Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Hymn: I'm pressing on the upward way




(Click forward arrow > to play music:)


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


Chorus:

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Heaven's tableland;

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


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

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


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



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


*****

Scripture pertaining to this hymn:

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

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

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

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

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

***

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




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

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

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

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

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

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


*****

Instruction in Righteousness: Revelation 11


And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and HE shall reign for ever and ever.

16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and hast reigned.

18 And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.


*****

Advertising Agencies Ruling Over Ministers to Promote Them

Book:  Great Is THY Faithfulness
Chapter  9
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet 


In 1980, I was on radio in USA cities.

My pastor at that time, Robert Tilton, said to me:  "Joan ... you need to sign with Michael Ellison Advertising Agency.  They can really do you a lot of good."

All the big-time ministers that I knew at that time had advertising agents promoting them.  Kenneth Copeland, Jimmy Swaggart, Marilyn Hickey, Robert Tilton, Billy Graham

I contacted Michael Ellison Advertising Agency.

They were not interested in having me as a client.

But I had a coordinator who was a vice-president at Braniff International Airlines and she was a soft spoken but very persuasive person ... and she convinced Ellison to sign me as one of their clients.


*****

The agency representative told me: 

"Joan ... we can fill Soldiers & Sailors Auditorium in Pittsburgh for your meetings.  Just one thing ... Don't say anything on your radio broadcasts to offend anyone..."

I am a prophet.  It would be impossible to operate in the office of a prophet and never offend anyone in the church. 

Just consider the way John the Baptist greeted the people who came out to be baptized of him.

Luke 3:7-8    Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.


*****

For about 4 months, they tried to represent me.

The agent who was assigned to me came to Dallas to meet with me.

He was taking me to dinner and came to my apartment for me in a chauffeured driven limousine.

Hollywood!

I didn't even know how to properly get into the car.


*****

My coordinator joined me at the meeting we had in Dallas with the agency representative which was held at my "modest" ($180 a month) apartment.

At one point in time, the radio station manager in the NYC area radio station came to Dallas for a conference.  He asked to see me.  He came to my apartment and when he saw my apartment, he said:  "You are the only minister I've ever met who didn't spell prophet 'profit'."


*****


The ad agent and my coordinator sat down at my dining room/kitchen table which was also my living room.

The agent was very subtle and suave.

He said, "Joan ... there is just one thing we'd like you to do. 

We want you to put on your envelopes 'SEND ME YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS' ..."

I quickly replied, "I don't want to do that!"

I shocked both the agent and my own coordinator.

I explained:  People should go to God through Jesus.  Directly in prayer.  They should have faith to pray and should be taught to pray to God.

There was dead silence in the room for a minute.

Then the agent said: 

"Well ... you're missing a good bet.  For when they ask you to pray for them, they usually put some money in the envelope." 

It was a fund raising gimmick.

I never did this.

I never take prayer requests from people.  If they tell me what is going on in their lives and God touches me to pray, I pray. 

Usually when they ask you to pray, they tell you what to pray.  It is nonsense.

James 5:16    The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

A prayer must be from the heart, not from obligation.  A prayer must be "red hot", fervent.  And the prayer must be from "a righteous man".

We can't sell out to an advertising agency for gain or to the congregation for approval of man and be righteous.


*****


The advertising agency probably saw very quickly they would have trouble controlling me as a client.

Later, the agency told me they did not want me to send anything out in writing to anyone without first sending the writing to the agency for their approval.

Of course I wouldn't do that.

Very shortly after that, I received a "slick" phone call from the agency and the agent assigned to me said they were going to have to eliminate some of their clients and "unfortunately" I was one of the clients they were going to need to eliminate.

I thought I had failed!

But God called the following scripture to my attention.

Matthew 4:8-10    Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

I had not failed

I had passed a temptation for fame and glory and money in the ministry world.



*****

At one point, Marilyn Hickey said to me:   "Joan ... pray that Michael Ellison approves my going on television."

It was not pray that God's will be done, nor was it pray that God approves my going on television, but rather she said pray that Michael Ellison approves my going on television.

This is the power and the hold the advertising agencies can have over the big-time ministers.



*****

Billy Graham's agent came to Dallas to see about signing me with their agency.

He said, "Joan ... you don't realize that you are a 'gold mine'.  You have an earned doctorate.  We can package you to corporations to do seminars for women."

But God had told me I was not to be exclusive to women but was for the whole church.

I am called by God and anointed by Jesus as a gift to the church in the offices of apostle and prophet.



*****


I continued to try to present on radio what I believed to be messages from God.

Often the message offended the churches because the churches had changed doctrine from the Bible and had explained away portions of scripture such as:

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

(The divorced woman will commit adultery when she remarries and the man who marries this divorced woman will commit adultery by marrying the divorced woman.)

