December 29, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“2022 Season’s Walked Through”

Psalm 69:1-3: “Save me, O God: for the waters are come in unto my soul.

I sink in deep mire: where there is no standing.

I am come into deep waters, where floods overflow me.

I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.”

An excellent passage for so many as we finish up another year.

The past twelve months not being without its victories, new life springing forth as babies born and battles won, hope renewed.

But for many the past year has been very difficult, seasons of fear and loss, natural disasters, floods, earthquakes, deaths bringing seasons of sorrow, and sorrows hanging on from seasons past.

Seasons of grief, and seasons of lack as inflation continued to climb and supply has continued to shrink, seasons of dread and concern as many basic medications are now absent from shelves and sickness is rampant.

Many battling not only one virus, but viruses plural, strange new strains bringing strange new symptoms and rounds of antibiotics offering no relief much less cure.

Many suffering with multiple viral conditions, some contracting multiple viruses at once, and others back to back, being afflicted with a new illness while recovery from another, leaving many in that cycle for months at a time.

Weather playing its part, thirty degree temperature drops over the course of hours, wind-chills negative zero by mind numbing degrees in regions that are never subjected to such extremes, lives lost, and people not prepared for what they normally do not experience, cold, suffering, vehicles stranded,water pipes bursted and frozen.

All these things that are being experienced, especially under the added weight of experiencing the different aspects of each at the same moments in time can take a toll on faith, preservenace, and hope that God God never fails.

This is what the writer was feeling, he was facing human enemies, but enemies are enemies, those seen or those unseen.

And in those times, regardless of the circumstance, because there are many, as we all face different battles but we all battle and truth be told everyone has felt this at one point or another in life. When you feel that your very soul itself is being completely overwhelmed by troubles and as you try your best with all the strength within you, that the ground your trying to stand is sinking to the point that there is no standing.

And in your sorrow, discouragement, and angst tears have been shed until there are no tears left and you can’t even look up.

As the writer felt this and we have felt this, think of Jesus.

Jesus felt all of these things, as He was on earth, there is no emotion, no sickness, no trial that can befall us that He does not understand and understand completely, and exactly what we are suffering.

As the writer continued on, crying out to God, after expressing his dilemma, he pleads for deliverance, and often the crying is is what we fail to do, we need to cry out to God in our affliction, and in our troubles, it gives us emotional relief in knowing He sees, He hears,and most of all He cares, and opens the door for deliverance.

Psalm 69:13-16: “But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of deep waters.

Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

Hear me, O Lord, for thy lovingkindness is good; turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.”

As he cried out for deliverance, that deliverance came, as a child of God, you have His promise that He will never leave you, and He will never forsake you, He hears when you call and in His love and His mercy, He will deliver you.

This is His promise.

Isaiah 43:1,2: ” But now thus saith the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

When thou passet through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

He gave us these promises because we all need these promises, through the seasons of life, the seasons of life that all mankind must walk, saved or unsaved, but when you put your hope and trust in Jesus, you can rest in these words, while others who do not know Him have no comfort during these storms.

Rest in Him and His words today and take comfort in knowing that these are just that, seasons that we all walk through and as there are brighter, happier, healthier seasons ahead with renewed hope, joy, and faith in the knowing of what He has already walked us through.

Love & Peace to you today, May you rest in His love, mercy, & peace while you await that seasonal change.

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev. N Brown Johnson

June 11, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Leaving it all Behind”

“And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed (crowded) upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

And he saw two ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would (asked him to) thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Now when he left (finished) speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught (catch).

And Simon answering, said unto him, Master (Teacher), we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing (caught nothing): nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

And when they had this done, they inclosed (caught) a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake (was breaking).

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled their ships, so that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me: for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught (catch) of the fishes which they had taken.

And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook (left behind) all, and followed him.” Luke 5:1-11

Peter caught on pretty quickly, not only did he get the catch of a lifetime, but he caught on to who exactly it was that he was dealing with, and he knew by this absolute miracle that this was the work of the divine,

At the very moment he realized that Jesus was not your ordinary teacher, he fell to his knees, and he was convicted in his heart by Jesus’ presence, Jesus did not have to say a word about Peter’s life or anything he needed to change, his holiness itself stirring that need to repent in Peter.

Some of saddest reasons we ever hear from those who know they need salvation but never actually take steps to make that commitment, are “I want to wait until I can live it.” and behaviors in their lifestyles that they feel that they are unable to “give up”, never realizing that their next breath could be the last and that they could quite possibly miss eternal salvation.

