, and stand outside and make fun of it. All that...
And from his
sermon God keeps His Word 57-0115 P:78 brother
Branham told us, “Now, here's the way we take it. Not for a joke now. I don't... This is no
place for joking. There's been too much Hollywood evangelism today, too much
joking and carrying on at the pulpit. Listen. This is a sincere thing. And
notice, and a sacred thing. Notice. What happened? As we listen... If we taken
it like today, what if we were taking the Catholic church? Now, we'd have to
read Acts 2 like this. "And they
were all in one place and one accord, making confessions, and they prayed to
the blessed saint." It's a high form
of spiritualism, of course, you see, 'cause there's nothing can pray to the dead
except spiritualists. Right.
So you see there are many things that just
are not right that go on in the name of Christianity that are actually pagan at
their roots. Just the same as what took place in Daniels Age.
Possessing gate of the enemy
64-0322 P:25 Let's take the Hebrew children, 'cause they stood
true and wouldn't tolerate with image worship. They refused to bow down to
an image that the king of the nation had made. It was made after a
holy man too: the
image of Daniel. Showed that the Gentile race was brought in
under the false side of worshipping a image of a holy man. It goes out the
same way, when people will be forced to worship images of people. It
come in by revelation of Daniel being able to interpret the Word that was wrote
on the handwriting on the wall. That's the way it come in, and that's
the way it goes out, the same way of the image of the Gentile. Notice. They
refused to do it. What did they do? They were Abraham's seed standing
true to the Word, and they possessed the gates of the enemy of fire. They did
it. God's Word's true.
Now, brothers
and sisters, I think we hit on a hot topic here this weekend, and we will get
into that as well tonight. Because the two are tied closely together, the
belief that the fullness of the Godhead is in the Church and that the belief
that the fullness of the Godhead dwelled in a Holy Man in this hour no
differently than he dwelled in his Son Jesus. Those two false doctrines have
polluted this Message, and you would not believe how many people actually
believe those two things.
Again from his
sermon Investments 63-1116B P:56 Brother
Branham said, “The Hebrew children
made an investment in God, that they would not break His commandments no matter
if they made an image of their holy brother, Daniel. Which, I
believe the image was of Daniel, 'cause he was Belteshazzar's god, and
we find out that he made an image to this holy man. No matter how holy the man was,
they wasn't to bow down to any form of image, no matter what the image is.
The Gentile world was issued in by worshipping a holy image; it's
going out in the same way; and you see the system building it today. So
the Hebrew children would not bow to any image, and you find out
that their investment paid off by saving their life.
Notice his language here, No matter how holy the man was, they wasn't to bow down
to any form of image, no matter what the image is
Now, why do
you suppose they took their stand against worshipping the image of Daniel? He was God’s Prophet for that hour, right? I’ll tell you why. Because the very first
commandment God gave to the people was “I am the Lord Thy God,
thou shalt have no other God’s beside me.” But you know, we
have people who claim to be Christians and who claim to believe William Branham
was God’s End Time Messenger Prophet, but they go too far and try to make him
God to the people when the very first commandment from God is not to do that.
Worship God and Him alone. And remember worship comes from two words worth and
ship, and if you hold too high an opinion of God’s prophet you are breaking the
very Words of God.
Again from his
sermon Handwriting on the wall 56-0902 P:36 Brother
Branham says, Now, I want you to notice. As soon as the king saw this
vision and he made it, he forced every person in his Kingdom in his domain
to worship this image. He made an image. And it's believed by scholars and
which, I do believe that a Spirit-filled person would see it that that... He
worshipped Daniel is what he did. And he made an image to
Daniel. And he called it Belteshazzar. He called Daniel,
Belteshazzar, which was the name of his god. And he
made an image and forced every person to worship that image. I want you to notice that the
beginning of the Gentiles, when God dealt with them, they got haughty in their
heart and forced every man to worship the image of a holy man.
