Spoken Word no 131

Predestinated to Truth or Predestined to Blindness

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

December 06, 2009

 

This morning I would like to review some things that we read last week from brother Branham’s sermon The Spoken Word is the Original Seed.

 

In paragraph  103 Predestinated: he said,  all sons and daughters of God are predestinated.” … (And then he said..) He being God, the infinite One, He foreknew everything that would be. He knew who they were. And then to clarify that he said in the next paragraph  104 Now, He didn't make Eve do that. He didn't make her do it, but He knew she would do it.

 

So what he is saying here is that although God knows your end from your beginning, he doesn’t force you through a tube and then say blessed is he that overcomes. But right after brother Branham explains that God did not make Eve to do what she did, yet He knew that she would do it. Then he quote Scripture, (still in paragraph 104)… "They got eyes but they don't see. They got ears but they don't hear. Isaiah well spoke of you. Isaiah foresaw you.

 

Now, we find that in Matthew 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, 17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

 

So you see, these are not people who are physically blind or physically deaf. These are people who are spiritually blind and spiritually deaf, because they are looking right at what you are looking at and can not see what you see, and they are hearing the same things that you are hearing and can not understand what it is they are hearing, so they don’t hear what you hear even though with their natural ears they do. But as Jesus summarized it all by saying, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

 

So these people have close their own eyes and stopped up their own ears so they can not hear. And they do it to themselves. That’s where their fr4ee moral agency has gotten them, blind and deaf to the Word of God and thus ignorant of God’s Will which is His Word.

 

And in every age after every revival, once the people move away from the Light God sent to them, and move backwards into works programs, the Life leaves them and God moves on with His Light. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:17 that when they loose what understanding they have of the Word the Life of God leaves them as well. Ephesians 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, they become alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:


So because their hearts are blind, and they are willfully ignorant as they move away from what understanding they did have they actually are shutting off the Life of God from themselves. In essence they are waling away from the fountain of Life. There is never any reason to quit preaching the doctrine to revert to works, for Christ is the doctrine. If you preach Christ the hearts of the people will be filled with Life and there will be no need to preach a clothesline religion. Fill a person with God life and God will live through them.


And it doesn’t matter what you do to clean up your life, if you are not born again it is not even acceptable to God any way. All that kind of righteousness is as filthy rags. That is what He said.

Therefore these people whop have willfully turned down the Light are what Jesus spoke of in Revelations 3:14-20.

 

Revelations 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

 

So they are make-believers because they are make believing that they see when they don’t, and they make believe that they are rich in the things of God when they are actually miserable and naked. Yet in their pride they will not admit they are wrong. That is why I love to preach in Africa, because at least their there are honest and humble men of Go who will admit that they didn’t have it right and are willing to just shut up and listen instead of listening to refute like the Americans, Canadians  and Europeans do.

 

And the attributes of the Make-believer are #1) They worship God according to their own mind.


Psalm 10:4 The wicked through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: for God is not in all of his thoughts.


Isaiah 55:8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, Saith the Lord.


Isaiah 65:2 I have spread out My hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts.


Jeremiah 6:13-19 13  For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 14  They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.  15  Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. 16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17  Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. 18  Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. 19  Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

 

Now, notice the condition of the people even after when they are told a way to escape, they refuse to listen. They think their way is better than God’s way. Too much pride and we know that Pride goeth before a fall.


John 9:39-4139  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

 

They become blind because they think they see. This is exactly what Revelations 3 tells us, that they are Blind & don't know, and we already read in Eph 4:17-18 that they are blind because of their own thoughts are contrary to God's thoughts.


2 Peter 3:5 5  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:  6  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: Notice Peter said these people were willfully ignorant, therefore to turn down what God has brought down with a Shout is a willful act of disrespect to God, and God says they are willfully ignorant.  As the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:38 36  What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? 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. 38  But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

 

#2) In their own stupid zeal and in their own strange piety, they are worse than the ungodly.


2 Tim 3:5 Having a form of Godliness, but denying the Word thereof: from such turn away. These are the make-believers.

 

Paul spoke of them in Romans 10:2-3 For I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's right-wise-ness, and going about to establish their own right-wise-ness, have not submitted themselves to the right-wise-ness of God.


#3) For God's sake they become enemies of God, John 16:22 Jesus said, "the time cometh when they will kill you thinking they are doing God a service"


#4) For the fear of God they become scorners of God. To scorn is to show contempt and to despise And how do the do it?


Malachi 1:6-10 6  A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? (The word despise means contempt,) 7  Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. (You see here is how they show their contempt for the Lord, the spiritual food they are eating. It is not fresh, it is old and full of wiggle worms.) 8  And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.  9  And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts. 10  Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. ...The NIV translation, Who is there among you that will shut the doors so that useless fires many not be kindled upon mine altar.


