May 13, 2023 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

MOTHERS, THE BEJEWELMENT TO THE CROWN OF THE KING

Mothers, we are formed in their bodies, they feed us, diaper us, love us and nurture us. They dry our tears and relieve all our fears. They chase the boogey men away. Spend sleepless nights by our bedside when we are sick.

#1. Things always look brighter after a good night sleep. We often worry about bad things that never actually happen.

#2. No matter how bad that day may seem, one day we really do look back and whatever it was that almost broke us will seem like a nightmare that never really even happened.

#3. An old, old one which is true and will always be true, whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.

You know she was right on all counts, and she still is!

I always thought if I could even be “half the woman” that she is I would do well. She is beautiful inside and out and has such a dignity and grace about her that is almost regal and loves Jesus more than life itself.

Mothers are like beautiful jewels, they come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. Each one exquisitely crafted by the master’s hand.

Maybe your birth mother or maybe the mother God chose just for you by joining you together through adoption.

Maybe He chose your grandmother or Aunt as the defining maternal hand to guide you, love you, teach you, and above all nurture you in Him.

Nevertheless, we all know there is no one, no one like our mother.

The relationship between Mary and Jesus is such a beautiful example of this one-of-a-kind bond.
We know the story, Mary the blessed virgin, to whom an angel came to proclaim that she would give birth to the Son of the Almighty God, who had in fact created her.

Without a doubt she was scared to death, how do you conceive without a mate? An answer which came when she was overshadowed by the Holy Ghost.

How do you knowingly carry the Son of God inside your body?

How do you tell your future husband and your family that this is true, and it really happened to you?
How do you travel ninety miles on a donkey and give birth in a stable surrounded by his beautiful animal creations knowing this child is the one to save all of creation?

How do you accept the gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh brought from faraway lands by wise men on bended knee who have been led there by a star to pay honor and tribute to the King of all Kings?

How do you give the offering of the poorest of poor when dedicating him, never, ever worrying about providing for him?

How do you hear a prophecy from one who had been promised he would not see death until he beheld the face of this promised child, when that prophecy is that “a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also”?

As this child grows and maternal instincts take over, as he is held, loved, learns to crawl, walk and says his first words, has his first bumps and bruises and one day decides to stay behind and talk with the elders rather than join the caravan his family traveled with.

How do you understand, when you ask why he did this and he asks you “Did you not know I must be about my Father’s business?”,

I will tell you how, he was her baby, even though he was divine, she knew he was God’s Son, but she was human, and she was his mother and like all of us, that was her baby and as she watched him grow, he became what he was…her son whom she loved more than life itself.

Fast forward twenty-one years after pondering what did he mean by this, as he begins his ministry and watching his miracles (she had to know he held this power because she asked him to do something for her friends at the wedding when he turned the water into wine, which was his first public display of this power) she watched as her own people hated him and threatened his life, she watched as his ministry grew.

She knew of his arrest and public torture and finally seeing him bloody, beaten beyond recognition and carrying a wooden beam to his execution, his battered body falling under the weight of it. And unable to go to him, to hold him, to touch his face, to tell him everything would be okay and this was still her baby and there was nothing in the universe she could do to stop it because it was the piercing of her soul. There would be no words to describe her sorrow.

How could her beautiful son who hung nailed to a cross, nearing death look down and want to be sure his mother would be cared for before dying, because he was her firstborn son.

John 19:25-27 “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, (John) he saith unto his mother Woman, behold thy son!

Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”

They seriously wrote the book, the ultimate story of love between a mother and child, and a wonderful example to us about the love and respect we should have for own mothers.

I hope all have a blessed Mother’s Day and if you have lost your Mother, rejoice in knowing just as Jesus and Mary we reunited and are together forever and ever, you will be also. And if you know a lady who maybe has lost her children or they are “too busy” for her, please, please consider “adopting” her for Mother’s Day.

A card, flowers or just a visit can change her world. Because loneliness is one “disease” we can cure!

Remember Jesus said if you do it for one of his little one’s (saints) you’ve done it for him!
Because He is the King and these ladies are precious, precious jewels that help make up his Majestic crown! They are precious to him!
Φλογίζω 2014 Revised 2019 & 2020/ May 08, 2022,& 05/13/2023

*Post Note: My beautiful mother mentioned above has since went home to be with Jesus, I was blessed beyond words to be her child.

