Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
A man of God has come to bring the priest Eli a message from God judging Eli and his sons, saying both sons will die in one day because of their wickedness.
The child Samuel brings a message also to Eli, and then judgment comes.
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I Samuel 3:1-14 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.
And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me.
And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if HE call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
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15-19 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that HE said unto thee.
And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him.
And he said, It is the Lord: let HIM do what seemeth HIM good.
And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that HE said unto thee.
And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him.
And he said, It is the Lord: let HIM do what seemeth HIM good.
And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
v. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.
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When we are called by God to serve God in the NT church today, God has HIS way of making HIS calling on our lives sure to us.
I was approximately 37-years-old when I was born again. I was born again by the Spirit of God speaking the following word to me: "Joan ... You know those mistakes you've been making all these years? Those weren't mistakes. Those were sins."
A few days later: In the night while sleeping, I was "transported" into heaven. I was with God and with Christ and with The Holy Spirit. (no images just in the Spirit) At that time I was merged into the body of Jesus. Made one with the Word of God, God and Holy Spirit witnessing.
It was wonderful. I didn't tell anyone about this at the time for I thought this happened to all who bere born again,
A few nights later, the exact same thing happened to me again.
I still didn't tell anyone, thinking this happened to everyone and thinking this is what it meant to become a Christian.
I had no idea there was a call of God on my life.
Several weeks later, I was having breakfast with a friend named Bill. He had been raised Catholic and was born again a few weeks before this happened to me. Bill spoke constantly about being born again. Before this happened to me, I thought Bill was a little crazy. But now I understood.
I said to Bill, "You know, you're really right. This Christian thing is wonderful. The thing I like best is that thing that happens to you in the night."
Bill said, "What thing?" (He kept eating.)
I replied, "I don't know what it is called... It is that thing that happens when you are taken into heaven and you are with God and with Christ and with the Holy Spirit and you are merged into the body of Jesus."
Bill stopped eating and put his fork down and looked at me and said, "What are you talking about?"
This was the first time I realized something "different" had happened to me.
I believe this was the point I was "called", set aside, for the ministry to which I had been placed.
Many times through the next 45-years, I was reminded of this "happening" when I was attacked by people because of the calling of God on my life.
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