“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
Not only as Christians but just as humans we go through many seasons in life and all these seasonal changes can often leave us disillusioned, drained, despondent and the most dreaded and deadly of the “D” words, discouraged.
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.
January 2015 my Dad was hospitalized and it really did not look like he was going to make it, before going to visit him one morning I got prayer and I had never before nor have I since received a word at that particular church.
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.
God always patient and merciful sent an angel to feed him and strengthen him, showing us as always God knows right where we are, even when he did not send us in that direction and even though he continued on his emotionally self propelled journey God provided for him.
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.
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
“The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him, What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what the son of my vows?
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings” Proverbs 31:1-3
Before I get to far into this, how about I tell ya what we are doing here?
One thing that has came from the “social isolation” is families spending time together, reconnecting, and being a part of one another’s lives that they normal would never be exposed to.
Parents working from home, kids getting a bird’s eye view of just why it is their parents may be tired, sleepy, and even just a little grumpy after a day at the “office” and parents now have to ‘home school” their children are getting a glimpse of just how differently academic standards can change in a generation and can quickly realize the stressful expectations modern education truly lays on the shoulders of students.
And the beauty in all this bustle is this… families are also spending time together , doing dinner together, sharing household chores together, fending off boredom by entertaining themselves together, gardening and planting flowers together and all sharing in the responsibilities of protecting the family from the virus by acting very consciously together.
So now that’s enough links to cover the flip side of this coin, I want to talk about the wonderful opportunity that God has placed right in the middle of all this fear and worry and to do that we are going to hit verse by verse through Proverbs 31.
Thinking a little about the meaning in each line and the importance of a mother’s role in not only teaching her children but the express wisdom she imparts to her children and bear in my mind that often theses conversations in the Bible are between mothers and adult offspring.
It is never too late as this verse begins by informing us that he is relaying the words of his mother, meaning he listened to her and those were kept in his heart and mind. She first gave him confirmation, triple confirmation, of their bond.
Her first warning to him was the dangers of being seduced away, by letting lust lead him into destruction, the cross references to these verses actually take you to the dangers of adultery and the danger of that day, when men had multiple wives, which was NEVER God’s intention, people often think because something is “in” the Bible that it means that whatever those mentioned were doing must have been okay with God, but NO!
The Bible is full of stories of people who were, well just that… people and the stories are in the Bible to let us know that God forgives and we are all kinda messed up but the people in those stories did all kinds of things that were never part of God’s plan, that is why Jesus came to save us.
So the Mama was warning her son to stay away for the traps and snares that would ruin him and in modern society celibacy until marriage is thought comical BUT God’s word is eternal and so are the reasons it was taught then and those reasons and the reasons given against affairs are as valid now.
It ruins lives, ruins families and that grass that was greener will fade and withered brown and once it has there will be no going back to what was once had.
God does repair but people are left with pain and regret that they must allow God to heal.
Proverbs 31:4-6: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor princes to drink strong drink;
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert judgment (justice)of any of the afflicted.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto him that be of heavy (biter) heart.
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.”
Now she is warning him to pitfall, that again is viewed almost comedic in modern culture.
But again, just as clearly defined and the reasons that God gives us to avoid alcohol is also clearly defined for our benefit an dour families benefit, and as Mama is explaining to him, as a ruler being intoxicated will cause he to forget what is right and will cause and lead to an absolute miscarriage of justice against those who desperately need help the most.
And that “strong drink” should be reserved for those on bed of death and wine only for those whose heart is full of sorrow, I think as spiritual, new wine, God making all things new, as God gives us spiritual wine, we are no longer poor, maybe materially but not spiritually. Jesus said ye are rich, rich in him and the Kingdom of God which is not of this world, but the next. Making his followers forget the misery that their lives once was.
Now she is ready to dispense her most sage advise for sons, for daughters, for all her children and her children’s children children, advice that would be for the ages… because after all it has survived ages.
“Open thy mouth, for the dumb (speechless)in the cause, of all such as appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and PLEAD the cause of the poor and the needy” Proverbs 31:8-9
And now the beauty and the truly remarkable attributes of being a woman, a wife, a mother and I can never do anything dealing with marriage without pointing out the fact that God loves women, and the old man made thoughts that women are subservient an dare objects to be owned, is just that man made.
Men were to love and cherish their wives, as Christ loved the church, and he does not harm the church, he loved the church enough to die for us all.
God says in his words that marriage means this, two become one, so marriage is a union, not of one versus one, both of two producing a family unit that was intended to act as one, for the good and love of all.
Proverbs 31:10-12: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safety trust in her, so that he hath no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
Virtuous translates to wife of valor and meaning that her son would do well to find a woman of honesty, integrity and in doing so that her impact in their life would be greater than as if they possessed the world’s greatest riches.
Just as mothers desire that daughters marry men who will be good husbands in treating their wife and family well.
Not always the case, we now have many many virtuous women who have the roles of father, mother, provider, care giver, everything duty of parental guidance solely upon their shoulders as they take on the role of solitary family guide, in not way fair or right but it is now the norm and these ladies should be honored by us and in our society. the next verses are perfect for these leading ladies of life, navigating solely, sacrificing their own needs for their benefit of their children, parents, and communities.
They give so much and are often overlooked and given nothing in return, or so it seems… God sees it all, he sees their hurt, their worry, he sees the abuse they have suffered, he has seen the adultery on the behalf of the spouses that lead them to this solitary path. And these next verse surely apply to those who do it all while feeling that they are alone.
Proverbs 31:13_21:”She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willing with her hands. She is like the merchant’s ships: she bringeth food from afar.
She rises also while it is yet night, and giveth meat (food) unto her household, and a portion unto her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: and with the fruit (earnings) of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengthen her arms.
She preceiveth that her merchandise is good; her candle (lamp) goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She strectcheth (extends) her hand to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk (fine linen) and purple.”
We’ve got a lot of mirroring going on in these verses.
This lady is a worker, she is seizing every opportunity for the betterment of her household, she is up working, as everyone else sleeps, her light shines brightly even the dark night.
She is good to everyone, not just her family, she is good to her friends and she is especially good to those in need, even “reaching’ out to them to help them also.
She prepares for tomorrow as she has her family reading for coming season and mirror scarlet to having her family saved clothed under the blood of the Lamb, she herself wearing fine linen, her robe of righteousness given to her from God, and purple as she is the daughter of the King.
The next verses apply to the married ladies and the blessing that they bring to their husbands and family:
It reminds me so much of the wives of pastors, who are often the sweetest, kindest women who give so much of themselves for the church the love and are blessings to all they mingle with and again referencing all their hard work.
Proverbs 31:23-24: “Her husband is known to the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles (sashes) unto the merchants.”
And now back to the virtue in virtuous, for all his daughters.
Proverbs 31:25-31: ” Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in the time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; and her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously (well) but thou excellest them all.
Favour (charm) is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
Women, daughters, wives, mothers, grandmothers, pastors, ministers, doctors, lawyers, food workers, factory workers, home school mama’s. librarians, college deans, every job imaginable and all the “domestic engineering” in between, bold, between, kind, and often unseen.
So on this special day, Bless all of you who are mothers as you impart these wisdom’s, as Lemuel mother did as you have this time with your children.
Know that as we ended with her works will praise her, your work time and love will bring multitudes of joy in the days ahead and your children will always remember what you have did for them and they will never forget.
Know this my friends, you may not be a mother yet, but maybe you “mother” those around you, sisters or brothers or maybe you even feel like you have to be a mother to your own parents, or you are a “den” mother caring for every stray that comes your way, no matter what “woman’ you are, maybe life has been hitting you so hard and you feel like no one sees, know one knows but I promise you, one does, His name is Jesus and HE is watching over you, every single step from above!
Φλογιζω/ NBJ 2020 Reverend Nina Brown Johnson
REVISITED 05/09/2021 & 05/07/22 & 05/05/2023
Have a Blessed Mother’s Day!
This song has nothing to do with being virtuous, it is actually “Virtuoso” the reprise version and it is about the beauty of God and His sovereignty over our lives.
It is just one of my all time favorites and for some reason it had just been in my heart and my head for this post so it you have never heard it, please check it out.
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
“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.
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
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
“Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one God. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Trying to determine true statics on kids and Christianity is like the proverbial needle in the haystack.
But it is very fair to say considering the verse above that it doesn’t really matter what school stats would suggest because this is parental responsibility.
According to the history on it, “Sunday school” was started in Britain as a way of not only helping the street children, but also teaching them about God and educating them.
And in our country schools used mainly the word of God as a teaching tools for reading and writing.
Many of our early leaders WERE self-taught, the Bible being the number one book used for that purpose.
So it is not a shocker that schools of yesteryear were safe learning place that parents could entrust their children to, of course you have to take the corporal punishment out of that equation, I for one absolutely do not agree with hitting or spanking, or any form of physical violence as a method of discipline or learning “incentive”.
But they were something else in the old days as far as the term “strong disciplinarians” could go.
My mother has horror stories of the days when children were paddled for not knowing their multiplication table. And as she said, if you miss one you were sure to miss another. It is just absolutely wrong for anyone other than a parent to have that kind of authority over a child.
But we have as a society given entirely too much power to influence the minds and more importantly the SOULS of our children to the “world” schools, and even religious organizations.
As we know when prayer and the teachings of God were removed form public schools replaced with Darwinism and the absolute intelligence insulting nonsense of the big bang and evolution, we invited the moral downfall of society as we knew it.
And at the end of the day it is up to each one of us to take back that power, that back that authority that we have blindly given others BECAUSE God only gave that authority to parents.
I have heard people remark after being called out about saying or doing things that are not right in front of their children, only to reply that “They hear worse at school” and everyone could argue the filth that they see on television and movies and even argue that at some point they “will be exposed to it anyway” but here is the deal, EVEN if they hear bad language at school, they should NOT hear it at home. EVEN if they have saw filth on television, you have to ask, WHO is monitoring that television? WHO is watching over what they are watching, witnessing, and being exposed to?
Remember PG for PARENTAL GUIDANCE? That is NOT just for television. God expects us to use our PG authority in all areas of our children’s lives and even if children are grown adults, they are STILL your children.
No matter what mistakes have been made in the past, the present and future can be changed for the better by enacting that parental guidance in our own lives, by being the example that God intended for us to be.
And as long as we have breath in these bodies, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE! That is why God told US to teach our own children, of course we can not protect the from the world and the things in the world but at the end of the day, what are taught by parents and family will outweigh those other influences.
And of course people can fall in with the “wrong crowd” and go completely “hog wild” as the saying goes, kinda reminiscent of the Prodigal son there, but have hope in this.
Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he WILL NOT depart from it.”
Most of us have been guilty of running amok in our youth, (some of us seriously amok) but there is so much comfort in knowing that God ALWAYS has His eyes on us AND our children.
That is why it is so important for those who are new to Christ to STAY in Christ because we are PROMISED our households and our families to a thousand generations, we are NOT saved just for the sake of being saved.
As part of that salvation, we are to lead others to Him, that His light may also shine into their lives also and that light radiates and it touches so many others, which is why when one family member accepts Christ usually the others soon follow.
It ONLY takes one person to STAND up and declare faith in Jesus to influence many generations.
Think about it as we start a New Year, if you have a school aged child KNOW who is teaching them and what they are being taught and do not be afraid to speak AGAINST those things that are against God because you are actually the one with the GREATER influence.
And if you doubt that, think of it in the negative, think about all the people who belong to hate groups BECAUSE they were BORN into hate groups and we ARE products of our environment and once that environment changes WE CAN CHANGE ALSO.
This kinda goes with my “when in Rome” thought, it has been on my heart and mind so much that THIS has to change. Take back your place in the family and take back your heritage in the Lord.
Psalm 127:3,4: ” Lo, (OT for pay attention) Children ARE an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of thy womb is his reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.”
We ARE blessed with children. We ARE entrusted of God with those children and they are HIS and we are privileged with the task of nurturing their hearts, their souls, and their minds and guide them on their journey into adulthood but even more so in discovering WHO HE CREATED THEM TO BE.
And the greatest reflection that will show in them is WHO we understand HE created US to be.
So as you make your resolutions for this New Year, think about what you want for your family, if you don’t have kids, think about maybe another family member.
We all struggle, we all need help at different times in life, and we can all be a light, and especially as parents, be that parental guide for your child, no matter how young or old they are because you lead and they will follow, maybe not in a split second, but stay on the Lord’s path and they will… just as scripture tells us, NOT depart from that way.
So be that example this year, even when you don’t feel like being an example.. BE ONE.
Εξυπνιζω NBJ 2018 Original Post 2018/ REVISTED,08/03/2022. We are now more aware than ever of the demonic influence that has also taken over public systems, as the Bible teaches us, please be vigilant concerning what your children are being taught be it in school, a “church”, a social group and make certain that those are the values you wish for your child because once the damage has been done, we as parents can never go back and protect our children from those whom we would have never believed that they needed protective from. 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
“The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him, What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what the son of my vows?
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings” Proverbs 31:1-3
Before I get to far into this, how about I tell ya what we are doing here?
One thing that has came from the “social isolation” is families spending time together, reconnecting, and being a part of one another’s lives that they normal would never be exposed to.
Parents working from home, kids getting a bird’s eye view of just why it is their parents may be tired, sleepy, and even just a little grumpy after a day at the “office” and parents now have to ‘home school” their children are getting a glimpse of just how differently academic standards can change in a generation and can quickly realize the stressful expectations modern education truly lays on the shoulders of students.
And the beauty in all this bustle is this… families are also spending time together , doing dinner together, sharing household chores together, fending off boredom by entertaining themselves together, gardening and planting flowers together and all sharing in the responsibilities of protecting the family from the virus by acting very consciously together.
So now that’s enough links to cover the flip side of this coin, I want to talk about the wonderful opportunity that God has placed right in the middle of all this fear and worry and to do that we are going to hit verse by verse through Proverbs 31.
Thinking a little about the meaning in each line and the importance of a mother’s role in not only teaching her children but the express wisdom she imparts to her children and bear in my mind that often theses conversations in the Bible are between mothers and adult offspring.
It is never too late as this verse begins by informing us that he is relaying the words of his mother, meaning he listened to her and those were kept in his heart and mind. She first gave him confirmation, triple confirmation, of their bond.
Her first warning to him was the dangers of being seduced away, by letting lust lead him into destruction, the cross references to these verses actually take you to the dangers of adultery and the danger of that day, when men had multiple wives, which was NEVER God’s intention, people often think because something is “in” the Bible that it means that whatever those mentioned were doing must have been okay with God, but NO!
The Bible is full of stories of people who were, well just that… people and the stories are in the Bible to let us know that God forgives and we are all kinda messed up but the people in those stories did all kinds of things that were never part of God’s plan, that is why Jesus came to save us.
So the Mama was warning her son to stay away for the traps and snares that would ruin him and in modern society celibacy until marriage is thought comical BUT God’s word is eternal and so are the reasons it was taught then and those reasons and the reasons given against affairs are as valid now.
It ruins lives, ruins families and that grass that was greener will fade and withered brown and once it has there will be no going back to what was once had.
God does repair but people are left with pain and regret that they must allow God to heal.
Proverbs 31:4-6: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor princes to drink strong drink;
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert judgment (justice)of any of the afflicted.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto him that be of heavy (biter) heart.
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.”
Now she is warning him to pitfall, that again is viewed almost comedic in modern culture.
But again, just as clearly defined and the reasons that God gives us to avoid alcohol is also clearly defined for our benefit an dour families benefit, and as Mama is explaining to him, as a ruler being intoxicated will cause he to forget what is right and will cause and lead to an absolute miscarriage of justice against those who desperately need help the most.
And that “strong drink” should be reserved for those on bed of death and wine only for those whose heart is full of sorrow, I think as spiritual, new wine, God making all things new, as God gives us spiritual wine, we are no longer poor, maybe materially but not spiritually. Jesus said ye are rich, rich in him and the Kingdom of God which is not of this world, but the next. Making his followers forget the misery that their lives once was.
Now she is ready to dispense her most sage advise for sons, for daughters, for all her children and her children’s children children, advice that would be for the ages… because after all it has survived ages.
“Open thy mouth, for the dumb (speechless)in the cause, of all such as appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and PLEAD the cause of the poor and the needy” Proverbs 31:8-9
And now the beauty and the truly remarkable attributes of being a woman, a wife, a mother and I can never do anything dealing with marriage without pointing out the fact that God loves women, and the old man made thoughts that women are subservient an dare objects to be owned, is just that man made.
Men were to love and cherish their wives, as Christ loved the church, and he does not harm the church, he loved the church enough to die for us all.
God says in his words that marriage means this, two become one, so marriage is a union, not of one versus one, both of two producing a family unit that was intended to act as one, for the good and love of all.
Proverbs 31:10-12: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safety trust in her, so that he hath no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
Virtuous translates to wife of valor and meaning that her son would do well to find a woman of honesty, integrity and in doing so that her impact in their life would be greater than as if they possessed the world’s greatest riches.
Just as mothers desire that daughters marry men who will be good husbands in treating their wife and family well.
Not always the case, we now have many many virtuous women who have the roles of father, mother, provider, care giver, everything duty of parental guidance solely upon their shoulders as they take on the role of solitary family guide, in not way fair or right but it is now the norm and these ladies should be honored by us and in our society. the next verses are perfect for these leading ladies of life, navigating solely, sacrificing their own needs for their benefit of their children, parents, and communities.
They give so much and are often overlooked and given nothing in return, or so it seems… God sees it all, he sees their hurt, their worry, he sees the abuse they have suffered, he has seen the adultery on the behalf of the spouses that lead them to this solitary path. And these next verse surely apply to those who do it all while feeling that they are alone.
Proverbs 31:13_21:”She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willing with her hands. She is like the merchant’s ships: she bringeth food from afar.
She rises also while it is yet night, and giveth meat (food) unto her household, and a portion unto her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: and with the fruit (earnings) of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengthen her arms.
She preceiveth that her merchandise is good; her candle (lamp) goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She strectcheth (extends) her hand to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk (fine linen) and purple.”
We’ve got a lot of mirroring going on in these verses.
This lady is a worker, she is seizing every opportunity for the betterment of her household, she is up working, as everyone else sleeps, her light shines brightly even the dark night.
She is good to everyone, not just her family, she is good to her friends and she is especially good to those in need, even “reaching’ out to them to help them also.
She prepares for tomorrow as she has her family reading for coming season and mirror scarlet to having her family saved clothed under the blood of the Lamb, she herself wearing fine linen, her robe of righteousness given to her from God, and purple as she is the daughter of the King.
The next verses apply to the married ladies and the blessing that they bring to their husbands and family:
It reminds me so much of the wives of pastors, who are often the sweetest, kindest women who give so much of themselves for the church the love and are blessings to all they mingle with and again referencing all their hard work.
Proverbs 31:23-24: “Her husband is known to the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles (sashes) unto the merchants.”
And now back to the virtue in virtuous, for all his daughters.
