Podcast: They served their idols which were a snare to them (Psalm 106:36)

 

 

 

There are many church goers who worship various idols today.  

Some church goers pray to dead people.  They think dead people watch over them and protect them.

Jesus tells us dead people are asleep.

Dead people cannot watch over anyone who is living nor do dead people answer prayers.

John 11:1  Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped HIS feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3 Therefore his sisters sent unto HIM, saying, Lord, behold, he whom THOU lovest is sick.

4 When Jesus heard that, HE said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6 When HE had heard therefore that he was sick, HE abode two days still in the same place where HE was.

11 Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12 Then said HIS disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that HE had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

***

God answers our prayers when we pray according to the will of God.

I Jn. 5:14-15   And this is the confidence that we have in HIM, that, if we ask any thing according to HIS will, HE heareth us:  And if we know that HE hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of HIM.

Many church goers worship their church buildings, and their preachers, and their stained glass windows, and their choirs ...  but they do not worship the word of God, the holy scriptures, the Bible.

2 Tim. 3:1; 5   This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come ... 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

The building is not the church.  We who are born of the Spirit of God are the church.

I Cor. 3  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

I Cor 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?

Some church goers make days of the week and other things into idols:   Christmas, Easter, lighting of candles, water which they call "holy", mother's day and such.

There are church goers who put objects in religion thinking these objects have certain powers:  rosaries, medallions by whom they pray to dead people, candles.

Check the New Testament Bible, for if the object of worship is not described in the NT Bible, then you are worshiping an idol.

Psalm 106:36   They served their idols which were a snare to them.

 

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Chapter 14: New Book: Attending church. Joan Boney: Going to church after I was born again: Believers Chapel, Beverly Hills Baptist, and Word of Faith

After I was born again in 1975, my best friend said, "Joanie ... you have to go to church."

I said:  "I do?"

So I did.

(1975 through 1982)

***

Believer's Chapel: (Approximately 150 members in 1975.)

The people were extremely proud of their church.  

Their pastors were professors at Dallas Theological Seminary.

When I began attending in late 1975, their main pastor was conducting a seminar on the subject:  "Tongues are of the devil."

I attended this.

I don't believe I had ever heard of a tongue before going to this church group.  

It surely scared me!  

I wanted nothing to do with those people who spoke in tongues or with their churches, although I didn't know anyone who spoke with tongues nor any churches that did this, at that time.

About 3 weeks later, I was reading the Bible and saw this verse.

The apostle Paul said:

I Cor. 14:39   Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

I had to choose between attending Believer's Chapel and the Bible.

Instantly I chose the Bible.

I never returned to that church group again.

***

Neighborhood prayer group:

I was attending a neighborhood prayer group at the same time I encountered the subject of speaking with tongues.

We met in the home of a woman who lived in our neighborhood, which was in Highland Park in the center of Dallas.  The women were very educated.  One woman was the wife of a doctor.  I, myself, owned a business and had an earned doctorate and had taught at SMU.  

Everything seemed very respectable.

One day 5 of us had gathered to pray for people.  One woman mentioned a person we should pray for, and briefly told the problem this woman was having.  We bowed our heads, and I began hearing a very soft murmuring sound, an undercurrent.  I had no idea at first what it was I was hearing.

Then I realized these women were praying in tongues!

I was terrified!  and I fled that house as soon as I could make an appropriate exit.

One of the women in the prayer group followed me out of the house where we had been meeting and she said, "Joan, now don't let this bother you."

"No, of course not."  I responded as I was fleeing.

I wanted no more to do with these tongues women ever!

***

At that same time, I began having what they called "Satanic Attacks", where I was bombarded with thoughts, seemingly from devils.

A woman who worked for me would call the women in that tongues prayer group when I was stricken, and they would pray for me and I would get better.

This went on for weeks.

The husband of my bookkeeper for my small business, was a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary.

My business was American Indian Arts.  

Someone put forth the idea that my problem was being caused by the Indian symbols on the art objects.  I was at the point of destroying all the art objects at my shop.  

Walt, my bookkeeper's husband, said the art objects could not be the problem. 

