* VOLUME 12 - Product Description

We, in the church today, are in the position of preparing ourselves for the return of Jesus.

Many of the exhortations in this book are given to help us to position ourselves in the scriptures in all things so we will stand approved in Jesus, the Word, in the last days.

The apostle Paul said the day of the Lord would not come until the apostasy came first into the churches.

II Thessalonians 2:3-8    NASB    Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

The apostasy was restrained by the Holy Scriptures.  This held antichrist back.  Antichrist is opposite of scripture.  When churches began removing various portions of scripture, the restraint holding the lawlessness back from the church group was removed and antichrist moved into the church.

Jesus said:  The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.  Mt. 5:32 & Mt. 19

When churches changed this doctrine and permitted divorce and remarriage at will in the congregation, it opened the door for antichrist in the church group.

But Paul said this had to happen before Jesus returns.

This really puts us at the end-times.

Many other doctrines of Christ are also being changed in churches today.

We must be sure we are living in God's truth on these matters such as divorce, remarriage, homosexual-lesbians.

Also the churches are taking on many beliefs of the world which are opposite to Bible.

For example:  The world is beginning to teach that drunkenness is a disease, not a sin.   But the Bible lists drunkenness as a work of the flesh, a sin, and even says they who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  I Corinthians 6 & Galatians 5

The exhortations presented in this book help us to realign ourselves with doctrines from the Bible and set us into a sound position, ready for the return of Christ.

Joan Boney

* Preface: Vol. 12

Do you remember the fire you had for things of God when you were first born again?

I do.

All I could even think about was God, Jesus, Bible, church.

It is like the fleshly fire of that first mate ... when you fell  in love.

Keeping that relationship with God throughout all the years that follow is important.

And as we grow closer to the return of Jesus, we are warned by Jesus as follows:

Matthew 24:12-13    And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

As the iniquity of this world grows, we might find that our love for the Word of God has diminished from that love we had at the beginning.

This simply means we need to put extra effort into Bible reading and the reading of godly exhortations.

For this reason, we present daily exhortations on our blog:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations

And godly exhortations are presented to the church in these books so we can keep the faith in God before us day and night and renew our thinking from the ungodly way of this present world.

Joan Boney

* Vol. 12 - 1 Building a Root System

If you can't stand repetition and are always looking for a new, sensational writing, you might be like those in Athens.

Acts 17:21  (As Paul waited in Athens he noticed the following about the people there.)   For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing. 

*****

Paul explains in the following scripture how repetition is very important for us to make us more secure and safe.

Philippians 3:1 ... Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

Learn to rejoice in the WORD. 

Let every word be established in you ... keep it before your eyes, looking at that word over and over ... let it go deeply inside your soul.

*****

II Corinthians 13:1 ... This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

You do not have to have 3 different people speaking that same word.  Paul shows that he was speaking that same word to them the third time and by this would every word be established.

*****

To keep that word and produce proper fruit, we need to view that word often and do that word in an appropriate way and share that word with others.

Philemon v. 6 ... That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

You cannot consume that word upon yourself without sharing it with other people and expect your faith to develop properly.

Share that word.  In sharing, we establish what we believe about that word.

If you do not have faith enough to share that word, then you do not have faith enough.

*****

We must do more than hear the word.  We must not deceive ourselves.  It is in doing that word that our faith is established.

James 1:21-22 ... Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

*****

By the following parable, Jesus taught them the difference between having the word bring forth fruit, 30-60-100 fold, and having the word profit them nothing.

Mark 4:14-20 ...

The sower soweth the word.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

*****

For the WORD to develop in you and grow to the point of bringing forth fruit you must hear the word, believe the word, focus on the word, do the word, and share the word with other people.

Don't you have at least one other person who is a real believer with whom you can share things of God?  Share with that person. 

Matthew 18:20 ... Jesus says ... For where two or three are gathered together in MY name, there am I in the midst of them.

Or share with our little church group.  Blog: Jesus Ministries Exhortation 

*****

In some of the churches I have attended in the past, they had Wednesday night services where people stood up and gave their testimonies to the group.  These were often very powerful services.

What God, by the Holy Spirit, does in the believer is unforgettable.

