Category Archives: Being our own doom

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“Never So Lost”

“Then drew (came) near unto him all the publicans (tax collectors) and sinners to hear him. 

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth (welcomes) sinners and eateth with them. 

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 

And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me: for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just (upright) persons which need no repentance.

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?

And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which was lost.

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:1-10

There is no comfort even close to the comfort in knowing that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and he will leave his flock and search the world over for that one little lamb.

And it does not matter to him, where that lamb has been, what that lamb has done, he doesn’t question the little lamb, harshly berating it and asking, “What is wrong with you!? as we sometimes fear because of human reactions we have endured.

No, He just puts the little lamb on his shoulders, not even willing to further weary it through having to walk back over treacherous terrain, and carries on his own shoulders back to safety among his flock.

Rejoicing with his friends, in our case, truly with the angels of Heaven, themselves who are rejoicing because they know the truth, they know all about the devil and they see all the evil of this earth, they see the little lambs run away, often not because of something they themselves did, but more often what had been done to them, running always because they have been  deceived into falsely believing that God does not love them and God will not forgive them or that if God were real these things would not happen, not understanding that God does not cause these things and only God can undo the damage, giving beauty for ashes healing every hurt, making all things new.

If you are that little lamb today or if you are a little lamb that is struggling with doubts or troubles that are keeping you dangling on a spiritual ledge, please, talk to him, and just whisper his name, he knows where you are and he wants nothing more than to rescue you and I promise, he will never leave you and you will never be the same.

You are never so lost that you can’t be found by the one who created you!

Blessings & Love to you today!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev. N. Brown Johnson *Revisited 04/17/2023

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Starting Fresh

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts:.” Psalms 139:23

You know to me, that is a scary prayer, to be honest, it probably is for most of us.

And I like many have prayed that and asked the Lord to rid me of all the self-inflicted fleshly thoughts and attitudes that we, as humans often suffer from.

I want to take a break from that thought for a minute to lighten up a bit and ask that you please forgive any misspellings you happen across in my posts, I threanen myself often in my own mind, that one day I will write a post and title it “Fun with Dyslexia”, not making fun of it, but I seriously have it! And it can making writing quite interesting, more like comical in my case.

Now that I got that out of the way and corrected many a word up to this point, let’s think about starting fresh!

Despite the cold, and the snow in my part of the world, I always make it through the winter by holding on to one single statement, “It’ll be spring soon.” sometimes we have to remind ourselves spiritually of that fact.

Back in the day, I loved it, being out the cold and walking in the snow, the Laplander in me I suppose, but after I got some age on me, I can’t quite go it. I still love to see it but now from the inside rather than out.

And on that note, sometimes the hardest sight for us to see if what is on the inside, others see us from the outside and we can present many different images, such as being brave in the face of danger when inside we are truly afraid.

Others professing us as strong, when we ourselves feel weak, and breaking.

Others may tell us we are smart, and inside we don’t even feel anything close to even being competent.

And then life has a way of bringing challenges that stretch us to our limits and push us to points we feel are past return.

Those times make that verse all important, when we invite God to examine us, and help us understand why we feel the emotions we feel, why a simple or comment can bring a reaction from us, that we had never saw coming nor could have imagined, these are the signals that the issues are in us, not necessarily all those goes on around us.

It’s getting to the root of why do they make me feel so inept? Why did that hurt me so bad? Why do I struggle with this over and over?

All emotions, all usually reactions rooted deep inside, hurt, and lack of self-worth looming, leftover from something long past.

We all have issues, I, myself have had plenty of them, like many, been through many rough spots in life, the most damaging of course, being held over the fire of an open stove at the age of five years, being threatened to be burned alive,

And that my dear friends took the power of the Holy Ghost to deliver me from the horror of that, and to say I don’t struggle at times would be comical.

But God has taught me how to look to Him and ask for His guidance in why I am experiencing something that I was shocked to feel, and He never fails to help us and guide us, and most of all heal us and make us new,and give us a fresh new start each and every day,all we have to do is ask and be willing to not only look within ourselves but allow him to advise us concerning what He already sees. 

I want to give you another passage to help on this journey, if you feel this would be for you.

Song of Solomon 4:6:“Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and the hill of frankincense.”

This is our Biblical instruction on accomplishing this very task.

When we desperately need that spiritual day break, from the gloomy days, dark evenings, and long nights life sometimes brings.

Notice if you will the use of shadows, What are shadows?

Shadows of everything past, shadows of hurt, regret, sorrow, and pain, even shadows of joyful times since gone, memories lingering playing a sorrowful song, longing of times and departed loved ones, seasons long past, seasons that changed far too fast and whispering fear and dread, threatening the emptiness that lies ahead.

Shadows, shadows that must acknowledged, shadows, whose purpose is only to attempt to block that glorious light , the light that wants to shine  ,the only force that has the power to send those shadows away, leaving clarity, peace and the hope for the dawning of a new spiritual day.

Inviting the light to conquer the shadows requires us to take action also, we start by having an honest conversation with Jesus, complete honesty about what prompted the shadows to loom, and complete honesty about what is going in our hearts, He already sees it, He knows, and He will help us, but we have to be willing to die to all those wrong thoughts and attitudes that the enemy has left us falsely believing from our time dwelt in the land of gloom.

The myrrh being the mountain, that one is the toughest, that myrrh representing the process of dying to ourselves, our old thoughts, and allowing God to minister in us His thoughts concerning us, which is love, mercy, kindness.

He only wants joy, peace, and hope for us, that is not to say bad things will never happen, that is to say, He will deliver you from the damage that has already been and help you through the what may be’s.

You are never too young, never too old for a brand new start, or even just a refreshing after a particularly tough season.

Here’s His promise.

Isaiah 46:4: “And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar (gray) hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.”

Allow Jesus to take care of all those things that you can’t on your own and find a joy and peace unlike any you have ever known in submitting yourself into His perfect will for you life and I promise you will never regret it and you will never be the same and when you look back over the years, one day you will see just how those shadows fled and how futuristic dread was turned to joy in hope of the days now ahead.

Jesus strengthens us, He holds us up when we can not stand on our own and Him living inside of us and when others see you, the will still see you, but they will see you decorated with a beauty and grace that only comes from him!

Blessings & peace till next time!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2023/ Rev N. Brown Johnson

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“To Conquer Condemnation”

“And he shewed (showed) me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist (oppose) him. 

And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord doth rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this the branch which was plucked out of the fire?  

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

And he answered and spake (spoke) unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of raiment (rich robes).” Zechariah 3:1-4

Notice how the enemy, the adversary is standing right there to oppose this change that the Lord was making.  Even though his clothing was filthy, God was in the process of changing it all.

Often when we commit to Christ, the enemy, others, and often our own minds have a way of trying to convince that we have not really been changed, that we just thought we were saved, and then comes the list of past sins, failures, or mistakes since salvation flooding to our minds and it is such a lie form the enemy, just as in our verse above, he opposes God’s children at that point of salvation.

The Book of Revelation spells it out with crystal clarity.

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.

And prevailed not; neither was there place found any more in heaven.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:7-10

That pretty much tells all their is to tell about the severity and persistence of the enemies constant accusations against God’s people.

I know this often quite a stumbling block for many Christians, especially new ones.

So let’s look at where we all have been.

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe: for there is no difference. 

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:22,23

Isaiah 64:6: ” But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags: and we do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

We have all sinned, we all make mistakes and that is the supreme beauty of Jesus, he forgives us, not only for what we did in the past, or even yesterday, but also has grace and forgiveness for today.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

Once we are committed to him, nothing can ever separate us, except us.

It is vital to fight against the feeling of condemnation that tries to hinder you, because it does not belong to you!

“For as the heaven is high above the 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.”

Once we have accepted Christ, everything is washed completely away, we are made new and the past, in God’s view, no longer even exists and if God is so gracious to us, why can we not be gracious to ourselves and accept his wonderful gift of forgiveness?

Finally, I want to leave you with the verse to use to combat the enemy, and even others who may be trying to bring your salvation into question, it does not matter what you did yesterday or even today, if you repented and ask Jesus to forgive you that transgression is now under the blood and does no longer exists, so believe that and have comfort in that and when mistakes happen, get it under the blood and never look back at it again, and use this verse as your standing ground.

Romans 8:1: “THERE is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

We are all works in progress, and even those who have been with the Lord fifty years, I am sure still have their moments of struggle and growth, we will never be perfect. He never asked us to be, He is perfect and he is the only one who will ever be.

Don’t let the joy and peace he wants you to have in him be stolen away by the trick of the enemy, just take it day by day.

Philippians 1:6; “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath began a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Christ.”

Bless you and have a great night!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev. N. Brown Johnson

 

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“Never So Lost”

“Then drew (came) near unto him all the publicans (tax collectors) and sinners to hear him. 

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth (welcomes) sinners and eateth with them. 

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 

And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me: for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just (upright) persons which need no repentance.

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?

And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which was lost.

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:1-10

There is no comfort even close to the comfort in knowing that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and he will leave his flock and search the world over for that one little lamb.

And it does not matter to him, where that lamb has been, what that lamb has done, he doesn’t question the little, harshly berating it and asking, “What is wrong with you!? as we sometimes fear because of human reactions we have endured.

No, He just puts the little lamb on his shoulders, not even willing to further weary it through having to walk back over treacherous terrain, and carries on his own shoulders back to safety among his flock.

Rejoicing with his friends, in our case, truly with the angels of Heaven, themselves who are rejoicing because they know the truth, they know all about the devil and they see all the evil of this earth, they see the little lambs run away, often not because of something they themselves did, but more often what had been done to them, running always because they have been  deceived into falsely believing that God does not love them and God will not forgive them or that if God were real these things would not happen, not understanding that God does not cause these things and only God can undo the damage, giving beauty for ashes healing every hurt, making all things new.

If you are that little lamb today or if you are a little lamb that is struggling with doubts or troubles that are keeping you dangling on a spiritual ledge, please, talk to him, and just whisper his name, he knows where you are and he wants nothing more than to rescue you and I promise, he will never leave you and you will never be the same.

You are never so lost that you can’t be found by the one who created you!

Blessings & Love to you today!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev. N. Brown Johnson

 

 

 

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“Get it on the table of your heart”

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me,hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Verily verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. for as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

And hath given him authority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of Man.

Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of of damnation.

I can of mine own self do nothing; as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just: because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which  hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true (void to testimony) 

There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness he witnesseth of me is true. ye sent unto John, and he beareth witness unto the truth.

But I receive not testimony from man; but these things I say that ye might be saved.

He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in that light.

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

And the Father himself which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

And ye have not his word abiding in you; for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me.

And (But) ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” John 5:24-40

Oh, Dear God, Help us! We have such a train wreck going on due to our absolute spiritual wickedness in high places, remember that verse, how about a refresher?

Ephesians 6:10-18: ” Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes) of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with the truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace;

Above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” 

I couldn’t quite help thinking about Jesus’ words, when they had once rejoiced in his truth and then thinking that they should know better than God what the Messiah’s appearance should be once he came to earth, they rejected him and with that rejected the truth that they professed to believe.

And he called them out on it, to search those scriptures again and read the truth for themselves and yet they still refused to believe because the truth did not look like what they had determined in themselves the truth to be.

Hasn’t America effectively done this? God has sent watchman after watchman pleading for change, proclaiming that disobenice will  truly bring judgement.

The Gospel which our country was founded on and embraced fro generations and embraced by much of the world has now been watered down to fit into the religious fantasy of those who wish to appear “holy” but yet in no way abide by the actual words’ of Christ or any of those he sent to record his word.

And as has been warned, we are now seeing just what it looks like when a nation or  a people are so foolish to think that they can stand,that they can prosper without the blessing of the one who sets all things into being, who set up kings and brings down kingdoms and who fights our battles and keeps us free.

When Revelation commands us seven times to Hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches and for years the cry has been “If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 

But did they? No, we just proceeded deeper and deeper into sin, high stepping, stripping off our beautiful God given glory as we forgot ourselves as America the Great, the greatness being our love of the Lord, our country founded on his statues, our systems being forged in the belief of his word, his commandments and his justice and his mercy, in willfully forgetting who we were created to be, we found our new identity, in our legalized sin, in drunkness, depravity, legalized drugs, and subverting children from the innocence God had created for them and with no regard for their intellectual age concepts we have changed their genders at the whim of ones who could want to be a boy one day, a girl the next day, or a dinosaur or a mermaid, this is why they are children!

And we have just kept running with it, so much so now that we have aborted so many babies that the elderly outnumber the children, talk about self destruction and all you have to do is what the news, after twenty years in Afghanistan, going in as women and girls were brutalized and oppressed and bringing hope that the future could be better and giving them reason to believe that the freedom we enjoy in this country could also be theirs and now we have left, left them in more severe bondage than what we found them in, now leaving them more hopeless because they had tasted a kind of freedom and now have had even that taken away and all our leaders can do is is hee haw and laugh it off.

That laughter now ending as those who are our enemies are now giving America the ultimatum by voicing that is is their way or else.

Never is history… and still no repentance from the wickedness in high places, the confused, sin laden Babylon the Great, just how long can that greatness last?

Without Jesus Christ and God’s blessing on us, and we keep that blessing by honoring him and his statues, we will be nothing, we have natural disaster after natural disaster, the economy is in shambles and our enemies are laughing, what more do we need before we wake up.

I am truly afraid, my heart broke as I watched the news as a soldier lifted a baby to safety over razor wire while a young girl begged in the background to be rescued because she feared she would be taken. This is not better,we have went backwards and we have went backwards because of our refusal as a nation to repent and there is only so far we can go before we fall.

God help them and God help us, if you are a Christian, put on that armour, don’t just put on a piece of it, put it all on, notice it says to stand, and do all to stand, and pray and if you are not completely surrendered to Jesus, I urge you to do it and do it today. We have to get serious and stay at the foot of the cross as never before because we are in a time as never before. As God gave the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience, he said this, Deuteronomy 28: 47-48: ” Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shall thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst,, and in nakedness, and in want of all things; and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee”

Because in abundance, having all things, prospering, and fairing beyond well, instead of being thankful to him, they rejected him and he gave them over to their enemies.

So please, you may not be able to change the world, but you can speak and pray for you and your house, hold on to God as never before and get in his word and get that word on the tables of your heart.

Proverbs 7:1-3: “My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.”

Because when you need that word, that sword of the Spirit, it will be brought back to your mind, in the very  moment of need, a word for that specific need, but you have to get that word in you.

As Jesus promised, John 14:25,26: ” These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father wills end in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let your heart not be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Luke 21:36: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Φλογιζω NBJ 2021/ Rev. N. Brown Johnson

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“Bettin’ your Boots”

“My son IF thou be SURETY  FOR THY FRIEND, (vouch for, stand in guarantee for) IF thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger (“shook on it” made a deal with,) Thou art snared with (you are bound by) the words of THY mouth, thou art taken (trapped captive) with the words of THY mouth.” Proverbs 6:1,2

Now, I really can’t plead deep revelation for this post but inspiration came while having my usual breakfast of four cups black coffee to one big bowl of ice cream, now that’ll get ya goin… or at the very least future health issues, not sure yet 🙂 but I’ll go with “Get ya goin morning goodness”!

Anyway, me and sweetie usually watch morning news but this morning I put it on westerns for him, we have a pretty good deal, I walk by and if he is watching something and brains are being splattered by Van Damme or Seagal, or someone being ran through with a sword, the stuff I lived for as former entertainment, and I can’t blame that one on my brothers, they’d be out playing and I would be stuck in front of the TV watching Robin Hood and the Musketeers, and I know if it is staring me in the face, I’ll sit down and end up watching it now and God does not want that, there is nothing productive for the Kingdom in filling our minds with violence, it only achieves the opposite.

But anyway, he would be watching, you know the “classics” but NOW, I’m like.. “OH! My goodness, WHAT are you watching! DON’T let THOSE words in my house, HONEY!” and so we tried closed captions and I walk by, ALWAYS at the right time… and be all “AH, they are STILL coming into my house, even without sound!” “Oh and the VIOLENCE!”

So we now we are resigned to faith-based shows, home, family, and of course your old tried and true western’s, which I detested growing up but now how found a special nostalgic place in my heart for their “cleanliness” anyway.. any good western “worth its spit” has to have a good old-fashioned rigged card game set up by some ornery, good for nothin’ swindler, who aims to cheat all the hard-working ranch hands out of even their last hard-earned dime… and in this baby, even their boots.

My inspiration came when one of the main characters finally bought the PERFECT boots, they were grand and he wasn’t even the one WHO WAS gambling, it was his friend, “pardner”, uncle, something like that… you know someone whose OPINION would matter, someone who would have INFLUENCE over the actions of another.

And the one who was DOING the gambling and had lost all his money wanted TO BET the boots of the one who “didn’t even have a horse in that race” and after some slick talkin’ and the young one cottoned to ‘im, he LET him BET his boots.

And I thought, that is all kinds of crazy, and in real life, WHY would we ever do that? WHY would we let someone who is obviously not running their own life very well, drag us into their mess and USE something in our life that is important to us, to make even a bigger mess?

But you know what, we do it and we can do it and NOT even realize we are doing it.

