1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils:freely ye have received, freely give.
9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves:for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12 And when ye come into an house, salute it. 13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it:but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves:be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men:for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak:for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child:and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake:but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another:for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? 26 Fear them not therefore:for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light:and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me:and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it:and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
(Providing daily encouragement for the body of Christ by the Spirit of God to help the church in the end times.)
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Psalm 119:1-8 ... Prayers to God & Promises from God to the Church
1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,
and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity:
they walk in his ways.
4 Thou hast commanded us
to keep thy precepts diligently.
5 O that my ways were directed
to keep thy statutes!
6 Then shall I not be ashamed,
when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart,
when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
8 I will keep thy statutes:
O forsake me not utterly.
Comments by Joan Boney
Blessed (divinely favored and protected by God) are those who "seek HIM with the whole heart" ... those willing to be changed from their own way and their own desires ... even giving up that which they want ...
Jesus taught His disciples to pray: "Thy will be done ..."
We pray this and we mean this when we pray. All prayer should be done with the whole heart, willing to stop our own way, listening to the voice of God when HE speaks those "gentle thoughts" showing HIS will in that which we have prayed.
Also following HIM even when we aren't praying about the issue.
God would turn us and save us from the shame of our own way. We must set our heart to hear HIM.
Prov. 1 ... 2 To know wisdom and instruction;
to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple,
to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning
; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
... 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
... 23 Turn you at my reproof:
behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you,
I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation,
and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind;
when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer;
they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge,
and did not choose the fear of the Lord:
30 They would none of my counsel:
they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them,
and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely,
and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
We see set before us blessings and curses.
We bring blessings upon ourselves when we hear the Spirit of God and choose to turn ourselves away from conflicting plans and choose to go in HIS way.
We bring curses upon ourselves when we hear the Spirit of God and fail to heed what HE says to us.
But beware of your own lusts for the apostle says ...
James 1 ... 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin:and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
==========
God says:
Psalm 32 ... 8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding:
whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
God speaks to us by HIS Spirit but God does not force us to follow those instructions given by HIS Spirit. We have a choice. But we are warned by God what will happen if we choose to go in our own way and reject the Spirit of God.
And if an angel speaks to us, we are strongly warned to obey HIS voice.
Exodus 23:21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for MY name is in him.
who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,
and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity:
they walk in his ways.
4 Thou hast commanded us
to keep thy precepts diligently.
5 O that my ways were directed
to keep thy statutes!
6 Then shall I not be ashamed,
when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart,
when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
8 I will keep thy statutes:
O forsake me not utterly.
Comments by Joan Boney
Blessed (divinely favored and protected by God) are those who "seek HIM with the whole heart" ... those willing to be changed from their own way and their own desires ... even giving up that which they want ...
Jesus taught His disciples to pray: "Thy will be done ..."
We pray this and we mean this when we pray. All prayer should be done with the whole heart, willing to stop our own way, listening to the voice of God when HE speaks those "gentle thoughts" showing HIS will in that which we have prayed.
Also following HIM even when we aren't praying about the issue.
God would turn us and save us from the shame of our own way. We must set our heart to hear HIM.
Prov. 1 ... 2 To know wisdom and instruction;
to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple,
to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning
; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
... 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
... 23 Turn you at my reproof:
behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you,
I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation,
and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind;
when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer;
they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge,
and did not choose the fear of the Lord:
30 They would none of my counsel:
they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them,
and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely,
and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
We see set before us blessings and curses.
We bring blessings upon ourselves when we hear the Spirit of God and choose to turn ourselves away from conflicting plans and choose to go in HIS way.
We bring curses upon ourselves when we hear the Spirit of God and fail to heed what HE says to us.
But beware of your own lusts for the apostle says ...
James 1 ... 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin:and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
==========
God says:
Psalm 32 ... 8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding:
whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
God speaks to us by HIS Spirit but God does not force us to follow those instructions given by HIS Spirit. We have a choice. But we are warned by God what will happen if we choose to go in our own way and reject the Spirit of God.
And if an angel speaks to us, we are strongly warned to obey HIS voice.
Exodus 23:21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for MY name is in him.
Exodus 17 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture
1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed
from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the
commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim:and there was no water
for the people to drink.
(Every trouble we encounter gives us an opportunity to complain about the problem or to turn to God with the problem. This scripture is an example for us.)
2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink.
And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?
3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
(They forgot the hardship in Egypt and how glad they were at the time God delivered them from the Egyptians. Now they just wanted a flesh and blood person to blame. And this was going to be their destruction in the end ...
Jude ... 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.)
4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
5 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?
8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek:to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek:and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed:and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses 'hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua:for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:16 For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
(Every trouble we encounter gives us an opportunity to complain about the problem or to turn to God with the problem. This scripture is an example for us.)
2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink.
And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?
3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
(They forgot the hardship in Egypt and how glad they were at the time God delivered them from the Egyptians. Now they just wanted a flesh and blood person to blame. And this was going to be their destruction in the end ...
Jude ... 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.)
4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
5 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?
8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek:to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek:and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed:and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses 'hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua:for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:16 For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
Concerning dreams
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Concerning dreams ... I sincerely thought all dreams were from God...
But
I see from scripture false dreams and now dreams of their own heart ...
especially the "diviners" who are sometimes in the church groups and look like prophets (often they speak by a familiar spirit and not by the Spirit of God as do real prophets of God)... Those "diviners" who are often mistaken for prophets in the church, want to be wise in their own eyes and
have a great desire to be viewed as wise by others.
Concerning dreams ... I sincerely thought all dreams were from God...
But I began to question this recently as I spent time in OT ... and saw there are "false dreams" ... Jeremiah 23
God says ... 28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. 29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them:therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.
Also I was reading Jeremiah 29 and saw the following
8
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your
prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you,
neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name:I have not sent them, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 14:14 ... Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Certainly many dreams are from God ... and if they come to pass we know they are from God ...
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Matthew 9 ... Reading through the Bible
1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed:and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom:and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice:for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles:else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish:but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead:but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24 He said unto them, Give place:for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. 26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him:and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. 31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. 33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake:and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom:and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
When Jesus called, these men just got up and left their jobs and their fathers and followed Jesus.
That is the way the call of God works. That is also what happened to us. We were supernaturally changed and went after HIM.
2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed:and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom:and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice:for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles:else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish:but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead:but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24 He said unto them, Give place:for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. 26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him:and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. 31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. 33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake:and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom:and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
When Jesus called, these men just got up and left their jobs and their fathers and followed Jesus.
That is the way the call of God works. That is also what happened to us. We were supernaturally changed and went after HIM.
Psalm 118 ... Prayers to God & Promises from God to the Church
1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
because his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let Israel now say,
that his mercy endureth for ever.
3 Let the house of Aaron now say,
that his mercy endureth for ever.
4 Let them now that fear the Lord say,
that his mercy endureth for ever.
5 I called upon the Lord in distress:
the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear:
what can man do unto me?
7 The Lord taketh my part with them that help me:
therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations compassed me about:but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about:
but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12 They compassed me about like bees;
they are quenched as the fire of thorns:
for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall:
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and song,
and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous:
the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.
16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted:
the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord hath chastened me sore:
but he hath not given me over unto death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness:
I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:
20 This gate of the Lord,
into which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise thee:for thou hast heard me,
and art become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders refused
is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the Lord 's doing;
it is marvellous in our eyes.(Prophecy concerning Jesus)
24 This is the day which the Lord hath made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord:
O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light:
bind the sacrifice with cords,
even unto the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee:
thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
10 All nations compassed me about:but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about:
but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12 They compassed me about like bees;
they are quenched as the fire of thorns:
for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall:
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and song,
and is become my salvation.
Sometimes the troubles comes in waves "compassing us like bees".
Sometimes waves of people are like bees coming at us ... Bees sting and hurt ...
But we turn to God and HE performs miracles for us just as HE did for the children of Israel when HE brought them out of Egypt.
God makes us darkness to them and gives us light about them so God separates us from them as HE separates darkness from light so one does not come around the other! This is the mercy of God toward us.
Another mercy of God toward us is that God even provides for the darkness so we don't have to feel guilt in not providing for them.
An example: My cousin's husband died. She called me and told me about this. She hadn't called me for over two years. I had no idea her husband was ill. But when he died she called me. I was glad I didn't know of her husband's illness. Even in that God protected me from being drawn away to this cousin for had I known of the husband's illness my mind would have been on them and there was nothing profitable I could have done in this case but I would have felt I should try to help and that would have been needless and futile. I know I am separated from this cousin by God. She views me as "darkness" ... and she leaves me alone for I am trouble to her.
After the husband died and my cousin called me, I was burdened by her. But God freed me by showing me this cousin has plenty of people to help her with fleshly things and she does not want spiritual things. She has two adult sons, an adult aged granddaughter, friends living in the area of the country where she lives.
God provides for the just and the unjust. And this is mercy to the just because they do not have to see the unjust in physical need. Therefore we are freed from them by the physical provisions God has given them.
Like bees they compass us about ... Bees sting and cause you pain ...
But God makes a way of escape for HIS people.
Ex. 14 ... 19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these:so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Darkness does not want to be around light. When light comes darkness disappears. God causes us to be light so they disappear from us when we speak in godly ways. And they will not want to come around us because their darkness cannot flaunt itself when there is light.
They come with their words, boasting of themselves and other men of this world. They delight in their cleverness. They delight in man and in the power man seems to have. But they do not want to hear of the great power of God. As long as we speak of man and his power, they will want to hear us. When we speak of what God has done, they do not want to hear us. When we speak in godly ways, the light we give showing God kills them, diminishing them in their boasting.
We are separated from them by the light God has given to us, to HIS people. We are joined together with other light. They are joined with other darkness.
