Tuesday, September 30, 2014

No matter what the temptation, the answer is the Word of God

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

When we are born again and run into a temptation, or a problem, or even when we have slipped and partially fallen, the answer is the word of God.  The way of escape is the word of God.  There is a portion of the word of God which fits the problem and is the answer and we simply purpose to believe that word of God setting everything else aside.

This week end, I ran into a ministry problem and I felt I was just not able to deal with this problem.  But I was reading something printed on the blog on Sunday and I saw I am able no matter what I might feel like.  I focused on the following:

I Cor. 10:13 ... There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


This morning, I continued to focus on the Word of God concerning the issue.

I am able ...

- God equipped me to do this work. 
- God revealed HIMSELF to me and I was born again.  
- God gave me HIS Spirit, the Holy Spirit so I could communicate with HIM and with HIS people.  
- I was taken into heaven twice and merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God.  
- God gave me the spiritual gift of exhortation for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ.  
- God put me on radio to speak exhortations from God. 
- God put on Internet to do writings on this blog.

able means:  having the power, skill, means, opportunity to do something

In my case, I am able to do the work of the ministry in the offices to which I am called, apostle/prophet.

All I have to do is continually focus on the Word of God.  And not focus on thoughts sent by devil and my own flesh.

By meditating on the Word of God day and night, I have the power which will enable me to do the word of God.

Joshua 1 ... Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.  8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  9Have not I commanded thee? 

Promises of God in being able to speak truth and overcome adversaries


Luke 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

adversary
- one that is opposed to (opposed to truth and the ways of God in which I am trying to walk) 


Comment by Pam Padgett ... When I shared Luke 21:15 with Joan, she was reminded of the following promise:

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

Wisdom from man vs. wisdom from God

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Man grows very wise in his own eyes as he reasons what he should do and should not do and why he should do such or not do such.

We are told another way to go ...

Proverbs 3 ... 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and HE shall direct thy paths.
 

7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

The people who are not born again (and even some who are born again) trust in humans for wisdom.  They read the newspapers.  They read the medical reports.  They read financial reports.  They read newspapers, watch TV,  listen to opinions of other humans.  Their wisdom comes from man.

I want my wisdom to come from God.

If these people who are wise in their own eyes are around me they will speak their wisdom to me.

Their wisdom is like a seed going into a fertile ground.  At some point it will grow and bear evil fruit.

I do not want this evil fruit growing in me.

An example:  Today I called a man who deals in heating/cooling systems.  He had given me an estimate last week concerning reworking my bedroom system.  I needed him to answer a simple question.  If I choose to replace the air conditioning unit which is the source of my problem, will the new unit work with the existing furnace which is not a problem.  I could not get a straight answer from this man.  He started talking about all types of human wisdom to try to sell me his system.  I did not want his wisdom.  I just wanted an answer to a factual question which he should be capable of answering.  This was a phone call.  He would not stop talking about all the wisdom as to why I should buy his unit.  But I was trying to stop him from talking.  As he was talking I was saying:  "Wait ... stop ... stop talking a minute ... wait ..."  He just kept on talking.  I didn't hear what he was saying but I could tell he was talking.  For about 2 minutes he kept talking while I was saying "Wait ... stop talking ... stop talking ... listen to me ... stop ... stop... stop."  (He reminded me of the way telephone sales people talk without letting you talk.)  

I just kept saying ... Stop ... stop ... stop ... (I didn't hear a word of his wisdom, his sales pitch, because I was talking at same time to try to stop him.)

Finally he stopped talking.

I then explained the following ... I want my wisdom to come from God.  I ask God what to do and HE shows me.  I wait until God shows me.  You do not know if I will be alive on this earth this time next year.  I do not know if I will be alive.  But God does know.  HE is the one who has wisdom and can show me what I should do about this air-conditioning problem.

This stopped this man.  Not that he believed me.  But what I said showed him how I operate on this earth.

===========

For the past two or three days, I have been keeping a type of notebook with notes reminding me of the various people and their wisdom and how they operate ...

For example:  

Air conditioning man #1
- couldn't relate to noise through vents
- sales pressure through reminding of possible late heat ... trying to get me to hurry into buying
- telemarketer type approach to try to sell item and force me
(do not buy from this man)

Air conditioning man #2  (phone conversation)
- tried to force me into buying now through suggested fear of price increase after first of the year
- AD in Yellow Page phone book showed image of a "wizard", implying they worked magic
( do not buy from this man / cancel appointment for him to come to house tomorrow to evaluate needs) 

Contractor
- says he will come help me "tomorrow" or "next day" but doesn't show up at all ... repeated practice of saying he will do something and not doing what he says he will do

Cleaning woman  
- trusts in her own wisdom ... wants to be wise and say wise things / assumed she knew about heating filters / TV her wisdom: "Have you thought of buying new TV?" when I was having TV problems / I had already purchased new TV ... thinks me foolish and herself wise ... wants to outdo humans and exalt herself

Woman #1  
- asked me not to send writings to her
- always sends me birthday card or calls me by phone on my birthday
- boring talk about people in her community
- silly religious talk: "Baptists need singers in choir for Christmas ... as Methodist OK to go help them out ... nonsense talk when she talks

This "log" helps me to see what they really are.

Prov. 3:7 ... Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 

Avoid them. 


Holy Spirit teaches us all things

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

There are several things the Holy Spirit does for us when we are born again.

