Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
John 12:9-10 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that HE (Jesus) was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom HE (Jesus) had raised from the dead.
(What a powerful witness Lazarus was to Jesus, for they saw him die and knew he was dead and after four days, when Lazarus body should have stunk from decay in the tomb, Jesus raised him from the dead. How can this be explained away? Many of the people would see the dead Lazarus who was now alive again and because of this would believe on Jesus who could raise the dead.)
But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
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The heavens and earth also testify to God by their actions for those who will see.
The earth rotates. The sun stays in place in the solar system. In morning, we see the sun there. The moon and stars witness to all that they are controlled by God.
Romans 1:3-4 Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
16-20 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
(As we act upon a word from God "by faith" that we have heard from God in this matter, we reveal the righteous of God to others who watch us.)
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
(The heavens and earth created by God bear constant witness to existence of God.)
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We, too, were dead in our sins and were changed immediately by God. How can they not believe on HIM who changed us, for they saw what happened to us?
We don't try to witness.
We are witnesses to the power of God (as Lazarus was raised from the dead, so were we), for we are now different from that person they once knew.
After God revealed HIMSELF to me I was instantly different.
A woman who knew me, before and after, said to me: "I think what we've seen here is a real conversion."
Bibles began appearing at my business. My conversation was different. Now I spoke of scriptures and told of various marvels of God that I had seen as I read Bible. Prior to this, I had spoken mostly of greatness of men and women on this earth. Now I spoke of marvels of God.
My own cousin said to me, "I know you are a Christian now ... I just don't know how you can be."
(I don't think she understood the concept of being born again by God. I doubt she had ever experienced this miracle of God, though she had attended a church group all her life. She is extremely fearful. I suspect she had concept that we, as humans, must do everything ourselves by our own will power.)
I had been raised by God from the death I once lived in... and I knew I had done nothing to achieve this change ... It was simply by the will of God.
Romans 9:15-16 For HE saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
And 40+ years later I still live in life through God and HIS Word.
I don't do things to witness.
My life is witness as I live it.
(The godly people love me while often the religious people hate me just as they hated Jesus.)
But I never think of witnessing. I just live what God shows me and it can't help but be witness to God because it is what I am now that God has changed me.
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A woman in our little church group had been a drunkard. She had often tried to quit drinking and failed. After God revealed HIMSELF to her, she told her husband, "I'm going to quit drinking."
He didn't believe her because he had heard this before. Often he had to take care of her two children for she was drunk. His witness of her before and after must have been very strong for he saw what she had been and he now sees what she came to be. (Lazarus alive from the dead.)
She was now different ... changed by God.
Though they might not understand her now, they do see her as different now!
God is able to do that which we cannot do ourselves.
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In times when I am tempted to say that which should not be said, I cry out to God.
"Please don't let me say that !"
And God controls my tongue.
I know I am unable to control my tongue, but I know God is able to control my tongue, and HE will control my tongue when I ask HIM to do so. Now that I am a Christian, I ask HIM to stop me! And God stops my tongue.
James 3:5-10 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
(But God can control our tongue and our whole body when we want that done and ask HIM!)
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
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It is the same with each temptation. God can stop us when we really want to be stopped and when we ask God to stop us and help us. HE will stop us and help us.
Sometimes God will stop us when we don't fully realize we are going the wrong way. God will give us a bit of insight and change us immediately.
I had fallen into the myth about TEXAS and enjoyed boasting over such things.
One day God changed me instantly!
The strong thought came to me: "Why do you love TEXAS?"
I realized it was not really Texas I loved. It was the concept of things like the Alamo I loved where men would lay down their lives for freedom. I loved the concept of not giving up. And then I realized that which I did not want to give up was the Bible, the scriptures.
And with this what I really loved was not Texas but godliness set by the pattern of Jesus and the Word of God.
The secular myth about a thing of this world was broken immediately!
Even if I had realized the way I was going in this was not a good way, I don't think I could have broken it by my will power. But God broke it immediately for it was HIS will for it to be broken.
Jesus said: John 5:19 The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever HE doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
v.30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
(I can of my own desire do nothing ... but when I hear that Word from God, then I have the power of God to do that which I could not do before.)
Jesus said: John 5:19 The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever HE doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
v.30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
(I can of my own desire do nothing ... but when I hear that Word from God, then I have the power of God to do that which I could not do before.)
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You may think you have an area of temptation which you cannot control and perhaps you can't of your own thinking and your own works.
But God can do what you have been unable to do.
The key is to pray and ask God for help, and then to do what you believe God shows you to do if HE shows you something.
If God wants something done in us, it will be done. (God has HIS way of getting us where HE wants us ... rest in faith in God and knowledge of the power of God to work in our lives.)
Just talk to God about it if you are tempted.
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.
Ask God to show you the way to escape and then take that way when you see the way.
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