March 30, 2023 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

Majesty

He, who created the heavens and the earth. He who created the stars and flung them out into the universe calling each by name.
One special star destined to one day lead the wise travelers to the manger in which he was laid.
He visited the earth, which he had held in his hand, walking the dust-covered roads as a mortal man.
Shining his marvelous light into even the darkest night. His very name, being as an ointment poured forth caused mountains to fall, waves to roar and demons to flee.
When soldiers came to arrest him, he answered, “I AM HE” his spoken identity so powerful that it sent them falling to the ground.
Nations destroyed by his hand, kings brought to their knees, the mighty of the earth brought to absolute nothingness.
He, who sent plagues, hail, blackness, and death upon all of Egypt for the sake of his chosen. Yet the maidens and virgins, love struck forever follow to proclaim him in all his glory as the majestic King.
His garment perfumed with aloes, cassia, and myrrh symbolic of his purity, healing, and humility and a beautiful heart of servitude.
Hannah and Mary exalting him with almost identical prayers, because in his mercy and grace he had made them to rejoice and he who is Holy had done unto them mighty things.
The voice that spoke into existence the universe, the heavens, the earth and seas and all that was, is or ever will be.
The voice that thunders in the heavens and sounds of many waters, that same voice in a still small way gave courage to the discouraged prophet, that same voice reassured a distraught father that his daughter was not dead but only asleep.
The voice that cried out to his father in the garden that the cup might pass from him, the voice that cried out from the cross it is finished, will one day proclaim that it is done.
“He (God) is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered? Which removeth the mountains, and they know it not; which overturned them in his anger. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. Which commandeth the sun and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the seas.” Job 9:4-8
Commanding the waters and rivers to not overpass boundaries which he has set.
Commanding the wind and waves that they should cease, walking upon the sea he had created, stretching forth his hand to a frightened Peter, so he could lift him up yet again.
Those hands, that fashioned Adam from clay, that forms us in our mother’s womb, those hands forever reaching out as they as they touched and healed, opened blinded eyes, gave hearing to deaf ears, made the lame leap for joy and freed the prisoners of demonic forces on earth.
Then those beautiful outstretched hands were bound and brutally nailed to a cross.
The Feet that graced his gardens in Heaven and walked his palace floor, the feet Mary had washed with her tears and dried with her hair.
Those feet were then placed one atop the other and nailed completely through.
Those feet will soon one day stand atop Mt Olives, the mountains unable to bear the presence of their creator, will split helplessly into.
The breath, so powerful that at the creation of Adam, it held the ability to bring even dust to life. That breath gave itself over unto death on the cross because it was the price to be paid, that he might save us.
The angels of heaven proclaim his praise, the beasts around the throne never cease to cry “Holy, Holy, Holy,” and yet, he chose to call us friends.
John announced that he baptized with water but that a greater would come and baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost. Jesus himself, stating he had a baptism to be baptized with.
All the power of the universe manifesting at his resurrection, re-entering his dead body with enough force and heat to burn his image into the highly controversial shroud, which also bore the proof over one hundred lash wounds that had torn his flesh to shreds.
An image that no process or technology known to man, even to this day can reproduce.
John, trying to convey all the works he did after his resurrection before his ascension, finally conceded to this “And there are also many things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose the world itself could not contain the books which should be written. Amen.” John 21:25
As so beautifully written in Solomon, This is our beloved. Maybe that is why the angels keep it simple, “Praise Ye, Jehovah!”
The Lord himself stating “Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he; before me there was no God formed; neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no savior. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses saith the Lord, that I am God.” Isaiah 43:10-12
“To whom then will ye liken me or to whom shall I be equal? saith the Holy One”
Isaiah 40:25
“To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me that we may be like.”
Isaiah 46:5
So I, like all of those that came before me, am at a loss for words, there are truly not enough words in any language, or enough books in the entire world that could ever fully describe his beauty, his complexity, his mercy or his grace.
If I may echo his words, who could be compared? Bar none in his perfection, splendor, and majesty he truly stands absolutely alone.

REVISITED 02/17/2021 as we begin the Holy Days, May you be blessed in Him!

Revisited yet again 03/30/2023

February 26, 2023 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Auditioning for The Dance of The Double Camp”

“All the ends of the of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.” Psalm 22:7

We are very aware that we are now witnessing the promised outpouring that had been stirring for quite some time, and actually began with the disciples, but had been promised on a massive scale in the final days before the return of Jesus Christ to take His rightful position as King over Earth.

We should also be aware of the reconciliation of all people into the Body of Christ, a unity that we don’t quite have yet.

Oh, but we will, there is a reason so many scriptures point out a crucial truth, but this is my favorite:

Revelation 7:9: “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.”

So we know that God has designed and purposed that all nations will come to Him and all people will know Him.

Now that is not to say that there will not be people who refuse to repent, it simply means that His glory will be known the earth over before that great and fateful day when all will be accomplished and those of earth will no longer be offered the hope of repentance and escape.

But I want to show you what I believe will be the greatest completion of this outpouring and reconciliation of the true body, one to another as we continue in these marvellous days.

The animosity between Jews and Christians has been well known and equally as sad and disturbing, and it still breaks my heart to really comes to terms with the fact that Martin Luther risked everything and lost much as he stood for the truth of the faith of Jesus Christ and yet was said to have been anti-semitic.

Without Judaism, Christianity would not exist.

John 1:11: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”

This did not ever mean that God just threw away His chosen. No, never, but it allowed for the adoption of all others, regardless of nationality.

And as people say that some Jews have animosity towards Christians, I can completely understand that, Who would dare go against Jehovah God? They are staying true to their beliefs, that does not meant that they are wrong.

We are al of the same God, the same family, but different family interactions, and we are told to not ever think that we are above them, and admonished as to what right do we even have to question how He chooses to accomplish this.

God will reconcile all in His time.

Romans 11:” I say then, Hast God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot (Do) ye not know what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

And if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should see not, and ears that they should not hear) unto this day.

And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them:

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

Now if the fall of them be the riches of this world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.

If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are of my flesh, and might save some of them.

For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead.

For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert (were) grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root bearest thee.

Thou will say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

Well; because of their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standeth by faith. Be not highminded, but fear;

For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also not spare thee.

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

For if thou wert (were) cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened in Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

And so ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED: as is is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn ungodliness away from Jacob:

For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

As concerning the gospel, they are for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief.

Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out!

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

Or who hath first given to him, an dit shall be recompensed unto him again?

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.”

I know that was a lot of scripture and I had used it in a post past, but it needed for cohesion, because you can’t dig one thought without the other and the scripture backs it up.

Before we go on, really study those verses. We,the Christians were wild and we are just like that wild olive tree and in God’s goodness, he grafted us into what He had already established, we in no way deserved it, or earned it, or had any right to it, it was mercy and grace.

And as Jesus was rejected, the blindness came to His chosen people so that they will not see the truth of who He is until His appointed time.

And as the fullness we have been given, as we have been given Christ and fullness of life, we are asked how much more fullness will come once the blinders are off His chosen people and we are one.

You could think of this as Messianic Jews, but not quite, I love them, but I like many, can not be a Messianic Jew, for a very good reason, I am not Jewish and to temporarily leave Christianity, convert to Judaism and then come back to Christianity would make absolutely no sense and why would God want that?

We also have Christian churches who are finally understanding that it really is important to follow feasts and Holy days as God commanded the Hebrews.

