💥 God unravelled everything I did when I invited one of our church members to move to Colorado.

 

Comments by Joan Boney:

 

Last year, I acted on "a good idea" without trying the spirit that brought that idea, and except for God we would all have been destroyed.

I John 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Many thoughts come to us which seem good to us.  But is this really what God would have us do?

Proverbs 16:25

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

 

God stopped the plan!

 

***

 

God does not want me to be destroyed.

 

John 10:10   The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

 

***

 

God can stop us if need be.

 

Everything went wrong with my plan.  But when we understand God's stop signs, and we are willing to stop and do stop when it is not working out, we are saved by God from our own plan.

 

***

 

I invited one of our church members to move to Colorado and even to live at the house with Pam and me.  She seemed to have the Spirit of God now and to think like we think.  She is alone in Texas and is 75 years old.  She has a brother living in Texas but she said he is depressed all the time although he professes to be a Christian.  His wife has cancer and was supposed to have died years ago but didn't.  She has no friends where she now lives.

I thought we could help one another.

 

(I did this with permission of Pam Padgett but from the beginning when Sandra arrived to visit, Pam realized she could not live in the same house with this church member, who fretted over almost every perceived problem, greatly troubling Pam who approaches problems by turning to God and hearing from God what to do.  The way of this person and Pam was so different though both profess Christ and the Holy Spirit.)

But there is only one way and that is faith in God.

 

I Corinthians 5:6-8   Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

 

***

 

This is certainly the wrong time to mix light and darkness.  I believe the commission for us is to live in peace, without spot, and blameless.  (2 Peter 3:14)

 

I believe these are the perilous times spoken of by the apostle Paul in the following:

 

2 Timothy 3 

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection (homosexuals, lesbians, abortionists), trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

***

 

 God got me freed from my plan:  When nothing works, STOP.

* We had a contractor who would build an apartment onto the existing property.  The woman greatly fretted over everything about the plan of the apartment.

(Pam saw she just couldn't live with this woman in the house.)

I have lived with Pam since having an accident in Texas in 2018.  We rarely have any problem living together in the same house.  But Pam and I are the same spirit and we go about faith the same way.  When there is a problem, we just turn to God in prayer depending on HIM to show us what to do.  God shows us what to do.  We do that which HE shows us and it works.  There is never any worry or fretting.

* So we decided the only way this could work is for this woman to buy a separate house.  She could sell her house in Texas and use that money to purchase a house in Colorado Springs.  She would have approximately $250,000.  (She hid from us her 401K which was another $200,000.)

So Pam contracted a realtor and told him she wanted to move here and asked him to hunt a house here in price range of $250,000 in our area of the city. He said it would be difficult to find one in that price range.

(Pam paid $250,000 for existing house in 1985.  It is on Glen Eagle Golf Course.  They later closed the golf course but it is excellent, desirable property today.  The houses around us are selling for $600,000 to $800,000. Incredibly inflated prices, in my opinion, and you rarely see a for-sale sign anywhere in this neighborhood. Pam's house is on 1/3 acre so we have good space between houses.

Even had we known about Sandra's 401K of $200, we could not have purchased a house here for $450,000.  When we looked at property, we found the new houses were starting at $550.000 and upward.

I said to Sandra:  "If I were dead, would you want to move to Colorado?"  Instantly she replied, "No."   (I'm currently 87-years-old.)

This ended the plan.

💥💥💥

This writing shows how God is able to get us loose!

(So talk with God if you feel trapped.)

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💥 Christmas can be a very destructive time emotionally and even cause us to sin when we try to participate with worldly people who celebrate a holiday set up by man. Setting goals so we will not fall into the traps.

Comments by Joan Boney:

The apostle Peter set our goals as to how we are to live as we wait for the return of Jesus:  live in peace; without spot; and blameless.  (2 Peter 3:14)

***

The first thing to understand:  Christmas is a day set up by man and not by God.  

