Category Archives: awakenphlogizo

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TWO TURTLEDOVES

“And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so commanded of the angel BEFORE HE WAS CONCEIVED IN THE WOMB. and when the eight days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, EVERY MALE THAT OPENETH THE WOMB SHALL BE HOLY UNTO THE LORD;) And to OFFER a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.” Luke 2:21-24

 The book of Leviticus, chapter 12 deals with the laws after childbirth and the required offering of a lamb, but verse 8 says this: ” And if she NOT be able to bring a lamb, the she shall bring two turtles (doves), or two young pigeons; the one for a burnt offering, the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

I always love to point out the fact that the offerings and giving of the first fruits helped support the priests, whose job WAS to care for the temple and the things of God, they and their families depended solely upon God for everything. But many things are twisted by the money preachers of today and Apostle Paul actually WORKED to earn his living.

This pressure is felt stronger during the Holiday season than any time of the year. We are bombarded with commercials telling us what our loved ones simply must have to have and if we are short on cash, we can always charge it, of course with a nice healthy interest rate given to those who offer this little extra holiday cheer.

A hard battle to fight. Jesus who left all of heaven, left his throne surrounded by his host of heavenly followers, the angels who came to the shepherds that fateful, divine night surrounded by the glow of heaven itself still could not resist proclaiming his glory for all the world to hear. He chose parents who were poor, who were unable to offer a lamb on his behalf  because he would be THE LAMB.

The two turtle-dove would be as HIS atonement and as HIS being offered as a sacrifice for OUR sins. The dove forever being symbolic of peace and the presence of the Holy spirit and in the humbleness of the meekest of offerings, the King of the absolute universe whose kingdom will be paved with streets of pure gold, gates of precious pearl, walls of jasper and stones of unfathomable worth and again the meekest offering of the poorest of the poor.

Not much to do with super centers and gift wrap there, is there?

Don’t let your joy this season be measured by an invisible force of marketing, don’t stress about the perfect gifts, meager budget, planning the perfect party.

The Bible commands us to not despise the times of small things and the smallest gift of all, a tiny newborn baby WAS and IS the ONLY PERFECT GIFT!

Original post: 12/2015

Φλογιζω NBJ/ Reverend Nina Brown Johnson 12/14/2019 & 12/04/2021 Christmastime rerun 🙂 12/10/2022

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TWO TURTLEDOVES

“And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so commanded of the angel BEFORE HE WAS CONCEIVED IN THE WOMB. and when the eight days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, EVERY MALE THAT OPENETH THE WOMB SHALL BE HOLY UNTO THE LORD;) And to OFFER a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.” Luke 2:21-24

 The book of Leviticus, chapter 12 deals with the laws after childbirth and the required offering of a lamb, but verse 8 says this: ” And if she NOT be able to bring a lamb, the she shall bring two turtles (doves), or two young pigeons; the one for a burnt offering, the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

I always love to point out the fact that the offerings and giving of the first fruits helped support the priests, whose job WAS to care for the temple and the things of God, they and their families depended solely upon God for everything. But many things are twisted by the money preachers of today and Apostle Paul actually WORKED to earn his living. This pressure is felt stronger during the Holiday season than any time of the year. We are bombarded with commercials telling us what our loved ones simply must have to have and if we are short on cash, we can always charge it, of course with a nice healthy interest rate given to those who offer this little extra holiday cheer.

A hard battle to fight. Jesus who left all of heaven, left his throne surrounded by his host of heavenly followers, the angels who came to the shepherds that fateful, divine night surrounded by the glow of heaven itself still could not resist proclaiming his glory for all the world to hear. He chose parents who were poor, who were unable to offer a lamb on his behalf  because he would be THE LAMB.

The two turtle-dove would be as HIS atonement and as HIS being offered as a sacrifice for OUR sins. The dove forever being symbolic of peace and the presence of the Holy spirit and in the humbleness of the meekest of offerings, the King of the absolute universe whose kingdom will be paved with streets of pure gold, gates of precious pearl, walls of jasper and stones of unfathomable worth and again the meekest offering of the poorest of the poor. Not much to do with super centers and gift wrap there, is there?

