We are often told that too much of anything can be really bad. Dentists love to tell us to lay off the sugar or it will rot our teeth. And too much sugar-coated gospel will damage your soul or maybe I should say it will lead to the condemnation of your soul. I like sweet things! I know the Lord is love, he is mercy, forgiveness and grace BUT he has rules he established that we should all live by and they are for our good! He will not accept anything less. He will not change his word to suddenly declare a behavior acceptable after he has already said that it is not. I want people saved and I know what is being taught today, so please read these scriptures, read the Bible for yourself and never let anyone “fool” you out of your soul by pleasing your flesh. Last time we looked at scriptures that were given to give us a heads up about these people and the dangers of being anywhere near them and believe me that did not even skim the surface of the amount of Bible teaching on the subject.
Titus 1:10-11,13,15-16: “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially those of the circumcision: WHOSE MOUTHS MUST BE STOPPED, who subvert whole houses, TEACHING THINGS WHICH THEY OUGHT NOT, FOR FILTHY LUCRE’S SAKE (MONEY) This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke the sharply, that they may be sound in the faith. Unto the pure all things are pure: BUT UNTO THEM THAT ARE DEFILED AND UNBELIEVING IS NOTHING PURE; EVEN THEIR MIND AND CONSCIENCE IS DEFILED. THEY PROFESS TO KNOW GOD; BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, BEING ABOMINABLE, AND DISOBEDIENT, AND UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK A REPROBATE.”
2 Peter 2:12-14,17-19: “But these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of things they understand not: AND SHALL UTTERLY PERISH IN THEIR OWN CORRUPTION; and shall receive the reward of their unrighteousness, as they count it pleasure to riot in the day time.
Spots they are and blemishes, SPORTING THEMSELVES WHILE THEY FEAST WITH YOU; HAVING EYES FULL OF ADULTERY, THAT CANNOT CEASE FROM SIN;
BEGUILING (ENTICING) UNSTABLE SOULS: AN HEART THEY HAVE EXERCISED WITH COVETOUS PRACTICES; CURSED CHILDREN:
THESE ARE WELLS WITHOUT WATER, CLOUDS THAT ARE CARRIED WITH A TEMPEST; TO WHOM THE MIST OF DARKNESS IS RESERVED FOR EVER.
FOR WHEN THEY SPEAK GREAT SWELLING WORDS OF VANITY,THEY ALLURE THROUGH THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THROUGH MUCH WANTONNESS, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
WHILE THEY PROMISE LIBERTY, THEY THEMSELVES ARE SERVANTS OF CORRUPTION: for of whom a man is overcome, and of the same he is brought in bondage.”
Jude:11,12: “WOE UNTO THEM! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward (profit), and perished in the gainsaying of Core, THESE ARE SPOTS IN YOUR FEASTS OF CHARITY, WHEN THEY FEAST WITH YOU, FEEDING THEMSELVES WITHOUT FEAR: CLOUDS THEY ARE WITHOUT WATER, CARRIED ABOUT OF WINDS; TREES WHOSE FRUIT WITHERETH, WITHOUT FRUIT, TWICE DEAD, PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS; “
We are told almost verbatim, a couple of things, they claim to represent God but their actions prove otherwise, they are wells who have no water, dry and lacking the spirit, they are clouds being blown in every direction with every new fad because they go in the way that will profit them financially and in pleasing the popular crowd.
So let’s look at their ultimate end and what GOD has to say is their demise.
Isaiah 5:18-21,23,24: “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were a cart rope: That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
WOE UNTO THEM THAT CALL EVIL GOOD, AND GOOD EVIL; THAT PUT DARKNESS FOR LIGHT, AND LIGHT FOR DARKNESS; THAT PUT BITTER FOR SWEET, AND SWEET FOR BITTER!
WOE UNTO THEM THAT ARE WISE IN THEIR OWN EYES, AND PRUDENT IN THEIR OWN SIGHT! WHICH JUSTIFY THE WICKED FOR A REWARD, AND TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS FROM HIM!
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, SO AS THEIR ROOT SHALL BE ROTTENNESS, and their blossom shall go up as dust: BECAUSE THEY HAVE CAST AWAY (DISREGARDED) THE LAW OF THE LORD OF HOST AND DESPISED THE WORD OF THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.”
Finally, flee from them, have no part and do not listen to their poison doctrine, even out of curiosity because it is a disgrace. and it is cursed!
.Galatians 1:6-9: “I marvel not that you are so soon removed (turning away) from him that called you into the gospel of Christ UNTO ANOTHER GOSPEL: WHICH IS NOT ANOTHER;BUT THERE BE SOME THAT TROUBLE YOU, AND WOULD (WANT TO) PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
BUT THOUGH WE, OR ANY ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL UNTO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. AS WE SAID BEFORE, SO SAY I NOW AGAIN, IF ANY MAN PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL UNTO YOU THAN THAT YE HAVE RECEIVED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.”
He wants you saved, He died for YOUR SINS, so if the candy coats tell you that there is no sin, well as the Bible says that if any of us say we have no sin, we are liars, just think of them as a little too sweet, fake friends who smile in your face as you pull a knife out of your back, because a real friend will love you enough to tell you the truth.
All rights reserved. Rev. Nina Brown Johnson 2015 *Original post date: 03/26/2015/ Revisited 05/27/2022
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
New, news and more news. Oh, what you can discover during a very snowy week with plenty of extra time on your hands. mention of time, what time is it getting to be anyway? All that is required is to turn on any major network news, this week alone, within the span of a very, few days the tale is told. The fact that ISIS has managed to enrage America, Britain, Japan, France, Syria, and Egypt (Because in order for the anti-Christ to come into power all nations must have a common denominator enemy, as he promises peace, they will give him their power, uniting a one world order, henceforth, “through peace he shall destroy many.”
Russia versus the Ukraine, Iraq has been a mess for quite a while. While in America it is the tip of the iceberg… literally, with Niagara Falls appearing much like one. Maine hit with a record fifty below zero, while Boston struggles to contain nearly one hundred inches of snow, meanwhile a six point nine magnitude earthquake hit Japan, threat of tsunami (Biblical sea waves roaring) and according to NBC NEWS, worldwide earthquakes have TRIPLED over the last decade. New, aggressive strain of the HIV virus is discovered in Cuba, (just as the travel ban has been lifted) return of the long thought dead measles. “Super bug” thought to be linked to surgical equipment now hitting three states, new tick virus. CDC announcing Ebola has claimed at least nineteen hundred lives, we could go on for days on the weird, freaky medical woes.
Two hundred and fifty Jewish graves were desecrated in France and ISIS with what they believe to be their holy war beheading twenty-one Egyptian Christians, who according to a CNN report did indeed die with the name of Jesus on their lips, moving on with their reign of terror, they torched forty Iraqi policeman and tribesman.
Unconfirmed reports, that along with their human trafficking business that they may now also be selling the organs of their murdered victims on the black market.
Even secular experts stressing to the media that they are attempting to fulfill prophecies of their own to rush in an apocalyptic war.
John 16:2: ” They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”
That time has come! They really, really believe this and it is really hard to fight people who are not afraid to die. The “icing on the cake” as it were, in the way of prophetic fulfillment came when Prime Minister Netanyahu calls for all the scattered, European Jews to come home. Announcing that Israel is fully prepared to welcome them in.
Turn off the news and surf the web, check out huge Christian website with all kinds of goodies, how to think, how to dress, how to market your church, a virtual how to manual on being the politically correct, well dressed, good-looking, prosperous church of the twenty-first century. Complete with a tab to click titled” Fifty shades of Grey”, I had heard about this movie, was pretty sure it was originally a book, knew the subject matter and pretty confident that Ariel Castro and the Boston Strangler would have both given it two thumbs up.
It was slated to be “THE” valentine movie that most couples would be attending. And it’s ticket sales did go through the roof. So I was curious what this “Christian” site had to say on the subject, it was an open comment piece on how people who profess Christ should reconsider watching this, mingled and heavily presented with the colorful, crunchy candy coating that so many have now come to stand for.
WHY SHOULD THEY HAVE TO BE TOLD? It should be known, it comes down to the last few years of “ministers” (they are not real one’s, they are a disgrace) candy coating everything about God and about his word and all that he stands for. All to bring in members for financial gain and RELIGIOUS prestige. God is nowhere near that mess, he requires repentance and everything from him is completely free!
Now, for Jesus’ take on the news: Matthew 24: 6-8,33: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye not be troubled: for ALL THESE THINGS MUST COME TO PASS, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. ALL these ARE the BEGINNING of sorrows. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, KNOW that IT IS NEAR, EVEN AT THE DOORS.”
Isaiah 51:9-12: “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old, Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the RANSOMED OF THE LORD SHALL RETURN, and come with singing into Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. I, even I am he that comforteth you: who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and the son of man which shall be made as grass.”
But I suppose with secular Christendom one would be far too busy pondering the truly important question of how dirty can you get before it shows on the outside of your fluffy white coat of self-righteousness, to care about your brothers who are being slaughtered for the name of Christ. The candy coats use the name, a name they are willing to wear haute couture, but a name they are unwilling to live for and a name I am sure they are NOT ready to die for. Ready or not, this is happening to our brothers and sisters in other areas of the world and it is becoming a real possibility that we will be faced with the question of will you renounce Christ or will you die? How will any of us have the faith to answer that if we have never been taught the truth? And we all face that danger.
Luke 21:34-36: “And TAKE HEED to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and THE DAY COME UPON YOU UNAWARES. For AS A SNARE SHALL IT COME ON ALL THEM THAT DWELL ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. WATCH ye therefore, and PRAY A:WAYS THAT YE MAY BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT SHALL COME TO PASS, and TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN.”
He told us to watch and that day is here. We will only stand rooted and grounded in HIM and Him alone and without the indwelling of His Holy spirit and his guidance, no one will be able to survive it.
Judgment must begin at His house, that means getting OUR hearts right!
Unless some major revivals, house cleanings and true conversions take place, all I can say is, God help us, and if someone doesn’t start standing up and speaking against all this spoon fed fluff that these people are digesting everyday in lieu of the true Gospel, and realize Christianity is serious, and that church is not a country club, then really don’t know what will become of us.
Oh, Yeah, what time is getting to be again? Time to look up…
Luke 21: 28: ” And WHEN these things BEGIN to come to pass, then LOOK UP, and lift up your heads; for YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH.”
Φλογιζω/ All Rights Reserved. Rev. Nina Brown Johnson 2015 Revisited 05/16/2022
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
“For if we sin willingly after we that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised (has rejected) Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Of how much sorer (worse) punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden (trampled) under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing(common), and hath done despite (insulted) the Spirit of grace?
For we know him that hath said, VENEGENANCE BELONGETH UNTO ME, I WILL RECOMPESE (repay), SAITH THE LORD. And again, THE LORD SHALL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:26-31
Now to explain the title just a little,
Irreverence.
Irreverence literally means this: “a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously”
Just when I think I have heard it all, I suddenly discover that I have obviously been living under a rock, since I was unaware of Drag Queen “preachers”, and I do make a truly diligent effort to keep up on our jacked up little world, but this was a new one on me.
Evidently a church in South Carolina has decided to take the open door approach a little too far and even more disturbing to me is that this is heralded as a “Lutheran” church.
and with such sheer disbelief and mockery as to make the church, or the building they call a church, nothing more than a circus.