To get some clarity going on here… the Bible teaches us to be good to everyone, to share, to care, to help, and to shoulder another’s burdens with them, Jesus taught us that if someone asks us to walk one mile that we SHOULD go the extra step and walk two miles with them.

BUT those teachings are about our brothers and sisters in Christ and those who are in the household of the Lord. And I have friends right now who have helped me and my family out beyond anything we could have imagined during our recent medical issues and one friend in particular who opened a door that I desperately needed and I am forever grateful.

So I want to be clear that what I am referring to is this.. when people are in SIN and deceptive practices, you CAN NOT be part of that with them.

God blesses us for helping others with upright causes, but HE WILL NEVER BLESS SIN,OR DECEPTION.

And sometimes there are people who are NOT what you may think and they are NOT who you may think they are and fond feelings for people and hearts of compassion and wanting to help another out can actually lead you into meeting up with “a snake in the grass” and sometimes “bettin’ your boots” and LOSING something that means everything to you.

That is why that scripture WARNS us that if we fall into that trap we will be SNARED by that trap.

No one likes trappers and no one wants trapped, so it is IMPORTANT to watch out for them so that you don’t put your foot in one.

So maybe today, you are in a situation that someone is asking you to so something or help them do something, or be part of something that you KNOW is not good, not right and maybe they are playing on your sympathy or threatening you with the loss of that relationship if you do not go along with them for the ride.

But a true friend, someone who is REALLY worth your time, your compassion, your help would NEVER ask you to so something wrong or sacrifice something of yours for the sake of something they DESIRE or a scheme that they have hatched.

Love PROTECTS and love DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN, that means they would look out for you, not put a price on what you can do for them.

So watch out for it and I am sure the “gambler” who wants to lay bets PAID FOR BY YOU will get mad and have a “burr in his saddle” and maybe even “hit the dusty trail” and “ride on into the sunset” right on out of your life, let ’em ride!

No one needs users and God does NOT want His children used!

1 Timothy 5:22:…..NEITHER BE PARTAKER of (do NOT SHARE IN) OTHER MEN’S (people) SINS: KEEP THYSELF PURE.”

Of course in the show the buddy kept his word and got the dude’s boots back, because cowboys always kept their word.

But life is not a television show and cowboys may not always have their buddies backs and those snakes in the grass can really bite into your life spreading fangfuls of pure poison and the worst part… you don’t always get your boots backs, usually those babies are lost and they are lost forever, so keep them on your own feet!

Enough said?

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

Original post 07/18/2017 Revisited 07/25/2019 & 07/09/2021, I just like to “rerun” these old ones from time to time because God’s Word never changes! Thank you so much for reading and have a blessed week filled with love, peace, & the wonder of God in your life, with signs and miracles following, in Jesus Name!

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Justifying the end…

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12 

Old, old saying that we are all probably quite familiar with…”The end justify the means.” And we all know that this pretty much is saying that when you have a purpose or achieved goal that nothing, nothing is off limits or out of bounds in achieving that desired end result.

That mentality is quite common in the world and even encouraged and it can be a task for new converts or even old seat warmers to remember when fighting the temptation to steer away from the Word of God and choose “other alternatives” when achieving what they feel is something that must take place or the end result of a situation that they have been faced with and it is very easy to be swayed into believing that whatever it takes to achieve that goal that God will be okay with because he loves us but when it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven that God has commanded that his people “come out and be separate” and the false doctrine doctrine teaching of that anything and everything is okay with God is an absolute lie.

The world may have changed but God’s standards have not nor will they ever and what He said 2000 years ago is just as true today.

God means what He says and says what He means.

When God saves us, cleanses us and delivers us we are so new, so alive, so clean and there is nothing like the initial feeling of having the sins of a lifetime washed away and being made new in Christ, but again that is initially.

And as Scripture also teaches us we are babes in Christ, but the time comes for those babes to grow and just as we grow in the natural, growing spiritually involves many ups and downs and the growing process can be at times very painful.

We do not learn to trust God unless we are faced with a situation that seems so hopeless and helpless that our only option is that we must trust God.

We do not learn to walk in faith unless we are suddenly met with a darkened path that can only be walked by faith.

And we will never ever develop the kind of patience that Jesus referred to when he told us that in it we will possess our souls, unless that patience is tried.

Our souls can never understand true peace unless until we have understood true exhaustion.

These are Christian growing pains, because we must grow in Christ and that is a process, day by day, year by year, we grow in Christ and as we grow and the time comes, just a baby bird must learn how to stand up in his nest before he will ever take flight.

We as Christians are allowed to learn “to stand” just as we grow from babies to toddler and before we can ever walk must less run we have to learn how to stand. 

I have noticed more in the recent years than ever, is by convincing Christians that somehow we can still hold fast to the belief that the end will justify the means.

And that is not saying God leaves us, he never ever leaves us and he is always there to help us and as we start swaying, stumbling, even almost falling as we try to stand He is the father who gently takes our hands and steady’s us again.

And this is the place where so many stumble and take hold of the wrong hand and often during these times rather than knowing  that God is there is can be easier to allow the enemy to convince us that if we are to stand we will need to do whatever it takes to stand on our own.

That is NOT God’s idea on how we are to handle anything.

Often through our upbringing and society we can easily fall back into the old mindset and completely forget the truth that we once knew and soon enough struggles will come and then we must decide are we going to revert back to the old way of thinking, listening to the wrong voices of handling life or do we take God at His word.

The best description of this growing process, it’s purpose, and the ease of not quite grasping it can be found in 2 Peter 1:2-9: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to (by) glory and virtue:

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature HAVING ESCAPED the corruption that is in the world through lust.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to you faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

And to knowledge temperance (self-control); and temperance patience (perseverance); and to patience godliness;

And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (love). 

For if these things be in you (are yours) and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren (useless) nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off (is short sighted), and hath FORGOTTEN that he was purged (cleansed) from his old sins.”

So you can see this for the process that it is and it is a process, little by little, step by step as God transforms us (as scripture says, by the renewing of our MINDS) to become the men and women that he created us to be in Him.

And we must have these attributes.

But we are human, we will stumble, we will struggle but again if we accept the fact that this is part of that process and quit believing the lies of the enemy that tell us that if we were were really “where we should be…” that is the biggest lie of all, we are never where we should be or otherwise we’d be out of here and taken into heaven!

This is the same issue that Jesus had with the Pharisees and all the “perfect” people that ostracized those he came to save and he hate it!

And we are often harder on ourselves than the enemy or others could ever be and we have to stop this and accept, really accept Jesus, his forgiveness and get on with our work for the Kingdom while we still have time to work.

Once those doors are shut is is over, once our lives are completed there will be no second chances to come back to earth and complete the job he had given us to do.

Remember those treasures you are storing up, remember those crowns that you will be given to lay at the feet of the King?

But also remember that we are called for a purpose, for the good of the kingdom, and if we fail to remember that and fail to press forward, we will also need to bear in mind the lives that we did not touch and the work that we did not accomplish.

And as harsh as that may sound, it is a very good incentive to us when we think outside of the box of our own head and look at the bigger picture which is why Peter tells us so clearly that we need these attributes, and note that he does not at any time lay down a number of days, months, years that we should achieve any of these attributes or the total culmination of them all because there is no time frame.

Just that we are to build upon these and we acquire them through the need and dependence upon them to finally reach our true goal- the true “end justification” which is love, love as Christ wants us to love.

It is a process, because even though you may have faith but if you do not have self control what could happen with that faith?

Maybe you have brotherly kindness and can be helpful to those in need and maybe your heart goes out to them and you are led in someway to reach out to them and perform some of act of service but you lack diligence, your heart may reach out but you will not be able to complete the task, without diligence we see nothing through.

And he tells us at the end that IF we lack these things we are short-sighted, we cannot see far off. meaning we can not see the end, the eternal outcome and it is then that we are tempted into playing the game of “The end justifies the means” because we are searching for that quick fix.

Another set back to modernism of the church, we can not lie, or avoid the truth or pretend to like those who our hearts are filed with unresolved hurt against, we can not do any of these things out of any agenda because it is still sin and using it as a ‘”Means to an end” is also a sin.

Again part of that growing process, but as we grow in Christ and we choose to follow a plan that is at the very least questionable in comparison to the Word of God on handling that subject and while that little voice inside is telling us this is not quite right and we reason within ourselves that it is not that big of a deal and reassure ourselves with our own reasoning… it is sin.

Honesty, whether that honesty seems good or bad to others, God requires honesty, and as James 4:17 states “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it IS sin.”

We are not bound by what we do not know,and if we do not understand the things that we should not do and do them, God will let us know in our hearts or by a word of exhortation that we should not do those things, He will ensure we get the message, because He loves us, and that love is unconditional and He wants us to have the life of peace and joy,a life that was purchased by him for us, a life that was paid for in his agony, his blood and his life and when we choose our own path we are devaluing his sacrifice.

If we are to be part of the outpouring of the last days, which we know that we are in, and we truly want to see his Kingdom come we have to get these “little foxes” under control and out of our lives. We all struggle, we all have questions about our identity from time to time, that it normal and God promises are so pure and so perfect, we are PROMISED that he will never leave us, no one loves us like Jesus and no one ever will!

He wants us to succeed and if that means picking us up and dusting us off and giving us a hug every fifteen minutes we are on this earth He will.

He is gentle, kind, and merciful beyond human comprehension and he does not expect us to be anything other than who he created us to be and to keep his commandments, love and honor him and do the best that we personally are capable of doing. 

But in that we also must be willing to choose the correct path and the correct response to the things that life throws our way, it is often said concerning parenting to “choose your battles wisely” and I do believe many fights in battles that were never theirs for the fighting, such as staying in situations out of pride, not wanting to be the “one who gave in” when it would be more wise to walk away

Remember that God wants us to come to him with all that weighs you down, he wants you to bring to him every problem that you can’t solve because in truth we can’t solve anything and we often make things much worse and God will come to our rescue when we ask but often we are left with damages that we should have never had to incur.

Know this, that if you have to pray one hundred times a day that God hears every single pray and he honors humility and truth and when we say God I can’t…. that is exactly when he will let you know that even so, HE CAN and he is not interested in what you can do for yourself he is interested in you trusting him. 

Verses to remember:

1 Corinthians 10:13: “There hath NO temptation taken you but such is COMMON to man; But GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will NEVER suffer (permit) you to be tempted (tested) above that which ye are able;  but will with the temptation ALSO make a way to escape, that ye might be able to bear it.”

It comes to everyone and God will NEVER allow it to destroy you IF you take his way out. But if you choose to follow your own path, you can not blame God because God gives us FREE WILL, the choice is ours.

Romans 6:14: “For sin SHALL NOT have dominion (rule) over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

Plead the blood, plead the blood!

Revelation 12:11: “And they OVERCAME him (the enemy) BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, and by the word of their testimony; and that they loved not their lives unto death.”

To wrap up, we must be our guard, sometimes that path will seem  right but it can lead to the ways of death, spiritually speaking, a little this or a little that, “this one time” is only minute in our reasoning and sin leads to more sins, that is why our beginning verse starts singular, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” and becomes plural. 

That WAY leads to those WAYS.

So stay on guard and never con yourself or letting anyone else con you into believing that we will ever justify our own on way, only God can justify us and games… God does not play!

Thanks for reading!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020 Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

 

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When in Rome…

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. 

According as his DIVINE POWER hath GIVEN unto us ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness, THROUGH the knowledge of him that HATH CALLED US TO GLORY AND VIRTUE.

Whereby ARE GIVEN unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption THAT IS IN THE WORLD through lust.” 2 Peter 1:2-4 

Lovin’ the old saying…”When in Rome… you know… “do as the Romans.” But I want to give you a slightly different take on it as we go into a new year.

We all know that when the clock strikes midnight, December 31st, no magic star-dust will be falling from the sky, we also know that Cinderella’s dress really doesn’t mystically transform back into soot covered, tattered rags.

But most do hold it as time is called on the stop watch of old and a new countdown is set for the future.

Which is why I always just go with it. I believe in HOPE and my HOPE is in the Lord but I will take a little extra encouragement wherever I can find it!

So here we go.. “When in Rome REMEMBER that while everyone was doing as everyone else.. Rome FELL!

Let’s check out our scriptures. Our starter verse greets us with the blessing of praying that grace and peace be multiplied to us! But we are quickly REMINDED that the multiplication of THAT grace and THAT peace comes IN the knowledge of God.

What is the knowledge of God? I personally believe that it would be keeping Him first and foremost in our hearts and our minds and most of all our EVERYDAY lives. Now that is NOT always easy!

But we know that he also PROMISED that he would “keep in PERFECT peace” those who keep their minds on Him. Making time every day to read at least one scripture or devotional. If you do not have morning time to read for yourself, sign up for daily verse emails (my husband reads his aloud for our family) and even social medias have many pages that offer this.

Another great way to stay spiritually fed while multi-tasking is to consider CD’s or electronic devices that you can listen to while driving, cleaning, or while doing almost anything.

It is also great to listen to good, Bible based preaching BUT it is so important to get the actual WRITTEN WORD of God in your Spirit. When we get the Word of God on the “tables of our heart” God uses that to reveal to us what He is saying to us PERSONALLY, not just as it had been revealed to one of His ministers.

I am in no way kicking that, that is His intention by having those who are called to preach the Gospel. But sometimes He will reveal a certain take on a scripture just for you for a certain season or particular battle.

Think about His statement from John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

We  have to have His word in us so that it can be brought back to our remembrance because we have can no memory of that which we have not learned. this is one of those when in Rome areas, we can not rest our knowledge of Christ solely upon what is being taught to us.

We know that currently the world is full of false teaching concerning God and especially concerning holiness and acceptable behaviors.  This gets us into our verse dealing with the fact that we have BEEN CALLED OUT of this world.

We are no longer partakers of the world and the sins and snares thereof. A life that we could not free ourselves from BUT a life in which we are called into.

A life that has been GIVEN by absolute DIVINE power that allows to overcome those snares and traps to live inside that realm of virtue and the blessed state of His glory shining on our lives, in the midst of even the darkness of this world.

And these are those promises, that we are called out and called into Him and that through him and His promises that we will escape the lusts of this world that corrupts us.

Think about the word lust.. not the just the sexual sense. The sexual sense is actually the LEAST of the lusts we have to battle. it simply means DESIRE and think of all the desires our flesh has to battle… daily.

The desire of life, the desire of work, the desire to excel in whatever we have chosen. The desire for monetary gains, the desire for popularity, the desire to be liked, loved, needed, or even the desire to be pretty, articulate, even the desire to be “desirable” NOT in the lustful sense but in the attractive sense.

Even the desire to be competitive, the desire to get even, the desire to be “one up” on a foe.  ANYTHING, any emotion, any thought, ANYTHING has the potential to BECOME lustful if not carefully checked against the word of God. 

That was the trouble with the  ancient Romans. They actually took their ideas for their society from the Greeks. They just made everything BIGGER and BETTER than what the Greeks had. The Greeks worshipped twelve “gods’ so the Romans added two and worshipped fourteen.

They built their society based on the thoughts and ideas stolen from the Greeks and as we all know became the world power of the day.

But we also know when it fell.. “great was the fall” and will never again rise to its former stature. We, as a society, take our cues from the media and entertainment, and most horrifically the voice that cries the loudest.

Often thoughts and ideas of a very small group of people become force-fed into mainstream population by the media and soon EVERYONE is EXPECTED to conform to that thought or image, when it is not actually even the popular thought.

It is time to relinquish the societal control that we allow to dictate our lives, thoughts, and desires BACK to God so that we can TRULY be conformed to His will, HIS purpose and most of all HIS divine nature.

So “destroy” that influence over your life in the coming new year. basically, if it does not honor God, do not give it honor by allowing whatever that force is to influence your life. If you are doing or seeing anything that you could not see or do with Jesus beside you.. then simply do not allow that to have any place in your thoughts, life, or family.

Check out what He told the Hebrews, Deuteronomy 7:2-6: “And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them, thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they WILL turn away thy son FROM FOLLOWING ME, that they may serve other gods, so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

But thus (here’s how) ye shall deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

For thou ART (you are) AN HOLY (set apart) PEOPLE UNTO GOD; THE LORD THY GOD HATH CHOSEN THEE TO BE A SPECIAL PEOPLE (treasure) UNTO HIMSELF, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth.”

As you see THIS is the word of God. HE IS telling us through it that just as the Hebrews were to NOT to have any dealings whatsoever ever with those who were their enemies that we are to NOT have any dealings whatsoever with those things today that ARE our SPIRITUAL enemies.

And notice that He did INCLUDE our children and what we allow to influence them and HE told us in no uncertain terms that exposure to these enemies would lead to REBELLION against Him. That we are to DESTROY those things out of our lives BECAUSE He has called us as His. And fortunately for us, it is much easier NOW to remove those spiritual enemies by making our choices based on His teachings.

So don’t let this world influence your life, you influence the world by living your life for Him!

Finally a couple of quick notes… WHY did Cinderella’s shoes NOT change when everything else did in that fairy-tale? Anyone else ever wonder about that 🙂 ?

Also if you are reading internationally, please know that this title and reference to the old saying and ancient Rome in NO WAY reflects my feelings toward Rome… or Romans, this has been completely symbolic.

Rome is a beautiful place that I would love to visit one day!