Don’t let your joy this season be measured by an invisible force of marketing, don’t stress about the perfect gifts, meager budget, planning the perfect party. The Bible commands us to not despise the times of small things and the smallest gift of all, a tiny newborn baby WAS and IS the ONLY PERFECT GIFT!

Original post: 12/2015

Φλογιζω NBJ/ Reverend Nina Brown Johnson 12/14/2019 & 12/04/2021

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“COME WITH ME”

“Tell me, O thou whom my soul lovest, where thou feedest (feed your flocks), where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside ( veils herself) by the flocks of thy companions?” Solomon 1:7

She wants to follow him and him alone, she does not want to hang out with his fellow shepherd’s and appear as one of a more questionable reputation. She wants assurance that she is never mistaken as belonging to anyone other than him and in order to do that he must lead her to HIS secret places where he feeds his flock among the lilies which translates to with love and in the garden of all things beautiful. She can’t just go there, she must follow.

This is a tad different than Jesus commanding us to take up our cross and follow Him, still must be done but this is a following Him out of adoration and a soul drenching desire to know Him deeper and be with Him and to breath in His very breath of apples and to worship Him in the true beauty of His Holiness. Such as David “being AFTER God’s own heart” a scripture I take different than most, I feel that David was truly desirous of knowing and being part of the very heart of God. To have our spiritual senses awakened by the heavenly fragrance of aloes, cassia, and myrrh ( some may not believe this but others know it as fact but the logic defying of an anointing that you can literally smell) and no other will do because only one shepherd, the true shepherd, the undisputed King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Holy and beautiful Lamb Himself can lead us to that feeding ground and that resting  place where no matter what happens in the earthly realm we will be refreshed by the waters  of His rivers and rest ours souls in the secret place of the Most High. Day by day, night by night, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second. Each and every day, only one day at a time, rejoicing each day because it is a day that He has made and His mercy is new ever day.

He tells us so clearly to not think of the past, to forget the former things and leave them behind. Do not give thought to our tomorrow because we know not what it may hold but to LIVE in this day, HIS day because HE IS our ever present help and forever by our side. But we must want to go, we are saved, we are His but oh there is so much more!

  Psalm 110:3: ” THY PEOPLE SHALL BE WILLING ( VOLUNTEERS ) IN THE DAY OF THY POWER, IN THE BEAUTIES OF HOLINESS FROM THE WOMB OF THE MORNING: THOU HAST THE DEW OF THY YOUTH.”

A beautiful BIRTH OF THE MORNING AFTER THE DARK, DARK NIGHT. The gentle dew bringing refreshment, healing and making all things NEW AND FRESH ONCE AGAIN. All that is required of us is to desire it and to FOLLOW Him when He bids “COME”.

That simple. As His sheep, His servants, His maidens and all who love and worship Him.

Isaiah 35: 1-10: “Strengthen ye the weak (sinking) hands, and confirm (make strong) the feeble knees (help each other stand).

SAY to them that are of a fearful heart, BE STRONG, FEAR NOT; BEHOLD, YOUR GOD WILL COME WITH VENGENANCE, EVEN GOD WITH A RECOMPENSE AND SAVE YOU.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing: 

For in the WILDERNESS shall waters break out and streams in the desert.  And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons (jackals) where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes( even the places where the enemy has lie in wait for you, will now become blessed and fertile).

AND AN HIGHWAY SHALL BE THERE, AND A WAY (road), AND IT SHALL BE CALLED THE WAY OF HOLINESS;  THE UNCLEAN SHALL NOT PASS OVER IT: BUT IT SHALL BE FOR THOSE: THE WAYFARING ( those who walk THE road), THOUGH FOOLS, SHALL NOT ERR ( protected, even from themselves, that they WILL NOT GO ASTRAY) THEREIN.

