Great Is THY Faithfulness - Product Description:

On November 1, 2017, on our blog, I wrote the following words:

"It helps a lot to remember our God created heaven and earth.
How hard can any of our needs be for HIM to provide?"

At that time, I had been reviewing the ways God had led me in operating a small business and later how HE led me in running a ministry.  

HIS ways were so different from the ways of HUMANS.

*****

In 1981, a friend of mine, a vice-president at Braniff International airlines said to me, "Joan, I've never seen anyone run a corporation like you do.  Every place I've been, we were taught never use your own money.  Borrow money and use other people's money to make money."

About 3 months after she said this to me Braniff closed their doors at midnight and grounded all planes and went completely out of business.  She and everyone else lost their jobs.

*****

I've seen ministers try to go out into all the world and preach the gospel, begging people to give money to pay for their works.

God showed me to go in a completely different way, first in business and later in ministry.

As a result of going this way, we have no debt, we have no fleshly striving, we go all over the world each day sharing the word of God but in ways we never before imagined.

Along the way our little church group has diminished in size.  Offerings have become less also but we have no lack in any way and even have an abundance, above our needs.

It doesn't seem possible that this could be the case but it is much like God sending Elijah to be sustained by a widow woman who was getting ready to die.  Instead, the cruse of oil and the barrel of meal did not fail and through the draught caused by God they continued.

I Kings 17:14-16   For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which HE spake by Elijah. 

*****

This book is a personal story of the faithfulness of God in my life to sustain me through business years and later through more than 40-years in ministry while providing abundantly for me and all our needs without having to ask people for money and while giving us ways to communicate with people all over this world without cost to anyone.

It is a miraculous story of the working of God and the faithfulness of God and should inspire all Christians and cause them to have faith in God.


Joan Boney

*****

Preface: Great Is THY Faithfulness

In 2017, on our blog, Jesus Ministries Exhortations, I wrote the following:

“It helps a lot to remember that our God created heaven and earth.
How hard can any of our needs be for HIM to provide?”

A woman from our little group responded:  "Reading this caught my attention and made me stop and think.  Very faith building to keep this in mind."

*****

As a result of what she said, I expanded the story as follows:

Thank you... there is a very big difference between our God and all other gods ... our God created heaven and earth.

We now have 7 people in our little church group and offerings of about $2000 a month ... everyone among us retired ... several died over the past 2 years ... most of our 7 are in 70's ... I am 80 ... so far as I know we each have all we need!

*****

Psalm 23:1-3   

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

HE maketh me to lie down in green pastures: HE leadeth me beside the still waters.
HE restoreth my soul: HE leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name's sake.

When we hear the way of God in the matter at hand and do what HE shows us by HIS Spirit in each situation of this life, we make the Lord our shepherd ... and we shall not want when we do that.

*****

The ministry, at the time of this writing, has $9000 in ministry checking account at bank ... with no debt.

My social security is $779 per month...each month.  (I take no salary from ministry but live in house owned by ministry.)   After paying personal expenses, there is money left over...

We go all over world with gospel daily for free without leaving home.

More than 15,000 page views of our blog per month are reported by Google and since beginning blog in March, 2012, we have had more than 650,000 page views of our blog.  Jesus Ministries Exhortations 

We have 27 ministry books published on Amazon and these books are distributed all over the world. 

All this is done without any cost at all to the ministry.

Incredible!

And the way all this was set up by God ... development of computers and Internet at just the right time for us to use this ... and e-book development also ... and showing me, by dreams and by concepts brought to my mind by the Holy Spirit, exactly what to do at each step along the way ... is miraculous.

God called a blog to my attention by giving me a dream.  In this dream, a woman was singing to a group of people.  I said, "It is a little voice, but it is a nice little voice."  I realized this was a way to communicate with the church ... a blog ... Within 3 days of this dream we had a blog set up and had begun writing exhortations to the church.  Indeed it was a "little" voice ... but it was a nice little voice.

Blog:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations

*****

Recently I read a secular book concerning the demise of Braniff Airlines in 1982. 

At that time, I had 2 friends who were very closely associated with Braniff, one was a vice-president at their world headquarters in Dallas where I lived. 

Reading that Braniff book (Splash of Colors: The self-destruction of Braniff International Airlines ... John Nance)  has strongly brought to my attention how very different God's ways are from man's ways in running a business or corporation.

In 1981, a friend who was an executive at Braniff, told me she had never seen anyone run a corporation like I was doing.  She said everywhere she had been the rule was:  never use your own money ... use other people's money to make money.

A few months after telling me this, Braniff closed down due to debt, filing bankruptcy.  Barbara was one of their vice-presidents at their world headquarters in Dallas.  Everyone lost their jobs.

*****

We have so little in our church group, but so much.

