Building your house on the word from God

(This podcast was previously published on, November 27, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
Absalom instigates a plan to build a power base among the children of Israel.
 
II Samuel 15
 
1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
 
2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
 
3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
 
4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
 
5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
 
6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
 
(Absalom did this for 40 years.)
 
7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.
 
8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.
 
9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
 
10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
 
11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.
 
12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices.
 
(Absalom even took David's own counsellor to give advice against David.)
 
And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
 
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God had raised up evil against David because of that which David did concerning Uriah the Hittite and Uriah's wife, Bathsheba.
 
God sends a prophet to pronounce God's judgments upon David for his sins:
 
II Samuel 12   (God sets a penalty upon king David)
 
7 Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
 
8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
 
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in HIS sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
 
(Penalty:)
 
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised ME, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
 
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
 
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
 
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.
 
And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
 
(But the penalty against David will continue upon David as long as David lives.  And God said his enemies would be they of David's own household.  Absalom, David's son, later tries to take the kingdom from David.  And Absalom goes into David's concubines and all Israel knows what he has done, thus fulfilling part of the penalty God set upon David.)
 
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Then the prophet pronounces another judgment from God upon David.
 
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
 
15 And Nathan departed unto his house.
 
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Absalom, David's son, is the instrument of evil raised up by God against David and as long as Absalom lives he will be a problem to David.
 
II Samuel 15
 
13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
 
14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
 
16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
 
(Later Absalom will have sex with David's concubines to shame David, and also this fulfills the prophecy against David where God said: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.  For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.   II Samuel 12:11-12)
 
II Samuel 15
 
17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
 
23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
 
31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
 
David prayed to God, making his requests to God, as he feared his own son Absalom.
 
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New Testament church:
 
Philippians 4
 
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
 
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 
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David sent spies to Absalom's "court" and they worked behind the scenes on behalf of David.
 
II Samuel 15
 
34 (David says) But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
 
35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house (from Absalom's house), thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
 
36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.  (They will come and tell David that which Absalom is doing.)
 
37 So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
 
(Hushai will be used to turn the counsel to be ineffective against David.)
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 26, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
God pronounced a penalty against David for the killing of Uriah the Hittite and the taking of Uriah's wife.
 
II Samuel 12
 
Nathan the prophet said to David:
 
7 Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
 
8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
 
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
 
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
 
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
 
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
 
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.
 
And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
 
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
 
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Through David's son Absalom, we see some of the prophecies of God fulfilled.
 
"The sword shall never depart from thy house," says God to David.
 
"I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house," says God to David.
 
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II Samuel 13
 
1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
 
(David was the father of Absalom, Tamar, and Amnon ... but Amnon had a different mother and was the 1/2 brother of Absalom and Tamar.)
 
Amnon forced Tamar to have sex with him and then he hated her after they had sex.
 
15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.
 
16 And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.
 
17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
 
18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled.
 
Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
 
19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.
 
20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing.
 
So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.
 
21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.
 
Absalom hated his brother Amnon because he had forced his sister Tamar.  Absalom planned revenge against his brother.
 
23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
 
24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.
 
25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.
 
26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
 
27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
 
28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.
 
29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.
 
30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.
 
31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
 
(But Absalom had not killed all the king's sons, only one son was killed, Amnon.)
 
32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.
 
33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
 
37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur.
 
And David mourned for his son every day.
 
38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
 
39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
 
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The stage is set for Absalom to rise against David and try to take the kingdom from David, being evil against David's house as God said would happen.
 
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I Corinthians 10
 
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
 
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
 
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
 
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
 
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
 
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
 
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
 
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
 
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
 
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
 
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
 
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
 
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 25, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
God sends a prophet to pronounce God's judgments upon David for his sins:
 
First God shows David his sin:
 
II Samuel 12
 
1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
 
2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
 
3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
 
4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
 
5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
 
6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
 
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. 
 
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God sets a penalty upon king David:
 
Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
 
8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
 
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in HIS sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
 
(Penalty:)
 
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised ME, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
 
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
 
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
 
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.
 
And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
 
(But the penalty against David will continue upon David as long as David lives.  And God said his enemies would be they of David's own household.  Absalom, David's son, later tries to take the kingdom from David.  And Absalom goes into David's concubines and all Israel knows what he has done, thus fulfilling part of the penalty God set upon David.)
 
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Then the prophet pronounces another judgment from God upon David.
 
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
 
15 And Nathan departed unto his house.
 
And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
 
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16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
 
17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
 
18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died.
 
And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
 
19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
 
20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
 
21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
 
22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
 
23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
 
24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
 
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Psalm 51   (David prays)
 
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to THY lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of THY tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
 
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
 
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
 
4 Against THEE, THEE only, have I sinned, and done this evil in THY sight:
 
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8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which THOU hast broken may rejoice.
 
9 Hide THY face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
 
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
 
11 Cast me not away from THY presence; and take not THY holy spirit from me.
 
12 Restore unto me the joy of THY salvation; and uphold me with THY free spirit.
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 24, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
2 Samuel 11
 
1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
 
2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
 
3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
 
4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
 
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
 
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6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
 
7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
 
8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
 
9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
 
10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
 
11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
 
12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
 
13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he (David) made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
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14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
 
15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
 
16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
 
17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
 
18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
 
19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
 
20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
 
21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
 
22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.
 
23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.
 
24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
 
25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
 
26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
 
27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son.
 
But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 23, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
David tried to move the ark of God.  But he did this in a fatal way to Uzzah.
 
For when the oxen shook the cart and Uzzah reached up and touched the ark to steady it, the anger of the Lord rose and God struck Uzzah dead!
 
