The Spoken Word no . 37
The Vision, the
Pattern, and the Fulfillment
August 17th,
2008
Pastor, Brian Kocourek
This morning I would like to continue in our study of
Brother Branham’s sermon on “The Spoken Word is the Original Seed” paragraph 21 but before we do let’s reads from…
Genesis
1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth
grass, and herbs... and seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in
itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and
herbs and yielded seed after his kind,
and the trees yielded fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and
the morning were the third day.
John
5: 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so
hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
Let u spray… Dear Father we come to you this morning
as our God, and as our Father who is the very author of Life, and we know that
Thou art the giver of every good gift. Grant to us a refreshing this morning
from your presence, O Lord, and give to us the Spiritual Meat that is in due
season. Help us to know that we have Life, and not just life, but God-Life,
Your very Own Life that is eternal and living and abiding in us. For you told
us in Your word, “when Christ Who is our Life shall appear, then shall we also
appear with Him in Glory or in the same opinion, values and judgment that are
your. That is also how Jesus your Son told us that we are to become one with
you Dear father, and we ask that your thoughts become our thoughts, and your
ways become our ways, for we ask it in Jesus Christ’s name, thy beloved
firstborn. Amen!
Now, this morning I would like to continue from the
sermon The
Spoken Word is
the original Seed and reading from pp. 21 Now, I want to begin this morning
with my text to use this: "The Spoken Word Is the Original Seed." Now, that's what I wish to lay the text
on--"The Spoken Word Is the Original
Seed." Now, if you'll notice, God said, "Let it bring forth
in his kind." Whatever it was it must be brought forth of its kind.
Now, I want you to notice that brother
Branham is taking his text from Genesis 1:11 that says every seed must bring
forth after its kind or nature. Then he says the spoken word is the original
seed, so in essence this sermon is to be focused on the original Seed and the
life that is in this original Word Seed. So let’s continue with paragraph 21.
Now,
this Word of God is eternal.
Again let me stop for a moment and make another
comment. Now, he is talking about every
seed bringing forth after its kind. Then he speaks of the Spoken Word of God as
the original seed. Now, he adds that this Word of God which is a Seed is
eternal, or the Life in it is eternal. So whatever comes forth after its image
must also then possess this life that is eternal. Then if the life that came
forth in that original seed is eternal because the Father is the fountain of
Life, then every seed that comes forth out from that original seed will also be
a carrier of this eternal life. That is the law of reproduction in Genesis
1:11.
Now, let’s continue reading brother Branham’s sermon
at where we left off in paragraph 21. “God, being infinite, cannot speak one thing and then later
on change it to something else, to a better decision, because every decision of
God is perfect. He cannot... Once His
Word is once spoken, It can never die. It lives on, on, on, and can never
die, because It is God. His Word can no more die than He can die. That's the
reason we read in I John... or
In other words, God is life, and
the form of Life that is in God is Eternal Life. Then if God is to have a son
and sons, then the form of Life that will be in them by this reproduction will
also have to be the same life as in the original, Eternal Life. Then His sons
can never die. So you see, He God, gave life to His son, and that Life was God
Life, so it was eternal Life. Now, our bodies are not eternal. They were
created. But our souls came forth from God so they are eternal and the Life in
them is eternal once it has been quickened by the Breathe of God which is His
Word.
Paul said in Ephesians 2: 1 And you hath he quickened, who
were dead in trespasses and sins;
Now, since we are talking about
the God-Life in sons, then let’s talk about this God-Life in his firstborn son.
So let’s read about the first born son when he was given birth as recorded in
Scripture.
Hebrews 1:
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son,
this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he
shall be to me a Son?
Acts 13:
33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that
he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou
art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
Colossians
1: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature:
Psalms 2:
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my
Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Now, notice how the firstborn son came forth in the image of the Father,
because every seed must bring forth after the image of the one whom the seed
came forth from. And if Jesus Christ is the first born son, then there must be
other sons as well.
And we find just that in Romans 8: 29 For
whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of
his Son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren.
