Believe in God, not in yourself

Joan Boney ... apostle, prophet

What have I done good?  What have I done bad?

I must focus on God and what HE has done and not on myself.

Control your mind.  Think on God's works not on your own works.

If God leads us to do something, that will be good but even then focus on what God has said to you.

*****

God helps us.

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Pam Padgett's dad died in January, 2018.  

Pam didn't know if he was born again.  He was raised Baptist but changed to Catholic after he married a Catholic woman.

God gave Pam a dream a few days after her dad died. 

In this dream:  it was as if her dad was her brother. 

God was likely giving Pam an assurance that her dad was born again and one of the children of God.

In the dream her dad said to her, "You've always been there for me."

This statement would fight any guilt that might try to come upon Pam.

Also in the dream, it was revealed to Pam that her mom has the helps she needs.

So Pam wouldn't have to fret over her mom who has been left on this earth.

Certainly we, who are of God, rejoice over the way God knows our needs and helps us.

*****

Several years ago, I received a Birthday Card from a woman and in the card she told of the many things she had been doing with her husband, and her daughter, and her grandson.  And she told of her plans for Christmas with her family.

As I read this, immediately I heard these words from the Holy Spirit:

"You are dead and your life is hid in Christ."

"That's right,"  I cried out.

Had I not heard that from God, I think what this woman said would have pulled me down emotionally for I have no earthly family and I had no plans with anyone for Christmas.

Colossians 3:1-4    

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.

*****

God brings help to us in ways we have never imagined and when our help is from God we have real help, genuine comfort.

Therefore commit yourself to God and wait for HIS help.

*****

* Instruction In Righteousness: I Corin. 15

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

⁴ And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

⁵ And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

⁶ After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

⁷ After that, He was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

⁸ And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

¹¹ Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

¹² Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

¹³ But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: ¹⁴ And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. ¹⁵ Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ: whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

¹⁶ For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

¹⁷ And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

¹⁸ Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

²⁰ But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

²¹ For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

²³ But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.

²⁴ Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

²⁵ For He must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

²⁶ The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

²⁷ For HE hath put all things under His feet. But when HE saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that HE is excepted, which did put all things under Him.

²⁸ And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto HIM that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

²⁹ Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

³⁰ And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?

³¹ I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

³² If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

³³ Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.³⁴ Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

³⁵ But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

³⁶ Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

³⁷ And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

³⁸ But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body.

³⁹ All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. ⁴⁰ There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. ⁴¹ There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
⁴³ It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

⁴⁵ And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. ⁴⁶ Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

⁴⁸ As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

⁴⁹ And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

⁵⁰ Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

⁵¹ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed,

⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

*****

BOOK: Prayer To God

E-book:  $.99

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Order from:  Amazon.com

*****

3

Pray Without Ceasing To Pray

Lk. 18 ... And HE spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:  And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

And shall not God avenge HIS own elect, which cry day and night unto HIM, though HE bear long with them? I tell you that HE will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall HE find faith on the earth?

*****

In 1990, I had a house built for my mother and I. The plans were drawn for the house but unknown to me the contractor changed the size of the kitchen and garage to get the house to fit onto the lot. When we moved into the house we found a very small kitchen and a garage that would not hold two cars.

It was almost impossible for two people to try to work in the kitchen at same time without running into each other. I began praying immediately. I couldn't see any way to correct the problem.

Over and over I prayed about this problem

This went on for approximately 4 years.

Each time we were in the kitchen and began having difficulty I would pray, asking God if there was anything I could do to ease this problem.

One day I went into the kitchen and it was as if a light went on in my head and I knew a relatively simple way to take care of the problem.

There was a walk-in pantry in this small kitchen. I moved the pantry to the attached garage and put the refrigerator in the space where pantry had been located. This gave space to add about five feet countertop. When this was done we had no problem being in kitchen at same time.

Concerning the small garage ... We only had one car so that was not a problem to me. But what about resale of house? Most people would not purchase house in this area unless it had two car garage.

I had some space on West side of house where another single car garage could be built, but I would plan the construction and God would stop me.

