Podcast: For I know WHOM I have believed

 

God is our teacher.  By HIS Spirit we are taught all things of God.

II Timothy 1:12-14   For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that HE is able to keep that which I have committed unto HIM against that day.

13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

It is God who chose us to salvation to be the elect of God.  It is God who changed us into a new creature after we were born again and God who gave us His Holy Spirit to live in us and created us in HIS own image.  God causes us to live in peace, love, joy, and in all the fruits of that Holy Spirit of God.

Gal. 5:22-23   The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

As we follow the Holy Spirit of God, these fruits of the Spirit manifest themselves in us and we end up fulfilling the law of God as we walk on this earth.

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Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as HE hath chosen us in HIM before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before HIM in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of HIS will,

6 To the praise of the glory of HIS grace, wherein HE hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In WHOM we have redemption through HIS blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of HIS grace;

8 Wherein HE hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of HIS will, according to HIS good pleasure which HE hath purposed in Himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times HE might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in HIM:

11 In WHOM also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of HIM who worketh all things after the counsel of HIS own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of HIS glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In WHOM ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in WHOM also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of HIS glory.

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Acts 1:8  Jesus says:  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto ME ...

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God is our teacher, revealing spiritual things to us by HIS Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

I John 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of HIM abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in HIM.

28 And now, little children, abide in HIM; that, when HE shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before HIM at HIS coming.

29 If ye know that HE is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of HIM.

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II Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

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I Corinthians 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

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?

***

The Holy Spirit searches the heart of God to reveal the will of God to us.

I Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

***

Jesus says:

John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

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 (from God), that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.

The Holy Spirit brings ideas, concepts, scriptures to our minds to show us the will of God in the specific issues of this present life with which we are dealing.

And we follow HIM.

And when we follow Him, doing as God shows us through HIS Spirit, we shall never perish for when we follow HIM we are HIS sheep.

Jesus says:

John 10:27  My sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of MY hand.

29 My Father, which gave them ME, is greater than all; and no (none) is able to pluck them out of MY Father's hand.

30  I and MY Father are one.

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* The apostle Paul shows us a mystery.

 

I Corinthians 15:51-52   Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed,  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

***

Comments by Joan Boney:

When Jesus returns, some of the elect of God will still be alive on this present earth.

First, Jesus raises the dead in Christ.

Then those who are still alive on this earth will be changed instantly out of these current fleshly type bodies and will be given new spiritual bodies.  It will happen very fast, in the blink of an eye.

Blink. That is how fast it will happen.

Matthew 24:31  And HE shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

In their new spiritual bodies, the elect of God will then be raised off this earth and will meet Jesus and the resurrected dead in Christ in the air and will be taken to the new heavens and the new earth, the new Jerusalem, which is prepared for them by God.

Here are the scriptures telling us about this:

I Thessalonians 4:13-17

13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede/go before) them which are asleep (dead).

16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain (on this earth) shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

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We will then be taken by Jesus to the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, that "new" Jerusalem which is prepared by God for us.

Revelation 21:1-5

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.

***

Then God will destroy with fire this present heaven and earth after we have been taken into heaven to that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

II Peter 3:10-14

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.

  ***

So if we are born again and endure to the end, following the Holy Spirit as HE shows us something to do, we should be fine.

Jesus does warn us of the following:

Matthew 24  Jesus says:

12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

I believe we have to work daily, keeping our mind renewed and reinforced by scripture and by godly exhortations, such as the blog and Podcasts.

I have currently recorded over 400 Podcasts to exhort us in things of God.

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Hebrews 10:24-26   And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; 

(This does not mean to attend one of the apostate churches, but rather it is the assembling "of ourselves together" ... and to me this would mean to gather with one or two persons who really have the Spirit of God and follow the Spirit of God ... and immerse yourselves in spiritual writings and Podcasts daily for things going on in this world and in the apostate church world will be very bad, worse and worse as time goes on.)

but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

I believe we must work at our salvation, keeping ourselves, in ways that remind us of the ways of God upon this earth.

