Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
When there is greatness, it is God causing that greatness.
James 1 ... 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
How is it that one person has the special talent of a Walt Disney ... How is it that one man can run so fast on the football field ... How is it that one man can figure out electronic devices or mechanical equipment?
I Cor. 4 ...7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
If we really understand this, how can be be puffed up with pride over that thing we do well. It is not us doing it, but it is God doing it through us.
We need to stay in our gift.
If you clean house well, clean house.
If you are a writer, write.
If you understand your "gift" is from God, how then can you glory in yourself as if you did this? God did this through you!
I didn't make myself into an apostle ... I didn't create myself female ... I was born as God ordained.
As a Christian, my glory is not in any fleshly accomplishment as if I did something. My glory is in God who created me to do this thing that I have the gift for doing. God created me, trained me, equipped me. How can I glory in myself? And I hate it when people glory in me, not seeing God, but seeing me, the human. This happens from time to time and I despise it and shut those people off from me when they do this.
God explains it as follows ... in spiritual ways (but it also applies to secular things)
Romans 12 ... 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
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, 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.
This same principle applies to secular things.
My dad was a mechanic. He was 8 years old when the first Ford car was put on the market. My grandfather bought one of the first cars built by Ford. My grandfather brought it home and parked it outside their house. They all went in to eat, everyone except my dad. My dad stayed outside. When the others had eaten and came outside, they found my dad standing beside that car. He had taken the motor out of the car and had removed every hose, belt, screw and part and had them sitting on the ground beside the frame of the car along with the motor, neatly in a row.
Then my dad put everything back together.
He loved motors and cars and was very good as a mechanic.
This is a special gift from God!
I once heard my mother tell her sister the following about herself. "I've never been good at anything ... except cleaning house." My mother was great at cleaning house. She never wanted to work outside the home and my dad was glad he could make enough money so she wouldn't have to work outside the home and she could stay home and take care of me.
Both my mother and my dad stayed in the gift given them by God.
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I've seen assistant football coaches who were wonderful as assistants. Then they would be hired as head coach and fail ... and then they would return to assistant coaches and be wonderful again. One of them said, "I was a lousy head coach ... but I'm pretty good as a defensive coordinator (assistant)."
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I've even heard a minister say he was working hoping "to arrive" at the position of apostle.
... apostles don't arrive through their own labor ... apostles are appointed as gifts to the church along with prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers.
Eph 4 ... after Jesus arose, HE gave gifts to the church ...
11 And HE (Jesus) 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.
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II Cor. 3 ... Paul says ... 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit:for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
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What is your gift from God?
What are you really good at? Where is your real interest? What is it that has interested you all your life? Usually this will seem "easy" to you ... (These help you to know your gift from God and your calling, your placement on this earth, in this present life.)
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? (no, all are not apostles, some are) are all prophets (no, some are)? are all teachers (no, some are)? are all workers of miracles (no, some do this)? 30 Have all the gifts of healing (no, some do)? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
We do not all have the same gifts from God... neither spiritual gifts nor secular gifts ... but all gifts, spiritual and secular, come from God. James 1:17