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.