Errors:  They did not handle the ark properly according to the word of God concerning the ark.
 
* Only the tribe of Levi were appointed for this work.
* They were told by God to move the ark on their shoulders with staves.
 
You cannot do the work of God by your own thinking.  You must be led by God, and you must be called by God, and you must follow the exact instructions given you by God.
 
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They had tried to move the ark of God but failed.
 
I Chronicles 15:2  Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto HIM for ever.
 
(By setting up the Levites to move the ark of God, they succeed.  Also the Levites carried the ark of God with staves on their own shoulders as commanded by God.)
 
11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,
 
12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.
 
13 For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought HIM not after the due order.
 
(Order of the New Testament Church today:  From heaven Jesus calls HIS ministers and sets them to work in HIS church:  Ephesians 4:11-12   And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:)
 
14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.
 
15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.
 
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I Chronicles 16
 
4 And he (David) appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:
 
7 Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.
 
8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon HIS name, make known HIS deeds among the people.
 
9 Sing unto HIM, sing psalms unto HIM, talk ye of all HIS wondrous works.
 
10 Glory ye in HIS holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
 
11 Seek the LORD and HIS strength, seek HIS face continually.
 
12 Remember HIS marvellous works that HE hath done, HIS wonders, and the judgments of HIS mouth;
 
13 O ye seed of Israel HIS servant, ye children of Jacob, HIS chosen ones.
 
14 HE is the LORD our God; HIS judgments are in all the earth.
 
15 Be ye mindful always of HIS covenant; the word which HE commanded to a thousand generations;
 
16 Even of the covenant which HE made with Abraham, and of HIS oath unto Isaac;
 
17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
 
18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;
 
19 When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.
 
20 And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;
 
21 HE suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, HE reproved kings for their sakes,
 
22 Saying, Touch not MINE anointed, and do MY prophets no harm.
 
23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day HIS salvation.
 
24 Declare HIS glory among the heathen; HIS marvellous works among all nations.
 
25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: HE also is to be feared above all gods.
 
26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
 
27 Glory and honour are in HIS presence; strength and gladness are in HIS place.
 
28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
 
29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto HIS name: bring an offering, and come before HIM: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
 
30 Fear before HIM, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
 
31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.
 
32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
 
33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because HE cometh to judge the earth.
 
34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for HE is good; for HIS mercy endureth for ever.
 
35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to THY holy name, and glory in THY praise.
 
36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever.
 
And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.
 
💥💥💥💥💥
 
* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 23, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
II Samuel 6
 
1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
 
2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.
 
3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.
 
4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.
 
5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
 
6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
 
7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
 
8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.
 
9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?
 
10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.
 
11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.
 
💥💥💥
 
Today, church people do all manner of works which they think are good.
 
But Jesus said:
 
Matthew 7
 
21 Not every one that saith unto ME, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of MY Father which is in heaven.
 
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in THY name? and in THY name have cast out devils? and in THY name done many wonderful works?
 
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from ME, ye that work iniquity.
 
💥💥💥
 
A man came to our house to do extermination work.  Immediately he identified himself as a Christian.  He started telling us of places that he had gone the previous summer to "minister."
 
I said to him:  "How did God tell you to do this ministry work?"
 
He was stunned and couldn't answer my question.
 
Many today do "ministry" works without being told by God to do those works.
 
Ephesians 4  From heaven Jesus calls HIS ministers and ordains them for the work of God in the New Testament church.
 
8 Wherefore HE saith, When HE ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
 
11 And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
 
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
 
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
 
I Corinthians 12
 
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
 
28 And God hath set some in the church (to work in the church), first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
 
Those who are the called by Jesus for the work of the ministry are ordained by Jesus as was the apostle Paul.  Paul was persecuting Christians, when Jesus spoke to him from heaven and called him and put him in the church and into the ministry.  Paul was an apostle, teacher, and preacher.
 
Acts 9
 
1 And Saul (Paul), yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
 
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
 
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
 
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME?
 
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord?
 
And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
 
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
 
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
 
7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
 
Those men traveling with Paul heard that voice from heaven but they were not called by Jesus for the work of the ministry as was Paul.  And notice that Paul (Saul) was called by name by Jesus.
 
You cannot do the work of the ministry by your own desire.  You cannot become a minister by going to a Bible school.
 
You must be called by Jesus and ordained for the work of the ministry to which Jesus calls HIS ministers.
 
Jesus' ministers to the New Testament church today are:  apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers
 
Concerning ministry, you do things God's way.  In the Old Testament when they tried to move the ark of God, they had to do it God's way.
 
💥💥💥
 
David moves the ark of God again:
 
(This time the Levites move the ark of God for they are the tribe appointed by God to do this work. Also instead of moving the ark by cart, they moved the ark by staves upon their shoulders as was commanded by Moses.)
 
II Samuel 6
 
13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
 
14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
 
15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
 
16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
 
17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
 
💥💥💥
 
Penalty of God set on Michal, Saul's daughter:
 
II Samuel 6
 
20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
 
21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
 
22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
 
23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
 
If we do right in the sight of God, we are blessed by God.
 
But if we do wrong in the sight of God, we bring upon ourselves penalties from God.
 
So we seek God to know the right way in HIS sight for that which we do on this earth.
💥💥💥💥💥
 
* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 21, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
When trouble comes to us, all we have to do is to learn to put our faith in God each time we have a problem or potential problem.
 
We put our faith in God by turning to God in prayer, asking for help or asking God for wisdom in dealing with the problem.
 
Each time we call on God asking HIM for help, we put our faith in God.
 
And we learn to call on God over each concern, each time we are concerned.
 