Not because we are required to, but because it honors God, and now we have many churches that don’t have service on Christmas because it is Christmas and people have dinners and such.,

Not that December 25th is technically among the days that God set aside for us, but it is the day we set aside to celebrate the birth of Christ, we can’t seem to honor that.

True Christianity is all about honoring the Holiness of the Lord.

Christians have many more things we need to learn from our Jewish family and there are things that we, as adopted chidden from the world, can bring to the family table, such as the truth and wonder and simplicity of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

And now we dance.

Years ago, when I had mustered all my courage and first voiced what I felt like I was being impressed to concerning how the outpouring would come which was through praise and prayer, I was met with such a spiritual striping by the person of the pastroal authority when they responded with such an angry reprimand that they just did not see that, but with many more words and attitude. For me it was so demeaning and harsh that it was viewed as an absolutely ridiculous notion, and yet that is exactly what is happening.

All awakenings start with people praying and seeking God in humility and truth and praising from their hearts, they do not come by “special” preachers going it alone or following anything other than the personal desire for the Lord.

It can not be manipulated, it can not be forced, it has to be real and it only comes from Him and that is the only way we receive is from Him, He alone grants it, He grants it when individuals humble themselves to seek His face.

I told that story to say this, I was really hurt by that and made to feel so foolish that I would even dare to think I “knew anything”, It was one of those “Who do you even think you are?” moments that are sometimes inflicted upon us that I had even questioned if I had misunderstood what i felt had been revealed to me and it took a long time to recover from that and a long time to recover courage to proclaim the thoughts that I believe God puts in my heart.

So I am again, at one of those moments.

One of the first messages I had ever preached was on these very verses, and as it was fifteen years ago and i was very new, I really think I may have jumped the gun on the timing, as I was met with strange stares, as if I were truly weird and maybe from another galaxy :).

But now we will look at them in relation to our verses from Romans.

We are looking at the bride in Solomon, which special attention given to the last verse.

Now we dance.

Song of Solomon 6:1-13: “Whiter (Where) is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women?

My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.

Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

Turn thine eyes away from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.

Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one of barren among them.

As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.

There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

My dove, my undefiled, is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?

I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.

Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.

Return, return, O Shulamite, return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.”

Before we answer the question asked of us concerning what we see in the Shulamite, I want to address the identity of her mother, so please dig one more verse.

Galatians 1:6: ” But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

What we are seeing in this is what will take place as the Jewish family and the Christian family all come together under the knowledge of Christ.

The beloved has came to visit, to feed his flock with goodness and wonder, the branches and the vines bearing spiritual fruit and growing in His love and grace, the pomegranates, the blessings flowing from the garden.

The bride is the only daughter of her mother Jerusalem, as the church was founded upon Jehovah God the Father, and Jesus Christ , the Son.

She is fair and beautiful washed in repentance, humility, adoration, and praise to her beloved Christ, whose presence is so strong about her that she is left awe stricken to the point that she can not even lift her eyes to him because of HIs majesty, beauty, forgiveness, gentleness, and grace, completely overtaken by the sheer glory of Who He is.

The daughters acknowledging her, and in a swift moment of clarity, she is asked to return, return for the dance to end all dances,

The companies of two armies, literally translates to the dance of the double camp .

God’s chosen, the good olive tree and the grafted in wild olive, the queens and daughters, and the bride, but all coming together, even though separate but acknowledging that they serve the same King, the fulness that was promised will be an outpouring and rejoicing will be unlike anything ever as yet to be seen!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2023 /Rev. N. Brown Johnson

December 17, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

Simply Glorious

https://open.spotify.com/episode/06uzq2ymdR2oCJ8Zm6Lt8u?si=11a4c5c6d15347fe

“And the light shineth in darkness; and darkness comprehended it not.” John 1:5 KJV

This verse is part of the description John gave us in his explanation of the marvelous mystery of Jesus Christ.

Let’s back this train up and check out the proceeding verses.

John 1:1-5 NKJV: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

What exactly is that comprehension?

I always love to add a precise meaning, because every single word in the Bible is intentional and the choice of the usage of that particular word is often key in understanding what God would have us to glean from that scripture.

So even though we do often know the meaning of a word, it’s helpful to also check the other possibilities.

One meaning of comprehend is this: “To take in the meaning, nature, or importance of, or to grasp” that is according to our internet dictionary.

The light that shined so gloriously and the darkness did not even notice its arrival, much less that it was there.

You know, I can’t possibly do a Christmas post without the Shepherd story, I have many a Christmas post and I appreciate your tolerance of my Christmas “reruns”, to me, it’s like decorations, we only see them for a very short season, once a year and if someone new is seeing them for the first time, well, that justifies the rerun:).

Let’s get to the most glorious announcement ever to be heard by human ear, as an angel from heaven itself proclaimed the arrival of The King

as the arrival of a King must be proclaimed, even if the King choses his arrival to be as a newborn baby boy in a stable lowly and sure.

Oh, I love this story! I could literally stand and quote verbatim with as much joy and excitement in my own soul as the first time I ever read it.

Luke 2:1-20: ” And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David.)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room from them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord appeared shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all that heard it wondered at those things told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying, and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

Oh, can you imagine! The shepherds ran, they went as fast as they could possibly go, to see the wonder of heaven touching earth, as proclaimed by angelic voices praising the eternal King and his glorious, glorious light that shone down, that glorious light that shone about the angel, that magnificent star that would later lead the wise men.

Jesus in his radiant light and He is that light, as He himself said.

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.”

Our world is so incredibly dark, as God sent Jesus into this world and his wonderous birth was unknown to those of high estate that night and was proclaimed to those whom God himself had chosen to be the messengers of the greatest news in human history.

Shepherds, shepherds, who were doing their jobs, being diligent, caring for those flocks, watching over them at night.

Those he chose, obedient, and diligent, and faithful as they went forth proclaiming the good news of the miraculous birth.

As in our time today, that wonderous, glorious news was and is sent to all, but now rejected by so many, as their darkened hearts cannot even comprehend the truth of the Gospel.

