May 20, 2023 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

CRAWLING OUT OF THE CAVE #1

“But he answered and said, It is written MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.” Matthew 4:4

It rains on the just and the unjust and that is THE “go to” scripture for all who are weary and when winds blow and the devil wants to convince us that if we were right we wouldn’t be going through this.

But again we all know that he IS the liar of all liars and everyone born upon this earth will suffer heartache whether they choose to follow Jesus or not.

As a watchman who no longer has a tower and now sits perched upon a precariously wobbly wall only hoping that the shouts reach the ears of those for which they are intended, I can more than ever relate to all of the above.

Of course my nerves were a whole new level of shot and after the service a man came back and told me that when they had been praying he had received a word for me, and it was that 2015 WOULD BE a good year for me, I knew by the delivery of the message and the eyes of the messenger, that it translated to this, there would be NO time during the coming year that it would FEEL good and that NO MATTER what IT looked like or how trying it became that somehow in the spiritual realm it would be working for a greater purpose and all in all in the book that God keeps of all our lives that it would be recorded as a positive.

I think we tend to look at prophecy sometimes as we wish to see it and not so much as what GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US!

It is often something we may not want to hear but had we not known it we have lost hope and the dreaded “D” word would lead us straight back out into the world under bondage to the other “D” word.

I thank God for the word he sent me, it kept my eyes focused through an extremely painful year.

My Dad had also received a word at the worst of his illness that his work was not quite finished and had he not received that, he may have not had the will to go on.

But still sometimes enough wind, enough rain, and just enough cold from feelings of disconnection can turn us to cave dwellers.

We like to believe it is a place of shelter, a place of rest, and most of all a surrounding to block out all those nasty attacks and the only way they can get us is head on and we will be able to see that coming.

Right? Well, no, Not quite. Caves are very dark, isolated, and filled with bones of whatever had made it a prior shelter and never made it back out, and your not going to get much rest if you have to always keep watch for fear of what is going to come through that “door”.

Elijah tried it.

1st Kings 19, God had already done mighty, mighty works through Elijah, really think about seeing this with your own eyes, FIRE FALLING FROM HEAVEN, PROVISIONS THAT WOULD NOT FAIL, A HUMAN FED BY RAVENS,THE DEAD RAISED TO LIFE.

And yet even he, who had absolutely NO DOUBT anywhere in him concerning the power of God, ran for his life, he had became so weary that he just wanted it all over and just wanted to go home.

Once he made it through the forty day journey and found the refuge of his cave the Lord asked very point blank “WHAT DOEST THOU HERE ELIJAH?”

After Elijah gave his reasoning to the Lord GOD CALLED HIM OUT OF THE CAVE.

Now God gave a rather majestic display of His power and might over all the universe, and sometimes we also could use a refresher course.

ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND EARTH.

Psalm 97:1-6 “The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof.

Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation (FOUNDATION) of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

HIS lightnings enlightened the world: THE EARTH SAW, AND TREMBLED. THE HILLS MELTED LIKE WAX AT THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, AT THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD OF THE WHOLE EARTH.

THE HEAVENS DECLARE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THE PEOPLE SEE HIS GLORY.”

ISAIAH 45-5-7 “ I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me:

I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

THAT THEY MAY KNOW FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN, AND FROM THE WEST, THAT THERE IS NONE BESIDE ME.

I AM THE LORD, AND THERE IS NONE ELSE. I FORM THE LIGHT, AND CREATE DARKNESS: I MAKE PEACE, AND CREATE EVIL (CALAMITY):

I THE LORD DO THESE THINGS.”

ISAIAH 54:16 “Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument (weapon) for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.”

This is the power that created the universe.

The voice that spoke everything into existence.

The one who named the stars and flung the into existence. The sun and moon will cower in His presence and the very mountains will flee from before Him.

Heaven is His throne and earth is but His footstool.

And all nations and people will bow before Him and the same small voice who spoke to Elijah is still that same voice that speaks to us today.

He is calling us out of the caves and His word is the way.

Please join me next time, Lord’s will, and we’ll look at David’s caving and follow up with that voice and the word of his promises that will help us see a brighter day OUTSIDE of the cave.

Φλογιζω/ NBJ 2016

Revisited 05/19/2023

Original post date: 01/14/2016 to read the remainder of this series, please check out: “CAVES” Part 2 “Cavin’ with Dave”

“RESONATE”Crawling out of the cave #3

April 1, 2023 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Sorrow and Praise”

“The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he has taken under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh but the earth abideth for ever.

The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth, down and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind gently goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

All things are full of labour (weariness); man cannot utter (express) it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.

Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath hath been already of old time, which was before us. There is no remembrance of former things: neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are now come with those that shall come after.

I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out wisdom concerning all the things that are done under heaven; this sore travail hath God given the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, it is all vanity and vexation of the spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting (lacking) cannot be numbered.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom then all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this is also vexation of the spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that exerciseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

That was the summation of Solomon. He had been blessed of the Lord to ask for whatsoever he desired, and he chose wisdom, above gold, silver, riches or rule. God in turn being pleased with his request added to him all the riches he could fathom and peace for his kingdom. Unfortunately,

Solomon resting in his leisure and wealth sinned in worshipping other gods with his pagan wives, but once he returned to the one true Jehovah God, he wrote this realizing that, just as he said, it is all vanity, uselessness that we humans strive for so many things on this earth that will mean nothing in the end.

