Spoken Word no. 57

God hides his Word from the Make-believer and Unbeliever

Brian Kocourek

 

 This morning we will continue with our study from The Spoken Word is the Original Seed and we will pick up at paragraph 40.  If God contradicts Himself, He's not no more than I am or no more than you are, for He can contradict Himself. The Word's there, but It's hid from the eyes of the wise and prudent. That's why someone says that Matthew 28:19, where: "Go ye, teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost"; Acts 2:38 said, "Repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus."...?... they're contradictory... It isn't a contradictory.


Notice that brother Branham said, that God can not contradict Himself or he would not be God. Now, there is no man living that can say that about themselves. We are all mortals and we all make mistakes in our thinking or in the way we try to line things up. Or sometimes in our way of expressing what we are looking at because of our inadequacies and inability to verbalize what we know by revelation.  I will be the first to admit, I am not vindicated. I never have been vindicated nor will I ever be vindicated in the sense that Brother Branham speaks of vindication. Because in the sense of the word and according to the dictionary only, the word vindicate means simply to prove. But in the Biblical sense it means a whole lot more than that. The word vindicate as used by William Branham is that God proves His Own Word in the mouth of His prophet by bringing to pass what the man speaks. In other words, only a prophet has “Thus Saith The Lord”. And God gave us the teaching on what to look for if a man comes with thus Saith the Lord. Therefore, I do not believe all the nonsense that is going around amongst some Message preachers that are teaching their people that the Five Fold ministry is vindicated. The Five Fold Ministry are not vindicated. And if you can show me by the Scriptures or by quotes from the prophet that the Five-Fold ministry are vindicated, then I will gladly admit my error. But you can’t because that is not the way he used the word vindication.

 

One minister recently tried to tell me that the five fold ministry is vindicated, and his reasoning for that is that brother Branham preached a sermon called 5 identifications of the True Church. I said, “wait a minute brother, identification and vindication are not the same thing.” Identification is simply characteristics that identify. But vindication is God’s very presence on the scene to back up what you are saying as “Thus Saith the Lord.”

 

Although the True Church of the living God may have identifiable characteristics, they are not vindicated. There is only one man that God vindicates in a season, and that is His Prophet for that hour.

 

Now, I do not mean to sidetrack from my message this morning, but let me show you that that God only vindicates His word by His prophets. You can not tell me that God vindicates any five-fold ministry. Because God uses signs and wonders and “Thus Saith the Lord”, to vindicate his man for the hour.

 

Therefore first of all let’s look at what the scripture teaches concerning this.

 

Deuteronomy 18:18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. 21  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

 

So God made it crystal clear that if the man says God told him to tell you something and if that thing does not come to pass, then get away from that man. So God must back up that man if God sends him with a message. Therefore the backing up of that message is what we call vindication. Outside of that you are not vindicated. God backs up only His Word. He vindicates only His Word and His prophet that he sends with it. Now, let’s see what William Branham vindicated prophet of God has to say about this.

 

God has a provided way 62-0728 P:45 And when God sent a man down, a prophet, who the Word comes to, he had the original Word of God. "I have heard the groans of My people and I remember My promise." Hallelujah. That God don't change. He stays with that Word, letter by letter. Not only that, but He had vindicated His prophet. He came down. He had a Pillar of Fire over him, a vindicated him. He was God's... That was God proving that the man was right, because he's exactly with the Word. Oh, my. He preached the Word. God worked with him, confirming the Words with signs following. Exactly what God told Moses to do, Moses done. Moses had a lot of impersonators. But in every case God always rode the tide above all the impersonators and brought it out right. Jesus said... The Bible speaks that, "In the last days as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so will men stand up in the last days" impersonation: promised it.

 

So from this quote we can see that God’s very presence in the form of the pillar of fire is what vindicated the man with his Word. God don't change. He stays with that Word, letter by letter. Not only that, but He had vindicated His prophet. He came down. He had a Pillar of Fire over him, a vindicated him. He was God's... That was God proving that the man was right, because he's exactly with the Word.

