25-0428P_THE COMFORTER PT-3

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 

Joh 14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 

Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 

Joh 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 

Joh 14:11  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 

Psa 71:1  In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. 

Psa 71:2  Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me. 

Psa 71:3  Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress. 

Psa 71:4  Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 

Psa 71:5  For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth. 

Psa 71:6  By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. 

Psa 71:7  I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. 

Psa 71:8  Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. 

Psa 71:9  Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. 

Psa 71:10  For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, 

Psa 71:11  Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him. 

Psa 71:12  O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help. 

Psa 71:13  Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt. 

Psa 71:14  But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. 

Psa 71:15  My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. 

Psa 71:16  I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. 

*NEVER TO COMPROMISE ONE WORD OF GOD'S WORD… THIS SACRED TRUST WAS HANDED TO THE CHURCH

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  74    God help me. God help you, as Christians, never to compromise one Word of God's Word. This sacred trust was handed to the Church, and it's a glorious thing to have this Gospel, the full Gospel, to preach It without compromising anywhere. Preach It just as It's written. Live It just as It's written. What a sacred trust.

And if we ever expect this Word to ever come to pass, if we ever expect God to keep His Word, we've got to stay with It just the way God wrote It. That's the reason, if you stay with It the way God wrote It, there'll be all kinds of things happening among you; every Word will be fulfilled.

*GOD CAN EVER GET A PEOPLE UNDER HIS OWN CONTROL, IF HE'LL GET A MAN OR A WOMAN THAT WON'T COMPROMISE ON HIS WORD

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  76    I'm under expectations just now myself of seeing a shaking power come, that'll shake the nations pretty soon.

God can ever get a people under His Own control, if He'll get a man or a woman that won't compromise on His Word, but will stand there like the Rock of Ages, that'll believe every Word of It, and believe that He's behind It... And a man who believes It, you must act like It. If you don't act like It, then you don't believe It. But if you believe It, act like It. And you can put It to work, and the Word will be in you.

AND WHEN WE COMPROMISE, THEN WE CANNOT EXPECT TO--GOD TO KEEP HIS PROMISE TO US; BECAUSE WE HAVE BROKE IN UPON THE SACRED TRUST

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  78    We lost our heritage because that we--we just compromise. And when we compromise, then we cannot expect to--God to keep His promise to us; because we have broke in upon the sacred trust, and defiled the trust that God gave us. Let us keep that trust; keep it sacred; keep it holy. Keep every Word of It, and compromise nowhere. Take God at His Word and believe It, act like it, stand on It; don't move. That's what we must do. That's what God's looking for.

As I said this morning in the message, in our message this morning, speaking of, "It behooveth us," or, "It's becoming to us that we fulfill all righteousness." It's up to us to whom the Word's been delivered to. It's up to us that we stay with that Word. And as we stay with It, we see God working among us. So it's becoming to us to stay with It. It's a heritage that God has given us.

*AND IN THE TIME OF STRAIN, IN THE TIME OF PERPLEXITY, IN THE TIME OF DISTRESS, IN THE TIME OF PERILOUS TIMES, THEY FOUND COMFORT IN KEEPING THE WORD.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  80    Let's us go back just a few minutes and find those men who kept God's great, sacred trust. That was His Word. That's what we inherit is the Word. And in the time of strain, in the time of perplexity, in the time of distress, in the time of perilous times, they found comfort in keeping the Word. The Word is God's Comfort. When you know, and can walk down even to the valley of the shadow of death, and know that God said so; that settles it. God said so.

You can't say, "Why, the pastor said it," or, "The church said it."

You can say, "God said so." That's the comfort we get. That's where I can find comfort now. That's where you found your comfort. God said so. "He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Whosoever liveth and believeth in Me, shall never die. Believest thou this?" See, It's comfort. It's the comfort we get.

*BUT YOU KNOW HIM, AND HAVE SEEN HIM. AND HE DWELLETH WITH YOU, AND SHALL BE IN YOU."

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  84    Noah. I spoke of him, I believe, this morning, the comfort he must have gotten, though in the midst of criticism. Certainly.