💥💥💥
 
I'm 84 years old.  In 2021, one day fearful thoughts began to come to my mind:  "If I get to where I can't walk, what will happen to me?  What will I do?  I won't be able to stay here.  I'll have to move somewhere else."
 
I cried out:  "GOD ... HELP ME!"
 
Instantly the following came into my mind:  "God will supply all your need."
 
"That's right ... God will supply all my need!" (I cried out!)
 
I completely relaxed and the fearful thoughts vanished.
 
James 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
 
We submit ourselves to God by calling on God for help!
 
God brings us HIS Word and by faith in that Word we will not heed the thoughts sent by the devil and the devil will flees from us when he sees we believe that Word sent to us by God.
 
💥💥💥
 
We put our trust in God each time we cry out to God.
 
My 97 year old cousin told me this one day.  She said, "I do fine all day but I get so lonely at night."
 
(Her husband died 10 years ago.)
 
When she told me this problem, I was so excited for I knew all she had to do was ask God for help and God would help her!
 
So I said, "Oh this is no problem.  When you begin to feel that loneliness, all you have to do is to turn to God immediately, as soon as you begin to feel that loneliness, and ask God to help you. God will help you!"
 
My cousin had been taken to church as a baby and attended church all her life.
 
Many church goers do not understand calling on God for help.
 
And it is a matter of trusting in God.
 
About two weeks later, this cousin said to me, "I do all right during the day but at night I get so lonely."
 
She didn't put her trust in God.
 
I just didn't try to help her after that, knowing there was nothing I could do for her.
 
James 1:22   But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
 
Titus 3:9-11  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
 
10-11 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
 
💥💥💥
 
In 2018, I fell and broke a hip and wrist and after surgery could not put any weight on my leg where the hip had been broken.  So they put me into a rehabilitation hospital for 2-1/2 months.  The first month I was in "bed rest" for I couldn't try to walk or do anything, according to the doctor.
 
And I was alone most of the time, having no relatives and only a few visitors.
 
Often I would awake in the morning and think, "How can I get through this day?"
 
And then I would remember God and ask God to help me to get through that day.
 
(The time sort of flew by and before I knew it, evening had come.  I thanked God as I realized this.)
 
💥💥💥
 
The man who was helping me with my sound system was leaving my house one day and he turned to me and said, "I don't know why I am telling you this but they think I have ALS and I am going into hospital next week for tests."
 
(At that time, David was 44 years old and had a wife and 2 children, ages 8 and 12.)
 
I told David every time he was afraid, just ask God to help him.
 
At one point, he had to go to hospital for an operation.  He said he remembered what I had said and he did do this and he was helped so much when he did this.
 
💥💥💥
 
When we turn to God and ask God for help, often God will bring us an idea showing us something to do and when we do that, everything falls into place.
 
By HIS Spirit, the Holy Spirit, God brings ideas to our mind.  God communicates with us by giving us thoughts to help us in situations.
 
When my mother was still living, I would go to a cafe daily to get our lunch.  It cost $5.30.  I would take a five-dollar-bill from my purse and a quarter and a nickle.  And I would leave my purse with my mother while I went for our food.
 
One day I looked in my coin purse and couldn't find a quarter and nickel.
 
As I dug through the change looking for these coins, I heard, "Three dimes will work!"
 
(That was the Holy Spirit helping me for I had several dimes in my coin purse but I was in habit of using a quarter and a nickel!  The Holy Spirit is a helper to us!)
 
💥💥💥
 
We recognize the thoughts sent to us by God, for when we have such a thought, it is "easy to be intreated." 
 
(When thoughts are very complex or overly expensive, I always know those thoughts are not from God.)
 
Matthew 11:28-30  Jesus says:  Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.
 
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.
 
James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
 
Philippians 4:6-7   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
 
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 
💥💥💥
 
God will not fail us nor forsake us when we turn to HIM and call on HIM for wisdom or help in our problems.
 
Psalm 62:8   Trust in HIM at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before HIM: God is a refuge for us.
 
Remember:  God knows the future! He will lead us in plans that are right for us in our situation.
 
💥💥💥💥💥
 
* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 22, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
II Samuel 5
 
1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
 
2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed MY people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
 
3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.
 
4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
 
5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
 
10  And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
 
12  And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that HE had exalted his kingdom for HIS people Israel's sake.
 
💥💥💥
 
David inquires of the Lord:
 
II Samuel 5
 
17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.
 
18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
 
19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt THOU deliver them into mine hand?
 
And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
 
20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
 
21 And there they (the Philistines) left their images (the symbols of the gods they worshipped), and David and his men burned them.
 
22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
 
23 And when David enquired of the LORD, HE said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
 
24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
 
25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
 
This is such an important example for us.  The first time when the Philistines came and David inquired of the Lord, God said to David, "Go up."
 
The second time the Philistines came against Israel, David inquired again of the Lord and God gave David another plan.
 
David didn't presume to know what to do just because God told him the first time.  But David inquired of God the second time also!
 
And David overcame each time by doing that which God showed him to do when he asked God what to do.
 
James 1:5   If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
 
💥💥💥💥💥
 
* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 21, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
II Samuel 2
 
1 And it came to pass after this (after the death of king Saul), that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?
 
And the LORD said unto him, Go up.
 
And David said, Whither shall I go up?
 
And HE said, Unto Hebron.
 
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
 
3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
 
4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
 
An outstanding characteristic of David is this:  David inquired of the Lord.
 
David was said to be:  A man after God's own heart.
 
David sought the will of God.  David wanted to do the will of God.
 
Proverbs 3
 
1 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
 
6 In all thy ways acknowledge HIM, and HE shall direct thy paths.
 
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
 
💥💥💥
 
II Samuel 2
 
8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
 
9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
 
10 Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years.
 