Several times God stopped me. I had money for the project and had contractor who would do the project but each time I tried to build this God stopped me.

Ten years later when I put the house up for sale, a woman bought the house. She only had one car and didn't need a two car garage so it was no problem to her.

Sometimes we are concerned about future things that never happen.

Years after this, I learned the following scripture and began doing this scripture.

(We don’t know all scripture at once. We grow into scripture as we have our eyes opened by God to the scripture and as we begin living that instruction given by that scripture.)

Jesus said:

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

When something concerning tomorrow troubles you, pray ... let your requests in the troubling  matter  be known unto God.


We deal with today after prayer ... and pray over tomorrow.

*****

Psalm 19:7-11

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

*****

II Timothy 3:16-17    All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

*****

Worship God in spirit and in truth

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

John 4:21-24  Jesus said:  the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

*****

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth.

When we, who belong to God, are taking in something that is not true, the Spirit of Truth will rise up in us to cause us to reconsider that situation and eventually truth will prevail in the matter for the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and will not approve falseness.

People often say things to us to make themselves to appear "good" or "righteous".

When this happens, I find I keep being reminded of that which they said.  And when I take that to God for HIS judgment, the truth works it's way through what they said, for it is the Spirit of Truth in us.

God does not want us to live in lies nor to be deceived, thus God gave us the Spirit of Truth.

When we learn to pay attention and to turn to God that HE would establish the truth, we live in truth.

*****

The people whose father is the devil live in lies.

Jesus explains:  as He spoke to the religious leaders ...

John 8:42-44    Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but HE sent me.

Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye cannot hear My word.

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

*****

John 8:31-32    Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed;

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

*****

We must build our thinking on that which God shows us about the matter at hand.

Matthew 7:24-27  Jesus says:      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:

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.

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:

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.

*****

God gives some people, who receive not the love of the truth, over to deception.

II Thessalonians 2:3-4   Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (of the Lord) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Churches will fall away from instruction in various scripture and set up other doctrines in the church group.

In such cases humans "lord it over scripture" changing scripture and eliminating scripture ... ruling over scripture.

There will be a dreadful end to those who do these things in the church.

II Thessalonians 2:10-12  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

This is the fate for those who fall away from scripture.

It is critical for us to cling to scripture ... Hold fast to scripture.

*****

Concerning divorce/remarriage ... 

Matthew 5:32   But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Notice: If a man divorces a "faithful wife" he will be "the cause" of her committing adultery.  If this faithful wife who was divorced by her husband remarries, she commits adultery.

And the man who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

This doctrine has been discarded in most churches today.  

The removal of doctrine from the Bible is antichrist in the churches, the apostasy, the falling away.

We must hold fast to these Bible doctrines in our own hearts and live in the truth from God and not in a lie.

I Corinthians 7:10-11    And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

Matthew 19:9   Jesus says: And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Mark 10:6-9   Jesus says:   But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;  And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

11-12    And HE (Jesus) saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.  And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

At the time of sexual intercourse, the two become one flesh.  Even if a man has sex with a prostitute, the two become one flesh.  We see this in the following scripture.

I Corinthians 6:15-16    Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith HE, shall be one flesh.

The world has become so foolish today thinking they can have sex with multiple people without penalty. People in churches often "modernize", changing doctrine, approving divorce/remarriage, approving marriage where the man marries the divorced woman.  The concept of God causing them to become one through sexual intercourse is largely omitted from the thinking of the church.  But these scriptures show us the real doctrine of Christ.

We must reconstruct our belief based on doctrine from the Bible.

Also consider this:  Sexual sin are different from all other sins.

I Corinthians 6:18    Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

I Corinthias 6:9-11     Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

To the woman taken in adultery, Jesus said:  "Go, and sin no more."

It won't work for you to keep committing these sins.

After you have been cleansed to return to that sin is a very serious matter.

Hebrews 10:26-31    For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

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?

