Spoken Word no. 151

Knowing your Motives

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

March 28, 2010

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2 Timothy 3: 10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

Ephesians 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Ephesians 1: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

2 Corinthians 1: 17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Acts 11: 23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

Isaiah 1: 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

Ecclesiastes 3:17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Proverbs 20:18 Every purpose is established by counsel: Then I ask, is yours? What counsel do you use to establish your purpose in life? God’s counsel from His Word or man’s counsel from schools and friends and family?

This morning I would like to take our text from PP 173 of the Spoken Word is the original Seed.  173 Now, it's rough, friends. It's very rough. I don't mean to be that myself. Yeah, I hope you understand that. See? But today I'm giving the expression of why I have did the things that I have done. Now, for just a little analysis before we dismiss for lunch is this: I want you to know that I have... This has been my motive, and my objective, is God's Word. My motive is to please Him. And I can't listen to everything and believe God's Word; neither can I listen to everything and please God. My motive is to know His Word and to please God by serving Him by His Word. Not that I have anything against... Now, every person in here that's born of the Spirit of God, that's in the elected group was perhaps once a Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, or something or other somewhere. Now, you know that. You know that. So then you see, when you say, "Go out to them," that's what you have to do. There's somebody in there, if you'll sow the seed, there'll be a harvest someday. It'll fall... Some of it'll go by and say, "Ah, he's nothing but a... he's a deceiver." Didn't they say the same thing about our Lord? "There's nothing to that." Well then, why don't you check it with me? See, see, see? "He's nothing but a deceiver." See? Then check it with the Word. See, if it isn't the Word, then it is deceiving. See? Now, if your theology's different from the Word, then it isn't right. See?

So we are talking about motives this morning. What are your motives for doing and saying what you do and say.

Testimony 63-1128M 20 011 I was trying to say last night, the world's coming to a place it's falling apart, politically, socially, economically. You say, "Economics? More money." Yes, but where's it coming from? We're borrowed on taxes that'll be paid forty years from today. She's broke. She's bankrupt, the nation: not this nation, but all of them. And there's no way ever getting it back. And it's a trap set exactly to swing this nation into something. And all of you are wise on that. Well, who's got the wealth of the world? Who holds it? [Someone says, "Rome."--Ed.] Sure, it does. Rome holds it. And whenever we do, when we get broke, instead of these big merchants tobacco, whiskey, and so forth, like have to get the money; what we'll have to do, either change the currency or borrow the money. And when they do, it's the birthright sold right back, exactly, just as perfect, and just what the Scripture says about it. I'd like to get a place sometime, the Lord willing, when a tent comes on the scene. And I believe that's soon now, soon I'm going worldwide. I got a worldwide meetings coming now. And I'd like to get a place where I could set down for about six weeks, and just take those things and go through them (You see?), back and forth, through the Scripture. And it's astounding to see the hour that we're living in. It frightens me. It frightens me, not because... In my heart, the joy bells are ringing, knowing that the coming of the Lord is so close at hand. But what frightens me, is to know that so many is unprepared for the hour that we are facing. That's the bad part. How many ever heard the story about the squirrels up there that time? Many, all, of course, I guess, everywhere. A little something like that happened the other day. And I was... You've heard the story about the mountains, coming down, when the Lord wrote those things on the mountains the other day. My, my life... I'm not a preacher. Anybody knows that. I'm not a preacher. But it's made up in a spiritual form of watching things and seeing things move, and forewarning people of things that's coming to pass. And it's just that's my makeup. I can't help that, no more than you can help your makeup. But He, God has put us each one in the Body to do certain things. And I watch every little move, every objective, every motive, 'cause everything is governed by spirit. This church was put here for a purpose. There's a spirit behind this church. Certainly. Spirit behind your home, behind every building, behind everything there is a spirit, motive, and objective. This church comes here to greatly exalt some human system or something, then its motives is not right; but if it's put here to try to achieve something for the Kingdom of God, then the motive and objective both is right, if the motives is directed that way.

Now, the problem is as you see the people just are not prepared for what is coming in this hour. Not for what the world is bringing forth, and neither are they ready for the next phase of the Rapture which is the resurrection and that tent ministry that will be a part of it.

You see brothers who claim to be brothers in this message and how they would rather believe a lie that is told about another brother than to check it out for themselves. I will say this about myself. When I hear that a brother did something, I go ask that brother about it rather than just believe second hand or third hand what was said. I have never been afraid to do just that.