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

and many other scriptures are set aside in the churches today  ...

Some churches today approve homosexuals and lesbians, ignoring Romans 1  ... 

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:  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.

Some churches have gone along with the world and now call drunkenness a "disease" rather than a sin of the flesh, ignoring the following:

I Corinthians 6:9-10    Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.


*****


This is the end-time apostasy in the church where churches fall away from scripture allowing antichrist to rule in the church.

II Thessalonians 2    (NASB)

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,  who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?

And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.

(That which "restrains" antichrist ... holds antichrist back from the church ... are the scriptures ... as soon as a portion of scripture has been removed from the church, the restraint against antichrist is removed, and antichrist moves into the church and the apostasy begins in that church group.)

(Antichrist is not one man but a spirit in many men, just as the devil is not one man but a spirit in many men.)

II Thessalonians 2   For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only HE (the WORD) who now restrains will do so until HE (the WORD) is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;


But as in the days of Elijah, God has some reserved to HIMSELF who will not bow their knee to "Baal", to the beast of Revelation, to today's thinking of this world ... and will continue to hold fast to scripture from the Bible unto the end and the return of Jesus.  In Elijah's day, there were 7000 reserved by God, who had not bowed their knees to the false prophet Baal. 

I Kings 19:18    (God says)  Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.



*****


Paul says Jesus could not return until the apostasy happened first in the churches.  II Thessalonians 2

It helps us to know why churches today are falling away from scripture and setting up other doctrines.

It is the apostasy in the church.



*****

HYMN:  ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND

(Chorus)

On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.


(To hear this hymn played on piano and to follow along with the words, click on the following link and then when it appears on screen, tap on the play arrow, >)





*****

BOOK: Great Is THY Faithfulness
Chapter 9

Joan Boney



E-book: $.99
Paperback: $5.99
(USA Prices)

Order from: Amazon.com


*****

Selected scriptures from today's blog


(Recommend:  Think on these things.)

Mark 4:24-25  Jesus warned:  And HE said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

***

I Corinthians 14:39 ... Forbid not to speak with tongues.  

***

Titus 3:9-11   But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

***

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

***

I Corinthians 12:4-11  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.   And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.   And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;  To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as HE will.

*** 

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


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

***

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

*** 

Matthew 24:12-13    And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

***

Revelation 14:14-20  And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

*** 

I Timothy 4:13 Paul said: Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

***


Hebrews 10:25-31   Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

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

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

***

Exodus 32:1   And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Exodus 32:7-8   And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

***

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

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

***

Luke 3:7-8    Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

***

James 5:16    The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

***

Matthew 4:8-10    Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

***

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


***


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


***


Romans 1 ... 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:  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.

***

I Corinthians 6:9-10    Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.


***

II Thessalonians 2:3-8   (NASB)   Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,  who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?

And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only HE (the WORD) who now restrains will do so until HE (the WORD) is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

***

I Kings 19:18    (God says)  Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

***

Revelation 11:  Presented today


*****

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

* God speaks of "perverse" in both Old and New Testament.


Deuteronomy 32 ... Moses speaking to the elders of the congregation

3 Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.

4 HE is the Rock, HIS work is perfect: for all HIS ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is HE.



5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

***

Perverse:  Turned away from that which is right and good

***

Acts 20 ... apostle Paul speaking to the elders of the church at Ephesus

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.

***

I John 2

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

*****

* Controlling our tongues by the Spirit of God


Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

James 1:26   If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.


***

Sometimes we will start to say something and feel a "check" in our Spirit.  It is good to restrain ourselves from speaking when that happens.

But if we have evil in our hearts, that is what will come out of our mouths.

So we have to work, through God, to keep our hearts clean after we are born again for pollutions of the thinking of men of this present world and thoughts coming from devil can cause us to be defiled.

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

The ways of the flesh, the world, TV, secular books, often present concepts directly opposite to the ways of God.

Some TV shows are so steeped in the goodness of man that we can forget what God has to say about man.

Genesis 6:5   And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Revelation 5:4   And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

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

When I see a TV show, I would rather see men for what they are than to see them as good people for I know by the Bible what humans really are.  (I know what I am except for God controlling me through HIS Word.)

That righteousness we seek will not be a part of this present earth but is the new heaven and the new earth.

II Peter 3:13   Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Until then, we have to keep our own flesh under the control of the Spirit of God and to refuse to allow it to rise up in us through our tongue.  We put our tongue to death by the Spirit of God who dwells in us.

Colossians 3:5-8   Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

***

When I see a football player kneeling in the end zone in prayer, I grieve.

I know such things as this are men trying to show other men their own righteousness.

But when I see a football player whacking another football player, I know this is real, the flesh of man, not trying to be good in himself, for the flesh of man has no good in him.

These are truths I know by the Bible.

So to look for the men of this earth to be good and righteous is to deceive myself.

