“Our Brother’s Keeper”

“And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in a field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Able thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:8,9

This verse is the true spiritual answer of the nations, especially America, in response to the question of why Ukraine isn’t being given more support.

I, like most of you have only watched with horror for the past month as the Ukrainians are bombarded in every conceivable way as Russia continues its sadistic onslaught against them.

President Zelensky constantly pleading for help and it is great and I am thankful to God for the weapons that have been given them, but they need more, they need nations to fight with them and for them.

I, also like many the world over, respect him and have watched with amazement as he truly has reflected the absolute courage and leadership, and compassion for his people as  the great king David, those are the same qualities that we read of being what made King David such as great leader.

It is also no shock that the world has even declared it to be a “David versus Goliath” situation and that is so true, God places leaders exactly where he wants them and Putin, who is a literal Goliath with a side order of Pharaoh, met his match when taking on the Ukrainians because they were not just going to lay down and die and bow down to the beast.

Putin embodies qualities of Goliath, in the fact that he methodically moved troops closer and closer and yet denying with every breath that an invasion would be soon coming. The sheer size of his army and arsenal levied against such a smaller opponent.

You can literally see the comparison as you read a passage such as this, as Goliath mocked David’s youth and size and arrogantly overestimated his own.

“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.

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.

And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and a spear, and with a shield: But I come to thee in the in the name of the of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” 1 Samuel 17:42-44

You know it’s the devil when the devil calls the other guy the devil. I want to give you a verse and go from there.

Revelation 13:11;” And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

All the world sees what is really going on and I admire those in Russia who have stood up, even at the risk of horrifying consequence, but there are truly those that really believe Putin is a good guy, that he is really doing a great work, sending troops off to war, ridding Ukraine of Nazis, and saving little children and the elderly virtually from another Holocaust.

I even heard one report of a Ukrainian man who unsuccessfully tried to tell his relative in Russia the truth of what what they were suffering, only to be met with a comment to the defense of Putin, in which the relative even referenced Putin as “a god”.

As if accusing a Jewish man who had family die in the Holocaust of being a Nazi wasn’t proof enough of who is really doing the talking that is coming out of Putin’s mouth, it became crystal clear when he decided to quote scripture, I must admit, I almost “fell out of my chair” with that one.

I absolutely could not believe the audacity and not to mention the fact that it just echoed the age old stunt of the devil trying to twist scripture to make himself sound right and mislead those who would listen, think about how he deceived Eve and think about his trying to tempt Jesus, he knows his scriptures, he knows them better than we do!

The whole world watching as apartments, hospitals, bombed and pregnant women injured, children killed, shelters fired on, people running for their lives and others unable to run, being forced to hide, with no water, no heat, their entire lives destroyed, the images are heart breaking.

One in particular that just shattered my heart, this tiny little boy, just walking with his little pack on his back, all alone in the the exodus of people. and he was just sobbing and sobbing, absolutely alone and I wish to God I could have teleported and got that child and hugged him and rescued him, and God only knows what happened to him or all the other children that has had to leave on their own.

Another image, an elderly man fleeing his house, with only what he could carry on his back, no shirt, just pants, and a hat and a jacket revealing his bare chest in the freezing cold, Where was he even to go? How would he even start over?

A pregnant lady on a stretcher being rescued only later for her and her unborn child to die, knowing that only six weeks ago this lady would have been doing what all of us do as expectant mothers, rejoicing, making everything beautiful, decorating with all the darling newborn items, planning for the greatest moment of her life, the moment of bringing another precious person into the world, those plans were destroyed by the Russian forces and Putin and his soldiers are covered in that blood.

And finally, the image of the young mother with her child in her arms wailing uncontrollably as they were being rescued and a young soldier was helping her, and as she sobbed, he turns his head and the look of compassion mingled with sorrowful hopelessness at what to do for her spoke volumes.

And for Putin to stand there being cheered on, flags flying in his support, to say that no greater love than this to lay down his life for his friends is just sickening beyond words.

He can profess to be whatever he professes to be since he has evidently decided he is a “Christian” but whatever he professes does not change the fact of what is really inside of him.

