Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
NT apostle, minister anointed by God to deal with scripture and church doctrine based on scripture
NT prophet, minister anointed by God to bring correction to church, to correct both ministers and individuals.
***
The flesh brings ideas to our minds.
But the works of the flesh are:
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft (following superstitions), hatred, variance (debating/arguing), emulations (trying to get ahead of others), 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. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Before God gave us HIS Spirit we did those things of the flesh.
But after God revealed HIMSELF to us, giving us HIS Spirit, we had another way in us by HIS Spirit that we no longer had to be captive to our flesh.
To follow the leading of the Holy Spirit is to have the following works.
Galatians 5:22-28 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.
***
Because we have the Holy Spirit in us we now have a choice in the way we will go.
We can argue, fight, strive to get what we want, following our flesh.
Or we can turn to God in prayer asking God to help us by HIS Spirit and choose to rest in HIM, resisting the flesh ... knowing that no good thing comes from our flesh. (Romans 7)
***
The way of the flesh is the way of death and destruction.
After we are born again and have the Spirit of God in us, we have a mighty power against the flesh.
Our flesh will try to pull us in the ways of the flesh but now we have an even greater power than our flesh.
We have the Spirit of God in us to give us that power to go in a way opposite from our flesh. We put our flesh to death, keeping our flesh crucified each time we choose to go in the way of the Spirit.
Often we do this by prayer to God, asking God to keep us from saying that which we want to say or to keep us from doing that which we want to do.
***
I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
***
As you are being tempted to say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing, you can ask God to give you wisdom in the problem at hand.
(In the midst of the situation, don't we usually feel "that" is not the best thing to say or to do? What should we do instead? We can ask God for help.)
(In the midst of the situation, don't we usually feel "that" is not the best thing to say or to do? What should we do instead? We can ask God for help.)
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
***
Even if we have the money to pay for some item, it might not be the wisest thing for us to spend the money this way.
I was confronted with that after moving to Colorado in 2019.
I have a weakness toward high end sound equipment. I learned of a product which had in the past produced very fine video on TV, upgrading the picture significantly from the provider. Now they had an even finer product than I had experienced a decade earlier. It was a significant upgrade in price from $2000 to $9500. I wanted to see what it would produce now in video and hear the sound upgrade.
But I also recognized if the production was far better, I would likely buy the item.
I prayed, asking God to help me. (Sometimes God has permitted me to buy high-end items. But is it the wise thing to do this time?)
Every time I thought of the pending demonstration, I prayed for God to lead me and guide me in that which I should do.
After several days, I received a call from the dealer. The top item in which I was interested had been discontinued by the manufacturer! It was no longer available. I could hear the low end product but I had no interest in that.
The door was closed!
I thanked God.
(This is the way some are tempted to upgrade expensive items like cars!)
***
There is a way of escape each time we are tempted. Something happens which causes the idea to go dead. Or the Holy Spirit reminds us of a scripture to show us to back off. Or God gives us a dream to show us the way to go or what not to do.
After my mother died, my cousin wanted me to move to the city where she lived. She said, "The boys would be such help to us." (The boys: her husband and 2 adult aged sons)
But God had given me a dream showing me I could not go out through my cousin's house.
God knows the future.
My cousin's husband died shortly after this. One of her son's became a problem and resisted helping his mother and had to be threatened by his mother to get his help. The other son lived 90 miles away and it was more difficult for him to come to help.
But I was unaffected because I chose not to move to her town because of the dream God had given me.
***
Pam Padgett fell into a trap when she was in college. Her sister attended the same college and wanted Pam to be involved in activities at a fraternity/sorority.
Pam went to a Thursday night get together at a bar but there was so much drunkenness and lewdness that she had to leave, walking back to her dorm.
Then she was invited to a fraternity "Luau" which was 20-miles out of town. They would have a campfire which was very appealing to Pam … and she would have a date. So she agreed to go.
Later she was told another fraternity guy would pick her up and drive her to the event since her date would be busy making a hut for the two of them.
With that information, Pam knew this was not going to be a simple roasting of marshmallows over a campfire.
Her date was making a little hut for them … Pam had never even met this date!
So Pam began trying to get out of this commitment.
When she tried to cancel, her sister said she couldn't cancel for the date wouldn't have time to get another date.
Pam began to beg God to help her, even asking God to give her appendicitis to get her free.
But God had another way to free Pam.
The day of the Luau, there was a slight rain which grew heavier during the day. Then the rain became so heavy, the Luau had to be cancelled. The huts they were building were washed away by the heavy rains!
***
Sometimes we go through early warning "stop signs".
In Pam's case, she knew what she had seen at the bar. How would a Luau with these guy be any different? Also Pam knew the wildness of her sister and ignored that.
And Pam said she had a "weakness" in that she had always wanted to be a part of the group and to fit in.
When we recognize our weaknesses, we have a good chance of being warned.