And we have the only essential need ... God, who leads us and guides us and shows us what to do.

And God's ways are very different from the ways of man.

*****

This book is the story of the difference between the way God leads us and the way humans think.

As we read these chapters, we can see God doing according to HIS own will and purpose!

God is faithful to fulfill HIS will and accomplish that which HE pleases in our lives.

Joan Boney

*****

HYMN:  GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

Great is THY faithfulness, O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with THEE.

THOU changest not, 

THY compassions, they fail not.

As THOU has been THOU forever wilt be.

(Chorus)

Great is THY faithfulness!

Great is THY faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed THY hand hath provided -

Great is THY faithfulness, LORD unto me.

(To hear this hymn played on piano and to follow along with the words, click on the following link and then when it appears on screen, tap on the play arrow, >)

Great is Thy faithfulness

*****

* 1. The Story Begins

I was 37 years old.  It was August, 1975.  I was staying in the home of my best friend and her husband following surgery.

That night, I went to bed and began reading one of Donna's books about sin. 

I thought I was a Christian, having been baptized in Church of Christ when I was 15-years-old.

As I read that book, God began speaking to me.

By HIS Spirit, putting HIS word directly into my mind, God said: 

"Joan ... You know all those mistakes you've been making all these years? Those weren't mistakes. Those were sins." 

Sins? ... I shouted ... I thought they were mistakes.  

With that, my life changed forever.  I was born again by the Spirit of God, by the will of God, not by my works or by my will.  I didn't even know I was lost until I was saved.

*****

The next morning, I was leaving Donna's house and as I walked past her, I casually said, "Oh by the way, Donna, I don't think I've been a Christian until now." 

Donna literally screamed out:  "Joanie ... wait ... what did you just say?  Come back here!" 

I didn't think much about it at the time.

I turned and told her what had happened to me the night before and how God had spoken to me. 

She, who was raised Baptist, was a little emotional and began crying as I told her.

 *****

A few days later, I was asleep in the night.

I was "transported" into heaven.  I was with God, with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit. 

(No physical images.  An experience in the Spirit.) 

At that time, I was "merged" into the body of Jesus, THE WORD, made one with THE WORD, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing. 

It was wonderful!

I thought this happened to all who became real Christians so I didn't mention it to anyone. 

After that, it happened again, a few nights later.

I was asleep in the night.  I was "transported" into heaven.  I was with God, with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit.  (No physical images.  An experience in the Spirit.)  At that time, I was "merged" into the body of Jesus, THE WORD, made one with THE WORD, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing. 

Now everything changed for me.  I owned a small business in Dallas, Texas, at the time this happened.  I was no longer interested in my business.  All I cared about was Bible and the church. 

I continued operating the business for 4 more years.  I had 3 very competent women working for me so I could stay home and read the Bible, which is what I did during those years. 

I had no idea God had called me to be a minister. 

I didn't know a woman could do this.  My previous church experience was in Church of Christ and women were not allowed to speak in the main service, though they could teach Sunday school classes to children, a very strange doctrine for apparently they didn't consider these classes to be speaking in the church.

***** 

This was really the beginning of everything.  It was all by the will of God.  I wasn't trying to do anything or to be anything.  God was just arranging the circumstances to get me to the position where HE wanted me for HIS calling on my life.  It was all God, as we should be able to see by the following examples in this book and by what happened. 

*****

During that time, as I continued to run the business and to deal with the problems from day to day, God taught me to hear HIM and to do things as HE instructed me in running the business and in living my life day to day. 

God started by teaching me of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer: 

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. 

So God taught me to just read the Bible and to know that the Holy Spirit would call to my mind verses from the Bible to show me what to do as I operated the business and in my life as I walked on this present earth. 

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

***** 

I saw how the Holy Spirit searches the heart of God to reveal the will of God to us. 

I Corinthians 2:4-13   (Paul says)  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 

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

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

***** 

I saw, by these scriptures, what the Holy Spirit would do in my life: 

- He would teach me all things.  Jn. 14:26 
- He would remind me of what Jesus said.  Jn. 14:26 
- He would guide me into all truth.  Jn. 16:13 
- He would show me things to come.  Jn. 16:13 

And I saw that the Holy Spirit hears from God, and searches the heart of God, and knows the will of God in the issues of this present life, and The Holy Spirit would show me the will of God by reminding me of specific scripture or by reminding me of dreams or concepts of God. 

All I had to do was to pay attention to those things brought to my mind by the Holy Spirit and do that in the issues of this life as I continued on this present earth.

***** 

The following scripture was critical in teaching me to walk in the ways of God.  

John 5:30   (Jesus said)  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear (from God), I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. 

If the Son of God could do nothing of his own self, certainly I couldn't do anything by my own ideas. I must do as Jesus did and hear from God by HIS Spirit and do that.