If you type "Christmas" into your computer Bible search, you will get "no results".  That is because the word "Christmas" is not in the Bible.  It is not something set up by God.

***

To try to make a religious holiday set up by man and not by God into a spiritual event is really not going to produce the results you are looking for.  Therefore disappointment is often the result because the event is "man made".

***

I no longer try to make Christmas into a special spiritual event, nor do I participate with those who do this.

*As soon as I awaken each morning, I am often praying:  "What do YOU want me to do today?  Please set my path today.  Deliver me from evil.  Keep me safe.  My hope is in YOU."

* I worship God the same way every day.  prayer, Bible reading, exhorting the church as is my assignment given me by God;

* If you are going to someone's house for Christmas dinner, you need to take extra precaution through prayer and control of yourself to live in peace, without hypocrisy.  There will be much sin and in most cases the sin will be talk that uncontrolled humans and unrepentant humans do to make other humans "feel good" about themselves without repentance. The entire holiday is carnal, man's idea of spiritual, and not spiritual

* When God commands us to do something religious in the Bible, hopefully we do it, conforming ourselves to the way set up by God.  But Christmas is set up by man and not by God. 

Teach yourself.  Look up the word "Christmas" in the Bible.  Learn from this.  If it is spiritual it is in the Holy Bible.  Change your expectations.

I Corinthians 2

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Avoid hypocrisy.

💥💥💥💥💥

💥 God appears to Abraham again and promises to him a seed, an heir, Isaac.

Genesis 17

 

1  And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before ME, and be thou perfect.

2 And I will make MY covenant between ME and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

***

3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4 As for ME, behold, MY covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7 And I will establish my covenant between ME and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep MY covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

***

15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

22 And HE left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

 

💥💥💥

 

God does as HE wills.

 

God caused me to be born again by the Word HE spoke to me on August 5, 1975.  "Joan ... you know those mistakes you've been making all these years?  Those weren't mistakes, those were sins."

 

After that, God took me into heaven twice and merged me into the body of Jesus, making me one with the Word of God, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.

 

After that, nothing but God, Christ, the church mattered to me.  I constantly thought of the Bible and was on fire for the Word of God.  Changed instantly by God.

 

Accepting and cherishing above all the Word of God.

 

I had no idea at that time God had called me to be a minister.  I had been taught at Church of Christ that women could not be ministers.  Later I simply had to accept what God said to me.  And God even created a "ministry" for me.  It is called blog, Podcast through internet, though first God started me on radio exhorting the church in 1980.

 

What God wants to do HE does.

 

💥💥💥

 

Judges 4

 

1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.

2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. 

And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

💥💥💥💥💥 

💥 Book #12: Life in Christ Series: * Great Is THY Faithfulness, Chapter 3

 

(Order all books from Amazon:  E-books: 99 cents each)

 

Man Comes To Me To Seek My Advice in How to Run a Business

 

One day, I received a phone call from a man in Houston.  He said his wife had started a business there in American Indian Arts and he wanted to come to Dallas to talk with me about running such a business.

I did everything I could do to keep him from coming to see me.

I don't know anything about business nor about running a business.

But he would not be discouraged and insisted on coming to Dallas to talk with me.

I was horrified!

This man said he was a graduate in business from Harvard Business School.

*****

The man came to my shop shortly after this and said he wanted to know about marketing.

(I know absolutely nothing about marketing.)

I was frantically praying as this man spoke to me.  I was asking God to get me out of this.

The man kept insisting that I tell him my marketing plan.

Finally I said to him: 

"Well ... I'm a Christian ... so before I go out to the reservation to buy items, I pray, asking God to have the Indians make the pieces of jewelry that I need ...

When I get to the reservation, I pray, asking God to help me to see which items to purchase ...

When I start back to Dallas, I pray, asking God to send the angels out to bring in the customers to buy the items."


There was silence for a moment.

Then he said, "Well ... that's a form of marketing."

He left the shop.

