Token no 55
Faith and Love
January 31, 2016
Brian Kocourek,
Pastor
This morning we will pick up at paragraphs 178 and
179 of
brother Branham's sermon "The Token" and we will read them to begin
our study.
Now, before we begin to read don't forget
that his subject is the Token which is the very Life of Christ in the believer.
So what he is going to say as he is closing down his sermon are words to help
us to understand that God-Life that is in us, and how it lives itself out, or
expresses the Life in our very lives.
178 These words, Lord, I might not have said them right;
and if I didn't, I pray that the Holy Ghost will take those words and present
them the way that they should be presented, that the people will understand,
and know without malice, and let them know that love is corrective.
And that they might know that it's because of the hour that we're living in,
and the close coming of the Lord; and we see the great red lights a flashing
all over the world that the time is at
hand. May the people receive the Holy Ghost this day. I pray and present them to You, in the Name of Jesus
Christ. And let it be a Token to us as
long as we live, which You promised it would be. It'd be easy to ask that,
because You promised it would be, and I know it will. In Jesus' Name, we pray.
Amen.
179 Now, with our bowed heads just a moment, with faith
believing, I have prayed for you, all that I know how. I pray with sincerity, with all I know how to pray
for. Look, I realize that... You know what? It's your tithe and offerings that
I live by. It's your support here at the church that I have somebody to preach
to. It's your love, and your amens, and your fellowship, and your kind words
amongst out in the world there, where you go to the different states across the nation. It's your words
that helps take the message. It's you. We're partners in this with Christ. We
are brothers and sisters, and He is our King. And I love you. Where I am, I want you to be. I drive across the nation to speak to you a couple of
times. I long to meet with you here on Sunday morning. I love you. I've always
loved you. Sometimes I have to speak
real harsh, but it's only
corrective. You see? It's because I love you. See?
This morning I
would like to focus on his thoughts here in both paragraphs, because they seem
to come together to make a theme, and that theme is that Love is corrective.
I remember, years ago when I taught school, I knew that Love
is corrective, and that most kids today on the surface don't really want total
freedom from their parents, they just want to test their parents love and
concern for them, and so they try things to test the boundaries of that
parental concern. And I was strict in my classes and when the guys in my class
would get out of line I would do a little bit of rough housing with them.
sometimes I would put my arm around their neck and squeeze a little bit tight
and may rub their hair with my knuckles or something like that. Making
correction but having fun with them at the same time.
But Once in a while I might grab them by the front of their
jean jackets, and lift them off the floor and hold them up against the wall and
talk to them eye to eye. But I never hit anyone with intention to hurt, or harm
and they knew it. As a result I had kids come to me about their drug problems
and other things they felt they couldn't talk to their parents about. Well, for
a few months I quit doing this, and then one day the toughest kid in school
came up to me and said, "Mr. K, why
don't you manhandle us any more", And I said, "why do you want to know Mark?" And
he said, "Because we don't get it at
home and we need it." I felt like crying for that kid right there.
Tough on the
outside, but on the inside still a young child seeking a nurturing corrective
love. Yes, a nurturing corrective love. every child wants to know there
boundaries, and that you care. And Mark being the toughest kid in school was no
different.
Perseverant 62-0729 E- Faith and love is corrective. You see? It
corrects.
Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which
is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to
another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the
Lord;
I really like the way the NIV translates this scripture. NIV Romans 12:19-11 Love must be Sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one anotherin brotherly Love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking is zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
This morning we will speak concerning this Sincere
Love that the Apostle Paul
is speaking of.
Now, at first thought we don't usually associate Love with Faith. And
we know Faith is a Revelation, something that is revealed. But a sincere Love for God is a Love for His Word. And this
love is about being keeping His word which means living it.
Jesus
said in John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Moses
taught us in the Book of Deuteronomy that we express our Love for God in
obeying His Voice. Deuteronomy 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy
days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,
to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Now, in examining verse Romans 12:9 we find the Apostle Paul tell us, NIV Romans 12:19-11 Love must be Sincere. Now, the word sincere does not mean that we should put on the dog, and become sweet and
engaging, or beguiling, but the word sincere
means genuine, and straightforward. Therefore our Love must be genuine,
and straightforward. In his next few words as Paul goes on to say, Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. And then Be devoted to one another in brotherly Love. And Honor one another above
your own selves.
