From Barbara Preston
"Christmas idol" dream received 12/26/12
I dreamed I was going somewhere and got lost. I found myself in a poor
part of town which seemed dangerous. At some point, a woman was
supposed to be leading me in her car to where I was supposed to be. But
when we got there, it didn't seem to be the right place.
She led
me there because she wanted me to take a kitten. She had a litter box
of them and was trying to find homes for them. I picked one up. It was
cute but I put it back and told I couldn't take it because I had 2 dogs
at home.
When I backed out of the parking space in order to
leave, my back fender hit the concrete floor of the building which was
behind me. The building looked kind of like a warehouse. Their sliding
panel doors were wide open and in the door way was a large stone statue
standing there. But when I backed into their building the statue
toppled over and was broken.
Someone came out of the building to talk
to me. I offered to pay him $50 or $100 dollars for whatever damage I
might have done. I think he thought this wasn't enough. Later the owner
came out and said to give him $1,000 for the damages.
I knew this was
unreasonable and would not pay this. He said he would sue me. I
told him to go ahead and do that and I would get an attorney and we
would fight this out in court.
I was scared, as I spoke this to him, but didn't want him to know this.
I got in my car and left but then had to go back again because I had to use a phone book for some reason.
In
the building there were 2 or 3 people sitting around a large table. I
told them about the lawsuit. There was one large man sitting at the
head of the table who had previously said nothing. He got up said he
would take care of this for me. And he walked out.
When came
back, He said the problem was resolved. I was not going to be sued. I
don't what he did. But was so grateful and relived to have the problem
solved.
--------------------------------------------------------
How "Christmas idol" dream has affected my life...
My husband and I used to go, at times, to my daughter's house for Christmas.
For me, it became especially "important" to go after my granddaughter
was born in 2006. My granddaughter and son-in-law would be there, as
would my son and also my ex-husband.
We went 2006-09. Then, for reasons entirely secular, we ended up not going in 2010 and
2011. But over time, I found myself dreading going. So in 2012, months before Christmas, I started praying, asking God what I should do about Christmas that year.
Then something came up which prevented us from going that year also
(may have had to do with the health of one of our dogs, not sure), but
we ended up not going
2012 either. I had not heard anything from God, at this point in time.
Then the day after Christmas 2012, I had a dream which I call my "Christmas
idol" dream, which is printed above. I shared this dream with Joan and she saw immediately
that this statue/idol I knocked over with my car fender was the Christmas
"idol." All the decorating, gift buying, feasting, carols, Santa Claus
stuff. I knew as soon as Joan said this that it was true, especially as
I had been praying for months about this subject and don't remember mentioning to anyone that I had been praying about it. And I was so happy and relieved to have this information.
The next year 2013, I didn't go to daughter's for Christmas. I told my daughter and my son beforehand, that I wouldn't be there for Christmas.
I told them that God just wasn't letting me be involved with this man
made holiday anymore. (No where in Bible does it tell us to have this Christmas celebration and give gifts to one another.) I told her
and my son also that I had really come to dislike the idea of Santa
Claus, who according to a popular Christmas song, is supposed to know
what kids are doing all year, whether they are
awake or asleep or whether they have been bad or good. I told them that
only God knew these things, not some fictional character who doesn't
even
exist.
I
grew up with all of this and I taught it to my children all of their
growing up years. But now I had to come out of this. There is the
religious side of Christmas also where the world celebrates the birth of
Christ, which we are not told to do in the Bible, so I dislike that
too. But with my daughter and her household, it was always the Santa
Claus part that was celebrated.
(According to Wikipedia, Christmas was set up by Catholic church and is based on many pagan events...thus it is named Christ/mas / Christ's mass)
At some point, after telling this
to my children, I was talking on the phone one day with my son. In talking about this with him he
became angry and told me that he didn't believe God would separate me
from my family like this. My daughter never expressed anger toward me,
but I could tell she was very disappointed that I wasn't going to be
with them for Christmas anymore.
I also told my husband, of
course, that I wouldn't be going. He is not born again, so this made no
sense to him and he went by himself to daughter's for Christmas in
2013-14. But I don't remember him expressing anger when I told him
this.
But he did become angry when I later told him that there
was another reason I didn't
want to go and it was because of my ex-husband being there. The times
we went
to daughter's house for holidays or granddaughter's birthday, my
ex-husband was there also. But, as time went by, I started becoming
uncomfortable being around ex-husband and husband, together. I
told him it was not good for the 3 of us to be together. I didn't know
how he felt about this, but when I told him the 3 of us should not be
together, suggesting that he not go for Christmas
either, he became angry, saying he was not going to let Tom (their real
father) replace him in the hearts of son and daughter whom he had raised
(they were 4 and 5 years old when I remarried and they never saw their
natural father, as they were growing up). So it became obvious that he
was in some kind of rivalry with my ex-husband and he continued going.