 

So don’t tell me that because you consider yourself one of the five fold ministry that, that makes you special to the point of God vindicating you and your ministry. I don’t buy that for two seconds.

 

Again from his sermon,  God's only provided place of worship 65-1128M P:41 Now, watch that Cain spirit come right down through the Scripture, right on to this very last day. Fundamental? Just as fundamental as the other one was. Look at the prophet Balaam and the prophet Moses. Both of them with seven altars, Jehovah's altars, blood on each one; and not only that, but rams on each one. In numerology, exactly the right number, seven, "perfect," seven rams, just exactly like: both altars. As fundamental as one was, the other one was also. But who did God vindicate? (See, see?) The one that was in His Word. Fundamental doesn't mean too much; it's the revelation of God.

 

So you see even though Balaam was a prophet he was not a true prophet, for he could not stay with God’s Word. Listen, a prophet is not just someone that sees visions. He is a revealer of the Divine Word. That is the main focus of his ministry is to bring the Word of the Lord.

 

Trying to do God a service 65-1127B P:111 I heard a guy say one time, said, "I believe that man prays for the sick; I believe it's fine. But as being a prophet," said, "I believe he's God's prophet; but as a teacher, why, he's a Jesus only." What kind of a person would you call that? A man doesn't know what he's talking about. The very word "prophet" means that "he is a revealer of the Word of God"; the interpretation only comes to that. And that's why today we're in such a need of this great person that's supposed to be sent to us in the form of the prophet Elijah, because it'll be the revelation of God made known to us by vindication, showing that it's the day and the hour and the season that God promised it to be in. And remember, he'll be spoken against; always has been, always will be. Rejected, just like the shuck will pull... First he'll be accepted, because the shuck only holds the wheat until it's able to get forth to the sun. Pentecost will only shelter the message, giving it an open door until it gets scattered, and then the shuck will pull away, and the wheat will lay in the Presence of the Son (See?), to ripen.

 

You see, in Moses day the so called ministry tried to usurp his authority and position with the people, and God took them off the scene real quick. You do not mess with a prophet and try to use your works as a minister to make yourself somebody.

 

From his sermon, Works is faith expressed 65-1126 P:122 Who was first? Moses. Then they impersonated him. But the great truths still remains the same between the right and wrong; they cannot accept the message. They cannot accept the message that's unadulterated, from the Word of God. I don't care, Judas could've done all kind of signs and wonders; but when he come to receive the Holy Ghost at the day of Pentecost, he showed his colors. That Devil can come right up and impersonate right to the very thing, till it comes to this Word; but he can't take all that Word. He can bring it all up, maybe to one Word like Eve did, the Devil did to Eve, but he can't cross it all. Because the only... The whole thing is the Body of Christ. See, Word now...Neither could... They could not, cannot take the message now, neither could Jambres and Jannes take Moses' message. They could not do it. Their works of impersonation was made known, because they could not be able to follow God's Word vindicated by His anointed prophet. See?

 

Again from his sermon, Events made clear by prophecy 65-0801E P:36 Now, every time that the church gets mixed up, and God foreknew they would, for He foreknew all things; therefore, He has His certain prophet ready for that age, to call His electing by His a-vindicated Word of signs and wonders, and confirmation of His Word: confirming the Word with signs following, as He promised. He gives the true interpretation after the prophet himself has been vindicated. All but those, the elected to whom he is sent, hate him. Now, examine every instant and see if that's right or not. Only the ones that He's sent to. "He came to His Own and His Own received Him not; but as many as did receive Him, to them gave He the power to become sons of God."

 

And from Marriage and divorce 65-0221M P:103  Now, you believe this to be true and believe it to come from God. And by the vindication of His Cloud and His Message that's brought me this far,.. So we see here that it is God’s personal Presence that backs up and vindicates His prophets.

