SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND
18-1118M KDY
[This Message was preached at a place in Bungoma, Kenya on the morning of 18th November, 2018. It is 2 hours 29 minutes 36 seconds long]
We shall pray:
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Our Father in heaven, we give you thanks for this day that you have enabled us to reach by Thy grace. On our own, we have done and can do nothing. As we stand before Thee, we realize that we've fallen short of Thy righteousness in many ways. And that is why we pray for your grace to help us know how to approach you acceptably. May you deliver us from our failures; for, in humility, we pray for forgiveness and sanctification of our souls.
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Wash us and sanctify us from all our shortcomings dear Father. Our hope of Salvation comes from Thee alone. So, we look away from ourselves and fix our eyes on Thee, ever to depend on Thee in and for every safety and every form of battle that comes our way. We know that temptations are on every hand, as our adversary the devil, hovers around over and against us from every angle. So we need Thy grace to protect and perfect us in every way, because in and after all those temptations, we should be left firmly standing in Thy Word – the solid Rock.
We pray this day that we may find the grace for a harmonious fellowship with your Word in harmony in the Holy Spirit. We have nothing in our hand to bring, but we just come the way we are, for to receive at Thy hand, all our needs. You're our Saviour, healer, present helper in time of need, and hope. For all that we get and have, comes from Thee. For we are your creatures, your very hands’ workmanship. Hence, there's nothing that's ours – all is yours. We pray that this fellowship be of victorious blessings. Let it be the kind of fellowship that will draw us closer to Thee, for your pleasure to be fulfilled with each one of us.
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I commit all here unto Thee, praying for each one of them according to their needs. You are the only One, who can give that which we lack; and that, we believe strongly. You have prepared and provided us a gracious door to get all things. Therefore, we confess that it is by grace alone that we are saved and stand before Thee. We receive it and believe, taking you at your Word.
Help us to fellowship with your Word and let there be ample and sufficient room in our hearts to receive, believe and stand for it. We pray believing that you will be with us. Let your Name be praised. We are waiting upon Thee because we believe you; for in the Name of Jesus Christ our Saviour, we pray. Amen.
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Showers of Blessings,
Showers of Blessings we need;
Mercy drops around us are falling,
But for the showers we plea.
Showers of Blessings,
Showers of Blessings we need;
Mercy drops around us are falling,
But for the showers we plea.
May the Saviour Jesus Christ bless you all. Maybe, there is still one with a song to sing - it can be sung before we read the Scriptures.
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In our Bibles we shall read in the Book of Luke11:5-13;
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And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Amen.
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I have spoken many times on this Scripture, but I have felt like going back to it again and again. In this Scripture, Jesus was responding to the disciples who had asked Him to teach them how to pray. Therefore, when He had satisfied their desire by teaching them how to pray, He ended up telling them that in their praying, they should ask, seek and knock. He promised them that if they did so, they would get their needs answered.
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So, the only thing that I might not have recently spoken about is the last verse that we have read. As for the rest of the verses, I have spoken about them many times. However, the Word of God is such a rich treasure that it cannot be exhausted.
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A treasure is something inexhaustible; and if someone finds it, then it means he has found wealth that can't be exhausted. It is like an artesian water well. You can fill as many drums as you want, yet it will ever gush out and never run dry. You just keep using its waters over and again, without exhaustion. Now, whether somebody draws water from that well or not, the water will continuously flow out of it! That is why it is a treasure. It will continue flowing out unreduced anyhow. God is such a treasure. He cannot be diminished. He supplies to all our needs according to His inexhaustible riches in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Thus, everybody can access this treasure as often as he needs, and can scoop as much as his needs warrant, with none complaining of a neighbour or another aspirant having taken more and left so little for him. It is an endless treasure that supplies to the needs of one and all, who cometh to draw from Him. So, you just keep going back and drawing all the time. Why? God is a precious eternal treasure beyond human language expression to explain! And because of this, it becomes very costly for man to reach Him: For the more precious a thing is, the rarer it becomes!