* Vol. 12 - 2 The Faith Movement in the Churches: 1978-1982

In approximately 1978, I began attending a small church in Farmer's Branch, Texas, outside Dallas, where I lived at that time.  I found that church the same way most people find a church, by following family or friends to the church they attend.  The woman in our prayer group who seemed more spiritual to us than the others first went to a church called Beverly Hills Baptist, so I would go there with her and her non-Christian husband.  When she left that church and went to the one in Farmer's Branch, I went with her.

I did not ask about their doctrine as we should do when selecting a church. 

Questions:  Do you permit men to marry divorced women?  Matthew 5:32  Do you allow divorced women to remarry in the church?  I Corinthians 7:10-11  Do you consider homosexuals and lesbians to be sinning in these acts?  Romans 1  Do you consider drunkenness to be a sin or do you teach it is a disease?  I Corinthians 6 & Galatians 5

I simply followed my friend to church.  The church, Word of Faith, the pastor, Robert Tilton.

*****

At the time I started there, we met in an old warehouse, and the most number of people we had at church on the best day was about 200 people.

By the time I left, in 1982, we were meeting in an 8,000 seat theater style auditorium with TV cameras and sound equipment for recording broadcasts.

(If you think gain is a sign of godliness, you'd better consider what the apostle Paul wrote in I Timothy 6:5 ... Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.)

*****

I left that church group under the following circumstances:

God gave me a terrifying dream in 1979.

Destruction was everywhere.

In this dream, a man was speaking to a group of people.  I went in and sat down and began to listen.  A second man rushed into the room and said, "Stop ... wait ... can't you see ... It's too late ... It's already begun."

The first man resumed speaking.

I looked out the windows to see what had "already begun".

I was very shocked at what I saw.

There was a tall pole with a yellow civil defense speaker on top of the pole.  I saw a gas coming out of that speaker.  The gas was poisonous and was going to kill people and it was coming directly toward us!

The shocking thing was the speaker that was set there to warn us was the instrument being used to distribute the gas which would end up killing us!

I looked at the man who was seated next to me.  He had a very big smile on his face as he attentively looked directly at the man who was speaking.  But then I realized, this man was dead!  He was a corpse.

I looked at the other people in the room and they were all dead.

As I sat there listening to the man who was speaking to the dead group of people, I began to yawn and I realize the gas was killing me too as I sat there among them.

I felt like Daniel who was sick after having a dream, for I didn't know what that dream meant and it was very difficult to live with it. 

*****

One Wednesday night, in 1982, at church, at Word of Faith, I glanced at the man sitting next to me and realized this was the corpse I had seen in the poison gas dream.

I looked about the auditorium and saw the people who were dead in the dream.

I got up immediately and went to the Ladies Room and began praying.

I said to God, "I believe YOU are showing me to leave this church group so I'm going to drive away.  But if YOU want me to come back, I will turn around and return."

I drove away immediately.

God did not want me to come back.

With that, God began teaching me about "The Faith Movement".

Up to that moment, I hadn't realized anything was wrong with that movement or with that church I had been attending.

*****

About the same time I left, the man who had been our Sunday school teacher left that church group.

I talked to him and told him I didn't realize I was different from them.

He said, "Joan ... you were never like them."

I wasn't?

He said, "They talk about faith but I always saw that you lived faith."

*****

What God showed me:

From the moment I was born again in 1975, I was taken to the following scripture to serve as a guide for my actions and development.

Jesus said:

John 5:30 ... I can of MINE own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and MY judgment is just; because I seek not MINE own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent ME.

The apostle Paul said:

I Corinthians 2 ... And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and HIM crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

*****

God taught me to stay in the Bible ... meditating on verses in the scriptures ... and when I spoke to speak that which the Holy Spirit brought to my mind in scripture, dreams, examples and words.

I did not prepare anything in advance.

I was taught by God to step out in front of people and speak that which HE put in my ear at the moment I was out there.

When I focused on a scripture in my personal study, it was a scripture which had been brought to my mind by the Holy Spirit.

Therein lies the power of God ... by that which the Holy Spirit speaks to us.

*****

And God taught me about the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, primarily through the following scriptures:

John 14:26 ... But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, WHOM the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13 ... Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of HIMSELF; but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.

I Corinthians 2 ... But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But 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. But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For 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.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

*****

When I "stood" on a scripture, it was usually scripture brought to my mind by the Holy Spirit.  It was not a scripture I hunted with my own flesh, except in one occasion when I was "believing" for a husband and quoting scripture claiming my "right" to find a husband.  (Not God's will for me.)

