Hearing, Recognizing and Acting by William Branham
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. (Hebrews 11:4, 17-22)
But look, the church natural, it’s just the church carnal. They’re never able to get above that little thing of “I join the church. If I go to church, if I do the best I can, that’s all God requires.” Now, that’s the same thing Cain did. He went and made an altar; he made a sacrifice, brought the fruits of the land, and he said, “Here it is, God.
That’s the best I got. Take it or leave it.” That’s the way the carnal believer believes today. “Lord, I’ll go to church; I’ll join the best group that I can find. I’ll pay in my dues to the church; I’ll do what’s right. Now, here’s the best I can do. I’ll help buy some coal for the widow. I’ll give the children some clothing.” Them’s all right, nothing to say against it. “But that’s it, that’s all. If You want it, take it;
if You don’t, You don’t have to take it.” Now, that’s the attitude of the church carnal today. But the church spiritual: Abel by revelation, by grace he seen beyond that, and by faith he offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. And it testified of his righteousness.
The same thing took place in Ishmael and Isaac. One was of the flesh, and the other one was of the Spirit: one of the bondswoman; one of the freewoman. It happened the same thing in Israel and Moab, two great churches coming together. And when Israel was wanting to go to their promised place, church spiritual, Jacob’s people, Israel on the road, Esau’s people met them, Moab, church powerful.
And the great leader of the church, Balaam came down to curse his brother, but he found that he could not curse his brother. He failed with the blindness of his eyes to see the predestinated plan and to see the Word of God. First, faith cometh by hearing, hearing of the Word of God. Then the believer hears it, recognizes it, and acts on it.
The carnal man will hear it, the sound of it, but “hear” means to “understand” it. “Look at”, is looking at something; but to see it, is to “understand” it. “Except a man be born again, he cannot see or understand the Kingdom of God.”
