Ladies and Gentlemen, beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This is Brother Frank speaking to you from the International Mission Center in Krefeld, Germany. We call this ministry “The Apostolic-Prophetic Bible Ministry”. Just letting everybody know that we do not believe any interpretation, we do believe God’s Word the way it is written and we do take God’s Word as the only authority and also for the absolute for all things that we believe and practise by the grace of God.
Knowing that we are living in a very, very special time, we do realise that Bible prophecies are coming to pass. And one of the main things is, as our Lord said, in Matthew 24 about the signs of the endtime, about all those things which would come upon the earth. And we do see them, especially the year 2011 brought so many things with it, especially if we look into the Arabic world, Islamic world, and then to have a look at Israel. And we do believe every Word of God. We do believe that Israel is God’s covenant people since the days of Abraham and Mo“ses. We also believe what God said to Abraham right from Genesis, chapter 12, that “all who bless you I will bless, and all who curse you I will curse.” At the same time God made the promise to Abraham that if those from the nations believe as he believed God they should be blessed. And if you go to Galatians, chapter 3, the Apostle Paul summarizes and says that in Christ God has blessed all the nations. And if you go to Revelation, chapter 5, there the praises are being sung before the Throne of God, Who redeemed, Who redeemed His elect. His sons and daughters from all nations giving praise unto God, because we were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
If you take all these scriptures together, then we understand, there is the evangelistic part, there is the teaching part and also the prophetic part. When it comes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, then our Lord said in Matthew, chapter 24, verse 14, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all nations, and then the end shall be.” So in our time this has become true. The original Gospel, not a gospel made up by a denominaton, but the original Gospel preached by the Apostle Paul, starting with the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost, including repentance, belief in Jesus Christ and also the baptism as a confirmation that one has truly believed in Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. This is very important, because our Lord in Matthew 28 gave the commission that we should go – that means those who are called, who are directly commissioned by Him – that we should go into all the world and preach the Gospel and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name. And here we have to say it very clearly: into the name. There is a big difference between a title and a name. God is Creator – that is not a name, that is what He is. God is King – that is not a name, that is what He is. God is so many things. He is our Father in heaven; He revealed Himself in His only begotten Son on earth, living in the true believers by the Holy Spirit: God above us, God with us, God in us.
But what is the name in which this one God revealed Himself in the New Testament? What is the New Testament covenant name? “Thou shall call His name Jesus.” And here we have to emphasize, beloved Brothers and Sisters, in the Hebrew language its says, “Thou shalt call His name Yah-shua.” That means simply “Yahweh – Saviour”. It doesn’t need a single interpretation. That is what it actually means.
In the Old Testament, in Exodus, chapter 2, our Lord spoke to Moses, and then in chapter 20 He gave the commandments, speaking as the Lord God. But then you go to Deuteronomy, chapter 6, where our Lord said, “I revealed Myself to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, but with My name Yahweh I did not make Myself known unto them.” So “Yahweh” was the Old Testament covenant name for the people of Israel; in the New Testament “Yahshua”. This Yahweh of the Old Testament became our Saviour in the New Testament. The Word that was in the beginning was made flesh and dwelt among us. The great “I am” who spoke to Abraham, to Moses and to the prophets, He is the Same who spoke the seven great “I ams” in the Gospel of John: “I am the Way. I am the Truth. I am the Resurrection. I am the First and the Last. I am He that was and is and shall come.” We know Him by the grace of God.
Coming back to what we are trying to say: When our Lord spoke about baptism, that it should be done into the name in which God revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Ghost, then we need to go to Acts, chapter 2, and see how Peter, who was present when the Lord gave the commission, how he understood and how he carried out that Great Commission: Acts, chapter 2, verse 38: “Repent, everyone of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to confirm the remission of your sins.” The sins are forgiven by the blood that was shed on the Cross of Calvary. But all who received the forgiveness of their sins they are baptized, confirming that they truly believe. And then the Scripture says in Acts, chapter 2, verse 41, that three thousand people on the Day of Pentecost were baptized. That was wonderful.
Now, for you to understand properly: Before the Return of Christ all things must be restored to where they were at the very beginning. The first and the last preaching must be the same. The first and the last baptism must be the same. The first and the last Lord’s Supper must be the same. Everything now before the Return of Christ must be restored to where it was at the very beginning 2,000 years ago. And if we look into church history – Brothers and Sisters, it breaks our hearts to see the developments from the original Church of Jesus Christ, the Body of Jesus Christ – as the Holy Scripture says in 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, that we were baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body and that Jesus Christ is the Head of that body, and we are members, and He, the Head, directs all the members. But that time was over very soon.