They may be serving the god of themselves and their flesh but the true God is no where near this and it is a disgrace and an absolute insult to Jesus.
If people want to congregate, and they want to get together, and set about performing good deeds or whatever, that would be one thing but to usurp the name of Christ
They could not even possibly believe in him, otherwise they would be terrified to openly, blatantly sin while having the audacity to profess his name.
Here is what God says in the Bible, the real one concerning those who use his word, with no intentions of repentance or regard for him or his statues, only to use his word for their convenience, for gain, for prestige, or whatever their motive and agenda may be.
Psalm 50:16-22: “But unto the wicked, God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statues, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
Seeing that thou hats instruction, and castest MY WORDS behind thy back.
When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partakers with adulterers.
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sitteth and speaketh against thy brother, thou slenderest thy own mother’s son.
These things thou hast done, And I kept silence; thou thoughest that I was altogether such a one as thyself; but I will reprove (rebuke) thee; and set them in order before thine eyes.
NOW consider THIS, ye that forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, and there be none to deliver.”
Notice what he is saying, that the wicked, now this is God speaking in that passage, he is calling them wicked and gives a few of the reasons why, and he is asking them how they can even justify proclaiming his statues or taking his word into their mouth when they clearly will not repent, they hate instruction, they hate what he stands for and cast away, throw away his real word, behind them as they continue on in their deception.
And again, this statement is from God, and He very clearly ends it with his warning for consequences of playing with his word, because they are playing with fire.
Mention of fire… let’s check out some of that judgment raining down on those who thought long ago about playing games with the house of God.
“And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.
Then I beheld,and lo the likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins (waist) downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the other appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head (hair); and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate, that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image (idol) of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now and the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and beheld northward, at the gate of altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater (worse) abominations.
And he brought me to the door of the court, and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
Then he said unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I digged in the wall, behold a door.
And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed (carved)upon the wall round about.
And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients (elders) of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up.
Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery (room of his idols)? for they say, The Lord seeth us not: the Lord hath forsaken the earth.
He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.
Then he brought me to the door of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat a woman weeping for Tammuz (pagan fertility “god”)
Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty and five men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O Son of man? is it a light (trivial) thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger; and lo, they have put the branch to their nose.
Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye will not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet, will I not hear them.
He cried also in mine ears (hearing) with a loud voice, saying, Cause (let) them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher (upper) gate, which lieth toward the north,andevery man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in and stood beside the brasen altar.
And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house (the temple). And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side.
And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set(put) a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for (over) all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite; let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary (temple) Then they began at the ancient men (elders) which were before the house (temple).
And he said unto them, Defile the house (temple) and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth.
And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left (alone), that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! will thou destroy all the residue (remnant) of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?
Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood (bloodshed),and the city is full of perverseness. for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth it not.
And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.” Ezekiel 8: 1-18 & Ezekiel 9:1-11
I know that is a lot of scripture, but these are the stories that are seldom told!! God was very angry and rightful so.
As he showed the prophet first- hand the abominations that were being committed, worshipping the graven images, worshipping false gods, notice when they were worshipping the Sun, turning their backs on the true house of God, doesn’t that sound familiar?
So many today refusing the truth and believing the lies of self and the devil, believing in this nonsense of make your own Christianity, believing a lie and in the process, as scripture states, being damned, on their way to an eternal hell, if they don’t forego the fairy-tale and accept the truth.
The biggest insult of all in our story is that the common justification between them is that God no longer watched over the earth, his call for the angels that watched over proving otherwise, and they were so delusional that they thought they could hide their abominations from God, bragging in their hearts that he would never see.
Well, we see how far they got with that, God is very patient, but He will not tolerate irreverence and the defilement of his house.
And while we are on it, again He mentioned all the bloodshed, now people, like the president trying to bring God into the abortion “debate”, still trying to figure out how anyone can say this is not murder, but with Biden saying it’s a right of a child of God is insane, Commandment number 6, “Thou shalt not kill.”
Why has he not been ex-communicated yet? Well, him, Kaine, and Pelosi? Many Catholics have been ex-communicated for far less, must be special political privilege!
We all know what it is don’t we?
There is absolutely no way for this country or this world to slither out from under the judgment of God. It is too far gone and there is no coming back.
Proverbs 6:15: ” Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.’
That is what happens to the wicked who refuse repentance.
And think of this, if those in ancient Israel who thought God did not see their abominations in his house faced such a judgment, imagine what those who now at openly, mockingly defile his house are in danger of.
And do they care? No of course not because again, they could not possibly believe at all, and as the Bible teaches us, only a fool says in his heart that there is no God.
Please keep yourselves holy, that simply means keeping yourself in God’s word and keep your mind, heart, and soul protected from this world.
Stay away from all these abominations and don’t even watch them as a curiosity because it is an absolute disgrace.
This has nothing to do with being gay, being a drag, being whatever, it we be no different than if an atheist, who does not believe at all or a satanist, or voodoo priestess, Buddhist, Scientologist, anyone who has not repented according to the word of the Lord, decided to “hold service” lead worship, read scripture and take on a title for a position that they have never been called to nor qualified for.
One must be saved, and washed in the blood of Jesus, repentant of all things his word declares as sin, and having stepped away from those things, in order to be to be a true servant of God.
We can’t have a list of Jesus’ teaching that we like and are willing to adhere to and at the same time reject the Bible’s teaching on other subjects, that we may not feel should be sin, but God word says otherwise.
We can’t have it both ways, we either want God or we want the world.
That is why so much absolute heresy is going on today. It has become a money-making machine for many, without ever a thought that one day, a very real God will want answers as to why they have used His Name and His words without any fear, belief, or respect of him whatsoever.
God will never allow anything to contradict his word, and he never changes, nor will this world ever change him, and that includes his judgments.
In my post concerning miracles I had referenced going back to later verses in that chapter also, for this post ,so here that is.
1 John 5:16-21: ” If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
We know that whosoever is born of God(born again) sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not.
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
And we know that the Son of God is come, and given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, even his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen “
This is in reference to people becoming reprobated, when they go so far over the line, against God that they well…they have just gone too far and that is why we are told to not pray for them, and that is a truly horrific thought.
Speaking things against God, against his people, and his statues is very dangerous especially having no spiritual discernment to understand that what they are saying is not just spoken toward a group of people that they do not like but that they can be speaking themselves into eternal damnation.
“And whosoever speaketh a word against 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 12:32
When we have leaders professing that abortion is a right as “a child of God” and groups protesting for the right to slaughter children, on the very day set aside to honor motherhood, and to do so on God’s holy ground of his churches. And to make a mockery of his ministry, it is quite clear to see how close many in this nation are coming to the point of no return.
Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev. N. Brown Johnson
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
“And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew (reveal) unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservants, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keepeth the sayings of this book: worship God.
And he saith unto me. Seal not the sayings (words) of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy. let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they might have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
For without (outside the city) are dogs (depraved people), and sorcerers, and whoremongers (sexually immoral),and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie (liars).
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morningstar.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come, And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will (desires). let take the water of life freely.
I testify to every man (human being) that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, IF ANY man shall add unto these things, GOD SHALL ADD UNTO HIM THE PLAGUES THAT ARE WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK;
And if ANY man SHALL TAKE AWAY from the WORDS of the book of this prophecy, GOD SHALL TAKE AWAY HIS PART OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, AND OUT OF THE HOLY CITY, AND FROM THE THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK.
He which testifieth these things saith,Surely, I come quickly. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus,the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Revelation 22:6-21
My dear friends that is the absolute end of the REAL Bible. I don’t even quite no where to start with this mess, as our southern sayings go, I am so mad I could spit, but of course to say such a thing would get my intelligence questioned, just for merely mentioning the fact that I am from the South, talk about prejudice, you should try having a southern accent and test out just how well you are received, but that is for another day.
Today we are dealing with the abomination soon coming in 2022 in the form of a new “Revised Standard Version” Bible with over 20000 “revisions”.
Is it a shock that the Lord would have this warning to us as the end of it all is being revealed to us?
Warnings about tampering with his word, in any form, adding to or removing his word from HIS WORD.
As with the wicked degradation of society being foretold and fore written, we were also given the scriptures above because it was known that in the human self righteous state that there would be those that would ever attempt to change his very word, change the Bible itself, in order to condone their own sins and still pretend to be of Christ, pretend to be followers of Christ when they are nothing more than the ravening wolves Christ spoke of here: “Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat;
Because (How) strait is the gate, and narrow (confined) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:13-15
So now in order to do that, they must yet again, “revise” the Word of God to “fit modern civilization”
To many who lay claim to the cloth it is nothing more than a business, and it is sickening, it is an absolute disgrace and God will bring down judgment, these are they which Jesus speaks of in this passage:
“NOT every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, BUT he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
MANY will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied IN THY NAME? and IN THY NAME have cast out devils? and IN THY NAME done many wonderful works?
And THEN will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY.” Matthew 7: 21-23
Clearly there, they had been “working”, doing what they would love to call “ministry”, and they were certainly comfortable using the name of one they did not even know! Had they truly known him they would have respect for his word, his commandments, and taught accordingly, and had reverential respect and fear that comes with that calling, if they had been truly called of God, rather than called of themselves, as scripture gives us this ministerial warning:
James 3:1: “My brethren, be not many masters (let not many of you be teachers of the word),KNOWING that we shall receive the greater condemnation (stricter judgment).”
We will give account for every word we say, every word we teach, and we will be held accountable for any that will willfully mislead.
But I am sure that they managed to sugar coat this verse in their new reprobated revision to make that a suggestion rather than the warning that it is.
And of course it will all be used to further ridicule and snuff out the true word of God and those he calledto teach the truth, as modern opinion now alludes to the popular consensus that those who teach and adhere to the truth are archaic homophobic relics.
We know that our King James Bible was one that was complied as many from texts in multiple languages and that our edition varies quite a bit from the 1611 version and that new “versions” were supposed to be revisions to help people understand the word of God better, BUT understanding the word of God is the why God sent preachers.
Romans 10:13-15: “FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THELORD SHALL BE SAVED.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a PREACHER?
And HOW shall they PREACH, EXCEPT they be SENT? As it is written, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THEM THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, AND BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS (good news).”
We don’t have to have a special edition to understand it, it is supernatural, God gives his servants that ability, I was actually called under that verse myself and then ordained as an evangelist.
But believe me, once upon a time, before I was saved, I would try to read passages and be like “What on earth language is this?? It was truly like attempting to read something foreign, but once I was saved and God supernaturally opened up his word to me, it was if I were reading something just written that day. And I don’t say that as anything for me or to my good, I say that to say that I know if God di that for me, he will do that for anyone else who ask him because he has no respect of persons.
God will do this for anyone truly seeking, he does this by giving them special anointing to be skilled to do whatever work he has called someone to do.
If you need clarity, please do not rush out and get a “new” version or someone’s self help version, you can go online and read the king James for yourself, or even listen to it being read,better yet, purchase a King James Study Bible, that offers trustworthy commentary and study helps, and also make sure that it contains the translation margin, which offers the translation of some confusing terms and words in the margin, as you read the text it will give you the translated word on the same page.