Many have a weakness for apparel … exalting their flesh by those things they choose to wear.
Cars present a temptation for many persons.
Even the desire to make high grades at school can be a weakness in exalting one's own flesh above others.
There are many areas of temptation but one real way of escape, through God.
***
James 1:14-15 every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
I have a weakness toward high end sound equipment. I learned of a product which had in the past produced very fine video on TV, upgrading the picture significantly from the provider. Now they had an even finer product than I had experienced a decade earlier. It was a significant upgrade in price from $2000 to $9500. I wanted to see what it would produce now in video and hear the sound upgrade.
But I also recognized if the production was far better, I would likely buy the item.
I prayed, asking God to help me. (Sometimes God has permitted me to buy high-end items. But is it the wise thing to do this time?)
Every time I thought of the pending demonstration, I prayed for God to lead me and guide me in that which I should do.
After several days, I received a call from the dealer. The top item in which I was interested had been discontinued by the manufacturer! It was no longer available. I could hear the low end product but I had no interest in that.
The door was closed!
I thanked God.
(This is the way some are tempted to upgrade expensive items like cars!)
***
There is a way of escape each time we are tempted. Something happens which causes the idea to go dead. Or the Holy Spirit reminds us of a scripture to show us to back off. Or God gives us a dream to show us the way to go or what not to do.
After my mother died, my cousin wanted me to move to the city where she lived. She said, "The boys would be such help to us." (The boys: her husband and 2 adult aged sons)
But God had given me a dream showing me I could not go out through my cousin's house.
God knows the future.
My cousin's husband died shortly after this. One of her son's became a problem and resisted helping his mother and had to be threatened by his mother to get his help. The other son lived 90 miles away and it was more difficult for him to come to help.
But I was unaffected because I chose not to move to her town because of the dream God had given me.
***
Pam Padgett fell into a trap when she was in college. Her sister attended the same college and wanted Pam to be involved in activities at a fraternity/sorority.
Pam went to a Thursday night get together at a bar but there was so much drunkenness and lewdness that she had to leave, walking back to her dorm.
Then she was invited to a fraternity "Luau" which was 20-miles out of town. They would have a campfire which was very appealing to Pam … and she would have a date. So she agreed to go.
Later she was told another fraternity guy would pick her up and drive her to the event since her date would be busy making a hut for the two of them.
With that information, Pam knew this was not going to be a simple roasting of marshmallows over a campfire.
Her date was making a little hut for them … Pam had never even met this date!
So Pam began trying to get out of this commitment.
When she tried to cancel, her sister said she couldn't cancel for the date wouldn't have time to get another date.
Pam began to beg God to help her, even asking God to give her appendicitis to get her free.
But God had another way to free Pam.
The day of the Luau, there was a slight rain which grew heavier during the day. Then the rain became so heavy, the Luau had to be cancelled. The huts they were building were washed away by the heavy rains!
***
Sometimes we go through early warning "stop signs".
In Pam's case, she knew what she had seen at the bar. How would a Luau with these guy be any different? Also Pam knew the wildness of her sister and ignored that.
And Pam said she had a "weakness" in that she had always wanted to be a part of the group and to fit in.
When we recognize our weaknesses, we have a good chance of being warned.
Many have a weakness for apparel … exalting their flesh by those things they choose to wear.
Cars present a temptation for many persons.
Even the desire to make high grades at school can be a weakness in exalting one's own flesh above others.
There are many areas of temptation but one real way of escape, through God.
***
James 1:14-15 every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
***
God says: to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. (I Corinthians 7:2)
***
Before we were born again, we often, rather blindly, followed the desires of the flesh.
But after we were born again and are a new creation, having another Spirit, we no longer wanted to do those sins we once did. Yet we are often tempted. Even Jesus was tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4)
***
The best thing for us is to recognize that which tempts us and when we see it, turn to God in prayer, asking Him for help.
I've done this many times and God always helps me, never failing.
II Samuel 22:33 God is my strength and power: and HE maketh my way perfect.
***
Ephesians 6:10 be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might.
If we try to be strong in ourselves, we will fail.
When we turn to God for HIS help, God will help us and as we follow what HE gives us we will live in HIS strength and will never fail.
***
Before we were born again, we often, rather blindly, followed the desires of the flesh.
But after we were born again and are a new creation, having another Spirit, we no longer wanted to do those sins we once did. Yet we are often tempted. Even Jesus was tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4)
***
The best thing for us is to recognize that which tempts us and when we see it, turn to God in prayer, asking Him for help.
I've done this many times and God always helps me, never failing.
II Samuel 22:33 God is my strength and power: and HE maketh my way perfect.
***
Ephesians 6:10 be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might.
If we try to be strong in ourselves, we will fail.
When we turn to God for HIS help, God will help us and as we follow what HE gives us we will live in HIS strength and will never fail.
*****