Spoken Word no. 177
Manufactured Religion
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
July 11th, 2010
32
Now, Adam's bride could not wait,
but she went forward first. That's the way today, the bride today. She wants to manufacture something.
"Glory to God," she's got
to work it up on the platform.
She's got to have everything. See? What is she doing? Manufacturing
something. Look where it's
going. You can see there's
nothing to it; it's ah phony. Exactly right. If it wasn't, this world would be aflame
with the power of God; the church would be on fire; oh, what... Dead would be raised and all kinds of
things would be taking place. But what did she get sowed up with before
Christ could get to her, before He got to her to plant His Own seed? What did
she have? Weed seeds, the world,
denominational seeds. That's the
reason why she's reaping her harvest right now. I hope you don't, make you
upset, but I hope it gets right down to a place where I'll trust that God has
given it to you. See?
Manufactured religion!!! And I’m afraid most people in
this world, have exactly that, manufactured Religion…
Why, even among us in this message most have a
manufactured Religion. A form of Godliness but they deny the Power therefore.
And what is the Power thereof? It is the Gospel, the Good news, the Message
teaching.
And what exactly is manufactured religion? It’s
something that they just made up, like children just playing church, it’s not a
reality to them, it’s a duty, it’s uncertain, it’s a form of Godliness but
denying the power thereof.
No real
responsibility, people want someone to do their religion for them. They want
someone who they feel can get in touch with God for them, because they are
either too lazy or too insecure to do come in contact with God for themselves.
They want works, morality, but they do not want truth. In 2 Timothy 4: 1 Paul
Said, I charge thee
therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and
the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; not a bunch
of stories, but the Word, be instant in season, (take a stand in season), out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears
from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Now, a fable is a story with a moral, so they will
turn down the doctrine and heap to themselves teachers who will teach morality
instead because that is what they want to hear. The people will not endure the
doctrine, but will turn to stories with morals in them. Morality preaching is
what they want. Like focus on the family instead of focusing on the promise for
the Hour.
2 Peter 1:
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables (morality preaching), when we
made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were
eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Titus 1:
14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables (morality preaching), and commandments of men, that turn from the
truth. And notice that morality preaching leads you away from the
truth. Now, I’m all for morals, but you can preach them til the cows come home
and that won’t help the people to live the Life of Christ. Christ is the
doctrine, and the people must understand their relationship with the Father and
the eldest brother so they can know how to conduct themselves in this evil and
wicked world that we live in.
1 Timothy
4: 7 But refuse profane (secular) and old wives' fables
(preaching of morals), and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
1 Timothy
1: 4 Neither give heed to fables (preaching of morals) and endless genealogies, which minister
questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
So we then turn to 2 Timothy 3:1 to better understand how the
people will try to manufacture their religion, rather than open their hearts to
the Doctrine of Christ which is the Only Doctrine that promises us that we will
have God. As we read in verse 1 Paul says, This know also, in other
words, Paul says, “I want you to mark this down, I want you to fully understand
what it is I’m about to tell you”, concerning the last days, for perilous times shall come. These will be terrible times, times of great stress and times
of great trouble, and this stress and trouble will be hard to deal with and
hard to bear.
Now, what Paul is doing
here in this statement is setting the atmosphere or mood for what the end times
will be like. Then he gives us more specifics in : 2.
2 For
men shall be lovers of their own selves and [utterly] self-centered.