The only things that will remain are those things which are eternal. And we see such a mirror of this in those things which are taking place in our world now, the more we know concerning the word and commands of God and understand those requirements the more we are accountable to God concerning those things.

And the more we know about what’s taking place in the world, the more we sometimes wish we didn’t.

And it all has been and mirrors what was or the response it will bring

The sorrow, the sorrow of seeing news clip after news clip of Ukraine being completely trampled by Russia. Anyone who wants to argue that it is nothing like the Holocaust is delusional, the Holocaust was certainly more barbaric and methodic, but the slaughter and absolute contempt of Ukrainian lives is just as horrific.

It just blows my mind every time I hear leaders toting their new and improved sanctions against Putin and others. It is such a bad joke, he doesn’t care about sanctions, and he certainly doesn’t care about committing war crimes, his agenda doesn’t involve him answering to anyone and unfortunately the nations are much to slow in realizing that Ukraine is only his starting point.

But again, all nations watch, as the slaughter continues. And I am sure all have saw news footage of the train station attack and the photo of a child’s little stuffed horse covered in blood, heart wrenching.

Human suffering is the hardest of all evils and even though enemies smirk thinking that they are winning, maybe they are on earth, but judgment day does come, as scripture states, “And as is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. one day,

I am sure no one questions whether or not hell is filled with the evils of all the ages, the Nazis, the slave traders and owners and all those who have persecuted, murdered, and enslaved others, scripture tells us that hell is, in fact, enlarged daily.

And those that remain at the Lord’s return and still refuse to repent will face his wrath, and be held accountable.

The blood of those who have destroyed these innocent lives that will be required by Jesus and most know that in that day the blood will be to the horse bridles .

As the Preacher said, nothing new under the sun, the same old evil.

The news story of the 115 aborted babies obtained by the anti-abortion group, the “medical waste” box on its way for the contents to be burned so that it could be converted to electricity. Five of the babies were late term, and it is now trying to be determined whether they were victims of infanticide, depending on whether air was taken in before they died.

If you have not saw this it is easily searched, Google DC aborted babies, I do not suggest watching the video, it is horrific beyond words and it will rip your heart out.

I do not even understand how any being professing to be human cannot see that this is so much more than wrong, it is literally demonic.

Reminds me of this from the book of Jeremiah which was and mirrors as which is also to come in the last days.

“But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction (instruction):truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouths.

Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.

For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the Lord: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by name to pollute it.

And they built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of Hinnom, to burn their sons and daughters in the fire, which I commanded them NOT, neither it came into my heart.

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of SLAUGHTER; for they shall bury in Tophet till there be no place.

Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of the voice of mirth, the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.”

The shedding of innocent blood is murder under the law of God, and of course there are so many that reject him as God but that will not spare them, He is still God regardless of who believes and who does not.

This mirrors the world today, so perfectly with shoe that defile his house, committing absolute abominations and wishing to use his name, and the slaughter of the unborn, which is not going unnoticed by him, and finally the warning of the desolation of the land.

The warning he gave for our land today echoing his very words.

Revelation 18:23: “And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall not be heard no more at all in thee; for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.”

The sorrow of knowing is only bearable in the knowing that those things that have been, are now those things that are again,, the truths that were forgotten by the following generations allowing them to fall to the same self willed rebellion against God, and it is not just the sin, it is the total disregard for life that has sealed the nations fate.

How so many people can argue and fight to try to convince others that this is somehow okay. Now that is deception on an apocalyptical level.

And it has brought about the indignation of the Lord. He is Holy, He is righteous, and he requires only a reasonable service, and he forces no one to worship him or serve him but he will not allow this earth to continue to be covered in the blood of innocents.

To overcome the sorrows of what is taking place and to try to survive the emotionally overwhelming of those things we witness and those things that will come, we have to rest in praise and rest in knowing that it will come to an end and that end could be any day.

Thank God for the Senators who called for an investigation into the deaths of those precious babies.

Thank God for the leaders who continue to fight tooth and nail the forces of darkness and hell, because this is not about politics, this is an assault on human life itself.

Thank God for Slovakia giving all it had to give while all others stand still.

Thank God for his salvation and most of all the deliverance of this world soon to come.

“After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

And cried with a loud voice, saying, SALVATION TO OUR GOD WHICH SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LORD.

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What (Who) are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they (Where are they from)?

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

Have a blessed Palm Sunday, keeping it here, mirrors the future palm celebration. It gives us hope and encouragement by helping us to remember that even in the sorrows of this world that those innocently slain will be there and Jesus will wipe away every tear, as he said in the verse above, as they killed the children in Tophet, he did not command that, and it never entered his heart, notice heart, God’s very heart being broken by the atrocities being carried out.

No leader on this earth and certainly not Putin, No political party nor supposed religious party will stop the wrath to come, as they have broken his heart he will break them.

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev. Nina Brown Johnson 2022 REVISITED 04/02/23

March 28, 2023 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Done Deal”

When Jesus chose to come to earth through the womb of a humble virgin and chose a stable as the destination for his arrival and He chose a poor carpenter as His earthly step-father, it would be to the confusion and confounding of those who awaited the Messiah to be born in splendor, in the finest of palaces with the proverbial golden spoon in His mouth.

And it worked quite nicely, He wanted those who come to Him to come to Him because of who He is.

Not because of whom thought THOUGHT Him to be.

Only a true King could have such a test to reveal His true servants from those who just wanted His prestige.