One thing  the Holy Spirit does is to teach us all things.  Jn. 14:26 ... not just spiritual things but "all things" ... 

When I owned my business in Dallas in 1975, it was my job to buy jewelry and art works, pottery, for the shop.  Before I would go to the American Indian reservations to purchase items, I would pray, asking God to guide me to the exact item I should purchase.  I depended on God, through the Holy Spirit, to teach me what I should buy.  This is exactly what happened.  Every item sold and I never had a sale until the month before I closed the business to go into ministry at which time I reduced the price of items by 10 percent.

I know the Holy Spirit teaches me secular things as I need to know such.  I depend on this all the time.

teach means:
- show me how to do something

Today, I was trying to work through the problem of a noisy air conditioning unit.  I have central a/c in this house.  The unit itself is outside on a concrete block.  The forced air comes through air ducts in the ceiling.

This afternoon the metal grates that cover the hole where the air returns are located were called to my attention.  These grates have vent slots which allow the air to pass through.  All sound is made from vibrations.  As the air passes through the slots in these decorative grates, noise is increased.

What happens to the sound level if the grates are removed?

I removed the grates and turned on the a/c and was really surprised.  The noise level was reduced into about 1/2 the sound compared with the when the grate panels are on the holes.

I believe I can live with this level sound and I won't need to replace the a/c unit with a variable speed unit which is quieter.

Amazing!

I know it was the Holy Spirit who directed me this way to help me.

Jn. 14:26 ... 26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things,


Not only does this solve my problem but it greatly comforts me!

Valiant for the truth

Pam Padgett - teacher 

Jeremiah 9:3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.

When we speak in hypocrisy we often twist the words we speak, or don't speak the whole truth, or stay silent and give the impression we agree when we don't ... speaking lies as we "bend our tongues", leading others to believe one thing about us while another thing is true. 

But we are to be valiant for the truth, determined to not ignore nor compromise what is true in any way even if we will face hatred or awkwardness as a result.

Valiant:
- showing courage
- showing determination (firmness of purpose; resolute)
- to be strong (in holding to the truth)
- brave

Comments by Joan Boney ...

Sunday night, I ran into a problem and it seemed I was just not able to deal with this matter ... Then I read the blog scheduled for Monday where I Cor. 10:13 is cited.

I Cor. 10:13 says I am able ... therefore I am able ... I have been equipped by God who has made me able for this.

We just have to refuse to turn from what the Bible says no matter how we feel.  Emotions change.  The Bible, the Word of God does not change and endures forever and is truth.  Choose the Bible over how you feel.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Prayer

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

I pray that God will give me more of the word of God ... not less.

Three months ago, I was spending less time in the word of God than I am today.  Now I read Bible when I get up in morning as I have done ever since being born again in 1975 ...

And I find I am wanting to read Bible & blog (and scriptures in blog) at night when I go to bed.

And I can't wait until the next day to get to read all that is on the blog and see what God has for us.  Even though I write many of the messages, I still can't wait to focus on next day.  And often I do not wait.  At mid-night CST/USA the new messages appear on blog.  Most nights, I read them at shortly after mid-night.  I find I start clock watching around 11:30 pm and am waiting for the mid-night hour when the new messages appear on blog.

I know I am wanting more word of God.

And this is how it should be with us for God says ... Heb. 10 ... 22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.


Everyday we live on this earth we draw closer to the return of Jesus and the Day of the Lord and the Judgment seat of Christ.

The things on this present earth grow dimmer day by day!

I Cor. 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  

temptation:

- desire to do something wrong or unwise

Comments by Joan Boney :   

This is a very interesting definition of temptation ... It can be wrong according to the Word of God ...

Or it could be "unwise" ...

In my recent exploration of the air conditioning problem in my master bedroom, there is plenty of money to pay for a new unit for that area, but is it wise to do so.  This is the question in my mind.  And only God knows the answer.  So in prayer, I commit the issue to God ...

I have often run into this question:  Is it wise to do this?

In I Cor. 10:13 ... we read that God will not allow us to be tempted "above that ye are able" ... above that which you are able to deal with or withstand.

able:

having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to deal with the temptation

Then Paul says:  


14Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.


idolatry:  

- extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone

==========

The apostle James speaks of being tempted and James says ...

James 1 ... 12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13Let no man say when he is tempted,  I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:  14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 


Lust is not only sexual lust ...

Lust means "strong desire" ...

It could be any form of "strong desire" that opens that door for you to be tempted.

I Cor. 10 ... 20But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils

21Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 

22Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?  


A very funny story

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

I needed to have the heating/AC serviced at the house where I live, to be sure the filters in the big units were satisfactory, so I called a service and asked to have this checked.

The man came Friday to check it.  I perceived this man was someone in authority from the company.  I asked him and he said it was the service manager.  Then I told him I would like to ask some other questions which he said he would be happy to hear.

When this house was built, the contractor said he was concerned that the air conditioner might be too large for the master bedroom area.  It is too large for that area.  It is so cold I have to keep it turned off and then the air is hot.  And the unit is noisy.  (I still hear better than many people though I've lost some hearing with age.)

They have a variable speed unit which is much quieter.  The service manager checked everything and said the a/c unit for the master bedroom is a 4 ton and should be no larger than a 2 ton.

He figured a price for new unit.  The price was more than I was considering.  I told him I really don't need to make this change right now (September) since I won't use the air conditioning in that area of the house until the end of next May.