"And the world cannot receive Him," Jesus said so, "because it knoweth Him not. But you know Him, and have seen Him. And He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."

Noah had met God. He heard God. He had God's Word. So it didn't make any difference what anyone else said; Noah had God's Word. So It was a comfort to him, when the critics would come, was going on what they were doing, criticizing him, and science, saying, "How can waters fall from the skies, when there's none up there? We can prove there's no water there. You're a fanatic, Noah. Why, I can prove to you that you're a fanatic. Look at here, where's there any water? Show me." They might've had glasses that could've seen a hundred and twenty million years of light space, as we have today. So you know it had never rained. But yet Noah was comforted, because he had God's promise. Amen.

*BUT YET, THE COMFORT NOAH HAD, BECAUSE HE HAD GOD'S WORD, IT WAS A COMFORT; HE KNEW GOD SAID SO.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  87    What did he do? He went about building an ark, "How silly." There, perhaps, never was a boat. There was no lakes and rivers, and things in them days, so they needed not a boat. But here he is, building a freak-looking thing. And everybody's laughing him. And it was enough to discourage him; everybody coming by, said, "Look up on the hill, at that fanatic up there. What's that house-of-a-thing he's building? What kind of an--an outfit is that? And look what he's building it out of. Why, it's nonsense." But yet, the comfort Noah had, because he had God's Word, It was a comfort; he knew God said so. Amen. God said it, and that settles it. God said so.

"How do you know it's going to rain?"

"God said so."

"How do you know water is going to come from up there?"

"God said so." That's the comfort he had in the Word.

*…THE CHURCH MUST EMPTY ITSELF OUT, AND GET REAL LIGHT, GET ALL THE DENOMINATION OUT OF YOU, GET ALL THE WORLD OUT OF YOU…

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  88    Let's watch his ark a few minutes; it's kind of a fanatically way to build it. Did you notice over in Genesis, He said, "Build it out of gopher wood"? Now, if you ever took and studied what gopher wood was, it's almost like balsa. It's a real light wood, and it's just like a sponge. It's all full of little cells. When it's alive in the tree, it's got sap in it. And as soon as you cut it down, the sap runs out of it. So it makes nothing but a sponge. Now, He said, "Don't build it out of good, hard oak. Don't build it out of sycamore or some solid grain wood. But build it out of gopher wood, the lightest and most spongy type of wood that could be." If set in the water, it'd sink in a minute. "Build it out of gopher wood, and fix it up like that." Said how far and how long it should be, and said, "Put the rooms in it; three rooms.

*…THE CHURCH MUST EMPTY ITSELF OUT, AND GET REAL LIGHT, GET ALL THE DENOMINATION OUT OF YOU, GET ALL THE WORLD OUT OF YOU…

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  90    ….. They had a rosin tree, and they taken this evergreen and cut it down. And instead of--of having the things that we--like we do today to take the rosin out, they beat the tree. And they beat the tree till the sap and rosin poured out. Then they would heat it and pour it upon this soft gopher wood that was full of--like a sponge, and it just filled her up. And then when it got hardened, you couldn't drive a nail in it. See, it was ready to receive. That's like Christ.

That's the Church. See, the Church must empty itself out, and get real light, get all the denomination out of you, get all the world out of you, get all the unbelief out of you, and give away.

*BUT LET'S EMPTY UP, ALL OF OUR THOUGHTS, ALL OF OUR CREEDS, ALL OF OUR BOOKS, AND SOAK UP THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHICH IS GOD IN HIS WORD.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  93    And there was Another which was different from us, that was cut down in His young life. And He was bruised and beaten, "Wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquity." He was beaten until the Life of Him poured out, like the rosin out of a tree. And, oh, how the Christian can soak It up, oh, if you're empty. But you got to empty up first. The trouble of it is, we don't want to empty up. But let's empty up, all of our thoughts, all of our creeds, all of our books, and soak up the Holy Spirit, which is God in His Word.

