Monday, April 29, 2019

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Hymn:  Blessed Assurance




(Click forward arrow > to play music:)


1.   Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, 


Born of His Spirit, 
washed in His blood.


Chorus:

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.


2.   Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
 


3.   Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.



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


*****

Scriptures pertaining to this hymn:

v. 2  Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.


Angels come down from heaven as commanded by God to do various works of God according to the will of God.

An angel of the Lord told Zacharias that his wife Elisabeth would bear a son and they should call his name John.  (Luke 1:11-17)

The angel Gabriel was sent to Mary to tell her she would have a son and to call his name Jesus.  (Luke 1:26-35)

An angel of the  Lord told the shepherds that the Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born and they could find him in a manger in Bethlehem.  (Luke 2:8-12)

An angel told Joseph not to fear to take Mary for his wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.  (Matthew 1:18-21)

In Matthew chapter two an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream to tell him to take Mary and Jesus and flee into Egypt.  (Matthew 2:13)

Later an angel told Joseph that they could go back into the land of Israel for the ruler who wanted to kill the baby Jesus was now dead.  (Matthew 2:19-20)

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan 40-days, angels ministered to Him.  (Mark 1:12-13)

An angel of God moved the great stone which sealed the tomb of Jesus. (Matthew 28:2)

An angel of God came down from heaven to free Peter from prison. (Acts 12:6-7 )

An angel delivered a message to the apostle Paul, telling Paul no harm would come to him and those on the ship. (Acts 27:23)


***

Genesis 28:10-12    And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Angels descend, carrying messages from God and doing works of God.

Then angels go back to heaven where God assigns them as He wills.

Psalm 130:20   Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word.


***


(Comments by Joan Boney ...) The night of January 10, 1980, I was asleep and awakened by a very loud trumpet-like voice which blew 3 words into my ear as follows: "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS" ... I believe this to have been an angel of God speaking to me. By this and through prayer, I came to believe God was leading me to go on radio. Within about 5 days of this word, I was broadcasting exhortations week-days on KWJS radio. Within a year I was on radio stations from NYC (Hartford) to Seattle.


***


Psalm 104:4   Who maketh His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire:


***


Exodus 23:20-25    God says:    Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

***

It is not so much delighting in the fact that an angel appeared to you but rather delighting and following that word which the angel of God delivered to you.

Share the Word.

Focus on the Word.



*****

Instruction in Righteousness: From Luke 17


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

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

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

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


***

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

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


***

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


***

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

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

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

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


***

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


***

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

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

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

26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

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

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

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

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

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


*****

Though HE Slay Me, Yet Will I Trust IN HIM …Job 13:15


Book:  Promises From God To The Church
Chapter 4
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet 


In 1980, I was asleep in the night when a trumpet like voice, which I believe to have been the voice of an angel, spoke 3 words into my ear … “Hartford, Seattle, KWJS”

I jumped out of bed and wrote KWJS down on a note pad. It was obvious to me these letters must be call letters to either radio or television.

They were call letters to a Christian broadcast radio station.

I said to God, “Are you telling me to go on radio? I wouldn’t know how to do that.”

A very gentle voice spoke the following thought into my mind. “Call the radio station manager.” 

The Holy Spirit often speaks through thoughts put into the mind of the believer.

As soon as office business hours arrived for the radio station, I called and spoke to the radio station manager. (The radio station KWJS was in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.)

I told the station manager it might be that God was telling me to go on radio. I asked the manager “how” you do that.

The manager replied: “Send us an audition tape 29 ½ minutes long and if you fit our broadcasting, we will offer you a contract.”

I asked how much it cost. At that time the cost was $800 per month for 5 days / 30 minute broadcast.


*****

I recorded an audition broadcast that morning and sent it that day to the radio station manager and was offered a contract and was on radio within a week.

The broadcast was in a good time period, the noon-day hour.

A woman in Fort Worth had been praying for God to put a faith teacher on radio in a vacant noon-day radio spot.

She turned on her radio and one broadcast ended and a woman began speaking. She was very disappointed and shouted, “A woman … NO …” and she headed from her chair to the radio to turn the broadcast off. Before she reached the radio dial, she had become interested in that which was being said on this program. She left the station on, listened to the broadcast and became an immediate listener to my broadcast.

Success was instant.

Within a very short time, I added another city, Houston. Then another, Oklahoma City. Within about 8 months, the program had spread from coast to coast in USA with broadcasts in NYC, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver, Seattle, Eugene Oregon, Bakersfield CA, Phoenix.