As we know even after hearing His very words spoken in their own ears, the Pharisees and Jews could still not grasp the thought that the loving, gentle, ORDINARY man could possibly be the Son of the one true God.

Although He did come as ordinary and unpretentious, No matter how it may have appeared we know that HE IS ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY!

I am not so sure that we have moved quite far enough away from those thoughts that also easily sway our minds.

We often ignore that still small voice because our ears are striving to hear a loud proclamation. Sometimes we are so enamored with the thought of having our worlds rocked that we completely miss the fact that the ground IS already shaking.

We can completely miss what is right in front of us, simply because it does not look like we had pictured it to look.

It does not sound exactly as we thought it would and by holding onto to OUR thoughts we can miss out on a lot.

Just as He said, His ways ARE higher than our ways and His thoughts ARE higher than are thoughts, it rests on forgetting what we ever thought in the first place and acknowledging His will.

I used this particular passage in a former now non-existent post, but I would like to revisit that SAME thought here, again. This is the amazing story of Peter being arrested, imprisoned, supernaturally freed and those who WERE praying for his freedom, NOT BELIEVING when he literally showed up on their doorstep!

We’ll pick up here:

ACTS 12:4-16: “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions (squads of four) of soldiers, to keep him: intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

Peter was therefore kept in prison: but PRAYER WAS MADE WITHOUT CEASING OF THE CHURCH UNTO GOD FOR HIM. And when Herod would have (was about to) bring him forth, the same night, Peter was sleeping BETWEEN two soldiers, BOUND WITH TWO CHAINS and the keepers before the door kept the prison (guards were also at the door).

And, behold, the ANGEL of the Lord came upon him (stood by him), and A LIGHT SHINED IN THE PRISON: and he smote Peter on the side, and RAISED HIM UP, saying, Arise up quickly. and HIS CHAINS FEEL OFF FROM HIS HANDS.

And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals (get dressed and put shoes on). And so he did. And he saith unto him cast thy garment about thee, and FOLLOW ME.

And he went out, and followed him: and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel (did not know for sure if it was real) but THOUGHT he saw a vision.

When they were passed the first and the second ward (guard posts) they came unto the IRON GATE that leadeth into the city; which OPENED TO THEM of his own accord (opened WITHOUT ANY HUMAN HELP): and they went out, and passed through one street; and the angel departed from him.

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety (for certain), that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

And when he had considered the thing, he CAME to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where MANY WERE GATHERED TOGETHER PRAYING.

And as Peter KNOCKED AT THE DOOR OF THE GATE, a damsel came to hearken (answer the door) named Rhoda.

And when she KNEW Peter’s voice, she opened NOT the gate for gladness (she was so happy that she actually FORGOT to open the door) but RAN IN, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

And THEY SAID UNTO HER, THOU ART MAD (OUT OF YOUR MIND). BUT she CONSTANTLY affirmed that it was even so (true). Then they said it is his angel. But Peter CONTINUED KNOCKING: and WHEN THEY HAD OPENED THE DOOR, AND SAW HIM, THEY WERE ASTONISHED.”

So much there, they were praying and praying, seeking and seeking and Rhoda answers the door and she is so happy and overjoyed that she just forgets to open it. When she tells the others they just simply DO NOT BELIEVE it.

Now again, maybe if God has sent an old dude leaning on a staff, with a long gray flowing beard, using terms such as”Hearken, grand prayer warriors…” or sent thunder and lighting to flash as Peter approached, well maybe that was WHAT they thought they should receive as acknowledgment that their prayers had been heard. But no, they got Rhoda, and what they told her, actually translates to, “YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND” so they are like, ” Well, that is just that crazy Rhoda,, making up stuff, just ignore her….you know she isn’t quite right in the head anyway.”

Cute side note, Rhoda must have not been too crazy, she did, after-all get an honorable mention in the book :)!

But even after all that praying they STILL REFUSED TO BELIEVE, and decided that it was his angel.

If it does not make sense to our human minds, we must FIND an explanation for it, right?

Not sure why we do these things.

Do we doubt that our prayers will be answered? Do we really believe that it just COULD NOT be THAT simple?

When actually, IT IS that simple.

Do we feel that we need more grandeur?

And do we feel we need that for the glory of God… or is it for us?

Do we just dislike the messenger and feel that we are worthy of a higher, more “spiritual” messenger You know, like waiting on a group of herald angels to break down the door and proclaim the answer you have been seeking when actually all that is needed is FOR SOMEONE JUST ANSWER THE DOOR!

And acknowledge WHO is standing there!

We can miss many wonderful events by our own refusal to let God be God and answer AS HE calls and not get so caught up in the delivery or manifestation of these events.

Just as His humble arrival to this earth heralded the greatest event of all time. What if the wise men had decided that the place the star led just didn’t look the part?

The humble shepherds NEVER expected to hear an angelic chorus praising the birth of the Saviour… which IS EXACTLY WHY they were allowed to hear it!

Don’t lose out on a done deal just because you refuse to open the door.

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2016 Revisited 03/28/2023 Rev.N Brown Johnson

January 15, 2023 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

Starting Fresh

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is our Biblical instruction on accomplishing this very task.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s His promise.

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

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

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

Blessings & peace till next time!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2023/ Rev N. Brown Johnson

November 6, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

Soul Focus #2 “For Absolutely Less than Nothing”

Isaiah 59:1-18: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for the truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

They hatch cocatrices’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.

Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

Therefore is judgment(logic) far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us:; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing from God, speaking oppression and revolt, and conceiving and uttering from the heart the words of falsehood.