And the Gentile age was issued in with that; it will go out in the same
way. The same way a boycott of the mark of the beast that will
force people to worship images and to do the things that we've been taught that
was contrary to the Word of God. And, brother, it'll be so slick and sly until
it will deceive the very elect if possible. So you better
purpose in your heart tonight and be filled with God's Holy Spirit, that you'll
be able to discern the right and wrong thing when the proclamation is issued.
Hallelujah.
Now, what the
world globalists are doing by pushing the vaccine is deceptive enough with the
boycott to all who will not take it. But to cause people in churches to either
worship “The Holy Man” or worse yet that “the
fullness of the Godhead in a Bride”
and to not believe that you get boycotted from those who do. You see, Jesus
said do not fear what they can do to the body butt fear what they can do to the
soul. And the spiritual boycott is that you aren’t allowed in their churches if
you don’t hold to their false doctrines. But if you, like the Hebrew Children
refuse that teaching, you will be boycotted, but it is slick how they do it,
and that’s what he said.
“it'll be so slick and sly until it
will deceive the very elect if possible”. Because to disagree with them it looks like you don’t believe god used
the man. You say the Fullness of the Godhead doesn’t dwell in the Holy Man, and
they think you blasphemed or worse.
Mark of the beast 54-0513
P:56 Notice, when, King Nebuchadnezzar, in the beginning back yonder, when
the Gentile age was issued in, let's watch how it come in. And the
way it come in, you'll find out it goes out the same way. We
know that there is a beginning of time of grace for the Gentiles, and an ending
of time. Is that right? Now, watch, when King Nebuchadnezzar... When Daniel
was sent down there, a smart prophet, when all the rest of the Jews had kind of
humbled down and was bowing to the Romans, or to the Babylonians... But there
was three, four men; three (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), and Daniel, who purposed in their heart they'd serve God.
And then when they throwed Shadrach, and so forth, in... And Daniel had
become a great man, and before King Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, and so
forth. When he become a great man, now watch, King
Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold and set it up out in the field, and said
that everybody would have to bow to that image. Did you ever notice the innocence of it,
who that image was made of? It was Daniel, the image of a man. And
didn't He say, "the
spirits of the gods," heathen...? And as they are
today, got three or four of them. "The spirits of the gods lived in him," and they
made an image to Daniel. And he said, "All that won't make bow to that image,
will be throwed in the fiery furnace." You notice, Daniel's off the scene at that
time. Get
what I mean? "And ever who would not bow to that image
should be cut to pieces, or throwed into the lions' den, or burnt in the fiery
furnace, or something, a punishment."That's the way the Gentile
dispensation begin, with a pagan form of religious worship, with a persecution
to make them bow to it. And the Bible predicts it'll end the same way, "a
holy Man," Jesus Christ, an image to Him to worship it, and so forth.
You remember, in the Foxe's "Book of Martyrs," they'd hold a crucifix
before them, put an ox on each arm like that, and would say... If you wouldn't
renounce, renounce Protestantism, and become a Catholic and "kiss this
crucifix." They'd start one ox one way, and one the way, and then pull
them apart. They burned them to the stakes. They done everything. I've been to
the old catacombs; I know what I'm speaking of. And see, that, that's right.
And there they lay. And notice how they went through that days of martyrdom
before Martin Luther.
So we must be ever vigilant my brothers and
sisters to resist the temptation to make a man God, any man God. So when I hear
of these doctrines where they teach the fullness of the godhead dwelt in
William Branham I want to run away from that as far as I can get, and even
worse is when they try to say the same thing about the Bride of Christ.
Now, I could go into that false worship and
take quite a few sermons on that, but we need to stay focused this morning on
the true Five-Fold ministry vs the false Five-Fold ministry, and you will see
why this afternoon when we tackle those two false doctrines we see in the end
time church.
Now to focus in on the true ministry of God, let’s
look to what our God sent prophet taught us in his sermon Taking Sides With
Jesus Friday 62-0601 749-26 “Now,
I notice that how the churches, the evangelism started scattering out
everywhere. And then we'll take, for instance, Paul becoming a great missionary to our people. We find out
that he went about wherever the Lord led him, and he established a
church. And it was a new faith. The churches of those days,
like in Asia Minor, all throughout Europe, they didn't believe that Message.