We go separate ways just as light and darkness go separate ways.
And when they try to boast in our face, like David, we say: How dare you, an uncircumcised Philistine defy the armies of the living God? I Samuel 17
And when we speak as God gives us, they flee from us and hide in their darkness.
Thus God has HIS great mercy on us as HE did on the children of Israel when HE delivered them from the Egyptians who afflicted them and burdened them.
There is a woman I met when I played bridge. After I left bridge she continued to call me from time to time wanting me to go to lunch with her. This woman is very religious but is not born again. She loves to tell me about going to church (Catholic) and about many works she does which she considers good but I see as fleshly. (darkness flaunting itself before light)
Finally I had enough. I cried out to God to deliver me from this woman. I didn't want to do anything my own way. I wanted to do what God would show me to do.
After a day of crying to God, HE awoke me with a message for this woman which I delivered by email: "The time will come when you will see you have been going totally the wrong way and when this happens you will be ashamed."
She quit calling me, for a season, after this message. God delivered me by the word HE had me give to her.
Then her mother died and she called me. She told me an abominable story in which she was so proud. The bishop had agreed to read mass over her mother. She was so proud the bishop was going to do this. I listened quietly, saying nothing. But the next day my grief over this was enlarged and I wrote and told her I was sorry she had told me this story about that bishop and it was all an abomination, thinking to exalt one man over another. After that, she quit calling me.
Some would be tricked by devils into thinking, "You should continue with her and speak things of God. Maybe she would be saved."
But when I spoke things of God she didn't want to hear. She wanted to hear about man doing good works, thus she read newspapers telling of man, she wanted TV telling of man, she spoke with other people telling of man. She did not want to hear when I spoke of what God had done. And she was pulling me off my assignment for I was finding I was so grieved by her stories I could hardly read the Bible after being with her.
Do not be deceived: The people of God want to hear about the works done by God. The people of this world do not want to hear of God doing the works. They want to believe the human does the works and they delight in the human works.
For example: When my cat died, I was so grieved. I cried out to God in the night saying I need help. Immediately, I had the thought (from Holy Spirit) to get on Internet and buy a Siamese kitten.
The next morning I found a breeder on Internet that I liked and ordered a kitten and she shipped the kitten by air and I had the kitten by the next Wednesday. After I ordered the kitten, all grief over my previous cat was gone and I never grieved over her again.
When this Catholic woman told this story, she said I went to Internet and bought a Siamese kitten. She always left God out of the story.
I saw her do this over and over. At one point God showed me to change from a TV that was giving me trouble. I told how God showed me to do this. She told the story that I bought a new TV, leaving God out of the story.
God showed me to change from gas logs in my fireplace to wood, because I love wood fires. This woman thought it was such a good thing to change to wood when she saw how much I enjoyed the wood fires. But she told the story that "I" did this. She always left God out.
The world does not want to hear about the works of God. They want to hear about the greatness of man and the "great" things man does.
I Jn. 4 ... 5 They are of the world:therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God:he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
==========
They come flaunting their own goodness which is of their flesh. They defy the army of the living God just as the Philistine defied David, as they speak the way of this world to us. How dare they do this? But God will stop them and deliver us, HIS people, that we can go forth in peace from God.
This is the mercy of God toward us.
because his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let Israel now say,
that his mercy endureth for ever.
3 Let the house of Aaron now say,
that his mercy endureth for ever.
4 Let them now that fear the Lord say,
that his mercy endureth for ever.
5 I called upon the Lord in distress:
the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear:
what can man do unto me?
7 The Lord taketh my part with them that help me:
therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations compassed me about:but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about:
but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12 They compassed me about like bees;
they are quenched as the fire of thorns:
for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall:
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and song,
and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous:
the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.
16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted:
the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord hath chastened me sore:
but he hath not given me over unto death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness:
I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:
20 This gate of the Lord,
into which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise thee:for thou hast heard me,
and art become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders refused
is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the Lord 's doing;
it is marvellous in our eyes.(Prophecy concerning Jesus)
24 This is the day which the Lord hath made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord:
O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light:
bind the sacrifice with cords,
even unto the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee:
thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
10 All nations compassed me about:but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about:
but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12 They compassed me about like bees;
they are quenched as the fire of thorns:
for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall:
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and song,
and is become my salvation.
Sometimes the troubles comes in waves "compassing us like bees".
Sometimes waves of people are like bees coming at us ... Bees sting and hurt ...
But we turn to God and HE performs miracles for us just as HE did for the children of Israel when HE brought them out of Egypt.
God makes us darkness to them and gives us light about them so God separates us from them as HE separates darkness from light so one does not come around the other! This is the mercy of God toward us.
Another mercy of God toward us is that God even provides for the darkness so we don't have to feel guilt in not providing for them.
An example: My cousin's husband died. She called me and told me about this. She hadn't called me for over two years. I had no idea her husband was ill. But when he died she called me. I was glad I didn't know of her husband's illness. Even in that God protected me from being drawn away to this cousin for had I known of the husband's illness my mind would have been on them and there was nothing profitable I could have done in this case but I would have felt I should try to help and that would have been needless and futile. I know I am separated from this cousin by God. She views me as "darkness" ... and she leaves me alone for I am trouble to her.
After the husband died and my cousin called me, I was burdened by her. But God freed me by showing me this cousin has plenty of people to help her with fleshly things and she does not want spiritual things. She has two adult sons, an adult aged granddaughter, friends living in the area of the country where she lives.
God provides for the just and the unjust. And this is mercy to the just because they do not have to see the unjust in physical need. Therefore we are freed from them by the physical provisions God has given them.
Like bees they compass us about ... Bees sting and cause you pain ...
But God makes a way of escape for HIS people.
Ex. 14 ... 19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these:so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Darkness does not want to be around light. When light comes darkness disappears. God causes us to be light so they disappear from us when we speak in godly ways. And they will not want to come around us because their darkness cannot flaunt itself when there is light.
They come with their words, boasting of themselves and other men of this world. They delight in their cleverness. They delight in man and in the power man seems to have. But they do not want to hear of the great power of God. As long as we speak of man and his power, they will want to hear us. When we speak of what God has done, they do not want to hear us. When we speak in godly ways, the light we give showing God kills them, diminishing them in their boasting.
We are separated from them by the light God has given to us, to HIS people. We are joined together with other light. They are joined with other darkness.
We go separate ways just as light and darkness go separate ways.
And when they try to boast in our face, like David, we say: How dare you, an uncircumcised Philistine defy the armies of the living God? I Samuel 17
And when we speak as God gives us, they flee from us and hide in their darkness.
Thus God has HIS great mercy on us as HE did on the children of Israel when HE delivered them from the Egyptians who afflicted them and burdened them.
There is a woman I met when I played bridge. After I left bridge she continued to call me from time to time wanting me to go to lunch with her. This woman is very religious but is not born again. She loves to tell me about going to church (Catholic) and about many works she does which she considers good but I see as fleshly. (darkness flaunting itself before light)
Finally I had enough. I cried out to God to deliver me from this woman. I didn't want to do anything my own way. I wanted to do what God would show me to do.
After a day of crying to God, HE awoke me with a message for this woman which I delivered by email: "The time will come when you will see you have been going totally the wrong way and when this happens you will be ashamed."
She quit calling me, for a season, after this message. God delivered me by the word HE had me give to her.
Then her mother died and she called me. She told me an abominable story in which she was so proud. The bishop had agreed to read mass over her mother. She was so proud the bishop was going to do this. I listened quietly, saying nothing. But the next day my grief over this was enlarged and I wrote and told her I was sorry she had told me this story about that bishop and it was all an abomination, thinking to exalt one man over another. After that, she quit calling me.
Some would be tricked by devils into thinking, "You should continue with her and speak things of God. Maybe she would be saved."
But when I spoke things of God she didn't want to hear. She wanted to hear about man doing good works, thus she read newspapers telling of man, she wanted TV telling of man, she spoke with other people telling of man. She did not want to hear when I spoke of what God had done. And she was pulling me off my assignment for I was finding I was so grieved by her stories I could hardly read the Bible after being with her.
Do not be deceived: The people of God want to hear about the works done by God. The people of this world do not want to hear of God doing the works. They want to believe the human does the works and they delight in the human works.
For example: When my cat died, I was so grieved. I cried out to God in the night saying I need help. Immediately, I had the thought (from Holy Spirit) to get on Internet and buy a Siamese kitten.
The next morning I found a breeder on Internet that I liked and ordered a kitten and she shipped the kitten by air and I had the kitten by the next Wednesday. After I ordered the kitten, all grief over my previous cat was gone and I never grieved over her again.
When this Catholic woman told this story, she said I went to Internet and bought a Siamese kitten. She always left God out of the story.
I saw her do this over and over. At one point God showed me to change from a TV that was giving me trouble. I told how God showed me to do this. She told the story that I bought a new TV, leaving God out of the story.
God showed me to change from gas logs in my fireplace to wood, because I love wood fires. This woman thought it was such a good thing to change to wood when she saw how much I enjoyed the wood fires. But she told the story that "I" did this. She always left God out.
The world does not want to hear about the works of God. They want to hear about the greatness of man and the "great" things man does.
I Jn. 4 ... 5 They are of the world:therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God:he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
==========
They come flaunting their own goodness which is of their flesh. They defy the army of the living God just as the Philistine defied David, as they speak the way of this world to us. How dare they do this? But God will stop them and deliver us, HIS people, that we can go forth in peace from God.
This is the mercy of God toward us.
Exodus 16 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture
1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation
of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is
between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after
their departing out of the land of Egypt.
2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
(They forgot how Pharaoh had commanded that each male Hebrew baby be killed at birth.)
4 Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. 5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord:and what are we, that ye murmur against us? 8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him:and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.
9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the Lord:for he hath heard your murmurings.
10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 12 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel:speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.
13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp:and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. 14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna:for they wist not what it was.