(Another thing I told this manager is that I am 77 and I might even die before next summer then I wouldn't need the AC ... I told him about my aunt who needed to have a root canal and she was going on a trip to Kansas and she told me when she got back from Kansas she needed to schedule the root canal.  But she had a stroke in Kansas and died and didn't need a root canal ... this manager just stared at me.)

Then the manger said if we have an unseasonable hot spell like we did 4 years ago, I would need the air conditioning unit.  I was trying to think this through.  I was here 4 years ago and I don't remember that hot spell.  He said it was in December that year.  I felt a little sales type pressure.

The manager left saying when I decided, to let him know and they could install it immediately or next spring.  Either would be fine with him.

The next day, after he told me these things, I was thinking about a "hot spell" and I realized ... :"If we have a hot spell there is no problem because I have an air conditioner that works now.  It just works too well ... too much air conditioner ... so there is no problem in waiting to replace the air conditioner with a smaller, quieter unit."

I began laughing.  It isn't like the current air conditioner has been removed or doesn't work.  So there is no problem if there is an unseasonable hot spell as this man suggested ... I laughed again at how blind we can get through their reasonings ... and then God opens our eyes with truth!

Judges 7

1Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 

2And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 

3Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. 

And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 

4And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 

5So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 

7And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.



Comments by Joan Boney ... The army started out with 32,000 and God used 300.

I especially like that part where Gideon told the full army of 32,000 to leave if they were fearful and 22,000 left immediately.  That would be a shock!

When I started out on radio in 1980 there were thousands of people who gave money in support of this ministry.

Today we have 10 people who give tithe/offering to us ... and all but one person is retired which means less tithe/offerings.  And some are near the age of death.  Only God could make this work.  I believe I can relate through this to the story of Gideon. And it does work.  There is plenty.  There is no need.

I Cor. 1:24

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (The Word) (is) the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

(For those who are born again, the following is the case)


... 30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 

Comments by Joan Boney   

The people not born again are wise in their own eyes ... or they look for "truth" in worldly publications and worldly teachings.  Or they are proud they were able to come up with some bit of what they think to be wisdom.

The ones not born again look at a mountain and see beauty but we who are born again see God who created that mountain.

The mountain, the sky, the moon, the stars, the sun and everything created shows God both for the born again and for those not born again but they refuse to see God and they focus on man.

Romans 1 ... 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
 

19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

The wisdom of man is abomination and at some point it is torn apart.

I Cor. 1 ...  19For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 

21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 

25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 

27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence.

John 15:14


Jesus said ... Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.


--------------------------------------------
Comments by Pam Padgett

It is those who obey Jesus (the Word) that Jesus calls His friends, not the world.

And those who obey the Word of God, going in the way of God led by the Holy Spirit, are also our friends, rather than those of the world.  

friend
- being on the same side with
- having a common bond with
- one who approves another
- one who encourages or supports
- one who is interested in and wishes success for

Sunday, September 28, 2014

God uses the foolish to confound the wise

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

When I was born again, by prophecy, God said to me:  "I have called you and have chosen you to be an apostle ..." 

" ? Apostle ?," I cried out ... "What's an apostle?"

The church group I was attending at that time taught there are apostles set into the church today ...  

Eph. 4 ... When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  ...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: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:   14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Though that church group believed there are apostles (and prophets) in today's NT church, I didn't know anyone who identified himself as an apostle.  I didn't know what an apostle would do in a church.  I asked a Bible teacher at that church group, "Who are apostles today? ... What do they do?"  (He couldn't tell me)  I didn't tell him I was set in church as apostle/prophet.

I just turned to God and asked HIM and HE began teaching me ... (I was called by God as both apostle and prophet)

In I Cor. 1, we read that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise ... 

I've had so many tell me I cannot be an apostle.  (Wisdom of the wise) 

Yet here I am, doing the work of an apostle and prophet as God showed me to do.

It is like a big set up by God to confound the wise!  A woman? who has no reputation among men?  no honor among men.  no distinction among men.

It would be different if former football coach Tom Landry had been set up as an apostle.  People admired him.  He was in high position among men of this world.  People of this world would listen to him.

But God says, in I Cor. 1 ... 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence.

(I was speaking by phone with Pam Padgett when I Cor. 1 was revealed to Pam in connection with this subject of the humor of God.  I saw immediately, as soon as Pam quoted I Cor. 1, that was it.)


It is sort of a big joke ... humor of God ... where wise, religious men are going to look and be puffed up and fall by their own wisdom ... and God laughs ...

Proverbs 1 ...  24Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.  33But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

They set up themselves in their churches by their own wisdom ... they follow their own wisdom ... God is going to do some things which look foolish to the wise ...

Look at the context of scripture in I Cor. 1 ...

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.


I laughed when I saw the wisdom of God in setting me in these positions in the church.

I know each time I write "apostle" by my name, there will be puffed up religious people who will turn away and read no further.  This is as it should be for those who trust in their own wisdom.  Just as they mocked Jesus when HE was on this earth in the flesh and turned away from HIM and challenged HIM, they will challenge me and others set in body of Christ.

If I wanted to attract fleshly religious people to myself, I could do it by eliminating the word "apostle" and using the name "Doctor" before my name.

But I no longer want to attract these fleshly, religious people to myself. 

Now I see it as one way God confounds the "wise".

I just laughed.