 

Why it had to be shepherds 64-1221 P:83 Notice how again the never-changing God, the great Shepherd Prophet took them that stayed by Him and with His ministry to Mount Olive; the great Shepherd Prophet, the One we're speaking of, Jesus. Seen and heard the Father (the same Pillar of Fire) vindicate Him, that vindicated Moses.  The same God that Moses spoke of, come over Moses and proved by a Pillar of Fire that He was Jehovah that was leading Moses. Again I want you to notice that it is God’s personal presence that vindicates his prophets, even His son.

 

We also see this in the next quote. Recognizing your day 64-0726M P:62 He didn't show Himself down in Egypt just only by miracles and signs, but when He got them all gathered together, He appeared to them again, and vindicated Moses' ministry before the elected and called out. When that prophet had chopped them loose from that nation and brought them into a place, then the Pillar of Fire appeared again and on top of Mt. Sinai. Parallel it with today. Amen. Praise be to God. It's more than life to me.

 

Again from Voice of the sign 64-0313 P:36 How that Elijah condemned that generation with all that was in him, and God vindicating him that he was a prophet, just before the coming.

 

Only one way provided by God 63-0731 P:48 God provided Israel a way. He anointed a prophet, sent a Pillar of Fire, and vindicated the Word that the prophet spoke, by signs, by signs of creation. Notice that God also uses signs and wonders to back up that prophet. Now, look, if anyone has signs and wonders following, I have seen it in my own ministry. We have seen the deaf hear, the eyes of the blind to see, the lame to walk, body parts cut off grown back. We have seen storms stopped, and extreme weather instantly change, and even signs in the heavens above with the horizontal rainbow coming down from the heavens and settling right over the church I was preaching in and then coming full circle around the sun right over the church building we were preaching in. But do I say that is an a-vindication of my ministry? Does that vindicate me? Absolutely not. I do not have “Thus Saith the Lord.”  Now, it is a confirmation of the Word of God because God said these things would happen in His Word and we see them happening. But that does not vindicate me. And if with these many, many signs and wonders taking place in this ministry, and I do not claim vindication, then how is it that these brothers out there with no signs at all, or perhaps some signs of Mark 16 and James 5 and yet they want to tell the world that they are vindicated.  Well, brother I wouldn’t want to have to try to explain my presumptions and assumptions at the white throne judgment. So you had better just say what the prophets said, and stick with that.

 

Look, I’ve seen a lot during my ministry over the years, but I have nothing compared to what God did through that prophet William Branham. He had more in one meeting than I have had in over 1300 sermons.  Why do you think it takes me 150+ sermons to preach one of his. There’s so much in each of those tapes that I marvel how he could say all that in one and a half hours, and the same with the miracles and supernatural.

 

That is why he could say in his sermon Christ is the mystery 63-0728 P:158 Who did the Word of the Lord come to? Prophet alone. That's right. Is that right? And the prophet had to be vindicated first. Not 'cause he said he was a prophet, because he was born a prophet and proved to be a prophet, and everything he said was exactly on the Word and come to pass, then everything else let go.

 

Be not afraid 63-0607 P:48 "'Our people are told in this Bible, that the Word of the Lord comes to a prophet, a prophet only. And then, first this prophet has to be a-vindicated by God. He has to tell the Word, and the Word has to come to pass, time after time.'" They're born. They're just not just somebody laid hands on them and made them a prophet; they are born. There's a gift of prophecy can come, but a prophet is born a prophet. Jeremiah was. Why, God said, "Before you was even formed in your mother's wombs, I ordained you a prophet over the nations." John the Baptist, seven hundred and twelve years before he was born, Isaiah said he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Jesus Christ was the Son of God before the foundation of the world. He was the woman's Seed that was to bruise the serpent's head. Certainly. God places these things. God has set in the church apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists. All these things God placed in the church. Then there's nine different gifts who operates in that church. But these are offices that goes in the church.

 

So are we supposed to go along with these puffed up ministers and believe they are vindicated just because they say so? Not on your life.

 

Again he said, Christ is the mystery 63-0728 P:106 Notice in the seer how that when, you know, he's coming forth, he's divinely a-vindicated by foreseeing and it comes to pass. "If there be one who's a prophet, will speak to you and tell you certain things that's going to happen, and if it don't happen, don't listen to him. But if it does happen, then I'm with Him. You better fear him, because I am with him." See? That's exactly. There's the a-vindication. There, where you know whether it's the truth or whether it isn't. Notice the a-vindication is that God is with that man.

