Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
If you have food and clothing, what more do you want?
Paul exhorts us as follows:
I Tim. 6 ... But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For 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.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
It helps a great deal to understand that our kingdom is not of this world. (See writing "My kingdom is not of this world")
(Providing daily encouragement for the body of Christ by the Spirit of God to help the church in the end times.)
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Friday, May 10, 2013
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Hebrews 5:8-10 ... Though he were a Son, yet learned he
obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he
became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 10
Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
Jesus said ...
Jn. 9:4 ... I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Jn. 5:30 ... I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear (from God), I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Mt. 26 ... Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
When they came to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of those who came to take Jesus. Jesus rebuked Peter ... Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must? Mt. 26 ... The fulfillment of the scriptures were so important that even if needed one would suffer going to the cross.
Phil. 2 ... Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
When we lay down our own reputation and stop doing those things whereby we draw glory to ourselves by that which we achieve, then we go in the way of God. These fleshly sufferings for the sake of doing the word of God are "sacrifices" which teach us obedience.
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
Jesus said ...
Jn. 9:4 ... I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Jn. 5:30 ... I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear (from God), I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Mt. 26 ... Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
When they came to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of those who came to take Jesus. Jesus rebuked Peter ... Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must? Mt. 26 ... The fulfillment of the scriptures were so important that even if needed one would suffer going to the cross.
Phil. 2 ... Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
When we lay down our own reputation and stop doing those things whereby we draw glory to ourselves by that which we achieve, then we go in the way of God. These fleshly sufferings for the sake of doing the word of God are "sacrifices" which teach us obedience.
The sin that is worse than other sins
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
I Cor. 6 ... Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 14And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. 15Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
When a Christian commits fornication it is different from all other sins because at the time of sexual intercourse the two become one flesh. Therefore fornication is a sin against his own body.
Fornication is just one of the sins that prohibit the person from inheriting the kingdom of God. Unless that person repents and does that sin no more, that person will not inherit the kingdom of God. There are also other sins which prohibit a person from entering the kingdom of God.
KJV: I Cor. 6 ... Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
NASB ... I Cor. 6 ... Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
NIV ... I Cor. 6 ... Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
In Jn. 8 we have the story of the woman taken in adultery. Jesus freed her but Jesus also commanded her as follows: "Go and sin no more." Recently I realized what Jesus was saying to this woman is do not commit the sin of adultery any more. If you are a drunkard, don't get drunk any more. If you are homosexual, do not commit sex with men any more. Whatever your sin is, when you see God and HE is revealed to you, you must not continue in that sin.
It is a very serious matter for a Christian to commit these sins. But when a Christian commits fornication it is a sin that is different from all other sins for it is a sin against his own body. I Cor. 6
Paul tells us not to keep company with a Christian if he does these sins. Paul says to put such a one away from us, away from the church.
I Cor. 5 ... I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
We do not judge the world. But if the man calls himself a Christian and is doing any one of the above sins we as the church are supposed to judge this man and put him away from us.
The above is in keeping with what Paul told us to do when we see a "brother" (a person calling himself a Christian) who is a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard of an extortioner. Just put such a one away from you when this is the case.
I Cor. 6 ... Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 14And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. 15Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
When a Christian commits fornication it is different from all other sins because at the time of sexual intercourse the two become one flesh. Therefore fornication is a sin against his own body.
Fornication is just one of the sins that prohibit the person from inheriting the kingdom of God. Unless that person repents and does that sin no more, that person will not inherit the kingdom of God. There are also other sins which prohibit a person from entering the kingdom of God.
KJV: I Cor. 6 ... Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
NASB ... I Cor. 6 ... Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
NIV ... I Cor. 6 ... Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
In Jn. 8 we have the story of the woman taken in adultery. Jesus freed her but Jesus also commanded her as follows: "Go and sin no more." Recently I realized what Jesus was saying to this woman is do not commit the sin of adultery any more. If you are a drunkard, don't get drunk any more. If you are homosexual, do not commit sex with men any more. Whatever your sin is, when you see God and HE is revealed to you, you must not continue in that sin.
It is a very serious matter for a Christian to commit these sins. But when a Christian commits fornication it is a sin that is different from all other sins for it is a sin against his own body. I Cor. 6
Paul tells us not to keep company with a Christian if he does these sins. Paul says to put such a one away from us, away from the church.
I Cor. 5 ... I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
We do not judge the world. But if the man calls himself a Christian and is doing any one of the above sins we as the church are supposed to judge this man and put him away from us.
The above is in keeping with what Paul told us to do when we see a "brother" (a person calling himself a Christian) who is a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard of an extortioner. Just put such a one away from you when this is the case.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Isaiah 2:22 ... Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
Jesus said ... Mt. 10 ... And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
Jesus said ... Mt. 10 ... And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Doing your assignment
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Recently I was walking through my house and I heard: "Exhort them by those scripture."
I began doing that ... taking the scripture people send us and exhorting the church with each scripture.
Each of us must hear from the Spirit of God and do our assignment. And it is God Who fully equips us when HE tells us to do something.
