Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Revelation 1 ... 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein:for the time is at hand.
There is a blessing associated with the Book of Revelation, for those who read / hear / and do the words of this prophecy and those things written therein.
Recently I noted various instructions as I read Revelation 2 & 3 ...
... Revelation 2:10 ... be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
faithful unto death ... that could be physical death ... being "faithful" as long as we are on this present earth ...
faithful unto death ... could also mean being faithful to speak and do the word of God even when it costs us reputation among men of this earth, thus a type of separation resulting from the word of God which is like a death in a relationship.
Lk. 6 ... 26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
We lay down our lives on this earth for the Word of God each time we share the word of God with another person.
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Revelation 2 ... 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
The main warning about Balaam ... Balaam desired the riches men of this world could give him. When the king sent for Balaam it was for the purpose of cursing the nation of Israel. Balaam wanted to go to king for he wanted that which the king could give to him.
Balaam did not have the concept of Abraham who refused the riches of the king of Sodom. Abram wanted his riches to come only from God. But Balaam wanted that which man could give to him: praise of man rather than praise that comes from God only ... worldly riches...
Gen. 14 ... 21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
People who want to win the lottery are examples of people who lust after that which the world can give.
We should be like Abraham, not wanting anything other than that which God gives us.
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Revelation 2:25 ... But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
Paul talked about running the race and how to run the race. People who run a race must not allow anything or anyone to interfere with the race and their preparation to run that race.
As we run the race, keep the faith in God, we must not go counter to what God has told us by HIS Spirit. Many thoughts will come to try to get us to go another way. We must take these thoughts captive to bring them into obedience of Christ, that word HE has given us by HIS spirit.
If anything or anyone is stopping us from holding fast, we must deal with that obstacle ... in a godly way, prayer, asking God what to do to hold fast.
Paul says: I Cor. 9 ... 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 discouragement would try to draw us off the course ... "That's not working ... "That's not doing any good " ... We turn to God with such thoughts and ask God for help as we are tempted to abandon the course set before us by the Word of God.
There are many things that would weaken us along the way and take us in an opposite way from the way God has shown us if we allow it. Certain books and TV might need to be avoided. Some persons might need to be avoided. We learn to stop putting ourselves in the path of those who draw us off, stopping phone calls and such (often instigated by us).
No matter what it takes, we must run the race, bringing our own bodies and emotions under control of the truth of the Word of God.
We do what it takes to stay the course God has shown us.
Jesus said: Mt. 7 ... 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.
Paul says the following to encourage us:
I Cor. 15 ... 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (through the Word of God and through doing the Word of God)
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
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Revelation 3:5 ... 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
We "overcome" all trials of this present life.
Can we really do that? Of course we can if in the midst of the trial we turn to God in prayer, seeking the help of God.
Some people to do not want to overcome for to overcome might mean they would have to give up something their flesh really enjoys.
Paul says: Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ (THE WORD) which strengtheneth me.
In the midst of the temptation, we can pray, asking God for wisdom ... then doing what the Holy Spirit brings to our attention.
James 1 ... 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
I Cor. 10 ... 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
The way of escape from the temptation is there for us to take ... take it.
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Revelation 3 ... Jesus says ... 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly:hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out:and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God:and I will write upon him my new name.
Don't be like Esau ... Heb. 12 ... 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane (secular) person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected:for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
It's not worth it!
All that matters is The Word of God and continuing faithful to God, doing HIS Word and setting aside all things, and even people, who would take us in another way while we live on this present earth.
We must learn to deny our own flesh ... not allowing our flesh (our emotions and desires) to rule over the Word of God.
Jesus gave us the extreme example when HE said:
Mt. 18 ... 7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee:it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee:it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
We must "contend for the faith" ... fight ... do what we have to do to hold fast to the Word we have been given by the Spirit of God.
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Revelation 3:18 ... Jesus says ... I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Wisdom is of God ... we seek God through both prayer and through reading the Bible ... and we must pay close attention to the word God would give us by HIS Spirit ... hearing that word and doing that word. (some people hear the word but ignore what they hear ... this is a path to destruction ... train yourself to hear ... )
James 1 ... 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
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Jesus says ...
Revelation 3:21 ... To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.