II Timothy 4 ... Reading through the Bible

1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; 

reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
 
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
 
9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: 10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. 12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. 13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
 
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: 15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
 
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
 
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 

18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
 
19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
 
21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.
 
22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Don't neglect the spiritual gift that is in you

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

I Tim. 4:14 ... Neglect not the (spiritual) gift that is in thee...

I examined myself carefully by this verse.

To neglect means:

- to disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, forget without giving due attention

Neglect implies giving insufficient attention to

- disregard suggest voluntary inattention

- ignore implies a failure to regard something that is obvious

- overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care

- slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting

- forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind

==========

There are ministry offices in the church:  apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher

Eph. 4 ... (after Jesus arose HE gave gifts to the church) ...  11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Also in the church there are various spiritual gifts given to individuals for the church.

Romans 12 ... 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry (serving), let us wait on our ministering:or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation:he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

I Cor. 12 ...  4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.


All these spiritual gifts operate by faith.  (weak faith could cause you not to yield to the gift... not to speak when you should exercise that gift)

You might consider yourself unworthy.  None of us are worthy.  To consider yourself unworthy and to keep silent for that reason is extreme selfishness on your part and highly unacceptable and even egotistical for you are yielding to yourself not to God if this is your attitude.

We must yield to the Spirit of God instead.  But all things are by faith.  Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  Romans 10

To gain the needed faith and to get where we are supposed to be, we meditate daily on the word of God.  We seek God through prayer but also by reading Bible and meditating on scripture, and acting on those scriptures after spending time in those specific scriptures.


I Cor. 12

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body:so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 

18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased HIM. 

19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
 
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 

21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee:nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need:but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
 
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28 And God hath set some in the church (to care for the church), first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

Some are set in the church to rule in matters of doctrine and to deal with sin in the congregation and to put the congregation on the right path.

Some are administrative types in the church.

Then there are helps ... those with a gift of helps assist others when there is a need.

But all the spiritual gifts and offices in the church operate by the individual church member's faith ... Without faith nothing happens ... Without faith you cannot please God.

II Kings 10 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture

1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria.

 And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying, 2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour; 3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house. 

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him:how then shall we stand? 

5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king:do thou that which is good in thine eyes. 

6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.

 7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
 

8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning. 

9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous:behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him:but who slew all these? 

10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab:for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. 

11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
 

12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way, 13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen. 14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
 

15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him:and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. So they made him ride in his chariot. 

17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the Lord, which he spake to Elijah.
 

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. 19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting:for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. 

20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. 21 And Jehu sent through all Israel:and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another. 

22 And he (Jehu) said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments. 

23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but the worshippers of Baal only. 

24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him. 

25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. 26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them. 27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.  28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
 

29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan. 30 And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. 31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart:for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.
 
32 In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short:and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; 33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. 

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 35 And Jehu slept with his fathers:and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead. 

36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.

II Timothy 3 ... Reading through the Bible

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
 
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 

12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
 
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Warnings from the apostle Paul to the church

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

The following verses of scripture are "one message" to the church inspired by God and spoken by the apostle Paul warning the church then and today.

I Tim. 4

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

7 But refuse profane (secular) and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

11 These things command and teach.

Paul is warning us not to be bound up in these things ...

They teach you can't eat certain meats.

They say you must have bodily exercise daily.

Some church groups keep their ministers from marrying.

Paul is telling us these rules set up by man keep man from living by faith in God. 

It teaches man to have faith in what he himself does, what he eats, and in what other humans say is good for you.

Man has faith in medical doctors.  Medical doctors can be helpful if you are sick but when you are tying to extend life on this earth and you eat certain things and exercise daily thinking by such you extend your life on this present earth, then you have left the faith and even left the New Testament doctrines set forth to free us.

You then set yourselves into bondages to thinking of what humans say,  instead of turning to God and keeping your faith in what God shows you.

In the latter times this is what "the Spirit" says will happen.  v. 1  People will depart from the faith and take up doctrines of devils and teachings of other men.

Keeping your faith in God instead ... praying, asking God what you need to do ... trusting in God ... knowing the scripture concerning "long life" ... is what we must continue doing ... considering scriptures such as ...

Proverbs 3

My son, forget not MY law; but let thine heart keep MY commandments:

2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

And consider this concerning properly eating and drinking the word of God:

I Cor. 11

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord (The Word of God), unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28 But let a man examine himself (by the Word of God) , and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup (examining himself by the Word of God and making needed changes according to the Word of God).

