Words and Promises are Cheap
Jerry Wilhite, author We have allowed words and promises of all kinds to be cheap and meaningless. This study will have scripture, but unlike most instead of being a study around scripture it is scripture used to aid the study. Every word and promise God has stated through the Bible has become ineffectual based on how we have allowed words in general to become meaningless. I started to understand this when I first learned saying "God Bless you" when someone sneezed was taking God's name in vain. What I mean is that when we over use a word it has less meaning. When we use God in a way that it is no more than just a word it is meaningless. Some of you are thinking as I did, "but it is blessing someone. Surely that can not be taking God's name in vain?" It is; whenever you use His name or Him in anyway other than the most hallowed way it is taking it in vain. You can say "Bless you" instead, and then when you do use God in time you will see it has more of an impact on how you use it. It will mean more to YOU. Another word I soon found was the word good. The word God and good are from the same root word and "good" should not be used but in the most extreme cases and then considered wisely. Instead of saying something is good, say it is alright or ok. Or even use the right word instead. What I mean by right word is that we have gotten lazy and use certain words for more than they should be and in doing so have made the outcome less than it is. You can say, "This tastes delicious." instead of, "This is very good." Matthew 5 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. In the above verse "good works" is also "Godly works". Matthew 19 16. And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17. And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the comandments. If no one is good except God, then the word good itself can and should only be used in reference to God. Remember Satan has been here a lot longer than you and all you think highly of put together. Do not underestimate Satan; he is not stupid, we are. He knows very well that promises made by words only are kept or are lost. In making words ineffectual he has eliminated the promises. Satan starts by planting thoughts. If you do not realize you have had no original thought, start being honest with yourself. All thoughts you have, have had, or will ever have, already have been thought by someone else before you, and will be thought by someone after you. And another thing, all thoughts come from one of two places only.
Some of you are now thinking I am nitpicking. I am not, and if you take the time to read this study and think about it, ask God about it, you will realize why we do not get many of the promises of God in our life.
2 Corinthians 10
5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
We are judged not by action or thought, but by every word we speak.
Since everything God has promised is in words, then when words lose their meanings the promises are lost as well.
What promises?
Genesis 12
2. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Galatians 3
29. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Remember being saved does not make you of Christ. Being saved means you have the spirit of God in you, and you are saved from death, Hell and the grave. Then there is growth, growth into the church, and then into the body of Christ.
Salvation
In this life there are 3 steps as well, that is if we are born again. But what is born again?
John 3
3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.8.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10. Jesus answered and said unto him,
Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?11.
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.12.
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?13.
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.14.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:15.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.16.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.So once you are born again you are saved, but you are not of the church or the body of Christ yet. Before you get your tail feathers ruffled over what I just said, take a moment to open your mind and read what I have to show from scripture. Then take it to God and ask Him. If ever you hear anything that God says is not true do not walk away, but run away from the source of the lie. Do not try to change them by debate, email, etc, but take it to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to handle it. He is much more capable to do this than we, plus He will not make mistakes, but we can and in making a mistake we may push a person even further the wrong way.
So before you do anything you MUST be hearing from God. Yes, that is right, YOU MUST be hearing from God. In the Old Testament there were men and women of God to whom the majority would go to learn the truth. Now we are ALL to be men and women of God.
John 2
21. But he spake of the temple of his body.
I Corinthians 3
16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
So understand that when you are saved you have the Spirit of God in you (you are a temple of God) but you do not have the Spirit on, and through you yet. The name Jesus in Hebrew means salvation, and through the name of Jesus you are saved.
Romans 10
9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
This is necessary for all to grow and become solid in your salvation to the point nothing can ever take it from you, or confuse you, or make you doubt it.
Romans 8
16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
You can only hear this when you are hearing the voice of God. That comes from your taking the time to listen and hear His voice. Now imagine if you wanted to learn to read and write but you did not want to invest any time in it. It just would not happen. How much more is the blessing that comes from knowing God on a one on one basis. From this one on one relationship with God you will be blessed with all the fruit of God.
Galatians 5
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Jesus even said we would be known by the our fruit.
Matthew 7
20.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.21.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23.
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.So many take "faith without works is dead" as meaning they have to go out and work, but the actual truth is that when faith works IT goes out and works. When we do it, it is not faith, but us that is at work.
Hebrews 11
1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4.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.
