Colossians 3:2-4 ... Set your affection on things above, not on things
on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in
God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also
appear with him in glory.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
In 1975, I owned a business in Dallas, TX. I was born again that same year. From the moment I was born again, all I cared about was the Bible. I had 3 women who worked for me and they were very competent with the business. They sold the merchandise. I did mostly buying and appraisals. And I stayed home and read the Bible.
For the next 3 or 4 years, I remained deeply involved in Bible. It became obvious to myself and to all around me that a call of God was on my life. I didn't know, at that time, much about what I would be doing but I knew there was something.
In July of 1978, a man whom I believed to be a prophet from our church group, came to my business. He said to me, "Joan ... you know you are to be in the ministry. You are dragging your feet." I closed the business by the end of that same month to go into the ministry. I had no "ministry" to go to. I had no income. I don't recall thinking about money. I just knew a strong call of God, confirmed by God to me and confirmed many times by many people, was on my life. Six months after I closed my business, God gave me a dream showing me to go on radio. Which I did within a week of that dream.
All this in my life was sort of like Jesus saying to the various apostles, "Follow ME." and they would just leave their business and follow HIM without question. HE was their life. Nothing else mattered.
Mt. 4 ... And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
It has always amazed me that they just left their business and their father and followed HIM. Yet that is what happened to me.
A woman came across my path after I began writing on Internet. She said, "Do you feel fulfilled?" I was a bit shocked. I've never thought about it. All I cared about was the Word of God and doing what God wanted me to do. That is my life.
Mt. 6 ... Jesus says ... Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
(Providing daily encouragement for the body of Christ by the Spirit of God to help the church in the end times.)
Friday, January 31, 2014
The Lord is gracious
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
I Peter 2:1-3 ... Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
I've certainly found the Lord to be gracious. The word (the Lord) is helpful, comforting, instructive. I have not found the Word to be harsh, demanding, threatening. I just know when God is speaking to me, it is the right way to go, it is the secure way to go.
Even when the Word might seem "hard", I know it is the best way for me to go.
I have "tasted" that the Lord (the Word) is gracious.
gracious: courteous, kind, pleasant, elegant, tasteful
God has never threatened me. God has never said to me: "You're going to go to hell if you do this." God has ordained somethings for me that I would not have chosen for myself and God gently worked everything in my life so I would end up doing what he ordained rather than doing my own preference. Now looking back on it I see clearly that HIS way was far better than the way I wanted to go.
I delight in the word I hear from God. I'm grateful God spoke to me.
If you are threatened by a thought which seems to be from God, you might want to check that out. It might be another spirit.
Concerning divorced women who want to remarry and see the scriptures saying they will commit adultery to do so, even this word is gracious to them. If they choose not to remarry after divorce, no telling what they will be spared in the flesh. I don't see that as a threatening word. I see it as their flesh being spared.
(Please read: Divorce/Remarriage ... What the Bible teaches.)
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psa. 119:105
I have found great deliverance by following words such as ...
I Tim. 6 ... But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
When I evaluate my life by: Do I have food? Do I have raiment? ... I am greatly freed from trying to get more money stored up. I'm also freed to spend some money without fear.
The following scripture is a great light, freeing me from my own flesh and from the way of man in pursuits on this earth:
Phil. 2 ... 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 (a servant to God), 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.
I no longer have to beat other people, or compete in any way with other people. I can just focus on doing that which is right in the sight of God that day and doing what God wants me to do that day, and everything will work as it is supposed to work in my life. This is completely opposite to the way of the flesh and the way of this world. But it definitely works!
Doing the following instruction causes me to put my trust in God and not have to trust in my own wisdom. And by doing this I also have a guarantee I will be led by God.
Prov. 3:5-7 ... Trust 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.
I don't have to depend on myself. I can depend on God.
All these words are very freeing. They will never fail me. They are gracious.
I Peter 2:1-3 ... Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
I've certainly found the Lord to be gracious. The word (the Lord) is helpful, comforting, instructive. I have not found the Word to be harsh, demanding, threatening. I just know when God is speaking to me, it is the right way to go, it is the secure way to go.
Even when the Word might seem "hard", I know it is the best way for me to go.
I have "tasted" that the Lord (the Word) is gracious.
gracious: courteous, kind, pleasant, elegant, tasteful
God has never threatened me. God has never said to me: "You're going to go to hell if you do this." God has ordained somethings for me that I would not have chosen for myself and God gently worked everything in my life so I would end up doing what he ordained rather than doing my own preference. Now looking back on it I see clearly that HIS way was far better than the way I wanted to go.
I delight in the word I hear from God. I'm grateful God spoke to me.
If you are threatened by a thought which seems to be from God, you might want to check that out. It might be another spirit.
Concerning divorced women who want to remarry and see the scriptures saying they will commit adultery to do so, even this word is gracious to them. If they choose not to remarry after divorce, no telling what they will be spared in the flesh. I don't see that as a threatening word. I see it as their flesh being spared.
(Please read: Divorce/Remarriage ... What the Bible teaches.)
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psa. 119:105
I have found great deliverance by following words such as ...
I Tim. 6 ... But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
When I evaluate my life by: Do I have food? Do I have raiment? ... I am greatly freed from trying to get more money stored up. I'm also freed to spend some money without fear.
The following scripture is a great light, freeing me from my own flesh and from the way of man in pursuits on this earth:
Phil. 2 ... 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 (a servant to God), 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.
I no longer have to beat other people, or compete in any way with other people. I can just focus on doing that which is right in the sight of God that day and doing what God wants me to do that day, and everything will work as it is supposed to work in my life. This is completely opposite to the way of the flesh and the way of this world. But it definitely works!
Doing the following instruction causes me to put my trust in God and not have to trust in my own wisdom. And by doing this I also have a guarantee I will be led by God.
Prov. 3:5-7 ... Trust 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.
I don't have to depend on myself. I can depend on God.
All these words are very freeing. They will never fail me. They are gracious.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Scripture shared by body of Christ
Jn. 16:33 ... Jesus said ... These things I (the Word) have spoken unto you, that in me (in the Word) ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I (the Word) have overcome the world.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Don't we have trouble in the world? Don't people say things and do things that grieve us? They are not of God and John tells us that the whole world lies in wickedness. (I Jn. 5)
Jesus told us to be of good cheer for HE has overcome the world. Jesus, the Word of God, overcomes the world.
And we, who are of God and have been given the Spirit of God, overcome the world through HIM, through that word called to our attention by the Spirit of God. It is that word that puts the fires out inside us when we are troubled. It is also that word which the gates of hell cannot prevail against. That word is the foundation for our faith.
When I was building this house where I now live, God gave me a dream and a scripture. In the dream ...A meteor was outside my kitchen window. It was just hovering there, standing there. Then it lifted and went over the house. I expected to be blown away, destroyed. But nothing happened.
And I was given the following scripture ... Isaiah 65 ... And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. 24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
God showed me there was going to be a problem. And it concerned the house. It looked like I would be destroyed and the house would be taken from me. That is what I expected. But that was not going to happen.
The contractor fired the bookkeeper in the middle of the construction. The new bookkeeper failed to report some expenses until the end of the project. All of a sudden I was hit with bills for construction that I couldn't pay. I told the contractor just to put a for sale sign on the house. He refused to do that. A member of our church group had the needed money and loaned it to me. Within 6 months I had repaid the loan in full. Ten years has passed since then and I still live in this house. There are no debts on the house. Everything is completely clear.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Don't we have trouble in the world? Don't people say things and do things that grieve us? They are not of God and John tells us that the whole world lies in wickedness. (I Jn. 5)
Jesus told us to be of good cheer for HE has overcome the world. Jesus, the Word of God, overcomes the world.
And we, who are of God and have been given the Spirit of God, overcome the world through HIM, through that word called to our attention by the Spirit of God. It is that word that puts the fires out inside us when we are troubled. It is also that word which the gates of hell cannot prevail against. That word is the foundation for our faith.
When I was building this house where I now live, God gave me a dream and a scripture. In the dream ...A meteor was outside my kitchen window. It was just hovering there, standing there. Then it lifted and went over the house. I expected to be blown away, destroyed. But nothing happened.
And I was given the following scripture ... Isaiah 65 ... And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. 24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
God showed me there was going to be a problem. And it concerned the house. It looked like I would be destroyed and the house would be taken from me. That is what I expected. But that was not going to happen.
The contractor fired the bookkeeper in the middle of the construction. The new bookkeeper failed to report some expenses until the end of the project. All of a sudden I was hit with bills for construction that I couldn't pay. I told the contractor just to put a for sale sign on the house. He refused to do that. A member of our church group had the needed money and loaned it to me. Within 6 months I had repaid the loan in full. Ten years has passed since then and I still live in this house. There are no debts on the house. Everything is completely clear.
Caleb fully followed God
Pam Padgett ... teacher
After God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, HE told Moses to send a man from each tribe to search the land God had promised to give them. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh was sent by Moses from the tribe of Judah. The men sent by Moses searched the land forty days, and brought back fruit from the land together with a report that the land flowed with milk and honey. They also told that the inhabitants of the land were strong and great ....
Numbers 13:25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
Caleb knew the children of Israel were able to overcome even the strong and great inhabitants of the land because God was with them, and urged them to go up at once to possess the land. But others who had searched the land discouraged the people, saying that the inhabitants of the land were too strong for the children of Israel to overcome.
Numbers 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
At this evil report, the congregation murmured. But Joshua and Caleb strongly urged the people to trust in God and not fear, reminding them of how good the land is and that the inhabitants of the land would not be able to stand before Israel, for God was with them ...
Numbers 14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. 8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not. 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
The congregation took up stones to kill Joshua and Caleb as they spoke. But God judged the matter. Those who had not believed and provoked God would not see the land. But Caleb would go into the land and his seed would posses it, for Caleb had fully followed God ...
Numbers 14:22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
The children of Israel were led in the wilderness for 40 years until those who provoked God had died. Before Moses died, land to the east of the Jordan river had been divided to two and one-half of the tribes. Joshua was appointed by God to lead the children of Israel (included the 2-1/2 tribes who had already received their inheritance) into the land of Canaan across the Jordan river, and they overcome many countries in the land. Eleazar, Joshua, and heads of the tribes divided the land by lots among the nine and one-half tribes, and Caleb came to Joshua concerning the promise of an inheritance that had been made to him because he had fully followed God ...