And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
16 This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. 18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. 20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank:and Moses was wroth with them.
21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating:and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man:and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
23 And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord:bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. 24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade:and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. 25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord:to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
28 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna:and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations. 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. 35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan. 36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
They murmured when there was a problem. They complained. How often have we done this same thing? "Why did that have to happen?" Complaining!
The problem gives us opportunity to turn to God and seek His wisdom and when we have HIS wisdom over the problem we see HIM and marvel in what HE has told us.
We are even conformed into the image of Christ as we seek God in the problem and do what God tells us to do.
We pray and often God will remind us of a scripture and when that happens we know how to go in the problem and the will of God.
If they defraud us and we pray and are reminded of I Cor. 6, Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? and we choose to go that way because we believe that is what the Holy Spirit is saying to us, then we are conformed (in that instance) to the image of Christ, the word. This happens to us as long as we live on this earth.
When we turn to God and pray over the problem asking HIM what HE wants us to do ... and when we hear from HIM by a thought brought by the Spirit of God and we choose that way, we are conformed to the image of Christ in the situation.
A man from our little church group was considering building another storage building to store his stuff. As he thought about this, the thought came, "Why don't you just get rid of the stuff?" (Just give it away. You don't need it.)
A woman in my neighborhood became angry with me without cause. I was considering writing her a note to try to explain to her so perhaps she would not continue in anger. I prayed about what to do. And I was reminded of the following: Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
I knew God was showing me to let this woman alone ... This woman is blind and chooses not to see ... There was a previous problem with her and she refused to speak with me when I tried to make peace with her. She even hung up the phone after coldly saying, "I'm not interested." (This woman is Methodist and she knew I am a minister of God but she held to stubbornness and would not live in peace.)
I just tore up the note I was writing to her after I heard the scripture from the Spirit of God, "Let them alone." Mt. 15:14 and I let her alone.
==========
James 1 ... 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (trials); 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 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.
The problem should cause us to pray to see what God wants us to do. The problem is an opportunity to see God work and build faith in God. If we complain about the problem rather than pray, then faith will not develop. But instead of complaining, if we turn to God, the door is open for God to work and for us to recognize God is working.
Certainly none of us likes problems and the fleshly way is to complain. But we don't have to go that way.
2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
(They forgot how Pharaoh had commanded that each male Hebrew baby be killed at birth.)
4 Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. 5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord:and what are we, that ye murmur against us? 8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him:and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.
9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the Lord:for he hath heard your murmurings.
10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 12 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel:speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.
13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp:and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. 14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna:for they wist not what it was.
And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
16 This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. 18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. 20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank:and Moses was wroth with them.
21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating:and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man:and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
23 And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord:bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. 24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade:and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. 25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord:to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
28 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna:and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations. 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. 35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan. 36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
They murmured when there was a problem. They complained. How often have we done this same thing? "Why did that have to happen?" Complaining!
The problem gives us opportunity to turn to God and seek His wisdom and when we have HIS wisdom over the problem we see HIM and marvel in what HE has told us.
We are even conformed into the image of Christ as we seek God in the problem and do what God tells us to do.
We pray and often God will remind us of a scripture and when that happens we know how to go in the problem and the will of God.
If they defraud us and we pray and are reminded of I Cor. 6, Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? and we choose to go that way because we believe that is what the Holy Spirit is saying to us, then we are conformed (in that instance) to the image of Christ, the word. This happens to us as long as we live on this earth.
When we turn to God and pray over the problem asking HIM what HE wants us to do ... and when we hear from HIM by a thought brought by the Spirit of God and we choose that way, we are conformed to the image of Christ in the situation.
A man from our little church group was considering building another storage building to store his stuff. As he thought about this, the thought came, "Why don't you just get rid of the stuff?" (Just give it away. You don't need it.)
A woman in my neighborhood became angry with me without cause. I was considering writing her a note to try to explain to her so perhaps she would not continue in anger. I prayed about what to do. And I was reminded of the following: Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
I knew God was showing me to let this woman alone ... This woman is blind and chooses not to see ... There was a previous problem with her and she refused to speak with me when I tried to make peace with her. She even hung up the phone after coldly saying, "I'm not interested." (This woman is Methodist and she knew I am a minister of God but she held to stubbornness and would not live in peace.)
I just tore up the note I was writing to her after I heard the scripture from the Spirit of God, "Let them alone." Mt. 15:14 and I let her alone.
==========
James 1 ... 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (trials); 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 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.
The problem should cause us to pray to see what God wants us to do. The problem is an opportunity to see God work and build faith in God. If we complain about the problem rather than pray, then faith will not develop. But instead of complaining, if we turn to God, the door is open for God to work and for us to recognize God is working.
Certainly none of us likes problems and the fleshly way is to complain. But we don't have to go that way.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Matthew 8 ... Reading through the Bible
1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof:but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me:and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness:there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her:and she arose, and ministered unto them.
16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils:and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Isaiah 53 ...
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:
he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him;
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs,and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:
he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb,
so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation?
for he was cut off out of the land of the living:
for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death;
because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death:
and he was numbered with the transgressors;
and he bare the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
==========
Matthew 8
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. 19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves:but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us:we perish.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine:and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34 And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus:and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof:but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me:and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness:there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her:and she arose, and ministered unto them.
16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils:and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Isaiah 53 ...
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:
he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him;
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs,and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:
he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb,
so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation?
for he was cut off out of the land of the living:
for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death;
because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death:
and he was numbered with the transgressors;
and he bare the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
==========
Matthew 8
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. 19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves:but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us:we perish.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine:and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34 And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus:and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
Psalm 117 ... Prayers to God & Promises from God to the Church
1 O praise the Lord, all ye nations:
praise him, all ye people.
2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us:
and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.
Praise ye the Lord.
Comments by Joan Boney
Truth about ourselves saves us. Lies about ourselves, vain imaginations, deceive us.
I Jn. 1:5 ... God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
Numbers 25 ... 1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods:and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor:and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.
4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.
5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.
6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. (24,000 died)
10 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Today the wrath of God is turned when we do godly corrections in the congregation. The mercy of God is extended to us today through corrections.
Heb. 12 ... 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence:shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
praise him, all ye people.
2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us:
and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.
Praise ye the Lord.
Comments by Joan Boney
Truth about ourselves saves us. Lies about ourselves, vain imaginations, deceive us.
I Jn. 1:5 ... God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
Numbers 25 ... 1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods:and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor:and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.
4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.
5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.
6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. (24,000 died)
10 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Today the wrath of God is turned when we do godly corrections in the congregation. The mercy of God is extended to us today through corrections.
Heb. 12 ... 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence:shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Exodus 15 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture
1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying,
I will sing unto the Lord, for HE hath triumphed gloriously:
the horse and his rider hath HE thrown into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and song,
and HE is become my salvation:
HE is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation;
my father's God, and I will exalt HIM.
3 The Lord is a man of war:
the Lord is his name.
4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath HE cast into the sea:
his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
5 The depths have covered them:
they sank into the bottom as a stone.
6 Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power:
thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee:
thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together,
the floods stood upright as an heap,
and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them;
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them:
they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand,
the earth swallowed them.
13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed:
thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
14 The people shall hear, and be afraid:
sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed;
the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them;
all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them;
by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone;
till thy people pass over, O Lord,
till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance,
in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in,
in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
18 The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them;
but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them,
Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider hath HE thrown into the sea.
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter:therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25 And he (Moses) cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet:there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
(In every trouble, there is a way made by God.)
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in HIS sight, and wilt give ear to HIS commandments, and keep all HIS statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians:for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees:and they encamped there by the waters.
I will sing unto the Lord, for HE hath triumphed gloriously:
the horse and his rider hath HE thrown into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and song,
and HE is become my salvation:
HE is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation;
my father's God, and I will exalt HIM.
3 The Lord is a man of war:
the Lord is his name.
4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath HE cast into the sea:
his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
5 The depths have covered them:
they sank into the bottom as a stone.
6 Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power:
thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee:
thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together,
the floods stood upright as an heap,
and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them;
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them:
they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand,
the earth swallowed them.
13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed:
thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
14 The people shall hear, and be afraid:
sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed;
the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them;
all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them;
by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone;
till thy people pass over, O Lord,
till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance,
in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in,
in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
18 The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them;
but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them,
Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider hath HE thrown into the sea.
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter:therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25 And he (Moses) cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet:there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
(In every trouble, there is a way made by God.)
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in HIS sight, and wilt give ear to HIS commandments, and keep all HIS statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians:for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees:and they encamped there by the waters.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Matthew 7 ... Reading through the Bible
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged:and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
(James 4 ... 1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not:ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain:ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?)
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:for this is the law and the prophets.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate:for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 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. 22 Many 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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not:for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell:and great was the fall of it.
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Comments by Joan Boney
Judge not, that ye be not judged
If you judge by your own thinking you can put yourself in the path where you can be wrong and you can be judged for your wrong. Therefore Jesus warns us. (It is another matter, however, if you are simply speaking the judgment from God that HE has given you on the matter. This can come from Bible or it could come by a word from Holy spirit)
Here is an interesting example from Holy Spirit.
I was playing golf with two women. One a Church of Christ and the other woman was Methodist. The Methodist woman began speaking about people who judge other people. The Holy Spirit spoke the following through me: "If you judge people are judging, aren't you judging." The Methodist woman gasped. It was like air let out of a balloon.
==========
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate:for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Few go in the way of God because they see the other way to be more fulfilling to themselves. What they do not realize is the other way is more troubling and the way of God is freeing. The way of God frees us from the burden of sin. We do not have to commit fornication or adultery as the flesh desires. We can be free from the desires of our own flesh as we choose the way of God. We do not have to be a servant to drunkenness. Doing the work of God frees us. We can be free from covetousness by learning to do the following: I Tim. 6 ... 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
We can be free from having to be great on this earth by doing the following:
Mt. 11 ... Jesus says ... 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Serving God is the easy way. Serving your own flesh is the hard way. Serving other humans is the hard way.