So then if Jesus is
the first born, then there must be other born ones, and we read in John 20:17 Jesus saith unto
her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father:
but go to my brethren, and say unto
them, I ascend unto my Father, who is your
Father; and to my God, who is your God.
And if Jesus Christ
has brethren, then he is not ashamed to call them what they are.
Hebrews 2:
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are
all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Now, let’s look at the birth of
this first born son in Scripture. We have already seen where God said, You are
my son, this day I have begotten thee, and we see in Proverbs
8:22 just when this son was given birth. "The LORD brought me forth as the first
of his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was appointed from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world
began. 24 When there
were no oceans, I was given birth,
when there were no springs abounding with water; 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before
the hills, I was given birth, 26 before he made the earth
or its fields or any of the dust of the world. 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he
marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed
securely the fountains of the deep, 29
when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would no overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. 30 Then I was the
craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, 31 rejoicing in his whole
world and delighting in mankind. 32
"Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Listen to my instruction
and be wise; do not ignore it. 34
Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my
doorway. 35 For whoever finds me finds life and
receives favor from the LORD. 36
But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death."
Now, notice he said, whosoever finds me finds life. And that to me sounds
a lot like what John quotes in the following scriptures. The first time John
quotes this is in His Gospel, and the next time in his first epistle.
John 3:
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on
him.
1 John 5:
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal
life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that
hath not the Son of God hath not life.
Now, I would like to compare what brother Branham was
speaking about, every seed coming forth after it’s kind to what he said in the THE MASTERPIECE 34
when he was speaking of Christ being the pattern. “You have to start off right at the beginning,
and you have to follow the pattern.
See? You can't get a little piece to start off: "We'll make it this way.
No, I believe..." No, he's got to
have a exact pattern. And in his
mind he's got that pattern. And he
cannot vary from that pattern. Now, in order to do this he had to draw in his mind. Because we
have no real pictures of Moses, but he
had to get a mental picture in his mind of exactly what Moses was.
Now, notice how brother Branham is speaking in The
Masterpiece of Michelangelo having the
pattern of Moses in his mind first before he could express it onto the marble
slab. First he says, that the sculptor had to have a vision in his mind, and
then he tells us that this vision in his mind was the pattern by which he would
sculpt out his statue. And then he said that the sculptor can not deviate from
that pattern. So then let’s break down these thought into three points.
Number 1. The sculptor had a Vision in His Mind.
Number 2. The Vision was the pattern of what he wanted
the statue to look like.
Number 3. The Sculptor then is bound to sculpt only
what the pattern is.
Now, why is point number 1 so important?
If the sculptor doesn’t have a vision in his mind, then where is he going to
begin? He must know its shape, and height, and depth and width, and other
critical dimensions. before he even begins to touch that piece of stone, or his
blows could render the stone useless. And the sculptor must know what material
to make the sculpture from, and where the chipping should begin at and where
the chipping will end. All these
questions and more must first be reconciled in his mind before he ever begins
or else, he will not know when he begins where to begin and why he is to begin
at that place. So every stroke is predestinated to take place one after the
other. The first cut must take place before the second deeper cut can take
place.
Now, a true artist doesn’t just slop paint
on a canvas and call it art. Oh, I know they do it, and they call it modern
art, but that is the world which is insane as brother Branham predicted they
would be. And then there are men who were known to be mentally-ill like Picasso
that would paint strange looking caricatures on their canvas, but that just
expressed what was inside of his head, which was mental illness. He saw the
world in a distorted way because he was nuts.
But a true artist has a vision projecting
forth from his mind, and he then begins to meticulously bring onto a canvas or
carve out of a rock what he sees in his mind. And in doing so, he is projecting
the image onto the canvas.
Now what if He, God is here but no one
knows it. You see God is invisible, and unless there is something that strikes
the vision the vision will continue to be unseen. That is enmorphe. It means
something strikes the vision, making the vision visible.