And I also wanted to thank you all again from the bottom of my heart for reading this past year and it is my sincerest prayer that you be blessed with new revelations, new joy, and the happiness and peace that can only be found in a true personal relationship with our Lord and Creator Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Amen!

Original post date: 12/28/2017 But sometimes it is good to be reminded.

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

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Approval Removal

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:3

That is a go to verse that we all probably have used one more than one occasion.

Some of us, hundreds of occasions.

I have spent much of the day reading posts of other bloggers something I always enjoy and hadn’t really had much time to do lately and I have never ceased to be amazed at the loud ringing true of Jesus’ words from the Book of Revelation, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” 

Which he tells us on seven different occasions as he gives us the list of behaviors and attitudes that can make us or break us.

But Jesus, always merciful and beautiful highlights the strong points and then deals with the problem areas.

Areas that must be corrected otherwise the consequences are also spelled out but with fabulous mercy and grace, we are also assured of the rewards for overcoming these quicksand areas that our flesh causes our souls to sink into. 

It seems through reading the work of others whom I respect and love for their passion, their rawness, and their commitment to keeping it real even while revealing their own hurt and humanism.

And I for one, know that it blesses me, not because they are hurt but because there are others who are willing to share their own struggles, doubts and fears to shine light for those who are experiencing the same.

We have all been preached to that if we are sad, get over it and “put a smile on that face”.

We have all heard that if we have prayers seemingly unanswered, then surely there must be sin in our lives or we are just “not praying right” and you know what, none of those teachings or thoughts line up with the Word of God.

We are given encouragement through his word to deal with any and all situations that we find ourselves in on this earth.

And we are given those instructions, and those rays of hope because God knew when he had the book written that we would need every single one of those words. 

And it seems we all are in a battle royal with feelings of inadequacy and rejection, the pain of feeling the disapproval of others, in that no matter what we say or what we do, we will never live up to their standard.

I had heard years ago the horrifying numbers of those who daily leave the ministry.

And I am sure most have at one point or other almost been swayed by those same forces to do the same.

But we have to stand, we can get knocked down, distressed, and almost broken by the thoughts and attitudes of others and there are always those who love to kick us when we are down and there are those who, for whatever reason, seem to only validate every wrong view the enemy tries to present to us concerning ourselves and our ministries.

My personal belief on this is that attacks are much more severe than those suffered by the former generations. the closer we get to the end… personal hits on us and the stress of stats and followers and the pressure from the web world that often through sites that offer us a better “reputation rating” IF we buy a subscription.

The pressure to increase and spread the Gospel while under the microscope of a world that does not believe and constantly under the raised heel of the modern pharisees, who can not wait to critique every word, every action, and quickly correct us all that feel they would have worded differently and to every accidental misuse of Old English.

The same “crushing heel” that the disciples were faced with, same old tried and true corrections and restrictions according to their opinions as they just wait to put that heel down on us.

Just like Jesus said to those of his day, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass the sea and land to make one proselyte, and when ye have made is,ye make him twofold (twice) more the child of hell than yourselves“

It is really nothing new, we are just getting hit on a much larger scale and so many changes in the world that many of us entered ministry from backgrounds of brokenness, dysfunctional homes, and failed marriages, myself included, talk about rejection, my first marriage ended because of my refusal to convert to Catholicism.

I have written and pulled posts “dealing with the dealing with of that”, but even once we are saved and all things are made new, we still are “works in progress” and sometimes old wounds hurt, and they will hurt until the root of it is found and destroyed, and with every “root” there is a promise, a word from God, that will take care of that as we experience it. 

Isaiah 54:6: “For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and as a wife of youth, when thou wast refused.” was a comfort, and peace, and also a source of relentless tears this first time I read it because it was God’s word, to me, and all who have suffered that kind of rejection that he knows, he knows the pain and he is there to wipe every tear away and give us something so much better.

And so many of us that have gone through the heartache of divorce have also been blessed with a new lease on life with relationships with spouses that are what God intended for our lives. 

Sometimes the hardest “enemy” to face is ourselves and when we think of the scripture above and sometimes that “who” that tries to come against us, can even mean us. 

I know I have been guilty of it, the need for the approval of others so that I can approve of myself.  I can see mistake after mistake in choices I have made.

Choices I would have thought through a little more carefully had I remembered the moment of my salvation and the truth we all experience in that moment, Jesus LOVES us, he loves us simply because he loves us, nothing more nothing less.

It is when we listen to all those outside voices that reaffirm that own little self-doubt in our own head that whispers”You are still not good enough…” that we lose sight of  the only approval worth having.

God does not want that, he did not create us to please anyone except him and we are his creation. And we were created for his pleasure, ever think about that?

When he created Adam from the dust and breathed his breath into him and then took the rib, the DNA from Adam to create Eve, how awesome is THAT? 

He visited the garden and talked with them, he loved them and even when they messed up so bad and sin entered in and they had to leave the garden, he STILL loved them, he made them clothes, and taught them all they needed to survive their new existence.

And how many times does he want so much more for us, but our need for approval prevents us from throwing “caution to the wind” and following him in a direction that is completely unknown?

I have wrestled this so much lately myself , having been through such a difficult season, and many, many of us are in the same battle.

But just as David told Goliath, the battle is not ours it is the Lords and he promises us in his word that nothing, nothing can separate us from his love.

Not life, nor death, nor demons, and surely not any human, or the approval or especially the disapproval of us by any person. 

So we must allow him to remove that false need of approval because we are sealed until the day of redemption, how much more approval do we really need?

Romans 14:4: “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth, Yea, he shall be holden up (made to stand) ; for God is able to make him stand.”

Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of  our faith. He began us and He is the only one who can end us.

So rest in the remembrance of the peace and joy you receive upon salvation, because the strife, stress, and constant pressure to be someone that some else thinks we should be does NOT come from him. 

It will break your spiritual feet and broken feet cannot stand and sometimes they can be so fractured that the will NEVER stand again and that is what the enemies wants.

 So when you feel that you can’t stand, trust Jesus, know that he will enable you to stand and as with any battle royal only the last one standing can win.

Φλογιζω NBJ 2019

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“All that hinders, all that binds,& the lies that trap the mind.”

“He that believeth on him IS NOT condemned: but he that believeth not IS condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God.

  And this IS the condemnation, that the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness more than the light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, lest his deeds be reproved (exposed). But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be manifest, that they are wrought in God.” JOHN 3:18-20

How sad, how sad is it when there are people who TRULY, TRULY BELIEVE that God does indeed exist, that Jesus Christ IS indeed the perfect Lamb of God, who BELIEVE the Gospel and every single precious word of it and yet they chose not to accept that Gospel and choose not to accept salvation. How do we ever minister to them?

As in an earlier post, we know that Jesus compares it to children, who no matter how gentle the message, no matter how hot the flames of the fire of hell is preached, they still refuse to accept eternal life through Him, through in WHOM THEY DO BELIEVE. What is wrong with that picture?

Many are mind trapped the have really bought the lies that for whatever reason, the Gospel is good…..just NOT good for them.

Is it self-esteem, is it self punishment, is it a feeling of true hopelessness, worthlessness? What is it? I would love to ask that. Why turn down the greatest love and mercy ever known? Why not be free, truly free, free in happiness, free in peace, and free to live to live a life your never imagined? Maybe someone, the enemy, or maybe the biggest enemy of all, self has convinced you that you ARE condemned.

But the words above are the words of Jesus and HE IS the ultimate authority on ALL things and HE said “if you believe in Him, you ARE not condemned”.

And if you believe and accept Him, ROMANS 8:1, PROMISES, ” THERE is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them that which are in Christ Jesus, who walk NOT after the flesh, but after the spirit.”

Our righteousness (right standing with God) IS as filthy rags, we have all sinned, we are born into sin and people love to remind you of your past and there are always those who love to tell you that you will never make it trying to live for the Lord, but the Bible says “let God be true and every man a liar” there will NEVER be anything we can do to redeem ourselves.

There will never be anything that we can do to undo our mistakes. But the most foolish thing that we can ever do is to stand before the Lord and say to Him, “I know you would have saved me, but I just wasn’t worth it.”

NO ONE is worth it in themselves but we were ALL worth it to Him. It is not His will that any should perish and He gave His life so we would not have to give ours and the thought that we must “make our self ready” for salvation is not  aright thought.

God does not require us to do any of the changing, he requires us to LET HIM CHANGE US! And to analyze, think, plan, and weigh out the options of whether or not we can “give up” this or that and to hold out until we “can live it” is absolutely NOT of God and has nothing to do with true desire for salvation. These thoughts and persuasion are only there to keep us bond and hindered.

What if tomorrow never comes? What if the next breath is the second to your last? Would you accept Him then? What if, without a moment’s warning, half the things in Revelation start to come to pass? What if destruction comes, what if you find yourself on this earth, having missed the ONLY opportunity to flee the trails and tribulations of the last days, by not accepting Christ BEFORE those things come to pass, what happens then? And you STILL BELIEVE?

Well, no one knows the preordained moment of their death, but as sure as we are born, God ALREADY knows the date, hour, second, and millisecond of the moment we WILL leave this earth. We will not be allowed to come back and change our minds and ask for a do over. We are given ONE life here on this earth. “It is appointed ONCE unto man to die” and after that the judgment.

If you believe, then surely you have noticed all those things which are coming to pass, and knowing that you need to know that all that is written, all that has been foretold can happen in  a blink of an eye and even though you may live through the initial things, you will die for your faith, if you are to denounce the beast and refuse the mark.

So now, what hinders you? What is it that binds you?

HEBREWS 12:1″WHEREFORE seeing (since) that we are compassed (surrounded) about with such a great cloud of witnesses, LET US LAY ASIDE (put down) EVERY WEIGHT (all those things that are hindering you) and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us RUN with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us.” 

Jesus said YOU are NOT condemned IF you believe in Him, so why on earth are you condemning yourself? ACCEPT His mercy, His peace, and His salvation while they may be accepted. Renew your mind in Him:

2 CORINTHIANS 10:5: “Casting down (tearing down, destroying) imaginations, and EVERY high thing that exalteth itself against (comes in place of) THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD,  and bringing INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST.” 

The knowledge that God does love you, God wants to save you, and stop believing the lies and your own thoughts that want to say otherwise and bring all those thought into Him and WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT YOU and be obedient to the fact that His word is the final authority concerning your soul! And if God doesn’t want to send you to hell, why do you wanna send yourself there?

Also consider checking out this post:  “And you are?…”

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2016  ***Re-post 5/25/2019*** This is a thought to a new series

 

 

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Either way…it IS forever

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Luke 16:23 

“And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying,  How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth? Revelation 6:9,10

Now normally I don’t start off with two seemingly unrelated verses but I promise these verses are some of the most important yet rarely mentioned words in the Bible. To be honest, I have never heard the teachings of the end time warnings taught on, never once have I heard anything preached or taught about how those who do not accept Christ before His return can still be saved.

They can be saved but they will die in that process and you can read more about those things in these past teachings: The Betrothed and The Beheaded each one will explain the blessed state of both the end time groups that will be part of the Kingdom of Christ.

If you notice the parallel of the verses above, you’ll notice something quite interesting. The first is from the story of Lazarus and the rich man, we’ll get into more of that in a bit, but to do a quick relay of it, the rich man had had  a great life here on earth, everything he could dream of  and never had a care as to where he would sleep or where his next meal would come from.

Lazarus on the hand… well, we’ll listen to Jesus’ description concerning both of these men. “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, fared sumptuously every day (lived in luxury): And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried.” Luke 16:19-22

We don’t have to be rich to be like the rich man. Our world has become so VIRTUAL that we have lost touch with what is TRUE REALITY.

We have so much invading our minds and so much to “occupy” our minds that we often trade out the truth for those lies, and as we know leads to damnation.

Social media and web games, and the host of internet resources now preoccupying peoples time, life, and in my personal belief has become the “god” of many, so who has time ponder the universal questions of heaven and hell, life and death, and more importantly death and the eternal life AFTER this death?

How can they possibly be troubled with the thoughts while there are statuses to post, great selfies to be taken, and of course the never-ending bash posts to spew hatred that they have not courage to say in person nor the common social graces to not make a spectacle of themselves in doing these things.

Please don’t take that wrong, there is nothing WRONG with playing some games and doing some web surfing and I think it is a fabulous tool especially for those who are living alone, or grieving because it does provide a little “escape”.

But when it starts becoming more important than spending time in prayer with God, or attending church, praying for people, and reading and studying the Bible, then it has become much more than a hobby.

And I do know that there are many good uses for technology but we all know the majority of it is not for good.

How can we even hear God when we can’t even hear?

The most profound, life changing message I heard, (excluding the one that got me saved) came one night when I was watching a local Pastor on television and He preached on Tophet and how that the people sacrificed their children, burning them alive, to pagan demons and that their custom was to play drums and “music” to drown out the screams of the children.

That message made such an impact on me, that I just prayed for God to NEVER let me fail to hear the cries of others.

The lost of this world and those who do not even realize that they are being “sacrificed” to the god of this world, through their refusal to acknowledge, or even SEEK Jesus and His salvation because the sounds of this world drown out any whisper they may hear. And that same effect is what I am going for today.

I want to make you think about something, if you believe and have never committed to that belief or if you are an absolute atheist and choose not to believe anything, I have a message on both counts. Refusing to believe does not exempt anyone form the law of God, you are not going to look at Him and use the excuse that you did not believe, because whether you believe or not has no bearing on his existence. 

And if you don’t believe you have chosen to drown out the voice in your own soul because even our hearts assure us that there has to be more than this life.

Love, love never dies and the love you have felt, received and given lives on, if you do not believe in an afterlife you are not acknowledging the power of love.

If you have had a terrible life on earth, like Lazarus, doesn’t something inside of you hang on to hope that there has to be something better?

And if you have had a great life here on this earth, why would you want to ever risk an eternal life of misery and torment beyond comprehension because of your failure to acknowledge the one who gave you your very life?

The rich man lifted up his eyes in hell, one moment on this earth the next moment lost for all of eternity.

As the Bible teaches us, we are FIRST natural and then SPIRITUAL, and that is the problem of our own wisdom, we think we know everything and base that arrogant self-righteous thought on our carnal, NATURAL knowledge.

But we CAN’T even begin to understand the truth until we become SPIRITUAL and we must accept Jesus before that can take place and those who are literally making reservations for hell because they DO BELIEVE in the afterlife but believe satanic lies that it will be like the parties here on earth are taking natural to the most unnatural extreme.

The rich REMEMBERED earth, He FELT unquenchable thirst. and he BEGGED his brothers be warned to not “come to this place” and as he was told that they would not BELIEVE even one from the dead, think about it when we refuse to believe that Jesus rose, we ARE being his brothers.

Being DEAD from earth but ALIVE in hell, he still felt, thought, and expressed and was AWARE of both worlds.

Now the passage from Revelation concerning those that had DIED, been murdered, martyred, FROM this earth.

They also are very AWARE of both worlds, they also THINK, FEEL, and EXPRESS themselves and they ALSO want someone to “come” back on their behalf, they want VENGEANCE against those who killed them.

They REMEMBER how they died.

And just as the rich man’s request was refused, they also are told that they must rest for a little while until THOSE WHO ARE ALSO  YET to be killed as they were and THEN justice would come. And as Jesus promised to”wipe ALL our tears away” in that faithful glorious day, we will KNOW but we will be made new, all things WILL be made new in that day. 

So today, if you have not accepted Jesus, don’t wait another day because we are not promised the next breath, the next day, not one moment of our life is guaranteed.

But God in His mercy and kindness GAVE us these lives, He GAVE us this day, and he GAVE us all the choice, the CHOICE of where our true LIFE will be spent because this place, this earth, is but for a moment and when death comes, then and only then does REALITY truly begin. In that life there is no second chances, it is what it is, but in this life, no matter how bad it has been, Jesus CAN can everything, He CAN give you on this earth a life you could NOT even imagine with joy, peace, and blessings in this world.

And the assurance that you don’t have to fear that moment when all things become eternal. Ask any believer and they will tell you that the single most profound moment in their life came when they REALIZED that it was God’s mercy alone that had kept them and protected them until they came into the truth.

And the realization that truly they had been ONE breath away from being lost eternally, and my dear friends is what make us want to see ALL come to that truth.

So know this, either way, we will ONLY begin when this world ends and either way IT will be forever, so please choose today and choose Jesus, THE ONLY WAY!

Thanks for reading!

Love&Peace from my heart to yours, till next time!

Φλογιζω360 NBJ 2019

For more on these subjects: “Bought & Sold” Riches Untold 

                                             Prophets, Prodigals, & Puttin’ it off…….

                                              Just kinda like… MESSED UP…

                                              To shun the Son….

 

 

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“360”

“Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. 

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me.” Micah 7:7,8

Ever feel like the enemy and often enemies are having one heck of a party celebrating what they think and hope is your demise?

I have been through quite a little season and we ALL have, so I never want to come off that I think it is only me…I know better.

I know God’s people have come under attacks like nothing seen before and attacks on every side, many almost falling under that pressure, stumbling a bit, trying to navigate through that darkness as the enemy rejoices because he thinks he can keep us there but he can’t, he doesn’t have that kind of power and the only way we will remain in that darkness is if we continue to sit in it. And the first step to being pulled back up by our boot straps is allowing the light of God that shines on us, to shine through us, and in us.