He said,  "Art objects have no power unless you are worshipping them and attributing special powers to them." 

(I knew I was not doing that.)

At one point, God reminded me of a scripture.

"How is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?"  (NIV)

I Peter 2:20  (KJV)   For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

I seriously looked into this scripture and I realized my problem was the following:  I wanted to marry and I wasn't getting what I wanted.  

Then I realized while everyone at church and in that prayer group and my best friend had been praying for God to send me to an husband, perhaps it was not the will of God for me to marry.

I John 5:14-15   And this is the confidence that we have in HIM, that, if we ask any thing according to HIS will, HE heareth us:  And if we know that HE hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of HIM .

***

Shortly after I was born again I was taken into heaven in the night.  I was with God and with Christ and with the Holy Spirit.  (No physical images just in the spirit.)  At that time I was merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.

And then a few nights later, that exact same thing happened a second time.

I was also given significant spiritual gifts at that same time and people in churches would see me operating in these spiritual gifts and they kept saying, "We know the HAND of God is upon you."

It might not be the will of God for me to marry.  There might be another work God had ordained for me to do.

And when I gave up my own will and began to focus on the will of God for me in my life, the "Satanic attacks" stopped.

I also studied every scripture in the New Testament pertaining to the subject of speaking in tongues and proved to my own satisfaction that tongues were a legitimate part of the church in our time.

Then I accepted the women again in that prayer group.

***

Beverly Hills Baptist:  (3,000 member church in Dallas, Texas.)

A woman in the prayer group, who many of us considered to be most spiritual, was named Barbara Christian.  I began attending Beverly Hills Baptist Church with Barbara and her husband.

An "iconic" man was pastor at this 3000 member church.

At one point, I made an appointment and went to talk with him concerning following God and shared with him the subject of hearing from God by HIS Spirit and following God by HIS Spirit.

This pastor said, "A person would have to be a spiritual giant to do that!"

I was surprised for I saw this as a normal part of being a Christian.

(God had taught me these things.)

John 14:26  Jesus said:  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.

I had been living by these truths for several months and I even ran my business operations by these truths and I never saw them fail!

Shortly after my meeting with this pastor, Barbara decided to change churches and I followed her and her husband to a church called, Word of Faith.

(The iconic pastor at that Baptist church died, and a nurse by his bedside said he began speaking the fowlest language she had ever heard a human speak just before he died.  I suspect devils were leaving his body.)

***

Word of Faith:  (200 members meeting in an old warehouse when I began attending in 1977.  8,000 seat auditorium when I left in 1982.   By 2002 the pastor, Robert Tilton and wife divorced; pastor was involved in fund raising scandals, multiple divorces and marriages; lawsuits with church members; church building was torn down and that church vanished. Tilton tried to start another church in Florida and married third wife, and finally ended up with an hotel in Culver City, California. )

People love their pastors and I loved Robert Tilton, but in his own pursuit of greatness, everything around him crumbled.

From 1977 through most of 1982, I attended Word of Faith church, Robert Tilton, pastor, outside of Dallas, Texas, in Farmers Branch, Texas.

God gave me the following dream in 1979:  

"The poison gas dream"

In this dream, destruction was everywhere.

I went into a room where a man was speaking to a group of people.  

A second man rushed into the room and said, "Stop ... wait ... it's too late ... can't you see ... it's already begun."

Then this man disappeared and the first man resumed speaking to the group of people.

No one seemed at all interested in what it was that had already begun, but I was interested.

I looked out the window and saw a tall pole with a yellow civil defense type speaker on top of the pole.  Out of the speaker I saw a vapor like gas floating through the air.  The gas was a poison and it was coming directly toward the room where I was sitting.  I knew it was a poison and it would kill us.

The shocking thing to me was the speaker which had been set there to warn us was being used as the instrument which distributed the poison and would kill us!

I looked at the man who was sitting next to me.  He had a very big smile on his face and he was staring attentively at the man who was speaking.

Then I saw it.  This man who was seated next to me was dead!  He was a corpse.