And when he had preached the Message,
and many was converted to it, then there was no one... If he left the
people in that condition, they'd wander right back out into their pagan gods,
and into Judaism, and what evermore, because the people had no one
to teach them, the converts. They had no place to go, so Paul
established churches in different parts of the country. Each one of
these churches, he left someone who
was in order, a man
that was trustworthy, a man that was known as a pastor, shepherd,
Then after this church then, become... other little churches come out of it. Young
men and old men raised up and become churches out of that. The man that was
over the first church was called the bishop. And then his, that went out from
him, his children, was called
shepherds or pastors. And then this group of little churches all
would come back to this bishop.
749-28 Like in
the time of Irenaeus,
he carried on the same thing. Martin carried on
the same thing. Polycarp carried
on the same thing. Right on down through
the age they had that. And then
the apostle of the church, the apostle, that was Paul... And when
Paul left, John took over the church. And when John left, Polycarp taken
it over. When Polycarp left, Irenaeus taken it over,
and on down, Martin and so forth. Just kept on going until the Roman
Catholic church broke the whole thing to pieces and burned them and scattered
them, and the palmerworm eat this, and the cankerworm eat that, and so forth
eat that, and eat that, until it brought it plumb down to a stalk. Now, but God promised to restore again that same thing.
I have, I do believe with all my
heart that we're living in the last days.
What he is talking about is that the Apostle
Paul was the prophet Messenger to the first Church age, He is the one whom the
pillar of fire came to. And when he went off the scene the Apostle John took
over his work at Ephesus. Not that John became a Messenger prophet, but let’s
just say John became a steward of the Word of Life that Paul had. And then we
find in a study of the early Church that Polycarp was a Disciple of John, and
he was mentored by John, and then when John left the scene, Polycarp now became
the man with the light, and he had a great influence upon Irenaeus, and then
Irenaeus had the light for his day, and was a great influence on Martin, and
Martin had a great influence upon Columba. But then the Catholic church got
control of things through their politicizing Christianity under Constantine,
and then the church went into darkness. But at the end time God promised to
restore, and so God came down in the form of the Pillar of fire to a prophet
again.
And so we see the pattern in every age as we
also can read in the Church Age
Book Chapter 4 - The Smyrnaean Church Age P:140 “In every age we have exactly the same pattern.
Notice he said in every age we have the same
pattern, so what is this pattern he is talking about.
Countdown 62-0909M P:70 If you notice in our previous lessons of the
churches, He held in His hand seven stars, which we found to be seven ministers
of the seven church ages. Each one of them is perfectly identified as God took
His countdown. Since the time He left, until the time He comes back, He's
gathering together a people for His Name's sake. Started at the day of
Pentecost. The first, the Ephesian
church, the star and messenger of that church we believe to be Saint Paul.
He has come, and number one has been counted off. The second church age, which is Smyrna, was Irenaeus, the great
saint of God who led that church age at the end. The third church age, which was Pergamos, was Saint Columba which was a
great saint of God. During the time of the dark age, in the persecution,
the fourth age and the fourth count, Saint
Martin of Tours, the great saint coming from France. The fifth church age, and its messenger was Martin Luther on the
countdown. The sixth age was John
Wesley on the countdown.
Identification 63-0123 P:28 You cannot no way ever produce a Character like that,
only accepting that Character in you. A church cannot do that. A creed cannot
do that. A denomination cannot do that. An education cannot do that. It must be
a birth. It's got to be a dying out, and let God in it. By
the grace of Christ, mold this type of character in you, that you become Him. And your
life and His is the same. Then you are sons and daughters of God.
And when your life and his life are the same
then you are manifested as a son of God, then you are conformed to his image, then
you are ready for adoption, and that is when John 14:12 is fully on display in your life.