Many of you probably feel that it is none of your business so you do not bother to ask, but then you will repeat the story anyway, and shame on you for doing so. Now, I’m not talking to just you people here, I’m talking to the thousands of people who will hear this sermon out on the internet. Shame on you brothers who claim to be a brother, then try to cut another brothers throat and repeat some lie about him. Check your motives brothers. There’s something not right about that picture.

So there are spirits that motivate a person. People operate by having objectives and motives for everything they do. Therefore, my question to you thins morning is what motivates you? What are your objectives? If you hear someone preaches something that might me off the Word, do you check with that brother before you tell someone else? Or do you just join in and repeat the lie that is told?

Paul taught us in Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

We are also taught to not believe a report against another without two or three witnesses. That is God’s Word.

I would rather not believe it unless I check it first with that brother. I can’t say I have always been able to do that but I think I try the best I can to check out my facts before I tell someone else about it. And I like the attitude of br. Demetrius Hualpa in Peru. He said for the first five times I came to Peru, he had heard from some that I was there preaching two Gods. He thought now, how is that possible that a brother in this message could be preaching something so contrary as two Gods. So he said, you know, I was taught all my life to not repeat a story until I hear it first from the horses mouth, so when he heard me speak on the Spirit of Adoption in Colombia before 6,000 people, he came to me after the meetings, and told me that he had always heard that I preached two Gods, but he said you do not preach two Gods, you preach that there is One God who has a Son, and so he asked me to come to Peru to teach his ministers the doctrine as well, because he said they need to understand their placement in the family.

Now, I wish all brothers were that way, but some don’t have such good manners, and that is probably their mothers fault for not teaching them better. So you see, ladies, you are responsible to teach your children to stand for the truth and to not listen to the lies of the devil an do not believe what you hear second or third hand, for it could cut your children off from a divine blessing one day.

Maniac of Gadara 54-0720A P:19 Now, I am happy. I get tired. I get physically wore out. I have difficulties, things that an ordinary person doesn't have. You can imagine how Satan fights at me day and night, all the time. Cast those demons out and they haunt at you. You see? But all those things there... I have a battle that no one knows about. But I love people. I love them with all my heart. And therefore, people know that. And I have never let my ministry get to a big place, to where it would look like it would be big. It might--it might go to my head. My ministry's been kept little. And I deal with a few people and about time the crowd gets built up, I move off somewhere else, and just go somewhere else. Because my--my whole motive is this: to please my heavenly Father. That's only thing I have to do, is to please Him.

And we just read where brother Branham said they were calling him a devil and saying he was off the word, and yet they would not come to him to discuss the word to see where he was off the word. I told the brothers in Paraguay the same thing. I told them that they should be humble enough to believe everything that God’s Word says, and Hiss prophet says, and if he says one thing and then something that appears to be different, that they must be open enough in their doctrine to be able to fit all the statements together, and if their doctrine can not do that then they do not have the right doctrine.

It all boils down to motives. If our motives are right, then not only the big things come into line, but also the little things come into line as well.

Desperation 63-0901E P:17 And the devil can impersonate any of those things. But he cannot be the Holy Ghost. See? He can impersonate these gifts, but he can't be the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost is the Token that the Blood's been applied, because It follows the Blood all the way from the Book of Redemption. See it? That was the purpose of Him coming. That's what He followed in every age. Every age He's followed that to see that It's brought forth. And they could not be made perfect without us. And now, the entire Holy Spirit visits the church making God in human flesh as He did before Sodom, the burning there, which was a type. Then Abraham, He appeared to him. And all the things that He hasn't done down through the ages, in the church ages, He is now doing. Back to the Word, because the messages, and the messages, and the messages has to wind up in the entire Word. And in the last days, the Seven Seals being open, was to pick up every straggle that's been left off in it and make the whole thing in one great big body of the Bride, that them who lived back there was not perfect until this church be perfected, the Bride group in the last days, to bring them in and all together be taken up. See?

Melchisedec the great prince 55-0109M P:69 When we rally there with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, those who were heirs of the promise, looking forward to us not to fail, for without us they cannot be made perfect... And how they're depending on us this morning. Let's not fail. Keep your anchor in Christ.

You know, God is still waiting on His elect to come to the place where we are ready for the next phase of the rapture which is the voice of the resurrection, and there is going to be a resurrection, only they without us cannot be made perfect. So they are all waiting on us, and they can not come out of the graves until you and I are ready for that stage, and since we are not, then we wait, and wit and wait.

Knoweth it not 65-0815 P:103 And what are we coming here for? What are we doing? Are we coming here playing a game? Are we coming here meeting as a lodge? It's... Christ can't come until that church is perfectly right. He's waiting on us. I believe we're at the end.