Jesus referred to this state in the parable of the Sower, they hear and they know that God is real and his word is true,

Mark 4:18,19: “And these are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the word,

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

We have discussed in great detail the watering down and outright misrepresentation of the Gospel running rampant in these last days, and this is why, they refuse to give up the things of this world, such as in our passage above, after they had encountered Jesus, they left behind all that they had known before and followed in trust, and faith, and obedience.

Once we truly seek him and he makes his presence known we are absolutely unable to do the things we had once done, the sin we once enjoyed becomes a frightful charge that we need exonerated.

Which is exactly why Christ shed his blood for us.

We need not worry about changing ourselves or being “able to live it”, we can do neither, that is the work that God does in us through his Holy Spirit.

” And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.

And I will give them one heart to, and I will put a new spirit within you (them) and I will take stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh:

That they may walk in my statues, and keep mine ordinances (judgments), and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way (repay) their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God.” Ezekiel 11:18-21

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/Rev. N Brown Johnson

September 11, 2020 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“The way”

HE: Psalm 119:33-40: “Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end.

Give me understanding; and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

Make me go in the path of thy commandments; for therein Io delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity (looking at worthless things); and quicken (revive) me in the way.

Stablish (establish) thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good. Behold, I have long after thy precepts: quicken (revive) me according to thy righteousness.”

The world has reached such a level of wickedness now that is reaching the limits like those that Sodom and Gomorrah and the violence of the days of Noah Please are so self willed and refuse to believe in the true God and believe that there is “more than one way to heaven” THERE IS NOT.

These are false teachers and liars that only want people to follow them and their pagan demons for the love and love of money and those who claim that mediums, psychics, and the occult are just “gifted” but that is is an absolute lie and it is EVIL.

More than ever we must be on guard and do not listen to the lies of this world, God has NEVER nor will he ever change his word and he does love his people and his creation and he will forgive those who ask and but so many don’t want forgiveness or Jesus they serve the god of themselves but that is not changing Jesus, or His word or his return to this earth and he delivers his people.

There is one way and one way only.

John 14:5.6: “Thomas saith unto him,Lord, we know not whIther goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE; NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.”

He is and will forever be THE ONLY one and the ONLY way!

Have a blessed day!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020/ Reverend Nina Brown Johnson

August 9, 2020 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“PREPARED” Part #1, Preparing for the wedding of a King

“And the Spirit and the bride say, COME. And LET him that HEARETH say, COME. And LET him that is athirst COME and take of the WATER OF LIFE freely.” Revelation 22:17

This is quite an invitation and what I love about this verse, it that it IS an invitation.

This is a wedding that had not happened because although they ARE speaking as one they are named SEPERATELY so what am I even talking about? So glad you asked:)!

We all know that marriage in all cultures is considered a covenanted process, a beautiful celebration with the families giving their very best to provide for that wedding, depending on your location and beliefs, either the grooms family or the brides family but either way, ALL cultures hold marriage with the same honor, reverence, and life long commitment.

No shock that the enemy has chosen marriage, TRUE marriage as God intended between a male and a female as his hottest battle ground. If he can pervert the very DEFINITION of marriage, he can attempt to confuse and twist one of the MAJOR end time teachings of the New Testament.

As Paul said, the great MYSTERY that IS Christ, His bride, which IS the church and the great Marriage Supper of the Lamb, which the absolute culmination of ALL things that have ever been since He spoke everything into creation, ALL that has been and ALL that will EVER be will be merged into oneness at that wedding.

Just as he came to the garden and walked and talked with Adam, just as he came down and spoke with Abram, as he let Moses just glimpse his glory, just as he spoke through the prophets, giving each a little insight into his WORLD, his beauty and his majesty, that they could NEVER effectively put into words.

He came down as a baby and even in that humble beginning, His great glory and majesty could not be concealed. The angels HAD to worship, they had to ANNOUNCE the arrival.

Offerings in the form of gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh HAD to be brought before him because ALL kings and ALL nations WILL bow before him. People of ALL nations, languages, and tribes WILL bring their offerings of praise before him in that day. In that day our WORLDS will become ONE.

Prophecy had been given since the dawn of time to ease humans into this, all the prophecies as they eagerly awaited his arrival on earth as Messiah. Thousands of years, with prophets FULFILLING the words of OTHER prophets, which tells us a little of what level of preparation was needed. Think of John the Baptist, who fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah and Malachi.

John 1:15-23: “John bare witness of him and cried, saying, THIS IS HE OF WHOM I SPAKE, He that cometh after me is preferred before me. And of his fullness have ALL received, and grace FOR grace.

For the law was given by Moses, but GRACE AND TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST.