I traveled to each city where I was on radio and spoke to the radio audience.

Audiences increased in size.

I wrote two booklets: Taking Thoughts Captive and Healing the Wounded Believer.

Book stores in the Faith Movement churches couldn’t keep these books on the shelf because they sold so fast.

Everything exceeded over all I had ever imagined.

I began to be well known in church circles.

TV talk show ministers had begun to invite me to speak on their television ministries.

I had just finished a one week session on a TV show in Detroit and was heading back to Dallas when I heard the following instruction which I believed to be from the Holy Spirit:   “Don’t do any more TV talk shows.”

I had two more TV talk shows scheduled at the time I heard this instruction.  "Surely God would want me to fulfill my commitment to those 2 shows in Phoenix & Dallas?" ... God didn’t.

I became persuaded that God wanted me to cancel those TV shows … But how to do that? What reason could I give for canceling?

I heard the following word from the Holy Spirit: “Why don’t you just tell them the truth.”

THE TRUTH? I certainly didn’t want to do that!

(But I did.)

I called the Dallas TV station and asked to speak to the TV minister. I called at an hour hoping the minister would not be in the studio. The minister of the show answered the phone call.

I said, “I’m going to have to cancel my appearance on your TV show. God has told me not to do any more TV talk shows.”

“Okay.”  said the TV minister. She didn’t really seem to care.

Then I called and cancelled the Phoenix TV show.

I continued in my radio broadcast and was having meetings in the cities where I was on radio.



*****

As I was enroute from meeting in Seattle, the Holy Spirit said to me, “The foundation is laid. Now we are really going to move.”  I was certainly excited over this word. I was on radio from coast to coast in big cities in USA. Radio audiences had increased to about 800 per meeting. My two books were selling like “hot-cakes” in the faith movement churches. They couldn’t keep them on the shelves because they were selling so fast. And “now we’re really going to move.”

I failed to consider the following: God says, “MY ways are not your ways and MY thoughts are not your thoughts.”  

Isaiah 55:8-9  For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, 

neither are your ways MY ways, saith the Lord. 

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 

so are MY ways higher than your ways, 

and MY thoughts than your thoughts.

*****

I was invited to speak at a small church in Hobbs, NM (USA).

As I flew back from Hobbs to Dallas where I lived at the time, the Holy Spirit began speaking to me. Over and over, HE said:

The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God …

... The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God …

... The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God …

I didn’t know what this meant. 

Shortly after hearing this, from the Holy Spirit, God opened my eyes to various sins being committed by big-time ministers.

Even though I was relatively well known in ministry circles at that time, I found I was unable to deliver these messages of warning to the ministers called to my attention.

Big time ministers frequently surround themselves by “body guards” to keep the church people away from them.

One minister, Jim Bakker, responded to a cassette tape which I had sent to him where I warned him about the sin I had been shown by God. I sent a cover letter on my ministry letter head. The name of my ministry is Jesus Ministries. The warning I sent concerned the subject of adultery.

I received a response by letter as follows: (from Jim Bakker)

Dear Jesus:

Thank you for your inspirational message.

Jesus, I want you to know Tammy and I prayed for you today.

Signed: Jim Bakker


It was obviously a standard ministry form letter made to appear to be a personal letter. It was hypocrisy. It was fake, sent out from his office staff in mass to people who wrote to the Bakker ministry.

It wasn’t long after that before the sins of the Bakker ministry became known to all. The US government charged Bakker with fraud and misuse of church funds and he was eventually sentenced to prison.

There were other serious problems with both the Bakkers from drug use causing Tammy Faye to enter the Betty Ford Clinic and sexual charges against Jim Bakker concerning his relations with a church secretary.

Tammy Faye Bakker divorced and remarried and died of cancer.

In Wikipedia (Internet Encyclopedia) the Bakker’s are said to be affiliated with the Assembly of God church group.

The apostle Paul instructed in the Bible …

I Cor. 5:1-5 … It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

(Notice that Paul did not say to pray for such a person as this … nor did Paul say to counsel such a person … Paul said to turn him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.)

I Cor. 5 … Paul says

6-13 ... Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:  Yet 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.

But 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.

For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.


*****

Jimmy Swaggart was another minister I was shown to carry messages of warning to … again, he was unreachable.

He, too, was Assembly of God.

He was later caught with prostitute and gave an extremely tearful statement on national TV saying, “I have sinned …” as he wept bitterly.