Now, let's focus our thoughts on those words, "Love must be Sincere". He did not say, "should be, as though you have a choice, but he said, "Must be". Love must be sincere.
Likewise the Apostle Peter taught us
that our love should not be fake towards one another. He said, 1
Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in
obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned
love of the brethren, see that ye
love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Notice, he said See that ye love one another with a pure heart,
and fervently. Not unfeign, not pretentious, not put on, not fake, but pure
love, a fervent pure love.
Now the word fervent means: having or showing great
warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm,
Now, the Apostle Paul doesn't just tells us we MUST love one
another with a sincere love, but he also tells us what that "sincere love" is. He says it "hates evil", and it "clings to" or "holds onto" like glue to "those
things which are good".
No one can claim to love their children and then watch their
children do things which are evil. That is not love, not sincere love anyway.
Because if you truly love your child you want the best for your child and it
would never enter your mind to approve of bad behavior in your child which
would produce an evil life in your child.
Now, everybody wants to talk about a love that is tolerant.
Everyone is into tolerance these days unless it means a tolerance for Truth,
and then they want nothing to do with it. You know it is politically correct
these days to be tolerant of everything except True Christianity. That seems to
be the only thing that is politically ok to bash, and that is because True
Christianity is True Love, because it is
based on God’s Love, for God
is Love. And for the people of
this world to speak of loving as also being tolerant is so far from the Truth
it is not even conceivable how they could associate the two together.
Because how can you love what God hates? If
God is Love then our Love should be a reflection of God. And if our
Love is a reflection of God who is Love, then perfect Love is a Perfect God. And If we do not even understand Who God is, then how
could we ever understand Love.
God is Love, and God is the Word.
I Corinthians 13:8 ¶ Lovw never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be
tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that
which is in part shall be done away.
Now, that
is what brother Branham taught. He said in his Sermon Hebrews Chapter 5 And 6 657-0908M 188-130 But
when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part will be done away
with." See, that's perfect. What
is perfect? Love. What is love? God.
Now, brother Branham taught us is that which is perfect is the
Word. From
his sermon, Questions and Answers
64-0823E 1005 1 Corinthians
13 says this: "When that which is perfect is come, that
which is in part shall be done away with." So all these little things of jumping up-and-down like a
kid, trying to talk in tongues, and all these other things, when that which is
perfect... And we do have today, by God's help, the
perfect interpretation of the Word with Divine vindication. Then that which is in part is done away with.
"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child; but when I
become a man, I put away childish things." Amen.
But the world wants nothing to do with this kind of Love that we
are talking about this morning, because they want nothing to do with God, and
He is Love, and He is the Word.
Jesus tells us the real reason why the world hates you in John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
First of all here we see Jesus tell us that we should love one
another, not should, but He says these Things I Command you, so we are dealing with a command, and not just
a nice thought.
But notice, immediately he lets us know the world will hate us.
And He let’s us know that the reason it will hate us is that it hated him
first. 18 ¶ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me
before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye
are not of the world, but I have chosen
you out of the world, therefore the world hate you.
In John 15:19 we are told that the real reason the world hates you because you
are the chosen of the Lord. So it really comes down to the same jealousy they
had with Jesus.
I John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren,
if the world hate you. 14 ¶ We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.
Notice He is telling us that the world takes the way of hate, but
we must take the way of Love. It seems that the world so hates what is good and
since there is so little that is good, the world is having a hay-day in hating. You can’t but read the
papers, and listen to the radio and here some add for a movie but what deals
with someone hating somebody. The world is filled with hate and violence, and
it is a strange and peculiar thing for brethren to be loving one another with Godly Love.
Now, when we examined Romans 12 on Wednesday night we brought out the fact where Paul tells us: I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
and that
living sacrifice , the life will express itself as holy, (and this holy state will be)
acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service.