I
also told my daughter about not wanting to be there for this reason and
she seemed to understand this, as she also has an ex-husband, and would
have found it difficult to have been in that situation.
Then last year (2014), we were invited to go to my daughter's house for the weekend after Thanksgiving.
I thought it would be safe since we wouldn't be there for the holiday, itself, and I had prayed
about it... but I also knew that my flesh really wanted to do this.
After I prayed, I was reminded of the following scripture... 1
Cor 10 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to
man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Then Joan called
me expressing concern over this visit. Then she told me that Pam was
also concerned and had been praying that God would show me what to do. I had no idea that my "way to escape" would be not to go!
After
considering these things, I knew it would be unwise to walk into this
with these warnings from God. So I called my daughter and cancelled.
She expressed disappointment. And even though it was not said, I feel
sure my granddaughter who was 8 years old was also disappointed.
When
I told my husband I wasn't going for the post-Thanksgiving weekend, he
became angry and said he was going to go anyway, which he did.
I think the dream also had a part in stopping me from going to Thanksgiving dinners at my daughter's .
The last time we went to one, my daughter had my granddaughter,
who was about 5 or 6 years old, recite a "prayer" she had memorized,
probably for this occasion. I
didn't bow my head but just watched others around the table. I felt
very uncomfortable with this being done. Seems like a mockery of a real
prayer. Joan pointed out how much she especially dislikes to see a
child
pray in a situation like this, as my granddaughter did. It does add
another "cutesy" factor to
something that is already abominable. They are not religious people...so
it was just for Thanksgiving "show." And maybe, as they were growing
up, I even taught them this custom. Strange to say, but I just can't
remember, but it would not surprise me, if they learned this
from me. But I just don't want to put myself into this situation
unnecessarily.
The
first year my granddaughter started school, there was a Grandparent's
Day at the school. There is one every year the day before Thanksgiving.
My husband and I went that first year. But there were a couple of
problems and we only ended up attending that one time. For one thing,
it is held the day before Thanksgiving. We live about a 3 hour drive from where she lives. If we went for Grandparent's Day, there would be pressure to stay for Thanksgiving which I wanted to avoid. And secondly, my ex-husband also attends this event.
As a result of this dream, I have also refrained
from Easter dinners and have even stopped going to granddaughter's
birthday parties. My husband and I give her some kind of present for her
birthday...usually sending money, as she has gotten older. But I found
that I didn't want to attend any more birthday parties. For many
children today,
these parties can be such extravagant events and there is so much celebration of "self" that I found I
didn't want to attend any more of these, either.
==========
Wikipedia: Christmas /HISTORY ... "Christmas" is a compound word originating in the term "Christ's Mass". (Catholic)
Many popular customs associated with Christmas developed independently
of the commemoration of Jesus' birth, with certain elements having
origins in pre-Christian festivals that were celebrated around the
winter solstice by pagan populations who were later converted to Christianity. These elements, including the Yule log from Yule and gift giving from Saturnalia,[54] became syncretized
into Christmas over the centuries. The prevailing atmosphere of
Christmas has also continually evolved since the holiday's inception,
ranging from a sometimes raucous, drunken, carnival-like state in the Middle Ages,[55] to a tamer family-oriented and children-centered theme introduced in a 19th-century transformation.[56][57] Additionally, the celebration of Christmas was banned on more than one occasion within certain Protestant groups, such as the Puritans, due to concerns that it was too pagan or unbiblical.
==========
Please share with us the examples you have where you stood on a scripture
to fight fear or persecution so we can print your example on the blog to
encourage others.
Email: joanboney@sbcglobal.net
(Providing daily encouragement for the body of Christ by the Spirit of God to help the church in the end times.)
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Charity in I Corinthians 13
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
In I Cor. 13, KJV, we read of "charity" and how it never fails.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth:but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child:but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Some translations of the Bible remove the word "charity" and use the word "love."
This is misleading. You can love someone because they have been kind to you. But charity is kind to the unthankful and even to the evil. Charity is the extension of mercy when the person deserves condemnation. Charity is very different from love though charity is love.
The last time I went to my eye doctor for glaucoma containment, they had a new girl working in the test area. She tried to take photo of my eyes. She had to retake them. The light is very bright from the cameras and can hurt your head and some people even get bad headaches so to have to do pictures multiple times in the test is hard.
Finally she had to go to office area and get help.
Then she was going to test eye pressure in my eyes. She put drops in my eyes and the fluid ran down both eyes onto my face. She somehow missed the eye.