I visited a small Assembly of God church at that time and the pastor was saying, “We should pray for Brother Swaggart.”

I said, “You should put Swaggart out of the church as the apostle Paul said to do in I Cor. 5." 

I thought they might stone me at that church group.


*****

Since I could not reach these isolated ministers to deliver messages of God, though I identified myself to them as a prophet sent by God, I spoke on my nationwide radio broadcast about each of the ministers shown me by God. I cited the evil and spoke of the judgment presented in the Bible for such acts in the NT church. 

I received much hate mail from individuals who identified themselves as “Christians.”

Jimmy Swaggart owned two of the radio stations where I was speaking: one in Dallas and another in Houston.

They put me off the air.

I continued at the other stations.

At a meeting in Seattle, the radio station manager of the Seattle station was waiting for me outside the meeting room. George said to me, “Joan … I don’t know what is going to happen to you if you continue to speak these judgment messages. You have many good messages. Just speak those messages. If you continue to speak these judgment messages we may have to put you off the air.”

Without any thought whatsoever, the following came out of my mouth in response: 

“George … if I don’t speak the message I believe to be from God then I don’t have a message and I may as well be off the air.”

This statement would define my life and the ministry I had been given for the remainder of my life on this earth.

*****

Lk. 21 says instruction that fits the above example.

10-19 Then said He (Jesus) unto them,

Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.


And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.



*****

There was a great deal of persecution toward me from church goers at that time. (early 80’s)  My best friend withdrew from me. All my own staff left me except for one person. Radio stations began putting me off the air. Hate mail poured in from the radio audiences who had once “loved” me.

I continued speaking what I felt I had been given by God, holding back nothing.

Around 1981, I had a very serious dream. There was an established piece of land. All of a sudden one piece of that land broke off and slid away … then another went … then another … then another. It was terrible to see. Then I heard the following words, “It will be all right through January but in February it will break loose.”

I was very frightened over what was coming. I warned the church on the radio stations which remained.

February came and went and nothing happened.

I was labeled as “a false prophet” and greatly persecuted by the church.

Everything around me grew smaller and smaller as masses of people withdrew from me.


*****

Finally around 1984, I decided to terminate the radio broadcasts.

One station manager, in Pittsburgh, begged me to stay on the air. But I declined. I was devastated.

Peter tells us what to do in cases such as this, but I was too immature to do this instruction, nevertheless God helped me as follows.

One night, I had the following dream: Someone fired a shotgun directly into my chest. I was covered with holes. God sent what I thought to be an angel to help me. The angel rubbed a wonderful, salve into the holes in my body area. It felt so good and I was awakened healed.



*****

Here is what the apostle Peter said to do in such times … I Peter 4 ...

12-19  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when HIS glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part HE (THE WORD) is evil spoken of, but on your part HE is glorified. 
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to HIM in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 

Had I done these instructions, I would not have suffered nearly so much as I did suffer.

*****

A handful of people continued with me from around the United States. I delivered exhortations to them by cassette tape and writings sent by US mail.

Most of those ministers I had tried to warn grew bigger and bigger as I grew smaller and smaller.

It was a very hard time for me. (Partly my own fault because I didn’t understand committing myself to God during the time of persecution. I Peter 4)

I continued through the years, speaking as I felt God led.

Each February, I wondered would the breaking away come “this year”.  (When I had the dream of the breaking away, I didn’t hear the year this would happen. I just assumed it would happen that year, February 1982, but it didn’t, so I kept looking for it to happen for I knew it was God showing me this breaking away would happen.)

This went on from 1982 through 2015. I held a fearful watch during the month of February.


*****

In 2015, God revealed truth to me.  By this time I had become very grateful to God that I was not one of the big-time ministers with all that pressure to pay for radio/TV and all the church meetings required to hold on to “greatness”.  I saw I had been delivered, by God, from a terrible burden.

Then God opened my eyes to see:  The breaking away I saw in the February vision of l982 was a breaking away of church people from me.

I laughed … for the vision did come to pass in 1982, and I was spared greatness on this earth!


*****

I’m glad I’m not traveling all over the world bodily.

God arranged for me to travel all over the world by telling me in a dream to start a blog: Jesus Ministries Exhortations which we have been sending out from our little church group since March, 2012.

The first day the blog operated, one of our people came and was excited, saying, “We had 2 page views from Germany.” It never even occurred to any of us that the blog went all over the world … the World Wide Web.