The wickedness of our present world would shame Sodom, we have gone beyond all rhyme or reason, we have entered into the realm of lunacy with our laws and actions, rejecting the Saviour, rejecting the light, fulfilling this verse.

John 3:19: ” And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.”

But as those shepherds had that good news to proclaim, we today also still have some awesome news to be shared.

That light has not dimmed, that light has not lost one lumen, and that light shall never be extinguished, it is not man-made, nor will the actions of men ever have bearing upon its brilliancy.

We know that those who do not desire the light, those wish to destroy it, as they have longed to destroy Israel, and hate and persecute those who love the light, and shine themselves, as the lights Jesus left them to be on this earth, we know that they do not comprehend the eternal weight of that hatred and rejection, but we must also rejoice in the truth that their hatred and rejection will never prevent that glorious revelation of the true magnificent of his light yet to be shone,

As the wise men came from the east to behold the King, we have this proclamation concerning the day in which all will behold Him, in His glory,

Matthew 24:27: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

That glorious light will burn brighter than ever and that light will destroy once and for all the oppressive darkness.

2 Thessalonians 2:8: “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.”

Revelation 21:23: “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

Now that is some good news and that is simply glorious, as it shall be!

Blessings to you and yours, have a blessed holiday season and may that glorious light shine upon you!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev N. Brown Johnson

December 3, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“STAR”

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

That wondrous star that led the kings to the Messiah. Think how many times they were probably discouraged by those around them as they sought out the most ancient of signs from the most ancient of prophecies.

But they were being drawn by the divinely magnetic force of the universe, the same divine force that placed that heavenly light in the sky for all to see, but only these three understood the significance of it all, but the “pay off” for them, in the form of all the hopes, dreams, and diligence being rewarded as they were among the first allowed to worship the King.

How could they help but rejoice? And they rejoice they did, and that joy would have truly been beyond comprehension. I am sure many go through that process of seeking, as Abram sought for a city whose builder and maker is God, many others sought out the path predestined and purposed deep inside their hearts long before birth, even placed there BEFORE the foundations of the world. The longing of their souls driving them to seek deeper and deeper into the knowledge and treasures of God as the world around breathes “delusional” and “brainwashed by religion.”

And as the “Christ” in Christmas grows harder to recognize in this world, even in churches with many now no longer holding “traditional” services, but these days were always honored for very good reason. They are referred to as THE HOLIDAYS in reference to celebrating the HOLY DAYS. With all that goes on around us and all who try their best to discourage us that we are seeking pipe dreams and fairy tales, it is ever pressing to remember what the wise men sought.

I know it can be argued and argued as to the origins of the holiday season, but a couple of things remain true, the day was adopted as the celebration of the birth of Christ, the greatest event spanning time, universe, and all that is or ever will be.

When God overshadowed Mary with His glory, majesty, and everything that He is and placed in her the seed of Himself because humans had been tainted at the fall of Adam and even though we had been created in His image. The health, longevity, peace that God had intended they enjoy would now through two people, at the badgering, beguiling voice of the serpent had now become tainted and polluted with sickness, sin, and death and the beautiful mercy and grace that should have been in us turned to wickedness and violence as the seed of the enemy was introduced into the human equation.

So on this beautiful, blessed night that heaven would kiss the earth and angels would proclaim the lullaby to end all lullabies mingled with humans HEARING the songs of heaven itself as they sang “GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST”, the breach was repaired by the same means by which it had been destroyed when the absolute Holy of Holiest came through a vessel of purity and would allow the spiritual birth of a new kind, first fruits of the Father and of the Son, and those to be of the Kingdom yet to come.

Secular shows with their ideal of “comedic” nods to the nativity that actually are blasphemous, songs written in churches long ago as praise and glory now have parodied lyrics and among the parties, gifts, and feasting of our present day, the shepherds who stood in awe, the angels whose heavenly appearance and song would have melted even the hardest heart, the obedient but ever rewarded wise men, and the glorious star who shone with incredible splendor are being quickly forgotten and are no longer welcomed in our popular society.

So as Christmas approaches think about that star, think about what has been seeded inside of YOU as a believer, think about what YOU can bring to the King in adoration and worship to Him when He has opened YOUR treasures, (secret there, HE IS the one who has given you the gifts that you give back to the Kingdom) His Royal gold, pure, tried and true word of God. His Myrrh, purification for our souls and His dying that IN HIM we live. His frankincense in intercession for all the world and all those created by Him and for Him.

And that glorious star that burns ever so brightly STILL today if you will only choose to see it. His glory that still visits earth, His glory that will ONE day be revealed to all. “ARISE, shine; for thy light IS come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” ISAIAH 60:1

Let HIS light SHINE on you and through you this season and all year. Remember it is about LOVE, COMPASSION, MERCY, and CHARITY to our fellow-man, not necessarily fellow family members.

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more (brighter and brighter) unto the perfect day.” PROVERBS 4:18

As we KNOW HE IS that light that leads us as it led the others over two thousand years ago. And it will lead us into the ways of the Lord and it will lead us into that truly perfect day.

REVELATION 21:22-25: “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb ARE the temple of it. And the city had NO NEED of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: FOR THE GLORY OF GOD DID LIGHTEN IT, and THE LAMB IS THE LIGHT THEREOF.

And the nations of them which are saved SHALL WALK IN THE LIGHT OF IT; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: For there shall be NO NIGHT THERE.”

Don’t let the world steal your Christmas cheer with all the materialism that Christmas should cost a fortune, and if you can not afford the latest this or that, your family will be disappointed. Remember gifts are from the heart and the true price for Christmas was not paid for until Calvary and that was a gift none of us could have afforded to purchase.