*****

This is how I ran my business and everything I purchased sold and we never had a sale until the week I announced I would be closing the shop to go into the ministry and then I discounted the items by 10% .

The first day of the sale, almost every item sold.

Within 3 days all merchandise was gone.

People even bought the office furniture and a small refrigerator I had in my back room.

That was July 31, 1979.

I closed my business to go into the ministry.

I didn't seek a church to work for.  I just went home to my apartment with no future plans.  I had no income.  I lived off the money I had made from the sale of the merchandise.

During the next 6 months, I stayed home reading Bible.

I didn't try to get a paid job in a church.

There was an opening at a college in Dallas, Christ for the Nations, for dean of women.

I had an earned doctorate in education and might have gotten that job, but I didn't want that job. 

I knew my calling of apostle/prophet and that job didn't fit what I believed God had called me to do.

I had no prospects at all during that time and no thought of any form of employment. 

5 1/2 months passed.

I just waited.

The night of January 10, 1980, everything changed!

I was asleep in the night. 

I was awakened by a very loud trumpet-like voice that blew 3 words into my ear: 

"Hartford, Seattle, KWJS".

I jumped out of bed and wrote the letters "KWJS" on a notepad.

I was sure it must be call letters to either radio or television.

I looked it up.

It was a radio station.

I said to God:  "Are YOU telling me to go on radio?  I wouldn't know how to do that.  I'm a writer, not a speaker."

A very gentle thought (the Holy Spirit) came into my mind:  "Call the radio station manager."

That morning, as soon as I thought the radio business office would be open, I called and asked to speak to the station manager.

He came on the phone immediately.

I told him I thought God might be showing me to go on radio.  I asked, "How would you do that?"

He told me to send him an audition tape 29 1/2 minutes long and if I fit their broadcasting, he would offer me a contract.

I asked him how much it cost.

He said, "800-dollars per month for week-day broadcasts ..."

I recorded an audition tape as soon as I got off the phone.  I took it to post office immediately and put it into the mail. 

Within 5 days, I was broadcasting daily exhortations for the church on KWJS.

*****

After I mailed the audition tape, I asked God how HE wanted me to pay for the broadcasts.

A very gentle voice of instruction (by Holy Spirit) came into my thoughts:  "Send a letter to the people you know and tell them what happened."

(I knew fewer than 50 people at the time.)

I wrote a letter telling exactly what had happened. 

I did not ask them for money.  I just told them what had happened.

Within 3 days, many had sent money for the broadcasts and I had enough to pay in full for the first month of broadcasts.   One man hand carried his offering to my apartment door and handed it to me.


The broadcasts began on KWJS and were instantly successful.  The messages concerned following God, hearing from the Spirit of God and taking thoughts captive and faith in God.

A woman named Lilly McBride, who lived in Fort Worth, had been praying asking God to put on radio, in a vacant 1/2 hour, a real faith teacher.

She was listening to the noon-time hour of broadcasts on KWJS as she always did.

When she turned on her radio that day at noon, a woman began to speak.

Lilly shouted:  "OH NO! ... not a woman!"

She got up to go to the radio to turn the broadcast off but before she got there she became interested in what I was saying.

She became a "fan" from that moment!

She lived exactly across the street from Vinita Copeland.  (Kenneth's mother)

They both became big supporters of me and attended local meetings and had me visit in their homes.

Vinita taught a Bible class in Fort Worth which I recall attending once.

I was very close to Vinita and liked her a lot.  (I viewed Vinita as an old time Baptist war horse, who knew how to pray on her knees!)

*****

By the end of 1980, I was on radio from coast to coast ... "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS"  ... broadcasting weekdays in NYC (Hartford area), Philadelphia, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Seattle, Eugene Oregon, Bakersfield California, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

The broadcasts were very popular.

Many things were to change in the days ahead which I didn't expect.

In the middle of 1981, I was having a meeting in Seattle.  On the bus, en route to the airport to return to Dallas, I heard the following. 

"The foundation is laid now we're really going to move."

I was foolishly, very excited.