Since that time, we have delivered daily exhortations without ceasing.

Hebrews 3:13-15 … But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear HIS voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

Hebrews 10:23-25 … Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for HE is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.  

I Cor. 15:58 … Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.



*****

It costs us nothing to operate the blog. There is no pressure at all to pay for the “ministry.” There is no physical pressure from traveling all over. I just sit at home and type these messages daily on Internet and they go out instantly all over the world.

I consider I am blessed above all on this present earth.

Now in the end of my life on this earth, I get to write books on Amazon telling of what God has done and my life in Christ so that others called by God can be exhorted in the ways of God.


*****

At the time I started on radio, I lived in Dallas and was attending Word of Faith, Robert Tilton’s church. Bob came to me and told me I needed to get with Michael Ellison Advertising Agency, that they could “do me a lot of good.”

Many of the big-time ministers were clients of this advertising agency: At that time, Kenneth Copeland, Marilyn Hickey, Robert Tilton … Swaggart had been a client … This agency did many things to promote the ministers.

It was like Hollywood! But in ministry …


The agent told me they would contact pastors in the cities before I had meetings and seek the support of those pastors and ask them to get their church members to attend my meeting. Then someone from the agency would go into the city about a week before my meeting and do more promotion in the churches to get attendance.  (The agency never did this for me for they threw me out before it got to that point.)  The agent said the only thing I had to do is be sure not to say anything offensive to any of the people in the city!

That, of course, was impossible!

Jesus said … Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.  Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger.

Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. (Luke 6:22-26)



*****

I was only with the agency about 3 or 4 months before they came to me and said they had decided to eliminate some of their clients and “unfortunately”, they said, I was one they had to remove from their client list.

I was devastated. I thought I had failed.

Then God gave me the following scripture to show me what had happened.

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

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

God had set it up so I could not obey the agency … God had given me several instructions and the agency came wanting me to do the exact opposite to that which God had taught me.

Of course, the agency had to get rid of me because I wouldn’t obey them. Of course the agency could get hundreds and even thousands to attend my meetings if I would do what they said … and never offend anyone.

All I would have to do is stop speaking offensive scriptures such as, Mt. 5:32 … Jesus said … But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

I would never be able to speak of judgment nor of the scriptures concerning homosexuals/lesbians.

Romans 1:18-27 … For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

For the invisible things of HIM from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even HIS eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.


Recently the Catholic pope announced that he didn’t see anything against homosexuals.

I cried out … “What about the Bible?”


*****

Before the ad agency eliminated me, the agent assigned to me came to Dallas to meet with me. One of my best friends from the ministry joined us in the meeting in my apartment.

The agent said to me …“Joan … just one thing … We want you to print on each of your envelopes, ‘SEND ME YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS.’

I SHOCKED both the agent and my friend by saying strongly … "I don’t want to do that!"

The agent said, “You don’t?”

“NO,” I replied. “They should pray directly to God themselves, through Jesus Christ, not through me! I don’t want them sending their prayer request to me.”

After a few moments of silence, the agent responded, “You’re missing a good bet … When they send their prayer requests, they will usually put some money into the envelop.”

I didn’t do this, ever.


*****

Then at one point, the agency told me I could not send anything to anyone in writing without first sending the written material to them to edit.

Of course, I refused.

After that, the agency eliminated me.

I was devastated, thinking I had failed. I knew I was enroute to being one of the big time ministers. I knew this agency could promote me to big-time as they had promoted their other clients to big-time. I had failed. So I thought.

After God showed me Mt. 4, I realized what had happened to me is the same things described in this passage.

Mt. 4:8-10 ... Again, the devil taketh HIM (Jesus) up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth HIM all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 

And saith unto HIM, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

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



*****

I saw the truth about the years of trial. I had been tested. I had not failed. I continued in faith toward God and toward HIS support of me in very difficult times. I did not forsake the Word of God nor that which God has shown me even though HIS Word cost me everything in this present world.

At one time Marilyn Hickey (who was a client of Ellison) said to me, “Joan … please pray that Michael Ellison will approve my going on TV.”  (Michael Ellison, not God)

*****

After I was removed by Ellison, Billy Graham’s ad agency came to see about signing me as their client.

The agent said to me: “Joan … You don’t realize it but you are a gold mine! You have an earned doctorate … We can market you to all kinds of big industries to do meetings for women.”

There was just one problem with this plan … God had told me, when HE put me in the ministry, not to present myself exclusively to women’s groups. I was to speak to everyone. I carried HIS Word. I was never to limit myself to women … the Word of God, the messages of God were for all … male and female.