Thus, God is beyond monetary exchange, beyond buying and selling; that is your effort can't be used to reach Him. He is perfectly precious to the dot, making Him unreachable by our effort. That is why you cannot just pick the eternal God by the roadside; yet He is ever there! He is an all-round supplying treasure, such that, if one found Him, then he would be the most blessed person on earth!
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Anything precious is rare. That is why it is said somewhere in the Book of Samuel that the Word of God was precious in those days, meaning that God's Word was rare in those days when Samuel was born.
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So, whatever is precious is also rare, and vice versa. You already know that things that are precious in this world are also very rare – they are very hard to get. For example, gold is precious, and therefore it is not easily found. The same is true for silver; they are incorruptible, because they do not get mixed with other substances, but they remain separated. Any intermingling causes corruption and decay; and once decayed, it is rendered useless. This is why precious things remain undefiled and secluded from everything else. God is in no wise different from that. He is such a great treasure, such a precious thing that He cannot commonly be found anywhere! Why? He is the fountain of all that is incorruptible!
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Now, let us read two more Scriptures that pertain to that. See? I have spoken many times on this Scripture: Seek and ye shall find; ask and it shall be given you; knock and the door shall be opened unto you. See how that neighbour went to his friend and persistently asked for food; that is an illustration of how we can also persist in seeking God and His blessings. But in this fellowship, we shall address ourselves on the last part of the Scripture we have read. This is where it says: How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to Him that asketh? This is the portion that I have not of recent spoken about.
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So we read in the Book of Mathew 13:44;
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Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
This is an eternal treasure! And whatever makes up that treasure in the heavenly Kingdom is the divine presence of God, for God is the only treasure there is! Any other thing that seems to be a treasure, is but a mere sham of a shadow of the treasure! But the Kingdom of heaven and God Himself is the selfsame thing! So, whatever is treasured in the Kingdom of heaven, is God Himself! For if you take God out of that Kingdom, then it remains valueless and is of no use!
Yes, the field that contains this treasure may not look appealing to the human eyes because of its apparent barrenness with regard to human eyes. Therefore, when a man has eyes that can see the promise when he finds such a field with the treasure hidden therein, he goes to the owner and asks for it. He is ready to buy it at any cost.
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Just like a man discovering that some baren field has gold underneath it. He asks the owner for the price. The owner, not knowing its potential, offers it out freely. But the buyer, aware of its priceless content, insists on buying it on a written payment agreement. He knows that once he begins to dig out the treasure, the owner would have nothing to complain about the ownership of that portion of the field. This removes the potential temptation in advance, peradventure the original owner seeks to renew his ownership after he later discovers what really lay underground, in that section of his field that obviously appeared poorest! So, the buyer, having found that treasured field, goes and sells all his possession to meet the treasured portion's price.
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The field in the above referred scriptural poetry is Jesus Christ! And when you have found Him, then, with joy, you go and sell all to buy Him! It is very strange that some people do so without joy! They just buy the field for the sake of, maybe, just associating themselves with the name and reference of being Christians. Nevertheless, real life and the true savour of solid Christianity is to openly disregard and avoid all for the sake of the Salvation of the soul. Once you discover this field in the right spiritual perspective, you will hasten to buy it with joy, because any delaying or hesitation may make give way for somebody else to reach and purchase it ahead of you, meaning you will miss it!
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Therefore, it is worth buying it immediately on discovery. Yes, people may wonder why there's so much hurry for its purchase; but you know the secret! You have God, the eternal treasure, hid in Jesus Christ. What a rich man, I am! Or, is it you? I'm found of God, Joshua – Jehovah Saviour, whom the prophet William Branham foreran in His Second Coming on earth. By His grace, I am one of the rich men of these last days. Hallelujah!