And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

Yea, truth faileth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense.”

Read that really slowly, read it really thoughtfully, does it sound familiar? It to me sounds like a very accurate description of the behaviors of many in our world today, especially our leaders and those who would tout themselves as representatives of the Gospel, when the truth of the Gospel is the farthest thought of what they teach.

Politicians, that will in breath promise grief-stricken flood victims that they would be “praying for them”, while their actions prove them to be less than Godly prayer warriors, such as one, who promised such commitment and then in the next breath, his words caught on a hot mic, dropped the “F” bomb like nothing, revealing the truth of his character.

Politicians, that will profess to be a church leaders, and spew about their views on “justice’, and “social tolerance and love” and yet promote abortion, murder is not love. Such as one, whose title goes before him, as a supposed man of God, smuggly made the blasphemous statement that God gives us a choice. I beg to differ, abortion is not a choice God has given us, He has given us free-will to choose salvation, but nowhere in his word are we given the “choice” to kill our child.

Politicians, who pride themselves on an open door policy, welcoming the immigrants, all well and good, even building sanctuaries for them, and yet the homeless of our nation are left at the mercy of the elements, many areas even cutting down trees and sectioning off or completely removing park benches so that the homeless will have nowhere to sleep. Yeah, they really care so much.

Many are all about the rights of others, as long as they are making money by allowing the facilitation of whatever it takes to make those changes a reality. no caring for one moment the long term psychological damage and destruction that is being caused.

2 Peter 2:3: “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:”

2 Peter 2:14: “Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls…”

Riches may come to them in this world through the pain and sufferings of others, but unrepentant, they will not enjoy those riches in eternal damnation, I am reminded of the story of Simon the Sorcerer, whose story can be read in the Book of Acts, chapter eight, who tried to buy the power of God, and was told “Thy money perish with thee.” and those who have gained through the destruction of lives of others have gained nothing.

All logical judgment, sound mental judgement, has gone out the window in this anything goes Babylonian Empire that we find ourselves in.

Those who profess to be children of Christ and yet clearly have no understanding of him or his word, or his commandments that we must live by, forever excited to voice their opinions, proudly carrying their signs high for all to see, falsely proclaiming to be “christians” who support abortion, funny, I thought it was the cross we were supposed to carry.

It is easy to lie and feign allegiance to anything if one believes it will sway others to that same opinion. Which is exactly what it is all about it.

Pretending to belong to the house of God, while condoning practices that go against every teaching of that house!

The oldest trick in the book, all should remember the lessons we learned from Eve, they lie, they can falsely believe in their own deceived minds that what they say is right, but if it does not lie up with the teachings of the Word of God, it is not of God! The Ten Commandments are a perfect guide.

This is why Jesus warned us that we would know them by their works.

Many have sold themselves for absolutely nothing, sold themselves to champion causes of others that have no bearing on their own lives, because in “their opinion” these things are not wrong, but God does not ask us for our opinion.

We are commanded to obey him, his laws, and his word and everything that fights against is born of self, self-will, self-love, and self-righteousness and no flesh will enter the kingdom of heaven.

So as it is time for may to make major decisions, remember this, many have sold themselves for riches that will not spare them from eternal punishment, while others have sold themselves for less than nothing, nothing more than to fit in or to feel somehow that they are superior in mercy and kindness, when true kindness and mercy belongs to the true things of God.

Don’t sell yourself out, stay true to God and what his word teaches us concerning conducting our lives according to is will, word, and statues. Only God can save.

As we were told in our starter verses those who do call upon on the Lord and trust him, will be treated as prey, and we are, they hate the truth so they hate those who proclaim that truth, but hear God’s words at the close of that chapter.

Isaiah 59:19-21:” So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and upon them that turn from the transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.

As for me, this is my covenant with the, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.”

Stay with the truth, as we know, we shall know the truth and only the truth can set free!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

October 14, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Today and the tomorrow that may never be”

“But exhort one another daily, while IT IS called TO day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. While it is said, TODAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS, AS IN THE PROVACATION (rebellion).” Hebrews 3:13,14

Wouldn’t we all love to have a blank calendar or a calendar from the past that we could go back and “x” off certain days, days of hurt, sorrow, or days that we made tragic mistakes and maybe not make those mistakes again?

And wouldn’t we all love to have God’s calendar? You know that is why He tells us some much in His word, TODAY, TODAY, TODAY and even saying, in Matthew 6:34: “Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

What He is warning us against here, is our human habit of worrying about tomorrow, while not realizing that we may not even be able to handle today and EACH day comes with its own set of either joys, or heartaches, victories, or trails, but either way LET TOMORROW WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW and just be concerned with YOUR TODAY.

The REAL problem with the TOMORROW mentality is when people apply it to their spiritual health and salvation. Got to give my beautiful big Sis credit on this, I had called her for prayer about something I was going through and we got off on the subject of so many people that the enemy sells the same old line to, that THEY SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THEY FEEL LED TO GO TO GOD.

What kind of thinking is that? You know that is NOT from God, God said COME unto me and even in the end at Revelation AGAIN, the SPIRIT and the BRIDE TOGETHER are URGING ALL WHO WILL to COME!

I hope to give more than enough scriptural proof with this post that there should no longer be any doubt as to whether or not the Lord has sent out those invitations to ALL who will, ALL who will come to Him, His household, and His Kingdom.