*****

It was very hard for several years.  I didn’t know I Peter 4 at the time of the persecution and the loss. I suffered much more than I needed because of my ignorance of this scripture. But God did not forsake me and I never knowingly compromised the scripture though I ended up losing everything … reputation, fame, money, glory of man … and our flesh very much wants all this!

Now, like the prophet Job, I find my latter years are better than the former.   (Job. 42)

I have no debt. I have no need. I have no want. Avenues are open to me to share the Word given me by God through the entire world at no cost to me nor to the ministry. And I don’t even have to leave my house to share these exhortations of God all over the world. A way is made for me to do the word of God, exhorting one another daily … all over the world through our blog, and now by these books.

The apostle Paul said …

II Cor. 4:7-11 … But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  Persecuted, but not forsaken (by God); cast down, but not destroyed; 

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake (for The Word’s sake), that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.


*****

BOOK: Promises From God To The Church
Chapter 4

Joan Boney



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

Order from: Amazon.com


*****

Sunday, April 28, 2019

Meeting the Lord in the air

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

NT apostle, minister anointed by God to deal with scripture and church doctrine based on scripture

NT prophet, minister anointed by God to bring correction to church, to correct both ministers and individuals.


***

When Jesus returns "with a shout", the dead in Christ will arise to meet Jesus in the air.

Some believers will still be alive when that happens and after the dead are raised those believers who are still alive will be taken off this present earth and meet Jesus "in the air".

One day, God got my attention on the words, "in the air" ... which are located in I Thessalonians 4.

13-18     But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent
(precede) them which are asleep.

For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

We meet "in the air"  ... a very important concept.


***

We will not be with Jesus on this present earth, for this present earth (along with heavens as we know heavens) will be destroyed and will not exist.

II Peter 3:10-14    But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.


***

God revealed to the apostle John the "new" heaven and "new" earth.

Revelation 21:1-5    And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.



***

So when we consider all these scriptures, we can see how important it is for us to have the scriptural concept of "in the air."

***

Also we read in Bible that we will be given "new bodies" at that time, as God wills.

I Corinthians 15:38  But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.


*****

.


Hymn:   Beneath the cross of Jesus




(Click forward arrow > to play music:)


1.  Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock

Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,

A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,

And the burden of the day.

2.  Oh, safe and happy shelter!
Oh, refuge tried and sweet!
Oh, trysting place where heaven’s love

And heaven’s justice meet *.
As to the holy patriarch

That wondrous dream was given,
So is my Savior by the cross

A ladder up to heaven.

3.  There lies beneath its shadow,
But on the farther side,
The darkness of an awful grave

That gapes both deep and wide;
And there between us stands the cross,

Two arms outstretched to save,
Like a watchman set to guard the way

From that eternal grave.

4.   Upon that cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One,

Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart, with tears,

Two wonders I confess,
The wonders of His glorious love,

And my own worthlessness.

5.  I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than

The sunshine of His WORD;
Content to let the world go by,

To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,

My glory all the cross.


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

***

* where heaven’s love And heaven’s justice meet : heaven's love is shown by God sacrifice of His Son, and Jesus' willingness to die for us.  Heaven's justice requires payment for our sins for it to be just.  The only payment sufficient to justify our sins is the blood of Jesus. 


***

Scriptures pertaining to this hymn:

Hebrews 9:22 ... and without shedding of blood is no remission.



*****

Instruction in Righteousness: From Luke 16


And He said also unto His disciples,

There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. 2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. 4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

13 No servant 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.


***

14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided Him.

15 And He said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.


***

18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.


***

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.


27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

*****

God’s Promises To Abraham and The Testing of Abraham


Book:  Promises From God To The Church
Chapter 3
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet 


God spoke to Abraham and gave him an instruction and a promise.

Genesis 12:1-4 … Now the Lord had said unto Abram, 

Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: 

and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him;


*****

Abraham believed God, and we read,

Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Romans 4:3

So Abram left his father’s house as God told him to do. He didn’t know exactly where to go. He just departed by “faith”, believing God said to depart.

And God spoke to Abram again …

Genesis 13:14-18 … And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.



*****

Sarah (Abraham’s wife) was barren. Abraham thought about how God could fulfill HIS promise since he had no children and both he and Sarah were very old … Abraham discussed this with God ...