I looked at the other people who were in the room and I saw they, too, were all dead!

And as I sat among them I knew the poison that was coming from the man who was speaking was killing me also.

The dream ended.

I was very disturbed over this dream for many weeks but I didn't know what the dream meant.

In 1982, I was sitting at a Wednesday night meeting at Word of Faith and our pastor, Robert Tilton, was speaking to the congregation.

I looked at the man who was sitting next to me and saw he was the man in the poison gas dream!  

I looked about the congregation and they looked like the dead people in that dream!  

I got up immediately and went into the ladies room and began praying.

I said to God, 

"I believe YOU are showing me to leave this church group.  So I am going to get into my car and drive away.  But if YOU want me to return to this church group, I will."

God did not want me to return.  

Instead God began showing me things about the message at Word of Faith, especially about the message of "The Authority of the Believer,"  with the following teaching:

All good is from God and all bad is from the devil.  As believers we have authority over devils.  So when something "bad" begins to happen we can command the devil to stop and he will not be able to touch us or our families or our property.

Hail was said to be "bad" for it could destroy our property.

But I found a scripture which said hail is from God!

Psalm 148:8    Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling HIS word:

And I saw the following scripture:

Matthew 27:54   Now when the centurion, and they that were with HIM, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

This earthquake was not bad but good ... and it was from God and not from the devil.

And I realized man does not necessarily know what is good and what is bad.  God knows that.

I was reminded of Eve who wanted to be wise of her own self, "knowing good from evil." 

Genesis 3:4-5   And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

And I remembered this same thing of being "as gods" was the goal of antichrist.

2 Thessalonians 2:4   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.

And I knew that was the goal at Word of Faith.

We were not seeking the will of God.  We were being taught to be "as God", knowing good and evil of our own selves and controlling all things by finding a scripture to support what we wanted and claiming that scripture.

When it didn't work, we were told we had weak faith.

I also realized this:  When God called a scripture to my attention and I believed that scripture it was of God.  

But when we hunted for a scripture to get what we wanted it was of our own selves and our desires.

And I understood the evils of the doctrines being taught in the Faith Movement and I saw how these doctrines were doctrines of the antichrist.

And I spoke this on radio from coast to coast and wrote about this perversion in the faith movement.

And I knew the truth of this scripture.  Jesus said: Yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.  (John 16:2) 

For after I spoke this message those in church groups who had "loved" me now fought against me.

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* Glorifying God.

 

Jesus said:

John 16:13-14 

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.

14 HE shall glorify ME: for HE shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.

***

Comments by Joan Boney:

Every time we hear a word from the Holy Spirit and share that Word or do that Word, we glorify God and Jesus.

Also we lay down our own lives and reputations each time we share the Word which we have heard from the Holy Spirit or do that Word which God has given to us.

Examples:

Genesis 12:1-4  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;

***

Hebrews 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

***

We glorify God each time we hear a word from the Holy Spirit of God and do that Word and share what we have heard with others.

*  I was driving down the street and stopped at a signal light.  A pickup truck carrying a load of firewood stopped in the lane beside my car.  I glanced at the firewood and was thinking, "I wish I had a wood burning fireplace instead of gas logs."

Instantly I heard the following from the Holy Spirit:  "You can have that."

"That's right!" I exclaimed!  I could change my fireplace from gas to wood burning!

That same day I called the fireplace shop and set an appointment for them to come to my house and remove the gas logs and set the fireplace up to burn wood and I ordered the firewood to be delivered to my house.

A woman from the Bridge Center visited me at that time and saw what I had done and thought it was great.  I explained that it was God who showed me to do this and I told her how this had happened.  

Later I heard her telling some other women at the Bridge Center what "I" had done.  I told them it was not that I did this but that God told me by HIS Spirit that I could do this and so I did it.

No one seemed to want to hear that it was God who told me this.  But it was truth!  And it glorifies God and not myself when I tell this.

I Corinthians 2:12-13  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.

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Hymn: I'm pressing on the upward way

(Click forward arrow > to play music:)


1.  I’m pressing on the upward way, 
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Chorus:

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand

By faith on Heaven's tableland;

A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.