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.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

I Corinthians 7:2    to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

*****

Concerning homosexuals and lesbians:

Romans 1:26-27     For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

*****

Concerning drunkards:

Galatians 5:19-21    Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:

of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

*****

We have to line ourselves up by scripture and hold fast to scripture for the churches are explaining portions of scripture away and all manner of sins are approved today by the masses in this world.

Hold to that which God says in the Bible for that is safe for you.  Believe that which God says in the Holy Scriptures regardless of that which humans say.

These are very evil times, especially in the churches where they fall away from scripture, the apostasy of the end times.

We cannot be a part of this.

*****

* Instruction In Righteousness: I Corin. 14

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

² For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

³ But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

⁴ He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

⁵ I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

⁶ Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

⁷ And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

⁸ For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

⁹ So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

¹¹ Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

¹² Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

¹³ Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴ For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

¹⁵ What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
¹⁶ Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
¹⁷ For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

¹⁸ I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
¹⁹ Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

²⁰ Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

²¹ In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

²² Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

²³ If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
²⁴ But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
²⁵ And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

²⁶ How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

²⁷ If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
²⁸ But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

²⁹ Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
³⁰ If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
³¹ For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
³³ For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

³⁴ Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.
³⁵ And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

³⁶ What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

³⁷ If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

³⁸ But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

³⁹ Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

⁴⁰ Let all things be done decently and in order.

*****

BOOK: Prayer To God

E-book:  $.99

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*****

2

Effectual, Fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man

James 5:16 ... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

To be effectual, the prayer must be according to the will of God.

And the prayer must be fervent from the heart and not from the mind. (red hot prayer)

*****

One day, I was going into Walmart and met an acquaintance whom I have not seen in several months. We chatted and then she almost grabbed hold of me, not wanting to let me get away before she asked me to pray that her house would sell.

She saw an opportunity in me to get something from God that she had not been able to get for herself.

I just stared at her. I did not agree to pray on this matter nor did I pray about this matter. I do not know the will of God concerning this woman's house. I know what this woman wants but I do not know what God wants. To be effectual I would have to believe I knew the will of God in the matter.

*****

I had a young friend ... a man who was about 45 years old ... he had a terrible disease, ALS . He was married and had 2 children. He became paralyzed to point he could not move any part of his body. Doctors gave him a short time to live. My fervent will was that David live and be healed. But that was my will. I often prayed various things concerning David.

At one point, God gave me an open vision concerning David. I saw him on a golf course. He was jumping up and down and waving for us to come on and join him. He was going ahead of us and expressing how wonderful things were.

I felt this showed me what would happen concerning David. He would die and go on ahead of us. But I believe it also showed me that David is in a spiritual condition to die and in the vision, he was totally restored and urging us to join him "there".

I could not pray for David to live on this earth because of what God had shown me by HIS Spirit concerning David.

(David died in September, 2015)

*****

I have many "ministers" from around the world who write to me and list all the works they are doing and they either ask me to send money to pay for their works (which I do not do) or they ask me to pray for them (which I do not do either).

If the work is really authored by the Spirit of God, God will provide what is needed and you do not have to try to get other humans to pay for the work.

(There is no example in Bible where ministers asked people for money to pay for their works.)

And I do not pray for their works. I do not have information that their many "good" works are authored by God and they tell me nothing that would indicate the various works are authored by God. They often tell me they want to do such & such. But that does not mean God wants them to do this work although the work might seem to be a "good" work.

Jesus said ... Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to ME in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  Mt. 7:21-23

We see from this scripture that many will come to Jesus showing "wonderful works" and Jesus will call the people workers of iniquity and demand for them to depart from HIM.

Unless God has told the person to do that work, it will not be a good work though it might seem good. And unless God authors the work, they will be unlikely to be able to do the work without begging others for money or figuring out schemes to get money from other people.

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Let me present the following example to you:  January 10, 1980, I was sleeping and a voice (I believe from an angel) that was as loud as a trumpet said three words to me. I jumped out of bed. The words spoken to me were: Hartford, Seattle, KWJS. (KWJS turned out to be a radio station.)