Psalm 123:3-4 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. 4  Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud. At least David was aware of his actions and how they showed contempt and he was man enough to ask God to forgive him and help him in this area. But today the people are so blind to their own condition that they do not know how miserable they really are. I know you have all met people that never have anything good to say, and when they do speak it is all negatives. Those people are miserable and do not know it. A person that is full of joy doesn’t speak on the negative, and even if they do not like something someone else does or says, they have no comment about it, but they just pray for that person.


Proverbs 18:3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. ignominy means stupidity. So this speaks of their contempt is a stupid reproach, not against the one they are in contempt with but their approach shows their own stupidity.


John 10:25-27 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 26  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

They just could not get it, though He explained who He was by vindication.


Isa 29:9-13  Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10  For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. 11  And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: 12  And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.13  Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

 

Their own thoughts blind them to the truth, as we see also in Isa 28:8-13  For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.9  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11  For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12  To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.13  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. And so the Word of the Lord becomes unto them, do and do, rule upon rule that they might go backward, stumble and be broken.


#5) Because of piety they become impious; Piety means: devotion, worship and godliness. And how do they become impious? By worshipping falsely.


Acts 13:48-50 Notice the contrast between the two kinds of believers. The ordained to Life and those ordained to blindness.  And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 49  And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.50  But the Jews stirred up the devout (that means the pious) and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.


Mark 7:7-16 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. by their traditions they make the Word of God of none effect


Proverbs 25:14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without water.

 

Jeremiah 23:32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD. Those that God doesn't send but go forth anyway will not profit the people any. Lightness, extravagance.


#6) For the sake of peace they disturb the peace;


Romans 3:11-18 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14  Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15  Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16  Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17  And the way of peace have they not known: 18  There is no fear of God before their eyes.   

 

So the way the manner of thinking or a course of conduct, the way of peace they have not known, the manner of thinking, the course of conduct towards peace they have not known Again we see that it all comes down to a mind set.


Acts 16:19-23 19  And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,  20  And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21  And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23  And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:  Money, money, money, the love of it is the root of all evil.


#7) In the interest of humility they become proud. Such is the fictitious piety of their stubborn mind and the hypocritical understanding of confirmed obstinacy. So great is man's arrogance and his absolutely vain delusion that he believes he is worshipping God when he is worshipping the devil.


1 Timothy 6:3-5 3  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,  5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. Again we see that those who are proud will not acknowledge the Truth but look for gain.


Romans 11:7-10 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always.  

 

The snare is scripture itself, inasmuch as it is understood and handed down or taught in a deceitful manner, so that under the show of pious instruction the souls of the deceived and simple are craftily ensnared. From one and the same table, or from one and the same Holy Scriptures, one draws for himself death while the other life, the one honey and the other poison. Hence, nothing else should be treated with such reverence and so altogether without arrogance as the Word of God. It at once ensnares the proud and traps and offends them, though in a way that they do not perceive: Indeed, in a fascinating and beautiful disguise. And this is not the Words fault, but that of human pride, which arrogantly raises it's head against it. The stumbling block consists of this, that they who are ensnared by false teaching constantly take offense. For if they are ensnared it is through that which they understand wrongly. To that they cleave and with it they are pleased. So without realizing it, they permit themselves to be ensnared willingly. But they take offense of what is pointed out to them as the truth from which they turn away. If they can not avoid it, (the truth) they distort it and deny that scripture must be so understood. At last their eyes are darkened 11:10, so that while others see, they themselves do not permit themselves to be enlightened, and while all others are raised up, they remain perverted in their mind.

 

Now in getting back to what brother Branham was saying in paragraph 104 of The Spoken Word is the Original Seed, And there they are setting there with eyes, ears, and everything else, but yet they can't see. Why? They are a repellent to the Word of God. Then Jesus said, "Oh, you hypocrites. You are the children of the devil and his works you do. Then condemn Me," He said, "refuse My ministry..." When show me where your ministry's producing the full Word of God, as His was. See, see?


John 8:38  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.41  Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; (notice they are saying, we are not serpent seed) we have one Father, even God. 42  Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. (Now, I want you to see what Jesus is saying to these make believers. He said The reason you haven’t got a clue to what I am saying is because it is impossible for you to understand what I am saying, because you are not ordained to know and to understand what I am saying. That is what the Greek word ou tells us here. He said, you cannot hear my word. And the word “cannot” was translated from the Greek word “ou” which means: a double negative strengthening the denial; not at all:--any more, at all, by any (no) means, neither, never, no (at all), in no case (wise), nor ever, not (at all, in any wise).