Proverbs 31:25-31: ” Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in the time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; and her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously (well) but thou excellest them all.
Favour (charm) is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
Women, daughters, wives, mothers, grandmothers, pastors, ministers, doctors, lawyers, food workers, factory workers, home school mama’s. librarians, college deans, every job imaginable and all the “domestic engineering” in between, bold, between, kind, and often unseen.
So on this special day, Bless all of you who are mothers as you impart these wisdom’s, as Lemuel mother did as you have this time with your children.
Know that as we ended with her works will praise her, your work time and love will bring multitudes of joy in the days ahead and your children will always remember what you have did for them and they will never forget.
Know this my friends, you may not be a mother yet, but maybe you “mother” those around you, sisters or brothers or maybe you even feel like you have to be a mother to your own parents, or you are a “den” mother caring for every stray that comes your way, no matter what “woman’ you are, maybe life has been hitting you so hard and you feel like no one sees, know one knows but I promise you, one does, His name is Jesus and HE is watching over you, every single step from above!
Φλογιζω/ NBJ 2020 Reverend Nina Brown Johnson
REVISITED 05/09/2021 & 05/07/22 Have a Blessed Mother’s Day!
This song has nothing to do with being virtuous, it is actually “Virtuoso” the reprise version and it is about the beauty of God and His sovereignty over our lives.
It is just one of my all time favorites and for some reason it had just been in my heart and my head for this post so it you have never heard it, please check it out.
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
“Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them upon the face of the earth.” Amos 5:8
We know what could be said, I personally can never say it enough. He is omnipotent and omnipresent, no matter where you are, He is with you. He is holy, beautiful, complete in glory and majesty and yet having a gentleness and humility unlike anything of this world.
He is the Lord and beside Him, there is no savior. Jeremiah 23:23″Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off ? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.”
When he revealed himself to Saul, who was on his way to arrest all the Christians that he could round-up, Jesus told him it was useless to resist him, my question would be who could?
He then transformed Saul to his chosen vessel Paul, who would go preach the very gospel he had so adamantly fought against! With thirteen books of the New Testament having been authored by him.
Now that is a true transformation of mind and soul! So many atrocities are committed in the name of God, but he is nowhere near of any it. Jesus is gentle and merciful and does not condone beating children, animals or anyone.
He himself, suffered a horrific beating before His crucifixion, in our place, so why would He want us to beat others or be subjected to it? Evil always pretends that it is for the cause of good, because Satan is a liar and the father of lies.
The Bible recalling work after work of the Lord with the heavens, the earth, and the seas, and all of creation declaring His glory. His will and purpose for us equating into that plan when we should be so small, so insignificant, but the God of the universe has called His followers, His friends! The nations are as but a drop of water in a bucket to Him and yet He has called us his peculiar treasure.
Maybe that is why we are a peculiar treasure, that He would think of us and walk with Adam and Eve in the garden, and speak with Moses, first from a burning bush and then face to face, visit with Abraham and spend time with the disciples before returning to heaven and cry when we cry and hear us when we call and heaven comes down to visit earth.
No matter how we profess our love for Him, the truth of the matter and the secret to it all, is HIS love toward us!
A love so far beyond our human comprehension and defying all our human logic.
And the best part is His word and His word will not return void, it will do what He sent it to do. So no matter where you are on this earth, what persecution and ridicule that you may be suffering today, I want you to know He does love you and He sees all that you endure. Hold onto to Him, don’t try to figure anything out on your own, give it all to Him and He will guide you in the way you need to go.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth him out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh (near) unto them that are of a broken spirit and saveth such as be of a contrite (crushed) spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Psalm 34:15, 17-19
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, HE IS my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for (of) the terror by night; nor the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence (trouble) that walketh in darkness; nor the destruction that wasteth( lays waste) at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee.” Psalm 91:1-6,11
“Because thou hath made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation (dwelling place);” Psalm 91:9
The Lord’s answer follows: “Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will deliver him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him.”
Again him, being a generic term for all humans.
Literally living, breathing, being kept hidden from the adversary under the protective presence of all-powerful, all-knowing God.
“For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me: he shall set me upon a rock.
And now mine head shall be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle (presence) sacrifices of joy:
I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
Hear, O, Lord when I cry with my voice: have mercy upon me and answer me.
When thou saidst Seek ye my face: my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” Psalm 27:5-8
Life is never fair.
Things happen, it rains on the just and the unjust.
Trials and heartache come, but there is a presence of God, a place of safety, a place that assures you peace even in the midst of a storm raging all around you. A reassurance that can only be found in His everlasting arms, under the shadow of his wings.
If you need this today, all you have to do is ask Him, He does understand, He created you in the palm of His hand and yet those wings spread so far that He can cover the entire world with them.
That is who HE IS and that is one of the many reasons we love Him and worship Him and He never forces us to do any of it.
“And ye will seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
My sincerest prayer for you today is that the Lord keep you, bless you and make his face shine upon you and give you peace, in the name above every name, Jesus of Nazareth. AMEN
Φλογιζω/ All rights reserved. NBJ 2015 Revisited 2019 * I wanted to revisit this post again as we still watch the heartache that plays out in our world, and it can cause feelings of helplessness and overwhelming hopelessness, but don’t lose heart, God always wins!
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
The truest test of bravery comes not by being the strongest or the most well-trained, or sharpest shooter on the field.
The results of the true test of bravery comes through what would appear the weakest and least prepared of soldiers. And we know all about judging books by covers or rather the warning not too, all know the story of Samuel being sent to Jesse, to complete the task of anointing a new king, and we know that in the family opinion, David’s kingly attribute’s were so, how shall we say… um, lacking, nada, zilch, not even gonna happen, that they didn’t even bother to call him in.
But it was this boy, who had that little something extra, tucked away so deep on the inside that no one could even see it, but he would be chosen, because God saw it, because God had placed it there.
Gideon, another who had fearfully hid from his enemies to get food for his family, and even when he was angelically informed that the enemies demise was gonna be his job, he needed reassurance that this was God’s plan, not his.
I had actually heard Gideon referred to as a “sissy” by a Bible teacher once, I’m like thinking, oh, I don’t think I’d be saying that because we know what we judge another for we often end up in that same dilemma to teach us a little it about walking a mile in their shoes. Gideon was wise, he could have died by the hand of his enemies and been fine, but to fall into the hands of the Living God is a very different, very terrifying fate!
Mary, the consummate story of having a table prepared in the presence of your enemies! She knew what these guys thought of her, but she had to go into the house of her enemy and pour out her soul, and in the presence of her enemies, she washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, which at this time, hair was considered a lady’s glory and to use it is in such a display of absolute humility, not to be confused with humiliation, was unheard of, but oh, what had been laid out on that table!
There are so many today, who just do not know yet, the full power of what is living right there inside of you, that courage to pour yourself out, the courage to share your pain and sorrows and lay down at the master’s feet for all the world to see.
Sometimes our spiritual battles could be best compared to wounded creatures, when they are hurt and so desperately need treatment and those who try to intervene are met with growls and a display of teeth, sometimes those wounds are so painful that we don’t want anyone seeing them or touching them, but it is in those wounds and allowing the healing of them that true valor and courage are shown to others.
Sometimes in the church world there can be a lack of empathy, I once heard a man years and years ago say something, and I am not bashing him, I actually like him and I know this was based on sheer lack of empathy, it in was in context of joy, and he made the reference of giving the devil too much credit and that a lady had said he just didn’t know what the devil had put her through, his answer was don’t give credit to the devil.
He had no idea what she may have been through, people have often suffered abuses that they are just not comfortable telling a roomful of people and it could have been something that he could not have possibly understood.
Standing in faith with her and praying for her when she felt that she could no longer stand and assuring that she did not stand alone would have served much better than reprimanding her for feeling.
And this guaranteed no one else who was listening would ever chance showing their pain for fear of being rejected as “weak”. I also love another oldie, really prevalent with the old school crew (And yes, I love them too, just using examples here), about people “coming in looking like they’ve been sucking on lemons” and “How can God’s people lack joy?”
It is not that they lack joy, obviously if they have survived thus far, they have a better foundation with God, then some would think.
There are snares, traps, and schemes from then enemy but sometimes people have problems and wounds that take time to heal!
I heard a minister say the coolest thing ever once, I am quoting him, because I do not have his name or otherwise I would give it, but he said when you ask someone how they are and they reply “fine” this usually means “Fractured, Injured, Neurotic, and Empty”!
But that pressure to be whole, groovy, problem free Christians doesn’t really send out a safety beacon to those who don’t necessarily feel that same way!
I am sincerely happy for the ones who have it together and have reached that place we strive to, the place of perfect love, blessing your enemies, joying in persecutions and we truly must attempt to reach that, but for those who haven’t and those in the world, struggling to keep their heads up out of the water, another warrior is sometimes needed to stand with them in that battle.
Broken, broken people have no connection to others who profess to never, ever have a care in the world, or have never made a mistake and treat others tears with disgust. True courage and true valor are found in the honesty of someone admitting they are not perfect, that they struggle but that they never surrender in that battle and that is what acts as that beacon of hope, the love and light of Jesus, shining through that once broken vessel, for the world to see, his light reflecting through as rays of hope on the black, deathly violent waging sea of this world.
David, through the name of the Lord ,which was his high tower, defeated a giant that everyone else dared not tangle with, what is often forgotten about this story, they planned to take Isareal as slaves!
So this wasn’t just a victory for David, it was God using him to prevent the enslavement of them all!
Gideon’ sword backed by the sword of the Lord defeated the enemies that had held them virtual prisoners in their own land, God even subtracting the army numbers down to three hundred to ensure to all would know that it was truly he who fought this battle!
Mary, who was quite accustomed to being treated like an object was completely vindicated when Jesus heard the thoughts in Simon’s head concerning her and lined him out at Simon’s own dinner, in front of all his guests, that he knew who she was!
And Mary never would have been invited to the dinner table of a Pharisee but blessed she never left the table of the Lord, she went on to follow him and she was the first he appeared to after his resurrection.
Simon was half right, only out of context with his judgmental thinking, Jesus did know exactly who it was touching Him, it was his messed up, wounded daughter who came to be healed.
He knew Mary’s soul, something none of us can ever know about another. So be strong, be of good courage, don’t be afraid to show others all your scars from the wounds Jesus has healed, let them see and then they won’t be so afraid to let Him see the wounds of their own soul because he wants to heal them but they have to be willing to let Him look at all those bloody places in their souls.
Revelation 2:7: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”
Revelation 2:11: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”
Revelation 2:17: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”
Revelation 2:26: “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.”
Revelation 3:5: “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”
Revelation 3:12: “Him that overcometh, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”
Revelation 3:21: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
These are his promises to you!
All things made new, all the labels gone, new names, and forever be in the presence of him! He also told us to “Let no man take your crown”, scriptural meaning humans, male or female, that let’s you know you gotta fight! So how do you do that? You fight with courage, and valor, and vigor just like Mary and the others and not care who sees, or what they think and you worship your God!
And as others try to give you a hard time, remember this verse, and remind yourself that it is truly the power of the enemy that is attacking because he is the accuser he just uses others as his messengers.
Revelation 12:10 “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and of the power of his Christ: For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
When someone tries to remind you of your past, you remind them who they are, agents of Satan, accusing you because they are filled with him. Take this sword, keep it and your mind sharp to the power of it:
Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him ( the devil) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and that they loved not their lives into the death.”
The union between heaven and earth, first the surrendering into His blood and then your own testimony of what the blood of the Lamb has changed in your life and not loving your “friends” or lifestyle, or worldly image more! Ponder it today and so many of you, are here for this time on earth, to be that light on behalf of Jesus.
Let no one stop you, and never lose your crown or your guts! Φλογιζω/ all rights reserved. nbj 2015 ***Archive post, original post date 08/05/2015*** REVISTED 08/12/2021 Praying this will be an encouragement today!
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
“The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him, What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what the son of my vows?
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings” Proverbs 31:1-3
Before I get to far into this, how about I tell ya what we are doing here?
One thing that has came from the “social isolation” is families spending time together, reconnecting, and being a part of one another’s lives that they normal would never be exposed to.
Parents working from home, kids getting a bird’s eye view of just why it is their parents may be tired, sleepy, and even just a little grumpy after a day at the “office” and parents now have to ‘home school” their children are getting a glimpse of just how differently academic standards can change in a generation and can quickly realize the stressful expectations modern education truly lays on the shoulders of students.
And the beauty in all this bustle is this… families are also spending time together , doing dinner together, sharing household chores together, fending off boredom by entertaining themselves together, gardening and planting flowers together and all sharing in the responsibilities of protecting the family from the virus by acting very consciously together.
So now that’s enough links to cover the flip side of this coin, I want to talk about the wonderful opportunity that God has placed right in the middle of all this fear and worry and to do that we are going to hit verse by verse through Proverbs 31.
Thinking a little about the meaning in each line and the importance of a mother’s role in not only teaching her children but the express wisdom she imparts to her children and bear in my mind that often theses conversations in the Bible are between mothers and adult offspring.
It is never too late as this verse begins by informing us that he is relaying the words of his mother, meaning he listened to her and those were kept in his heart and mind. She first gave him confirmation, triple confirmation, of their bond.
Her first warning to him was the dangers of being seduced away, by letting lust lead him into destruction, the cross references to these verses actually take you to the dangers of adultery and the danger of that day, when men had multiple wives, which was NEVER God’s intention, people often think because something is “in” the Bible that it means that whatever those mentioned were doing must have been okay with God, but NO!
The Bible is full of stories of people who were, well just that… people and the stories are in the Bible to let us know that God forgives and we are all kinda messed up but the people in those stories did all kinds of things that were never part of God’s plan, that is why Jesus came to save us.
So the Mama was warning her son to stay away for the traps and snares that would ruin him and in modern society celibacy until marriage is thought comical BUT God’s word is eternal and so are the reasons it was taught then and those reasons and the reasons given against affairs are as valid now.
It ruins lives, ruins families and that grass that was greener will fade and withered brown and once it has there will be no going back to what was once had.
God does repair but people are left with pain and regret that they must allow God to heal.
Proverbs 31:4-6: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor princes to drink strong drink;
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert judgment (justice)of any of the afflicted.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto him that be of heavy (biter) heart.
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.”
Now she is warning him to pitfall, that again is viewed almost comedic in modern culture.
But again, just as clearly defined and the reasons that God gives us to avoid alcohol is also clearly defined for our benefit an dour families benefit, and as Mama is explaining to him, as a ruler being intoxicated will cause he to forget what is right and will cause and lead to an absolute miscarriage of justice against those who desperately need help the most.
And that “strong drink” should be reserved for those on bed of death and wine only for those whose heart is full of sorrow, I think as spiritual, new wine, God making all things new, as God gives us spiritual wine, we are no longer poor, maybe materially but not spiritually. Jesus said ye are rich, rich in him and the Kingdom of God which is not of this world, but the next. Making his followers forget the misery that their lives once was.
Now she is ready to dispense her most sage advise for sons, for daughters, for all her children and her children’s children children, advice that would be for the ages… because after all it has survived ages.
“Open thy mouth, for the dumb (speechless)in the cause, of all such as appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and PLEAD the cause of the poor and the needy” Proverbs 31:8-9
And now the beauty and the truly remarkable attributes of being a woman, a wife, a mother and I can never do anything dealing with marriage without pointing out the fact that God loves women, and the old man made thoughts that women are subservient an dare objects to be owned, is just that man made.
Men were to love and cherish their wives, as Christ loved the church, and he does not harm the church, he loved the church enough to die for us all.
God says in his words that marriage means this, two become one, so marriage is a union, not of one versus one, both of two producing a family unit that was intended to act as one, for the good and love of all.
Proverbs 31:10-12: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safety trust in her, so that he hath no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
Virtuous translates to wife of valor and meaning that her son would do well to find a woman of honesty, integrity and in doing so that her impact in their life would be greater than as if they possessed the world’s greatest riches.
Just as mothers desire that daughters marry men who will be good husbands in treating their wife and family well.
Not always the case, we now have many many virtuous women who have the roles of father, mother, provider, care giver, everything duty of parental guidance solely upon their shoulders as they take on the role of solitary family guide, in not way fair or right but it is now the norm and these ladies should be honored by us and in our society. the next verses are perfect for these leading ladies of life, navigating solely, sacrificing their own needs for their benefit of their children, parents, and communities.
They give so much and are often overlooked and given nothing in return, or so it seems… God sees it all, he sees their hurt, their worry, he sees the abuse they have suffered, he has seen the adultery on the behalf of the spouses that lead them to this solitary path. And these next verse surely apply to those who do it all while feeling that they are alone.
Proverbs 31:13_21:”She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willing with her hands. She is like the merchant’s ships: she bringeth food from afar.
She rises also while it is yet night, and giveth meat (food) unto her household, and a portion unto her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: and with the fruit (earnings) of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengthen her arms.
She preceiveth that her merchandise is good; her candle (lamp) goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She strectcheth (extends) her hand to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk (fine linen) and purple.”
We’ve got a lot of mirroring going on in these verses.
This lady is a worker, she is seizing every opportunity for the betterment of her household, she is up working, as everyone else sleeps, her light shines brightly even the dark night.
She is good to everyone, not just her family, she is good to her friends and she is especially good to those in need, even “reaching’ out to them to help them also.
She prepares for tomorrow as she has her family reading for coming season and mirror scarlet to having her family saved clothed under the blood of the Lamb, she herself wearing fine linen, her robe of righteousness given to her from God, and purple as she is the daughter of the King.
The next verses apply to the married ladies and the blessing that they bring to their husbands and family:
It reminds me so much of the wives of pastors, who are often the sweetest, kindest women who give so much of themselves for the church the love and are blessings to all they mingle with and again referencing all their hard work.
Proverbs 31:23-24: “Her husband is known to the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles (sashes) unto the merchants.”
And now back to the virtue in virtuous, for all his daughters.
Proverbs 31:25-31: ” Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in the time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; and her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously (well) but thou excellest them all.
Favour (charm) is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
Women, daughters, wives, mothers, grandmothers, pastors, ministers, doctors, lawyers, food workers, factory workers, home school mama’s. librarians, college deans, every job imaginable and all the “domestic engineering” in between, bold, between, kind, and often unseen.
So on this special day, Bless all of you who are mothers as you impart these wisdom’s, as Lemuel mother did as you have this time with your children.
Know that as we ended with her works will praise her, your work time and love will bring multitudes of joy in the days ahead and your children will always remember what you have did for them and they will never forget.
Know this my friends, you may not be a mother yet, but maybe you “mother” those around you, sisters or brothers or maybe you even feel like you have to be a mother to your own parents, or you are a “den” mother caring for every stray that comes your way, no matter what “woman’ you are, maybe life has been hitting you so hard and you feel like no one sees, know one knows but I promise you, one does, His name is Jesus and HE is watching over you, every single step from above!
Φλογιζω/ NBJ 2020 Reverend Nina Brown Johnson
REVISITED 05/09/2021 & 05/07/22 Have a Blessed Mother’s Day!