My meetings in radio cities were greatly expanding and the number of people into the thousands.  I thought the future growth was going to be out of sight!

I failed to take account of the following truth:


Isaiah 55:8-9  (God says:)

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.

*****

HYMN:    HE LEADETH ME

HE leadeth me! O blessed thought,

O words with heav'nly comfort fraught;

Whate'er I do, where'er I be,

Still 'tis Christ's word that leadeth me.

(Chorus)

HE leadeth me!  HE leadeth me!

By HIS own Word HE leadeth me;

HIS faithful follower I would be,

For by HIS Word HE leadeth me.

(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, > )

He leadeth me

*****

Scriptures:

 

John 16:33  (Jesus says) These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

***

Psalm 119:130  The entrance of THY words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

 

***

 

John 5:24  Jesus said ... Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth MY word, and believeth on HIM that sent ME, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 

***

 

John 14: 16-18   Jesus says ...  And I will pray the Father, and HE shall give you another Comforter, that HE may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth HIM not, neither knoweth HIM: but ye know HIM; for HE dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

 

 ***

 

I Corinthians 15:33-34  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

 

 

 💥💥💥💥💥

Luke 18 (Reading through the Bible)

 

And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

² Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
³ And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
⁴ And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
⁵ Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
⁶ And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

⁷ And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?
⁸ I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?

(Things will get so bad toward the end, even faith will come into question ... and except the time be shorted there would no flesh be saved, but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.  Matthew 24)


***

⁹ And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

¹⁰ Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
¹² I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

¹³ And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

***

¹⁵ And they brought unto Him also infants, that He would touch them: but when His disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

¹⁶ But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

¹⁷ Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

(child-like faith)


***

¹⁸ And a certain ruler asked Him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

¹⁹ And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

²⁰ Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

²¹ And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

²² Now when Jesus heard these things, He said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow Me.

²³ And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

²⁴ And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, He said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

²⁶ And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?

²⁷ And He said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.


***

²⁸ Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed Thee.

²⁹ And He said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,  Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.


***

³¹ Then He took unto Him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
³² For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
³³ And they shall scourge Him, and put Him to death: and the third day He shall rise again.

³⁴ And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.


***

³⁵ And it came to pass, that as He was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
³⁶ And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
³⁷ And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.
³⁸ And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
³⁹ And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

⁴⁰ And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him: and when he was come near, He asked him,
⁴¹ Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?

And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.

⁴² And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

⁴³ And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

*****

💥 What God says in the Bible concerning handling of money and success in this life.

 

1 Timothy 6

 

(If anyone supposes gain is a sign of godliness,) 5 "from such withdraw thyself."

 

(JB ... I am very careful concerning the people with whom I associate.  I would not want to go to dinner with homosexual or lesbian for I know by the Bible in Romans 1:26 God has turned them over to "vile affections" ... I don't want their "leaven" to affect me.   

 

There are many other people God warns me about.  For example:  There is a man I met recently who has a wife and 3 children living in Denver and he moved to Colorado to be closer to his children, but he has another wife living with him. This will be nothing but trouble for me if I'm around him.  If I'm always having to correct a person who claims to be a Christian, then something is wrong with that person.  Christians correct themselves through God.  And when that is not the case, then if I have to correct them over and over, I will trouble myself and I believe they will take me down with them if I stay with them.) 

 

These are perilous times, says Paul in 2 Timothy 3.    Jesus says:  Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  Mt. 10:16 ... Paul says:  Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  Phil. 2:12

 

***

6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.

 

contentment: Contentment is a state of being in which one is satisfied with their current life situation, and the state of affairs in one's life as they presently are; not wanting something different from that which you have; satisfied with that which you now have;

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

 ***

 

9 But they that will be rich (those who try to have more money and things) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

***

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness (what is right in the sight of God in the specific matter at hand), godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in HIS times HE shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

17 Charge them that are rich in this world (having bank accounts and savings), that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

 

(Learn from history:  After the Civil War of USA, Confederate money was worthless;  Before WW2, Spain devaluated their money, making it buy much less.  During and after WW2, Germany money was almost worthless making it difficult to even purchase a loaf of bread.  If our trust is in property or money rather than God, we might set ourselves up for a big fall.  Keep focused on blessings from God.  And lay up treasure in heaven by that which we say and do being authored by God continually avoiding vain words which profit none at all.)