In fact that is what
brother Branham said in My Redeemer liveth
55-0410S P:13 Did you ever stop to think this morning, as far as
returning, that is, to become visible? He's already here with us now. He... We
someday... Now, today just imagine that His Presence being here today. The Lord
Jesus is in another world, or another dimension, right here today in form of
Spirit. His Spirit is blending in with our spirit. Our eyes can't see Him, because
that they're physical yet, unless there would something happen that we could
see vision. But He is here just as visible, just as real as He was the day that
He spoke to Mary at the grave, or He met Cleopas on his road to Emmaus. His
Presence is here. It can be feeled with that, felt with that inner charge
that's on the inside of the human body, called the new birth. The soul has been
magnetized unto Him.And once in a while, when you let your mind be concentrated
on Him, believing on Him, after while something, a reality, you can feel
something sweep over your being. That's the vindication of His resurrection.
It's not a "guess so." It's not "I hope so." But to every
person that's borned again, it's a "know so." It's... You know it.
It's right there. And when you become contact with Him...I've seen saints say,
"Oh, can you... The Presence of the Lord is near."You say, "Why,
there's something..." Why, certainly. He's right there, right up... He's
rose from the dead, and He's standing right by you.
EXPLAINING HEALING AND JAIRUS 54-0216 37
What you are here is a reflection of what you are somewhere else. "Those
who He called, He justifies." Is that right? "Those who He justified,
He has glorified." Already in the Presence of the Father, we have a
glorified body. Whew! Wasn't that deep? All right. We'll find out whether it's
right or not. "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one
already waiting." Is that right? That's right. So right now, and what we
are here, is a reflection of what we are somewhere else. So if your deeds are
evil, you know where it comes from. You know where your other body's a waiting.
So the vision in the mind of the Sculptor
is the most important thing, for Where there is no vision, the people perish: Proverbs 29:18 .
1 John Chapter 1
Verse 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But
we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are
changed into the same image from glory to glory, even
as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Now, according
to the Hebrew definition of the Hebrew word that was translated for the word
perish, it actually means come to nothing. So in reading this: with the
translation honed, it would say, Where there is no vision, the people come
to nothing. And
where there is no vision, there is no art that would amount to a hill of beans.
And the sculptor without a vision can not
sculpt anything. What’s he going to sculpt? And a sculptor is not a whittler. A
whittler does not necessarily know what he is whittling when he begins. He just
knows that he has a knife and some time on his hands, and he begins to just cut
off piece after piece of the wood, until he either gets an idea or the piece
begins to look like something and strikes an idea or mental vision.
Therefore we see
that the Sculptor must first have a vision in his mind of what he’s going to
produce. Then we can see how God Himself also had a vision in His Mind even
before the foundations of the world according to Ephesians 1:3-4, and this
vision was of you and me.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed
be the God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According
as he hath chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, (notice
that even before the foundations of the world he chose what we should be like) that we should be
holy and without blame, before him (or in His presence.) Then in love 5 He predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure
of his will,
So we see that God had in His Mind in a
vision even before he framed the worlds that His Sons would be adopted. But in
order to get us to the point of being adopted or placed as sons, he had a plan
and in Love he set forth that plan to bring us to the place of receiving his
very mind, his very opinion, his very values, and his very judgments.
And so God set forth a plan and purposed
in His own Heart to bring that vision and plan into manifestation.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us (notice it is already a done deal, because he has
already made up his mind and has set forth the plan through predestination to
get there. Where?) unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to himself, (and notice it is his good pleasure to
do this for you and
So here we see the Vision in God’s mind
was before the worlds were even framed and yet the manifestation of that vision
will not take place until this very hour.
And Jesus
Himself said, John 17: 24 Father,
I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that
they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Jesus could not
have run from what God had ordained for him even if he had tried, and you can
not run either if you are a son or daughter of God.
