* Joshua 10: Nation after nation falls at the hand of Joshua for God is with Joshua.

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Do you remember what God said to Joshua when God called Joshua and set Joshua to replace Moses?

Joshua 1:5   There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

***

Joshua 10:1-14   Now it came to pass, when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;  That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

Wherefore Adonizedec king of Jerusalem, sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,  Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.

Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.

 This is all we need . If God is for us how can anyone be against us and stand . That word God gave Joshua is just exactly what we need when we are pursuing any project and when we have that word from God we can go forward in faith and full confidence .

Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.

And the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.

And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

 Not only did they have to fight Joshua but they had to fight God . This would give great confidence and faith to the children of Israel . 

Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.  And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.

***

The New Testament church:

Romans 8:28-39   And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to HIS purpose. For whom HE did foreknow, HE also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that HE might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover whom HE did predestinate, them HE also called: and whom HE called, them HE also justified: and whom HE justified, them HE also glorified.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 

Is this what God wants me to do?  If so, that's all I need.  When I have a word from God leading me I have assurance this is the way I am supposed to go in the matter at hand.  We can examine ourselves to see if we have "that" word showing us to do this thing and if we feel we do have "that" word, then we know we can work through any problem that surfaces.  When I have "that" word, I have all that I need.

HE that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall HE not with Him also freely give us all things?

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through HIM that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

***

For me it is critical to hear from God before I go forward in doing something. That is all that matters to me.. "Is God with me in this?" If I have that one word that I believe to be from God, I can move instantly forward and hold fast if troubles come during the project. But I must have "that" word that I believe to be from God.

For example: I was driving down the road and a pickup truck carrying a load of firewood pulled up beside my car. I began thinking of how much I would enjoy having a wood burning fireplace. And as I thought about this, I had the following brought to my mind: "You can have this." Never before had I considered changing my gas logs to wood in my fireplace. I pursued this immediately after I had that word brought to me. Words given to me by God are anchors for me as I go forward. Without such I know doubts could pull me down. But with that word I have strength.

***

Joshua 10:15-20  And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.

And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.

And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:
And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.

And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.

***

21-27   And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.

And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.

And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.

And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.

And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.

***

Makkedah
28  And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.

Libnah

29-30   Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah:   And the Lord delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.

Lachish

31-32   And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:  And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.

33   Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.


Eglon

34-35   And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it: And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.


Hebron

36-37   And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it:  And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.


Debir

38-39  And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:  And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.

***

To me, the taking of each of these nations by Joshua, is like us dealing with each of those problems which would arise to stop us from doing that which we believe God has sanctioned for us to do.

Some people think if God told us to do something it will go smoothly.  

I think these examples of Joshua taking the land shows the land is there and we have to go in and take that land and overcome those problems that arise.

Otherwise you would be retreating the first time a problem arose.  In Numbers 13-14 they were to spy out the promised land that God said HE would give them.  But there were giants in that land.  Problems. So they just gave up and this caused their downfall.  We overcome the problems by prayer, asking God to show us what to do in the problem.  

No man could stand before Joshua.  No problem can stand before us if we will turn to God and receive God's wisdom as to how to deal with that problem.

Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  (Philippians 4:13)

Christ, Jesus is the Word.

When we have "the Word" from God showing us to do something, that is our strength in working through the issue to the end to obtain that land God has given us.

***

40-43    So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded.

And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.

And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.

And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

***

The children of Israel are very important to God, above all others, and God is going to do everything HE promises for them.

When we awaken each morning and see that sunlight coming through the window, we see the faithfulness of God to us and we know God will certainly be faithful to perform each word HE has spoken to us.

And we can rejoice in that Word God has given us.

***

The people God destroyed were very evil.

But even as evil as they were, the people today are worse, for the apostle Paul told us the following:

II Timothy 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

At the end of this present world, the wrath of God comes upon the evil, and the great tribulation of that time (Revelation 8-16) is something worse than anything seen before then.

I Thessalonians 5:1-3    But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

*****

Hymn: Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow'r

(Click forward arrow > to play music:)


1.  Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Chorus:

Are you washed …
  in the blood,

In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?

Are your garments spotless? 
Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?