Herein lies the primary difference in that which our Sunday school teacher at Word of Faith saw between what I was doing and what most of the others at that church group were doing.

I was led by the Holy Spirit in what scripture I used and in what I did.

Most of them were searching the Bible to try to find a scripture to stand on to justify what they wanted.

And this fit with that which Bob Tilton taught.  I recall him teaching that if you wanted a red pickup, get a picture of the pickup you wanted and put it on the door of your refrigerator where you would see it day and night and eventually you would figure out how to get that pickup.

I had no idea at the time I attended that church group, that they were searching for scripture to get what they wanted. 

I thought we were the same until God brought me out by opening my eyes with the poison gas dream.

*****

I did have some clues during the years I was at this church.

In one January, we had a very severe ice storm.  I lived about 15 or 20 miles from Word of Faith, so I couldn't drive to church that Sunday because of the ice on the highways.

Highland Park Methodist Church was about 2 blocks from my apartment.  I decided to walk there and go to their service.  As I walked through the parking area, I noticed all the expensive cars, Mercedes, Cadillacs, BMW, even a Rolls Royce.

At Word of Faith we were constantly hearing about prosperity and how God prospered HIS people.  But here, at this Methodist church I was seeing real world riches in the form of worldly wealth!

"What is going on?" I wondered.

I knew they didn't teach much scripture at the Methodist church.

It seemed to me that we had so many poor people attending Word of Faith in search of prosperity and gobbling up the prosperity messages that were being taught constantly at that church. 

(I didn't care for the prosperity message but what I did was copy down all the scripture the preachers spoke and during the week I would meditate day and night on those scriptures ... then the next time I went to a service, I copied down all the scripture they spoke at that service and I meditated between church services on those scriptures I had copied down.)

One bad fruit that I know of developed in me during my stay at Word of Faith because of the teaching we were hearing ... It concerned my car. 

My car was about 8-10 years old and had a hard top covered with vinyl which was in vogue at that time.  I lived in a modest apartment and did not have a garage.  So the car had to sit out in the hot, Texas sun, and the top cloth split and began to peal. 

Though I liked driving the car, the image was really not in keeping with the success, prosperity taught in the faith movement. 

I became embarrassed over my car.

The other ministers I knew in that movement had Cadillacs and Lincolns. 

The woman who managed our office at that time tried to get me to go buy a Cadillac, saying we could afford the payments.  I didn't entertain this idea at all for I felt I was to stay out of debt and it would be risky to do such a thing over a car.  But I do recall feeling my car showed God wasn't blessing me at that time so my faith was in question.  Of course, that was not true.

I've been away from the Faith Movement messages since 1982.  God worked with me considerably in doing the following instructions given in Phil. 2 ...

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made HIMSELF of no reputation

I know the shame I felt over my car when I was in the Faith Movement came from the teachings of the Faith Movement.

*****

God's way to prosper and have good success:

Psalm 1 ... Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Joshua 1 ... Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

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? 

(Didn't God tell you to do what you are doing?  If you aren't sure it is God leading you, then you shouldn't be doing it.)

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.

*****

Another troubling moment came when a major tornado hit one of the gulf coast cities, causing severe destruction and many deaths.

We were being taught at church that we had "authority" as believers over weather that caused destruction.

I wondered why some of the great men of faith didn't exercise their authority and stop that storm from hitting.

They didn't because they couldn't.  The teaching was wrong.

They were teaching that all destruction was from devil.  They taught we had "authority" over the devil in the name of Jesus.

But storms and hail and such are from God, according to Bible. 

One example is Psalm 148.7-8

Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling HIS word:

*****

Many people failed to reach their expressed goals in that church group (Faith Movement Church), but when that happened it was said their faith was too weak. 

Never did I hear anyone say, "This teaching is wrong."

*****

For a very brief season (1980-198l), I was one of the rising stars in the Faith Movement among the ministers, being on radio from coast to coast by end of 1981.

Then after a meeting in Seattle, I was enroute to the airport to return to Dallas, when I heard the following from the Holy Spirit:

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

"OH boy!" I foolishly thought.


A few weeks after this, I heard the following from God by HIS Spirit.

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.

Over and over, God spoke this to me.