Now, does that mean you will be politically
correct? Nope. Does that mean that you will always be sweet and pleasant? Nope.
But it does mean that you will live, die, swim or sink, standing with God and
His Word, no matter if it takes the hide right off your back.
People get the wrong understanding of what the
Holy Ghost life is. They think you will be sweet all the time, and that you
will just go with the flow, but that's not the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost manifested in Jesus as a man who
got beside himself with rage when he saw men using the temple to make
merchandize of the people, selling in the temple, and he braided a rope and
whipped them out.
The Holy Ghost in the Apostle John called Marcus
for what he was and spoke of his evil handling of the Word right in his face.
The Holy Ghost in Martin of Tours burnt down the
groves where the people worshipped Satan.
The Holy Ghost in Martin Luther made mockery of
the Pope and his false doctrine, and battled him on the Word and withstood the
savage attempts at his life, but he stood defiant.
The Holy Ghost upon Shadrack, Meshack and
Abednigo stood defiant of the kings laws.
The Holy Ghost in Elijah mocked the 400 prophets
of Baal and called down fire upon the soldiers that came to kill him.
The Holy Ghost in Paul rebuked Peter before
everyone not worrying what people would think of him.
The Holy Ghost in Moses called for the waves to come
crashing down and wiping out the entire army of Egypt.
The Holy Ghost upon Samson slew 10,000 soldiers
with so much power and savagery that a brittle dried out jawbone of a mule cut
through the brass helmets of the enemy and he slew ten thousand of them.
So the Holy Ghost is not passive to anything but
God's Word. And It is not timid to anything except to the Will of God.
But when called into action The Holy Ghost in men has shown Himself
to the a fearless warrior. A mighty conqueror.
Yet the Holy Ghost when it comes to Itself,
showed the spirit of a lamb, and a dove.
In 1 Corinthians 13 the
apostle Paul said the following concerning the Holy Ghost in your life:
The Holy Ghost never gives up.
The Holy Ghost cares more for others than for self.
The Holy Ghost doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
The Holy Ghost doesn’t strut,
The Holy Ghost doesn’t have a swelled head,
The Holy Ghost doesn’t force itself on others,
The Holy Ghost Is never “me first,”
The Holy Ghost doesn’t fly off the handle,
The Holy Ghost doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
The Holy Ghost doesn’t revel when others grovel,
The Holy Ghost takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
The Holy Ghost puts up with anything,
The Holy Ghost trusts God always,
The Holy Ghost always looks for the best,
and The Holy Ghost never looks back,
But The Holy Ghost keeps going to the end.
The Holy Ghost never dies.
Now, in getting back to what brother Branham
said of the pattern in every church age, he said, we see the pattern in every age
as we also can read in the Church Age
Book Chapter 4 - The Smyrnaean Church Age P:140 “In every age we have exactly the same pattern.
That is why the light comes through some
God-given messenger in a certain area, and then from that messenger
there spreads the light through the ministry of others who have been faithfully taught.
But of course all those who go out don't always learn how necessary it is to speak ONLY what the messenger has
spoken. (Remember, Paul warned the people to say only what he said, I Corinthians 14:37, "If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let
him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the COMMANDMENTS OF
THE LORD. What? came the Word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?") They add here, or take away there, and soon the message is no longer pure, and
the revival dies down. How careful we must be to hear ONE voice, for the Spirit has but one voice which is the voice of God. Paul
warned them to say what he said, even as Peter did likewise. He
warned them that EVEN HE (PAUL) could not change one word of what he had given
by revelation. Oh, how important it
is to hear the voice of God by way of His messengers, and then say what has
been given them to say to the churches.
We also see this in scripture as the Apostle Paul said in
2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among
many witnesses, the same commit thou
to faithful men, who shall be
able to teach others also.
And this handing
down of Divine Truth through discipleship training or mentoring is so important
that the Apostle Paul told us that knowing who teaches us is very important. 2Timothy
3:13 But
evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou
hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
So that is the pattern in
every age of the True Five-Fold ministry. They don’t come with their own thoughts,
they come speaking what the prophet Messenger to their age spoke, and they take
it back to the Scriptures every time.
