The Doctrine of Christ no 25

“I’d rather have”

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

October 26th, 2011

 

Good evening, friends, this evening I would like to speak on a very simple subject concerning what it means to be a real Christian, because with Christian living; or living a life worthy of the Gospel, there has to be an ultimate, an ideal that we are striving for. Therefore, tonight I will just lay out some very simple principles that brother Branham teaches us that he would rather have, or rather see in the people, and in doing so I hope you will see the simple reality of a True Christ centered Life.

 

Deut 6: 1-9 KJV 1  Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:  2  That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3  Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 4  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

 

The NIV puts it very plainly, it says,  “Impress them on your children. Talk of them when you sit in your home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 7

 

God keeps His Word 57-0115 29 I'd rather have an old home with no rug on the floor, and with a little old iron bedstead setting there, and an old dresser somewhere, or whatever, and a little old kitchen table made out of boxes with a sign hanging on it, "God bless our home" than all the fine homes in the world, your pin-ups and nonsense that you have today, and a Bible laying on the table instead of all these old love story magazines and things laying around of dirt, and filth, and lust, and everything else to breed into the children. How can you expect anything else but a bunch of infidels and agnostics to answer out. That's true, friends. Bring up a child in the way that it should go, teaching him on the Word of God. Abraham Lincoln, until he was a grown man, had two books: One of them was the Bible and the other was the Foxe "Book of the Martyrs." Abraham Lincoln... And he studied that so hard, he read; he--he concentrated on that. That's what developed that kind of a character that Abraham Lincoln was.

 

The Amplified version is even more basic, it says, And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be first in your mind heart; then you shall whet and sharpen them, so to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the minds and hearts of your children,

Now, this is where I have always seen the thought brother Branham said never fail, when he said, I do not believe in juvenile delinquency, it is parent delinquency. And that is exactly what Moses is saying here. It’s got to be in your heart and your mind first before you can instill it in your children’s heart. And then how do you transfer that same enthusiasm for the Word of God into your children? He says) and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up." And so we see that to do so they were to place pictures and Scriptures and constantly be talking the Word to their children and to each other, and to whosoever and the children will pick up on that and they will do as they have been trained to do. The children will see with their eyes, and hear with there ears and when they see with their eyes hear with their ears, it will have an influence in their minds and in their hearts.

 

Preparation 018 Don't depend on your knowledge, and don't never try to figure anything out that God says. If you could figure it out, or I could figure it out, or any other preacher could figure it out, we would be equal with God. We are not supposed, and never will be able to figure it out, because when we can figure it out, it's not faith any more. We've got to accept it by faith. Is that right? God said so. I don't know how. I can't tell you how He's going to do it, but He's going to do it 'cause He said so. That's the basis. God is going to do it because He promised to do it. He's God, and He can't break His promise, how it is. And some of God's preparations has been so ridiculous to the people who depend on the tree of knowledge. God's preparation has been absolutely ridiculous to the natural mind, 'cause the natural can't conceive the things that are of God. Because they are foolishness to him, and he just thinks it's horrible to think. "Why, God would do..."


Now, I believe sometimes we try to press too hard and we find ourselves pressing for an answer from God, and when we do that we do more harm, not only to ourselves, but those around us as well. We must never do that. And as I have been saying for quite some time, God hates forced religion and when you force quotes and Scriptures to fit your doctrine or your creeds, you will never get anywhere with God. We must learn to trust God. Did not He promise us, that if we really Love Him all things would work together for our good? Then what are we worried about. We should be the most relaxed people in the world.


Q & A COD 54-0103M 57 Now, I'll admit that people study too much, and try to go too far ahead, and try to think too hard, and sometimes have mental breakdowns and things on account of studying about the Lord. You must quit that. You don't have to do that. The only thing you have to do is fall in love with Him, and just go right on loving Him. Amen. It's not trying to push into something or make yourself something you're not; just go ahead and let God use you the way He wants to use you. Just yield yourself; commit yourself and walk on, happy, singing, rejoicing. That's the way.