Joshua 14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. 7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God.
Joshua gave Caleb Hebron as he asked. Although 85 years old, Caleb was still strong and able to go to battle, knowing he would be able to drive out the inhabitants of Hebron as God was with him ...
Joshua 14:10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.
Joshua 15:13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. 14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
Its edifying to review how Caleb wholly followed God, even when others did not. Caleb believed God would help them and that because God would help them, they would be able to overcome even strong enemies and inhabit the land as God had promised. Together with Joshua, Caleb tried to turn the congregation away from fear and rebellion, and to believe God and enter into the land HE had promised. Because Caleb fully followed God, God gave him an inheritance of the land among the children of Judah.
After God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, HE told Moses to send a man from each tribe to search the land God had promised to give them. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh was sent by Moses from the tribe of Judah. The men sent by Moses searched the land forty days, and brought back fruit from the land together with a report that the land flowed with milk and honey. They also told that the inhabitants of the land were strong and great ....
Numbers 13:25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
Caleb knew the children of Israel were able to overcome even the strong and great inhabitants of the land because God was with them, and urged them to go up at once to possess the land. But others who had searched the land discouraged the people, saying that the inhabitants of the land were too strong for the children of Israel to overcome.
Numbers 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
At this evil report, the congregation murmured. But Joshua and Caleb strongly urged the people to trust in God and not fear, reminding them of how good the land is and that the inhabitants of the land would not be able to stand before Israel, for God was with them ...
Numbers 14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. 8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not. 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
The congregation took up stones to kill Joshua and Caleb as they spoke. But God judged the matter. Those who had not believed and provoked God would not see the land. But Caleb would go into the land and his seed would posses it, for Caleb had fully followed God ...
Numbers 14:22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
The children of Israel were led in the wilderness for 40 years until those who provoked God had died. Before Moses died, land to the east of the Jordan river had been divided to two and one-half of the tribes. Joshua was appointed by God to lead the children of Israel (included the 2-1/2 tribes who had already received their inheritance) into the land of Canaan across the Jordan river, and they overcome many countries in the land. Eleazar, Joshua, and heads of the tribes divided the land by lots among the nine and one-half tribes, and Caleb came to Joshua concerning the promise of an inheritance that had been made to him because he had fully followed God ...
Joshua 14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. 7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God.
Joshua gave Caleb Hebron as he asked. Although 85 years old, Caleb was still strong and able to go to battle, knowing he would be able to drive out the inhabitants of Hebron as God was with him ...
Joshua 14:10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.
Joshua 15:13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. 14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
Its edifying to review how Caleb wholly followed God, even when others did not. Caleb believed God would help them and that because God would help them, they would be able to overcome even strong enemies and inhabit the land as God had promised. Together with Joshua, Caleb tried to turn the congregation away from fear and rebellion, and to believe God and enter into the land HE had promised. Because Caleb fully followed God, God gave him an inheritance of the land among the children of Judah.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ... For which cause we faint not; but though our
outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the
things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the
things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen
are eternal.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Though we get older in age, the Holy Spirit doesn't age. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of Jesus Christ. No change. No shadow of turning. Same yesterday, today, forever. Searches the mind of God to reveal God's will to us.
When anyone says they go from "strength to strength" or from "victory to victory", that person is saying he knows what it is to have trouble on this earth and hopefully he also knows what it is to overcome through the Word of God on this earth.
Jesus said: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me (the Word) ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I (the Word) have overcome the world. Jn. 16:33
Everything we can see with our natural eye is temporary. The things of God which are by faith are eternal.
We really fret a lot when some possession breaks down, don't we? Sometimes we complain to others and show dismay. These things we can see are temporary. The things we cannot see are eternal. These human bodies are temporary. Almost more than anything humans fret over their human bodies. Yet these bodies are only used temporarily.
Here are some promises from God that we can count on: (If you currently have a problem, the answer is probably in one of these verses)
=================
II Peter 2 ... Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Lk. 21:33 ... Jesus says ... Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Psa. 1 ... Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Mt. 6 ... Jesus says ... Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
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.
Heb. 8 ... For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb. 13 ... Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Isaiah 46:4 ...And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs (grey hair) will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Phil. 4 ... Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
James 4:8 ... Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Mt. 11 ... Jesus says ... Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jn. 16:7 ... Jesus says ... Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Eph. 1 ... That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Acts 1:8 ... But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Jn. 14:26 ... But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Jn. 16:13 ... Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Acts 2 ... Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Isaiah 55:11 ...So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Isaiah 55:7 ... Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55 ... For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Phil. 4:19 ... Paul says ... But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 57:13 ... he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.
Psalm 91 ... He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
James 1:5 ... If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Proverbs 3 ... Trust 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.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Though we get older in age, the Holy Spirit doesn't age. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of Jesus Christ. No change. No shadow of turning. Same yesterday, today, forever. Searches the mind of God to reveal God's will to us.
When anyone says they go from "strength to strength" or from "victory to victory", that person is saying he knows what it is to have trouble on this earth and hopefully he also knows what it is to overcome through the Word of God on this earth.
Jesus said: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me (the Word) ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I (the Word) have overcome the world. Jn. 16:33
Everything we can see with our natural eye is temporary. The things of God which are by faith are eternal.
We really fret a lot when some possession breaks down, don't we? Sometimes we complain to others and show dismay. These things we can see are temporary. The things we cannot see are eternal. These human bodies are temporary. Almost more than anything humans fret over their human bodies. Yet these bodies are only used temporarily.
Here are some promises from God that we can count on: (If you currently have a problem, the answer is probably in one of these verses)
=================
II Peter 2 ... Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Lk. 21:33 ... Jesus says ... Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Psa. 1 ... Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Mt. 6 ... Jesus says ... Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
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.
Heb. 8 ... For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb. 13 ... Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Isaiah 46:4 ...And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs (grey hair) will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Phil. 4 ... Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
James 4:8 ... Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Mt. 11 ... Jesus says ... Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jn. 16:7 ... Jesus says ... Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Eph. 1 ... That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Acts 1:8 ... But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Jn. 14:26 ... But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Jn. 16:13 ... Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Acts 2 ... Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Isaiah 55:11 ...So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Isaiah 55:7 ... Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55 ... For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Phil. 4:19 ... Paul says ... But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 57:13 ... he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.
Psalm 91 ... He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
James 1:5 ... If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Proverbs 3 ... Trust 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.
Building and keeping a "nest egg"
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Certainly none of us wants to be without a "savings" although Jesus gave the example that we cannot serve God and mammon ... and Jesus illustrated the birds ... Mt. 6:26 ... Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
And Paul explained: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. I Tim. 6:7
This past year I had some heavy personal expenditures. My sound processor stopped working and had to be replaced. My TV then stopped and I replaced it. But I had money in a savings account and I paid for these things from that money. And I had money left over in the savings account after paying for these items.
How much money do I need in saving for future? Only God knows.
What I do is ask God if it is OK to buy the item and unless HE stops me I buy it. I know God can stop me if I need to keep that money.
Prov. 3:5-6 ... Trust 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.
Some people fret and trouble themselves by trying to keep all their savings. They are led by fear.
Turning to God in prayer, asking HIM what to do is a far better way to go.
I Tim. 6:17 ... Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
I do not spend money that I do not have. But when I have the money and have a need and can pay for the need from that money I try not to trouble myself. Instead I pray, asking God if it is appropriate for me to spend money from savings to buy the item. Then I do it unless God puts a stop sign in my path.
To try to hold onto all the money you have saved without praying can't be faith. Mostly people who fret over such live by trusting in that money they have accumulated. They live by fear.
Another thing ... I don't try to save a certain amount of money each month. But I find money does accumulate each month.
Certainly none of us wants to be without a "savings" although Jesus gave the example that we cannot serve God and mammon ... and Jesus illustrated the birds ... Mt. 6:26 ... Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
And Paul explained: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. I Tim. 6:7
This past year I had some heavy personal expenditures. My sound processor stopped working and had to be replaced. My TV then stopped and I replaced it. But I had money in a savings account and I paid for these things from that money. And I had money left over in the savings account after paying for these items.
How much money do I need in saving for future? Only God knows.
What I do is ask God if it is OK to buy the item and unless HE stops me I buy it. I know God can stop me if I need to keep that money.
Prov. 3:5-6 ... Trust 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.
Some people fret and trouble themselves by trying to keep all their savings. They are led by fear.
Turning to God in prayer, asking HIM what to do is a far better way to go.
I Tim. 6:17 ... Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
I do not spend money that I do not have. But when I have the money and have a need and can pay for the need from that money I try not to trouble myself. Instead I pray, asking God if it is appropriate for me to spend money from savings to buy the item. Then I do it unless God puts a stop sign in my path.
To try to hold onto all the money you have saved without praying can't be faith. Mostly people who fret over such live by trusting in that money they have accumulated. They live by fear.
Another thing ... I don't try to save a certain amount of money each month. But I find money does accumulate each month.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Eph. 4:29 ... Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Is that which you are about to speak going to "minister grace" to the hearer?
Grace is a feeling of gratitude to God.
Often I am stopped from speaking when I consider what my words might do.
Will my words minister grace to the hearer ... Is that which I am about to speak going to cause the hearer to glorify God in some way?
This stops me from speaking a great many things.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Is that which you are about to speak going to "minister grace" to the hearer?
Grace is a feeling of gratitude to God.
Often I am stopped from speaking when I consider what my words might do.
Will my words minister grace to the hearer ... Is that which I am about to speak going to cause the hearer to glorify God in some way?
This stops me from speaking a great many things.
Concerning "think on these things"
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Yesterday I printed the following scripture with definitions for each key word in this scripture:
Paul said ... Phil. 4:8 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
I printed yesterday's writing on this subject and sat down this morning to begin to think on the first listed part of this scripture ... the word "true" ... to think on that which is true. Immediately I was reminded of the following truth ... Gen. 1:1 ... In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
I talked with Pam by phone and asked her if she had ever tried doing what Paul said to do in Phil. 4:8 and she said she hadn't but as of today she wanted to do this and she had just started thinking on truth and was reminded of I Jn. 5:20 ... And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
I think this is so interesting. The Holy Spirit led us to different scriptures concerning truth. It reminds me of how the Word of God is the "living" Word, given to each one of us as God wills. Each of us must focus by the Spirit of God where HE leads us. We have different needs, different holes that need attention. It makes sense that we would think on a subject such as truth and be reminded of different areas of scripture.
