Does It Really Matter? Lesson 3

      Many things have been said about "who" and "what," we are as Christians.  Some are Truth and some are foolishness.  Many believers try to fulfill the Law of Moses and walk under the Ten Commandments, while others have misunderstand what Grace is, believing they can live any way they wish and be okay with God.

     Paul instructed Timothy in 2Tim.2:15(Amp), "Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved, tested by trial, a workman who has no cause to be ashamed; correctly analyzing and accurately dividing (rightly handling and skillfully teaching teaching the Word of Truth)."

     In order to "rightly and accurately divide the Word of Truth," we must understand the change our covenant under Grace and the old covenant under The Law, Jesus brought about after His Resurrection.  Many under Grace still see themselves as under The Law.  They still expect our Heavenly Father to deal with them as He did with those under the first covenant.  Instead of leaning on Jesus for healing, they expect God to put hardship on them, in order to correct and discipline them.  We have failed to understand that we're not like those under the Law, but have been made a new creation and are God's family.

     Those under the first covenant weren't born-again and were still dead in trespass and sin.  We've been made alive and have become one with God, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  God didn't change.  He still corrects and disciplines His children, like a loving Father.  God didn't change, but He changed us.  He disciplines, leads and corrects us through His Word and His Spirit, as new creation children through Jesus.  2Tim.3:16-17(Amp) says, "Every scripture is God-Breathed (given by His Inspiration) and is profitable for instruction, for reproof and for conviction of sin, for correction of error, and for discipline in obedience; and for training in Righteousness, in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action. So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well-fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."

     If we don't understand the difference between how God deals with us now and how He dealt with those under the Law, then we will be double-minded, having doubt and unbelief concerning His Word.  James4:7(Amp) says, "So be subject to God. Resist the devil (stand firm against him), and he will flee from you."  If we don't know whether it's God testing us or the devil trying to kill us, then we're not subject to God and are in unbelief.  This results in our being complacent and not resisting the devil, because we're unable to rightly divide God's Word of Truth.  We might be revving our motors, but we're still stuck in neutral and going nowhere.

     If it's God, then we're to be subject to Him, but it's it's the devil, then we're to resist him.  If we don't know which it is, then we're not in a position to to anything, other than complain and wonder "why is God doing this?"  We're not called to fight the devil, because he is already defeated by Jesus.  We're simply called to resist him by God's Word, which is the Sword of the Spirit.  When we do this, then satan will flee from us. 

     In Matt.6:33(Amp), Jesus says that we are called to, "Seek first of all His Kingdom and His Righteousness (His way of doing and being right)."  Many are shocked to learn that God has a way of doing and being.  What is His way of doing?  Many dismiss the Revelation of our speaking to certain things, as "name it and claim it."  This though, is God's way of doing and being right.  He created everything by Words and Jesus' entire ministry was based on Words.  Jesus said, "I only say what I hear My Father say."

     Jesus says in Mark11:23(Amp), "Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him."  Do you speak to God about the mountain or do you speak to the mountain about God?  Do you believe in your heart that it will move or do you believe it cannot move?  Do you believe more it what someone has said about "blab it and grab it" or what God's Word says?  Are you hearing and believing in God's Word or hearing and believing more in what others say?

     Do words really matter?  This entire planet and universe is ruled and run, by words.  Many have taken no thought about the power of words in this age.  Have you noticed how our nation has changed so drastically, in the last few years?  It has all come about by words.  The changes in our schools, our churches, our believing the Constitution and our history, along with our biological bodies, have been brought about by the replacement of words.

     We've replaced everything God ordained for and in America, with our words.  The mandates that have no authority, according to our Constitution, have held people in bondage for over three years now.  Churches have been forbidden to hold services and proclaim God's Word, by leaders enacting emergency mandates.  If the words of the enemy and leaders can change things in our lives and nation so drastically, then can our speaking God's Words change things too?  Does it really matter?

     We, God's Church, are in spiritual welfare and are instructed to submit ourselves to God's Word and resist the devil; then he will flee from us.  It's about time we submit to God and speak the Words He has given us, causing satan to flee.  