The Bible said, "All things work together for good to them that love Him." So just be sure that you love Him; that's the only thing you have to know. Amen. Just love Him and walk on. Say, "Lord, I love You; You know I love You." "You love this?" "No, Sir, I love You, Lord." See? Say, "Well, don't you want to be... Wouldn't you like to be a great preacher? Wouldn't you like to be this?" "No. Now, Lord, what... If You want me to be, I will. If You don't... Amen. I'll be right here, just a doormat at this church." "Well, now, I believe if you do something like this the people would think a lot more of your church." "I don't care what the people think; I want to know what You think, Lord. I'll just stay right with You, what You tell me to do. I love all them, sure." "Well, now, you know Sister So-and-so; you don't love her." "Yes, I do, Lord. Yes, I sure do. I love her." "Why?" "'Cause You love her, and You're in me. And I have to love her, 'cause it's You in me loving her out of me." Whew. That will get it.


Israel at the Red Sea 53-0326 23 "He that comes to Me, I will in no wise cast out." Is that right? And listen, here's the Man's Word about it, Jesus Christ, St. John 5:24, "He (whosoever), (now, I did not add that whosoever, that is William Branham saying “he” means whosoever, because in the Greek that is exactly what the word means. Only in the English does it say he.) He (whosoever) that heareth My Words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath (present tense) Everlasting Life (That's not just from one meeting to another.)--Everlasting Life, and shall not come into judgment (or condemnation, never be cast away), but hath (past tense) passed from death unto Life." St. John 5:24, Jesus said so. "I am the Bread of Life that come from God out of heaven. Your fathers eat manna in the wilderness and are dead, but he that eats My flesh and drinks My Blood hath Everlasting Life, and I'll raise him up at the last days." That's what He said.


24 Now, there's many that pretend to be in there. There's many that's warring themselves, and trying to live right, and trying to press in; I don't know about that. But if they are in there, it's just as easy to live a Christian life as it is to live any life, 'cause you're in Christ, and nothing else but just so full of the Holy Spirit leads you, and guides you and directs you. And, why, sure you'll make mistakes and fall, but you can't stay down, because no more than you could make a stalk of corn a sycamore tree... You can't do it. Jesus said, "By their fruits you shall know them." You have Everlasting Life.


25 One of the greatest curses on the church today is fear. Everybody's scared to death; it's "What's going to happen, who, what?" Why, Jesus said, "Even when the fearful sights come, lift up your head and rejoice, for great... Your redemption's drawing nigh when these things happen."


I'd like to read 1 Corinthians chapters 1 & 2 from the Weymouth translation for this reading.


1 Corinthians 1: 9 God is ever true to His promises, and it was by Him that you were, one and all, called into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. 10 Now I entreat you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to cultivate a spirit of harmony - all of you - and that there be no divisions among you, but rather a perfect union through your having one mind and one judgment. 11 For I have been distinctly informed, my brethren, about you by Chloe's people, that there are dissensions among you. 12 What I mean is that each of you is a partisan. One man says "I belong to Paul;" another "I belong to Apollos;" a third "I belong to Peter;" a fourth "I belong to Christ."

 

The problem we have today is that people want to follow a man. They haven’t got enough of God’s Spirit in them to follow God, so they look to a man to follow. But brother Branham warned us if we look to a man to lead us instead of God’s word that is the day we die spiritually. God's only provided place of worship 65-1128M P:64 I don't care how sincere you are, take man for your leader instead of the Holy Spirit to confirm this Word, that's the hour you die. The genuine Seed cannot, because there's nothing left after the seed; it's the same thing was back at the beginning. It's the Bride that fell into the ground to bring forth the corn of wheat again.

 

That means if you need a man to interpret the Word of God for you outside of a vindicated prophet, then you are yet in your sin and unbelief. There was only one vindicated in this Hour, and it wasn’t a five fold minister, it was a Messenger prophet vindicated by God’s pillar of Fire. And as long as you have your eyes on any other minister you are dividing Christ.

 

Paul said, 13 Is Christ in fragments? Is it Paul who was crucified on your behalf? Now, listen, Paul was a vindicated messenger prophet and he tells us to get our eyes off himself and on Christ. Or were you baptized to be Paul's adherents? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius -  15 for fear people should say that you were baptized to be my adherents. 16 I did, however, baptize Stephanas' household also: but I do not think that I baptized any one else. 17 Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the Good News; and not in merely wise words - lest the Cross of Christ should be deprived of its power. 18 For the Message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are on the way to perdition, but it is the power of God to those whom He is saving. 19 For so it stands written, "I WILL EXHIBIT THE NOTHINGNESS OF THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE INTELLIGENT I WILL BRING TO NOUGHT."