But I promise once you set your mind to it God will help you,
Here is an example of him doing just that as he gave special skills to build the holiest of items.
Exodus 31:1-6: ” AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;
And I have filled him the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of craftmanship.
To devise cunning (artistic) works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in the carving of timber, to work in ALL manner of workmanship.
And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted (gifted artisans) I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded.”
He wants us to know him and his word and not be led astray, or worse left to die in unrepentant sin, because we have been lied to by false teachers, falsely believing that we are “saved” when nothing could be farther from the truth, in order to be truly converted to Christ, we must repent and follow his laws, and if you don’t want to follow his laws, you will not get into his kingdom, and those who led other astray surely will suffer greater damnation.
1 Peter 4:17-18: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And IF THE RIGHTEOUS SCARELY BE SAVED, WHERE SHALL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?
Meaning all will be judged and if those who have made effort to follow God barely make it, what is to become of those who refused the truth, we unfortunately know the answer.
The new “revision” has over twenty thousand changes, yes, twenty thousand! When God had the Bible written, he divinely imparted to the writers his word to be written.
No one can now or in times past or in the future suddenly decide that they better know the heart and intent of God as should be written, it is a ludicrous thought and just further proves how far they have fallen, when they believe that they no the word better than the actual Word!
2 Peter 1:21: ” For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
2 Timothy 3:16: “ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
These revisions are contrary to his word and especially in the fact that they are designed intentionally to make Christianity more “user friendly”, and one interviewed guest on television discussing the subject went so far as to say that the centurion’s servant that Jesus sent his word and healed was the centurions “partner”, as in homosexual “partner”, yeah… not only are the changing it, they are changing it to twist it to justify sin, and yes, once again, homosexuality is a sin, just like all the other sin, just the same as if a married man decided to have a harem or a married lady wanted to have a “He-harem”, that would be sin because they are having relations with someone other than their spouse, people can argue all that want but it is, according to God’s word still sin.
And only a twisted reprobate mind would even try to twist God’s word and pervert his truth. It was and still is an abomination to god and must be repented of, it is not different than all the other sins, but they want to justify lifestyles that are never going to get approval from God.
He has already spoken on all subjects.
People can not lie, cheat, steal, worship pagans, dishonor your parents, cheat on their spouse, stay drunk, or any of the other behaviors that we are commanded to forego, and they sure can’t have sex with anyone they want too just because that it what they want, and then profess to belong to Christ.
So stay away from these false teaching, stick with the tried and true King James and don’t fall to their deception, remembering this:
2 Timothy 3:13,14: “But evil men and seducers (imposters) shall wax (grow) worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.”
You have to be certain who you listen to and who you trust.
So many scriptures that we will prayerfully get to concerning his word, but for now I will leave you with this:
Isaiah 40:8: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but word of our God shall stand for ever.”
And that is His true Word! and as always please know that the capitalized letters are not shouting, some I do for emphasis and some are capitalized in the Bible, to denote it refers back and I try to stick to as it is written. The bold and italics are also to help the highlights jump out as you read, and also thank you for reading and may God bless you in your coming week!
Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Reverend Nina Brown Johnson
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
“And IF THE RIGHTEOUS SCARCELY BE SAVED, WHERE SHALL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?” 1 Peter 4:18
This verse should be the sound of the alarm bells ringing on that ticking clock of the return of Christ that should be a wake up call to all.
“Sinners or saints, young or old, black or white, meaning your views are dead set and you see no other “colors” in between. Even green or grey, just trying your best to find the way, meaning, whether we are newbies, “green” in the Gospel or have the “grey head” of wisdom from years in His service, we all should hear the terrifying WARNING of that verse.
My sister and I have discussed this in great detail over the years. If you really dissect this verse, it really ASKS us to think long and hard about the very simple truth that IF the righteous, those who have exchanged the “filthy rags of their own righteousness” for the PERFECT covering of the righteousness of God himself stated Isaiah 54:17(b) “…And their righteousness IS of me, saith the Lord.”
There is NO righteousness outside the righteousness of God. It is not possible for any human, or any other pagan belief system to offer righteousness to us.
Our righteousness will only be found through the acceptance of Jesus Christ and in the washing of our souls in His blood. This verse tells us that bearing ALL that, if we do the VERY BEST we can do, we will still SCARCELY be saved, which means just barely making it in.
And yes, I do realize there is a whole doctrine of once in grace, always in grace. I realize even more painfully the current movement is “Repentance? What repentance?”
What I personally believe this line to mean is this, even though we ARE saved and our salvation is ASSURED (Romans 8:35-39) BUT being human and subject to all things human, all the snares of trying to live “holy” in an incredibly unholy world.
A world that not only encourages every kind of imaginable sin, but CELEBRATES those sins and even alienates others for NOT participating in those sins. The deception IS so strong, just as Jesus warned us of the false Christs, and false prophets.
Matthew 24:24: “For there SHALL arise false Christs, and FALSE PROPHETS, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, they shall deceive the very elect.”
False teachers and false prophets that lie and deceive those who want a “commandment free” RELIGION and choose deception over true SALVATION. And he is warning us that this deception is so meticulously convincing that IF IT WERE NOT FOR HIS DIVINE INTERVENTION, HIS VERY CHOSEN WOULD BE DECEIVED! HE WILL NOT ALLOW US TO BE DECEIVED… UNLESS WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE.
Which also brings in two more verses. Matthew 16:24: ” Then said Jesus unto his disciples, IF any man will come after me, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Notice the denial, denial of all the desires and whims of the flesh and of this world. Taking up that cross, having “crucified our flesh DAILY” through the renewing of our minds in his word, and following in HIS footsteps and HIS teachings and CHOOSE to be led by God, who does truly KNOW everything rather than a world who likes to think they KNOW more than even God, who CREATED it all, including them!
Forsaking ALL their high browed arguments against God, and against the very laws and commandments he himself designed FOR OUR OWN GOOD, and against the truth of his existence, trusting in their genetic frailty and decay because they simply REFUSE to acknowledge that their pompous minds could be wrong and that their souls could actually be subject unto a higher being, and that there could be a standard that they will be measured against.
And it is just easier for them to DENY his existence rather than to ADMIT their guilt.
Even though there is no “escape clause” in the Bible excusing us from the penalty of eternal hell and damnation because of our unbelief, quite the opposite, gotta have FAITH in him and in his existence.
Hebrews 11:5: “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, and that HE IS a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
These pressures and these forces that make it so hard for US, that we SCARCELY slide by their traps, the traps of the temptations to sin, the traps of false doctrines whispered in our ears and bombarding us by television and media.
I, for one, think we need to stay away from even listening to these lies, I know others may “study” other “religions” but in doing so, they are opening themselves up to the “doctrine of devils” and allowing those polluted thoughts inside their minds, we are told specifically that all these teachings are AGAINST God and this will get you on the wrong side of the boat, fast.
James 4:4: ” Ye adulterers, and adulteresses, know ye not that THE FRIENDSHIP OF (with) THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD? WHOSOEVER THEREFORE WILL (wants to) BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD IS THE ENEMY OF GOD (makes himself the enemy of God).”
All the nonsense of learning each other and fellowship of “tolerance” is just more of Satan’s deceptions. God never said to hate others or mistreat them because of differences BUT his word tells us to STAY AWAY from all of it.
NONE of us EVER grow so much or climb so high that we are above temptation, snares and traps, as long as we are human and on this earth we can, do and will stumble, that is why we are told SCARCELY, but we repent, get up, go on and TRY it again!
One of the innumerable beauties of Christ is that HE IS faithful to forgive us, over and over, and over, when our hearts are sincere, his grace is endless.
But for those who do err and teach sin and absolute contempt for his commandments and yet proclaim salvation to all whether they repent or accept Christ or not that somehow they are under a magical umbrella, teaching the complete OPPOSITE of repentance and salvation.
Matthew 15:8,9: “THIS PEOPLE DRAWETH NIGH UNTO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH, AND HONOURETH ME WITH THEIR LIPS; BUT THEIR HEARTS IS FAR FROM ME. BUT IN VAIN THEY DO WORSHIP ME, TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.”
He warned us right there! We are warned many times of the deception, that they WILL use his name, they WILL shout to the whole world that he is great, all this comes from their lips but in their heart, remember, “as a man thinketh in his heart, so IS he”, so their HEART, the truth of their belief is far, far from God or the things of his kingdom.
I believe that the false teachers DO NOT even believe in his existence.
I truly do not think anyone could believe in him and not fear teaching the things they teach. They teach the things people want to hear, to give them a false sense of eternal security never converting them to that actual security, in order to gain financially and in popularity.
Sometimes it is hard to win people to the Lord, but truthfully, I think some of the greatest words we will ever hear in doing so, is these “I don’t want to be a hypocrite”, when someone acknowledges that they are not interested in serving the Lord, and that they FEAR the Lord and do not want to allow others to believe that they are while still unrepentant, that PROVES that there is HOPE for that person!
As long as they BELIEVE that HE IS, there is hope, as Jesus also told us,John 3:18-20: “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 light is come into the world, and MEN LOVED THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that DOETH EVIL HATETH THE LIGHT, NEITHER COMETH TO THE LIGHT, lest his deeds should be reproved (exposed).”
This ANSWERS Peter’s question, WHERE will they stand at his coming? WHERE will the ungodly, those who deny, ridicule, and scoff at God, his statues, and his very existence?
WHERE will the sinners, I know everyone hates that word now, used to make people THINK, now just makes them angry, HOW dare anyone CALL THEM A SINNER?
That is a big one right there! Self-willed and prideful, lust of life, refusal to acknowledge that we could POSSIBLY do wrong!
We do not need to beat people over the head but when they are running the “reprobate risk” we need to give the a wake up call.
Sin is sin, and well, certain things ARE sin, you do those things, guess what, makes you a sinner! We have ALL been sinners! We ALL STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN!
That is part of SCARCELY! ME, you, EVERYONE fights sin!
Again JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, THE MESSIAH, said THIS, point-blank, period, no ifs, no ands, and no buts. THIS is THE LIST of those who will NOT be allowed in his kingdom.
Revelation 21:5-8: “And HE THAT SAT UPON THE THRONE said, Behold, I make ALL things new, and he said unto me, Write: FOR THESE WORDS ARE TRUE AND FAITHFUL.
And HE said unto me, It is done, I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life FREELY.
He that OVERCOMETH shall inherit all things: I WILL BE HIS GOD, and he shall be my son.
BUT THE FEARFUL (cowards), AND THE UNBELIEVING, AND THE ABOMINABLE (despicable, obnoxious, etc.), AND MURDERERS, AND WHOREMONGERS (sexually immoral), AND SORCERERS, (psychics, witchcraft, etc.), AND IDOLATERS (putting EVERYTHING before God), AND ALL LIARS, SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE WITH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE: WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.”
These are the words of Jesus, It is NOT written in red because John was writing to us what Jesus spoke to him, and we KNOW this is indeed Christ by His reference of Alpha and Omega.
Just to be so clear of WHOSE words these are, and the words of Christ are written in red, so Revelation 1:8: ” I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, the beginning and the ending, SAITH THE LORD, which IS, and which WAS, and which IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.”
He reveals his complete identity in this verse, HE IS the beginning of all things, HE IS the end of all things, HE IS everything in between.