  

Does It Really Matter? Lesson 2

     John3:34(Amp) says, "For since He Whom God has sent speaks the Words of God (proclaims God's Own Message), God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the Gift God makes of His Spirit!"

     Rom.10:17(Amp) says, "So then faith comes by hearing what is told, and what is heard comes by the preaching (of the Message that comes from the lips) of Christ (the Messiah Himself)."

     One of the first preachers I heard, after being born-again, was Charles Capps.  He has since gone Home to be with the Lord, but the revelation of what he spoke has gone on in me ever since.  He preached about the "words of our mouth" and "watching the words of our mouth."  Much has been taught about our confession since that time and much of the Light of Truth has been lost about it.  Many call it, "name it and claim it" or "blab it and grab it," but these are men's interpretation, without Revelation.

     Does it really matter?  Do we just want to go to Heaven when we die or do we want to walk victoriously with God?  Is our salvation something held in the future or can we truly walk in God's Presence and Power on this earth?  Do the words we continually speak mean anything?  

     Let's delve into God's Word and find the answers to these questions.  Let's start though, recognizing that this planet and the universe are controlled by words.  We're free in this country, because of the words held in our Constitution and the "Declaration of Independence."  Others are held in bondage and slavery, to a government that makes proclamations over them.  Wars have come about, because of words that are spoken and heeded.

     Prov.4:24(Amp) says, "Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you."  Prov.8:13(Amp) says, "The reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord (includes) the hatred of evil: pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate."  Prov.10:32(Amp) says, "The lips of the uncompromising righteous know and are therefore utter what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked knows and therefore speaks only what is obstinate, willful and contrary."  Prov.12:18(Amp) says, "There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."  Prov.13:2-3(Amp) continues, "A good man eats good from the fruit of his mouth, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence, He who guards his mouth keeps his life, but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin."

     Prov.14:3(Amp) says, "In the fools own mouth, is a rod to shame high pride, but the wise man's lips preserve them."  Prov.15:4(Amp) says, "A gentle tongue with its healing power is a tree of life, but willful contrariness in it breaks down the spirit."  Prov.16:23-24(Amp) says, "The mind of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning and persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are as a honey comb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body."  Prov.18:20-21(Amp) says, "A  man's moral self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth: and with the consequences of his words he must be satisfied, whether good or evil. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it for death or life."  Prov.21:23(Amp) says, "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles."  Prov.22:17-18(Amp) admonishes, "Listen, consent and submit to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge For it will be pleasant if you keep them in mind, believing them, your lips will be accustomed to confessing them."

     Psalm17:4(Amp) tells us, "Concerning the works of men, by the word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent, the paths of the destroyer."  Psalm12:3-4(Amp) says, "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongues that speak proud boasting. Those who say, with out tongues we prevail; our lips are our own to command at our will, who is Lord and Master over us?"

     Jesus told His followers in Matt.12:36-7(Amp), "But I tell you, on the Day of Judgement men will have to give account for every idle, inoperative, non-working word they speak. For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced."

     I've provided many scriptures, but I'm not saying that we will go around quoting them like parrots.  I am saying though, that our words must line up with God's Word.  Words are the most powerful thing on this planet and God has given them to men and women.  We're the only ones who can speak and proclaim God's Word or repeat the enemy's words.  Words have the ability to create or destroy.

     Our Heavenly Father used Words to create everything.  Jesus used words to stop storms, raise the dead, cast out demons, kill the fig tree, fed the multitude with five loaves and fishes, along with so many other things.  Jesus told us in Mark11:23(Amp), "If you believe what you say you could move a mountain and whatever you believe in your heart and say with your mouth, you would have whatsoever you say."

     What words are we saying, that we believe in our hearts?  Jesus didn't say that if we only spoke His Word, that we would have whatsoever we said.  Do we believe His Word and speak according to them?  Or, are we speaking contrary to His Word and receiving accordingly?  Could we be speaking words into our lives, that are bringing things we don't wish?