 

Warning then judgment 63-0724 P:48 What about Jonah going through the streets, saying, "Oh, this city's going to be destroyed within so many days, forty days," and then God didn't do it? See, you have to watch, God don't always strike when He warns. But He... There's one thing, then the prophet is mocked. But if he is a vindicated prophet with the Word of the Lord (See?) signs of God, vindicated, as God said the prophet would be vindicated which these men were. See? His Word is not his, but it's God's, and it will come to pass. It's got to come to pass if It's God's Word. There's only one thing can stop it, that's a quick repentance.

 

Christ is the mystery 63-0728 P:105 When God says so, it's got to happen. It's a vindicated prophet, and it has to come to pass, 'cause it's God's Word, and the Word comes only to the prophets. The word prophet means a revealer of the Divine written Word, as same as it does a forth-teller (See?), a seer.

 

Third Exodus 63-0630M P:118 God chose in the days of the exodus, He called out a group and out of that group... I want you to notice something. He only got two, that went to the promised land. What did He choose to take them out by? Politics? Organization? He chose a prophet with a supernatural sign of a Pillar of Fire, that the people wouldn't be mistaken. What the prophet said was the Truth. God come down in a Pillar of Fire and vindicated Himself, showed His Word. That right? That's what He brought His first exodus. His second exodus... God always goes in threes. He's perfect in threes.

 

Seventh seal the 63-0324E P:36 Notice, Israel's believers only are told in the Old Testament to believe their prophets after the prophet has been vindicated. "If there be one among you who's spiritual or a prophet, I, the Lord thy God, will make Myself known unto him and speak to him in visions, through dreams": interpret dreams. Somebody have a dream, the prophet will be able to interpret it. And if he has a vision, he speaks it, "I'll make Myself known to him through visions and dream, make Myself known. And if what he says comes to pass, then hear that prophet, 'cause I'm with him. If it doesn't, then don't fear him at all." That's right. "Get away; just let him alone." See?

 

Seventh seal the 63-0324E P:32 Now, notice, Israel believes only her prophets, and after they are vindicated.

 

Breach the 63-0317E P:24 Now, notice, the Seven Seals holds the mystery of the Book. Until we can see what those Seven Seals has sealed in, we're only presuming them things. Because as I've told you this morning, upon my little message this morning of "God Hiding in Simplicity,"... You see, we are sure to miss the thing unless it is absolutely, genuinely revealed by the Holy Spirit and vindicated the same. See? If the prophet rises and tells you that this is just that, and God don't vindicate the thing, forget it. See? But God in every statement, in everything has to vindicate it to make it right. See, see? So His children will watch those things (See?), and be alert.

 

Investments 63-0126 P:45 You see, God watches over His Word to vindicate It. And how can He vindicate It when we deny that It's the Truth. See?

 

Identification 63-0123 P:65 If you were in that day, what group would you be identified with? With the prophet with the vindicated Word, although they were in the minority? Or would you be with the popular opinion folks? "Well, I tell you; I believe that man's crazy." And the only way that you'd ever know he wasn't crazy is for the same God to reveal to you the same thing He'd revealed to Moses. And the only way that we'll ever be able to be the images of God, and the sons of God, is for God to reveal to us, and express Himself through His Word to us, and us to the world. That's the only channel, for Christ was the Image here on earth that you could see God in a man, expressed Image of God, because God was in Him so much that they were One. And now when Christ left, He sanctified the church that the church might take His place and express the Word of God. See? That's the only way it can be done.

 

Evening messenger 63-0116 P:42 Now, for it is to the prophet that the Word always come, if they are a true prophet of the Word, God vindicates His Word by that prophet. Now, there's been many false prophets; we've had them all through the ages. We go back to the Old Testament, see them raise up and speak in the Name of the Lord, and it was--wasn't right. God would have nothing to do with it. He never vindicates nothing but His Own Word. He wouldn't run His business like that. See? You just remember; God only vindicates His Word, and only a true prophet is.  And the only way you can tell whether he's true or not, is by the Word. That's the way to judge him.