==========
If a person continually punctures you and grieves you by their words, consider that their fruit is likely evil fruit.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Are their words like thorns to you?
Lot was continually grieved by the words of the people of Sodom where he lived. The angel of Lord had to take Lot's hand and pull him out of Sodom. And Lot's wife loved this place so much that she looked back longingly and was destroyed. Why is it sometimes so hard for us to leave the evil? Because our flesh rules in these cases.
I Cor. 9 ... Paul says ...24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
When we serve God, we must do that which God desires us to do. And when we choose to go that way, the way of God, we enter a race. We must train for it, keeping our flesh under control as we would have to do if we entered a race set up by man. We couldn't eat just anything. We would have to be careful what we took into our bodies to race. (We have to take care about those things we take into our hearts when we enter the path God has for us for those things in our heart can keep us from doing the will of God if those things are against God's way.)
Therefore Jesus warns:
Mark 8:15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
When we know our assignment from God, we do what we have to do to run that race and win. We have no credit for starting the race and dropping out. Rather dropping out could end up costing us dearly, being a form of "falling away". We must finish the race.
There are many times I have had to put someone out of my life in order to do what God has called me to do. There are also many times I have to decline invitations for such would keep me from doing my assignment from God. It is indeed as Paul described it. To run the race, we have to keep our own bodies under control. And we set about running to win that race.
==========
21 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. 22 Many 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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Jesus said many will be turned away at the day of judgment as they bring their many "good" works to HIM.
How can this be?
Their good works, that which they thought to be good, were authored by their own fleshly minds and not by God, even though they prophesied and cast out devils and did many wonderful works, those works were not authored by God. And Jesus told them to depart from him and called their works "iniquity".
So if you preach, you have to be called to preach. It can't be something you want to do. It has to be because God told you to say that thing and do that thing.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
(James 4 ... 1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not:ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain:ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?)
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:for this is the law and the prophets.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate:for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 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. 22 Many 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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not:for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell:and great was the fall of it.
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Comments by Joan Boney
Judge not, that ye be not judged
If you judge by your own thinking you can put yourself in the path where you can be wrong and you can be judged for your wrong. Therefore Jesus warns us. (It is another matter, however, if you are simply speaking the judgment from God that HE has given you on the matter. This can come from Bible or it could come by a word from Holy spirit)
Here is an interesting example from Holy Spirit.
I was playing golf with two women. One a Church of Christ and the other woman was Methodist. The Methodist woman began speaking about people who judge other people. The Holy Spirit spoke the following through me: "If you judge people are judging, aren't you judging." The Methodist woman gasped. It was like air let out of a balloon.
==========
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate:for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Few go in the way of God because they see the other way to be more fulfilling to themselves. What they do not realize is the other way is more troubling and the way of God is freeing. The way of God frees us from the burden of sin. We do not have to commit fornication or adultery as the flesh desires. We can be free from the desires of our own flesh as we choose the way of God. We do not have to be a servant to drunkenness. Doing the work of God frees us. We can be free from covetousness by learning to do the following: I Tim. 6 ... 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
We can be free from having to be great on this earth by doing the following:
Mt. 11 ... Jesus says ... 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Serving God is the easy way. Serving your own flesh is the hard way. Serving other humans is the hard way.
==========
If a person continually punctures you and grieves you by their words, consider that their fruit is likely evil fruit.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Are their words like thorns to you?
Lot was continually grieved by the words of the people of Sodom where he lived. The angel of Lord had to take Lot's hand and pull him out of Sodom. And Lot's wife loved this place so much that she looked back longingly and was destroyed. Why is it sometimes so hard for us to leave the evil? Because our flesh rules in these cases.
I Cor. 9 ... Paul says ...24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
When we serve God, we must do that which God desires us to do. And when we choose to go that way, the way of God, we enter a race. We must train for it, keeping our flesh under control as we would have to do if we entered a race set up by man. We couldn't eat just anything. We would have to be careful what we took into our bodies to race. (We have to take care about those things we take into our hearts when we enter the path God has for us for those things in our heart can keep us from doing the will of God if those things are against God's way.)
Therefore Jesus warns:
Mark 8:15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
When we know our assignment from God, we do what we have to do to run that race and win. We have no credit for starting the race and dropping out. Rather dropping out could end up costing us dearly, being a form of "falling away". We must finish the race.
There are many times I have had to put someone out of my life in order to do what God has called me to do. There are also many times I have to decline invitations for such would keep me from doing my assignment from God. It is indeed as Paul described it. To run the race, we have to keep our own bodies under control. And we set about running to win that race.
==========
21 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. 22 Many 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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Jesus said many will be turned away at the day of judgment as they bring their many "good" works to HIM.
How can this be?
Their good works, that which they thought to be good, were authored by their own fleshly minds and not by God, even though they prophesied and cast out devils and did many wonderful works, those works were not authored by God. And Jesus told them to depart from him and called their works "iniquity".
So if you preach, you have to be called to preach. It can't be something you want to do. It has to be because God told you to say that thing and do that thing.
Psalm 116 ... Prayers to God & Promises from God to the Church
1 I love the Lord, because he hath heard
my voice and my supplications.
2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me,
therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
3 The sorrows of death compassed me,
and the pains of hell gat hold upon me:
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then called I upon the name of the Lord;
O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
yea, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserveth the simple:
I was brought low, and he helped me.
7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul;
for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
mine eyes from tears,
and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore have I spoken:
I was greatly afflicted:
11 I said in my haste,
All men are liars.
12 What shall I render unto the Lord
for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation,
and call upon the name of the Lord.
14 I will pay my vows unto the Lord
now in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.
16 O Lord, truly I am thy servant;
I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid:
thou hast loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and will call upon the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows unto the Lord
now in the presence of all his people,
19 In the courts of the Lord 's house,
in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.
Comments by Joan Boney
8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
mine eyes from tears,
and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
We once belonged to this world and walked among the dead of this world, doing as the dead do, saying what the dead say. (Have you noticed how they parrot one another in looks and in speech?)
Then God revealed HIMSELF (truth) to us and raised us from the dead of this world and nothing was the same again ... we were changed immediately by God and given HIS Spirit, freed from the prince of the air who rules this earth and the people of this earth. Then we walked with God in the land of the living, in the land with others who know God as we know God and are known by God.
Now we know where we go. We are no longer walking as blind, dead men of this world.
God removed us from the power of darkness that we would walk in HIS light.
We are thankful to God continually.
We have been given all that matters for now and for all eternity.
The greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my life is being born again and changed by the Spirit of God. Nothing compares to this.
==========
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and will call upon the name of the Lord.
When things go wrong, and things do go wrong in each our lives, what do we do? Do we sit and complain about that which went wrong?
Or are we able to thank God for all the things that went right?
"sacrifice of thanksgiving"
And calling upon God for help ...
my voice and my supplications.
2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me,
therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
3 The sorrows of death compassed me,
and the pains of hell gat hold upon me:
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then called I upon the name of the Lord;
O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
yea, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserveth the simple:
I was brought low, and he helped me.
7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul;
for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
mine eyes from tears,
and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore have I spoken:
I was greatly afflicted:
11 I said in my haste,
All men are liars.
12 What shall I render unto the Lord
for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation,
and call upon the name of the Lord.
14 I will pay my vows unto the Lord
now in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.
16 O Lord, truly I am thy servant;
I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid:
thou hast loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and will call upon the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows unto the Lord
now in the presence of all his people,
19 In the courts of the Lord 's house,
in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.
Comments by Joan Boney
8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
mine eyes from tears,
and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
We once belonged to this world and walked among the dead of this world, doing as the dead do, saying what the dead say. (Have you noticed how they parrot one another in looks and in speech?)
Then God revealed HIMSELF (truth) to us and raised us from the dead of this world and nothing was the same again ... we were changed immediately by God and given HIS Spirit, freed from the prince of the air who rules this earth and the people of this earth. Then we walked with God in the land of the living, in the land with others who know God as we know God and are known by God.
Now we know where we go. We are no longer walking as blind, dead men of this world.
God removed us from the power of darkness that we would walk in HIS light.
We are thankful to God continually.
We have been given all that matters for now and for all eternity.
The greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my life is being born again and changed by the Spirit of God. Nothing compares to this.
==========
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and will call upon the name of the Lord.
When things go wrong, and things do go wrong in each our lives, what do we do? Do we sit and complain about that which went wrong?
Or are we able to thank God for all the things that went right?
"sacrifice of thanksgiving"
And calling upon God for help ...
Exodus 14 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children
of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol
and the sea, over against Baalzephon:before it shall ye encamp by the
sea.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.
And they (the children of Israel) did so.
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled:and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel:and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
(God has set this in an impossible way ... The people of God have their back to the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his 600 chariots charging toward them.)
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid:and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.
(But their crying out was not in faith in God but their crying out was complaining against Moses and Aaron who had gotten them into this mess by making them leave Egypt where there was plenty of food ...They forgot the afflictions they suffered in Egypt and how they cried out to God in their suffering asking for deliverance. Now they just wanted back in Egypt.)
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
(They also forget how Pharaoh had required them to kill their male babies because they were multiplying above the Egyptians.)
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day:for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it:and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them:and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
(God is saying: When I kill the Egyptians and destroy them, then they will know I am the Lord. When God performs that which no man can do by parting the Red Sea, all will know God is God.)
19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these (to the children of Israel):so that the one came not near the other all the night.
21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground:and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
(Pharaoh thinking, "You can do this. I can do this ..." Lack of humility is way of destruction.)
24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptian, 25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily:so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians:and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
Today we have the miracles from God surrounding us. We have the sun, the moon at night, the stars, the rain, the wind, the hail, the lightening, the thunder, the earth we stand upon, the trees and the plants that grow in the earth ... all created by God!