II Cor. 3 ... Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
I believe I have a spiritual gift of exhortation which is to be used for the benefit of the church. I believe Pam Padgett has a spiritual gift of "helps" ... Pam loves to help people when they are moving. (I've never seen anything like this.) Pam loves to shovel snow. She would be happy to help with neighbor's drive. Pam loves animals and often takes care of neighbor's dogs. I do not have a spiritual gift of helps. If I tried to do this, I know I would fail because it is not of God that I do this.
Each of us must know where we are placed in the body of Christ and stay in our assignment.
Paul explained this in I Cor. 12 ... Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 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: 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14For the body is not one member, but many. 15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28And God hath set some in the church (to care for the church), first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Romans 12 ... For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9Let love be without dissimulation.
I do not expect others to operate in the calling God has put on my life. Each of us in the body of Christ have a part to play although not all are called to care for the church. Some have a gift to help the church although they are not called as apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher.
In Eph. 4, we read that the body functions "as every joint supplieth." ... Even the smallest joint in the member of the body of Christ has a place in the church just as the smallest joint in the human body has a place in the human body and without it the body would not function as well.
But each of us must know the assignment give us by God. We need to know the spiritual gifts given us by God. Those gifts are not for us but are for the church.
Eph. 4 ... (after Jesus arose HE gave gifts to the church) ... And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Do you know your assignment?
You must work where God assigned you. You must not try to get others to do your assignment. Some do not understand this concept. I receive many letters from "ministers" telling me that I need to go with them into isolated places to preach the gospel to the unsaved. But I know this is not my assignment. My assignment from God is to work with people after they are saved.
We must know our assignment. I do not allow anyone to draw me off my assignment because when they try I recognize it and turn to God and HE reestablishes me in that assignment which HE has given me.
Recently I was walking through my house and I heard: "Exhort them by those scripture."
I began doing that ... taking the scripture people send us and exhorting the church with each scripture.
Each of us must hear from the Spirit of God and do our assignment. And it is God Who fully equips us when HE tells us to do something.
II Cor. 3 ... Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
I believe I have a spiritual gift of exhortation which is to be used for the benefit of the church. I believe Pam Padgett has a spiritual gift of "helps" ... Pam loves to help people when they are moving. (I've never seen anything like this.) Pam loves to shovel snow. She would be happy to help with neighbor's drive. Pam loves animals and often takes care of neighbor's dogs. I do not have a spiritual gift of helps. If I tried to do this, I know I would fail because it is not of God that I do this.
Each of us must know where we are placed in the body of Christ and stay in our assignment.
Paul explained this in I Cor. 12 ... Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 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: 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14For the body is not one member, but many. 15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28And God hath set some in the church (to care for the church), first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Romans 12 ... For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9Let love be without dissimulation.
I do not expect others to operate in the calling God has put on my life. Each of us in the body of Christ have a part to play although not all are called to care for the church. Some have a gift to help the church although they are not called as apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher.
In Eph. 4, we read that the body functions "as every joint supplieth." ... Even the smallest joint in the member of the body of Christ has a place in the church just as the smallest joint in the human body has a place in the human body and without it the body would not function as well.
But each of us must know the assignment give us by God. We need to know the spiritual gifts given us by God. Those gifts are not for us but are for the church.
Eph. 4 ... (after Jesus arose HE gave gifts to the church) ... And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Do you know your assignment?
You must work where God assigned you. You must not try to get others to do your assignment. Some do not understand this concept. I receive many letters from "ministers" telling me that I need to go with them into isolated places to preach the gospel to the unsaved. But I know this is not my assignment. My assignment from God is to work with people after they are saved.
We must know our assignment. I do not allow anyone to draw me off my assignment because when they try I recognize it and turn to God and HE reestablishes me in that assignment which HE has given me.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Psalm 23:1 ... The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
Jesus watches over us as a shepherd watches over the sheep. Sheep eat and drink where they are. The shepherd begins to see the food dry up or the water dry up and he moves the sheep accordingly and makes new provision for the sheep.
All we do is seek the will of God in all things through prayer ... and when we are reminded of a scripture we know it is a message to us from God by His Spirit so we focus on that scripture ...and follow the direction of the Spirit of God given through the Word of God.
Daily, I read the Bible. I focus on scripture. I try to do what which I see to do. And by this I am continually led by God for HIS Spirit makes me see scripture according to both my own need that day and also according to the will of God for me.
And I end up where I am supposed to be without real effort. It is all done by the Spirit as I focus on that which stands out to me by the Word of God.
Sheep eat grass. Christians eat scripture. We eat the word of God daily. We are nourished in the spirit daily. The shepherd leads us to the part of the Word of God that we need that day.
Therefore there is no want in my life. There is no need. I make no plans. I have no plans for my future. God does all that and all I have to do is follow HIM each day, second by second.
Mt. 6 ... Jesus says ... No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
It is so important to keep your faith in God and not in man.
If you turn to man to supply your needs, then you no longer trust in God.