This song has nothing to do with being virtuous, it is actually “Virtuoso” the reprise version and it is about the beauty of God and His sovereignty over our lives.
It is just one of my all time favorites and for some reason it had just been in my heart and my head for this post so it you have never heard it, please check it out.
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
“The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him, What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what the son of my vows?
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings” Proverbs 31:1-3
Before I get to far into this, how about I tell ya what we are doing here?
One thing that has came from the “social isolation” is families spending time together, reconnecting, and being a part of one another’s lives that they normal would never be exposed to.
Parents working from home, kids getting a bird’s eye view of just why it is their parents may be tired, sleepy, and even just a little grumpy after a day at the “office” and parents now have to ‘home school” their children are getting a glimpse of just how differently academic standards can change in a generation and can quickly realize the stressful expectations modern education truly lays on the shoulders of students.
And the beauty in all this bustle is this… families are also spending time together , doing dinner together, sharing household chores together, fending off boredom by entertaining themselves together, gardening and planting flowers together and all sharing in the responsibilities of protecting the family from the virus by acting very consciously together.
So now that’s enough links to cover the flip side of this coin, I want to talk about the wonderful opportunity that God has placed right in the middle of all this fear and worry and to do that we are going to hit verse by verse through Proverbs 31.
Thinking a little about the meaning in each line and the importance of a mother’s role in not only teaching her children but the express wisdom she imparts to her children and bear in my mind that often theses conversations in the Bible are between mothers and adult offspring.
It is never too late as this verse begins by informing us that he is relaying the words of his mother, meaning he listened to her and those were kept in his heart and mind. She first gave him confirmation, triple confirmation, of their bond.
Her first warning to him was the dangers of being seduced away, by letting lust lead him into destruction, the cross references to these verses actually take you to the dangers of adultery and the danger of that day, when men had multiple wives, which was NEVER God’s intention, people often think because something is “in” the Bible that it means that whatever those mentioned were doing must have been okay with God, but NO!
The Bible is full of stories of people who were, well just that… people and the stories are in the Bible to let us know that God forgives and we are all kinda messed up but the people in those stories did all kinds of things that were never part of God’s plan, that is why Jesus came to save us.
So the Mama was warning her son to stay away for the traps and snares that would ruin him and in modern society celibacy until marriage is thought comical BUT God’s word is eternal and so are the reasons it was taught then and those reasons and the reasons given against affairs are as valid now.
It ruins lives, ruins families and that grass that was greener will fade and withered brown and once it has there will be no going back to what was once had.
God does repair but people are left with pain and regret that they must allow God to heal.
Proverbs 31:4-6: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor princes to drink strong drink;
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert judgment (justice)of any of the afflicted.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto him that be of heavy (biter) heart.
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.”
Now she is warning him to pitfall, that again is viewed almost comedic in modern culture.
But again, just as clearly defined and the reasons that God gives us to avoid alcohol is also clearly defined for our benefit an dour families benefit, and as Mama is explaining to him, as a ruler being intoxicated will cause he to forget what is right and will cause and lead to an absolute miscarriage of justice against those who desperately need help the most.
And that “strong drink” should be reserved for those on bed of death and wine only for those whose heart is full of sorrow, I think as spiritual, new wine, God making all things new, as God gives us spiritual wine, we are no longer poor, maybe materially but not spiritually. Jesus said ye are rich, rich in him and the Kingdom of God which is not of this world, but the next. Making his followers forget the misery that their lives once was.
Now she is ready to dispense her most sage advise for sons, for daughters, for all her children and her children’s children children, advice that would be for the ages… because after all it has survived ages.
“Open thy mouth, for the dumb (speechless)in the cause, of all such as appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and PLEAD the cause of the poor and the needy” Proverbs 31:8-9
And now the beauty and the truly remarkable attributes of being a woman, a wife, a mother and I can never do anything dealing with marriage without pointing out the fact that God loves women, and the old man made thoughts that women are subservient an dare objects to be owned, is just that man made.
Men were to love and cherish their wives, as Christ loved the church, and he does not harm the church, he loved the church enough to die for us all.
God says in his words that marriage means this, two become one, so marriage is a union, not of one versus one, both of two producing a family unit that was intended to act as one, for the good and love of all.
Proverbs 31:10-12: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safety trust in her, so that he hath no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
Virtuous translates to wife of valor and meaning that her son would do well to find a woman of honesty, integrity and in doing so that her impact in their life would be greater than as if they possessed the world’s greatest riches.
Just as mothers desire that daughters marry men who will be good husbands in treating their wife and family well.
Not always the case, we now have many many virtuous women who have the roles of father, mother, provider, care giver, everything duty of parental guidance solely upon their shoulders as they take on the role of solitary family guide, in not way fair or right but it is now the norm and these ladies should be honored by us and in our society. the next verses are perfect for these leading ladies of life, navigating solely, sacrificing their own needs for their benefit of their children, parents, and communities.
They give so much and are often overlooked and given nothing in return, or so it seems… God sees it all, he sees their hurt, their worry, he sees the abuse they have suffered, he has seen the adultery on the behalf of the spouses that lead them to this solitary path. And these next verse surely apply to those who do it all while feeling that they are alone.
Proverbs 31:13_21:”She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willing with her hands. She is like the merchant’s ships: she bringeth food from afar.
She rises also while it is yet night, and giveth meat (food) unto her household, and a portion unto her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: and with the fruit (earnings) of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengthen her arms.
She preceiveth that her merchandise is good; her candle (lamp) goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She strectcheth (extends) her hand to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk (fine linen) and purple.”
We’ve got a lot of mirroring going on in these verses.
This lady is a worker, she is seizing every opportunity for the betterment of her household, she is up working, as everyone else sleeps, her light shines brightly even the dark night.
She is good to everyone, not just her family, she is good to her friends and she is especially good to those in need, even “reaching’ out to them to help them also.
She prepares for tomorrow as she has her family reading for coming season and mirror scarlet to having her family saved clothed under the blood of the Lamb, she herself wearing fine linen, her robe of righteousness given to her from God, and purple as she is the daughter of the King.
The next verses apply to the married ladies and the blessing that they bring to their husbands and family:
It reminds me so much of the wives of pastors, who are often the sweetest, kindest women who give so much of themselves for the church the love and are blessings to all they mingle with and again referencing all their hard work.
Proverbs 31:23-24: “Her husband is known to the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles (sashes) unto the merchants.”
And now back to the virtue in virtuous, for all his daughters.
Proverbs 31:25-31: ” Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in the time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; and her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously (well) but thou excellest them all.
Favour (charm) is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
Women, daughters, wives, mothers, grandmothers, pastors, ministers, doctors, lawyers, food workers, factory workers, home school mama’s. librarians, college deans, every job imaginable and all the “domestic engineering” in between, bold, between, kind, and often unseen.
So on this special day, Bless all of you who are mothers as you impart these wisdom’s, as Lemuel mother did as you have this time with your children.
Know that as we ended with her works will praise her, your work time and love will bring multitudes of joy in the days ahead and your children will always remember what you have did for them and they will never forget.
Know this my friends, you may not be a mother yet, but maybe you “mother” those around you, sisters or brothers or maybe you even feel like you have to be a mother to your own parents, or you are a “den” mother caring for every stray that comes your way, no matter what “woman’ you are, maybe life has been hitting you so hard and you feel like no one sees, know one knows but I promise you, one does, His name is Jesus and HE is watching over you, every single step from above!
Φλογιζω/ NBJ 2020 Reverend Nina Brown Johnson
REVISTIED 05/09/2021
This song has nothing to do with being virtuous, it is actually “Virtuoso” the reprise version and it is about the beauty of God and His sovereignty over our lives.
It is just one of my all time favorites and for some reason it had just been in my heart and my head for this post so it you have never heard it, please check it out.
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
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”And of course that was Jesus speaking in John 10:10
And you may be wondering just what that has to do with pearls… EVERYTHING! Pearls ARE precious, most of us own a strand,we wear them on important occasions, and days we just want to dress up a little but there is something so secret, so beautiful, sofeminine that many of us love the feeling of wearing a strand of beautiful pearls with our favorite pair of jeans.
WHY? What on earth could be so different about these perfect little orbs that sets them so far apart from other “jewels” that may be considered EVEN more beautiful like diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, or even jade and all stones semi-precious?
Could it because of the association pearls have ALWAYS been associated with PURITY and INNOCENCE?
Forever the choice jewelry of BRIDES everywhere and do you remember reading that I did write that this entire blog is stir up and awaken us to the realization that weare part of a soon to take place wedding?
THE WEDDING OF THE AGES, with the KING OF THE UNIVERSE AS THE GROOM, COMPLETE WITH A TRULY ANGELIC CHOIR, AND THE HOST OF HEAVEN AS HIS WEDDING PARTY!
Revelation 20:9: “And he said unto me, Write, BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH ARE CALLED UNTO THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB.And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
And we are encouraged throughout the Bible to be prepared, to have on our “wedding garments” as John saw:
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, PREPARED as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2
And at this wedding we ALL get to wear our pearls! But sometimes we misplace them, or the “thief” comes and truly steals them, hides them from us, or just rips the strand apart and they plunge to the ground, whirling in a hundred directions and landing a thousand miles apart and we are left with the task of trying to recover every single pearl and restring the entire necklace.
But you know, we are not that talented because our true pearls were master crafted and ONLY He can put that necklace together again.
One of the ways pearls have been worn over the ages is a symbol of mourning because the little seed pearls look like tear drops and pearls were chosen by brides as a representation of purity, chastity, innocence, beauty, and mostly importantly for here, NEW BEGINNINGS.
Spiritually we are BORN with those beautiful pearls AS a gift from our Father when He created us.
And THOSE pearls ARE our innocence, our purity, and our beauty in Him. But LIFE and the enemy have a way of sneaking in and either getting us to take off those pearls and lay them aside and sometimes in moments of repeatedly putting them on, only to decide to take them back off, we end up misplacing them.
And sometimes we have taken them off, laid them down on a nightstand and the enemy has stolen them, hid them, and laughed as we beg for them back.. all the while telling us that had we really wanted them we would have never been in that bed anyway and now we don’t deserve them back.
And I think the hardest would be when you did not take them off, the enemy came with destruction and ripped them off your neck and being left absolutely helpless trying to gather them through your tears as they roll across the floor.
Can you see it? Can you see the innocence and the purity that the enemy HAS stolen, killed, and destroyed concerning the sisters and daughters IN the world and those who are SAVED and STILL struggle with surrendering completely to God for fear of what the enemy has LIED to them about?
Jesus IS the RESTORER, He wants nothing more than to RESTORE every single part of us. We are the ones who have the problem actually LETTING Him do that because we are often so afraid to let Him see what needs shown, EVEN though He already sees it, He already knows it.
You can be saved and still be holding on to something so deep, so painful that whether you know it or not really does IMPACT everything about your life, your happiness, and your joy. And to have true fulfillment in who He created you to be and who He wants you to be on this earth, you have to ask yourself, Where are those pearls?
And if NONE of this applies to you, that is great and just pray for the 99.9% that it does apply to.
Virginity or rather the loss thereof.. which is usually, in our present world the real point that starts so many women down the spiral to places He never intended His daughters to walk because that is something so precious and was only EVER meant to be shared in a holy union and that is why so many women have felt disillusioned, lost, and instead of feeling loved, have been left feeling completely empty and this sets them up to repeat this over and over again because so many feel like once that have started this path, the can never go back BUT I promise you can get off that path any time you choose.
Our society has brain washed women into giving themselves completely away simply because the world tells them that is what they are supposed to do.
Satan IS a liar and the father of lies, you will never find “love” in anything the world has to offer and sex is just satan’s completely carnal counter to what God had intended to be beautiful and it will never make you feel anything, when it is all said and done, than worse than you did before it happened.
Virginity is an absolute blessed state. So taking that obvious “loss” off the table. Pearls can be lost and damaged by our relationships to our father’s, fathers are supposed to protect us, nurture us and not everyone has that relationship or if you have had a father who is just emotionally distant, you are losing the pearls of security knowing that someone is looking out for you and that there is someone who will love you unconditionally and dry all your tears.
Maybe you had a great childhood and a wonderful Dad but marriage was the misplacement of your pearls.
If trust is broken when you have given someone your heart, your life, every part of all you are and it is supposed to be forever and either he turns out to be a jerk or worse a cheating batterer, because those two go hand in hand, well that is a recipe for a whole different disaster.
So, if as you have read this, you are feeling tears swell up just a little, I want to challenge you, we all KNOW our hearts, we all KNOW our hurts, wounds, and raging resentments, write them down, in your own private time, write them down, every single thing as far back as you can go that has hurt you, made you question your self-worth, and especially things that have made you feel like you have lost “yourself” and of course it is going to hurt and it will probably hurt like no tomorrow.
Don’t be surprised if you see things that you never noticed, times where people were manipulating you and you never realized, times that you can see in retrospect that led to bad decisions and self-destructive behavior later on.
If you worry someone will find your innermost secrets, burn it or shred it in a million pieces and flush it when you are through.
But it is necessary because it frees you and helps you recognize things for what they really are.
Wounds, memories, and mistakes that DO NOT define who you are, and we have to acknowledge these areas in order to TRULY give it all to Christ.
He is a perfect gentleman and He wants to help you and make all things new and HE DOES already KNOW every single detail of your life BUT He will not force His way into your life, but wants you to come to Him, KNOWING that He does NOT judge you and will NOT be asking WHY on earth did you do that?
Nor will He ask, WHAT were you thinking? He is nothing like anything most have been taught and I promise once you start “searching” for those pearls and being honest about “where” your life, in your past they had been misplaced or “where” they were stolen or THOUGHT destroyed by an event that you HAD NO CONTROL over.
HE CAN MAKE IT ALL NEW, I can not stress that enough, And I promise once that “alabaster” starts to crack, you will know, you will probably feel like your cracking too, but we HAVE to break to be made new and HE WILL NEVER LET YOU BREAK BEYOND REPAIR, so do not be afraid, LET HIM hold you and wipe away every tear and place upon your neck an even more precious strand, whose cost is beyond measure, and this new strand will never be misplaced again.
Join me next time and we’ll check out some alabaster!
Εξυπνιζω NBJ 2017 Reverend Nina Brown Johnson
Love this song! And this IS what you need to know!
*Authors note* This series originally posted on “Alabaster Breaking”, my sister site, that no longer exists. I found it very difficult to maintain both sites and just transferred those posts to this, my main site. Thank you
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
“Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?
I raised thee up(awakened) under the apple tree:…” Song of Solomon 7:5
The wilderness the daughters of God have been very acquainted with since the dawn of time. Since the fall of man, the enemy has ensured that we would be considered no more than property and every day countless of us are raped, abused, forced into prostitution and in many countries we are still property at the complete mercy of often unmerciful husbands.
While in other corners of the world, unable to carry lineage names daughters are aborted and others sold into slavery. Christianity of old.
Tainted by MEN also seemed to teach that women are inferior but the truth is far from that. My biggest struggle in coming to Christ was this very topic, I was like, Why are women always the bad ones? Misguided teaching of confused or intentionally biased doctrine has kept many away and who could blame them? Many modern women who have been left to support their children completely alone, who have struggled to pay their bills, put food on their tables, educate themselves and their children, just barely surviving through the world.
And if they happen into the wrong church they will hear that they are of a lesser value to God than their male counterparts. To “fit in” they will need to change everything about themselves and sit down and above all shut up. Even after God had enlightened me to the truth and helped me understand his word, I still had trouble wrapping my head around a few things. I did most of intense studying before my child was school aged, after everyone was asleep and my house cleaned, I would stay up and read until I could not function any longer.
One night I happened upon Judges 19 which in my opinion contains the most disturbing and gruesome story in the entire Bible. It mirrors the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, ironically found in Genesis 19, when Lot had offered his virgin daughters to the deviant, demon possessed pagans, who were demanding he turn over his male visitors to them, “that they may know them” translated, so they could gang rape them.
The Bible clear to point out that Lot offered these girls with a “do whatever you want to them” agreement to try to get them to take them instead of the male visitors.
To break Judges 19 down, a Levite had a concubine, it says she “played the harlot”. I’m not sure how that worked since she was “kept” for that purpose, double standards of the day, which still equate in our culture as the difference between a guy being a “player” and a woman being a “slut”.
Another problem Jesus addressed when he came to earth, he wants two people married, period. Enlightening them to their double standards when they wanted judgment against the adulterous woman, of course it takes two, but they seemed to have forgotten to bring her partner in this sin before the Lord, His answer to them translating to this, if they themselves had no sin, go ahead hit her.
Standing in front of a Holy God they couldn’t do it.
But at the time of Judges, men could have as many women as they wanted but it was never God’s plan. To get on with the story, she went back to her father’s house, so he comes after her to talk her into coming back, finally she agreed, and after being detained several days they went on their way.
He refused to stay anywhere other than lands belonging to the tribes of Israel and insisted on traveling to a city of the tribe of Benjamin, they had nowhere to stay, so an old man invited them to stay with him, pleading that they not stay outside, soon just as with Sodom, there were men at his door demanding he turn over this man to them that they “may know him”.
Picture perfect to Sodom, only lacking the presence of the angels that saved Lot’s daughters. So the old guy offers his daughter and the concubine, again with the agreement to whatever they wanted to them, just do not touch the man.
They refused, they still wanted the man, so the guy just takes the concubine and throws her out to them and they repeatedly gang rape her until the morning and then they let her go.
She makes it to the door of the house where she collapses, she just lies there helplessly until he gets up, opens the door and finds her and he actually tells her quite simply, to get up they have to get going, needless to say she is dead. He dismembers her body into twelve parts and sends a part to each of the tribes and war is waged. It wasn’t that they raped her or that she was dead that bothered him, it was because they destroyed his property.
I read this and I was alone with my shock and absolute horror and knowing the Lord, I just asked “Why, Why are we of so little value?” These “men” would not even try to fend off these monsters, not even try to muster up an ounce of anything remotely resembling courage to fight for themselves.
Forget chivalry, or protection, an ounce of some sort of compassion, but to just offer these women as less than nothing and to do it to save themselves. I just could not understand it.
I do understand that at the time the thought of this being done to men was so unthinkable that they were desperate to prevent it. But they could have tried to prevent it for happening to any of them.
The God I know would never sanction this stuff or ever condone it and I was in tears, and it just hit me to keep reading, the bottom line is this, at the very end of Judges, “In those days there was no king in Israel: Every man did what was right in his own eyes.”
This was never God!
He never put these things in men’s hearts and for years it was falsely taught and still is in many places.
Men still do what is right in their own eyes and only God can make them see the truth. But it is time for the awakening of his daughters.
No matter what false beliefs that women have been brainwashed by, we have to let them know that this is not what Jesus is about. He does not hate women and did not create us to be objects of amusement to fulfill the twisted lusts of men nor to be their gender indentured servants.