Genesis 15:1-6 … After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, 

Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?  And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

And HE (God) brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and HE said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

And he believed in the Lord; and HE counted it to him for righteousness.



*****

A woman in our little church group, is married to an unbeliever. She had a dream where her husband was reading the Bible. We rejoiced, believing God was showing her husband will be saved. But how can this be? Her husband is an engineer, very scientific, believing that which he sees with his natural eyes or that which he can prove with statistics.

Jesus once spoke of how difficult it was for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mt. 19:23-26 … Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.


*****


The promises of God are about believing.

The apostle Paul said:

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19

God says …

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for HE hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  Heb. 13:5

Jesus says …

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take 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.  (Matt. 6:31-34)

Can you believe what God has said to you?

Part of the key to believing and to continuing to believe is doing the following: meditating on the Word God has spoken to you day and night …

People rejoice when they hear the word, but then Satan commeth immediately and snatches the word from their hearts. Mk. 4

To keep this from happening, learn to keep that word before you day and night … build a deep root system for that Word of God to grow inside you.


*****

The Word comes to us by the Holy Spirit through scripture, through thoughts, through dreams …

It doesn’t matter how the Word comes, what matters is the Word.

Keep the Word before you day and night and use that Word to fight all opposing thoughts of the flesh and devil.

Joshua 1:8-9 … This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

God says, “Didn’t I give you that word?”

We must not allow the flesh to reason the word of God away nor can we allow the devil to steal that word given by God.

We have to “labor” to enter into God’s rest by focusing on that word given to us. We might have to keep it before us many days, or months, or even years. In time, it will grow strong in us and be a sure foundation for us. And we live our lives on that word, living in belief. Acting in belief. Doing in keeping with belief.

If a person comes to me saying, “I know God will heal me.” And then that person says, “Pray for me.” I know that person doesn’t really believe, because if he believed he wouldn’t be acting in unbelief by asking me to pray for that which he professes to believe but really doesn’t believe.

Genesis 16:1-4 … Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.  

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

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

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

Ishmael was born.

But Ishmael was not going to be the heir. It was not going to be by Ishmael that the promise of God to Abraham would be fulfilled.

God had another plan which man couldn’t imagine. 

Genesis 17:1-5 … And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before ME, and be thou perfect. And I will make MY covenant between ME and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for ME, behold, MY covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 

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

(Abraham was going to be made “a new creature” as we are changed to “a new creature” by God after God reveals HIMSELF to us. The name change from Abram to Abraham is symbolic of this “new creation.”)

Genesis 17 …

6-22  And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish MY covenant between ME and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.   And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep MY covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is MY covenant, which ye shall keep, between ME and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt ME and you.  And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.  He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and MY covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.  And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken MY covenant.

And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.  And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

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

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

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

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But MY covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.  And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

God would do that which God said HE would do. And so it is always. God always does what HE says HE will do.

God is not a man, that HE should lie … Numbers 23:19

Genesis 18:1-15 …And the Lord appeared unto him (to Abraham) in the plains of Mamre: and he (Abraham) sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;  

And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: 

and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 

And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 

Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: 

for therefore are ye come to your servant.

And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 

And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 

And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife?

And he said, Behold, in the tent.

And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.

And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.  

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid.

And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD? IS ANYTHING IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD?

God created heavens and earth and all that is therein.

How can anything be too hard for God?

This is a fundamental concept for us to grasp and hold onto.

Genesis 21:1-8 … And the Lord visited Sarah as HE had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as HE had spoken. 

For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 

And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 

And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.


*****


Genesis 22:1-19 … And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham:

and he (Abraham) said, Behold, here I am.

And HE (God) said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father:

and he (Abraham) said, Here am I, my son.

And he (Isaac) said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering:

so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he (Abraham) said, Here am I.

And he (the angel of the LORD) said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice.

So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

Abraham reasoned that even when he killed Isaac, God would be able to raise Isaac from the dead. We read of this in Hebrews 11 as follows:

17-19  By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Isaac was conceived by “dead” people … since both Abraham and Sarah were as the “dead” at the ages of 100 and 90.

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And what of our faith when compared to Abraham?


It should be the same. Abraham believed God. Shouldn’t we also believe what God says to us? Faith is hearing what God says and believing what God says. What God says, we should believe God is able to perform.

We just keep the flesh and the devil from stealing God’s word as we keep God’s word before us day and night … for days, for months, or for years.


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BOOK: Promises From God To The Church
Chapter 3

Joan Boney



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