Joan Boney ... apostle / prophet
I Jn. 2 ... 5 But whoso keepeth HIS word, in HIM verily is the love of God perfected:
God speaks.
We hear HIM and we do that which is appropriate to what God has instructed in HIS Word.
As we do the appropriate action according to the word we have heard from HIM, that Word is perfected through our actions.
Here is a secular parallel.
Pam Padgett and I have written a book ... entitled ... Kindle Fire HD: 5th Generation (User guide for people less experienced with computers)
http://kindle5howto.blogspot.com/
A man and his wife from our little church group have bought Kindle's and are using our on-line book to help them use their Kindles.
His wife sent me the following comments: "Everything seems OK. John is very impressed. He can understand
everything as we go along and the pictures of each step are a life
saver. What a wonderful concept.
Thanks,"
They took the instructions we wrote, they did the instructions, "and through them doing these instructions, our work in this is proven, the word we wrote is made perfect through them ... by their doing the instructions."
Another person in our test group, took the same instructions and reported she was having a problem. But when we checked it out with her, we found she had not been doing the instructions. When she began doing what we wrote, she reported, "Things got better."
The same thing happens in spiritual matters.
Hebrews 3 ... 16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke:howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. 17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews 4
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them:but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
You must hear the word and then have faith that the word is from God ... and then do that word, knowing since that word is from God it is not optional for you.
I have seen this many times. I prosper and another takes the same word from God through the Bible and fails, living in poverty and chaos.
How can this be?
If we could see what they really do, we would know they hear the word but do not do the instructions of the word in an appropriate way.
Why is it that Jesus said, "Few there would be that would find it?"
Mt. 7 ... Jesus says ... 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.
Thoughts from God are not optional...
Many reason away thoughts from God in order to do their own fleshly desires. Therefore they feed their flesh, ignoring the thought from God. They think it will be alright, that God will not allow them to fail, God will prosper them regardless.
But the Paul warned us ... 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. I Cor. 9
Gal. 6 ... 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked:for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
And the worst thing of all is if you choose to ignore God when HE speaks (through Spirit, through Angel) ... you trample under foot the blood of Jesus through ignoring the Word of God to you and through going your own fleshly way after the knowledge of the truth.
Heb. 10 ... 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses 'law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
And for those in the church to mishandle the Word of God, we see the following:
I Cor. 11 ... 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. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
In I Cor. 5, a man in the church was found having sex with his father's wife. Paul said: 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
The Word from God is not optional. We are to do the instruction. Otherwise we bring penalty upon ourselves in this present life and may end up suffering loss (reward) in the next life.
II Jn. v. 8 ... Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.