If we are ever to see those that are oppressed be saved and free, they have to know the truth about him and who he is and most of all who they are in him.
A forgotten child, much like David, when no one would even waste their time to call him to be presented before Samuel the Prophet, because in their eyes why would a prophet possibly want to speak with someone so unimportant and simple?
A forgotten child from the greatest of tribes, who just happened to be a woman, a sister to the twelve tribes of Israel, a forgotten child that no one bothers to mention because she was not as important as her brothers, or so they thought.
Dinah, the seventh child Leah bore to Jacob, a woman who also a thing or two about pain and substandard treatment, who had been raped and used as a bargaining chip which led to a mass slaughter.
Her bloodline STILL offering an inheritance. because she was one of the tribe.
The most prophetic beauty with Dinah is the meaning of her name, “JUDGEMENT.”
It is awakening time for the sisters, the beautiful, forgotten army who have a straight shot to the heart of the Father.
You are so strong, so powerful, and yet, you do not even know WHO YOU ARE in HIM, and so unaware of your predestined place in this end time end game.
You are the spiritual virgins and maidens forever following to proclaim the majesty, beauty, and holiness of the Kings of Kings.
It is the love and proclamations that Hannah, and Mary, and never forget Mary Magdalene, He came to her first because she needed him the most.
Take your place in the kingdom, it is not going to be accomplished with half an army. The adoration and praises from hearts that have known sorrows and pain that men can never begin to understand.
A relationship to God who will bring justice for others on behalf of the cries of the souls of his daughters. Unlike the time of Judges, unlike the women who are your sisters the world over, who are oppressed and in bondage.
You have access to a King, the King, and The King over heaven, and earth, and the entire universe, He will plead their cause if you bring them before his throne in that secret prayer closet. He will bring justice for those your tears flood the altar for, when you allow your soul to be awakened under that tree, awakened by a love so strong, so powerful, so consuming that you wear that love as a covering for the whole world to see.
“I AM the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among the thorns so is my love among the daughters. as the apple tree among the trees of wood so it my beloved among the sons.
I sat down under his shadow with great delight his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me into the banqueting house and his banner of me was LOVE” Song of Solomon 2:1-4
Translated: KNOW HIM for who HE IS, allow his love to bloom in you, in spite of the valleys and thorns, breathe in his sweetness and lift you up out of those ashes and hide in the secret place of the Most High, under the shadow of his wings, taste the goodness of his salvation and let him bring you into his house of feasting and the love of Jehovah Nissi is his war flag over his daughters and the love is the secret to it all.
Φλογίζω / 02/05/2015. All rights reserved. Rev. Nina BrownJohnson 2015
For later posts in the realm of all things feminine, check these out:
REVISTED:08/01/2019 I like to revisit these older posts, because sometimes we just need to be reminded of who Jesus REALLY is and who he has called us to be in him.
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
2 Corinthians 4:3,4: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them.”
Hidden gospel, hidden, showing proof that it is there, hidden to blinded minds, minds blinded by the very force that trapped them in that darkness.
Hidden in the dark, dark places where not as much as a single ray of sun dares shine.
I am not as concerned with the demonic forces that hold that darkness as I am with those who are their imprisoned, shackled victims.
Victims of abuse, systematic mental torture and twisted mind games.
I understand the feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, guilt, and shame and the effects of PTSD and it’s array of problems.
But I am still a fan, because I know that it is not a mental condition, it is a self-preservation tool given to us. Because the suffered trauma would be far more than our minds could deal with and we would not be able to.
And I know there is only one cure to it all.
Unbelievers say how can you believe in whom you can’t see, well if you never seek him, why would he reveal himself to you?
That is the cool thing, we are carnal before we are spiritual. It’s like thinking you are going to walk before you even learn to crawl.
But if your heart is already hardened to him, don’t even bother going any farther reading this.Because I know what I know, I’m not fluffy and have been very, very much in the world and I also know who saved me and freed me from the prison of my mind and picked me up out of the ashes of my life.
Disputing or trying to pick me or the word of God apart is not going to change any of it.
So this is for those who are cowering in that darkness, scared ,hidden, not wanting to die but too terrified to live.
So terrified that you hide the real you behind an appearance or attitude that will appear fearful to others to prevent any sign of vulnerability or gentleness or anything that others could possibly misinterpret as weakness.
God did none of these things to you.
But only he can heal you and help you, but you have to let him.He does exist and He is so much more than you can ever imagine and He already knows every hurt, every pain, and every tear you have ever cried.
But you have to realize who your enemy is and I promise it is not Jesus or the truth of the Gospel.
He came to set the captive’s free, to give you not only life, but life abundant.
To give you beauty that you can not even begin to understand for those ashes.
And to give you hope, peace, joy and deliverance from all those things you have come to believe are just a part of you. You do not have to carry it forever, you can be free.
This is not a Christian thing, or conversion thing.It is simply this, as the Disciples said “such as we have been given”.
If he did it for me he will for anyone and my journey started with “If you are really there, please help me” and I promise you if you are reading this through tears, it is a divine appointment.
Psalm 27:1:”The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the lord is my life; of whom shall I be afraid.”
Psalm 119:105:”Thy word isa lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
John 8:12:”Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
If you have tried it all, all the world offers and all the self-destruction tactics that go with it.
Please let me suggest trying the light, the true light, Jesus is that light, trust him and you will never walk alone and most of all, you will never, ever walk in that darkness again.
Φλογίζω/ All right reserved. Rev. Nina BrownJohnson 2015
Original post: 05/19/2015 Revisited 06/29/2019
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
“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
Not only as Christians but just as humans we go through many seasons in life and all these seasonal changes can often leave us disillusioned, drained, despondent and the most dreaded and deadly of the “D” words, discouraged. 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.
January 2015 my Dad was hospitalized and it really did not look like he was going to make it, before going to visit him one morning I got prayer and I had never before nor have I since received a word at that particular church. 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. He ran for his life, he had became so weary that he just wanted it all over and just wanted to go home.
God always patient and merciful sent an angel to feed him and strengthen him, showing us as always God knows right where we are, even when he did not send us in that direction and even though he continued on his emotionally self propelled journey God provided for him. 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.
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
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”And of course that was Jesus speaking in John 10:10
And you may be wondering just what that has to do with pearls… EVERYTHING! Pearls ARE precious, most of us own a strand,we wear them on important occasions, and days we just want to dress up a little but there is something so secret, so beautiful, sofeminine that many of us love the feeling of wearing a strand of beautiful pearls with our favorite pair of jeans.
WHY? What on earth could be so different about these perfect little orbs that sets them so far apart from other “jewels” that may be considered EVEN more beautiful like diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, or even jade and all stones semi-precious?
Could it because of the association pearls have ALWAYS been associated with PURITY and INNOCENCE?
Forever the choice jewelry of BRIDES everywhere and do you remember reading that I did write that this entire blog is stir up and awaken us to the realization that weare part of a soon to take place wedding?
THE WEDDING OF THE AGES, with the KING OF THE UNIVERSE AS THE GROOM, COMPLETE WITH A TRULY ANGELIC CHOIR, AND THE HOST OF HEAVEN AS HIS WEDDING PARTY!
Revelation 20:9: “And he said unto me, Write, BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH ARE CALLED UNTO THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB.And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
And we are encouraged throughout the Bible to be prepared, to have on our “wedding garments” as John saw:
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, PREPARED as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2
And at this wedding we ALL get to wear our pearls! But sometimes we misplace them, or the “thief” comes and truly steals them, hides them from us, or just rips the strand apart and they plunge to the ground, whirling in a hundred directions and landing a thousand miles apart and we are left with the task of trying to recover every single pearl and restring the entire necklace.
But you know, we are not that talented because our true pearls were master crafted and ONLY He can put that necklace together again.
One of the ways pearls have been worn over the ages is a symbol of mourning because the little seed pearls look like tear drops and pearls were chosen by brides as a representation of purity, chastity, innocence, beauty, and mostly importantly for here, NEW BEGINNINGS.
Spiritually we are BORN with those beautiful pearls AS a gift from our Father when He created us.
And THOSE pearls ARE our innocence, our purity, and our beauty in Him. But LIFE and the enemy have a way of sneaking in and either getting us to take off those pearls and lay them aside and sometimes in moments of repeatedly putting them on, only to decide to take them back off, we end up misplacing them.
And sometimes we have taken them off, laid them down on a nightstand and the enemy has stolen them, hid them, and laughed as we beg for them back.. all the while telling us that had we really wanted them we would have never been in that bed anyway and now we don’t deserve them back.
And I think the hardest would be when you did not take them off, the enemy came with destruction and ripped them off your neck and being left absolutely helpless trying to gather them through your tears as they roll across the floor.
Can you see it? Can you see the innocence and the purity that the enemy HAS stolen, killed, and destroyed concerning the sisters and daughters IN the world and those who are SAVED and STILL struggle with surrendering completely to God for fear of what the enemy has LIED to them about?
Jesus IS the RESTORER, He wants nothing more than to RESTORE every single part of us. We are the ones who have the problem actually LETTING Him do that because we are often so afraid to let Him see what needs shown, EVEN though He already sees it, He already knows it.
You can be saved and still be holding on to something so deep, so painful that whether you know it or not really does IMPACT everything about your life, your happiness, and your joy. And to have true fulfillment in who He created you to be and who He wants you to be on this earth, you have to ask yourself, Where are those pearls?
And if NONE of this applies to you, that is great and just pray for the 99.9% that it does apply to.
Virginity or rather the loss thereof.. which is usually, in our present world the real point that starts so many women down the spiral to places He never intended His daughters to walk because that is something so precious and was only EVER meant to be shared in a holy union and that is why so many women have felt disillusioned, lost, and instead of feeling loved, have been left feeling completely empty and this sets them up to repeat this over and over again because so many feel like once that have started this path, the can never go back BUT I promise you can get off that path any time you choose.
Our society has brain washed women into giving themselves completely away simply because the world tells them that is what they are supposed to do.
Satan IS a liar and the father of lies, you will never find “love” in anything the world has to offer and sex is just satan’s completely carnal counter to what God had intended to be beautiful and it will never make you feel anything, when it is all said and done, than worse than you did before it happened.
Virginity is an absolute blessed state. So taking that obvious “loss” off the table. Pearls can be lost and damaged by our relationships to our father’s, fathers are supposed to protect us, nurture us and not everyone has that relationship or if you have had a father who is just emotionally distant, you are losing the pearls of security knowing that someone is looking out for you and that there is someone who will love you unconditionally and dry all your tears.
Maybe you had a great childhood and a wonderful Dad but marriage was the misplacement of your pearls.
If trust is broken when you have given someone your heart, your life, every part of all you are and it is supposed to be forever and either he turns out to be a jerk or worse a cheating batterer, because those two go hand in hand, well that is a recipe for a whole different disaster.
So, if as you have read this, you are feeling tears swell up just a little, I want to challenge you, we all KNOW our hearts, we all KNOW our hurts, wounds, and raging resentments, write them down, in your own private time, write them down, every single thing as far back as you can go that has hurt you, made you question your self-worth, and especially things that have made you feel like you have lost “yourself” and of course it is going to hurt and it will probably hurt like no tomorrow.
Don’t be surprised if you see things that you never noticed, times where people were manipulating you and you never realized, times that you can see in retrospect that led to bad decisions and self-destructive behavior later on.
If you worry someone will find your innermost secrets, burn it or shred it in a million pieces and flush it when you are through.
But it is necessary because it frees you and helps you recognize things for what they really are.
Wounds, memories, and mistakes that DO NOT define who you are, and we have to acknowledge these areas in order to TRULY give it all to Christ.
He is a perfect gentleman and He wants to help you and make all things new and HE DOES already KNOW every single detail of your life BUT He will not force His way into your life, but wants you to come to Him, KNOWING that He does NOT judge you and will NOT be asking WHY on earth did you do that?
Nor will He ask, WHAT were you thinking? He is nothing like anything most have been taught and I promise once you start “searching” for those pearls and being honest about “where” your life, in your past they had been misplaced or “where” they were stolen or THOUGHT destroyed by an event that you HAD NO CONTROL over.
HE CAN MAKE IT ALL NEW, I can not stress that enough, And I promise once that “alabaster” starts to crack, you will know, you will probably feel like your cracking too, but we HAVE to break to be made new and HE WILL NEVER LET YOU BREAK BEYOND REPAIR, so do not be afraid, LET HIM hold you and wipe away every tear and place upon your neck an even more precious strand, whose cost is beyond measure, and this new strand will never be misplaced again.
Join me next time and we’ll check out some alabaster!
Εξυπνιζω NBJ 2017
Love this song! And this IS what you need to know!
*Authors note* This series originally posted on “Alabaster Breaking”, my sister site, that no longer exists. I found it very difficult to maintain both sites and just transferred those posts to this, my main site. Thank you
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
1 John 1:29: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD, WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD.”
Why is it we can BELIEVE that Jesus Christ IS exactly who he claimed to be when he walked on earth, we can BELIEVE that he did indeed die in our place as the sacrifice for our sins and better yet, as John said, the SIN OF THE WHOLE WORLD, and BELEIVE that he rose victorious from that death defeating even hell itself in that resurrection, but YET we can NOT seem to BELIEVE that those forgiven sins ALSO INCLUDE OURS? Why it that?
It is then enemy? Well, maybe a little, but he normally doesn’t have to prompt us into self-loathing because we all to often do it for him!
And I truly with everything in me feel like someone or maybe several are going through this torment right now and that is why I felt lead to do this. Once you ask Jesus for forgiveness and to save you, you ARE saved. And maybe you have messed up, but please be VERY reassured EVERY ONE messes up!
We will never be perfect, NEVER, he does not ask that we be perfect, he asks us to walk in his commandments and be quick to ask for that forgiveness when we do stumble.
The only perfect he requires is blamelessness, meaning do everything to the best of our ability, and getting back up and trying it again when we don’t quite make that grade.
But there is such a mind-set of “unworthiness” choosing to FORSAKE and WILLFULLY NOT ACCEPT forgiveness choosing rather to punish ourselves, when Jesus DIED for our punishment! WHY do that?
Just as Jesus used the debt parable, can you HONESTLY tell me that if you owed someone a million dollars and NO WAY to pay that back and that person suddenly OFFERED to write off that entire debt, that you would refuse?
So why suffer every single in emotional and spiritual torment when God is NOT asking you to do that? He will give peace and only he can and once we surrender to him that peace WILL come.
He is NOT putting you in remembrance of every wrong you have ever done, He is BECKONING you to COME to him and give him all that pain and regret so he can COMPLETELY destroy it.
That is what he does, he literally REMOVES all of that and it NO LONGER EXISTS. Just as tomorrow IS already dead, those past sin ARE already dead, you just have the guilt and regret that also must DIE in him.
Think about the explanation of baptism:
Romans 6: 3-11: ” Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are BURIED with him by baptism into death: that like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, EVEN SO SHALL WE WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this that our old man (past sins) IS crucified with him, that the body of SIN might be DESTROYED that henceforth we SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN.
For he that is dead IS free from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we BELIEVE that we shall also LIVE with him:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; KNOWING THAT DEATH HATH NO MORE DOMINION (power) OVER HIM, FOR HE DIED UNTO SIN ONCE:
BUT IN THAT HE LIVETH, HE LIVETH UNTO GOD. Likewise reckon (consider) YE ALSO YOURSELVES TO BE DEAD INDEED UNTO SIN, BUT ALIVE UNTO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.”
See that is the deal, NO ONE EXCEPT JESUS could die in our place for that forgives and in him our forgiven sin ARE dead, but in him the “new” us LIVES.
That is the mystery that CAN NOT be understood UNTIL you accept him, and I do not mean the “world” church that has NO repentance, I mean truly repent and truly accepting forgiveness.
And if you were not under real conviction and feeling true repentance you would not be wrestling with this issue, so that is also a blessed state (although it probably doesn’t feel that way right now.. one day it will) we can not save ourselves, we can never be “good enough”, we can never “live up to it” and we can never ever be concerned with the non sense of “waiting until we can live it” as the saying goes, you see from our verses WE CAN’T LIVE IT!
We were never asked to live it! We were told to allow Jesus to take away our sins and DIE to our old life and LIVE IN HIM, because ONLY he can live it! And as far as feeling unworthy, churches are full of people who have felt the SAME feeling you are feeling, we have all wrestled it because we are all UNWORTHY, that is why we are told He ALONE is worthy!
We have to take our eyes of our OWN inadequacies and FOCUS on gratefulness for that the fact that He is far above adequate, His forgives goes beyond any word that could be used.
Think about Peter, after it hit him when Jesus had blessed them with a catch of fish so bountiful it was on the verge of sinking their ships.
Luke 5:8: “When Simon Peter SAW it, he FELL DOWN at Jesus’ knees, saying, DEPART FROM ME; FOR I AM A SINFUL MAN.”
Does Peter really sound like he FELT worthy to be in the presence of the Lord? NO, He is literally asking Jesus to LEAVE because of his own feeling of UNWORTHINESS!
And today if you are going through this, you are also, SERIOUSLY ASKING JESUS TO LEAVE WHEN HE HAS CAME TO YOU BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE THERE FOR YOU!
Jesus went on to tell him, FEAR NOT and that has always been his message to all of us who seek him.
So remember today, we don’t have to worry about being worthy because there is only one who IS or will ever be WORTHY that is what he took the place for you and me.
And don’t worry about other people, there are always going to be “people” and there were plenty of people that hated Jesus, and refused to believe he was who he said he was.
And he taught us that “a servant can’t be above his master” so we can expect that, but you know, you are not setting out to please them or care if they believe you are NOT who you once were,
the only opinion WORTH caring about and the ONLY one who matters is the same one who alone is WORTHY!
Revelation 5:12a tells us this: “…WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN TO RECEIVE POWER, AND RICHES, AND WISDOM, AND STRENGHT , AND HONOUR, AND GLORY, AND BLESSING.” KNOW that those sins ARE gone, forever and PLEASE know you are not alone, HE LOVES YOU and He will give you peace once you just let go.
Φλογίζω Σαλπίζω NB 2018
This is such a great song and it lets us know we ALL struggle, and it has been an encouragement to me, MANY times while I felt the old pain of unworthiness but as this song says HE WILL COME TO YOU… LET HIM.
And the second song on this video is “Through the Fire” so please maybe listen to it also, because there is such healing in music and it prompts us to pour out our hearts.
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
“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain woman named Martha received (WELCOMED) him INTO her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
But Martha was cumbered about (DISTRACTED WITH) much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath LEFT me to SERVE alone? Bid (TELL) her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful (worried) and troubled about MANY things: But one thing is NEEDFUL: and Mary hath CHOSEN that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42
Am I the only one that ever struggles with being BOTH of these ladies? I think probably not… but I want us to all think about the fact that even Martha’s, and Mary’s and their male counter parts, such as the disciples who questioned WHICH of them would be the GREATEST!
The prodigals brother who begrudged the dinner held in honor of the return of whom he viewed as “the slacker”.