Diligent for truth in all things

Jeremiah 9 ... God says ... Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!  2Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. 
3And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. 
4Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.  5And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.  
6Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. 
7Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people? 
8Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.   
9Shall I not visit (judge) them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

----
 
Comments by Joan Boney ... When we are born again, God gives us the Holy Spirit, The Spirit of Truth, to dwell in us.  We have "truth" in us.  We have to hold to the truth and be diligent for the truth in all things.  We can do this because now we have his Spirit of Truth.  We must not hold to untruths ... By deliberate consideration we choose truth and cling to truth and refuse lies.

Important guiding word for those who are born again

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

The apostle Peter said ... "Gird up the loins of your mind ... be sober"

When you are born again, you cannot afford to get all giddy about people and fail to see the truth about them.  If you do this, you can end up having these people stick to you and trouble you like a thorn caught in your flesh.  You do it to yourselves by failing to look at them in truth and by keeping them attached to you by allowing them to think the worldly things they are speaking are wise and/or good.  When they speak, often we keep silent not wanting to offend them.  We don't agree with what they are speaking but we don't want to cause trouble.  By our silence, they go away thinking that we agree with what they have said.  This is hypocrisy on our part ... hypocrisy is to pretend you think one way when you actually think something else.  The wisdom from God is without hypocrisy.  James 3:17

Concerning this matter, the Spirit of God said the following to me:

"Don't get drunk with fantasy and imaginations about people ... focus on truth about people."

Yesterday an air conditioning/heating man came to my house to service my heating/cooling equipment.  As he arrived he pointed to the house across the street and said, "They are some of my best customers."  I replied, "Gordon who is now dead told me about your company but his wife became angry with me and will not speak to me though I have tried to resolve the matter with her."  This truth stopped him and he spoke no more about this woman.  As he was leaving my house, this woman was in her front yard and waved in a very friendly wave.  I instinctively raised my hand to wave at her then I realized she wasn't waving at me.  She was waving at this heating/cooling man.  Had it just been me out there, she would have ducked her head and looked away as she always does.  That is truth.

We have to choose to live in truth and look at people in truth.  We cannot afford to live in an imagination.

I sat down and listed truth about some relatives and other individuals for it is so easy to forget what is really truth and think a lie.  Then we end up getting burned again.  Certainly we do not want to live in hatred but we must live in truth.  We have compassion even when they will not accept our apology or our word.

Concerning individuals, I listed truths about them in my notebook.

Person #1  
- she is full of worldly wisdom and likes to tell this worldly wisdom making herself seem wise
- she enjoys people of the world, not people of God.  
- she is determined to set people straight by her own worldly thinkng
- she is self-righteous (This is what God showed me about her as I was praying about her several months ago)

Person #2  (a cousin)
- she delights in being wise of herself.
- she will not hear wisdom from you that you speak from God.

Person #3  (a cousin)
- she thinks herself to be wise in religion but her religion is of her church group, not of God.
- she will not hear you in things of God
- she loves to speak of fleshly things ... babies people have just had ... good works of people ... 
- she feigns humility but she shows by her acts her determination in her own thinking
- can't be around her without trouble

I have a tendency in time to forget the real truth about various individuals and to begin to think of them in an incorrect way and often think I can communicate with these individuals.  When I reach out to them and try, the truth reappears and there is trouble or they try to take me in by their own perceived self-wisdom.  Nothing of God just things of this world and their view of this world and their perceived wisdom concerning this world.  I don't want to be a part of any of that kind of wisdom.

Again, what the Spirit of God told me ...

"Don't get drunk with fantasy and imaginations about people ... focus on truth about people."

 It is impossible for the natural man to receive things of the Spirit of God says Paul ... I Cor. 2 ... 14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.


Saturday, September 27, 2014

Whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

James 4:4 ... 4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

friend:
- a person who acts as a supporter
- a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
- a person who is on the same side
- a familiar or helpful thing
- a person who approves
- a person who encourages
- a person who is actively interest in and wishes success for

When a person begins to speak and we see it is opposite from the way of God and we keep quiet and let them think we agree we are practicing hypocrisy ...

James 3:17 ...  17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.


hypocrisy:  

- acting / to pretend one thing while another is what you really believe


When we practice hypocrisy we choose to live in darkness and a lie and that allows devil (who is father of lies and no truth in him) to come into us and dwell.  If we speak truth devil will not have that opening.  Devil will flee from us if we speak truth.  Children of this world who are of devil will not want to cling to us.  I don't want them clinging to me.  All I have to do to be free is to speak what I really believe.

Recently Pam told me story of one of her neighbors who spoke about some discount store where she got big savings on dog things.  Pam said she doesn't even like that store and that "savings" search is not even the way God is leading her.  Pam said nothing.  The neighbor went away thinking Pam approved her sayings.  This is hypocrisy.

Pam has a lot of problems wanting people to like her ... I was reminded of James 4:4 ... whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Also I talked to Pam about living in hypocrisy by keeping quiet when she doesn't agree with someone.

I don't want to live this way any longer.

=========
An amazing thing ... unknown to me the morning I received this information concerning friendship with the world being enmity with God & wisdom being without practicing hypocrisy, Pam Padgett was praying telling God she really needed something to break up her long-standing desire to be a friend to worldly people and to have them "like" her.  It seemed impossible to get a break through in dealing with this and Pam thought it would take a long time to break through this stronghold built up against the way of God through the years since childhood.  The information in this writing had the power to break this up immediately.  By the end of the day Pam was viewing this differently.