Notice, if God envisioned it before the
foundations of the world, then it is up to Him to bring to pass the fulfillment
of that vision. The artist doesn’t get
the concept or vision and then try to tell someone else what he is envisioning
so they can paint it for him. He gets the vision and then he projects that
vision himself. Even before a lamb was
created by God, God had already envisioned His Own son to come into the world
like a lamb comes into the world, and even before the Levitical Law was set in
order by God, God had already envisioned the slaying of the lamb to atone for
the sins of His people.
Where there is a deep calling, there is a
deep to respond. And before you were even brought forth into this world, God
had already made the way for you to be freed from your sinful birth and had
made the way for you to receive the new birth.
Its one thing to
have the vision of what the art is going to look like, but then there must be a
plan to bring that vision into reality. And that is what God’s purpose
and plan is all about, how to project the vision into reality.
In Ephesians 1: 4 The Apostle Paul said, According
as he hath chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, (Now,
watch what He envisioned before the world was framed) that we
should be holy and without blame (Now, that is the
pattern and that is the condition, but notice what else the apostle says,) before… That
means in His presence. And then Paul says, Ephesians 1: 5 Having
(that’s past tense, that means This is what He has already done) Having predestinated us
unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will, (Now, look, if God has already predestinated
us to the adoption of children according to his own good will, and if he has
also foreordained that we should be holy and without blame in His Presence,
then it’s a done deal. What are you worried about. Just let go and let God. Get
out of God’s way so he can finish the work in you that he’s already begun
before you were even born into this world with your sinful nature. But it says,
that we were past tense predestined to the adoption of children. So if God had
a pattern in His mind for you, then there is nothing you need to do to become
that pattern. You already are in the process of becoming what God ordained for
you to become. So just get out of His way. Let God and let God.
Brother Branham said “the greatest gift is to get yourself out of
the way”. Now, brother Branham established here that the
pattern is what the vision is. So the pattern for Jesus was to become the lamb
slain. He was ordained for that purpose.
John 12: 27 Now
is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but
for this cause came I unto this hour. Now the word Jesus used when he said for this cause
was translated from the Greek word “dia” which not only means “cause or occasion” but more specifically it means “the channel of an act”. In other words, the
act actually falls within the conduit and therefore there is no getting
out of that act for it is the sole purpose of existence. When you have reached
that conduit, you can not go backwards and you can not go forwards. But you are
destined for that position in that spot at that appointed time. Oh,
hallelujah!!! I love this Word.
And Jesus said, but
for this very channel of the act
came I unto this hour. In other words,
His life in predestination led him to that very hour, and for that very
purpose. The only way he could have gotten out of it was for God to not have
envisioned it to begin with. There was nothing that Jesus could have done to
change the fact that He was there at that very moment waiting for the final act
in His short life to take place. Jesus could not have changed the purpose and
plan for Himself any more than you can change the purpose and plan that God has
for you. And there is no way that God is not going to have a bride that is
spotless and white and dressed in the Robe of His Word, reflecting His very
image, nature and character.
God appeared
unto Paul at the exact right moment in Paul’s life for one purpose, and that
was that Paul would become a witness of His Appearing. Acts 26: 16 But
rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I
have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a
witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the
which I will appear unto thee;
William Branham
could no more have gotten away from His calling to be a Witness of the glorious
Appearing of Jesus Christ in this hour than Jesus could have gotten away from
his own calling to be the Lamb slain which was in the mind of God before the
foundations of the world.
From his sermon,
Anointed ones at end time 65-0725M P:193 he
said, Now,
I want you to know this is sure. And you that listen to this tape, you might
have thought today that I was trying to say that about myself, being that I was
packing this Message. I have no more to do with it than nothing, no more than
just a voice. And my voice, even against
my better judgment... I wanted to be
a trapper. But it's the will of my Father that I declare to do, and
determined to do. I wasn't the One that appeared down on the river; I was only
standing there when He appeared. I'm not the One that performs these things and
foretells these things that happens as perfect as they are; I'm only one that's
near when He does it. I was only a voice that He used to say it. It wasn't what
I knew; it's what I just surrendered myself to, that He spoke through. It isn't
me. It wasn't the seventh angel, oh, no; it was a manifestation of the Son of
man. It wasn't the angel, his Message; it was the mystery that God unfolded.