We see that as
far back as Micaiah the Prophet said what Elijah the prophet had said, not
deviating from what he said for one minute. And that is the true test of every
five-fold minister. He will come on the scene having been taught by one who had
been faithfully taught. That is the pattern in every age.
Now, I would
like to break down what was said in the church age book concerning this
pattern.
1) He said “The light of the Gospel in each age comes to a God-Given Messenger
to that Age”. That is first and foremost to be etched in our
minds if we are to understand.
2) “From that Messenger that same light, that same Gospel is spread
through the ministry of others”.
3) Those others are men who have been faithfully taught.
Therefore as
God said in Amos chapter 3 that When God wishes to make known his plans, he
will first send a prophet.
Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but (or accept) He first reveals His
secret unto His servants the prophets.
So we see that God has made a promise to
man that before he will do anything He will send a prophet to the people. God
will reveal that secret to the prophet and then that Prophet will speak what
God has instructed him to speak. But God is not finished here and neither is
the prophet Amos.
So we see then
that Amos adds to this by saying, 8 The
lion hath roared, who
will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken,
who can but prophesy?
So we see that
When God roars out His Message like a lion, it is impossible for the prophet
not to say what God told him to say.
Now, from this
we see in Amos 3:7 God will never do
anything until he first reveals what he is going to do via a prophet of His
choosing. And then we are told that when God speaks to that prophet and reveals
his plan, it is as impossible for that prophet to not speak as it is for people
to fear when they hear the voice of the lions roar.
Brother
Branham said in his sermon, Way of a true prophet
63-0119 P:96 "The Bible said, "When God--when a lion roars, who shall not fear? and when God speaks, how can
we keep from prophesying?" How can
we keep from it? When God speaks, the prophet cries out the spoken word.
And if it is the Word of God, and the lion roars, the beetles,
everything hushes, because they're afraid. Their king is speaking. They got the
sense enough, the audacity, and the honor enough to honor their king, when he
speaks. So God speaks by His Word. And let every creature of His
creation take heed. He's speaking in this last days. He's putting forth His
Word. And let every creature that belongs into His Kingdom take heed to what He's
saying. Stop. Check up. He's roaring now, roaring by His a-vindicated Word,
making Himself known. When He roars in these last days, let's take the heed,
and know that there's something fixing to happen, knowing that God never does
that without first He roars forth. When He roars forth, then something follows that roar
(Yes.), because He's coming forth then. He said, "Does a lion roar now without a reason? Does a young lion cry
out of the cave, before he's taken anything?"
See? God's got a reason to roar, because He knows that judgment
is at hand.
So we see that
God promised to send a prophet when he is fixing to do something. But it
doesn't stop there. Brother Branham said that the Light comes to a man, a prophet in a certain
area, and then from that prophet that same Word, that same
light will go forth by the ministry of others, and these must be men who have
been faithfully taught.
Then brother
Branham continues by warning us "But of course all those who go out don't
always learn how necessary it is to speak ONLY what the messenger has spoken.
(Remember, Paul warned the people to say only what he said, I Corinthians 14:37, "If any
man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the
things that I write unto you are the COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD. What? came the
Word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?") They add here, or take away there,
and soon the message is no longer pure, and the revival
dies down. How careful we must be to hear ONE voice, for the Spirit has
but one voice which is the voice of God. Paul warned them to say
what he said, even as Peter did likewise. He warned them
that EVEN HE (PAUL) could not change one word of what he had given by
revelation. Oh, how important it is to hear the voice of God by way of
His messengers, and then say what has been given
them to say to the churches.