And not only that but they also will be covetous (lovers of
money, and not only lovers of money, but they will be aroused by inordinate
greed and desire for more wealth than they could possibly spend in a thousand
years. And in the process of acquiring their wealth, they will become) boasters and proud, And
not only proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters
will they become, but they will be abusive blasphemous scoffers. Yes, abusive
scoffers and harmful to those who do good. Callous
and inhuman, relentless admitting of no truce or appeasement. And not
only this, but the children will become disobedient to parents, Rich with material
possessions yet unthankful,
and unholy as they will
be marked by their lack of holiness, 3 Without natural affection, no love
for one another at all, unforgiving. They will be
lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than
lovers of God. Truce-breakers they will be, and slanderers, false accusers, troublemakers, people
with no restraint, incontinent, without
self-control in their conduct and morals, yet fiercely brutal and uncontrolled they will be, and they will despise and actually
hate those that
are good. 4 Traitors, they will be, to
God and to their countries, selling out their God and their country like Esau did
for a meal ticket. They will be rash in their judgments, conceited within
themselves. Heady
and highminded they will be, thinking they know when in fact they
have not a clue. Inflated with self-conceit and lovers of pleasures more than or
rather than lovers
of God;
And now we are getting
to where I want to get this morning, in : 5 Paul says, 5 Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof: what
he is saying here is that although they hold a form
of piety claim to be Christian, they in their lives deny and reject and are
strangers to the very power of The Christian Life for their conduct belies the genuineness
of their profession. And finally Paul says what we are to do about these
people, from such turn away. In other words, we are
to have nothing to do with them.
Now, to this point we
think Paul is speaking of the condition of man in general, and from what we
have read so far it seems in this day to be pointing to the political spectrum,
but that is not who Paul is speaking
about, for in : 6 he begins to tell us just who these people are.
6 For
of this sort or among them are those which creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Now, he’s talking about those preachers who come into
the houses of God and lead away the women which represents the church. Always
in Scripture the woman represents the church. That is what Brother Branham
taught. Good women represent the bride of Christ and bad evil women represent
the fallen condition of the church.
And notice what he says
about these men, these preachers who come into the houses of God, and captivate
silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed church
people, people loaded down with the burden of their unbelief, people who are
easily swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses.
And he says that these
people are 7 Ever
learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. they are
forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a
recognition and knowledge of the Truth.
8 Now
as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, That means they were not only hostile to
Moses but they resisted him, and the pan of God for the people he was leading…
And it says so do
these also resist the truth: so these men also are hostile to and oppose the Truth. men
of corrupt minds, depraved and distorted minds, reprobate counterfeit concerning The Faith,
which is The revelation of Jesus Christ.
9 But
they shall proceed no further: They
won’t get too far, for their folly shall
be manifest or obvious unto all men, as theirs also was.
Now, here is where
Paul is wanting us to come to in : 10. 10 But thou hast fully known my
doctrine, (that’s number one, the
doctrine for Christ is the doctrine, and the life is in the doctrine. Then he
adds, and my manner of life (because
without that Life manifested what good is the doctrine doing for you), and then
he adds, and my purpose,
(and what is our purpose in Life, is it to live is Christ to die is
gain like Paul’s purpose was?) and then he adds My faith, (my revelation, what God
has revealed to me), and then my
longsuffering, and my charity (my consistent and generous
giving), my patience, (and not only my patience, but my)
11 Persecutions, and afflictions,
which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I
endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
So Paul wants us to
recognize that he was not called to an idle life of fun and games and social
religion, but a walk in Christ that included suffering, rejection, persecution,
and afflictions, which came not only in one or two times, but continually as he
traveled all across Asia Minor.
And then he tells us 12 Yea,
and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
This is where so many
fall short in these times. They’re not willing to suffer that they might reign.
Oh, we all want to be like Brother Branham was but why are we not willing to
pay the price he paid. And when James and John wanted to sit at Jesus right and
left hand when He reached His kingdom, he said are you willing to suffer what I
must suffer?
Because if you won’t suffer with him you won’t reign
with him. In 2 Timothy 2:
12 Paul says, If we suffer with Him we shall also reign
with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
We find Peter also all
throughout his epistles, writing on the necessity of our having the mindset to
suffer. In 1 Peter 2:19 he says, For this is thankworthy, if a man for
conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be
buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well,
and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For even hereunto were ye called: because
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us
an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who
did no sin, neither was guile (no deceit, no
trickery) found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was
reviled, reviled not again; when he
suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth
righteously:
Again we see in 1 Peter 3: 14 But and if
ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their
terror, neither be troubled; and in verse 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so,
that ye suffer for well doing, than
for evil doing.
