Friday, June 7, 2019

Jesus says: Take heed what ye hear (Mk.4:24)


Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Sometimes I will read an email and think the person said one thing and I am shocked when I reread the email and see that person did not say what I thought.

Even on secular things it is important to hear what was really said or to get facts straight.

When Pam Padgett and I watch TV together, there is a Kindle tablet nearby.  Often when I state something, Pam is looking it up on Kindle and if my facts are off, such as a date of a secular event, Pam will tell me what the Internet says ... I love it!

Checking ourselves is good.

Truth has to be a way of life with us.

For the apostle Paul said:

II Thessalonians 2:10-12    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.

Paul says:  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.   (I Thessalonians 5:21)


***

A few days ago, Pam Padgett sent a report where she witnessed a phone call and at the end she quoted I Corinthians 5 ... but Pam wrote in the email II Corinthians 5 ... I knew what Pam meant, and the email was to our very small church group of 5 people, but even then it is important.

There is a woman in our church group who will point out to me a detail I have either omitted or made a mistake in and I never take offense.  I am glad she brought it to my attention.

It is not that we are reading looking for errors but rather when we see error we deal with that error in an appropriate way.

When I write an email to our little group of 5 people, I proof read what I wrote, and often find a typographical error and make correction, even when the error does not affect the meaning of the message.

When I write on blog, I usually proof read the message several times, at least 3 times, and sometimes I will find I have left out one letter or failed to put a comma, and I make these small, seemingly insignificant, changes.

But really such things are not insignificant.

These patterns of life affect us in other ways.


***

When we were writing our book, concerning how to use a Kindle, God taught me to fix the problems, even if that problem was a very small thing such as adding a comma. If I see it, take time to correct it.

That has greatly carried over to my life.  Take care of each detail, which I am careful to do.

Don't let it slip.

The way of life by which we train ourselves could affect something really important.

Hebrews 2:1-3    Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him;


***

Jesus tells us: 

Luke 16:10-11    He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 

If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 

***

Computers are wonderful, and I certainly don't want to return to days before computers, but one thing I've noticed is how they cause me to rush even more past that which I am doing and how they can disrupt another thing.  And they cause me to want to go faster, faster, even wanting the computer to go faster!   Why? when I have the rest of the day to do something?

I have felt this as I am watching a movie and at same time begin looking up something on my computer, for example to see if any new emails have appeared.  I really believe it would be better to pause the movie, and then look up the item on computer, for I think we teach ourselves not to hear when we do two things at once. 

Also we might teach ourselves to be double minded by trying to do two things at once.

It is a way of life and discipline for us!


***

A few days ago, I was reading something in Bible or on blog and I began wanting to rush on through this and get to something else.  

I stopped myself and looked at clock and said to myself:  

"It is 11 a.m. You will likely be awake until midnight.  You have all those hours to look at something else."  

With that concept I reread what I was reading and thought about what I was reading.

Discipline is probably needed in order to "Take heed what we hear", as Jesus warned us to do.


***

A very serious thing in hearing has to do with keeping our heart free from bitterness.

When we read Bible or anything else, if we have bitterness in our heart, our judgment of what we read or hear can be perverted.

Often all we are interested in is gathering things by which we can attack that person who offended us.

We must get the offense settled with God by turning to God and allowing God to work with our heart and create a right spirit within us on the disruptive subject.

We must keep our heart at all time through prayer and by resolving the issue with God and clearing our own heart by what God gives us.

To allow perceived offenses to seeth in our hearts will set up destruction for ourselves.

Even if we are right in the matter, (and when there is strife don't we think we are right?) but even if we are right, to burn in our hearts with the issue and to fail to resolve the issue with God is deadly for us.

Recently I spent most of two days just sitting alone in my room, while praying and allowing God to work through my heart after I had been attacked by a person.


Then when I was sure God had given me HIS thinking on the matter, I wrote on blog, reporting what I believed to be judgment from God.

See writing:  The enemies of God, who fight against us who are of God, will not win.  Published June 6, 2019 ... see blog archive on right hand side of home page ... Jesus Ministries Exhortations

***

I am constantly aware of the spirit by which I am speaking.

We can speak truth and speak by the wrong spirit and corrupt or harm other people.

Haven't each of us been angry over something and spoken before we settled that matter with God ...  and then been sorry we spoke to another about that over which we were angry?

Or haven't we been upset over something or someone and been in a conversation with another person and failed to hear what that other person was saying because of the turmoil we had in our heart over another matter?

Take heed what ye hear.  Mark 4:24


***

Daily we grow nearer to the end of time and the return of Jesus.

The Bible tells us the devil will be even more furious and active in these days.

Revelation 12:12    Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

We must keep our hearts immediately upon perceived offence by take that offense to God in prayer and in faith and by allowing God to settle the matter in us, in our hearts.


***

A few days ago, a woman called Pam.  I was sitting there in the room when she called.  She is a friend of mine.  But she didn't know I was hearing her phone call to Pam.  

At the end of her report, which was about the house we have in Texas, she asked Pam how I am doing.

I spoke up and said I am fine.

I took the phone to talk with this woman, but she quickly terminated the phone call.

I knew she didn't want to talk with me.  I was hurt at first, but God quickly straightened me out with HIS truth.  She is a little afraid of me.  I send specific writings to her.  She can read or not read.  But to be confronted with a direct phone call is something that cannot be escaped!

***

Beware:  If we don't have time to read Bible or blog, why do we try to read.  

I don't read Bible if I am under attack by another person and having to strive with that person.  In a case of attack or strife, I pray instead of reading Bible.  Then if I am reminded of a scripture I look at that scripture.  But usually in such a time, I have to wait before it is safe to read Bible again.

There is such a danger of perverting scriptures until my heart is made right by God through HIS Spirit.


Jesus says:  Take heed what ye hear.  Mark 4:24



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