Then it could ride the storm; it could ride the seas, because it was harder than any other wood. There was nothing could take its place; nothing would. The parts of the ark still remain; six thousand years ago. And they find parts of it, because it remains; because it was so hardened from this cased-out that kept the judgments on the outside. The waters was the judgments.

And when we come into Christ through His beaten Life, soak Him up into our system, we become so inoculated from the things of the world until they could stand the wrath. When the storms are pitching and the sea is contrary, yet, the little boat don't fail. She slides right on through the waves to the Rock of Ages.

*NOAH HAD A CONSOLATION, THAT WHILE HE WAS BUILDING THIS, WHILE HE WAS MAKING THIS ARK.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  97    Noah had a consolation, that while he was building this, while he was making this ark. He knew that he was comforted, because that he had the Word of the Lord that told him, "That's the instructions."

What if somebody would've said, "Say, Noah, what do you mean by building that--that out of gopher wood? Why, you know that that wood. If there would be water, it would be the first thing to sink."

But, you see, Noah was following the instruction. He had the Word of God, which was His Comforter. The Word was his Comfort. "I don't understand why God's making me build it like this, but this is what He said do."

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  100    I can't understand why God makes me do the way I do. I can't understand why He won't let me cooperate and do all these other things, and go on with the church. But this is His instruction. This is the way He said build It.

"What's He going to do with It?"

I don't know. I'm just supposed to lay the timbers up there and nail them up. And them Timbers is the Word of God. And there lays my comfort (That's right.), because It's being built the way God said build It. "Upon this Rock I'll build My Church, and the gates of hell can't prevail against it." That's right. What is it? "Upon the spiritual revelation to know Who Jesus Christ is." Not the third person of the trinity: no trinity in it; He is God and God alone made manifest in flesh. That's where He builds His Church. "And the gates of hell cannot prevail against it." Although, it showed the gates of hell would be against it, but would never be able to prevail.

*THEM THAT'S WILLING TO RECEIVE CHRIST, CHRIST DOES SOMETHING WITH THEM. IT'S THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST THAT--THAT ANCHORS US AND SECURES US INTO HIM.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  106    Some of them says, "Then why don't you get you a church where great flocks of intelligent people come, well dressed and well groomed, and can pay you well, and things like that, and preach the Gospel? Why do you preach to a bunch of poor people? And you're half starved, and so forth, and all like this." They say that to the preachers who stand for Truth. But, oh, brother, I can't tell you. "Won't you get an intellectual crowd, somebody who knows their abc's?"

It don't make any difference what kind of a crowd it is. Them that's willing to receive Christ, Christ does something with them. It--it's that crowd. It's that person that maybe don't know his abc's. But if he doesn't, He knows Christ, and that's the difference. See, it's--it's not the--the--the standing, the blue blood that you claim to have. It's the Blood of Jesus Christ that--that anchors us and secures us into Him.

*JOB...HOW THAT MAN HAD A COMFORTER. WHAT WAS HIS COMFORTER? THE WORD OF GOD.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  108    Let's just name another one, while we're at it. Job, I like to speak of Job, how that man had a Comforter. What was his Comforter? The Word of God. God told him that he'd--he'd be just, as long as he offered that burnt offering. Job rested solemnly upon that burnt offering. No matter how hard the storms come, how many boils broke out, how many things was taken away from him, he still stood on God's Word. It was a comfort to Job.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  109    When his people come, the churches, and tried to--to reconcile him, and say, "Looky here, Job, looky here, you know that you've sinned. You know that you've done wrong. How would God ever punish a righteous man like that, would take all he's got, take his children, tear up his home, do all of these things, and break down your health? And here you are setting here, a miserable wretch. How do... How can you justify yourself, Job, by saying that you're not a sinner?"

But Job knowed he wasn't a sinner, because he was standing on the Word. Amen. God required that burnt offering and a--a confession, and Job had made his confession and stood on the Word. And he cried in the midst of his trouble, "I know my Redeemer liveth; at the last days He'll stand on the earth. And though the skin worms destroys this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." See, his comfort was God's promise, God's Word.