But the house of Judah followed David.
 
11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
 
💥💥💥
 
II Samuel 3:1  Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
 
Ishbosheth criticized Abner at one point in time and this caused Abner to turn to David and make David the following offer.
 
II Samuel 3
 
12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.
 
13 And he (David) said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
 
(Michal was David's wife who was given to another man by her father Saul. So Michal was brought to David.)
 
💥💥💥
 
I Samuel 3
 
17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you:
 
18 Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.
 
19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.
 
20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
 
21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth.
 
And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
 
💥💥💥
 
But there is a problem.  During the time when Saul's men fought against the men of David, Joab, the captain of David's army had a brother which Abner (Saul's captain) killed in battle.
 
II Samuel 3
 
23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
 
24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?
 
25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.
 
26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.
 
27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
 
28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:
 
29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.
 
30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
 
31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.
 
36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
 
37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.
 
💥💥💥💥💥
 
* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 20, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
I Samuel 28:1  And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel.
 
5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
 
6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
 
(Samuel the prophet had already died so Saul could not consult Samuel.)
 
7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her.
 
And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
 
8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
 
9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
 
10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
 
11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee?
 
And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
 
12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
 
13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
 
14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
 
15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?
 
And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
 
16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
 
17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:
 
18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst HIS fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.
 
19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: (Samuel shows Saul that he and his sons will be dead the next day.)  the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
 
20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel:
 
💥💥💥
 
I Samuel 31
 
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
 
2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.
 
3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
 
4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
 
5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
 
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.
 
💥💥💥
 
David laments the death of Saul:
 
II Samuel 1  (David says)
 
19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
 
20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
 
21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
 
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
 
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
 
24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
 
25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
 
26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
 
27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
 
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I Chronicles 10
 
13-14   So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; And enquired not of the LORD: therefore HE (God) slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
 
All these things should teach us to "fear the Lord", "fear the Word of God".
 
When God tells us something, we must "wholly" follow that Word which God speaks.
 
Whether the Word comes by scripture or by the Holy Spirit or by an angel of the Lord, we must follow that Word fully, doing all parts of that instruction.
 
This is The fear of the Lord, for we know to follow the whole instruction from God brings blessings, and to leave out part of the instruction curses our own lives!
 
We see these examples in all these Old Testament scriptures.
 
Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do HIS commandments: HIS praise endureth for ever.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 19, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
God removed HIS Holy Spirit from Saul and gave HIS Holy Spirit to David and anointed David to be king to replace Saul.  An evil spirit from God came on Saul, and Saul tries to kill David.
 
I Samuel 23:14  And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
 
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I Samuel 24
 
1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.
 
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
 
3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
 
4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.
 
Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
 
(At that time David could have killed Saul but David refused to do so.)
 
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
 
6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
 
7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
 
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king.
 
And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
 
9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
 
10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed.
 
11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
 
12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
 
13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
 
14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
 
15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
 
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New Testament church:
 
Romans 12
 
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
 
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is MINE; I will repay, saith the Lord.
 
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
 
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
 
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I Samuel 23  (God saves David from the harm Saul would do against him.)
 
24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.
 
25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
 
26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.
 
27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.
 
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.
 
29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.
 
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Even after David showed Saul he would not kill Saul, Saul continued to try to kill David.
 
I Samuel 26
 
1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?
 
2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
 
3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
 
4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.
 
5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.
 
6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.
 
7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
 
8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
 
9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?
 
💥  10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.
 
People today fret over men who do evil.  But remember what David said in verse 10, for it is certainly true.
 
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I Samuel 26
 
David said concerning Saul:
11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
 
12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.
 
13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:
 
14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner (the captain of Saul's army) the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner?
 
Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?
 
15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.
 
16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
 
17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David?
 
And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.
 
18 And he (David) said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
 
19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
 
20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
 
21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
 
(But Saul continues to the end of his life to pursue after David with the intent to kill David.)
 
22 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.
 
23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.
 
24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let HIM deliver me out of all tribulation.
 
25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail.
 
So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
 
I Samuel 27:1  And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
 
(So David and his men fled Saul and went to live in the land of the Philistines and remained with them for a time.)
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 17, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
I Samuel 23
 
1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
 
2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines?
 
And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
 
3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
 
4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again.
 
And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
 
5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter.
 
So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
 
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It is not weak faith to confirm your way a second time when needed with God.
 
It would be evil to try to persuade God to change your instruction if you desired to do the opposite for personal gain as did Balaam.
 
Numbers 22
 
1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
 
2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
 
3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
 
4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
 
5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
 
6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
 
7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
 
(When Balaam saw the great rewards in the hands of the men sent from Moab, Balaam desired those rewards and he desired that which the king of Moab could give him.)
 
8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
 
9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
 
10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
 
11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
 
12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
 
(At first, upon hearing God, Balaam refused to go with the men of Moab.  But Balaam greatly desired that which these men could give him.  So when other men from Moab came to persuade Balaam, his lust was very great and he returned to God a second time to request of God that he be allowed to go with these men ... and God turned Balaam over to his own lust.)
 
Psalm 78:7-8 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep HIS commandments:  And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
 
17-18  And they sinned yet more against HIM by provoking the most High in the wilderness. And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
 
26-31  HE (God) caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by HIS power HE brought in the south wind. HE rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
And HE let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. So they did eat, and were well filled: for HE gave them their own desire; They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths, The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
 
Romans 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness.
 
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When the king of Sodom tried to reward Abram, Abram refused the reward that the king of Sodom would give him.
 
Genesis 14:22-23 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 16, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
As God saved David from Saul, God saves us from those who are enemies of God.
 
