Borderline Believers

1 BORDERLINE BELIEVERS Pastor Charles Holmes 12-31-2008e

THE.CHURCH.CHOOSING.LAW.FOR.GRACE_ MIDDLETOWN.OH THURSDAY_ 61-0316 E-55 Remember, He said, "Now, as you journey, you're going up there along the borderliners. Now," said, "don't you touch Esau." Now, Esau's Mount Seir. Said, "Don't you touch him." Said, "I give him that. If you go by, if you--if you eat anything, pay him for it. If you drink any water, pay it for him. Don't touch the borderline believer, because I'll not bless you in it." See? "Don't beat him any more; just pass by quietly." Now, if the Methodists and Baptists live up there at the borderline... Every revival ever come forth produced twins. I don't care where it was at, it produces twins. One of them... It's just like--just like Esau and Jacob. They were both represented in them sons of Isaac. Esau was a man of the world. He was a religious man, cared for things, and done things for his father, and was a nice man. But Jacob had discernment. He knew that birthright meant everything, didn't make any difference how he had to get it, just so he got it. That's the spiritual man today. E-56 There's Esau, had his inheritance right there by the borderline. And God told him, told Jacob as he passed by, said, "Don't you fool with Esau. Don't join any of his organizations. Don't do any of these things here. Now, you done seen what you've had yourself down here for forty years. You want to stay another forty years?" You brethren, you want to spend another forty years in a denominational racket, fussing with your brother? Let's rise and go over. Let's go to the promised land where every promise in the Book belongs to you. "Jordan" means "death." Got to die out to yourself before you cross over. That's right. Go over there; people live in a lukewarm condition. The Bible said so. Them brethren out there on the mountain, they--they were blessed. They had--they prospered. Well, they had plenty to eat. Manna fell out of heaven. That was all right, but they were still out of the promise. Just like the Laodicean church, the Pentecostal church age. They've got blessings. But God didn't deal with them; He couldn't take them to the promised land, 'cause they wasn't conditioned to go until they got to a place that they realized they were dead in their theories. Then God took them over.

THE.CHURCH.CHOOSING.LAW.FOR.GRACE_ MIDDLETOWN.OH THURSDAY_ 61-0316 E-57 Now, when he passed by the mount of Esau, passed by the organization, what did he do? Now, there was Moab. Sure, Moab was an organization. Said, "You'll pass through his land. Don't-- don't say a word to him. I give him that." Now, He gave the Methodists their place. He gave the Baptists their place. He give the Pentecostal organizations their place. Don't say a word to them. Just pass right on by and say, "How do you do, brother? How do you do?" "But Jacob, we're on our way to Jordan." Amen, on our way to Jordan. If they say, "Well now, listen. What..." Well, don't make any difference what they say, say, "Thank you, brother. God be with you, brother." Just pass by quietly. Don't say nothing, but keep on towards Jordan, 'cause we're going up to take the promised land; it's give to us, the fullness of the power of God. Jesus said, "The things that I do, you do also."

HEARING.RECOGNIZING.ACTING.ON.THE.WORD.OF.GOD_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 60-0221 And today you'll hear a Gospel message on truth. "Now, you can be free if you want to," God speaks to you. But when you get up to that borderline here and look over, and have a knowledge of Truth, and then turn away, He bores you in the ear and you'll always be an intellectual believer. You'll be religious and go to church, but never receive the Holy Ghost. See, then you serve that the rest of your days. Now, the mark of the beast, or the Seal of God... And we're getting so close. 2 HE.CARETH.FOR.YOU_ PHOENIX.AZ V-14 N-5 TUESDAY_ 60-0301 141 That Scripture, while you're praying, I'd like to tell you. What does that Scripture refer to, "Once enlightened, never able to come to the full knowledge..."? Like the borderline believer, like in Genesis 14, or when the--when the... In Exodus, where the Israelites come up to the promised land, tasted the very grapes from the promised land; but come back with a cowardly, afraid, "We can't go over; the opposition is too great," borderline believers, people who will come to church and, oh, say it's wonderful, but never put their hand to it, never willing to fall down at an altar, and say, "God, fill me with the Spirit, and let me become one of Your children." Borderline, we don't want that. 142 Let's be a real Christian. Let this church be on fire, prayer meetings going all the time, meetings through the city, everywhere; workers, not have to be told, but willingly working all the time for the Kingdom of God.