Then God opened my eyes to see sins in the lives of ministers and sins in several big time ministries.

When I was unable to get a message to these ministers in private, I was persuaded (I believe by God) to give the message on radio, telling of the sins, and naming those ministers by name.

To get me to do this, the following scripture was called to my attention.

II Timothy. 4:14 ... Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

By this scripture, I saw Paul naming a wrong doer by name in front of all as he warned the church about the man.

I began doing this on my radio broadcasts and in some of my meetings.

*****

A very important moment came for me in Seattle after I began doing these things.

The manager of the radio station in Seattle was waiting for me outside the meeting room. 

He came to me and said,

"Joan ... you have many good messsages ... just speak those messages ... if you keep speaking these judgment messages, I don't know what is going to happen to you ... we might have to put you off the air."

Instantly, without any thought at all, the Holy Spirit rose up in me and said the following through me.

"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."

(People like this station manager do not understand that message that is from God cannot be changed.  If you are really a minister of God, you must speak HIS message that HE brings to you faithfully.)

Galatians 1:10-12    Paul says:  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

*****

The greatest problem in the Faith Movement is instead of learning to turn to God and follow the Spirit of God, they learn to take authority over the situation and "be as gods" quoting scripture by their natural minds.

Look at what Paul says about antichrist.

II Thessalonians 2 ... NASB

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 

And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed

*****

II Thessalonians 2 ... KJV

Who 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.

This is what was happening in the Faith Movement.  They were teaching people to be God rather than teaching them to turn to God.  They did this by teaching them to find a scripture and stand on that scripture to get what they wanted. 

Never did I hear the words, "THY will be done," as Jesus spoke before HE went to the cross.

This is one of the antichrist church movement of today and is part of the end time apostasy spoken of by the apostle Paul in II Thessalonians 2.

* Vol. 12 -3 Avoiding those things that stop the Word of God from producing fruit in your life

Mark 4 ... And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

*****

*  the cares of this world

Paul once told Timothy the following:

II Timothy 2:4    No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Things pop up all the time.  It seems necessary to fix them, but I have sometimes been led (I believe by God) to just tolerate the situation rather than entangling myself.

There is a garbage disposal in the kitchen sink at my house.  It stopped working.  My first desire was to not fix it.  But I didn't want it to hang over me.  I called the office of plumber and began talking with the secretary who has always been friendly with me.  As we spoke, I told her I really didn't think I even needed a garbage disposal.  The more we discussed it the more inclined I was just to scrape my garbage into the trash can like we did when I was a child.  (some of these modern things are really so unnecessary)

Later when I told my cleaning lady, she said she didn't use one at her house either.

I was glad I just let it stay broken.

Repairs are not only costly, but usually disruptive.

*****

*  the deceitfulness of riches

The love of money is the root of all evil ...

The pursuit of more money is usually wrong.  Even sales can set a person on fire if you allow such.

If God is our provider,  and HE created heaven and earth and all things,  don't we know HE will provide for us and HE is able to provide for us without troubling us and causing us to be led away from that which would be more needful.

Truly only one thing is needful.

*****

*  the lusts of other things

The only thing that endures is the Word of God. 

Everything else we can see with our natural eye will be destroyed.

Do we really want to pursue those things that will be destroyed?

* Vol. 12 - 4 God has a way of escape for HIS people as we live on this present earth

Psalm 34:19   Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

*****

Comments by Joan Boney:

At the time of this writing, I am 80-years-old. 

I have two eye diseases:  cataracts (common to man to people my age) and also glaucoma

For two or three years, eye glass prescriptions have not been successful in dealing with my vision problems.  I wanted to find another doctor and get a second opinion about my vision.

I looked for a surgeon because I could tell my eyes would not be helped by regular eye doctors as in the past. 

Also many times, I asked God to help me to be able to pass the approaching eye exam required by the State of Texas for driver's licenses.  (When reaching 80 in Texas you are required to have bi-yearly eye exams for renewal of driver licenses.)  I was not at all sure I could pass an eye exam.  I was asking God for help.

As my vision seemed to worsen, I found a doctor to consult.  He was a young surgeon.  I liked his medical resume which I found on-line.  I made an appointment and felt very confident with the tests he did to evaluate my vision.  He then told me a new prescription for glasses would not help my vision.  I needed surgery on both eyes. 