Isaiah 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of ME, saith the LORD.
 
We who are born again are the servants of God, chosen by God, and given the Holy Spirit of God to lead us and guide us that the purpose of God would be fulfilled in our lives on this earth according to the will of God.
 
Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to HIS purpose.
 
And God watches over us continually and will not allow anything to come upon us if it is more than we can bear.  God makes a way of escape for us.
 
I Corinthians 10:13   There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
 
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In the following examples, consider how God protected David as Saul pursued David to kill David.  God used a priest of the nation of Israel to give David provision and a weapon.
 
I Samuel 21
 
1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
 
2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
 
3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
 
4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.
 
5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
 
6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
 
7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
 
8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.
 
9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.
 
When Saul learns the priest Ahimelech has befriended David, Saul commands he and his household be killed.
 
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David feigns madness to escape the king of Gath:
 
I Samuel 21
 
10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
 
11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
 
12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
 
13 And he (David) changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
 
14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
 
15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
 
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God uses the Moabites to help David:
 
I Samuel 22
 
1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.
 
2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
 
3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
 
4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.
 
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God saves David by a prophet.
 
I Samuel 22:5  And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.
 
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Saul orders the killing of the priests of God who gave provision to David:
 
I Samuel 22
 
6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)
 
7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;
 
8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
 
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
 
10 And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
 
11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
 
12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.
 
13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
 
14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?
 
15 Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.
 
16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.
 
17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me.  But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.
 
18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests.  And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. (85 priests were killed by Doeg)
 
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David provides help to the one surviving son of the priest Ahimelech:
 
19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he (Saul) with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
 
20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
 
21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.
 
22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.
 
23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 15, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
I Samuel 20:1  And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
 
Saul was envious of David.  Everyone around him loved and praised David:  his son; his daughter; his servants; his army; and the people of Israel
 
An evil spirit of the Lord had come to Saul to torment him and the Holy Spirit had been removed from Saul by God.
 
Samuel, the prophet of God, was no longer with Saul.
 
And Saul was afraid of David.
 
So king Saul's solution was to kill David.
 
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I Samuel 20:3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
 
And Jonathan said to David:
 
I Samuel 20:13  ... if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as HE hath been with my father.
 
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I Corinthians 10:13   There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
 
I Samuel 20
 
18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
 
19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.
 
20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
 
21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the LORD liveth.
 
22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.
 
23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.
 
24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
 
25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
 
26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
 
27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
 
28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:
 
29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table.
 
30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?
 
31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
 
32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
 
33 And Saul cast a javelin at him (at Jonathan) to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
 
34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
 
35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.
 
36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
 
37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?
 
38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
 
39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
 
40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
 
41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
 
42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever.
 
And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.
 
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Titus 1:15-16   Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
 
Titus 3:9-11  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 14, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
I Samuel 19
 
1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
 
2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:
 
Saul is in a very difficult position.  He is king of Israel although God has removed HIS Holy Spirit from Saul and has given an evil spirit from the Lord to Saul to torment Saul.
 
The army loves David.  The people love David.  Saul's son, Jonathan, loves David.  Saul's daughter, Michal, loves David and has become David's wife.
 
I Samuel 19
 
4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:
 
5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
 
6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he (David) shall not be slain.
 
(But Saul will not keep his word and immediately Saul continues his goal to kill David.)
 
7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
 
8 And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him.
 
9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
 
10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
 
11 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
 
12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
 
13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.
 
14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
 
15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
 
16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.
 
17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
 
18 So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
 
David has the Holy Spirit of God.  Samuel, the prophet of God, has the Holy Spirit of God.  Now they are together as king Saul seeks to do David harm.
 
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The work of the Holy Spirit:
 
John 14:26  Jesus says:  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 (from God), that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.
 
Was Jesus with the people of God in the Old Testament?  Yes.
 
I Corinthians 10:1-4   Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
 
John 1:1-4  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by HIM; and without HIM was not any thing made that was made. In HIM was life; and the life was the light of men.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 13, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
Even before David fought Goliath, God had chosen David to replace Saul as king and David was anointed by the prophet Samuel as king, replacing Saul.
 
I Samuel 16:13  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
 
The Holy Spirit had been removed from Saul and the Holy Spirit was given to David, and Samuel the prophet of God had anointed David by the Word of God to be king over Israel.
 
Though God had made these changes, they didn't come to pass in the eyes of the people until later. Saul remained king and David was little known.  But in the spiritual kingdom David replaced Saul as king and it would be seen by all in time.
 
In the meantime, Saul keeps David with him and even makes David to be in charge of his army.
 
(But David is already anointed by God as king to replace Saul. I Samuel 16)
 
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I Samuel 18
 
5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
 
6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.
 
7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
 
8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
 
9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
 
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And God has removed the Holy Spirit from Saul, and God has given HIS Holy Spirit to David.
 
So David has the Holy Spirit and Saul has been given, "an evil spirit from the Lord." 
 
I Samuel 16
 
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
 
15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
 
16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
 
17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
 
18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
 
19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
 
20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
 
21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he (David) loved him (Saul) greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
 
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
 
23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
 
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But now Saul has his eye on David and Saul is going to try to kill David.
 
I Samuel 18
 
10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.
 
11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
 
12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
 
13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
 
14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
 
15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he (Saul) was afraid of him.
 
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
 
(That would cause Saul to hate and fear David even more.)
 
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I Samuel 18
 
20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
 
21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.
 
(Saul kept sending David to fight the Philistines in hopes that the Philistines would kill David.  But the Lord with with David and he was victorious against the Philistines.)
 
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Saul sets it up for David to marry his youngest daughter and to fight Philistines.
 