And all the stories in the OT are for our benefit that we might have faith in God and keep our faith in God and not in ourselves and other men whose breathe leaves them and they return, in time, to the earth.
Keep your focus correctly placed. These examples in Bible help greatly as the events of this world would try to overtake us, if we let them.
The things of God are eternal.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.
And they (the children of Israel) did so.
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled:and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel:and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
(God has set this in an impossible way ... The people of God have their back to the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his 600 chariots charging toward them.)
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid:and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.
(But their crying out was not in faith in God but their crying out was complaining against Moses and Aaron who had gotten them into this mess by making them leave Egypt where there was plenty of food ...They forgot the afflictions they suffered in Egypt and how they cried out to God in their suffering asking for deliverance. Now they just wanted back in Egypt.)
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
(They also forget how Pharaoh had required them to kill their male babies because they were multiplying above the Egyptians.)
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day:for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it:and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them:and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
(God is saying: When I kill the Egyptians and destroy them, then they will know I am the Lord. When God performs that which no man can do by parting the Red Sea, all will know God is God.)
19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these (to the children of Israel):so that the one came not near the other all the night.
21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground:and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
(Pharaoh thinking, "You can do this. I can do this ..." Lack of humility is way of destruction.)
24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptian, 25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily:so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians:and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
Today we have the miracles from God surrounding us. We have the sun, the moon at night, the stars, the rain, the wind, the hail, the lightening, the thunder, the earth we stand upon, the trees and the plants that grow in the earth ... all created by God!
And all the stories in the OT are for our benefit that we might have faith in God and keep our faith in God and not in ourselves and other men whose breathe leaves them and they return, in time, to the earth.
Keep your focus correctly placed. These examples in Bible help greatly as the events of this world would try to overtake us, if we let them.
The things of God are eternal.
Congregation being killed by poison gas from speaker
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
In 1979, God gave me the following dream concerning the churches ...
I see this in our church groups today:
In this dream, I went into a room where a meeting was going on. There was one vacant seat on the aisle and I sat down and began listening to a man who was speaking to the group. Another man rushed and went to the front of the room and said, "Stop ... wait ... can't you see ... It's too late! It's already begun."The first man resumed speaking to the group.
I looked out the window and was shocked at what I saw.
There was a tall, civil defense type pole with a yellow warning speaker on top of the pole. Out of the speaker was coming a poison gas. I knew it would kill the people and shockingly the gas was coming from our own speaker which was supposed to warn us.
I looked at the man who was sitting next to me. He was sitting upright. He had a big smile on his face. He was looking directly at the speaker in an attentive way. But this man was a corpse. He was dead though he looked alive.
Then I looked at people around the room and they were already dead also.
And as I sat back in my seat, I felt myself falling asleep, dying as I listened to the speaker.
At that time, 1979, I was attending a church in Dallas. I was there for every gathering, mornings and evenings. I saw nothing wrong and looked for no wrong doing in the church. I didn't even have any idea there would ever be wrong doing in the church. I was a very recent Christian. The pastor spoke many doctrines which didn't apply to me. I knew they didn't apply to me. But I just copied down all scriptures spoken by pastor and when I got home I would study these scriptures which I knew did apply to me.
But after God gave me the dream where the poison gas was coming from our own warning system and the people in the congregation were dead from the poison, I noticed the people at the church I was attending were like those people in that dream.
One Wednesday night, I got up during the sermon and went into restroom and began talking to God. I said, "I think You are showing me to leave this church group. I'm going to drive away but if YOU want me to return I will return." I got into my car and left.
The church I was attending was Word of Faith in Dallas. The pastor was Robert Tilton.
But after I left and tried to find another church to attend, I saw the same thing over and over. The pastors twisted scripture and the congregation sat and smiled, loving it.
Jeremiah 5 ... 30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and MY people love to have it so:and what will ye do in the end thereof?
As I have visited various church groups, I have witnessed this over and over. The pastors speak perverse things, even twisting the scripture to their own destruction and to the destruction of the people who "happily sit" in the congregations. In those groups, when the scripture was changed or twisted, I did not see any person in the congregation reach for a Bible to check what the preacher was saying ... most are happy in lies and praise the speaker of lies and worship their churches thinking they are worshiping God.
Once I visited a church group where the pastor was teaching from John 8, concerning the woman taken in adultery. He said, "And when the woman taken in adultery was brought before Jesus she was naked from her waist up." I was shocked! The people in the congregation just smiled. I saw no one reach for a Bible to check John 8 for truth. They just sat there smiling as the pastor spoke. (This is the poison gas dream where the speaking is killing the people in the congregation with the poison gas that comes from his own mouth... And Jeremiah says: and My people love to have it so:)
Over and over, I visited church after church and heard pastors speaking things which are not true and saw entire congregations sitting there doing nothing at all about the lies that were coming forth ... they just sat smiling ... they were already dead.
During these years, I went to each pastor I heard speaking wrong things and talked to each pastor in private. Not one repented. Not one expressed sorrow. Each pastor struck out at me.
But the people in each group just praised the deceitful pastor.
I can identify with everything Jeremiah wrote for I have seen it today in the churches ... and at some point God will visit (judge) these pastors and the congregations who worship these pastors who speak lies and twist the Word of God to suit themselves and to suit their hearers for the people love to have it so ...
Are you just sitting there smiling ... or do you sit there knowing things are wrong at your church group?
Several years ago, God gave me the following dream. In this dream, I was in a room with a long row of bassinets. I walked down the row and looked at each baby. The babies were horribly deformed. At the end of the row stood my favorite aunt. She was a fully grown woman but her face was covered with horrible spots and blemishes.
This aunt had been a Church of Christ member all her life. Before she died she told me she knew things were wrong at church but she stayed there. (spots and blemishes on her face) At one point, she had asked the minister if they could study Psalms. But he replied Psalms was much too long. She said to me, "What difference would that make." But she stayed there knowing things were wrong.
The babies in the dream were people who never grew up to maturity. They remained babies. And the doctrines caused them to be horribly deformed.
This is what it is in the churches today.
My own cousin told me this story about their church group: "We know some of the doctrines are wrong that we are teaching but we don't change them because it would hurt the faith of our older church members who have been following these doctrines all their lives." (Incredible)
Jesus said ... 24 God is a Spirit:and they that worship HIM must worship HIM in spirit and in truth. John 4
Are you just sitting there smiling at everything the preachers preach? ... or do you know it is wrong there and stay there anyway?
Concerning the doctrine that I knew didn't apply to me at Robert Tilton's church, it was the doctrine of prosperity which Tilton often taught. I remember one time (or even more) when that doctrine was being taught, the preacher told us if we wanted a new car we should cut out the picture of the car we wanted and put it on the refrigerator where we would see that picture. And inside us something would happen in time and we would eventually figure out a way to get that car.
Instead I saw prosperity coming in the following way:
Psalm 1
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.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And 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.
Joshua 1
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
This is what I did.
But I didn't want a new car. Nor was I looking for earthly wealth. My great love was for Bible. I just wanted the Word of God and sought Bible teaching continually.
At the time I was at Tilton's church, I didn't see the wrong in the doctrine he was teaching. That doctrine just didn't apply to me for I didn't want a new car. I wanted Bible teaching.
But I focused on scripture and God taught me a fear of the Lord by various experiences of this life.
And God taught me continually and eventually brought me out of that church group but there was no other group I could find for perversion from pastors was everywhere. I went to all sorts of group ... Baptist, Church of Christ, full gospel groups, non-denominational groups ... Every group I attended had same thing. Pastor was speaking something not true by scripture. When I went to pastor the same happened, and I went to each pastor. The pastor refused to repent and tried to attack me.
Concerning Robert Tilton ... He wanted to be big time. He said from pulpit that he planned to have more radio stations than Kenneth Copeland ... He started a TV show in Dallas. He invited a woman from our church group who said she is a prophet to be on his show. The second before going on the air, Tilton said to Ava, "Just one thing ... don't mention anything about being a prophet ... for it's not popular."
Ava was devastated. She called me after the show. I knew Tilton had killed a prophet by his words to her. And I saw what Jesus said in Matthew 23, and I knew this was going to happen to Robert Tilton.
Jesus said: 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. (because they killed the prophets) Mt. 23
I delivered this message to Tilton ... that because of what he had done, his house would be left desolate.
I left Dallas in 1985. After I left, Tilton and his wife divorced. Some of the members of his own church group sued Tilton. Finally the church was dissolved and the church building was torn down. ABC Primetime did an expose about corruption in offerings taken by Tilton and they put this on national TV and it appeared on Wikipedia (Internet encyclopedia). Here is that article about Robert Tilton.
The
Word of Faith Family Church and World Outreach Center was finally formally
dissolved by Tilton in 1996. Though Tilton was still listed as the church's
senior pastor, he had not preached at the church since March 16, 1996, when he
named Chattanooga, Tennessee,
minister Bob Wright as senior associate pastor,[7] and its membership had declined to less
than 300.[16]
When I began attending Robert Tilton's church in approximately 1978, we met in an old warehouse and had approximately 200 people attend on the best days. Eventually there were about 8,000 and a new building on that site. I left before the worldly destruction. I left Dallas in 1985. I'm glad I didn't have to see all these horrible things happening.
I Tim. 6 ... 9 But 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. 10 For 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.
Some men's sin are exposed before the judgment for all to see.
Other men's sin follow after and will be revealed at day of judgment.
1 Timothy 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
Concerning Robert Tilton: He killed a prophet when he told her not to mention being a prophet on his TV show, because "it was not popular", said Tilton.
Mt. 23 ... concerning those who kill prophets ... Jesus said ... 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes:and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
After doing this, Bob lost his wife and his church building. Now on the spot where his church building was, there is no evidence a church ever met at that spot ... desolation.