The laborer’s who worked all day and were wroth that the “night shift” earned the same wage as they.
Sometimes that battle is not with others, although that is quite common … but sometimes the biggest battle is WITHIN us.
What I love with this story is that Martha WELCOMED him and clearly wanted him there and loved him and wanted ALL those who came to HER house to see HIM to receive that’s same warm welcome.
And almost EVERY single mention of Martha is the same… she is SERVING, working… working… working… no time to sit at his feet as her sister so often did. So we know from this story that she was starting to get maybe just a little annoyed by this fact, there sat Mary and WHAT was doing?
How could she just sit there just ENJOYING the presence of the Lord, while Martha worked herself to exhaustion is the question she pondered.
And we know she felt this, and when you really think about the fact that she was TALKING to Jesus, the God of the universe in human form, who was IN her house, and she is ASKING him, does he seriously not care that her sister won’t help and demanding that he MAKE her help!
And as Jesus told her that Mary chose what was NEEDED, not only the most blessed, profitable, and pleasurable BUT actually NEEDED.
Martha DID want, I am sure her house to be clean, the guests served proper food, and every one to leave happy and eager to return, BUT in the process of this, she MISSED the good part, just as Jesus said.
She HAD him in her home, she had his presence surrounding all that was hers and but the WORK, the JOB, making sure that everything was done to perfection robbed her of enjoying that joy.
And I’m not picking on her, I wrestle with the “Martha” in me everyday, never enough time to do what needs to be done and trying to bring forth that fruit of the work of the kingdom with such ridiculous expectations that is often gets undone due to the sheer magnitude of unrealistic expectancy of the finished product! You know so tired from the preparation that you no longer have enough energy to cook the meal?
And as far as us feeling that we have been let down or have no support with our work, we gotta ask ourselves this, when we get angry or resentful at others, were they actually ever SUPPOSED to be “helping” or did we juts expect them to?
Did we really even NEED help, or did we just WANT help to make the job a little easier? We can all sometimes hobo that train of thought, IF him, her, they would just “help” us with our work.
But in reality God calls us individually and sure they were sent two by two, but if God hasn’t called you into your calling as one of two, than obviously, whether it feels right, feels fair or not, it is just you., and with his SPIRIT, you and Him count as that two.
And as she questioned the Lord as to whether or not he realized her plight, did she ever QUESTION her own thinking, that she was spending so much time worrying about the work that she completely forgot the greatest guest.
Do we sometimes get so caught up concentrating on the job that we forget that the God of the universe IS in the house?
During my little “break” I had realized that, I was so worried about this that, these dudes, who cares, who doesn’t, who could “help” me and who won’t, trying to run a separate blog just for ladies and this one which can be a whole lotta fire and brimstone, and I finally came to the conclusion that I was spending so much time being a “Martha” worrying over every little detail and trying way to hard to please imaginary people who would never be pleased anyway, and “proving” to myself and the world that I am called to do this, that I was completely FORGETTING who was in MY house!
So what if I don’t write every single week, what if I don’t make much sense? What if every word isn’t correctly spelled and the grammar police are on my trail for run on sentences and bad jargon? I have been BLESSED to sit at the feet of my King, if I will CHOSE that good part!
As I said I don’t think I am alone, I think many of us run the risk of burn out, as we begin feeling a pressure that Jesus NEVER put on us and if we don’t act quickly when we start to feel that burn out. We all start out as a “Mary” when we first encounter the Lord, helplessly enamored, learning everything we can and just basking in His presence and as time goes as we let that pressure mount as we take our roles as a Martha and begin our kingdom “service”.
Unfortunately, we can become worn to the point as Martha, and become Ms. Mediocrity (or Mr.) when it is no longer about the fascination of just how real He is, or even about working in the kingdom, but that we allow ourselves to become so hum-drum and mentally dull from the “work” that we completely lose fact that we are blessed in precious moments that are not guaranteed to last forever.
Just as I wonder, Did Martha ever think in hind sight, about all the time she had spent worrying and fretting, regretting every troubled moment, considering that Jesus was shortly thereafter crucified, ENDING His earthly visits to her home.
Knowing all the time she could have spent just enjoying Him, as the Bible tells us concerning our own salvation, ” SEEK the Lord WHILE he may be found”.
I am not saying that we will lose our salvation, but I am saying, at least for myself, as was brought to my own realization, that sometimes we spend so much time TRYING to be Martha, that we forget that we NEED to be Mary and when we CAN NEVER be both, and no one should ever want to be Ms. Mediocrity!
Φλογίζω NB 2018
Love this artist and this new song is awesome!
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
Now this is something you probably do not hear everyday…or really any day, but I seriously got stuck to a board!
To explain this, first let me explain that for several months my family has had an issue with the DOT of our state and as you know this stands for Department of Transportation, but trust me in this case it has stood for Department of Tyranny, and that is a story that will probably become several future posts about what I have learned from all of it.
But for now I want to share a truly bizarre story and the spiritual thought I derived from it.
Around two months ago I was outside praying in certain areas because of the onset of what can only be referred to as state demanded carnage of private property for nothing more that a nice fat paycheck to those who are issued grant money for supposed “improvements” but again, we’ll get into that a little in the future.
But anyway, God taught me long ago that your answer is ALWAYS there when you are praying once he shows you how to read what you are seeing. So my husband and I were wandering around and I was praying about the whole heart breaking situation and I had been paying really close attention to everywhere I stepped because of the obvious dangers left in what could only be called an earthen war-zone, complete with an unmarked and completely unsecured twenty feet drop off with NO containment whatsoever.
So I want to stress, I KNEW to be careful and I THOUGHT I was BEING careful… that is until as I made my way to a little tree that has been home to a bird house for more years than I can remember, a place I had walked to hundreds and hundreds of times and suddenly I felt a familiar, but dreaded piercing in my left foot.
It took my brain but a second to register the fact that I had just managed to somehow step on a nail, so I quickly shifted ALL my weight to my right foot… only to drive a SECOND nail even deeper into that foot.
And at the point I literally just jumped completely out of both shoes (they were the slide on sneaker type) and I look and here are BOTH of my shoes actually stuck perfectly side by side to this board!
It was actually a piece of partial board and why on earth it had been laid there with nails driven through it is beyond me! Evidently someone had been doing some repairs and ripped it off and set it aside and completely forgot to move it.
So here is my husband who is as blown away by what just happened as I was and he is holding up this board and literally has to PULL my shoes free from the board and help get them back on me.
Of course he moved the board so no one else would step on it. The thing with this was the familiarity of that spot, a place, like I said, I have been and been, so much so that I DID NOT EVEN BOTHER LOOKING FOR DANGER and there is some symbolism in that.
Needless to say, this was very painful, the second much worse because I was trying to “get away” from the nail sticking into the first foot and by putting all my weight down on the second nail that I did not know was there, it went even deeper and STILL has not healed completely.
But I finished what I set out to do, painful or not, got home, soaked both feet in Epsom salts and applied antibiotic cream and band aids and the truly AMAZING aspect to this story is this, I fully expected to get up the next morning and have to hobble and hop for a week and to my absolute amazement, my feet were NOT even sore.
I know that is hard to believe but honestly had it not been for changing the band aids out each day I would have not known I had ever hurt them. And I KNOW that was GOD!
It had to be God, no other explanation, it hurt and it hurt bad just trying to walk back home after I did and I threw my shoes away because the nail hole and blood in the worse of the two made me quite sure I did not want to wear them ever again!
And I really chalked it up to an attack waged that God intervened in. But I could not get past the fact of how “familiar” that little bird house spot was to me.
Had it been any other place I would have done exactly as I had been during the rest of my walk, I would have LOOKED, I would have WATCHED, and I would have been CAREFUL before I took that first step and assuredly CAREFUL before I took the second!
And as I pondered it, I could truly see so many similarities between my physical pain caused by familiarity and some of the spiritual pain we all suffer sometimes because of spiritual and emotional familiarity.
#1.We are often trapped, snare, or wounded in the areas that are our comfort zones and we fail to consider that those are perfect areas for the enemy to hide those nails he wants us to become impaled to because he knows we will be so comfortable walking through those places that we will not even bothering to think of the hidden dangers that may await us.
#2. Once we are shocked by that unforeseen piercing we have just endured, such as when a friend betrays you or a companion suddenly parts ways with you, or unexpectedly terminated from a job that you had counted on for future security, so many things can surprise us in those places, causing us to misjudge, act too quickly, and often in attempt to lessen that initial pain, we will fall to a second snare causing us even greater hurt and damage.
#3. Becoming STUCK, sometimes those snares, traps, and double whammies can leave us simply UNABLE to move, spiritual becoming STUCK in our despair and unable to free ourselves and losing our “shoes” that we need to complete the journey.
#4. It IS those times in life that we MUST stand still, right where we are and it is in THOSE times that the Lord in His mercy and goodness, and grace pulls us free and shods our feet once AGAIN as we go on to minister, preach, witness, testify, and sets us afresh on that path that He has blessed and He heals us as He sends our “feet” forth for His kingdom.
#5. Lastly, snares, traps, and pitfalls will come, whether strategically placed in your way by the enemy tp prevent something he does not want you to accomplish or if it is just simply due to our own lack of observation but one thing is for sure, Jesus will NEVER leave us and He will ALWAYS rescue us and He will NEVER leave us stuck dead in the road on our road for Him!
Psalm 138: ” I WILL praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
I WILL worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thy hast magnified THY WORD above all thy name. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strenghthenedst me with strength in my soul.
All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of my mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.
Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect (regard) unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
THOUGH I WALK IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE, THOU WILT (will) REVIVE ME:
THOU SHALT STRETCH FORTH THINE HAND AGAINST THE WRATH OF MINE ENEMIES AND THY RIGHT HAND SHALL SAVE ME.
The Lord WILL perfect (complete) that which concerneth me: THY MERCY, O LORD, ENDURETH FOR EVER: forsake not the works of thine own hands.“
So if you happen to step on a nail any time soon. just remember it could always be worse, you could have stepped on two! 🙂
Thanks for reading, Love and peace till next time!
Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω Εξυπνιζω
LOVE this song!
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
“Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one God. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Trying to determine true statics on kids and Christianity is like the proverbial needle in the haystack.
But it is very fair to say considering the verse above that it doesn’t really matter what school stats would suggest because this is parental responsibility.
According to the history on it, “Sunday school” was started in Britain as a way of not only helping the street children, but also teaching them about God and educating them.
And in our country schools used mainly the word of God as a teaching tools for reading and writing.
Many of our early leaders WERE self-taught, the Bible being the number one book used for that purpose.
So it is not a shocker that schools of yesteryear were safe learning place that parents could entrust their children to, of course you have to take the corporal punishment out of that equation, I for one absolutely do not agree with hitting or spanking, or any form of physical violence as a method of discipline or learning “incentive”.
But they were something else in the old days as far as the term “strong disciplinarians” could go.
My mother has horror stories of the days when children were paddled for not knowing their multiplication table. And as she said, if you miss one you were sure to miss another. It is just absolutely wrong for anyone other than a parent to have that kind of authority over a child.
But we have as a society given entirely too much power to influence the minds and more importantly the SOULS of our children to the “world” schools, and even religious organizations.
As we know when prayer and the teachings of God were removed form public schools replaced with Darwinism and the absolute intelligence insulting nonsense of the big bang and evolution, we invited the moral downfall of society as we knew it.
And at the end of the day it is up to each one of us to take back that power, that back that authority that we have blindly given others BECAUSE God only gave that authority to parents.
I have heard people remark after being called out about saying or doing things that are not right in front of their children, only to reply that “They hear worse at school” and everyone could argue the filth that they see on television and movies and even argue that at some point they “will be exposed to it anyway” but here is the deal, EVEN if they hear bad language at school, they should NOT hear it at home. EVEN if they have saw filth on television, you have to ask, WHO is monitoring that television? WHO is watching over what they are watching, witnessing, and being exposed to?
Remember PG for PARENTAL GUIDANCE? That is NOT just for television. God expects us to use our PG authority in all areas of our children’s lives and even if children are grown adults, they are STILL your children.
No matter what mistakes have been made in the past, the present and future can be changed for the better by enacting that parental guidance in our own lives, by being the example that God intended for us to be.
And as long as we have breath in these bodies, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE! That is why God told US to teach our own children, of course we can not protect the from the world and the things in the world but at the end of the day, what are taught by parents and family will outweigh those other influences.
And of course people can fall in with the “wrong crowd” and go completely “hog wild” as the saying goes, kinda reminiscent of the Prodigal son there, but have hope in this.
Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he WILL NOT depart from it.”
Most of us have been guilty of running amok in our youth, (some of us seriously amok) but there is so much comfort in knowing that God ALWAYS has His eyes on us AND our children.
That is why it is so important for those who are new to Christ to STAY in Christ because we are PROMISED our households and our families to a thousand generations, we are NOT saved just for the sake of being saved.
As part of that salvation, we are to lead others to Him, that His light may also shine into their lives also and that light radiates and it touches so many others, which is why when one family member accepts Christ usually the others soon follow.
It ONLY takes one person to STAND up and declare faith in Jesus to influence many generations.
Think about it as we start a New Year, if you have a school aged child KNOW who is teaching them and what they are being taught and do not be afraid to speak AGAINST those things that are against God because you are actually the one with the GREATER influence.
And if you doubt that, think of it in the negative, think about all the people who belong to hate groups BECAUSE they were BORN into hate groups and we ARE products of our environment and once that environment changes WE CAN CHANGE ALSO.
This kinda goes with my “when in Rome” thought, it has been on my heart and mind so much that THIS has to change. Take back your place in the family and take back your heritage in the Lord.
Psalm 127:3,4: ” Lo, (OT for pay attention) Children ARE an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of thy womb is his reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.”
We ARE blessed with children. We ARE entrusted of God with those children and they are HIS and we are privileged with the task of nurturing their hearts, their souls, and their minds and guide them on their journey into adulthood but even more so in discovering WHO HE CREATED THEM TO BE.
And the greatest reflection that will show in them is WHO we understand HE created US to be.
So as you make your resolutions for this New Year, think about what you want for your family, if you don’t have kids, think about maybe another family member. We all struggle, we all need help at different times in life, and we can all be a light, and especially as parents, be that parental guide for your child, no matter how young or old they are because you lead and they will follow, maybe not in a split second, but stay on the Lord’s path and they will… just as scripture tells us, NOT depart from that way.
So be that example this year, even when you don’t feel like being an example.. BE ONE.
Εξυπνιζω NBJ 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 being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat (at the dinner table), there came a woman having an alabaster box (flask) of ointment of spikenard,very precious (costly); and she brake the box and poured it on his head.” Mark 14:3
Before we begin, I do want to take one more opportunity to absolutely STRESS that these teaching CAN NOT be viewed with the carnal mind.
We live in the world and the world associates love, longing, and the desire to have ones soul entwined as something sensual and carnal but dealing with the teaching of Christ and the Church as His Bride and the love and extremely intimate relationship that He desires IS spiritual, IT IS the love of your soul, which is why it can not be viewed or studied without salvation and the understanding that all things have to be compared spiritually.
And there are so many sites dedicated to nothing more than what they consider “apostasy” and they assert that if someone has had an experience different from their own that they are obviously a heretic, and many denominations conclude that the outpouring of the Spirit, and the gifts, and especially tongues and prophecies were only for the time of the disciples, mainly during the writing of the book of Acts.
BUT they are wrong and the Bible even teaches us that there are different manifestations of the Spirit and I for one declare what I KNOW to be true and maybe they just need to pray to experience these things BEFORE they malign others. SO there is my disclaimer!
EVERYTHING is symbolic and ALL the teachings of the Bible APPLY to us now. God had it written through His Holy Revelation as a guidebook for all the generations that would come after its completion.
NOTHING else is needed and if anyone believes that those teachings are outdated or for certain times then how would He want us to navigate our way now? That is the trouble with that argument.
It DOES apply and the symbolism, once He has taught you to “read” it is where the answers to many of our questions are found. So on that note, let’s get going!
In our verse, she FOUND him, she made a CONSCIOUS effort to seek him, she did not wait for “fate” to allow her a chance meeting. We have to get out of the thinking that what we seek will “just happen” and “if it is meant to be it will” that may be all well and good, but David PROCLAIMED in Psalm 27:8:
“When thou saidst, SEEK YE MY FACE, MY HEART SAID UNTO THEE, THY FACE, LORD, WILL I SEEK.”
Song of Solomon 3:1-4: “By NIGHT on my bed I SOUGHT HIM WHOM MY SOUL LOVETH, I sought him, but I found him not.
I WILL RISE now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I WILL SEEK HIM WHOM MY SOUL LOVETH; I sought him but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
It was but a LITTLE that I passed from them, but I FOUND HIM WHOM MY SOUL LOVETH; I HELD HIM, AND WOULD NOT LET HIM GO….”
We are encouraged through theses verses and MANY more to SEEK, so IF we are already saved, WHY would we be told to SEEK?
Because there IS more, for David was to be promoted from shepherd boy to thrice anointed King, whose throne WILL stand forever.
I am sure the disciples would have been saved once they did indeed accept Christ as the Messiah, BUT it was when they heeded His words “FOLLOW ME” that their discipleship was enacted.
And our lady the church, in the above verses from Solomon, had SEARCHED and SEARCHED, and could NOT even sleep because her heart longed and searched for the ONE she knew that her soul must find.
And as those verse point out, finding him was NOT easy, she HAD TO RISE UP and move OUT of her comfort zone.
The “watchmen” evidently thought she was a little far out considering they ‘found” her, leading us to think that they questioned what on earth was she doing. But she told them, asking them Where is he? They were obviously of no help since we are told that shortly after she did find him and would not lose what she had found.
And that is about where Mary of Bethany found herself, she HAD sought and she found him at the dinner table and in her desperation, she did “pass by the watchmen” those that held the dinner that she had not been invited to, she CAME ANYWAY.
And that is sometimes what it takes to get some alabaster breaking, the willingness to not care what anyone else thinks of you or your worship of the Lord, how crazy they think you are or what a fanatic they accuse of being.
The ONLY thing she brought with her was her alabaster flask, alabaster in its purestform is snow white (dig, the symbolism) but it the iron it is exposed to that produces the faded color and “veining” but it remains translucent, and it’s softness it what makes it so delicate and easily carved and with enough water it will dissolve but under the wrong conditions it will become hard as any other rock.
Can you see “US”, our feminine state in the alabaster?
He does create us pure as snow, but enough hardness, hurt, and “iron” of this life will dull that white turning it as burnt amber with all the fine lines and cracks from those things that have almost broken us, forming the veining throughout the piece but it still retains its translucency, still allowing light to pass through, even in its darkened state, and while not a perfect image, what the vessel truly holds can still be somewhat seen through the marred surface.
We ARE the alabaster vessels, and the hardness will soften and vanish completely away once that “vessel” is washed over by “living” waters.