Of course,  I prayed many times about this.

Other people in our church group had the surgery he was recommending and I felt assurance this was the way for me to go.

He operated (laser) on the worst eye.  There was no pain at all.   Very important to me!

Within 5 days, I saw better than I can ever recall seeing and all without any glasses.

I felt now I could pass the up-coming drivers test. 

God answered this prayer in a way I did not expect ... through surgery.

Here is another remarkable story of God answering a prayer in an unexpected way.

Comments by Pam Padgett:

My older sister had been at college two years when I started attending the same school.  She dated a man who was a member of a fraternity, and she had become a member of the fraternity's "women's auxiliary", assisting with fraternity social functions.  She was very excited for me to join the social circles she was in, and especially wanted me to meet members of the fraternity.

The first week of school my sister invited me to go to a student bar where many of the fraternity guys gathered on Thursday nights.  I went, but found what was going on there to be so bad (lewdness, drunkenness ) that I was unable to stay and I walked back to the dormitory.

A week or so later my sister asked if I'd go to an outdoor luau with one of the freshmen "pledges" at the fraternity.  The luau site was about 20 miles away near a river, and there would be a campfire.  The setting was very appealing to me, plus I was excited about having a date, and I agreed to go.

Then, a few days before the luau, my sister told me that arrangements had been made for one of the other fraternity guys to take me to the luau because my date would be spending the day at the luau site building a hut for us ... a young man I had never even met was building a hut "for us"!

Suddenly the reality of this luau became very clear to me.  This was not going to be people sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows.  The lewdness and drunkenness I had seen at the student bar was probably mild compared to what would be going on at this luau ... and I wouldn't be able to walk home.

I told my sister that I couldn't go along with this and did not want to go, but she kept insisting that it was too late for me to back out, that it was too late for this guy to find another date.

I turned very strongly to God, asking Him to somehow get me out of this situation.  There seemed no way out.  At one point I asked God to let me have appendicitis, preferring to be in a hospital having surgery than to go to this luau.

The morning of the luau I woke up and checked to see if I might have any pain that would indicate appendicitis, and was disappointed that I felt fine.  I kept praying for God to somehow work this out.  Time was really running out!  When I looked outside, it was raining a little, but not much. However, the rain became heavier and heavier as the day went on.

Around 2 pm I received a call from the fraternity guy who planned to take me to the luau site.  He told me how sorry he was to have to tell me this, but the luau had to be cancelled. 

The luau site had been totally flooded, washing away all the huts that had been built, which would include the hut my date had built for us.    He told me how long the luau had been held at this same site (many years) and, although there had been rain at times in the past, nothing like this had ever happened before, flooding and causing the luau to be cancelled.

I rejoiced, knowing that God had delivered me.

* Vol. 12 - 5 Speak to Edification, Exhortation, Comfort

Our little church group is trying to learn how to share properly with the church.  We are in multiple cities around the USA so we share by email.

A woman gave a report about seeing on her husband's company's work information that full benefits are now offered to same sex married people.  She was shocked.

She sent email telling of this.

I didn't see what had happened until another woman in our group responded by telling mayor in a city is homosexual but has a wife also and children.

Then I saw:  The first woman's fruit provoked evil from the second woman.

Both women should have checked themselves by following:

Paul speaks of "prophesy" but it really applies to all talking or writing.

Paul says:  I Cor. 14:3... But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

Measure what you speak by following:

Edification:  to instruct or improve morally, spiritually ... to show God ... build in the faith in God

Exhortation: to urge earnestly by advice or warning

Comfort: easing of a person's feeling of grief or distress or pain ... to cause person to feel less worried, upset, frightened or angry

One of these three things should be in what we write or speak.

You might have an exhortation, warning, that would cause a person to feel worried but that is certainly in line when that person needs to wake up and heed what they are doing so they can make godly corrections.

A very important consideration is the follow spoken by Jesus.

Mt. 12:33-37 ... Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Beware of that which you allow to remain in your heart for that can grow up and bear evil fruit.  Sometimes we will hear others speak evil but we must take that evil to God in prayer and allow God to give us the antidote for the evil poison spoken so that evil will not lodge inside our heart.

Here is an example of uprooting evil:

A man called the Bible "legalistic".

I heard of this and turned to God.  I said, "What this man said about the Bible troubles me."