When God put me on radio through a word in the night which I believe to have been spoken by an angel of God, Robert Tilton told me I needed to use his press agent to promote me. At that time I was still attending Tilton's church.
I went to this press agent and they even accepted me as client. The name of the agency was Michael Ellison Advertising Agency. At the time I went to them they represented Kenneth Copeland, Marilyn Hickey, and had been representing Jimmy Swaggart along with Robert Tilton and other "big time" ministers.
The agency told me they had just given Kenneth Copeland two cars and when I became big enough, having enough radio stations, they would give me a car also. At the time this happened, Kenneth told story at his meeting of a man giving him a car. What Copeland didn't tell is it was his ad agent who made 10% fee from each radio/TV broadcast who had given this car to Copeland as a bonus.
But immediately things fell apart between me and the agency ... They told me to do several things which I just could not do.
They told me to put these words on the materials I sent out ... "Send me your prayer requests" ... I told the agency I couldn't do that! They were shocked and asked, "Why not?" I replied: "The people are supposed to pray directly to God themselves through Jesus." (not through Joan Boney or any other minister). I never wanted anyone to send prayer requests to me and to this day we do not accept such things. The people must have faith in God themselves rather than turning to anyone else.
When I refused to put this on my printed material, the agent said to me: "Joan, you are missing a good bet ... for when you ask them to send prayer requests, most people will put money in the envelop along with the prayer request."
But I refused to do this and never did this.
Another thing the agency told me is this: "You must never say or write anything that is unpopular." (I'm a prophet! Many things God gives me to say are correction to the church and are unpopular and are fought by pastors and the congregation.) Also the agency told me that I could not write anything directly to people but had to send all my writings to agency to be edited. Of course, I refused to do that.
Within about 4 months, I received a call from the agency saying they were going to have to eliminate some of their clients and I was one they decided to eliminate.
I was devastated. I knew I was in big-time ministry and now I had failed.
But God brought the following to my mind to define what had happened to me:
Mt. 4 ... 1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil...8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan:for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Instead of failing, I knew I had passed a very big test.
Today, I'm so happy I'm not a big-time minister ...
saved by God!
And each of us are saved by God as we do HIS word and reject all other directions which are contrary to HIS word.
A warning: Even when a minister is truly called by God and tries to speak truly from God, I've seen individuals sit in the best of teachings and still fall away. So it is not just in corrupt groups where individuals choose to go a way other than the way of God. It is up to each one of us to guard our own hearts by the Spirit of God. (But I would not go to a church group where I knew wrong teaching was regularly spoken by the preachers and where the preachers would not repent.)
II Corinthians 5 ... 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
In 1979, God gave me the following dream concerning the churches ...
I see this in our church groups today:
In this dream, I went into a room where a meeting was going on. There was one vacant seat on the aisle and I sat down and began listening to a man who was speaking to the group. Another man rushed and went to the front of the room and said, "Stop ... wait ... can't you see ... It's too late! It's already begun."The first man resumed speaking to the group.
I looked out the window and was shocked at what I saw.
There was a tall, civil defense type pole with a yellow warning speaker on top of the pole. Out of the speaker was coming a poison gas. I knew it would kill the people and shockingly the gas was coming from our own speaker which was supposed to warn us.
I looked at the man who was sitting next to me. He was sitting upright. He had a big smile on his face. He was looking directly at the speaker in an attentive way. But this man was a corpse. He was dead though he looked alive.
Then I looked at people around the room and they were already dead also.
And as I sat back in my seat, I felt myself falling asleep, dying as I listened to the speaker.
At that time, 1979, I was attending a church in Dallas. I was there for every gathering, mornings and evenings. I saw nothing wrong and looked for no wrong doing in the church. I didn't even have any idea there would ever be wrong doing in the church. I was a very recent Christian. The pastor spoke many doctrines which didn't apply to me. I knew they didn't apply to me. But I just copied down all scriptures spoken by pastor and when I got home I would study these scriptures which I knew did apply to me.
But after God gave me the dream where the poison gas was coming from our own warning system and the people in the congregation were dead from the poison, I noticed the people at the church I was attending were like those people in that dream.
One Wednesday night, I got up during the sermon and went into restroom and began talking to God. I said, "I think You are showing me to leave this church group. I'm going to drive away but if YOU want me to return I will return." I got into my car and left.
The church I was attending was Word of Faith in Dallas. The pastor was Robert Tilton.
But after I left and tried to find another church to attend, I saw the same thing over and over. The pastors twisted scripture and the congregation sat and smiled, loving it.
Jeremiah 5 ... 30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and MY people love to have it so:and what will ye do in the end thereof?
As I have visited various church groups, I have witnessed this over and over. The pastors speak perverse things, even twisting the scripture to their own destruction and to the destruction of the people who "happily sit" in the congregations. In those groups, when the scripture was changed or twisted, I did not see any person in the congregation reach for a Bible to check what the preacher was saying ... most are happy in lies and praise the speaker of lies and worship their churches thinking they are worshiping God.
Once I visited a church group where the pastor was teaching from John 8, concerning the woman taken in adultery. He said, "And when the woman taken in adultery was brought before Jesus she was naked from her waist up." I was shocked! The people in the congregation just smiled. I saw no one reach for a Bible to check John 8 for truth. They just sat there smiling as the pastor spoke. (This is the poison gas dream where the speaking is killing the people in the congregation with the poison gas that comes from his own mouth... And Jeremiah says: and My people love to have it so:)
Over and over, I visited church after church and heard pastors speaking things which are not true and saw entire congregations sitting there doing nothing at all about the lies that were coming forth ... they just sat smiling ... they were already dead.
During these years, I went to each pastor I heard speaking wrong things and talked to each pastor in private. Not one repented. Not one expressed sorrow. Each pastor struck out at me.
But the people in each group just praised the deceitful pastor.
I can identify with everything Jeremiah wrote for I have seen it today in the churches ... and at some point God will visit (judge) these pastors and the congregations who worship these pastors who speak lies and twist the Word of God to suit themselves and to suit their hearers for the people love to have it so ...
Are you just sitting there smiling ... or do you sit there knowing things are wrong at your church group?
Several years ago, God gave me the following dream. In this dream, I was in a room with a long row of bassinets. I walked down the row and looked at each baby. The babies were horribly deformed. At the end of the row stood my favorite aunt. She was a fully grown woman but her face was covered with horrible spots and blemishes.
This aunt had been a Church of Christ member all her life. Before she died she told me she knew things were wrong at church but she stayed there. (spots and blemishes on her face) At one point, she had asked the minister if they could study Psalms. But he replied Psalms was much too long. She said to me, "What difference would that make." But she stayed there knowing things were wrong.
The babies in the dream were people who never grew up to maturity. They remained babies. And the doctrines caused them to be horribly deformed.
This is what it is in the churches today.
My own cousin told me this story about their church group: "We know some of the doctrines are wrong that we are teaching but we don't change them because it would hurt the faith of our older church members who have been following these doctrines all their lives." (Incredible)
Jesus said ... 24 God is a Spirit:and they that worship HIM must worship HIM in spirit and in truth. John 4
Are you just sitting there smiling at everything the preachers preach? ... or do you know it is wrong there and stay there anyway?
Concerning the doctrine that I knew didn't apply to me at Robert Tilton's church, it was the doctrine of prosperity which Tilton often taught. I remember one time (or even more) when that doctrine was being taught, the preacher told us if we wanted a new car we should cut out the picture of the car we wanted and put it on the refrigerator where we would see that picture. And inside us something would happen in time and we would eventually figure out a way to get that car.
Instead I saw prosperity coming in the following way:
Psalm 1
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.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And 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.
Joshua 1
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
This is what I did.
But I didn't want a new car. Nor was I looking for earthly wealth. My great love was for Bible. I just wanted the Word of God and sought Bible teaching continually.
At the time I was at Tilton's church, I didn't see the wrong in the doctrine he was teaching. That doctrine just didn't apply to me for I didn't want a new car. I wanted Bible teaching.
But I focused on scripture and God taught me a fear of the Lord by various experiences of this life.
And God taught me continually and eventually brought me out of that church group but there was no other group I could find for perversion from pastors was everywhere. I went to all sorts of group ... Baptist, Church of Christ, full gospel groups, non-denominational groups ... Every group I attended had same thing. Pastor was speaking something not true by scripture. When I went to pastor the same happened, and I went to each pastor. The pastor refused to repent and tried to attack me.
Concerning Robert Tilton ... He wanted to be big time. He said from pulpit that he planned to have more radio stations than Kenneth Copeland ... He started a TV show in Dallas. He invited a woman from our church group who said she is a prophet to be on his show. The second before going on the air, Tilton said to Ava, "Just one thing ... don't mention anything about being a prophet ... for it's not popular."
Ava was devastated. She called me after the show. I knew Tilton had killed a prophet by his words to her. And I saw what Jesus said in Matthew 23, and I knew this was going to happen to Robert Tilton.
Jesus said: 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. (because they killed the prophets) Mt. 23
I delivered this message to Tilton ... that because of what he had done, his house would be left desolate.
I left Dallas in 1985. After I left, Tilton and his wife divorced. Some of the members of his own church group sued Tilton. Finally the church was dissolved and the church building was torn down. ABC Primetime did an expose about corruption in offerings taken by Tilton and they put this on national TV and it appeared on Wikipedia (Internet encyclopedia). Here is that article about Robert Tilton.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (excerpt)
Robert Gibson Tilton
|
|
Born
|
June 7, 1946 (age 68)
Dallas, Texas, USA |
Occupation
|
Pastor, Author, Televangelist
|
Employer
|
Word of Faith World Outreach Center Church
|
Title
|
Pastor
|
Religion
|
|
Spouse(s)
|
3 wives: Martha Phillips (1968–1993)
Leigh Valentine (1994–1997) Maria Rodriguez Tilton (2002–Present) |
Robert Gibson Tilton (born June 7, 1946) is an American televangelist who in the 1980s and early 1990s
created an infomercial-styled
religious television program Success-N-Life, which at its peak in 1991
aired in all 235 American TV markets (daily in the majority of them), brought
in nearly $80 million per year, and was described as "the fastest growing
television ministry in America."[1][2]
However, within two years after ABC's Primetime Live aired an expose into Tilton's fundraising practices, which started a series of investigations into the ministry, Tilton's program was no longer being broadcast.