No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath DECLARED him.

And THIS is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am NOT the Christ.

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elisas? {they knew the prophecy but Jesus said that John WAS the foretold voice fulfilling this prophecy} And he said, I am NOT. Art thou that prophet? And he answered and said, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? THAT WE MAY GIVE AN ANSWER TO THEM THAT SENT US, What sayest thou of thyself?

He said, I AM THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD, as SAID the prophet Esaias (Isaiah).”

They could HEAR “the voice” that just did not want to “hear” they did not want to acknowledge the time they were entering, just as those today have “sent” their messengers in attempt to tear down the Gospel of Christ, hoping to silence THE VOICE that WILL NOT SILENCED, that VOICE shall bellow from the very mountain tops.

So just what DID Isaiah say? Isaiah 40:3-5:” The VOICE of him that crieth in the wilderness, PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE STRAIGHT IN THE DESERT A HIGHWAY FOR OUR GOD.

EVERY VALLEY SHALL BE EXALTED (lifted up) AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL SHALL BE MADE LOW : AND THE CROOKED PLACES SHALL BE MADE STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH PLACES PLAIN (smoothed out):

AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHALL BE REVEALED, AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER: FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HATH SPOKEN IT.”

WHY? Why WAS and IS a preparation needed?

Well, think about those verses, this was to prepare people for an encounter with God.

In preparing for this preparation, EVEN the angel Gabriel was SENT to Zacharias, to proclaim that he and his aged wife would have a child, a chosen child and even that there were to name him John, which literally means “grace” and given John’s commission BEFORE he was even conceived in Elisabeth’s womb.

And this was that commission, the words of the angel Gabriel as recorded in Luke 1:17: “AND HE SHALL GO FORTH IN THE SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIAS, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN, AND THE DISOBEDIENT TO THE WISDOM OF THE JUST; TO MAKE READY A PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THE LORD.”

How do you prepare people to the fact that their worlds are about to be rocked by the arrival of one, who will have the ability to miraculously heal the sick, restore sight to the blind, cause those bound by paralysis to rise and not only walk, but run and leap because of the joy he also placed in their recovered souls.

One who will SPEAK to the storms and command them to cease. SPEAK to demons and they should fall at his feet and tremble in terror of him.

That he would have the ability to look through us, into our very souls and perceive EVERY single thought of not only our conscious mind but also our soul and heart.

One who would have such a gentleness and absolute tenderness that he would verbally defend women against the spoken and unspoken hatred and judgment of others, healing them not with touch of his hand but with his LOVE, giving them access to his very heart.

One who cried in sorrow with those who grieved. One who would walk on water and be transfigured into his glorious light before the very eyes of a select few, as he spoke with Moses and Elijah.

That he would not only raise the dead but that his own dead body would raise up (some symbolism in that, the resurrection his church NOW desperately needs).

HOW do you prepare people for that? Just as the Hebrews were SCARED absolutely to death of him at Mount Sinai, they did not want to talk to him, they pleaded with Moses to be a go between.

As scared as they were, even SEEING his mercy, glory, and protection. How much more terrified would people have been had they NOT been prepared by these prophecies of what they should expect.

Now, as our scripture from Revelation tells us, those VOICES are to be heard and the first voice mentioned IS the voices speaking TOGETHER the SPIRIT and the bride speaking in complete unison.

God dealt with me several years ago, about the need for that surrender by his church a submission that would truly allow that merging, it is an old post, from 2014 and revised in 2015, but if you have a moment, please read it and it will help in understanding this one: Click here> merge,

I really believe that we have come into that unison, those who have sought have found and I also believe that the “invitations” are already being delivered.

I believe it is that close.

So I want you to look at a couple of things in that verse, okay, they are technically still separate, BUT they are speaking as ONE so that separation is merely location.

Remember with the Jewish grooms of the Old Testament, the groom RETURNS for his bride, there is NO question about their relationship ONLY the FINAL PREPARATIONS to be made so that she can join him.

So next time, I’ll get into our starter verse and we’ll look at that “wedding invitation” a little closer and decipher our “duties” in getting other PREPARED for the reign of Jesus Christ on this earth.

And no longer is it just an “invitation”, it is that they should be WASHED, clean,”clothed” and ready to enter into the doors.

And NOTHING will EVER fully prepare THIS WORLD to meet its maker, who will not be visiting for walks in the cool of the evening or teaching chosen disciples but WILL take his place AMONG his people and for that I am not sure they could ever be completely prepared.

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NB 2018

Original post 2018 but more than ever we need to remember and be encouraged that there is so much greater ahead!