In 2 Peter 2:1 we read ¶ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 ¶ And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
We see it is these same type of men who come in to feast with you on the Living Word of God who are the same one's who bring in alongside of True doctrine, heresies that are called destructive. And what Doctrine taught wrong will bring forth destruction? Godhead, as we saw in Deuteronomy, Malachi and Acts as well as various other scriptures. Then in [2 Peter 2: 1] we are told that these men through their destructive doctrine even deny the Lord that bought them. And we know Jesus was the price paid, but He is not the One who bought us. The Father bought us using the blood of His Only Begotten Son as the Price for the payment of our sin. Jesus was the purchased Price, but God is the One Who paid the debt. And it is this One, The Lord Who is rejected, thus bringing on destruction as God has promised.
Now, I hope by this you can see the importance of understanding and worshipping God correctly. Malachi said, the Purpose of Elijah coming was to prevent destruction for all. So there will be a group who will heed the message of One God and He had a Son. All others will take up other doctrine that will bring on destruction. Including the false worship of a Holy Man, and a Holy Church.
Jesus
tells us in Matthew
6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he
will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and
despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
He said you can't do it. Either God has called you or man has called
you. You can't serve both.
Now that does not mean you can't work a job and serve God, because Moses did it, and Paul did it, and William Branham did it, until that time that he as Moses had to be on the road so much of the time that he couldn't hold down a job. But what he is saying here is that you can't be true to God and line up with man. It doesn't mix. Either you will stay true to God or you will drift towards organization.
Look, I would love to have a church full of people who want with all their hearts to serve God, but there just aren't that many people willing to do so. Not even in this message. Just compromise here a little and there a little and then the people will begin to flood your gates. I know churches where you almost can't be a deacon unless you’ve been divorced and remarried which is totally apostate to what the Scripture say.
But they don’t care, the preachers are divorced and remarried, and cause people in their own churches to divorce their spouse that doesn’t see eye to eye with the pastor. Such blasphemy against God and His righteousness and Holiness.
In one church I know it seems the requirements in that church to be a deacon are that you have to have had two or three wives before you can be a deacon. And yet they fill the church from wall to wall. Why? Organization, that's why. You can't please man and please God at the same time. You must be willing to walk alone or God won't walk with you.
Go tell 60-0417M P:66 I'm afraid of
defeat. Anything, I'm afraid I'll bring a reproach. I'm always afraid of it,
watching, think I'll call the wrong thing. 'Cause, I've took warning of the
Bible, how that Moses was given great power, and he smote the rock instead
of speaking to it. I remember of Elishah, because he went baldheaded, them
little children teasing him about being baldheaded; he put a curse on those
children, and forty-two of them was killed by bears. See? Now, that wasn't
the Holy Spirit, but it was that prophet angered. And I've went through all
the things, coming to that. And there He stood, talking to me. And He said,
"But you walk with too many." He said, "To walk with Me,
you'll walk alone."
As I was with Moses 60-0911M
P:76 And I'm ready to go to Jordan this morning. I'm ready to stand to my
commission. I've loved people. I've catered to them. He's met me, vision after
vision, which I don't have time to tell; and you know, it's wrote right here in
the backs of these books. Saying, "You're catering too much to people. To walk with Me, you'll walk
alone. You're putting too much emphasis on those
signs."I didn't know what the rest of it was, but the hour has come. The
hour has come, when I seen the hand come down to Joshua, said, "I was with
Moses. I'll be with you." I believe it this morning. From
henceforth and this day on, I serve God in my commission. He wants to show
me signs or wants to show me visions, He can show them to me. If He does not; never
will I stand before people, trying to let their faith pull something out of me
anymore. I'll pray for the sick, and commit them unto God, and let them go.
If they believe the commission, God is just as true. He's brought me to this far,
just as He did Moses. Just as He did Joshua, so has it did the same.