***

Paul said to Timothy:

I Timothy 4:13    Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

This I do daily.

***

But I also see TV programs and I read secular books...  but when I see them portraying the goodness of man then I am troubled, for I know this is not true.

Only by God is man good.

And those religious things shown on TV are religion by the image of man and are not real but are only religion in the eyes of man.

And when man praises man, I look for evil because I know when you follow God, man persecutes you and calls you evil.

And often God will remind me of a scripture to set me straight when I see TV or read a secular book.



*****

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




(Click forward arrow > to play music:)



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

Whatever men may say.

I see His hand of mercy;

I hear His voice of cheer;
And just the time I need Him

He’s always here. 

Chorus:

He lives! He lives! 
Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me 
along life’s narrow way.

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



2.  In all the world around me
I see His loving care,
And though my heart grows weary,

I never will despair;

I know that He is leading,

Through all the stormy blast;
The day of His appearing

Will come at last.

3.  Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs

To Jesus Christ the King!

The Hope of all who seek Him,

The Help of all who find,
None other is so loving,

So good and kind.


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



*****

Scriptures pertaining to this hymn:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ephesians 1:3-14  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as HE hath chosen us in HIM before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before HIM in love:

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

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

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

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

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times HE might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in HIM: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of HIM who worketh all things after the counsel of HIS own will: That we should be to the praise of HIS glory, who first trusted in Christ.  

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in WHOM also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of HIS glory.

The Holy Spirit of Jesus lives in us.

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

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

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

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Salvation to impart ... 

This world wants freedom to sin.

We want freedom from sin.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

John 15:1-8 Jesus says:  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in ME that beareth not fruit HE taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, HE purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

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

Abide in ME, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in ME.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in ME, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without ME ye can do nothing.

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

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

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

***

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

***

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


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Instruction in Righteousness: Revelation 10


And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: 

And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. 

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

(There are times God stops us from writing or speaking those things we have seen from HIM.)

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
And sware by HIM that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. 

And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

(We love the Word God gives us and we eat that word and it is sweet to us ... but it comes bitter to those who hate the word of God when we "prophesy" to them.)


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Though HE slay me, Yet Will I Serve HIM

Book:  Great Is THY Faithfulness
Chapter  8
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet 


It was toward the end of 1981, and I was still on radio throughout the USA, and was still popular.

I received a dream which terrified me.

In this dream, there was an established piece of land.  All of a sudden, one entire end of land broke and slid away ... then another went ... then another ... then another.  It was silent and it was terrible to see this.

I heard these words:  "It will be all right through January, but in February it will break loose."

I told the dream on my radio broadcast.  I didn't know what was coming but I knew something really devastating was ahead.  It was approximately November, 1981, when I began telling this dream to the radio audience.


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February, 1982, came and went and nothing happened!

People called me a false prophet and left in large numbers.

I had no idea what had happened.  I knew the dream was from God.  I never stopped believing the dream was from God but it wasn't until approximately 2016 that God revealed to me the truth about this February vision.

The vision did come to pass in February, 1982. 

The vision was what would happen concerning me.  The people in large numbers were going to leave me, slide away from me!

I began laughing when I realized what this February vision really meant.  It was terrible to go through at the time, but after 34-years had passed and I saw what it was, it was funny to me.


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While it was extremely difficult while this was happening in 1982, as the years passed I became grateful to God that I was not in the big-time ministry.  I was still doing the work of apostle/prophet but in a very different way than we ever imagined.

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In 2009, there was a movie, Julie & Julia, where a young woman was writing daily on her computer at home on something called "a blog".

This was so exciting to me.  I thought how wonderful it would be to get to do that.  The problem was, I didn't have anything to say ... so I thought.

In March, 2012, God gave me a dream:

In the dream, a woman was singing.  I said, "It's a little voice.  But it's a nice little voice."  Then in the dream I saw this was a way for the church to communicate.  And I recognized it pertained to a blog.

Immediately, I called Pam Padgett in our church group, and asked her if she could set up a blog for us.  Pam had been a computer programmer at FedEx and had just retired.  She said she didn't know anything about blogs but she guessed she could find out. 

Within 3 days, we had a blog and were publishing exhortations for the church.

Jesus Ministries Exhortations

It is a little voice.  But indeed it is a "nice" little voice.

It costs us nothing at all to do this.  The messages go out daily. 

And much to our surprise those writings go all over the world. 

WWW? 

The first day, we had 2 page views from people in Germany!

We were stunned.  We knew nothing about blogs and had never before realized this was going all over the world instantly! WWW (World Wide Web)

Since that time, we have had more than 650,000 page views of our blog with an average of 15,000 page views per month!

It is a "little voice" but it is a "nice" little voice ... just as God showed me in that dream in 2012.

We still marvel at this means of speaking the Word of God throughout the entire world daily!