Both offerings in appearance would have been good, but only one was of faith, something that only God could see.
5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
How does faith come?
Romans 10
17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
For more on faith, Click Here
Now as you grow from the moment of your salvation to the revealed knowledge of Who Jesus is as the Christ and true Son of God, your growth is into being a part of the church.
A church is not buildings, or people, but individuals with personal relationships with God. A relationship that He reveals unto all and first who we are and who Jesus is.
Romans 8
16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Church
Matthew 16
15.
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
16. And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.17.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.In verse 16 the name Peter in Greek is Petros. Petros means Peter, but mostly they both mean a "piece of the rock". The word rock is Petras or bedrock. In verse 15 Jesus tells Peter it was REVEALED knowledge of the Father about Who Jesus is as the Christ and Son of God that made him petros. So when God reveals to you Who Jesus is as the Christ and The Son of God you are then a piece of the rock or church.
Now you have gone two steps in your growth here, 1st salvation through Jesus, 2nd becoming a part of the church via revealed knowledge. Remember Hosea 4:6 God said His children are destroyed due to a lack of knowledge. Are you starting to understand the importance of knowledge?
Body Of Christ
"Christ" is a Greek word that means "The Anointed One and His Anointing". Anointed means being rubbed in and on. Jesus told us that being anointed was having the Spirit of the Lord upon Him. Another way to look at it is think of a dry sponge placed in a bowl of water. We would be the dry sponge and the anointing is the water.
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the LORD {is} upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the good news (gospel) to {the} poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to {the} captives "
And in I Cor. 1:24 "but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, The Anointed One and His Anointing (Christ) the power of God and the wisdom of God." we are told that Christ, or the Anointed One and his Anointing is the power and wisdom of God.
In Is. 10:27 (KJV) we are told that the anointing removes burdens and destroys yokes. A yoke is anything that weighs you down, like sin, sickness, debt, etc... All through the Old Testament times the Jews were told of a coming of the Anointed, and how, when the Anointing came, it would bring yoke destroying, burden removing power. Remember what I Cor. 1:24 says, "Christ (The Anointed) the power and wisdom of God." Who else could destroy yokes? God, of course!
So the Jews were looking for the Messiah which is Hebrew for the "Anointed One". The Jews
admit Jesus was a prophet and a teacher and that He did great works; they just don't admit He was the Christ (the Anointed One).
So what do we know so far?
Some call the anointing being "in-filled" with the Spirit of God, but the anointing comes after one is saved, of the church, and asks for it, but they have to be hearing from God on a one on one basis to be anointed.
I John 2:20-27
20. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
John 14
26.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.Jesus is the word become flesh John 1:14, God is the soul (mind, will and emotions) of the trinity. Christ was the manifestation of God on Jesus. If we are of Christ we are of the manifestation of God on, in, and through us.
Understand your growth in the kingdom of God is based on the time you put in. The more time now, the sooner you will be blessed in all ways.
Below I have scripture to show you just how blessed you can be.
Mark 11
22. And Jesus answering saith unto them,
Have faith in God.23.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.24.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.25.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.26.
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.Mark 5
24. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
25. And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26. And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27. When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30. And Jesus, imediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said
, Who touched my clothes?31.
And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?32. And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
33. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
As stated in I Cor. 1:24 the power of God is in Christ, and it states in the same verses that those of Christ are of the power and wisdom of God. Not the church, not those of Jesus (salvation) but of Christ only. Above Mark 5:24-34 Jesus felt power leave; the power is that of Christ, and the same power is in, on and through those of Christ. Even though someone calls upon Jesus and is saved and does have the Spirit of God in them and connected in them to their spirit they do not have the Spirit in, on and through as in Christ.
There are many verses dealing with the power in Christ, and that Jesus' name means "salvation", and professing as it is stated in Romans 10:9--10. As shown in Matthew 18:15-19 we become part of the church when God the Father reveals to us who Jesus is as the Christ and the true Son of God.
1 Corinthians 1
24. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Before you seek God's anointing, understand you need to replace judging (Matthew 7:1-5) with forgiveness. If you have truly forgiven then you have also forgotten what was needed to be forgiven. You will not continually dwell on it and it will eventually fade away.
Here are a few scriptures to meditate on about this subject.
John 3
34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
John 5
38. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
John 6
63. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
2-27-04 H.O.M.E.