Jn. 15

Jesus said:

3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

I Peter 1:13

Gird up the loins of your mind, 

be sober, 

gird up:  
- encircle mind with word of God daily
- meditate in scriptures daily
- secure in mind what God has said
- surround, encircle mind with concepts from God, thoughts from God
- prepare and strengthen oneself daily by meditating on specific scriptures


be sober:  
- don't be drunk with things of world and thoughts of world
- be serious, sensible, solemn
- don't get giddy and carried about with worldly things

- don't get drunk with fantasy and imaginations about people / focus on truth about individuals 

Truth frees us

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Jn. 8 ...  31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.


At the time we were born again, we were given the Holy Spirit, The Spirit of Truth, to live in us and teach us and guide us.

The devil is a liar and the father of lies and he continually works to try to get us to believe various lies.

Jn. 8:44 ... He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

The devil will bring a thought to our mind which is a lie.  The Holy Spirit will bring a thought which is truth.  We must choose truth.  This sounds simple but the problem is most of us have a pattern of living in partial lies.  We don't want to hurt another person's feelings so we either water down the truth or fail to speak truth and live in a type of hypocrisy, allowing that person to think we feel a certain way which we do not fee or allowing that person to think we go along with that which they have said which we do not really believe.  This is hypocrisy.  (a lie)  This opens doors for devils to move into our lives.

We have to determine to live in truth and to speak truth and to quit hypocrisy (play acting).

Truth does set us free when we work to live in truth.

Truth is the first listed part of the whole armor of God.  Eph. 6 ... We are told to surround our loins with truth.  We have to do this daily.  And we have to fight to hold onto the truth when the lies come.  It is a labor to live in truth ... abide in truth.

Friday, September 26, 2014

God provides what is needed to overcome

Pam Padgett - teacher

Yesterday morning I was talking with God about the long-standing problem I have with wanting to be accepted and liked by people.  I told God it seemed like such a huge problem, as though it was impossible to overcome.

A little later during a conversation with Joan, she was reminded of :

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

friend
- being on the same side with
- having a common bond with
- one who approves another
- a supporter 
- one who encourages
- one who is interested in 

enemy
- a person who is actively opposed or hostile to 
- not a friend

I don't want to be opposed or hostile to God, an enemy of God.  Nor do I want to be on the same side as, bound to, encouraging, or approving those of the world in their wickedness.  But I am doing these things when I seek to be friends with people of the world.

And I enter into hypocrisy when I stay quiet, allowing them to think I agree with what they say so they won't turn from me, even when I don't agree.  I have also feigned interest in what they say when I am really bored.  Hypocrisy is leading someone to believe one thing when something else is true. 

But the wisdom that is from above is ... without hypocrisy. (James 3:17)

I need to spend much more time with James 4:4 and with not speaking or acting in hypocrisy to get stronger and to do these things.  But with these two scriptures, the problem that seemed so big earlier no longer seems impossible to overcome.

II Peter 1

II Peter 1 ... 16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.  

Mt. 17 ... 1And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

If David had lived in New Covenant would the child of Bathsheba have to die?

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

There has to be a sacrifice for sin.  David committed a very great sin against God when he had Bathsheba's husband killed ... God told David as a result of his sin, the child he had with Bathshiba in fornication/adultery would die.

II Samuel 12 ... 1And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.  4And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 

5And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:  6And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. 

7And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 

13And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. 

And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. 

15And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. 16David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.


17And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 18And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?  

19But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 20Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. 

21Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 

22And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 24And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. 


God is righteous.  There has to be a sacrifice for sin.  Jesus had not suffered in the flesh at the time David committed his sin with Bathsheba and killed her husband.

I wondered if David lived in time of New Covenant would that child have to die?

We live in a totally different covenant... a better covenant.

Jesus paid for our sins with HIS own blood.

We might still suffer penalty for I Cor. 11 show those who mishandle the Word of God suffer penalty of "weakness, sickness, or even death".  Yet one might still be saved though they be killed in the flesh as a result of sin of handling word of God incorrectly.

We also see the person who was a Christian and committed fornication was turned over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit might be saved in the Day of the Lord.  I Cor. 5

And we see another example in I Cor. 3 ... 13Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.  14If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.


Today those of us who are born again are saved by the sacrifice of Jesus, by HIS blood.  If we mishandle scripture we become weak, sickly, and many die because of this.  I Cor. 11 ... And if I Cor. 11 it says many
in the churches are weak, sickly and die because of this.

Some are turned over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1) ... That is a mind without the judgment of God ... Holy Spirit removed ...If that happens there is no way back.

Heb. 6 ...  4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:  8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

Willful sinning would be very serious ... If the person who is born again says, "I know what the Bible says but I don't care, I'm going to do this anyway." it could be disastrous.

God will judge all this but we in the church should be warned.  Jesus paid for our sins but to be born again and continue in those sins could be very costly.

II Cor. 13 ...  5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.  Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.


Heb. 10 ... 26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

If the Holy Spirit is still in us we can be restored though we might suffer some loss.  (I Cor. 3)

If the Holy Spirit is removed from us, God forbid, it would be unbelievably serious for this present earth and the next life.

Jn. 8 ... Jesus said to the woman taken in adultery ... 10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 

Important to note that Jesus said to her:  "Go, and sin no more."

After she has been forgiven her sins by Jesus how serious would it be if she continued in that sin?