Then denominations began to be formed; the falling away started to take place. And then there came the times of the councils: the first one in Nicea 325, the next one in Chalcedon 381, the next one in Ephesus 431. One council after another, and everywhere new teachings were introduced, new baptism was introduced, everything was changed from what it was and had been at the very beginning. We cannot go into all these details, but, Friends, let me emphasize this in the name of the Lord: At the present time we do have 347 Christian denominations in the World Council of Churches joined together. But, Friends, there is only one God, one true Church of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who said, “I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” So the question arises: Are we part of a denomination and church, or are we part of the Church of Jesus Christ? In Matthew 16 our Lord emphasized and said to Peter, “Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto you, but My Father who is in heaven.” It all comes by divine revelation, but the Lord opens our normal understanding for the Scripture. That is Luke, chapter 24.
Coming back to what we try to say today in the Name of the Lord. Now before the Second Coming of Christ God promised a restoration. He said through the Prophet Malachi that He would send someone like Elijah, the Prophet, to restore all things. In Matthew 17:11 our Lord confirmed that promise from the Old Testament, saying, “Truly, Elijah shall first come and restore all things.” Again in Mark, chapter 9, verse 12, our Lord confirmed it and said, “Surely Elijah will come and restore all things.” So in this prophetic age a total restoration of all things must take place.
And, beloved Friends, Brothers and Sisters, I must tell you that God kept His Word. I must tell you that He has sent someone like Elijah in our time. And this might interest you: I am in the Kingdom of God since 1948. I am not a newcomer. Since 1947 I came to know about the grace of God, about salvation. And then from 1949 I participated in the international Pentecostal conferences in Europe and then also especially in the United States. I am acquainted with all that was going on especially after World War II.
And now, let me say this very clearly: From the time of Reformation in the past 500 years there was revival after revival. There was a Martin Luther, there was a Schwenkfeld, there was a Calvin, there was one after the other, just coming and coming. There was a Wycliffe, a John Wesley, a John Smith, William Booth, Meno Simos – many men of God were used in the past 500 years. But then, a little over one hundred years ago a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place, not only in Los Angeles at Azusa Street, all over the world, in Germany in the city of Kassel, in the city of Mülheim, everywhere the Holy Spirit fell and people were baptized and they began to praise God in various languages, inspired by the Holy Spirit. But there was not yet a breakthrough to the very beginning.
But after World War II – and this I must tell you: If I would not say what God has done in our time, if I would only know what charismatic personalities have done or are still doing, I should not even waste your time. But I am here to tell you that especially since May 1946, when Brother Branham received a direct commission from God Almighty to take a revival to the nations, and that God would give him a gift of divine healing and that a breakthrough would come by his ministry. So right from that time there was the breakthrough to this great evangelistic and healing revival that God sent after World War II. But what was the main purpose, even of the healing services? I was in Brother Branham’s meetings in West Germany and in the U.S.A. I knew him for ten years. I have seen Bible days. I have seen the same ministry the Lord gave and had. I have seen Bible days. And, Beloved, when I came to know about his commission that the message of God’s promised Word that was given unto him would be the message to forerun the Second Coming of Christ, Friends, I just thanked God that in our time in the wilderness of all of Christianity a man was sent from God with the true Word of God, bringing us back to the original teachings. And by the grace of God we shall return to the original blessings of Almighty God. So this is the time of restoration.
One more thought about baptism: So everyone in the first church in apostolic times, whether in Jerusalem, or in Samaria, whether in Ephesus, whether Jews or Gentiles or Samaritans: all were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what does Paul write in Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 3-5? “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” So, Friends, don’t waste my time, and I am not to waste your time. I am telling you without being fanatical that this is God’s time for God’s people to bring us back to the very beginning, God’s time of restoration, God’s time of preparation, God’s time of separation from all that is not in accordance with the Word of God. This is the greatest time, the most important time in the history of the New Testament Church.
May God be merciful to you, may you misunderstand nothing, but by the grace of God understand and know that God means well. By His grace we shall share other things with you in the oncoming sermons.
May the blessings of Almighty God rest upon you in the precious Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Please understand, I am touched, I am touched in my heart to share this precious Word of God with you. May God bless you, may He be with you. May He grant you plain revelation and understanding in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.