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The God of Jesus Christ is the faith of Jesus, which faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evident assurance of things not seen. Yes, God comprises invisible eternal things – a composite treasure! Once you espy the field called Jesus, Joshua in these last days, then He is worth your selling all things in order to buy Him – the treasured field! That is how you receive it. There's no other way! The promised land of treasures in your day is worth everything in your life! It is precious beyond measure! You should not hesitate to act like Moses. He tossed away all the treasures of Egypt for the excellence of Christ! Paul tossed away all his knowledge and religious attainment for the riches of Christ. That is what anyone with wisdom should do with no hesitation whatsoever!
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God is that treasure beyond human language and human description. Now, the question is: How do you reach this treasure? I have already implied that it is impossible for a man to try, by himself, to reach it. Why? It is so precious, so secluded and so rare that there's just hardly any way of getting unto it. Yet there is a provided way in every season; God has provided a paid-up way for whosoever will, to reach and receive the treasure. However, the needful high cost sends wandering chills in many hearts, as to what one can do to receive it; or what one cannot do to receive it. Christ in God and God in Christ, holds the secret key!
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The revelation of Jesus in your day is the gate to the treasure field. You will never get there otherwise! No amount of religion will provide entrance into that treasure field! Just forget all about church practice! All that ends up a total failure. The key is the promised revelation of Christ in your day. Hallelujah! The Holy Spirit in your day is the field of great price! It costs all in your life to receive it. So, are you ready?
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Abraham found it like that, it cost all he previously had in Babylon. Moses found it like that, it cost everything he owned in Egypt. Are you ready to buy the present-day treasure field? It will cost you all your family, friends, churchmates and all your life on earth. Ready for exchange? What is that field today? The same promised field which Branham pointed you to! Yes, it is the Holy Ghost today! the Holy Spirit is that land of treasure, and you only reach it through the promised revelation. Why, it is the eternal Godhead revealed! Hallelujah!
Let us read the two verses of Mathew 13:45-46 again;
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
It says that the Kingdom of heaven is likened unto a pearl of great price. And that pearl of great price or that gemstone is the Headstone, which is the Godhead. So, if you have found the true Godhead, then, with joy, you should sell everything else and buy that Capstone for your headship! Then you're in union with the Head of the Kingdom; you're part and parcel of His Kingdom. You're His citizen and He is your Head, even your King. The Holy Spirit is the treasured field; and the pearl of great price is the Godhead revealed in Jesus Christ. That is what the Bible says in a certain place that, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him. And even though the way is narrow and the gate strait, yet if you only saw the treasure to be gained at the end of the journey, it's worth all your sacrifice. Amen!
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The narrow way with the strait gate becomes wide and easy enough for you in Christ, to walk on it all through to the end. That is why many times I have said that the strength of reaching out for something depends on the value of the thing in your heart! It does not depend on what you are made of; for no matter how weak or strong you're, the preciousness of the thing to be attained at the end of that journey determines your strength! So, if your perception of God today, who is the greatest treasure that ever is, be clear, what other concern would supersede it in this world? Your experience with God will override any other engagement in this world!
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Therefore, if your eye of faith can see clearly about God, then that sight should overtake you so much that your desire for Him overrides anything else; by which desire, you lose the taste of anything else in this vain world. He becomes your main prayer item day and night, to seek for this precious and rare treasure. How? You have been told: Ask and it shall be given unto you; Seek and ye shall find; knock and the door shall be opened unto you!
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Now, look at people who have seen things in the name of treasures in this world, which in the real sense, they are not treasures but chaff! Just see how they seek for money, a dark treasure of darkness with a sparkling tinge of lies! They go at it with so much zeal as never to allow themselves an iota of rest! Some even compromise meals and sleep, lest they lose out on the profit margins and rare market opportunities. Yet, the very money is just in form of mere papers and metals they call notes and coins respectively.
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My! Remember, if there was lack of food in the world, that is, if all the shops that sell food ran empty, then even if you had full stores of money, they would profit you nothing with regard to your life! You'll perish the same way, if not, worse than a pauper! Why? No one eats the very physical money for physical survival!
