“Hidden”

Psalm 119:9-16: BETH “Wherewithal (how) shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all thy judgments of thy mouth I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will mediate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in they statues; I will not forget thy word.”

The cleansing power of the Word of God, we are saved through faith in Jesus and confession of salvation and he forgives ALL our sins, never to be remembered again.

He washed us in his own blood, changing the filthy rags of our own righteousness to a covering of his perfect righteousness, all for the asking, all we must do is believe and ask him! As we study his word, he speaks to us through that word, he speaks of his love for us, his mercy toward us, and the promises of those words, he also fills our hearts with that word, as this scripture reminds us:

“But this man ( Jesus), after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

From henceforth (now on) expecting (waiting) till his enemies be made his footstool. for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 

Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before. 

THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAITH THE LORD, I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR HEARTS AND IN THEIR MINDS WILL I WRITE THEM; AND THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES (lawless deeds) WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE.  

Now where there remission (forgiveness) of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiness by the blood of Jesus.

By a NEW and LIVING way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.

And having an high priest over the house of God.

Let us draw near (to God) with a true heart in FULL ASSURANCE of faith of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith without wavering;(FOR HE IS FAITHFUL THAT PROMISED)” Hebrews 10:12-23

As we had been encouraged to let the mind of Christ be in us, we understand in these passages why that is us needful for us, as God is even telling us that he will put his word in our hearts and his laws in our minds when we are saved so that we can understand his will for our lives and so that through his word we can resist this word, the devil, and all the pit falls and make our way homeward to New  Jerusalem. And this is his promise concerning what will happen for you when you get those words in in your heart and in your mind, he will bring those back at the very moment you need them!

He will supernaturally “drop” that verse in your thoughts or a particular Bible story will come to ind to let you know how to proceed, what to read or how to pray for someone else.

Whatever you need it will be there. 

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

Have a blessed day! and hide his word in your heart, hold onto those promises and rest in His peace! We will soon His glory like never before!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020/ Reverend Nina Brown Johnson *Revisited 06/03/2023

“Hidden”

Psalm 119:9-16: BETH “Wherewithal (how) shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all thy judgments of thy mouth I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will mediate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in they statues; I will not forget thy word.”

The cleansing power of the Word of God, we are saved through faith in Jesus and confession of salvation and he forgives ALL our sins, never to be remembered again.

He washed us in his own blood, changing the filthy rags of our own righteousness to a covering of his perfect righteousness, all for the asking, all we must do is believe and ask him! As we study his word, he speaks to us through that word, he speaks of his love for us, his mercy toward us, and the promises of those words, he also fills our hearts with that word, as this scripture reminds us:

“But this man ( Jesus), after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

From henceforth (now on) expecting (waiting) till his enemies be made his footstool. for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 

Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before. 

THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAITH THE LORD, I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR HEARTS AND IN THEIR MINDS WILL I WRITE THEM; AND THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES (lawless deeds) WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE.  

Now where there remission (forgiveness) of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiness by the blood of Jesus.

By a NEW and LIVING way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.

And having an high priest over the house of God.

Let us draw near (to God) with a true heart in FULL ASSURANCE of faith of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith without wavering;(FOR HE IS FAITHFUL THAT PROMISED)” Hebrews 10:12-23

As we had been encouraged to let the mind of Christ be in us, we understand in these passages why that is us needful for us, as God is even telling us that he will put his word in our hearts and his laws in our minds when we are saved so that we can understand his will for our lives and so that through his word we can resist this word, the devil, and all the pit falls and make our way homeward to New  Jerusalem. And this is his promise concerning what will happen for you when you get those words in in your heart and in your mind, he will bring those back at the very moment you need them!

He will supernaturally “drop” that verse in your thoughts or a particular Bible story will come to ind to let you know how to proceed, what to read or how to pray for someone else.

Whatever you need it will be there. 

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

Have a blessed day! and hide his word in your heart, hold onto those promises and rest in His peace! We will soon His glory like never before!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020/ Reverend Nina Brown Johnson

“Road map”

Psalm 119:1-8:  Aleph:

Blessed are the undefiled (blameless) in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

They also do no iniquity; they walk in his ways.

Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statues!

Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I have learned to keep the judgments. I will keep thy statues: O forsake me not utterly.” 

Happy Sunday, I hope that you have a blessed day. Before I get into this, I wanted to say that Psalm 119 has always been  a very special chapter. Of course  every word of the Bible is special because it is our instructions, or creed to live by and the “road map’ as it is often called that will lead us home.