WHY_ PHOENIX.AZ WEDNESDAY_ 60-0309 E-25 Just as the people are dying on the doctor's doorstep, men and woman today are dying in the church pews. Sinners come to the place, like borderline believers. Men and women dying in the church pew, and going out in eternity to meet God without hope. It isn't because the Gospel isn't preached; it isn't because that there isn't enough Balm for them; it's because they refused to take the Balm. They refused to take the doctor's medicine, the new birth. As I said, the other night, "The new birth is a mess." I don't care where you go at it; it's a mess, any birth is. It's a mess, and the new birth is a mess. It makes you do things that you didn't think you would do. There was some borderline believers that used to attend the meetings of Noah--Noah. Well, just like there is now, people set around all the time in the church, but they never make a move to come forward. They enjoy hearing the pastor preach and something another; but they never make a move forward. So then the first thing... They never want to put their hands into it, so they'd be identified with it. Brother... Oh, brother. Oh, I'm so glad to be identified with it. I--I want my credentials known that I'm one of them. The greatest honor I ever had, to be identified with the people that's called crazy for the Gospel's sake. Right.

INVESTMENTS_ SHREVEPORT.LA SATURDAY_ 62-1124B Don't you borderline with God. Don't you just be a good man or a good woman. You be filled with the Holy Ghost, baptized into the Body by the Holy Ghost. Don't take no hearsay nothing about it. Stay there until you're dead, and your life is new in Christ, and your whole life is changed. Just don't take an emotion, a sensation, or some... Don't do that. Stay there until something actually happens that changes you completely.

THE.BREACH.BETWEEN.THE.SEVEN.CHURCH.AGES.AND.THE.SEVEN.SEALS_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 63-0317E 79-2 {74} Now, you went out to him. He couldn't get into you, because the only way he'd get into you is come through the same process that you have. He'd have to be saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost; then he'd be your brother. So, see, so he--he didn't do it, no, no. You just went to the borderline and come back lusting for the things of the world. He never went all the way over into Canaan (You see?), across Jordan, the death to self. See?

THE.INDICTMENT_ JEFF.IN V-3 N-19 SUNDAY_ 63-0707M For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted of the good word of God, and the power of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 3 237 Is that my word, or His? "The man who comes to a knowledge." Remember, they never got It. They were borderline believers. "After we have received the knowledge of the Word of God," you get it from a knowledge, from reading and seeing It, "and then reject It, then, you, it's impossible for you to ever be saved." Did you read that now? See, "Have received a knowledge of the Truth," just, you understand it. You never got It.

241 What was that? Borderline believers. See, they were actually born in the church. They were heads of the people. They were bishops, as to say, that walked right down to where the Word of God was shown to be the Truth. "There is the land!" They had never been there. They didn't know it was there. But they come down to see it was there. "There it was!" And Caleb and Joshua went over, and brought back a--a--a bunch of grapes and let them eat some of it. And they tasted of the good land, and then went back and said, "We can't do it. See? We just can't do it." 242 Here is the same group, in the time of Jesus Christ. "Rabbi, we know Thou art a teacher come from God." See? Borderline! "We know Thou art a teacher come from God. No man could do the things that You do. We recognize that God has to be there." Why didn't they accept it? Why didn't they take it? Borderline! Borderline!

TOKEN_ JEFF.IN V-2 N-19 SUNDAY_ 63-0901M 194 Now, now look, just to believe It is not enough. Not to--to... To walk around where It's at, isn't enough. See, that's to make yourself worse, "For he that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it's sin." See, those borderline believers, Jesus spoke of the same thing. Like the spies, if they come right up here to the borderland, and looked over, and said, "Well, I know it's there, but the obstacle is too great. We look like grasshoppers," they perished in the wilderness. Borderline believers!

