Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
When a person is a true minister of Jesus Christ and is writing a message to the church and tells you the ministry offices by which he is working in the church, you should be very alert to these offices.
If a person comes to me saying he is a prophet of God, I certainly pay close attention. I know certain things about prophets. God draws out of that prophet exactly what I need to hear. That prophet doesn't even know what he is going to speak and certainly doesn't plan to say that thing, but it is drawn out of him by God. I want to partake of that message from God.
Another thing, God knows exactly who will hear that message when we speak and God gives exactly what that person needs to hear. So it is when we write. God knew you would be reading this blog today. Expect to see something you need which God is supplying through HIS servant the prophet. Joan Boney
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We must discipline ourselves and make ourselves focus on the right thing.
When there is a problem, often we want the offender to be exposed and we focus on that and it pulls us down. What we must learn to do is focus on the problem being eliminated rather than on who caused the problem.
Example: We went through an unnecessary problem with the tax-accessor's office in Lubbock, Texas, where we own a house which is now for-sale. The house has been tax exempt for the past 18-years. All of a sudden, we received notice that the house was no longer tax-except and we would be required to pay property tax on the house for the year 2019. The tax was almost $10,000 for that year. We had right to appeal which we did immediately, sending them all information requested by them. The situation continued in limbo for the next 4 months. It was like living with a large weight over our heads.
Finally, the tax office declared the house tax-exempt and removed all property taxes for 2019.
We suffered all this trouble because someone at that tax office made a mistake.
But we must make ourselves focus on the right thing: The problem is solved. We must not dwell on "who" might have caused this problem. Just focus on the solution, be grateful to God for the solution, and go forward in thankfulness!
Often people pull themselves down by focusing on the wrong thing.
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Role of the prophet in the NT church:
When we who are assigned as prophets of God bring correction, often the person will fight against that correction and even fight against us, trying to make us seem wrong. This can discourage us from doing our job if we allow it to do so.
What we have to make ourselves do is focus on the fact that we delivered the message, now we must go forward rather than looking back at the offending person who is rejecting the message.
In training the prophet, God said:
Jeremiah 1:17-19 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.
Ezekiel 3:3-6 Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against ME: they and their fathers have transgressed against ME, even unto this very day.
(Today this is the church rebelling against the way of God.)
For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.
(God says to the prophet.)
And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
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Philippians 3:13-15 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:
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