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Hymn: HE leadeth me!

(Click forward arrow > to play music:) 


1. He leadeth me! O blessed thought, 
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught;
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
Still ’tis Christ’s WORD that leadeth me.

Chorus:

He leadeth me! He leadeth me!

By His own WORD He leadeth me;

His faithful follower I would be,
For by His WORD He leadeth me. 

2.  Sometimes ’mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, o’er troubled sea,
Still ’tis His WORD that leadeth me. 

3.  Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine (by reaching out and grabbing HIS Word and doing it),

Nor ever murmur or repine; *
 
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since it is Thou that leadest me. 

4.  And when my task on earth is done,
When, by Thy grace, the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,  
Since Thou in triumph leadest me.

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

*** 

Defnitions:
 
Consider these definitions for the words "murmur" and "repine" in verse 3.

Nor ever murmur or repine;

murmur:  complain about 

repine:  to look back with intense longing for what one once had ...
             to be fretfully discontented ...
             to mope, to languish, to feel upset about, to be despondent over ... to brood, lament, grieve, mourn, sorrow

***** 

Scriptures pertaining to this hymn:

Romans 8:11    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. 

God, by HIS Spirit, brings thoughts to our minds to comfort us, to show us what to do, to stabilize us in times of trial.  Sometimes God will give us a dream to help us.  And God uses angels from time to time to deliver messages to us.  

John 14:26    But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

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.

***

I Corinthians 2:1-5   And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

***

John 5:30   Jesus said:   I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear (from God), 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 Corinthians 2:10-13    But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Which things also we speak

***

Romans 8:14   For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

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Podcast: When churches change the doctrine of Christ in the Bible to their own preferences

 

 

2 Timothy 4:2-4  The apostle Paul says:  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

A few years ago, on a national TV newscast, they showed the man who was Catholic pope at that time, and they were asking him about homosexuals, and he said, "I don't see anything wrong about being homosexual."

I screamed out!  "What about the Bible?"

Romans 1:26-28   For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Another example:  A church woman, who was divorced and wanted to remarry, went to a pastor to ask him if she, as a divorced woman, could remarry.  The pastor said:  "I don't see anything wrong with a divorced woman remarrying.  My sister is divorced and she remarried."

 

What about the Bible?  What does the Bible say about this?

I Corinthians 7:10-11  And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:  But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

39  The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Romans 7:2-3   For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

When you want to know what God thinks about something, go to the New Testament Bible and look up that subject.

*****

Mark 7

1 Then came together unto HIM (to Jesus) the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

2 And when they saw some of HIS disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked HIM, Why walk not Thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth ME with their lips, but their heart is far from ME.

7 Howbeit in vain do they worship ME, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

9 And HE said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

***

In many churches today, they have set aside the doctrines of Christ of the New Testament Bible and have set up another doctrine to please men of this generation.

When they do this, falling away from scripture, they open the door for antichrist to move into the church.

II Thessalonians 2:3-4  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

In 1982, God said to me:  "The falling away is not man leaving the churches.  The falling away are the churches leaving the scriptures."

When churches do this they bring damnation upon themselves.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of HIS mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of HIS coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

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* Seek ye first the kingdom of God and HIS righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

Comments by Joan Boney:

One of the things I enjoy most in this life is my sound system.  I love the sound effects of hearing a door open on the right of the TV.  Or hearing the clang of the old time elevator doors when they are closed.  I seem to hear all the sound effects in movies.  I like for the sound on musical instruments to duplicate the clarity of the real instrument.

Along the way, some very good quality of sound equipment came into my life.  God just enabled me to meet people who could help me develop a system.

Some things, did not fit into the purpose of God for my life.

I very much wanted to marry.  But to marry would not fit in with that which God planned for me to do on this earth.  Eventually I saw "that" and agreed with God.