So turn to God with your needs and concerns. There are likely many needs that are not really needs but you think you need that person or item. In the above scripture we are told by Jesus that God knows our needs. I believe this is true. I have never seen God fail to provide my need when it is really a need. There have been things I've wanted that were not provided. I didn't really need that and God knew it could harm me to get it so HE withheld it from me as a good Father. But everything I really needed God provided just like Paul said HE would. Phil. 4:19 ... But my God shall supply all your need
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
Jesus watches over us as a shepherd watches over the sheep. Sheep eat and drink where they are. The shepherd begins to see the food dry up or the water dry up and he moves the sheep accordingly and makes new provision for the sheep.
All we do is seek the will of God in all things through prayer ... and when we are reminded of a scripture we know it is a message to us from God by His Spirit so we focus on that scripture ...and follow the direction of the Spirit of God given through the Word of God.
Daily, I read the Bible. I focus on scripture. I try to do what which I see to do. And by this I am continually led by God for HIS Spirit makes me see scripture according to both my own need that day and also according to the will of God for me.
And I end up where I am supposed to be without real effort. It is all done by the Spirit as I focus on that which stands out to me by the Word of God.
Sheep eat grass. Christians eat scripture. We eat the word of God daily. We are nourished in the spirit daily. The shepherd leads us to the part of the Word of God that we need that day.
Therefore there is no want in my life. There is no need. I make no plans. I have no plans for my future. God does all that and all I have to do is follow HIM each day, second by second.
Mt. 6 ... Jesus says ... No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
It is so important to keep your faith in God and not in man.
If you turn to man to supply your needs, then you no longer trust in God.
So turn to God with your needs and concerns. There are likely many needs that are not really needs but you think you need that person or item. In the above scripture we are told by Jesus that God knows our needs. I believe this is true. I have never seen God fail to provide my need when it is really a need. There have been things I've wanted that were not provided. I didn't really need that and God knew it could harm me to get it so HE withheld it from me as a good Father. But everything I really needed God provided just like Paul said HE would. Phil. 4:19 ... But my God shall supply all your need
Is the Lord your shepherd?
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The LORD was David's shepherd, therefore David said:
Psa. 23:1 ... The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
If the Lord is our shepherd then we are following HIM into green pastures. But if we follow our own ideas, we will go into areas of "want".
If you are having to ask flesh and blood humans to provide for your perceived needs, then you show by your actions that the Lord is not your shepherd, nor is the Lord your God. You are looking upon flesh and blood to provide your needs and be your God. You have lost faith in God when you turn to humans this way. If your faith is in God, let it be in God and don't turn to man. If you turn to man to provide what you think you need, then you have turned away from God and are putting your faith in man and this is sin.
So many who call themselves pastors are doing this. They say they believe in God but they depend on flesh and blood humans to provide their "needs" as they ask for money and Bibles. They show by their actions that they believe in humans rather than God. This is a great evil. Their faith is not in God. Their faith is in man. These pastors will not be able to lead a flock with this attitude.
As individuals it is the same thing. Unless we truly believe God is going to provide for us we will not survive. Our faith must be in God not in flesh and blood.
And for those who really believe in God, Paul said: But my God shall supply all your need ...
Phil. 4:19
So wait on God after you pray...
There are times we as humans think we have a need when we do not need that for which we pray. So if God is not providing what you want, it is likely not what you really need though you think you need that.
Nevertheless purpose to trust in God and not man. Turn to God and not man. Learn to do this and keep faith in God. When you turn to man you turn from faith in God.
The LORD was David's shepherd, therefore David said:
Psa. 23:1 ... The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
If the Lord is our shepherd then we are following HIM into green pastures. But if we follow our own ideas, we will go into areas of "want".
If you are having to ask flesh and blood humans to provide for your perceived needs, then you show by your actions that the Lord is not your shepherd, nor is the Lord your God. You are looking upon flesh and blood to provide your needs and be your God. You have lost faith in God when you turn to humans this way. If your faith is in God, let it be in God and don't turn to man. If you turn to man to provide what you think you need, then you have turned away from God and are putting your faith in man and this is sin.
So many who call themselves pastors are doing this. They say they believe in God but they depend on flesh and blood humans to provide their "needs" as they ask for money and Bibles. They show by their actions that they believe in humans rather than God. This is a great evil. Their faith is not in God. Their faith is in man. These pastors will not be able to lead a flock with this attitude.
As individuals it is the same thing. Unless we truly believe God is going to provide for us we will not survive. Our faith must be in God not in flesh and blood.
And for those who really believe in God, Paul said: But my God shall supply all your need ...
Phil. 4:19
So wait on God after you pray...
There are times we as humans think we have a need when we do not need that for which we pray. So if God is not providing what you want, it is likely not what you really need though you think you need that.
Nevertheless purpose to trust in God and not man. Turn to God and not man. Learn to do this and keep faith in God. When you turn to man you turn from faith in God.
If I perish, I perish
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Have you ever said: "If I perish, I perish ... but I'm not going along with this ... I'm not going to be a part of this."
I have left church groups and I have left secular groups. Multiple times I have left having no where else to go. But regardless, I wasn't going to be a part of what they were doing. Even if it meant sitting alone at my house without anything to do, I determined not to be a part of church groups where they rejected scripture and set up doctrine contrary to scripture ... and I left secular groups when I saw I was becoming something I did not like because of their influence.