SOULS.THAT.ARE.IN.PRISON.NOW_ JEFF.IN V-2 N-22 SUNDAY_ 63-1110M 238 You remember Hebrews the 6th chapter, "Ones that was once made known the Truth, and refused to walk in It, there is no more repentance for them." See, a borderline believe-... When the Truth is presented to a person for the last time, and they refuse to receive It; according to the Book of Hebrews, see, they will... there is not even nothing in the world can ever save them. 239 They are finished. No repentance, no redemption, there is nothing left for them. They're Eternally separated. The Bible said so, "Looking for the fearful fire and indignation which shall devour the adversary." And when Truth of the Gospel has been proven, thoroughly vindicated, and then turn around and walk from It, they're finished. That's all. It's awful, but I have to tell it.

PARADOX_ BAKERSFIELD.CA V-22 N-5 THURSDAY_ 64-0206B 234 Who had the fruit of the Spirit? Jesus! He said, "Search the Scriptures. You think they... In Them you think you have Eternal Life. They testify of Me. They tell you Who I am." He never did come out and say Who He was. He didn't tell them. And why He got His congregation that great... He said, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His Blood," as I said last night, "you have no Life." 235 Why, my, that congregation said, "That Guy is crazy. What would doctors and science... Well, that Man trying to make cannibals." He never explained It. It was time for them to turn Him down. 236 Then He had a bunch of preachers hanging around him, borderline believers. He said, "Well, what are you going to say when you see Me ascend up from where I come from?" 237 "Come from? Well, we've seen the cradle You were born in, the city You were born in. We fished with You, out here on the hills. You, we walk with You, talk with You, and You come from...? Oh, my, now we know You're crazy." 238 But real, genuine faith don't move. Them disciples couldn't explain It, but they knowed there it was. See? It has to be something that God planted, had to be His thoughts before the foundation 4 of the world, when He planned the whole redeemed. Ephesians 1:1-5, He planned the whole thing before the foundation of the world, His thoughts, and this is the attributes of His thoughts. 239 Look at Judas standing there, as a clergyman up here, "Yes, walking in the Light," had power to heal the sick. Matthew 10 proves it. He sent them out, and they come back rejoicing, and devils was subject unto them. Judas with them! That's right. He said, "Don't rejoice that the devils is subject; but your names are written on the Lamb's Book of Life." Judas was with them. But when it come to taking the full Word of God, he turned It down. 240 So does people, today! See? Jesus said, "Man shall live by every Word," not just one or two Words. Every Word!

NUMBERS 32:5-12 5 Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. 6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? 7 And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? 8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. 10 And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, 11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

THE.CONFLICT.BETWEEN.GOD.AND.SATAN_ CLARKSVILLE.IN THURSDAY_ 62-0531 E-8 And then one day down come the greatest Warrior of all, the Lord Jesus, the Son of God. And He said, "There is a land where a man don't die. In My Father's house is many mansions. If it wasn't so, I would've told you. I go and prepare a place and return to receive you." Now, He's the Prophet that come speaking of a land just beyond the river Jordan, death, where that... Even though you got your farms, you got your families, you're blessed of God, but yet you have to die. But yet, there's a land beyond that where you don't die. Oh, my. Then He came to Kadesh-barnea, Calvary, the judgment seat again. Where the penalty of sin that caused men to die, it was met at judgment at His Kadesh-barnea. He paid the penalty of sin, died, crossed Jordan, the Jordan of death, and rose up on the third day. Coming back, and said, "Feel Me. A spirit don't have flesh and bones like Me. Got something to eat?" He eat fish and bread. And He was with them for forty days, proving, like Joshua, that the land was there. He's the evidence of the land there. Now, He said, "All that will believe this, go ye into all the world, preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned."