She was obviously incompetent in this job.
When the eye drops ran down my face she was upset and apologized. I said, "Oh, that's OK. Sometimes I miss my eyes when I put drops in."
Later I realized the way I dealt with her was with "charity".
Charity is often extended when there is no possibility of reward to us personally. I may never see this young woman again. Some people would complain to her because they know they might never see her again.
Charity is the thing that happens when the person is worthy of being rebuked or criticized but you choose not to do this.
Later I realized I extended charity to this worker at the eye doctor's office.
In I Cor. 13, KJV, we read of "charity" and how it never fails.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth:but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child:but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Some translations of the Bible remove the word "charity" and use the word "love."
This is misleading. You can love someone because they have been kind to you. But charity is kind to the unthankful and even to the evil. Charity is the extension of mercy when the person deserves condemnation. Charity is very different from love though charity is love.
The last time I went to my eye doctor for glaucoma containment, they had a new girl working in the test area. She tried to take photo of my eyes. She had to retake them. The light is very bright from the cameras and can hurt your head and some people even get bad headaches so to have to do pictures multiple times in the test is hard.
Finally she had to go to office area and get help.
Then she was going to test eye pressure in my eyes. She put drops in my eyes and the fluid ran down both eyes onto my face. She somehow missed the eye.
She was obviously incompetent in this job.
When the eye drops ran down my face she was upset and apologized. I said, "Oh, that's OK. Sometimes I miss my eyes when I put drops in."
Later I realized the way I dealt with her was with "charity".
Charity is often extended when there is no possibility of reward to us personally. I may never see this young woman again. Some people would complain to her because they know they might never see her again.
Charity is the thing that happens when the person is worthy of being rebuked or criticized but you choose not to do this.
Later I realized I extended charity to this worker at the eye doctor's office.
Judges 8 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture
1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.
2 And he (Gideon) said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb:and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise:and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna (Psalm 83) were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east:for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
(army of Midian: 135,000 men ... against army of Israel: 300 men ... Remember Israel started out with 32,000 men which was still much lower than Midian army ... but God said to Gideon they had too many men for HIM to give the victory to Israel lest Israel say their own hand had gotten them the victory ... So God had Gideon tell the army of 32,000 if any one was afraid he could leave and 22,000 left! ... still too many to go against the 135,000 men ... God had Gideon try the men at the water pool and Gideon ended up with an army of 300 men to go against an army of 135,000 men! ... God was going to get the glory in this victory!)
11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host:for the host was secure.
12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna (Psalm 83) fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him:and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18 Then said he (Gideon) unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother:as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword:for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us:for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels 'necks.
22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also:for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you:the Lord shall rule over you.
24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.
27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah:and all Israel went thither a whoring after it:which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
(an example for us not to do anything unless God shows us to do it)
28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 And Jerubbaal (Gideon) the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten:for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
2 And he (Gideon) said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb:and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise:and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna (Psalm 83) were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east:for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
(army of Midian: 135,000 men ... against army of Israel: 300 men ... Remember Israel started out with 32,000 men which was still much lower than Midian army ... but God said to Gideon they had too many men for HIM to give the victory to Israel lest Israel say their own hand had gotten them the victory ... So God had Gideon tell the army of 32,000 if any one was afraid he could leave and 22,000 left! ... still too many to go against the 135,000 men ... God had Gideon try the men at the water pool and Gideon ended up with an army of 300 men to go against an army of 135,000 men! ... God was going to get the glory in this victory!)
11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host:for the host was secure.
12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna (Psalm 83) fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him:and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18 Then said he (Gideon) unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother:as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword:for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us:for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels 'necks.
22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also:for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you:the Lord shall rule over you.
24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.
27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah:and all Israel went thither a whoring after it:which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
(an example for us not to do anything unless God shows us to do it)
28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 And Jerubbaal (Gideon) the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten:for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
Looking closely at Philippians 4:8
From John & Linda Rodgers ... Members of body of Christ
Phil. 4:8 ... 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, John 1:9, Ephesians 4:24-25, Romans 10:17, Psalm 138:8
Jn. 1... 9 That (JESUS/THE WORD) was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Eph. 4 ... 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour:for we are members one of another.
Psalm 138 ... 8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
Jn. 1... 9 That (JESUS/THE WORD) was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Eph. 4 ... 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour:for we are members one of another.
Psalm 138 ... 8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
whatsoever things are honest, Luke
8:15, Acts 6:3, Romans 12:17,
Lk. 8 ... 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Acts 6 ... 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Romans 12 ... 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Lk. 8 ... 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Acts 6 ... 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Romans 12 ... 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
whatsoever things are just, Matthew
1:19, Mark 6:20, Acts 10:22
Mt. 1: 19 Then Joseph her
husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was
minded to put her away privily.