That's the heritage that we have: God's Word; It's the promise. Yes, sir.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  116    Now, if God, Who raised me from the dead, me a sinner, dead in sin and trespasses, He quickened my soul, He did something to me. He did something to you. He took that spirit of the world away from me. He took that desire of the world. He lifted me up above those shadows. And He give me the baptism of the Holy Ghost. If my God can do that, death can't separate me from Him. That's it. There's nothing that can separate me. That's the comfort. "He that believeth on Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." That's right." I know. "He that eats My flesh and drinks My Blood, has Everlasting Life, and I'll raise him up at the last day."

*BECAUSE HE PROMISED IT, THAT'S OUR COMFORT.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  117    If God could take me when I was down in mire and sin, and raise me up to make me a Christian, if God could take me when I was perplexed and distressed, and was in the condition that I was in, a miserable wretch, and raise me up to give me the hope of Eternal Life, and to baptize me with the Holy Ghost, and to fill me with His power and glory, then He's able to take me through the valley and the shadow of death, and receive me into the glory on the other side. Because He promised it, that's our comfort.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other grounds is sinking sand.

*I'M RESTING UPON HIS PROMISE, BECAUSE HE MADE THE PROMISE, AND HE SWORE TO THE PROMISE.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  119    Resting upon His ability, that's my hope and stay. I'm resting upon His ability. I'm resting upon His grace, not upon what I am, what He is. I'm resting upon His promise, because He made the promise, and He swore to the promise. And I know that we have Eternal Life. That's right.

He rested upon that. The Hebrew children said, "He's able to deliver us. Nevertheless, if He doesn't do it, we'll never bow to your image." I like that. Yes, sir.

Though He turns me down at the end of the road, any Christian could say, though He casts me away into eternal separation, yet I love Him, yet He's mine. In hell I can still think the way I think now, I'll still love Him. As the ages roll on, I still love Him; because something happened in my heart; something taken place. "If I had a life, or had I three, like the Lord Jesus Christ I long to be." That's right, 'cause something happened. He is my Life. He came to me.

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 

2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 

2Co 1:5  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 

2Co 1:6  And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 

2Co 1:7  And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. 

2Co 1:8  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 

2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 

2Co 1:10  Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 

Psa 119:48  My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes. 

Psa 119:49  ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. 

Psa 119:50  This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. 

Psa 119:51  The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law. 

Psa 119:52  I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself. 

Psa 119:53  Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. 

Psa 119:54  Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. 

Psa 119:55  I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law. 

Psa 119:74  They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. 

Psa 119:75  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 

Psa 119:76  Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. 

Psa 119:77  Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight. 

Psa 119:78  Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts. 

Psa 119:79  Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies. 

Psa 119:80  Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed. 

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 

Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 

Rom 15:6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Rom 15:7  Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. 

Rom 15:8  Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 

Rom 15:9  And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 

Rom 15:10  And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 

Rom 15:11  And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. 

 

25-0425A_THE STATURE OF A PERFECT MAN PT-5 (PARTAKERS OF CHRIST'S DIVINE NATURE)

2Pe 1:1  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 

2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 

2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 

2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 

2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 

2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 

Pro 22:17  Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 

Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

1Sa 2:3  Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 

2Ch 1:6  And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it. 

2Ch 1:7  In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. 

2Ch 1:8  And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. 

2Ch 1:9  Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 

2Ch 1:10  Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? 

2Ch 1:11  And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 

2Ch 1:12  Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. 

2Ch 1:13  Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned over Israel. 

2Ch 1:14  And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 

2Ch 1:15  And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance. 

KNOWLEDGE

*AND THEN THIRDLY, YOU ADD KNOWLEDGE. KNOWLEDGE, NOW THAT DON'T MEAN WORLDLY KNOWLEDGE…..BUT KNOWLEDGE TO JUDGE.

THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  25-6    Now, first, it's faith; then virtue. And then thirdly, you add knowledge. Knowledge, now that don't mean worldly knowledge, 'cause that's foolishness to God, but knowledge to judge. Judge what? Right from wrong.