And it is all done from my own home and without leaving town! 

I am now 80-years-old and can still do this work daily ... whereas I wouldn't be able physically to do the other type of ministry work, travelling from city to city and speaking to church groups.

I'm in awe of God setting all this up and putting me in the right place at the right time with the right skills to do this.  (I've always been a writer and I love writing.)

God saved the best for me till last, just like God did with the prophet Job.

Job 42:12    So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:

There was still more to come in the years ahead!


*****


In November, 2015, thoughts began coming into my mind that I needed to purchase a new Kindle e-reader.

I resisted these thoughts for I had a perfectly good first-generation Kindle e-reader.  I didn't need a new e-reader, so I thought.

But the thoughts kept coming on this.

Finally, just before Thanksgiving, 2015, I purchased a new e-reader ... a fifth-generation Kindle Fire.

It was much more complicated than my first generation Kindle.

I tried to find a user guide which would show me how to use this device but the guides were all too advanced for me.  I had very little computer skill and I needed a guide which showed me how to enlarge the letters and how to make the screen brighter.  The writers of manuals seemed, for the most part, to expect the reader to know how to do these simple tasks.  But I didn't know.

Pam Padgett would send me emails to tell me how to do these things.

When about 6 emails stacked up, I realized we needed to write a guide for non-computer generation people and to graphically illustrate every step showing how to use a Kindle so older people could learn to operate this magnificent device.

I could see how much it would help people my age to learn to use a Kindle or iPad tablet before they had to go to a hospital.  It would keep them in touch with everything from the hospital bed.  That would mean a great deal.  In fact one woman in our church group was in that position.  She was 83 at the time she began learning, from our book, how to use a Kindle.  A year or so later she had to go to hospital.  Because of the Kindle she could read the blog, send and receive emails, hear hymns played on internet, and be in touch with us.  It helped her life so much.

I knew the book we wrote could be very helpful to older generations: 

Graphically Illustrated Kindle Fire 8 Guide:  (For non-computer generations)

Pam had the computer knowledge to do this.  I am a writer.  So we wrote a book and found we could publish the book directly on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) without cost to us ... and Amazon would distribute the book all over the world!

I had finished all the writing for the book and Pam was working on getting the book in the publication form required by Amazon.

I was bored.  I had little to do now that the extensive work on the book was finished.

A thought came into my mind (from God) ... "Maybe I could write ministry books and publish them on Amazon."

Now we are to the essence of God's plan in all this.

Not only could we publish e-books but we could publish the book in paper format and without any cost to the ministry.

Amazon has worldwide distribution for books and has a "free" e-book program where each book can be given away 5 days out of each 90 day cycle.

This suited us very much.

We didn't care about earning money from the books.  (Amazon required us to charge at least 99-cents for the book in standard sales, to get book into their "free" book distribution program, which we felt was very important in sending it to people all over the world.)

We just wanted to make the books available all over the world to the church everywhere!

I began writing:  Taking Thoughts Captive

I kept writing and we ended up with the following ministry books for the church in both e-book & paper form on Amazon: 

- Taking Thoughts Captive
- Faith in God
- Following God by HIS Spirit
- Dealing with Destructive Thoughts
- Dreams from God
- Prayer to God
- The New Testament Church
- Promises From God to the Church
- Overcoming Through God
- Building Your House on the Word of God
- Escaping the World God's Way
- Great is Thy Faithfulness

- 12 Volumes:  Exhortations for the Church

- Holy Bible (KJV) / New Testament, Psalms, Proverbs

- Proverbs

- Faith Building Moments from the Old Testament and Today


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Since publication, the books have been distributed to more than 1000 people per year, in many countries of the world!

We are delighted with the opportunity.

You see how one little step, purchasing that new Kindle Fire, was used by God to bring all these books into publication!



Isaiah 55:8-13

For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and MY thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall MY word be that goeth forth out of MY mouth: it shall not return unto ME void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.



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HYMN:    I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES

I know that my Redeemer lives
And ever prays for me.
A token of HIS love HE gives,
A pledge of liberty

I know that my Redeemer lives,
A quick'ning Spirit HE;
I know eternal life HE gives
Amazing grace to me.

I find HIM lifting up my head;
HE brings salvation near;
HIS presence makes me free indeed,
And HE will soon appear.

HE wills that I should holy be:
What can withstand HIS will?
The counsel of HIS grace in me
HE surely shall fulfill.

Jesus, I hang upon Thy word:
I steadfastly believe
Thou wilt return and claim me, Lord,
And to Thyself receive.


(To hear this hymn played on piano and to follow along with the words, click on the following link and then when it appears on screen, tap on the play arrow, >) 




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BOOK: Great Is THY Faithfulness
Chapter 8

Joan Boney



E-book: $.99
Paperback: $5.99
(USA Prices)

Order from: Amazon.com


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