And we examined these words "Living sacrifice" and found it comes from the Greek word, Zao and it
means zao {dzah'-o}
-- to
live -- to be alive. Let me give you four more definitions of this word
zao.
1) to live, to breathe, be among the living
(not lifeless, not dead)
2) to enjoy real life --to be active, blessed in the manner of the living and
acting;
3) living water, having vital power in itself
and exerting the same upon the soul
4) to be in full vigor; to be fresh, strong,
efficient, to be active, powerful, efficacious (effective)
Therefore, we are to be a
living sacrifice, one that is alive, and real, and full of life. And that the real life which is an expression
of the real genuine Holy Ghost will express Holiness, "holy", acceptable unto God,
and the Apostle Paul said, and it is which is your reasonable service.
And we learned that this state of holiness is not a legalistic
affair. It is not something you are doing for God, as though you must do it or
suffer the consequences, but rather it is an atmosphere of Love and tender care
in which you are living.
He said this living sacrifice is one that is Holy, and so we must understand what it
means to be a living sacrifice that is holy.
Notice,
He said, this living sacrifice is Holy.
We are to present to God a living sacrifice that Holy.
Again,
Paul tells us our living sacrifice is Holy, and
Wednesday night we showed you that the Greek word for holy used here is "hagios" and is made up from two
root words, "hagnos" which means pure, chaste, clear, sacred, pure from carnality, modest,
immaculate and clean, And then another root word "Thaipo" which means, to cherish with
tender love. Or tender care.
So we
see that bringing these two words together we have a purity
that comes as a result of tender love and care.
Therefore, we have purity that comes from a motive of true tender caring, and we see
modesty that comes from tender loving, and we see a
sacredness in response to pure love. As brother Branham preached the message
"Convinced, then Concerned",
our being truly convinced brings about a
true concern, and we have a life pure from
carnality. One that is modest, immaculate and clean, not
from a fear of retribution, nor from a fear of penalty, but as a result of an
inner motive of Tender Love and Tender Care. This holiness Paul is speaking of
is not the result of a rigid and disciplined life style, but a result of true
caring and a genuinely true love for God.
How
contrary this is to the disciplined and rigid life of the legalist. Those are
people who through fear of retribution from a Holy God live in fear and walk in
fear and tremble at the thought of eternal separation from God and Heaven.
These are people who do right not because it is the right thing to do, but they
do right because of fear of penalty for doing wrong.
But Paul
said this sacrifice is a Holy one,
and it comes from a different kind of motive. A motive that is stimulated by tender Love and tender
care for the One Who gave them new birth.
Notice how different these
two motives are. Legalism binds you while Tender Love and care sets you free,
and yet they both produce the same works, and the same outward acts.
But Paul began with the
thoughts of how that "we are to present
our bodies as a living sacrifice", and so he's setting our
minds on the importance of our presentation to God.
Now, in getting back to John, he continues by saying, "He that loves not his brother abides in death. 15 Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no
murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of
God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in
deed and in truth.
So we see that a hatred for the brethren shows where its source
came from, and that is in Cain. And why did Cain hate Abel? Because God
accepted Abel’s Sacrifice and not his own. And what is a sacrifice but their
revelation of God’s Word given back to God. The hatred that we see so abounding
in the world today, was
prophesied to come by Jesus Christ Himself. The disciples asked Jesus what would be the
signs of the end of the world, and He answered that there would be two major
signs. The first would be deception on the rise, and hatred between peoples.
These would be the chief signs.
Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples
came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall
be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 ¶ And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (ok, so there is your first sign, deception). 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; (I am anointed) and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all
these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in
divers places. 8 All these [are] the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they
deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye
shall be hated
of all nations for
my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall
be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then
shall the end come.
Notice he tells us, He that shall Endure to the end, are the ones that shall be saved. And that is
our warning I wish to set forth this morning. Because we are looking at two
major signs we are at the end-time. Deception and hate, and never has there
been more hate than what we are seeing on a daily basis.