No lion shall be found there, nor ANY ravenous beast shall go up thereon, IT shall not be found there; BUT  THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SHALL WALK THERE: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: THEY SHALL OBTAIN JOY AND GLADNESS, AND SORROW AND SIGHING SHALL FLEE AWAY.” 

Once we follow that path, that road, even though we may not be that smart at making our decisions we will not “err” because He will guide and keep us on that path, those ravenous beasts are the carnal attitudes and stumbling blocks that we must overcome because they WILL NOT be allowed there.  I feel His call today, as He called the disciples to follow, would be this:

Solomon 4:8: “COME WITH ME from Lebanon, my spouse, WITH ME  from Lebanon:  look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions dens, from the mountains of the leopards.” 

  My prayer for all of us, His children the world over, in 2016: Dear Lord Jesus Father God, may we bask in your light and let your heavenly glow flow from us from us all and let us be the light in this pitch black world that you left us to be. May your Holy Fire fall on all as in the Day of Pentecost and let the Fire Baptism refine us as precious gold for the Kingdom. May the living waters from your throne proceed out of our bellies and flow even past orders of our own fallen nation and heal lands and seal those for the great and faithful day to come. Let the signs and wonders follow as you allowed for the disciples, let the miracles come as proof to those who do not believe. Let the great harvest of souls be reaped in the love of you and your mercy. Father, may our minds be renewed likened unto your yours and may our souls forever be entwined in oneness with you and bring swift justice upon the heads of the oppressors and allow your will to be done on earth and it is in heaven, Deliver all those who suffer from evil and bring us all into that glorious day when all nations shall bow before you and all shall worship at your feet, every eye shall see and every tongue shall confess that you are Lord and bring glory to the Father and let our eyes be fixed upon the great day when the words shall be proclaimed for all the universe, even the hosts of heaven “ THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD ARE BECOME THE KIGDOMS OF OUR LORD, AND OF HIS CHRIST; AND HE SHALL REIGN FOR EVER.” In the name above every name, Jesus of Nazareth, AMEN.

Φλογίζω / ΝΒΞ /12/21/2015 

 

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NUMBERED

CHICKS LOG: STAR DATE: DECEMBER 27 2015.  Sentimentally looking for the  approaching 2016 and as most of us welcome a new year. One more shot to get right things that maybe did not go as planned. Another chance to make something right and do the work of the kingdom. A New Year filled with perhaps golden opportunities that may never come again.

We all know that with all the new beginnings also come new challenges and often new heartaches and then we tally up those numbers into lists of credits, debits, and accounts that may never be settled in our hearts. We take those numbers with losses high-lighted and throw them down at the feet of old man time, as we desire old acquaintance be forgot. And give to baby new year a clean slate and look to the future and hope the baby treats us a little kinder than the old dude did and that we all will have a better year.

As humans we ponder the events of the past year and we set goals and make resolutions for our hopes and dreams for the new one. I don’t make resolutions but I do have hopes, dreams, and goals.  I pondered all this yesterday as my pre-Christmas cold had returned with a bloody vengeance and my dripping nose had me feeling like the guy from the hot dog commercial when his kid asked him to cook something and the room starts spinning and “cook something” echoes repeatedly. But with me it was like “write something, write something” my nose won that battle but here I am today! 

My lessons from 2015 is simple, a reinforcement of the knowledge that God is sovereign, storms come, winds blow, life hurts and it hurts bad but Jesus is still walking that water with us. He will go with us to the end of this world IF we will allow Him.

 How we view our circumstances and how we allow it to work into our relationship with Him is completely up to us but it is the deciding factor of the numbers game that will either make us or completely break us. I have been to eight funerals this year, there have been more pass away but those are the ones I have made it to. My daughters best friend lost her Mom in June. One Church sister lost her Dad, another lost her husband and I watched my  own Dad preach two funerals, I watched him lose friends, church family, his niece and then this month his sister. My husband lost his Dad two weeks before my Aunt passed away. His death leaving his family absolutely devastated beyond words because his condition had improved and appeared that he was going to be fine.  Two of these had lost their lives after battles with cancer. Watching all the tears and seeing all the pain, and all those who suffer, especially with prayer requests being to pray for God to please let them not suffer. It can overwhelm everyone, everyone involved. Knowing the entire time that the ones who will be left behind truly need the prayers more.