Sometimes we just have to give up our lives on this earth.
Even though I sat alone for months sometimes, God always caused something to happen to lift my spirit. God sustained me. There was one time I had been alone for about six months with nothing to do and no where to go. It got so bad that I would just sit in my chair with my head in my hands. Before I was destroyed, God gave me a dream and showed me to go on Internet and speak the word of God. Within about 3 days of the dream the Internet was set up for me to do this and by doing this I was revived. But regardless, I was not going to remain in a place where I saw myself going in a harmful way. Even if I perished alone, I would perish rather than remain there.
Sometimes that happens and we must make a choice.
Paul spoke of antichirst in the church itself.
II Thess. 2 ... Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first (they would fall away from scripture and set up another doctrine in the church group), and that man of sin be revealed (man of lawlessness), the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
When you see this in a church group, you just cannot stay there.
I've seen terrible things inside church groups. In one group I visited, the pastor was teaching and he said Hagar is the 1/2 sister of Sarah (Abraham's wife). I was shocked. I went to him and asked where that was in Bible. He finally confessed it was not in Bible. He just made it up. There was no repentance on his part. I never visited that church group again.
In another church group I visited while looking for a church group that I could attend, the pastor was teaching from John 8 where the woman was taken in adultery. The pastor said: "And when she was brought before Jesus she was naked from the waist up." I was very shocked! I grabbed my Bible and read John 8 and this was just not true. I called the pastor the next day and asked where that was in Bible. At first he said he couldn't remember where it was. I told him it was very important to me and would he please look it up and have his secretary call me and tell me where it was. With that he became very angry and said: "All right ... it's not in the Bible ... Where do you go to church?" (Trying to accuse me in his wrong doing.) Of course, I never returned to that church group.
We just cannot stay in groups where scripture is cast out.
One primary test is the following: Jesus said: The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery Mt. 5:32. If the church group approves a man marrying a divorced woman, I would not stay there in that group.
There are many other doctrines set up today in church group which conflict with scripture. We who are of God and have the Spirit of God in us just can't be a part of this type of thing.
Have you ever said: "If I perish, I perish ... but I'm not going along with this ... I'm not going to be a part of this."
I have left church groups and I have left secular groups. Multiple times I have left having no where else to go. But regardless, I wasn't going to be a part of what they were doing. Even if it meant sitting alone at my house without anything to do, I determined not to be a part of church groups where they rejected scripture and set up doctrine contrary to scripture ... and I left secular groups when I saw I was becoming something I did not like because of their influence.
Sometimes we just have to give up our lives on this earth.
Even though I sat alone for months sometimes, God always caused something to happen to lift my spirit. God sustained me. There was one time I had been alone for about six months with nothing to do and no where to go. It got so bad that I would just sit in my chair with my head in my hands. Before I was destroyed, God gave me a dream and showed me to go on Internet and speak the word of God. Within about 3 days of the dream the Internet was set up for me to do this and by doing this I was revived. But regardless, I was not going to remain in a place where I saw myself going in a harmful way. Even if I perished alone, I would perish rather than remain there.
Sometimes that happens and we must make a choice.
Paul spoke of antichirst in the church itself.
II Thess. 2 ... Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first (they would fall away from scripture and set up another doctrine in the church group), and that man of sin be revealed (man of lawlessness), the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
When you see this in a church group, you just cannot stay there.
I've seen terrible things inside church groups. In one group I visited, the pastor was teaching and he said Hagar is the 1/2 sister of Sarah (Abraham's wife). I was shocked. I went to him and asked where that was in Bible. He finally confessed it was not in Bible. He just made it up. There was no repentance on his part. I never visited that church group again.
In another church group I visited while looking for a church group that I could attend, the pastor was teaching from John 8 where the woman was taken in adultery. The pastor said: "And when she was brought before Jesus she was naked from the waist up." I was very shocked! I grabbed my Bible and read John 8 and this was just not true. I called the pastor the next day and asked where that was in Bible. At first he said he couldn't remember where it was. I told him it was very important to me and would he please look it up and have his secretary call me and tell me where it was. With that he became very angry and said: "All right ... it's not in the Bible ... Where do you go to church?" (Trying to accuse me in his wrong doing.) Of course, I never returned to that church group.
We just cannot stay in groups where scripture is cast out.
One primary test is the following: Jesus said: The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery Mt. 5:32. If the church group approves a man marrying a divorced woman, I would not stay there in that group.
There are many other doctrines set up today in church group which conflict with scripture. We who are of God and have the Spirit of God in us just can't be a part of this type of thing.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Romans 8:28
... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
Everything is done to the purpose of God. And the purpose of God is very often different from the purpose we intend and desire with our flesh and our ideas. Therefore often we fail to see that good came from a situation where we didn't get what we wanted, for it doesn't look like good to our flesh and to our mind. But by faith in the Word of God we come to know that no matter what happens all things work together for God when we are the called of God, when we belong to God.
But God says ...
Isaiah 55 ... For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10For 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: 11So 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.
