Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
I have a man who is putting new seat cushions in my chairs. All my chairs were worn out and it hurt my back to sit in them. This man is replacing the cushions for the 5 chairs. He finished one chair and brought it back and it was very good. He has two more chairs at his shop. When he returns these two chairs, he will pick up the final two chairs and finish the job.
The way of the world is to demand a finish time. But from the beginning I have felt led not to push this man. Two weeks ago, he told me he would bring two chairs back the following week. That week came and there were no chairs. In the past I would have been upset and called him and caused trouble for him and me. But this time I didn't do that. I didn't do anything. When he gets the chairs fixed and when he has someone who can help him deliver the chairs he will return them. (He doesn't have help and his granddaughter has to help him move the chairs and I know this is hard for him.) In the meantime, in my theater room, I have one finished chair and that is all I need since I am one person.
Yesterday a woman from Bridge Center called me and asked if I needed anything from Wal-mart. I thought it over and decided to go with her to Wal-mart. I felt better physically, less pain in my leg. We got some food while we were out and brought it back to my house and ate. When she saw the missing chairs she asked when he was going to return them. I said I didn't know. I told her when they were finished he would bring them back. She would have called and demanded the return of the chairs. (This woman is Catholic and very religious but not born again.) This is what many people would do. But I believe God has led me to be patient with this man. When he finishes and has help to move the chairs he will return them. I do not want to put any pressure at all on him. In the meantime, I have no need. It doesn't matter if chairs are missing. (This is very different from the way I might have done in past but I believe this difference is God.)
Later thoughts came about getting the chairs back. It was sort of a driving, pushing thought. But I recognized that thought had come from Betsy and the devil had taken up the concept and was using that take away my peace and to try to cause me to do something opposite to the way I believe God was leading me.. I turned to God with this matter and strongly felt I was on the right track to continue with what I have been doing and I felt I should not call this man and inquire about the chairs. That would put needless pressure on this man. I am one person and only need one chair per room and I have that and I have no need. When the chairs are finished they will be returned to me. So I continued on that path.
People can influence us to do the wrong thing (evil) unless we recognize where those impulses are coming from and turn to God with thoughts and let God settle us.
It is dangerous to us certainly to be around people who speak things which are not of God. Most people are wise in their own eyes and do not consider the leading of God. They just consider their own reasoning. We are free to be around such people when we want to do so but we must reestablish our way with God when conflicting ideas are brought by these people. Otherwise they will plant seeds which will take up the wrong way. So we have to be alert to the Holy Spirit as HE recalls to us that which they said. We then take their concept back to God in prayer and allow God to reestablish us in HIS way.
So when we choose to be around people who are not born again, we have to be able to "take thoughts captive" when they conflict with the way we believe God is leading us.
So many church people are not born again. They do not understand turning to God and being guided by God. They move in that which seems wise to them. And this is often a conflict to us.
Please read: Safe communications and dangerous communications (Printed 8-6-14)