Stature of a perfect man 62-1014M P:142 You get it? These people who died in here are depending and waiting on us. So this church has got to come to perfection in order to bring the resurrection, and they're under--souls under the altar, waiting for this church to come to its perfection. But when Christ does come... And this church (You see?), is coming smaller in the minority. (It's a whole lot sharper than that, but just so I write that cross there. See?) It's come up to a needle point until the church in the minority has got to get into a place until it's the same kind of a ministry that this left. Because when this Headstone comes back... It's got a pocket like here where it's going to set right in there on a regular pyramid. It just isn't a cap that sets across the top; it's a little flange. And it's got to set on there 'cause it sheds the water. And when it comes, this church has got to be honed. All these rest of stones in the pyramid are laying so perfect till you can't run a razor blade between them, weighing tons laying in there. How they got them up, they don't know, but they were built. And up here when the pyramid Cap does come, the pyramid itself, the Body of Christ will have to be honed, not only just some creed, or doctrine, or something we've come through. It'll have to be so perfectly like Christ till when He comes, He and that ministry will fit right smack together. Then will come the rapture, the going home.

Sudden secret going away of church 58-1012 P:27 I don't care how rotten the world is, how rotten our country is, our nation is, our people are, prayer changes things. But we're not interested in prayer meeting no more. We got so many other things we have to do, so we think. And then, not only that, was that race court condemned, but it also was drawed up that they could not have in the state of Arkansas, nothing like that any more for years and years to come. Why? Because the people that are called by His Name assembled themselves together and prayed. Oh, what we need today is a calling together, a getting ready, and not depending on the preacher; but you, as an individual before God, make yourself ready for the coming of the Lord to escape all this corruption. No matter what they call you, and what action they take, that doesn't change God one bit. God will do it just the same. He's depending and waiting on us. Oh, my.

Convinced then concerned 62-0118 P:29 See, God's Word is so perfect. And because that one little jot or tittle can in no wise pass out, it cannot pass away until it has been fulfilled. Jesus is coming, and He's coming for a church without a spot or a wrinkle. And not one Word, or one Iota, of That will ever fail. The church will be in that shape when Jesus comes. They're waiting on us.

God's provided way of healing 54-0719A P:44 God wants us...You say, "Well, Brother Branham, you say, 'Let us.'" That's what God's a waiting on. God... We're waiting on Jesus to return, and Jesus is waiting on us. You say, "Well, how--what can we do about it." The Bible said the hour has come, and His Bride has made herself ready (Hallelujah.), made herself ready.

God's only provided place of worship 65-1128M P:49 You've got to come with sincerity, with all your heart. Your motives and your objectives, placed right on God. Then search for His place, find where He said, and bring it there. See?

I have heard but now I see 65-1127E P:31 But because of the selfishness got among it, the objectives was wrong, signing up a bunch of stuff "it would be this way," when they promised they would do it for the Kingdom of God, but looked like it's for themselves. See?And it won't work; no selfish thing will work. Your motives and objectives has to be exactly, perfectly right, then you have faith there. "If our hearts condemn us not, then we have confidence." See, see? We've got to have confidence. "I want this to the honor and glory of God." Then faith has a--a channel to move into; if it doesn't, then you've got mental, intellectual faith, and not genuine faith from God. That intellectual faith will get you nowhere. Might get you emotional, but it won't get you the healing that you're looking for.

I have heard but now I see 65-1127E P:29 See, we don't use the gift of God for commercial. No, no. He could tell me where it was at, but I don't have any need of it. I wouldn't even have faith enough to ask Him. See? If I had a need of it, I believe if I'd ask Him, He'd tell me. But first (You see?), your motives and objectives has to be right. You have to have reasons for this. God don't give you those things just because you ask. And you cannot ask in faith unless there's a real objective to that, to be in the will of God. See? If you want to be well, what do you want to be well for? See? If you want to be healed, what's the reason you want to be healed? What are you telling God? What do you want to do with you life when you get healed? See? There's got to be... You've got to have a motive and objective, and they have to be right according to the will of God. And then's when the faith is revealed to you, and God by His sovereign grace places that faith in there, then it's over. See? Now. See?

Power of transformation 65-1031M P:23 Now, that's what we are here for. That's my message, has been all along, is the Word of God. We must hold to That regardless of what other things take place. Always stay with that Word. Always to--check out your motives and objectives, if it is according to the Word of God. If it isn't, leave it alone. See? But if it's with the Word of God, and lines up with the Word of God, then that, you hold to that. Now, God sometimes... Just like your little group here this morning, He lets it not happen just overnight; He lets... God... We're the one that gets in a hurry. God's never in a hurry. He just says it, and--that it's going to be. For when He says anything, it's got to be. It's just going to be. He--He lets it take its time.

