Jesus' Most Important Words

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2013, all rights reserved.

Chapter 1

I don't remember what church I was at, but I heard a speaker say that the Lord told him that the most important words that ever came out of His mouth are the words in Mark 16:17,18, about the signs that are supposed to follow the believers.

I was not a witness to that revelation, but it does sound to me like something the Lord would say.

Would there be any reason that the Lord would want to emphasize that at about this time?

Yes, I believe there is quite a scarcity of those signs following the believers in the churches today.

Here is that passage of scripture:  "And these signs shall follow those who believe, in my name they'll cast out devils, they'll speak with new languages,  they shall pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it won't hurt them.  They shall lay hands on the sick, and they'll recover." Mark 16:17,18)

Now I don't believe we're supposed to start grabbing poisonous snakes.  You pick up serpents the same way the Apostle Paul did, unintentionally, when he put some sticks on the fire after the shipwreck in Acts chapt 28.

The Bible says, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God." (Matt 4:7)   So, we're not supposed to intentionally drink a deadly thing.  But if you unintentionally drink a wrong thing, or if someone tries to poison you, you're covered.

But those other three signs should be visible in the churches, namely, the casting out of demons, the speaking in unknown tongues, and the healing of sick people.

There was a young woman who was telling me about a church she knew about.  I asked her, "Do they have the signs following of Mark 16?"

She gave me an incorrect answer.  She said, "Jesus said an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign,"  as though I had asked a question I shouldn't have asked.

No, this young woman was comparing apples to oranges.  Jesus spoke those words when the Pharisees asked for a sign.  They hadn't accepted Jesus as Messiah, as Savior. (Matt 12:38,39)

I wasn't asking for a sign that Jesus is the Savior.  I had already accepted Jesus as Savior.  I was interested in finding evidence that a church is a good church or not such a good church.

If a church doesn't have the signs following of Mark 16, then that's a church I'd rather not attend.

Notice a little later in the same chapter of Mark 16, verse 20,  "And they went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.  Amen."

When the gospel is preached, then the Lord would like to confirm the word with signs following.  Of course, it depends somewhat on what was preached.

Perhaps the Lord can't do much confirming if what was preached was shallow.

The way for the preacher to ensure that his preaching is good, he should be sure that he's baptized in the Holy Ghost with the speaking in unknown tongues.  He should pray some in unknown tongues everyday, building up himself on his most holy faith. (Jude vs. 20)

Then he will have the rivers of living water, spoken of in John 7:38.  It says, "...out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

As you may be aware, we speak from the area of our bellies.  We have a muscle called the diaphragm, which when we speak, pushes up against the lungs, and air comes out our mouths.

But to qualify for the rivers of living water, first get the Baptism with the Holy Ghost from Jesus.  When you pray, believe that you receive the things you ask for, and you shall have them. (Mark 11:24)

The Apostle Paul said, "I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all..." (1 Cor 14:18)

A teacher said the Lord told him, "You don't have to go sit and judge at church, just see at the end of the preaching whether I confirm the word with signs following."

Sad to say, there doesn't seem to be very much of the Lord confirming the word with signs following in today's churches, as far as I can tell, and from what I hear.

The speaking with unknown tongues (languages) comes when the Lord baptizes a Christian with the Holy Ghost.  You get it from Jesus.  Ask and you shall receive. (Matt chapt 7)

The evidence that a person has received the Baptism with the Holy Ghost is that they speak in unknown tongues, a language that they haven't learned, and don't understand.  But God understands all languages.

Paul says, "If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit is praying..." (1 Cor 14:14)

In Matthew, in Mark, in Luke, and in John, John the Baptist says that Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Ghost.

But there are churches today, and even whole denominations, that mostly don't have the Baptism with the Holy Ghost with the speaking in unknown tongues.

I was listening to the radio one evening, and Charles Stanley's program came on.  As I listened to Stanley speak, he said nothing I disagreed with.  But afterward, I wrote him a letter and asked him whether he speaks in unknown tongues.

I received an answer from his offices about a month later.  There were some photocopied pages from a book that Stanley had written.  Stanley believes that the Baptism with the Holy Ghost has been done away with.

He's dead wrong about that.

There's no scripture to support that position.  And I have scripture to show that the Baptism with the Holy Ghost has not been done away with.

In each of the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, John the Baptist says Jesus is the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost, and in Hebrews, we're told, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Heb 13:8)

So then, if Jesus was the baptizer with the Holy Ghost, and Jesus is always the same, then Jesus still is the baptizer with the Holy Ghost, but he won't force it on you.

Jesus said, "Seek and you'll find, ask and you'll receive..." (Matt chapt 7)

He's already told us that he wants us to have it, but if Christians won't ask him for it, and believe to receive, then they can wait and shed tears on Judgment Day when they find out how much more they could have accomplished if they had cooperated with the Lord by asking Him for and receiving the Baptism with the Holy Ghost with the speaking in unknown tongues.

"When you pray, believe that you receive the things you ask for, and you shall have them." (Mark 11:24)

Chapter 2

If the Baptism with the Holy Ghost has been done away with, then how did I get it when I was about fourteen years old?  And how have I been able every day since then to pray in a language that I've never learned and don't understand?

Stanley might be OK on some matters of Theology, but on the Baptism with the Holy Ghost, Stanley is way off track.  What a pity.

The Lord wants every Christian have the Baptism with the Holy Ghost with the speaking in unknown tongues.  They will have more power when they get it. (Acts 1:8)

If you have a tree that needs to be cut down, would you rather use a Boy Scout hatchet or a chain saw?  The chain saw will get the job done much faster, and with much less effort, because it has more power.  (But children should not be using chain saws.)