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Let’s say, maybe, one has a big hardware shop that earns him billions of money in a week. That hardware will profit you nothing in case food lacks in the whole world; because whatever is stored there are not treasures, because a treasure is that which supplies your basic needs all the time. A true treasure supplies for your hunger, thirst, strength, health, peace, joy and comfort, which are real life necessities.
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The preciousness of money can easily be disqualified as fake! How? Let rain be withheld for only three and a half years in all the world, then you will realize the folly of regarding money as a treasure. It will become so valueless because it will not provide for anything! But a true treasure is one which can give life, peace, assurance and blessings; thus making a blessed day for you every time, everywhere and in every condition! The true treasure is the faith of Jesus Christ, operating on God's Spoken Word in every age. Amen! That is what you should earnestly seek for night and day! What? The promise for this day! That is not Mal. 4 please! Malachi 4 was fulfilled before you were born, you never partook in the blessings of its fulfilment. What was it? preparing the way for to bring in the second coming of Jesus. Now, it is the very second coming of Jesus being fulfilled! The capstone ministry! Hallelujah! the Pearl of great price!
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Yes, there are two things that you should earnestly seek after. What are they? 1) The field with the hidden treasure, and that is the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and the same is the Holy Spirit. 2) The promised Word of God, which was forerun by Malachi 4, that is the pearl of great price today. Hallelujah! we are not called just to be religious! We are not called just to be churchgoers! But we are called to receive a promise; the same is the treasure of life in Jesus Christ. Go for it at any cost!
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Now let us read in the Book of 1Corinthians 2:7-11:
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But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
This is hidden wisdom with which God's treasure is made. For the Godhead Wisdom hidden in Jesus Christ builds the Kingdom of God, ordained for our glory before the world began. And none of the rulers or leaders or possessors of knowledge of this world knew and knows anything about this Wisdom. For had they known it, they would not crucify the Lord of glory. Not the Jew, but the religious man today, in rejecting the promised Word today foreran by Branham, he is crucifying Christ again. Why? Because they are blind to the promised Pearl of great price, the headstone ministry of Jesus Christ identified among us today!
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That is why I am insisting that, seek, knock and ask; for whosoever seeks, finds; whosoever knocks, the door shall be opened unto him, and whosoever asks, he shall be given.
Now, the zealousness of seeking depends on what is being sought! For the right discovery strengthens you and gives you perseverance, patience, long-suffering and such like virtues.
If we could only hear, see or have it entered into our hearts, then how much stable and diligent could we be as we seek? Because He says in the following verse: “God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit.” Yes, get that in present tense! God has revealed the Word of His wisdom to us today! He has shown us that which pertains to us today! It is that treasure for our inheritance today which is given us. That is what Christ is imploring you to seek after, to knock for, to ask for! Not just meats and drinks for your stomach, but the Word in due season please! So sad that most of you are satisfied with a historical promise in which you have no part at all! A promise for your day is what you walk in as it is presently being fulfilled! Not some historical leftovers!
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Only the Holy Spirit can lead you to the Word for your day. Why? Man's heart, ear and eye cannot comprehend eternal things of God, for they're revealed and discerned spiritually, and because man is carnal, being flesh and blood, he can never see the kingdom of heaven in his day. The crow can never identify its food until it rots and brings out a stench, so are all religious people today who reject present divine revelation! They can only recognize the stinking historical carcasses of yesterday, what the eagles of yesterday ate and left behind! They reject what is being served today as they quote from the leftovers of yesterday. Poor, miserable, blind men they are! Get out from among them! Separate yourself from those crows!
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Anybody that rejects further revelation of the Word, as he holds on some historical revelations which are in several stages of rot, because of man’s additions and subtractions, is a crow! Not an eagle! Not a dove! Doves can’t stand such stench! Eagles can’t trust such a smelly carcass in the name of what was revealed 60 years ago! He doesn’t want any stomach upsets for nothing! If your stomach can stand such rotting meat shows you are a crow, not a dove!