If we would do Phil. 4:8 daily for a season, I feel certain we would be greatly helped as we live on this earth.
Yesterday I printed the following scripture with definitions for each key word in this scripture:
Paul said ... Phil. 4:8 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
I printed yesterday's writing on this subject and sat down this morning to begin to think on the first listed part of this scripture ... the word "true" ... to think on that which is true. Immediately I was reminded of the following truth ... Gen. 1:1 ... In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
I talked with Pam by phone and asked her if she had ever tried doing what Paul said to do in Phil. 4:8 and she said she hadn't but as of today she wanted to do this and she had just started thinking on truth and was reminded of I Jn. 5:20 ... And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
I think this is so interesting. The Holy Spirit led us to different scriptures concerning truth. It reminds me of how the Word of God is the "living" Word, given to each one of us as God wills. Each of us must focus by the Spirit of God where HE leads us. We have different needs, different holes that need attention. It makes sense that we would think on a subject such as truth and be reminded of different areas of scripture.
If we would do Phil. 4:8 daily for a season, I feel certain we would be greatly helped as we live on this earth.
Seducing spirits & doctrines of devils
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
I Tim. 4 ... Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
One of the doctrines of devils in the Catholic Church is the forbidding of marriage for their priests (and nuns).
One day my contractor who is Catholic was complaining about the rash of pedophiles among the Catholic priests. I remarked that if they would allow their priests to marry, some of this child abuse would stop. Contractor thought about what I said and replied, "I don't know about letting them marry." I replied, "Peter was married." Contractor registered visible shock! I took Bible and showed him the following verse. Mt. 8 ... And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. Later I learned the Catholic's believe Peter to be one founder of the Catholic Church. No wonder this shocked my contractor.
Paul once spoke about apostles having the "right" to lead about a wife. I Cor. 9:3 ...Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Jesus said ... Mt. 19 ... Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 10His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. 11But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
You can't prohibit a man from marrying. Only God can do that and sometimes God does that.
And Paul once said those who do marry will have trouble in the flesh but you have to have a "call" of God on your life not to marry. I Cor. 7 ... Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 5Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 6But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. 7For I would that all men were even as I myself (not married). But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
So both men and women are free to marry unless they are divorced. (Read: Divorce & Remarriage: What the Bible Teaches)
Another doctrine of devils is the commandment in Catholic Church to abstain from meats on Fridays. There is no such doctrine of Christ in the Bible. This was added by devils. I Tim. 4 speaks of this doctrine. Paul says: and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Many years ago, I was attending a church group where a woman who called herself a prophet had a strange doctrine where she prohibited ministers from drinking coffee and other caffeine drinks. She said it could stimulate a person and make them think the Holy Spirit was leading when the stimulation was caffeine. This is another seducing spirit and doctrine of devils. (Jn. 10 Jesus said HIS sheep would not follow the voice of a stranger.)
A Baptist woman once got very dreamy eyed and said to me, "I wonder if only virgins can be prophets." I pointed out Anna. Lk. 2 ... And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
There are all sorts of strange doctrines that creep into the hearts of church people. It is important to prove the doctrine otherwise it can spread like leaven, eating through all in the house.
We do know from what Paul wrote in I Tim. 4 that in the last days, there will be seducing spirits and doctrines of devils come to the minds of people in congregation. And they will "fall from the faith" in the matter and follow another spirit.
Therefore we exhort the church continually in proper doctrine and in the way of God to pull them back from these seducing spirits and re-establish the church in scripture.
I Tim. 4 ... Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
One of the doctrines of devils in the Catholic Church is the forbidding of marriage for their priests (and nuns).
One day my contractor who is Catholic was complaining about the rash of pedophiles among the Catholic priests. I remarked that if they would allow their priests to marry, some of this child abuse would stop. Contractor thought about what I said and replied, "I don't know about letting them marry." I replied, "Peter was married." Contractor registered visible shock! I took Bible and showed him the following verse. Mt. 8 ... And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. Later I learned the Catholic's believe Peter to be one founder of the Catholic Church. No wonder this shocked my contractor.
Paul once spoke about apostles having the "right" to lead about a wife. I Cor. 9:3 ...Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Jesus said ... Mt. 19 ... Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 10His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. 11But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
You can't prohibit a man from marrying. Only God can do that and sometimes God does that.
And Paul once said those who do marry will have trouble in the flesh but you have to have a "call" of God on your life not to marry. I Cor. 7 ... Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 5Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 6But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. 7For I would that all men were even as I myself (not married). But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
So both men and women are free to marry unless they are divorced. (Read: Divorce & Remarriage: What the Bible Teaches)
Another doctrine of devils is the commandment in Catholic Church to abstain from meats on Fridays. There is no such doctrine of Christ in the Bible. This was added by devils. I Tim. 4 speaks of this doctrine. Paul says: and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Many years ago, I was attending a church group where a woman who called herself a prophet had a strange doctrine where she prohibited ministers from drinking coffee and other caffeine drinks. She said it could stimulate a person and make them think the Holy Spirit was leading when the stimulation was caffeine. This is another seducing spirit and doctrine of devils. (Jn. 10 Jesus said HIS sheep would not follow the voice of a stranger.)
A Baptist woman once got very dreamy eyed and said to me, "I wonder if only virgins can be prophets." I pointed out Anna. Lk. 2 ... And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
There are all sorts of strange doctrines that creep into the hearts of church people. It is important to prove the doctrine otherwise it can spread like leaven, eating through all in the house.
We do know from what Paul wrote in I Tim. 4 that in the last days, there will be seducing spirits and doctrines of devils come to the minds of people in congregation. And they will "fall from the faith" in the matter and follow another spirit.
Therefore we exhort the church continually in proper doctrine and in the way of God to pull them back from these seducing spirits and re-establish the church in scripture.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
That which we allow to go into our heart will at some point come out our mouth. Therefore we have to be careful concerning that which we allow into our heart. Things go into our hearts through offenses and unforgiveness. We can also judge wrongly if we live in unforgiveness seeing a "bad guy" behind each bush and developing into a bitter, negative person, hurting others with our negative words.
Certainly there is a time to warn one another. God taught me this with the following scripture. II Tim. 4:14 ... Paul said ... Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: 15Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
But to speak "your mind" reveals what you have allowed to go into your heart. If your words are evil, you have taken some form of evil into your heart. You defile yourself. People often do this with politics and they feed off news and allow themselves to become more and more hostile thinking they know what is right. That which they take in will come out of their hearts and will defile themselves and others. I avoid many things, especially TV news, because I find it disturbs me needlessly and I don't want to take these troubles into my heart needlessly. And I avoid people who have habit of speaking negative things to me without real cause.
Instead Paul told us to do the following: Phil. 4 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Have you ever tried to do the above scripture?
Recently I sat and tried to do this scripture. I began by listing things that are "true" and thinking about those things. Then I went to things that are "honest". Then to things that are of "a good report". Then "virtue" (strong things), and "praise".
What would our life be like if we made our minds focus on the above list of things daily, as Paul said to do ...
Try this and see what happens ...
If we did this, I suspect we would fill our being with "good treasure".
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
That which we allow to go into our heart will at some point come out our mouth. Therefore we have to be careful concerning that which we allow into our heart. Things go into our hearts through offenses and unforgiveness. We can also judge wrongly if we live in unforgiveness seeing a "bad guy" behind each bush and developing into a bitter, negative person, hurting others with our negative words.
Certainly there is a time to warn one another. God taught me this with the following scripture. II Tim. 4:14 ... Paul said ... Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: 15Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
But to speak "your mind" reveals what you have allowed to go into your heart. If your words are evil, you have taken some form of evil into your heart. You defile yourself. People often do this with politics and they feed off news and allow themselves to become more and more hostile thinking they know what is right. That which they take in will come out of their hearts and will defile themselves and others. I avoid many things, especially TV news, because I find it disturbs me needlessly and I don't want to take these troubles into my heart needlessly. And I avoid people who have habit of speaking negative things to me without real cause.
Instead Paul told us to do the following: Phil. 4 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Have you ever tried to do the above scripture?
Recently I sat and tried to do this scripture. I began by listing things that are "true" and thinking about those things. Then I went to things that are "honest". Then to things that are of "a good report". Then "virtue" (strong things), and "praise".
What would our life be like if we made our minds focus on the above list of things daily, as Paul said to do ...
Try this and see what happens ...
If we did this, I suspect we would fill our being with "good treasure".
Think on these things
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Phil. 4:8 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
true: without shadow of turning
- fact
- reality
- accurate
- exact
honest: deserving of honor
- high respect, esteem
- a person or thing that bringd credit
- adhere to what is right
just: based on or behaving according to what is morally right or fail
- an opinion or appraisal well founded
- justifiable
pure:
- not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material
- free of contamination
lovely:
- exquisitely beautiful
- very pleasant, enjoyable, delightful
a good report:
- that which is from God or in accordance with Word of God, showing honor and glory to God
virtue:
- derive benefit or advantage from
- valor, merit, moral perfection
praise:
- express one's respect and gratitude toward
- express enthusiastic approval of
... think on these things ...
Phil. 4:8 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
true: without shadow of turning
- fact
- reality
- accurate
- exact
honest: deserving of honor
- high respect, esteem
- a person or thing that bringd credit
- adhere to what is right
just: based on or behaving according to what is morally right or fail
- an opinion or appraisal well founded
- justifiable
pure:
- not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material
- free of contamination
lovely:
- exquisitely beautiful
- very pleasant, enjoyable, delightful
a good report:
- that which is from God or in accordance with Word of God, showing honor and glory to God
virtue:
- derive benefit or advantage from
- valor, merit, moral perfection
praise:
- express one's respect and gratitude toward
- express enthusiastic approval of
... think on these things ...
