Questions and Answers #38
The
Attitude of Christ no. 4
How
our attitude affects others
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
December 16, 2007
Before we begin our message this morning on the
attitude of Christ, I would like to say that I have enjoyed this study tremendously.
Over the past several years I have seen our ability to look into the Living
Word of God and see it become more crystal clear than ever before. The Bible
tells us to rightly divide the Word of Truth and what I am seeing is a honing
in more and more. Things are becoming clearer than ever before. As soon as the
unbeliever raises a question, the Word which is living and abiding in our heart
has the answer to their unbelief. In Hebrews 4 we read that the Word of God is
sharper than any two edged sword even dividing to the joints and marrow of the
bone. And we have been given a looking glass of the Word which is able to
microscopically see things in this Word that others have passed over throughout
the ages, and never dreamt of seeing.
Man that is not born again resides in the
five outer senses of the body and with those five senses of see, taste, feel,
smell and to hear they have been able
to move closer and closer into the unseen, even to the place of dissecting
atoms. The Apostle Paul said, “EPHESIANS 5:13 But
all things that are reproved (convinced or proven) are made manifest
by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. So we can
see that man’s great strides in science have only become possible by his
ability to use light.
And now man has
come to the place where they can see with their eyes through electronic
microscopes what is called inner space and as they have perfected their use of
light with those microscopes, they are able to see clearer and clearer until
they have discovered that there is a far greater universe within the atom than
there is in what we have called the universe out here where we see the sun and
the moon and the stars and the planets. A far greater universe lies within that
which has been unseen for ages, and is now being made visible, by Light.
Men through science, through understanding how to
utilize the natural principles of light, are able to see more clearly those
things which have been hidden from age to age. And through light they are
utilizing what they have been given in the natural sciences to look at the
unseen with instruments that are becoming more powerful as the years go on. And
to think that they are just looking with the natural eye. They are doing this
with just the five outer senses. Then what about us who have been given such
illumination that goes beyond these outer senses when we have been given access
by The Light of His Glorious Presence and have been given ability to know and
understand the five inner senses, of imagination, conscience, memory, reason,
and affection; (the senses of the spirit), and then that inner sense called
Faith. For by Faith we can see into the unseen.
And to think
that with just the outer five senses which were given to man to contact his
earthly home man has been able to move closer and closer into the unseen
dissecting atoms, and now have come to the place of what is called inner space
and have discovered that there is a far greater universe within the atom than
there is in the whole universe that we can see through telescopes.
Then what about us? We are the ones who are standing
in the very presence of the Creator of the Universe Himself. He is The Supreme
Light of Lights. What kind of sight ought we to have as we grow in the Wisdom
and Revelation of Our Lord Jesus Christ? Then how ought we to be seeing more
and more the things of God that He has so willingly brought to us through a
vindicated prophet, and by His own personal presence with us in the form of the
Pillar of Light. Things are becoming clearer and clearer as we come closer and
closer to the source of that light which is the Glorious Presence of Jesus
Christ. How we ought to be able to see things that no man has ever seen before.
For the Scripture tells us, “JOHN 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 ¶ And the light shineth in darkness; and the
darkness comprehended it not.” and we know that when that light
strikes the dark places it brings illumination to those places.
And the Apostle Peter told us when that Light strikes,
it would illuminate the dark places and the hidden mysteries would be revealed.
II
PETER 1:19
¶ We have also a more sure word
of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and
the day star arise in your hearts:
And yet the world continues in darkness concerning the
Creator who gave them natural light, because they have turned down the Light of
His Glorious Gospel. In fact the Apostle Paul said, II CORINTHIANS 4:3 But if our gospel be
hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the
god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the
light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
unto them.
And so too has the light of the glorious Gospel shown
in our hearts bringing light upon the Word of God that lays within our hearts
revealing the deep secrets of God which have been hid since the foundations of
the World but have been revealed to us in this hour by the Presence of that
Great Light, the Pillar of Fire which is here in our midst..
Br. Branham said, in his message, HAVE FAITH IN GOD 54-0900 E-13
What's the matter with us, the Christians? We've laid down on our job.