1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is your wise man? Where is your expounder of the Law? Where is your investigator of the questions of this present age? Has not God shown the world's wisdom to be utter foolishness? 21 For after the world by its wisdom - as God in His wisdom had ordained - had failed to gain the knowledge of God, God was pleased, by the apparent foolishness of the Message which we preach, to save those who accepted it. 22 Seeing that Jews demand miracles, and Greeks go in search of wisdom, 23 while we proclaim a Christ who has been crucified - to the Jews a stumbling-block, to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who have received the Call, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because that which the world deems foolish in God is wiser than men's wisdom, and that which it deems feeble in God is mightier than men's might. 26 For consider, brethren, God's call to you. Not many who are wise with merely human wisdom, not many of position and influence, not many of noble birth have been called. 27 But God has chosen the things which the world regards as foolish, in order to put its wise men to shame; and God has chosen the things which the world regards as destitute of influence, in order to put its powerful things to shame;28 and the things which the world regards as base, and those which it sets utterly at nought - things that have no existence - God has chosen in order to reduce to nothing things that do exist; 29 to prevent any mortal man from boasting in the presence of God. 30 But you - and it is all God's doing - are in Christ Jesus: He has become for us a wisdom which is from God, consisting of righteousness and sanctification and deliverance; 31 in order that it may be as Scripture says, "HE WHO BOASTS - LETHIS BOAST BE IN THE LORD."


1 Corinthians 2:1 And as for myself, brethren, when I came to you, it was not with surpassing power of eloquence or earthly wisdom that I came, announcing to you that which God had commanded me to bear witness to. 2 For I determined to be utterly ignorant, when among you, of everything except of Jesus Christ, and of Him as having been crucified. 3 And so far as I myself was concerned, I came to you in conscious feebleness and in fear and in deep anxiety. 4 And my language and the Message that I proclaimed were not adorned with persuasive words of earthly wisdom, but depended upon truths which the Spirit taught and mightily carried home; 5 so that your trust might rest not on the wisdom of man but on the power of God. 6 Yet when we are among mature believers we do speak words of wisdom; a wisdom not belonging, however, to the present age nor to the leaders of the present age who are soon to pass away. 7 But in dealing with truths hitherto kept secret we speak of God's wisdom - that hidden wisdom which, before the world began, God pre-destined, so that it should result in glory to us; 8 a wisdom which not one of the leaders of the present age possesses, for if they had possessed it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But - to use the words of Scripture - we speak of THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN NOR EAR HEARD, and which have never entered the heart of man: ALL THAT GOD HAS IN READINESS FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM. 10 For us, however, God has drawn aside the veil through the teaching of the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, including the depths of the divine nature. 11 For, among human beings, who knows a man's inner thoughts except the man's own spirit within him? In the same way, also, only God's Spirit is acquainted with God's inner thoughts. 12 But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes forth from God, that we may know the blessings that have been so freely given to us by God. 13 Of these we speak - not in language which man's wisdom teaches us, but in that which the Spirit teaches - adapting, as we do, spiritual words to spiritual truths. 14 The unspiritual man rejects the things of the Spirit of God, and cannot attain to the knowledge of them, because they are spiritually judged. 15 But the spiritual man judges of everything, although he is himself judged by no one. 16 For WHO HAS PENETRATED THE MIND OF THE LORD, AND WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.


From his sermon Way to have Fellowship 55-1009  18 brother Branham said,  I'd rather have a church... Listen, just a moment. I would rather have a church that knows nothing about any spiritual gift, and just be so in love with each other and with Christ, I'd rather have that than every spiritual gift operating in the church. Now, that might sound hard in a Pentecostal group, but I would rather have it. Where there is gifts, they'll fail. Where there is gifts, they'll bring confusion. Where there is gifts, they can be questioned. But where there is love, it is perfect. That's right. And if you had perfect love you'd have perfect gifts. That's right. So work first with love. That brings fellowship, and fellowship brings gifts.


Believest thou this? 50-0716  52 I'd rather have a man that didn't know split beans from coffee, and knowed God in His heart to deal with my people, than I would some man with enough education to choke a mule, and know nothing about God. That's right. God bless your heart, brother. An old fashion sassafras experience, what we need today. We don't want to know "genealogy," you need a little "knee-ology." That's what man needs today. Back to God; back to the prayer life where...?... speaking out. Pray, hold on to God till it comes to pass. God will do it. Hallelujah!