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Psalm 16:11 ... Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is
fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Before God revealed Himself to me, I would have said I was a Christian because I had gone forward at a church group and was baptised in water. But I did that on my own because I didn't want to go to hell and I thought that was the way to keep from going to hell. But my life didn't change. I continued to "be wise in my own eyes" by my own thoughts. I never thought of what God wanted. I never asked God what HE wanted. That was between the years of 15 and 37.
When I was 37, God revealed Himself to me and I was changed immediately. After that I thought about God. I read the Bible. I wanted to know the way of God.
The path of life is totally different from the path of the world.
John said: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. I Jn. 5
The Holy Spirit now dwells in us to lead us in the way of God concerning specific issues of this life. The "path of life" in the matter at hand is that which the Holy Spirit calls to your mind. Going that way is life.
Two very strong ways of the world are to get ahead and to become rich.
The ways of God are exactly opposite.
Phil. 2 ... 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 (a servant to God), 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.
I Tim. 1 ... But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
God has given me multiple dreams about one woman here. In each dream, God has shown me a downward progression in her life. She is not getting better but worse. She is going in the way that seems right in her own eyes. She is working to have a big reputation in the sight of other humans. Yet everything is getting worse, not better for her. In one dream, she was coming down the hallway toward me. She was very fat and like a dwarf. She could hardly walk. She was holding on to a hand rail attached to the wall to help her walk.
The way of the world is death ... The ideas that are important to the world are death. If we follow that which is wise to other humans, we go in a way of destruction. The way of life, the way of God is opposite. And it is the Spirit of God in us who shows us the way of life. We cling to that word.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Before God revealed Himself to me, I would have said I was a Christian because I had gone forward at a church group and was baptised in water. But I did that on my own because I didn't want to go to hell and I thought that was the way to keep from going to hell. But my life didn't change. I continued to "be wise in my own eyes" by my own thoughts. I never thought of what God wanted. I never asked God what HE wanted. That was between the years of 15 and 37.
When I was 37, God revealed Himself to me and I was changed immediately. After that I thought about God. I read the Bible. I wanted to know the way of God.
The path of life is totally different from the path of the world.
John said: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. I Jn. 5
The Holy Spirit now dwells in us to lead us in the way of God concerning specific issues of this life. The "path of life" in the matter at hand is that which the Holy Spirit calls to your mind. Going that way is life.
Two very strong ways of the world are to get ahead and to become rich.
The ways of God are exactly opposite.
Phil. 2 ... 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 (a servant to God), 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.
I Tim. 1 ... But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
God has given me multiple dreams about one woman here. In each dream, God has shown me a downward progression in her life. She is not getting better but worse. She is going in the way that seems right in her own eyes. She is working to have a big reputation in the sight of other humans. Yet everything is getting worse, not better for her. In one dream, she was coming down the hallway toward me. She was very fat and like a dwarf. She could hardly walk. She was holding on to a hand rail attached to the wall to help her walk.
The way of the world is death ... The ideas that are important to the world are death. If we follow that which is wise to other humans, we go in a way of destruction. The way of life, the way of God is opposite. And it is the Spirit of God in us who shows us the way of life. We cling to that word.
Bridling your tongue
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
James 1:26 ... If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
I have two cousins and when one speaks she often hurts me with needless words. The other cousin is so negative she pulls me down when she speaks. I usually avoid these cousins. Fortunately they do not live where I live.
Recently I was talking with Pam Padgett. I can't recall the subject but again I stopped myself from speaking for it might have negatively affected Pam.
If someone is in danger you might have to speak negative things to warn them. If they were about to do business with a corrupt person and you had knowledge about the dealing of that person you would likely warn them.
But you don't want to say things needlessly which will present a negatively slant on a matter.
We just judge that which we are going to speak before we speak it.
Jesus said ... Mt. 12 ... But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
And when we do speak a negative word, we need to be sure our judgment on the matter is correct. We may have had a bad experience with something or someone but this might not happen repeatedly. So we will be judged for such.
Idle words often come when we think ourselves to be wise and we go about saying what we think we know about someone or something.
We need to evaluate that which we are about to speak before we speak for we do not want to harm people with idle words.
James 1:26 ... If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
I have two cousins and when one speaks she often hurts me with needless words. The other cousin is so negative she pulls me down when she speaks. I usually avoid these cousins. Fortunately they do not live where I live.
Recently I was talking with Pam Padgett. I can't recall the subject but again I stopped myself from speaking for it might have negatively affected Pam.
If someone is in danger you might have to speak negative things to warn them. If they were about to do business with a corrupt person and you had knowledge about the dealing of that person you would likely warn them.
But you don't want to say things needlessly which will present a negatively slant on a matter.
We just judge that which we are going to speak before we speak it.
Jesus said ... Mt. 12 ... But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
And when we do speak a negative word, we need to be sure our judgment on the matter is correct. We may have had a bad experience with something or someone but this might not happen repeatedly. So we will be judged for such.
Idle words often come when we think ourselves to be wise and we go about saying what we think we know about someone or something.
We need to evaluate that which we are about to speak before we speak for we do not want to harm people with idle words.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ:nevertheless I live; yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
We who belong to God are "dead" with Christ ... that is our flesh dies that we no longer serve the flesh.
The second time I was baptized, when the minister lowered me into the water, the Holy Spirit said to me: "This is like being buried with Christ."
When I came out of the water, the Holy Spirit said to me: "This is like being raised with Christ."
Romans 6 explains this as follows: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The "newness of life" is that we are dead in the flesh so we can now serve God instead of serving our own flesh as we once did. Where we once pleased ourselves, trying to make ourselves happy, now we want to serve God, doing that which pleases God. We are changed. The flesh is still there and we have to keep it under control but now when it rises up to exalt itself we are sorry where once we thought it wise to try to fulfill ourselves on this earth. We are changed now that we belong to God.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
We who belong to God are "dead" with Christ ... that is our flesh dies that we no longer serve the flesh.
The second time I was baptized, when the minister lowered me into the water, the Holy Spirit said to me: "This is like being buried with Christ."
When I came out of the water, the Holy Spirit said to me: "This is like being raised with Christ."
Romans 6 explains this as follows: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The "newness of life" is that we are dead in the flesh so we can now serve God instead of serving our own flesh as we once did. Where we once pleased ourselves, trying to make ourselves happy, now we want to serve God, doing that which pleases God. We are changed. The flesh is still there and we have to keep it under control but now when it rises up to exalt itself we are sorry where once we thought it wise to try to fulfill ourselves on this earth. We are changed now that we belong to God.
Meditation examples
Meditation: Pam Padgett
Psalm 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
God is my help and my strength in time of trouble.
Recently I had a sudden onset of some kind of stomach problem. I thought it might be a stomach virus and started to go to my computer to look on the internet to see what to do about such.
But then I had a thought, I believe from the Holy Spirit, to turn to God and ask HIM what to do. Of course! God knows exactly what was wrong and how to lead me to do whatever was needed. I was reminded of two over-the-counter products, and also kept having the thought to check the internet for non-irritating foods, which I did. Using each of these helped me noticeably.
God knows all things, including everything that affects me. He is my God. I can turn to God no matter what the problem, depending and hoping in Him, for God helps and strengthens me, leading me in what (if anything) to do as He wills.
Psalm 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
God is my help and my strength in time of trouble.
Recently I had a sudden onset of some kind of stomach problem. I thought it might be a stomach virus and started to go to my computer to look on the internet to see what to do about such.
But then I had a thought, I believe from the Holy Spirit, to turn to God and ask HIM what to do. Of course! God knows exactly what was wrong and how to lead me to do whatever was needed. I was reminded of two over-the-counter products, and also kept having the thought to check the internet for non-irritating foods, which I did. Using each of these helped me noticeably.
God knows all things, including everything that affects me. He is my God. I can turn to God no matter what the problem, depending and hoping in Him, for God helps and strengthens me, leading me in what (if anything) to do as He wills.
A strange help
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Before moving to Lubbock, I had a dream showing me that I was building a new house. I saw the location in the dream. When I decided to move to Lubbock and to build a house, I was looking for a lot and I saw a lot that looked like the location in the dream. I bought the lot and built on the lot.
One might think when God shows us something to do it is then clear sailing ... no trouble ... But that may not be the case.
After the house was built and I had been living in it for 2 or 3 years, they built a new Wal-mart a mile down the road. I was very glad to have a Wal-mart so close to my location.
Then they opened up the road to the side of my house and it ran behind the new Wal-mart and the traffic began bumper to bumper down the road at the side of my house. One neighbor put his house up for sale because of this traffic.
I didn't ask God to do any specific thing. I just asked God to help me. I didn't tell God how to help me.
A couple more years passed.
This past week, I noticed a change in the traffic. I had no idea what happened but the number of cars on the street beside my house had reduced dramatically. Later that day, I went out to get my food and noticed they have put 30 MPH signs all the way down the street beside my house. It seems the reduction in speed limit caused many people to choose another route. I would never have thought of that helping.
In every problem, God helps us. We may not know how we can be helped but there is a help for us and it is in prayer and in God who cares for us, HIS children.
Before moving to Lubbock, I had a dream showing me that I was building a new house. I saw the location in the dream. When I decided to move to Lubbock and to build a house, I was looking for a lot and I saw a lot that looked like the location in the dream. I bought the lot and built on the lot.
One might think when God shows us something to do it is then clear sailing ... no trouble ... But that may not be the case.
After the house was built and I had been living in it for 2 or 3 years, they built a new Wal-mart a mile down the road. I was very glad to have a Wal-mart so close to my location.
Then they opened up the road to the side of my house and it ran behind the new Wal-mart and the traffic began bumper to bumper down the road at the side of my house. One neighbor put his house up for sale because of this traffic.
I didn't ask God to do any specific thing. I just asked God to help me. I didn't tell God how to help me.
A couple more years passed.
This past week, I noticed a change in the traffic. I had no idea what happened but the number of cars on the street beside my house had reduced dramatically. Later that day, I went out to get my food and noticed they have put 30 MPH signs all the way down the street beside my house. It seems the reduction in speed limit caused many people to choose another route. I would never have thought of that helping.