25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
 
26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired.
 
27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
 
28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
 
29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.
 
30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
 
And Saul continued as David's enemy and tried many times to catch David and to kill David.  But God was with David.
 
2 Samuel 3:1   Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 12, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
I Samuel 17
 
1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.
 
2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
 
3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
 
4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
 
5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.
 
6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.
 
7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
 
8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
 
9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
 
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
 
11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
 
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When David hears the boasts made by the Philistine, Goliath, David is horrified and says:
 
I Samuel 17:26    What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
 
How dare this heathen to think he can overcome God and the armies of God? That is unthinkable.  It is unthinkable also today to think of any child of God being overcome by this world and it's people and the problems of this world.
 
Philippians 4:6   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
 
When we do this thing, God will help us and we overcome all by that which God brings to us by HIS Holy Spirit.
 
I John 4:4   Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is HE that is in you, than he that is in the world.
 
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I Samuel 17
 
32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
 
33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
 
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
 
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
 
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
 
37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, HE will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.
 
(David had previous experience with God which equipped him for the battle.)
 
And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
 
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I Samuel 17
 
38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
 
39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it.
 
And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
 
40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
 
When we have experience with God and understand faith and how it works through the word given us by God in the battle, we know we will win by that which God has given us as we do HIS Word and HIS will.
 
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I Samuel 17
 
41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.
 
42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
 
43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
 
44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
 
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
 
46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
 
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and HE will give you into our hands.
 
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I Samuel 17
 
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
 
49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
 
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
 
51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith.
 
And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
 
52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.
 
53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.
 
The battle was the Lord's.  The Lord caused the victory.
 
David did not do this by himself.  God was with David and had prepared David and led David in what he did.
 
When I read this story in 1975, after God caused me to be born again, I was certain God would uphold whatever word HE gave to us and HE would not allow any WORD from HIM to fail.
 
I knew all we had to do was do what that Word which God gave us said to do and to do all of that Word given to us.
 
I knew that we were to do the following:
 
Joshua 1
 
8 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.
 
9 Have not I commanded thee? says God.
 
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.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 10, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
I Samuel 16
 
1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
 
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2 And Samuel said (to God), How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.
 
And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.
 
3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto ME him whom I name unto thee.
 
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4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem.
 
And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
 
(They were afraid of the prophets of God.)
 
5 And he (Samuel) said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.
 
And he (Samuel) sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
 
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6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he (Samuel) looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.
 
7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
 
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And HE (God) said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
 
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And HE (God) said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
 
10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
 
11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children?
 
And he (Jesse) said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.
 
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
 
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12 And he sent, and brought him in.
 
Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to.
 
And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
 
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13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.
 
Having the Spirit of God is critical for by that Spirit we know the will of God so we know what to do in the issues of this life.
 
So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
 
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14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
 
15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
 
16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
 
17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
 
18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
 
19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
 
God has already anointed David as king of Israel by the hand of the prophet Samuel.  David becomes king then and Saul loses the kingdom though Saul will continue to appear to rule.
 
20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
 
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21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he (David) loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
 
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
 
23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 9, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
The children of Israel wanted a king to rule over them as the other nations had.  God gave them a king who was Saul.  God even sent Samuel to anoint Saul as king.
 
Saul was given the Word of God and the Holy Spirit of God (I Samuel 10:10), but Saul did not fully obey God, and Saul did not do what God said to do, and did not obey God, and became very twisted by devils in his thinking.
 
For devils twist the Word of God and try to justify disobedience to God.
 
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Saul does foolishly, says the prophet Samuel.
 
Saul did not keep the commandment of the Lord.  He only did part of that which God told him to do.  Because of this, God removed the kingdom from Saul.
 
I Samuel 13
 
13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which HE commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
 
14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over HIS people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
 
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King Saul disobeys God again and the end comes for Saul.
 
I Samuel 15
 
1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over HIS people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
 
2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts,
 
I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
 
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
 
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4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
 
5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
 
6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
 
7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
 
8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
 
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
 
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10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,
 
11 It repenteth ME that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following ME, and hath not performed MY commandments. 
 
And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
 
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12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.
 
13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.  (Reread verse 3: What God said to do.)
 
14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
 
(God told Saul to kill all ... Saul did not obey what God said to do.  And Saul, the king, blames the people.)
 
15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
 
(Saul is basically telling the prophet Samuel that they had a better plan than God for they were going to use the good animals to sacrifice them to God.)
 
16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he (Saul) said unto him, Say on.
 
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17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
 
18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
 
19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
 
(Saul is twisted and deceived and thinks he can deceive the prophet of God, Samuel.)
 
20  And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
 
(See v. 3 concerning what God told Saul to do.)
 
21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
 
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
 
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
 
Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, HE hath also rejected thee from being king.
 
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(Now Saul changes his story.)
 
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
 
25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.
 
26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
 
27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he (Samuel) laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle (of Saul's mantle), and it rent.
 
28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
 
29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for HE is not a man, that HE should repent.
 
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30 Then he (Saul) said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.
 
31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.
 
But for the rest of his life, Saul will fight against David who will replace Saul as king over Israel.
 
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32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.  And Agag came unto him delicately.
 
And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
 
33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women.
 
And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
 
(The prophet Samuel did what God told Saul to do and Saul would not obey God and the consequences of Saul's disobedience are an example for us all today in the New Testament church.  I Corinthians 10)
 
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34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
 
35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that HE had made Saul king over Israel.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 7, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
We follow the God who created this heaven and earth.  The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Word.
 
Our God cares for us and provides for all our needs as long as HE leaves us on this earth.
 
Our God will send Jesus to take us off this earth at the end of time.
 