2.  Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

3.  When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

4.  Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.


(Click pause symbol,  "  ... at beginning of hymn, to stop music)

*****

Scriptures pertaining to this hymn:

Romans 5:5-9     the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth HIS love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

(We didn't shed our blood to pay for our sins but Jesus shed His blood for our sins ... without shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.  Hebrews 9:22 ... we cannot hope to pay for our sins and our wrong actions by our good works ... only by the shed blood of Jesus are we cleansed)


*** 

The new covenant replaces the old covenant:

Hebrews 10:9-14   Then said HE, Lo, I come to do THY will, O God. HE taketh away the first (covenant), that HE may establish the second. 

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

And every priest (old testament) standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man (Jesus), after HE had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 

From henceforth expecting till HIS enemies be made HIS footstool. 

For by one offering HE (Jesus) hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

***

 

Testimony of Pam Padgett

When I was 14 years old a boy in my class at school was killed in a motorcycle accident.

For the first time, I realized that I could die.

I was terrified.

Somehow, I strongly knew that the various things I had learned to do in the Catholic church would not keep me from going to hell.

My only hope was God.

I began praying ... "I know there is the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but I don't know which one to pray to.  So please get this to the right one."

I went on to ask that God would somehow save me.

I was changed from within, born again, and wanted to do what God wanted me to do and to please Him.  And I had such a strong desire to read the Bible. 

Not long after this, I realized there was something of God in me.

A few years later I read the following scripture and, for the first time, realized that it was the Holy Spirit in me:    

I Corinthians 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  

***

Matthew 11:28-30   Jesus says ... Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.

Yoking yourself to Jesus for basic salvation is critical.  But it is also critical to yoke yourself to Jesus when you make plans after you are born again.  

For the plans we make could be plans of our own flesh or of other human beings or plans of the devil.  If such, dread will likely be the resulting fruit.  

For the yokes of man, and the yokes of the devil, and the yokes of our own flesh are hard, whereas the yoke of God is easy.  

Victorious Christians succeed in plans of God because they yoke themselves to plans of God through prayer and through being established by God in the plan. 

*****

Instruction in Righteousness: John 15

I (The Word) am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

² Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

³ Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

⁴ Abide in Me (The Word), and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me (in The Word).

⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me (The Word) ye can do nothing.

⁶ If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

⁷ If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

⁸ Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples.

⁹ As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love.

¹⁰ If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.

¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

¹² This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

¹⁴ Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

¹⁵ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of (from) My Father I have made known unto you.

¹⁶ Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you.

¹⁷ These things I command you, that ye love one another.

¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.

¹⁹ If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

²⁰ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.

²¹ But all these things will they do unto you for My name's sake, because they know not Him that sent Me.

²² If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

²³ He that hateth Me hateth My Father also.

²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father.

²⁵ But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause.

²⁶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me:

²⁷ And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning.

*****

Vol. 3 Preface

Book:  Exhortations For The Church
Vol. 3, Preface
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet 


I am finding more and more I watch less and less TV.

Paul said "redeeming the time because the days are evil."  Ephesians 5:16

Often I turn off TV (which does nothing to strengthen me and build me in the faith in God) ... and I switch to reading Bible and godly exhortations. (which build faith in God and transform me from the thinking of this present world)

A few days ago, it was approximately 6 pm ... What would I find to do until bedtime?  How could I pass that time away until it was time for me to go to bed?

I had no idea ... I started reading one of the ministry books we have published on Amazon ... I thought about the scriptures and examined myself to see if I was applying these scriptures to my life, being a "doer" of the Word and not a hearer only.

I read some of the godly exhortations printed on our blog:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations

By these scriptures and exhortations I made some adjustments to my way of life on this earth.

I looked at the clock after doing these things and it was 10:30 pm ... I couldn't believe it!

And I felt strengthened in faith in God and was at peace, not troubled as I often am by TV and the various implications toward sins shown on TV programs ... adultery, fornication, hatred, wrath, strife, quarreling, fighting to win out over others, vengeance and other works of the flesh of man.  

The exhortations presented in this book present the way of life for us on this earth according to God by the scriptures and HIS Spirit.