How do you judge it then if you've got Christian knowledge with your virtue and faith, you judge whether the Word is right or wrong. And if you can lay aside all your creeds and all your unbelief, everything that you claim you have done, then you have knowledge to believe that God cannot lie. "Let every man's word be a lie, but Mine be True." See, now you're getting knowledge. That's supreme knowledge. You don't have to have four degrees in some college or something like that to have it, because all these virtues are given to you by God to place upon the foundation of your faith, that you might come to the full stature of a real living man of God. Yes, sir.

*….. KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WORD. YOU MUST BELIEVE IT IN THIS WAY THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  26-1    Add--add knowledge, because--knowledge of His Word. You must believe it in this way. Such as... You should believe today that the--and accept it that the days of miracles is not passed, knowledge that what God says, God's able to perform.

Abraham believed that. And when he was a hundred years old, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. Look how ridiculous that Word looked.

Here's a man a hundred years old looking for a baby to be born into his home by a woman ninety years old (See?), almost fifty years a past, barren, lived with her since she was a young girl or a teen-age. And here he is; his life stream was dead, and Sarah's womb was dead; and all hopes was gone as far as hopes. But yet against hope, he believed in hope, because he had knowledge that God was able to keep everything that He promised.

*…THE WHOLE WORD IS WROTE IN MYSTERIES, AND ONLY THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD CAN REVEAL IT.

THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  26-4    Now, when you got it like that, then add that to your faith. When you got true virtue, add it to your faith. When you can walk out here on the street, live like a Christian, act like a Christian, be a Christian, add that to your faith. When you have knowledge, you say, "Well, I don't know now whether this Scripture is just right. Now, here's Acts 2:38; I don't know how to go...?... with that; Acts 28:19, I don't..." All right, don't do--don't add nothing, 'cause you ain't got it yet. See? What are you going to do? Because you haven't got knowledge enough to know of God yet that the Bible doesn't contradict Itself. Leave it alone. Don't say no more about it. See, leave it alone. But when you can see that the Scripture is not contradictory, that you can say that--and can see that by the revelation of God, the whole Word is wrote in mysteries, and only the knowledge of God can reveal It. Then when you get and say, punctuate every word of God with an "Amen," then add that to your faith.

*TO JUDGE, JUDGE RIGHT, JUDGE WHETHER IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG TO BELIEVE GOD'S WORD

THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  26-5    Oh, you're getting to be a pretty good man right now. See? You're coming up. See? What with? With faith, then with virtue, then knowledge. See how it's building this man? You can see there's no--no way of escaping it. This is the way to become in the full stature of Christ. Yes, sir.

To judge, judge right, judge whether it's right or wrong to believe God's Word; judge whether it's right or wrong whether I should serve a creed or serve God; judge whether it's right or wrong, "I should be born again, or join a church." Then you begin... Judge right when the preacher says, "The days of miracles is passed."

The Bible said, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Now, which are you going to believe? When you say, "I'll take God." Now, you don't say that to say, "Well, I--I take it," just from your heart, "but something in you--your faith pushes out there. There you are. Your faith says, "I know He's the same. I've witnessed Him the same." There's nothing can take it away from you. "I know He's real." Then add that to your faith. Lay it down on the foundation.

*CHRIST SENT ME TO BUILD INDIVIDUALS TO THE STATUE OF JESUS CHRIST...?... DWELLING PLACE OF HIS SPIRIT BY HIS WORD --BY HIS WORD.

.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  27-5    Were not building an organization. I'm not here this morning to build an organization. Christ never sent me to build an organizations. Christ sent me to build individuals to the statue of Jesus Christ that they might be the power house...?... dwelling place of His Spirit by His Word (Uh-huh.)--by His Word. See? Build up the individual to that place, not build an organization to a greater denomination, but build the individual to sons and daughters of God. That's the idea.

See, add to your faith virtue; to your virtue, add knowledge. Well, now, you're coming to a place.

*AND THE ONLY WAY YOU'LL EVER BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM IS TO HAVE HEAVEN-BORN KNOWLEDGE.

THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  28-2    Now, when they begin to say, "Well, we don't have to accept that today." You do have to. It must be. The Scriptures cannot lie and, "There are no private interpretation," the Bible said. You just believe it the way it's written there. See, you've got to have these things. And the only way you'll ever be able to have them is to have heaven-born knowledge. And heaven-born knowledge will vindicate the Word.

See, you've got to believe, now, not make-believe it. None of these are make-beliefs. See, if you try to say, "I got it..." Don't be a blackbird putting peacock feathers in yourself (See?), 'cause they'll fall right out. They're not naturally growed in there; they're just stuck in.

*THEN IF GOD IS SO PARTICULAR ABOUT YOU THAT HE WATCHES OVER YOU AND CORRECTS YOU, HOW MUCH MORE HAS HE HIS WORD

THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  28-5    Now, there'll be another thing on this knowledge we might speak of: godly knowledge. See? Has the Bible in this day lost Its meanings? See, they--a lot of people tell you that, that the Bible doesn't exactly mean that. If God watches over me, and corrects me in my sin; and if I am a son of God, He does that. He does you that way. Sons and [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]--daughters, when you do anything wrong, He corrects you. Then if God is so particular about you that He watches over you and corrects you, how much more has He His Word, which is your Example, which is Himself. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and made flesh and dwelled among us."

*AFTER WHILE YOU SEE IT TIES TOGETHER, AND THERE YOU GOT IT. SEE? THAT'S KNOWLEDGE.

THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  28-6    The Word is the revelation of Jesus Christ; the Bible said so, Christ being revealed in His Word. And if He's watched over you, when you transgressed these laws, He condemns you for it, how much more has He watched over His law that condemns you? Amen...?... Don't tell me that stuff. I believe in genuine Holy Ghost knowledge. Holy Ghost knowledge will always punctuate the Word with, "Amen." When you get these things that seem to contradict themselves in the Bible, you set down and study it, and prayerfully like that; and the first thing you know, the Holy Spirit begins to move in. After while you see it ties together, and there you got it. See? That's knowledge.

*FAITH HAS NO REASONING; FAITH KNOWS WHERE IT'S AT. FAITH ACTS. 

THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  29-4    Knowledge, not worldly, it reasons. Any kind of worldly knowledge reasons. See, but faith has no reasoning. God reveals to you a certain-certain thing's going to happen, every scientist in the world could say it's contrary, it could not happen; you believe it anyhow.

Yes, sir. It doesn't reason. The Bible said that we cast down reasons. You don't reason with faith. Faith has no reasoning; faith knows where it's at. Faith acts. Faith holds on. It can't move. Nothing can move it. I don't care whatever says this, that, or the other; it doesn't move a bit. It stays right there. Wait, wait, wait, wait, don't make any difference, stays right there.

God told Noah these things was going to happen; he believed It. See? God told Moses these things was going to happen; he believed it. God told the disciples certain things was going to happen; go up there at Pentecost and wait; they stayed right there. Yes, sir.

*IF YOU'VE GOT HEAVENLY KNOWLEDGE, YOU BELIEVE THE WORD, AND YOU REASON ANYTHING BY THE WORD.

THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  30-1    All right, now, knowledge. Now, not worldly knowledge, but it's heavenly knowledge. And heavenly knowledge, when God is the fountain of all knowledge, and God is the Word, then if you've got heavenly knowledge, you believe the Word, and you reason anything by the Word.

*KNOWLEDGE, NOT WORLDLY, SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORD, KNOWING WHAT GOD SAID, DO WHAT GOD SAID.

THE.STATURE.OF.A.PERFECT.MAN_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-18  SUNDAY_  62-1014M

  30-6    Sure, knowledge, not worldly, spiritual knowledge of the Word, knowing what God said, do what God said. That's right. Then if you've got that and can believe all these things that He's the same in all these things the Word says is true, you punctuate everyone with a, "Amen" it's all right. Add that to your faith. That's all right.

*…IT IS AN ACTUAL PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD INDWELLING HIM, AND HIS MIND IS ILLUMINATED BY THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THROUGH THE WORD.