Matthew 24
 
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
 
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
 
31 And HE shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
 
He takes us to the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, the new Jerusalem.
 
We are given new spiritual bodies.
 
There is no more pain, nor sorrow, nor death.
 
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We hear this world speak of their gods.  We hear what they say to us when they speak.  They speak of money and how they have been wise and saved money on various things.  We hear them speak of gambling where a person can get money,
 
All the time I hear them speak of this god, I think of how our God who created heaven and earth and all things will provide all our needs.
 
I think of those things I have read about the end times in the book of Revelation in the Holy Bible.  They will end up casting their silver and gold into the streets for such will be worthless to them at that time.
 
Ezekiel 7:19  They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
 
I think of how Abraham turned down the free gift offered by the king of Sodom.
 
Genesis 14
 
21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
 
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
 
23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
 
I think of the times I have told God I want my provision to be from HIM like Abraham.  I don't want to win a lottery of man.  I don't want my needs to be provided any way other than by God.
 
God will provide all my needs as long as HE chooses to leave me on this earth.
 
Isaiah 26:2-3   THOU wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on THEE: because he trusteth in THEE.
 
4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 7, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
For many decades, God used HIS appointed judges to rule over the children of Israel.  But the people saw the other nations having a king over them and they wanted a king like those nations around them had.  They did not want judges of God ruling over them any longer.  So they asked God to give them a king like the other nations had.
 
God had often used HIS prophets to rule.
 
I Samuel 8
 
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
 
2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
 
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
 
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
 
5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
 
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
 
7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected ME, that I should not reign over them.
 
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken ME, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
 
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
 
10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
 
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
 
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
 
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
 
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
 
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
 
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
 
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
 
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
 
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
 
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
 
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
 
22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 6, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
Hannah, the mother of Samuel was barren, having been given no children.
 
I Samuel 1
 
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
 
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if THOU wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
 
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I Samuel 1
 
19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD (in Shiloh), and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
 
20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
 
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD (at Shiloh) the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
 
22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.
 
23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish HIS word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
 
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.
 
25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
 
(Samuel, the child, was left with Eli to serve the Lord.)
 
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I Samuel 2
 
11 And Elkanah (and Hannah) went to Ramah to his house. And the child (Samuel) did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
 
19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
 
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD.
 
And they went unto their own home.
 
21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
 
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I Samuel 2
 
22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
 
23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
 
24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD'S people to transgress.
 
25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him?
 
Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
 
26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
 
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27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
 
28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be MY priest, to offer upon MINE altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before ME? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
 
29 Wherefore kick ye at MY sacrifice and at MINE offering, which I have commanded in MY habitation; and honourest thy sons above ME, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel MY people?
 
(For Eli's sons took of the meat before it was offered by fire because they desired to eat the fat of the meat.)
 
30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before ME for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from ME; for them that honour ME I will honour, and they that despise ME shall be lightly esteemed.
 
31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
 
32 And thou shalt see an enemy in MY habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
 
33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from MINE altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
 
34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
 
35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in MINE heart and in MY mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before MINE anointed for ever.
 
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I Samuel 3
 
1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
 
2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
 
3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
 
4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
 
5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
 
6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
 
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.
 
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me.
 
And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
 
9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if HE call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth.
 
So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
 
10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel.
 
Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
 
11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
 
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
 
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
 
14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
 
(Now Samuel knows God, for God has revealed HIMSELF to Samuel.  This is what it is like when we are born again.  God, by HIS Spirit, reveals HIMSELF to us.)
 
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
 
16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
 
17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that HE said unto thee.
 
18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him.
 
And he (Eli) said, It is the LORD: let HIM do what seemeth HIM good.
 
19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
 
20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
 
I Samuel 7
 
13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
 
15-17  And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.  And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.  And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 4, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
After the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, HE gave to the New Testament church the ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.
 
From heaven Jesus called and ordained HIS ministers for the New Testament church, and this continues to this present day in the New Testament church, and it will continue to be such until Jesus returns to gather the church at the end of this world.
 
Ephesians 4
 
11 And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
 
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
 
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
 
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
 
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into HIM in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
 
16 From WHOM the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
 
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Examples of prophets working in the church in the New Testament shown in the Bible.
 
Acts 11
 
27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
 
28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
 
29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
 
30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
 
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Acts 15:32   And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
 
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Acts 15:40   And Paul chose Silas (a prophet), and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
 
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Acts 18:5  And when Silas (a prophet) and Timotheus (an evangelist) were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
 
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Acts 15:22  Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas (a prophet) surnamed Barsabas, and Silas (a prophet), chief men among the brethren:
 
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Acts 13:1   Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
 
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Acts 21
 
8 And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
 
9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
 
10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
 
11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
 
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We see these examples of New Testament prophets as shown in the New Testament Bible as they do work in the New Testament church.
 
Prophets work in the church today and are appointed as ministers of Jesus from heaven.
 
When we see what the New Testament Bible shows us, then we know that which is true for today for the church group.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 3, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
Judges 6
 
25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him (to Gideon), Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
 
26  And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
 
27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
 
28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
 
29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
 
30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
 
31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
 
(If Baal is a god, let him plead for himself.)
 
32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him (against Gideon), because he hath thrown down his altar.
 
33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
 
34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.
 
(The blowing of a trumpet signals the people to action or causes the people to pay attention.)
 
35 And he (Gideon) sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
 
36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
 
37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
 
38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
 
39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
 
40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
 
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Jesus says:
 
Acts 1:8   But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto ME both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
 
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Judges 8
 
22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
 
23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
 
Truly it was God who delivered them from the hand of Midian.  God used Gideon to lead the deliverance as God used Moses earlier.  But the help is from God.
 