And we see also in 1 Peter 4: 1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise
with the same mind: (So there is a mental state that we must enter into
in order to suffer as Christ so suffered. And notice what this does for you…) for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath
ceased from sin; Again
in verse 13 Peter
said, But
rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of
Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad
also with exceeding joy. And
verse 16 Yet if
any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify
God on this behalf. And verse
19 Wherefore let
them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls
to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
And in chapter 5: and verse 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us
unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after
that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,
settle you. So our
suffering is a tool god uses to bring us to maturity.
And don’t think you are
alone, for Christ suffered for us that he might be an example for us, and also
we have many examples in scripture of the prophets who suffered because of
their stand for the truth as well. James 5: 10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have
spoken in the name of the Lord, for an
example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
Not only Peter taught a lot
on a life of suffering, but so did the apostle Paul. And let me just say this,
a life without suffering is a life with no character, because our character is
molded in the furnace of suffering. Paul said in Hebrews 2: 10 For it became him, for whom are all things,
and by whom are all things, in bringing
many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferings. So our coming to glory which is the mindset of God,
His opinions, His values, and His judgments comes via our suffering and His
opinions, values and judgments are seasoned and matured through our suffering
for them. Then Paul tells us in Hebrews 5: 8 Though he were a
Son, yet learned he obedience by the
things which he suffered; So even our ability to be an obedient
son must come through this avenue of suffering.
And in speaking of Moses Paul said in Hebrews 11: 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God,
than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; And while we are at
it, let’s not forget the brethren in Iran who are suffering for their stand for
this Message as Paul admonished us in Hebrews 13: 3 Remember
them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being
yourselves also in the body.
In his letter to the
Philippians Paul said Philippians 1: 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of
Christ, not only to believe on him,
but also to suffer for his sake; And in Philippians 3: 10 Paul
said, That I may know him, and the power of his
resurrection, and the fellowship of his
sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
We find also in his letters
to the Corinthians, Paul spoke often about our suffering for Christ’s sake. 1 Corinthians 4: 12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted,
we suffer it: And this is the biggest problem we have is that when we are hit we want
to hit back, whether with words or with any way we can get back at them. And
this is wrong. I tried to help a brother who attacked brother Vayle last year
and I tried to show him that the Church Age book was written by brother Branham
and instead of thanking me for saving him great disgrace he decided instead to
try to crucify me with words. But Paul said when we are reviled we are not to
revile back, and when we are persecuted we are not to persecute in return. Just
turn the cheek, and let it go. It’s not that important. When they revile just
remember it is a predestinated tried.
Notice Paul’s admonition to us
in 1 Corinthians 6: 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among
you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? We should rather
suffer ourselves to be defrauded? Yes, didn’t Jesus say on the cross, “Father
forgive them for they know not what they
do?” Can we not do the same? Are we in such a different class than Jesus where
we have a right when he did not? And furthermore, what do you gain when you
argue and fuss over such trivial little things. And don’t you know when you do
so you grieve away the Holy Ghost from your life?
Notice what the apostle Paul says about this in Ephesians 4:29 Let
no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to
the use of edifying, (that means that which is up lifting) that it may
minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not
the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
And so how do we grieve the Holy Spirit? He
tells us how not to grieve the Holy Ghost in the next few verses. 31 Let all bitterness,
and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you,
with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you.
The amplified
Bible puts it this way, 29Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil words nor unwholesome or
worthless talk ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good and
beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and
the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace God's favor to those who
hear it. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God do
not offend or vex or sadden Him, by Whom you were sealed and secured for the
day of redemption. 31And Let all bitterness and
indignation and wrath, passion, rage, and bad temper and resentment, anger,
animosity and quarreling and slander be
banished from you, with all malice, ill will, of any kind. 32And
become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted compassionate,
understanding, loving-hearted, forgiving one another readily and freely, as God
in Christ forgave you.
And so just remember, no man
is an island unto himself, so don’t forget what Paul says to the Corinthian
church in 1 Corinthians 12: 26 And whether
one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be
honored, all the members rejoice with it. That’s the way a real
family is, when one is down and out they all come together to lend a hand. You
know it used to be that way in the community as well. When a person was ill,
neighbors would bring over supper or come and do the wash and cut the grass or
whatever they could do to lend a helping hand. But you can hardly get people to
do that even for the house of the living God anymore much less for one another.