Similarly, the Baptism with the Holy Ghost will provide you with more power as a Christian, and to reject the Baptism with the Holy Ghost is to miss the perfect will of God for you.

My wife and I were visiting our friend, Vernon Ritchie, in Baton Rouge, LA, and we went to church together.  At that service, they had a guest speaker, Harold Bredeson.  He taught on the Baptism with the Holy Ghost, and at the end, he gave an invitation for those who wanted to receive the Baptism with the Holy Ghost.

My friend, Vernon, went forward at the invitation, and before we went home, he had received the Baptism with the Holy Ghost with the speaking in unknown tongues.

The subject needs to be taught, and the invitation needs to be given.  But if the churches won't teach on it, and won't give the invitation, then fewer Christians will receive it.

Of course, I can understand a pastor not teaching on the Baptism with the Holy Ghost if he has not received it for himself.

It seems rather presumptuous for a man to accept a position as pastor if he doesn't have that added power Jesus spoke of, and advocated in Acts 1:8.  Then the church first got it in Acts chapt 2.  And see Acts chapt 10 and chapt 19.

It is hard to find a church that casts out demons (or, devils).  That seems to be a rare activity in American churches.  And yet, there are lots of crazy people who need demons cast out of them.  But where would they go to find help?

Haven't there been at least a dozen cases of serial killers or mass murderers in the last decade?  All those people needed to have demons cast out of them.  But what churches are doing that?

I am sure the Lord is very disappointed.

There is a scripture about, "Having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof."  (2 Tim 3:5)

What a pity when people call themselves Christians but don't have the signs following of Mark chapt 16.

There may even be some who've called themselves Christians but don't make it to heaven because they had absolutely none of the signs following.

Is there any scripture to support that?  Yes there is.  Jesus said, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and don't do the things I say." (Luke 6:46)

If we're calling ourselves Christians, then we should have the signs following of Mark chapt 16.

That teaching that once you're saved, you're always saved is a lie.  I've written about this before.

There will be people who called themselves Christians on earth who will wind up in hell. (Matt 7:22,23)  But I will try to make sure that I'm not one of them.

It's not just crazy people that need demons cast out.  Not long ago on C-SPAN they were interviewing a successful businessman who had difficulty reading because of dyslexia.  Dyslexia is caused by a demon that needs to be cast out.

Many of the afflictions that people go to Psychiatrists and Psychologists about are cases where demons need to be cast out, and yet I don't think those professionals receive training in how to cast out demons.  The fact is, they can't cast out demons unless they are Christians. (Acts 19:13-16)

What is the advantage in going to one of those professionals for help if they can't cast out the demon causing the problem?

What they can do, of course, is write a prescription for medication that will keep the patient doped up, but that doesn't get rid of the demon or demons causing the affliction.

The healing of the sick should be a normal part of church.  There is lots of scripture on healing, including Ex 15:26, Psa 103, 1 Pet 2:24, Rom 8:2, Gal 3:13,14.

For a list of healing scriptures, please see my book, "A Collection of Promises from God for his People."  (Amazon.com)

An authority on diving healing was Kenneth E. Hagin, who wrote nearly a hundred books, most of which are best sellers.  Go to www.Rhema.org

It is unfortunate that American Christians have gotten into the habit of going to the doctor instead of looking to the Lord for their healing.

Please see my book, "How to do Just Fine Without Health Insurance, Legally."

Kenneth E. Hagin healed a lot of people in his meetings.  Aimee Semple McPherson was known for miracles of healing in her services at Angeles Temple, ninety years ago.

People who need healing should apply James 5:14,15.  If you can't get that done at your church, ask the Lord about what church to go to instead of that church that won't do James 5:14,15.

Another authority on divine healing is Dr. Norvel Hayes, (www.nhm.cc)

Another is Charles Capps, (www.CharlesCapps.com)

And I have various books on divine healing at www.Amazon.com

Many illnesses are caused by demons that need to be cast out.  There are some demons that don't go without prayer and fasting, Jesus said.

Psalm 103 tells us that the Lord forgives our sins and heals our diseases.  Some people know about Jesus the Savior, but don't know about Jesus the Healer.

If Christians were getting their healings from the Lord, then the current health care crisis wouldn't be a problem, nor an expense for them.  The Lord heals for free.  But you get it by faith, as Kenneth E. Hagin learned.

Of course there can be some persecution for Christians, but then, I think you already knew that.

With or without persecutions, we Christians have the best thing going for us:  Jesus.

___James chapter 1

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.

2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,

3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,

10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.

11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.

18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.

21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,

24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2

1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,

3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"

4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

6 But you have despised the poor.  Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?

7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?

8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,

9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill."  Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.

12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.

14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works?  Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,

16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?

17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."

19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."

24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3

1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all.  If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.

4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.

5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.  See how great a matter a little fire kindles!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.

7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,

8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be.

11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries?  Or a vine, figs?  So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you?  Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.

15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4

1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from?  Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?

2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.

3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.

4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.

5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"

6 But he gives more grace.  So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.

11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers.  He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?

13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"

14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."

16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5

1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.

3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire.  You've heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.

5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.

6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.

7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.

8 You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.

9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.

10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 See, we count them happy that endure.  You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.

13 Is anyone among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is anyone merry?  Let him sing psalms.

14 Is anyone sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.

16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.

17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,

20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.