I began praying: "God are you wanting me to go on radio? I wouldn't know how to do that."

Gentle thought from Holy Spirit, "Call the radio station manager.”

I called the radio station manager that morning and told him God might be showing me to go on radio and I asked how you do that. He told me to make an audition tape 29 1/2 minutes long and send it to him and if I fit into their broadcast format they would offer me a contract. (I made the tape immediately and sent it to him.)

Then I asked God how HE wanted me to pay for the broadcasts.

Gentle thought from Holy Spirit, "Send letter to the people you know and tell them what happened."

I knew fewer than 80 people at the time but I wrote letter and copied 80 copies and mailed it to the people. I did not ask them for money. I just told them what had happened. Within 24 hrs. there was sufficient money given to pay for first month's broadcast. I was on radio within a week.

When I share this example, do you see God in it?

Does it appear to you that God authored the radio work?

This makes all the difference.

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Have you ever had a person come to you saying, "Pray for me" ... and when you tried to pray, you were stone cold dead and had no idea what to pray? And often you feel very responsible, guilty, and burdened when this happens.

(So often they come to me saying "pray for me" and then they go on to tell me exactly what to pray. This seems so silly to me. I wonder why they don't pray. And if they do not have the faith to pray, how can I?")

This is the example of a fleshly situation which is not "fervent" (nor is it effectual) ...

For prayer to be successful it must be "fervent" (red hot), from the heart, not from pressure to pray or thinking you have to pray.

Most of us have examples of having a prayer that is "fervent" ...

It will do no good to pray a cold mental prayer by human request.

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Several years ago, a neighbor invited me to Thanksgiving dinner at her house. She asked me if I would give the prayer before the meal. I told her I would not. I knew it was simply a formality and had no real meaning. I know they didn't usually pray before meals. And when people will go about eating an apple or cookie without prayer, why do they pray over a meal? Food is food. I told her I try not to be too hypocritical. I did go to the dinner and someone else went through the formality of praying. I didn't bow my head and try to appear religious. I just kept my eyes open and looked at them as the person prayed and I was glad when the prayer ended. I knew it was simply a prayer for people and not a prayer to God.

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There was a time when I played bridge. We often had catered meals before we played. And often a man named John "prayed" before the meal. Most people closed their eyes and bowed their heads during the prayer. I did not close my eyes. I just watched John and the people. John would begin praying with his head bowed, and when people had eyes closed, he would reach into his pocket and pull out a paper and begin reading his very long "prayer", which was more like a fleshly sermon. Anyway I knew this was not really a prayer to God nor was this from the heart. It was just a fleshly, mental exercise done to impress men.

(Finally, when I went to these bridge events where I knew John was going to give a long meaningless prayer, I escaped into the bathroom and stayed there and talked to God until John had time to finish praying, and then I would go out and get in the food line.)

Jesus said: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.  Mt. 23:14

Also Jesus said: But all their works they do for to be seen of men:  Mt. 23:5

I do not allow people to pressure me to pray. I know this will not work. If the person wants to tell me something he is going through, then if God puts it on my heart to pray, I will.

And when I pray, I am talking directly to God ... not to audience of people. And I expect it to mean something when I pray. And I expect results. And this is what happens.

And I avoid nonsense prayers from men to other men.

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Mt. 6 ... Jesus said, concerning prayer ... And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

At one town where I lived, the people across the street did home schooling. One day, I looked out and about 15 of the home schoolers and teachers were standing in the front yard in a circle holding hands. They had their eyes closed and their head bowed. It was obvious they were praying. What an abomination.

To me it is a terrible thing to see football players kneeling down on football field, usually with one hand on forehead, head bowed, eyes closed …showing people they are praying.

“Why don’t these men just pray silently while standing in upright position if they are really talking to God?”

It is obvious the prayer is to men in the football stadium and to the TV cameras, not to God. And religious types love this nonsense. But it is an abomination and Jesus calls such men “hypocrites”.

Mt. 6 … Jesus says …

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

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