 

How thankful, we ought to be for revelation, not for the revelation sake, but for the implied meaning behind it. It is God that reveals, and if he chose to not reveal to you, that means he has no interest or relationship with you. So don’t be thankful for revelation sake, but for the fact that you are His and that is why he reveals to you.

 

Notice what Jesus said to the Pharisees right after telling them they could never understand, he tells them why…Then Jesus says, 44  Ye are of your father the devil, (that’s why they can not understand) and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. (Now, this word no that Jesus says here, in speaking of the devil, he says there is no truth in him, and the word no was translated from the same word “ou” which is a double negative strengthening the denial; not at all:--any more, at all, by any (no) means, neither, never, no (at all), in no case (wise), nor ever, not (at all, in any wise). So you see they can not understand because of who they are, they are sons of perdition, sons of the devil and thus incapable of understanding the Revealed Word of God. And Jesus continues, When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46  Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?47  He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

 

Listen to the Translation called The Message John 8:42-47 "If God were your father," said Jesus, "you would love me, for I came from God and arrived here. I didn't come on my own. He sent me. Why can't you understand one word I say? Here's why: You can't handle it. You're from your father, the Devil, and all you want to do is please him. He was a killer from the very start. He couldn't stand the truth because there wasn't a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies. I arrive on the scene, tell you the plain truth, and you refuse to have a thing to do with me. Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act? But if I'm telling the truth, why don't you believe me? Anyone on God's side listens to God's words. This is why you're not listening—because you're not on God's side."

 

Brother Branham speaks of this condition that we see the people in, in this Laodicean age in the Church Age Book  Chapter 9 - The Laodicean Church Age P:78 "You are blind and naked." Now this is really desperate. How can anyone be blind and naked and not know it? Yet it says that they are blind and naked and can't perceive it. The answer is, they are spiritually blind, and spiritually naked. Do you remember when Elisha and Gehazi were surrounded by the army of the Syrians? You recall that Elisha smote them blind by the power of God. Yet their eyes were wide open and they could see where they were going. The blindness was peculiar in that they could see certain things, but other certain things such as Elisha and the servant and the camp of Israel they could not see. What this army could see did not avail for them. What they did not see brought on their captivity. Now what does this mean to us? It means exactly what it meant back there in the earthly ministry of Jesus. He tried to teach them truth, but they would not listen. John 9:40-41. "And some of the Pharisees which were with Him heard these words, and said unto Him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth." The attitude of this age is exactly what it was then. People have it all. They know it all. They cannot be taught. If a point of truth from the Word comes up and a man tries to explain his view to one with an opposing view, the listener is not at all listening that he might learn, but is listening only to refute what is being said. Now I want to ask a fair question. Can Scripture fight Scripture? Does the Bible contradict the Bible? Can there be two doctrines of truth in the Word that say the opposite or oppose the other? NO. IT CANNOT BE SO. Yet how many of God's people have their eyes open to that truth? Not even one percent, as far as I know, have learned that ALL Scripture is given by God and ALL is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, etc. If all Scripture is thusly given, then every verse will dovetail if given a chance. But how many believe in predestination unto election and reprobation unto destruction? Those who don't, will they listen? No, they will not. Yet both are in the Word, and nothing will change it. But to learn about it and reconcile the truth of those doctrines with other truths that seem to oppose, they will not take the time. But they stop their ears, and gnash with their teeth, and they lose out. At the end of this age a prophet will come, but they will be blind to all that he is doing and saying. They are so sure they are right, and in their blindness they will lose it all.

 

That is why they can come in here and hear the same thing you hear, and you sit and listen attentively and you eat that spiritual food in due season, and they sit in their seat fighting sleep and then because they can’t see it they think you are in bondage. In bondage to the word of God? Perhaps a love slave, but not in bondage, no Jesus said the Word shall set you free, and if you are free you are free indeed. You are free from the organizational pulls and the politics that go along with the unregenerate church member. You are free from all that and because you show interest, you are in bondage? Oh that we might all be in bondage as love slaves to our Lord. As Paul said, “ I Paul a Prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Isaiah 42:1  Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2  He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3  A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4  He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. …(now, let’s skip up to verse) 19  Who is blind as my servant? or deaf as my messenger that I sent? who is as blind as he that is perfect, and as blind as the LORD'S servant?20  Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.