When we belong to God, we are called according to the purpose of God. And we learn to trust the scriptures by faith in God. We trust Romans 8:28 because of faith in God. And we know that which happened worked for good regardless of how it may have seemed at the time. We know this because of faith in God and our love for the Word of God which is Jesus Christ.
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
Everything is done to the purpose of God. And the purpose of God is very often different from the purpose we intend and desire with our flesh and our ideas. Therefore often we fail to see that good came from a situation where we didn't get what we wanted, for it doesn't look like good to our flesh and to our mind. But by faith in the Word of God we come to know that no matter what happens all things work together for God when we are the called of God, when we belong to God.
But God says ...
Isaiah 55 ... For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10For 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: 11So 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.
When we belong to God, we are called according to the purpose of God. And we learn to trust the scriptures by faith in God. We trust Romans 8:28 because of faith in God. And we know that which happened worked for good regardless of how it may have seemed at the time. We know this because of faith in God and our love for the Word of God which is Jesus Christ.
Evil from pastors
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
It is a terrible thing but I receive so many emails from people identifying themselves as pastors and asking me to send money ... and asking me to send Bibles.
Recent email asking for Bibles, I felt strongly led to rebuke this "minister" as follows:
"You do not realize it but when you ask another person to provide your "needs" you sin against God for it is God who provides our needs and not another human.
What you have done here is evil.
I hope God will open your eyes to see this is evil.
You must learn to depend on God for all things, even Bibles."
Joan Boney
============
When we are Christian and have a need or a problem, we turn to God in prayer, asking HIM for help. Then we wait on God. If we turn to flesh and blood humans asking those humans to provide our need we negate faith in God and turn from God and put our faith in those humans.
This is a terrible sin against God. We depart from the faith to depend upon humans.
Whether you are a "minister" or an individual, your faith must be in God at all time and not in flesh and blood humans. And you present that need to God in prayer. And you wait upon God. And should your perceived "need" not be settled then you might not have a real need. For God will supply all our need. Phil. 4:19
So if God doesn't give you what you want, it might be something that would be bad for you and not good.
So we pray and wait on God and accept the will of God. But we do not turn to other humans to get them to give us that which we want. We hold fast to faith in God knowing that if we do need that which we desire, God will at some point provide it.
It is a terrible thing but I receive so many emails from people identifying themselves as pastors and asking me to send money ... and asking me to send Bibles.
Recent email asking for Bibles, I felt strongly led to rebuke this "minister" as follows:
"You do not realize it but when you ask another person to provide your "needs" you sin against God for it is God who provides our needs and not another human.
What you have done here is evil.
I hope God will open your eyes to see this is evil.
You must learn to depend on God for all things, even Bibles."
Joan Boney
============
When we are Christian and have a need or a problem, we turn to God in prayer, asking HIM for help. Then we wait on God. If we turn to flesh and blood humans asking those humans to provide our need we negate faith in God and turn from God and put our faith in those humans.
This is a terrible sin against God. We depart from the faith to depend upon humans.
Whether you are a "minister" or an individual, your faith must be in God at all time and not in flesh and blood humans. And you present that need to God in prayer. And you wait upon God. And should your perceived "need" not be settled then you might not have a real need. For God will supply all our need. Phil. 4:19
So if God doesn't give you what you want, it might be something that would be bad for you and not good.
So we pray and wait on God and accept the will of God. But we do not turn to other humans to get them to give us that which we want. We hold fast to faith in God knowing that if we do need that which we desire, God will at some point provide it.
Refusing to compromise
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Here is an amazing example of courage ... Daniel 3 ... Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
But the servants of God, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to fall down and worship the image of gold. When the king found out, he was very angry. He commanded that the furnace be made even hotter than usual and these 3 be tossed into the fiery furnace. The furnace was so hot, the men who took Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the furnace to cast them in were burned alive by the fire as they put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace.
Before being taken to the furnace, the king questioned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ... Was it true that they refused to worship the image set up by the king?
Daniel 3 ... Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
This is an amazing statement of faith in God.
God is able to deliver us ... but even if God chooses not to deliver us ... we will not worship the golden image!
This was pure trust in God ... Either way that God chose in the matter was fine with them. But they would not compromise and worship the image set up by man.
God allowed Herod to behead John the Baptist ... God sent HIS angel and got Peter out of prison.
God has HIS purpose in all things. And God does as HE wills. God sees far beyond what we can imagine to be good or right.
----------
Some people in church groups go along with the group even when they do not believe the doctrine is correct. They compromise to stay in the group often being deceived into thinking they can't do any good if they are not in the group. So they say nothing though they know the doctrine set up is not of God.
This will not work. We cannot compromise the scriptures which God set up. Jesus loved the scriptures so much that He will willing to be taken prisoner and nailed to a cross. We can't sit in churches when scripture is violated and thereby deny the scripture. Paul explains:
II Cor. 6 ... Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
When the church group sets up a doctrine contrary to the Bible, that group becomes "unbeliever" though they say they are Christians. They fall away from scripture and approve another doctrine which is contrary to scripture.
Consider the falling away in church groups from the following word spoken by Jesus ... Mt. 5:32 ... 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 man who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
When the church group goes against this, we just can't be a part of that group. We have to come out.
