Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The flesh of man desires to be great and desires to be lauded.
Jesus warned us about this.
Matthew 23:2-12 Jesus said ...The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
(They love to be called Rabbi, Father, Reverend and they call themselves by these names.)
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
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In their hearts they love these titles which cause men to exalt them.
The first time I encountered this was shortly after God put me on radio. (1980) A woman heard me and came to me and shortly thereafter went to work for me as a volunteer. She said to me, "What do we call you? Reverend?"
I was horrified and shocked at the idea. I replied, "No ... call me Joan."
When a man calls himself Reverend, it is a delight to him personally, just like the scribes and Pharisees.
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What about calling yourself apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher?
This is simply identification of the type of work one can expect us to do in the ministry. A teacher is very different from a prophet. If someone tells us he is a teacher to the body of Christ we just do not expect prophet work to come from him.
I frequently identify my calling because God showed me Paul did this at the beginning of his epistles.
Often to do so brings shame to me, not praise, for many today in churches say there are no apostle and prophets and because I identify my calling they turn away quickly from me. It is humbling to state these offices for you know some will hate you as a result of this. Nevertheless it is what I believe God has shown me to do therefore I do it.
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apostles ... have a strong anointing from God in dealing with scripture and in keeping doctrines straight in the church.
Acts 15 There had been controversy as to whether-or-not Gentiles had to be circumcised when they believed in God and Jesus. The apostles and elders came together in Jerusalem to discuss this and to make a ruling. After the various people spoke, James was given the ruling which the church would go by in this issue.
Acts 15:13-32 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
When I wanted to know what a NT apostle did in the church, God took me to this passage of scripture to show me. I saw the anointing was strongly toward holding to doctrine set up in Bible by the Spirit of God.
As the years passed, various doctrinal controversies surfaced in the church, such as divorce/remarriage ...
God opened my eyes to scripture on these issues and I shared what God had shown me in these scriptures urging the church to hold to these scriptures doing them, setting aside opinions of man.
Also the following was called to my attention on this matter.
Acts 20:25-30 ... Paul said ... And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
So I have gone forward, wherever I go, speaking doctrines and proving them by the Holy Ghost and HIS power for those in the church who will hear.
I believe that is the work of a NT apostle who has this calling of God upon him.
Identifying yourself to the church as an apostle simply shows them what to expect from you, that you come sorting through the scriptures and setting doctrine straight in the church according to that anointing of that calling, apostle, given you by God and upheld by God.
When I speak, I speak as such.
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
When I wanted to know what a NT apostle did in the church, God took me to this passage of scripture to show me. I saw the anointing was strongly toward holding to doctrine set up in Bible by the Spirit of God.
As the years passed, various doctrinal controversies surfaced in the church, such as divorce/remarriage ...
God opened my eyes to scripture on these issues and I shared what God had shown me in these scriptures urging the church to hold to these scriptures doing them, setting aside opinions of man.
Also the following was called to my attention on this matter.
Acts 20:25-30 ... Paul said ... And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
So I have gone forward, wherever I go, speaking doctrines and proving them by the Holy Ghost and HIS power for those in the church who will hear.
I believe that is the work of a NT apostle who has this calling of God upon him.
Identifying yourself to the church as an apostle simply shows them what to expect from you, that you come sorting through the scriptures and setting doctrine straight in the church according to that anointing of that calling, apostle, given you by God and upheld by God.
When I speak, I speak as such.
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But we are at the end now and antichrist has already strongly surfaced in the churches and the apostasy in the churches has already come and for decades has been taking control.
(Apostasy means falling away from doctrine and going another way.)
Nevertheless I keep holding to the scriptures concerning doctrines in question and urging others to do so. Not all in the church are antichrist though a great many are.
And it helps a lot for us to know it was appointed by God that the apostasy in the church must take place before the return of Jesus.
II Thessalonians 2:3-4 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the LORD) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
This we see today in churches as specific portions of scripture are explained away allowing lawlessness inside the church groups.
It simply means we are really nearing the return of Jesus and the judgment of God.
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