We live in such a sick society where everyone has a
cell phone to stay in touch but are so busy talking to the phone that they walk
right by their neighbor and don’t even recognize them. I think the name is
indicative of what they are. They are not phones to make us better persons,
they are self phones, used to stay in touch with only our chosen few.
How about putting that thing
away for a few days and talk to each person you walk past and strike up a
conversation with them. I hate them, and they are poison to our bodies anyway.
There’s a 25% increase in brain tumors because of cell phone use, and yet we
continue to use them? Is that suicidal or what? Anyway, not to get off the
subject, but what did we do ten years ago without them? We got more
accomplished because we had less distraction, and we were able to stay more
focused on what needed to be done.
Notice what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1: 5 For as
the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by
Christ. And verse 7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing,
that as ye are partakers of the
sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
And in 2 Corinthians 11 Paul
tells us some of his sufferings for Christ, and for the brethren that he took
the Word of God to. 2 Corinthians 11: 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I
stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
To the Romans Paul’s message
of suffering was no different. In Romans 8: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I
reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in
us.
Now, we could take an entire
sermon on that last statement. But we do not have time this morning so let’s
continue in looking at this thought in the book of Acts.
Acts 3: 18 But those things which God before had shown
by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ
should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. So before he
even came to earth it was written by God and spoken of by the prophets that he
must suffer and then enter into His glory. We find also in Acts 5: 41 And they departed from the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. So peter James and
John were so happy to be able to suffer the reproach of the Word, it was like
someone gave them great treasure. And did not Jesus tells us that when we are
reviled for His word sake we should not revile back, for Matthew 5: 10 Blessed are they
which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile
you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely,
for my sake. 12 Rejoice,
and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted
they the prophets which were before you.
And Paul taught us that when this happens to hold up
our shield of faith, and let all that they throw you r way bounce off your shield
of faith and fall to your feet for great is your reward. So just think of those
words as gold being thrown at you, then don’t throw it back, just let it fall
off your shield of faith and fall to your feet and pile up for the other side. And
each time they do just say, chi-ching like a cash register. They throw nasty
words your way, just say, chi-ching, chi-ching, chi-ching. And think of it as
your treasure being stored up in heaven.
Even Before Paul was told
what He would be doing in his role for the family, God told Agabus to tell Paul
what things he must suffer for Christ’s sake. Acts 9: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must
suffer for my name's sake.
Brother Branham said
in his sermon, JUBILEE
YEAR" Jeffersonville, Indiana 1954 I said, " every son that
cometh to God must be chastened of God." Every
one, we just have to be tried; God's
whip laid on us, seem like being innocent. God is doing that to prove that we are sons. "Those who cannot stand chastisement is
illegitimate children," or not true sons of God.
But that man or woman who can stand and
take their whipping, and everything going wrong, still look up and say,
"Lord, I love You," thats the one. That's, "He that endures to the end the same shall be saved" Now, I love that, don't you?
Even Jesus taught us
concerning His suffering as we see in Luke 9: 22 Saying, The
Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. So Jesus knew he was
to be rejected and we suffer when we are rejected…Again we see in Luke 17: 25 But first
must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And
again in Luke
24: 26 Ought not
Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And
again in Luke 24: 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and
thus it behoved Christ (the
word behoved was translated from the Greek word dei, which means it was
necessary) so it was
necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
In the Book of Mark 8: 31 we
see another witness to Christ’s words about his suffering was necessary. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and
be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be
killed, and after three days rise again. And again in Mark 9: 12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily
cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many
things, and be set at nought.
So in getting back to
what Paul was saying in 2 Timothy 3: let’s pick up at verse 13 But
evil men Vicious men, men of such low character as those who
would take advantage of others to their dismay, and
seducers Men who use such cunning words as to persuade people to
do things they would not normally do, These men shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being
deceived themselves. In other words, they deceive because they themselves have been deceived.