Recently I saw an old 1948 movie, "The egg and I".  I thought it was a terrible movie but I was also helped immensely by seeing that movie.  I saw how terrible I would have been if I had actually married Buddy.  He is a farm and ranch person. Also he and his ancestors were members of Church of Christ. I don't believe I could have fulfilled the call of God that was later revealed to me if I had been in that setting.

God is a shield for us.  Sometimes God keeps us from getting that which we want and like a little child we have temper tantrums because God, The Father, did not let us have that. Later we rejoice that we didn't get what we wanted.  And we thank God for keeping us from getting that.

But when it is good for us to have that thing, God will see that it comes to us.

We just continue in HIS Word.

It is not that we are trying to get things by doing God's commandments.  We do God's word because we have a respect for God and know HIS way is right and best for us.

(More on this subject is presented on today's Podcast at top of blog.)

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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.

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Podcast: Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved

 

 

 

When a problem comes, those persons who ask God what to do will overcome on this earth.

Those people who try to ignore the problem, or who run to other people, telling others their problems, will not overcome on this earth.

When we have a problem or a concern, what are we as Christians supposed to do?

Philippians 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (The Word).

Acts 2:19-21   God says:

19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

***

When these things happen, some will run into their house to be safe.  Others will run to friends.  Some will try to forget that which is happening by watching TV or reading a book.

Those who stop and fall down before God, doing nothing but depending totally on God, will be saved.

It is the same with the problems we encounter daily.

We can try to forget that problem by soaking ourselves in TV.  But those who cease all their efforts and fall down before God in prayer, committing their fears and concerns to God, and waiting on God, will be saved from the problem.

A woman told me of the following dream:  She and her husband were going out to buy a TV.  She was at the car waiting for him when all of a sudden the sun turned totally dark!  She started to run back into their house.  But then she realized that wouldn't do any good. She just fell down on her knees.

In the mid-80's, I had the following dream: The earth slipped on it's axis.  People were terrified.  The government was meeting with scientists and religious leaders to see what could be done.  (Nothing can be done by men for this was of God.)  A TV newscaster was trying to give a report about the event but he was so frightened that he just stopped talking and walked out of the studio in the middle of the broadcast.

Isaiah 13:13  God says:  Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.

*****

Recently thoughts began coming to me telling me I would not be saved.  

But I remembered two scriptures to the contrary.   

Mark 10

28 Then Peter began to say unto HIM, Lo, we have left all, and have followed Thee.

29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for MY sake, and the gospel's,

30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

John 10  Jesus said:

27 MY sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of MY hand.

29 MY Father, which gave them ME, is greater than all; and no (none) is able to pluck them out of MY Father's hand.

I said to Jesus:  "You told me I would inherit eternal life."  Mk. 10  That is what will happen.  And You told me "I would never perish."  Jn. 10  That is what will happen.

And as I was asking God to help me, I heard:  "You're being attacked by a devil."

I did not talk to devil.  I did not even address that devil.  I just kept talking to Jesus and stating what HE had told me in Mark 10 and John 10 and kept asking God to help me.

And I believed those words of Jesus.

***

Those persons who run to other people with their problems or try to forget their problems through TV and such, will not overcome.

Those who turn to God for help and cling to HIS Word and to HIM will be helped and saved and will overcome on this earth.

 

💦💦💦💦💦

* Born again: What it means? How to tell if you are born again.

 

Comments by Joan Boney:

Being born again means, we are changed by God. 

A young man told me he walked out on his back porch and "something happened."

A woman, who was a long time drunk, said one day "something happened" and she had a great desire to read the Bible after that happened.  She told her husband she was going to quit drinking.  He didn't believe her because he'd heard her say that before.  But this time the power of God was in her to enable her to do those things she could not do before.

In my case, the Holy Spirit spoke these words to me:  "Joan ... you know those mistakes you've been making all these years?  Those weren't mistakes. Those were sins." 

After I heard the word of God, by the Spirit of God, I believed and was instantly changed by God.