 

 

Sign of His coming 62-0407 P:36 A vindication of God's Word being true, God bears record of His Word by His signs.

 

Show us the Father and it will satisfy 60-0731 P:70 What was a prophet? A Divine interpreter of the Word, had the Divine interpretation. The signs of Him foretelling, and foreknowing, that was a vindicate to the people that he was a prophet.

 

Blind Bartimaeus 60-0713 P:24 Remember the vision does not heal people. The vision is only a vindication that the Word is right. How many knows what the word "prophet" means? Sure you do. A "prophet" means that--"a one that foretells or forthtells." And it is a Divine sign from God that this person that's speaking has the right interpretation of the Divine Word, because the Word of the Lord came unto the prophets. And the prophet foretold and done those signs, which is a vindication that he had the interpretation of the divine Word.

 

Be not afraid 60-0609 P:71 You believe on the Lord Jesus? Have faith in God. It's all over, brother. Just believe it now. We are strangers to one another. Now, that ought to settle it for the whole group of you. Does that confirm that I'm preaching the truth? How would God let me tell something wrong, and stand up with my very message. These things are only to indicate a Divine a vindication that my theology is right. That's exactly right. The Word of the Lord came to the prophets. You believe that with all your heart? I don't know you; Jesus knows you. You're a very fine person, and you're not here for yourself. You're here for someone else. It's your daughter. You believe God can tell me what her trouble is? It's in her spine. That's true. If that's right, raise up your hand. Now, you believe with all your heart?

 

Redemption by power 54-0329 P:81 I'm not reading your mind, friends. I only speak the truth, and God vindicates it to be the truth.

 

Do you now believe 54-0307E P:73 If I've told the truth of Jesus Christ, then He will vindicate that I'm telling the truth. 

 

In talking about the discernment and visions in his sermon God commissioning Moses the prophet 53-0508 P:91 brother Branham says,  Only things this does, is just declare His Presence, a vindication of Him being here.

 

Expectations 50-0405 P:16 But the only person that has a right to say, THUS SAITH THE LORD, is an a vindicated prophet. You never seen anybody judging Isaiah, or Jeremiah, or those people. They were prophets, foreordained and born in the world to be prophets. And they foresaw the thing by a vision, and then said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD," for the Lord had already said it. So what the Church needs today, is a good old fashion teaching of the Gospel. That's right. To know where they... I don't mean just educated teaching; I mean spiritual teaching. Some people speaks about God, and--and knows nothing of Him. You don't... See, you must get down and deal with the actual spirit itself, you see, to know what you're speaking of.

 

 

Presuming 62-0117 P:151 Now, visions doesn't heal people. Visions only vindicates the Presence of God.

 

Their eyes were opened 57-0421E P:16 The vision doesn't heal; the vision only vindicates His Presence.

 

Now, in getting back to our text this morning, brother Branham said, The Spoken Word is the Original Seed 40. The Word's there, but It's hid from the eyes of the wise and prudent.

 

So the Word is there but they just can’t see it or understand it because it’s hid from the eyes of the wise and prudent. Now, why would God hide His Truth in His Word?

 

That is why we had the discourse with that foreign minister. And Look, I really don’t care what he believes or for that matter what any one else believes. What you believe is your business and that is between you and God, but just don’t lie about it. And don’t try to tare down others using lies. If the thing is worthy of being torn down, then you don’t need to lie about it. Just show it from the scripture, because after all there is none vindicated except God’s prophet in this hour. So don’t try to tell me that you are vindicated because I’ll call you a liar and deceiver if you do. Show me “Thus Saith the Lord.” Show me God’s evidence of backing you up with signs and wonder and His written word coming to pass. You can’t do it, so shut up and sit down, and put on the tapes.

