The Family Altar Audio Devotional - Day 217

For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. (Romans 9:15-18) 320 Yet, that’s the same thing stands today. Men and women can go to church and have the long face, and—and pious as they can be, and never lie, steal, and try to live their religion as best they can. But, unless they are a believer, they’re lost. So there’s no scratch of legalists in the Bible. Calvinism is…Grace is what God did for you, and works is what you do for God. It’s absolutely separated. 321 If you quit lying, quit smoking, quit stealing, quit committing adultery, quit all, done everything, kept the commandments, and went to church, baptized every Sunday, took the communion, washed the feets of the saints, done everything, healed the sick, and done all these other things, unless you’re born of the Spirit of God, elected, you’re lost. “Not him that willeth or him that runneth, but God that sheweth mercy.” 322 Esau tried his best to become a Christian, and couldn’t do it. The Bible said he wept bitterly, seeking a place to repent, and couldn’t find it. Before he was even born, God condemned him, ’cause He knowed he was a rotten shyster in his heart. God by foreknowledge knew it. He said, “I love Jacob, and I hate Esau.” And Esau looked like the gentleman. He stayed home, taking care of his old blind daddy, fed the cattle, and everything, was a good boy. 323 And Jacob was mama’s boy, little old sissified story-teller. That’s what he was. You have to admit it. The Bible admits, brings it. Run around, doing everything. And—and, mama, hanging around with mama. But, yet, Jacob, with all of his ups and down, and his sissified ways, he still had respect to that birthright. That’s the keynote. 57-0922E - "Hebrews, Chapter Seven #2" Rev. William Marrion Branham 146 God will not be defeated, no matter what takes place. He will never be defeated. Then, women began to bring men on the earth. And God, through Eternal grace, seen who would be saved, and He called you. “No man can come to Me, except My Father calls him, first.” “Not him that willeth, or him that runneth, but God that showeth mercy.” 147 You say, “Well, I sought God. I sought God.” No, you never. God sought you. That’s the way it was in beginning. 148 It wasn’t Adam saying, “O Father, Father, I’ve sinned. Where are You?” 149 It was Father saying, “O Adam, Adam, where are you?” That’s the nature of man. That’s the strain of man. That’s what he’s made of. 150 “And no man can come to Me except the Father draws him. And all that the Father gives Me…” Hallelujah! “All that come, I’ll give them Eternal Life, and I’ll raise him up at the last day.” What a blessed, what a blessed promise, of a God of Heaven! Where we get to tonight, where, “He swore by Himself.” There’s none greater. You take an oath by someone greater than you. There no one greater, so God took an oath to Himself. We’re getting into it, how He did it and when He did it; and took an oath to Himself, that He would raise us up and make us His Own heritage. 57-0908M - "Hebrews, Chapter Five And Six #1" Rev. William Marrion Branham ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Order your own copy of the Family Altar at http://store.bibleway.org Appreciate what we do? Consider supporting us: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds/support