I mean even the same political party can't get along within the
same party. And it is not just that they cannot get along, but they end up
hating each other for simple little differences. When I was younger it was common for people
to say "let's agree to disagree" on that issue. But not today. If you
don't see it exactly the same they end up hating one another and that is insanity.
And it is one of the two major signs Jesus pointed to and told us would prevail
at the end-time.
And people, we must die to self in order to not
hate. It is too easy to let your flesh get entangled in the cares of this world
which includes the politics of the day,
or even church politics, or Message politics when there just shouldn't
be any to begin with. If everyone would just be themselves and not try to
please others by falling in line with the status quo, then we might come to a
maturity in our lives, and become just what we are by the grace of God.
Jesus said, Luke 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from
their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy:
for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their
fathers unto the prophets.
Instead of getting mad, or as some, getting even, he
says rejoice and consider it in terms of storing up treasure for your future
home.
Now, no matter how much money you have in stocks and
bonds, you are going to lose it all when the great reset takes place. And one
thing for certain, you can never take it with you. I want you to liken this what he is saying
here to what has taken place in many people's lives over the centuries. During
WW2, many Jewish people had to leave there homes in the middle of the night to
escape the Nazi Gestapo, and they could not take their earthly treasures with
them. If caught what treasures they did have was stolen and even the gold in
their teethe was yanked out and they themselves were stripped of all clothing
and gassed to death.
Jesus is telling us when the persecution comes, just
lift up your heads and say "Cha-Ching",
for great is your
treasure in heaven. So the only way you can store up treasure in
heaven is by your attitude on this side. You hear all the time men speaking of attaining
wealth. They say, "get my book on
the four step process to attaining wealth". Well, Jesus tells us his four
step process to attaining a permanent heavenly treasure, that moth cannot eat and rust cannot corrupt
and no man can
break in and steal, because its stored for you in the heavenly vault
of God.
In Luke 6:26 we read,
"Woe unto you, when all men
shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. 27 ¶ But I say unto you which hear, (1)Love your enemies, (2) do good to them which hate you, 28 (3) Bless them that curse you, and (4) pray for them which despitefully use you. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and
him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee;
and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have
ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to
receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much
again. 35 But love ye your enemies,
and do good, and lend, hoping for
nothing again; and your reward shall
be great, and ye shall be the
children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the
evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as
your Father also is merciful. 37 ¶ Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn
not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you;
good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men
give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be
measured to you again.
From his sermon, the Rejected
King 60-0515M 23-6 he said, "Oh, my precious friend, my beloved,
my darlings of the Gospel, my begotten children unto God, listen to me, your
pastor. You... I wish there was some way I could explain it to you. There's no words. I couldn't find it. It's not found anywhere.
But just beyond this last breath is the most glorious thing that you ever...
There is no way to explain it. There's no way; I just can't do it. But whatever
you do, friends, lay aside everything else till you get perfect love. Get to a spot that you can love everybody, every enemy, everything else. That one visit there to me has made me a
different man. I can never, never, never be the same Brother Branham that I
was."
And from
his sermon, Adoption 60-0522E 104 Thus Saith The Lord, it'll take perfect love to put you in
that place, for that's all there
was there. No matter how many, how much religious
demonstrations, how many good deeds you
done, or whatever you done, that won't count
nothing on that day. It'll take
perfect love. So
whatever you do, you lay aside everything else, until you are just so filled
with the love of God, till you can love those who hate you. I'm just, as I said this morning, I was made... My whole makeup is grace. A lot of people say, "Now,
you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. Yeah, you do something for me, and
I'll do something for you." That's
not grace. Grace is, if your back is
itching, I'll scratch it anyhow, whether you scratch mine or not; you slap
me on the face, and say, "my back needs itching, needs scratching," I'll scratch it. See? That's it; do
something. I don't believe in works; I
believe that works is love. Works is--works is the manifestation that grace has taken place. I don't live true to my wife because I believe
she'd divorce me if I didn't; I live true to her because I love her.