PUTTING.ON.THE.WHOLE.ARMOR.OF.GOD_ S.PINES.NC THURSDAY_ 62-0607 E-53 So here He was. And He said, "After man is finished here and you've lived your time out... This is seed time, but there is a land beyond this that a man lives." He came to His Kadesh- barnea. It's called Calvary. There not only was He judged, but He was judged for you and I. He took the sins of Adam. And there He stood the judgment, crossed over the river of Jordan of death. But on the third day He come back. What was He? Bringing the evidence, like Joshua; He brought the evidence that the land's real. A man lives after death. Hallelujah. Man lives after he dies. 5 Job said in Job 14: "If a man dies, can he live again? Or shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change comes. I know my Redeemer liveth." Being a prophet hundreds of years before... When Elihu talked to him and--and the Spirit of God came up on this prophet, broke out in boils, and in a terrible shape... He'd lost everything he had but his life. E-54 And he was setting there, and the Spirit come upon him. He looked down through the stream of time for four thousand years, and he saw the coming of the Lord. He said, "I know my Redeemer liveth, and at the last days he will stand on the earth. Though the skin worms destroys this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Who I'll see for myself, mine eyes shall behold, and not another." And here He was crossed over Jordan after He stood the judgment for the world. And crossed over Jordan, He come back. Some of them said, "It's a spirit." Said, "Just handle me. Does a spirit have bones and flesh like I got? And by the way," He says, "have you got something to eat?" Yes. And they give Him fish and bread. And He eat it. He said, "Now, spirit don't eat like this." Amen.

WHAT.SHALL.WE.DO.WITH.THIS.JESUS.CALLED.CHRIST_ PHOENIX.AZ SUNDAY 64-0126 147 Just a minute, I got a note here I want to bring to you before closing. 148 Like the spies on the road to the promised land. They was in an exodus, coming out of Egypt, come out by a promised Word of God. God made His Word known by a prophet, Moses, sent him down there. He was identified that He was the God to bring him out under the conditions that He'd promised to, the "I AM." 149 When they come to the borderland, Kadesh-barnea, the great mistake they made, when they got to the land and looked over into the promised land, they said, "We can't take it." What was the other ten? They looked at the circumstances, the prestige they would lose. "We are grasshoppers, to the side of them." 150 But Joshua and Caleb checked up. They went back to the Word, and the Lord said, "I give you this land! It's a good land, flowing with milk and honey." They didn't count what it looked like, what this was, and what this evidence was. God's Word said, "I give it to you! Go get it!" And they were the only ones that went in.

PROVING.HIS.WORD_ JEFF.IN V-9 N-6 SUNDAY_ 64-0816 11 Watch when they got to Kadesh-barnea. At Kadesh-barnea, Moses sent out one out of each tribe, to go spy out the land, see which way they was to enter. And he sent his general, Joshua, which was a prophet, so he sent a minor prophet under Moses. And Joshua listened to Moses. And they sent him out, so he said, "Go over and spy that land out."

DOES.GOD.EVER.CHANGE.HIS.MIND.ABOUT.HIS.WORD_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 65-0418E 172 But what happened? Balaam, he succeeded in weakening Israel. What did he do? He weakened their camp. God let him go and weaken their camp, and it polluted the whole camp. And when some doctrine starts, that's not the Bible Truth, it pollutes the whole camp. Somebody raise up with a different idea, like Korah, and say, "Well, this, that, and the other, and I got a different idea," it pollutes the whole camp. And that's what's done the whole church camp today. That's right. 173 Teaching as he did, weakening the whole camp for Kadesh-barnea, the Word showdown. When they got to Kadesh-barnea, then, the weakening of the camp. They come back. They had went right after... Remember, they had eat angels' food. They had the Word of God, every night, made manifest. And they eat the food. They drink from the rock. They did all, seen the miracles. They watched Moses, and seen his word, seen his prophesies, everything. And then finally when they listened to this false teacher, come in among them and teach wrong, he weakened the camp, and prospered by it. 6 He might have built a million-dollar buildings. He might have had great denominations. He might have added thousands times thousands, and done great works, and mighty works, and was a prophet. That's alright, but, as long as it's not with the Word of God, you better stay away from it. God don't change His mind. Stay right with His Word, 'cause that's what's going to come out in the end, the Word, Word by Word. "Whosoever shall take one Word away from It, or add one word to It!" It's got to stay, that Word.