Her flask held spikenard, still heralded as an anointing oil, but the secret to this is the flowers of the plant is comes from, the flowers are pink and bell-shaped, beautiful and fragrant, again super feminine, just like we like to be, we want to feel our best, feel feminine, and as the plant “wears” it’s pretty pink bells, so do we.
BUT what we see on the surface is NOT always a reflection of what lies underneath and this plants has some serious roots.
How about our roots? What lies beneath our surfaces, what is so deep, so horrid, so hidden, that we can not even bring ourselves to dig it up?
But to get this oil, you have to deal with the roots, and it is funny, if the roots are stored they are prone to bacteria and infection, they also have the ability to shoot off and grow more roots, (troubles) and it to get the oil the roots must be CRUSHED. Destroying the root BUT producing something so beautiful in return.
In our story it was EXPENSIVE, worth around a years wages, so in our spirits what is the worth of our OWN alabaster boxes?
What caused the fading, veining, and cracks? What was the price paid for everything contained in that vessel?
Tears, heartaches, betrayals, and mistakes, coercions, and outright attacks. Was that price so high that, like some of us, that the vessel is all you even have left? If you know there are things to be dealt with, roots that cost you your peace, joy, and happiness, cracks in that alabaster that has left you feeling worthless and unloved, or cheated and betrayed, or wounds of loss that seem to have destroyed any hope for your present, much less hope of a future. SEEK HIM.
Jeremiah 29:13 :”And ye SHALL seek me, and FIND me, when YOU SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART.”
Find him, take your vessel and BREAK IT, scripture says: Isaiah 53:5…..”the CHASTISEMENT of OUR PEACE was UPON HIM;…”
He GIVES us HIS peace when we are willing to break and allow everything in us to be poured out and if you are have trouble with things that just won’t seem to go away and fighting the same emotional battles over and over again, give it to Him because He wants to make you new but you have to let Him, and take the vessel of your heart, your soul, to him, your will, your fears, take it ALL, it has to break, and those roots must be crushed, there is no other way.
True freedom is given at the feet of Jesus, your enemies can not touch you, your past can not haunt you, and those roots, once crushed will never sprout up again!
Εξυπιζω 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
“Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one God. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Trying to determine true statics on kids and Christianity is like the proverbial needle in the haystack.
But it is very fair to say considering the verse above that it doesn’t really matter what school stats would suggest because this is parental responsibility.
According to the history on it, “Sunday school” was started in Britain as a way of not only helping the street children, but also teaching them about God and educating them.
And in our country schools used mainly the word of God as a teaching tools for reading and writing.
Many of our early leaders WERE self-taught, the Bible being the number one book used for that purpose.
So it is not a shocker that schools of yesteryear were safe learning place that parents could entrust their children to, of course you have to take the corporal punishment out of that equation, I for one absolutely do not agree with hitting or spanking, or any form of physical violence as a method of discipline or learning “incentive”.
But they were something else in the old days as far as the term “strong disciplinarians” could go.
My mother has horror stories of the days when children were paddled for not knowing their multiplication table. And as she said, if you miss one you were sure to miss another. It is just absolutely wrong for anyone other than a parent to have that kind of authority over a child.
But we have as a society given entirely too much power to influence the minds and more importantly the SOULS of our children to the “world” schools, and even religious organizations.
As we know when prayer and the teachings of God were removed form public schools replaced with Darwinism and the absolute intelligence insulting nonsense of the big bang and evolution, we invited the moral downfall of society as we knew it.
And at the end of the day it is up to each one of us to take back that power, that back that authority that we have blindly given others BECAUSE God only gave that authority to parents.
I have heard people remark after being called out about saying or doing things that are not right in front of their children, only to reply that “They hear worse at school” and everyone could argue the filth that they see on television and movies and even argue that at some point they “will be exposed to it anyway” but here is the deal, EVEN if they hear bad language at school, they should NOT hear it at home. EVEN if they have saw filth on television, you have to ask, WHO is monitoring that television? WHO is watching over what they are watching, witnessing, and being exposed to?
Remember PG for PARENTAL GUIDANCE? That is NOT just for television. God expects us to use our PG authority in all areas of our children’s lives and even if children are grown adults, they are STILL your children.
No matter what mistakes have been made in the past, the present and future can be changed for the better by enacting that parental guidance in our own lives, by being the example that God intended for us to be.
And as long as we have breath in these bodies, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE! That is why God told US to teach our own children, of course we can not protect the from the world and the things in the world but at the end of the day, what are taught by parents and family will outweigh those other influences.
And of course people can fall in with the “wrong crowd” and go completely “hog wild” as the saying goes, kinda reminiscent of the Prodigal son there, but have hope in this.
Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he WILL NOT depart from it.”
Most of us have been guilty of running amok in our youth, (some of us seriously amok) but there is so much comfort in knowing that God ALWAYS has His eyes on us AND our children.
That is why it is so important for those who are new to Christ to STAY in Christ because we are PROMISED our households and our families to a thousand generations, we are NOT saved just for the sake of being saved.
As part of that salvation, we are to lead others to Him, that His light may also shine into their lives also and that light radiates and it touches so many others, which is why when one family member accepts Christ usually the others soon follow.
It ONLY takes one person to STAND up and declare faith in Jesus to influence many generations.
Think about it as we start a New Year, if you have a school aged child KNOW who is teaching them and what they are being taught and do not be afraid to speak AGAINST those things that are against God because you are actually the one with the GREATER influence.
And if you doubt that, think of it in the negative, think about all the people who belong to hate groups BECAUSE they were BORN into hate groups and we ARE products of our environment and once that environment changes WE CAN CHANGE ALSO.
This kinda goes with my “when in Rome” thought, it has been on my heart and mind so much that THIS has to change. Take back your place in the family and take back your heritage in the Lord.
Psalm 127:3,4: ” Lo, (OT for pay attention) Children ARE an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of thy womb is his reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.”
We ARE blessed with children. We ARE entrusted of God with those children and they are HIS and we are privileged with the task of nurturing their hearts, their souls, and their minds and guide them on their journey into adulthood but even more so in discovering WHO HE CREATED THEM TO BE.
And the greatest reflection that will show in them is WHO we understand HE created US to be.
So as you make your resolutions for this New Year, think about what you want for your family, if you don’t have kids, think about maybe another family member. We all struggle, we all need help at different times in life, and we can all be a light, and especially as parents, be that parental guide for your child, no matter how young or old they are because you lead and they will follow, maybe not in a split second, but stay on the Lord’s path and they will… just as scripture tells us, NOT depart from that way.
So be that example this year, even when you don’t feel like being an example.. BE ONE.
Εξυπνιζω NBJ 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 being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat (at the dinner table), there came a woman having an alabaster box (flask) of ointment of spikenard,very precious (costly); and she brake the box and poured it on his head.” Mark 14:3
Before we begin, I do want to take one more opportunity to absolutely STRESS that these teaching CAN NOT be viewed with the carnal mind.
We live in the world and the world associates love, longing, and the desire to have ones soul entwined as something sensual and carnal but dealing with the teaching of Christ and the Church as His Bride and the love and extremely intimate relationship that He desires IS spiritual, IT IS the love of your soul, which is why it can not be viewed or studied without salvation and the understanding that all things have to be compared spiritually.
And there are so many sites dedicated to nothing more than what they consider “apostasy” and they assert that if someone has had an experience different from their own that they are obviously a heretic, and many denominations conclude that the outpouring of the Spirit, and the gifts, and especially tongues and prophecies were only for the time of the disciples, mainly during the writing of the book of Acts.
BUT they are wrong and the Bible even teaches us that there are different manifestations of the Spirit and I for one declare what I KNOW to be true and maybe they just need to pray to experience these things BEFORE they malign others. SO there is my disclaimer!
EVERYTHING is symbolic and ALL the teachings of the Bible APPLY to us now. God had it written through His Holy Revelation as a guidebook for all the generations that would come after its completion.
NOTHING else is needed and if anyone believes that those teachings are outdated or for certain times then how would He want us to navigate our way now? That is the trouble with that argument.
It DOES apply and the symbolism, once He has taught you to “read” it is where the answers to many of our questions are found. So on that note, let’s get going!
In our verse, she FOUND him, she made a CONSCIOUS effort to seek him, she did not wait for “fate” to allow her a chance meeting. We have to get out of the thinking that what we seek will “just happen” and “if it is meant to be it will” that may be all well and good, but David PROCLAIMED in Psalm 27:8:
“When thou saidst, SEEK YE MY FACE, MY HEART SAID UNTO THEE, THY FACE, LORD, WILL I SEEK.”
Song of Solomon 3:1-4: “By NIGHT on my bed I SOUGHT HIM WHOM MY SOUL LOVETH, I sought him, but I found him not.
I WILL RISE now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I WILL SEEK HIM WHOM MY SOUL LOVETH; I sought him but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
It was but a LITTLE that I passed from them, but I FOUND HIM WHOM MY SOUL LOVETH; I HELD HIM, AND WOULD NOT LET HIM GO….”
We are encouraged through theses verses and MANY more to SEEK, so IF we are already saved, WHY would we be told to SEEK?
Because there IS more, for David was to be promoted from shepherd boy to thrice anointed King, whose throne WILL stand forever.
I am sure the disciples would have been saved once they did indeed accept Christ as the Messiah, BUT it was when they heeded His words “FOLLOW ME” that their discipleship was enacted.
And our lady the church, in the above verses from Solomon, had SEARCHED and SEARCHED, and could NOT even sleep because her heart longed and searched for the ONE she knew that her soul must find.
And as those verse point out, finding him was NOT easy, she HAD TO RISE UP and move OUT of her comfort zone.
The “watchmen” evidently thought she was a little far out considering they ‘found” her, leading us to think that they questioned what on earth was she doing. But she told them, asking them Where is he? They were obviously of no help since we are told that shortly after she did find him and would not lose what she had found.
And that is about where Mary of Bethany found herself, she HAD sought and she found him at the dinner table and in her desperation, she did “pass by the watchmen” those that held the dinner that she had not been invited to, she CAME ANYWAY.
And that is sometimes what it takes to get some alabaster breaking, the willingness to not care what anyone else thinks of you or your worship of the Lord, how crazy they think you are or what a fanatic they accuse of being.
The ONLY thing she brought with her was her alabaster flask, alabaster in its purestform is snow white (dig, the symbolism) but it the iron it is exposed to that produces the faded color and “veining” but it remains translucent, and it’s softness it what makes it so delicate and easily carved and with enough water it will dissolve but under the wrong conditions it will become hard as any other rock.
Can you see “US”, our feminine state in the alabaster?
He does create us pure as snow, but enough hardness, hurt, and “iron” of this life will dull that white turning it as burnt amber with all the fine lines and cracks from those things that have almost broken us, forming the veining throughout the piece but it still retains its translucency, still allowing light to pass through, even in its darkened state, and while not a perfect image, what the vessel truly holds can still be somewhat seen through the marred surface.
We ARE the alabaster vessels, and the hardness will soften and vanish completely away once that “vessel” is washed over by “living” waters.
Her flask held spikenard, still heralded as an anointing oil, but the secret to this is the flowers of the plant is comes from, the flowers are pink and bell-shaped, beautiful and fragrant, again super feminine, just like we like to be, we want to feel our best, feel feminine, and as the plant “wears” it’s pretty pink bells, so do we.
BUT what we see on the surface is NOT always a reflection of what lies underneath and this plants has some serious roots.
How about our roots? What lies beneath our surfaces, what is so deep, so horrid, so hidden, that we can not even bring ourselves to dig it up?
But to get this oil, you have to deal with the roots, and it is funny, if the roots are stored they are prone to bacteria and infection, they also have the ability to shoot off and grow more roots, (troubles) and it to get the oil the roots must be CRUSHED. Destroying the root BUT producing something so beautiful in return.
In our story it was EXPENSIVE, worth around a years wages, so in our spirits what is the worth of our OWN alabaster boxes?
What caused the fading, veining, and cracks? What was the price paid for everything contained in that vessel?
Tears, heartaches, betrayals, and mistakes, coercions, and outright attacks. Was that price so high that, like some of us, that the vessel is all you even have left? If you know there are things to be dealt with, roots that cost you your peace, joy, and happiness, cracks in that alabaster that has left you feeling worthless and unloved, or cheated and betrayed, or wounds of loss that seem to have destroyed any hope for your present, much less hope of a future. SEEK HIM.
Jeremiah 29:13 :”And ye SHALL seek me, and FIND me, when YOU SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART.”
Find him, take your vessel and BREAK IT, scripture says: Isaiah 53:5…..”the CHASTISEMENT of OUR PEACE was UPON HIM;…”
He GIVES us HIS peace when we are willing to break and allow everything in us to be poured out and if you are have trouble with things that just won’t seem to go away and fighting the same emotional battles over and over again, give it to Him because He wants to make you new but you have to let Him, and take the vessel of your heart, your soul, to him, your will, your fears, take it ALL, it has to break, and those roots must be crushed, there is no other way.
True freedom is given at the feet of Jesus, your enemies can not touch you, your past can not haunt you, and those roots, once crushed will never sprout up again!
Εξυπιζω 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
*Authors note* This series originally posted on “Alabaster Breaking”, my sister site, that no longer exists. I found it very difficult to maintain both sites and just transferred those posts to this, my main site. Thank you
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” And of course that was Jesus speaking in John 10:10
And you may be wondering just what that has to do with pearls… EVERYTHING!
Pearls ARE precious, most of us own a strand, we wear them on important occasions, and days we just want to dress up a little but there is something so secret, so beautiful, sofeminine that many of us love the feeling of wearing a strand of beautiful pearls with our favorite pair of jeans.
WHY? What on earth could be so different about these perfect little orbs that sets them so far apart from other “jewels” that may be considered EVEN more beautiful like diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, or even jade and all stones semi-precious?
Could it because pearls have ALWAYS been associated with PURITY and INNOCENCE?
Forever the choice jewelry of BRIDES everywhere and do you remember reading that I did write that this entire blog is stir up and awaken us to the realization that weare part of a soon to take place wedding?
THE WEDDING OF THE AGES, with the KING OF THE UNIVERSE AS THE GROOM, COMPLETE WITH A TRULY ANGELIC CHOIR, AND THE HOST OF HEAVEN AS HIS WEDDING PARTY!
Revelation 20:9: “And he said unto me, Write, BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH ARE CALLED UNTO THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
And we are encouraged throughout the Bible to be prepared, to have on our “wedding garments” as John saw:
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, PREPARED as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2
And at this wedding we ALL get to wear our pearls! But sometimes we misplace them, or the “thief” comes and truly steals them, hides them from us, or just rips the strand apart and they plunge to the ground, whirling in a hundred directions and landing a thousand miles apart and we are left with the task of trying to recover every single pearl and restring the entire necklace.
But you know, we are not that talented because our true pearls were master crafted and ONLY He can put that necklace together again.
One of the ways pearls have been worn over the ages is a symbol of mourning because the little seed pearls look like tear drops and pearls were chosen by brides as a representation of purity, chastity, innocence, beauty, and mostly importantly for here, NEW BEGINNINGS.
Spiritually we are BORN with those beautiful pearls AS a gift from our Father when He created us.
And THOSE pearls ARE our innocence, our purity, and our beauty in Him. But LIFE and the enemy have a way of sneaking in and either getting us to take off those pearls and lay them aside and sometimes in moments of repeatedly putting them on, only to decide to take them back off, we end up misplacing them.
And sometimes we have taken them off, laid them down on a nightstand and the enemy has stolen them, hid them, and laughed as we beg for them back.. all the while telling us that had we really wanted them we would have never been in that bed anyway and now we don’t deserve them back.
And I think the hardest would be when you did not take them off, the enemy came with destruction and ripped them off your neck and being left absolutely helpless trying to gather them through your tears as they roll across the floor.
Can you see it? Can you see the innocence and the purity that the enemy HAS stolen, killed, and destroyed concerning the sisters and daughters IN the world and those who are SAVED and STILL struggle with surrendering completely to God for fear of what the enemy has LIED to them about?
Jesus IS the RESTORER, He wants nothing more than to RESTORE every single part of us. We are the ones who have the problem actually LETTING Him do that because we are often so afraid to let Him see what needs shown, EVEN though He already sees it, He already knows it.
You can be saved and still be holding on to something so deep, so painful that whether you know it or not really does IMPACT everything about your life, your happiness, and your joy. And to have true fulfillment in who He created you to be and who He wants you to be on this earth, you have to ask yourself, Where are those pearls?
And if NONE of this applies to you, that is great and just pray for the 99.9% that it does apply to.
Virginity or rather the loss thereof.. which is usually, in our present world the real point that starts so many women down the spiral to places He never intended His daughters to walk because that is something so precious and was only EVER meant to be shared in a holy union and that is why so many women have felt disillusioned, lost, and instead of feeling loved, been left feeling completely empty and this sets them up to repeat this over and over again because so many feel like once that have started this path, the can never go back BUT I promise you can get off that path any time you choose.
Our society has brain washed women into giving themselves completely away simply because the world tells them that is what they are supposed to do.
Satan IS a liar and the father of lies, you will never find “love” in anything the world has to offer and sex is just satan’s completely carnal counter to what God had intended to be beautiful and it will never make you feel anything, when it is all said and done, than worse than you did before it happened.
Virginity is an absolute blessed state. So taking that obvious “loss” off the table. Pearls can be lost and damaged by our relationships to our father’s, fathers are supposed to protect us, nurture us and not everyone has that relationship or if you have had a father who is just emotionally distant, you are losing the pearls of security knowing that someone is looking out for you and that there is someone who will love you unconditionally and dry all your tears.
Maybe you had a great childhood and a wonderful Dad but marriage was the misplacement of your pearls.
If trust is broken when you have given someone your heart, your life, every part of all you are and it is supposed to be forever and either he turns out to be a jerk or worse a cheating batterer, because those two go hand in hand, well that is a recipe for a whole different disaster.
So, if as you have read this, you are feeling tears swell up just a little, I want to challenge you, we all KNOW our hearts, we all KNOW our hurts, wounds, and raging resentments, write them down, in your own private time, write them down, every single thing as far back as you can go that has hurt you, made you question your self-worth, and especially things that have made you feel like you have lost “yourself” and of course it is going to hurt and it will probably hurt like no tomorrow.
Don’t be surprised if you see things that you never noticed, times where people were manipulating you and you never realized, times that you can see in retrospect that led to bad decisions and self-destructive behavior later on.
If you worry someone will find your innermost secrets, burn it or shred it in a million pieces and flush it when you are through.
But it is necessary because it frees you and helps you recognize things for what they really are.
Wounds, memories, and mistakes that DO NOT define who you are, and we have to acknowledge these areas in order to TRULY give it all to Christ.
He is a perfect gentleman and He wants to help you and make all things new and HE DOES already KNOW every single detail of your life BUT He will not force His way into your life, but wants you to come to Him, KNOWING that He does NOT judge you and will NOT be asking WHY on earth did you do that?