My favorite aunt was at one point taken in the night into heaven. She told me it was all golden. She was very different from others in family. It was obvious that she had a different type of spiritual experience. However she stayed in a church group when she knew there was error. She told me she knew things were wrong in this group. But she didn't come out.
After she died, God gave me the following dream: There was a room filled with baby bassinets. I was walking down the row looking at the babies. I was shocked. These babies were horribly deformed. My aunt was standing at the end of the row of bassinets. She was fully grown but she had terrible spots and blemishes on her face. I knew God was showing me the horrible condition inside church groups. Some never get mature and remain babies and they end up being very deformed babies. My aunt was fully grown but had those spots and blemishes on her face. I knew this was because she stayed there in a church group where she knew some of the doctrine was incorrect.
We cannot compromise doctrine. We cannot compromise scripture.
Here is an amazing example of courage ... Daniel 3 ... Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
But the servants of God, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to fall down and worship the image of gold. When the king found out, he was very angry. He commanded that the furnace be made even hotter than usual and these 3 be tossed into the fiery furnace. The furnace was so hot, the men who took Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the furnace to cast them in were burned alive by the fire as they put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace.
Before being taken to the furnace, the king questioned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ... Was it true that they refused to worship the image set up by the king?
Daniel 3 ... Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
This is an amazing statement of faith in God.
God is able to deliver us ... but even if God chooses not to deliver us ... we will not worship the golden image!
This was pure trust in God ... Either way that God chose in the matter was fine with them. But they would not compromise and worship the image set up by man.
God allowed Herod to behead John the Baptist ... God sent HIS angel and got Peter out of prison.
God has HIS purpose in all things. And God does as HE wills. God sees far beyond what we can imagine to be good or right.
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Some people in church groups go along with the group even when they do not believe the doctrine is correct. They compromise to stay in the group often being deceived into thinking they can't do any good if they are not in the group. So they say nothing though they know the doctrine set up is not of God.
This will not work. We cannot compromise the scriptures which God set up. Jesus loved the scriptures so much that He will willing to be taken prisoner and nailed to a cross. We can't sit in churches when scripture is violated and thereby deny the scripture. Paul explains:
II Cor. 6 ... Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
When the church group sets up a doctrine contrary to the Bible, that group becomes "unbeliever" though they say they are Christians. They fall away from scripture and approve another doctrine which is contrary to scripture.
Consider the falling away in church groups from the following word spoken by Jesus ... Mt. 5:32 ... 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 man who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
When the church group goes against this, we just can't be a part of that group. We have to come out.
My favorite aunt was at one point taken in the night into heaven. She told me it was all golden. She was very different from others in family. It was obvious that she had a different type of spiritual experience. However she stayed in a church group when she knew there was error. She told me she knew things were wrong in this group. But she didn't come out.
After she died, God gave me the following dream: There was a room filled with baby bassinets. I was walking down the row looking at the babies. I was shocked. These babies were horribly deformed. My aunt was standing at the end of the row of bassinets. She was fully grown but she had terrible spots and blemishes on her face. I knew God was showing me the horrible condition inside church groups. Some never get mature and remain babies and they end up being very deformed babies. My aunt was fully grown but had those spots and blemishes on her face. I knew this was because she stayed there in a church group where she knew some of the doctrine was incorrect.
We cannot compromise doctrine. We cannot compromise scripture.
Do we savor things of God or things of man?
Pam Padgett ... teacher
When Jesus started telling his disciples the things He would suffer, even that He would be killed, Peter tried to turn Jesus from these things ...
Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Jesus strongly stopped Peter, not allowing the devil to speak through Peter to try to stop the will of God. And Jesus told Peter that he savored (desired, regarded, treasured) the things of man, rather than the things of God ...
Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
The things of man are things the flesh desires such as possessions, relationships, status, acceptance, physical well-being. Things of man try to please man, not God.
Jesus lived on this earth submitting Himself to the will of the Father, not trying to please Himself or other people. His desire was to please the Father. This is what we are to do as well.
I was reminded of ...
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Those things that please the flesh, and flesh itself, will be destroyed. But those who do the will of God, treasuring and doing His word, will live for ever
Thinking on these things caused me to stop and consider what I savor.
Do we desire and delight in things of God ... hearing what God speaks to us by His Spirit, thinking on and doing that word that we might please God? Or do we desire and delight in things of this world, which please the flesh but take us in another way from the will of God for us?
When Jesus started telling his disciples the things He would suffer, even that He would be killed, Peter tried to turn Jesus from these things ...
Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Jesus strongly stopped Peter, not allowing the devil to speak through Peter to try to stop the will of God. And Jesus told Peter that he savored (desired, regarded, treasured) the things of man, rather than the things of God ...
Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
The things of man are things the flesh desires such as possessions, relationships, status, acceptance, physical well-being. Things of man try to please man, not God.
Jesus lived on this earth submitting Himself to the will of the Father, not trying to please Himself or other people. His desire was to please the Father. This is what we are to do as well.
I was reminded of ...
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Those things that please the flesh, and flesh itself, will be destroyed. But those who do the will of God, treasuring and doing His word, will live for ever
Thinking on these things caused me to stop and consider what I savor.