Works that I do bear witness of me 51-0413 22 After all, I'd rather have the love of God sealed in my heart than all the gifts there is in the Bible. That's right. And let me tell you something, that includes a five fold ministry which is a gift to the church.


Works that I do bear witness of me OF ME 51-0413 29 "Brother, I know the Author better than I know His Book." Amen. I'd rather have the Author anyhow anytime. His Book's fine. That's right. But I'd rather know the Author. Wouldn't you? And you know Him by the love...


Angel of God  51-0720 But I'd rather be poor and have favor with God than the best home you got in Toledo. That's right. I'd rather have it. 'Cause this is my work, to serve God. That's what's in my heart.


Resurrection of Lazarus 51-0729A 61 I'd rather have a man with my boy, who didn't know the difference between split beans and coffee and know the Holy Ghost, than to have all the education in the world and try to pump into him. That's right.


Israel at Kadesh Barnea 53-0328  I'd rather have my name in the Lambs book of Life than in all the "Who's Who?" Hallelujah. That tells who's who; there's a name written in the Lamb's Book of Life.


Israel at home AND 51 30 Moses glorified himself before the people in the stead of glorifying God. And God turned from him. And today the church has begin to glorify themselves in the stead of glorifying God. They're trying to get more members, better churches, better organs, and better pews, and a bigger church. God don't give that much for that. You ought to be glorifying God. I'd rather have a little old mission somewhere, cleaned up, down on the bowery somewhere, where they could really get free and shout, and praise God, and have a good time, than all the great cathedrals in the world. Amen. That's right. God is finished with the church ages.


Show us the Father it will satisfy 53-0610 I'd rather have God in me than all the silver and gold in the world. Yes, sir.


Talk on the Word 53-0831  54 Brother, I'd rather have a little bit and be in the Kingdom of God, and doing what God wants me to do, than have a whole lot, and be away from the Kingdom of God. I'd rather take my way with a bunch of little holy-rollers and live in the Presence of God than to belong to the biggest church in Chicago and be out of the Kingdom of God. Amen.


Testimony 53-0902 32 Those Arkansas people are poor as they can be. But brother, under them old blue shirts beats some real good true Holy Ghost filled hearts. Yes, sir. I'd rather have one of them with me any time, than maybe a slicker with his collar turned around in the back, and I couldn't trust him out of my sight.


Believest thou this? 53-0906A I'd rather have a man that didn't know his ABC's and could preach the Bible under the power of the Holy Ghost than all the theology you could poke down his throat in ten years. Hallelujah. Whew. What am I feeling this way about? Look. Amen. Yes, sir. What we need today is what? Is a new cleaning up in the church. Don't you believe that?


Life story 53-1108A I'd rather have favor with God than to have anything that I know of in the world. And if I got favor with God, I can serve His people.


Preparation 53-1111 40 I'd rather have a little wild fire than no fire at all, wouldn't you?

 

Q & A COD 54-0103M "I'd rather have a church that had such a burden on their heart for prayer that they just stayed at this altar and would be here day and night, and everything else; and in their house, was constantly in prayer, and humble, and trying to get people to come to God, and making calls at the hospital, and visiting the sick, and trying to get people to come to church and do right. I'd rather have that than all the other put together; although the other is right, it belongs in the church."


Redemption by power 54-0329 I'd rather have a little fanaticism than to set still and do nothing. I sure would.


To see Jesus 54-0718E 52 Now, you know me, that I only have a grammar school education. I know nothing of psychology. I know nothing about medics. I know nothing about the anatomy. Only thing I know, I love the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart. That's all I know. I'm uneducated, illiterate, and I have no abilities of my own, not even, a normal personality. That's right. But I know one thing, and I'm thankful for that: I know how to submit myself that Jesus Christ can work through me. That's the... I'd rather have that than all your education that there is in the world. I'd rather know how to submit myself to the Spirit of God, and say, "Lord, here I am." I'd rather have that secret in my heart, than have the secret of every hydrogen and atomic bomb in the world, or could be made. For it's more powerful than all the atomic bombs that could be thought of.


Maniac of Gadara 54-0720A I'd rather have favor with God and be called a holy-roller, or fanatic, or whatever they want to call me, and have favor with God to know that He's standing here this afternoon, than all the wealth Chicago's got or all the glory that the world has got. I'd rather be standing right here now a holding this picture and telling you what that is and know that He's standing right here within five feet of where I'm standing right now. I'd rather have this feeling and consolation that I have right now, than to be king over all the earth for a million years. That's right.