This is where we all learn dependence on the Lord and I want to share a story that was told at my Aunt’s funeral. The man who preached it has been an Evangelist for over 40 years and his ties to our family are truly God sent, he and another preacher prayed faithfully with our family and my brother when he was terminal, they preached his funeral and in the midst of all those visits he told Mom and Dad that he had prayed the salvation prayer with my eldest brother, either the day he died or the day before. This was in 1973 and had been a torment to my family for years, but see even in the middle of the suffering and ordeal of losing one child, God gave them comfort about the salvation of another.

Silver linings in those dark clouds and rainbows in between the storms. Anyway, he preached my Aunt’s funeral and he is so humble and uses God’s word to comfort all who hear him. His wife had battled cancer for years and years, in the meantime a man had asked him to promise that if he passed away before him would he preach his funeral, and of course he agreed. The way it all went down was like this, the man passed and his wife lost her battle, he had to preach his friends funeral at 2:00 pm and his wife’s services were at 4:00 the same day. He shared that story with everyone as proof of God’s love and mercy even in the worst possible situation. The same God who carried him through would also carry those who asked him.

It is all seasons of this life and some years you will have to add every flower, every rainbow, and every sunny day, and most of all every single morning that He has allowed us breath, into that credit column to prove that all in all the good DOES outweigh the bad. IT IS ALL HOW YOU CRUNCH THOSE NUMBERS.

Mention of numbers, here’s some good ones. 

GODS LOVE AND CARE TOWARD US: 

MATTHEW 10:28-31:  “And fear NOT them which kill the body, but ARE NOT able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both the soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthling? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. BUT THE VERY HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE NUMBERED. FEAR YE NOT THEREFORE, ye are more valuable than many sparrows.”

GOD WATCHES OVER US:

PSALM 56:8: ” Thou tellest (counts or takes into account) my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are the not written in thy book?” 

JOB 14:16: For now thou NUMBEREST my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?”

LEARNING TO LEAN UPON THE SURE MERCIES OF GOD: 

PSALM 90:12,14: “So teach us to NUMBER our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may REJOICE AND BE GLAD ALL OUR DAYS.”

WISDOM FROM THE WORD:

ECCLESIASTES 12: 1-8:” REMEMBER now thy Creator IN THE DAYS OF THY YOUTH, WHILE THE EVIL (VEXATION, TROUBLES) DAYS COME NOT, NOR THE YEARS DRAW NIGH (while in your prime) when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

While the sun, or light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: (good days) In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease (stand idle) because there are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened (grow dim), and the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up the voice of the bird, and the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

Also when they shall be AFRAID of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail, BECAUSE MAN GOETH TO HIS LONG HOME (DIES, ETERNAL HOME),and the mourners go about the streets: Or ever THE SILVER CORD BE LOOSED, OR THE GOLDEN BOWL BE BROKEN, OR THE PITCHER BE BROKEN (SHATTERED) AT THE FOUNTAIN, OR THE WHEEL BROKEN AT THE CISTERN.

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and THE SPIRIT SHALL RETURN TO GOD WHO GAVE IT. VANITY OF VANITIES, SAITH THE PREACHER; ALL IS VANITY.”

HOPE IN GOD:        ROMANS 8:36-39:    “As it is written, FOR THY SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL THE DAY LONG; WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER. Nay, (NO) IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERERS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US. For I am persuaded, that neither DEATH, nor LIFE, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, WHICH IS in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

LAMENTATIONS 3:21-23:   THIS I RECALL TO MY MIND,THEREFORE HAVE I HOPE. It is of the Lord’s mercies THAT WE ARE NOT CONSUMED, because HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT. THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULLNESS.”