29 For he that eateth and drinketh (The Word of God) unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die).

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

For example:  We know by the word of God that we are to forgive.  We are to put away wrath, anger, bitterness, guile ...

If we fail to do that Word of God, we bring evil upon ourselves ... and Paul explains "for this cause many in the church are weak and sick and many die." I Cor. 11:30 ... (Partaking of the Lord's supper is not eating and drinking crackers/grape juice which have no power at all but partaking of the Lord's supper is eating and drinking the Word of God for it is the supper of the Lord.)

I once told a medical doctor that the information form they had me fill out left off many things critical to my physical health and well being.

That form said nothing about forgiving your enemies though the form asked many questions about the amount of depression the patient was going through.

These gropings of man are futile for they are based on the wisdom of man and not on what God has to say.

These are traps.

And all of the statements Paul is making in the early verses of I Tim. 4 warn the church about these "doctrines" of man.

Today most humans are consumed by these false doctrines.

Consider the following:

Col. 2 ...

 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

II Kings 8-9 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture

II Kings 8

1 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn:for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. 

2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God:and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3 And it came to pass at the seven years 'end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines:and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land. 

4 And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. 5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. 

And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.
 
(When God is with you there is a power working on your behalf.)

7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. 

8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 

9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 

10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover:howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die. 11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed:and the man of God wept. 

12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? 

And he (Elisha) answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel:their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. 

13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? 

And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. 

14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover.  

15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died:and Hazael reigned in his stead.


(Had Hazael not killed him, he would have recovered from the illness.)

16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. 17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab:for the daughter of Ahab was his wife:and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. 19 Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.
 
20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him:and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites (Esau is father of the Edomites) which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots:and the people fled into their tents. 22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. 

Then Libnah revolted at the same time. 

23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 24 And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David:and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
 
25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. 26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. 27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab:for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.
 
28 And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

II Kings 9 

1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; 3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
 
4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead. 5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain. 6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. 7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel. 8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish:and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
 

11 Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord:and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication. 12 And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. 13 Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king. 

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria. 15 But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel. 16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram. 17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace? 18 So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again. 

19 Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. 

20 And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again:and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously. 

21 And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 

22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? 

23 And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah. 

24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. 

25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite:for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon him; 

I Kings 21 ... 1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house:and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. 3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. 4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him:for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? 6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it:and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. 7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry:I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. 
11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him:and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money:for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the Lord; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the Lord. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the Lord.

27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there. 

28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David. 29 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.
 
30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? 32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down:and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses:and he trode her under foot. 34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her:for she is a king's daughter. 35 And they went to bury her:but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 Wherefore they came again, and told him. 

And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

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(God's word against Ahab and against Jezebel)

I Kings 21 ... 17 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria:behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. 19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. 20 

And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? 

And he (Elijah) answered, I have found thee:because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord. 21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, 22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin. 

23 And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
 
25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

Psalm 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.

4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

II Timothy 2 ... Reading through the Bible

1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 

5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 

6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. 7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
 
8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: 9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
 
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
 
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 

19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. 

And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
 
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. 

22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 

23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Way of escape for me

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Each of us have temptations or traps and we know in our minds but our emotions carry us into ways not good.

This happened to me recently over an American football team.  I have been a "fan" of this team since I moved to Dallas in 1960.  This current year started out in a normal way.  Then our quarterback was injured and we lost 7 games straight.  He returned and we one one game and the prospect of still making the play offs was still there even with all these loses.  All we had to do is win the remaining games which would be a big task but not impossible.  I was pulled into the anticipation.  It was over very quickly when we lost a game Thanksgiving day.  Winning or the possibility of winning is the trap that sets us on fire. 

Briefly I walked in a kingdom of this present world by my own choice. 

Someone showed a film clip of another losing team and in this they showed a fan of the losing team and they put a caption under the face of the fan which I thought was very funny and true for football fans or any sports fan when they go into this "kingdom".  It said, "I'm resigned to unhappiness."  I laughed because I saw the truth in what it takes to be a fan... "The thrill of victory.  Then agony of defeat. "  (an old slogan)

The great fantasy is it is all for nothing ... and this is often the payment that comes from worldly things which can catch us, temporarily. (worldly feasts and worldly celebrations/ worldly events that never quite live up to their offer though they greatly appeal to the flesh)

On Thanksgiving day in USA in NYC there is a televised parade ... Macy's Day Parade ... I watched it for about 5 minutes, mostly I watched the faces of the people who thrilled in seeing this event.  I marveled that it seemed to these people to be so wonderful.