So I want to go back to our starting verse to establish just what goes on here, with that deceived thinking, notice that is says “lest ANY of you be HARDENED THROUGH the DECEITFULNESS of sin” and what that means is that you are to call on the Lord TODAY, because sin will hardened your heart and LIE to you and have you “put off” salvation, “put off” the call of God, as sin tells you must wait on a formal invitation.

An invitation that has ALREADY been sent in the form of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ on earth, an invitation that has already been sealed by the blood of His Son bearing the approval of His signet, and invitation that was DELIVERED when His dead body rose victorious.

And the words “WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD, SHALL BE SAVED” recorded in His word for the ENTIRE world to receive.

So it is not that they have no invitation, they are simply REFUSING to open it!

We always use the thief on the cross to prove this out, the man WAS slowly dying, he had NO time, and he KNEW he had NO tomorrow and he KNEW that it was then, there, TODAY or never.

And as we all know Jesus response, pure gold and blessed with assurance so that not even one doubt could have entered the mans mind, Verily I say unto thee, to day thou shalt be with me in paradise.

No going down to the altar, no church introduction, no baptism, no time to do “ministries”, not even time to tell any person that he was sorry for any wrong he had done them.

But time, that day, that was his last TODAY on this earth, and his first TODAY in glory with Jesus Christ!

We are all given ONE life, and we have ONE day, yesterday is gone, gone forever and ever and will never, ever come again, and tomorrow is NOT guaranteed,

James 4:13-14: ” Go to now (come, listen) ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain (make money) WHEREAS (because) YE KNOW NOT WHAT SHALL BE ON THE MORROW (you do not know what tomorrow holds); for WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? IT IS EVEN A VAPOUR, THAT APPEARETH FOR A LITTLE TIME, AND THEN VANISHETH AWAY. FOR THAT (for this reason) YE OUGHT TO SAY, IF THE LORD WILL, WE SHALL LIVE, AND DO THIS, OR THAT.”

So you have TODAY, TODAY is YOUR responsibility and TODAY we have the responsibility to DAILY exhort those who may not have to tomorrow, that they should consider TO DAY, so for any who “lost” the invitation, that they failed to open, consider this:

Isaiah 55:6-7: ” Seek ye the Lord WHILE he may be found, CALL ye upon him WHILE he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and LET HIM RETURN unto the Lord, and HE WILL HAVE MERCY UPON HIM; AND TO OUR GOD, FOR HE WILL ABUNDANTLY PARDON.”

Simply put, SEEK God, give up your ways that are leading to destruction, return to God and He will take care of the rest! 2 Corinthians 6:2: “( For he saith, I HAVE HEARD THEE IN A TIME ACCEPTED AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION HAVE I SUCCOURED (helped) THEE: behold (pay very close attention) NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME; BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.)

So as you see, above there is a completely blank calendar, you did not know your beginning, you certainly do not know your ending, but YOU do know your TODAY.

Lamentations 3:22,23 : “ IT IS of the LORD’S MERCIES THAT WE ARE NOT CONSUMED, BECAUSE HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT it is only because of his mercy that we have not been destroyed). They (His mercy) ARE NEW EVERY MORNING, great is thy faithfulness.”

Chose, chose today and let that calendar represent a new life, a new hope, and a new future eternal, count every day, and count every day as the precious opportunity a gift that it is.

Help us understand the full POWER of TODAY.

Psalm 90:12: “So teach us to NUMBER our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Hope you have a blessed today, tomorrow, and always! Love & Peace

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017 REVISTED 10/14/2022

September 5, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

Spiritual “Labor Day”

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, THAT THEY MAY REST FROM THEIR LABOURS; AND THEIR WORKS DO FOLLOW THEM.” Revelation 14: 13

Ahh, tomorrow, here in America, we celebrate “Labor Day”.

A day of course, set aside to honor the hard-working men and women who make our country strong and whose diligence in countless areas of service keep the economic ball rolling for our nation.

And also there are so many, such as nurses, doctors, firemen, emergency workers, repair people, and food service employees, many whom are actually required to work on Labor Day.

I do admit that while pondering the best “spin” to propel the thought of the post, that I felt the need to tell all of you, I am NOT a Ballerina, nor do I dance, but this is for me, in relaying this message, that I am performing a grandiose version of “Swan Lake” WHILE wearing steel-toed work boots.

So if it seems a bit “ungraceful” and if the heavy boots donned during the dance step on toes, including my own, please pardon. I would also like to point out that this is not for new converts to Christ, this is for “seasoned” workers of the Kingdom, who once knew these things and now just need a “note attached to their time cards” to remind them that they can lose benefits due to poor job performance.

Better to hear it now, than to hear, something much like what Jesus told the Disciples, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour IS at hand…. Here, my friends is the first of the very awkward “dance moves”, I must make, We can not work our way to salvation.

Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man boast. For we are his workmanship (creation) created in Christ Jesus unto (for) good works, which God hath before ordained (prepared) that we should walk in them.”

Notice in our first verse the voice said that they may rest, and Jesus told them to take their rest.

There is a very clear difference between trying to do our own work that we think is good enough for salvation, which again is an impossibility and doing the work that God preordained us to do.

And then to decide that we will take our own rest rather than to have him grant us that rest.

But we still are required to work in the Kingdom. And I believe in grace! I thank God for grace! I could lay at His feet for a thousand years just thanking Him for the grace He gave me, saving me, a miserable creature who in no way deserved that grace!

And that is what Paul was referring to. I have heard some on television completely blow off the judgements and really come against the teachings of those judgments.