Unpardonable sin 54-1024 77 028 I'd rather have that than all the popularity of the women, men, or whoever it was on this earth. I'd rather have favor with God.


God perfecting his church 54-1204 I'd rather have an old plow boy couldn't say his ABC's, teaching my children the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ, than all the D.D.'s in the world that knows nothing about God. Nothing to your theology...


Great warrior Joshua 55-0119 I'd rather have one filled with the Holy Ghost, and full of God's power, than a thousand times thousand church joiners. Rather have one alive with God who'd believe.


Seven compound names of Jehovah 55-0120 I'd rather have prayers than all the money.


Fellowship by redemption 55-0403 real Divine taste of fellowship with Christ, I'd rather have it than all the vacations and things in the world.


Enticing spirits 55-0724 I'd rather have a drunkard with me any day than a liar.


Results of Decision 55-1008 I'd rather have a man preach to me with a pair of overalls on and mud on his shoes and know God, than all the D.D.'s that you could put before me. The... Hallelujah. Back to the old hewing line again, brother. That's where we ought to go, somebody to preach the full Gospel, believe in Divine healing, the power of God, the resurrection, that Jesus the same yesterday, today, and forever.


Jehovah Jireh 56-0429 I'd rather have favor with God than anything I know of.

 

Love 56-0726 I asked my wife, not long ago, I said, "I want to ask you something, honey, I..." I said, "What is real true value placed on?" I believe I told you that though, the other night, what the true value... Nothing but lost souls, is the only thing that's got any value in it. Money passes away. Homes decay and go away. Everything in the earth moves away. The only value, lasting value, I'd rather have one soul in glory, that I won to Christ, to know and see that that Light of God circles around that soul, through all eternity, my name to be associated with that, than to have every penny of money in the whole earth, 'cause I'd have to lose it all. But what you send up there, is Eternal. And that's the reason we're trying. My lost brother and sister tonight without hope without God, that's why I'm here to speak to you, to try to get you to love the Lord Jesus.


Spiritual adoption 56-0923 I'd rather have a man that didn't know his abc's to teach my child, that had the Holy Spirit, than all the professors in the world who didn't have the Holy Spirit, for he speaks of the Father. See? And the Holy Spirit speaks of the Father. And then It'll teach the child not to be tossed about with every wind of doctrine, but to accept and believe the principles that the Father has laid down.


Jehovah Jireh 57-0326 I'd rather have the Presence of God with me and be called a "holy-roller" than be a archbishop in some other church that couldn't believe the powers of God. That's right. If I had to worship in a mission or a brush harbor, I'd like to be where the Spirit of God is. That's exactly right.


We would see Jesus 57-0516 you have the privilege tonight to have Christ by you. And what... I'd rather have that than all of the money the world ever did have or ever would have. To know that I'm standing here now in the Presence of the Lord Jesus, the Redeemer, and His loving grace has reached out to us. Here He is, standing here tonight, doing the same things that He did when He was here on earth, working through you and through me. Well, if He just worked through me, and didn't through you, it would never work. It's your faith that does that.


Thirsting for Life 57-0613 42 Listen, I want to say this just on the side. That's the kind of songs I love. I'd rather have them, than all your little old chopped up boogie-woogie things that you try to put in church and take the place of the old fashion hymns. It'll never do it. No, sir. The Holy Spirit loves those old fashion songs.

 

Thirsting for Life 57-0630 I'd rather have favor with Christ then to be the president of the world.


Thirsting for Life 57-0630 I'd rather have that real sweet, mellow Holy Spirit moving into my life and making all the world pass away, than to have all the noise and... Now, I believe in shouting, sure. I shout and scream myself. That's right. I believe in every gift. I wouldn't be here preaching healing. I believe in all those things. But brother, that isn't it yet. That's not it. These gifts and signs, that's not it. It's Christ in the heart. That's it. Then you'll stay. That's life.


Hebrews Chapter 6 57-0908E There's something about those old fashion songs, the old-time hymns. I'd rather have them than all these new worldly songs put in, in Christian churches.