In truth, that thing that is so wonderful, especially to us, is  that WORD given to us that is from God.  Nothing equals this, The Word.  It is truly wonderful forever.  


God has pulled me out of many things through the past years because He chose me to be HIS own, certainly not because of any value in myself, for like Paul, I say that I know in my own flesh there dwells no good thing.  (Romans 7)

It is like a father watching over his own child who is the apple of his eye.  God sees us that way and cares for us and never fails to get us free when we find ourselves in a trap or in an impossible situation.  Something will happen to free us. 

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Jesus said ... These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Jn. 16:33

If we choose to go into the world or in the plan of the world or the way of the world or events of the world, we will have trouble ... but even in the trouble, God speaks to us who belong to HIM and through HIS Word we do overcome even that. 

Paul warns about men rising up in church to speak perverse things

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

The apostle Paul warned:

Acts 20 ... 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

This would happen in the church itself.

Jesus explained it as follows:  Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.  Mt. 24

Paul spoke of the last days as follows:

II Tim. 3 ... This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

We see these deceivers would "have a form of godliness", they would come saying, "Jesus is Lord" ... and because of this they would deceive many as they sat in the church.

A few years ago, a young man came to me speaking much scripture.  I think he spoke more scripture than any person I've ever met.  I wondered if the time if he might be a pastor.

But he proved himself to me when he began twisting true doctrine with doctrine which was not in Bible.  He was careless in handling the Word of God.  He quoted scripture but he did not show a respect for scripture, thinking nothing of adding to scripture and making up images which he spoke as if they were "gospel" but they were not in Bible.  By this I knew the truth about this young man and I withdrew from him.  

He begged me to let him be around me.  He said he could take correction.  But I withdrew from him knowing that if he didn't handle the Word of God correctly and thought nothing about adding things to the Word of God, then this young man was not of God.

Many times I have seen pastors do this in their church groups.  They spoke perverse things, twisting scripture.  

This is what Jesus and Paul are speaking of in the above scriptures concerning the last days and perilous times.  The perilous times will be in the church groups themselves as anti-christ (opposite from Christ) rise up to twist the Word of God and thereby present to the congregation perverse doctrines to draw men to themselves, as Paul warned.

II Kings 6-7 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture

II Kings 6

1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 

3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. 5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water:and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
 
8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. 9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. 10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. 11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? 12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king:but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
 
13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. 14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host:and they came by night, and compassed the city about. 15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 

16 And he (Elisha) answered, Fear not:for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw:and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
 
19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city:follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria. 20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 

21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? 

22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them:wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. 23 And he prepared great provision for them:and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
 
24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria:and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. 

26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. 27 And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? 28 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. 29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him:and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him:and she hath hid her son.
 
30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. 31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day. 

32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him:but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door:is not the sound of his master's feet behind him? 33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him:and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?

II Kings 7

1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. 2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
 
(The man who spoke against the word of God given by Elisha did not believe that word therefore that man would not participate in the word, in the food.)

3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate:and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? 4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there:and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians:if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. 

5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians:and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. 6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host:and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. 7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. 

8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. 9 Then they said one to another, We do not well:this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace:if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us:now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household. 

10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city:and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were. 11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.
 
12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city. 

13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it:behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see. 

14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. 15 And they went after them unto Jordan:and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king. 

16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.
 
17 And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate:and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him. 

18 And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. 20 And so it fell out unto him:for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.

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Comments by Joan Boney 

As the man who died spoke, so it was against him.

This is the same thing that happened to the men who went in to search out the land.  They did not think God could support their little ones.  Therefore God supported their little ones but did not allow these unbelieving men to come into the promised land.

Numbers 13... 25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.  26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great:and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south:and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains:and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. 

(by these words they discouraged the hearts of the people)

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 

31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants:and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Numbers 14 ...1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron:and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
 
6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. 8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us:their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us:fear them not. 

10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
 
11 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?

... 22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

... 26 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, 30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 

31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. 32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

II Timothy 1 ... Reading through the Bible

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,  2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son:Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. 