 

***

18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works (works approved by God), ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane (secular) and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

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Promises of God to the church:

Deuteronomy 28

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all HIS commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and HE shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto Himself, as HE hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in HIS ways.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

 

They will see you are of God therefore they won't dare to share their worldly things with you ... no dirty speaking in front of you.

11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

12 The LORD shall open unto thee HIS good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:  (curses that you will bring upon yourself if you will not do the word of God:  See Deuteronomy 28:16-29)

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Joshua 1:8  (following scripture puts us in position to prosper in all that we do)

This book of the law (the Holy Bible) shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

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Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

 

(We must turn to God for our wisdom.  If we turn to the world, then we will reap that of the world.  But to be blessed by God, we must not seek our wealth from the ungodly or sinners or delight in being with the scornful for we will set our way in evil. In the end we will destroy ourselves by going that way.)

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD (what God says in Holy Bible); and in HIS law doth he meditate day and night.  (He meditates on what God says to be able to know the way to go on this earth and to do that.)

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

(We deliberately plant ourselves where we drink from rivers of "water" of Word of God, doing that instruction continually, and then we are not easily shaken when things happen.)

4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

 

(Evil cannot sit with the righteous for the truly righteous will be repelled by the way the ungodly goes in their way of life.)

6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

(By this information we see why things are not working out in our lives or why things are working.  If the "righteous" can't stand being around us now we know "why" that is so by these things written in Psalm 1.)

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💥 Ishmael is born, but he is not the seed of the promise. There are natural children and spiritual children. Some are born again. They are the seed of the promise of God.

Genesis 16

 

1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.

12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old (86 years old), when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

 

***

 

Romans 9

 

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath HE mercy on whom HE will have mercy, and whom HE will HE hardeneth.

 

 

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💥 Book #12: Life in Christ Series: * Great Is THY Faithfulness, Chapter 2

(Order all books from Amazon:  E-books: 99 cents each)

 

A Woman Files A Lawsuit Against Me

 

In my business, American Indian Arts, we sold jewelry and pottery.  (1975 - July, 1979)

At the shop, we had a book concerning turquoise stones which customers could purchase if they chose to do so.  It cost $15.

A young woman came into the shop one day and purchased this book.

A few weeks later, she brought the book back, wanting a refund.

I explained to her that we did not give refunds on books.  We were not a library.

She insisted on a refund and refused to leave the shop at closing time.

I reached for the phone to call the police and she said, "Go ahead.  Call the police."

I put the phone back.

I don't recall exactly what happened after that but we had our hands on each other and she, being stronger than I, pushed me all the way to the back of the store.

Then she said:  "I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry."

And she left the shop.

*****

A few days later, I received a letter notifying me that this woman had filed an assault charge against me and that I was to appear in court on a certain day to answer the charge.  If I failed to appear a warrant would be issued for my arrest.

Of course I was stunned.  

I hired a lawyer.

As we were preparing to go to court, I heard the following words, which I believed to be from God:

"Don't testify."

I told my lawyer he might not want to represent me for I believed God had told me not to testify at court.

Lawyer said that was alright, he would still represent me and that we should be okay since Flo, one of my workers who witnessed everything, would be able to testify.  Lawyer said of course it would be better if I testified, but he still thought we would win with the testimony of Flo.

Days later, when Flo found I was not testifying, she became angry with me.  She said, "Now the burden is all on me."

I responded:  "But what can I do.  I believe God told me 'Don't testify', so I can't testify ..."

The man I was dating at the time tried to get me to testify.  He said:  "Joan ... you aren't doing this woman any favors by not testifying."

