I can’t seem to get the image of James Foley out of my head, and it’s not just him… it is all of them.
Abducted, unmercifully tortured, and paraded off to be savagely executed by demonic, twisted sadistic butchers to gain media attention for their truly hopeless cause.
Hiding their faces behind their masks of death black reminiscent of the dunce hat wearing, cross burnin’ boys of the south, But you know at least the Nazi’s would show their faces.
What does it all mean? John the Baptists head severed and served on a platter as an appreciative token for the undoubtedly sleazy dance of a pagan princess.
Apostle Paul practically writing his last will and testament to all believers as his beheading approached.
Peter carried out the brunt of his ministry under complete awareness that not only would he die, he would die by crucifixion, Jesus himself telling Peter that this would happen and Peter deciding that it was a price he would be willing to pay to see the Kingdom of God come.
It is as if they believe by taking the heads of God’s servants the are in some way, taking the head from the body of Christ, which will never happen.
The Prophet Isaiah was sawn in half. Steven’s face became as an angel as the anointed words straight from the heart of God proceeded from his mouth hammering the hearts of his enemies with unwanted conviction, and even as they stoned him, Steven did not stop, even praying that they not be held accountable for his death.
Polycarp, the eighty-six year old martyr, whose boldness and courage given from the Lord allowed him to meet his fate with the same acceptance, God had  shown him in a dream what was to come and he met it head on, because he knew that they could only kill him once and after that he would be resurrected by the Lord eternally.
Hebrews 11:36,39: “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented, (OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY)
they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.” 
                                    
The most outstanding words in that passage point to the fact, that this world was not good enough for their presence!
And they were successful in doing the work of the Lord and yet they died before seeing the final result of the what would now be their accomplished  life’s work.
The world was not worthy, nor is it now. How do we survive these last days, when all we hear is terror upon terror in every given report?
As Jesus forewarned us that the days would come that those who killed his followers would think  that they were doing the service of God.
But in all these things we are to keep our souls focused on him and in his rest, and as scary as this is,  NOT FEAR THEM.
Matthew 10:26,28: “Fear them NOT therefore; for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that ye speak in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach upon the housetops. And FEAR NOT them which are able to kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather FEAR HIM which is ABLE TO DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY IN HELL.”
                                     
In our patient wait for him, we are to rest in the blessed reassurance that our “redemption draweth nigh” he will make his enemies his footstool and in his blessed reckoning.
He will not hide his face they will know exactly who He is!
Psalm 45:3-5: “Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty ride prosperously because of thy truth and thy meekness and righteousness;  and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the hearts of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.”
                                      
Revelation 19: 11-16:  “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. AND HE WAS CLOTHED WITH A VESTURE DIPPED IN BLOOD: AND HIS NAME IS CALLED THE WORD OF GOD. AND THE ARMIES WHICH WERE IN HEAVEN FOLLOWED HIM UPON WHITE HORSES, CLOTHED IN FINE LINEN, WHITE AND CLEAN. AND OUT OF HIS MOUTH GOETH A SHARP SWORD, THAT WITH IT HE SHOULD SMITE THE NATIONS: HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON: AND HE TREADHETH THE
WINEPRESS (BLOODBATH) OF THE FIERCENESS AND WRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD. AND HE HAD ON HIS VESTURE (ROBE) AND ON HIS THIGH (SWORD SHEATH) A NAME WRITTEN, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
                                 
So amidst all the Hades breaking loose on earth, keep your eyes focused on the heavens, let your soul rest in the arms of a beautiful, merciful, gentle creator and pray for deliverance for all from evil and when reckoning comes, all bets will be off and they will find there is no fighting him.
Regardless of news broadcasts, or constant worldwide threats, I will tell you how this story shall end:
Romans 14:11:  “For it is written: AS I LIVE SAITH THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS TO GOD.”
                                  
Maybe hiding behind and pleading the names of the pagans gods they worship will help them, ah, no I don’t think so…
Philippians 2:9-11: “WHEREFORE GOD HATH ALSO EXALTED HIM AND GIVEN HIM A NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME:
THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW OF THINGS IN HEAVEN, AND THINGS IN EARTH, AND THINGS UNDER THE EARTH. AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD (WILL) CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.”
                                 

All rights reserved. Rev. Nina BrownJohnson 2015 Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω

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