I can’t figure this out because God has a Bible full of people WITH that job, without the forced warning from Jonah, Nineveh would have never repented, it was the warning God sent that made them aware that they were doing wrong and the Bible is full of warnings.

My Goodness, People! To reiterate this for anyone who has not read prior ancient posts, there ARE TWO Babylon’s, the first ancient Babylon, the Prophet Jeremiah proclaimed the destruction and judgments against it.

BUT Jeremiah also proclaimed the judgment and destruction of future, spiritual Babylon.

The fulfillment of this is what is spoken in Song of Solomon 7:9: ” And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, (smoothly) causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.”

Jeremiah wrote the judgments that the Lord had commanded, Jeremiah 50:62-64: ” Then shalt thou say, O Lord, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be a desolate for ever. And it shall be when thou hast made and end (finished) reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast (throw) it into the midst of Euphrates ; And thou shalt say, thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her…”

There is so much Bible prophecy linked up with the Euphrates, it has angels ‘bound in it that will be released and it dries up to prepare the way for the mighty war… Has this already happened? No! Neither has many of the absolutely horrifying events foretold, but we have hope in the sealed words of the seven thunders and that is why we need to be so diligent now.

The fulfillment of the words of Jeremiah are Revelation 18:21: ” And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more.”

No matter what country a person chooses to believe that “Mystery Babylon” IS, one fact remains.. This is Bible and this will happen and those who live in that country will be going about everyday life, many unsaved and completely unaware of these prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and many more who have been force-fed “grace” to the point that they think they do no wrong in the eyes of a Holy God and have been taught that repentance and work are not a even a requirement in our modern day and suddenly “Babylon” is attacked, from all sides and without warning, other than the Biblical truths of teaching of Jesus in how we know these things shortly come and to be living lives accounted worthy to escape these things, Babylon will be destroyed in one hour, one day from off the face of the earth.

How can anyone be perfectly comfortable not sharing the Gospel, not leading others to Christ, not using the gifts and talents he has given them?

How about all those who sit in bound in chains of demonic bondage of drug addictions, pornography, alcoholism, and so many other bondage, when God has given someone the prayer of faith, given someone the gift of healing and miracles, and others sit in dread and terror, while God has already given someone a word of knowledge, and a word of prophecy, a word to be “fitly spoken in due season” that would free that person’s mind and bring the peace they need.

Gift after gift, talent upon talent, wasted and unused, because we are too busy, too lazy, too comfortable to be the light that he left us here to be while the world suffers in almost pitch black darkness, no wonder Jesus warned us, Revelation 2:4,5: ” Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and remove thy candlestick (lampstand) out of his place, except (unless) thou repent.”

Anyone want to argue that He does not expect us to work for the Kingdom?

So, if you are saved, sure, you are saved but when our work is tried by fire to ensure purity and purpose, motive, and measure, and the Lord gives crowns and rewards and treasures in heaven, you will come up lacking and the saddest part is the difference made in the difference that should have and could have been made in someone else’s life will have been left undone on your shift.

The work he asks is quite simple, Love Him, spread His love, go to His house, worship Him, Keep His commandments, and Honor Him in your life and in advice you give others, do as He asks when He prompts you in heart, help someone else to carry their burdens, show mercy and be kind. And he is not asking much!

And one thing you do not want to do is ever let Him catch you sleeping on the job, you may just sleep your way right through a God-given opportunity to impact this world while we still barely have enough light left to work by.

If you doubt any of these things pray, read your Bible, and try something so simple as watching the news. It is here people, nothing is changing it and maybe those who preach against preaching warnings really believe that they can just get everyone saved and bypass the judgments.. well, could be true, those saved and raptured WILL be spared many things, but what if those who did just simply omit these thoughts, these verses, find themselves on that day, not accounted worthy and NOT escaping these things and left here to do a job that should have been done right the first time!

Love and peace, don’t kill the messenger. My ministry started with this thought, my very first post PLEASE WAKE UP !!! on a church site that God had blessed me to write for, it was November 2013 and I was so scared that everyone would hate me, but now it is not fear of hate, it is anger, every time I see those who are hurt, wounded, and know that things could change, if we would change.

God said if we “would humble ourselves” but see that is still the problem, it is all about us, when it should be about Him, the Kingdom, and the work that needs done.

It is so sad that so many are still sleeping on the job, but I have come to believe that maybe, as we know great revival comes during great persecution, that maybe it is going to take quite a wake up call… please don’t wait too late.

And if you are working for Christ, volunteer with Him for more work! Offer to do the jobs others won’t and He will bless you for going that second mile when your brother has only asked you to go one!

BTW, HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017 REVISTED 09/05/2021 & 09/05/2022

Also for more please check out:

“Eleventh Hour…working till it’s too dark to work”

“An “A” for effort but “0” still equals nothing . “

“A talent…or two”

“They’re hungry, YOU feed them”

“Outta your house”

“Laying down some odds, How about 450 to 1?”

“Shepherding the black sheep”

August 20, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Gazingstock”

1 CORINTHIANS 4:9-13: “For I think that God hath set forth (displayed) us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death; for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to the angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake (the world opinion) but ye are wise in Christ; we ARE weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we ARE despised.

Even unto the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked (poorly clothed), and ARE buffeted (beaten) and have no certain dwelling place; and labour, working with our own hands: BEING reviled, we bless; BEING persecuted, we suffer (endure) it. BEING defamed (slandered) we entreat (encourage): we ARE made the filth of this world and ARE the offscouring of all things unto this day. “

We often think of the Apostles as almost superhuman, almost as if, had they needed to, they could have run through stone buildings.