Reports show that depression is at its height and the greatest numbers of suicides occur during the holidays, why? Because we have bought the lies of a Norman Rockwell family Christmas and lost sight of the TRUE meaning, we have made it a celebration for US and completely forgot about HIM. And I am not talking about people who have recently lost loved ones or been through some other horrific event, this is in reference to seasonal depression because we allow commercials and story books to convince us of the illusion of a holiday that nothing could ever measure up to.

No celebration in this world will ever live up to the true JOY and the true MEANING of REJOICING EXCEEDING, they were REJOICING in finding HIM! Shouldn’t we also? Once you have experienced the glory of the Lord in person and beheld the King in all HIS Majesty, and stood in His presence, (well, for the period that you are ABLE to stand) there WILL NEVER BE any event or reason to seek anything other than HIM.

So keep your head up, your ears deaf to the whispers of the merchants, your eyes turned away from all the “must have” gifts of the season and please, by all means FOLLOW THAT STAR!

May the Lord Bless you with a wonderful Christmas season filled with His love, mercy, grace and that His peace will be with you and yours!

Φλογιζω NBJ original post date 2016, revisited 12/01/2019, & 12/13/20 “HOLIDAY RERUN 12/03/22

November 25, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Abiding In The Field….”

Beautiful fields, prairie fields at the peak of the season flowing with wildflowers and butterflies.

Mown fields, lush green pastures as far as the eye can see just begging to be used as the ultimate reunion of love as two run toward each other to embrace.

Peaceful fields bordered by crystal clear flowing streams as sheep happily graze without a care in the world as their shepherd watches over them.

But there are other fields…. Fields of dry, brown grass withered by the scorch of the sun, patches of soil left exposed and cracked lacking the relief of gentle expected rains that did not come.

Fallow field that require the tedious backbreaking work of removing all the stone and working that ground until it can produce once again.

With the changing seasons of this life WE ARE THOSE SHEEP and those laborers. And we find ourselves in many different fields. The Prophet Jeremiah bought a filed for an inheritance, even though EVERYTHING was going to fall apart, this was the purchase of the FUTURE.

Jeremiah 32:14 : “Thus SAITH the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take the evidences (deeds), this evidence (deed) of the purchase, BOTH WHICH IS SEALED, and THIS EVIDENCE WHICH IS OPEN; and put them in an EARTHEN VESSEL, that they may continue (last) many days. For thus SAITH the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; HOUSES AND VINEYARDS SHALL BE POSSESSED AGAIN IN THIS LAND.”

And we’ll go to another Bible account and visit Ruth, a lady who found herself in a “foreign” field and how that field held blessing beyond anything she could have imagined for her life at that time.

As she gleaned that field, working to take what had been left to feed those who were hungry, she unknowingly caught the eye of the one who owned the field!

Ruth 2:8,9: ” Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? GO NOT to glean in another field, NEITHER go from hence ( do not leave from here) BUT ABIDE HERE fast (close) by my maidens: LET THINE EYES BE ON THE FIELD THAT THEY DO REAP and go thou after them (follow them) : and have I not charged the young me that THEY SHOULD NOT TOUCH THEE? (they had been told to leave her alone and let her work ) and when thou art athirst (thirsty) GO UNTO THE VESSELS, and DRINK THAT WHICH THE YOUNG MEN HAVE DRAWN ( they were SUPPOSED to SHARE with her their water and allow her access to THEIR water jugs).

We’ll keep the advise Ruth had heeded in mind and we will journey on through the Bible and pay a visit to those who were also were also diligently minding the tasks of their field.

Luke 2:8-20 ” And there were in the same country SHEPHERDS ABIDING IN THE FIELD, KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the GLORY OF THE LORD SHONE ROUND ABOUT THEM: and they were sore afraid.

And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And SUDDENLY there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host PRAISING GOD, and saying, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOD WILL TOWARD MEN.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them INTO HEAVEN, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and SEE this thing which is come to pass, which the LORD HATH MADE KNOWN UNTO US. and they came WITH HASTE, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when THEY HAD SEEN IT, THEY MADE IT KNOWN abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

BUT Mary kept all these things, and PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART.

And the SHEPHERDS RETURNED, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

So that promised redemption, those open deeds, the things made known and crystal clear and those deeds that had been sealed, the birth of a King coming in a way no one could see, born in poverty to parents whose offering would be two turtle doves, the offering given by the poorest of the poor, those deeds to the inheritance of all of eternity had been kept in that earthen vessel which would be born of a virgin and in the lineage of another who obeyed the field command.

As God allowed love to blossom in that field between Ruth and Boaz, a love whose embrace led to the birth of their great-grandson who would be King David whose bloodline would be honored in the ultimate fulfillment of those deeds, those promises of OWNERSHIP of a nation and the world that would come in that earthen vessel born in that humble manger in the body of Jesus Christ.

The shepherds who were doing their job watching over their sheep AT NIGHT (I’m not even getting it to that YET, oh, but it is coming) were rewarded by the proclamation of the news to ends all news given straight BY THE VOICES OUT OF HEAVEN ITSELF!

So about those fields, had Jeremiah took it upon himself to ignore the voice of the Lord and think well, why buy a place that will be destroyed?

What if Ruth had decided that another field with kinder maidens would be more enjoyable?

What if the young men tried to run Ruth away and hoarded all the water that she was dependent on to strengthen her during gleaning?

What if the shepherds had not abided by their flock? They would have NEVER heard from heaven!

Mary kept it and pondered it, she knew who her baby was and that was enough for her.

Whatever field you find yourself in today, please stay there, if it is beautiful and fertile, let the Lord lead you and bless that beautiful place and season in your life, don’t doubt it, run through that field and embrace!

If you find yourself being urged to “purchase” what appears dead or hopeless, heed the voice of the Lord, only He knows His plans and He alone will bring life back to what APPEARS hopeless.

If your field is stone and you have worked until your back breaks and your hands bleed and you have cried so many tears that you can’t even remember the last time you smiled, DON’T GIVE UP!