I responded:  "I'm not trying to do her any favors.  I believe God told me not to testify so I can't testify."

*****

The trial began on a Friday afternoon. 

As we appeared in court and stood before the judge, my lawyer declared that I would not be testifying.

The judge was scribbling on some notes and when my lawyer said that, the judge stopped and looked up, looking directly at me and said in a shocked manner, "You aren't testifying?"

I indicated, "No".

*****

The testimony began. 

My lawyer said to me:  "Flo's testimony was not as strong as I had hoped it would be.  But if you would testify, I know we would win this case."

Court was in recess at the time.  I told lawyer, I would see.

I went into the ladies room and began praying, asking God what HE wanted me to do.

I heard:  "Don't testify."

I returned to court room and just shook my head "no" to lawyer.

*****

At the end of the Friday court time, judge required us to return on Monday and present the bill of sale for the original purchase of the book that was in question.

It was Good Friday ... Easter weekend.

My 3 workers, their husbands, Bob, and I returned to my shop to look for the bill of sale.

I had conducted the sale of that book and had no idea what I might have done with that ticket.  I was very bad about paper work such as this.

I was sure we would not be able to find the ticket.  I might have thrown it into the trash.  I was beside myself with fear.

Bob insisted that I leave the shop and wait at my apartment and let them hunt the ticket without me!

I did this.

I said to God:  "I hope YOU know what YOU'RE doing.  We are going to lose this case."

God knew what HE was doing.

They found the ticket stuffed into a piece of black pottery and we presented it to the judge on Monday morning.  The judge looked at the sales ticket briefly and declared me to be NOT GUILTY and dismissed the charges against me.

*****

A few days later, this young woman filed a civil lawsuit against me.

My insurance company took up the matter and a representative said to me:  "Don't worry about this.  We will deal with her."

I guess they did for that was the end.  I never heard another word from her.  Nor did I hear further about the case.  It was over.

*****

Looking back on this, it is so hard to believe I could have continued to stand on that word:  "Don't testify."

But the first time I heard:  "Don't testify",  I really believed it was God speaking this to me.

I think what happened here was a spiritual gift of faith as cited in I Corinthians 12 ...

At that moment, I believe I was given a supernatural gift of faith which enabled me to hold onto that instruction:  "Don't testify"

I Corinthians 12:4-10     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:

*****

This situation of life seemed to set a foundation for obeying that which God said.

Going forward it just seemed impossible to me to do anything other than obey the WORD.

*****

HYMN:    TRUST AND OBEY

When we walk with the LORD

In the light of HIS Word,

What a glory HE sheds

on our way;

While we do HIS good will,

HE abides with us still,

And with all who will

trust and obey.

(Chorus)

Trust and obey,

For there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus,

But to trust and obey.

(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, > )

Trust and Obey

*****

Scriptures:

1 John 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in HIS Son.

 

 ***

 

Romans 8:31  What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?

 

 ***

Proverbs 18:10  The name of The Lord (the Word) is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

***

 

Isaiah 46:9-11  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like ME,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all MY pleasure:

11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth MY counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. 

 

***

 

Hebrews 10:35-36  Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

 

 

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Luke 17 (Reading through the Bible)

 

Then said He unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

² It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

³ Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

⁴ And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.


***

⁵ And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

⁶ And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.


***

⁷ But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
⁸ And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
⁹ Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
¹⁰ So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.


***

¹¹ And it came to pass, as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
¹² And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
¹³ And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

¹⁴ And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
¹⁵ And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
¹⁶ And fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
¹⁷ And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

¹⁸ There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

¹⁹ And He said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.


***

²⁰ And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
²¹ Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.


***

²² And He said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

²³ And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
²⁴ For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in His day.

²⁵ But first must He suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

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 Noah 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.

³¹ In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
³² Remember Lot's wife.

³³ Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

³⁴ I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
³⁵ Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
³⁶ Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

³⁷ And they answered and said unto Him, Where, Lord?

And He said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

*****