A few hours later, I was reminded of the following words of Jesus:

Matthew 7-12:13    Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

As I looked at this scripture, I began to rejoice!  

I saw how this man who called the Bible legalistic wants freedom to sin.

We want freedom from sin.  The strait way of the Bible is freedom from sin.

The fiery darts of the wicked were extinguished by the truth from God so the evil spoken against the Bible would not grow in my heart.

*****

We might hear things or read things we should not be speaking.

Controlling your tongue is part of pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God.

James 1:26 ... If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Here is a scripture brought to my attention several years ago, and I really kept this before me and tried to do it.

Eph. 4:29 ... Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Often we have to warn the church and that might disturb the church but it is warning to bring them to the way of God and to move them from the way of destruction.  Therefore the warning is edifying though troubling temporarily until the individual chooses the way of God, the right way.

But we, the church, are not a newscast, troubling people needlessly as the world does or as those secular talk shows do.

So learn to speak to edification, exhortation, comfort ... always showing the way of God to others by what you say.

*****

What Bible says about homosexuals and lesbians:

Romans 1:26-27 ...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.

Today homosexuals try to justify themselves by saying they were just born homosexual.

But the Bible says they went against nature.  This is a way they chose.

* Vol. 12 - 6 Seducing Spirits Operating in Last Days

I Timothy 4:1 ... Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.

*****

We have a situation that has been going on for months with a woman who will hear the right way of God but goes the wrong way because the thought came to her to go this other way which is opposite to be right way of God

When I saw I Timothy 4:1, I knew she was giving heed to a seducing spirit.  But notice, she is doing it to herself for she is "giving heed" to this seducing spirit.

seduce: means ... to attract or lead someone away from proper behavior or thinking

(I hope this woman can come back from this ... nevertheless, even if her flesh is destroyed by Satan, I have prayed that her soul be saved.  She has a wonderful spirit and charity when she is in her right mind.)

The thought comes as to what we should do.  Then another thought comes which is more in keeping with that which we want to do.  Often this second thought is from devil and the first thought is from the Spirit of God and is God's way.  The flesh is not God's way.  Neither is the devil God's way.  They are opposite to God's way.

When we have two thoughts on a matter, we really need to stop and turn to God and ask HIM to establish the thought that is from HIM.  We should see this as a STOP sign until God establishes which way is HIS way.

This should be a warning for each of us ... seducing spirits will draw us away from the right way if we allow it.  We have access to prayer and at the time of temptation we certainly have a mighty and secure weapon in prayer, asking God for help.

Deception is rampant in these times ... the end times.

* Vol. 12 - 7 Sins Begin Small

1981, God spoke to  me over and over the following:

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

A few days or weeks after this, my attention was drawn to sin being committed by big-name ministers.  I was certain I was to get messages to these ministers about those sins.

*****

Jimmy Swaggart had become tired of such small audiences of people at his meetings, and wanted to attract bigger audiences, according to my agent at that time who was from Michel Ellison Advertising Agency. 

The agency told Swaggart the way to draw more people was through music, less preaching. 

Swaggart was a country western singer. 

So Swggart went more into music at his meetings and the crowds became much larger.

The message I had for Swaggart was to stop the music and return to preaching the gospel.

He did not heed this message. 

A few years later, Swaggart was caught with a prostitute. (1988) I don't know if he had been doing this at the time he set about to draw bigger crowds with entertainment, but I do believe small sins often lead to bigger sins if small sins are ignored.

Swaggart did a tearful "forgive me" speech on TV. 

In the Bible, the apostle Paul told the church what to do if a "brother" was guilty of such sins as this:

I Corinthians 5:11-13 ... 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 idolator, 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.

Shortly after this, in 1991, Swaggart was caught again with prostitute and he said, "The Lord told me it's flat none of your business."  (see:  Swaggart:  Wikipedia, the Internet Encyclopedia)

It is a type of death where the person can't hear as he continues in the smaller sin.  Swaggart continues on TV today. 

*****

Matthew 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.

*****

Kenneth Copeland, at that same time period (1981-82), told of how his people raised money through "offerings" for his birthday as a present to send him and wife to Hawaii on vacation as a present.

I was shocked.  I was certain IRS would not approve tax-deductible birthday offerings.

After I could not get a message to Copeland, I gave the message on my radio broadcast, naming Copeland by name and telling of the situation.