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We need the Holy Spirit to reveal those deep things of God unto us. So, if you only saw the treasure hid in Christ, you would reach out for it at whatever cost. There would be nothing like feeling tired or sick. Such complaints and all the lame excuses, as they always put it, will simply vanish away.
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Therefore, if you meet a brother or sister, who still has complaints about the spiritual journey being too long and strenuous, or gives excuses because of pursuing further studies, business ventures, deep involvement in worldly official chores, marriages, or because of the concern of such things as property: oxen, land buying and giving them attention or any such commitments, then that is a clear positive indicator that such a one has not seen the treasure hid in Christ Jesus! They have neither heard, nor has it been revealed to them at all. It has not entered into their hearts. They have not seen it yet. Of course, they can’t seek for what they don’t know!
But whoever has been revealed to, and by the eye of the Holy Spirit seen what is revealed in Christ Jesus, he will diligently go at it and for it, night and day without ceasing, till he gets it. As I said earlier, people in this world who seek for money are very zealous, even old women running little businesses like groceries in towns, they are on the run night and day. They never get tired until death steals them away. Then how much more ought you to seek for the treasures of life heed in Christ!
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Learn from the children of this world, how tirelessly they seek for the treasures of this world. They are on the go every day. They are on the move from one marketplace to another, selling their goods throughout the week without tiring or giving up. And the earliest time they arrive at their homes may be 7.00 p.m. in the evening! Though false treasures yet they are diligently sought for, how much more should you who have eyes seek for the treasures in Jesus Christ! Yes, he invites you to seek and that you will find it. Hallelujah! He is not sought in vain! He has a portion for you today! You only find it as you seek!
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Isaiah 45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Therefore, Christians, who are seeking a more precious and costly treasure beyond language, should not be tired along the way. But on the contrary, many are discouraged by very minor things like the length of time and lack of comfort! Tell me, where on earth do you get a high quality substance that goes cheaply? A shortcut is a dangerous long cut in the end. So ought we, who are walking on the right way, to be even much more patient, longsuffering and ready to go an extra mile joyfully, because of the little we have seen by faith, of the tremendous greatness of the Treasure awaiting us!
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Now that scripture that we have read in 1 Corinthians, is quoted from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah 64:4;
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For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
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God has prepared and laid in store a great treasure for those that love Him. Waiting in-store is a great Treasure for the overcomer, won't you aspire to be one of them? Why can't we borrow a leaf from those worldly early rising false-treasure seekers, who hardly get tired nor give up? Why don’t we make better and even superior comparisons of them? For the treasure in Christ is more than able to give you strength, zeal, patience and long-suffering, which are necessary for your onward pressing to the end, with majestic grandeur!
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Men of this world have neither had the chance to see, hear nor been revealed to this hidden treasure that God has revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. He enlightens and gives us the ability to see that which a physical eye, ear and heart can't see, hear and perceive respectively. And, once the Holy Spirit has done this for you, you have the license to seek with all your zeal and strength, and you will find it.
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A treasure must needs be sought for if it has to be found; because it is hidden against corruption! Something which is incorruptible separates and hides itself from common things, and by so doing, it becomes rare!
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Now, you did not seek at first because you never knew what it was; but finally, by His grace, the first step was that He came to seek for you; after which, He revealed something to you about the Salvation found in that treasure. So, He opened your inside eye by making the way of Salvation known to you, such that, you began seeing that great hidden treasure. Now that you have seen and heard that it is discoverable unto you by revelation, you're expected to seek so that you find; knock so that the door be opened unto you, and ask so that you may be given. For now, you know that the treasure which you need is so precious and must be diligently sought.
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In this world, anything of value has a great price tag on it. Such things, though sold and bought, are rare. It is true that there are things of great value that God has freely and naturally provided, though they may appear common. Obvious examples include water, air and sunlight, which provide life's basic needs. However, commercial things, which are bought and sold dearly, are hard to come by, save with great strength, zeal and price.