That is MY HOPE,   WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERERS when He allows us to laugh through the tears and leap while lame, and shout when we are so emotionally drained that we no longer have words and are just speechless. I see the rainbows and hear the birds and even through the bad we had a beautiful, new little family edition and my sister started a beautiful new chapter in life,  my friend Michelle and our husbands attended a spring formal with our daughters only weeks before her death and even with stage four cancer, she danced and those, those are the memories that will forever shine. My Aunt Evelyn will forever be in my heart, I will forever miss her and miss talking to her and miss her always being there with us but I know one day we will dance on those streets of gold. I know just as He did for Brother Joe, God will strengthen all who ask and I know in the end when all numbers come up God allows us to hold the winning hand. From my heart to yours, may you and your family have a Blessed New Year in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2015

 

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TWO TURTLEDOVES

“And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so commanded of the angel BEFORE HE WAS CONCEIVED IN THE WOMB. and when the eight days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, EVERY MALE THAT OPENETH THE WOMB SHALL BE HOLY UNTO THE LORD;) And to OFFER a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.” Luke 2:21-24

 The book of Leviticus, chapter 12 deals with the laws after childbirth and the required offering of a lamb, but verse 8 says this: ” And if she NOT be able to bring a lamb, the she shall bring two turtles (doves), or two young pigeons; the one for a burnt offering, the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

I always love to point out the fact that the offerings and giving of the first fruits helped support the priests, whose job WAS to care for the temple and the things of God, they and their families depended solely upon God for everything. But many things are twisted by the money preachers of today and Apostle Paul actually WORKED to earn his living. This pressure is felt stronger during the Holiday season than any time of the year. We are bombarded with commercials telling us what our loved ones simply must have to have and if we are short on cash, we can always charge it, of course with a nice healthy interest rate given to those who offer this little extra holiday cheer.

A hard battle to fight. Jesus who left all of heaven, left his throne surrounded by his host of heavenly followers, the angels who came to the shepherds that fateful, divine night surrounded by the glow of heaven itself still could not resist proclaiming his glory for all the world to hear. He chose parents who were poor, who were unable to offer a lamb on his behalf  because he would be THE LAMB.

The two turtle-dove would be as HIS atonement and as HIS being offered as a sacrifice for OUR sins. The dove forever being symbolic of peace and the presence of the Holy spirit and in the humbleness of the meekest of offerings, the King of the absolute universe whose kingdom will be paved with streets of pure gold, gates of precious pearl, walls of jasper and stones of unfathomable worth and again the meekest offering of the poorest of the poor. Not much to do with super centers and gift wrap there, is there?

Don’t let your joy this season be measured by an invisible force of marketing, don’t stress about the perfect gifts, meager budget, planning the perfect party. The Bible commands us to not despise the times of small things and the smallest gift of all, a tiny newborn baby WAS and IS the ONLY PERFECT GIFT!

Original post: 12/2015

Φλογιζω NBJ/ Reverend Nina Brown Johnson 12/14/2019

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"EN GARDE !!!"