That's right. Science has taken men farther with his five senses than ministers
has taken him with his soul, his spirit, which is superior over his science. I’d
just like to ask you a question. Many of you brethren in here can go back with
me to the old Model T age. Science could only... Now listen, just before I
close, here's a remark I want you to remember. Science is only as good as it
can measure. As close as science can measure, that's how powerful they become.
And as close as the Church can measure that's just as powerful as the Church
becomes.
14
Science, about thirty-five
years ago could only measure to ten thousandth of an inch; in that they could
make a T-Model Ford, with a ten thousandth of an inch piston ring which could
give it the terrific speed of about twenty-five miles per hour. Up above it,
set a spark plug, a valve to pump the gas up, the gas fired by the spark plug,
but it lost so much of its compression as it went out with a ten thousandth of
an inch, you could only drive it at that. A thirty-five--thirty-five miles an
hour was an extremely good, fast T-Model Ford. Now, did they stop at that? No
sir. They can go down to a hundred-thousandth of an inch now. They're cutting
in their rule, measuring closer. Now, they can take that same Ford, or that same piston in a jet plane and almost drive it
six-hundred miles per hour, with the same spark plug firing over the top of it.
Why is it? They can measure closer, that nothing leaks out. The pressure's
there, but your measurement wasn't close enough. They can even take that
hundred thousandth of an inch and split an atom with it. Are they stopping? No,
they're going on, but us, oh, well, we're satisfied with what Moody said, what
Finney said. Them men were all right. They were
Christians, brothers that's in glory.
15
The first time the rule was ever laid across the Word of God... How do you
measure it tonight? What value has
the Word of God got to you? Now look, Christian, Martin Luther come out
laid it across Catholicism and found out that the just shall live by faith. He
left a great gap there; many things past through. But he believed that the just
should live by faith, and he stepped out on it because God's Word said so. He
measured God's Word out to the people: "Just shall live by faith."
Along came a little fellow from
16 Along come Pentecost and measured down the
gift of the Holy Spirit, speaking with tongues and signs. But we're just
letting the big gap through. Let's us tonight lay the measure of God down and
measure the whole Word of God. The same Holy Ghost that fired the piston back
there that brought them out by faith, justification, same One gave
sanctification, the same One give the baptism of the Holy Ghost, that same
power, the same Holy Ghost can move the Church to perfection, and It will do
it: to everything that God has promised in His Word. God will do it. The
trouble of it is... Let's cast out the world. Let's measure God's Word, and
it's the Truth. "Have faith in God," Jesus said. For if thou shall
say to this mountain be moved and don't doubt it, it'll do just what you tell
it to do. Isn't that wonderful? Let's measure up. I don't care. The Lutherans
are fine. The Baptists are fine. The Methodists were fine. The Pentecostals are
fine. All these different things is all right. But
let's put it right down and say every Word of God is true. Everything God said
is perfect, and if He said, "Whatsoever things you desire, when you pray
believe you receive it..." I believe that's the truth. God, let me lay my
measuring stick down on my soul and spread it across God's Word to say,
"God, it's the truth; send the unction of the Holy Ghost and Fire the
cylinder above me. I'll believe every word of It."
And you'll see things take place. Do you believe it?
I JOHN 2:1 ¶ My little children, these things write
I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the
propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of]
the whole world. 3 ¶
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is
a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is
the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought
himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 7 ¶ Brethren, I write no new
commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8
Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in
you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and
hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his
brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and
walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness
hath blinded his eyes. 12 ¶ I write unto you, little children, because your
sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
Now, this Morning we will conclude our
study of the Attitude of Christ. This will be number four in our series. I
would like to focus our attention this morning on the fifth point concerning
the attitude of Christ. which is “how a wrong attitude can cripple our walk,
and the walk of those we have influence over.”
Thus far as we have examined
the attitude of Christ we have seen that an attitude is not a mental
conception. Nor is it something that only resides in the mind. The word
attitude does not refer to the mind but rather the bodies
outward expression of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions which are displayed
using body language of some sort.
Remember from
Brother Branham’s study on the three fold body that we are tri-part beings. We
have a Body which has five senses, see, taste, feel, smell and hear. With these
senses we contact our earthly home.