      

Does It Really Matter?

      I hear people saying, "I don't believe we have to do all that, in order to go to Heaven."  If you have truly received Jesus as your Lord and are born-again, then I guess that is alright.  But, do you honestly just want to go to Heaven or do you want to walk and live in God, while we're here on earth?

     Jesus tells us in Matt.6:33(Amp), "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His Kingdom and His Righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides."  What is God's way of doing and being right?  The Kingdom of Heaven has Spiritual Laws that it functions by, just like we function by laws here.

     When we violate or don't walk by God's Laws, then God's will and way won't be allowed to do as He wants and things won't be like He wants.  God is not fair, He is just.  He cannot and will not violate His Word, not even for us.  If He violates one part of His Word, then we can't depend on any of it, because it has become unreliable.  This doesn't mean that we're not saved, but we aren't operating in Kingdom Principles and Spiritual Laws.  

     I'm not talking about the Law of Moses, because Jesus was the Only One Who fulfilled that Law.  In Jesus though, God sees us as having fulfilled it too.  We have Spiritual Laws that work here on earth, that we can't violate either.  Gravity is a Spiritual Law that God put in place, when creating this planet.  One can supersede the Law of Gravity, but no one can remove it.  We can make airplanes fly, using the Law of Lift and Thrust, but the planes will fall to the earth if the engines are turned off.

     Spiritual Laws of the Kingdom supersede the laws that govern earth, but the earthly laws don't go away.  Jesus superseded the Law of Gravity, when He walked on the water.  The Apostle Peter dared to try this too, saying, Lord if it be You, bid me to come to You," in Matt.14:28-30.  Jesus answered, "Come."  Peter could also walk on water, at least for a short time, by allowing the Kingdom Law to overcome the natural Law of Gravity.

     Many believe that believing and trusting God's Word is "too far out."  I'm not sure how anyone can have too much of God in his/her life, but I believe religion has caused us to be in unbelief, concerning the Truth.  Does it make a difference what we say"  Does it matter how much time we spend in God's Word?  Does it matter what we are hearing?  Does it matter whether or not we assemble and go to church?  

     Does it matter how we're raising our children, what they're learning, where they go to school or what college they attend?  Does it really matter who they hang out with or how much time they spend on-line?  Are there certain things we don't want our children to do, because they could be harmed or unsuccessful in the future, due to these things?  It's the same with our Heavenly Father, Who Loved us so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son to die in our place, in order to bring us back to Him.

     God's ways are Righteous or right, in the very Kingdom we have come into, through Jesus.  There are ways of doing things that open the doors to Blessing and there are things that will stop the Blessing.  Sin doesn't only include the bad things we do.  Some of the words for sin include, "error" or "missing the mark."  School teachers grade their students on the work we do.  We might have failed a math test, because we missed the mark or erred.  This doesn't mean we can no longer do math, but we must do it correctly, in order to receive a passing grade.  There are laws that govern mathematics.  They must be done correctly and will not bring about the truth, if they're done any other way.  This is why we have teachers.  This is also why the Holy Spirit is the Teacher of the Church.  The Bible is His textbook that teaches us and gives us understanding on how the Kingdom works.  

     We're not kicked out of our own country and no longer citizens, simply because we failed math.  There are certain things though, that we don't qualify for, like being a math teacher.  If we miss the mark or fail math, then we'll probably never become a banker, because that position requires our being able to count.  If you can't count, then I wouldn't want you to be my banker. 

     If you're a math teacher, but all you teach is what you learned in preschool, then what good would that provide high school students?  As Christians, our Father requires that we learn how to function in His Kingdom, while we're still here on earth.  Saying it "doesn't matter how we do things," is like saying, "I don't need to learn math, in order to be an American citizen."  This is why it really does matter, in our Christian walk and life with God.

     If one relocates from Ireland to America, then he/she must learn how to live by America's laws.  People in Ireland drive on the opposite side of the road, but does it really matter which side they drive on here?