Book: Exhortations for the Church
Vol. 3, Chapter 18
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
After Jesus arose, HE gave ministry gifts to the church ...
Eph. 4 ... 11 And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
After the crucifixion and resurrection Jesus gave these to the NT church to help the church.
In the New Testament, each person received by God is given The Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth, to teach them all things, to remind them of everything Jesus has said, to show them things to come. (Jn. 14:26 / Jn. 16:13)
We no longer have to go to a prophet to seek the will of God as they did in the Old Testament.
But we see prophets are still part of the ministry today as we read in Ephesians 4.
*****
We have a few examples of New Testament prophets in the book of Acts.
Acts 11 ... 27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: 30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Prophets are often used by God to deliver message to individuals and to church groups.
Sometimes the individual will be trapped in a sin and be praying to get loose and God will choose to send a NT prophet to speak a message to free this person.
*****
In our own little church group, a woman was trying to uproot bitterness and things that had been buried inside her mind, often for years. She dealt with some memories through prayer. Then she asked God if anything was hidden in her, to please show her.
That same morning that she prayed this, I became very troubled over this woman.
Finally I called her that same morning to tell her something was hidden from her.
I told her she desired to be approved by the church and was doing things trying to be approved, but God approves us when HE gives us HIS Spirit.
If we have the Holy Spirit we have God's approval. (I do not mean speaking in tongues. I mean if the Spirit of God lives in us we have God approval and the church accepts us then as the church.)
Romans 8:16 ...The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
*****
In 1985, I moved to Clovis, NM (USA) where my mother lived. My dad had died and I felt my mother would need help. I was born in Clovis and lived 30-miles north of Clovis. There were people there that I went to elementary through high school with.
We were doing ministry work then by sending exhortations to the church through US mail. (There was no Internet at that time.)
I mailed one of the exhortations to a women from my high school. She is a Methodist. She sent me a letter asking me not to send her anymore materials. So I didn't.
Lk. 4:24 ... Jesus said ... No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Later God gave me a dream showing her reading Bible. So I have hope for her.
*****
I still speak truth from God regardless of where I am but often I am rejected by those in my own household and rejected in my own country where I was once a child.
Mk. 6 ... (They were offended with Jesus when HE spoke to them) ... 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And HE could there do no mighty work, save that HE laid HIS hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And HE marvelled because of their unbelief. And HE went round about the villages, teaching.
*****
BOOK: Exhortations For The Church, Volume 3
Chapter 18
Joan Boney
E-book: $.99
Chapter 18
Joan Boney
E-book: $.99
Paperback: $7.99
(USA Prices)
Order from: Amazon.com
Order from: Amazon.com
*****