Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Rev. 1:4 ... John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Grace and peace from Jesus Christ by HIS Spirit to the churches.
Grace is unmerited favor. When we look around us and see the masses of people who are not born again and we are born again we have to ask "WHY"? Why would I be born again? I did the same as they did and yet I am born again. We should realize something about the elect of God, the chosen by God, for no reason other than it pleased God.
Paul explains this in Romans 9 ...
They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
The children of the flesh do things by their own will ... but the children of the promise can't do by their own will for they aren't even there yet. They are to come ... promised.
Most church people think man joins the church by his own will. And many do attend church by their own will. But you cannot be born again by your own will. Those born again are of the promise, not of the flesh of man. Those born again are the called of God just as in the OT the nation of Israel were chosen by God.
The example Paul gives is before the children were born, God loved Jacob and hated his twin brother Esau.
These children had done neither any good or evil ... It was ordained before they were born ... We see the elect is not of the works of the human but of God who called that elect person.
In the Revelation of Jesus, John speaks first of grace to the churches. At the end, Jesus said iniquity would abound. It it likely you will not find one born again person in an entire church group. If you are there, you will certainly need that grace. You will need to understand the elect of God. You will need to understand as you go out into the world that you see differently because you are born of the Spirit of God, not by your own will but simply because God ordained it to happen to you. You did nothing at all to deserve it. Those people did nothing either. They simply were not chosen by God. So how can they see? They can't see. And they can't do anything to make themselves see. And you can't make them see. Only God by His will can make a person see.
How does this matter?
Jesus said: And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Mt. 24
The iniquity increases day by day to a point that even the elect could be destroyed by the iniquity unless the day be shortened.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Mt. 24:23
It will be incredibly difficult to see husbands, wives, children, mothers, dads, brother/sisters, entire families, friends, neighbors, entire church groups, practicing iniquity.
For that reason, Paul said the following about the end times ...
II Tim. 3 ... This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
One of the main themes will be violence (as in the days of Noah).
God defined violence to me as follows: People doing what they want without regard for what their acts will do to another person ... Paul says they will be "lovers of their own selves" ...
When you see this in your own household and in the church group, it will be very difficult to take. There will be times grace will be sent by the Holy Spirit to remind you that you are born again and they are not born again and you were not born again by your own will.
So grace helps us to endure in the iniquity.
Grace can also help us to live in a form of peace in the iniquity.
To endure we must not close our eyes to the problem. We must remain sober, recognizing what the individuals are doing. It is strange to think this would bring us peace but I find more peace than in previous times of my life now that I am willing to pay attention to the Holy Spirit who is pointing out what individuals. are doing.
I am not disappointed in them now that I am willing to see what they are really doing. Before I was disappointed when they eventually showed what they really are. Now I usually know before what they are and I make notes of this for each individual so I will not deceive myself when they smile at me. I listen to that which the Holy Spirit calls to my attention about what they have said and done so I do not trick myself. Disappointment is a very harmful weapon to us. If we live in truth about individuals we will have no cause to be disappointed in what they do.
We have to train ourselves in this now for it will get worse ... but we will be prepared and before it increases to the point that we would be destroyed by the iniquity, the days will be shortened, "for the elect's sake."