“Aha Peasant, EN GARDE!” the command shouted for one of several reasons, maybe a random sword welding D’Artagan wannabe has just pounced out from behind an innocent looking bush and challenged you to a duel or maybe your being gently warned to be on your guard.
I am taking for granted that you who are reading this are nowhere near any bushes so we’ll go with the latter.
I’ve been noticing something for a long time now and it is not the easiest subject to bring up but it needs addressed.
Churches and Christians as a whole have become a wee lax in the area of respect to the Holiness.
This is not aimed at any one person and if we go to church together, please, please, don’t think that!
Movies, and the media have for a long while made fun of us and of God.
The onslaught of the white bottomed candy coats with their ever-increasing need to market Jesus as the cool, hip, and never offended by what YOU may do God of  ALL YOUR FLESHLY DESIRES have produced an array of off colored jokes, and Christianity related acronyms that seem to find their way printed on everything that makes one wonder are they referring to a Deity or are they selling laundry detergent.
Tacky, questionable off-color jokes and even more tasteless greeting cards with everything from the Ark to Wise Men.
Little animal and snowmen, and anything else you can imagine Nativity figurines now widely available.
(Still pretty sure he was born as a man!)
In it all, what bothers me most is the jokes about Pentecostals and the never-ending parade of “Cool Jesus” picture posts and “religious” memes and the never-ending saga of share to be blessed with twenty thousand dollars.
Again I am not being harpy, I have struggled with trying to tell people who maybe they really need to THINK about WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND WHAT THEY ARE LAUGHING ABOUT and I have to keep MYSELF on guard.
My Mother told me that she prays especially for forgiveness for sins that she may never have realized that she committed.
Because as she said, something we may not even think is a problem could be absolutely vile to God, and that is true.
We have accepted all this and you can share to be blessed, but share your time, your heart, or an uplifting thought or scripture.
God is Holy, The Holy Ghost the most Holy of Holiness and think about it, Moses was commanded to take his shoes off because THE VERY GROUND was sacred, if one wrong move was made toward the Ark someone was going to die, dishonor the Sabbath, someone was going to die and on and on through the Bible and falling at feet of the Lord out of absolute respect and awe of His majesty.
We have let it sneak in slowly and it has to be dealt with before it defiles our temples and alienates our minds to the true Gospel.
Jesus is not groovy, He’s not your hip buddy.
He is Holy and is to be only addressed with adoration and consummate respect.
 He is our friend and our Savior but we have to not let that line blur and if we want cool and hip we might need to look up Michael Buble because God doesn’t play that.
Again I do not believe it is intentional, I think it has come through by the world seeping in on us, because we have let down our guard.
See it for what it is and who is behind it and get the rollers under and put it out of your life and walk away from those who try to drag it back to you.
EPHESIANS 5:4: “Neither filthiness, nor FOOLISH TALKING, nor JESTING (coarse jesting, crude or off-color jokes) ARE NOT CONVENIENT (do not become Christian conduct or Christ like behavior) But rather give thanks.“
I personally believe God has a fabulous sense of humor and “laughter is merry medicine”, but it has to be in the right context, instead of pleasing the flesh with bad humor use that same voice to give him honor and praise.


PHILIPPIANS 4:7 :And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, SHALL KEEP (GUARD) YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.”
His peace will keep your hearts and mind alert to these insidious little cracks in the flesh but you must stay aware of them.
So EN GARDE! And I am totally not hiding behind a bush!
Φλογίζω/All rights reserved/ NBJ 2015

 


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“EN GARDE !!!”