He WAS, John:1-17: In the beginning WAS the Word, the Word WAS with God, and THE WORD WAS GOD.
The same was in the beginning with God. ALL things were MADE by him: and without him was not any thing made that was made.
IN HIM WAS LIFE; And the life WAS the light of men. AND THE LIGHT SHINETH INTO DARKNESS; AND THE DARKNESS COMPREHENDED IT NOT.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light.
THAT WAS THE TRUE LIGHT, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
He WAS in the world, and the world WAS made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, EVEN TO THEM THAT BELIEVE ON HIS NAME;
WHICH WERE BORN, NOT OF BLOOD, NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD.
AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US, (and we beheld his glory, the glory, as the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This WAS he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me IS preferred BEFORE me; FOR HE WAS BEFORE ME.”
All that Jesus had said of himself.
Humans can not look on the face of God, when Jesus came here, he came AS the Son of God, HE IS the Son of God, HE IS the Word, which did truly dwell among us and at his resurrection we were given the gift of that resurrection power which allowed the death of our flesh and spiritual birth in him because he actually DWELLS in us through the Holy Ghost.
But HE IS also God, which is why he referred to himself as IS and IS YET TO COME, meaning his return to earth and his kingdom that will be very much ON earth, precisely in what is now Jerusalem, soon to be NEW Jerusalem.
And as far as his Word, which HE IS, he left us all we need to know in the pages of his Holy Word, The Bible.
STUDY it for yourself, or get the audio version of the King James and listen to it. DO NOT take others words as his word, we are in such a time of deception and there IS only one way to heaven and the return to New Jerusalem and assurance of eternal life, and that IS through Jesus Christ.
1 john 2:22-23: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is an anti-Christ that denieth the Father and the Son.
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath NOT the Father: [but] HE THAT HATH ACKNOWLEDETH THE SON HATH THE FATHER ALSO.”
We have to have Jesus and we have to have his salvation and his forgiveness, and we will not have to ask ourselves WHERE shall we appear, when this world hears something similar to those spoken by the Lord in the Book of Amos, when they are told to “prepare to meet thy God”.
He’s coming back, ready or not, and we better be prepared to meet him.
Love & peace to ya, till next time! Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
“PAUL, CALLED to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the WILL of God, and Sosthenes our brother.
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, CALLED to be saints with ALL that are in every placecall upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, both their’s and our’s.
Grace be unto you, and peace from the God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance (speaking) and in all knowledge;
Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.
So you come behind (fall short) in no gift; waiting for the coming (revelation) of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who should also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful, by whom ye were CALLED into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,that ye all speak the same, (have a uniform testimony), and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that are contentions (quarrels) among you.
Now I this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and of Apollos; and of Cephas; and I of Christ.
Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized into the name of Paul?
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus, and Gaius;
Lest (unless) any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
And I baptized also the household of Stephanas; besides (other than them), I know not whether I baptized any other.
For Christ sent me NOT to baptize, but to preach the gospel, NOT with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect(considered void and meaningless).
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
For it is written, I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND WILL BRING TO NOTHING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRUDENT.
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath God not made foolish the wisdom of this world?
For after the wisdom of God the world by wisdom KNEW NOT God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching (the message preached) to SAVE them that believe.
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
But we preach Jesus crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
BUT unto them that are CALLED, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Because the foolishness of God IS wiser than men; and the weakness of God IS stronger than men.
For ye see (consider) YOUR CALLING, brethren, how that NOT many wise men after the flesh, NOT many mighty, NOT many noble are called.” 1 Corinthians 1:1-26
The main thought running through this passage is that we ARE called.
I love how Paul pointed out all the “in fighting”, all the contentions, and strife.
Like how so many of us in the “church” NOT one church but as a world-wide universal belief in Christ, have so many different thoughts and arguments about those beliefs… who “should be allowed” to serve what office, and what’s worse who’s “going to hell” or not for not conforming to “traditional” roles, or certain denominations beliefs, but he is teaching us that this is wrong and that we are to believe this… Jesus Christ, sinless son of God, born of a virgin, crucified, dead, and resurrected. Sharing THAT testimony and winning others to Christ through HIM being lifted up, NOT by our “wisdom” and ALL the other arguments are just that, arguments and that has no place and will never have a place in the Kingdom of God.
We are also being taught here to always bear in mind the fact that Jesus saves us, Jesus sanctified us, and He confirms, even keeping us in the confirmation that we are His, until the very end, until we are welcomed into our eternal reward.
But what do we do with this confirmation?
What do we do when we fail to share that testimony of just what the cross has meant to us?
What happens when God has healed us, rescued us, and delivered us and yet we don’t want to share that for fear of looking “foolish” to the world?
We become much like the ten lepers, whom after Jesus had healed ALL of them, only one returned to give God glory.
When we choose to fear the world or we choose to just “sit” on our gift or calling and make no effort whatsoever to nurture those gifts or pursue that calling and when we fail to help others on the path that God has chosen for them, we are doing NOTHING. And when our “service” to the Lord only consists of what is convenient or comfortable to us and for us, again we are doing NOTHING.
And when church becomes a place we can go IF we need something from God or do not have anything “better to do”, then it the worst kind of NOTHING. When we just don’t feel like serving God, { NOT due to illness, but meaning attitude of being apathetic, just don’t have time, just don’t care} well, Jesus did NOT FEEL LIKE BEING TORTURED AND MURDERED, but He loved us enough to do it.
And ONCE we have known the Lord, we no longer belong to ourselves, we have been, as the Bible tells us, “bought with a price” and that price was Jesus’ life.
And then we turn and “live out” the verse in which the Lord tells us that we have “sold ourselves” for nothing. And by doing NOTHING we are selling ourselves, our salvation, AND those whom we were to minister to and those to whom the gift God had given us should have impacted.
God sent that preaching, that calling, that gift to those who do believe, we know the world will NOT receive it, it is not sent to them and he already told us they will find it foolish.
We can have that friendship with the world, even after God has us warned of this with these words from James 4:4:..“Know ye not (do you not know?) that the friendship of (with) the world IS enmity with God? whosoever therefore will (wants to be)be a friend with the world IS THE ENEMY OF GOD.”
Again, the “world” meaning putting a higher value on those things of sin and worldly pleasure, and putting the thoughts, opinions of others at a higher value than those of God.
This is a huge problem today with the refusal to speak AGAINST pagan beliefs and sin for fear of offending others. If you know God to be God than you KNOW that He is also the ONLY truth and the ONLY way to salvation.
And the argument of “others having their own beliefs”, but when you know those beliefs are completely contrary to the word of God and say NOTHING you are letting that person be falsely lead and by saying NOTHING you are letting them have a false sense of security in those false beliefs.
The FIRST ploy the serpent played on Eve was LETTING her BELIEVE that he was her friend and that he was telling the truth, when we LET other BELIVE that we WOULD tell them the truth concerning the way to salvation but we fail to do so, then we become as much a danger to their soul and eternal life as the devil himself.
And all due to our choice of choosing NOTHING.
That does not mean you can not speak to someone or be kind to people but when those friendships and FEAR of ridicule prevents you from sharing the cross and the testimony of God, then that friendship is now of a higher value than your own salvation.
So we all have that choice, DO THE WILL OF GOD, as we are told here:
James 1:22: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your ownselves.”
There is that deception again, it is very easy to deceive ourselves into choosing what we think or what we feel, but you know, when Jesus taught the disciples to pray the Lord’s prayer, a key to that prayer is ‘Thy will be DONE in earth,a s it is in heaven.” and that earth can also mean US, Adam was created from the dirt of the earth, and earth is this realm but WE are also that earth that must allow HIS will in us.
When all is said, and all is done, rewards given and totals tallied we can be assured of getting straight “A”‘s for effort and we can also be assured that no matter how it is calculated “zero” will always equal absolutely NOTHING.
I, for one want those “A”‘s! I changed the name a little and am trying a little something “different” as far as ministry goes, because I was challenged to the thought of what did I have? What could I do with whatever it is that God has allowed me to have to spread the Gospel of Christ, and fail or flop, if we give all we have and try our best, that is all he wants of us BUT we all have to try to we all need to start taking God and His word, His commands, His mercy, and His love and doing something with it.
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
“And IF THE RIGHTEOUS SCARCELY BE SAVED, WHERE SHALL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?” 1 Peter 4:18
This verse should be the sound of the alarm bells ringing on that ticking clock of the return of Christ that should be a wake up call to all.
“Sinners or saints, young or old, black or white, meaning your views are dead set and you see no other “colors” in between. Even green or grey, just trying your best to find the way, meaning, whether we are newbies, “green” in the Gospel or have the “grey head” of wisdom from years in His service, we all should hear the terrifying WARNING of that verse.
My sister and I have discussed this in great detail over the years. If you really dissect this verse, it really ASKS us to think long and hard about the very simple truth that IF the righteous, those who have exchanged the “filthy rags of their own righteousness” for the PERFECT covering of the righteousness of God himself stated Isaiah 54:17(b) “…And their righteousness IS of me, saith the Lord.”
There is NO righteousness outside the righteousness of God. It is not possible for any human, or any other pagan belief system to offer righteousness to us.
Our righteousness will only be found through the acceptance of Jesus Christ and in the washing of our souls in His blood. This verse tells us that bearing ALL that, if we do the VERY BEST we can do, we will still SCARCELY be saved, which means just barely making it in.
And yes, I do realize there is a whole doctrine of once in grace, always in grace. I realize even more painfully the current movement is “Repentance? What repentance?”
What I personally believe this line to mean is this, even though we ARE saved and our salvation is ASSURED (Romans 8:35-39) BUT being human and subject to all things human, all the snares of trying to live “holy” in an incredibly unholy world.
A world that not only encourages every kind of imaginable sin, but CELEBRATES those sins and even alienates others for NOT participating in those sins. The deception IS so strong, just as Jesus warned us of the false Christs, and false prophets.
Matthew 24:24: “For there SHALL arise false Christs, and FALSE PROPHETS, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, they shall deceive the very elect.”
False teachers and false prophets that lie and deceive those who want a “commandment free” RELIGION and choose deception over true SALVATION. And he is warning us that this deception is so meticulously convincing that IF IT WERE NOT FOR HIS DIVINE INTERVENTION, HIS VERY CHOSEN WOULD BE DECEIVED! HE WILL NOT ALLOW US TO BE DECEIVED… UNLESS WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE.
Which also brings in two more verses. Matthew 16:24: ” Then said Jesus unto his disciples, IF any man will come after me, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Notice the denial, denial of all the desires and whims of the flesh and of this world. Taking up that cross, having “crucified our flesh DAILY” through the renewing of our minds in his word, and following in HIS footsteps and HIS teachings and CHOOSE to be led by God, who does truly KNOW everything rather than a world who likes to think they KNOW more than even God, who CREATED it all, including them!
Forsaking ALL their high browed arguments against God, and against the very laws and commandments he himself designed FOR OUR OWN GOOD, and against the truth of his existence, trusting in their genetic frailty and decay because they simply REFUSE to acknowledge that their pompous minds could be wrong and that their souls could actually be subject unto a higher being, and that there could be a standard that they will be measured against.
And it is just easier for them to DENY his existence rather than to ADMIT their guilt.