He is as cold as Pharaoh and it mirrors him so much that I truly believe that his heart is so cold and so black that he is so delusional and arrogant that he is quite willing to take on the whole world.

And would just as soon every living thing on earth die as to retreat, every nation is so afraid of dealing with him that we do tap dances to make certain he does not misunderstand what we are saying, I really respected President Biden for not backtracking his controversial remarks, (that’s one of the only decisions that I agree with, other than him not going along ridiculous plan to defund the police)

Coddling Putin is in no way going to make him anyone’s friend, it only gives him that much more resolve to threaten and strike fear into the heart of the world.

Old Goliath antagonized Israel for forty days, it’s miracle grow for monster egos.

Even doing an amateur profile on him, just based on what the world sees of him, you see all you need to see, famous for dating models, posing bare-chested on his horse, playing with cheetahs, hanging out with Steven Segal and rich buddies, and add in the ultimate bad cop attitude  and it is quite clear what he wants to project.

Take that give it an insane amount of power and relentless control and throw some major nukes and it paints quite a chilling picture.

He can’t stop, he has Pharaoh syndrome, he himself won’t allow it, because it would mean admitting defeat, it would mean admitting that this war was a bad idea, and that is exactly why he has just become more aggressive and more brutal.

Pharaoh did not care what anyone thought or how anyone felt, or take one moment to consider mercy, he was cruel and heartless, calling for the slaughter of the babies and having Egypt built on the blood of the Hebrew slaves.

He really believed that he was a deity and answered to no one.

But oh, how wrong he was! As he was already merciless, God continued to harden his heart, he had the audacity to attempt to fight God himself, knowing all these plagues were coming on Egypt straight from Jehovah God.

When he did finally let the Hebrews go, that “He-Man” machismo kicked back in and he just had to pursue them to the Red Sea and we know how that ended, he and his army destroyed, drown in the Red Sea.

With the mindset much like Pharaoh, but to the infinite extreme at the end of it all, there will those who are so deceived that they will believe that they  can do battle with God himself.

Revelation 17:12-14:” And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power, and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is the Lord of lords, and  King of kings; and they that are with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

I wanted to use the verses from Revelation to establish where all this is headed and the fact that Putin is just the warm up.

This war is unlike any other, the whole world is united in praying for Ukraine and they ask for those prayers as they fight with all they have and you can literally feel the urgency and the importance with those prayers, as the entire world watches.

No one wants World War three, but unfortunately, Putin doesn’t care what we want, he has his agenda and it is not a question of whether or not we will have World War, it is when we have it.

The things that are happening are just leading up to the inevitable. The Bible is written and what is to happen, will happen and there is no changing that.

The only thing we control is how it ends for us, we can be saved and escape the judgments and the horror of dealing with life as it all unfolds or be left here and refuse the mark of the beast, those who do not go in the rapture can only have eternal life by refusing the mark of the beast and dying for the faith, but they will live forever with the Lord, but those who deny Christ will face unimaginable judgment and eternal damnation.

I know that sounds harsh, but we are so out of time and time waits for no one,

Even laying aside the fact that we are in the end of days, we have no promise of tomorrow and any of us could die at any second, we have to be serious about eternity

In the meantime, I pray that things will change that those who fight to reinstate Godly laws back into the land that He has given us will win and that there may be a reprieve, but at the moment we are all still all about whether or not a dude can slap on a little lipstick and compete against ladies, at this rate, all sports will have to have weight classes, and specifics to make it fair again, but it is ridiculous.

So many states still having to hash it out of whether or not slaughtering babies is a great ideal and thankfully many states stepping up and fighting this atrocity.

Add to that our never-ending battle of whether or not, again, it is a fabulous idea to subject children to horrendous hormone therapy and sex change operations, yeah, they can call it, “gender reassignment” all they want but God himself choose the gender for us all.

I suppose, a country so powerful really couldn’t take a chance on giving in to the request of a no fly zone,.

How could we possibly take a chance and stick out our own necks to be our brother’s keeper, when we can give them just enough to say we have helped without having done all that is really in our power to do.

