Book: Exhortations For The Church
Vol. 10, Chapter 10
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Hebrews 5:11-14 ... Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
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When we have a WORD from the Holy Spirit, if we fail to use it immediately we can have it slip away and be stolen from us by devils.
Thus Jesus gave them the parable of the sower.
Mark 4:3-9 ... Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
And HE said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 4:14-21 The sower soweth the word.
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
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When you hear a word from the Spirit of God and do that word immediately it gains deep root in you. By doing the word we grow in God. The hearers of the word think themselves spiritual because they heard the word but they deceive themselves says James.
James 1:22-25 ... But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
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James 2:26 ... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
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To develop in faith it is important to acknowledge your faith.
Philemon vv.4-6 ... I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
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We should know if we are called by God to a ministry office (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher ... Ephesians 4)
We should know the gifts of the Holy Spirit that operate in us frequently. We should know which gifts we have for the church for these are not gifts for us to consume on ourselves but are for the church to edify the church in ways of God.
And we should acknowledge before the church those gifts and offices by faith in God for by telling the church we make our faith effectual, stronger.
I have often stated that I am called by God as an apostle and prophet. Certainly I do not do this to boast but rather it takes "meekness" to acknowledge these things. Some will hate and despise me because of this. But to fail to acknowledge such before the church would be to me like denying the calling of God on my life. Therefore I bear the shame that would come to me by unbelievers in order to acknowledge God.
Paul warned Timothy to partake of the heavenly calling, not being ashamed of it.
II Timothy 1:8 ... Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
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It is not humility to deny the calling of God if you have a calling.
It is not humility to hide in silence when you know you have a spiritual gift for the church.
Beware of the parable of the talents and what happened to the one who hid his talent.
Matthew 25:14-30 ... For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
If you are afraid to use that talent, you deny God and condemn yourself by your lack of faith.
All these scriptures warn us. If we are servants of God we must serve God faithfully.
And we must continue to serve God in faith in God even when there is no praise from man.
We do our job because it is our job given by God.
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BOOK: Exhortations For The Church, Volume 10
Chapter 10
Joan Boney
E-book: $.99
Chapter 10
Joan Boney
E-book: $.99
Paperback: $6.99
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Order from: Amazon.com
Order from: Amazon.com
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