 

Br. Branham said, God’s Word does not contradict Itself, It can’t, and be God. And God is the Word. It’s just that plain. If William Branham wrote the Church Age book and it is backed by Scripture, then believe it. That’s all. And if you can’t believe all that the prophets have said, then don’t claim to be a defender of the Word of God and the Prophets.

 

The Word of God is so full of genuine real promises, why spend your whole life hunting the false. But that is what these brothers have done. They have spent their entire life in the ministry to look for faults in others. And that is what brother Branham described the make-believers as. From his sermon, Go awake Jesus 63-1130E P:34 Now, there is another group that always hangs around, and that's the make-believer. Now, that make-believer is considered the hypocrite. Now, let's take a make-believer. It was Judas. He was the make-believer. And the make-believer hangs on and on, trying to find some way that they can get something on it. They stick around long enough just to find out if they can't find a little fault, then go out and expose it somewhere.

 

So I tell you what kind of spirit is it in a man who dedicates his entire life to trying top find fault in others? It shows he is a make-believer. Not because I say so, for who am I. But God’s vindicated prophet said so. 

 

Three kinds of believers 63-1124E P:58 As a guy said to me one time--a minister, said, "I don't care, Mr. Branham, how many people you could produce that you said was healed, I wouldn't believe it." I said, "Certainly not; you can't believe it. You're a unbeliever; it wasn't for you. It's only for the believers." You've got to believe it. See? And they do not believe it. So when you see a person in that... Well did Paul speak of (the prophets), saying that they'd be heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having forms of godliness, but denying the power there, the power of the Word; from such turn away. Notice, they deny the whole of the Word, but in every form very religious. They are unbelievers in the true Word, though It be vindicated. All through every age God vindicated the Word of these people I've talked about: Noah, and on down through Moses, and all the prophets, and forth. God spoke through the supernatural, and vindicated the Word, and yet those people walked right out on it.

 

Again brother Branham said in his sermon Three kinds of believers 63-1124E P:70 See, make-believers, deceivers, trying to find some fault with God and His Word.

 

Three kinds of believers 63-1124E P:61 Now the third class we're speaking about is the make-believer. That's the boy, the make-believer. Now, remember, in there stood all three. Now, we find out they do just exactly like their father does, Judas. There was Peter, and the rest of the apostles: believers. There was the seventy: unbelievers. And there was Judas hung right on; he was a make-believer. What do they do? This is the kind that holds on until they can find something, a fault in it.

 

So you see there are three kinds of believers right in this message, and the make-believers are those who are always out to find fault with others. And believe me as humans we all have enough faults, but that is what Love is supposed to do. Love covers a multitude of sin or disbelief.

 

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

 

So the Apostle Paul tells us how to handle such a one. He says depart from them, for their folly will manifest itself in due time.

 

Unveiling of God 64-0614M P:131 It brings back to the same thing, in every congregation, you have make-believers, unbelievers, and believers. It's been in every congregation. You find them all the time. Some of them make out like they're believers; that's the worst of type. And then they have those who are actually unbelievers; he won't bother you; he'll just walk away and shake his head. But those who make-believe, say they're believers, that's the kind you have to watch, is those make-believers. And then there's some genuine believers. See them three there? There was the unbelievers. As soon as He said, "Eat the flesh of the Son of man," oh, man, that was it. The other one was make-believers. They stayed till (just like Judas did) right up to the end. But then the real believers, they couldn't explain it, but they believed it anyhow. They went on through.

 

Go awake Jesus 63-1130E P:57 They turned their back upon It, walked away; they're unbelievers, Make-believers still hang on to find a fault with It, just as much as they can, on and on. But what is it? The same thing repeating again.

 

2 Corinthians 4: 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

 

Go awake Jesus 63-1130E P:34 Now, there is another group that always hangs around, and that's the make-believer. Now, that make-believer is considered the hypocrite. Now, let's take a make-believer. It was Judas. He was the make-believer. And the make-believer hangs on and on, trying to find some way that they can get something on it. They stick around long enough just to find out if they can't find a little fault, then go out and expose it somewhere.

 

Now, look there are ways that we are taught in Scripture to speak to one another.