Nor will He ask, WHAT were you thinking? He is nothing like anything most have been taught and I promise once you start “searching” for those pearls and being honest about “where” your life, in your past they had been misplaced or “where” they were stolen or THOUGHT destroyed by an event that you HAD NO CONTROL over.
HE CAN MAKE IT ALL NEW, I can not stress that enough, And I promise once that “alabaster” starts to crack, you will know, you will probably feel like your cracking too, but we HAVE to break to be made new and HE WILL NEVER LET YOU BREAK BEYOND REPAIR, so do not be afraid, LET HIM hold you and wipe away every tear and place upon your neck an even more precious strand, whose cost is beyond measure, and this new strand will never be misplaced again.
Join me next time and we’ll check out some alabaster!
Εξυπνιζω NBJ 2017
Love this song! And this IS what you need to know!
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
My that is hard to read!!! Can you read it? Well, neither can I! But I know what it says and something very similar looking changed my life and my misperceptions about “listening” for the “voice” of God.
“But without faith it isimpossible 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.” Hebrews 11:6
Now the dictionary define faith as COMPLETE TRUST, and we know so many wonderful faith scripture and verses and teachings that we should all have the faith to absolutely move mountains…umm.. if we had the faith and if we had the prayer of faith and the faith to believe the impossible and yet did absolutely nothing with faith.
Then as James 2:17-26 tells us “Even so faith, IF IT hast not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, if a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: shew (show) me thy faith without thy works.
and I will shew you my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know (do you want to know) , O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Wasnot Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou (do you see) how faith wrought (was working) with his works, and by works was faith made perfect (complete)?
And the scripture WAS fulfilled which saith ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS IMPUTED (accounted) UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; and he was called the Friend of God.
Ye see then how that by works a man (meaning human person) is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
For AS THE BODY WITHOUT THE SPIRIT IS DEAD, SO FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.”
So to see what we have going on here, the key things to remember is that God EXPECTS us to have COMPLETE TRUST in Him, what is Word says, and what He prompts in our spirits, even when we do not understand.
Story after story in the Bible paints us a beautiful picture of this and the two stories from James are prime examples, as we are told in Hebrews chapter eleven.. better known as THE FAITH CHAPTER.. verses seventeen-nineteen:
“By FAITH Abraham, when he was tries (tested), offered up Isaac and he that received the promises offered up his only begotten son. Of whom it was said, That IN Isaac shall thy seed be called: ACCOUNTING THAT GOD WAS ABLE TO RAISE HIM UP, EVEN FROM THE DEAD;”…
And Rahab, whose story starts in Joshua chapter two who risked her own life hiding the men of God, verses nine-eleven:
“And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Rea Sea for you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: THE LORD YOUR GOD, HE IS GOD IN HEAVEN ABOVE, AND IN EARTH BENEATH.”
She goes on to ask that that if she has been of help, that they spare her and her family and Joshua 6:25: ” And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even to this day (her descendants) because she hid the messengers, which Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho.”
So she believed in God and acted on that faith in trusting Him she did what was right even when it could have gone terribly wrong, she BELIEVED that He would reward her for her faith.. and HE DID!
And we see also in our verse from James, that he stops to point out that it IS good to believe, but the DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE, they KNOW God is real but yet the try to destroy the Kingdom and all that God holds dear.
But he is saying that we must also use that faith, that trust in God to step out into what God is calling you, leading you to do. And remember that if God goes before you your enemies are more afraid that you may even know because it is HIM, His name and His work that IS IN YOU when you are IN Him.
I want to encourage you today and I want to share my own story, not that I will never be in the league of these people but our stories are our stories and they are for today and they are for the Rea Seas of our generations, and the walls of our generations Jericho.
My ministry, (may be not much to many but priceless to me) unbeknownst to me…was evidently given birth to from something as simple, yet so strange as dreaming in Greek, sounds crazy, I know, and you have to really believe and really believe that God does truly work in mysterious ways to get this.
I had been given promises and had been given my calling through prophecy and of course, the laying on of hands, just as the Bible tells us will happen, and I had been given words and promises during prayer at other times, things that although I never doubted God, I also never saw how these things would come to be.
And as I got into live ministry, it became more and more confusing to wrap my head around what I knew would eventually come to pass, our trouble as humans.. the more we try to understand the less we do, because it is not always our job to understand.. it is our job to BELIEVE in faith and walk out in that faith.
So years ago, after I had been called, I started having these dreams…reoccurring dreams of nothing but line after line written of what I thought (again, shouldn’t have been thinking ) was letters of the English Alphabet and strange symbols, no commas, no periods, no stopping just row after row.
So I told my prayer partner that I really needed prayer that I thought I was just losing it and she prayed and I still did not understand.. a couple of months later, my husband and I were watching a travel show and I saw a street sign and I was like, Oh my goodness, that IS it, it was Greek.
The letters that look like English, that look like a, o, k, p, i, v and so on are actually not English and the weird symbols, Φ, λ, π, and as I like to call it, “the pitch fork thingy” φ, are just part of the Greek alphabet.
Of course I would love to have those lines, and lines out of my head to decipher but I now believe that it was not for me to decipher but for me to “look at”, ponder and maybe see a “different” path of ministry that I would have never seen otherwise.
But you know, people could be like, the chick is just crazy… but crazy or not, the Bible proves that sometimes we are led “outside the box” and we are shown things for a brief moment just to see if we will do a double take and ask “What on earth…?” and when He has our attention, He will do exactly what ever He wants to do because we have shown that we are open to Him and willing to have for a work that we KNOW is IMPOSSIBLE for us but TRUST Him that if He said it, it would come to be.
Writing the Word had been in my heart, my soul, and I have notebooks upon notebooks of scriptures from years ago, because I felt the need to write things down, and write and write, and write… and I had written letters to the Editor when prompted and had an overwhelming need to share the Word of God in a written format because people could read it in private and it could deal with “heavier” subjects without people feeling like they were being stared at or judged, and if they wanted to cry, they could cry, they could receive it, read it, and respond any way they wanted because it was personal just between them and God.
But I could not see a way of this happening and I played around with a couple of ideas, but at the time, it was just not panning out. In the meantime, my prayer partner had told me about something they had seen while praying, it was a word, written on a very specific place (won’t get into that right now) but anyway they said it was beautiful and they could not read it because it was foreign, so now I am excited trying to figure out what all this means and how certain things are still going to take place, because sometimes as humans, we do not understand God’s timetable.
And what we think is coming next week, could still be ten years in the making. So God opened a door that blew my mind, a chance to write for a church, already established, already existing, NOTHING for me to have to do , as I had been thinking there would be, “to make happen”.
HE already had it all lined up. I did NOT have a computer, or internet, didn’t even know how to use a computer, all I had was my trusty typewriter, but EVERY step of the way, He showed me that if I would step OUT of my comfort zone, He would do the rest!
Now I honestly don’t know how I lived without this baby, but that is another story! 🙂 anyway, I prayed and prayed, and prayed, what to write, how to present it and I now had my trusty Bible Greek book, I purchased as I was “in search of” and I by absolute faith, took one word as my prayer word and just nonchalantly added it to the bottom of the blog , I thought, they are going to think I am really out there and disassociate themselves from me, but amazingly they didn’t.
And I later wrote a post to explain the meaning of the name DOWN LOW OΝ PHLOGIZO (Φλογιζω) and promised at some point in the future to elaborate further as to why it was in Greek.
As time went, I shared my posts with my prayer partner because I know the FAITH she had and the support she had given, and one day just as nonchalantly as I had written Φλογίζω at the bottom of my posts.. she said, “By the way, I meant to tell you, that word I saw, is ON the bottom of your posts.”
I was like.. I have looked, I have thought, I have prayed and it was staring me in the face every single time I wrote!
So let me ask YOU, what just might be staring YOU in the face today? What word has He given you? What path has He called your feet to walk but may seem just a little too far away to ever reach?
Be encouraged, look for what you can’t see and BELIEVE when you do see it, even if you don’t understand what you are even seeing, one day you will understand and I now know the “mountains” my feet were meant to “travel” on with the Gospel, maybe aren’t the faraway mountains of distant lands that I could not understand HOW I would ever travel to.
But the irony in all to “ιζω” Greek words, which my curious daughter discovered is actually archaic and “went out of style” and usage around the fifteenth century, and the suffix meant “reason” and we now use “ize” instead.. so you know like “evangel-ize“.. feet not on actual mountains spiritual feet travelling “upon the mountains, over the world-wide web.
So NOW I would ask you to please check out my newest venture, the third and final spiritual Greek baby “Εξυπνιζω”, as “Φλογίζω” meant to “set on fire”, and “inflame with passion” joined by “sibling” “Σαλπιζω”, which means to “sound a trumpet”, Εξυπνιζω the new one means “awaken” and the site name is “Alabaster Breaking” which is pretty self-explanatory, it will be mainly for His daughters, and Lord willing, I will continue this one also, but if you get a moment please check it out at http://alabasterbreaking.wordpress.com of course, there’s not much there yet.
Never doubt the will and purpose for your life and never take for granted that you are just dreaming in Greek!
Love & Peace, for ever and always!
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
Lemonade, the classic, refreshing summer time drink, pretty groovy during a monster heat wave, like the one many of us have going on right now. Even better pink, in a pretty glass with a ton of ice.
Fruit flavored drinks, on the other hand, not quite as refreshing, for two main reasons:
#1. THEY CONTAIN NO REAL FRUIT. THEY ARE OF NO REAL VALUE TO YOUR BODY.
#2. THEY ARE PRODUCED WITH FAKE SUGAR TO HIDE THE NASTY CHEMICAL POISON THAT THEY ARE REALLY MADE OF.
I, myself prefer an old-fashioned iced coffee, not the jacked up sissy versions sold nationwide because delicious or not all I care about it REAL. I suppose, all things considered, fruit flavored drinks pair pretty nicely with candy coating.
Maybe that is why the churches are running over with sticky, sweet-smelling fluids to be given to those who seek and desire and desperately NEED the water of life.
When you need real refreshing, they just aren’t going to do the job, and the sickly sweet, nasty aftertaste is just going to leave you more thirsty than you were before for something real.
Sure, they are “sweet” sure they “care” but only to the point of convenience for them. After that, you can just choke on that sweetness they have just poured down your throat, they really don’t care, nor will they.
Talking about fake, artificial friends and “brethren”, definitely NOT talking about the world. I could have people actually write testimonies to their own experiences with this, because IT IS so common. That is truly, truly a sad statement.
But who cares? Seriously, who cares? They don’t. The world has no stake in it and would never come in if they had a clue as to how people are really treated once they are down. So who cares? Well, I tell you, one that does, the same one who cares about everything else:
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the GREEN herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily shalt thou be fed. Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as light, and thy judgment ( justice for you) as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him (any person) who prospereth in HIS way, BECAUSE of the man ( person, male or female) who bringeth WICKED DEVICES (schemes) to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise (way) to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: But those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea. thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth ( back biting and two facing ). The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. ( he knows the wicked shall soon fall and laughs at their attempts to harm others).
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay (kill) such as be of upright conversation (conduct). Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
Wait upon the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt SEE IT. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a GREEN bay tree. Yet he passed away, and lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.” PSALM 37:1-15,34-36
What I want to point out about these verses is this: IT APPEARS as though the wicked have the upper hand, that is why they are spreading THEMSELVES and the green being that they ARE thriving while doing so. We are not to envy the position they have weaved themselves into. We are not to “fret”, you know worrying and staying upset because of what they have cost us, or question whether or not they will answer to God for those actions, or lack thereof.
They hurt the innocent, they backbite, spread lies and try to destroy others but as you see, God laughs, HE LAUGHS while they are running about pretending to give a “cold drink” to the little ones, when the poisonous fruit flavoring clearly proves what is really being served.
While they may seem to grow and prosper, they will soon dry and wither away. We all know people like this, the world is full of them, and that should be no surprise because after all it is the world. The true testing of this comes when these people are supposed to be your friends and you can really get into what Jesus said with this, If someone takes what is yours DO NOT ask for it back.
And we all know what a “friend” Jesus had in Judas and those are exactly those of which I speak. He also commands us pray for those who hurt us, USE us, and PERSECUTE us, and SPEAK EVIL AGAINST US. He tells us to forgive our brothers and sisters in Him. But you know what? These people ARE NOT REALLY our brethren! THEY ARE THE EQUIVALENT TO FRUIT FLAVORED DRINKS.
The reason we are to do good to them is that in by doing so, we are “heaping coals of hell fire on their heads”!
People who use other people and just pretend to care for them in order to gain whatever it is that they are after are not of God. I don’t care how often they go to church, what amount of tithes they pay, or how helpful they may seem or whatever else they can produce as a sign of being “green” in the fruitful sense. I guess that is where ceasing from anger comes in pretty handy.
I just can not stand fake Christians and I would rather have someone curse me to my face then pretend to be something they are not. I respect people who can look you in the eye and tell you the truth,EVEN if that truth is that they would love to see you six feet under, not hide their hate behind lies and drama and the beauty in it all in waiting upon the Lord, trusting in the Lord, resting in the Lord, knowing that soon the truth you know of them will also be made known to all.
So if life “gives you lemons” wait on the sweetness of the Lord, even though the base fruit may TASTE bitter and unpleasant, and very undesirable, as are many of the things that we must go through in life, once the Lord adds his sweetness to the mix that lemonade made from those awful lemons will be much sweeter and refreshing than the watered down fruit flavored drink you had been given because even though the lemons began as bitter, The end product WILL HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH REAL FRUIT!
Be Blessed and stay cool! Seriously, it is really hot out there and go for the real lemonade!!!It will keep you cooler and help you keep your cool;) !
Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 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
Cute term, can be kinda offensive, but I promise I will prove why in the case we all should want to be “wannabes”!
The Church of Philadelphia, Revelation 3:7-13 is one of a kind. This church an universal symbol of love ,mercy,compassion, I believe is the one composed of all nations, all kindred, all tongues. So what do they have?
Love as in “A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another as I have loved you, ye also love one another.“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another” John 13:34&35,
Proverbs10:12 “Hatred stirreth up strife: but love covereth all sins.” Love “Beareth all things, beleiveth all things, hopes all things ,endureth all things” 1 Corinthians13:7
How about mercy?
“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that shewed no mercy: and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” James2:13
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” Matthew 5:7.
Compassion? Galatians6:1&2 “BRETHREN, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
All the things He is to us, His mercy that is renewed every morning, his banner of love over us serving notice on the Hell that we are his and his unfailing compassion that understands all we go through and cries with us. All that he is and all he wants us to be, not judge, jury and executioner, It is not his will that any shall perish.
Seven times we are told “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” Now “listen” closely….
“And to the angel (messenger) of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith HE THAT IS HOLY, HE THAT IS TRUE, HE THAT HATH THE KEY OF DAVID, HE THAT OPENETH, AND NO MAN SHUTTETH; AND SHUTTETH, AND NO MAN OPENETH;
I KNOW THY WORKS: BEHOLD I HAVE SET BEFORE THEE AN OPEN DOOR, AND NO MAN CAN SHUT IT FOR THOU HAST A LITTLE STRENGHT, AND HAST KEPT MY WORD, AND HAST KEPT MY NAME.
BECAUSE THOU HAST KEPT THE WORD OF MY PATIENCE (command to persevere)IALSO WILL KEEP THE FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPATION (trial)WHICH SHALL COME UPON ALL THE WORLD TO TRY (test) THEM THAT DWELL UPON EARTH” Revelation 3:7,8,10
My personal favorite,
Isaiah26:20&21 “Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: Hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” With promises like that we all should wanna be in this blessed number!
Nina BrownJohnson / εν Φλογιζω FOWC/ 02/11/2014
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
Cute term, can be kinda offensive, but I promise I will prove why in the case we all should want to be “wannabes”!
The Church of Philadelphia, Revelation 3:7-13 is one of a kind. This church an universal symbol of love ,mercy,compassion, I believe is the one composed of all nations, all kindred, all tongues. So what do they have?
Love as in “A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another as I have loved you, ye also love one another.“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another” John 13:34&35,
Proverbs10:12 “Hatred stirreth up strife: but love covereth all sins.” Love “Beareth all things, beleiveth all things, hopes all things ,endureth all things” 1 Corinthians13:7
How about mercy?
“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that shewed no mercy: and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” James2:13
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” Matthew 5:7.
Compassion? Galatians6:1&2 “BRETHREN, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
All the things He is to us, His mercy that is renewed every morning, his banner of love over us serving notice on the Hell that we are his and his unfailing compassion that understands all we go through and cries with us. All that he is and all he wants us to be, not judge, jury and executioner, It is not his will that any shall perish.
Seven times we are told “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” Now “listen” closely….
“And to the angel (messenger) of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith HE THAT IS HOLY, HE THAT IS TRUE, HE THAT HATH THE KEY OF DAVID, HE THAT OPENETH, AND NO MAN SHUTTETH; AND SHUTTETH, AND NO MAN OPENETH;
I KNOW THY WORKS: BEHOLD I HAVE SET BEFORE THEE AN OPEN DOOR, AND NO MAN CAN SHUT IT FOR THOU HAST A LITTLE STRENGHT, AND HAST KEPT MY WORD, AND HAST KEPT MY NAME.
BECAUSE THOU HAST KEPT THE WORD OF MY PATIENCE (command to persevere)IALSO WILL KEEP THE FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPATION (trial)WHICH SHALL COME UPON ALL THE WORLD TO TRY (test) THEM THAT DWELL UPON EARTH” Revelation 3:7,8,10
My personal favorite,
Isaiah26:20&21 “Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: Hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” With promises like that we all should wanna be in this blessed number!
Nina BrownJohnson / εν Φλογιζω FOWC/ 02/11/2014
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
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” MATTHEW 7:12
“And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.” MATTHEW 5:41,42
Quick interjection, if someone needs you to go a mile , go two. And I know people prefer the “modern English” of the scriptures and No, Jesus did not speak Old English, BUT we were given our Bible through men who risked and often lost their lives for sharing the Word of God and William Tyndale was STRANGLED AND BURNED AT THE STAKE FOR TRANSLATING THE GOSPEL, SO THAT OTHERS WOULD KNOW THE TRUTH! So for me the KJV is the only Bible it is gonna be.
How often do we really apply this to life and how often do we respect one person above another? God himself has respect to no one person, as the parable of the hired laborers teaches us. The eleventh hour laborers received the same wage as those who had worked all day, even though the others had worked longer hours, the latter ones had to work harder because they had only one hour to get the job finished. Of course the first group was angry because in their opinion they deserved more because they had toiled longer BUT the owner of this job paid the same to all employees, such as is the kingdom of heaven, when we accept Christ we are all the same and he values none of us above the other, so a person who has served God for forty years will receive no greater reward than one who just accepted salvation!
Now that is fair and that is just! We see that God doesn’t play favorites and if God does not work that way, and neither should we! When it comes to respect and common courtesy in the world there is often a lot left to be desired. How often does this happen, people being ranked higher or lower on the scale of importance, and treated in a lesser fashion due to name, social status, or what they have to offer, or rather what they do not have, all of a sudden they are expendable and not quite worth the time.