I read a portion of Bible (Deut. 18:9-12) to my mother one day and she thought about that which I read to her and she said, "Well ... I guess we'd better not do that anymore."  And instantly she was changed by God.

My uncle wrote to me and said:  "Your mother is changed.  She is really changed."

My dad was born again instantly by God when he was in his 70's.  All of a sudden he wanted to go to church.

Jesus said to Peter:  Mt. 16:17 Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but MY Father which is in heaven. 

After we hear the word of God, by the Spirit of God, we believe and are changed by God.

It is not that we learn things and change.  We are instantly changed by God and are given the Holy Spirit to live in us.

II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

No man can do this for himself.  He can go forward at church and be baptized and do what they tell him to do to be a member of their church group, but he cannot change as those who are born of the Spirit of God change.  Being born again is an act of God, not an act of the will of man.

Countless numbers are members of a church group, but few are born of the Spirit of God and changed instantly into completely new creatures by God HIMSELF.

Being born again is instant change caused by God and not by mental learning of man. And it is having the Spirit of God living inside of you now to lead you and guide you.

These statements will make no sense to the vast number of church goers who have not been born again by the Spirit of God.

They think we learn everything by acts of our own will, by reading the Bible.

But we cannot understand things of God by reading the Bible until we have been born again by God.

I Corinthians 2:14   But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Jesus said:  Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  John 3:3

Paul says they are:  "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."  (II Timothy 3:7)

But we cannot understand things of God by reading the Bible until we have been born again by God and have the Spirit of God in us to guide us and teach us.  It is HIS Spirit causing us to change and to be recreated in the image of God.  

The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23)

We cannot obtain these "gifts" by copying others who have these gifts.  These gifts of the Holy Spirit are given by God and are not a learned thing but rather a part of the new creation which God causes us to be when HE lives in us.

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?

When we were born as babies from our natural parents, we did nothing to cause ourselves to be born.  Neither can we cause ourselves to be born again.  We are children of God by the will of God and born of HIS Spirit and recreated by God in HIS image. 

As Jesus was born of the Holy Ghost, we also are now born of the Holy Ghost when we are born again.  And as Jesus could hear from God the Father, now we also can hear from God the Father by HIS Spirit who now lives in us. 

As we inherit traits from our natural parents, now we inherit HIS characteristics by being born of HIS Spirit.

We are changed by God and we are no longer like that person we once were.

Have you experienced that instant change from God?  If you have, you know it.  And others see that change in you also.

That is what being born again is.  We now have living in us God's Spirit.

(If you have not been changed this way by God, I suggest you fall down before God and plead with Him to have mercy on you.)

I Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

It is not that we try to be godly.  We are godly, for God lives in us now, for we are born of God our Father and have HIS Spirit in us.

*****

 

Comments by Pam Padgett 

 

My great-aunt, Aunt Eunice, had gone to the Baptist church, I think all of her life.  As a adult she was very active in the Baptist church, even cleaning the church each week.  I'm sure everyone in our family had no doubt that Aunt Eunice was a Christian.

When she was in her 80's, there was a large family reunion.  At one point during the gathering, Aunt Eunice got up and announced with great joy and excitement that she was now born again!  She said she had always thought she was born again, but she now knew that she hadn't been born again until recently.  

I was sitting next to Aunt Eunice's oldest daughter.  She leaned over to me and said "I don't know why Mother is saying this.  She just recently started talking like this.  But she has always been a Christian.  Everyone knows how she has worked at the church and done whatever needed to be done for years."  

(If you've always been a Christian, you probably aren't a Christian.)

This daughter obviously didn't understand being born again, but it caused me to rejoice to hear what Aunt Eunice said.  

***

Comments by Joan Boney:

My aunt was Church of Christ member all her adult age.  She was different from all the other relatives.  We got along great.  They were afraid of her but I was never afraid of Aunt Ardath.  They would say, "What would Ardath say?"  She was their gold standard concerning what was right and wrong.  But she wasn't that way with me.