In every problem, God helps us. We may not know how we can be helped but there is a help for us and it is in prayer and in God who cares for us, HIS children.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
James 1:27 ... Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is
this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to
keep himself unspotted from the world.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
In the above scripture, "to visit" means "to judge" ... in the case of the fatherless and widows we go check on them to see if they have any need that we are able to provide.
Keeping ourselves unspotted from the world is usually a matter of committing the troubling thought to God in prayer. If we are reminded of a scripture or dream, we focus on that knowing it is given by Holy Spirit to help and comfort and instruct us in the troubling matter.
Please read: Dealing with destructive thoughts
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
In the above scripture, "to visit" means "to judge" ... in the case of the fatherless and widows we go check on them to see if they have any need that we are able to provide.
Keeping ourselves unspotted from the world is usually a matter of committing the troubling thought to God in prayer. If we are reminded of a scripture or dream, we focus on that knowing it is given by Holy Spirit to help and comfort and instruct us in the troubling matter.
Please read: Dealing with destructive thoughts
Delivered from burdens
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Ex. 6:6 ... Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
When I read this, I thought of how the same things is true for us today. God delivers us from the burdens of the world. The world follows after certain things... money, achievement, physical beauty ... and we, from a very early age, learn to seek these things which cause us to be admired by humans of this world, thus taking on the burdens of the world.
But when God chooses us and begins to deliver us and form us into HIS image, bit by bit we are given a word which causes us to go in another way and that word ends up transforming us into HIS image.
The world seeks after money and admires those who achieve great wealth on this earth. We are taught by God that we brought nothing into this world and surely we will carry nothing out. Therefore having food and raiment let us be content. I Tim. 6
Money is one of the main burdens of life. And that burden can continue with us as long as we live on this earth unless we learn another way. (For most of us it is not that we lack at the moment. Don't we have food? Don't we have clothing? The lack comes in a desire to obtain more money.)
Recently there was a story on sports news of a rich man who has offered a "billion dollar" challenge. That type of story can catch our attention and set us on fire with a type of lust and desire. I didn't hear the story but at the side of the TV screen I could see they were going to tell this story. At first, I was sitting waiting to hear the story. But then I realized, What is that to me? I live by another way now. I have food. I have clothing. That is all I need. When I reasoned this, I just turned the TV off.
I believe these words are becoming more and more a part of my being ... I Tim. 6:8 ... And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
I know this scripture is taking over in my life daily as money comes to mind and I refocus on "Do I have food today? Do I have raiment today?" Having such, be content. And I relax.
So the great burden of money dissolves as I reposition my mind to the Word of God.
Another great burden is reputation ... for some it is achievement ... for others it is achievement with the physical body ... When we choose to follow Phil. 2, we begin freeing ourselves from this burden ... 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 (a servant to God), 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.(obeyed God regardless of the cost to Himself.)
Make no mistake, there is always someone out there who does things to provoke us to try to show ourselves important or worthy. Keeping this under control is a challenge. I have a cleaning woman who thinks herself to be wise and thinks me to be foolish. Three times recently she has said things to show her wisdom and to put me down. I just prayed and committed this to God. It is sort of like Hagar despising Sarah because Hagar could do what Sarah couldn't do. And because of this Hagar despised Sarah. Gen. 16:4
I have worked diligently to make myself of no reputation (avoiding things that make me look wise or exalt me)... not trying to exalt myself and make myself seem important to other people. Apparently I am achieving this for I find often I am looked upon as an old, unimportant woman, basically worthless. This brings further separation between the people of this world and the people of God for the people of God know the truth.
Trying to rise to the top and impress people is a terrible burden.
Ex. 6:6 ... Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
When I read this, I thought of how the same things is true for us today. God delivers us from the burdens of the world. The world follows after certain things... money, achievement, physical beauty ... and we, from a very early age, learn to seek these things which cause us to be admired by humans of this world, thus taking on the burdens of the world.
But when God chooses us and begins to deliver us and form us into HIS image, bit by bit we are given a word which causes us to go in another way and that word ends up transforming us into HIS image.
The world seeks after money and admires those who achieve great wealth on this earth. We are taught by God that we brought nothing into this world and surely we will carry nothing out. Therefore having food and raiment let us be content. I Tim. 6
Money is one of the main burdens of life. And that burden can continue with us as long as we live on this earth unless we learn another way. (For most of us it is not that we lack at the moment. Don't we have food? Don't we have clothing? The lack comes in a desire to obtain more money.)
Recently there was a story on sports news of a rich man who has offered a "billion dollar" challenge. That type of story can catch our attention and set us on fire with a type of lust and desire. I didn't hear the story but at the side of the TV screen I could see they were going to tell this story. At first, I was sitting waiting to hear the story. But then I realized, What is that to me? I live by another way now. I have food. I have clothing. That is all I need. When I reasoned this, I just turned the TV off.
I believe these words are becoming more and more a part of my being ... I Tim. 6:8 ... And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
I know this scripture is taking over in my life daily as money comes to mind and I refocus on "Do I have food today? Do I have raiment today?" Having such, be content. And I relax.
So the great burden of money dissolves as I reposition my mind to the Word of God.
Another great burden is reputation ... for some it is achievement ... for others it is achievement with the physical body ... When we choose to follow Phil. 2, we begin freeing ourselves from this burden ... 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 (a servant to God), 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.(obeyed God regardless of the cost to Himself.)
Make no mistake, there is always someone out there who does things to provoke us to try to show ourselves important or worthy. Keeping this under control is a challenge. I have a cleaning woman who thinks herself to be wise and thinks me to be foolish. Three times recently she has said things to show her wisdom and to put me down. I just prayed and committed this to God. It is sort of like Hagar despising Sarah because Hagar could do what Sarah couldn't do. And because of this Hagar despised Sarah. Gen. 16:4
I have worked diligently to make myself of no reputation (avoiding things that make me look wise or exalt me)... not trying to exalt myself and make myself seem important to other people. Apparently I am achieving this for I find often I am looked upon as an old, unimportant woman, basically worthless. This brings further separation between the people of this world and the people of God for the people of God know the truth.
Trying to rise to the top and impress people is a terrible burden.
Overcoming by following God
Pam Padgett ... teacher
God gave Joshua instructions to follow in overcoming the city of Jericho, which was tightly closed up, but which God had given into his hands ....
Joshua 6:1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
For six days Israel's men of war, together with the ark and seven priests having rams horn trumpets, were to go around the city one time Then on the seventh day they were to go around the city seven times, and when the priests made a long blast on the trumpets, the people were to shout.
None of these things would seem to the natural eye to be how men of war would come against a walled city. But this was the will and plan of God. For as the people shouted with a great shout, God would cause the walls of the city to fall down flat. The army of Israel simply were to follow the instructions God gave to them, and then go into the city to destroy it. And this is exactly what happened ...
Joshua 6:12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. 14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. 15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. 16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. 17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. .... 23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. 24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord.
The army of Israel simply obeyed what God told them to do, not taking Jericho by their own wisdom, but according to the way God instructed.
As we live on this earth we face various types of battles. Just as the army of Israel was given victory over Jericho as they followed the instructions God gave, we overcome by turning to God, waiting to hear from God in the matter, and going according to the Word God gives to us by the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 10:3 For 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;)
God gave Joshua instructions to follow in overcoming the city of Jericho, which was tightly closed up, but which God had given into his hands ....
Joshua 6:1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
For six days Israel's men of war, together with the ark and seven priests having rams horn trumpets, were to go around the city one time Then on the seventh day they were to go around the city seven times, and when the priests made a long blast on the trumpets, the people were to shout.
None of these things would seem to the natural eye to be how men of war would come against a walled city. But this was the will and plan of God. For as the people shouted with a great shout, God would cause the walls of the city to fall down flat. The army of Israel simply were to follow the instructions God gave to them, and then go into the city to destroy it. And this is exactly what happened ...
Joshua 6:12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. 14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. 15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. 16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. 17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. .... 23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. 24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord.
The army of Israel simply obeyed what God told them to do, not taking Jericho by their own wisdom, but according to the way God instructed.
As we live on this earth we face various types of battles. Just as the army of Israel was given victory over Jericho as they followed the instructions God gave, we overcome by turning to God, waiting to hear from God in the matter, and going according to the Word God gives to us by the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 10:3 For 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;)
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Psalm 40:16 ... Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in
thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be
magnified.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
We seek God in prayer and in Bible reading. I make Bible reading a daily "habit". It is not that I want to read Bible. Sometimes I don't want to read. But I just do it because I make it a part of my daily life. Usually after I read a few chapters, I see something that pulls me up and I rejoice. And often after reading several chapters, I will feel a message inside me for the church and I get up and go to computer and begin writing. It is not always from those chapters I have been reading but somehow reading stimulates me. (I have a spiritual gift of exhortation for the church given by God to benefit the church.)
Bible reading stirs up that spiritual gift God has given for the church.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
We seek God in prayer and in Bible reading. I make Bible reading a daily "habit". It is not that I want to read Bible. Sometimes I don't want to read. But I just do it because I make it a part of my daily life. Usually after I read a few chapters, I see something that pulls me up and I rejoice. And often after reading several chapters, I will feel a message inside me for the church and I get up and go to computer and begin writing. It is not always from those chapters I have been reading but somehow reading stimulates me. (I have a spiritual gift of exhortation for the church given by God to benefit the church.)
Bible reading stirs up that spiritual gift God has given for the church.
Ministry authored by Holy Spirit
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Acts 16 ... Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 11Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 12And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. 13And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
In this very interesting scripture we see a clear example of the ministry of Paul as authored by the Holy Spirit.
First, we see that Paul wanted to speak the Word of God in Asia but the Spirit of God "forbade" this and would not allow the Word of God to be preached in Asia. (Later it was allowed but not at that time.)
Then a vision in the night showed Paul to go to Macedonia to preach and after the vision Paul took action immediately to go to Macedonia and preach. He did this because he was sure it was God telling him to do this ... assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
At one point, a woman named Lydia heard Paul ... whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
Acts 2:47 ... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Salvation is not of Paul nor of us. Salvation is of God. And salvation is by the will of God. God opens the ears of those to be saved and they attend then to the Word of God.