Mk. 6 20 For Herod feared John,
knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard
him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
Acts 10 22 And they said,
Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good
report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel
to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
whatsoever things are pure, 1 Timothy 1:5, James 3:17
I Tim. 1 ... 5 Now the end of the
commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of
faith unfeigned:
James 3 17 But the wisdom that is
from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
whatsoever things are lovely, Ezekiel
33:32, 2 Samuel 1:23
Eze. 33 ... 32 And, lo, thou art unto
them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well
on an instrument:for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
II Sam. 1 23 Saul and Jonathan were
lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided:
they were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
they were stronger than lions.
whatsoever things are of good
report; Acts 10:22, 3 John 1:12
Acts 10 22 And they said,
Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good
report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel
to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
III Jn. v. 12 Demetrius hath good
report of all men, and of the truth itself:yea, and we also bear record; and ye
know that our record is true.
if there be any virtue, Luke 6:19, 2 Peter 1:1-10
Lk. 6 19 And the whole
multitude sought to touch him:for there went virtue out of him, and healed them
all.
II Peter 1 2 Grace and
peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our
Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that
pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called
us to glory and virtue:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises:that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
and if there be any praise, Deuteronomy 26:19, Hebrews 13:15, 1 Corinthians 4:5
Deut. 26 19 And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.
Heb. 13 15 By him
therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the
fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
I Cor. 4 5 Therefore judge
nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the
hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the
hearts:and then shall every man have praise of God.
think on these things.
==========
From Juliett Walton ... Member of the body of Christ
Scriptures
regarding Phil 4:8
True 1Cor10:13There hath
no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who
will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Honest Isaiah
40: 29He giveth
power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly
fall: 31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall
walk, and not faint.
Just James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let
him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it
shall be given him.
Pure Psalms 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure
words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven time
Lovely Romans 8: 35Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?.36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day
long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37Nay, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded,
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
Good report 1John 4:4Ye are of God, little
children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he
that is in the world.
Virtue Psalm
34:19 Many
are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them
all.
Praise Hebrews 13: 5Let your conversation be
without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath
said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6So that we may boldly say,
The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Acts 16 ... Reading through the Bible
1 Then came he (Paul) to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a
certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman,
which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2Which
was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
3Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him
because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that
his father was a Greek.
4And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. 5And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
6Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
11Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 12And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.
13And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18And this did she many days.
But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
19And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
27And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
35And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
37But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
38And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 39And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
40And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
4And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. 5And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
6Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
11Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 12And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.
13And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18And this did she many days.
But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
19And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
27And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
35And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
37But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
38And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 39And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
40And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Standing on the Word of God series: Example 19
From Joan Boney
At the time I was born again in 1979, I owned a business in American Indian Arts.
After I was born again, I came to believe God wanted me to get out of debt and stay out of debt. I worked for several months to do this and finally was completely debt free, purchasing only the amount of merchandise that I could pay for at the time.
A man filed a law suit against me in my business and the lawyer bills were eating up all my profit and if I kept going that way, I knew very soon I would be back in debt.
So I prayed asking God what I should do.
I was reminded of the following:
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.
I considered this scripture for several days and decided since I was now a Christian, this applied to me. No weapon formed against me would prosper. This lawsuit was a weapon against me. It would not prosper. Why should I continue to be represented by lawyers since this lawsuit would not prosper. Plus my own lawyers were a weapon against me.
So based on this scripture I decided to dismiss my lawyers and go to court without human legal counsel.
Since I was such a new Christian at the time, I decided to discuss this with my pastor.
I honored the God appointed office of a pastor by going to him. As I was driving to the appointment, I prayed for God to give pastor wisdom of the office of pastor.
I told pastor the situation and my decision. He looked directly at me and said: "I perceive you have faith to do this this way." (My pastor at that time was Robert Tilton.)
After going to pastor, the lawyer I had dismissed called me and told me they were going to represent me without further cost to me. Free legal service.
What was going on here? One week they were going to charge me $10,000 more to represent me. Now they say they will represent me for free?
I turned to God and asked HIM what HE wanted me to do and God reminded me of the following to show me what HE wanted me to do.
Genesis 14 ... 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
I knew God was saying, "Don't take that free legal service."
I told lawyer I could not accept the free legal service.
I continued to prepare myself to go to court without any human legal service. The way I prepared was by keeping a list of scripture which had been given me by God before me day and night, even recording the scriptures on cassette tape so I could play that tape and hear those scriptures when I went to bed each night.
