Joan Boney … apostle/prophet
After I was born again, I was very concerned that I would not be accepted by the church and the prayer group I was attending.
God showed me the following scripture to settle me.
Ephesians 1:6 HE hath made us accepted in the beloved.
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The apostle Paul was a great enemy of the church, persecuting believers in Jesus unto death.
The church knew this and they were afraid of Paul.
Acts 9
And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
(God would make Paul accepted in the beloved.)
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27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
(God gave to Paul that which he needed and made Paul to be accepted in the church.)
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God causes us to be accepted in the body of Christ, not by our works but by what HE does in us.
It is the Spirit in us which is recognized by the church.
There was a woman who came among us. She had no desirable attributes that I knew of. She was fat. Her house was a mess. She was slow. She didn't have any excess money. She didn't seem to have anything except there was something in her, a Spirit, that I recognized. When I spoke with her that Spirit was always there. I found her to be a delight! (she is no longer living but when I remember her I remember that Spirit in her and I smile.)
There is another woman, a Catholic, whom I believe at some point will be born again. After a lapse of several month she called me. I asked her what she had been doing. She replied she had been trying to do good works. She went on to tell me of a neighbor whose son died and she took this woman and her husband to dinner and they seemed to enjoy it. At some point I have hope this Catholic woman will be born again.
What God puts inside us causes us to be accepted in the beloved!
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