 

But Apostle Paul said, Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

 

And again he said, Colossians 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

 

And again he said in Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

 

Timothy 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

 

But when ever you have three kinds of believers there will be three kinds of motives for preaching the Gospel. Paul said in Philippians:1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will. 16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 17: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

 

But you can’t stop either one from preaching as he is ordained to preach as we see in 2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

 

The apostle John said in 1John 4:7: Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8: He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

 

1John:4:20: If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

 

And so they write their books trying to show that everyone ultimately is wrong but themselves. I feel sorry for the whole bunch of them because Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes 12:12  And further, by these, my son, be admonished of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

 

So we see that the Word of God is presented in such a way that it actually blinds some while it opens the eyes of others.

 

Brother Branham said in Revelation chapter one 60-1204M P:39 And the Book of Revelations has more symbols in it than all the rest of the Books in the Bible. It has more symbols because it is a Book of prophecy. It's a prophetic Book. Therefore it has to be understood by a prophetic class. This Book is not meant for everybody. There's nobody can understand it hardly. This Book is made for a certain class of people. On over in Deuteronomy It says, "The hidden things belong to the Lord." That is right. And He reveals to us, His children, the hidden things. So it doesn't go...The carnal mind cannot comprehend them great things of the Scripture, because it's foolish to them. But to the ones who are lovers of the Word of God, that's who the Book was written to: to the church: The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the church at Ephesus, to the church of Smyrna, to the church, to the churches on down: the Revelation of Jesus Christ to the church. I like that.

 

1 Corinthians 4: 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

 

You know, I have gotten more flack from those who oppose the Doctrine of the Message than you can shale a slick at, but I could care less, because I know Truth and I can see what they can not see.

 

Brother Branham said in his sermon, Mighty God unveiled 64-0629 P:12 Back in the Old Testament we find out that God veiled Himself from unbelievers. God has a very odd way of dealing with people. He hides Himself from the unbeliever and reveals Himself to the believer. God does that. Jesus thanked the Father that He had hid these things from the wise and prudent and would reveal it to babes such as would learn. So we find that God never changes in His nature, and He's always doing His work the same. We find out in Malachi 3 that He said, "I am God, and I change not." So He works in the same principle all the time.

 

1 Corinthians 2: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

 

God hiding Himself in simplicity 63-0412E P:35 God is so great He can make Hisself simple. Now, that's what makes God great to me, is how He can make Himself simple. And that, for doing Himself, He hides Himself from the smart and wise. Now, just think of that. He hides Himself from the smart people and reveals Himself to the humble people. The Bible said in Isaiah 35, even though a fool should not err in the way, it's so simple. And as you try to figure it out and study it out, you just figure away from God. Every time you do that, you just get yourself farther and farther away. Quit trying to figure it out. Just believe what He said. That's all there is to it; just believe it. And then, hides Himself from the wise and shows Himself to the simple.

 

Voice of the sign 64-0321E P:46 We're told that in the last days that will repeat again. There's going to be a message come forth that'll introduce the Messiah to the people. It'll be in such a way they'll stand dumbfounded like they did then. He promised it.

 

Third Exodus 63-0630M P:40 Didn't Jesus say that the two would be so close together it would deceive the very elected if it was possible? The intellectual talks will be so smooth, that it would--it would deceive the people. It's Gospel, it's men who can handle that Word in such a way that he could almost make any intellectual person, if you're just trusting in the intellectual, they'd condemn the Holy Spirit and take the way of the man. We see that.

 

Second seal the 63-0319 P:15 And aren't you happy to be living in this day? That... See? Not only that, friends, but always remember now; last Sunday morning where the whole thing was based on, simplicity (See?), simple, humble. Happens in such a way that people just go right on by and don't even know it happened.

 

Why against organized religion 62-1111E P:52 "Oh, It doesn't exactly mean that." When a man says that, get away from him. See? God watches over His Word, you know, the Bible said. It's wrote just the way It should be. See? Now, It's put in such a way to deceive, or to make the wise stumble over It. It's so simple; that's the reason they stumble over It. See?