I promise when that last stone is ripped from the ground and that soil is soft and

God sends those refreshing rains of spring, what you have sown also watered by all those tears is going to spring up into a harvest so plentiful and beautiful that you will rejoice and thank Him for giving you the strength to not give up.

Shepherds take heed that stay by your sheep DURING THIS NIGHT, and don’t let the water boys hoard that which is meant to be shared with those God has sent to glean the leftovers FROM YOUR FIELD and never cease to hear the voice of that heavenly host praising God, they beheld His glory but I promise you, we who are faithful will also behold Him and it will be a glory unlike any that has been as of yet but we have to be listening in our field.

HE IS THE I AM THAT IS and me and my little fire baby Φλογιζω will stay in our field and you stay in yours, you will never regret it!

Φλογίζω / NBJ 2015 Original post date: 12/12/2015 *Revisited 12/07/2019 & * 12/04/2020 & Revisited 12/17/2021 & 11/25/22

June 14, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Simply Blessed”

“BLESS the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, Bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Who satiisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment (justice) for those who are oppressed.

He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

The Lord is merciful, and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

He will not always chide (strive): neither will he keep his anger for ever.

He hath not dealt with us after our sins; neither rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as heaven is high above earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Like a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

For he knoweth our frame (human condition);he remebereth that we are dust.

As for man, his days are as grass: as the flower of the field, so se flourisheth.

For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know (remember) it no more.

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness upon children’s children.

To such as keep his covenant, and those that remember his commandments to do them.” Psalm 103:1-19

We often think of blessing as asking the Lord to bless us, or bless those we care for, or have a need, and he does truly bless us and those we seek him on behalf of.

But what about when we bless him? When we give praise and honor to him and his Holy Name.

When we worship in his presence in that secret place of our prayer closet bringing all of our gratitude, not only for what he has done but for who he is.

When we begin to bless him, we then are blessed in him and in his presence, his mercy and grace, forgiveness, and healing, even renewing us, repairing the damages caused by the years of toil and strife of years of life lived without him.

He will repair all that has been broken, he will restore the years the cankerworm has eaten away, he will give the oil of joy for mourning, and he will renew not only your strength as the eagle’s but renew your youth.

“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:29-31

As you bless him you will be the one who is truly blessed!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev. N. Brown Johnson

March 22, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

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!

February 9, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

DOUBLE-EDGED PART 3 / LOVESICK….

As the love saga in the Book of Solomon plays out we find that the couple are madly in love, the common thread that weaves the story is her proclamation that “His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me” now that is pretty close, the left hand being the tenderness and gentleness and the right hand in reference to the protection and justice of God, she is completely covered.

As we know she get to comfy and refuses to answer his call and once she does decide to drag herself out of bed, he’s gone.

Now the embrace that was becomes the embrace that should be, she is no longer in his arms, she is no longer under his protection.

Desperate to get him back, she frantically runs through the city, and as compared to our backslidden states and the rude awakening of the lukewarm, sleeping church, in the frenzied hunt she is wounded, she is hurt, and her dignity is taken away but she doesn’t give up.

As lovers often do, she begs her friends to please relay a message if they were to run into him and she is met with the question that we as believers are often met with.

Song of Solomon 4:7-9: “The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote (struck) me, they wounded me, the keepers of the walls took my veil from me.

I charge (beg) you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, THAT YE TELL HIM, that I AM SICK OF LOVE (lovesick).
Her friends reply: “ WHAT IS THY BELOVED MORE THAN ANOTHER BELOVED?…

What was it about him again? What was it that made her proclaim “Draw me, we will run after thee”…
Our main thought from part two, so what does that mean?

Well we need a reason, something that we desire that propels us to “press toward the mark.”

So how does he draw us, what is it about him that makes us follow?

Hosea 11:5: I DREW THEM WITH CORDS of a man (gentle cords), WITH BANDS OF LOVE; I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws (heavy burdens off their neck), and I laid meat unto them (STOOPED AND FED THEM).“

His Mercy, His Grace, but as He himself stated, His gentleness, coming down to care for us.

Psalm 85:10: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”
His mercy meeting us in our sin stricken state and the truth of his love and forgiveness washing us white as snow, right standing and peace of God, peace in God, and the peace of God forming a beautiful union.

Psalm 18:35:“Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden (held) me up, AND THY GENTLENESS HATH MADE ME GREAT (victorious).”

Matthew 11:29: “Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I AM meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble) ; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

So when did she find him? We’ll get his answer:

Jeremiah 29:13:“And ye shall SEEK ME, and FIND ME,WHEN YE SHALL SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART.”

I so totally wanted to end that with an exclamation point but…. I don’t want in trouble!

But as we wrap this up please hold onto that thought, remember that love, that drew you to him and rekindle that flame, remember who HE IS.

He draws us with his gentleness and that love.
Next time we’ll see why that love, that mercy, and above all that gentleness that forgives, that saves, and heals also turns to the other side of that double-edged sword.
It will bring justice, judgment, and unimaginable horror beyond human comprehension to this earth.
Without the understanding of that love and being embraced in that love and without the acceptance of his will and our place in the midst of it all, we will lose that love and that love and that love alone is all that can keep us through these days.
Φλογιζω/ NBJ/ 2015 Original post date: 10/05/2015 REVISTED 2021/ Rev. Nina Brown Johnson & 02/09/2022

February 8, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

DOUBLE-EDGED PART 2 / FANNING THE FLAME…..