Do we desire and delight in things of God ... hearing what God speaks to us by His Spirit, thinking on and doing that word that we might please God? Or do we desire and delight in things of this world, which please the flesh but take us in another way from the will of God for us?
Monday, May 6, 2013
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
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.
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
The world doesn't see Jesus, THE WORD. Because the people of this world do not have the Spirit of God and only by the Spirit of God can we know the will of God and see the spiritual revelations from God through the Word of God.
I Cor. 2 ... Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now 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. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But 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.
Without the Spirit of God humans try to interpret the Bible and things of God with their own minds. This is impossible.
Jesus says ... Jn. 6:63 ... It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Without the Spirit of God, it is like a radio station that is off the mark. Lots of static (words) without substance.
As soon as we are born again, we are given the Spirit of God and sealed with the Spirit of God. Eph. 1 ... That changes everything. Now we have the Spirit of God to show us the mind of God.
Thus John says: I Jn. 2:27 ... But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
We abide (live) in that which God has shown us by HIS Spirit. Therefore we are no longer like the world. We are now a "peculiar" people. We no longer fit in because we are not one of them but are now of God. And we are changed continually from issue to issue by doing the will of God by hearing from God by His Spirit. The world is darkness. We are now light.
I Peter 2 ... To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (Spiritual sacrifices come by doing the will of God in the issue at hand.) 6Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7Unto you therefore which believe he (the word) is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
The world doesn't see Jesus, THE WORD. Because the people of this world do not have the Spirit of God and only by the Spirit of God can we know the will of God and see the spiritual revelations from God through the Word of God.
I Cor. 2 ... Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now 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. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But 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.
Without the Spirit of God humans try to interpret the Bible and things of God with their own minds. This is impossible.
Jesus says ... Jn. 6:63 ... It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Without the Spirit of God, it is like a radio station that is off the mark. Lots of static (words) without substance.
As soon as we are born again, we are given the Spirit of God and sealed with the Spirit of God. Eph. 1 ... That changes everything. Now we have the Spirit of God to show us the mind of God.
Thus John says: I Jn. 2:27 ... But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
We abide (live) in that which God has shown us by HIS Spirit. Therefore we are no longer like the world. We are now a "peculiar" people. We no longer fit in because we are not one of them but are now of God. And we are changed continually from issue to issue by doing the will of God by hearing from God by His Spirit. The world is darkness. We are now light.
I Peter 2 ... To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (Spiritual sacrifices come by doing the will of God in the issue at hand.) 6Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7Unto you therefore which believe he (the word) is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
God reveals secrets
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Daniel 2 ... And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
In this amazing story, the king demanded that the wise men tell him the dream he had and the interpretation. He didn't trust the wise men and this would prove them. Anyone can make up an interpretation after hearing a dream but who can tell the dream? This was the challenge set by the king.
Daniel sought God, and God revealed both the dream and the interpretation of the dream to Daniel. ... Daniel 2 ... Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.
No one can hide from God. And if God chooses, HE will reveal their secrets to us.
I've had several dreams where God has shown me what individual are doing and also where God has shown me the condition of the individual whether that person is getting better in spiritual ways or worse.
Nothing is hidden from God.
David said ... Psalm 139 ... O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Jesus said, when HE sent his servants out ... Mt. 10:26 ... Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Recently I was having dinner with an acquaintance and she began railing out about people not doing what they are supposed to do in her circle of "friends". As she continued complaining, God explained her problem to me. "self righteous" Since that time, I have understood exactly what was happening with her. She thinks she knows what people should do but her knowledge is not from God but from her own thinking. She thinks she is righteous but she rejects scripture and follows the church she attends.
When I played bridge, there was a young man who was very difficult. He was a Ph.D student at the university and seemed to feel he knew more than other people. One day when I was playing with him as his partner, God explained this young man to me. "insecure" While he seemed arrogant, he was actually insecure. After that, I never had a problem with him for I understood from God. Many others at bridge center expressed problem with him but I knew truth from God about him.
No matter what the situation, God knows the truth and sometimes God chooses to reveal it to us.
Daniel 2 ... And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
In this amazing story, the king demanded that the wise men tell him the dream he had and the interpretation. He didn't trust the wise men and this would prove them. Anyone can make up an interpretation after hearing a dream but who can tell the dream? This was the challenge set by the king.
Daniel sought God, and God revealed both the dream and the interpretation of the dream to Daniel. ... Daniel 2 ... Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.
No one can hide from God. And if God chooses, HE will reveal their secrets to us.
I've had several dreams where God has shown me what individual are doing and also where God has shown me the condition of the individual whether that person is getting better in spiritual ways or worse.
Nothing is hidden from God.
David said ... Psalm 139 ... O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Jesus said, when HE sent his servants out ... Mt. 10:26 ... Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Recently I was having dinner with an acquaintance and she began railing out about people not doing what they are supposed to do in her circle of "friends". As she continued complaining, God explained her problem to me. "self righteous" Since that time, I have understood exactly what was happening with her. She thinks she knows what people should do but her knowledge is not from God but from her own thinking. She thinks she is righteous but she rejects scripture and follows the church she attends.