Like I said, no one wants to see major war, but it is not whether or not we fight, it’s just a question of when.

I haven’t written anything new since “Wars & Rumours of War…” , I have been revisiting posts that I felt would be encouraging during this time. To be honest, I have been having a Jeremiah moment, I am not in any way shape or form comparing myself with Jeremiah, but sympathize with his emotional state as he said this from Jeremiah 20:8 ” For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil…”

Unfortunately, that is about all there is to say concerning the state of our present world, but we must have hope in the world that is to come and to know that good really does win in the end!

All these things are leading up to the war that ends all wars, rather when the Lord puts an end to it.

Blessing to you until next time! keep praying and Keep Watching, and Keep believing for miracles for not only those in Ukraine but all in the midst of the battle today in these last days!

Φλογιζω NBJ/ Rev. Nina Brown Johnson 2022

DWELLING PLACE

“Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them upon the face of the earth.” Amos 5:8

We know what could be said, I personally can never say it enough.
He is omnipotent and omnipresent, no matter where you are, He is with you. 
He is holy, beautiful,  complete in glory and majesty and yet having a gentleness and humility unlike anything of this world.

 He is the Lord and beside Him, there is no savior.
Jeremiah 23:23″Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off ? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.”

When he revealed himself to Saul, who was on his way to arrest all the Christians that he could round-up, Jesus told him it was useless to resist him, my question would be who could?

He then transformed Saul to his chosen vessel Paul, who would go preach the very gospel he had so adamantly fought against! With thirteen books of the New Testament having been authored by him.

Now that is a true transformation of mind and soul!
So many atrocities are committed in the name of God, but he is nowhere near of any it.
Jesus is gentle and merciful and does not condone beating children, animals or anyone.

He himself, suffered a horrific beating before His crucifixion, in our place, so why would He want us to beat others or be subjected to it?
Evil always pretends that it is for the cause of good, because Satan is a liar and the father of lies.

The Bible recalling work after work of the Lord  with the heavens, the earth, and the seas, and all of creation declaring His glory.
His will and purpose for us equating into that plan when we should be so small, so insignificant, but the God of the universe has called His followers, His friends!
The nations are as but a drop of water in a bucket to Him and yet He has called us his peculiar treasure.

Maybe that is why we are a peculiar treasure, that He would think of us and walk with Adam and Eve in the garden, and speak with Moses, first from a burning bush and then face to face, visit with Abraham and spend time with the disciples before returning to heaven and cry when we cry and hear us when we call and heaven comes down to visit earth.

No matter how we profess our love for Him, the truth of the matter and the secret to it all, is HIS love toward us!

A love so far beyond our human comprehension and defying all our human logic.

And the best part is His word and His word will not return void, it will do what He sent it to do.
So no matter where you are on this earth, what persecution and ridicule that you may be suffering today, I want you to know He does love you and He sees all that you endure.
Hold onto to Him, don’t try to figure anything out on your own, give it all to Him and He will guide you in the way you need to go.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”   Proverbs 3:5-6

“The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth him out of all their troubles.
The Lord is nigh (near) unto them that are of a broken spirit and saveth such as be of a contrite (crushed) spirit. 

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”       Psalm 34:15, 17-19

 

“He that dwelleth  in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, HE IS my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:  his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for (of) the terror by night; nor the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence (trouble) that walketh in darkness; nor the destruction that wasteth( lays waste) at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 

For he shall give his angels charge over thee.”  Psalm 91:1-6,11

“Because thou hath made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation (dwelling place);” Psalm 91:9


The Lord’s answer follows:
“Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will deliver him:
I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him.”

Again him, being a generic term for all humans.  

Literally living, breathing, being kept hidden from the adversary under the protective presence of all-powerful, all-knowing God.

“For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me: he shall set me upon a rock.

And now mine head shall be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle (presence) sacrifices of joy:

I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

Hear, O, Lord when I cry with my voice: have mercy upon me and answer me. 

When thou saidst Seek ye my face: my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.”   Psalm 27:5-8

Life is never fair.

Things happen, it rains on the just and the unjust.