Spiritual amnesia 64-0411 P:29 You
must be identified. Somewhere you must
show, your life shows, tonight, where you are identified. You are
identified either in Christ or out of Christ. You are not halfway. There's no
such a thing as a drunk sober man. There's no black
white bird. You're either a saved, or you're not saved. You're a saint or a
sinner, one or the other. And your
spiritual attitude towards God's Word identifies you, exactly where you're
standing.
Now, what I
would like to get across to you this morning is that our attitude is only a
reflection of the condition of our soul. And the actions we do, is only a
reflection of that condition. In fact brother Branham said, from the message…
Explaining Healing and Jairus 54-0216 E-37 What
you are here is a reflection of what you are somewhere else. "Those
who He called, He justifies." Is that right? "Those who He justified,
He has glorified." Already in the Presence of the Father, we have a
glorified body. Whew! Wasn't that deep? All right.
We'll find out whether it's right or not. "If this earthly tabernacle be
dissolved, we have one already waiting." Is that right? That's right. So
right now, and what we are there, is a reflection. Here, what we are here, is a
reflection of what we are somewhere else. So if your deeds are evil, you know
where it comes from. You know where your other body's a waiting.
Now, we can look
again at men in the bible to see how that their attitude affected those around
them.
If we look at
the First Exodus we found that there were men in the camp of
Influence 63-0112 PP. 13 You know, there's so many of us, and most all of us influence somebody by the
things that we do, and the way we live, and the things we say. We influence
somebody. Somebody is watching your life.
And then, when we profess to be
Christians, what type of life should we live if somebody is watching us?
And your life that you live will reflect
an influence on somebody that might be their eternal destination will rest upon
the way that you live and the things that you do, for they watch you. And
in our text this morning, as "influence," we find that this King
Uzziah was a great influence to Isaiah, the--the young prophet. Isaiah had been
called to his side, and being a noted, a-vindicated prophet of his day, and he
had a... I believe the way that Isaiah spoke it, he was a--had a great
influence upon Isaiah.
14 Now, we find that Uzziah was called to be
king at the age of about sixteen years old after his father's death. And his
father was a great believer, and his mother also was a very fine woman. And
this young king had been crowned at a young age, and quickly he taken the road
that was right, because of the influence of a godly father and a godly mother.
And I think that's a very fine example for we parent today, is to set an
example before our children. Now, you'll
live your best and your worst at home. And I think that our lives... Though
the children might not just exactly act like they're noticing it, but they are
noticing it. Don't you never think that they are not,
because they're watching. Not only the
children are watching, but the neighbors are watching. Not only the
neighbors are watching, but all that you
are associated with watch you. The people at your church watch you. The
people that you do business with in the markets, they're watching you, after
your confession. And we should always
try to reflect Christ in everything that we do.
15 I know a little motto that I had hanging in
my house many years ago. I picked it up one day when at Billy Sunday's
tabernacle when I was at one of the meetings up at
E-16 And you know,
There's two ways to do anything: that's right and wrong. I had my little son
Joseph on my lap the other day, and I said to him... He's eight years old, and
some little boy had stepped on his toes. And he and the little boy had a fight.
So I said, "Joseph, don't do that." He said, "But, daddy, he did
such-and-such." I said, "But that doesn't matter (See?), what he did.
Just remember, Joseph, that... You love your father?" He said, "Yes,
daddy." I said, "Then remember, that people are going to look at your
life as a minister's son. And then if you do anything wrong, then they're going
to say, 'Does this minister permit his child to do such?'" Now, we know
they do it anyhow. But we know that. As Christians, we know that we try to
bring up our children right. But it's a good thing to keep that before them all
the time, to do what's right. Don't never take that
other side. So I said, "Because, you see, that doesn't only reflect on
you, Joseph, but it reflects on your mother, reflects on your sisters; it
reflects on your father, and the very cause of the family, what we're standing
for. And then what we stand for, it reflects on that, on Jesus Christ. You
don't want to do that." I said, "Our Lord told us if somebody smites
us on one cheek, just turn the other." And of course, that's kind of hard
for a little boy with a hot temper to begin with to think of such things. But
place it before him anyhow (See?), that he should not do it.