We have an opportunity to build ourselves up in faith in God.  We can correct ourselves as needed by the Word of God.  And we renew our thinking from the way of this present world which is very corrupt according to the lusts of worldly people and their fleshly opinions which are opposite to the Spirit and thinking of God.

God says:    Isaiah 55 ...

 7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the Lord,
and HE will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for HE will abundantly pardon.
 
8 For MY thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways MY ways,
saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
so are MY ways higher than your ways,
and MY thoughts than your thoughts.
 
10 For as the rain cometh down,
and the snow from heaven,
and returneth not thither,
but watereth the earth,
and maketh it bring forth and bud,
that it may give seed to the sower,
and bread to the eater:

11 So shall MY word be
that goeth forth out of MY mouth:

it shall not return unto ME void,
but it shall accomplish
that which I please,
and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto I sent it.
 
12 For ye shall go out with joy,
and be led forth with peace:

the mountains and the hills
shall break forth before you into singing,
and all the trees of the field
shall clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thorn
shall come up the fir tree,
and instead of the brier
shall come up the myrtle tree:

and it shall be to the Lord for a name,
for an everlasting sign
that shall not be cut off.

Joan Boney

*****

BOOK: Exhortations For The Church, Volume 3
Preface

Joan Boney



E-book: $.99

Paperback: $7.99

(USA Prices)

Order from: Amazon.com

*****

Selected scriptures from today's blog

(Recommend:  Think on these things.)

Joshua 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

***

Romans 8:28-31   And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

***

II Timothy 3

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

***

I Thessalonians 5

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

***

* Israel is deceived by neighbors because Israel did not seek the counsel of God.

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Proverbs 3:6-7   In all thy ways acknowledge HIM, and HE shall direct thy paths.  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

***

Joshua 9:1-6    And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;  That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.

Joshua questioned them but finally accepted their story and made "league" with them.

league: mutual protection or cooperation

***

Joshua 9:14-16    And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.

And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

But Israel had sworn before God and could not deny these people.  So they agreed to allow them to live as their servants.

Joshua 9:21   And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

***

The New Testament church:

II Timothy 3:1-5   This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

It will get much worse as we draw nearer to the coming of Jesus.

They will try to deceive us, often by flattery.

We must pay close attention to the impressions given to us by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

***

On December 6, 2018, I fell at my house in Texas.  As the ambulance workers rolled me past the front door of my house, the Holy Spirit spoke the following thought to my mind:  "You'll never see this house again."

I had no doubt this was God speaking to me to show me things to come.

When we really believe something, our actions show that we believe what we've been told.

I put that house up for sale within that same month.

We had to change realtors twice before we settled on a realtor that we thought would display the house on internet in a manner which favored the house in the most reasonable way.

The house sold to a woman who was an architect.  At first it seemed perfect.  But God gave me a dream which warned me.  Then just before the contract deadline, I had a strong impression this woman was going to back out.  I didn't pray for her to take the house but I did pray for God to help me and the following scripture was brought to my mind.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to HIS purpose.

Approximately 3 days before the deadline, the woman backed out of the offer.

When I was told this, I was not disappointed at all.  I was actually a little relieved for I felt we sold her the house too far below the reasonable cost.

One thing also that I had prayed when we put the house on the market is that the person who bought the house would be able to afford the property without the cost being any burden at all on the buyer.

People often bite off more than they can chew ... just because someone will lend them the money.

I did not want to be a part of this in any form.

I live in the house of Pam Padgett from our little church group.  I have almost no expenses and have no financial pressure.  So I am in the very enviable position of being able to wait for that house to sell and not having to hurry into anything.

But I really believe God prepared me by the Holy Spirit showing me that which was to come before it came!

*** 

Matthew 24:1-5   And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And as HE (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto HIM privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of THY coming, and of the end of the world?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

They will come saying, "Jesus is Lord", and because they say "Jesus is Lord", they will be able to deceive many.

False ministers and false teachers do this today and so do counterfeit Christians.

And we can be very hurt by them when the truth finally is revealed to us.

***

The Holy Spirit who is in us reveals the truth to us.  Pay attention.  Do not explain away the truth.