2.  My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground. 

3.  I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

4.   I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till rest I’ve found,
Lord, lead me on to higher ground.


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

*****

Scripture pertaining to this hymn:

v. 3.  I want to live above the world,

Matthew 7:24-27    Jesus says    whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

We live above the world by doing that Word given us by God by HIS Spirit.  We press on to higher ground each time we hear the Word of God and do the Word of God.  We build our house on the Word of God by doing the Word of God and when we live that way, our house will never fall!

And we are recreated in the image of Christ each time we do the Word of God.

***

v. 4   But still I’ll pray till rest I’ve found,
Lord, lead me on to higher ground. 

James 4:7   Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Pray:  Pour your heart out to God if anything concerns you.

Then use that scripture or concept to build yourself in the faith, thereby resisting the thoughts sent by the devil with that which God has brought to your attention by His Spirit.

Keep focused on that which God has given you in the matter at hand and every time a memory comes that would pull  you  down, make your mind return to thinking about that which God has given you in the issue. 

II Corinthians 10:3-5    For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

*****

Podcast: They soon forgot HIS works; they waited not for HIS counsel (Psalm 106:13)

 

 

 

 

Here are several mistakes made by the people in the Old Testament as they went through the wilderness.

I Cor. 10:6-11  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

(murmur means:  to complain, especially a continual complaining under your breathe)

11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Psalm 106

13 They soon forgat HIS works; they waited not for HIS counsel:

14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

15 And HE gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.

17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.

19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.

20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

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Chapter 13. New Book: Attending church. Pam Padgett: God says: "What are you doing here. I told you to get out. Now get out."

 

One Sunday morning in 1983, I was sitting in the Metrochurch auditorium waiting for the service to begin when the following was strongly brought to my mind ...  

 

"What are you doing here?  I told you to get out.  Now get out."  

 

I was so shocked to hear this that I sat in stunned silence during the service.  

 

Could this possibly have been from God?  I wondered.  

I began talking with God about this, asking HIM if this message was from HIM and, if so, when had HE previously told me to leave Metrochurch?  

During the following week I was reminded that Joan Boney had shared a dream she had been given, the "Poison Gas Dream",  and she warned people about churches which teach and uphold doctrines that are not according to the New Testament Bible.    

 

***

 

The Poison Gas Dream   (1979) 

(Comments by Joan Boney)

 

Destruction was everywhere.

In this dream, a meeting was going on. A man was speaking to a room filled with people. I went in and began to listen.

A second man rushed into the room and said: "Stop ... Wait ... Can't you see ... It's too late ... It's already begun."

The first man resumed speaking.

I looked out the window to see what had "already begun."

There was a tall pole with a yellow civil defense speaker at top of the pole. A gas was coming out of the speaker. I knew it was poisonous and would kill the people. It was coming directly toward us!

The shocking thing was the speaker that was set there for the purpose of warning us was being used as the instrument which dispersed the gas that was poison and would kill us!

I looked at the man seated next to me. He had a big grin on his face and was looking directly at the man who was speaking to the group. But then I saw this man was a corpse, though he looked alive. He was already dead!

I looked about the room at the other people and realized they were all dead.

As I sat back in my chair and listened to the man speaking I began to feel sleepy and I knew as I sat there among them this was killing me too.

Dream ends.

God was showing me the anarchy in the church groups, at the time of the dream, 1979. And it is much worse today.

 

***

 

When I had previously read "The Poison Gas Dream", I never considered that this could possibly apply to Metrochurch.  This must be a warning for other people, I thought.  

 

But I did not seriously ask God about this.

After hearing at church on Sunday, "What are you doing here?  I told you to get out.  Now get out.", however,  I strongly turned to God.  

 

I became convinced that the message to get out of Metrochurch was from God and that HE had previously told me to get out of that church group through Joan sharing the Poison Gas Dream and warning us about churches which do not follow all scripture.

 

Metrochurch was not upholding scriptures in the New Testament Bible in which we're told that a man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery and that a divorced woman who remarries commits adultery. 