As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:5-9: “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord: and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 

For God, who commanded the light to shine OUT OF THE DARKNESS, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

BUT we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We are troubled (hard-pressed)on every side, yet NOT distressed (crushed); we are perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but NOT forsaken; cast (struck) down, but NOT destroyed.”  

Which now brings me to my “360” anyone who follows this blog knows that I lost my Mom in September and also had two more very close family members battling cancer at the same time, so I really hadn’t been keeping this up as I should have so I had felt impressed to “revamp” and do a 360.

I pulled a lot of posts that were personal in content and took away the “baresoul” part of the name and planned to return it to what it was meant to be, so if you are redirected to 360, I assure you, it is safe.

Anyway as I began this process my sister’s condition became worse and there was no one on this earth like my sister, we often joked that we had one brain between us and each had a half, we were that in tune with each other and she was one of the few people who ever encouraged me in ministry, and I knew she was dying, she had been given 24-72 hours the morning I wrote my last post, so I wrote it, dedicated it to her because I couldn’t imagine doing anything without her in my life. So I called it done and went to her house and was there when she passed, even though I had planned to not be there for the last moment, it doesn’t always work out the way we want it to, I wanted her healed, I wanted my Mom healed, I wanted my brother healed but God has reasons and purposes for everything and He is still sovereign.

But during the course of all these things, the enemy loves to use people to just add a little more, it’s like you can’t be going through enough hurt and sorrow, they have to just make that load a little heavier and I was the subject of the most vicious lie filled social media attack and this was hitting areas that were so deplorable that only a sick evil person could have a heart black enough to say such trash, things concerning the death of my mother and even her funeral expenses, which Mom had insurance, but for all the hundreds of people who read that, they’d never know it.

Back to my point, you know, sometimes whipping boys grow a little weary of being whipped. So I held my peace as long as possible and after the burial, I did indeed make that quite known, so I got another social media rant threw at me, which is funny considering I am not even on it now.

But anyway after people believe lies and the looks you get when that final straw snaps does kinda make one rethink everything and I have known through it all that the first thing that would get questioned is my ministry. But you know, God is still God. God is ever merciful and God knows our thoughts before we even think them.

So I determined after two weeks pondering and praying that if I just throw away the opportunity God has given me and I choose to sit in that darkness then I have no one to blame but myself if I fail God and fail the call he has given me. So the 360 is for me, a 360 back to the Lord, to His mercy and forgiveness and away from the games and drama that he NEVER told me that I had to be part of.

A 360 back to the ONLY one whose opinion should matter to me.

A 360 back under the shadow of His wings and his protection.

A 360 back to the prayers that David sang in Psalms as he asked not for power in his flesh to turn back the enemies that rose against him, but he prayed and sang for God, the ONLY power to turn back those enemies on his behalf.

A 360 back to the everlasting arms that hold not only today but our yesterday and tomorrow.

And a 360 for my ministry, which after six years did needed a fresh ray of sunshine, or should I say SON SHINE!

Posts hitting a verse or two, short and hopefully sweet to encourage someone somewhere that you are NEVER alone, NEVER gone to far, and a darkness does not exist that can not be pierced by his marvellous light. 

He sees and He knows and He forgives and He helps us when we can’t help our selves. When we can’t fight the temptation to hold our tongues, when the world looks on in shock because they think they can somehow hide from God their own thoughts.

But He loves us and in that love HE forgives us and His mercy is renewed every single morning IF we will receive it. And I for one have decided that I will receive it and with that I absolutely rescind my “resignation” from my calling.

As long as the Lord allows and as long as He blesses me with this avenue of ministry , it will go on.

And here is our proof, for ALL of us, that He knows, He sees, and we are to be grateful for that.

Psalm 139:1-18: “O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off.

Thou compassest (comprehendeth) my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset (enclosed, encircled) me behind and before (front and back), and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whiter shall I go from thy spirit? or whiter shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover (fall upon) me ,even the night shall be light around about me.

Yea,the darkness hideth not from thee (is not dark to thee); but the night SHINETH as the day: The darkness and the day are both alike to thee.

For thou hast possessed my reins (formed my inward parts): thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance (bones) was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect (unformed) and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them (our days prepared BEFORE we were still in the womb). 

How PRECIOUS also ARE thy thoughts unto me, O God, how great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.” 

No matter how down the world gets on us, or how down we get on ourselves, these words should make any heart rejoice!

God telling us through his word that EVEN before He formed us in our mother’s womb. He KNEW us and as these verses describe that formation and that EVEN our days are known BEFORE we ever come forth and that His thoughts toward as are innumerable and ALL those thoughts are precious and for our good!

Thanks for reading!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2019

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Persecution, Perseverance, & Promises

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (does not scold, berate, or belittle us); and it shall be given him. James 1:5 Persecution.

Why is it when we are battling and battling, heartache and sickness, and what seems like trials on every side that the enemy always sends someone or works through someone to add just a little extra to that load that we are already carrying on our backs? Well, a couple of reasons, just a Jesus told Peter, the devils main objective is to sift us.

He knows that even in God, we are still humans. We are still very much prey to that Adam nature and his hope is that is he rattles us, shakes us, and sifts us enough, that Adam nature is going to pour out and in the midst of persecution, he will get us to react and then us that reaction in attempt to convince us to just give up the fight and retreat forget the race and forfeit the crown.

Just as Jesus warned us Revelation 3:11: “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast,that no man take thy crown.” 

And He said this concerning those that are of the devil, that accuse and lie and persecute God’s children while pretending to be good themselves, Jesus told us clearly with this verse to hold tightly to what He has already given us and do not let any man, or anything human that can be done to take away from us what God Himself had given.

The Apostles wrote much concerning this and they were more than experts on the subject because persecution was just part of their everyday  life and Paul even directly linked it to his calling as an Apostle.

They were in fact set as a “Gazingstock”.

It is the same routine the devil has always used and for many of us it takes a lifetime to learn not fall into at least one of his traps.

Sometimes we can see it coming and prepare but sometimes we are just blew away by words and false accusations that we would have never expected, especially we allow that “sifting” to shake out the flesh enough to confront others and then have them try to even lie to us about us.

This is another reason for the lesson that Micheal the Archangel did not argue back with satan, actually is says this in Jude verses 9,10: “Yet, Michael the archangel , when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not (dared not) bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee.”

Michael could have said A LOT about the devil and the actions he had committed. Considering that Micheal is the warrior archangel and satan was the praise/protector angel, Michael could have probably put a pretty heavy smack down on him (which did happen with the war in heaven-Revelation 12:7) but during this particular dispute Michael was doing his job and left the reprimand and punishment of the devil up to the only one it belongs to, the Lord.

Noticing that is said that he “dared not” bring against him a heated argument, he dared not, not because of the devil but because he is obedient to God and serves and fears the Lord also, just as the Bible tells us that the angels are “fellow-servants” with the children of God.

So, that takes care of that, now to take care of something for me, any one who follows this blog now that it has been quite awhile on new posts, but they also know about the death of my Mom in September and the we also have had two other family members that were also diagnosed with cancer and for their privacy I’ll leave it there, but to say it has been a year of heartache would be an understatement and I have just truly been stretched time wise and have felt it a season better suited for “taking notes” rather than writing “lessons from the field” but during it all, the enemy reared his ugly head and we were hit with an unbelievable barrage of accusations, and I did, I lost it, and I used the A** word.

First time since I have been saved that anything like that has come out of my mouth, but I did and I tell you that because if you feel that is unforgivable and think I have no business writing for Christ, you have the choice to make that decision for yourself and believe me, I did ask myself that also, and I am not going to get into the details because why repeat what satan wants repeated?

But the truly comical part came, when people who are not Christians and who outright lie and do everything they can do to berate and falsely accuse others (including those with cancer) can smugly tell the whole world via social media, that if “some” people go through the pearly gates, they would have no problem themselves. 

They sure didn’t bother listing the endless spew of profanity that as the saying goes “would make a sailor blush” spat at me.

I am not proud of it, I am not happy that I fell into that trap and after several weeks I have also decided that to give up my ministry for one moment of anger would completely void every single thing I have ever preached to others.

I believe in getting on the boat, staying on the boat, if you fall off the boat, ask Jesus for forgiveness and get back on the boat!

Jesus saved me, Jesus called me, and Jesus is responsible for my ordination and only Jesus has the power to revoke my calling and to revoke it myself because I in anger said a word that is not nice at all, would be doing the devils job for him.

I also remember the story of Paul and Alexander the coppersmith, and people being “delivered unto satan for the destruction of the flesh” so that their souls might be saved and you know, at the end of the day, it is God that they will have to answer to and they will not have one word to speak back in their defense.

And as hard as it is, that is why the Lord has given us so many teachings on this, because others will choose to believe what they want but God is the ultimate judge of all things.

And when a person will one day be faced with the realization of the hate and wishes of death for others and faced with the cruelty of the own words, that will produce far greater truth in their souls than anything thing any of us could ever say.

You know, kinda like Scrooge in a Christmas Carol, when he was finally moved with compassion and questioned whether or not Tiny Tim would die and the Ghost of Christmas present echoed his own words of ending the “surplus population” and thoughts of that is why when we get past the hurt and past the anger, we can truly feel sympathy for them because we know the price they will have to pay for that hatred.

And I wanted to get that out-of-the-way, especially for those I know personally, I felt that an explanation was owed.

I have read some wonderful posts on the subject by other bloggers recently, God timing is always perfect and maybe many are going through a season of persecution, because there is  a lot being said about it right now.

And we do garner so much strength from others and hope that maybe there is hope for us after-all. So we HAVE to PERSEVERE, which means that we must continue, continue on a set course for a planned destination even with little hope of reaching that destination and even in the face of heartache, snares, and the very deliberate stumbling blocks that have been placed on the path.

Taking heart and much heart in the fact that Philippians 1:6 teaches us this: “Being confident of THIS very thing, that HE which began a good work in you WILL perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” 

2 Corinthians 9:13:”There hath no temptation taken you BUT such as is COMMON to man: But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make a way of escape, that ye may be able to escape.”  

Taking that escape route is up to us, God leaves it open but we must be willing to say no to the drama, cut off communications, and recognize the reality that this life is short and every single moment is precious and time spent in anger and battling someone who would fall under the category of Jude 13: “Raging waves of the sea, foaming out of their own shame;…” those who themselves become like those waves and cause peace to turn to distress and propels those unnecessary storms in our life and they do it because they themselves are filled with such hate that they despise any remote glimmer of light that tries to shine on the life of another.

This is when we take the lesson from the angels.  2 Peter 2:11: “Whereas angels which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusations against them before the Lord.”

Again, railing accusations, angry, hostile retaliation that certainly can and most likely will, in a symbolic thought, cause a barrier between us and the Lord.

We can not hold anger, hurt, or even resentment in our heart because it turns to iniquity and we have a very powerful warning concerning that, Psalm 66:18: “If  I regard iniquity IN my heart, the Lord will NOT hear me.” 

So we must truly leave people in the hands of the Lord. 

PROMISES, 1 John 1:4-9: “And these things I write unto you that your joy may be made full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.

If we say we that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Jude verse 24,25: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.” 

Only He has the power to make us stand, and only He has the power to wash, save, and deliver us, from the power of men, the power of the venomous tongues of others and most importantly from ourselves.

Thanks for reading! Φλογιζω 360 NBJ 2019

 

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“Waning under the weight of waiting”

Now that title is quite a mouthful, try saying it fast three times, could be a pretty good tongue twister 🙂 but I am hoping it’ll make for a much better thought provoker!

Hebrews 12:1a: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us…”

Used this scripture before, we all have I am sure, but for the moment I want to concentrate on what a weight waiting can be.

Ever think about it? When people or even our own selves come up with every known imaginable reason why we can not serve God or why we can’t accomplish his will or why we can’t live for him… just now, maybe in the future but now we can’t because we are waiting, waiting on some magical, mystical desire to take place or we are waiting on someone else to “come in” then we’ll “get right” with the Lord.

How could ANYTHING of this world be more important than your soul?

How? Never mind the demons, and the spiritual world that surrounds our natural world every single day and if it were not for God’s divine protection do you think you would be so safe from all the traps and snare that are laid for your feet?

Never mind the lack of peace, never mind the constant struggles inside your mind because “to him that knoweth to do good and do it not, it is a sin” completely IGNORING all those things for a moment, how does anyone take the comfort that their eternal soul is secure out of the daily equation, in seemingly “never-minding” that we are never once promised that we have all the time in the world to WAIT while allowing the weight of all those earthly hindrances to steal day after day while we have no promise of the next day. 

It is ALL of the world, the world that scripture warns us and warns us to stay out of. The world can mean many different struggles for different people.

It is not always about money, but it all equates the same. ANYTHING we place above God or the service and ANYTHING that prevents us from following him with our whole hearts and lives completely surrendered to him.

That is why we are told that WE must LAY ASIDE all these weights.

God does not place that weight on us… the world does and we have to be willing to refuse to carry it and we can’t blame that one on God. 

This is one Jesus’ warnings on the subject.

Luke 12:15-20: ” And he said unto them, Take heed, and BEWARE of covetousness: for a man’s life consiseth not in the abundance of things he possesseth. 

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?”

And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow (store) all my fruits and my goods. and I will say unto my soul,  Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”  

He went on to encourage us to lay up those treasures in heaven because the concerns and desires of this world that became as weights will drag us down. And this is also so clear in his parable of the sower and the seed, AGAIN warning us about this world and getting caught up in it rather that the things of God.

Matthew 13:3-9: “And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured  them up;

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth; and forthwith they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched: and because they had no root, they withered away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up and choked them:

But others fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”  

Do you recognize all the different human conditions going on here?

Think about it, the way side, just going through life, not caring one way or another and those are absolutely devoured because no one is caring if they make it or not.

The stony places in hardened hearts and unrepentant, unyielding, stubborn, and prideful.

Too “shallow” to make the long haul, all for it until the going gets tough and then they gotta get going… their own way, AWAY from God. 

And the thorns of this world, the pain, the sorrow, the hurt, and injustice, all those things that prick, mar, and scar.

BUT Jesus told us this in his word, Song of Solomon 2:1,2: “I AM the rose of Sharon, and  the lily of the valleys. 

As the lily AMONG the thorns SO IS my love among the daughters.”

 For every single human condition there is a relief and cure in God’s word, IF we will seek it and have faith to believe it.

That faith and assurance, NOT in ourselves or our abilities but faith that He is and He will fulfil all his promises to us IF we do what his word tells us to do.

That is that good ground that he cultivates for his seed and to bring forth HIS fruit. And as he told us to “hear if we have ears to hear” meaning if our heart is set on him and our thoughts on things eternal to HEAR him.  

Continuing, Matthew 13:18-23: “Hear  ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one hearth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it  not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth (snatches) away that which WAS sown in his heart. This is which received seed by the way side. 

But he that received the seed into stony places,  the same is he that heareth the word, and anon (immediately) with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth (endures) for a while:  for when tribulation OR persecution ariseth BECAUSE of the word, by and by he is offended. 

He also that received seed among thorns is he that heareth the word : And the CARE OF THIS WORLD, and the deceitfulness of riches, CHOKE THE WORD,  and he becometh unfruitful. 

But he that received seed in the good ground IS he that heareth the word, and understandeth it;  which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”  Those “places” those weights. those are the things that prevent our growth, prevent us from bearing fruit and will certainly crush that precious seed planted by the Lord himself and eventually even crush us under them.

God never told us to wait on this world or to wait for things in this world to change.

We are to FOLLOW HIM and WAIT for him, not this world and we can never carry that weight. We were never meant to.

The only one who can is the only one who already holds it ALL in the middle of his nail scarred hand.

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω  NB 2018

 

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Warding off the unworthiness

1 John 1:29: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD, WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD.”

Why is it we can BELIEVE that Jesus Christ IS exactly who he claimed to be when he walked on earth, we can BELIEVE that he did indeed die in our place as the sacrifice for our sins and better yet, as John said, the SIN OF THE WHOLE WORLD, and BELEIVE that he rose victorious from that death defeating even hell itself in that resurrection, but YET we can NOT seem to BELIEVE that those forgiven sins ALSO INCLUDE OURS? Why it that?

It is then enemy? Well, maybe a little, but he normally doesn’t have to prompt us into self-loathing because we all to often do it for him!

And I truly with everything in me feel like someone or maybe several are going through this torment right now and that is why I felt lead to do this. Once you ask Jesus for forgiveness and to save you, you ARE saved. And maybe you have messed up, but please be VERY reassured EVERY ONE messes up!

We will never be perfect, NEVER, he does not ask that we be perfect, he asks us to walk in his commandments and be quick to ask for that forgiveness when we do stumble.

The only perfect he requires is blamelessness, meaning do everything to the best of our ability, and getting back up and trying it again when we don’t quite make that grade.

But there is such a mind-set of “unworthiness” choosing to FORSAKE and WILLFULLY NOT ACCEPT forgiveness choosing rather to punish ourselves, when Jesus DIED for our punishment! WHY do that?

Just as Jesus used the debt parable, can you HONESTLY tell me that if you owed someone a million dollars and NO WAY to pay that back and that person suddenly OFFERED to write off that entire debt, that you would refuse?