After I was born again, I was at her house and the Holy Spirit said to me, "Tell her about being taken into heaven."  I didn't want to do that!  She was Church of Christ!  You don't tell supernatural religious things to Church of Christ.  

But I knew it was the Holy Spirit telling me to do this so I yielded myself to that which the Holy Spirit said for me to do.

I began telling my aunt this story:  After I was born again, I was transported into heaven in the night while I was sleeping.  I was with God and Christ and the Holy Spirit.  (I saw no physical images.  It was in the spirit.)  At that time I was merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.

As I told her this story, I noticed that a type of dreamy look came upon her face.

After I finished speaking, she said to me:  "Something like that happened to me once and it was all golden."

Then I knew why we always got along so well.

She once said to me, "I always knew you would never do anything wrong."

I did everything wrong!  But she must have seen me by faith.  For after I was born again I was completely changed instantly.

*****

When we are born again, we know we didn't do anything to cause us to be born again or to justify our being born again, it was all by the will of God.

I think this causes us to be more merciful toward those who are not born again.

Romans 9:  

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of HIM that calleth;)

12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15 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.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew MY power in thee, and that MY name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath HE mercy on whom HE will have mercy, and whom HE will HE hardeneth.

*****

Hymn: Great is THY faithfulness

(Click forward arrow > to play music:)


1.  Great is Thy faithfulness,
O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning 
  with Thee;

Thou changest not, 

Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been 
  Thou forever wilt be.

Chorus:

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy WORD hath provided— 

Great is Thy faithfulness, 
Lord, unto me! 


2.  Summer and winter, 
and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

3.  Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!


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

***** 

Scriptures pertaining to this hymn:

James 1:17    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.


***

Genesis 8:22  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

God set all things in the solar system and they are faithful to continue in the commandment of God.  We see the faithfulness of God's word day by day as the seasons continue and as the sun is visible day by day.

As God is faithful in this word, we can have faith God will perform every word HE has given us.

 *****

Podcast: Jesus says: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me

 

 

After we are born again, the Holy Spirit will remind us of things of God, and as we speak those things we are witnesses to Jesus.

Many times, throughout the years of our lives, the Holy Spirit reminds us of things and that is when the power of God is there.

Jesus says:

Acts 1:8   But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto ME.

Years ago, I was at a copy store.  An elderly man came up to me and said, "Little lady.  You didn't happen to park behind that green and gold car did you?"  

"No sir," I replied.

Then he said, "That's a Baylor car."  (Green & gold are the colors of Baylor University, a Baptist college in Texas.)

"OK."  I replied.

Then he said, "You don't happen to be a Christian do you?"

I excitedly replied, "OH YES, I am!"

He said, "Oh, heck.  I just joined the witnessing class at First Baptist Church and you are the first person I have chosen to witness to."

The power to be a witness is very different from trying to witness.

This will be discussed on this Podcast.

*****

Examples of the Holy Spirit coming upon me through the past years:

* The Holy Spirit says to me, "Be baptized."

* Court trial:  Holy Spirit says to me, "Don't testify."

* I saw man I was dating walking up sidewalk toward my business.  I heard this from the Holy Spirit:  "You can have all the money you want, but you're not going to have this."  I thought Holy Spirit was showing me I would not marry Bob.  But Holy Spirit was showing me I would not marry.

* Decision to go to court without human legal counsel because of Isaiah 54:17.  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of ME, saith the LORD.

* Angel of God speaks 3 words to me, "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS", and I say to God, "Are YOU telling me to go on radio?  I wouldn't know how to do that."  Holy Spirit says, "Call the radio station manager."

*  When I am searching for a quarter & nickel in my coin purse, the Holy Spirit says to me, "Three dimes will work."

* Methodist woman speaking about people who were judging.  Holy Spirit said, "If you're judging that people are judging, aren't you judging?"

* When radio station manager in Seattle said they might have to put me off the air if I continued to speak judgment messages.  God said through me to him, "If I don't speak the message that I believe to be from God, then I don't have a message, and I may as well be off the air."