21  The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. Jesus was that Perfect servant who was blind to everything except what God had for him to see, and deaf to every voice but the Voice of His Father’s instruction. Is not that what Jesus said in John 5:19 and 5:30?  the son can of himself do nothing, whatsoever He sees the Father do, that the son doeth likewise. And again in John 12: 47  And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49  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. (In other words, My Father instructed me on what I should say and  speak, so that is what I have done.) 50  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

 

19  Who is blind as my servant? or deaf as my messenger that I sent? who is as blind as he that is perfect, and as blind as the LORD'S servant? 20  Seeing many things, but thou observest not; (Like Job who said, I have made a pact with my eyes that I might not allow them to sin against me.) opening his ears, but he heareth not.(and when you go into those restaurants and they are playing that ungodly music, you are so tuned out of the world and the things of the world that you don’t even hear it. And listen to what God tells us about this kind of servant…) 21  The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable. 22  But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. (And none among you says “restore”. What does that mean? Restore what? Jesus said, “Father, Restore unto me the Glory, the Doxa,  the opinion, the values, the judgment” that I had with thee from before the world was framed.) 23  Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come? Well, the answer to this question is found in Acts 13:48  that all that were ordained to Life believe.

 

Contending for The Faith 55-0220E  66 Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom." You can't understand it. It's a mystic, mythical thing until you're born again. There the very Life of God comes in you. Everlasting, Eternal Life, Zoe, God's own Life comes in you, and then you're a part of God. You're a Son of God or a daughter of God. And then you see as God sees. You believe as God believes. Then you'll be a new creature in Christ Jesus....

 

P:24 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 59-1223491-99 Now, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Now, you couldn't see the Kingdom of God, because the Kingdom of God is the Holy Spirit. "Some standing here will not taste of death till they see the Kingdom coming in power," He said. Then, "The Kingdom of God," the Bible said, "is within you." It's within you, the Holy Spirit, and you can't see that with your eyes. So "see" means "to understand." Have you ever looked at anything, looking right at it, say, "Well, I just don't see it." See? "I just don't see it." You mean you don't understand it. See, see? You don't understand it. To see is "to understand." But with your eyes you look at anything. But with what's inside of you, you understand with, you see with that. See? With the eyes of God you look...

 

And from his sermon called CALLING OF ABRAHAM 55-1116 29 Brother Branham said, Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Except the man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God." See what the right translation that is, "cannot understand the Kingdom of God." Somebody be doing something, showing you. "I just can't see it." You're looking at it, but you don't understand it. And you'll never know what the Kingdom of God is until you're born again, then you'll understand what It is.

 

IT SHALL BE EVEN AS IT WAS TOLD ME 50-0818 23 No matter what it looks like here... We don't look at what we see; we look at what we do not see. Is that right? Anyhow, "to see" doesn't mean "to look at." The word "see" means "to understand." Jesus said, "Except a man be born of water and Spirit, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." In other words, he can't understand the Kingdom of God until he's born again. See? You have to accept it by faith. And then when He comes into you, you understand it. You accept healing the same way. Stay right with it. Not what you look at, what you believe, what you understand to be the truth, what you're looking at, the unseen, then stay with that. That's why all these visions. I just lay my life right on any, for it never fails. I have faith in it. I believe it. If I can get you to believe the same thing, it's over then. See?

 

106 … Now, in this God foresaw and predestinated a world of sons and daughters. He predestinated them to be there.


107 Christ couldn't help being what He was. He was the Son of God. That's it. See what I mean now? See if you were intended, you see the Word of God, you believe It; because why? There's something new. See? Why? Have you ever heard of strain in a family? A one... A son will kind of impersonate his father, or the mother, or the grandfather, or the grandmother. That's strain in the family. You've heard of it, haven't you? Well, that's the same thing from predestination. You were supposed to be here in the right way at the beginning, but being that you come the way you did, you're subject to the fall. But being that you're predestinated you hear the Word and It brings you right back where you were predestinated. Amen. Never saw that before. Brings you right... And what makes you believe the Word of God and turn down these other things? Is because you were... There's something in you. Way back yonder you was supposed... You are made to live here forever.


108 "All right, Scripture for that, preacher." Here it comes: "All that He foreknew, He's called, all that He has called, He has justified, and all that He has justified, He has already glorified." "What's the use of preaching, Brother Branham?" There is a crop out there; only thing I'm doing is seining. I'm just throwing it out there and see where it goes. If the repellents, the grease of the muck of the world, denominations throw it off, I can't help it; but if there's one out there that can absorb it, he will turn to be a son and daughter of God just as sure as the world (Amen.), 'cause it's predestinated.


109 That's the reason that God could work His works through Jesus; He was a predestinated Son. He was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Before a hundred billion, trillion, million years ago that we said Genesis 1:1 spoke of awhile ago, He was right then predestinated to take His place. Amen. That's the reason the will of the Father He did. He was the Word made manifest. And every one of the other sons will have the same manifestation, and that's the ones that was predestinated.

 

Let us pray…