Jehovah Jireh 58-0127 I'd rather have someone preaching in my church, that didn't even know his ABC's or knowed split peas from coffee. If he knowed Christ in the power of His resurrection, I'd rather have him, than all the students and scholars that these incubators could hatch out in their theological machines. I don't mean to be rude by misstating facts. We want men and women who know God, separating themselves from unbelief.


Hear ye Him 58-0209A I'd rather have His love than every gift He's got in His Kingdom. Give me His love. That's what the world is looking for today, is to see a display of real love. It'll win souls when you got love. They can tell it when you got love. We got to much make-believe love.


Will the Church go before the tribulation? 58-0309E I'd rather have my hopes built in Christ, taking my solemn stand upon His grace and mercy, than any educated group of people who would form an organization, say, "This is the way." Christ said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Light. And no man cometh to the Father except he comes by Me."

Why are we not a Denomination 58-0927 Why, here's a far greater gift right here. Which would be the best, the gift of the Holy Ghost of wisdom to put the Word of God together and to show the church where we're standing, than just to get somebody healed? We all want to be well; but I'd rather have my soul well, than my body well anytime. Oh, my.

God’s Provided Way 59-0415A I'd rather have my spirit covered with the robe of His holiness, than to have the best suits that could be bought in all the world. Sure. Rich in the Kingdom of God.


Images of Christ 59-0525 a sweet Spirit? I'd rather have it than anything I know in the world. I... You can take all the rest of the world and its fancies, all your intellectuals, all your doctors, rabbis, bishops, holy fathers; give me Jesus. That's right. Just let me have Him that old fashion way. I feel Him way down in my heart. And watching my lives and sees my desires is to serve Him, humble, meek, and lowly. That's what we need, friends, is a re... That's Jesus. That's the Jesus of the Bible, not a Jesus of the intellect, but a Jesus of the soul.


Deceived Church by the world 59-0628M I want the real Holy Ghost like is on me now. I want to keep It. I'd rather have It than all the things of the world.


Q & A COD 59-0628E I'd rather have a man that really knowed God if he didn't know his a-b-c's to belong to my church (right) as long as he's the seed of Christ.


From that Time 60-0716 I'd rather have somebody with one of my children out here on a--in the sage brush field, somewhere down by an old stump, that didn't even know his ABC's or know which was right or left hand. If he knows Jesus Christ, I'd like to have him by side of my child, before I would any professor that knows a lot of theology, and knows no more about God than a rabbit knows about snow shoes. I want... I'll tell you, brother, what we need today is back to the Bible and the old fashion baptizing of the Holy Ghost back into the church, and so much of this other stuff cut out. I'm not trying to support ignorance. I mean, if you've got the education plus that, amen. But the educational covenant will fall one of these days, but the covenant with God will last forever and forever and forever. It'll go on through the eons of times into eternity


AS THE EAGLE STIRS HER NEST 61-0122 I'd rather have a little wild fire than none at all.


Presuming 62-0408 I'd rather have my name on the big Book up there, than the big board down here.


Why 62-0622E I'd rather lose my job than lose my life. "Your wife will leave you." I'd rather lose a wife than lose my Christ. … I'd rather have my neighbor make fun of me and be right with God.


Super Sign 62-0624 I'd rather have love than all the gifts that God has, because where there's tongues, they shall cease; where there's prophecy, it shall fail; but when it's love, it endures forever.


Jehovah Jireh PART 2 62-0706 I'd rather some man, being my family or my child, that didn't know the difference between split beans and coffee, and knowed Christ. That's right. Take him out yonder somewhere by an old stump and kneel down on his knees and pray with him till the Holy Ghost comes into him. I'd rather have that than all the psychology you could pour into him by a doctor's degree. Tell him the Word of God. Yes.


Falling apart of the world 62-121 I'd rather have my consolation built upon the Word of God, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Presence of Christ, than all the security that politics or churches could ever give you. Certainly, 'cause I know That'll stand


Turn on the Light 64-0125 I'd rather have what I've got, than all the education in the world. I have Jesus Christ. And I see Him live His Word right through, and that's all I need to know. And if a man is born of the Spirit of God, he'll search the Scripture to see if It's the answer for today. The answer of the day is Christ. Christ is the Word. When the Word comes to life, It shows the Light that's promised of the day. In this dark Laodicean age, just a few, "As many as I receive, I chasten, I rebuke. Repent," Jesus said, "and return back." Turn to the Word. He is the Word. Come to Him. Yes, sir.