As ministers called of God, we simply follow the instruction of the Holy Spirit and go where HE shows us to go. Often I find periods where I'm not sent anywhere. Then all of a sudden a dream or instruction will come another way and I will have another assignment.
It reminds me of the way the children of Israel moved about by the commandment of the Lord.
Numbers 9 ...And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. 16So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. 18At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. 19And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. 20And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed. 21And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. 22Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed. 23At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
When God showed them to move, they moved immediately. When God showed them to stay still, they remained in their tents even for a day or month or year.
Some people just move about constantly thinking themselves to be doing the work of God, looking for a "work" to do "for God". So often I find these not to be works of God. But when we really follow God, we only move by HIS command. Usually HE shows me by dreams, by a word given by the angel of the Lord, or by burning a scripture though me by the Spirit of God.
Acts 16 ... Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 11Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 12And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. 13And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
In this very interesting scripture we see a clear example of the ministry of Paul as authored by the Holy Spirit.
First, we see that Paul wanted to speak the Word of God in Asia but the Spirit of God "forbade" this and would not allow the Word of God to be preached in Asia. (Later it was allowed but not at that time.)
Then a vision in the night showed Paul to go to Macedonia to preach and after the vision Paul took action immediately to go to Macedonia and preach. He did this because he was sure it was God telling him to do this ... assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
At one point, a woman named Lydia heard Paul ... whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
Acts 2:47 ... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Salvation is not of Paul nor of us. Salvation is of God. And salvation is by the will of God. God opens the ears of those to be saved and they attend then to the Word of God.
As ministers called of God, we simply follow the instruction of the Holy Spirit and go where HE shows us to go. Often I find periods where I'm not sent anywhere. Then all of a sudden a dream or instruction will come another way and I will have another assignment.
It reminds me of the way the children of Israel moved about by the commandment of the Lord.
Numbers 9 ...And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. 16So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. 18At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. 19And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. 20And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed. 21And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. 22Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed. 23At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
When God showed them to move, they moved immediately. When God showed them to stay still, they remained in their tents even for a day or month or year.
Some people just move about constantly thinking themselves to be doing the work of God, looking for a "work" to do "for God". So often I find these not to be works of God. But when we really follow God, we only move by HIS command. Usually HE shows me by dreams, by a word given by the angel of the Lord, or by burning a scripture though me by the Spirit of God.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Matthew 4:4 ... Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The magnificent thing is this: We who belong to God have been given the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God reminds us of the Word of God so we can know what to do and how to focus at a specific moment in time. All we have to do is focus on that word. Thus we end up living by "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" when we live by that word given us by HIS Spirit.
I Cor. 2 ... for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
The Spirit of God searches the heart of God on the issue at hand a reveals to us the "heart of God" so we can know the will of God in that matter in which we are currently dealing.
Thus we pray: "Please show me what to do ... please show me YOUR will in this situation."
And then we simply wait until we are persuaded the Spirit of God has shown us the will of God. And we believe the Spirit of God will show us the will of God in the matter at hand, especially when we ask God to show us.
4 things the Spirit of God does:
- teach us all things (Jn. 14:26)
- remind us of all that Jesus has said (Jn. 14:26
- guide us into all truth (Jn. 16:13
- show us things to come (Jn. 16:13)
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The magnificent thing is this: We who belong to God have been given the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God reminds us of the Word of God so we can know what to do and how to focus at a specific moment in time. All we have to do is focus on that word. Thus we end up living by "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" when we live by that word given us by HIS Spirit.
I Cor. 2 ... for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
The Spirit of God searches the heart of God on the issue at hand a reveals to us the "heart of God" so we can know the will of God in that matter in which we are currently dealing.
Thus we pray: "Please show me what to do ... please show me YOUR will in this situation."
And then we simply wait until we are persuaded the Spirit of God has shown us the will of God. And we believe the Spirit of God will show us the will of God in the matter at hand, especially when we ask God to show us.
4 things the Spirit of God does:
- teach us all things (Jn. 14:26)
- remind us of all that Jesus has said (Jn. 14:26
- guide us into all truth (Jn. 16:13
- show us things to come (Jn. 16:13)
Meditation examples
Meditation: Pam Padgett
Psalm 82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
mighty: having great power or strength
Those who have and are led by the Holy Spirit are mighty, having great power and strength, not of ourselves, but of God.
Years ago when I was madly seeking to get ahead at work, God sent His word to me by the Holy Spirit. As I heeded that word and turned according to it, I was kept from continuing to admire, be influenced by, and seek after reputation and status at work. And a few years later when I was working in an area where those around me were not honestly reporting project status to upper management, it was deeply in my heart to deal with integrity, wanting to please God more than gain reputation and status. When I turned to God with all of this, I was given an opportunity to speak to a member of upper management and tell the truth, even though it was not what he wanted to hear.
It encourages me to think of how God has mightily worked by the Holy Spirit in me, and continues to do so ... breaking down what is not of HIM ... that I glory only in God, not in myself nor in anyone or anything else.
Psalm 82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
mighty: having great power or strength
Those who have and are led by the Holy Spirit are mighty, having great power and strength, not of ourselves, but of God.
Years ago when I was madly seeking to get ahead at work, God sent His word to me by the Holy Spirit. As I heeded that word and turned according to it, I was kept from continuing to admire, be influenced by, and seek after reputation and status at work. And a few years later when I was working in an area where those around me were not honestly reporting project status to upper management, it was deeply in my heart to deal with integrity, wanting to please God more than gain reputation and status. When I turned to God with all of this, I was given an opportunity to speak to a member of upper management and tell the truth, even though it was not what he wanted to hear.
It encourages me to think of how God has mightily worked by the Holy Spirit in me, and continues to do so ... breaking down what is not of HIM ... that I glory only in God, not in myself nor in anyone or anything else.
When sudden illness strikes
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Recently I called Pam Padgett and she told me she became ill in the night and it had carried over unto the next day and she had gone back to bed that morning after feeding the animals and did get out of bed until 11:30 that morning.
As I thought about this, I thought how good sudden illness can be.
It shows us how frail we really are. It shows us how temporary physical strength really is.
This can be a good thing.
Romans 8:28-29 ... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
I have a specific call of God on my life to care for the church. One way I know this is I was given the following dream 30+ years ago. In this dream, I was traveling with a group and we landed on an island. It was hot, dirty (like a pineapple field). There were children out in the fields. All of a sudden I realized they were going to leave me on this island to care for these children. I said, "I won't stay here. I won't ... unless YOU want me to." God did want me to stay and care for these children. There was a pastor and his wife on the island but they wouldn't come out of their house.
One of my assignments from God is to care for the church, for the children of God ... to "feed" them the Word of God through exhortations. (I have the spiritual gift of exhortation for the church.) I was put on internet by a dream. I greatly rejoice for this allows me a way to distribute the food from the word of God to the children of God daily. And it goes all over the world daily which is even better. What a wonderful thing!
Heb. 3 ... Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Heb. 10 ... Let 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. 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?
Often I write these exhortations and schedule them to be published 3 or 4 days down the calendar. Should something come along to keep me from writing, food from the Spirit of God is still out there that day. This is very important to me.
And I remember that our life is like a vapor ... here for a moment then gone ...I usually do not put anything off. Often when I read Bible I will have several exhortations at a time on different subjects. I don't wait until another day to write them. I write them immediately, though they may be scheduled for 3 or 4 days in a row.
Recently I called Pam Padgett and she told me she became ill in the night and it had carried over unto the next day and she had gone back to bed that morning after feeding the animals and did get out of bed until 11:30 that morning.
As I thought about this, I thought how good sudden illness can be.
It shows us how frail we really are. It shows us how temporary physical strength really is.
This can be a good thing.
Romans 8:28-29 ... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
I have a specific call of God on my life to care for the church. One way I know this is I was given the following dream 30+ years ago. In this dream, I was traveling with a group and we landed on an island. It was hot, dirty (like a pineapple field). There were children out in the fields. All of a sudden I realized they were going to leave me on this island to care for these children. I said, "I won't stay here. I won't ... unless YOU want me to." God did want me to stay and care for these children. There was a pastor and his wife on the island but they wouldn't come out of their house.
One of my assignments from God is to care for the church, for the children of God ... to "feed" them the Word of God through exhortations. (I have the spiritual gift of exhortation for the church.) I was put on internet by a dream. I greatly rejoice for this allows me a way to distribute the food from the word of God to the children of God daily. And it goes all over the world daily which is even better. What a wonderful thing!
Heb. 3 ... Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Heb. 10 ... Let 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. 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?
Often I write these exhortations and schedule them to be published 3 or 4 days down the calendar. Should something come along to keep me from writing, food from the Spirit of God is still out there that day. This is very important to me.
And I remember that our life is like a vapor ... here for a moment then gone ...I usually do not put anything off. Often when I read Bible I will have several exhortations at a time on different subjects. I don't wait until another day to write them. I write them immediately, though they may be scheduled for 3 or 4 days in a row.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Heb. 13:5 ... Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The most direct route I know to the above scripture is living by the following: I Tim. 6 ... For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
When the subject of money or possessions comes into my mind, I usually just stop and think: Do I have food today? Do I have raiment?
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The most direct route I know to the above scripture is living by the following: I Tim. 6 ... For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
When the subject of money or possessions comes into my mind, I usually just stop and think: Do I have food today? Do I have raiment?
Acting immediately on the Word of God given by Holy Spirit
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Acts 16 ... And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
In approximately 1980, in the night, what I believe to be an angel of the Lord spoke to me as I was sleeping. It was a very strong voice ... as a voice of a trumpet. I awoke and quickly wrote down the three words spoken to me. "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS" ...
It was obvious that KWJS would be call letters to either radio or TV. I looked this up and found it to be a radio station. I said to God, "Are you telling me to go on radio? I wouldn't know how to do that." A gentle impression follow: "Call the radio station manager."
It was the middle of the night when these words were spoken to me. When morning came I called the radio station as soon as business hours arrived. I asked to speak to the manager. I told him I thought God might be showing me to go on radio. I asked him how you do that. He told me to make an audition tape 29 1/2 minutes long and send it to him and if I fit into their broadcasting they would offer me a contract. As soon as I hung up the phone I took a tape recorder and made a tape 29 1/2 minutes long and mailed it to him. Within a week I was broadcasting on radio 5 days a week, 30 minutes per day.