So why suffer every single in emotional and spiritual torment when God is NOT asking you to do that? He will give peace and only he can and once we surrender to him that peace WILL come.

He is NOT putting you in remembrance of every wrong you have ever done, He is BECKONING you to COME to him and give him all that pain and regret so he can COMPLETELY destroy it.

That is what he does, he literally REMOVES all of that and it NO LONGER EXISTS. Just as tomorrow IS already dead, those past sin ARE already dead, you just have the guilt and regret that also must DIE in him.

Think about the explanation of baptism:

Romans 6: 3-11: ” Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Therefore we are BURIED with him by baptism into death: that like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, EVEN SO SHALL WE WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this that our old man (past sins) IS crucified with him, that the body of SIN might be DESTROYED that henceforth we SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN.

For he that is dead IS free from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we BELIEVE that we shall also LIVE with him: 

Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; KNOWING THAT DEATH HATH NO MORE DOMINION (power) OVER HIM, FOR HE DIED UNTO SIN ONCE:

BUT IN THAT HE LIVETH, HE LIVETH UNTO GOD. Likewise reckon (consider) YE ALSO YOURSELVES TO BE DEAD INDEED UNTO SIN, BUT ALIVE UNTO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.”

See that is the deal, NO ONE EXCEPT JESUS could die in our place for that forgives and in him our forgiven sin ARE dead, but in him the “new” us LIVES.

That is the mystery that CAN NOT be understood UNTIL you accept him, and I do not mean the “world” church that has NO repentance, I mean truly repent and truly accepting forgiveness.

And if you were not under real conviction and feeling true repentance you would not be wrestling with this issue, so that is also a blessed state (although it probably doesn’t feel that way right now.. one day it will) we can not save ourselves, we can never be “good enough”, we can never “live up to it” and we can never ever be concerned with the non sense of “waiting until we can live it” as the saying goes, you see from our verses WE CAN’T LIVE IT!

We were never asked to live it! We were told to allow Jesus to take away our sins and DIE to our old life and LIVE IN HIM, because ONLY he can live it! And as far as feeling unworthy, churches are full of people who have felt the SAME feeling you are feeling, we have all wrestled it because we are all UNWORTHY, that is why we are told He ALONE is worthy!

We have to take our eyes of our OWN inadequacies and FOCUS on gratefulness for that the fact that He is far above adequate, His forgives goes beyond any word that could be used.

Think about Peter, after it hit him when Jesus had blessed them with a catch of fish so bountiful it was on the verge of sinking their ships.

Luke 5:8: “When Simon Peter SAW it, he FELL DOWN at Jesus’ knees, saying, DEPART FROM ME; FOR I AM A SINFUL MAN.” 

Does Peter really  sound like he FELT worthy to be in the presence of the Lord? NO, He is literally asking Jesus to LEAVE because of his own feeling of UNWORTHINESS!

And today if you are going through this, you are also, SERIOUSLY ASKING JESUS TO LEAVE WHEN HE HAS CAME TO YOU BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE THERE FOR YOU!

Jesus went on to tell him, FEAR NOT and that has always been his message to all of us who seek him.

So remember today, we don’t have to worry about being worthy because there is only one who IS or will ever be WORTHY that is what he took the place for you and me.

And don’t worry about other people, there are always going to be “people” and there were plenty of people that hated Jesus, and refused to believe he was who he said he was.

And he taught us that “a servant can’t be above his master” so we can expect that, but you know, you are not setting out to please them or care if they believe you are NOT who you once were,

the only opinion WORTH caring about and the ONLY one who matters is the same one who alone is WORTHY!

Revelation 5:12a tells us this: “…WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN TO RECEIVE POWER, AND RICHES, AND WISDOM, AND STRENGHT , AND HONOUR, AND GLORY, AND BLESSING.”   KNOW that those sins ARE gone, forever and PLEASE know you are not alone, HE LOVES YOU and He will give you peace once you just let go.

Φλογίζω Σαλπίζω NB 2018 

This is such a great song and it lets us know we ALL struggle, and it has been an encouragement to me, MANY times while I felt the old pain of unworthiness  but as this song says HE WILL COME TO YOU… LET HIM.

And the second song on this video is “Through the Fire” so please maybe listen to it also, because there is such healing in music and it prompts us to pour out our hearts.

 

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“Taking up serpents…”

First off, I must admit that I have about three posts I need to write to explain my six-week hiatus and my name change ‘Splaining the name thing…. But I really have to do this today because I think it may be “on time” for some and I definitely don’t want to wait until it is too late to give maybe a little different prospective on a probably quite taboo and deadly subject ( in more ways than one) but nevertheless  a very real subject  inside some denominations of the Christian faith.

“Snake handling” or “taking up serpents” mainly associated with Pentecostal and Holiness churches, but I do want to STRESS the majority of churches in these groups do NOT practice this.

I have glimpsed television shows dealing with this and I stay far away from those shows and now there is a new video on social media that was filmed during just such a service in a neighboring state.

It worries me, it worries me for several reasons.

The clip I watched showed multiple people filming this so it is really hard to know just how broad an audience it will hit. I truly do not understand the need to film this because the subject is so hard for many to understand and I personally believe it would be far more beneficial filming and sharing a service of healing and miracles.

And seriously if one has the kind of faith to lift up a Copperhead or rattlesnake and not be bitten and die, they should have the kind of faith to believe the lame will walk, the deaf will hear, because the miraculous and the signs and wonders are for those who DO NOT BELIEVE, so that they will see and know that no power other than the power of a sovereign God could have brought forth these truly supernatural occurrences.

I fear most the door which is opened for those who do not understand to mock and ridicule and unknowingly endanger their souls in doing so, usually others will be dancing in the Spirit, or speaking in tongues and contrary to denominational arguments as to whether these manifestation are still active in our present day, the real danger lies in the fact that if those who have never read the book of Acts or know anything at all of the Bible or Jesus, and are not even laughing about the snakes, decides to mock the dancing, or some other aspect of a service, it endangers their souls, through something that they should have never viewed unless the were present.

Because we can be forgiven for ANYTHING EXCEPT mocking the Holy Spirit.

When we do not understand we have no way to gauge exactly what we are seeing other than our OWN human mind and for those who do not know Christ, this can be even more dangerous.

I for one believe in the sanctity of ALL life, and do not believe in hitting or killing and I know Jesus to be a beautiful GENTLE creator and I really feel sorry for the snakes which have to be terrified but I also know better than to bash their beliefs because they are worshiping God they way they understand it to be and they do this as an exercise in faith.

Just as a boxer might push themselves to new limits everyday while preparing for an upcoming match.

This is how they build their faith that God will protect them.

So for those who may not know, we’ll look at the verses and origins of this and I’ll give you my take on my personal thoughts,again those are mine, EVERYONE has their own relationship with the Lord, and that IS what we MUST be mindful of. Okay, where does this practice come from?

Have to get back to the garden for that one, most know the story of Adam, Eve, and the serpent that seduced her through her own desires for supposed “knowledge” right into absolute disobedience to God. And as God gave divine judgments against ALL three of them.

Genesis 3:14,15: “And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because THOU hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beats of the field; upon thy belly thou shalt go, and dust shall be thou eat all the days of thy life.

And I WILL PUT ENMITY (hostility) BETWEEN THEE AND THE WOMAN, AND BETWEEN THY SEED AND HER SEED; AND IT (he) SHALL BRUISE THY HEAD, AND THOU SHALT BRUISE HIS HEEL.”  

So the long-held hatred between humans and snakes can be easily explained and symbolically many older demonstrations hold this to a more drastic level than many of us do today, because as we understand it, all females suffer terribly during childbirth and I personally believe the serpent had legs at this time, but nevertheless we know snakes now can only move on their bellies, and are absolutely the most dreaded and hated among all creation.

This gives us the reason behind the symbolism of power to subdue them. Many other scriptures deal with the subject, but we’ll try to stick with the subject at hand.

So further proof of this, can be found in the fact that power over the serpent was one of the signs God gave Moses to show that his commission was truly divine.

 Exodus 4:1-5: “And Moses answered and said, But behold, they will NOT believe me, NOR hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath NOT appeared unto thee.

And the Lord said unto him, What is in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he (the Lord) said, Cast (throw) it down on the ground, and he cast it down it on the ground, AND IT BECAME A SERPENT: and Moses fled from before it. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail ( reach down and pick it up by the tail) And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and IT BECAME A ROD IN HIS HAND:

THAT THEY MAY BELIEVE THAT THE LORD GOD OF OUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB, HATH APPEARED UNTO THEE..” 

Exodus chapter seven also tells us of this same rod being turned again to the serpent which consumed the serpents of Pharaoh’s magicians. God sent mighty wonders through Moses that the Egyptians AND the Hebrews would know, see, and BELIEVE in the power of Jehovah God.

Again, Numbers chapter twenty-one tells us of people speaking AGAINST God and His servant, prompting God’s anger which he displayed by sending fiery serpents upon the people, when the people repented and came to Moses, God instructed to make a brass serpent and those bitten who be healed when the gazed upon it. 

We understand that to be the forerunner verse to John 3:14,15:“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Now to bring it New Testament, when Jesus gave the great commission, he spoke also of the signs and wonders, those unexplained events that could only be explained by a very real belief in the power and glory of Almighty God.

Mark 16:15-18: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned (condemned).

And THESE SIGNS shall follow them that believe; IN MY NAME shall thy cast out devils (demons) ; they shall speak with new tongues;

THEY SHALL TAKE UP SERPENTS: AND IF THEY DRINK ANY DEADLY THING, IT SHALL NOT HURT THEM; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” 

I personally believe in miracles, I have seen miracles and there have been times I could not understand why something didn’t end with a miracle and then I remembered something, miracles ARE for a sign and only God dictates when that is required, as believers we are already told to “walk by faith” and that is His requirement.

The miracles, He sends as He wishes, not necessarily as we desire. although I believe in asking and asking!

So this is how I interrupt this, not saying I am right, not saying you have to agree, but saying PLEASE do not encourage others in something they do not understand because Paul also told us that we are babes we must have milk, not solid food.

Of course I paraphrased that, but it translates to this, we grow little by little in the things of God and trying to chew meat when we haven’t teeth will only choke us to death.  so taking up serpents, we are told we will tread upon them, in the sense of the demonic forces we deal with that are constantly  striking at our heels in hopes of making us stumble. Jesus gave us power through His name over those.

Now what if the enemy tries to kill you BEFORE your time and others are just knowing that you have done something to “deserve” it?

Acts 28:3-6: “And when Paul had gathered  a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, THERE CAME A VIPER OUT OF THE HEAT, AND FASTENED ON (sunk in his fangs and held onto) HIS HAND. 

And when the barbarians SAW the VENOMOUS BEAST HANG ONTO HIS HAND, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth him not to live. 

And HE SHOOK OFF THE BEAST (creature) INTO THE FIRE, AND FELT NO HARM.

Howbeit, thy looked (expected) WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SWOLLEN, OR FALLEN DEAD SUDDENLY: but  AFTER THEY HAD LOOKED A GREAT WHILE, AND SAW NO HARM COME TO HIM, THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS…..”  

Deadly “poison” by accident, or by the devils assault, or by simple basic necessity:

Exodus 15:23-25: ” And when they came to Marah, they COULD NOT DRINK of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, WHAT SHALL WE DRINK? And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed (showed) him a tree, which he was to cast into the waters, AND THE WATERS WERE MADE SWEET…”   

2 Kings 2:19-22: “And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth ( it is a nice place as you see) but THE WATER IS NAUGHT (bad), and the ground is barren.

And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.

And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt therein, and said, THUS SAITH THE LORD, I HAVE HEALED THESE WATERS; THERE SHALL NOT BE FROM THENCE ANY MORE DEATH OR BARREN LAND.

SO THE WATERS WERE HEALED UNTO THIS DAY, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.”

2 Kings 4:38-41: “And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth (famine) in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, set on a great pot, and seethe pottage (soup) for the sons of the prophets.

And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered wild gourds, his lap full, ( as many as he could carry), and came and shred them INTO the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat.

And it came to pass, AS THEY WERE EATING OF THE POTTAGE, THAT THEY CRIED OUT, AND SAID, O THOU MAN OF GOD, THERE IS DEATH IN THIS POT. And they could NOT eat thereof. 

But he (Elisha) said, THEN BRING MEAL. And he cats it into the pot: and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. AND THERE WAS NO HARM (nothing harmful) IN THE POT.”

I hope this may have helped understand these traditions and the importance of whether we ourselves embrace them or not, we should be truly careful of what we say about them.

Thanks for reading!

Love & Peace, GOOD TO BE BACK!

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NB 2018

 

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When in Rome… 2018

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. 

According as his DIVINE POWER hath GIVEN unto us ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness, THROUGH the knowledge of him that HATH CALLED US TO GLORY AND VIRTUE.

Whereby ARE GIVEN unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption THAT IS IN THE WORLD through lust.” 2 Peter 1:2-4 

Lovin’ the old saying…”When in Rome… you know… “do as the Romans.” But I want to give you a slightly different take on it as we go into a new year.

We all know that when the clock strikes midnight, December 31st, no magic star-dust will be falling from the sky, we also know that Cinderella’s dress really doesn’t mystically transform back into soot covered, tattered rags.

But most do hold it as time is called on the stop watch of old and a new countdown is set for the future.

Which is why I always just go with it. I believe in HOPE and my HOPE is in the Lord but I will take a little extra encouragement wherever I can find it!

So here we go.. “When in Rome REMEMBER that while everyone was doing as everyone else.. Rome FELL!

Let’s check out our scriptures. Our starter verse greets us with the blessing of praying that grace and peace be multiplied to us! But we are quickly REMINDED that the multiplication of THAT grace and THAT peace comes IN the knowledge of God.

What is the knowledge of God? I personally believe that it would be keeping Him first and foremost in our hearts and our minds and most of all our EVERYDAY lives. Now that is NOT always easy!

But we know that he also PROMISED that he would “keep in PERFECT peace” those who keep their minds on Him. Making time every day to read at least one scripture or devotional. If you do not have morning time to read for yourself, sign up for daily verse emails (my husband reads his aloud for our family) and even social medias have many pages that offer this.

Another great way to stay spiritually fed while multi-tasking is to consider CD’s or electronic devices that you can listen to while driving, cleaning, or while doing almost anything.

It is also great to listen to good, Bible based preaching BUT it is so important to get the actual WRITTEN WORD of God in your Spirit. When we get the Word of God on the “tables of our heart” God uses that to reveal to us what He is saying to us PERSONALLY, not just as it had been revealed to one of His ministers.

I am in no way kicking that, that is His intention by having those who are called to preach the Gospel. But sometimes He will reveal a certain take on a scripture just for you for a certain season or particular battle.

Think about His statement from John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

We  have to have His word in us so that it can be brought back to our remembrance because we have can no memory of that which we have not learned. this is one of those when in Rome areas, we can not rest our knowledge of Christ solely upon what is being taught to us.

We know that currently the world is full of false teaching concerning God and especially concerning holiness and acceptable behaviors.  This gets us into our verse dealing with the fact that we have BEEN CALLED OUT of this world.

We are no longer partakers of the world and the sins and snares thereof. A life that we could not free ourselves from BUT a life in which we are called into.

A life that has been GIVEN by absolute DIVINE power that allows to overcome those snares and traps to live inside that realm of virtue and the blessed state of His glory shining on our lives, in the midst of even the darkness of this world.

And these are those promises, that we are called out and called into Him and that through him and His promises that we will escape the lusts of this world that corrupts us.

Think about the word lust.. not the just the sexual sense. The sexual sense is actually the LEAST of the lusts we have to battle. it simply means DESIRE and think of all the desires our flesh has to battle… daily.

The desire of life, the desire of work, the desire to excel in whatever we have chosen. The desire for monetary gains, the desire for popularity, the desire to be liked, loved, needed, or even the desire to be pretty, articulate, even the desire to be “desirable” NOT in the lustful sense but in the attractive sense.

Even the desire to be competitive, the desire to get even, the desire to be “one up” on a foe.  ANYTHING, any emotion, any thought, ANYTHING has the potential to BECOME lustful if not carefully checked against the word of God. 

That was the trouble with the  ancient Romans. They actually took their ideas for their society from the Greeks. They just made everything BIGGER and BETTER than what the Greeks had. The Greeks worshipped twelve “gods’ so the Romans added two and worshipped fourteen. They built their society based on the thoughts and ideas stolen from the Greeks and as we all know became the world power of the day.

But we also know when it fell.. “great was the fall” and will never again rise to its former stature. We, as a society, take our cues from the media and entertainment, and most horrifically the voice that cries the loudest.

Often thoughts and ideas of a very small group of people become force-fed into mainstream population by the media and soon EVERYONE is EXPECTED to conform to that thought or image, when it is not actually even the popular thought.

It is time to relinquish the societal control that we allow to dictate our lives, thoughts, and desires BACK to God so that we can TRULY be conformed to His will, HIS purpose and most of all HIS divine nature.

So “destroy” that influence over your life in the coming new year. basically, if it does not honor God, do not give it honor by allowing whatever that force is to influence your life. If you are doing or seeing anything that you could not see or do with Jesus beside you.. then simply do not allow that to have any place in your thoughts, life, or family.