239-3    THYATIREAN.CHURCH.AGE  -  CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.6

In Ephesians 3:16.

 "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."

 Now according to these verses, when a man experiences the depth of God in his life, it is an actual personal experience of the Spirit of God indwelling him, and his mind is illuminated by the wisdom and knowledge of God through the Word.

 

 

25-0421P_THE COMFORTER PT-2

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 

sa 57:18  I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. 

Isa 57:19  I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him. 

*AND IF A MAN WILL SHUT HISSELF FROM GOD'S SPIRITUAL SUN--SUNSHINE, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIS SPIRITUAL CONDITION …

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  57    And if a man will shut hisself from God's spiritual sun--Sunshine, there's something wrong with his spiritual condition; for when a man refuses to walk in the leading of a good God, like our God, Who is our Comfort and our Strength... And to live in His Sunshine is spiritual growth. It's spiritual strength to live in His Sunshine, the shining of His glory. Why, it's the greatest privilege that we have, to live under the Sunlight of God's glory. Look at the good, healthy Christians.

*IT TAKES THAT SOLDIER WHO'S LIVED IN THE SUNLIGHT OF GOD; IT TAKES THAT SPIRIT WHO KNOWS GOD…

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  58    Take the man or the woman that would put--put himself down into some cellar, and would not see the sunshine, the natural sunshine that God has provided for him, but he refuses to believe it. And because of selfishness, he shuts hisself off. That man will soon become anemia. He will become pale. He won't have good strength. He won't have health. And he'll soon... Because that he has shut hisself off from the very privilege that God gave him. That's right. He did it willfully.

Then if we shut ourselves off from the glory of God, from the baptism of the Holy Ghost, or the fellowship of the Spirit, the first thing you know, we become pale, sickly Christians. Our experience is growing out and dim. And when the great trials come, we shrink and go back.

It takes that soldier who's lived in the Sunlight of God; it takes that spirit who knows God, where there's not a wave of doubt; they can stand in the midst of trouble, and cry out, "My Redeemer liveth." Hallelujah. That's it. See?

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  60    We shut ourselves off. And they do it automatically; we do it because that we want to do it. But God's good; He provides it for us. But too many today don't want to get into that healthy place with God, a healthy Christian, have a healthy spirit. You'll certainly would rally for a healthy body, anybody would. Well, that body, no matter how much health you put in that body, it's going back to the dust.

But, oh, my brother, that soul cannot get too healthy. And every time it grows, it grows in the strength and grace and power of God. We need to walk in the Sunlight of God, because He is good.

*…THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST IS HERE TO MAKE US HAPPY AND FREE…

 WHY_  TULSA.OK  FRIDAY_  60-0401M

E-11    I wonder today, sometimes in our churches, when we--like coming in here this morning--why would a man want to go to a roadhouse? Why would a young woman want to be on a dance floor? Why would people want to drink whiskey, to try to soothe their aching hearts, when all this blessing and power of God is here for us? Why would we want to a--to sign ourself away to some denominational creed, when the power of the Holy Ghost is here to make us happy and free? Why would we want to do it?

It reminds me of a man dying on the doctor's doorstep with a disease that the doctor has the remedy for. Now, if a--if the doctor has the remedy, and the man has got the sickness, and the man will come to the doctor's porch, and because he dies on the porch, refusing the doctor's remedy, why, there's no excuse. Certainly not.

If the--if the doctor has the remedy for the disease that he's got, and he's got plenty of the serum to--the toxin to inoculate the man from the disease, and the man dies on the doctor's doorsteps, it's not the doctor's fault. Neither is it the fault of the toxin. It's because the man won't take the toxin. That's exactly right. It's what reason he dies, because he refuses to take the toxin. That's the reason he dies.

*AND GOD CREATED THEM TO THIRST, BUT TO THIRST AFTER HIM.

 WHY_  TULSA.OK  FRIDAY_  60-0401M

  E-12    And that's the reason today, that people are dying in the church pews of sin, is because they refuse to take the toxin that God has given for the rem--the remedy for their cure of heartaches, of ills and sicknesses, diseases of the heart, soul, and mind. People just refuse to do it. They say, "Oh, that's a bunch of holy-rollers. That's a bunch of Pentecostals." And they go ahead and try to hush that blessed thing that God give them.