And from the Rejected
King
60-0515M brother Branham said, "And I heard a voice then that spoke to me that
was in the room, said, "This is what you preached was the Holy Ghost. This is
perfect love. And nothing can enter here without it." I am more determined than ever in my life that it takes
perfect love to enter there. There was no jealousy. There
was no tiredness. There was no death.
Sickness could never in there. Mortality could never make you old, and they
could not cry. It was just one joy, "Oh, my precious brother."
So what is Love, and in fact what is perfect Love? We know that he
taught us the that which is perfect is the perfect interpretation of the Word with
Divine Vindication. And we know that the Apostle John taught us that God is
Love. So we must never think of Love in terms of our human emotions. We must
think of it in terms of God’s definition.
In fact we read to you Wednesday night where brother Branham said
the Holy Ghost is given to control our emotions.
He said, "God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit, sets right in the
center of your new Spirit, and there It
controls your emotions.
and to have a new heart, a new spirit,
and His Spirit, part of the Logos in you controlling your emotions..."
So therefore, love has nothing to do with your emotions.
We read in the Gospel of John that men are capable of loving, but
notice what they love.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into
the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one
that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest
his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be
made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
So it is not just love, but perfect Love that will
bring us to that place he is talking about.
I John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He
that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not whither he goes, because that darkness has blinded his eyes.
Therefore the Apostle John is tells us in I John 4:17 how our
love is made perfect. He says, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have
boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this
world.
Our Love is made perfect as we are conformed tot he
image of the first born son.
He says, 18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made
perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves 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 loves God love his brother also.
Now, John said perfect
Love casts out all fear.
It is fear that causes men to war with one another, and it is uncertainty and
fear of the uncertainty that causes people to do things in a self defense kind
of thinking. And that is what causes strife and ill treatment toward one
another is fear. But perfect
love casts all that away.
Personal experience with God 54-0724 E-43 This loving Him... Oh, we say, "We
have faith. We have love." But if
we had love, we'd have faith, for that is... "Perfect love casteth out all fear." And when
fear is gone, faith is perfect.
Paul said our "Faith worketh by Love". Therefore we must first have love in order to bring forth our faith. Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
And brother Branham said in his Questions and Answers 54-0103E 140- God is love, perfect love;
but you don't know what love is.
That's why today people don't know what faith is. God is love. He has to be in
love; He's sovereign to His Word.
And He
has to keep His Word. He has to love you. And if He loves you, He's got to
protect you.
And Paul said in Ephesians
3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
In his sermon, Fellowship
56-0212 E-5 brother Branham said, " And you can't have faith till you have love.
That's just all there is to it. You just... Perfect
love casts out all fear, and As long as you got fear you can't have
faith. So you got to have love first. It drives all fear out, and then faith comes in, takes the place
of fear.
So when you have that you're coming right along.
And notice that Love is the motivator of Faith. Ephesians 6:23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith,
from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians Church Age 60-1205 72 "Ephesus" means, the very name "Ephesus" means "let
go, relax, backslidden," called by God, "The backslidden church." God acknowledged
first their works, their labor, and their patience. God rebuked their leaving their first love, for backsliding, and for no longer
bearing Light. Ephesus was not a deceived church; it failed itself by not
continuing in perfect love. 74 Summary of Ephesus' fruits: without love, led to apostasy.
Brother Branham said in, Explaining
Healing And Jairus 54-0216 E-48 "Electricity will light up, if you'll work according to the law of
electricity. Is that right? If you
had an artesian well on this side of the hill putting out thousands of gallons
of water per minute, and over on that side of the hill, another hill, you've
got a crop burning up needing that water. Now, no matter how much you screamed
to water, "Go up on the hill and water that crop," it'll never do it.
But if you work according to the way of gravitation and run that water over on
the hill, it'll water the crop. Is that right? But you've got to work according
to the law of gravitation. Well now, if God is here all in this building, right
now. Do you believe that? We're all conscious, You're conscious that God is
here. Now, the only thing that we can do is work according to the law of God
for our healing. Is that right? What is
the law of God? His love. "Perfect love cast out all fear." Love
and faith is the same thing. See? Love, perfect love casts out all fear which gives faith. You see?