17 Now, this young fellow Uzziah had such a training in his early days till when he taken the throne,
he never turned right or left from the thing that was right. He stayed right
with it. He never let politics influence him in any way. He was a man who was
determined to serve God, regardless. And so politics didn't... He ignored all
those things. And another thing that I liked about Uzziah was that he ignored
popularity or popular opinions. No matter what anybody else thought, or what
the popular trend of the day was, he wanted to serve God, regardless.
Oh, we need men like that in our political world. We need men like
that in the White House. We need men like that in business. We need men like
that in the pulpit, men that will not turn to popular opinions or popularity,
but will stay straight with the Word, not turn right or left.
18 God in commissioning Joshua, said,
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shall
meditate therein day and night. And then thou shall make thy ways prosperous.
Then thou shall have good success." And not only that, but you're influencing
somebody the same way you're traveling. And so I appreciate this stand that
Uzziah took, to be determined... The first thing he begin to do was to repair
the house of the Lord, and to build up the places that had been torn down, and
then go out to the enemy after he'd proved to God that he was sincere. And he
was going to take the right stand, regardless of what his people around him,
his advisors to influence him to a political side of the kingdom. He would not
stand for it. He wanted God's will and that alone.
19 That's the kind of men we need, the kind of
mothers we need, a woman, a mother of this day that will take the right stand,
and do what's right regardless of what the other women does, do what's right.
Two weeks ago
before I left for South America to hold meetings in Venezuela, Argentina, Chile
and Peru, we showed from the Scriptures how that the attitude of Lot living in
the gate was such that his own sons in law thought he was just joking when he
warned them to flee from Sodom, and when he did so, they just thought he was
joking. The Bible said they thought of him as though he were just mocking. And
that tells us his respect and reverence were not what
you might call an admirable quality.
I have seen
parents that won’t even attend church because they seem to have nothing good to
say about anyone. These same people will try to justify there not going by
saying, “Why should I go to church
when there are so many hypocrites going there?” Well, then who is the
hypocrite, anyway? The one who is at least trying to come and hear from God or
the one who thinks they are right and don’t need to hear from God? And if you watch that family long enough you
will see their children go plumb off into gross insanity and immorality. And
their attitude affected those children until those children learned to hate all
authority, and don’t even have enough social grace to give respect to anyone,
let alone to God.
They become an
island to themselves, and their children are lost because of their actions,
just like Lot’s sons in law were lost because of the attitude of
And I have seen
this same attitude even among those who claim to believe the Doctrine of
Christ. Everywhere I go, I have been trying by God’s Grace to tell the brethren
not to let this Great Revelation make you an island unto yourselves. If they
draw you out of their circle you must try to draw them back in. Do not adopt
their attitude that we got it all attitude for as soon
as you do, the Lord will move right on and leave you behind.
Ministers in
every country I visited in
Hebrews Chapter 7 part 1 57-0915E P:86 Your attitude towards Christ will make a
great impression on what your children will be. Your life that you live before your family will make an impression
on what your children will be. 'Cause the Bible said that He'd visit the
iniquity of the parents upon the children to the third and fourth generation.
Now, a couple of Sundays ago we
examined the attitude of quite a few people in the Bible. We looked at both
those that expressed a positive attitude towards God’s Word and then we also
looked at those that expressed a negative attitude towards God’s Word. But this
week, I want to show how our attitude towards God’s word has an effect upon
others. And more specifically, I want to show how a wrong attitude can actually
cripple others in their walk with God.
As you know,
brother Branham said we are little Messiettes. We are little creators and we
create around us an atmosphere that either attracts people to be around us, or it
repels others from wanting to be with us. It’s your attitude that creates that
atmosphere. And your attitude is not what you think, or say, but is the way you
carry yourself and the way in which your body sends off signals to others. You
don’t need for someone to tell you that you are welcome or you are not welcome.
Their attitude can be heard louder than their words. As the old expression says, “ a picture is worth a thousand words.”
WHY 60-0309 10 Your life, today,
will reflect in your children. You must remember that.
Your attitude identifies who you are, and
what you stand for, and it also tells others what you are thinking even though
you may not tell them with words.