Check out what He told the Hebrews, Deuteronomy 7:2-6: “And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them, thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they WILL turn away thy son FROM FOLLOWING ME, that they may serve other gods, so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

But thus (here’s how) ye shall deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

For thou ART (you are) AN HOLY (set apart) PEOPLE UNTO GOD; THE LORD THY GOD HATH CHOSEN THEE TO BE A SPECIAL PEOPLE (treasure) UNTO HIMSELF, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth.”

As you see THIS is the word of God. HE IS telling us through it that just as the Hebrews were to NOT to have any dealings whatsoever ever with those who were their enemies that we are to NOT have any dealings whatsoever with those things today that ARE our SPIRITUAL enemies.

And notice that He did INCLUDE our children and what we allow to influence them and HE told us in no uncertain terms that exposure to these enemies would lead to REBELLION against Him. That we are to DESTROY those things out of our lives BECAUSE He has called us as His. And fortunately for us, it is much easier NOW to remove those spiritual enemies by making our choices based on His teachings.

So don’t let this world influence your life, you influence the world by living your life for Him!

Finally a couple of quick notes… WHY did Cinderella’s shoes NOT change when everything else did in that fairy-tale? Anyone else ever wonder about that 🙂 ?

Also if you are reading internationally, please know that this title and reference to the old saying and ancient Rome in NO WAY reflects my feelings toward Rome… or Romans, this has been completely symbolic. Rome is a beautiful place that I would love to visit one day!

And I also wanted to thank you all again from the bottom of my heart for reading this past year and it is my sincerest prayer that you be blessed with new revelations, new joy, and the happiness and peace that can only be found in a true personal relationship with our Lord and Creator Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Amen!

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

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When in Rome…

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. 

According as his DIVINE POWER hath GIVEN unto us ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness, THROUGH the knowledge of him that HATH CALLED US TO GLORY AND VIRTUE.

Whereby ARE GIVEN unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption THAT IS IN THE WORLD through lust.” 2 Peter 1:2-4 

Lovin’ the old saying…”When in Rome… you know… “do as the Romans.” But I want to give you a slightly different take on it as we go into a new year.

We all know that when the clock strikes midnight, December 31st, no magic star-dust will be falling from the sky, we also know that Cinderella’s dress really doesn’t mystically transform back into soot covered, tattered rags.

But most do hold it as time is called on the stop watch of old and a new countdown is set for the future.

Which is why I always just go with it. I believe in HOPE and my HOPE is in the Lord but I will take a little extra encouragement wherever I can find it!

So here we go.. “When in Rome REMEMBER that while everyone was doing as everyone else.. Rome FELL!

Let’s check out our scriptures. Our starter verse greets us with the blessing of praying that grace and peace be multiplied to us! But we are quickly REMINDED that the multiplication of THAT grace and THAT peace comes IN the knowledge of God.

What is the knowledge of God? I personally believe that it would be keeping Him first and foremost in our hearts and our minds and most of all our EVERYDAY lives. Now that is NOT always easy!

But we know that he also PROMISED that he would “keep in PERFECT peace” those who keep their minds on Him. Making time every day to read at least one scripture or devotional. If you do not have morning time to read for yourself, sign up for daily verse emails (my husband reads his aloud for our family) and even social medias have many pages that offer this.

Another great way to stay spiritually fed while multi-tasking is to consider CD’s or electronic devices that you can listen to while driving, cleaning, or while doing almost anything.

It is also great to listen to good, Bible based preaching BUT it is so important to get the actual WRITTEN WORD of God in your Spirit. When we get the Word of God on the “tables of our heart” God uses that to reveal to us what He is saying to us PERSONALLY, not just as it had been revealed to one of His ministers.

I am in no way kicking that, that is His intention by having those who are called to preach the Gospel. But sometimes He will reveal a certain take on a scripture just for you for a certain season or particular battle.

Think about His statement from John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

We  have to have His word in us so that it can be brought back to our remembrance because we have can no memory of that which we have not learned. this is one of those when in Rome areas, we can not rest our knowledge of Christ solely upon what is being taught to us.

We know that currently the world is full of false teaching concerning God and especially concerning holiness and acceptable behaviors.  This gets us into our verse dealing with the fact that we have BEEN CALLED OUT of this world.

We are no longer partakers of the world and the sins and snares thereof. A life that we could not free ourselves from BUT a life in which we are called into.

A life that has been GIVEN by absolute DIVINE power that allows to overcome those snares and traps to live inside that realm of virtue and the blessed state of His glory shining on our lives, in the midst of even the darkness of this world.

And these are those promises, that we are called out and called into Him and that through him and His promises that we will escape the lusts of this world that corrupts us.

Think about the word lust.. not the just the sexual sense. The sexual sense is actually the LEAST of the lusts we have to battle. it simply means DESIRE and think of all the desires our flesh has to battle… daily.

The desire of life, the desire of work, the desire to excel in whatever we have chosen. The desire for monetary gains, the desire for popularity, the desire to be liked, loved, needed, or even the desire to be pretty, articulate, even the desire to be “desirable” NOT in the lustful sense but in the attractive sense.

Even the desire to be competitive, the desire to get even, the desire to be “one up” on a foe.  ANYTHING, any emotion, any thought, ANYTHING has the potential to BECOME lustful if not carefully checked against the word of God. 

That was the trouble with the  ancient Romans. They actually took their ideas for their society from the Greeks. They just made everything BIGGER and BETTER than what the Greeks had. The Greeks worshipped twelve “gods’ so the Romans added two and worshipped fourteen.

They built their society based on the thoughts and ideas stolen from the Greeks and as we all know became the world power of the day.

But we also know when it fell.. “great was the fall” and will never again rise to its former stature. We, as a society, take our cues from the media and entertainment, and most horrifically the voice that cries the loudest.

Often thoughts and ideas of a very small group of people become force-fed into mainstream population by the media and soon EVERYONE is EXPECTED to conform to that thought or image, when it is not actually even the popular thought.

It is time to relinquish the societal control that we allow to dictate our lives, thoughts, and desires BACK to God so that we can TRULY be conformed to His will, HIS purpose and most of all HIS divine nature.

So “destroy” that influence over your life in the coming new year. basically, if it does not honor God, do not give it honor by allowing whatever that force is to influence your life. If you are doing or seeing anything that you could not see or do with Jesus beside you.. then simply do not allow that to have any place in your thoughts, life, or family.

Check out what He told the Hebrews, Deuteronomy 7:2-6: “And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them, thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they WILL turn away thy son FROM FOLLOWING ME, that they may serve other gods, so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

But thus (here’s how) ye shall deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

For thou ART (you are) AN HOLY (set apart) PEOPLE UNTO GOD; THE LORD THY GOD HATH CHOSEN THEE TO BE A SPECIAL PEOPLE (treasure) UNTO HIMSELF, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth.”

As you see THIS is the word of God. HE IS telling us through it that just as the Hebrews were to NOT to have any dealings whatsoever ever with those who were their enemies that we are to NOT have any dealings whatsoever with those things today that ARE our SPIRITUAL enemies.

And notice that He did INCLUDE our children and what we allow to influence them and HE told us in no uncertain terms that exposure to these enemies would lead to REBELLION against Him. That we are to DESTROY those things out of our lives BECAUSE He has called us as His. And fortunately for us, it is much easier NOW to remove those spiritual enemies by making our choices based on His teachings.

So don’t let this world influence your life, you influence the world by living your life for Him!

Finally a couple of quick notes… WHY did Cinderella’s shoes NOT change when everything else did in that fairy-tale? Anyone else ever wonder about that 🙂 ?

Also if you are reading internationally, please know that this title and reference to the old saying and ancient Rome in NO WAY reflects my feelings toward Rome… or Romans, this has been completely symbolic.

Rome is a beautiful place that I would love to visit one day!

And I also wanted to thank you all again from the bottom of my heart for reading this past year and it is my sincerest prayer that you be blessed with new revelations, new joy, and the happiness and peace that can only be found in a true personal relationship with our Lord and Creator Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Amen!

Original post date: 12/28/2017 But sometimes it is good to be reminded.

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

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“Mingled, Tinged, & Tainted”

” And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought the out of the land of Egypt,out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have NO others gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Thou shall NOT BOW DOWN thyself to them. nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of THEM THAT HATE ME; and SHEWING (showing) MERCY unto thousands of them that love me, and KEEP my commandments.” Exodus 20:1-6

Well, I guess you can reason by the title where this is going.. the place no one seems to want to go lately. Why does spiritual “purity” now seem to always equate to social snobbery?

Former generations and many other “religious” groups have NEVER been questioned when they taught that you can not allow your beliefs to be “mingled” with other beliefs, but somehow we have swallowed this as Christians that we should be more “open” in the influences we allow on our lives, in our churches, and in the name of our God.

And in doing so, in the name of “being tolerant”, accepting, and open we HAVE bowed ourselves down to them. And we question why we do not see the mighty moves of God such as recorded in the Bible, when we all know that our present world is DESPERATE for such deliverance, restoration, and renewal, but UNTIL we choose to walk on the side of the road that He told us, rather than running down the middle for fear of offense and wavering, voicing no real opinion and trying to make everyone FEEL accepted, we are not accomplishing anything for the kingdom and ONLY causing more confusion.

I LOVE people, I WANT everyone to feel safe, accepted, and to KNOW their TRUE VALUE in Christ, but if I hang with them and KNOW they have other beliefs, OTHER gods, and pat them on the back and tell them “It’ll be alright, you’ll figure it out” than I have accomplished is to cheapen the true Gospel down to AN OPTION, rather than THE ONLY WAY to salvation, and have let THEIR beliefs bow them and us  down.

As far as “tolerance”, this is just another one of satan’s trap, just because you do not agree with someone’s beliefs DOES NOT mean you hate them or that you feel superior and in overcompensation against being misunderstood as this, we have LOWERED the requirements for the true worship of Jehovah God.

This has led to so many FALSE beliefs, beliefs in a spirit world afterlife of no heaven, no hell, and certainly NO JUDGEMENT. Belief that you can be “good” person and go “to heaven” without the acknowledgment and acceptance of Christ as Savior.

The belief that is acceptable to seek and be advised by “mediums” and ” physics”. That it is perfectly okay to have sexual relationships OUTSIDE of marriage, or with the same-sex. That there “is more than one way to heaven” which IS the biggest lie of them all. The constant FALSE reassurance given to the world that ” It all works out and that EVERYONE will be saved” NONE of this is RIGHT!

God is VERY clear on ALL subjects through His Word and we have to start teaching this, living this, and applying this and just be brave enough to deal with the fact that not everyone is going to like us or appreciate it, because God did say to be a friend of the world is an enmity against Him and that means being  a “friend” to this world, the thoughts, attitudes, teachings, and actions of popular thought and society IS considered HOSTILE against God.

Let that soak in! Think about it in terms as nations, when a nation commits an act that is considered HOSTILE against another nation, war often ensues, how much more can be expected from committing HOSTILE acts against the Living God, who controls life, death, and heaven, and hell simply by the Word of His Mouth? And who on earth is capable of taking Him on in battle?

That my dear friends is why we need to rethink our approach in dealing with this. You don’t have to be everyone’s best friend, you can be social to them and leave it at that but when you start getting too chummy with their beliefs in the name of fellowship, they are NOT going to get converted to the true Gospel and all your going to get is a snare to your own soul and the Bible is full of story after story, including King Solomon, who had been CHOSEN of God to build the temple, and even HE FELL to paganism through the influence of pagan wives and forgetting everything he had been taught and falling to the trap of self-assurance in his OWN self-righteousness.

And do you think if he, a man whom God had spoken to and offered to give WHATEVER he asked of him, and if he could fall prey to the deception, what are earth makes any of us believe we are so much spiritually stronger and so much wiser than even Solomon?

So here is a little refresher course, from the WORD of the ONE whose never changes and whose word is for ever settled in heaven and WILL never change, while giving the Ten Commandments, and the reverence and fear the Hebrews experienced that we would do well to remember now.

Exodus 20: 18,24: “And ALL the people saw the thunderings, and the lightenings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain SMOKING: and when the people saw it,  they removed (trembled) and stood afar off (far away).

And they said unto Moses, Speak thou now with us, and we will hear: but let God NOT speak with us, LEST WE DIE.

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove (test) you, and that his fear be before your faces (the fear of Him, His power and majesty) THAT YE SIN NOT (so you WILL NOT sin against Him).

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven . Ye shall NOT make WITH ME gods of silver, NEITHER shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shall sacrifice therein thy burnt offerings, and thine peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in ALL places where I record my name I WILL COME TO THEE, AND I WILL BLESS THEE.”

The people HEARD, they KNEW, and the were wise enough to respect his majesty and omniscience. And He did this so they would be aware of who brought them out and whose commands they were to keep. And He warned them to absolutely NOT make, or have other “gods” along with Him.

The altar of earth foreshadowing His plan that one day His Temple would be in the earthy vessels as our bodies ARE the temples of God and His will done in these earthen vessels of our bodies as His will is done is the mighty realms of the heavens.

And also notice that HIS PROMISE to us in keeping this command in ALL places (regardless WHERE you are or WHO  your hanging with) is that  HE WILL COME TO US and HE WILL BLESS US but we have to do our part first. 

And even so to the point that He commands us to NOT even MENTION the names of these pagan “gods”. Which RULES out studying them to understand them, RULES OUT  discussing the pros and cons of that particular “religion”, IT RULES OUT THE RISK OF THESE FALSE DOCTRINES POLLUTING YOUR SOUL BY BECOMING MINGLED WITH THE TRUE GOSPEL, TAINTED WITH CONFUSION AND DECEPTIONS AND TINGING YOUR WHITE GARMENT WITH FILTHY SPOTS THAT WILL FORFEIT YOUR ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM.

Exodus 23: 13: “And in ALL things that I HAVE SAID UNTO YOU BE CIRCUMSPECT ( wary, heedful, watchful, attentive, alert, careful, cautious, and UNWILLING to take a risk): and MAKE NO MENTION F THE NAME OF OTHER gods, NEITHER LET IT BE HEARD OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.”  

So that IS God’s word about it and we know that He is the final WORD and Authority on ALL subjects. But here a few more verses to encourage you to flee friends, co-workers, whoever, whatever that hold and adhere to false doctrines, again you can be nice but as God told us to be very careful and very alert and be UNWILLING to EVEN RISK become impregnated by those other beliefs because we care for and genuinely like the person who holds those beliefs, that is how it attached itself to Solomon. 

Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Just as God told us, He is jealous, He is jealous for our heart and we must keep our heart pure in Him and for Him.

James 1:27 (c)…” and to KEEP himself UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD.” Again, please notice that this requiring is to KEEP our own selves unspotted, doesn’t say God will keep us unspotted, this is on us, to be diligent against false doctrine and anything that could possibly worm its way into our hearts and souls.

And finally, we all desire to hear those faithful words of comfort as the last day judgment hits and God will call His people OUT of the mighty  city of Babylon (Revelation 18:4) that they “not be partakers of her plagues” and they be spared the destruction, we must also HEED the call of the Lord when He tells us to COME OUT and be SEPERATED. We must quit playing footsie with the devil, with pagans, and lose the fascinations with false doctrines when the Lord has FORBADE us to EVEN speak their names! Stay away from them and be blessed, be visited, be delivered, and SEE the salvation and Glory of God COME to this earth.

2 Corinthians 6:15-18: “And what concord (accord, agreement with) hath Christ with Belial (pagan devil)? OR what part hath he that believeth with an infidel (unbeliever)?

And what part hath THE TEMPLE OF GOD WITH IDOLS? for YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD; as God hath said, I WILL DWELL IN THEM, AND WALK WITH THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

WHEREFORE COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPERATE  (separated FROM them) saith the Lord, AND TOUCH NO UNCLEAN THING; AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU, AND WILL BE A FATHER UNTO YOU, AND YE SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SAITH THE LORD ALMIGHTY.”

Notice the PROMISES of I WILL, we honor Him and HE WILL be everything we need, want, or even could possibly imagine!   Till next time, Love, Peace, & prayers for a joyous week ahead!

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

 

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“Bettin’ your Boots”

“My son IF thou be SURETY  FOR THY FRIEND, (vouch for, stand in guarantee for) IF thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger (“shook on it” made a deal with,) Thou art snared with (you are bound by) the words of THY mouth, thou art taken (trapped captive) with the words of THY mouth.” Proverbs 6:1,2

Now, I really can’t plead deep revelation for this post but inspiration came while having my usual breakfast of four cups black coffee to one big bowl of ice cream, now that’ll get ya goin.. or future health issues, not sure yet.. 🙂 but I’ll go with “get ya goin morning goodness”!

Anyway, me and sweetie usually watch morning news but this morning I put it on westerns for him, we have a pretty good deal, I walk by and he is watching something and brains are being splattered by Van Damme or Seagal, or someone being ran through with a sword, the stuff I lived for as former entertainment, and I can’t blame that one on my brothers, they’d be out playing and I would be stuck in front of the TV watching Robin Hood and the Musketeers, and I know if it is staring me in the face, I’ll sit down and end up watching it now and God does not want that, there is nothing productive for the Kingdom in filling our minds with violence, it only achieves the opposite.