I had did a little break down on Psalm 119 years ago, called a study guide that highlighted the fact that this particular chapter is based on the Hebraic alphabet, which can you be viewed as “learning your A,B,C,”s” as we say here. So please join me daily for a bit as we do the actual verses in order, which Lord willing will take several weeks but this is His word and His word is our hope, our life and our bread. As we start this one I do want to point out something that I always love to point out, it used to be very confusing thinking about the word “blameless”, because we know we are not perfect NOR does God expect us to be.

So please remember that undefiled-blameless simple means “doing your best to keep God’s word”. Jesus is kind, and merciful, he does not expect us to be “perfect” because only He is perfect, we strive to keep his Word and do our best, our “reasonable service” as the Bible says. The Gospel is pure and easy to keep and simple to understand so don’t let anyone put undo pressure on you, God’s grace is forever.

Once you commit to serving him, you are His, He is yours and no one you can you away from Him, the only thing that can separate us from God is if we DECIDE we no longer want a relationship with him, it is complete free choice and Jesus loves us and no one is one our side more than He is. As we begin this, notice that it tells us that we are BLESSED, when we seek him and seek to know Him and his ways, and that as we learn those ways we are changed, little by little and as we learn more, we become anchored in His word and part of our praise to Him is the condition of our spiritual heart. The more you know Him the more you love him, the more you love him the more that love will flow out of you to others. The most important thing to remember in the days is the power of the name of Jesus, and the power of the blood of the Lamb and his love for you. i love the fact that this chapter start us with the assurance and confirmation that you are blessed!

And the blessing of God can NOT be overruled or taken away from you by anyone!

As a reminder of this, I want to point to the story of Balaam trying to have God’s children cursed, “listen” to God’s response as he would NOT allow them to be cursed.

“And GOD said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt NOT curse the people: for they ARE blessed.” Numbers 22:12 

Study theses scriptures and hide these verses that confirm your blessing in the Lord, hide them in your heart and in your mind because they are powerful, they are your promises from God.

And I want to take our thought for today and mirror it to the words of our beautiful, Holy Savior, as he gave us comfort with His words and pay special attention to the ending verses, this is why he gave us these words, so we would have hope, and comfort to finish our out our journey home, times when we are “poor” in spirit, when we feel we can’t go another “step”, times when we are discouraged, downtrodden, and beaten. Jesus reminded us that in it all and through it all we are BLESSED.

“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set (seated), his disciples came unto him:

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

BLESSED are the poor in spirit: for their’s IS the kingdom of heaven.

BLESSED are they that mourn: for they SHALL be comforted.

BLESSED are the meek: for they SHALL inherit the earth.

BLESSED are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they SHALL be filled.

BLESSED are the merciful: for they SHALL obtain mercy.

BLESSED are the pure in heart: For they SHALL see God.

BLESSED are the peacemakers: for they SHALL be called the children of God.

BLESSED are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for their’s IS the kingdom of God.

BLESSED are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

REJOICE AND BE EXCEEDING GLAD; FOR GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN; FOR SO PERSECUTED THEY THE PROPHETS WHICH WERE BEFORE YOU.”  

Matthew 5:1-12 And he assures you that when these things happen to you, it is NOT because you are not right, or that God doesn’t love you, it is BECAUSE YOU ARE RIGHT and they hated him so they will hate us.

John 15-18: “IF THE WORLD HATE YOU, YE KNOW THAT IT HATED ME BEFORE IT HATED YOU.

If you were of the world, the world would love his own; BUT BECAUSE YE ARE NOT OF THE WORLD, BUT I HAVE CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD, THEREFORE THE WORLD HATETH YOU.

REMEMBER THE WORD THAT I SAID UNTO YOU, THE SERVANT IS NOT GREATER THAN HIS LORD, IF THEY HAVE PERSECUTED ME, THEY WILL ALSO PERSECUTE YOU; IF THEY HAVE KEPT MY SAYING, THEY WILL KEEP YOUR’S ALSO.” 

And mention of the world, I want to you leave you with HIS word’s of comfort concerning all these things : 

John 16:33:  This things I have spoken unto you, that IN ME YE MIGHT HAVE PEACE, in the world ye shall have tribulation; BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER (hope) ; FOR I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020/ Reverend Nina Brown Johnson

End of the season….

“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

Being forty days tempted of (tested by) the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing; and when they were ended, he afterward hungered (was hungry).

And the devil said unto him, IF thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him saying, It is written, THAT MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD.

And the devil taking him up into a high mountain, shewed unto him the all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power (authority) I will give thee, and the glory of them; for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will give it. IF thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me Satan: for it is written, THOU SHALT WORSHIP THE LORD THY GOD, AND HIM ONLY SHALT THOU SERVE.