6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 

7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
 
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
 
13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 

14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
 
15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. 18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

God's truth endures to all generations ... never changes

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

II Tim. 3 ... 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

God's word is steadfast, it never changes ...

I Peter 1 ... 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

The saying of man often changes in time ... the doctrines set up by humans changes in time.

But the Word of God never changes and it is always fulfilled one way or another, in God's time.

Notice that "all scripture" is given by God.

At the end of his epistles, the apostle Paul wrote things which we might think are unusable to us.  He greeted specific people who lived in his time.  He gave various warnings to individuals who lived in his time and are now dead.

You might wonder why God would include these in the Bible which is inspired by God.

How do these things help us today?

I can give examples of how God used such things to help me.

One example:  Paul warned the church about Alexander the coppersmith ...

II Tim. 4 ... 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: ¹⁵Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words

The world's way is often to try to protect humans, protecting their "good name" ...

God used the scripture where Paul warned the church about Alexander the coppersmith to show me not to try to protect the "good name" of the evil doer but to name that person by name warning the church.

I had to do this on radio in the early 80's warning the church about such people as Jimmy Swaggart, Jim and Tammy Bakker and such ...  Later their names became known to all by their sins and even the world knew of them and of what they had done.  But at the time I was warning the church that was not the case.  Because of II Tim. 4:14-15, I had faith to get on radio and name these people by name warning the church.

I've had many times where such scriptures have been used to show me what God wants me to do.

All scripture is inspired by God!

II Kings 5 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture

1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria:he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. 

2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. 3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. 

4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. 5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. 

7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
 
8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. 

9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 

11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 

13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 

14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God:and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
 

15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him:and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. 

16 But he (Elisha) said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused. 

17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules 'burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord. 18 In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon:when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing. 19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
 
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought:but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. 21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? 22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets:give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. 23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. 

24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house:and he let the men go, and they departed. 

25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. 26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? 27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he (Gehazi), went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

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I Tim. 6 ... 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil:

I Timothy 6 ... Reading through the Bible

1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. 2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. 

These things teach and exhort.  3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
 
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 

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.
 
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 

13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
 
17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
 
20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. 

Grace be with thee. Amen.

Building your house on the Word of God

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

The apostle Paul said:  7 But refuse profane (secular) and old wives 'fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.  I Tim. 4


During the time when I would go to lunch with that Catholic woman, she would frequently state some superstition as fact.

I would counter by saying:  "That's not in the Bible."  (Showing the Bible is that which I build my house on.  It is a foundation that is sound and true.  I do not want to build on anything that is not in the Bible.)

She would become angry and say, "I know that ..."  (but she didn't know that for she was filled with superstition, often religious superstition and that is what she believed.)

Paul warned Timothy not to take in "profane" things (secular things) nor "old wives tales" (fables).

Many untrue things are out there.  Refuse them, says Paul.

Many times I "reject" profane sayings, saying of man based on their own wisdom and superstitions.

Often I cry out at the TV:  "That's not true ..."  (rejecting what they say)

And I do the same thing with people when they speak worldly wisdoms and superstitions of man... "That's not true ..."  (rejecting these profane concepts)

Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard HIM, and have been taught by HIM, as the truth is in Jesus:  (The WORD is truth.)

We can build our house on the wisdom of this world ... or we can build on what the Bible says.

Preventive medicine?

Luke 5:31... And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 

Bodily exercise? 

I Timothy 4:8 ... For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Planning for future? 

Matthew 6:33 ... But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:34 ... Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Trusting in man? 

Philippians 3:3 ...For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus (The Word), and have no confidence in the flesh.

Psalm 118:8  ...  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Psalm 146 ... 3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth;
in that very day his thoughts perish.
 
5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help,
whose hope is in the Lord his God:
6 Which made heaven, and earth,
the sea, and all that therein is:
which keepeth truth for ever: 

Success in life?

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.

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.

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John 18 ... My kingdom is not of this world.

Col. 3 ...   1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

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Freedom from troubling thoughts of the past:

II Cor. 5 ... 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ (The WORD)

Phil. 3 ... 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:

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These are truths from God which I am trying to build my house on, rejecting profane (secular) sayings of man.  

But it takes work to live in these truths from God.  Man is always trying to get us to accept sayings of man, profane (worldly) sayings, secular sayings and live by them.  But I want to build my house on what God says.  I see that as safe.

Mt. 7 ... Jesus says ...

 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.