Tilton later returned to television via his new version of Success-N-Life airing on BET and The Word Network.
However, within two years after ABC's Primetime Live aired an expose into Tilton's fundraising practices, which started a series of investigations into the ministry, Tilton's program was no longer being broadcast.
Tilton later returned to television via his new version of Success-N-Life airing on BET and The Word Network.
According
to Tilton's autobiographical materials, he had a conversion experience to
evangelical Christianity in 1969[3] and began his ministry in 1974, taking
his new family (including wife Martha "Marte" Phillips, whom he
married in 1968) on the road to, in his words, "preach this gospel of
Jesus."[1]
Tilton preached to small congregations and revivals throughout Texas and Oklahoma.[4]
Tilton and his family settled in Dallas, Texas, and built a small nondenominational charismatic church in Farmers Branch, Texas, called the "Word Of Faith Family Church" in 1976.[4]
The church also started a local television program then known as Daystar (not related to the Daystar Television Network, though both were started in the Dallas area). Tilton's announcer on Daystar was Miami radio personality and voice-over artist Dave Mitchell, who was based in Dallas at the time.
Tilton preached to small congregations and revivals throughout Texas and Oklahoma.[4]
Tilton and his family settled in Dallas, Texas, and built a small nondenominational charismatic church in Farmers Branch, Texas, called the "Word Of Faith Family Church" in 1976.[4]
The church also started a local television program then known as Daystar (not related to the Daystar Television Network, though both were started in the Dallas area). Tilton's announcer on Daystar was Miami radio personality and voice-over artist Dave Mitchell, who was based in Dallas at the time.
Tilton's
young church was growing steadily, but Daystar failed to expand beyond
the Dallas area until Tilton went to Hawaii—his self-described version of
Jesus's forty days in the wilderness[5]—and spent time fishing, drinking, and
watching an increasingly popular new form of television programming: the
late-night infomercial.
Tilton
was particularly influenced by Dave Del Dotto, a real estate promoter who
produced hour-long infomercials showing his glamorous life in Hawaii (which he
constantly stressed anyone could achieve just by following the principles set
up in his many "get rich quick" books) as well as
"interviews" with students who were brought out to his Hawaiian villa
for said interviews, specifically for their on-camera testimonials about the
success in life they were now enjoying thanks to his teachings.[5]
Upon his return from Hawaii in 1981,
Tilton, with the help of a US$1.3M loan from Dallas banker Herman Beebe,[1] revamped Daystar into an
hour-long "religious infomercial" with the title Success-N-Life.[5]
Tilton's ministry consisted
mainly of impressing upon his viewers the importance of making
"vows"—financial commitments to Tilton's ministry. His preferred vow,
stressed frequently on his broadcasts, was $1,000.[6]
Occasionally, Tilton would claim to
have received a word of knowledge
for someone to give a vow of $5,000 or even $10,000. When a person made a vow
to Tilton, he preached that God would recognize the vow and reward the donor
with vast material riches.[7]
The show also ran
"testimonials" of viewers who gave to Tilton's ministry and
reportedly received miracles in return, a practice that would be used as the
basis for a later lawsuit from donors charging Tilton's ministry with fraud.[8]
A Dallas Morning News
story published in 1992 observed that Tilton spent more than 84% of his show's
airtime for fundraising and promotions, a total higher than the 22% for an
average commercial television show;[9] other sources put the total fundraising
time during episodes of Success-N-Life closer to 68%.[7]
Some of Tilton's fundraising letters
were written by Gene Ewing, who heads a
multimillion-dollar marketing empire writing donation letters for other
televangelists like W.V. Grant and Don Stewart.[10]
As
a result of Tilton's television success, Word of Faith Family Church (renamed
"Word of Faith Family Church and World Outreach Center") grew to
become a megachurch, with 8,000 members at its height.[4]
Tilton
is the author of several self-help books about financial success, including The
Power to Create Wealth, God's Laws of Success, How to Pay Your
Bills Supernaturally, and How to be Rich and Have Everything You Ever
Wanted. Most of Tilton's books were published in the 1980s and distributed
via promotion on Success-N-Life and through the many mailings Tilton's
ministry sent his followers.
Ministry and fundraising
scandal
In
1991, Diane Sawyer and ABC News conducted an investigation of Tilton (as
well as two other Dallas-area televangelists, W.V. Grant and Larry Lea). The investigation, assisted by Trinity Foundation
president Ole Anthony and broadcast on ABC's Primetime Live on November 21, 1991, alleged
that Tilton's ministry threw away prayer requests without
reading them, keeping only the accompanying money or valuables sent to the
ministry by viewers, garnering his ministry an estimated US$80 million a year.[1]
Allegations of exploitation
of vulnerable people
Ole
Anthony, a Dallas-based minister whose Trinity Foundation
church works with the homeless and the poor on the east side of Dallas, first
took an interest in Tilton's ministry in the late 1980s after some of the
people coming to the Trinity Foundation for help told him they had lost all of
their money making donations to some of the higher profile televangelists,
especially fellow Dallas-area minister Robert Tilton.
Former
Coca-Cola executive Harry Guetzlaff came to the
Trinity Foundation after he had been turned away from Tilton's church when he
found himself on hard times following a divorce. He had been a longtime
high-dollar donor and gave up his last $5,000 as a "vow of faith"
just weeks earlier. Guetzlaff's experience, combined with the sheer magnitude
of mailings from Tilton's ministry, spurred Anthony, a former intelligence
officer in the United States Air
Force and licensed private investigator, to start a full
investigation of Tilton's ministry. Guetzlaff joined Anthony in the task of
gathering details on Tilton's operation and later did much of the legwork in
finding and following the paper trail for the ABC news investigation.[12]
Undercover investigation
In
a November 21, 1991 promotional appearance for the Primetime Live
televangelist investigation on Live with Regis
and Kathie Lee, Diane Sawyer said that she had watched several
televangelist programs, including Robert Tilton's Success-N-Life, during
her travels as a reporter and was "fascinated" by them, but also
"disturbed".
Stressing that she knew how sensitive people always are
to reporters questioning religion, she said that she spoke with other
reporters, and then eventually to ABC producers, who then decided to conduct
their own investigation into a number of the more prominent televangelists,
eventually settling in 1991 on the three featured in the Primetime Live
episode: W.V. Grant, Larry Lea, and Tilton.[13]
According to Sawyer, the ABC
producers, including Tilton segment producer Robbie Gordon, learned about
possible resources available from Ole Anthony and the Trinity Foundation, and
contacted Trinity for information on Tilton.
After comparing their accumulated
notes, data and details, the two groups decided to pool their efforts and began
planning the undercover portion of the story. Anthony agreed to portray
himself, a Dallas-based minister with a small church looking into the ways
televangelist ministries could grow so quickly, and ABC producers would pose as
Anthony's "media consultants."[13]
Meeting with Response
Media
The
team, armed with hidden cameras and microphones, arrived for a meeting at
Response Media, the Tulsa-based
marketing firm handling Tilton's mass mailings, to discuss a proposal sent by
Anthony to Response Media about fundraising for a religious-based TV talk show.
The director of Response Media, Jim Moore, described for Anthony and the hidden
cameras (concealed in the undercover Primetime Live producers' glasses
and handbags) many techniques used by Tilton to raise funds for his ministry.
Moore also said that Tilton was doing "far better than anyone knows" and described the main strategy Tilton employed for such a high return rate on his mailings—that is, send the recipient a "gimmick" that compelled the recipient to mail something back in return, and most recipients would include some money along with it.
Moore also said that Tilton was doing "far better than anyone knows" and described the main strategy Tilton employed for such a high return rate on his mailings—that is, send the recipient a "gimmick" that compelled the recipient to mail something back in return, and most recipients would include some money along with it.
However,
as part of his sales pitch to Anthony, Moore disclosed that the response
letters generated by the fundraising mailings Response Media sends out for its
clients were never delivered to the client; instead, they were sent unopened to
the client's financial institution or other institutions of choice.
"You never have to touch it," Moore added in response to a clarification question from Ole Anthony about dealing with the gimmick objects sent to the potential donors in the mailers.
(Moore was saying the minister never had to touch the prayer request letters. Those letters did not go to the minister for prayer but were send directly to a handling house where the money was removed and deposited in bank and the letters asking for prayer were thrown into garbage. JB)
"You never have to touch it," Moore added in response to a clarification question from Ole Anthony about dealing with the gimmick objects sent to the potential donors in the mailers.
(Moore was saying the minister never had to touch the prayer request letters. Those letters did not go to the minister for prayer but were send directly to a handling house where the money was removed and deposited in bank and the letters asking for prayer were thrown into garbage. JB)
One of the ABC producers asked whether this
was a standard practice—"So the mail goes straight to the bank?"—and
Moore asserted that it was: "The mail goes to the bank, and they put the
money in your account.
The minister just gets the paper (list of names) with the person's name and how
much they gave."[1]
1991 Primetime Live
documentary ("The Apple of God's Eye")
Trinity
Foundation members, acting on this information, started digging through dumpsters outside Tilton's many banks in the Tulsa area as well as dumpsters outside the
office of Tilton's lawyer, J.C. Joyce (also based in Tulsa).