Then I had a meeting in Fort Worth (Texas), and told the room filled with Copeland and Faith Movement church people, that they were not going to like what I said next and if they wanted to leave, now was the time to leave because once I started speaking the meeting room doors would close and no one would be allowed to leave until I concluded giving the message.

No one left the room and the doors were closed and I gave the message about the Copeland "birthday" offering.

The message reached Copeland and his response at that time, 1981-82, was "Isn't there forgiveness?"

Sometime in early 2000 period, Copeland proudly showed, on his web site, pictures of his arm around the Catholic pope.  Copeland had reached fame to degree the pope granted Copeland a three hour audience,  according to Copeland's web-site.

*****

I had a message warning Kenneth Hagin during this same time 1981-82.  Hagin responded scarcasticly, "I'm so glad we have Joan Boney to tell us our sins otherwise we wouldn't know them."

*****

Marilyn Hickey told  me how to get her books shipped on airline for free.  She happily said, "I've taught Sarah and she can do this too."  (young daughter, about 12 at the time)

Marilyn said you always go to curb side check-in.  Carry in your hand a big roll of bills, money.  Let the curb check-in man see this roll of money.  After he puts baggage ticket on your boxes, give him several of the bills. 

When she came to Dallas for meeting, I picked her up at airport.  Marilyn had so many boxes of books to sell at her meetings that several trips had to be made from airport to her meeting room to carry all those boxes.

Later I realized Marilyn was stealing from the airlines.

Also hypocrisy is not acting in wisdom that is from God.

James 3:17   But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

When hypocrisy is part of our plan, we can know we are not going in the way of God in the matter at hand.

*****

Jesus said: Luke 16:10 ... 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. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

*****

I had message to deliverer to Jim Bakker in 1981-82.  This message was on subject of adultery.  I didn't realize Bakker was committing adultery until later.  At the time, the message was the subject of adultery and warning against this sin.

I delivered the message to Bakker by US mail.

On my letterhead it says the name of my ministry:  "Jesus Ministries"

I identified myself to Jim Bakker, as a minister, a prophet.

I received the following reply, supposedly from Jim Bakker, but it was obviously a form letter he used to send to all the people who wrote to him.

On the letter, Jim Bakker said: 

"Dear Jesus ... Thank you for the message.  I want you to know, Jesus, that Tammy and I prayed for you today ..."

Later Jim Bakker was sentenced to prison for fraud, overselling rooms in his hotel theme park.  It was disclosed at that time that he was also having an affair with a church secretary.  Later Tammy Bakker divorced Jim Bakker and remarried and then died of cancer.  Jim Bakker served prison term and was released, remarried, and began another religious type TV show.  (see:  Jim Bakker ... Wikipedia ... The Internet Encyclopedia.)

*****

1981-82 period, Robert Tilton had a TV show in Dallas.  Bob invited Ava Pickard to be a guest on his talk type TV show.  Ava called me after the show in tears.  She said just before they went on camera, Bob said to her:  "Just one thing ... don't say anything about being a prophet because it's not popular."

I saw immediately Bob Tilton had "killed a prophet" by what he said to Ava.

I contacted Bob and told him that because he had done that, his house would be left to him desolate.  (Matthew 23)

Thereafter, Bob and wife divorced.  He lost his large church building which was changed into a youth hockey center by developers ... Bob married 2nd wife which ended in divorce ... Bob then married third wife.  Bob lost his huge church following and millions of dollars in offerings (80-million a year) ... and was reduced to a few million per year which is still a lot but not nearly as  much as had been in past... law suits were filed against Bob for fraud ... ABC Primetime did hidden camera expose against Bob ... Last I heard he had moved to Florida where he was still trying to do church TV but was not nearly as big as he had been but still big.  (See:  Robert Tilton ... Wikipedia ... Internet Encyclopedia)

*****

All the works of God are done in truth.

Kenneth Copeland, in 1981-82 period,  told people at his meetings of the miracle story where a man came up to him and gave him a new car.  (Copeland led people to believe this man was a total stranger.)

When I signed with Michael Ellison Advertising Agency, the agent told me they had given Kenneth Copeland his choice of cars because they made so much money at the agency through Copeland's radio and TV broadcasts whereby the agency received 10-15 % fee from each of the stations broadcasting Copeland.