Hearing receiving and acting
60-0607 P:15 My, sometimes it means walk alone. But if you
really are sincere, and you really receive the birthright, you don't care to
walk alone. If the neighbors won't invite you anymore over to dinner, if
nobody will have anything to do with you, what difference does it make to
you? As long as you've got the birthright, that's the main achievement
of your life. As long as I'm borned of the Holy Spirit, what difference does it
make? Long as I'm on my road to heaven, what difference does it make what
the people say as long as we're walking in the Spirit? And all that's borned of
the Spirit of God, are led by the Spirit of God. Sons and daughters of God are
led by the Spirit of God, always walking in the beautiful light of holiness,
cleanliness. But Esau, that birthright... He was carnal like the world, so it
didn't make any difference to him. He thought he was religious, and his papa
and mama was religious, and that was good enough for him.
Mighty conqueror 56-0401 P:39
And
while He was alone, the doors shut, the world outside, He picked up some bread
and He broke it; and just the way He done it, they knew it had to be Him. Their
eyes were opened. They'd talked to Him all day. They'd fellowshipped. They'd
heard Him preach along the road through the journey of the heat of the day, but
when once alone, He made Hisself known to them, and their eyes come open.Oh, if
He could only get this group of people at this hour, if He could only get
you to a place alone where you wouldn't notice... Say, "I'm
setting by a Methodist this morning, and I'm a Baptist." See, you mustn't
do that. You must shut the world out. Shut the other people out.
You must walk alone with Christ. If He ever gets you alone, then
your eyes come open; say, "Why, that was Him all the time."
Then He will do something here this morning the way He used to do it, and the
way He does it today; for He has to do the same thing today that He did then, act
on the same principles, or He isn't the same yesterday, today, and forever, and
He did wrong when He acted there. If Christ in the...
89-1 Ephesian Church Age –
Church Age Book Cpt 3 That cycle of revival and death has never failed. All
you have to do is recall this last move of God in the Spirit when men and women
dressed like Christians, went to church, prayed all night, took to street
corners and weren't ashamed of the manifestations of the Spirit. They left
their old dead churches and worshipped in homes or old store buildings. They
had reality. But it wasn't too long a time until they began to get
enough money to build fine new churches. They put in a choir instead of singing
unto God for themselves. They put gowns on the choir. They organized a movement
and ran it by man. They soon began to read books that weren't fit to read. They
let down the bars and goats came in and took over. The cry of joy was gone.
The freedom of the Spirit was gone. Oh, they kept on with a form; but the fire
had died down and the blackness of ashes is about all that is left. 89-2 A few
moments ago I mentioned that John understood what it was to love God. That
great apostle of love would certainly see it when the church began to lose that
first love of God. In I John
5:3, he says, "For
this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments
(His Word)." One little deviation from that Word was a step away from
Christ. People say they love God, they go to church, they even
shout and rejoice and sing and have a great emotional time. But when it is all over, watch
and see if they are in that WORD, walking in it, living in it. If
they go through all the other and then don't walk in that Word, they can say
they love God but their lives tell another story. I wonder if John didn't
see a lot of that before he died; people saying they loved God but not obeying
His Word. Oh, Ephesian Church, something is happening to you. Someone is trying
to either add to that Word or take from it. But they are doing it so subtly
that you can't see it. They haven't made a move so big you can see it out there
in the open. It is under cover, and they are bringing it by way of reason and
human understanding and it will take over unless you refuse it. Go back to
Pentecost before it is too late!
89-3
But as usual people don't heed God's warning. That revival fire built
upon the sacred Word is so wonderful, and the manifestation of the Spirit so
blessed, that a little fear creeps in and a whisper in the heart says,
"How can we protect this truth we have? What can we do to see this
revival goes on?" That is when the "antichrist
spirit" comes in and whispers, "Look, you have the truth now, see
that it doesn't get lost. Organize and set up your creed of what you believe.
Put it all in a church manual." And they do it. They organize.
They add to the Word. And they die just like Eve did for taking One wrong word.
It's God's Word that brings life. And it's not what we say about the Word that
counts, but it's what God said.
Now, back to
our parable…14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous,
heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves
before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed
among men is abomination in the sight (or Presence) of God.
Don't ever
forget those words church. for that which is highly esteemed among men is
abomination in the sight (or Presence) of God.
Let us Pray…