Six days before the trial was scheduled in US District Court, the man dropped all charged against me.
This was not a short battle. It was several months between the time the man filed the law suit and the time the man dropped all charged. The fear was rampant during this time. I settled myself second by second with the scriptures given me by God. I learned what it meant to stand on the Word of God.
As David understood how to use that sling shot because he had seen it work, I learned how to turn to God with the problem and stand against the problem with that word given me by God. I know this works, just as David knew those stones for the sling shot would work against Goliath. The Word we receive from God will never fail. We just have to work to have faith by holding on to that Word from God and enduring the trial of life to the end by that word given us by God.
==========
Please share with us the examples you have where you stood on a scripture to fight fear or persecution so we can print your example on the blog to encourage others.
Email: joanboney@sbcglobal.net
At the time I was born again in 1979, I owned a business in American Indian Arts.
After I was born again, I came to believe God wanted me to get out of debt and stay out of debt. I worked for several months to do this and finally was completely debt free, purchasing only the amount of merchandise that I could pay for at the time.
A man filed a law suit against me in my business and the lawyer bills were eating up all my profit and if I kept going that way, I knew very soon I would be back in debt.
So I prayed asking God what I should do.
I was reminded of the following:
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.
I considered this scripture for several days and decided since I was now a Christian, this applied to me. No weapon formed against me would prosper. This lawsuit was a weapon against me. It would not prosper. Why should I continue to be represented by lawyers since this lawsuit would not prosper. Plus my own lawyers were a weapon against me.
So based on this scripture I decided to dismiss my lawyers and go to court without human legal counsel.
Since I was such a new Christian at the time, I decided to discuss this with my pastor.
I honored the God appointed office of a pastor by going to him. As I was driving to the appointment, I prayed for God to give pastor wisdom of the office of pastor.
I told pastor the situation and my decision. He looked directly at me and said: "I perceive you have faith to do this this way." (My pastor at that time was Robert Tilton.)
After going to pastor, the lawyer I had dismissed called me and told me they were going to represent me without further cost to me. Free legal service.
What was going on here? One week they were going to charge me $10,000 more to represent me. Now they say they will represent me for free?
I turned to God and asked HIM what HE wanted me to do and God reminded me of the following to show me what HE wanted me to do.
Genesis 14 ... 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
I knew God was saying, "Don't take that free legal service."
I told lawyer I could not accept the free legal service.
I continued to prepare myself to go to court without any human legal service. The way I prepared was by keeping a list of scripture which had been given me by God before me day and night, even recording the scriptures on cassette tape so I could play that tape and hear those scriptures when I went to bed each night.
Six days before the trial was scheduled in US District Court, the man dropped all charged against me.
This was not a short battle. It was several months between the time the man filed the law suit and the time the man dropped all charged. The fear was rampant during this time. I settled myself second by second with the scriptures given me by God. I learned what it meant to stand on the Word of God.
As David understood how to use that sling shot because he had seen it work, I learned how to turn to God with the problem and stand against the problem with that word given me by God. I know this works, just as David knew those stones for the sling shot would work against Goliath. The Word we receive from God will never fail. We just have to work to have faith by holding on to that Word from God and enduring the trial of life to the end by that word given us by God.
==========
Please share with us the examples you have where you stood on a scripture to fight fear or persecution so we can print your example on the blog to encourage others.
Email: joanboney@sbcglobal.net
Judges 7 ... Viewing the works of God through scripture
1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod:so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there:and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
5 So he brought down the people unto the water:and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men:but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand:and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
(The army of the Midianites has over 100,000 men ... now Gideon has 300 men ... Truly to win this battle would be God and not man.)
8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets:and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men:and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
9 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.
10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host.
(God is going to let Gideon hear something that will cause him to have faith and therefore strength)
Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. 12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel:for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
(This is like us when we hear a word from God and after we hear that word the battle is over and we have won even before the battle begins.)
16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise:and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch:and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal:and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp:and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host:and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. 23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. 25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
==========
Oreb & Zeeb are referred to in the following Psalm ...
Psalm 83
9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites;
as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
10 Which perished at Endor:
they became as dung for the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb:
yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:
12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves
the houses of God in possession.
13 O my God, make them like a wheel;
as the stubble before the wind.
14 As the fire burneth a wood,
and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
15 So persecute them with thy tempest,
and make them afraid with thy storm.
16 Fill their faces with shame;
that they may seek thy name, O Lord.
17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever;
yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah,
art the most high over all the earth.
Also the princes of the Midianites, Zebah & Zalmunna, will appear in the following chapters of Judges where they, too, are destroyed by God through the army of Israel.