Trials and heartache come, but there is a presence of God, a place of safety, a place that assures you peace even in the midst of a storm raging all around you.
A reassurance that can only be found in  His everlasting arms, under the shadow of his wings.

If you need this today, all you have to do is ask Him, He does understand, He created you in the palm of His hand and yet those wings spread so far that He can cover the entire world with them.

That is who HE IS and that is one of the many reasons we love Him and worship Him and He never forces us to do any of it.

And ye will seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”   Jeremiah 29:13

My sincerest prayer for you today is that the Lord keep you, bless you and make his face shine upon you and give you peace, in the name above every name, Jesus of Nazareth.  AMEN

Φλογιζω/ All rights reserved. NBJ 2015
Revisited 2019 * I wanted to revisit this post again as we still watch the heartache that plays out in our world, and it can cause feelings of helplessness and overwhelming hopelessness, but don’t lose heart, God always wins! 

RESURRECTION PEACE/ Part 2

2 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first…”

The fundamental of the Gospel of Peace.
Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God, born of a virgin, completely sinless, crucified and rose from the dead three days later to reign forever in all of heaven and earth.
This is our hope and confidence, our Savior lives and reigns forever and of His kingdom shall be no end.

His name alone being the only name by which anyone can be saved and He is the only way to the father, any who try to come any other way, other than through the precious blood of the Lamb is nothing more than a thief and robber.

Maybe it does weird out those who don’t understand it, just a little, but again how can you voice an opinion against something you have never experienced nor understand?

Without this promise we would surely be hopeless and what would the hope of our salvation be?
But we that are his know that this is real just as He is real.
This does not mean, as some doctrines teach, that it is instant, kill us and we will pop right back up kind of thing. 

This will take place in the great resurrection when time shall be no more.
But it is our hope and confidence, I want to give you an extreme example:

Job 19:25,26:  “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter-day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” 
                        
What is this power? Dead, been dead, bodies destroyed by natural processes but yet those bodies will be made new?
The same power that created them and can recreate them regardless of damage.

Once we wrap our heads around letting go of the fear of losing these lives then the remainder and “the rest” will be peaceful!

The prophet Elisha who had been given double the anointing of God that Elijah held and remember Elijah had prayed for fire from heaven and for resurrection of another, rain and for the Jordan to let him cross, not to mention being divinely fed by a raven and an angel of God.

So the miracles he could ask for, the faith to move anything and ask for the impossible, Elisha carried double that in his body and the Bible tells the strength in that anointing and the fact that it is eternal:

 2nd Kings 13: 20,21: “And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast (tossed) the man into the sepulcher of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, HE REVIVED, AND STOOD UPON HIS FEET.”

My favorite example of this has not yet happened, oh, but it will!
As people get more and more evil and the true word of God becomes harder and harder to come by He will actually send back two that have been here before.
I personally believe this will be Moses and Elijah because of the description of their gifts.

Revelation 11:3,5-11:  “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three score days, (around three and one half years) clothed in sackcloth.
And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth  out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies: and if any man hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
These have power to shut heaven, that it not rain in the days of their prophesy: And have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with ALL PLAGUES, as often as they will.
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them and KILL THEM.
And their DEAD bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations (all people) shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer (permit) their dead bodies to be put in graves.
And they that dwell upon earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall sends gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth.
And after three days and an half, The Spirit of life, from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.” 
           
Once upon a time, this was hard for people to understand, how could the whole world see this, but we know now don’t we?

All of our technology that had not even been imagined when this was written, but now we can instantly view anything, anywhere, the world over.

Most of us today couldn’t even stand even near these two with the anointing and the level of sheer holiness they will carry.
And as the world will continue to become more blind and hate all things of God when they come in sackcloth, urging repentance, pronouncing judgments the world will be so happy to see them dead because they will no longer hear the voice of truth, that they will in fact have a world-wide celebration.
But as we know, once they are resurrected and taken, the real party is just getting started!