 

Unbelief does not hinder God 62-0128M P:53 Now, Jesus, when He came into the world, He came in the time of a massive unbelief. That's right. He came in such a way that it caused the unbeliever to disbelieve more. God just pulls the... He's such a wonderful Father. Brought right in the time, and give Him the (as the people thought) an illegitimate child, and never sent Him into any schools, and so forth. And He was a odd sort of a Boy. But yet there was something about Him that seemed to be that what He said was truth. What He spoke, it was so.

 

Queen of Sheba 61-0219 P:20 Now, Jesus had come and He had proved to the people by every means that the Scripture had said, that He was the Messiah that was--they looked to come. Now, many of them had drawn the wrong conception of His coming, and that's the reason He was misunderstood. Pardon the expression, but that's the reason tonight He's misunderstood. They draw the wrong conception of what He is. Now, I believe while I was standing there, I heard my associate here, read the Scripture of saying that the campaign themes are always "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever." And he quoted it in Hebrews 13:8 that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Now, when He came the great group of Israel was certainly, eyes open wide looking for a Messiah, but they were looking for Him in the way that they had been taught that He would come. Well now, any good spiritual thinking, or even intellectual thinking person, would know that He did not come contrary to the Scriptures. He'd come contrary to their understanding of the Scriptures, not contrary to the Scriptures. But they had been taught by their teachers in such a way that the teachers had the wrong conception of Him. And may I not hurt feelings by saying this, but perhaps it could be that way again. You know if He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He probably will come a little different than what we are expecting Him to come. That's only a logical, sensible, way to approach such a thought, I would believe, in this day.

 

Mighty God unveiled 64-0629 P:12 Back in the Old Testament we find out that God veiled Himself from unbelievers. God has a very odd way of dealing with people. He hides Himself from the unbeliever and reveals Himself to the believer. God does that. Jesus thanked the Father that He had hid these things from the wise and prudent and would reveal it to babes such as would learn. So we find that God never changes in His nature, and He's always doing His work the same. We find out in Malachi 3 that He said, "I am God, and I change not." So He works in the same principle all the time.

 

Presence of God unrecognized 64-0618 P:5 "The Unrecognized Presence." What could these people be thinking of? God has always... It's been that way every time He come. When Jesus was here the first time, He said, "You whiten and you garnish the walls and the tombs of the prophets, and you put them in there." See? Something happens, and it passes by. "And God hides it from the eyes of wise and prudent, and reveals it to babes Christ revealed in His own Word 65-0822M P:67 And notice. To whom He will reveal It... And He so designed that He could hide Himself in the Scriptures to the smartest theologian there is. Oh, my. He can just hide Himself, set right there in the Scripture, and you look all day long and never see it, look a lifetime and never see it. He can just hide Himself setting there. Now, please, everywhere, let that soak in, that God in the Word can hide Himself so in the Word, that there isn't a theologian or a school in the world could ever find Him. And yet He's setting right there. You say, "Is that right, Brother Branham?" How about the Pharisees and Sadducees? How about in every age? He's done it. Sure. He's done so in every age. Now, we could check that. Let's think about the days of Noah, smart, intellectual age, how He hid Himself in His promised word; in the days of Moses how He hid Himself; in the days of Elijah how He hid Himself; in the days of Jesus how He hid Himself. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came to His own; His own received Him not." See? He hides Himself from the smartest, intellectual man there is on the earth.

 

Trying to do God a service 65-0718M P:22 Now, He reveals His Word only in Its season. Martin Luther read the same Bible we did. Wesley read the same Bible Martin Luther did. Pentecostals read the same Bible we read. Jesus read the same Bible that the Pharisees read, but they had... Trying to keep the corn in a early stage when it was ripening, they failed to see their hour. Now, David has done the same thing here. God reveals this Word in the season and to whom He chooses to reveal It to. God chooses who He reveals It to. He chose that before the foundation of the world. All of His doings were foreknown by Him, hidden from man; He just reveals them as He will. It is His chosen season, His chosen person. And He never did choose a party or sect; it's a chosen person.