“Because of the savour (fragrance) of thy good ointments THY NAME (JESUS) IS AS A OINTMENT (healing balm) POURED FORTH, therefore do the virgins love thee.
DRAW ME ( lead me away ) we WILL RUN AFTER THEE (GOD): The KING hath BROUGHT me INTO HIS chambers: We WILL be glad and REJOICE in thee (GOD), WE WILL REMEMBER THY LOVE MORE THAN WINE: the upright love thee (BEING RIGHT IN OUR LOVE FOR YOU).”Song of Solomon:1:3-4

Now to unravel that, I always like to point out to NEVER EVER read the commentaries on this book!
It is compared to Solomon and his Shulamite lady, but they are so wrong!
It is not about the kind of relationship they like to carnally compare it to.
It is the relationship between Jesus and His church (The Bride).
I still love this; I am actually called to specifically the book of Revelation, but I love Solomon and I am so thankful to Him for allowing me the work in it that he does because as I said before women WERE NOT ALLOWED TO READ THIS BOOK!
That is the problem, that is what we must overcome to really get this, they thought women would become too “flustered” if they were to read the descriptive passage of a soul entwining love that left one so helpless desiring to breathe the very breath of the other, a love so strong, that “it is strong as death, the jealousy (desire to keep and protect the love of that relationship) is a cruel as the grave: the fire thereof ARE coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.”

Jesus came here as a man BUT he was completely innocent, completely sinless and HE NEVER HAD, NOR WILL EVER HAVE the kind of relations that humans do!

But IT IS the grandest, most romantic love story that has ever been or ever will be written.
IT IS the spiritual love story between Christ and the church.
Once we have been brought into His house of “feasting”, (rejoicing at the “table of God”) and tasted spiritually the things of God, we can no longer help but to run after him.
The virgins (hearts spiritually pure to Him) seek only to be one more moment in His presence, completely overshadowed and overcame by Him and all that He is, which is indescribable, but will of a certainty melt your knees from under you and leave you blew blew completely away that to mirror the verse “turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcame (overwhelmed) me.”

Translation if He were to physically manifest to match his spiritual manifestation, you would be unable to make eye contact because of the sheer majesty and awe of what you had just experienced.

But don’t take my word for it, especially since a certain “anonymous” group wants to make me their poster child because they think we are all sick and need help, but I know just how real He is and I know that love, and I know one word from Him and my soul will melt at His will, because I adore Him and His wish is my command, He owns me completely and I want Him too, what really gets you is His overwhelming humility and gentleness.

How could you expect the God of the universe to meet you in your pain and cover you with pure love in such an unexpected way?
How can He come down to mere mortals and dry their tears and silence their cries and assure them that His love heals all and they are in His garden, no matter what the world or others may say.
How can He hold the world in His hand and yet know the number of hairs on our heads and how he knows our today from our tomorrow, and our first breath from our last?

How can he possibly form us in our mother’s womb, watch us as we struggle to find our way and then when we have returned to Him never question us as to why it took so long, only welcome us with arms open wide and love as strong?

1 Samuel 2:1-10:“And Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoiced in the Lord, mine horn (my strength) is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged (smiles at) over mine enemies.
BECAUSE I rejoice in thy (your) salvation, THERE IS NONE HOLY AS THE LORD:

FOR THERE IS NONE BESIDE THEE: NEITHER IS THERE ANY ROCK LIKE OUR GOD.
Talk no more so exceedingly proudly; let NOT arrogancy come out of your mouth;

For the Lord IS a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty men are broken; and they that stumbled ARE GIRDED WITH STRENGTH.

They that were full have hired themselves out for bread; and they that were hungry ceased (hunger no more); so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath born seven is waxed (grown) feeble.
The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: HE BRINGETH DOWN TO THE GRAVE, AND BRINGETH UP. The lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, TO SET them among princes, AND TO MAKE THEM INHERIT THE THRONE OF GLORY: for the pillars of the earth ARE THE LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.

HE WILL keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for BY STRENGTH SHALL NO MAN PREVAIL.
THE ADVERSARIES OF THE LORD SHALL BE BROKEN TO PIECES; OUT OF HEAVEN HE SHALL THUNDER UPON THEM: THE LORD SHALL JUDGE THE EARTH; and he shall give strength unto his king and exalt the horn (strength) OF HIS ANOINTED.”

Luke 1: 46-54:
“And Mary said, My soul hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the low estate (lowly state) of his handmaiden (maidservant); for, behold, from henceforth (now on) all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; AND HOLY IS HIS NAME.
And HIS MERCY IS ON THEM that fear him FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
He hath shewed (shown) strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats (thrones) and exalted them of a low degree (the lowly).
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent away empty.
he hath holpen (helped) his servant Israel, IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIS MERCY;”
Remembering that love, next time….
Φλογιζω/NBJ/ 2015 Original post: 10/04/2015 REVISTED 2021 & 02/08/2022

February 7, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

DOUBLE-EDGED PART 1 / LOVE, OR THE LACK THEREOF

MATTHEW 24:12: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax (grow) cold.”
Love has surely grown cold in our world, family values and neighborly love and just the basic natural response to protect those who are unable to protect themselves are all but forgotten by the majority of the world.

Fulfilling Romans 1:31: “Without understanding, covenant breakers, WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION, (common decency and care for others) implacable (UNFORGIVING, UNMERCIFUL).”

We really don’t need to point this out but for sake of doing it right or for those who hadn’t thought about it, I will.
Domestic abuse has always been a blight upon earth, the number killer of women is men (more women are murdered than die through accident or disease) animal abuse is just as appalling to God as any other kind of abuse.
Divorce rates are through the roof with the next generation growing in one parent homes often with Mom’s who must work to support them and the family lives of all involved falls through the cracks of the need to survive.

Father figures now lacking, no one to show the way often leads to following the wrong examples and walking the same wrong paths.
But now we also slaughter and sadistically slaughter unwanted babies to profit from their body parts.

Human sexual trafficking brings in billions and billions of dollars annually.
And you really have to ask yourself, who are these people? The numbers of people networking this is just mind-boggling and it truly defies logic, that these acts which are so heinous, and disturbing have become livelihoods for what has to be thousands and thousands of people.
It is enough to make the gentlest, love filled merciful heart be mighty tempted to turn to that same hate and as much as I hate to admit it (God knows it, he knows my heart better than I do) I wrestle with these issues and in some cases I truly have absolutely no sympathy for some of these monsters.

I do not believe they are human.