We are half right, considering that they, with the exception of Paul hung out with Jesus and SAW Him ascend into heaven and combined they were FREED by angels, SAW demons cast out and SAW the dead resurrected back to life.

BUT the super part belonged to the LORD the other is just human!
As we read the verse above, nothing about that sounds glamorous, or remotely desirable as a lifestyle and these are the things we often forget.

I truly believe that this is what causes so many “new” Christians to slip and some seasoned ones to misplace their robes and end up wearing a coat made of jade

For the most part it is preventable.

Once we accept Christ, and especially if we have been given the gift of the Holy Ghost, we have that wonderful newness.

Everything IS brand new; WE ARE New but then life, emotions, and the enemy come and often no one has ever told the “new” person that what they are going through is NORMAL for the course and no one helps them through that maze, and they end up lost in it and give up even trying to find their way home.

The second group comes into play, as often having a fight with hell all the way to the altar and sometimes passed the altar and into the water because they have a call on their life.

And once they do make it “in” that fight only intensifies and I really, really wish I could give a “one word will make it all go away” answer right here.

BUT it does not exist.
Once this particular spiritual warfare has been engaged, it cannot be disengaged because:
#1. The calling of God on lives is determined before birth and “they do not expire until we do.”
#2. Giving up is not an option, you will lose your salvation, and everything you have ALREADY fought through will have been for nothing.
#3. Outside of the will of God and without His protection, satan will chew you up and spit you out.
#4 Your fall will affect every single person you love and all those whom you were to minister to.
#5 THE most important reason is that JESUS died for you and saved you and He will NEVER let you be tested beyond what you can handle, and a servant cannot be above His Master, to reign with Christ we must suffer with Christ.
“Think It not strange…” sometimes battles are so fierce and dark that you cannot even see daylight, but you must remember you war against principalities and powers of the air.

I don’t know how I would have ever made it had God not blessed me with the people he did in my life and ministers that would share their own personal battle stories and some so hard to fathom, that my problems would pale in comparison.

Without the knowledge that these things happened to people whom I knew were Godly and doing their best in their walk, I could have never kept my head above water, I held onto every single word and would remember their stories and how they got through it and that they were still standing and that I serve the same God.

HEBREWS 10:32,33: “But call to remembrance the former days, in which after ye were illuminated (enlightened), ye ENDURED a GREAT FIGHT OF AFFLICTIONS (struggle with sufferings); partly, (in part) whilst ye were made a GAZINGSTOCK (SPECTACLE) BOTH BY REPROACHES AND AFFLICTIONS (tribulations) and partly (in part) whilst YE BECAME COMPANIONS OF THEM THAT WERE SO USED (treated).

What can we say there?

The days after your salvation, such a GREAT FIGHT with sufferings and troubles. You were as one that the world would look at and stare upon, as one in medieval stocks for the entire village to mock and ridicule.
Reproaches of those who laugh at your salvation and the enemy who questions “Where is your God now?”

But it is due in part so that YOU CAN become who you are to become in Christ.

1 PETER 1;4-8,10: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding GREAT and PRECIOUS promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

And beside (along with) this, giving ALL DILIGENCE, ADD to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge: AND to knowledge temperance (self-control); AND to temperance patience; AND to patience godliness; AND to godliness brotherly kindness; AND to brotherly kindness CHARITY (love).
FOR if these things be in you (are yours) and abound, they make you that YE SHALL NEITHER BE BARREN NOR UNFRUITFUL IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Wherefore the rather brethren, GIVE DILIGENCE TO MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE: FOR IF YOU DO THESE THINGS YE SHALL NEVER FAIL.”

So, you have heard it from Paul, and you have heard it from Peter, now they are some pretty reliable sources!!!

All these things WILL work to your good and all these things WILL produce every quality needed to be productive in the Kingdom of God.
If you are “new” please stay close and active in a good Bible believing church, read along with them, find ministers that you enjoy hearing and enjoy the word, don’t pressure yourself or let anyone else pressure you, the only opinion of you that should matter is God’s and He is awesome and will teach you all things.

Find a good prayer partner that you can trust, that can pray with you when life comes at you or temptation comes calling and if you fall of the boat, repent and get back on the boat!

And keep trying, IT WILL GET BETTER, and IT WILL GET EASIER.
If you are in group two, seek the old paths and surround yourself with prayer warriors and try to spend time with older ones who have been there and done that and they WILL encourage you and give you godly advice that is imperative to stay on track in your calling.

And the best news is this, once you successfully war against an attack of the enemy, he will no longer use that same weapon, because it is no longer effective.

Once you make it through a tough battle you will soon find that the battle made you stronger and you will be able to stand against attacks that would have put you out earlier in your ministry.

You will also be better at seeing attacks coming and be prepared more easily, not to say there will never be blind sides, but when it is said and done, you will be glad you stayed the course, because medals are not just given, they must be won.
Φλογιζω NB/2016 REVISITED 08/15/2021 Praying someone will be encouraged by this thought TODAY! **REVISTED 08/20/2022** God’s Word is forever the same.

August 12, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

To shun the Son….

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that HAVE NOT SEEN, AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.” JOHN 20:29

Faith. Faith is a funny thing and sometimes we can have faith to move a mountain and then sometimes our faith errs more on the side of the mountain moving us. But we do have it, whether we always use it or not it is very much there. God told us that to all believers we are given the measure of faith and to some, even the gift of faith.