 

Matthew 5:32 But I (Jesus) say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Matthew 19:9 And I (Jesus) say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

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. 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.

Mark 10:11-12 And HE (Jesus) saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

 

 

We're also told that if a woman departs from her husband she is to remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.   

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.

 

 

I had suffered persecution from those in the singles group at Metrochurch when I presented these scriptures to a divorced woman in the singles group who was planning to remarry, and to the man she was engaged to marry, and to the woman who was to be the maid of honor at their wedding.  

 

It was shocking to me that none of these people upheld scripture in this matter.  No one turned from moving forward with this wedding.  

 

But I failed to consider that this wedding was being performed at Metrochurch by one of the their pastors!

Weddings in which the bride was a divorced women were being approved and performed at that church, disregarding what God has told us in the New Testament Bible!   

Instead of honoring God and serving God by upholding what HE has told us in the New Testament, Metrochurch was upholding another doctrine which is contrary to the Bible.  Falling away from the doctrines of Christ.  This is antichrist!  

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4   Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (of the Lord) shall not come, except there come a falling away first (churches would falling away from scripture), 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.

 

***

It was hard for me to acknowledge the wrong-doing at Metrochurch for I didn't want to leave that church.  

(This now seems irrational considering how I had been treated by the singles group there.)

But God had mercy on me, presenting the very strong message to me "What are you doing here?  I told you to get out.  Now get out."

 

This caused me to finally submit myself and the matter to God, and to become willing to leave Metrochurch.

***

I did not go to any more church services at Metrochurch.  

 

However, there was one more thing I needed to do to leave completely.  

 

I had been helping children find their Sunday school classes for the previous few months and I felt I needed to let those in charge of this know I wouldn't be doing this any more. 

 

At one point an idea came to just call the church office and let them know I would no longer be doing this.   I now believe the Holy Spirit brought this idea, giving me a way to fulfill the instruction "Now get out", but I didn't recognize this at that time.  

 

Nor did I ask God how to handle this, as I should have done.  

 

Instead, I went to the Sunday school building the following Sunday and told the woman in charge that I would no longer be there.  Wrongly, I'm sure I was hoping to delay severing this last tie to Metrochurch as long as possible. 

 

I did not return to Metrochurch after this. 

 

Although it was difficult to see the wrong being done and to leave this church group, I am now very grateful to God for getting me out of Metrochurch. 

 

***

After leaving Metrochurch, I didn't look for another church to attend.  

 

I simply asked God to very clearly show me if HE wanted me to attend another church group.  

 

In the past 38 years HE has not shown me to do this.  

 

Throughout these years God has led me and seen that I have everything I need, including spiritual nourishment, as I've tried to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

***** 

Comments by Joan Boney:

In 2012, God gave me a dream showing me to begin a blog.

In that dream, a woman was singing.  It was a little voice.  But it was a nice little voice.  And in the dream I realized this was a way to communicate with the church.

I called Pam Padgett asking her for help in setting up a blog since Pam had been a computer programmer at Fed Ex and she knew how do to such technical things as this on Internet.

Within 3 days we were publishing the blog.  It was a way to exhort the church all over the world and it cost us nothing to do this!  (Indeed it was "a little voice" but it was a nice little voice.)

To date:  One million, sixty-five thousand, eight-hundred eighty eight clicks have registered on our blog at Jesus Ministries Exhortations.

Then Pam did all the technical work to enable us to self publish 35 books on Amazon which go all over the world through their free book program, published in e-book, and also paperback books are available.

In 2020 God showed us to begin presenting Podcasts.  As of June 28, 2021, we have broadcast 515 episodes.  10,688 downloads of these broadcasts have been registered from around the world.

On February 24, 2019, God arranged for me to move into the home of Pam Padgett in Colorado Springs, Colorado, after I was released from a rehabilitation hospital in Texas.

This puts two of the body of Christ, the elect of God in a house together, where we work on the books, blog, Podcast and Twitter.

And best of all we now have fellowship with the church through the Spirit of God that is in each of us!

Jesus says:  

Matthew 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in MY name, there am I in the midst of them.