2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there:and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
5 So he brought down the people unto the water:and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men:but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand:and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
(The army of the Midianites has over 100,000 men ... now Gideon has 300 men ... Truly to win this battle would be God and not man.)
8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets:and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men:and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
9 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.
10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host.
(God is going to let Gideon hear something that will cause him to have faith and therefore strength)
Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. 12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel:for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
(This is like us when we hear a word from God and after we hear that word the battle is over and we have won even before the battle begins.)
16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise:and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch:and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal:and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp:and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host:and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. 23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. 25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
==========
Oreb & Zeeb are referred to in the following Psalm ...
Psalm 83
9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites;
as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
10 Which perished at Endor:
they became as dung for the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb:
yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:
12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves
the houses of God in possession.
13 O my God, make them like a wheel;
as the stubble before the wind.
14 As the fire burneth a wood,
and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
15 So persecute them with thy tempest,
and make them afraid with thy storm.
16 Fill their faces with shame;
that they may seek thy name, O Lord.
17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever;
yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah,
art the most high over all the earth.
Also the princes of the Midianites, Zebah & Zalmunna, will appear in the following chapters of Judges where they, too, are destroyed by God through the army of Israel.
God has not appointed us to the wrath to come
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Last week, a terror come upon me. I have never before had such terror. I told Barbara Preston about this and she asked if I knew "why". I did not know.
Then later that day, God showed me the source of that terror.
I was perceiving the fear people have today of stating what the Bible says about homosexuals... Their fear is that if they say what Bible says, they will suffer loss on this earth. And indeed that has happened many times recently.
What if it gets like the early church where we have to meet in secret to share truth from God.
I've certainly experienced persecution for the Word's sake.
In the 1980's I was on radio from coast to coast in USA. God said to me: The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And two or three days later, God began showing me various sins being committed by big time ministers. When I couldn't get the message to the minister because of his "body-guards", I just spoke the message on my radio broadcasts and in my meetings, and the message got to that minister.
Then I was threatened by radio station managers.
One in Seattle was waiting for me outside the door of the meeting room where I was about to have a meeting. He said, "Joan ... you have many good messages. Just speak those messages. If you continue speaking these judgment messages, I don't know what will happen to you. We may have to put you off the air."
Without any thought at all the following response from the Holy Ghost came out of my mouth.
"George, if I don't speak the message I believe to be from God, then I don't have a message and I may as well be off the air."
About 1/2 of my stations put me off the air.
After this, God gave me a dream showing me there was great bodily danger for me if I continued to go out and have meetings. And at the end of that dream, these words were spoken to me: "Don't go until you see Exodus 15." As a result, I cancelled all meetings for 1982 and stayed home and recorded radio broadcasts for the stations that remained and wrote messages for those on my mailing list.
The coming problems could be even worse for those who insist on speaking truth from Bible. And this was the terror I experienced last week. As the homosexuals take over, if possible we would be stopped, perhaps even from Internet. That is the terror.
At the present time, the following is happening ...
I Thess. 5 ... 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
The homosexuals/sodomites ... are certainly saying "peace & safety" ... Things are going their way. In the 1960's, in Texas, they were put in jail if they were discovered. Now legally, in USA, they have same sex marriage, marriage certificates issues in each state to same sex partners, and legal benefits for same sex spouses. They are lauded in the White House, feared in the public schools even in West Texas, feared even in the manliness of the National Football League. Newscasters wouldn't dare speak against homosexuals. They even mistakenly think being homosexual is like being born black. This is certainly a lie. Homosexuals are turned over by God to vile acts.
It is nothing like being born black, or brown, or yellow, or white skinned.
Romans 1 ... 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 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.
==========
In the days of Lot, homosexuals-sodomites ruled Sodom. These homosexuals-sodomites were everywhere, in every "quarter" of the city. When the 2 angels (who looked like men) came to Lot, the homosexuals-sodomites came out demanding that Lot turn these 2 "men" over to them that they could have sex with these "men" ... It was that bad.
Jesus says, before HIS return, it will be like the days of Lot...
Lk. 17 ... 26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
The primary thing we know from the Bible is that in the days of Lot homosexuals/sodomites were in every quarter of the city and they demanded their "right" to have sex with those 2 angels at Lot's home. (The homosexuals thought these 2 angels were just other men.)
Genesis 19 ... 1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom:and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes:only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge:now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
10 But the men (the 2 angels) put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11 And they (the 2 angels) smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great:so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
12 And the men (the 2 angels) said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
Before the return of Jesus we can expect to see this rise in homosexuals. We can expect them to think they have won. The homosexuals will say in their hearts "peace & safety". Then sudden destruction will come upon this world and they shall not escape, but before the sudden destruction, I expect the homosexuals will rule for a little while.