Very soon I was to have a major test in this area.

***** 

HYMN:   PRAISE HIM!  PRAISE HIM! 

Praise HIM!  Praise Him! 
Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!

Sing, ye saints!
HIS wonderful love proclaim!

Hail HIM!  Hail HIM!
mightiest angels in glory;
Strength and honor
give to HIS holy name!

Like a shepherd,
Jesus will feed HIS people,
In HIS arms HE carries them
all day long;

O ye saints that live in the
light of HIS presence,

Praise HIM!  Praise HIM;
ever in joyful song! 


(To hear this hymn played on piano and to follow along with the words, click on the following link and then when it appears on screen, tap on the play arrow, >)

PraiseHim! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer

*****

* 2. A Woman Files A Lawsuit Against Me

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I put the phone back.

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

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

And she left the shop.

*****

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

Of course I was stunned.  

I hired a lawyer.

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

"Don't testify."

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

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

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

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

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

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

*****

The trial began on a Friday afternoon. 

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

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

I indicated, "No".

*****

The testimony began. 

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

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

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

I heard:  "Don't testify."

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

*****

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

It was Good Friday ... Easter weekend.

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

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

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

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

I did this.

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

God knew what HE was doing.

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

*****

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

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

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

*****

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

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

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

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

I Corinthians 12:4-10     Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

*****

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

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

*****

HYMN:    TRUST AND OBEY

When we walk with the LORD

In the light of HIS Word,

What a glory HE sheds

on our way;

While we do HIS good will,

HE abides with us still,

And with all who will

trust and obey.

(Chorus)

Trust and obey,

For there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus,

But to trust and obey.

(To hear this hymn played on piano and to follow along with the words, click on the following link and then when it appears on screen, tap on the play arrow, > )

Trust and Obey

*****

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

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

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

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

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

I was horrified!

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

*****

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

(I know absolutely nothing about marketing.)

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

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

Finally I said to him: 

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

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

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


There was silence for a moment.

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

He left the shop.

*****

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

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

Within 3 days all merchandise was gone.

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

That was July 31, 1979.

I closed my business to go into the ministry.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 1/2 months passed.

I just waited.

The night of January 10, 1980, everything changed!

I was asleep in the night. 

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

"Hartford, Seattle, KWJS".

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

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

I looked it up.

It was a radio station.

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

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

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

He came on the phone immediately.

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

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

I asked him how much it cost.

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

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

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

*****

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

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

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

I wrote a letter telling exactly what had happened. 

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

She became a "fan" from that moment!

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

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

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

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

*****

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

The broadcasts were very popular.

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

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

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

I was foolishly, very excited.

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

I failed to take account of the following truth:


Isaiah 55:8-9  (God says:)

For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and MY thoughts than your thoughts.

*****

HYMN:    HE LEADETH ME

HE leadeth me! O blessed thought,

O words with heav'nly comfort fraught;

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

Still 'tis Christ's hand that leadeth me.

(Chorus)

HE leadeth me!  HE leadeth me!

By HIS own hand HE leadeth me;

HIS faithful follower I would be,

For by HIS hand HE leadeth me.

(To hear this hymn played on piano and to follow along with the words, click on the following link and then when it appears on screen, tap on the play arrow, > )

He leadeth me

*****

* 4. Very Serious Test of Faith in the Promises of God in Bible

In approximately 1977, while I was still operating my business in American Indian Arts, a short, fat, jolly type man came into my store.  I noticed immediately that his tie clasp was a pair of handcuffs.

He said to me:  "Little lady, do you know a man named Settles?"

I told him I didn't know anyone of that name.

He said to me, "Well ... he knows you!  He is suing you for a million dollars!"  (And with that he served me with the legal papers for the law suit.)

I was stunned.

Not only did I not know this man, but I had less than $2000 at the time this happened.

At first, it was very hard to take this seriously.  I remember going into my office and tossing the legal papers on a counter.

In a few days, I realized if I failed to respond to this judgment, that man could take away my business, all my merchandise, and the money I had in my checking account!

At that point, I hired a lawyer.

*****

Test of faith:  Is this scripture really true and valid for NT church today?

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.

*****  

God had taught me to get out of debt and to stay out of debt.  I would go on buying trips and buy only merchandise that I had cash to pay for.

I did not borrow money for merchandise.

I came back to Dallas from the buying trip and sold the merchandise and took the cash out to the reservation and purchased more merchandise with the cash I had.

At the time one of my best friends, a vice-president at Braniff International (airlines) told me she had never seen any business or corporation conducted as I was doing with my business.

She said every corporation she had ever worked for and everything she had ever been taught about business said to use other people's money for the business and to make money from other people's money through business loans.