But anyway, he would be watching, you know the “classics” but NOW, I’m like.. “OH! My goodness, WHAT are you watching! DON’T let THOSE words in my house, HONEY!” and so we tried closed captions and I walk by, ALWAYS at the right time… and be all “AH, they are STILL coming into my house, even without sound!” “Oh and the VIOLENCE!”

So we now we are resigned to faith-based shows, home, family, and of course your old tried and true western’s, which I detested growing up but now how found a special nostalgic place in my heart for their “cleanliness” anyway.. any good western “worth its spit” has to have a good old-fashioned rigged card game set up by some ornery, good for nothin’ swindler, who aims to cheat all the hard-working ranch hands out of even their last hard-earned dime… and in this baby, even their boots.

My inspiration came when one of the main characters finally bought the PERFECT boots, they were grand and he wasn’t even the one WHO WAS gambling, it was his friend, “pardner”, uncle, something like that… you know someone whose OPINION would matter, someone who would have INFLUENCE over the actions of another.

And the one who was DOING the gambling and had lost all his money wanted TO BET the boots of the one who “didn’t even have a horse in that race” and after some slick talkin’ and the young one cotton to ‘im, he LET him BET his boots.

And I thought, that is all kinds of crazy, and in real life, WHY would we ever do that? WHY would we let someone who is obviously not running their own life very well, drag us into their mess and USE what is ours to make even a bigger mess?

But you know what, we do it and we can do it and NOT even realize we are doing it.

Get some clarity going on here… the Bible teaches us to be good to everyone, to share, to care, to help, and to shoulder another’s burdens with them, Jesus taught us that if someone asks us to walk one mile that we SHOULD go the extra step and walk two miles with them.

BUT those teachings are about our brothers and sisters in Christ and those who are in the household of the Lord. And I have friends right now who have helped me and my family out beyond anything we could have imagined during our recent medical issues and one friend in particular who opened a door that I desperately needed and I am forever grateful.

So I want to be clear that what I am referring to is this.. when people are in SIN and deceptive practices, you CAN NOT be part of that with them. God blesses us for helping others with upright causes, but HE WILL NEVER BLESS SIN,OR DECEPTION.

And sometimes there are people who are NOT what you may think and they are NOT who you may think they are and fond feelings for people and hearts of compassion and wanting to help another out can actually lead you into meeting up with “a snake in the grass” and sometimes “bettin’ your boots” and LOSING something that means everything to you.

That is why that scripture WARNS us that if we fall into that trap we will be SNARED by that trap.

No one likes trappers and no one wants trapped, so it is IMPORTANT to watch out for them so that you don’t put your foot in one.

So maybe today, you are in a situation that someone is asking you to so something or help them do something, or be part of something that you KNOW is not good, not right and maybe they are playing on your sympathy or threatening you with the loss of that relationship if you do not go along with them for the ride.

But a true friend, someone who is REALLY worth your time, your compassion, your help would NEVER ask you to so something wrong or sacrifice something of yours for the sake of something they DESIRE or a scheme that they have hatched.

Love PROTECTS and love DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN, that means they would look out for you, not put a price on what you can do for them.

So watch out for it and I am sure the “gambler” who wants to lay bets PAID FOR BY YOU will get mad and have a “burr in his saddle” and maybe even “hit the dusty trail” and “ride on into the sunset” right on out of your life, let ’em ride!

No one needs users and God does NOT want His children used!

1 Timothy 5:22:…..NEITHER BE PARTAKER of (do NOT SHARE IN) OTHER MEN’S (people) SINS: KEEP THYSELF PURE.”

Of course in the show the buddy kept his word and got the dude’s boots back, because cowboys always kept their word.

But life is not a television show and cowboys may not always have their buddies backs and those snakes in the grass can really bite into your life spreading fangfuls of pure poison and the worst part.. you don’t always get your boots backs, usually those babies are lost and they are lost forever, so keep them on your own feet!

Enough said?

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

Original post 07/18/2017 Revisited 07/25/2019 & 07/09/2021, I just like to “rerun” these old ones from time to time because God’s Word never changes! Thank you so much for reading and have a blessed week filled with love, peace, & the wonder of God in your life, with signs and miracles following, in Jesus Name!

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“Trigger Happy”

“Being FILLED with ALL unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,covetousness,maliciousness; FULL of envy, murder, debate (strife),deceit, malignity (evil-mindedness), whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful (violent), proud, boasters, INVENTORS OF EVIL THINGS, disobedient to parents.

WITHOUT understanding, covenantbreakers, WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION, implacable (unforgiving), UNMERCIFUL,” Romans 1:29-31

Sounds like the people that tweeting on Trumps tweets!  People have absolutely gone completely off the deep end in this country and it is sickening and an absolute disgrace.

If it weren’t bad enough that the evil Miss Griffin, what can you say about her anyway after the train wrecks her mouth has already caused in the past and I don’t get how anyone could think that trash is funny, but anyway what she did is actually a crime and if a common Joe pulled a stunt like that they would have been arrested but “stars” can do whatever they want, trash the President, bad mouth God because they get so full of themselves that they can do no wrong in their own eyes and unfortunately they can do no wrong in many others eyes.

 And to ice the cake, so to speak was the comments people were posting IN FAVOR of her and trashing Trump for being upset over the grief it caused his son. I read one in reply to her stunt being sick, that trashed him over his take on Paris climate control and the person ended back with an echoed “sick”.

Please tell how anyone can compare politics to truly scaring a child in the worst possible way, can any of us imagine being that age and seeing what appeared to be your Father’s head, off and bloody?  And is there anyone who can write three sentences without the need to use the f word over and over? And it is everywhere!!!!

My husband shared a video on his social media that just really said it all, a group of students were holding a Pro-life rally outside of a school and there was NOTHING this vice-principal didn’t scream at these kids, even telling them “to go to hell” and again using the major nasty “f” word and the young man doing the talking keep his composure and the more he tried THE ANGRIER this beast became and of course he had to bad mouth Jesus and proclaim his homosexuality all at the same time.

They ARE exactly as stated above, They ARE FILLED with every possible evil imaginable because they have GIVEN themselves over to it and the REASON they become so angry is because they want NO ONE to remind them of the TRUTH that they know deep down inside.

But oh, one day they will be REMINDED and they WILL listen when it is GOD HIMSELF doing the talking. But it is such a disgrace and as long as people who act this way is coddled and idolized it will continue and their voices will grow louder and louder, angrier and angrier and right now many they ones spewing pure hate are so “trigger happy” that they will literally attack and sometimes even kill anyone who DARES come against what they THINK is right… translation ANYTHING THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAR OR ANY VIEW THAT OPPOSES THEIR OWN.

And they stick together… Romans 1:32: “Who KNOWING the judgment of God, that  they which commit such things are worthy of death, not ONLY do the same, BUT HAVE PLEASURE IN THEM THAT DO THEM.”

It spreads, it breeds, and it is an infectious soul disease and we have to stand up for what we KNOW is right and just “turn these people” off, give them NO ATTENTION and STAY away from them and maybe if more people would do that, they would finally sit down and shut up because all it is now is “me, me, me’, my rights, when we ALL have rights, and I declare half these jerks would hold a protest to protest protests.

IT IS everything the Bible said it would be and we have become a society dominated by unstable, immature, people who really need to get lives, and TRY acting like adults and figure out not everyone cares about their sex life, or gender confusion! I have yet to have an introduction in which someone has shook my hand and said “Hi, I’m____, and I am straight”! And why the vicious vice had to point that out to the students is a mystery.

No one needs this much information all the time! But it is FAR from over… 2 Timothy 3:13:” But EVIL MEN (HUMANS) AND SEDUCERS (IMPOSTORS)  WILL WAX (become) WORSE AND WORSE, DECEIVING, AND BEING DECEIVED.” That pretty much let us know, they are in it for the long haul…  and until Jesus comes on the scene, it is what it will be… but the day is coming, and can’t just already smell the brimstone coming on this place?  

Beware of THEIR poison and do not listen to them because they are contagious, they may never change your views but by the time they are finished they can rub that anger and hate off on you! Just say no to the drama and keep your mind right and God will keep you!

 

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

Couldn’t resist, not touching his personal life

 

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Laughing their way RIGHT INTO HELL….

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR GOD, and keep his commandments: for this IS the whole duty of man. For God shall bring EVERY work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good , or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12: 13,14

I am forever amazed at the entertainment industry and how far they will go for ratings and to make the almighty dollar, and the willingness to sell out anything and everything to further their careers, including THEIR OWN SOULS.

When I think I have seen it all, I discover that i was quite wrong.. I do not watch very many shows because most now are absolute filth and even if someone else is watching and there is “something” there it will present “itself”, I truly believe God allows this so it can “warned” of and I have even had people comment to me that had watched so & so and had NEVER heard anything like that before or noticed certain references mocking Christians and God.

There is list and no one needs them pointed out but I will and if you ARE watching any of these shows, you’d better think again. Of course SNL, South Park, and anything Bill Maher, Bill Nye, and the late George Carlin has touched is polluted filth, PERIOD.

The list could go and on and what is even more horrific is the cartoons and “teen” programs which are weaving in anti-God “jokes” and even point-blank blasphemy such as SEVERAL different references to “tongues” and actually mimicking and mocking that characters are “Christians” and I caught one that even had the audience chanting “HG” they were saying the name , I will NOT use it here for fear, but it is reference to ONE of the members of the HOLY TRINITY, chanting this while a skit member who was supposed to be an “old Christian” man RAN the aisle of the audience. The most horrify thought with this, the person who did that skit PROFESSES Christ.

Al Sharpton (whom I’m NOT even getting into!) doing a skit years ago, also on SNL as a “wise man” from the Nativity story and here is the deal, NO ONE mocks God and when all the “curse” started following the “Batman” trilogy, you know, Heath Ledger dying while doing the joker, ( I know the world argues that but I don’t write for the world, so…) and then as we know the horrific theater shootings related to the SAME character.

Just a case of mental illnesses? Think not, you can trace the beginning of this back to the first in the Trilogy when the “Batman” character mocks God. And it is in movie after movie, after movie.

These shows are fiction, the character are fictitious but GOD IS VERY REAL and He will not be mocked period and no one is going to tell him it is a joke or it is a job and when you have shows geared toward kids, they grow up thinking it is okay to mock God and Christians and WHEN CHRISTIANS LAUGH RIGHT ALONG SIDE THEM who is telling them otherwise?

HOW serious is this? How about serious enough to NEVER be forgiven? To speak against the Holy Ghost is UNFORGIVABLE. Jesus will FORGIVE us for ANYTHING, murder, stealing, adultery, ANY sin you can name BUT NOT SPEAKING AGAINST HIS SPIRIT.

 “He that is NOT with me IS AGAINST ME; and he that GATHERETH NOT with me; SCATTERETH abroad. Wherefore I SAY unto you, ALL MANNER OF SIN AND BLASPHEMY SHALL BE FORGIVEN UNTO MEN: BUT (except) THE BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN MEN.

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, IT SHALL BE FORGIVEN HIM: BUT WHOSOEVER SPEAKETH AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST, IT SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN HIM, NEITHER IN THIS WORLD, NEITHER IN THE WORLD TO COME.”  Matthew 12:30-33

Jesus HIMSELF is telling us that if we are not gathering with Him we ARE SCATTERING, to hear these things and be aware of them and sit idly by while our God is being mocked and us either laughing or NOT saying anything and NOT letting others KNOW that this is wrong and not only is it wrong, IT CAN COST THEM THEIR VERY SOUL, makes us the worst kind of “scatterers” and He also tells us that a person may speak a word AGAINST Him and BE FORGIVEN but to speak AGAINST HIS HOLY GHOST WILL NEVER BE FORGIVEN NOT IN THIS WORLD OR THE NEXT.

So if you have NEVER thought about this or if you have NEVER been taught that it is wrong, I AM HERE TO TELL YOU, IT IS WRONG.

God IS HOLY, God WANTS us to have joy and laughter IS merry medicine but IN context. THERE IS NEVER, EVER AN EXCUSABLE REASON TO MAKE JOKES ABOUT GOD OR ANYTHING PERTAINING TO HIM OR HIS KINGDOM, OR HIS FOLLOWERS, EVER!

I am also shocked at the amount of “memes” that flood social media and most are supposed to be “Pentecostal” humor, and TRUE Pentecostal or any other denominations of God’s children could tell people sending these things out that is the devil and the devil only that finds this stuff humorous and ones who share it are LETTING satan use them to mock and ridicule their fellow-servants and it further SCATTERS the flock.

But DON’T take my word for it. TAKE THE WORD: ” HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, NOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN THE LAND. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out (BREAK ALL RESTRAINTS), and blood toucheth blood.

Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven;yea, the fishes of the sea shall also be taken away. YET NO MAN STRIVE (CONTEND), NOR REPROVE (reprimand) ANOTHER: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. 

Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and THE PROPHET ALSO SHALL FALL (stumble) WITH THEE IN THE NIGHT,And I will destroy thy mother. MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE: because thou hast REJECTED knowledge, I WILL ALSO REJECT THEE, that thou shalt be no priest to me:….” Hosea 4:1-6(a)  

His people ARE being destroyed because of a lack of knowledge and we see quite clearly whose feet the blame for this will be laid at.

“The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth (takes) it to heart: and merciful men are taken away. none considering that the righteous are is taken away from the evil to come: He shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness (having God’s righteousness and salvation).

BUT DRAW HITHER (come close), ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore (harlot). Against WHOM do ye sport (RIDICULE) yourselves? Against WHOM make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression , a seed of falsehood.” Isaiah 57:1-4

We KNOW who they speak against and we also KNOW their end:

“But these SPEAK EVIL of THOSE THINGS WHICH THEY KNOW NOT: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in THOSE things THEY CORRUPT THEMSELVES.

WOE UNTO THEM! for they have gone the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam FOR REWARD (profit), and PERISHED IN THE GAINSAYING (rebellion) of Core.

These ARE spots (stains) in your feasts of charity, when the feast with YOU, feeding themselves WITHOUT FEAR: clouds they are WITHOUT WATER, carried about of winds; Trees WHOSE FRUIT WITHERETH (dries up) WITHOUT FRUIT, TWICE DEAD, plucked up by the roots;

RAGING waves of the sea, FOAMING OUT OF THEIR OWN SHAME; wandering stars, TO WHOM IS RESERVED THE BLACKNESS OF DARKNESS FOR EVER.

 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord COMETH with ten thousand of his saints. TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT ON ALL, and to convince (convict) ALL that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, AND OF ALL THEIR HARD SPEECHES (HARSH THINGS) WHICH UNGODLY SINNERS HAVE SPOKEN AGAINST HIM.

These are murmurers, complainers, WALKING AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS; and THEIR MOUTHS SPEAKETH GREAT SWELLING WORDS, HAVING MEN’S ADMIRATION BECAUSE OF ADVANTAGE. 

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How they told you there should be (would be) MOCKERS IN THE LAST TIME (last days), who should (would) walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves (cause divisions), sensual (worldly) having NOT the Spirit.

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves, on your most holy faith, PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

And of some HAVE COMPASSION making a difference (distinction). And others SAVE WITH FEAR, pulling them out of the fire: HATING EVEN THE GARMENT SPOTTED (DEFILED) BY THE FLESH.” Jude verses 10-23

Not going to be quit so funny… do your part and speak up every opportunity you are presented with, God will not be mocked and in hell the laughter will cease, your voice against this “entertainment” may be the voice that prevents someone from going there.

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

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BELIEVE

“And not long after there AROSE against it a tempestuous wind, called Eurocyldon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear (head) up into the wind, we let her drive ( BE DRIVEN).

And running under (under the shelter of) a certain island which is called Claudia, we had much work to come by the boats ( to secure the ship’s skiff); Which when they had taken up (taken it on board), they used helps (cables) undergirding the ship; and fearing lest they should fall (run aground) into the quick sands, strake sail, and SO WERE DRIVEN.

And being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. And when NEITHER sun nor stars in MANY days appeared, and no small tempest lay (beat) on us, ALL HOPE THAT WE SHOULD BE SAVED WAS TAKEN AWAY.

But after a long abstinence (from food) Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm (disaster) and loss.

And NOW I exhort (urge) you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.  For there stood by me this night, the angel of God, WHOSE I AM, and WHOM I SERVE, saying, FEAR NOT, Paul; THOU MUST BE BROUGHT BEFORE CEASAR: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer (take heart): For I BELIEVE GOD, that it SHALL BE even as IT WAS TOLD ME.” Acts 27:14-25

Now, Paul was a prisoner on this ship that was caught in this massive storm a storm who had a name, Eurocyldon, which pretty much means wind stirring up waves. Many are in the midst of storms, the storm in your life that IS stirring those waves up against you as they try to blow you completely off course. I am also quite sure your storm also has a name, as they always do.

The storm of despair, the storm of sickness, the storm of recurring circumstances, the storm of financial woes, whatever the storm you are going through, it is the name of your worst enemy at the moment.

But here is where we are going to take a turn in this storm business. I know so many of God’s children who just keep getting hit, over and over. I write quite a bit about it and I truly hope this will be of encouragement.

First off, they did not try to control the ship during the storm, there are just things in life that no matter how much we wish we could, we simply have no control over some things and in the grand realm of all things, we really have no control over anything, so they let the ship BE driven and just simply tried to hold on.