To read first post, please click here:Resurrection Peace part 1
Φλογίζω/All rights reserved NBJ 2015 Original post 06/04/2015 Revisited 03/16/2022

RESURRECTION PEACE / Part 1

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55

What is the most natural human fear?
Death and the fear thereof, the questions of how and when?
As we discussed in a past post, this is Satan’s number one weapon.

Just as he dared challenge God that if He would only remove his protection from Job that he would lose his faith, because in his belief that humans would give anything in exchange for their lives.

Now about peace, Jesus said His peace He left with us, not as the world gives, but His peace.

“And when he had said so, he shewed unto them his hands (pierce marks) and his side (spear wound). Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”  John 20:20,21

As He prayed in the garden before His arrest and crucifixion:And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world.”  John 17:13-18

These things have I spoken unto you, that IN ME ye might peace. In the world ye  shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”    John 16:33

So what is this peace, the gospel of peace which protects the feet of the warriors of the Lord.

This peace in the knowledge of salvation also pertains to the helmet but the main function is to cover the feet travelling to proclaim that gospel and stand in battle without fear because of the peace of the knowledge of the truth of the resurrection.

The ultimate peace, removal of the fear of death and the knowledge through the Holy Ghost and glory of God’s word that your peace is this, just as they killed Him and He rose, that same power through the Holy Ghost will resurrect you.
I know there are scoffers and that is dangerous and that is between them and God in judgment.

But I, like the disciples testify to what I know and I know the resurrection power of God.
We may have breath and a beating heart and function daily and yet be as dead as any in the grave.

Spiritually dead, without repentance or the knowledge of God, or chained up in a prison of our past and never having been freed or made alive in Him.

I spent twenty-seven years of my life trying to outrun”me”, trying every self-destructive behavior possible to deaden the pain that consumed my soul and anything to just feel normal and accepted.
And so many of us have been held in bondage by the enemy.

God does not cause it but it is used to make us run from the only one who can free us.
But God already knows, no matter what people think or how they tried to figure us out.

He already has the answer and once we have surrendered that pain, that one part of our hearts that we are so careful to hide, and He fills us with his Holy Ghost and the power of His resurrection, in the blink of an eye, everything changes.

We know God loves us and we know that he protects us and we are given peace that we truly, truly have never known.

The peace that He is our Savior, and He is our life, He is our protector and that we will never, ever have to be alone without him again.

Which is precisely why I chose Φλογιζω  as the name of my ministry, it is a nod to something that Satan intended to use destroy me with. God used to save me and that would be one weapon that the enemy could never terrify me with again, I would also be filled with His fire.

And that is what we all need, to make ourselves consciously aware of that fact and the remembrance of that power, His power because the truth is that not death, not demons or all the forces of hell can ever hold our spirits down.

As we go into the unknown of the last days, hold onto that, nothing, nothing can stop that power or the peace you will have once you let that knowledge renew your mind.
Because truly the grave will have no victory.

Because we can only die one time and that is more than enough to make any warrior want to run… but run like David, not away from the enemy but to meet him head on because you know that through Jesus, you will win the battle, even if it is ultimately won in the resurrection!

Part 2: Resurrection Peace part 2

Φλογίζω/ Rights Reserved NBJ/ 2015  *Original post date: 05/30/2015 Revisited 03/14/2022

 

“WILL FOREVER BE”

FOR EVER, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

Thy faithfulness IS  unto all generations; thou hast established the earth and it abideth. They continue unto this day ACCORDING to thine ordinances: for ALL are thy servants.” Psalm 119:89-91

Isaiah 9:2: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the LAND of the shadow of death, UPON them hath THE LIGHT SHINED.”

John 8:12: “THEN spake JESUS AGAIN unto them, saying, I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the LIGHT OF LIFE.

1 John 1:5:  “THIS then IS the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God IS light, and in him there is no darkness at all.” 

This post is the absolute cumulative message of my entire ministry. If no thought were ever provoked, no scripture heart embedded, no sword ever given, not one seed planted, nothing watered, if every word fell upon deaf ears and blinded eyes, I do pray that this one will be received with spiritual hearing and the spiritual sight given to the saints.