But I felt God had shown me to get out of debt and stay out of debt.

Romans 13:8    Owe no man any thing

So that is what I did.

About 3 months after she told me this, Braniff filed for bankruptcy, shut down their operation, and everyone at Braniff lost their jobs.

*****

So at the time of this lawsuit, I was out of debt and operating on a cash only basis.

The bills for legal fees connected with the lawsuit began arriving and were eating up all the profit from the sale of merchandise.

I made a very strong, significant decision at that time.

If that scripture in Isaiah 54 pertained to the church today, this lawsuit could not prosper against me.

I am a "servant of the Lord" now, a Christian.

So according to Isaiah 54:17, this weapon against me could not prosper.

Therefore I decided, based on that scripture, to dismiss my attorney and go to court without any human legal counsel.

I made an appointment with the pastor at my church and went to tell him what I was doing.

As I drove out to the appointment, I prayed for God to give pastor wisdom.

After I told him, he looked at me and said:  "Joan ... I perceive you have the faith to do this this way."

I called my lawyer immediately.

*****

Gordon, lawyer, was shocked.

He replied:  "Joan ... you can't do this!  You don't know how evil these courts are."

To that I said to Gordon:  "I am a Christian.  And this scripture says, 'No weapon formed against me will prosper.'  If the Bible is true for us today and not just a history book, then this weapon will not prosper.  And if the Bible is only some kind of book telling about History in the church, I want nothing more to do with the Bible.  So with this lawsuit we will test the Bible."

When I explained to Gordon how the legal bills were eating up all the profit from my business, Gordon said: 

"Joan ... we're willing to work with you ... Don't worry... It will only take about $10,000 more to try this case."

I was shocked and cried out:  "$10,000 more ... Gordon ... STOP ... don't do another thing."

*****

A few days later Gordon came to my shop.  

He said:  "Joan ... we have decided to try your case without any further charge to you."

What is going on here? 

One day they tell me it will take $10,000 more ... now they tell me all future legal service will be free ...

I replied:  "Gordon ... I will  have to get back with you on this."

He left my shop.

I started praying:

"God ... what do YOU want me to do about this free legal service?"

Immediately I was reminded of the following scripture:

Genesis 14:21-23    And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.  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:

I knew, by this scripture, that God was saying to me:  "Don't take the free legal service."

*****

I called Gordon immediately and declined the free legal service and prepared myself to go to court without any human legal counsel.

I was terrified!

During the weeks, and months, that followed, before the trial date, God reminded me of several scriptures.  I took those verses and recorded them onto a cassette tape.  When I went to bed, I played that tape.  When I awoke during the night, I would turn the tape over and play the scriptures again.  I had recorded those 13 or 14 scriptures on both sides of the cassette tape so I could hear them many times.  

I also had written out those verses and kept them before me during the day to reinforce my faith and hold to what I believed I was to do.

This is exactly what we see God telling Joshua to do in Joshua 1. 

(I saw this later.  I didn't know Joshua 1 at the time of the law suit.)

Joshua 1:7-9    Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

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

Have not I commanded thee? 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.

For 6 months or so I kept these scriptures that had been given to me by the Holy Spirit before me day and night, during the time leading up to the trial date.

It all exploded 6 days before the trial was scheduled in US District Court.

I received a phone call from the lawyer of the man who was suing me.  He said since I had no lawyer he was calling to tell me his client had dropped all charges.

I asked him if the man dropped all charges against everyone else for he had attached several of us together with a charge of conspiring to keep him from doing business in Dallas. 

(He was an itinerate merchant of Indian jewelry, a peddler, who went from city to city renting motel meeting rooms to sell merchandise at 70% off.)

This man's lawyer said, "He cut everyone loose."

The lawyer went on to say, "We tried to get him not to sue you but he wouldn't listen.  He was like a madman."  

*****

It was over ... almost ...

A few weeks later, Gordon came to see me.  He said, "We have discussed your case at the law firm for weeks.  And we have decided that what you said would happen happened ..."

Isaiah 54:17 ... No weapon formed against me would 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.

*****

This was a very big test of faith in the Word of God ... and by this God took me forth to other battles over the Word of God in the Bible.

This lawsuit was a foundation for faith in the scriptures in the Bible and was greatly used by God in my life for the remainder of my life.

*****

HYMN:    STANDING ON THE PROMISES
                        OF CHRIST MY KING

Standing on the promises
of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages
let HIS praises ring,

Glory in the highest,
I will shout and sing.

Standing on the promises of God.

(Chorus)

Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of
Christ my savior;

Standing, standing,
I'm standing on the promises
of God.

(To hear this hymn played on piano and to follow along with the words, click on the following link and then when it appears on screen, tap on the play arrow, > ) 

Standing on the Promises of Christ my King

*****