There is a way which seems right unto men, but we know that way is the way of
death. 14 But continue thou in
the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou
hast learned them;
In other words, that is why God works in a certain pattern where the light
comes to a vindicated prophet and then goes out by men who have been faithfully
taught. Not faithfully fished with or hunted with, but whom have been faithfully
taught. And Paul says, we have this assurance knowing of whom we have been
taught.
15 And
that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make
thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That
the man of God may be perfect, (That’
made fully mature) thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
In closing let me read what brother Branham said in QA on the seals 63-0324M P:6 6 Now,
take my advice as your brother: Don't put your own interpretation to anything. You just go on and live a good Christian
life, 'cause you'll only wind yourself away from the real thing when you do
it. See? You'll only wind your way again away from the thing. And all of you
are conscious and know that there's something mysterious happening, and it is
happening, and I know what it is. Now, I'm not saying that. It's the grace of
God that lets me know that what it is. It's something that's tremendous, and
it's gone right now, and there's not a way in the world for you to see it, and
it's a, But so help me, with this Bible
in my hand, I know what it is.
7
It's been told to you before, so just don't try to put any interpretation but
just believe me as your brother (See?); we're living in a great hour. We're
living in a time where the... Well, we're... Well, you just be real humble, be a Christian, and try to live for
God, and live honest with your fellowman, and love those who don't love you.
Don't try to make any... You see, you do, you
only make it a mysterious something and mess the real program of God up.
See? Yesterday afternoon something happened in my room that I, I'll never be
able to leave it. You see? And so, And about two weeks ago something happened
that'll never be able to, as long as I live on this earth, I'll never be able
to get away from it. See?
8
And so, but if the church here not supposed to know these things, so don't put no interpretation to anything.
See? You just go ahead and just remember what you're told; live a Christian life. Go to your church, be a real light wherever you
are, and just burn for Christ, and tell the people that how you love Him. And
just let your testimony be with love all the time with the people (See?), 'cause if you don't you twist yourself out
into something there, and then
you're off the beaten track. See, every-time you try to do it, you've done
that. See? So just don't try to make no
interpretation. And especially tonight, when that Seal becomes up in front
of you. See? Just don't try to interpret
it. You just go ahead and just be
humble and go right on with the same plain message. Now you say,
"Brother Branham, is that... we, being the Church of the Living God,
shouldn't we..."Well, as I was trying... Look here, I want to say, "Why
can't I? I ought to have..."No, no. Don't... You remember, I'm saying this
for your good. See, I'm saying it so that you'll understand. If you believe me now, listen to what I
tell you. See, see?
9
Now here, now here's a post, and that's, we'll call that a listening post
(See?), and in it, got radio. See? And there's warnings and things can be done,
like a sword in your hand. See? It can pick from the evil or pick from only as it
gets its message. See? Now. But now, for instance, to the ordinary man, there's been so much cults and clans rise up over
little outpourings of the Spirit until people gets all worked up in a bunch of
stuff, go out and start another little move, and, you know, and things.
See, you don't want to do that now. See? Now, just remember, just stay the way you are. And you say,
"Well, the Lord showed..." No,
now just be careful. See?
So in closing let me say this. We need to make the
Revelation of Christ so simple that people just can’t miss it. Don’t try to be
so deep to show you’re some great teacher, just keep the Message simple the way
Br. Branham, Paul, John and Jesus delivered to us. Stay away from speculation, for
that will take you off the path just as sure as it has so many already. Men who
ran after Seven thunders, and two souls, and 8th Messengers
until now they believe they are an angel and some believe they are in their
glorified bodies, and they also believe we are in the millennium, and the second
coming is past. So many completely insane doctrines floating around all because
they tried to make the Message mysterious when it is so simple, if they could just
understand the relationship that God had with His Son, in the same way He did through William Branham and the same
way He wishes to do with you and I as obedient sons. That’s it, so just live a
good life for Christ, don’t argue and fuss at home, or with your neighbors, be
a shining light, and just live for Christ and for others, for eternal Life is living for others. Let us
pray…