Of the people who come across my path saying they are Christians, rarely do I find anyone who is  really following God and who loves the scriptures.

Usually they are revealed quickly for what they are by the Holy Spirit who calls to my attention what they actually said to me and what they have done.

The Holy Spirit keeps me on point on the truth for the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Truth and reveals truth to the children of God.

Do not explain away the truth by fleshly reasonings.

***

When a person comes across my path saying he is a Christian, I am hopeful.  But it usually does not take long before I see he has joined a church but the Holy Spirit is not there in him.

Nevertheless I am always hopeful until I am shown otherwise.

Usually when I speak that given me by the Holy Spirit, that other person who says he is Christian, goes dead and blankly stares at me.  I can see there is no understanding from God in him.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Usually those people just want to talk about their church.

One thing I rarely, if ever, do is to ask them which church they attend.

I know there is only one church, and that church are those people who have the Spirit of God in them and follow the Spirit of God in this life.

It doesn't take long to see that.

***

There was one woman who came among us in 1980.  She remained with us for almost 40 years.  But she began to turn dark, and showed a lack of interest for truth.  And at the end she showed a lack of excitement over scriptures and came more alive when I spoke to her of television or movies.

At one time she and Pam Padgett and myself wrote on our blog.  God gave me a dream showing me 3 perfectly matched stones in a necklace.  But then one of those stones turned black.

This woman struck out at me in the 39th year with an attack which could have stopped me in the ministry, had I not strongly turned to God for HIM to judge me.

When I did that, the same night, God gave me a dream.  In the dream, I opened the front door of my house to find someone had put bags of their own garbage at my front door.  And also that person put garbage all the way across the front of my house.  I would have to get someone to clean up this garbage.  

A person can start out with the real Spirit of God and later have God turn him over to a reprobate mind because he failed to keep God in his thinking and he turned aside to other things.

Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind ...

Toward the end, I found this woman would go stone cold dead when I spoke to her of spiritual things but the minute I began speaking of some movie or TV show, she would come alive.

She once told me when she read the blog and especially when she read scripture, she often found herself wanting to finish and to get to something more interesting.

Sometimes when I am reading Bible I will catch myself thinking of other things and I will deliberately stop reading and confess this to God and will ask God to help me and I will back up and reread that which I had been reading while thinking of other things.

***

There was a man who was Bible teacher at the church I was attending.  One day, I was at a coffee shop and the owner found out I was acquainted with this man and she began telling me what a bad influence he was on her boyfriend.  Then this woman mentioned this man's girlfriend.  None of us at the church even knew he had a girlfriend.  He chose to live a very secretive life outside the church.  Sometimes he would call me and I would hear something in the background that sounded like pen ball machines.  It turned out he was at a bar.

When I learned this, I told him before he went to the bar, to sit down and write a teaching from Bible and send it to me.

He did this for a few days and then he quit.  He said when he did the writings, he began to lose interest in going to the bar.

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.

When I asked this man about this "girlfriend", he was pretty evasive.

So I said to him, "Are you having sex with this woman?"

He replied, "Of course."

I said to him:  "You know the Bible as well as I do.  I can have no more to do with you."

He agreed ... but he didn't care.

The apostle Paul tells us what to do with a "brother" who commits fornication, idolatry, drunkenness, extortion, and such while he is in the church.

I Corinthians 5:11; 13 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat ... Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

I never saw him again after that.  But I did speak with him by phone several years later.  At that time he revealed to me that fornication was no longer a problem for him because of his physical condition.

Hopefully the following happened:

I Corinthians 5:4-5   In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I believe we deliver church sinners to Satan when we no longer keep company with that church member.

How can they be saved otherwise?  For when they commit a sin, after they have the knowledge of the truth through Christ Jesus that it is a sin, there is no more sacrifice for their repeated sin.  For they would have to crucify Jesus afresh to pay for that sin.

Hebrews 10:26-31   For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

For we know HIM that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto ME, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge HIS people.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.


Hebrews 6:4-6    For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,  If they shall fall away (returning to those previous sins), to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put HIM to an open shame.

Destruction of their flesh might be the only way their spirit can be saved when they return to those previous sins.