Even the Apostle Paul spoke of Love and Faith as being the same in I Thessaloninas 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting
on the
breastplate of faith and
love; and for an helmet, the
hope of salvation. Notice it is not just
the breastplate of faith which is always quoted, but the breastplate of faith and love.
In I Timothy 1:14 we read, "And the grace of our Lord was exceeding
abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus".
Again in II Timothy 1:13 Paul
says, Hold fast the form of
sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith
and love which is in Christ Jesus.
And once more Paul ties faith and Love together in Philemon 1:4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 5
Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and
toward all saints;
Now, Brother Branham said in his sermon. Way To Have Fellowship 55-1009 E-18 "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."
And again he said in his sermon called LOVE 58-0313 E-20 "Now, perfect love casts out fear, and that's the reason people won't take God at His
Word for healing. They
don't love Him well enough, because you're scared He won't keep His Word.
That's the reason that people fear somebody else will say something against
them if they receive the Holy Spirit. They're afraid somebody will laugh and
make fun. But when love comes in..."
Perfect Faith 63-0825E 132 "And when we were sinners,
alienated, without God, in the world, in that muck of mud as I talked about
this morning, God come to us. God sought you; you never sought God. "No
man can come to Me except the Father draws him first." And God came down in that muck, what you were, and
sought you out and brought you out. That ought
to create a perfect love. Look what you was, and look what you are. What did that? Somebody that loved
you. Can't you have faith in
what He's promised you then? Real genuine love will
create a confidence in His Word. He caught me when I was
nothing. I'm still nothing, but I'm in His hand. See? He caught me. And He loved me when I was unlovable. He loved you when you was unlovable, but He changed you.
Perfect Faith 63-0825E Faith and love is relations, because you can't have faith unless you've got love,
because your faith is in a God Who is the very essence of love. Faith and
love works together.
In 1 Thessalonians 1:2 Paul expresses how that our Love
and our Faith are motivators of our works and labor. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all,
making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering
without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 4 Knowing,
brethren beloved, your election of God. 5 For our gospel came not unto
you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much
assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your
sake. 6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having
received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So
that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
Now, in reading from the Wuest Translation,
we get a better appreciation for this scripture. 1 Thessalonians 1: 4 Wuest "Remembering unceasingly your works produced and characterized
by the Faith which is yours, and your toil which is
motivated and characterized by your divine and self sacrificial
Love, and your patient endurance under trials which finds it's
source in your hope which rests in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of
God, even the father."
So we see that our faith produces our works and our love shapes and motivates our toil, our effort,
our energy to do the work.
Again Paul says in II Thessalonians
1:3 We
are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that
your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all toward
each other abounds; 4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of
God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that
ye endure: 5 ¶ Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that
ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 6
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that
trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to
be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because
our testimony among you was believed ) in that day. 11 ¶ Wherefore also we pray
always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill
all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the
work of faith with power: 12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be
glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
In Galatians 5:6 Paul said, …but faith which worketh by love.
Then we see that Faith (Revelation itself) is energized
by love. Notice Paul tells us again that our Faith worketh by
Love. The word for worketh
is a Greek word energeo and it means energizes. So
Paul is saying here: Our Faith is enrgized by Love,
I Thessalonians 2:13 For
this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the
word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as
it is in truth, the word of God, which
effectually worketh (effectually means energized) also in you that believe.
Wisdom
Versus Faith 62-0401 73-2 The disciples had It sowed into them, then the Spirit come to energize the Word. See? "Not by power, not by might, not by wisdom, not by
understanding, not by this, not by that, but by My Spirit I will energize My
Word. By My Spirit, says the Lord." It's the water of the
Word of faith that energizes the Word of God and makes It work,
So in closing we see that "our Faith works by Love". In
other words, Love is the motivating force that brings our faith into expression.
It is love that takes a-hold of your faith and moves it from a dormant passive
Faith into a vibrant active faith.
Because Faith is not about self,
and neither is Eternal Life living for self, but eternal Life is living for
others. It's not the works that avail anything, but the works
which have been produced or motivated by Love that counts.
Let us pray...