The agent assigned to me said to me, "We'll do the same thing for you when you get big enough."

Hypocrisy:  pretending that which is not true to be true, usually for personal gain of some sort.

*****

I Timothy 5:24-25 ... Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.

Galatians 6:7 ... Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

II Corinthians 5:10-11 ... For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;

*****

Before this time, I didn't realize all the evil that could come from ministers and church groups.

God showed me in a dream in 1979, how serious things were in the churches, though I didn't really understand the dream until 1982.

Destruction was everywhere. 

I went into a meeting room where a meeting was going on. A man was speaking to a room filled with people. I went in and began to listen. 

A second man rushed in and said: "Stop ... Wait ... Can't you see ... It's too late ... It's already begun."  

The first man resumed speaking. 

I looked out the window to see what had "already begun."

There was a tall pole with a yellow civil defense speaker at top of the pole. A gas was coming out of the speaker. I knew it was poisonous and would kill the people. It was coming directly toward us! 

The shocking thing was the speaker that was set there for the purpose of warning us was being used as the instrument which dispersed the gas that was poison and would kill us!  

I looked at the man seated next to me. He had a big grin on his face and was looking directly at the man who was speaking to the group. But then I saw this man was a corpse, though he looked alive. He was already dead!  

I looked about the room at the other people and realized they were all dead.  

As I sat back in my chair and listened to the man speaking I began to feel sleepy and I knew as I sat there among them this was killing me too.  

God was showing me the anarchy in the church groups, at the time of the dream, 1979. The destruction in the churches was everywhere, even at that time.  And it is much worse today. 

*****  

II Thessalonians 2 ... NASB ... Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the LORD) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?

And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed

The restraint was the scripture.  When portions of scripture were removed from the church, lawlessness moved into the churches ... thus the apostasy in the churches.

We are seeing the apostasy of the last days at this point in time, both in ministers as-well-as in church groups that eliminate scripture such as Jesus said in Matthew 5:32:  "Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery."

* Vol. 12 - 8 The Flesh is Weak ... and Wrong

Pam Padgett ... member of body of Christ

Many years ago, I went to college with a young man named David. After we graduated we stayed in touch with each other. He identified himself as a Christian, and referred to me as his "little sis". This was a very strong fleshly "tie" for me to David.

A few years later, he met a young woman and they decided to marry. When he told me about this, he mentioned she was divorced. I warned him of the adultery they would commit according to scripture. He told me how "nice" she was and how much I would like her. He also said something about her previous marriage, I think that she wasn't married very long. But I told him these things didn't matter, that according to the Bible they would commit adultery. 

During one conversation he asked me to go to dinner with them at a restaurant so I could meet her.

I'm sure I didn't pray about going, and I foolishly went to the restaurant and met her.

She indeed had a very pleasant personality and I did like her.

They were so friendly to me as we talked over dinner and I very much wanted to go along with them in thinking it was okay for them to marry. 

They invited me to the wedding and I considered going and even what I might get them for a wedding gift! 

But when I laid all this out before God, the Holy Spirit kept drawing my attention to the scriptures which tell of the adultery they would commit. 

I really had to focus on these scriptures concerning divorce/remarriage, and cling to them to keep from being swept away by my flesh. 

*****

Matthew 5:32 ... Jesus says ... 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.

3 forms of sin: 

- the husband of the faithful wife, will be the cause of her adultery if she remarries

- the faithful wife will commit adultery if she remarries

- the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery

*****

Matthew 19:3-9 ... The Pharisees also came unto HIM, tempting HIM, and saying unto HIM, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

And HE (Jesus) answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that HE which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife:  and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. 

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 

They say unto HIM, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

HE saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

And I (Jesus) say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery:  and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

*****

I Corinthians 7:10-11 ... Paul to the NT church ... And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband:  and let not the husband put away his wife.

*****

Some days after this dinner David and I spoke again on the phone. He asked me how I liked this young woman. I told him I thought she was very friendly, but that still, according to the Bible, they would commit adultery if they married. It was much harder for me to tell him this after having gone to dinner with them.

I didn't go to the wedding, and never again heard from David.

*****

Comments by Joan Boney ... a woman contacted me and wanted to tell me the circumstances of her mother's divorce and remarriage. I turned to God with this and heard: "Focus on the scriptures not on the circumstances."

*****