Christ revealed in His own Word 65-0822M P:120 Dear God, while they're asking You that question I ask myself, to You: What would You have me do, Lord, as I realize that each day must be counted for. And I pray that You'll help me, Lord, to live so that each day, it'll be counted to Your honor and glory. I pray that You'll help everyone all across the nation, and those here that's present in the tabernacle, as we search out our hearts and say, "Lord, what would You have me do? What could I do, Lord, to further Your Kingdom and Your cause." Grant it, the God. Search us--our hearts and try us; if there be any iniquity in us, Lord, any selfishness, any bad motives or objectives, O God, cleanse us with the Blood of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, Who we humbly accept His propitiation of His death and His resurrection. And being justified by believing that He did this, we gladly accept the plan of salvation that You give it to us. Father, we thank You for the message of the day, what we believe and what we hold onto, to know and believe that it's Your Word and Your Message. Not to be different from the other people, but to try to be more like Jesus Christ Who is our Example...

Trying to do God a service 65-0718M P:28 No matter how sincere, and what good motives, and what good objectives, and how people want those things, and see the need of it, there is a will of God to be carried out in these things. That's what I want to drive down tight. For I want to make this so that you have to see it if the Spirit of God dwells in you. And that's the reason I'm lingering so long here. Not taking you people's time on the telephone and on the hookup, but I want you to see it. If you run out of time, then get the tape. That there...No matter how much it's needed, how much everybody agrees that it's needed, how much that that is the truth, there's yet one thing to find out: Is that the will of God? Now, God never promised that He'd reveal His secrets to his kings, He'd reveal His secrets to His people.

God's provided place of worship 65-0425 P:86 Then you get into a place that your motives and objectives for your achievements is just exactly in the will of God. And when you lay your hands there and believe it, it's going to happen. You believe that?

God identified by characteristics 64-0311 P:12 And, notice, both of them were absolutely fundamental. The prophet, fundamentalists from Balaam, said, "Build me seven altars"; that's exactly God's number. "And offer upon each altar a clean sacrifice, a bullock," which exactly the same sacrifice they had down in the camp of Israel. And he said, "Upon each altar also offer a ram," speaking of the coming of Christ. And down in Israel they offered the same sacrifice. Same altars, same God, but one of them was wrong and the other one was right. And now, the only way that you could tell which was... When it come fundamentally to the Word, both of them were right. But you see, one, his motives was wrong, he was trying to cut off his brother from the line of promise that God had give him.

Shalom 64-0112 P:11 Our heavenly Father, we are so grateful to You, that we can even be privileged to address You as our Father, for "Father" means that we have been begotten of the great God that created the heavens and earth. And we are so happy for this privilege, that we can think in our hearts, and then, that we are sons and daughters of Yours. And then to see You strictly identify Yourself in the midst of us, that You are our Father, changing our thoughts from the things of the world, and changing our motives and objectives and attitudes, and every phase of us, to love You and to believe You, and know that Your promises are true.

Testimony 63-1128M P:14 This church was put here for a purpose. There's a spirit behind this church. Certainly. Spirit behind your home, behind every building, behind everything there is a spirit, motive, and objective. This church comes here to greatly exalt some human system or something, then its motives is not right; but if it's put here to try to achieve something for the Kingdom of God, then the motive and objective both is right, if the motives is directed that way.

Influence 63-1114 P:19 Sometimes you may think that it doesn't pay off. But it certainly does pay off. It's got to pay off. You cannot be going east and west at the same time. You can't be going right and left at the same time. You may think you're going the other way, but you're not. So if you'll set your mind and eyes, and motives and objectives and life on the right thing, you've got to come out on the right thing. You can't fail. See? That's the only way. No matter how much you're tempted to do the other side, turn your head from it and do what's right. And you're--you know you're right; you feel better, and you are better. And that's just all there is to it, you got... You're going to come out right. You start going west, you're not--you're not going to be going north; you're going to be going--you're going to be going west. And that's the same way it is in right and wrong.

Godhead explained 61-0425B P:45 And if I'm wrong, then you forgive me. But I want to explain to you, being that there's both groups setting here this morning, both the Oneness and the Assemblies, also, and the trinitarian belief...Now, I want to make this statement. I want to say that I believe that both sides are wrong as long as they argue one with the other, because their motives is wrong. And as long as your motives is wrong, no matter what your objective is; but your motive to that objective is wrong, then it'll never work. That's right.

