Ephesians 4:8;11-12
11 And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
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Comments by Joan Boney:
It is so important for each of us who have been called by Jesus to protect the ministry to which we have been called.
And it is important for each person called to be a Christian to protect that calling.
Ephesians 1:4 According as HE (God) hath chosen us in HIM before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before HIM in love:
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We must keep ourselves from things that would cause us to speak as this world speaks. We cannot allow ourselves to be polluted by wisdom of men of this world. We must not take in their wisdom. We must be very careful to keep our wisdom to be from God, agreeing at all times with the Holy Bible. Rejecting this world when it goes in a way opposite to the wisdom from God. Filling our minds with the ideas presented by God in the Holy Bible.
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I had a Catholic friend who loved to visit me. She would often tell me wisdom of this world. I would say: "What you just said is not in the Bible. I want to build my house on the Word from God."
So why would I be subject to watching the evening, "News of the World"?
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On the first day of Donald Trump's "Hush Money" trial, I started to turn on the news to see what happened. Then I woke up. "Why would I want to see humans judging a human"?
Concerning Nineveh: God sent Jonah to Nineveh to say: "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed." The king and people were terrified and repented. Jonah sat on a hill nearby to see what would happen. After they repented, God did not destroy Nineveh and Jonah was bitter and mad because God did not destroy Nineveh.
Jonah 4:10:11 Then said the LORD, Thou (Jonah) hast
had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither
madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
God will judge rightly.
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I'm not of this world. I obey the laws of this world as I can, so long as they don't keep me from obeying laws of God. Some of the world's laws I do not agree with. But I stay out of the controversy and do not try to make the World to be godly when they do not have the Spirit of God.
My kingdom is not of this world.
(John 18:36) Like Jesus there is another place God has prepared for me
and for HIS people. I'm truly a stranger here on this earth.
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Romans 12:1-2 I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
It is my responsibility to find out what pleases God and to do that, conforming my thinking to the Holy Bible. This is what I want to do. Building my personal life on the Word from God.
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Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
As
a Christian, born of the Spirit of God ... Not participating in things
which make me consider it is "normal" to commit the works of the flesh,
thereby excusing these works as just being "normal". These works are "normal" if you are not a born again Christian. But being born again by God, we are given by God HIS heart and HIS Spirit thereby we live differently to this world. And I find it not good to hear or focus on ways of this world but to keep my mind and focus on ways of God for Now we belong to God. So why would I want to know what this world is doing today, feeding myself with the way of this world?
I
decided this is not the way for me to go, feeding myself with news of
what they are doing. It could cause me to pollute the ministry and way
of God.
We live in a "strange country". We are "peculiar people" to that country.
1 Peter 2:9-10 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of HIM who hath called you out of darkness into HIS marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
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Hebrews 11
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for HE hath prepared for them a city.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for HE hath prepared for them a city.
After we renew our minds to the Bible showing ourselves the ways of God, this world is "strange to us." (unusual)
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Hebrews 11:9-10 By faith he (Abraham) sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country,
(So we do not try to fit in with the people of this world for they follow the desires of their own flesh. Now we seek to conform to the way of God, rejecting the flesh. We want to build our house on the way of God. Looking for what God wants us to do. Seeking HIM.)
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:
(So we choose to reject trying to see what people of this world are doing today.
And we deliberately do those things which cause us to produce fruits of
the Spirit and we depend on God to show us what to do.)
God is our newscast. The Bible and God by His Spirit will tell us what will come as needed.
John 16:13 HE will show you things to come.
Hebrews 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus (The Word).
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At one point in my life, around 1975, after I was born again, God said to me: "Don't watch things of this world: plays, news, football, movies and such."
For a season: I didn't watch.
I
was on a buying trip for my business that I owned at that time. My
mother and dad met me in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We were driving along
and someone mentioned a man named "Jimmy Carter." I said, "Whose Jimmy Carter?" They were shocked! He had just been elected president of the United States.
It didn't make one bit of difference in my life that I could see.
At
that time I was very seriously learning Bible as God taught me, so I
could do the work of God that God showed me: apostle & prophet
Now,
after 40 + years, I want to return again to the early days when I was
unaffected by this world. For I know serious things of God are rapidly
coming to this world. I want to be sure God is leading me in what I say
and write.
There is certainly a
price to pay when we are a minister of God and a Christian! But it is
well worth the price! for all eternity!
Mark 8:36 Jesus says: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
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(This message is truly a message "for me" to try to encourage me in godly ways!)
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