“Aha Peasant, EN GARDE!” the command shouted for one of several reasons, maybe a random sword welding D’Artagan wannabe has just pounced out from behind an innocent looking bush and challenged you to a duel or maybe your being gently warned to be on your guard.
I am taking for granted that you who are reading this are nowhere near any bushes so we’ll go with the latter.
I’ve been noticing something for a long time now and it is not the easiest subject to bring up but it needs addressed.
Churches and Christians as a whole have become a wee lax in the area of respect to the Holiness.
This is not aimed at any one person and if we go to church together, please, please, don’t think that!
Movies, and the media have for a long while made fun of us and of God.
The onslaught of the white bottomed candy coats with their ever-increasing need to market Jesus as the cool, hip, and never offended by what YOU may do God of  ALL YOUR FLESHLY DESIRES have produced an array of off colored jokes, and Christianity related acronyms that seem to find their way printed on everything that makes one wonder are they referring to a Deity or are they selling laundry detergent.
Tacky, questionable off-color jokes and even more tasteless greeting cards with everything from the Ark to Wise Men.
Little animal and snowmen, and anything else you can imagine Nativity figurines now widely available.
(Still pretty sure he was born as a man!)
In it all, what bothers me most is the jokes about Pentecostals and the never-ending parade of “Cool Jesus” picture posts and “religious” memes and the never-ending saga of share to be blessed with twenty thousand dollars.
Again I am not being harpy, I have struggled with trying to tell people who maybe they really need to THINK about WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND WHAT THEY ARE LAUGHING ABOUT and I have to keep MYSELF on guard.
My Mother told me that she prays especially for forgiveness for sins that she may never have realized that she committed.
Because as she said, something we may not even think is a problem could be absolutely vile to God, and that is true.
We have accepted all this and you can share to be blessed, but share your time, your heart, or an uplifting thought or scripture.
God is Holy, The Holy Ghost the most Holy of Holiness and think about it, Moses was commanded to take his shoes off because THE VERY GROUND was sacred, if one wrong move was made toward the Ark someone was going to die, dishonor the Sabbath, someone was going to die and on and on through the Bible and falling at feet of the Lord out of absolute respect and awe of His majesty.
We have let it sneak in slowly and it has to be dealt with before it defiles our temples and alienates our minds to the true Gospel.
Jesus is not groovy, He’s not your hip buddy.
He is Holy and is to be only addressed with adoration and consummate respect.
 He is our friend and our Savior but we have to not let that line blur and if we want cool and hip we might need to look up Michael Buble because God doesn’t play that.
Again I do not believe it is intentional, I think it has come through by the world seeping in on us, because we have let down our guard.
See it for what it is and who is behind it and get the rollers under and put it out of your life and walk away from those who try to drag it back to you.
EPHESIANS 5:4: “Neither filthiness, nor FOOLISH TALKING, nor JESTING (coarse jesting, crude or off-color jokes) ARE NOT CONVENIENT (do not become Christian conduct or Christ like behavior) But rather give thanks.“
I personally believe God has a fabulous sense of humor and “laughter is merry medicine”, but it has to be in the right context, instead of pleasing the flesh with bad humor use that same voice to give him honor and praise.


PHILIPPIANS 4:7 :And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, SHALL KEEP (GUARD) YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.”
His peace will keep your hearts and mind alert to these insidious little cracks in the flesh but you must stay aware of them.
So EN GARDE! And I am totally not hiding behind a bush!
Φλογίζω/All rights reserved/ NBJ 2015

 


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DOWN LOW OΝ PHLOGIZO (Φλογιζω)

Just wanted to do a quick hit to explain the name of my blog, it is pronounced Flog-id-zo, it means to inflame with passion, set on fire, ignite. The reason it is in Greek is for another day.
I chose the name after much prayer and actually it is my prayer for myself and believers every where that God will let that passion rise up in all of us, in these last days and that we will see deliverance, hearings, miracles and a great, great harvest of souls.

We all struggle and we have had overcoming to do through Jesus and His blood, it is also very symbolic of my own struggles and how God often uses the very thing Satan tried to destroy us with, as a catapult to propel us out of our comfort zone.

You can read a little more about those struggles in my post Shaking off the shackles of shame.”

It is my sincerest prayer that you will be touched, in your own private time with God. I think many of these subjects are better dealt with one on one with God and He always sees and He always hears the cries of our hearts and we DO NOT have to tell our innermost thoughts to a person, church, or the entire world, only Him and I pray this food for thought will help you do just that.

My subjects are often a little uncomfortable, but God is God over all our life and He wants to help us through all our struggles and remove anything that hinders our relationship with him. I have one agenda, to see his Kingdom come and see all who will rest in His grace.
My profile may also look a little dark, but I assure you it is also symbolic, our world can be a very scary, unpredictable place and even though we can’t see it, we do have all the help of the universe behind us.

God is our High tower, fortress and strength and He promises He will never leave us or forsake us!
New content will post Saturday each week, I would love to have feedback and hear your thoughts and comments.

You can also check out the page, “Me, Me, Me, and I am singing that.” and for part of my personal testimony: Beautifully Broken

 Thanks for stopping by!                                  

Sister Nina

Φλογιζω