Queen of Sheba 61-0219 P:8 Always remember this, church; God's Words are true. I believe the right mental attitude towards any Divine promise of God will bring it to pass, if you can look at it in the right way. But remember, here's been my standard in life. I have tried to do this. The first thing, I want to find out whether it's the will of God or not. That... Then I know it's God's will. The next thing, is my objective to it and my motive in doing it. Then if it's the will of God, and my objective is right, and my motive is right, I have faith that it'll be done. Because, first, it's the will of God and I have, and my objective is to glorify Him, and my motive is to give Him all the glory. See? So there's no selfish motives about it. If you have a selfish motive it won't work. If your objective is to make money for yourself or something, why, you'll never succeed. And then try to do something outside of the will of the Lord, then it won't work to begin with. So there is genuine faith, but you must come into the real channel of God to have that genuine faith. There's human faith, then there's faith of God. And you must have a godly faith to believe. Now, then to have godly faith, you must have the mind of Christ in you. Then that's how God projects to you visions, revelations, and all these things comes by the mind of Christ being in you. You get it? "Let the mind that was in Christ be in you."

Be not afraid it is I 61-0123 P:38 I had another call said, from a group that said, "If you let another group set on the platform with you, we'll have nothing to do with it." That's worse off then ever. What's the matter? Gone off without Him. The love of God in our heart constrains us to reach to every denomination in every place. When it gets to a spot that you can't have a tender love for every human being, something's happened to you. God so loved you when you was a sinner, an alien, away from God, a enemy of the commonwealth of God, He so loved you that He gave His life for you, sure. If you get a spirit in you, you're better than someone else, then--then you're worse than anybody else that I know of. I don't care if you're ever so correct in your theology; your motives and objectives is wrong. I'd rather be--I'd rather be wrong in my--in my theology, than be wrong in my heart. That's right. Spirit of God dwells in your heart. In the garden of Eden man took his--go--his... He compromised. Now, in the garden of Eden there was a choice made by the man. The devil took his head; God took his heart. Then he sends him off to a seminary, freezes him up with some good theology and dehydrates him in there, and he comes back out, his head all puffed up, too big to wear an ordinary hat. Then he comes out with bitterness in his heart against the fellow citizen of the Kingdom, that ain't God. That's right.

Questions and answers COD 61-0112 P:14 Now, here's the way to do it. Find out first... Well now, this is advice; only thing I can give on this is advice. See? But make sure that your calling comes from God, and then check your motives and objectives. See? Now, you know what I mean by that. What is your motive for preaching? Was it just... You think it was a easier job than what you have? Then you'd better forget it; it wasn't a call. A call of God burns so in your heart you can't rest day and night for it. You just can't get away from it; it's just constantly grinding at you.

Pergamean church age 60-1207 P:49 O God, take away the doubt from among us; just circumcise our poor human hearts till there will be no doubt at all among us. That's my prayer. Just roll away every doubt, Lord. Let me live sweetly, humbly, and walk as a--as a lamb of God on earth. Let--let me walk like He walked. Let me speak like He speaks. Let my motives be like His motives. Let--let me... Let others find Jesus in me. Let me lose myself and find it, Lord, in Thee. That's it; let me just lose myself and find it in Thee: just so enshrouded into Christ till there's no room for no doubt, just what He says.Now, don't go out here and say, "Glory to God. Hallelujah. Praise God. You see what I can do? Glory to God." You haven't got it yet. That's not the way He did it, no: stick His chest out and say, "See what I can do? Yes, sir. I'm the Son." No. He never taken praise for nothing; He gave it to God; He walked humbly and sweetly with such a air around Him till people just loved to be around Him. Now, only His enemies... And He loved them enough till even He prayed for them constantly, all the time. And that was your Example, my Example, to do to others as He's did to us.

Queen of the south 60-1127E P:80 Many hands went up, that they wanted to receive Him as personal Saviour and become His child. God, I pray that in this prayer line somewhere, or somewhere in the meeting, that You'll show that sign of the resurrection that You promised through Jonah. And may that hour, or that moment, may the power of God seal them in their heart with the Holy Spirit and make them sons and daughters of God, that their character would be changed, their desires, and their objectives, and motives, and everything in their life would be changed. Grant it, Lord.We're waiting farther on You; the service is Yours. It's in Your Name. And we're waiting to see what You will do. Save these Lord; don't let them leave this building, tonight without salvation. Grant it, Lord.