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Similarly, God being of the greatest price and prize, we cannot just pump into Him anyhow, nor pick Him from anywhere. He is a priceless prize, whereof we have to seek, knock, ask and be persistently patient before we find Him. Just look at how a farmer works on his farm; the yield he gets from the farm is directly proportional to the time and input cost he suffers. Naturally, holding other variables constant, the more he spends the more he gets, and vice versa. If he is a tomato farmer, then every time it rains, he must be there to spray, add manure, prune off the suckers and so forth. He spends most of his time there. Reason? He is seeking for a sizeable treasure-cum-money. And because he has done it so diligently, he may get the mathematics right. Some of the diligent earthly treasure seekers do meet their set targets, obligations and goals. One loudly wonders why Christians cannot be as successful, if not more, in seeking patiently for the eternal-life treasure. May we hold to God's unchanging hand by building our hopes on eternal things.
So as we are about to conclude, let us read from Colossians 2:1-2;
For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossae and Laodicea were neighboring churches, which Paul greatly desired to visit in person, but was not suffered by the Holy Spirit to do so. He equally desired to visit other churches of Asia Minor, but the Holy Spirit only allowed him to stay at Ephesus because Ephesus was the symbol of the church in his generation. Other churches like Smyrna, Thyatira, Pergamos, Philadelphia, Sardis and Laodicea were to be symbols for other generations that were to come after him. Of course, the Holy Spirit did not specifically mention that to him but simply forbade him from going to these other churches.
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Thus, Paul had a conflict in his heart because he greatly desired to go to those other churches, of which the Holy Spirit could not suffer him. Hence, he had to accept his will to be broken and obey the Holy Spirit. In the same way, you may want to do something, but then you realize that there is the constraint of the Holy Spirit, the best way forward is obedience to the Holy Spirit, the way Paul did. Any persistence on your own way leads to a spiritual conflict in your heart. Note that for any matter in conflict, the Holy Spirit is always right and you're always wrong! So you will have to let go and break your will for your own good.
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Thus, Paul was only allowed stay in Ephesus, where he so well prospered: for Ephesus was a very spiritual church. Should you want to know the level of its spiritual maturity, just read the letter he wrote to them. It's such a deep spiritual letter, full of doctrine and mystery, of which Peter soberly attests to that in 2 Peter 3:15-16;
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Remember, it's only the Holy Spirit that gives the Word or the Message, and if the Ephesian were able to receive and understand such a spiritual letter, then it means that that Church was founded on quite a solid, sober and firm spiritual ground. This is where the young Timothy was raised and was left to keep watch over the flock.
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But when you read through other letters, like those to the Corinthians or Galatians, you realize that they were problematic churches, and so they needed that kind of address.
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So, we find in Colossians 2:2 that God is a mystery: of the Father and of Christ the Messiah – a two-edged Sword! Thus, the Colossians could only come to that acknowledgement if their hearts were knit together in such love that would cause them to get to the full understanding of the mystery of God and of Christ. By their whole acceptance and believing it, they would worship the true God in the experience of true love, because all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ Jesus.
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The fact that the scripture says, 'When you seek, you shall find', does not necessarily refer to the manner of seeking of things like food, clothing and money. Nay! These are fake treasures! Yes, you can have a little of them, just enough basics for the flesh, which really needs very basic things that are available, such as food, shelter and clothing! Two changes of raiment should suffice for both reason and purpose. We only exaggerate our problems when we get encumbered about with the wanton cares of this mortal life, and go for things that cannot satisfy. But as long as you're a Christian and faithfully serving God, He will provide you with the basic needs.