When I played bridge, there was a young man who was very difficult. He was a Ph.D student at the university and seemed to feel he knew more than other people. One day when I was playing with him as his partner, God explained this young man to me. "insecure" While he seemed arrogant, he was actually insecure. After that, I never had a problem with him for I understood from God. Many others at bridge center expressed problem with him but I knew truth from God about him.
No matter what the situation, God knows the truth and sometimes God chooses to reveal it to us.
God turns the heart of kings
Pam Padgett ... teacher
Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Thinking about God turning the heart of kings according to His will, causing them to do or refrain from doing according to the purpose of God, I was reminded of times God turned the heart of "kings" where I was concerned, bringing about God's will for me. In these cases, the kings were managers in secular jobs.
I was bored with the secretarial work I was doing, and turned to God asking if there might be some type of work I could do that would be interesting to me. Shortly after this, my manager asked me to setup some pc's for our work area. Since I didn't know anything about computers, he agreed for me to take two computer classes. We thought a class called "Basic" should be one of the classes to give me a basic understanding of computers. Neither of us understood this class was for the programming language called "Basic". The first night of that class I knew that programming was what I wanted to do.
After completing another class, a small company hired me to program part-time and be a secretary part-time. When the company was having financial trouble, I prayed about what to do, and was led to take a class in how to interview. The instructor at that class told me about entry-level programming jobs at FedEx. I sent my resume to the contact at FedEx given to me by the instructor. This contact told me she would put my resume on the desk of every manager.
Only one manager was interesting in interviewing me. Although I didn't have a degree in programming and even answered some of the technical questions incorrectly at the interview, he hired me. Knowing the incorrect answers I had given to technical questions, I was surprised. Later I also learned how unusual it is for someone without a programming degree to be hired and that this manager had to put together justification to hire me without such a degree. I believe God turned this manager's heart to hire me.
Over the years I moved to different work areas with different managers, was promoted multiple times, and was beginning to be recognized by officers of the company. With this attention, I started corrupting myself, trying to impress these people even more. I repented and asked God to help me. One thing I was led to do was to change work groups. The manager of the new group gave me only entry-level assignments. Even after talking with him, and receiving assurances that he would assign me more advanced work, he didn't do this. All of the recognition I once had was gone as I did very simple assignments. This was humbling to me. Then a decision was made that I would need to work for two officers or take a voluntary demotion. Several things about working for these officers concerned me, including that more travel would be required. After praying, I chose the demotion. This was even more humbling. Although hard for my flesh to go through at the time, I now am very grateful to have had been humbled in these ways rather than continuing to rise in reputation and the pressures and temptations this brought.
Several times I turned to God when being humbled, and was reminded of The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 21:1) This helped me submit to the will of God and not become resentful of this manager.
God turns even the heart of the "king" according to HIS will and HIS purpose.
Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Thinking about God turning the heart of kings according to His will, causing them to do or refrain from doing according to the purpose of God, I was reminded of times God turned the heart of "kings" where I was concerned, bringing about God's will for me. In these cases, the kings were managers in secular jobs.
I was bored with the secretarial work I was doing, and turned to God asking if there might be some type of work I could do that would be interesting to me. Shortly after this, my manager asked me to setup some pc's for our work area. Since I didn't know anything about computers, he agreed for me to take two computer classes. We thought a class called "Basic" should be one of the classes to give me a basic understanding of computers. Neither of us understood this class was for the programming language called "Basic". The first night of that class I knew that programming was what I wanted to do.
After completing another class, a small company hired me to program part-time and be a secretary part-time. When the company was having financial trouble, I prayed about what to do, and was led to take a class in how to interview. The instructor at that class told me about entry-level programming jobs at FedEx. I sent my resume to the contact at FedEx given to me by the instructor. This contact told me she would put my resume on the desk of every manager.
Only one manager was interesting in interviewing me. Although I didn't have a degree in programming and even answered some of the technical questions incorrectly at the interview, he hired me. Knowing the incorrect answers I had given to technical questions, I was surprised. Later I also learned how unusual it is for someone without a programming degree to be hired and that this manager had to put together justification to hire me without such a degree. I believe God turned this manager's heart to hire me.
Over the years I moved to different work areas with different managers, was promoted multiple times, and was beginning to be recognized by officers of the company. With this attention, I started corrupting myself, trying to impress these people even more. I repented and asked God to help me. One thing I was led to do was to change work groups. The manager of the new group gave me only entry-level assignments. Even after talking with him, and receiving assurances that he would assign me more advanced work, he didn't do this. All of the recognition I once had was gone as I did very simple assignments. This was humbling to me. Then a decision was made that I would need to work for two officers or take a voluntary demotion. Several things about working for these officers concerned me, including that more travel would be required. After praying, I chose the demotion. This was even more humbling. Although hard for my flesh to go through at the time, I now am very grateful to have had been humbled in these ways rather than continuing to rise in reputation and the pressures and temptations this brought.
Several times I turned to God when being humbled, and was reminded of The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 21:1) This helped me submit to the will of God and not become resentful of this manager.
God turns even the heart of the "king" according to HIS will and HIS purpose.
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