Did you ever think, "Why does a man drink? Why does a man... Why does women, young girls, go out and--and look like Mardi Gras and get out into these dives and things?" It's because that there is a place in their heart that's thirsting for something. And God created them to thirst, but to thirst after Him. And they try to hush that blessed holy thirst with the things of the world. Why, you're perverting the very thing that God give the people to thirst for Him. You are trying to satisfy it with the things of the world. It will not work. It never will work.

And then if the devil can't get you to do that, he gets you just to get to put your name on a church book and call yourself a Christian. He tries to satisfy it with that. But there is no satisfaction until God Himself comes into the heart to control, and to satisfy the people, and bless them, and give them the things that He created in their heart. He wants to fill that space. There's nothing else in the world that will fill that. Don't you all never forget that.

*WE HAVE A GREAT HERITAGE, A GREAT SACRED TRUST THAT'S BEEN GIVEN US… GREAT SUNSHINE OF GOD'S GLORY TO MAKE HEALTHY SPIRITS, TO MAKE US STRONG CHRISTIANS?" 

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  63    We have a great heritage, a great sacred trust that's been given us. You might wonder now, "Brother Branham, you're talking about Sunshine, great Sunshine of God's glory to make healthy spirits, to make us strong Christians?" That's what we're here for tonight, is to find out. "How do we get those things? Where do they come from? What are they? Show me what it is, Brother Branham. Can I buy it at the drugstore? What kind of a vitamin is it?"

You don't buy it at a drugstore. But there is plenty of it right close to you, if you'll just receive it. It's just knowing the formula, how to receive it.

There'd be drugs in a drugstore, but there's got to be a doctor to diagnose the case. If he didn't, you--it might kill you. So therefore, you've got to have a diagnosis of the case. You just can't go and take a sinner and give him the Holy Ghost. He's got to repent first. He's got to be washed, his sins away. He's got to be prepared for this great Vitamin that's going to be given him.

*AND THAT SACRED TRUST AND OUR SACRED HERITAGE IS THE WORD OF GOD THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO US, THE FULL WORD OF GOD.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  68    Now, we have a sacred trust. You know what a trust is. And we have a inheritance, a heritage that we inherit as believing children. It's a sacred trust. And that sacred trust and our sacred heritage is the Word of God that's been given to us, the full Word of God. The Word Itself is the Vitamin, the Word Itself, God's Word.

That's where, reason I'm so dogmatic, as I would call it, on standing on this Word. No matter what anything else says, if it's not with the Word, then I don't believe it. See? If you want to believe it, it's all right. But to me it takes the Word, 'cause, "Heavens and earth will pass away, but My Words shall never fail." Therefore, it takes that Word.

*IT'S--IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE. IT'S THIS SACRED TRUST THAT GOD HAS PUT TO HIS CHURCH. GOD GAVE HIS WORD TO HIS CHURCH.

THE.COMFORTER_  JEFF.IN  V-15 N-5  SUNDAY_  61-1001E

  70    I live by the Word. Jesus said, "It's written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.'" And this is It. And That is given to us as a heritage. It's our inheritance, the Word. O God, let us think of It in the deepness of It.

It's--it's our privilege. It's this sacred trust that God has put to His Church. God gave His Word to His Church. And that sacred heritage is ours. It's a gift from God, not to just compromise on this, and cut this out, and throw this out, and add this in to suit our own taste; but to preach the full Word, the whole Gospel. We are duty bound as Christians to take It and believe It. When we know, "If our hearts condemn us not, then we know we have favor with God."

Psa 46:1  To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 

Psa 46:2  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 

Psa 46:3  Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 

Psa 46:4  There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 

Psa 46:5  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 

Psa 46:6  The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. 

Psa 46:7  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 

Psa 46:8  Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. 

Psa 46:9  He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. 

Psa 46:10  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 

Psa 46:11  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.