Look at the
example we read from the scriptures last week of the Pharisee who invited Jesus
to eat and yet did not have the courtesy to wash his feet which were weary from
travel, nor did he anoint Jesus head with oil, and yet the prostitute not only
anointed him with oil, but washed his feet with her tears and wiped them dry with
her hair. And Jesus used this scene to let Simon the Pharisee know that his gestures were heard louder in heaven than his
words.
LAMB AND THE DOVE 57-0325 E-13 Now, no matter how much you preach, you got a real
ill-temper, don't do you much good to preach. See? No matter how much you join
church and try to impersonate, if you're crabbing and nasty with your neighbor,
you'll never win him to Christ then. See? It's the fruit of the Spirit. As my
wife used to tell me, "Actions speak louder than words." That's
right. Live me a sermon instead of preaching me one; that's a good thing; live
me a sermon.
FAITHFUL ABRAHAM
59-0415E PP. 21 I believe it was Abraham Lincoln said one time,
"You can fool some of the people part of the time, but not all the people
all the time." And your emotions prove, and your action proves what you
are and what you believe. 22 In the Bible
James justified Abraham by what he did. Paul justified him by faith. But Paul
was talking about what God seen. And James was talking about what man seen. But
the way you act proves what you believe. If you say you believe God, then you
act like it. Put it into a motion. Get up and get at it. That's awful rough, isn't it? But it's the
truth. Your actions prove what you are. As my wife used to say, "Actions
speak louder than words." You could jump up-and-down and shout all
night, and then grumble at one of God's promises; it proves what you believe.
And what about the Second Exodus. Look at the effect those
Pharisees who called themselves brothers had on even a leader like Peter. Paul
called them false brethren and look how Peter acted when they showed up. He had
been eating with one of Paul’s churches and was free and enjoying himself in the fellowship and when these legalistic brethren
showed up, Peter withdrew Himself.
GALATIANS 2:4 And that because of false
brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which
we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no,
not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6 But of
these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to
me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed [to be somewhat] in
conference added nothing to me: 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the
gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as [the gospel] of the
circumcision [was] unto Peter; 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to
the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the
Gentiles:) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars,
perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the
right hands of fellowship; that we [should go] unto the heathen, and they unto
the circumcision. 10 Only [they would] that we should remember the poor; the
same which I also was forward to do. 11 ¶
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because
he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat
with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself,
fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled
likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their
dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to
the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before [them] all, If thou, being a
Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why
compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
FLASHING RED LIGHT 63-0623E 149
Tell one of them about it, you know what they say? In so much as to say,
"No old Bible's going to stand in my way from having some fun."
There, just exactly. You tell them it's written in the Bible... Oh, they might
not say those words, but that's what they express. Did you ever hear the
old saying, "Actions speak louder than words"? Well then, does
it? Action speaks louder than words. No matter what you're saying, your life
speaks so loud till they can't hear your testimony. As I said this morning,
just jump as high as you live. See? Your action speaks louder than your word.
And you just might as well come out and say it, because your own words speak,
their--your words... No matter what it is, your actions speaks
what you are. If you speak anything different than what you really are, it
becomes hypocrisy. Jesus said, "You hypocrites, how can you say good
things, when out of the heart speaketh the mouth?" See, they were saying
something they didn't mean.
And what about the Third Exodus? That’s the one we live in
today. The Scripture warns us that it will be perilous times, and also warns us
that ungodly men will take over leading others into shame. II Timothy 3:1 ¶
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady,
highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this
sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with
sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to
the knowledge of the truth. 8
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also
resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But
they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all
[men], as theirs also was.
II PETER 2:1 ¶
But there were false
prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among
you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that
bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall
follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
JUDE 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who
were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the
grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our
Lord Jesus Christ. 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once
knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt,
afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6 And the angels which
kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in
everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as
Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves
over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an
example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 ¶ Likewise also these [filthy] dreamers
defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9 Yet Michael
the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of
Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord
rebuke thee. 10 But these speak evil of those things
which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those
things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe unto them! for
they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam
for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12 These are spots in your
feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear:
clouds [they are] without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit
withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 Raging waves
of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved
the blackness of darkness for ever.
IDENTIFICATION 63-0123 E-39 You
see, sin is unbelief. There's only two channels that
you can live by. One of them is faith, and the other one is unbelief. "He
that believeth not is condemned already." Smoking, drinking, committing
adultery, lying, stealing, carnal impersonations, those things are attributes
of unbelief. If you was a believer you wouldn't do
those things. No. You do that because you're not a believer. Oh, you say...
"Oh, but I am a believer." But by their fruits you shall know them.
See? Your actions speak louder than what your confession proves. See? When
you disbelieve God's Word and count it as something gone by, or take some book
in its stead, and saying, "This is just as good as that," it goes to
show that you're not a believer. That's right. You're not. And if you was, then you would believe God's Word and it would... He
would express Hisself through His Word. Now, He was God's Word expressed. And
He said, "Now, if you can't believe Me,"
said, "believe the works that I do. Search the Scriptures, for in Them you think you have Eternal Life. And that's the very
thing that tells Who I am." Oh...?...
"That's the One says Who I am. The Scriptures
tells Who I am."
40 And let me
take that a little further, will you? The Scriptures is what tells what you are.
That expresses you; and it expresses me. The Scriptures tell what we are. It's
so loud that our voice cannot be even heard. Our life speaks louder than our
voice (See?), and it is God's way of letting us see what we are. Jesus said the
same thing. "They are they that testify of Me.
They prove what I am. And which one of you can condemn Me
of unbelief, sin? If I haven't properly..." Listen, I'm talking about
looking at yourself. "If I haven't properly
identified Myself as being what the Word said that I
would be..."
41 Wonder if
we Christians could think that tonight. Wonder if we can look in God's looking
glass of what requirements is of a Christian and identify ourselves that way. I
wonder if we could. I wonder if we could identify ourselves tonight with John
3:16, and, oh, all other kind of Scriptures: Mark 16th chapter, and all these
other places that, and over in Galatians, I believe, and different places, 2nd,
in Thessalonians, where the fruits of the Spirit and so forth. Wonder if we can
identify ourselves? Jesus said, "Which one of you can accuse Me, that I haven't performed and done just exactly what the
Scriptures said I would do." Nobody could say a word, because He'd truly
identified Himself. And they, as they do always, the make-believer had
identified Him as a Beelzebub, a evil spirit when He
made Hisself known in discernment of spirit, that He was Messiah. Then they
said, "That's an evil spirit in Him doing these things." So you see, He was properly a-vindicated. There could be no mistake.
42 The little
woman at the well didn't make any mistake. She said, "Sir, we know when
Messiah cometh He'll do these things, but Who are
You?" She said... He said, "I'm He." And a Man that could do a
thing like that would surely tell the truth. The truth of God was with Him. And
they were commissioned...
Influence 63-1130B
53 Now, we find out, though a good man, blessed of God; but, if God blesses
you, you stay in the category that God has called you in. If it's a housewife,
remain a housewife. If it's in a business, remain in that business, reflecting
God. And whatever God has called you to, let it be that. Because
He wants you to be a real housewife to
reflect your influence upon another person that would want to be a good
housewife. If you're a good businessman,
let your life so be that it will reflect Jesus Christ in your business with
honesty and integrity, and with things that really mean something. Because somebody is watching your life. You're influencing
somebody. God has to have a real housewife. God has to have a real teenage in
school. God has to have a real minister, a real businessman, somebody that will
reflect Him. Because there they see in you, Christ. No matter what the rest
of the world's got to do, that has not one thing to do with you or I. We are
responsible to God for our life and for our experience with Christ.
54 Now, we find out that in his
trying to take the minister's place, and someone telling him he's out of place,
telling him he shouldn't do that, he's out of place, he become angered; he was
so angered until his face turned red. You see, we must be able to stand and
take correction. Some of them won't do it. You can't... I've went to meetings
and I've set in the auditoriums, and you get up. And some people come in and set
down just for a few minutes; if you say one word that they don't agree with,
[Brother Branham snaps his finger--Ed.] gone (See?), flying up.
Let us pray…