It's not a man; it's God. The angel was not the Son of man; he was a messenger
from the Son of man. The Son of man is Christ. He's the One that you're feeding
on. You're not feeding on a man. A man, his words will fail, but you're feeding
on the unfailing Body-Word of the Son of man .If you haven't fed fully on every
Word to give yourself strength to fly above all these denominations and things
of the world, will you at this time do it, while we pray?
Now, what made William Branham change his
mind. He said I wanted to be a trapper. What changed his mind from being a
trapper to being a witness to that great Light of His Glorious Appearing? Well,
he tells us in the series he preached on the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews Chapter 7 part 1
P:59 Then what difference does it make here, whether we have
anything or whether we don't? Whether we're young or whether we're old, what
difference does it make? The main thing, are you ready to meet Him? Do you love Him? Can you serve Him? Have you
sold out to the things of the world? Have you met Melchisedec since the
battle was over? Bless God. About twenty-one years old I was, and one day I had
a battle with this, that, and the other; I
couldn't make out whether I wanted to be a fighter, or whether I wanted to be a
trapper, or a hunter, what I wanted to be. But I met Melchisedec, and He give me communion, and since then it was settled forever.
Hallelujah. I've went on His side. I've been rejoicing on the road. And when it
comes to the end of the road, and death stares me in the face, the way I feel
now, I'll never dread it. I want to know--walk into the face of it, knowing
this, that I know Him Who's made the
promise (That's right.), that I know
Him in the power of His resurrection. When He calls from among the dead,
I'll come out from among them (That's right.), knowing Him in the power of His
resurrection.
What difference does it make whether I'm old or whether I'm young?
whether I'm little or whether I'm big? whether I'm full or whether I'm hungry?
whether I got a place to lay down or whether I haven't? "The birds has the
nests, and the fox have dens, but the Son of man has not a place to lay His
head," but He was the King of glory.
And notice that he said, I couldn’t make
up my mind what I wanted to be. I thought I wanted to be a trapper, and I also
thought I wanted to be a fighter, and I also thought I wanted to be a hunter,
but I really didn’t know what I wanted to be. And then I met Him and it was
settled forever. Why? Because God ordained before he even brought forth the
world into existence, that William Branham would be the witness to the Great
Light of God’s glorious Appearing in this hour. Just as he ordained Jesus to be
the lamb slain, and Paul to be the witness in Alpha of His Glorious Appearing,
so too in this hour, He ordained William Branham to be the witness of the Omega
Appearing of Jesus Christ.
God spoke to Jeremiah
and said Jeremiah 1: 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew
thee; and before thou camest forth out
of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the
nations. Notice God said before I formed thee, and
before thou came forth, I knew thee and ordained thee. When? Before the
foundations of the world, that’s when.
And what then
about you? He said through the Apostle Paul, 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:
And in Romans 8: 28 we are assured, “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.”
So it is to the
purpose of Him who envisioned you in your role even before the foundations of
the world. Like brother Branham said, “in
order for there to be a fish with a fin, God had to ordain water for him to
swim in”. Then in order for there to be an adoption of Children, God
had to ordain who would be His children, and who He would adopt, and give
inheritance to. And if He said, “in love he predestinated us,” then it is all
because of His great Love for us. That is why Jesus had to come and die for us.
For God so
loved the world He gave us His only begotten son. So the Lamb
slain was an expression of the love of God and so is your adoption as children.
In Love He
predestinated us unto the adoption of Children unto Himself, and He did so
according to the good pleasure of His own will.
Its nothing you
asked for. Its what he ordained before the world was even framed. Look, it
wasn’t your asking God to send a prophet to help you understand the Scriptures.
It was God sending a prophet because He knew you would have a need to understand
His Word in order for you to understand your roles as obedient Sons and
daughters of Him. It’s nothing you did, it’s what He ordained for you from
before the foundations of the world. Its “not him that willeth, nor even him that runneth or puts
forth an effort, but it s God that shows Mercy.”