Our help is from God though God might use another human as an instrument to bring about that which we need.  But we must not worship the human who helps us, but rather we worship God who raised up that human to help us!
 
We worship the creator rather than worshiping the created.
 
We don't worship the sun or the moon or the stars or the mountains.
 
We worship God who created all these things for us to enjoy.  And we are thankful to God when HE helps us.
 
People of the world often worship the created rather than the creator.
 
This is described in Romans 1.
 
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
 
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
 
20 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:
 
21 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.
 
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
 
23 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.
 
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
 
25 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.
 
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Concerning Gideon:
 
Judges 8
 
32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
 
33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
 
34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
 
35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
 
In the Old Testament, the children of Israel were not given the Holy Spirit except in certain instances such as the prophets.  Unless you have the Spirit of God in you, Jesus says you cannot "see" the kingdom of God.  (John 3)
 
I Corinthians 2:14   But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
 
But the people of this world often hope to be viewed as good people.  But Jesus said there is none good but God.  And having the Holy Spirit makes all the difference.
 
In the New Testament, all who are born again are born of the Spirit and have been given the Spirit of God to live in them to teach and guide them.
 
I Corinthians 3:16   Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog

(This podcast was previously published on, November 2, 2021)
 
Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...
 
Judges 6
 
1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.  (7-years)
 
2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
 
3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
 
4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
 
5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
 
6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
 
7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,
 
8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
 
9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
 
10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed MY voice.
 
If we fear those things the world fears, we take on "another god".  Instead we should turn to our God and ask HIM to deal with those fears which come from this world and we ask God to protect us as HIS people and know that HE is God and in control of those things which this world fears.
 
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Another problem:  The children of Israel tried to co-mingle with the people of this world and that ended up drawing them away, in part, from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
 
When we try to be friends (support) the people who do not follow God, we are greatly weakened and will find it difficult to speak the Word that is from God for we might offend them with the Word.
 
We end up putting ourselves into bondage to the world as we hold back from speaking in order to keep the worldly people as "friends".  Often these worldly people are relatives and even attend some form of Christian type church, but they do not follow all the counsel of God as given in the New Testament Bible.
 
When we do speak the word given us by the Holy Spirit when we are with them, we often drive them out from us by the Word we speak.
 
But wanting to be friends with them, we often withhold that word which God would have us speak and we try to please them with our words.
 
They become thorns in our sides and pricks in our eyes and vex us by their words in the land God has given us.
 
This is what God said would happen:
 
Numbers 33:55  But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
 
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There was a Catholic woman who enjoyed visiting me.  But she would come to my house and tell me some worldly news story or begin telling me something that she considered truth which was not in the Bible.
 
Each time she did this, I would explain to her:  "What you have said is not in the Bible.  I want to build my house on the Word of God from the Bible."  
 
Often I would read the scripture from the Bible that pertained to the story she had just told.
 
After a time, she stopped contacting me.
 
This is how we drive them out from us today in the New Testament church.  Speak what the Bible says.  If God gives them an heart to hear, they will be born again by the Word.  If not, they will leave.
 
If the unbeliever depart let him depart.
 
But we do not want to keep the world nor the unbelieving church around us for they will trouble us with their words and their concepts.  Neither do we let them overcome us by our silence.
 
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A Baptist woman welcomed her adulterous granddaughter into her home. Even people in the community knew of the granddaughter's multiple adulterous relationships with men. I just couldn't understand allowing this granddaughter into my home. The granddaughter was raised in the Baptist church. But she flaunted her sin in front of her grandmother, and her Baptist grandmother allowed her to come to her house.
 
A Church of Christ cousin of mine allowed her cousin and that cousin's lover to come spend week-ends at her home.
 
When my neighbor, a Jewish man, asked me if he could use my spare bedroom for his wife's daughter and her friend for a weekend, I asked him about this "friend". He then told me his wife's daughter was lesbian and her friend was her female "mate".  I told him I could not have this in my house but if he had a married couple they could stay at my house.
 
Romans 1:26-28   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. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
 
I Timothy 5:22 ... neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
 
James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
 
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Judges 6
 
11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
 
12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him (to Gideon) , and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
 
13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all HIS miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
 
14 And the LORD looked upon him (upon Gideon), and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
 
15 And he (Gideon) said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
 
16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
 
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God chose Moses and revealed HIMSELF to Moses.
 
Exodus 3
 
5 And HE (God) said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
 
6 Moreover HE said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
 
And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
 
7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
 
8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
 
9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto ME: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
 
10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
 
11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
 
(But it is God who is causing the work that will be done through Moses and therefore it is of God and not of Moses.)
 
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After the resurrection of Jesus, Saul (Paul) was chosen by Jesus and Jesus revealed HIMSELF to Paul.
 
Acts 26  (Paul tells king Agrippa)
 
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
 
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
 
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
 
7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
 
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
 
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
 
10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
 
11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
 
12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
 
13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
 
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
 
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord?
 
And HE said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
 
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
 
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
 
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in ME.
 
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
 
Paul was one of those New Testament apostles and teachers given to the New Testament church by Jesus after the crucifixion and resurrection.
 
Ephesians 4
 
11-14 And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
 
Today Jesus continues to give ministers to the New Testaments church as HE calls from heaven and ordains HIS ministers to do this work of the ministry in the New Testament church today.
 
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In both the Old and New Testament, both men and women (Deborah in Judges 4 & Philip's 4 daughters in Acts 21 who did prophesy), were called by God for HIS work and set in the children of Israel and in the New Testament church to lead HIS people and to turn them to HIS ways.
 
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* For writings on additional subjects, click here:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog