Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
When we belong to God and are careful to keep our hearts through forgiveness, we can count on God to give us a mouth and wisdom.
We do not preplan what we are going to say as the world does.
Our goal is not to make ourselves look good in the sight of man.
Our goal always is to say and do those things that please God, giving up our own reputations.
Recently I went to dinner and a woman from bridge center where I once played bridge was at the restaurant. She approached my table and began talking to me about my returning to bridge. I replied to her that I would never play bridge again. She then asked, "Did someone say something?" (Meaning had someone at bridge offended me and cause this.)
I believe my reply to her fit Luke 21 ... Settle 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.
I replied, "I do not want to be involved in competition." (She paused and really thought about what I had said and she had no real defense for bridge and she said, "Well, bridge is nothing but competition.")
Continuing I said to her, "All my life, until this moment in time, I have been involved in competition."
The world thinks it is very good to be competitive. People are honored when they are competitive. I told this woman that I am too competitive and I no longer want to be involved. To be involved is like giving alcohol to a drunk.
Competition is "emulations" ... See Gal. 5 ... It is one of those works of the flesh. The flesh loves to outdo others one way or another.
God showed me to focus on making myself of no reputation as Paul spoke of in following.
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2
Since being shown this by the Holy Spirit (approximately August 2011), I have really focused on eliminating from my life anything that makes me look good in the sight of man, making myself of no reputation.