Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Yesterday, I was reading the scripture at the beginning of the epistles written by Paul and for the first time, I noticed something Paul said:
Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
I Corinthians 1:1 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God
II Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God
I Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
II Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
Philemon Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ
(I felt God showed me to identify the two offices to which I am called by Jesus and to which I work in the body of Christ, so the church can be aware of the work done in these two offices.)
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By his statement in his epistles, Paul is connecting himself to the following scriptural statement in Bible.
Ephesians 4 (vv. 8 and 11-12) When HE (Jesus) ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men ...
And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ
Paul states he is an apostle of Jesus ... set in the body of Christ by Jesus (according to the will of God), but by Jesus.
I have known Paul was one of those apostles given to the church by Jesus after Jesus arose ... Paul was not like the 12 apostles of the Bible but like the apostles of Ephesians 4.
Many churches teach a doctrine saying Paul was the last apostle ... This is not true.
Paul is one of the first apostles given to the church after Jesus was resurrected.
Ephesians 4 (vv. 8 and 11-12) When HE (Jesus) ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men ...
And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ
Paul states he is an apostle of Jesus ... set in the body of Christ by Jesus (according to the will of God), but by Jesus.
I have known Paul was one of those apostles given to the church by Jesus after Jesus arose ... Paul was not like the 12 apostles of the Bible but like the apostles of Ephesians 4.
Many churches teach a doctrine saying Paul was the last apostle ... This is not true.
Paul is one of the first apostles given to the church after Jesus was resurrected.
It is like Paul is saying that to us in the first verse of most of his epistles that he was "appointed by Jesus" as in Ephesians 4:11.
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In his life, there were church people who didn't think Paul could be one of the apostles of Jesus because Paul didn't walk with Jesus and the other apostles ... for they looked only at what Peter said when they replaced Judas with Matthias.
Acts 1:21-26 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that HE (Jesus) was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he (Matthias) was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Matthias became the 12th apostle.
Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that HE (Jesus) was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he (Matthias) was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Matthias became the 12th apostle.
Paul had not walked with Peter and the other apostles while Jesus walked on this earth. Paul was persecuting the Christians during the early church time after the crucifixion of Jesus.
Jesus revealed HIMSELF to Paul while Paul was enroute to Damascus for the purpose of catching and imprisoning more of those who followed Jesus.
Acts 9:1-6 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?
And he said, Who art thou, Lord?
And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
In Acts 26, Paul tells more of that which Jesus spoke to him.
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord?
And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
"But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in ME."
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
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And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?
And he said, Who art thou, Lord?
And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
In Acts 26, Paul tells more of that which Jesus spoke to him.
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord?
And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
"But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in ME."
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
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But there were church people in Paul's day who did not think Paul could be an apostle.
We see this by the following scriptures.
Paul says: I Corinthians 9:2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
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During the time of Moses, the people fought against Moses and said they didn't know where this man (Moses) was and they wanted Aaron to build them a "god" which they could follow.
Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
And in the wilderness, the people of Israel fought Moses as Moses led them into the places God showed him. Many times they fought against Moses.
Exodus 16:1-3 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
(murmured: complained against)
And the children of Israel said unto them (to Moses & Aaron), Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
(murmured: complained against)
And the children of Israel said unto them (to Moses & Aaron), Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
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Later the Jews told Jesus they followed Moses but they didn't know where this man, Jesus, was from.
John 5: 16-18 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because HE had done these things on the sabbath day.
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill HIM, because HE not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was HIS Father, making Himself equal with God.
And Jesus said:
37-38 And the Father Himself, which hath sent ME, hath borne witness of ME. Ye have neither heard HIS voice at any time, nor seen HIS shape.
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill HIM, because HE not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was HIS Father, making Himself equal with God.
And Jesus said:
37-38 And the Father Himself, which hath sent ME, hath borne witness of ME. Ye have neither heard HIS voice at any time, nor seen HIS shape.
And ye have not HIS word abiding in you: for whom HE hath sent, him ye believe not.
John 5:46 Jesus says: had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed ME; for he wrote of ME.
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John 6:28-29 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom HE hath sent.
John 6:30-42 They said therefore unto Him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is HE which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to ME shall never hunger; and he that believeth on ME shall never thirst.
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to ME; and him that cometh to ME I will in no wise cast out.
For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of HIM that sent Me.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which HE hath given ME I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of HIM that sent ME, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on HIM, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
(Those Jews, religious people, could only see with natural eyes, with their thinking, and in doing such cast away the Word of God, Jesus, who dwelt among them at that time. Today the religious people cast away us, the ministers set here by Jesus.)
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Today they (the church going religious ones without the Spirit of God) often say there are no more apostles, discarding what Jesus said about giving apostles to the NT Church. Ephesians 4.
None of these generations who fought against the currently godly leaders of their time were of God. They professed to follow godly men of the past but even in their professions, they did evil works against the current man of God who was sent to help them.
(Of course they would say a woman could not be an apostle ... while thinking perhaps she could be a prophet, if there were any prophets in today's churches ... why? )
Paul explains: I Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
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They say they are of God while casting out apostles and prophets given by Jesus as "gifts" to the church to help the church.
One church group, Church of Christ, even denies evangelist and pastors ... refusing to identify these ministries in the church group as Jesus called them ... and calling their men, "ministers", instead of calling them evangelists and pastors ... as Jesus called them. Ephesians 4:11
And their followers try to set people straight by turning them away from scripture such as Ephesians 4. And even by eliminating The Holy Spirit from scriptures such as Acts 2:38.
If possible, their church followers would stop certain scriptures from being fulfilled, stopping apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors from speaking as such ... thus killing these offices ... and even trying to stop references to the Holy Spirit in scriptures and in the thinking of their congregations.
John 16:2-3 Jesus says: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me.
These church followers do think they do God service if they can stop people like me and turn us away from the way which we believe we received from God.
If we turn away, we have to deny salvation, deny the Holy Spirit, deny the scriptures which say Jesus gave to the church apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors, teachers for the work of the ministry. (Ephesians 4:11)
John 16:2-3 Jesus says: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me.
These church followers do think they do God service if they can stop people like me and turn us away from the way which we believe we received from God.
If we turn away, we have to deny salvation, deny the Holy Spirit, deny the scriptures which say Jesus gave to the church apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors, teachers for the work of the ministry. (Ephesians 4:11)
We have to cast aside everything of God to obey people like my Church of Christ cousin!
Yet she doesn't follow and do the basic scripture of Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
These religious people tell us of their trouble, of their concerns, while judging those things we do not to be authored by God.
They would have us deny the works of God and stop doing those works and follow them while they go into damnation through their church doctrines.
II Thessalonians 2:7-12 (Paul says) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: (which could be us today speaking to the blinded church)
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
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.
If we turn and follow them, we will go to damnation with them and with their church doctrines which are twisted and set forth by their own understanding and not by God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit.
We have to fight greatly not to be swept away with them.
They are antichrist in the churches.
They follow some scriptures and deny other scriptures.
Damnation is reserved for these church followers, unless they come to see the evil they do and repent in sorrow for their works which are not godly but are ungodly and hurt others.
So we who are of God warn them.
And as an apostle and prophet of Jesus, I warn you, don't follow them!
Follow the Spirit of God who brought you your salvation through the Word of God.
Continue with HIM ... don't go with them.
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