Monday, May 21, 2012

apostles & prophets / NT Church

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet


8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Eph. 4


"When he ascended up" ... after Jesus arose ... after the crucifixion and the resurrection ...

"HE gave (to the NT church) some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; ... for the work of the ministry"

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Paul was not the last apostle, but the first New Testament apostle.  Paul was not like the other apostles.  Paul did not see Jesus when Jesus walked on the earth in the flesh.  It was not until after the crucifixion that God revealed Jesus to Paul.  Road to Damascus ... Acts. 9


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Many years ago, after being named by prophecy as an "apostle", I was shocked.

I said to God, "Apostle ... what's an apostle ... what does an apostle do?" 

I had several confirmations that I was called as a prophet to the NT church but the apostle calling was new to me.

At this point in time (approximately 1979) there were people in our church group who identified themselves as "prophets" but I didn't know of anyone who identified himself in today's church group as "apostle".  I didn't know any in our group or even in the groups I had visited.

I asked one of the Bible teachers at our church group what apostles do.  His answer was rather vague.

I asked him if he knew any apostles in our church group or the other church groups and his answer was vague.

SO I BEGAN ASKING GOD ABOUT NT APOSTLES IN TODAY'S CHURCH AND I DEPENDED ON GOD TO SHOW ME WHAT THIS MEANT IN TODAY'S CHURCH ...

And I believe God showed me ...

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My attention was first called to Acts 15 ...

6And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter


A problem had arisen in the church.  After considering that problem, Peter spoke.  Paul spoke.  Then James gave the ruling which would be the "law" on the issue at hand.

13And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. 18Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.  Acts 15

God showed me the work is a bit like a judge in the supreme court of the United States.

The case is presented.
The judges consider it.
A decision is reached based on the law books.
And one of the judges presents the ruling.

In the case of the church, the "law book" is the Bible.

The Holy Spirit rules.

And the "apostle" who has the ruling on the matter at hand presents it.

And in the church, we do this all the time.  What about the subject of adultery?  What about the subject of remarriage after divorce? 

One case after another arises in the church.

God showed me that apostles are appointed by HIM to consider the case at hand and present decisions by the mouth of the Holy Spirit who calls to mind various scriptures, dreams, or other situations to shed God's light on the matter at hand.

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God gave me one scripture to show the work of a prophet ... The scripture is in OT but it defines prophet.

13And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved. Hosea 12:13


by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt  ... Prophets are used by God to help individuals to get out of various traps ... to get out of various bondages ... to get free ...

An example:  A teacher at our church group had begun going to bar at night.  Somehow I found out about it and I told him to do following:  "Before leaving for the bar, sit down with Bible and write out an exhortation for me and mail it to me."

He did this for about 6 days and then he stopped.

He told me he was losing his desire to go to the bar so he stopped sending the daily exhortation to me.

Had he continued in this plan, I believe he would have been completely free from the desire to go to the bar.

But he didn't continue because he knew it was going to stop him and he really wanted to continue in the going to bar.

Over and over, I have been used this way with church people who are trapped in some problem. 

and by a prophet was he preserved. Hosea 12:13

Not only does that NT prophet help a person to get out of a bondage on this earth, but NT prophets are used to warn individuals (or the entire church) concerning problems that lie ahead so bondages can be avoided.

The pastor at a church in Colorado told me the following story about a man in his congregation that he believed to be a prophet ...

Pastor said he was caught up in a sin and everyone in the church knew about it and various church members warned pastor and their warnings had no power at all.

One day a man from his congregation came in, sat down, pointed a finger directly at pastor and began to speak about pastor's sin ...

Pastor told me this man's words were like a sword piercing his heart ...

That sounds like a NT prophet to me.

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God took me to Bible to show me NT prophet Agabus and his work ...

27And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: 30Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.   Acts 11

10And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. 12And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 14And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.   Acts 21

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Years ago, I was visiting in Clovis, NM, where my mother lived.

Two women from a Baptist church took me to eat.  They began talking about their church and the big, new building project at their church. 

One woman in their church spoke against pastor and the project.

Alice looked at me and said, "What do you think is wrong with this woman?"

Out of my mouth came these words ... "Maybe she's a prophet ..."

Not another word was spoken about this woman nor about the big building project.

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One of the prophets at our church group years ago visited another church as "guest" speaker.  She said after she spoke, pastor called for elders and various leaders in the group to come to front of the congregation where he had them gather together to pray for the secular business pastor and one of the elders were starting together. 

Ava (the prophet) said she began to be sick at her stomach and she fled the room as pastor and the others were caught up in their secular project and in blessing their secular project.

Ava said God frequently made her sick at her stomach when something was wrong.

I think she went back and warned them. 

Within a year that business had gone bankrupt and the pastor and elder were suing each other.

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Apostles deal with various "legal" rulings before the church.

One frequently ruling has to do with the following scripture.

32But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.  Mt. 5:32

3 forms of adultery ...

- the husband who divorces a "faithful" wife causes that faithful wife to commit adultery if she remarries after the divorce.

- the faithful wife commits adultery when she marries another man.

- the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

I attended a secular function a few years ago.  There were place cards and I was seated next to a man who was wearing one of the biggest crosses I have ever seen on an human.

This man quickly identified himself as the retired pastor at Indiana Baptist Church.

He began speaking of Indiana Baptist Church and how the congregation was just growing and growing and they didn't have place to seat all the people even though they had built a bigger building several times.

Out of my mouth came following:  If you would start teaching that the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery 1/2 of the people would leave you and you wouldn't need more seating.

His mouth fell open.

I got up and fled the building before the dinner was served. 

Prophet in NT church.

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When I was on radio in Seattle, I had received judgment type messages and was speaking them on radio.  I had a meeting at the Seattle center and the radio station manager was outside my meeting room door waiting for me as I approached the building.

George said, "Joan, you have many wonderful messages.  Just speak those.  If you continue to speak what you are currently speaking I don't know what might become of you.  We might have to put you off the air."

Without taking any thought at all, the following came out of my mouth.

"George ... If I don't speak the message I believe to be from God I don't have a message and I may as well be off the air."

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14Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. Lk. 21


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Did they put me off the air in Seattle?

Yes.

But several of my stations around the United States left me on the air until I decided to discontinue radio broadcasts in 1984.

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I was born again August 5, 1975.

I was sitting on a bed reading a book and Holy Spirit spoke following to me.

"Joan, you know all those mistakes you've been making all these years? ... Those weren't mistakes ... Those were sin."

I gasp ... SIN ???

I believe that was when I was born again.

A few days after that, I was asleep and was "transported" into heaven as I slept.  I knew I was with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  At that time I was "merged" into the body of Jesus, made one with WORD of God.

A few days after this happening, the exact same thing happened again.

I believe I was "ordained" by God as apostle/prophet in those two experiences and equipped for the ministry to which I would function ... NT apostle and prophet.
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