Even though there is no “escape clause” in the Bible excusing us from the penalty of eternal hell and damnation because of our unbelief, quite the opposite, gotta have FAITH in him and in his existence.
Hebrews 11:5: “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, and that HE IS a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
These pressures and these forces that make it so hard for US, that we SCARCELY slide by their traps, the traps of the temptations to sin, the traps of false doctrines whispered in our ears and bombarding us by television and media.
I, for one, think we need to stay away from even listening to these lies, I know others may “study” other “religions” but in doing so, they are opening themselves up to the “doctrine of devils” and allowing those polluted thoughts inside their minds, we are told specifically that all these teachings are AGAINST God and this will get you on the wrong side of the boat, fast.
James 4:4: ” Ye adulterers, and adulteresses, know ye not that THE FRIENDSHIP OF (with) THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD? WHOSOEVER THEREFORE WILL (wants to) BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD IS THE ENEMY OF GOD (makes himself the enemy of God).”
All the nonsense of learning each other and fellowship of “tolerance” is just more of Satan’s deceptions. God never said to hate others or mistreat them because of differences BUT his word tells us to STAY AWAY from all of it.
NONE of us EVER grow so much or climb so high that we are above temptation, snares and traps, as long as we are human and on this earth we can, do and will stumble, that is why we are told SCARCELY, but we repent, get up, go on and TRY it again!
One of the innumerable beauties of Christ is that HE IS faithful to forgive us, over and over, and over, when our hearts are sincere, his grace is endless.
But for those who do err and teach sin and absolute contempt for his commandments and yet proclaim salvation to all whether they repent or accept Christ or not that somehow they are under a magical umbrella, teaching the complete OPPOSITE of repentance and salvation.
Matthew 15:8,9: “THIS PEOPLE DRAWETH NIGH UNTO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH, AND HONOURETH ME WITH THEIR LIPS; BUT THEIR HEARTS IS FAR FROM ME. BUT IN VAIN THEY DO WORSHIP ME, TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.”
He warned us right there! We are warned many times of the deception, that they WILL use his name, they WILL shout to the whole world that he is great, all this comes from their lips but in their heart, remember, “as a man thinketh in his heart, so IS he”, so their HEART, the truth of their belief is far, far from God or the things of his kingdom.
I believe that the false teachers DO NOT even believe in his existence.
I truly do not think anyone could believe in him and not fear teaching the things they teach. They teach the things people want to hear, to give them a false sense of eternal security never converting them to that actual security, in order to gain financially and in popularity.
Sometimes it is hard to win people to the Lord, but truthfully, I think some of the greatest words we will ever hear in doing so, is these “I don’t want to be a hypocrite”, when someone acknowledges that they are not interested in serving the Lord, and that they FEAR the Lord and do not want to allow others to believe that they are while still unrepentant, that PROVES that there is HOPE for that person!
As long as they BELIEVE that HE IS, there is hope, as Jesus also told us,John 3:18-20: “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 light is come into the world, and MEN LOVED THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that DOETH EVIL HATETH THE LIGHT, NEITHER COMETH TO THE LIGHT, lest his deeds should be reproved (exposed).”
This ANSWERS Peter’s question, WHERE will they stand at his coming? WHERE will the ungodly, those who deny, ridicule, and scoff at God, his statues, and his very existence?
WHERE will the sinners, I know everyone hates that word now, used to make people THINK, now just makes them angry, HOW dare anyone CALL THEM A SINNER?
That is a big one right there! Self-willed and prideful, lust of life, refusal to acknowledge that we could POSSIBLY do wrong!
We do not need to beat people over the head but when they are running the “reprobate risk” we need to give the a wake up call.
Sin is sin, and well, certain things ARE sin, you do those things, guess what, makes you a sinner! We have ALL been sinners! We ALL STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN!
That is part of SCARCELY! ME, you, EVERYONE fights sin!
Again JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, THE MESSIAH, said THIS, point-blank, period, no ifs, no ands, and no buts. THIS is THE LIST of those who will NOT be allowed in his kingdom.
Revelation 21:5-8: “And HE THAT SAT UPON THE THRONE said, Behold, I make ALL things new, and he said unto me, Write: FOR THESE WORDS ARE TRUE AND FAITHFUL.
And HE said unto me, It is done, I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life FREELY.
He that OVERCOMETH shall inherit all things: I WILL BE HIS GOD, and he shall be my son.
BUT THE FEARFUL (cowards), AND THE UNBELIEVING, AND THE ABOMINABLE (despicable, obnoxious, etc.), AND MURDERERS, AND WHOREMONGERS (sexually immoral), AND SORCERERS, (psychics, witchcraft, etc.), AND IDOLATERS (putting EVERYTHING before God), AND ALL LIARS, SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE WITH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE: WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.”
These are the words of Jesus, It is NOT written in red because John was writing to us what Jesus spoke to him, and we KNOW this is indeed Christ by His reference of Alpha and Omega.
Just to be so clear of WHOSE words these are, and the words of Christ are written in red, so Revelation 1:8: ” I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, the beginning and the ending, SAITH THE LORD, which IS, and which WAS, and which IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.”
He reveals his complete identity in this verse, HE IS the beginning of all things, HE IS the end of all things, HE IS everything in between.
He WAS, John:1-17: In the beginning WAS the Word, the Word WAS with God, and THE WORD WAS GOD.
The same was in the beginning with God. ALL things were MADE by him: and without him was not any thing made that was made.
IN HIM WAS LIFE; And the life WAS the light of men. AND THE LIGHT SHINETH INTO DARKNESS; AND THE DARKNESS COMPREHENDED IT NOT.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light.
THAT WAS THE TRUE LIGHT, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
He WAS in the world, and the world WAS made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, EVEN TO THEM THAT BELIEVE ON HIS NAME;
WHICH WERE BORN, NOT OF BLOOD, NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD.
AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US, (and we beheld his glory, the glory, as the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This WAS he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me IS preferred BEFORE me; FOR HE WAS BEFORE ME.”
All that Jesus had said of himself.
Humans can not look on the face of God, when Jesus came here, he came AS the Son of God, HE IS the Son of God, HE IS the Word, which did truly dwell among us and at his resurrection we were given the gift of that resurrection power which allowed the death of our flesh and spiritual birth in him because he actually DWELLS in us through the Holy Ghost.
But HE IS also God, which is why he referred to himself as IS and IS YET TO COME, meaning his return to earth and his kingdom that will be very much ON earth, precisely in what is now Jerusalem, soon to be NEW Jerusalem.
And as far as his Word, which HE IS, he left us all we need to know in the pages of his Holy Word, The Bible.
STUDY it for yourself, or get the audio version of the King James and listen to it. DO NOT take others words as his word, we are in such a time of deception and there IS only one way to heaven and the return to New Jerusalem and assurance of eternal life, and that IS through Jesus Christ.
1 john 2:22-23: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is an anti-Christ that denieth the Father and the Son.
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath NOT the Father: [but] HE THAT HATH ACKNOWLEDETH THE SON HATH THE FATHER ALSO.”
We have to have Jesus and we have to have his salvation and his forgiveness, and we will not have to ask ourselves WHERE shall we appear, when this world hears something similar to those spoken by the Lord in the Book of Amos, when they are told to “prepare to meet thy God”.
He’s coming back, ready or not, and we better be prepared to meet him.
Love & peace to ya, till next time! Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
John 12:35,36: “Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. WHILE ye have light, BELIEVE in the light, THAT YE MAY BE THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT.These things spake Jesus, and departed and did hide himself from them.”
I love scented candles, and even more, I love a gift my sister gave me several years ago, a lighted wax warmer, you know it is basically a really pretty decorative pot that has a light bulb that heats scented wax, providing a beautiful aroma along with a gorgeous soft glow.
It is as beautiful as a candle and much safer because it is electric rather than actual flame, but if the bulb gets loosened or the cord happens to get frayed, it can be more time-consuming to repair than just relighting a candle. But it is more than worth the effort to experience the result.
Sometimes we can be like the heated scented wax burners, you know our “bulbs” become loose and we flicker on and off and just can’t get that wax melted enough to produce a beautiful scent.
The word flicker is actually defined as this, “to UNPREDICTABLY FLASH on and off at RANDOM” you never know whether it will give light or disappoint you with darkness.
If it were completely burned out, you would know to replace the bulb, but when it flashes at “will” burning brightly for a moment and suddenly reverting back to utter darkness it can be a problem with the lamp itself.
I think this happens sometimes with the Christian “lamps”, the”lights of the kingdom” we have “problems” with OUR own connection.
Think about it, all we really are physical “outlets” if you will, for the greatest power source in the universe, and what power!
The power of the Spirit of the Living God, the power so great that it lights the world, the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars.
Imagine if we, each of us, would just obediently let that LIGHT shine, that light that he commanded should SHINE through us into the world.
The Lord counsels us to our folly concerning many things in Isaiah chapter fifty-eight, but I want to use one verse in particular to prove out just HOW BRIGHTLY he wants our shine to be.
Isaiah 58:8-10: ” THEN shall THY LIGHT BREAK FORTH AS THE MORNING (SPLITTING darkness), and thine health (healing) shall spring forth speedily: and righteousness shall go before thee; The glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward (rear guard).
Then thou shalt call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, HERE AM I, if thou take away from the midst of thee THE YOKE, the putting forth of the the finger (accusing one another) and speaking vanity (WICKEDNESS);
And IF thou draw out thy soul (offer help. extend a hand) to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; THEN SHALL THY LIGHT RISE IN OBSCURITY, AND THY DARKNESS WILL BE AS NOON DAY.”
So you see ALL these good things we receive are a blessed result of allowing that LIGHT, light so bright that EVEN at it’s very darkest would be is STILL as bright as noon day.
And as we also note, the human, fleshy issues are “defective flaws” in our own lamps, NOT a problem with the main power source, so it is never a question of “just can’t get a prayer through” it is question of check our own lamp for weak spots in our “cords” because there is NO weakness coming from the source.
The biggest cause of becoming a dull, dimming, and flickering light and loss of “power” can be explained with Ecclesiastes 10:1: “Dead flies cause the ointment of apothecary (perfume) to send forth a STINKING savour (HORRID odor): SO DOTH A LITTLE FOLLY HIM THAT HATH A REPUTATION FOR WISDOM AND HONOUR.”
And what that means is this, for a person who IS known as a representative of the kingdom of Christ, and as a light and are respected FOR their wisdom and reputation for doing “the right thing”, honoring God and playing by the rules to suddenly switch seats and let the flesh have its way either with actions, or words, or downright willful sin, whatever the means, it becomes equivalent to having traded off a beautiful aroma for a rotting, maggot invested stench.
Notice the word LITTLE, it can happen fast and it can happen very easily.
And we have ALL said and done things in our Christian walk that we regret, or at least I know I have.
And it IS so imperative to admit when we have hurt another with our words or our actions and be quick to ask them for forgiveness and to make a sincere effort through prayer and fasting to overcome that issue within ourselves that is causing the problem.
For many it can be temper, pain, participating in inappropriate activities, even inappropriate jokes and movies because God sees our every move and hears our every word.
We can easily fall into that folly through something as simple as us “having a bad day” and running with that loaded emotional gun, keeping the anger and just waiting for “one more person to say one more word” before we lose it and unleash the venomous poison of our mouths and thoughts.