When I heard from God, I did it immediately.
Another time this happened to me. It was March 2012. I was asleep and was given a dream. The essence of the dream was instruction to set up an Internet cite where the church could exhort one another by the Word of God, encouraging one another by the Word. Again I did this immediately. The morning after that dream, I contacted Pam Padgett and ask her if she could set up a blog. She set this up and within 3 days we began writing on this blog.
Again I acted immediately upon hearing from the Spirit of God to do this.
When we feel assured it is God telling us to do something, it seems better to do it immediately. If we wait, we risk the devil trying to reason the word away. Or our own flesh may try to reason it away.
I am reminded of Mark 4 ... the parable of the sower ... the word came, and in some cases was unfulfilled because of the following: And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
I just didn't want to give the opportunity for the instruction to be stolen away from me.
Acts 16 ... And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
In approximately 1980, in the night, what I believe to be an angel of the Lord spoke to me as I was sleeping. It was a very strong voice ... as a voice of a trumpet. I awoke and quickly wrote down the three words spoken to me. "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS" ...
It was obvious that KWJS would be call letters to either radio or TV. I looked this up and found it to be a radio station. I said to God, "Are you telling me to go on radio? I wouldn't know how to do that." A gentle impression follow: "Call the radio station manager."
It was the middle of the night when these words were spoken to me. When morning came I called the radio station as soon as business hours arrived. I asked to speak to the manager. I told him I thought God might be showing me to go on radio. I asked him how you do that. He told me to make an audition tape 29 1/2 minutes long and send it to him and if I fit into their broadcasting they would offer me a contract. As soon as I hung up the phone I took a tape recorder and made a tape 29 1/2 minutes long and mailed it to him. Within a week I was broadcasting on radio 5 days a week, 30 minutes per day.
When I heard from God, I did it immediately.
Another time this happened to me. It was March 2012. I was asleep and was given a dream. The essence of the dream was instruction to set up an Internet cite where the church could exhort one another by the Word of God, encouraging one another by the Word. Again I did this immediately. The morning after that dream, I contacted Pam Padgett and ask her if she could set up a blog. She set this up and within 3 days we began writing on this blog.
Again I acted immediately upon hearing from the Spirit of God to do this.
When we feel assured it is God telling us to do something, it seems better to do it immediately. If we wait, we risk the devil trying to reason the word away. Or our own flesh may try to reason it away.
I am reminded of Mark 4 ... the parable of the sower ... the word came, and in some cases was unfulfilled because of the following: And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
I just didn't want to give the opportunity for the instruction to be stolen away from me.
Circumstances change, but God still leads His people
Pam Padgett ... teacher
After 40 years in the wilderness, all the men of Israel who had come out of Egypt 20 years and older had died except Caleb and Joshua. (This was according to the judgment of God against those who murmured against Him in unbelief in the wilderness ... Number 14). As God promised, HE brought their children into the land HE gave to them, leading them by the hand of Joshua.
Their circumstances changed. They were no longer wandering in the wilderness, but were coming into the land God had given them in which to live. And God continued to wonderfully lead, instruct and provide for them.
To enter the land they had to cross the Jordan river, and God instructed Joshua to have the priests carry the ark of the covenant before the people. When the priests' feet touched the edge of the water, the waters stood in a heap. God made a way for the people to pass over the Jordan river on dry ground ...
Joshua 3:14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; 15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) 16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
God instructed Joshua to have twelve men, a man from each tribe of Israel, carry to the other side a rock from the dry ground where the priests stood with the ark of the covenant. These rocks were taken from what would otherwise have been the bottom of the river, but which God had caused to be dry land. These rocks were a sign in the land they were given and in which they would dwell, a lasting memorial reminding the children of Israel of what God had done ...
Joshua 4:6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? 7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
Although the men brought out of Egypt and who died in the wilderness had been circumcised, those born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. God instructed Joshua to circumcise them. And they stayed in place until they were healed ...
Joshua 5:2 At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey. 7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way. 8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
The children of Israel also kept the passover, as God had told them to do when they came to the land God would give to them (Exodus 12:25-27) ...
Joshua 5:10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
The food they needed continued to be provided, but now was fruit of the land, and God no longer sent manna ...
Joshua 5:11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. 12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
God continued to lead and care for the children of Israel as they came into the land of Canaan promised to them, providing all that they needed. Showing his power as the waters of the Jordan river were stopped and the people walked across on dry land. Providing a way for even their children to be taught what God had done. Leading them to do as He had commanded. And they no longer needed manna to eat, but ate fruit of the land which God gave to them.
In our lives, various changes come ... changes such as where we live, where we work, who we are around. And God continues to lead and instruct us in His ways by the Holy Spirit, and to care for us, knowing exactly what we need and how to lead us to move forward according to His will.
After 40 years in the wilderness, all the men of Israel who had come out of Egypt 20 years and older had died except Caleb and Joshua. (This was according to the judgment of God against those who murmured against Him in unbelief in the wilderness ... Number 14). As God promised, HE brought their children into the land HE gave to them, leading them by the hand of Joshua.
Their circumstances changed. They were no longer wandering in the wilderness, but were coming into the land God had given them in which to live. And God continued to wonderfully lead, instruct and provide for them.
To enter the land they had to cross the Jordan river, and God instructed Joshua to have the priests carry the ark of the covenant before the people. When the priests' feet touched the edge of the water, the waters stood in a heap. God made a way for the people to pass over the Jordan river on dry ground ...
Joshua 3:14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; 15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) 16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
God instructed Joshua to have twelve men, a man from each tribe of Israel, carry to the other side a rock from the dry ground where the priests stood with the ark of the covenant. These rocks were taken from what would otherwise have been the bottom of the river, but which God had caused to be dry land. These rocks were a sign in the land they were given and in which they would dwell, a lasting memorial reminding the children of Israel of what God had done ...
Joshua 4:6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? 7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
Although the men brought out of Egypt and who died in the wilderness had been circumcised, those born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. God instructed Joshua to circumcise them. And they stayed in place until they were healed ...
Joshua 5:2 At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey. 7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way. 8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
The children of Israel also kept the passover, as God had told them to do when they came to the land God would give to them (Exodus 12:25-27) ...
Joshua 5:10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
The food they needed continued to be provided, but now was fruit of the land, and God no longer sent manna ...
Joshua 5:11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. 12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
God continued to lead and care for the children of Israel as they came into the land of Canaan promised to them, providing all that they needed. Showing his power as the waters of the Jordan river were stopped and the people walked across on dry land. Providing a way for even their children to be taught what God had done. Leading them to do as He had commanded. And they no longer needed manna to eat, but ate fruit of the land which God gave to them.
In our lives, various changes come ... changes such as where we live, where we work, who we are around. And God continues to lead and instruct us in His ways by the Holy Spirit, and to care for us, knowing exactly what we need and how to lead us to move forward according to His will.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
1 John 3:18 ... My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
John said if we keep HIS commandments we then know we love God and we love each other. So it all comes down to doing the Word of God.
I have worked diligently for approximately 2 years on doing the following ... "Making myself of no reputation" ... (Phil. 2) ... Not trying to beat other people or get ahead of others ... not trying to do and say things to gain their admiration ... not trying to look in a way to make them think well of me. I do try to do that which I believe the Spirit of God says concerning the issues of this life.
Anytime we do any verse of scripture given us by the Spirit of God then we show we love God and we show we love the church.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
John said if we keep HIS commandments we then know we love God and we love each other. So it all comes down to doing the Word of God.
I have worked diligently for approximately 2 years on doing the following ... "Making myself of no reputation" ... (Phil. 2) ... Not trying to beat other people or get ahead of others ... not trying to do and say things to gain their admiration ... not trying to look in a way to make them think well of me. I do try to do that which I believe the Spirit of God says concerning the issues of this life.
Anytime we do any verse of scripture given us by the Spirit of God then we show we love God and we show we love the church.
When you feel drained
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
There are many times I feel drained. But when I take the Bible and begin reading, I begin to feel life again. Life is in the blood and the blood of Jesus is the Word of God.
Paul once exhorted Timothy to give himself to reading, to doctrine, to exhortation. (I Tim. 4:13)
Daily Bible reading is very important. If the Holy Spirit reminds you of a scripture, read there. If you have no direct scripture you might have a plan of just reading through the Bible. I have often done this, marking where I ended and picking up there.
Right now what I am doing is taking each verse quoted in these daily writings we are doing and reading the entire chapter containing that verse.
Having some Bible reading plan is helpful in getting us started daily in reading Bible. It is so important to make daily Bible reading a part of our daily routine.
There are many times I feel drained. But when I take the Bible and begin reading, I begin to feel life again. Life is in the blood and the blood of Jesus is the Word of God.
Paul once exhorted Timothy to give himself to reading, to doctrine, to exhortation. (I Tim. 4:13)
Daily Bible reading is very important. If the Holy Spirit reminds you of a scripture, read there. If you have no direct scripture you might have a plan of just reading through the Bible. I have often done this, marking where I ended and picking up there.
Right now what I am doing is taking each verse quoted in these daily writings we are doing and reading the entire chapter containing that verse.
Having some Bible reading plan is helpful in getting us started daily in reading Bible. It is so important to make daily Bible reading a part of our daily routine.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Psalm 125:1-2 ... They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion,
which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. 2 As the mountains are
round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
I believe the above scripture ...
Therefore ... 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.
God is teaching me the truth of the following ...
Romans 8:28-29 ... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
And we can believe the following ...
Psa. 34:7 ... The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.
We may not know "how" this can happen ... but we can know it will happen when we "fear God" and serve HIM and belong to HIM, having HIS Spirit in us.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
I believe the above scripture ...
Therefore ... 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.
God is teaching me the truth of the following ...
Romans 8:28-29 ... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
And we can believe the following ...
Psa. 34:7 ... The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.
We may not know "how" this can happen ... but we can know it will happen when we "fear God" and serve HIM and belong to HIM, having HIS Spirit in us.