Human’s sin, they make mistakes, but even the roughest person has some glimmer of hope, some shred of decency, or at the very least they are capable of loving their mother or Grandma.

But THESE are THOSE already slated to slaughter by the double-edged sword of the absolute King of everything.
The hardest aspect of the end time is trying to understand and get into our spirits WHO JESUS IS and to get in that love, and I do mean get into it, and understand HIS LOVE and also understand how that it is HIS LOVE that is bringing down the destruction of the entire world.

The greatest argument that fights the true Gospel is that God is love, and how could he level the people of earth and call forth the birds to take care of the dead bodies.

I hope this series will answer some of those questions.
We will review revelations from at the feet of the King.
We will really, really look at WHO HE REALLY IS, and biblically prove his character and the attributes of His Holiness.

We will look at others in scripture who got this and understood it and attempt to understand what true submission under the wings of God really is, sometimes we like to argue that we really are submitted to His will, but we often need to do a check baby on that.

Just how much of you are you willing to give him control over, how much of your body will you give as a vessel for His power and His glory to work through, just how willing are you to give yourself and all that you are, right down to the absolute baring of your soul in worship to him, regardless of who sees it or what they may think and whether or not they understand, ridicule or make you their poster child for all things they believe doesn’t exist.

The children of God are often Biblically referred to as “trees” and to get the idea on this, if you tap a tree what is inside is going to come out.

To SURVIVE these last days and to fulfill the mighty works of the Lord that are coming down, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS LOVE, or rather IT must have you, it is the merging.

It is the understanding and acceptance and being ONE WITH HIM.
I hope to hit a few different ways to break it down, but please continue with me, these will post over a period of three days, and I truly hope when we are finished His love, His fire will be so consuming and your desire to be consumed by Him will be so great and your understanding opened to the reasoning of the judgments, that you will never ever again question him as to why these things must come to pass.

As the “love of many grows cold” we lose sight of that love that never grows cold, never dies, and always prevails, which leads us to this condition that we MUST get a grip on and fast or we will lose the prize.

“Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee BECAUSE THOU HAST LEFT THY FIRST LOVE” Revelation 2:4

Meaning that there is something that hinders the relationship between us and Jesus, and that is that we have “left” him, left him in letting our love and zeal for him grow cold and indifferent.

The evilness and the state of the world and all the wickedness we are exposed to is the cause of leaving that love, so next time we’ll look at stoking that fire and rekindling that flame and lying back down at the feet of our king.

January 21, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“How do I love thee?”

“Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words,which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.” Deuteronomy 6:4-6

Old school groove, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways” that one has been around for ages! But it is wonderful question, once Jesus gives us those new hearts and leads us in His paths, we are met with that question, once the true realization of His presence and love is known to you, as He said, He will give you a heart to KNOW him, then we are faced with the humanly overwhelming question of how do you relay your love back to the God of the universe, who created heaven and earth , and who can hold time, space, and eternity in the palm of His hand and if He wanted, He could speak one word and completely destroy every single thing that now exists?

Obviously, as mere mortals, it would seem that we have nothing, nothing to offer as a token of our love in return, our love to Him for creating us, caring for us, and most of all dying on a cross for us so that we could be saved, and never giving up on us.

So how do we love Him and what exactly is it that He wants? Well, we are created in His image and He wants the same thing we want from Him, He wants our love and our heart, and He does not want a little portion of our hearts, you know a spot that remains empty while the main space is taken by other people, other things that we cling too while He gets whatever love is left. He will not go for that, not now, not ever.

No He wants ALL our heart or none of our heart, that is why he said to seek Him with our WHOLE heart. he wants a real relationship and not to be a God in the distance in our lives, He wants fellowship with us and this has become so messed up in the world thinking. He is love BUT He also tells us if we love Him, we WILL keep His commandments and when you think about it, there is nothing on that list that is unreasonable and every single command He has ever handed down is FOR OUR GOOD.

So we have to get into that thinking that He IS love and He IS our friend but we are also required by that love to do as He asks. Our world has major rebellion problems on this one, it is taught as well He loves us, we can do what makes us happy, No, that is NOT loving Him, that is trying to compare His goodness toward us with some sort of fairy godfather who grants your every whim. And that is in no way loving Him or respecting Him, that is loving our flesh and being so arrogant as to think our DESIRES are of a higher value than His Holiness, and that kinda thinking will get a person a quick trip to the grave.

“But the hour cometh, and now IS, when true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. GOD IS A SPIRIT: and they that worship him must worship him in SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.” John 4:23,24

So we know with Jesus arrival on earth, all things were changed and no longer were prayers and sacrifice made by a priest needed and all who truly believe could be allowed entry into the Holy of Holies through his presence with the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This is where we must worship in TRUTH, truth to who He is, truth of His commands, truth of His word, and keeping our lives and actions subjected into and under that TRUTH. We worship Him in Spirit, in His presence in the “places” of salvation:

“But thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise” Isaiah 60:18(a)

Believers are surrounded by those walls of salvation in your worship time and praise is the gate by which we enter and there you worship in fellowship, love, and adoration and there you know Him and receive joy, peace, and assurance and rest from your troubles.

So here is a scriptural checklist:

Deuteronomy 10:12 : “And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee? But (only) to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God WITH ALL THY HEART and ALL THY SOUL.”

Deuteronomy 11:13-14: “And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, and the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, thy wine, and thine oil.”

That is His promises to us of all good things, and the word of God, the bread of life, his blessings, His anointing. So now we answer the question.. “My Dear Lord HOW do I love thee? We enter into your presence with thanksgiving and praise, and in the safety of your pavilion surrounded by those walls of your salvation we will allow ourselves to be taught, loved, and led!

This is how you count the ways! Seek Him, Love Him, Honor Him, and get to know Him, and let His blessings and His mercy transform you!

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2016

Revisited 02/07/2020 , I like to revisit these from time to time, HIS love NEVER fails!

December 17, 2021 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Abiding in the field….”