I had asked the Lord once to allow me to just be, even to one person, the difference that the words of another had been to me. When I was seeking, as I always refer to it (and I have many times) “trying to be saved”, I would listen and listen to Christian programs and ministers and finally one hit something that stayed with me, a word that I desperately needed and a Bible story that I had NEVER ever heard, changed my life and gave me something I had not been able to find, HOPE.

The story was about Abraham taking Isaac to be sacrificed and the ram being caught in the thicket as the “replacement” sacrifice and the name JEHOVAH-JIREH because the Lord ALWAYS provides and He provided HIS OWN SON as sacrifice for our sin, my sin, your sin, the sin of the entire world, every sin ever committed or ever to be committed.

HE bore it all and the HOPE in that message, the HOPE that God really DOES see and He really DOES care and no matter what we have been through or are going through or the future holds.

Once I was saved and knew Him, something came flooding back to my mind, one of those moments of  “I wish I knew then what I know now”, I had a dream, and the Bible does say, if it was a dream, tell it as a dream because we have to be so careful as to what we attribute the Lord’s name to, so anyway, I was probably around eleven, maybe twelve and I had the strangest dream, it was solid black, no color, no light, just solid blackness, and I heard a voice and the voice said, “I am the I am that is” and that was it. I woke up and I was so disturbed and troubled and told my family.

After I was saved I was praying and I was like God why didn’t you tell me that was you, and as quick as that went through my mind, it came back to my mind, that I HAD been told. Even the name of the person who told me came flooding back, I had this dream during like an afternoon nap and my brother had a friend who came right after I woke up and was telling my family and he said, “Maybe it was God.” and I was like “Why on earth would God be in darkness?” and wouldn’t God say He was God, and why would He talk to me? The friend went on to tell me that He referred to Himself as “I AM” in the Old Testament, anyway, I truly just didn’t think anymore of it until I got saved.

And I think we ALL do that sometimes when God is trying to get our attention in the world and we have our thoughts as to what these encounters would be like. I now have no question about it and it has been my ministry message mission.

I was only STILL stumped by one fact. WHY was it dark? Tried to figure that one out for years and I do believe I know now. IT IS DARK.

It was NOT this dark when I was saved, but everyday it gets darker and darker and we can all attest to the fact that there is things going on that no one would have ever believed would be allowed to be called Christian and atrocities committed so far beyond our comprehension that we should be grateful for the desensitization from some of it, or our minds would fry.

This world IS covered in darkness, peoples hearts are dark, their thoughts are dark and EVEN in the face of absolute darkness, ONE TRUTH remains, JESUS IS.

He IS the voice in the darkness, HIS IS the voice that will shout with the TRUMP of God, HIS IS the voice that in unison with His bride will send out that FINAL invitation of salvation before and it IS HIS voice of judgment the entire world will hear upon His return.

And for all the thoughts and sermons done on the marvelous works of old and His great overthrows of Pharaoh and all the hosts of enemies who troubled His chosen throughout the ages, we need to remember something, HE IS NOT ONLY THE GOD WHO WAS…HE IS THE GOD WHO STILL IS!

And though the world is much worse and we are much less sensitive to his “voice” because our ears can never get away from the noises, sounds, and confusions of this world, HE STILL IS and only in calling on WHO HE IS in these times are we going to see change and deliverance and I promise you, for every single trouble or situation, demon, or foe, there IS a scripture of “God IS….” to counter every attack and make His voice known even in the pit of blackness and we know that there has never been such a time as this for the night watchmen and all those who sit captive to that darkness.

We sometimes become temporarily “blinded” in that darkness and smoke of the enemies pit and we are so busy groping, trying to find our way through that, that we can fail to hear the voice calling out the direction back into the places of light and clarity. That is the importance of following Him, as He said we will have the LIGHT of LIFE, His light, the LIGHT we can share with others, as His light shines upon them also.

One thing will NEVER change, HE WAS. HE IS. AND HE WILL FOR EVER BE. “He is the I AM that Is”, I really want to drive that message home.

This world IS dark, He IS light, this world hurts, He IS comfort, This world is uncertain, He IS peace, This world is death, He IS the resurrection from the dead. This world will betray you, He IS the one who will never leave or forsake you.