And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, IF thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence (here): For it is written, HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER THEE, TO KEEP THEE: AND IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR THEE UP, LEST AT ANY TIME THOU DASH THY FOOT AGAINST A STONE. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is SAID, THOU SHALT NOT TEMPT THE LORD THY GOD.

And when the devil had ended all the temptation (testing) HE DEPARTED FOR HIM, FOR A SEASON (until an OPPORTUNE TIME).” LUKE 4:1-13

We sometimes are too easily convinced that NO ONE endures the same freaky, bizarre battles that we suffer and allow the enemy and ourselves into pushing us right off the boat because we believe the lie that if we were “right” these things would not be happening.

If you are going through something similar today, be encouraged, we are never alone.

So in our story, this is not JUST any one that is going through this!

It is our Lord, our Savior, the beauty is that as we all know, or should know NO HUMAN can fight the devil.

Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost and then LED by the Spirit to go into that wilderness, He could not take a buddy, He could not decline the offer, He had to go this one completely alone.

Of course having all power in heaven and earth HE COULD HAVE did anything He wanted but to be the example to us, this is what He did and as He walked that wilderness, alone, fasting, praying and BEING TESTED BY THE DEVIL FOR FORTY DAYS!  

We fight the most heated parts of our battles when we are physically the most weak, and sometimes the most emotionally drained, the enemy is not going to hit you the moment you come from a house shaking revival, full of fire, and new oil, he is a lot of things but unintelligent is  NOT one of those things. 

First he attacked Jesus’ identity, his first move is ALWAYS to try to get us to doubt or question our Identity in God, and there’s some symbolism in that, I think in the bread also that we can sometimes be weak, weary, and lured into accepting the wrong thoughts and doctrines as “food”  during the times of famishing, but Jesus just quickly came back with the word, that hunger is nothing, but the true bread of life, the word of God is the only truly satisfying meal.

The devil then tries to make Him an offer, all the POWER, all the Kingdoms, ALL he could ever desire, IF, he would worship him. Pretty hilarious right there, trying to “buy a man with his own money” and we know to not sell out your eternal riches for “A MOMENT IN TIME” as the devil tries to sell it.

Again Jesus cut him with that sword of the spirit, telling him to his face that HE KNEW who he was dealing with.

Sometimes you just have to let the devil know that you are not playing his game, call it for what it is and don’t let him bluff you.

And then he makes ONE MORE ATTEMPT to try to get Jesus “to prove” Himself, He USES scripture. Ever had anyone twist scripture as an argument back to your Biblical reasoning against an argument they have against you or something the enemy is trying to test you with?

You know, that in my thinking is really deadly territory, and I love this part, Jesus no longer stating “it is written” instead He used “IT IS SAID” because not only was it written but God had spoken it and was indeed speaking it AGAIN and there is nothing quite like that, when you think it in context of parent to child … I SAID… carries all the weight needed and the devil knew he was absolutely busted. 

There is no power in heaven or earth, nor will there ever be that has precedence over what He has spoken.

And with that the devil fled.. but only for a season.

Some things do just keep coming, all those who came against Him during His ministry, but think of all that came to Him for salvation.

We do go through battles in this world that relief is only for a season, and there is always going to be struggles we may never understand here but God uses all things we suffer through as an opportunity to shine His light on our lives and we can often look back after a trail and see what He has allowed to grow and be nurtured in us during those moments and in the end, even though some have went through terrible ordeals, probably not one of us would go back and change a thing IF changing it would have altered the outcome of bringing us to the Lord.

We know satan thought he waged the final battle against Jesus at the cross, he thought in this opportune season, that he had won it all only to have Christ overcome death, hell and resurrect victoriously forever and ever.

We have to have those enemies to have that table prepared for us in their presence. 

If we were never crushed in spirit, how could He draw nigh?

If we never shed a tear how could He wipe them away?

Maybe life would be all happy-go-lucky but we would not necessarily know the redemptive power of Jesus and we would not have that promise of eternal life, we would not need it if this one was so fabulous, without the need for hope, we would be most hopeless.

We know also in the following passage after our verses that “Jesus returned in the power of the spirit…”

So I want to leave you with His word, when you feel like the enemy is dragging you under, quote this: HE SAID …

“My sheep HEAR my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I GIVE unto them eternal life: and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck (snatch) them out of my hand.

MY FATHER which gave them me, IS GREATER THAN ALL; and NO MAN IS ABLE TO PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER’S HAND. I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE.” JOHN 10:27-30

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω  NBJ 2016