* Deuteronomy 18:9-12 spoken to my mother. My mother said, "Well ... I guess we'd better not do that anymore."  When she agreed with those scriptures, she was born again.

* Seeing a truck loaded with firewood.  Holy Spirit says:  "You can have that."

* When woman at grocery store check-out line was rebuking cashier for working on a Sunday, Holy Spirit said through me: "If you want to live by the letter of the Old Testament law, then what are you doing shopping on a Sunday?  By law, you must rest all day in your tent."

* While trying to tune a defective TV by using my remote control, Holy Spirit says:  "You don't have to put up with that."

* After fall at my house, trying to crawl to phone with broken hip and wrist.  Holy Spirit says:  "You can do this." 

* Ambulance workers rolling me past my front door after accident.  Holy Spirit says:  "You'll never see this house again."

*  House in Texas on sale in the midst of Coronavirus pandemic.  Holy Spirit says:  "Put the house on a special sale for one week with price lowered."  (House sold in 2 days.)

* As I considered putting new upholstery on my 25-year-old car, the Holy Spirit says to me, "Or you could just buy a new car."

(The above examples happened from 1975 through 2020.)

We receive power after the Holy Spirit speaks to us by bringing a thought from God to our mind and when we speak that word or do that instruction, we are witnesses to God and Jesus.

💦💦💦💦💦

* Are you born again? How to tell.

 

Comments by Pam Padgett 

 My great-aunt, Aunt Eunice, had gone to the Baptist church, I think all of her life.  As an adult she was very active in the Baptist church, even cleaning the church each week.  I'm sure everyone in our family had no doubt that Aunt Eunice was a Christian.

When she was in her 80's, there was a large family reunion.  At one point during the gathering, Aunt Eunice got up and announced with great joy and excitement that she was now born again!  She said she had always thought she was born again, but she now knew that she hadn't been born again until recently.  

I was sitting next to Aunt Eunice's oldest daughter.  She leaned over to me and said "I don't know why Mother is saying this.  She just recently started talking like this.  But she has always been a Christian.  Everyone knows how she has worked at the church and done whatever needed to be done for years."  

This daughter obviously didn't understand being born again, but it caused me to rejoice to hear what Aunt Eunice said.  

***

Comments by Joan Boney:

My aunt was Church of Christ all her adult age.  She was different from all the other relatives.  We got along great.  They were afraid of her but I was never afraid of Aunt Ardath.  They would say, "What would Ardath say?"  She was their gold standard concerning what was right and wrong.  But she wasn't that way with me.

After I was born again, I was at her house and the Holy Spirit said to me, "Tell her about being taken into heaven."  I didn't want to do that!  She was Church of Christ!  You don't tell supernatural religious things to Church of Christ.  

But I knew it was the Holy Spirit telling me to do this so I yielded myself to that which the Holy Spirit said for me to do.

I began telling my aunt this story:  After I was born again, I was transported into heaven in the night while I was sleeping.  I was with God and Christ and the Holy Spirit.  (I saw no physical images.  It was in the spirit.)  At that time I was merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.

As I told her this story, I noticed that a type of dreamy look came upon her face.

After I finished speaking, she said to me:  "Something like that happened to me once and it was all golden."

Then I knew why we always got along so well.

She once said to me, "I always knew you would never do anything wrong."

I did everything wrong!  But she must have seen me by faith.  For after I was born again I was completely changed instantly.

***

When we are born again, we know we didn't do anything to cause us to be born again or to justify our being born again, it was all by the will of God.

I think this causes us to be more merciful toward those who are not born again.

Romans 9:  

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall Thy seed be called.

8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of HIM that calleth;)

12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15 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.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew MY power in thee, and that MY name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath HE mercy on whom HE will have mercy, and whom HE will HE hardeneth.

(For additional information, please listen to today's Podcast at top of this blog.)

*****