And He IS Blessed forevermore. And HE IS the Blessing, the hope, the security of those in the darkness of this world.  HIS name IS the ointment poured forth and it IS HE who has risen with healing in His wings and it IS His name whose proclamation will make seas roar and mountains tremble and HIS name whose power sets the captive free and as you pray for those captives :

Psalm 124:6-8: “ BLESSED  be the Lord who hath NOT given us as prey to their teeth; Our soul IS escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; The snare IS broken, and we ARE escaped. Our help IS in the NAME of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

His name holds ALL power: John 17:4-6:  “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus saith them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 

As SOON then as HE HAD SAID UNTO THEM, I AM HE, they went backwards (drew back) and fell to the ground.”

Many times Jesus told them exactly who He WAS and IS. The book of John starts with the verse: “IN THE BEGINNING  WAS the Word, and the WORD WAS WITH GOD, and the WORD WAS GOD.”

Just in this one Book, not to mention the other books, He makes these statements, to the woman at the well, I that speak unto thee, am he.” When he came walking on the sea to the disciples, he said, “It is I, be not afraid.” He also stated, “For the bread of God IS he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world” And as they asked for the bread He responded, ” I am  THE bread of life”  and again, “I am THAT bread of life” and  “I am the LIVING bread” 

So many statements it would be impossible to list them here, so we’ll wrap it up with the wrap up of the revelation, the disclosure of it all, and if you will notice in your Bible the word Revelation is capitalized in the first verse, meaning that this word is NOT just a title, it is so much more, it IS the revelation that Jesus had and gave of all that would be!

Revelation 1: 1-18: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew (show) his servants things which shortly (quickly) come to pass; and he sent and confirmed it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Blessed is he that readeth, and THEY THAT HEAR the words of this prophecy, and KEEP those things which ARE WRITTEN therein: for the time is at hand.

John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace for him which IS and which WAS and which IS TO COME: and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ, who IS the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.

Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood.  And hath made us kings and priest unto God and his Father; TO HIM BE GLORY AND DOMINION FOR EVER AND EVER. A-MEN’.

BEHOLD HE COMETH WITH THE CLOUDS; AND EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, AND THEY ALSO WHICH PIERCED HIM: AND ALL KINDREDS OF THE EARTH SHALL WAIL BECAUSE OF HIM. Even so, A-men I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which IS, and which WAS, and which IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY. 

I John, who ALSO am your brother, and the companion in tribulation(persecutions), and IN the kingdom and patience (perseverance) of Jesus Christ, was in the isle of Patmos, for the word of God (banished for preaching) and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

I was IN the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and BEING turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt (girded) around the paps (chest) with a golden girdle (band).

His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire: And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned (were refined) in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars; and OUT of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; and HIS COUNTENANCE WAS AS THE SUN SHINETH IN HIS STRENGTH. And when I saw him, I FELL AT HIS FEET as dead.

And HE LAID HIS RIGHT HAND UPON ME, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. A-men; and have the keys to hell and of death.”

It is hard not to notice that John, like Moses, WAS TURNED to pay attention to what God wanted to enlighten them too. And we also see that John suffered great persecutions because of the testimony and word of Christ, and he held to the promises of an eternal reward for that present suffering, which serves as a great reminder that if you want the promises of God on your life, you must be completely given to him, none of the candy coat business or seeking God when we need him, no, it has to be everything to Him.

And we end on the same note that we started, and as God spoke the very light into existence, He will speak it into this darkness of earth:

Revelation 22:12-16:And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward IS with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Blessed ARE they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates of the city. For without (outside) are dogs (depraved men, and sorcerers, and whoremongers (sexually immoral), and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie (liars).

I Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto YOU these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”

Remember two things in life, if everything else fades away, HE IS and HE WILL FOREVER BE.

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017          Related posts:  Majesty    HE IS THE I AM     Undeniable  

Original post date: 07/05/2017*    Revisited  07/25/2019 Revisited 03/13/2022 My 22 years with the Lord!