And it is those days that we have to seek the Lord all the more, because once the enemy gets “your dander up” he is not letting up until you take it to the Lord and let it go.
Again, not picking on anyone, been more than guilty enough myself of having days of “spirit versus flesh” and finding all too true that the “flesh is weak” and it that weakness becoming too strong in anger and self-will to even listen to the little voice that tells us to calm it down and get a grip.
We have to let go of foolishness such as false pride and stubbornness, God HATES these attitudes and He will help us overcome them IF we are sincere and if we refuse that help we will be left with the “pride cometh before a fall” repair.
The greatest tragedy is when others have looked for guidance and hope and that spoken “wisdom” in us and they see flesh and all the the same attitudes of the “world”, they then become discouraged, disheartened, and twice hard to be won to the Kingdom.
If the light they see is not constant, burning bright in good times and completely out in the bad, if they see the flickering, and wavering, what are they seeing any different from what they see in the world?
If the light seems to brighten and dim at will, randomly deciding what is shown in light and what undesirable behavior is to be hidden in the darkness Then does that light not run the risk of having the source of that light “hidden” from itself?
As Jesus “hid” himself from them after he had warned them to WALK in that light WHILE they had that light, and to BELIEVE in that light so that they would also be children of light, should we not also carefully consider his warning for our present day?
Our biggest issue with this in this present time is the “war with the world”, we have so caved into the thoughts and ideologies of this world that we have weakened our own beliefs of the Gospel to the point that even the “church” as a world body has lowered the standards that were never negotiable, to the point that scripture can be twisted to fit any “belief” desired whether or not that belief is of a sound Godly doctrine .
If it is to change, we must change our own thinking.
We will only be responsible for our lives and by that same token WE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR LIVES!
We will have no recourse in telling the Lord one day that “everyone else was doing it to” or that “the church down the road taught…”
No, He gave us his word and his word we live by, He gave his Spirit to lead us and to guide and when we are continually walking in the flesh and sin, with no desire to repent or change and far worse, NOT EVEN seeing why we need to change.
We are to be lights and no one is going to find their way off a darkened path by using a lamp that has a burned out light bulb!
Today IS a NEW day, and God’s will, tomorrow will be a NEW day.
Let us all remember that each and every day and REMEMBER who we are called to be, lights offering up the fragrant scent of prayer and of praise to Him and letting all we do be done in hope of glorifying His name.
Ephesians 5:1,2,7-16: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ hath also loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to god for a sweet-smelling savour (a beautiful aroma).
Be not ye therefore partakers with them (darkness of sin of this world) For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but NOW are ye LIGHT IN THE LORD: WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT:
( For the fruit of the Spirit IS in all goodness and righteousness and truth)
PROVING what IS ACCEPTABLE unto the Lord.
And have NO fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
For it is a shame to even to SPEAK of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the LIGHT: for whatsoever doth make manifest IS LIGHT.”
1 Thessalonians 5:5: “YE ARE ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT, AND CHILDREN OF THE DAY: We are NOT of the night, NOR of darkness.”
Matthew 5: 14-16: “Ye ARE the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto ALL that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
The choice is ours and it is time to make the right one, CHOOSE to be that light, even if you weren’t yesterday, or last month, or even last year, CHOOSE today to be that light for Him.
Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω Εξυπνιζω NB 2018
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
” 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
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
“And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with ALL BOLDNESS they may SPEAK THY WORD.” ACTS 4:29
That was Peter, praying as the disciples were being persecuted and threatened, he did not say, “Oh, sorry Lord, I can’t say that” and tuck tail and run. No he PRAYED FOR BOLDNESS. Not popularity, not bigger crowds, but BOLDNESS TO PREACH GOD’S WORD.
We’ve a wee problem going on right now. Seems courage has been lost, maybe it was never found. Our generation came up with a different church mindset, it is more about making the Gospel appeal to everyone. But Jesus said that if he is lifted up HE WILL draw all people unto Him. So we really don’t need to try to force the Gospel to be “appealing” and try to conform to the world in hope of converting the world.
Actually the world has done a great job of converting the church. On the rise is a group of people who weld the Gospel sword in a church setting, as long as it sounds good, looks good and keeps the congregation in a realm of happy. But when they have a message that they KNOW is to be shared, they refuse to do so because of the fear of repercussion and the fear of maybe placing their own lives in peril for preaching those words.
I am sorry, bad news, can not stand before God and tell him that we were afraid and to be a coward will bring a cowards death, it will not extend your life and you should have read the fine print before taking the job, “whosoever seeks to save his life, shall lose it.” That we were afraid to speak HIS TRUTH as HE COMMANDED US.
That is the generational difference, generations of old sought the Gospel because they desired the Gospel. And many paid a hefty price, through persecution for that Gospel, but it was not watered down and it held the word of Life and the power of it was intense and so indwelling that one could risk life and limb for it.
More bad news, we are heading into the time of the persecution, the flood sent after the woman’s child, the church. And no one is going to stand through that if they can not stand in their own church and proclaim the truth. So now may be a good time for many to decide what they believe, what they will stand for and if it has not been for the necessity of the Gospel, now may be a good time to get out.
Does anyone really believe that the candy coats like “Ole Joelsteen” who will stand for nothing except standing for nothing, cheapening the Gospel to the level of condoning sin and outright lying against God by saying he will accept it into heaven, the money preachers, like “Markdown Mike” and “Ron Parsnip” and “Stu Munskey”are really going to stand against the forces of that persecution?
What about the “prophets” who promise peace over people and nations, who are so far away from God, that they openly worship anything but him, and yet these prophets scream peace, peace, when there IS no peace, think they’ll risk their heads for those prophecies?
If you answer Yes to any of those questions, you really need to study a little more history and a lot more Bible. Lets check a prophet and then checkout what becomes of false prophets.
We’ll start with a “priest” badmouthing a real prophet because they so do not want to hear judgment and we’ll hear them telling him to stop it and just go away and do it somewhere else, and then we’ll hear his answer.
AMOS 7:10-17 ” Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath CONSPIRED against thee in the house of Israel: the LAND is not able to bear (ENDURE) all his WORDS.
For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. {Not what they wanted to hear}.
Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O, thou seer, GO, FLEE thee AWAY into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, AND PROPHESY THERE. but PROPHESY NOT AGAINany more at Bethel, for it is the king’s chapel, and the king’s court. {He kinda forgot that it actually belonged to the Lord}
Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was NO prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was a herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit.
And the LORD TOOK ME as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, GO, PROPHESY UNTO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. Now, therefore hear the word of the Lord: Thou sayest (you say), prophesy NOT against Israel, and drop NOT thy word against the house of Isaac. THEREFORE thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and THOU SHALT DIE in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth out of his land.“
Trying to run him off really didn’t help them too much, what he was doing was NOT out of his own will, it was God’s will over his life and God’s will IS supreme
Now, we’ll go to a question God posed, as to why they did not want to know judgments, if someone is told what they are doing is wrong, they then have a chance to correct their behavior and repent. He also addresses the false prophets and the cause of the destruction’s.
MICAH 3:1-11:” And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of Israel, Is it not for you to know judgment (justice)? Who HATE THE GOOD, and LOVE THE EVIL, who pluck off their skin from off them (my people), and their flesh from off their bones; Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and flesh within the cauldron.
Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings (been evil).
Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets THAT MAKE MY PEOPLE TO ERR, that bite with their teeth, and CRY,PEACE (all is well) and he that putteth not into their mouths ( gives them nothing), THEY MAKE WAR AGAINST HIM.
Therefore, NIGHT shall be unto you, that ye have not a vision; and it SHALL BE DARK unto you, that ye shall not divine; and THE SUN SHALL GO DOWN OVER THE PROPHETS, and THE DAY SHALL BE DARK OVER (for) THEM.
Then SHALL the SEERS BE ASHAMED, and the DIVINERS, CONFOUNDED (embarrassed) : yea, THEY SHALL ALL COVER THEIR LIPS (mouths); for THERE IS NO ANSWER OF (from) GOD.
But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment (justice), and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment (justice), and pervert equity. They build up in Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the PRIESTS thereof TEACH FOR HIRE (pay), and the PROPHETS DIVINE FOR MONEY: YET WILL THEY LEAN UPON THE LORD, AND SAY, (saying) IS NOT THE LORD AMONG US? NONE (no) EVIL CAN COME UPON US.”
We know this also references our modern-day churches and it is truly eerie, THEY do all these things and still proclaim that God is with them and no evil shall come, but we see God’s thought on the subject and the justice He shall have.
The day is coming that there will be a separation and as He said judgment must begin at His house and we will see many, many who will cave to the pressure of the persecution but those who will stand, will need to be as Peter and the disciples when they PRAYED for that boldness, no one wants to be hated, no one wants to be threatened, but if you suffer persecution for the Gospel, you ARE BLESSED.
I do understand, God knows my multi based “fan club” ( I mean that with the utmost sarcasm) but we have to be strong and be, as JESUS told us, “of a good courage”, knowing that your courage is NOT your own but it is HIS courage, that He will give you, so you can truly “do ALL things through Christ” who strengthens you.
He was persecuted and hated, the prophets were hated, the disciples were hated, those murdered through-out history for the Gospel, and those who are martyred even today were also hated, but they were bold and of good courage, they were brave for the WORD even when they didn’t feel very brave.
Why on earth would we be an exception to that rule? I am sure someone is going to be like, “Well, that is your risk, I AM NOT doing it”, well, don’t.
That is between you and God, but don’t be expecting Him to protect if you will not stand for Him.
Doesn’t quite work that way. And don’t think just because I am at a computer it changes my life, my job has barely begun and I am no exception to those rules, all my work is dated and in a specific order for a reason and this post is no exception.
We are down to the wire on it and you are going to have to have a plan for a worst case scenario and you can not hold back messages and warnings that God is putting in your heart that are for the ears of all believers that He has given you an audience with.
So what do we do? You can’t hide, you can’t run, and if you are smart you will not denounce your calling, we will need to put away all the jealousy, resentment, and our religious snobbery and truly be in one mind and one accord, of one heart, and one thought to see His kingdom come……… Now back to the Book of ACTS, revisiting our starting verse.
ACTS 4:29-33: ” And now, Lord, behold their threatenings; and grant unto THY SERVANTS, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.
BY STRETCHING FORTH THINE HAND TO HEAL; THAT THE SIGNS AND WONDERS MAY BE DONE BY (through) THE NAME OF THY HOLY CHILD JESUS.
And WHEN they had PRAYED, the PLACE WAS SHAKEN where they were assembled together; and THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and they SPAKE THE WORD OF GOD WITH BOLDNESS.
And the multitude of them that BELIEVED WERE OF ONE HEART AND OF ONE SOUL: neither said ANY of them that ought (any) of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things in common.
And WITH GREAT POWER GAVE THE APOSTLES WITNESS OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS: and GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM ALL.”
ROMANS 10: 14,15(a): “ HOW then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and HOW shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and HOW shall they hear without a preacher? And HOW shall they preach, except they be sent?
Preaching is for others to believe, to glorify God, to encourage of heaven and New Jerusalem, to exhort and to warn of sin and hell. Preaching is to lead others to the love and peace that is Christ and if you are unwilling to do that you only hinder the kingdom and those hindrances will soon cease.
Think about it! Peace and Love till next time!
Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω / Rev. Nina BrownJohnson / 2016
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
“Aha Peasant, EN GARDE!” the command shouted for one of several reasons, maybe a random sword welding D’Artagan wannabe has just pounced out from behind an innocent looking bush and challenged you to a duel or maybe your being gently warned to be on your guard. I am taking for granted that you who are reading this are nowhere near any bushes so we’ll go with the latter. I’ve been noticing something for a long time now and it is not the easiest subject to bring up but it needs addressed. Churches and Christians as a whole have become a wee lax in the area of respect to the Holiness. This is not aimed at any one person and if we go to church together, please, please, don’t think that! Movies, and the media have for a long while made fun of us and of God. The onslaught of the white bottomed candy coats with their ever-increasing need to market Jesus as the cool, hip, and never offended by what YOU may do God of ALL YOUR FLESHLY DESIRES have produced an array of off colored jokes, and Christianity related acronyms that seem to find their way printed on everything that makes one wonder are they referring to a Deity or are they selling laundry detergent. Tacky, questionable off-color jokes and even more tasteless greeting cards with everything from the Ark to Wise Men. Little animal and snowmen, and anything else you can imagine Nativity figurines now widely available. (Still pretty sure he was born as a man!) In it all, what bothers me most is the jokes about Pentecostals and the never-ending parade of “Cool Jesus” picture posts and “religious” memes and the never-ending saga of share to be blessed with twenty thousand dollars. Again I am not being harpy, I have struggled with trying to tell people who maybe they really need to THINK about WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND WHAT THEY ARE LAUGHING ABOUT and I have to keep MYSELF on guard. My Mother told me that she prays especially for forgiveness for sins that she may never have realized that she committed. Because as she said, something we may not even think is a problem could be absolutely vile to God, and that is true. We have accepted all this and you can share to be blessed, but share your time, your heart, or an uplifting thought or scripture. God is Holy, The Holy Ghost the most Holy of Holiness and think about it, Moses was commanded to take his shoes off because THE VERY GROUND was sacred, if one wrong move was made toward the Ark someone was going to die, dishonor the Sabbath, someone was going to die and on and on through the Bible and falling at feet of the Lord out of absolute respect and awe of His majesty. We have let it sneak in slowly and it has to be dealt with before it defiles our temples and alienates our minds to the true Gospel. Jesus is not groovy, He’s not your hip buddy. He is Holy and is to be only addressed with adoration and consummate respect. He is our friend and our Savior but we have to not let that line blur and if we want cool and hip we might need to look up Michael Buble because God doesn’t play that. Again I do not believe it is intentional, I think it has come through by the world seeping in on us, because we have let down our guard. See it for what it is and who is behind it and get the rollers under and put it out of your life and walk away from those who try to drag it back to you. EPHESIANS 5:4: “Neither filthiness, nor FOOLISH TALKING, nor JESTING (coarse jesting, crude or off-color jokes) ARE NOT CONVENIENT (do not become Christian conduct or Christ like behavior) But rather give thanks.“ I personally believe God has a fabulous sense of humor and “laughter is merry medicine”, but it has to be in the right context, instead of pleasing the flesh with bad humor use that same voice to give him honor and praise.
PHILIPPIANS 4:7 :And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, SHALL KEEP (GUARD) YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.” His peace will keep your hearts and mind alert to these insidious little cracks in the flesh but you must stay aware of them. So EN GARDE! And I am totally not hiding behind a bush! Φλογίζω/All rights reserved/ NBJ 2015
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
“Aha Peasant, EN GARDE!” the command shouted for one of several reasons, maybe a random sword welding D’Artagan wannabe has just pounced out from behind an innocent looking bush and challenged you to a duel or maybe your being gently warned to be on your guard. I am taking for granted that you who are reading this are nowhere near any bushes so we’ll go with the latter. I’ve been noticing something for a long time now and it is not the easiest subject to bring up but it needs addressed. Churches and Christians as a whole have become a wee lax in the area of respect to the Holiness. This is not aimed at any one person and if we go to church together, please, please, don’t think that! Movies, and the media have for a long while made fun of us and of God. The onslaught of the white bottomed candy coats with their ever-increasing need to market Jesus as the cool, hip, and never offended by what YOU may do God of ALL YOUR FLESHLY DESIRES have produced an array of off colored jokes, and Christianity related acronyms that seem to find their way printed on everything that makes one wonder are they referring to a Deity or are they selling laundry detergent. Tacky, questionable off-color jokes and even more tasteless greeting cards with everything from the Ark to Wise Men. Little animal and snowmen, and anything else you can imagine Nativity figurines now widely available. (Still pretty sure he was born as a man!) In it all, what bothers me most is the jokes about Pentecostals and the never-ending parade of “Cool Jesus” picture posts and “religious” memes and the never-ending saga of share to be blessed with twenty thousand dollars. Again I am not being harpy, I have struggled with trying to tell people who maybe they really need to THINK about WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND WHAT THEY ARE LAUGHING ABOUT and I have to keep MYSELF on guard. My Mother told me that she prays especially for forgiveness for sins that she may never have realized that she committed. Because as she said, something we may not even think is a problem could be absolutely vile to God, and that is true. We have accepted all this and you can share to be blessed, but share your time, your heart, or an uplifting thought or scripture. God is Holy, The Holy Ghost the most Holy of Holiness and think about it, Moses was commanded to take his shoes off because THE VERY GROUND was sacred, if one wrong move was made toward the Ark someone was going to die, dishonor the Sabbath, someone was going to die and on and on through the Bible and falling at feet of the Lord out of absolute respect and awe of His majesty. We have let it sneak in slowly and it has to be dealt with before it defiles our temples and alienates our minds to the true Gospel. Jesus is not groovy, He’s not your hip buddy. He is Holy and is to be only addressed with adoration and consummate respect. He is our friend and our Savior but we have to not let that line blur and if we want cool and hip we might need to look up Michael Buble because God doesn’t play that. Again I do not believe it is intentional, I think it has come through by the world seeping in on us, because we have let down our guard. See it for what it is and who is behind it and get the rollers under and put it out of your life and walk away from those who try to drag it back to you. EPHESIANS 5:4: “Neither filthiness, nor FOOLISH TALKING, nor JESTING (coarse jesting, crude or off-color jokes) ARE NOT CONVENIENT (do not become Christian conduct or Christ like behavior) But rather give thanks.“ I personally believe God has a fabulous sense of humor and “laughter is merry medicine”, but it has to be in the right context, instead of pleasing the flesh with bad humor use that same voice to give him honor and praise.
PHILIPPIANS 4:7 :And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, SHALL KEEP (GUARD) YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.” His peace will keep your hearts and mind alert to these insidious little cracks in the flesh but you must stay aware of them. So EN GARDE! And I am totally not hiding behind a bush! Φλογίζω/All rights reserved/ NBJ 2015
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
We are often told that too much of anything can be really bad. Dentists love to tell us to lay off the sugar or it will rot our teeth. And too much sugar-coated gospel will damage your soul or maybe I should say it will lead to the condemnation of your soul. I like sweet things! I know the Lord is love, he is mercy, forgiveness and grace BUT he has rules he established that we should all live by and they are for our good! He will not accept anything less. He will not change his word to suddenly declare a behavior acceptable after he has already said that it is not. I want people saved and I know what is being taught today, so please read these scriptures, read the Bible for yourself and never let anyone “fool” you out of your soul by pleasing your flesh. Last time we looked at scriptures that were given to give us a heads up about these people and the dangers of being anywhere near them and believe me that did not even skim the surface of the amount of Bible teaching on the subject.
Titus 1:10-11,13,15-16: “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially those of the circumcision: WHOSE MOUTHS MUST BE STOPPED, who subvert whole houses, TEACHING THINGS WHICH THEY OUGHT NOT, FOR FILTHY LUCRE’S SAKE (MONEY) This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke the sharply, that they may be sound in the faith. Unto the pure all things are pure: BUT UNTO THEM THAT ARE DEFILED AND UNBELIEVING IS NOTHING PURE; EVEN THEIR MIND AND CONSCIENCE IS DEFILED. THEY PROFESS TO KNOW GOD; BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, BEING ABOMINABLE, AND DISOBEDIENT, AND UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK A REPROBATE.”
2 Peter 2:12-14,17-19: “But these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of things they understand not: AND SHALL UTTERLY PERISH IN THEIR OWN CORRUPTION; and shall receive the reward of their unrighteousness, as they count it pleasure to riot in the day time.
Spots they are and blemishes, SPORTING THEMSELVES WHILE THEY FEAST WITH YOU; HAVING EYES FULL OF ADULTERY, THAT CANNOT CEASE FROM SIN; BEGUILING (ENTICING) UNSTABLE SOULS: AN HEART THEY HAVE EXERCISED WITH COVETOUS PRACTICES; CURSED CHILDREN: THESE ARE WELLS WITHOUT WATER, CLOUDS THAT ARE CARRIED WITH A TEMPEST; TO WHOM THE MIST OF DARKNESS IS RESERVED FOR EVER. FOR WHEN THEY SPEAK GREAT SWELLING WORDS OF VANITY,THEY ALLURE THROUGH THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THROUGH MUCH WANTONNESS, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. WHILE THEY PROMISE LIBERTY, THEY THEMSELVES ARE SERVANTS OF CORRUPTION: for of whom a man is overcome, and of the same he is brought in bondage.”
Jude:11,12: “WOE UNTO THEM! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward (profit), and perished in the gainsaying of Core, THESE ARE SPOTS IN YOUR FEASTS OF CHARITY, WHEN THEY FEAST WITH YOU, FEEDING THEMSELVES WITHOUT FEAR: CLOUDS THEY ARE WITHOUT WATER, CARRIED ABOUT OF WINDS; TREES WHOSE FRUIT WITHERETH, WITHOUT FRUIT, TWICE DEAD, PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS; “
We are told almost verbatim, a couple of things, they claim to represent God their actions prove otherwise, they are wells who have no water, dry and lacking the spirit, they are clouds being blown in every direction with every new fad because they go in the way that will profit them financially and in pleasing the popular crowd.
So let’s look at their ultimate end and what GOD has to say is their demise.
Isaiah 5:18-21,23,24: “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were a cart rope: That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
WOE UNTO THEM THAT CALL EVIL GOOD, AND GOOD EVIL; THAT PUT DARKNESS FOR LIGHT, AND LIGHT FOR DARKNESS; THAT PUT BITTER FOR SWEET, AND SWEET FOR BITTER!
WOE UNTO THEM THAT ARE WISE IN THEIR OWN EYES, AND PRUDENT IN THEIR OWN SIGHT! WHICH JUSTIFY THE WICKED FOR A REWARD, AND TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS FROM HIM! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, SO AS THEIR ROOT SHALL BE ROTTENNESS, and their blossom shall go up as dust: BECAUSE THEY HAVE CAST AWAY (DISREGARDED) THE LAW OF THE LORD OF HOST AND DESPISED THE WORD OF THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.”
Finally, flee from them, have no part and do not listen to their poison doctrine, even out of curiosity because it is a disgrace. and it is cursed!
