Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
In Matthew 6, Jesus shows us three areas where people do things greatly desiring to be seen of other men, and Jesus warns us to go another way.
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1-4 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.
When people of this world give money, they often tell others of the money they gave to charity.
On TV corporate sponsors love to tell of money they have given for cancer research, learning centers, youth training centers, and such.
Sadly, men who say they are ministers list their works which they perceive to be good and think to justify themselves by their many works, such as: orphanages, care for elderly, giving away Bibles
But never do they come telling me a message they have heard from God.
Generally they are asking us to give money to pay for their many good works.
In my years as a minister, I have found when God tells me to do something, the money is there to pay for that work without my having to put pressure on the church to give money to me.
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5-8 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.
(I was horrified to see the people who lived across the street from me, who did home school, standing in their front yard in a circle, holding hands with heads bowed, obviously praying that they might be seen of men ... I am horrified each time I see football players kneeling on the football field, with head bowed, showing themselves to be praying, that they might be seen of men)
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.
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9 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17-18 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
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Beware of doing "good works" for the purpose of being seen of other men.
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Several years ago, I played duplicate bridge at our local bridge center.
The people were mostly church people, proudly announcing the name of the church they attended.
Though we all were trying to beat each other at bridge, people wanted to be seen by others as being "nice."
I kept trying to picture Jesus or Paul out there doing things to beat the other person.
At the time I was there, no one knew I was a minister of God. No one knew of the calling of God on my life.
My long time partner came to me one day and said, "Joan ... you're really much nicer than you seem to be."
I laughed.
Finally I quit bridge. I just never could see Jesus or Paul trying to beat another person as I had been doing.
"Emulation" is listed as a work of the flesh. Galatians 5
* Attempt to match or surpass an achievement, typically by imitation
* Endeavor to equal or excel over another
(archaic: jealous rivalry)
Compete against with goal of winning
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Competition which is so desired in the world today ... and in education ... and is thought to be a good thing is actually a work of the flesh.
Galatians 5:19-26 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft (superstitions), 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.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
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It is the nature of man to want to glorify himself through his physical appearance, or through his own accomplishments or his wisdom, or through his sports team.
As with all desires of the flesh, we must curb them through the knowledge of God.
Glorify God WHO is worthy, WHO created all things to HIMSELF.
When we speak and we speak things God has shown us, we bring glory to God.
I believe what wisdom I have is because God chose to give me that wisdom. How can I then think to glorify myself as if I had done this thing when I know it was God who gave me wisdom in the matter? I simply repeat that which I have heard from God.
This should be our goal as we live on earth, to glorify God.
Recently as I awoke, I found I was praying to glorify God.
Jesus glorified God by HIS obedience unto HIS own death, even death on a cross.
As we live to keep our own flesh under the control of the Spirit, we, too, die to our flesh that we can live to God, glorifying God, speaking as God would have us speak.
If we feed the flesh continually it will get stronger.
So be beware and do those things Paul told Timothy to do.
Paul said: Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. I Timothy 4:13
Pay attention to that which the Holy Spirit speaks in your ear and puts in your head! Focus on that word!
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