Secondly, they lightened the ship, tossing off every thing that was not vital to survival, often, that is what storms do in our lives, they have a way of making us realize what is truly important and what we can and can not live without.

Finally, as the storm STILL beat down in the darkness, ALL hope SEEMED lost and they really thought they were all going to die. Paul had seen this coming and warned all that they should not go but go they did, after reminding them of fact so that they WOULD now take his next statements with seriousness, he tells them to cheer up, because even though the ship will be lost, they would live.

An angel had appeared to him to comfort him with a VERY POWERFUL fact, Paul WOULD go to Caesar, so NO storm, NO action on earth COULD PREVENT WHAT GOD HAD SPOKEN, and you know what? IT STILL CAN’T!

So I want to stir up your thinking a little, get you concentrating on the blue skies and smooth sailing that are just beyond this latest barrage of woe.  As children of God, we have the promises of God on our lives and I want to you to think about the word God has given to you FOR your life, a word of knowledge or a word of prophecy of His plans for your future and your work and if at all possible make a list of the things that God has spoken over you and KNOW that as long as you have “unfinished” business for the Kingdom, or a direct promise from God concerning something yet to take place, you are under “NO WEAPON THAT IS FORMED AGAINST YOU SHALL PROSPER” umbrella, if you will. 

Just as in another scripture Apostle Paul wrote of a great and effectual “door” the Lord had for him, but that there were MANY adversaries to try to prevent him from entering that door. The battle you have faced could very well be the same set-up. I am not saying that it always is, but when you read God’s word, you clearly see it is not always easy to stand against the “wiles of the devil” but we are encouraged to STAND. 

Let me give you a few more examples of Paul being encouraged through the dark nights by being reassured that he still had work to be accomplished.

“Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be NOT afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace; For I AM WITH THEE, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.” Acts 18:9,10

Jesus gave Paul comfort that he would not let anyone hurt him because Paul would preach to many and he stayed there for a year and six months after the Lord gave him this reassurance.

And again as his life was being threatened, the Lord appeared, as this was reference to the work he would do.

“And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so MUST thou bear witness also in Rome.” Acts 23:11

God always encouraged Paul by assuring him that he would be okay because he had a job to do and just as our starting verses, PAUL SAID ALL THAT NEEDS SAID when he said “I BELIEVE GOD”

He believed because he believed what had been told him on behalf of God.

Believe, Believe, Believe… “While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter IS dead; trouble NOT the MASTER. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, FEAR NOT: BELEIVE ONLY, and she SHALL be made whole.” Luke 8:49,50

Just as death had no right to Jairus’ daughter when Jesus said she could not be taken, nothing has any right over you unless the Lord allows that right and as long as you have a word, a hope, and a confidence of His promises you can rest assured, it is not over until He says it is over.

May God Bless and encourage you! Love and Peace until next time!

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

 

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“RESULTS NOT TYPICAL”

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is death.

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the END of THAT mirth is heaviness (grief).” PROVERBS 14: 12,13

I just love the infomercials and TV ads that have someone giving a glowing product review, they are so happy, so confident, and persuasive that THIS product will be just great for YOU!

Crow’s feet? They gotcha covered, wrinkle cream guaranteed to take off at least TWENTY YEARS! Back pain? they have a miracle cure, so secret, that even the medical field doesn’t know about it yet!  In debt? Well, now you too can be debt free and own three homes, a beach house and your own jet, IF you call RIGHT NOW and order their secret guide to making money!

The best part, that I love, is that at the very, very bottom in tiny little letters, usually in a color designed to fade into the background, are these words “RESULTS NOT TYPICAL” Your results may vary”.

So you got someone, glowing, staring the camera dead in the eye and confessing to you that the ware they are touting WILL FOREVER CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Yes, it will, you will be poorer for the product price and the varied results could end in nasty, little side effects you’d never bargained for or noticed in that same fine print.

Same deal in the world that we live in, the world that serves two purposes, natural world and the unseen spirit world that surrounds us at all times and never was a painter as talented in painting us those beautiful picture as the devil himself.

Our walks can be quite grueling, and our crosses can grow sometimes heavy and the swaying of those voices that whisper, “Come, this way is easier” can sometimes overshadow the voice of the Lord, as He encourages us that is just a little farther up that hill, have faith, have courage, and press on.  But those opposing voices will say, “No, We KNOW a secret path, an EASY way, a BETTER way to success, happiness, and the fulfilment of ALL your dreams and desires.” That voice, just as the ad voices comes with its own disclaimer. Because the results they promise will not be typical, only you will not find that out, until it is just a little too late.

Notice, with our verse, The WAY seems right, seems genuine, that “friend” or even self-proclaimed “mentor” that has your best interest in mind, as they control every aspect of your life, where you go, who you can be friends with, what you wear, what you eat and make decisions for you, they are only looking out for what’s best for YOU, right?

And when their thoughts and desires for your life overtake your own, well that is just part of the process, right? Wrong and wrong! That road may seem like a clear path with least resistance to get you to the happy Neverland waiting at the end but it is just a fairytale and you should not expect the results that you have been lulled into believing!

Nothing worth anything in this life will ever come easy and the Kingdom of God is the most precious of all will NEVER, EVER come to you without hades to fight! They can promise you the world but the world you will be left with after having lost all those you care for and lost everything that ever meant anything to you, will be a world full of tears and sorrow, and bridges so burned that you will never be able to cross those in hopes of going back where you belong!

The problem is with us and who can be blamed for wanting things a little easier? But again, nothing worth having is going to come easy and the greatest test of faith is endurance. No one can argue the endurance Jesus possessed, no home, not much rest, not a moment’s peace from the mouths of his enemies and in his darkness night, not one friend to stand by Him.

But He made it, He made it because He knew that He fought for something bigger than Himself, He fought for the salvation of us all. He could have quit at any moment, He could have called heaven to earth and destroyed all His enemies, He could have completely annihilated earth and created Himself a new one, but He chose to save what He had already created and He knew the path He took was the absolute of hardest and He knew that death, a terrible death was waiting at the end of that road, He never shed one tear for Himself, His tears were for the broken hearts of His friends and tears of unrepentant Jerusalem, who could not even see at the time that they were visited by the very one they awaited.

What right do we have to complain again? What do we have to complain about in comparison to His struggles? Seeing as the servants can never be above the master, why do feel that we must have it all and have it given on, as it were, a silver charger? (dig that?) We may fly very high and grasp that fabled brass ring but our laughter in that moment will be only a miserable smile to hide a heart-broken. As our verse also states, EVEN with the laughter the heart is BROKEN. Why? Because we have sold out ourselves, our friends, our families and most of all, OUR SELF RESPECT and DIGNITY  by not reading that fine print. Forgetting the path “less trod” and running headlong into that wide open field of destruction.

Matthew 7:13,14 “Enter ye in at (narrow) the strait  gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat:

Because STRAIT IS the gate, and narrow (difficult, confined) IS the way which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it.” 

Jesus Himself, who suffered all that any human could possibly endure and passing each and every test of being human and of temptation by the devil during His time in the wilderness, and He is telling us, CHOOSE the difficult path!

Because in doing so you will laugh real laughter and even through the pain your heart will be filled with REAL joy, the joy of the Lord THAT IS your strength. In our verse the “end of THAT mirth (happiness) IS GRIEF, because it is not real happiness, it is a life purchased without reading the fine print but with Jesus, our path is Blessed of God and He leads us in the paths of righteous, where GOODNESS AND MERCY shall follow us ALL the days of our lives here on this earth but also we are given the promise to DWELL in the house of the Lord FOR EVER!

So if you are feeling this and as our year once again comes to a close and you are regretting the paths you have chosen, talk to the Lord, get back on that path that He had for you and it may get rough, you may be persecuted and have to fight against those who wish to keep you under their thumb of control, but you will not fight alone, the Shepherd ALWAYS protects His flock and He will lead to that good ground, trust and follow, be strong, and be brave. God DOES not call cowards. He calls soldiers and the greatest reward of a solider is a job well done and pleasing to the Captain and He has no fine print, no disclaimers, His word is faithful and true and easy enough for us all to understand.

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2016

 

 

 

 

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PARKING LOT PERPLEXITY- PONDERING PERCEPTION

I spend an unnatural amount of time in the parking lot of a local store.
That sounds like some kind of bizarre plea for help doesn’t it?
“Hi, I’m Nina and I like to spend my free time in this parking lot”!
Wouldn’t make me too many new friends but I have a really good reason for being outside rather than inside, and since we all have issues, this is one of mine, I could easily play the part of the lady in the commercial, you know the one where she is bowling and this cute little pink thing with big blue eyes keeps trying to drag her off to the restroom, finally she angrily declares “No! I am seeing my doctor!”.
Well, me and my bladder just hang out rather than suffer the nuisance and annoyance of having to find a restroom every three hundred feet.
That is my personal secret revealed for the day.
 Disturbing? Probably! Too much information? Surely! Needed to be divulged in order to write this post? Most definitely!
I had to tell you that so that you wouldn’t think I am just all kinds of weird (those who know me are now falling over laughing hysterically thinking BUT YOU ARE WEIRD!)
That point aside. I have learned a lot sitting there and watching shoppers and I always think about them and what their life is like and if they look weary, tired, or hurting, I always say a little prayer for them.
 I watch people interact with their kids and I watch the elderly go in and I wonder do they have enough food money.
And amazingly enough the majority of my posts have been birthed there, most of my series titles and scriptures have been jotted down while sitting in that parking lot and the death of “Eagle” hit me there and I sat and cried scribbling it all down as my family returned to try to understand why on earth I was crying.
So I think I have a special kind relationship with that place and the most astounding thought that I have taken from it is this, WE AS HUMANS, AS A MAJORITY SUFFER FROM THE TOTAL LACK OF PERCEPTION!
My view varies based on parking, and across the street in one direction is what was once upon a more prosperous time THE motel of the town, it has since became not quite so much so.
I think it is mainly rented out as housing and often I watch those that live there come and go from the grocery store.
One evening a couple had just came out and were trying to cross the road they were dressed very modestly and NO ONE would stop to offer them to cross the road and the more I watched, I could only think that maybe if they were dressed to the nines or in fine clothing, or were well-known people, like I don’t know a mayor, or doctor or someone of the sort, people would be glad to let them cross, but no, drivers felt it not worth their time to show kindness to this couple.
The other side facing the store, right in front of it, I have had the grandest of all pondering.
There is a local man,seen by many, but I am sure known by few if any.
He is for the most part mute, he is so sweet and the kindness oozes out of him, he is an older man and lives in an assisted living home just a tad to the side of the grocery, and he can communicate IF you are willing to listen with your HEART and not depend so much on ears.
So Me and Pinky, (the cartoon bladder) are once again sitting there ( because I had determined I AM NOT going to the bathroom AGAIN ) and the sweet man is out there and we wave at each other and he flashes me that sweet smile and there are several shopping carts haphazardly left here and there on the walk, so he gets them one by one and takes them back in the store and puts them in their place, he comes back and picks up some loose trash and throws it away, he then steps just inside the store to a little rack where I am so sure are the “Thrifty Nickel” or something to that effect, it is little papers that people run ads for anything imaginable to sale, I think they are actually free BUT if not some witty, knowledgeable store employee SHOULD KNOW THE PRICE ( but I guess that depends on who is trying to ask! )
He holds it up and shows it to a bag boy, who just looks zombified at the paper, as if it is a mysterious sphere floating down before him and shrugs and walks off, then the man turns to a cashier, who is obviously also brain-dead to the universal code language
 ( HELLO if you are holding it up, you want to know the price) and she brushes him off also, and he just puts it down, that beautiful smile has now faded and he walks silently away to the place he calls home.
So between pinky pulling my arm and these two geniuses I am growing a wee angry.
 Curlylocks is still outside after having ran away to avoid the man’s unspoken question,( never bothering to notice that the carts had been taken care of for HIM ) so I call him to my window and as gently and clearly as possible I said “He is asking you how much that paper is.” 
Curlylocks looks at me, by this point I have come to believe the dude may not really be a bag boy but is actually zombie doing a rather bad impersonation of a bag boy, he just says”Umm, I don’t know” and I just say “Okay” . 
By this point, I really kinda wanted to slap him upside his head and say “You know Sonny, you ain’t through living and one day that might just be you!”
Then I wanted to slap my own self! Why did I not just drag pinky out of the vehicle, tell the sweet man to hold on one minute, go buy the paper, give to him! I COULD HAVE DONE THAT!!!!
So now we have three geniuses! What is wrong with us as a society?
Why can we not hear what others are saying, even if they have no words?
Why do we hold to the old cop-out that if they needed anything THEY would ask, if they had a problem they would tell someone.
Why do we not listen with our hearts and be led by the spirit? When we look someone in the eye and that little tug inside of us tells us they have a need, why do we not ask? 
Why do we not care? Why will not go even an inch outside our zone to help another person?
How many chances have been missed to impact a life other than our own?
This did not happen in a parking lot but I have pondered it more than once, because it leaps to mind when I think of these things, so it belongs here.
My family has a friend that grew up with my parents, she is a wonderful woman and has dedicated her life to two people, Jesus, and raising her little grand-daughter, she is in her seventies and she called one evening and needed help, her back was hurting really badly and thought it was caused by her stomach, so me and my Dad took her to the ER, she was left for hours in a freezing cold room, when we did go back to see her, she said she was freezing so I asked for a blanket for her (which should have been offered ) and she told us that she had a broken back.
She had been doing yard work that week and had somehow slipped or something and didn’t think much of it but had actually broken her back.
She told me she needed to go the restroom and had mentioned that the nurses had been really rude to her, so I told her I’d go get someone.
Now this is around five in the morning, we had been there all night, ( They are in process of transferring her to another hospital better equipped for her injury) so I go to the desk, there’s the doctor and three of four nurses sitting around and I ask could someone please come help her to the bathroom, This young nurse just looks at me and says “Well, I’ve took her several times” (Yeah, there is obviously a limit on times one may need to go) I said “Well, she needs to go”  she just looks at the doctor and rolls her eyes and he said “Take her” she gets up, her nasty little attitude plain to see and I said “You do know that HER BACK IS BROKEN don’t you?”
She just looks at me and like nothing and almost smugly says “Yeah, I know” and it took everything in me not to say “Well, here’s the deal, one day this is going to come back and bite you so hard in your prissy little butt, one day you will be in her shoes.” 
But as a child of the Lord’s, I held my peace but it was hard, she was so smug, so smirky, so absolutely uncaring and cold that I truly would not want to be in her shoes, if that is how she chooses to treat wounded people she should have never became a nurse, she should not be allowed to care for a rock.
But it does beg the question, what happened to us? When did we grow so insensitive, so lacking as a society?
Well, I am sure it happened as we fell as a nation from the grace of God and without his presence and guidance THAT IS what happens to society and it is the biblical fulfillment of what is to become of people.
“Without natural affection”, lacking any common decency or courtesy, much less compassion toward our fellow human.
BUT more so as Christians we ARE to be the LIGHT in the darkness.
WE are to shine into this world and be different and to do that and to not fall victim to the infectious lack of caring and love growing cold, we must be aware of what is inside of us.
Jesus IS the master of perception! And of course HE IS WHO HE IS but as his children WE CAN PRAY for HIS PERCEPTION to be awake and alive in us.
People really didn’t have to tell him much,when he walked this earth he was so in tune to people he took it straight to the heart, he didn’t make them pour out their secrets, or wait till they begged for help, he addressed the problem and assured help was on the spot.
More often the people who need help the most are the ones who are LEAST likely to ask.
NO ONE WANTS TO FEEL EMBARRASSED  and shame has NO PLACE but satan sends it and if you are lead of God to help in a charitable way, keep it secret! 
AS much as you possibly can, again because NO ONE wants to feel embarrassed and calling attention to their plight and what you did to help will only embarrass them and make them feel worse than they would have if you had left them alone.
“Take heed that ye do not your alms (charitable deeds) before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee as thee hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men, Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”          Matthew 6:1,2
So we never want to come off that way! Here’s what we want:
“But when thou doest thine alms, LET NOT THY LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT THY RIGHT HAND DOETH: that thine alms MAY BE IN SECRET: and THE FATHER SEETH IN SECRET HIMSELF SHALL REWARD THEE OPENLY”   Matthew 6:3,4
“Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask not again.
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
For if ye love them which love you, what thank (credit) have ye?
for sinners also do even the same.
And if you do good to them which do good to you, what thank (credit) have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, TO RECEIVE AS MUCH AGAIN.                 Luke 6:30-34
“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father  also IS merciful.”
“GIVE, and it SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom. FOR WITH THE SAME MEASURE THAT YE METE (use)  withal it will be measured BACK UNTO YOU again.”                               Luke 6:36,38
So lets all do better, let’s make eye contact, pray for that perception and TAKE CHANCES and ASK when we feel someone has a need and remember this isn’t always about money, it can be many things, even just someone who will listen for a moment and a little help getting something off a store shelf.
And if they say “No, Thanks” what have you lost???? You have offered and God is still very pleased with that!
 But let’s please not continue to look through people as if they aren’t even there and never, ever over them, like what happened with the sweet man, when his disability was such a burden to others that they would not even TRY to understand him, and someone other than you and me sees it.

He sees it all, so let’s make sure what he sees is us being the best we can be.
Φλογιζω/ All rights reserved/ NBJ 2015