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He fed the Israelites with manna till they could not stand it anymore. "Manna with water, again?" They bitterly cried in lamentation. Why would God not give them any other type of food? It was meant to discover their covetousness. Otherwise, all they needed was simple basic food; not the flesh pots and cucumbers they had gotten used to in Egypt. Nay! Manna was quite a complete meal in itself because it provided all the food nutrients that their bodies needed. They never felt sick at all along their journey in the wilderness. No! Neither did their feet swell nor did their garments wear out! The snake bites were due to their unbelief in God's Spoken Word by His servant Moses.
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The Israelites were covetous for fleshpots, and that is why they loathed manna while considering it as a light meal. I have always been amused by the Scripture in Numbers 11:4-6 that records a scene where fathers, mothers and children wept loudly one morning while standing at their tent doors, as they saw Manna fall. "What is that? Wuuwi! You mean it is that light stuff again? Oh dear me!" Cried they in their lamenting oratory. And having so bitterly complained, God gave quails to them, but punished them for their lust for flesh. And if anyone was Christian enough amidst them, he could not have rushed for such meat at all because it was clear that God gave it out of His permissive Will! So those who rushed for it were thoroughly punished for it, no sooner than they had eaten the very quail meat! Now that they had tempted God to give them meat, He smote them so hard that thousands of them died because of their lust for fleshpots and cucumbers. Nevertheless, God had been giving them what and all that they genuinely needed.
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How different it was for Daniel, Meshack, and Abednego as is recorded in Daniel chapter 1. They ate just pulse and drank mere water, having resolved in their hearts, not to defile themselves with the king's meat. And after a period of ten days, their countenances appeared fairer and fatter than those who were fed on the king's provision. So, good health does not come from meats and drinks. God can give you good health from the very basics.
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Therefore, our needs in this world are just but a few. The real things, which are most needful are those that can give us comfort, peace, joy, rest, healing and life. But these are not found in this world; they are the eternal substances of faith that are to be sought from God. They are a treasure that’s hidden in Christ, for which, He tells us to seek, and we shall find; knock, and their door will be opened unto us; ask, and the hidden treasure will be given unto us. It is the treasure of His Wisdom hid in Christ that we truly need. And once we get it, we shall have gotten all things that are worth possessing.
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Sometimes we stand in jeopardy because we don't see; and if there is any seeing at all, then our sight or vision is blurred. That is why we get disturbed over worthless things that matter and avail the least. But if our visions were clear, then we would be satisfied and settled, because we would have the real and true treasure, because the incorruptible one is being waved before us. The Bible admonishes us to seek first, God's Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these other things will be added unto us.
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Human beings are full of problems because of their evil knowledge and lack of knowledge of God. But other creatures, for example, birds, sheep or cattle get satisfied so quickly with their usual food! A sheep is satisfied with grass and does not need anything else. Life is just a simple summary like that; and that is where joy, peace, rest and happiness are found – in the simplicity of God. These are the timeless treasures that nobody should beguile you with enticing words to swerve from into death traps. Christ has all you need for the quenching and satisfaction of all your thirst in life. It is just like I have said many times; if your heart was full of love, joy, peace and rest, would you bother yourself as to whether you are sleeping on a mat or a big soft mattress? None of those would matter! Either side of the continuum of life is the same – you are full of love, joy and peace? you got it all!
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While somebody else near you is on a six-inch mattress, but with a thousand and one troubles, you are sleeping on your mat communing, contemplating and rejoicing that you are the son or daughter of the Kingdom! I think you would rather be at peace in your heart than to have all physical comforts that amount to zero! With peace in your heart, your sleep on a mat is sweeter than honey in the rock. You just sweet-sleep all through the night, like a child who had a nice supper of sweet potatoes with milk!
Think of it! “Predestinated us in Christ before the foundation of the world.” What we worried about then? Get away from the worry, we’re just the happiest creatures you could ever have seen. My, how can you believe that and keep from being happy?
I used to see old Brother Bosworth, and he said, “Brother Branham!”
I said, “How you feeling this morning, Brother Bosworth?”
Said, “The same old trouble’s back on me, Brother Branham.”
I said, “The same old trouble, what is it?”