Over the next 30
days, Trinity's "garbologists", as Anthony dubbed them,[12] found tens of thousands of discarded
prayer requests, bank statements, computer printouts containing the coding for
how Tilton's "personalized" letters were generated, and more, all of
which were shown in detail on the Tilton segment within the Primetime Live
documentary, now titled "The Apple of God's Eye".[1]
In a follow-up broadcast on November
28, 1991, Primetime Live host Diane Sawyer said that the Trinity
Foundation and Primetime Live assistants found prayer requests in bank
dumpsters on 14 separate occasions in a 30-day period.[14]
Denial
Tilton
vehemently denied the allegations and took to the airwaves on November 22,
1991, on a special episode of Success-N-Life entitled "Primetime
Lies" to air his side of the story.
Tilton asserted that the prayer
requests found in garbage bags shown on the Primetime Live investigation
were stolen from the ministry and placed in the dumpster for a sensational
camera shot, and that he prayed over every prayer request received, to the
point that he "laid on top of those prayer requests so much that 'the
chemicals actually got into my bloodstream, and... I had two small strokes in
my brain."[14]
(Later in this article you will see Tilton admitting that he never actually received the prayer requests from individuals but had a list of names of those requesting prayer and he prayed over that list. So Tilton's above statement was refuted by Tilton himself. JB)
(Later in this article you will see Tilton admitting that he never actually received the prayer requests from individuals but had a list of names of those requesting prayer and he prayed over that list. So Tilton's above statement was refuted by Tilton himself. JB)
Tilton remained defiant on claims
regarding his use of donations to his ministry to fund various purchases,
asking, "Ain't I allowed to have nothing?" with regards to his
ownership of multiple multimillion-dollar estates.
Tilton also claimed that he
needed plastic surgery to repair capillary damage to his lower eyelids from ink
that seeped into his skin from the prayer requests.[15]
Further revelations
After
Trinity Foundation members spent weeks poring over the details of the documents
they and ABC had uncovered, sorting and scrutinizing each prayer request, bank
statement, and computer printout dealing with the codes Tilton's banks and
legal staff used when categorizing the returned items, Ole Anthony called a
press conference in December 1991 to present what he described as Tilton's
"Wheel of Fortune," using a large display covered in actual prayer
requests, copies of receipts for document disposition, and other damaging
information which demonstrated what happened to money and prayer requests which
the average viewer of Tilton's television program sent him.[16]
When both Tilton and his lawyer J.C.
Joyce reacted to the news by claiming the items Anthony was displaying had
somehow been stolen by "an insider," Anthony responded in a
subsequent interview that "Joyce (Tilton's lawyer) was our mole—a lot of this stuff came
from the dumpster outside his office."[16]
Primetime
Live's original investigation and subsequent updates included interviews
with several former Tilton employees and acquaintances.
In the original
investigation, one of Tilton's former prayer hotline operators claimed the
ministry cared little for desperate followers who called for prayer, saying
Tilton had a computer installed in July 1989 to make sure the phone operators
talked to no caller for longer than seven minutes.
The former employee also
revealed very specific instructions were given to them in terms of how to talk
with callers and they were told to always ask for a $100 "vow" at a
minimum.
Government involvement
Despite
Tilton's repeated denials of misconduct, the State of Texas and the federal
government became involved in subsequent investigations, finding more causes
for concern about Tilton's financial status with each new revelation.
After
nearly 10,000 pounds of prayer requests and letters to the Tilton ministry were
found in a disposal bin at a Tulsa area recycling firm in February 1992, along
with itemized receipts of their delivery from Tilton's main mail-handling
service in Tulsa rather than from the church offices in Farmers Branch, Texas, Tilton
admitted in a deposition given to the Texas Attorney General's office that he
often prayed over computerized lists of prayer requests instead of the actual
prayer requests themselves, and that prayer requests were in fact routinely
thrown away after categorization.[16]
As
each revelation became increasingly more damaging, viewership and donations
declined dramatically.
The last episode of Success-N-Life aired
nationally on October 30, 1993. By that time, viewership had fallen 85% and
monthly donations went from $8 million to $2 million.[17]
Failed libel action
In
1992, Tilton sued ABC for libel because of its investigation and report, but
the case was dismissed in 1993.
Tilton appealed the decision in 1993;
although the findings of the original court were upheld in 1995,
Tilton once more appealed the
decision, this time to the U.S.
Supreme Court in 1996, but the court refused to hear the case.[19]
Tilton sued for fraud
Several
donors to Tilton's television ministry sued Tilton in 1992–93, charging various
forms of fraud.
The
decline of Success-N-Life also led to the end of Tilton's 25-year
marriage to wife Marte, who had been administrative head of the Word of Faith
Family Church and World Outreach Center, in 1993.
The church building was purchased by
the city of Farmers Branch
in 1999 for use as a future civic center; however, the economy suffered a
downturn and the plans were scrapped, and the building was finally demolished
in 2003 to make room for a new youth hockey center.
When
Tilton returned to television in 1997, he established his ministry's
headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma,
where his lawyer J.C. Joyce's offices were located, and set up a post office box as its mailing address. A woman
employed by Mail Services, Inc., a Tulsa-area clearinghouse that handled mail
sent to Tilton's ministry, said that when she worked for Mail Services, Inc. in
2001, prayer requests were still routinely thrown away after donations and
pledges were removed.[20]
(Comments by Joan Boney ... This entire prayer request program is perverted. It would be impossible for a minister to address individual prayer over each letter received in mass market such as this. It is a fund raising program using prayer as a means to get money.)
One time, I had a message concerning adultery for Jim Bakker, TV personality. I sent him the message by US mail. I received a letter from Bakker which was presented to me as a "personal response" but it was a form letter. My letter head had the logo, "Jesus Ministries", printed at the top of the letter. Bakker responded: "Dear Jesus ... Thank you for your letter ... Jesus, Tammy and I prayed for you today."
(Jim & Tammy Bakker divorced and she remarried and died shortly of cancer. At one point Bakker was arrested for fraud. They were "big-time" religious TV personalities in the early 80's.)
==================
(Comments by Joan Boney ... This entire prayer request program is perverted. It would be impossible for a minister to address individual prayer over each letter received in mass market such as this. It is a fund raising program using prayer as a means to get money.)
One time, I had a message concerning adultery for Jim Bakker, TV personality. I sent him the message by US mail. I received a letter from Bakker which was presented to me as a "personal response" but it was a form letter. My letter head had the logo, "Jesus Ministries", printed at the top of the letter. Bakker responded: "Dear Jesus ... Thank you for your letter ... Jesus, Tammy and I prayed for you today."
(Jim & Tammy Bakker divorced and she remarried and died shortly of cancer. At one point Bakker was arrested for fraud. They were "big-time" religious TV personalities in the early 80's.)
==================
Comments by Joan Boney
When I began attending Robert Tilton's church in approximately 1978, we met in an old warehouse and had approximately 200 people attend on the best days. Eventually there were about 8,000 and a new building on that site. I left before the worldly destruction. I left Dallas in 1985. I'm glad I didn't have to see all these horrible things happening.
I Tim. 6 ... 9 But 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. 10 For 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.
Some men's sin are exposed before the judgment for all to see.
Other men's sin follow after and will be revealed at day of judgment.
1 Timothy 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
Concerning Robert Tilton: He killed a prophet when he told her not to mention being a prophet on his TV show, because "it was not popular", said Tilton.
Mt. 23 ... concerning those who kill prophets ... Jesus said ... 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes:and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
After doing this, Bob lost his wife and his church building. Now on the spot where his church building was, there is no evidence a church ever met at that spot ... desolation.
When God put me on radio through a word in the night which I believe to have been spoken by an angel of God, Robert Tilton told me I needed to use his press agent to promote me. At that time I was still attending Tilton's church.
I went to this press agent and they even accepted me as client. The name of the agency was Michael Ellison Advertising Agency. At the time I went to them they represented Kenneth Copeland, Marilyn Hickey, and had been representing Jimmy Swaggart along with Robert Tilton and other "big time" ministers.
The agency told me they had just given Kenneth Copeland two cars and when I became big enough, having enough radio stations, they would give me a car also. At the time this happened, Kenneth told story at his meeting of a man giving him a car. What Copeland didn't tell is it was his ad agent who made 10% fee from each radio/TV broadcast who had given this car to Copeland as a bonus.
But immediately things fell apart between me and the agency ... They told me to do several things which I just could not do.
They told me to put these words on the materials I sent out ... "Send me your prayer requests" ... I told the agency I couldn't do that! They were shocked and asked, "Why not?" I replied: "The people are supposed to pray directly to God themselves through Jesus." (not through Joan Boney or any other minister). I never wanted anyone to send prayer requests to me and to this day we do not accept such things. The people must have faith in God themselves rather than turning to anyone else.
When I refused to put this on my printed material, the agent said to me: "Joan, you are missing a good bet ... for when you ask them to send prayer requests, most people will put money in the envelop along with the prayer request."
But I refused to do this and never did this.
Another thing the agency told me is this: "You must never say or write anything that is unpopular." (I'm a prophet! Many things God gives me to say are correction to the church and are unpopular and are fought by pastors and the congregation.) Also the agency told me that I could not write anything directly to people but had to send all my writings to agency to be edited. Of course, I refused to do that.
Within about 4 months, I received a call from the agency saying they were going to have to eliminate some of their clients and I was one they decided to eliminate.
I was devastated. I knew I was in big-time ministry and now I had failed.
But God brought the following to my mind to define what had happened to me:
Mt. 4 ... 1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil...8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan:for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Instead of failing, I knew I had passed a very big test.
Today, I'm so happy I'm not a big-time minister ...
saved by God!
And each of us are saved by God as we do HIS word and reject all other directions which are contrary to HIS word.
A warning: Even when a minister is truly called by God and tries to speak truly from God, I've seen individuals sit in the best of teachings and still fall away. So it is not just in corrupt groups where individuals choose to go a way other than the way of God. It is up to each one of us to guard our own hearts by the Spirit of God. (But I would not go to a church group where I knew wrong teaching was regularly spoken by the preachers and where the preachers would not repent.)
II Corinthians 5 ... 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
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