There is no more sacrifice for sins ... Heb. 10:26

If you are born again you must control your flesh by the Spirit of God that is in you.  If you have the Spirit of God you can be restored.  But you cannot continue in sin.

I Cor. 6 ... 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.


... Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.  14And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. 15Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

Truth is very important

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

The devil is a liar and there is no truth in him.  (Jn. 8)

God is truth and there are no lies in God.  (I Jn. 1)

We who are of God must live in truth and we must speak truth when we speak.  If we speak hypocrisy to spare the feeling of the other person, we open a crack in our door where the devil can move right into our house for he is the father of lies.


Refusing to allow the flesh to sin

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

I Peter 4 ... 1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

We "suffer in the flesh" by refusing to allow our flesh to do what is natural for flesh to do.  Therefore we "make the flesh suffer".  It wants to hate, we refuse to hate.  It wants to argue with people.  We refuse to allow it to do that.  It wants to beat other people and win out.  We stop that and go another way.  And when we are younger it wanted to commit fornication and adultery.  The flesh suffers when we do not allow it to do what it wants to do.  That is what is meant by suffering in the flesh.  Christ suffered in the flesh for us and we, who belong to God, cause our flesh to suffer because we refuse to yield to our flesh and we turn and go another way by the Spirit of God.  It is a deliberate act on our part of refusing do to the works of the flesh.  In the midst of the temptation we can turn to God and ask HIM for wisdom and take the way of escape provided by God.

Here is what the flesh wants to do ...

Gal. 5 ... 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

We once allowed the flesh to do some of these things and rule.  We served the flesh.  But now we not longer do that.  We keep our flesh crucified with Christ so we are now able to serve God.

Peter says ...

3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
 

4Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 

6For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
 

7But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 

8And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  

9Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. I Peter 4

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Even when you can't read Bible, you can pray

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

In early days, when I was going through severe spiritual warfare, I often found I couldn't read Bible either ...

Then one day I saw that even when I couldn't read, I could pray ...

Bombardment of thoughts after being born again

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

After I was born again, I was under extremely severe spiritual warfare and I knew nothing about fighting devil.  It got so bad I would go to my apartment, get in my bed, and say over and over, "Praise God ... thank you for my salvation ..." After saying this over and over for 20 minutes or so, the devil stopped attacking with his thoughts and he left me ... for a season ...

In a few weeks, God began teaching me about spiritual warfare ...

I was reminded of a scripture in I Peter 2 ... NIV translation ...

I Peter 2:20 (NIV) ... "How is it to your credit is you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?"

If a man robs a bank and ends up in jail he ended up there for doing wrong ... no credit to him ...

I saw I was doing wrong by looking for a husband.  This was opening door for some depression because I was not getting husband in my efforts.  Yet everyone around me had husband.  This opened even more doors for depression which open doors for the Satanic attack which I was going though as a new Christian.

When I finally came to position of "not my will but Thy will be done", those doors closed!

James 1 ... 13Let no man say when he is tempted,  I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:  14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust (strong desire for something), and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

When we give up our desires and desire HIS will for us, everything changes.

Phil 2 ...  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.  9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,


Then God began teaching me about spiritual warfare and taking thoughts captive to make them obedient to the word of God.

II Cor. 10 ... 3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 

Please read:  Booklet # 2 ... Dealing with destructive thoughts





Opening door for devil to attack

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Gen. 3 ...

1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

What is it that God really said about this tree?

Gen. 2 ...  15And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 
16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 


You will notice Eve added to the Word of God and thereby misquoted God ... Eve added: "Neither shall ye touch it" ...

It seemed a good thing not to touch it and to add this but it opens door for Satan to attack.

Hath God said ... and Eve would know God didn't say part of what she quoted ...

So it is important for us to speak exactly what God has said if we are quoting what God said.

If we feel we need to add some instruction after the exact quote then we can do so without setting ourselves up to be attacked by devil (provided what we add is correctly stated).

This is just a part of speaking truth and truth is the first weapon stated in Eph. 6 in the whole armor of God ... We have to gird our loins with truth, surround ourselves with truth.  "Loins" would be the recreative part of our body ... that which is created by us must be truth ...

The devil is the father of lies and if there is any untruth in any thing we say we can give devil an entrance through the untruth for this is the devils domain.

1 Peter 1:5

Pam Padgett - teacher 

1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

God keeps me by His power ... not by my own power, efforts, works, or trying to be "good". 

through faith ...  believing the word God gives to me, letting His word work in me so I can go in the way of that word.

God knows each word I need every day of my life. He keeps me in the path of life, and from the path of destruction, as I eat daily and am nourished by the word He gives to me day by day. 

It brings me comfort to think on these things.  

Restoring another believer

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

When someone in the body of Christ is having trouble and you go into restore that person to the way of God, it is sort of like being a member of a bomb squad and going in to disarm a bomb that is filled with explosives.  You can be blown up unless you do this in the right spirit.

Paul says ... Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Gal. 1:1

The right spirit would be to understand that this could happen to anyone no matter how many years of Bible teaching they have had.  It could certainly happen to me.  Last night after working with a member of our church group, I sat and asked God to protect me.  We are all subject to falling into traps.  God is our protection by the Holy Spirit.

The wrong spirit would be to go in with the attitude of "you stupid idiot ... how could you let this happen."

Romans 3 ... 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;   26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.


We certainly have to see correction but we also have to know our sins have been paid for by Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for our sins.

If the person has the Holy Spirit there is always good hope for restoration.