We will endure and overcome by standing on specific parts of the Word of God.
Therefore we need to learn now to do that daily ... stand on the word of God.
I Thess. 4
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day:we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (The WORD) ...10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
We are saved from the wrath by THE WORD ... We cling to THE WORD in the various trials of this life. We learn to do that by doing it. And we continue in this life by clinging to the WORD in spite of all. Better be sure now that you are standing on the Word before things happen. We learn to do this through experience of doing it.
And one great help for this homosexual public rise is knowing it like the leaves when they appear on the trees... when you see that you know summer is near ...
When you see the homosexuals flourish and acceptance from the mass of people, know it is like a leaf on a tree and shows the end, the coming of Jesus, is near.
Last week, a terror come upon me. I have never before had such terror. I told Barbara Preston about this and she asked if I knew "why". I did not know.
Then later that day, God showed me the source of that terror.
I was perceiving the fear people have today of stating what the Bible says about homosexuals... Their fear is that if they say what Bible says, they will suffer loss on this earth. And indeed that has happened many times recently.
What if it gets like the early church where we have to meet in secret to share truth from God.
I've certainly experienced persecution for the Word's sake.
In the 1980's I was on radio from coast to coast in USA. God said to me: The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And two or three days later, God began showing me various sins being committed by big time ministers. When I couldn't get the message to the minister because of his "body-guards", I just spoke the message on my radio broadcasts and in my meetings, and the message got to that minister.
Then I was threatened by radio station managers.
One in Seattle was waiting for me outside the door of the meeting room where I was about to have a meeting. He said, "Joan ... you have many good messages. Just speak those messages. If you continue speaking these judgment messages, I don't know what will happen to you. We may have to put you off the air."
Without any thought at all the following response from the Holy Ghost came out of my mouth.
"George, if I don't speak the message I believe to be from God, then I don't have a message and I may as well be off the air."
About 1/2 of my stations put me off the air.
After this, God gave me a dream showing me there was great bodily danger for me if I continued to go out and have meetings. And at the end of that dream, these words were spoken to me: "Don't go until you see Exodus 15." As a result, I cancelled all meetings for 1982 and stayed home and recorded radio broadcasts for the stations that remained and wrote messages for those on my mailing list.
The coming problems could be even worse for those who insist on speaking truth from Bible. And this was the terror I experienced last week. As the homosexuals take over, if possible we would be stopped, perhaps even from Internet. That is the terror.
At the present time, the following is happening ...
I Thess. 5 ... 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
The homosexuals/sodomites ... are certainly saying "peace & safety" ... Things are going their way. In the 1960's, in Texas, they were put in jail if they were discovered. Now legally, in USA, they have same sex marriage, marriage certificates issues in each state to same sex partners, and legal benefits for same sex spouses. They are lauded in the White House, feared in the public schools even in West Texas, feared even in the manliness of the National Football League. Newscasters wouldn't dare speak against homosexuals. They even mistakenly think being homosexual is like being born black. This is certainly a lie. Homosexuals are turned over by God to vile acts.
It is nothing like being born black, or brown, or yellow, or white skinned.
Romans 1 ... 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 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.
==========
In the days of Lot, homosexuals-sodomites ruled Sodom. These homosexuals-sodomites were everywhere, in every "quarter" of the city. When the 2 angels (who looked like men) came to Lot, the homosexuals-sodomites came out demanding that Lot turn these 2 "men" over to them that they could have sex with these "men" ... It was that bad.
Jesus says, before HIS return, it will be like the days of Lot...
Lk. 17 ... 26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
The primary thing we know from the Bible is that in the days of Lot homosexuals/sodomites were in every quarter of the city and they demanded their "right" to have sex with those 2 angels at Lot's home. (The homosexuals thought these 2 angels were just other men.)
Genesis 19 ... 1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom:and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes:only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge:now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
10 But the men (the 2 angels) put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11 And they (the 2 angels) smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great:so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
12 And the men (the 2 angels) said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
Before the return of Jesus we can expect to see this rise in homosexuals. We can expect them to think they have won. The homosexuals will say in their hearts "peace & safety". Then sudden destruction will come upon this world and they shall not escape, but before the sudden destruction, I expect the homosexuals will rule for a little while.
We will endure and overcome by standing on specific parts of the Word of God.
Therefore we need to learn now to do that daily ... stand on the word of God.
I Thess. 4
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day:we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (The WORD) ...10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
We are saved from the wrath by THE WORD ... We cling to THE WORD in the various trials of this life. We learn to do that by doing it. And we continue in this life by clinging to the WORD in spite of all. Better be sure now that you are standing on the Word before things happen. We learn to do this through experience of doing it.