Even in our lost pre Christ days, we still have faith in things working at certain way, and cause and effect of all situations , things that are without question as, just being and working as they should and no one has to tell us otherwise. But when it comes to the Kingdom and believing for the afterlife, it gets tangled, many have no problem with the reality that as magnificent as it is, they were formed inside the womb, they grew, and bodies and minds faced amazing changes, and all taken for granted as a bald, toothless, helpless person soon started to walk, talk and explore the world and they believe this happens because it has been proven over and over as each child is born.

They could easily believe in Jesus because they had seen Him, they walked with Him, ate with Him, learned from Him and now were witness to absolute living proof that He had indeed raised from the dead. I truly believe that we are born with a knowledge deep inside of us that there is so much more than this life and even those who don’t want to seek the Lord still end up spending their lives seeking something, anything to fill that void. they seek false religions, seek paganism, humanism, and the never-ending search for alien life forms:

2TIMOTHY 3:7 “ EVER LEARNING, and NEVER able to come to the knowledge of the TRUTH.”

As those who profess to be wise, boy, we could list some doozies right there, reputable for their “brilliant” minds and lead countless people straight to hell because they detest God and want everyone else too also and have done a great job convincing the secular world that not only does he not exist, but that those who believe are of a Neanderthal intelligence.

And yet, Jesus said that we are BLESSED. Starting with those who are crushed, afflicted, and wounded in their souls:

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 heaven.

BLESSED are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. REJOICE, and be exceedingly glad: for GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” MATTHEW 5:3-12

Notice our rewards ARE in heaven, in the afterlife in which we must believe and as my last post, I know that there are those who do believe and yet refuse to accept Christ. Whatever reason, if it is just peer pressure from friends or spouses, that the world will just not think your cool anymore, you’ll be laughed at or mocked.

Well , He said when you “lose your life” for His sake, you WILL find it. When you are ready to give up the fake friends and false bravado and humble yourself into the hand of a mighty God, then, and only THEN you WILL begin to live as you were created to, and that life WILL be eternal and all the Blessing of God WILL come upon you and your life.

What most people fail to realize is this, we ALL influence someone, there is always someone who watches how you live your life and the decisions you make WILL affect them. If you choose Life eternal, how many more could you bring unto that life? If they saw the change in you and your acknowledgment of God, how can that affect THEIR eternity?

And if you refuse eternal life, you are exchanging that blessed state for an eternal cursing and again all who follow you and your ways will be more inclined to that path of destruction also.

And being a “Closet Believer” is the equivalent to being an unbeliever, Jesus said you are not condemned because you do believe but yet in not acknowledging Him to those in your life, then it like being married to a person and hiding them from your family and friends as if you are ashamed of your association with them. Being ashamed of a person means that you acknowledge them as that person you just don’t want anyone else to know that you know them.

Which is what makes it clear that in this verse, Jesus was SPEAKING to those who DO BELIEVE in HIM:

LUKE 9:25,26: ” For what is a man advantaged (benefitted) if he gain the whole world, and lose himself (be destroyed), or be cast away (lost)? For WHOSOEVER SHALL BE ASHAMED OF ME AND OF MY WORDS, OF HIM SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE ASHAMED OF, WHEN HE SHALL COME INTO HIS OWN GLORY, AND IN HIS FATHER’S, AND OF THE HOLY ANGELS.”

So if we deny Him here on this earth, if we are too proud, too stubborn to admit we need Him, even though we believe in him, it will be counted as nothing.

Because we have chosen to deny Him in front of our peers, He will then deny us in the presence of the host of heaven itself and as He said, what will it profit then? What will anyone give in exchange for their own soul? At that time there will be no more opportunities to make it right.

So you see, BELIEVING is not quite enough, even the “devils” believe in one God and tremble”. They BELEIVE because they know He exists but they are still going to hell because they knew the judgment of God and chose to rebel against Him. It is like “having a form of godliness and DENYING the power thereof.”

Like all who are saved from the least to the greatest among disciples and all the saints, NO ONE is of a higher standing than another in the eyes of God, and just as Nicodemus came to Him by night, so many in our world today want to do the same, come to Him under the cover of the night, come to Him in secret with the plea, “I believe, but I can’t let others know” a sad cop-out.

Well, there is only one way: ROMANS 10:9-11:

” That if THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED. FOR WITH THE HEART MAN(HUMANS) BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION. For the scripture saith, WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON HIM SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED.”

Pretty point on there, we must first believe in our hearts through faith that HE IS and we must then confess that belief openly and willingly, and then at His coming we will not be ashamed.

So we all have a choice, surrender while there is time, call on Him while He is nigh, answer the door as He knocks on our hearts, and for the record, if you are straddling this fence and putting off until tomorrow the decision for Christ, when you are not guaranteed a tomorrow to make that decision, I want you to know, if He has allowed this to come to you, you have consented by reading it, you are bound by it, you will never be able to stand before the Lord and plead blissful ignorance to these things, “to know to do good, and do it not, is a sin unto you”, heed this carefully.

You have been presented with YOUR choices, accept Him, and His Word, His Blessing, or reject Him and His blessings and keep the world, shun the Son, but know that one day, it will be you that He will shun.

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2016 Original post 10/15/2015 REVISTED 01/27/2021, & 08/12/2022

April 9, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Sorrow and Praise”