Romans 9: 11 (For
the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that
calleth;)
Therefore its just
knowing your place in the scriptures. You see Christ was ordained as the lamb
slain, and He was sent to redeem you in order to bring you back to your
rightful position. Therefore he is the center of it all. Everything in the
family of God then revolves around the Uniquely born, first born son. Then your
role is understanding how your life revolves around His Life. Colossians 3:4 For when Christ who is our Life shall Appear,
then we shall also Appear with Him in doxa, in the same
mindset..
Ephesians 3: 10 To the intent that now unto
the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church
the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he
purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
And notice that
it is not only all done according to God’s will and good pleasure, but He works
it to His will and good pleasure. 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: That’s why all things work together for your good, because
God is the one working it out for your good.
Now, where you
and I have got to arrive at, is to believe that God is in supreme control of
your destiny, because God is in charge of the destiny of all men. Paul told us
in Romans 9:
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even
for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in
thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Notice, God did not raise up pharaoh to exalt pharaoh.
He raised up pharaoh to exalt Himself. And
that is the key for us to be happy.
I remember years ago reading where Brother
Branham said, “If
it would please God to send me to hell, then I would be happy to go there.” Now, that’s
a tremendous statement because it shows a complete understanding of the
sovereignty of God, and that brings us to point number three. The Sculptor then
is bound to sculpt only what the pattern is.
Notice; if God saw you before the
foundation of the world a certain way, then God is obligated to bring you to
that place where he envisioned you to be at, because if he doesn’t, then his
own thinking would have to be changed, and God can not change his mind about
anything. Because if he could then he would not be omniscient, now would He?
Brother Branham always said, “the visions never fail”. And neither can the
mind of God fail either. Now, you might say, “then why am I not in that perfect
place of perfection yet? And the answer is found in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 3: 1 To
every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Now, the vision
of God can not fail. What God envisioned before the foundations of the world is
more sure than the world itself.
Lamb's book of life 56-0603
P:51 The 12th chapter of I Corinthians said, "By
one Spirit we're all baptized into one body and become members of that body."
And then it's not what I've done, what I
am, who I was, or nothing about it; it's what God has done for me in Christ.
And we are perfected with our Sacrifice. He makes no mistakes. He wouldn't bring you in, if you wasn't
worthy. He knows your heart. That's right. He knows what you are. He knows your motives. He knows what
you are. There's traps all along the
road. Sure. The devil will cause you to stumble, and you say, "God, I didn't mean to do that. God, You
know it." You're still perfect,
because there's a perfect Blood offered for you everyday, and a bleeding
Sacrifice hanging before the throne of Almighty God. That's right. Now, how did
you get in there? God, by foreknowledge... Now, God said that Jesus... Now, put
on your caps. Get open your heart. Look. The Bible said Jesus was the Lamb
slain from the, where? Foundation of the world He was slain. Why? God, the Father,
when He looked down and seen how... Jesus never come just to die a haphazard
death. He never come, say, "Well, maybe somebody would have pity when they
see the way I die and everything." No, it wasn't. God don't run His
business like that. God runs His business perfect. That's right. He knew
exactly what was going to take place. That's where He could fore say. He knows
exactly what He... He's not willing that any should perish. He's not willing.
But if He's infinite, He knows who will and who won't. Therefore, you can rest
assure. If you have received God and been filled with the Holy Ghost, you're
anchored to your eternal destination. Correctly. See, He foreknows.
Wisdom verses faith 62-0401
P:182 Satan knew it; he knew the
Word. Now, he could quote that Scripture, boy, just like a walking Bible, he
could just quote It like that. See? [Brother Branham repeatedly snaps his
fingers--Ed.] But Jesus just stood still, for He knew where He was standing. He knew that He was predestinated, was the
Lamb slain before the foundation of the world; He knew He was that Person.