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* 1 John 2

6 He that saith he abideth in HIM ought himself also so to walk, even as HE walked.

***

Comments by Joan Boney:

When I consider how Jesus walked on this earth, I remember that Jesus always heard from God the Father and did that which HE heard from 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.

We have been given the Spirit of God and when we follow HIS Spirit we do the will of God.

I Cor. 2:12-13   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,

The Spirit of God teaches us all things from God, guides us into all truth, reminds us of everything Jesus has said to us, and shows us things to come.

We are well equipped to follow God as we live on this present earth.

John 14:26  Jesus says:  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.

So let us focus on that which God brings to our minds and endure with that word from God.

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Hymn: I serve a risen Savior (HE lives! HE lives! Christ Jesus lives today!)

(Click forward arrow > to play music:)



1.  I serve a risen Savior
He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say.

I see His hand of mercy;
I hear His voice of cheer;
And just the time I need Him
He’s always here. 

Chorus:

He lives! He lives! 
Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me 

along life’s narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.


2.  In all the world around me
I see His loving care,
And though my heart grows weary,
I never will despair;

I know that He is leading,
Through all the stormy blast;
The day of His appearing
Will come at last.

3.  Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs
To Jesus Christ the King!

The Hope of all who seek Him,
The Help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
So good and kind.


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

*****

Scriptures pertaining to this hymn:

Matthew 28:1-6  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.  

And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 

HE is not here: for HE is risen, ...

***  

Before the crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus said to HIS disciples:  

John 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth ME no more; but ye see ME: because I live, ye shall live also.

When we are born again, we are sealed with the HOLY SPIRIT of JESUS. The Spirit of Jesus lives in us when we belong to God.

Ephesians 1:3-14    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:  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:

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

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

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

Wherein HE hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;  Having made known unto us the mystery of HIS will, according to HIS good pleasure which HE hath purposed in HIMSELF:

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:  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:  That we should be to the praise of HIS glory, who first trusted in Christ.  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,  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of HIS glory.

The Holy Spirit of Jesus lives in us.

And the Spirit of Truth in us does the following for us:

John 14:26  Jesus said:  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.

***

Salvation to impart ... 

This world wants freedom to sin.

We want freedom from sin.

Matthew 7:13-14   Jesus says:   Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The Holy Spirit of Jesus, living in us, leads us away from temptation by reminding us of scripture and concepts of God, so we can choose to go in HIS way and can reject the way of other humans as we live on this earth.

We are recreated in the image of Jesus each time we choose to go in the way of the Word while living on this earth.

We are fully equipped to follow God because the Spirit of Jesus lives in us to remind us of the way of God.

John 14:6   Jesus saith unto him,  I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by ME.

(Jesus, The Word, is the way to go.)

John 15:1-8   Jesus says:  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  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.

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

Abide in ME, 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.

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 ye can do nothing. 

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.

If ye abide in ME, and MY words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

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

***

John 8:31-32   If ye continue in MY word, then are ye MY disciples indeed;  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

***

Proverbs 4:23   Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

*****

Podcast: HIS truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (Psalm 91)

 

 

The apostle Paul tells us not to live as the pagans live.  When someone dies, Paul urges us to sorrow not as those persons who have no hope.  Instead believe in the resurrection of the dead in Christ.  And show that truth.

I Thess. 4:13-17   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 (go ahead of) them which are asleep.

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 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.

Why do we meet them in the air?

This present heaven and earth will be destroyed by God.  We will meet in the air for we will be taken to that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

II Peter 3:10-13 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.

Those who have been raised from the dead and those who have been raised from off this present earth meet Jesus in the air and are taken to that new heaven and new earth which is created by God for the saints of God, new Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:1-5    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.

***

I Corinthians 15:49-52  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed,

52 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.

 

 

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Chapter 12: New Book: Attending church. Pam Padgett: Singles class goes on "ministry" trip.

I continued attending the Sunday morning service at Metrochurch.  

Since those in the singles group obviously wanted nothing to do with me, I simply sat by myself near the back of the auditorium.