And one great help for this homosexual public rise is knowing it like the leaves when they appear on the trees... when you see that you know summer is near ...
When you see the homosexuals flourish and acceptance from the mass of people, know it is like a leaf on a tree and shows the end, the coming of Jesus, is near.
Are there prophets in the NT church today?
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
What do we see in the Bible concerning the NT church? Do we see evidence in the Bible of there being prophets working in the NT church? If so, then there are prophets in the NT church today.
Acts 13 ... concerning NT church ... 1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
Other examples of prophet in NT church is Agabus ...
Acts 11 ... 27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world:which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 21 ... 10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
In the Bible, we have examples of prophets in the NT church. Therefore we have prophets today in the NT church.
Further, we have the following in the Bible concerning the ministries given by Jesus to the church after Jesus arose ... ministries given to the NT churches.
Eph. 4 ... 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he (JESUS) 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:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
What do prophets do in the NT church?
Prophets sometimes are shown by the Holy Spirits things to come ... as we see examples in the Bible showing the church things to come.
Prophets also bring correction to members of the body of Christ and to church groups. We have many examples in the Bible of prophets bringing correction to individuals. Remember how God sent Nathan to David to correct him after David's sin concerning Bathsheba. David himself was a prophet yet God used a prophet to correct David and also to show David that which was to come.
II Samuel 12 ... And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up:and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For thou didst it secretly:but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
15 And Nathan departed unto his house.
Hosea 12 ... 13 And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
and by a prophet was he preserved.
God uses prophets the same way today in NT church. God shows prophets sin in the congregation and the prophet speaks that the sin may be corrected.
The only difference between OT and NT is every believer in the church is given the Holy Spirit. Therefore in NT church you do not go to the prophet to find our what to do. You have the Holy Spirit to teach you what to do.
Nevertheless, there are times God will warn you by a prophet and correct you by a prophet if you stray from the way of God just as God spoke to David by a prophet. David as a prophet had the Holy Spirit yet God sent a prophet to correct David.
Concerning apostles in the NT church ... Paul was the first of the NT apostles, given to the church after Jesus arose. Paul was not like Peter and the other apostles who knew Jesus in the flesh and walked with Jesus. Paul didn't know Jesus until Acts 9, on the road to Damascus, after the resurrection of Jesus had already taken place.
NT apostles deal with doctrine in the church, especially with perverse doctrine men have brought into the congregation.
Paul said ... Acts 20 ... 25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
What do we see in the Bible concerning the NT church? Do we see evidence in the Bible of there being prophets working in the NT church? If so, then there are prophets in the NT church today.
Acts 13 ... concerning NT church ... 1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
Other examples of prophet in NT church is Agabus ...
Acts 11 ... 27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world:which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 21 ... 10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
In the Bible, we have examples of prophets in the NT church. Therefore we have prophets today in the NT church.
Further, we have the following in the Bible concerning the ministries given by Jesus to the church after Jesus arose ... ministries given to the NT churches.
Eph. 4 ... 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he (JESUS) 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:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
What do prophets do in the NT church?
Prophets sometimes are shown by the Holy Spirits things to come ... as we see examples in the Bible showing the church things to come.
Prophets also bring correction to members of the body of Christ and to church groups. We have many examples in the Bible of prophets bringing correction to individuals. Remember how God sent Nathan to David to correct him after David's sin concerning Bathsheba. David himself was a prophet yet God used a prophet to correct David and also to show David that which was to come.
II Samuel 12 ... And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up:and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For thou didst it secretly:but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
15 And Nathan departed unto his house.
Hosea 12 ... 13 And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
and by a prophet was he preserved.
God uses prophets the same way today in NT church. God shows prophets sin in the congregation and the prophet speaks that the sin may be corrected.
The only difference between OT and NT is every believer in the church is given the Holy Spirit. Therefore in NT church you do not go to the prophet to find our what to do. You have the Holy Spirit to teach you what to do.
Nevertheless, there are times God will warn you by a prophet and correct you by a prophet if you stray from the way of God just as God spoke to David by a prophet. David as a prophet had the Holy Spirit yet God sent a prophet to correct David.
Concerning apostles in the NT church ... Paul was the first of the NT apostles, given to the church after Jesus arose. Paul was not like Peter and the other apostles who knew Jesus in the flesh and walked with Jesus. Paul didn't know Jesus until Acts 9, on the road to Damascus, after the resurrection of Jesus had already taken place.
NT apostles deal with doctrine in the church, especially with perverse doctrine men have brought into the congregation.
Paul said ... Acts 20 ... 25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
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