Jesus Christ: An example
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Jesus Christ was born in the flesh by the Holy Spirit by the will of God. He same to serve God, not to serve Himself. He obeyed God.
And Jesus said of Himself: I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. Jn. 5:30
All this is an example for us who belong to God. As Jesus was born in the flesh by the Spirit of God so are we who belong to God born by the Spirit of God to enable us to serve God.
And as Jesus could do nothing of Himself and did only that which he heard from God to do, we are the same. It is only that which the Spirit of God shows us to do that we are to do. If we go off in the flesh, doing the will of our own flesh it will avail nothing. Hopefully if we do this we will not hurt anyone too much. But only those things authored by the Spirit of God are the will of God for us as we live on this earth.
For example: Jesus healed the sick. Jesus raised the dead. But Jesus heard from God to do these specific works at that exact moment in time. It is hard to imagine that Jesus could not do anything of Himself. But that is what Jesus says in Jn. 5:30. The key is Jesus heard from God second by second as He walked on this earth and He did what He heard from God. HE did not follow His own will in the matters at hand. He heard from God what to do and He did that.
There is a woman I am acquainted with who is going the wrong way. I've been given dreams of her to show me she is getting worse, not better. Recently there was an occasion that happened which opened a door for me to communicate with her. Certainly I want her to be helped. But the question for me is this: Does God want me to contact this woman and tell her of the blog writings which have the power to help her if she can believe? I asked God what HE wanted me to do. I heard the following after I prayed: it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. I Cor. 1:21
I sent the information to this woman because I believed that was what I heard to do concerning her.
Pam Padgett wanted to help her next door neighbor. His wife was killed in a car accident. He has two small children, under the ages of 6. It is a terrible situation. The last time she spoke with this man, she came away saying to God, "There ought to be something I could do to help this man." (meaning something spiritual to help him) ... But she heard nothing. Again she prayed. Again she heard nothing. Later she had the thought of telling this man to turn to God. But when she prayed, again she heard nothing. She had even written to him telling him to turn to God. But when she failed to get confirmation from God, she discarded the letter. We cannot do anything of our own desire. Jesus said HIS judgment was just because he did not do things by HIS own will but HE did that which he heard from God. (Jn. 5:30)
In all things, this must be our pattern.
And Paul gave us the following instruction for our lives as we live on this earth: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2
- Jesus made Himself of no reputation (He wasn't trying to be great and beat people and get ahead on this present earth)
- Jesus took on the form of a "servant" ... doing the will of God ... serving God ... A good servant does the will of his master, not his own will. A good servant doesn't jump about doing all types of things of his own desire. A good servant waits on his master to tell him what to do and then the good servant does what his master instructs.
- Jesus obeyed God even to death on a cross ...
There is an example in Bible where the Holy Ghost did not allow them to preach the Word of God in Asia. (Acts 16:6 ... Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.)
Later they were allowed to preach the Word in Asia. (Acts 19:10 ...And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks)
Jesus was born in the flesh by the Spirit of God by the will of God.
We are born again by the Spirit of God by the will of God.
Jesus followed God and did what God told Him to do in the specific issues that came before Him. He said he could do nothing of Himself. He could only do what He heard from God. (Jn. 5:30)
The same is true with us. We can desire to have something happen but only as we hear from God by His Spirit can we speak that word or do that act.
Mt. 7 ... Jesus says ... Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
All their wonderful works counted as nothing because those works were authored by their own flesh and not by the Spirit of God. The works seemed good to them. They brought those works to the attention of Jesus at day of judgment after doing what seemed good to themselves. But Jesus turned them away and called them workers of iniquity because their works were not authored by God though the works seemed to them to be good works. They even did these works in the name of God. But Jesus turned them away.
So we see that like Jesus, we must be born of the Spirit of God. We must do works authored by the Spirit of God and not just works that we desire to do. The only thing that matters is the will of God. Moment by moment we must turn to God with the works and say: What do YOU want me to do in this? And we wait for HIS confirmation before doing anything.
When the word does go forth, it does what God wills. The same word that saves those who believe, condemns those who do not believe.
Isaiah 55:11 ... God says ... So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Paul explains: Romans 9 ... For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Noah did what God told him to do and by that Noah ended up condemning the world. Heb. 11 ... By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
I attended a Bible class one time at a Church of Christ group. Man teaching cited the above verse about Noah and he asked, "Did Noah condemn the world?:" I replied: "Yes ... The condemnation came because Noah believed God and they did not believe." (The people in the room were apparently stunned by that which the Holy Spirit spoke through me.)
I believe in day of judgment God will say to some, "Didn't my servant tell you?"
I also believe in day of judgment God will say to some "Pam believed and yet you did not believe." Thereby Pam will condemn the world because she believed the Word and they did not believe.
So the Word goes forth to accomplish what God wills. For some it will be salvation and God will open their eyes to believe. For others the Word will bring condemnation as it did to Pharaoh in Egypt (Exodus). But all will be according to the will of God. Romans 9
So we deliver the word when we believe God wants us to deliver the word ... and after we have delivered the word, we get out of the way. We do not focus on that which they do with the Word. Some will believe to salvation others will condemn themselves by refusing the word.
Jesus Christ was born in the flesh by the Holy Spirit by the will of God. He same to serve God, not to serve Himself. He obeyed God.
And Jesus said of Himself: I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. Jn. 5:30
All this is an example for us who belong to God. As Jesus was born in the flesh by the Spirit of God so are we who belong to God born by the Spirit of God to enable us to serve God.
And as Jesus could do nothing of Himself and did only that which he heard from God to do, we are the same. It is only that which the Spirit of God shows us to do that we are to do. If we go off in the flesh, doing the will of our own flesh it will avail nothing. Hopefully if we do this we will not hurt anyone too much. But only those things authored by the Spirit of God are the will of God for us as we live on this earth.
For example: Jesus healed the sick. Jesus raised the dead. But Jesus heard from God to do these specific works at that exact moment in time. It is hard to imagine that Jesus could not do anything of Himself. But that is what Jesus says in Jn. 5:30. The key is Jesus heard from God second by second as He walked on this earth and He did what He heard from God. HE did not follow His own will in the matters at hand. He heard from God what to do and He did that.
There is a woman I am acquainted with who is going the wrong way. I've been given dreams of her to show me she is getting worse, not better. Recently there was an occasion that happened which opened a door for me to communicate with her. Certainly I want her to be helped. But the question for me is this: Does God want me to contact this woman and tell her of the blog writings which have the power to help her if she can believe? I asked God what HE wanted me to do. I heard the following after I prayed: it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. I Cor. 1:21
I sent the information to this woman because I believed that was what I heard to do concerning her.
Pam Padgett wanted to help her next door neighbor. His wife was killed in a car accident. He has two small children, under the ages of 6. It is a terrible situation. The last time she spoke with this man, she came away saying to God, "There ought to be something I could do to help this man." (meaning something spiritual to help him) ... But she heard nothing. Again she prayed. Again she heard nothing. Later she had the thought of telling this man to turn to God. But when she prayed, again she heard nothing. She had even written to him telling him to turn to God. But when she failed to get confirmation from God, she discarded the letter. We cannot do anything of our own desire. Jesus said HIS judgment was just because he did not do things by HIS own will but HE did that which he heard from God. (Jn. 5:30)
In all things, this must be our pattern.
And Paul gave us the following instruction for our lives as we live on this earth: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2
- Jesus made Himself of no reputation (He wasn't trying to be great and beat people and get ahead on this present earth)
- Jesus took on the form of a "servant" ... doing the will of God ... serving God ... A good servant does the will of his master, not his own will. A good servant doesn't jump about doing all types of things of his own desire. A good servant waits on his master to tell him what to do and then the good servant does what his master instructs.
- Jesus obeyed God even to death on a cross ...
There is an example in Bible where the Holy Ghost did not allow them to preach the Word of God in Asia. (Acts 16:6 ... Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.)
Later they were allowed to preach the Word in Asia. (Acts 19:10 ...And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks)
Jesus was born in the flesh by the Spirit of God by the will of God.
We are born again by the Spirit of God by the will of God.
Jesus followed God and did what God told Him to do in the specific issues that came before Him. He said he could do nothing of Himself. He could only do what He heard from God. (Jn. 5:30)
The same is true with us. We can desire to have something happen but only as we hear from God by His Spirit can we speak that word or do that act.
Mt. 7 ... Jesus says ... Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
All their wonderful works counted as nothing because those works were authored by their own flesh and not by the Spirit of God. The works seemed good to them. They brought those works to the attention of Jesus at day of judgment after doing what seemed good to themselves. But Jesus turned them away and called them workers of iniquity because their works were not authored by God though the works seemed to them to be good works. They even did these works in the name of God. But Jesus turned them away.
So we see that like Jesus, we must be born of the Spirit of God. We must do works authored by the Spirit of God and not just works that we desire to do. The only thing that matters is the will of God. Moment by moment we must turn to God with the works and say: What do YOU want me to do in this? And we wait for HIS confirmation before doing anything.
When the word does go forth, it does what God wills. The same word that saves those who believe, condemns those who do not believe.
Isaiah 55:11 ... God says ... So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Paul explains: Romans 9 ... For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Noah did what God told him to do and by that Noah ended up condemning the world. Heb. 11 ... By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
I attended a Bible class one time at a Church of Christ group. Man teaching cited the above verse about Noah and he asked, "Did Noah condemn the world?:" I replied: "Yes ... The condemnation came because Noah believed God and they did not believe." (The people in the room were apparently stunned by that which the Holy Spirit spoke through me.)
I believe in day of judgment God will say to some, "Didn't my servant tell you?"
I also believe in day of judgment God will say to some "Pam believed and yet you did not believe." Thereby Pam will condemn the world because she believed the Word and they did not believe.
So the Word goes forth to accomplish what God wills. For some it will be salvation and God will open their eyes to believe. For others the Word will bring condemnation as it did to Pharaoh in Egypt (Exodus). But all will be according to the will of God. Romans 9
So we deliver the word when we believe God wants us to deliver the word ... and after we have delivered the word, we get out of the way. We do not focus on that which they do with the Word. Some will believe to salvation others will condemn themselves by refusing the word.
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