But if that person willfully turns from the doctrines of Christ and says, "I don't care what the Bible says ... I know what I believe," then there is very great danger that person will not be able to be restored unless God changes that person's mind. 

Heb. 10 speaks of "willful" sins ...

 26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb. 10


Heb. 6 ... 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:  8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.



Most problems I deal with in the church are not "willful" sins but rather that church person has allowed devils to confuse them and they have to learn to recognize the way of God over the way of the devil in the situation.  When they see that, I've seen them restored to God if they have the Holy Spirit.

Their situation is still dangerous for we must eat and drink the Word of God correctly ... If we partake of the Word of God incorrectly we bring destruction upon ourselves.  Paul explains:  30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die). I Cor. 11


So when we bring correction to a person who is born again, our goal is to restore that person to the way of God in the issue.

We have the following interesting example given by Paul in dealing with a fornicator in the church.

I Cor. 5 ... 1It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 

This church group handled this incorrectly.  They were "puffed up" ...  "How could you do such a thing?"  Basically thinking they were incapable of such a sin.  

Paul said instead of being puffed up, they should have mourned, grieved, been exceedingly sorry that this sin happened in the church.

Then Paul told them to take the following action concerning this man who committed the fornication while in the church.


3For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,  4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

You can't keep him in the church and let his sin spread throughout the church.  Turning him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh would be similar to what we read in I Cor. 11 ... because of this sin that person would be weak and sickly and "many" die.  v. 30


6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.


Then Paul says to put such a person out of the church ... hopefully he will be ashamed of himself when he is put out of the church and he will grieve himself to repentance before his flesh is destroyed. 


Paul says ... 9I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 

11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?  13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.  I Cor. 5

Paul is also telling us it is not our position to judge the world.  But we are to judge sin inside the church when that person is called a "brother".

Some church groups want to counsel the sinner or pray for the sinner in the church.  Paul likens his sin to leaven and says it will spread throughout the whole congregation affecting everyone.  Some in the congregation will sin with the concept of the lust of the man's sin.  Others will sin being self-righteous thinking they would never sin as he did, lifting themselves up and sinning this way.  Regardless sin will spread when he is left in the congregation.  He must be put out of the church.

Paul tells us to put that sinner out of the congregation.

I Cor. 5 is very interesting for it looks like the "spirit" of the man will be saved as a result of turning him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.

I have encountered this level of sin in the church and I have put such people out of the congregation when that sin has been established... specific sins of fornication, covetousness, idolater, railer, drunkard, extortioner,  (I have done this several times with fornicators in church and once with an idolater.  Once there was a woman in our church group who was a drunkard but I didn't find out about this.  I would have put her out of the congregation as Paul said to do.  Before I found out, she had repented and no more drunkenness.  God told her she was at the valley of decision and she would be destroyed unless she stopped drinking and she stopped drinking and she is still with us in the church today.)

But when the sin is following the wrong spirit thinking it is God, that is usually another matter and I can work with that person when he is born again to restore him to the church through the Holy Spirit.

With most people who come to me with problems in congregation it is usually that they have not been diligent to keep themselves by taking thoughts captive and devils move in and lead them when this is the case. 

When that person is born again, I have found they can be restored.

I Cor. 13 ... Paul says ...  5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.  Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.



1Thess. 5:21

Pam Padgett - teacher 

1 Thess. 5:21 Prove all things; ...

prove:
- test the accuracy of  (is this according to scripture?  is it true?)
- demonstrate the truth by evidence  (turn to God with the matter; what God gives me is evidence showing truth in the matter)
- establish if genuine and valid ( is the thought from the Holy Spirit or the devil?  try the spirits )


Need to prove all things ...
- thoughts, including scripture brought to my mind (I have to remember that the devil quotes scripture)
- what I hear people say in person or on tv
- doctrines


... hold fast that which is good  (truth, that which is from God).

hold fast:
- believe
- pay attention to
- don't ignore or explain away
- conform my thinking and what I do to what is proven to me by God to be good

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Warning

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

The devil will destroy those who allow it ... rampant, fierce, devils ... bringing thoughts which seem like voice of God and tricking church people ...

In our little church group, we have seen 3 examples of devils bringing church people to brink of destruction  within the past weeks and months ...  These are church people who have been taught in the Word of God for more than 30 years.  

One woman told us she had put her house up for sale.  She is 72 years old.  She said "God" was moving her.  She didn't know where she would be going but she put her house on the market.  She must have been thinking she was acting by faith.  She told us two dreams.  One dream seemed to be telling her exactly opposite, not to move.  When we learned she was doing this, we stopped her by the power of God.  She took her house off the market.

One man sent me an email telling me he had filed divorce papers against his wife.  I was shocked.  I asked him if she had committed adultery against him.  This is scriptural grounds for a man to divorce his wife unless he chooses to forgive her.  Mt. 5:32 ... Jesus said ... 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. 


If a man divorces "a faithful wife" and she remarries, she will commit adultery but the man who divorced that faithful wife will be the cause of her adultery according to Jesus.  And the man who marries the woman who is divorced commits adultery, according to Jesus.

This man said his wife he was divorcing had not committed adultery against him.

After sharing these scriptures with him, he withdrew the legal action against her.  I suggested to him that he pray, asking God how to be a good husband.