. Galatians 1:6-9: “I marvel not that you are so soon removed (turning away) from him that called you into the gospel of Christ UNTO ANOTHER GOSPEL: WHICH IS NOT ANOTHER;BUT THERE BE SOME THAT TROUBLE YOU, AND WOULD (WANT TO) PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. BUT THOUGH WE, OR ANY ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL UNTO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. AS WE SAID BEFORE, SO SAY I NOW AGAIN, IF ANY MAN PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL UNTO YOU THAN THAT YE HAVE RECEIVED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.” He wants you saved, He died for YOUR SINS, so if the candy coats tell you that there is no sin, well as the Bible says that if any of us say we have no sin, we are liars, just think of them as a little too sweet, fake friends who smile in your face as you pull a knife out of your back, because a real friend will love you enough to tell you the truth.
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
New, news and more news. Oh, what you can discover during a very snowy week with plenty of extra time on your hands. mention of time, what time is it getting to be anyway? All that is required is to turn on any major network news, this week alone, within the span of a very, few days the tale is told. The fact that ISIS has managed to enrage America, Britain, Japan, France, Syria, and Egypt (Because in order for the anti-Christ to come into power all nations must have a common denominator enemy, as he promises peace, they will give him their power, uniting a one world order, henceforth, “through peace he shall destroy many.”
Russia versus the Ukraine, Iraq has been a mess for quite a while. While in America it is the tip of the iceberg… literally, with Niagara Falls appearing much like one. Maine hit with a record fifty below zero, while Boston struggles to contain nearly one hundred inches of snow, meanwhile a six point nine magnitude earthquake hit Japan, threat of tsunami (Biblical sea waves roaring) and according to NBC NEWS, worldwide earthquakes have TRIPLED over the last decade. New, aggressive strain of the HIV virus is discovered in Cuba, (just as the travel ban has been lifted) return of the long thought dead measles. “Super bug” thought to be linked to surgical equipment now hitting three states, new tick virus. CDC announcing Ebola has claimed at least nineteen hundred lives, we could go on for days on the weird, freaky medical woes.
Two hundred and fifty Jewish graves were desecrated in France and ISIS with what they believe to be their holy war beheading twenty-one Egyptian Christians, who according to a CNN report did indeed die with the name of Jesus on their lips, moving on with their reign of terror, they torched forty Iraqi policeman and tribesman.
Unconfirmed reports, that along with their human trafficking business that they may now also be selling the organs of their murdered victims on the black market.
Even secular experts stressing to the media that they are attempting to fulfill prophecies of their own to rush in an apocalyptic war.
John 16:2: ” They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”
That time has come! They really, really believe this and it is really hard to fight people who are not afraid to die. The “icing on the cake” as it were, in the way of prophetic fulfillment came when Prime Minister Netanyahu calls for all the scattered, European Jews to come home. Announcing that Israel is fully prepared to welcome them in.
Turn off the news and surf the web, check out huge Christian website with all kinds of goodies, how to think, how to dress, how to market your church, a virtual how to manual on being the politically correct, well dressed, good-looking, prosperous church of the twenty-first century. Complete with a tab to click titled” Fifty shades of Grey”, I had heard about this movie, was pretty sure it was originally a book, knew the subject matter and pretty confident that Ariel Castro and the Boston Strangler would have both given it two thumbs up.
It was slated to be “THE” valentine movie that most couples would be attending. And it’s ticket sales did go through the roof. So I was curious what this “Christian” site had to say on the subject, it was an open comment piece on how people who profess Christ should reconsider watching this, mingled and heavily presented with the colorful, crunchy candy coating that so many have now come to stand for.
WHY SHOULD THEY HAVE TO BE TOLD? It should be known, it comes down to the last few years of “ministers” (they are not real one’s, they are a disgrace) candy coating everything about God and about his word and all that he stands for. All to bring in members for financial gain and RELIGIOUS prestige. God is nowhere near that mess, he requires repentance and everything from him is completely free!
Now, for Jesus’ take on the news: Matthew 24: 6-8,33: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye not be troubled: for ALL THESE THINGS MUST COME TO PASS, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. ALL these ARE the BEGINNING of sorrows. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, KNOW that IT IS NEAR, EVEN AT THE DOORS.”
Isaiah 51:9-12: “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old, Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the RANSOMED OF THE LORD SHALL RETURN, and come with singing into Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. I, even I am he that comforteth you: who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and the son of man which shall be made as grass.”
But I suppose with secular Christendom one would be far too busy pondering the truly important question of how dirty can you get before it shows on the outside of your fluffy white coat of self-righteousness, to care about your brothers who are being slaughtered for the name of Christ. The candy coats use the name, a name they are willing to wear haute couture, but a name they are unwilling to live for and a name I am sure they are NOT ready to die for. Ready or not, this is happening to our brothers and sisters in other areas of the world and it is becoming a real possibility that we will be faced with the question of will you renounce Christ or will you die? How will any of us have the faith to answer that if we have never been taught the truth? And we all face that danger.
Luke 21:34-36: “And TAKE HEED to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and THE DAY COME UPON YOU UNAWARES. For AS A SNARE SHALL IT COME ON ALL THEM THAT DWELL ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. WATCH ye therefore, and PRAY A:WAYS THAT YE MAY BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT SHALL COME TO PASS, and TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN.”
He told us to watch and that day is here. We will only stand rooted and grounded in HIM and Him alone and without the indwelling of His Holy spirit and his guidance, no one will be able to survive it.
Judgment must begin at His house, that means getting OUR hearts right!
Unless some major revivals, house cleanings and true conversions take place, all I can say is, God help us, and if someone doesn’t start standing up and speaking against all this spoon fed fluff that these people are digesting everyday in lieu of the true Gospel, and realize Christianity is serious, and that church is not a country club, then really don’t know what will become of us.
Oh, Yeah, what time is getting to be again? Time to look up…
Luke 21: 28: ” And WHEN these things BEGIN to come to pass, then LOOK UP, and lift up your heads; for YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH.”
Φλογιζω/ All Rights Reserved. Rev. Nina Brown Johnson 2015 Revisited 05/16/2022
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
Centrifugal force, the force which causes a rotating body to literally flee away from its center. At the moment the entire world is in severe state of “sin”trifugal force, so sin laden, perverted and brain tripped that it is fleeing from the very center of the creator’s intents and purposes. When the Pope, the leader of one of the world’s largest, most strict religious organizations announces that the church should find a place for gay families, then it’s “Hello, Houston, we have a bad, bad problem”. Not getting into a Catholic thing with this either, because it has crept into almost all denominations across the board. The number one question that I would love to ask is, what are they reading? I heard one lady, years ago try to argue this from the point that Jesus actually never said that, oh, but he did! So let’s get into a couple of things and see what GOD in HIS word had to say about it and maybe one day get some blinders off people before it is too late. The spirit that overflowed Sodom has permeated every aspect of our culture. we can’t even have a burger commercial without the buns being compared to women’s bottoms, again feeding the beast that links the sexual degradation of women to the violence against them, not even salad dressings are safe, now we must have a dude getting his shirt caught and ripped off, laced with innuendos and it never stops. Plumbing products, hair products, “nude” candy bars, ice cream, nothing is safe from being eroticized.
Retail giant who couldn’t resist using exotic male dancers in their Christmas commercial in attempt to “jingle” up their sales profit (happy to say, in my area they were out of business by the next year) elders in cereal advertisement raving it’s aphrodisiac effects. The list could go on, and on, and on (much like the scroll of judgments against earth, written on both sides that go on and on, do we really need to question why? Everything in our culture breaths sex, sex and more sex and the first topic we will deal with is pornography and the link of what goes in the eye and the damaging effects on the soul. Once it is there, it is there. Not only is this a “world” issue many, many Christians struggle against it. The false teachers and false prophets now on their mission to convince everyone that God is okay with all this because we are “sexual” beings and it truth, we most certainly are NOT. We are spiritual beings, God having placed those desires in us for reproduction. Period. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: Genesis 1:28 His idea for a beautiful, pure relationship that he has blessed to be enjoyed between a male and a female. The attraction he allows to blossom in that relationship is not carnal, it is for reproduction. I think we can safely determine the rating of its true importance based on the fact that there are times that he has required a period of abstinence by his people, to further purify them. This was his command for Moses to relay to the Hebrews during their three-day sanctification period, before His ascending Mount Sinai, “And he said unto the people, Be ready against (for) the third day: Come not at (near to) your wives.” Exodus 19:15, referenced in 1 Corinthians 7:5. So if He requires times of purification of his children, how does he feel about those acts that are absolute abominations to him according to his word? I am really not comfortable putting the details here, so you look them up, the original pornography can be found in Ezekiel 23, it describes the “portraits” that adorned their walls with shocking detail. It also details His absolute disgust at all of it. The chapter is set up as countries, but it applies to the people in those countries. Ezekiel 23 deals heavily with this subject and how they wallowed in the sexual sin, that they knew he detested, then acted as if it were perfectly acceptable. He then goes on to pronounce judgment upon judgment against them. The biggest battle we face in bringing in the last day harvest is undoing all the damage false preachers and teachers have caused so many. Not one scripture in the Bible will tell you that it is okay to act like a group of wild animals and sleep with everyone you meet and that somehow God is still going to pat you on the back and say “Well Done, Enter in”. Not gonna happen! Does no one remember when Moses came down from the mountain and they had made the golden calf and were worshiping it by having a big drunken, pagan orgy? God was furious! How can these malicious self-proclaimed “ministers” tell them this is okay? Why not go ahead and tell them to break all the other commandments too, why not steal a couple of grand, why not kill a few people? According to them, God doesn’t punish it anyway, he is their god of gumdrops and lollipops, the god of their imagination. But there is a real God and he is growing very tired of his name being polluted by them, and just as Moses broke those tablets, God is getting ready to break these false teachers. Anyone who says you can go to heaven unrepentant is a liar and the puppet of Satan and I don’t care who they are or what signet ring they wear or what their degrees are in. Tetzel couldn’t even make it in this market! Obviously nothing is a sin, so what could you possibly go to hell for? “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: But God shall destroy it and them. NOW THE BODY IS NOT FOR FORNICATION (SEX), BUT FOR THE LORD; AND THE LORD FOR THE BODY.” 1 Corinthians 6:13,15 “Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, AND MAKE THEM TO THE MEMBERS OF A HARLOT? GOD FORBID. It does not matter to God. SIN IS SIN. Whether it is committing lust through viewing pornography, or movies that may as well be, having a relationship outside of marriage ( the love stuff’s not going to get it as an excuse with him either) or homosexuality, or an extra marital affair. He does not care what your excuse is, to him, IT IS ALL FLESH, IT IS SIN AND IT MUST BE REPENTED OF. As the body driven by the sin force speeds farther and farther away from the will of God, now having managed to corrupt even some who once believed and served God, they are now being driven deeper and deeper into damnation. Guard your mind, guard your heart and never buy the lies of this world.
REVISTED 06/25/2021 People may change, “times” may change, God and His Word will never change. Original Post Date:11/07/2014 (FOWC/Avenue). All rights reserved. Rev. Nina Brown Johnson 2015
Thanks for reading Φλογιζω! For posts dealing with a multitude of subjects please check out the side menu on desktop or on a mobile device, please click any post title and once it opens scroll to bottom of screen for links to other options. If you have been encouraged please considering sharing post via any option below. God Bless you! Rev. Nina Brown Johnson
Φλογιζω SOUL FOCUS 