Said, “Just so happy, I can’t sleep!” I said…He said, “Brother Branham, how can I believe what I believe, without being happy?” See, that’s right.
53-0327 - Israel And The Church #3
Rev. William Marrion Branham
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See? That is the true source of happiness.
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So, we need the heavenly peace to descend upon us, and then we shall have got all that's necessary. Surely, if I had all the joy, peace, calmness and rest in my heart from God, would it bother me if I had shoes on my feet or not? Is that really a problem to me; when my heart is bubbling with fountains of joy and peace? Nay! The lacking of shoes is no reasonable cause for any slightest murmur. With things eternal, life is perfectly complete! On the contrary, my lacking peace because of not having shoes, only makes sense in the world of unbelievers. Yes, Peace, peace, wonderful peace; Coming down from the Father above...
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These are God's special treasures which men have not found; but for Christians, the Holy Spirit has revealed and keeps revealing to them. They have continued tasting of these treasures here and there, though in the earnest form, the Bible promises that if you seek continually, then one day the whole fountain will be opened unto you. However, this treasure is so precious that you must really seek, ask, beg and knock for it. You must yield yourself completely to the exercise of seeking it before you find it, because whosoever seeketh findeth.
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He has likened your seeking to that of the neighbour who went to his friend to borrow some bread. Remember, the host friend had slept and did not want to be disturbed. Now, do you know that before God gives that which you are seeking, you must bother Him enough for Him to be disturbed? For when God created this world, it was a disturbance to Him, quite contrary and most different from His serene eternal atmosphere. This kind of world is grievously disturbing, being full of thorns, briers and all other abominable creatures. This necessitated God's resting after the six days of creation.
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Therefore, if God is working with you, then He is not resting. Why? You're not in harmony with Him due to your imperfections. And so for Him to do anything for you or with you, He must leave His restful state and condescend into a state of disturbance before providing for your needs. So you have to really disturb Him! Give Him no rest till He gives you rest – that which you lack. Truly, our prayers do really disturb Him, but thanks be to Him, for allowing and granting us favour. He is ready to forebear with us and provide for our needs; but first, we must knock, seek and ask for Him to give us the Holy Spirit, who is the summary of all the riches of knowledge and wisdom found in Christ!
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62:6-7
When God descends to provide a way for you, being imperfect, he has to labour the way Christ laboured on the cross. So, you must show that you really need it so as to awaken Him from His rest to come to you.
So, pray, seek and ask, quoting scriptures that support your petitions. Many times I have prayed for my needs quoting these same scriptures in my prayers. I could tell Him quoting the scripture on this wise; "You're far above the earthly fathers, who cannot give their children stone for bread, however stubborn and disturbing their children are. And I am as disturbing and stubborn as those children in flesh. But I have prayed over this need for two years now, and I am just looking for that which I have asked of you. I want nothing else." You can’t give me a stone for it!
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So, arm yourself with God's Word, encourage yourself to believe it and continue seeking, especially for things that pertain to your spiritual life and God. For concerning such things, you can't lack faith, because they are in line with His will. Otherwise, if they are earthly things, you may not exactly know if it is His perfect or permissive will for you to pray for them.
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Therefore, go boldly before God, standing upon scriptures as you ask Him to meet your needs. For the Bible encourages us to go boldly unto the throne of grace that we may find help in time of need. May our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, bless each of you abundantly, is my heart's desire.
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Let's sing this song, ‘Seek ye first the Kingdom of God’ in the Revival Songs book, number 113, as we go before His divine presence in prayer.
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SEEK ye first the Kingdom of El,
And His righteousness;
And all these things shall be added unto you,
Hallelu - Hallelujah.
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Man shall not live by bread alone,
But by every Word;
That proceeds from the Mouth of El,
Hallelu - Hallelujah.
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Ask and it shall be given unto you,
Seek and ye shall find;
Knock and it shall be opened unto you,
Hallelu - Hallelujah.
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[Individual praying and supplication continue – Ed]
End