Two very critical instructions given us by the apostle Paul are:

I Thess. 5 ...  21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

II Cor. 10 ...  3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (The Word);

God strengthened Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites

Judges 7:9 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him (Gideon), Arise, get thee down unto the host (the Midianites); for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: 11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. 13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. 

23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. 25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

I Peter 1:1-5

1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  


4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,  5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation

Exhort one another and even more as we see the Day of the Lord approaching

Joan Boney ... apostle/ prophet

Year by year we see an increase in sin in this world.  In the Bible we are told to exhort one another and even more as we see the day approaching ... With this increase of sin in the world around us, we know we draw closer to the "wrath" of God (the Day of the Lord).  For the judgment comes because of the sin and when the sin is rampant and the cup of evil is full, the judgment will come.

In the meantime, we need even more of the word of God, therefore we are told to increase the exhortations.

Heb. 10 ...  23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 



Tuesday, September 23, 2014

James 3:13

Pam Padgett - teacher 

James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

endued:  provided with (God provides me with His wisdom and knowledge)

meekness:
- submitting to wisdom God has given me
- not ignoring/reasoning away wisdom God has given me

When God has given me His wisdom about a matter, my conversation is with meekness of wisdom when what I do and say is according to the wisdom God has given to me. 

The wisdom God has given to me concerning the golf course behind my house (the golf course has closed and the owner is trying to sell it, possibly to real estate developers):
- people try to keep things from changing, but all that we see now is temporary and will be burned at the end of the world
- seek to do the will of God and trust Him to provide everything I need, taking no thought for the future (Matt. 6:33-34)
- the way neighbors are going ... meeting and arguing trying to come up with a plan for what to do if the golf course is sold to a developer ... is of the world and not the way of God, not a way of peace

The wisdom from God for me is to not get involved with the neighborhood meetings nor worry about what may happen in the future with the golf course land.

A few days ago a neighbor called and left a message that the next neighborhood meeting about the golf course was scheduled for the following evening.  When I returned the call she did not answer, but I left a message that I had decided not to get involved in any of  these meetings. 

Looking for a message to speak

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

If we begin reading the Bible in order to look for a message to share, we are in serious trouble.

We should not read the Bible looking for something to speak.  Instead, we read the Bible and eat our food for ourselves, having our fellowship with God HIMSELF.  Then after we have fellowship with God we can share that fellowship we had with God with others who are of God.  Then we have a message to speak.  But when we look for something to speak we end up being wise in our own eyes rather than hearing directly from God or from associating with God.  And we glorify ourselves becoming wise in our own eyes.

John 7:18 ... Jesus said ... 18He that speaketh of himself (of his own thinking) seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

Jesus heard from God and spoke that.

The Holy Spirit in us hears from God and speaks that.

This glorifies God.

When we hear from God  and speak that, we glorify God who showed us this concept.


The ungodly defy those who belong to God

Pam Padgett - teacher 

In 1Samuel 17 we're told of the Philistines coming into the land God had given to the children of Israel and wanting Israel to serve them.  They seemed mighty and powerful, especially Goliath who defied (opposed boldly and openly) Israel with his talk ...

1 Samuel 17:8 And he (Goliath) stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. 10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

But David did not fear Goliath.  He knew that Goliath and the Philistines could not stand before the power of God as HE delivered HIS people  ...  

1 Samuel 17:36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

God delivered Goliath into David's hand to kill, and the Philistines fled from before the armies of Israel.


Today, those of the world sometimes boldly oppose us as we are led by the Holy Spirit.  Not understanding the ways of God and that we are led by God, they defy what God has told us to do.  (The woman who verbally attacked me when I was led to help my next-door neighbor who was in a rehab hospital is an example of this.)

Even that we turn to God with our concerns and to know what to do seems foolish to them as they trust in their own ideas.

But God is able to establish us in what HE has told us, and they cannot rule over us.

Refused to worship the golden image

Daniel 3

1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 

2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 

3Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 

4Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,   5That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:  6And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 

7Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
 


8Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 10Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 11And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.  

13Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 

18But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Comments by Joan Boney ...  


The statement made in verse 18 settled the matter ... They told the king they would not serve his gods nor worship the golden image which he had set up.

It is over ... yet there was more to the story but basically it ended with the statement made in verse 18.  No matter what happens to us we will not serve your god or the image you set up.

From time to time, each of us face the moment when the devil says "if you fall down and worship me (do what I say) all will be thine." 

But if you continue in the way you are going, you will be destroyed one way or another. 

The devil spoke this to Jesus in Mt. 4 ...  8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship (obey) me. 10Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 




At one point, I was on radio in Seattle.  I had been shown corruption in various ministires and was speaking that on radio naming the minister by name and telling of the corrupt offence in the ministry.

The manager of the Seattle radio station was standing at the door of my meeting room when I arrived for a meeting.  George said:  "Joan, you have many wonderful messages.  Just speak those messages.  If you keep speaking these judgment messages, I don't know what is going to happen to you.  We may have to put you off the air."

Out of my mouth came the defining word that would carry me the rest of my life. 

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

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, "Do what you will but we will not serve your god nor the golden image you have set up."

Sometimes they kill you, consider Stephen.  (Acts 7)  Consider John the Baptist.  (Mt. 14)  Other times you are delivered as in case of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. 

Either way, the end comes when the decision is made ... I will not serve you.  I will serve God.

Often these things happen in businesses.  Sometimes you have to lose your job.

There is often a price to pay to follow God and to do what HE wants done.  But some of us know that is all that really matters.