(See Chapter 11) 

 

It was puzzling to me that those in the singles group turned from me because I had shared what we're told in the Bible about the adultery that results when a divorced woman remarries and when a man marries a divorced woman. 

 

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.  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.

Matthew 5:32   But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

 

They carried Bibles and attended church.  

But they didn't really care about scripture, what God has said.

This is antichrist.

***

After several months, I noticed that there were new people sitting in the auditorium, in the area where the singles group sat together.   

 

When an announcement was made that the singles group was going on a bus trip "to minister" to people at a church in Guymon, Oklahoma, I saw this as an opportunity to meet these new people in the singles group.  

 

There was a very strong desire in me to be around people of God, and I convinced myself that surely these people wouldn't be like those who had previously been in that group.

 

So I signed up to go on this trip and went to the church parking lot at the appointed day and time.  

 

In the parking lot were school buses ... non-air-conditioned, rough-riding school buses ... for a 4-1/2 hour trip ... one way!    

And this was in September, a hot time of year in Oklahoma! 

To make matters even worse, I tend to get motion sickness on buses. 

***

 

But I boarded one of the buses and looked at the faces of the people already on the bus, expecting to see friendly-looking people.  

But this was not the case.  

No one acknowledged me in any way.  

I found an empty seat and sat down, then I turned to those around me to say "hello". 

But they were focused only on the people they already knew and they were not at all interested in speaking with me.  

I noticed a woman sitting a couple seats behind me who was obviously crying, tears welling up in her eyes and dripping down her face.  

Although it was clear this woman was quite upset, people around her ignored her.  

No one showed any care or concern toward her at all.  

I started to go talk with her, but just then someone else sat down in the seat next to her.

***  

After being on the bus for 4-1/2 hours with little communication with anyone else, we arrived in Guymon.  

 

People at the church in Guymon had volunteered to let us stay with them in their homes.  

As we got off the buses we were assigned homes where we were to spend the night. 

 

A woman from the Guymon church, who was a widow and whose children were grown and no longer living at her home, had offered to let 3 of us stay with her.  

I was assigned to her home along with the woman who had been crying on the bus, Linda ...  and one other woman.  

(I found out later that Linda had been crying because of how she had been treated by some of the other people on the bus.)

 

The woman who opened her home to us had made nice preparations for us and was very welcoming.  Both Linda and I expressed appreciation to her and visited with her during the evening.  

But the 3rd woman from the singles group, who was staying with us, was openly angry that she had been separated from her friends.  

She would hardly speak to any of us.  

She went to her room and didn't come out.  

I was very embarrassed for the rudeness she showed to the woman who had opened her home to us.

***

The next morning we all met at the Guymon church.  

I asked one of the men who was in charge of this trip what we were to do to "minister", but he didn't have an answer.  

 

It turned out that we just sang a couple of songs during the church service.  

After the service was over, we got back on the buses and started the 4-1/2 hour trip back to the Metrochurch parking lot!

The trip back was more pleasant for me since I now knew Linda and we sat together on the bus and visited.  We continued as friends for many years,  until she died. 

*** 

Overall, however, this trip was shocking and sad to me.  I had looked forward to being around people of God, but found only one person I could even talk with out of 3 buses filled with people.

 

The rudeness and lack of common courtesy shown by people calling themselves Christians was especially sad to me.  

Their behavior was far worse than anything I have seen in secular settings. 

There was no evidence of caring about things of God or the people of God.  

 

No evidence of fruits of the Spirit of God ... The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,  temperance:  (Galatians 5:22-23)

 

This trip was a religious-sounding work authored by man, not by God.

Matthew 7:22-23  Jesus says ...  Many will say to ME in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in THY name? and in THY name have cast out devils? and in THY name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from ME, ye that work iniquity.

And it is incredible that we went nearly 300 miles with no idea of what we were to do when we arrived at the "ministry" site.  

Like many works which man devises, this trip was hard and futile, whereas God's yoke is easy.  

Matthew 11:30  Jesus says:  For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.

I made no more attempts to participate in any singles group activities.

*****

For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ... 2 Corinthians 6

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