Oh, brother! "He that has an ear let him hear." He knew that He was
predestinated for that, and that's the way He knew the Word. See? And It
worked. Sure! Satan knew It by wisdom; it failed. He quoted the same Word Jesus
quoted, same Bible. He quoted from Psalms. "He'll give... It's
written," Satan said, "He'll give his Angels charge concerning you,
lest any time you dash your foot against a stone; they bear thee up." He
said, "And it's also written." See?
How the angel came to me 55-0117 P:8 And
I believe that God knew before the foundation of the world, chose His church in
Christ, and slayed Christ before the foundation of the world. The Scripture
said so, "He
was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world."
See? And Jesus said that He knew us
before the foundation of the world. Paul said that, "He
knew us and predestinated us unto the adoption of the children by Jesus Christ
before the world was ever formed." That's God. That's our Father. See? So don't worry, the wheels are
turning just right, everything's coming just in time. The only thing is, get in
the turn. And that's the good part about it, then you know how to work when
you're getting in the turn. Now, notice now, "The
gifts and calling without repentance," that's the only way
that I could Scripturally place my calling in the Lord. And trusting that I'm
with friends tonight who will surely understand this and not think it's
personal, but that you might have an understanding and know just what the Lord
has said that He would do, and find something moving, and then follow in it.
Abraham's seed 59-0423 P:20 Well, that's the way it is
with us. We're imperfect, no good, born in sin, shaped in
iniquity, come to the world speaking lies. We're no good to begin
with. But God don't look at you; He
looks at the sacrifice. He looks at the Lamb. He doesn't see you, because He sees Christ. Jesus died for you.
Now, if you can find some fault with Jesus, then your healing might not be right.
But if you don't find no fault with Him, it's perfect. Sure. God called you by
His grace, not that you would, but if God would. The Scripture said He was
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. That was God's Word. When God speaks, it's as good as
finished right then. So how you going to stamp out the baptism of the
Holy Ghost? How you going to stamp out the gifts? How you going to stamp out
the Church? You can't do it. God spoke it, and it's going to be. That settles
it. Certainly. It'll materialize
somewhere.
Now, notice in
all that I have read to you, point number three is so important because the
sculptor is bound to sculpt only what the pattern is. And God is obligated to
His own Word. God is not obligated to your word, or your desires. He is
obligated to what He envisioned before the foundations of the world. We read about the false prophets in the old
testament, and we hear what God says about them in the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 23: 16 Thus
saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that
prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they
speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. Notice he said, they make you vain. That means that by
listening to them that prophecy their own words, that what they say does
absolutely nothing for you. They make you vain he said. And the word vain means
of no use. So their words are of no use to you. And their words will add
nothing to you. They can’t help you, so why would you listen to someone false. It’s
a waste of your time.
Jeremiah 14: 14 Then
the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not,
neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of
their heart. Again we see that God says, what they say is naught,
it is nothing, and means nothing.
And in the Book
of Isaiah 29: 11 we read, 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: And what use is there to try
to read something that is sealed. You could guess all day long, but if it’s
sealed then what is the use of guessing? You can’t judge a book by its cover,
and to try to understand the Bible when it is sealed. If you were not envisioned by God before the world was framed, then you
will never be there. As brother Branham said, “if you did not have representation before the
foundations of the world, you never will have it”. And let me say this. If you were not inside of
His mind to begin with, then you will never know what is inside of His mind. Only
those who were in His mind before the worlds were framed will ever know what is
in the mind of God.
Thus we see that
the Vision was in the Mind of God, and the
Vision was the pattern of what He wanted you to become, and thus God being obligated
to only His own Word will and must keep His own word. So we see that we can
only be what we were ordained to be.
Therefore, if God envisioned you, and set
forth the pattern for you to come, and predestinated your path to ensure that
you fulfill that Pattern, then what are you worried about. If God is for us,
who can be against us.
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.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover
whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What
shall we then say to these things? If God be for
us, who can be against us? 32 He
that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who
shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is
God that justifieth. 34 Who is
he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day
long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Therefore as Paul
said in, Philippians 1: 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Let
us pray…