***

There are men who are homosexual who do not know it is a sin.  After they understand this is a sin, and not just a sexual preference, they stop doing homosexual acts.  But to return to homosexual acts after the knowledge of the sin of homosexuality, there is no more payment for that sin for they would have to crucify Jesus again to pay for that repeated sin.

And so it is with adultery, fornication, drunkenness and other stated sins in New Testament.

Once we see it as sin, rather than as simple mistake, then we repent and are cleansed through the blood of Jesus.  But if we return to that same sin after we have the knowledge of the truth of Christ, there is no more sacrifice for that sin.

II Peter 2:20-22    For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

***

How then could such be saved?

It might be their only way to be saved at that point is for us, the church, to put them away from us as Paul said to do in I Corinthians 5:5 ...  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

*****

Hymn: Hallelujah! Sing to Jesus

(Click forward arrow > to play music:)


1.  Hallelujah! sing to Jesus,
His the scepter, His the throne;
Hallelujah! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.

Hark, the songs of His redeemed ones
Thunder like a mighty flood:
Jesus out of every nation
Hath redeemed us by His blood.

2.  Hallelujah! not as orphans
Are we left in sorrow now;
Hallelujah! He is in us,
Faith believes, nor questions how.

Though the clouds from sight received Him
When the forty days were o’er,
Shall our hearts forget His promise,
“I am with you evermore“?

3.  Hallelujah! Bread of heaven (The Word),
Thou on earth our food, our stay;
Hallelujah! here the hungry
Come to Thee from day to day.

Advocate and Intercessor,
My Redeemer pleads for me,
On the throne of the Almighty
Now and to eternity.

4.  Hallelujah! sing to Jesus,
His the scepter, His the throne;
Hallelujah! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.

Hark, the songs of His redeemed ones
Thunder like a mighty flood:
Jesus out of every nation,
Hath redeemed us by His blood.


(Click pause symbol,  "  ... at beginning of hymn, to stop music)

***** 

Scripture pertaining to this hymn:

John 1:1-4   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by HIM (The Word / Jesus); and without HIM was not any thing made that was made.

In HIM (The Word / Jesus) was life; and the life was the light of men.

(God created the heavens and earth and all things through THE WORD ... And THE WORD rules ... yet the WORD is subject to God the Father.)

***

Concerning the blood of Jesus ... God gave me a very strong revelation as follows:  

Hebrews 9:12   ... by HIS own blood HE entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us ... v. 22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

I have shed none of my own blood to pay for my sins.  Jesus did shed HIS own blood to pay for my sins.  My sins can never be paid for by my works, by trying to make up for what I did wrong.  Only through entering into belief in Jesus' blood can I be saved from my sins.

***

We are heirs with Christ through Jesus' blood.

Romans 8:11-17    But if the Spirit of HIM that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, HE that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by HIS Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. 

***

John 6:35   (Jesus said)    I am the bread of life: he that cometh to ME shall never hunger; and he that believeth on ME shall never thirst.

Jesus, THE WORD, is the bread we, who are children of God, eat and drink.

The Lord's supper is THE WORD which we live by.  We eat and drink THE WORD continually as we live on this earth.

THE WORD (Jesus) is flesh and blood to us.

John 6:48-51    Jesus says:   I am that bread of life. 

(Jesus, THE WORD, is our bread.)

Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is MY flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

(THE WORD comes down from heaven to us today and comes into our minds by His Spirit speaking ...  THE WORD is living bread, for that word delivered to us today comes from God, The Father, through HIS Spirit who lives in us ... HE speaks to us through Jesus' Spirit, the Holy Spirit, and shows us the way to go as we live on this earth today ... God does this by bringing HIS thoughts to our minds by HIS Spirit.  John 14:26 & John 16:13)

***

John 6:53-58   Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.

(Life is in The Word of God ... and the way we eat and drink that WORD given us by God.)

Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.

He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I (dwell) in him.

As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.

This (The Word) is that bread which came down from heaven: 

***

Romans 8:34  ... It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

***

Philippians 4:13    I can do all things through Christ (the Word) which strengtheneth me.

*****