As Jesus, said with everything that we do, with everyone we encounter, we should keep this well in mind BECAUSE WE WILL RECEIVE EXACTLY what we have shown BUT the BIG difference is that we will be the one on the other end of that spectrum, and for many THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE A PRETTY PLACE! Mark MY words, YOU will be on the flip side of whatever someone else is facing today.
GALATIANS 6:7 “Be ye NOT DECEIVED; GOD IS NOT MOCKED: for whatsoever a man (human) soweth, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP.“
If you receive a prophet, you will receive a prophets reward. Just as the lady blessed of God for helping a prophet, whose oil and flour did not run out during famine and spared her and her son a slow death of starvation. Another lady who was blessed through the oil that flowed supernaturally that it could be sold to pay off debt sparing her and her family from servitude. The borrowed ax head miraculously surfacing to save another, yet again from debt based slavery. Jesus himself resurrecting the grief-stricken widow’s only son, knowing that he himself the only begotten son of the Father would also resurrect. What if any of these had pulled a big “Well, I’ve got enough problems without having to fool with you a-tude”? Kindness is repaid, God with not be indebted to any that have shown kindness to his people.
ACTS 9:36-42 ” Now there was a Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was FULL of good works and almsdeeds (charitable deeds) which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, AND DIED: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. And forsomuch as (because) Lydia was nigh to (located closely to) Joppa, the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come (had arrived) they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing him the coats (tunics) and garments which Dorcas had made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth (out) and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to THE BODY said, Tabitha, arise. And she OPENED her eyes: and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her ALIVE. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.”
Now the beauty in that is that many were made believers through seeing the hand of God resurrect this lady, a great gift she was given, the Bible clear to point out the love SHE had for those she helped clothe and the love THEY had in turn for her, calling upon the Lord and he answered. Could have ended very differently had she not held this testimony, had she had an attitude of indifference and never helped anyone other than herself and her circles of friends.
So beware and very aware of how you treat others, because what holds true in life today may not hold true tomorrow. You could find yourself wearing the shoes someone else just took off, following down a rough and rocky road they have just trod and God’s principles never change and how well you survive your own trying seasons heavily depend on how well you score on the character “testing” points of today.
GALATIANS 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in DUE season WE SHALL REAP, IF WE FAINT NOT.”
IF we faint not tells a little of just how hard some of these seasons can be. Simon of Cyrene was called upon to carry the Lord’s cross just as he commanded US to pick up our cross and follow him, and if while on that path another asks us to walk with them, we need to remember this lesson, it would be better to walk two miles with our brethren than to sow indifference and as a result reap the walking of four miles absolutely alone.
ORIGINAL POST@FOWC 08/29/14Φλογίζω/ NBJ 2015/ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Golden Rule X2 N. BrownJohnson/ Φλογιζω
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
The truest test of bravery comes not by being the strongest,the most well-trained, or sharpest shooter on the field.
The results of the true test of bravery comes through what would appear the weakest and least prepared of soldiers. And we know all about judging books by covers or rather the warning not too, all know the story of Samuel being sent to Jesse, to complete the task of anointing a new king, and we know that in the family opinion, David’s kingly attribute’s were so, how shall we say… um, lacking, nada, zilch, not even gonna happen, that they didn’t even bother to call him in.
BUT it was this boy, who had that little something extra, tucked away so deep on the inside that NO ONE could even see it, but he would be chosen, because GOD saw it, because God had placed it there.
Gideon, another who FEARFULLY HID from his enemies to get food for his family, and even when he was angelically informed that the enemies demise was gonna be his job, he NEEDED reassurance that this was GOD’S ideal not his, I had actually heard Gideon referred to as a “sissy” by a Bible teacher once, I’m like thinking, oh, I don’t think I’d be saying that because we know what we judge another for we often end up in that same dilemma to teach us a little it about walking a mile in their shoes. Gideon was WISE, he could have died by the hand of his enemies and been fine, but to fall into the hands of the Living God is a very different, very terrifying fate!
Mary, the consummate story of having a table prepared in the presence of your enemies! She KNEW what these guys thought of her, BUT she had to go into the HOUSE OF HER ENEMY and pour out her soul, (IN THEIR PRESENCE) and wash Jesus’ feet with her tears and dry them with her hair, which at this time, hair was considered a lady’s glory and to use it is in such a display of absolute humility (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH HUMILIATION!) was unheard of, but oh, what had been laid out on that table!
There are so many today, who just do not know YET, the full power of what is living right there inside of you, that courage to pour yourself out, the courage to share your pain and sorrows and lay down at the master’s feet for all the world to see. Sometimes our spiritual battles could be best compared to wounded creatures, when they are hurt and so desperately need treatment and those who try to intervene are met with growls and a display of teeth, sometimes those wounds are so painful that we don’t want anyone seeing them or touching them, BUT it is in those wounds and allowing the healing of them that true valor and courage are shown to others.
Sometimes in the church world there can be a lack of empathy, I once heard a man years and years ago say something, and I am not bashing him, I actually like him and I know this was based on sheer lack of empathy, it in was in context of joy, and he made the reference of giving the devil too much credit and that a lady had said he just didn’t know what the devil had put her through, his answer was don’t give credit to the devil.
He had no idea what she may have been through, people have often suffered abuses that they are just not comfortable telling a roomful of people and it could have been something that he could not have possibly understood.
Standing in faith with her and praying for her when she felt that she could no longer stand and assuring that she did not stand alone would have served much better than reprimanding her for feeling.
And this guaranteed no one else who was listening would ever chance showing their pain for fear of being rejected as “weak”. I also love another oldie, really prevalent with the old school crew (And yes, I love them too, just using examples here), about people “coming in looking like they’ve been sucking on lemons” and “How can God’s people lack joy?” It is not that they lack joy, obviously if they have survived thus far, they have a better foundation with God, then some would think.
There are snares, traps, and schemes from then enemy BUT sometimes people have problems and wounds that TAKE TIME TO HEAL!
I heard a minister say the coolest thing ever once, I am quoting him, because I do not have his name or otherwise I would give it, but he said when you ask someone how they are and they reply “fine” this usually means “Fractured, Injured, Neurotic, and Empty”! But that pressure to be whole, groovy, problem free Christians doesn’t really send out a safety beacon to those who don’t necessarily feel that same way! I am sincerely happy for the ones who have it together and have reached that place we strive to, the place of perfect love, blessing your enemies, joying in persecutions and WE TRULY MUST attempt to reach that, but for those who haven’t and those in the world, struggling to keep their heads up out of the water, another warrior is sometimes needed to stand with them in that battle.
Broken, broken people have no connection to others who profess to never, ever have a care in the world, or have never made a mistake and treat others tears with disgust. True courage and true valor are found in the honesty of someone admitting they are not perfect, that they struggle but that they never surrender in that battle and THAT is what acts as that beacon of hope, the love and light of Jesus, shining through that once broken vessel, for the world to see, his light reflecting through as rays of hope on the black, deathly violent waging sea of this world.
David, through the NAME of the Lord (which was HIS high tower) defeated a GIANT that EVERYONE ELSE dared not tangle with, what is often forgotten about this story, THEY PLANNED TO TAKE ALL ISRAEL AS SLAVES!
So this wasn’t just a victory for David, it was God using him to prevent the enslavement of them all!
Gideon’ sword backed by the SWORD of the Lord defeated the enemies that had held them virtual prisoners in their own land, God even subtracting the army numbers down to three hundred to ensure to ALL would know that it was truly He who fought this battle!
Mary, who was quite accustomed to being treated like an object was completely vindicated when Jesus HEARD THE THOUGHTS in Simon’s head concerning her and lined him out at Simon’s own dinner, in front of all his guests, that HE KNEW WHO SHE WAS!
And Mary never would have been invited to the dinner table of a Pharisee but blessed she never left the table of the Lord, she went on to follow him and she was the first he appeared to after his resurrection.
Simon was half right, only out of context with his judgmental thinking, JESUS DID KNOW exactly who it was touching Him, it was his messed up, wounded daughter who came to be healed, He knew Mary’s soul, something none of us can ever know about another. So be strong, be of good courage, don’t be afraid to show others all your scars from the wounds Jesus has healed, let them see and then they won’t be so afraid to let Him see the wounds of their own soul because HE WANTS TO HEAL THEM but they have to be willing to let Him look at all those bloody places in their souls.
Revelation 2:7: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”
Revelation 2:11: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”
Revelation 2:17: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”
Revelation 2:26: “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.”
Revelation 3:5: “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”
Revelation 3:12: “Him that overcometh, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”
Revelation 3:21: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
These are HIS promises to you!
All things made new, all the labels gone, new names, and forever be in the presence of Him! He also told us to “Let NO MAN take your crown” (scriptural meaning humans, male or female) that let’s you know you gotta fight! So how do you do that? You fight with courage, and valor, and vigor just like Mary and the others and NOT care who sees, or what they think and you worship your God!
And as others try to give you a hard time, remember this verse, and remind yourself that it is truly the power of the enemy that is attacking because he is the accuser he just uses others as his messengers.
Revelation 12:10 “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and of the power of his Christ: FOR THE ACCUSER of our brethren is cast down, WHICH ACCUSED THEM BEFORE OUR GOD DAY AND NIGHT.”
When someone tries to remind you of your past, you remind them who they are, agents of Satan, accusing you because they are filled with him. Take this sword, keep it and your mind sharp to the power of it:
Revelation 12:11 “And THEY OVERCAME HIM (devil) BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, and THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY; AND THAT THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH.”
The union between heaven and earth, first the surrendering into His blood and then your own testimony of what the blood of the Lamb has changed in your life and not loving your “friends” or lifestyle, or worldly image more! Ponder it today and so many of you, are here for this time on earth, to be THAT light on behalf of Jesus.
Let NO ONE stop you, and never lose your crown or your guts! Φλογιζω/ all rights reserved. nbj 2015 ***Archive post, original post date 08/05/2015***Repost
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
“Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?
I raised thee up(awakened) under the apple tree:…” Song of Solomon 7:5
The wilderness the daughters of God have been very acquainted with since the dawn of time. Since the fall of man, the enemy has ensured that we would be considered no more than property and every day countless of us are raped, abused, forced into prostitution and in many countries we are still property at the complete mercy of often unmerciful husbands.
While in other corners of the world, unable to carry lineage names daughters are aborted and others sold into slavery. Christianity of old. Tainted by MEN also seemed to teach that women are inferior but the truth is far from that. My biggest struggle in coming to Christ was this very topic, I was like, Why are women always the bad ones? Misguided teaching of confused or intentionally biased doctrine has kept many away and who could blame them? Many modern women who have been left to support their children completely alone, who have struggled to pay their bills, put food on their tables, educate themselves and their children ,just barely surviving through the world.
And if they happen into the wrong church they will hear that they are of a lesser value to God than their male counterparts. To “fit in” they will need to change everything about themselves and sit down and above all shut up. Even after God had enlightened me to the truth and helped me understand his word, I still had trouble wrapping my head around a few things. I did most of intense studying before my child was school aged, after everyone was asleep and my house cleaned, I would stay up and read until I could not function any longer.
One night I happened upon Judges 19 which in my opinion contains the most disturbing and gruesome story in the entire Bible. It mirrors the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, ironically found in Genesis 19, when Lot had offered his virgin daughters to the deviant, demon possessed pagans, who were demanding he turn over his male visitors to them, “that they may know them” translated, so they could gang rape them.
The Bible clear to point out that Lot offered these girls with a “do whatever you want to them” agreement to try to get them to take them instead of the male visitors.
To break Judges 19 down, a Levite had a concubine, it says she “played the harlot”. I’m not sure how that worked since she was “kept” for that purpose, double standards of the day, which still equate in our culture as the difference between a guy being a “player” and a woman being a “slut”.
Another problem Jesus addressed when he came to earth, he wants two people married, period. Enlightening them to their double standards when they wanted judgment against the adulterous woman, of course it takes two, but they seemed to have forgotten to bring her partner in this sin before the Lord, His answer to them translating to this, if they themselves had no sin, go ahead hit her.
Standing in front of a Holy God they couldn’t do it.
But at the time of Judges, men could have as many women as they wanted but it was never God’s plan. To get on with the story, she went back to her father’s house, so he comes after her to talk her into coming back, finally she agreed, and after being detained several days they went on their way.
He refused to stay anywhere other than lands belonging to the tribes of Israel and insisted on traveling to a city of the tribe of Benjamin, they had nowhere to stay, so an old man invited them to stay with him, pleading that they not stay outside, soon just as with Sodom, there were men at his door demanding he turn over this man to them that they “may know him”.
Picture perfect to Sodom, only lacking the presence of the angels that saved Lot’s daughters. So the old guy offers his daughter and the concubine, again with the agreement to whatever they wanted to them, just do not touch the man.
They refused, they still wanted the man, so the guy just takes the concubine and throws her out to them and they repeatedly gang rape her until the morning and then they let her go.
She makes it to the door of the house where she collapses, she just lies there helplessly until he gets up, opens the door and finds her and he actually tells her quite simply, to get up they have to get going, needless to say she is dead. He dismembers her body into twelve parts and sends a part to each of the tribes and war is waged. It wasn’t that they raped her or that she was dead that bothered him, it was because they destroyed his property.
I read this and I was alone with my shock and absolute horror and knowing the Lord, I just asked “Why, Why are we of so little value?” These “men” would not even try to fend off these monsters, not even try to muster up an ounce of anything remotely resembling courage to fight for themselves.
Forget chivalry, or protection, an ounce of some sort of compassion, but to just offer these women as less than nothing and to do it to save themselves. I just could not understand it.
I do understand that at the time the thought of this being done to men was so unthinkable that they were desperate to prevent it. But they could have tried to prevent it for happening to any of them.
The God I know would never sanction this stuff or ever condone it and I was in tears, and it just hit me to keep reading, the bottom line is this, at the very end of Judges, “In those days there was no king in Israel: Every man did what was right in his own eyes.”
This was never God!
He never put these things in men’s hearts and for years it was falsely taught and still is in many places.
Men still do what is right in their own eyes and only God can make them see the truth. But it is time for the awakening of his daughters.
No matter what false beliefs that women have been brainwashed by, we have to let them know that this is not what Jesus is about. He does not hate women and did not create us to be objects of amusement to fulfill the twisted lusts of men nor to be their gender indentured servants.
If we are ever to see those that are oppressed be saved and free, they have to know the truth about him and who he is and most of all who they are in him.
A forgotten child, much like David, when no one would even waste their time to call him to be presented before Samuel the Prophet, because in their eyes why would a prophet possibly want to speak with someone so unimportant and simple?
A forgotten child from the greatest of tribes, who just happened to be a woman, a sister to the twelve tribes of Israel, a forgotten child that no one bothers to mention because she was not as important as her brothers, or so they thought.
Dinah, the seventh child Leah bore to Jacob, a woman who also a thing or two about pain and substandard treatment, who had been raped and used as a bargaining chip which led to a mass slaughter.
Her bloodline STILL offering an inheritance. because she was one of the tribe.
The most prophetic beauty with Dinah is the meaning of her name, “JUDGEMENT.”
It is awakening time for the sisters, the beautiful, forgotten army who have a straight shot to the heart of the Father.
You are so strong, so powerful, and yet, you do not even know WHO YOU ARE in HIM, and so unaware of your predestined place in this end time end game.
You are the spiritual virgins and maidens forever following to proclaim the majesty, beauty, and holiness of the Kings of Kings.
It is the love and proclamations that Hannah, and Mary, and never forget Mary Magdalene, He came to her first because she needed him the most.
Take your place in the kingdom, it is not going to be accomplished with half an army. The adoration and praises from hearts that have known sorrows and pain that men can never begin to understand.
A relationship to God who will bring justice for others on behalf of the cries of the souls of his daughters. Unlike the time of Judges, unlike the women who are your sisters the world over, who are oppressed and in bondage.
You have access to a King, the King, and The King over heaven, and earth, and the entire universe, He will plead their cause if you bring them before his throne in that secret prayer closet. He will bring justice for those your tears flood the altar for, when you allow your soul to be awakened under that tree, awakened by a love so strong, so powerful, so consuming that you wear that love as a covering for the whole world to see.
“I AM the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among the thorns so is my love among the daughters. as the apple tree among the trees of wood so it my beloved among the sons.
I sat down under his shadow with great delight his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me into the banqueting house and his banner of me was LOVE” Song of Solomon 2:1-4
Translated: KNOW HIM for who HE IS, allow his love to bloom in you, in spite of the valleys and thorns, breathe in his sweetness and lift you up out of those ashes and hide in the secret place of the Most High, under the shadow of his wings, taste the goodness of his salvation and let him bring you into his house of feasting and the love of Jehovah Nissi is his war flag over his daughters and the love is the secret to it all.
Φλογίζω / 02/05/2015. All rights reserved. Rev. Nina BrownJohnson 2015
For later posts in the realm of all things feminine, check these out:
REVISTED:08/01/2019 Because sometimes we just need to be reminded of who Jesus REALLY is and who he has called us to be in him.
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
“As the lily among the thorns, so is my love among the daughters” Song of Solomon 2:2 The beautiful spiritual garden of the Lord, filled with every plant and flower to be imagined and the plot he has chosen for you to grow in.
You have been created in the image of God, the enemy knows this and he knows the value of the true beauty which you possess. He despises it, so he plants his briers in your life to rip and shred that image until there is nothing left but bloody, twisted, painful wounds.
Thorns, the gnarled twisted vines that entangle us and who we believe ourselves to be.
Their razor-sharp points piercing our souls, preventing our movement in either direction for fear of their sharp sting. If left to grow they will completely take over our souls.
Proverbs 12:18(a): “There is that (one who) speaketh like the piercings of a sword.”
We go through some pretty rough stuff in this life but often the real damage to us is not caused by physical sufferings but rather through words.
Words are so powerful, that is why Jesus is referred to as “THE WORD”, He spoke everything into existence and the enemy loves nothing more than to battle you with his own perverted, twisted, destructive words.
As the Bible states, those words stab our hearts, souls and spirit to a greater degree than any dagger ever might, because these cuts go straight to the heart.
“Four Eyes”,
“Dumb”,
“Stupid”,
“Wimp”,
“Fat”,
“Bone rack”,
“Flat chest”,
” Slut”,
“Idiot”,
“Cry Baby”,
“Should have never been born”,
“Never will amount to anything”.
Of course, they are always offered to us with the all too familiar, “YOUR…” which automatically red flags our minds which have been programmed to the values of this world and our social need to conform to default to self-blame.
It hurts just reading them doesn’t it?
These words are so powerful and carry so much force that even not being spewed hatefully at us, they still affect our emotions.
Words piercing our souls, and so many young men and women in our world today have listened to those words and the thorns that accompanied them are now strangling everything a Holy, loving Father has created them to be.
Society has set levels of supposed beauty and social conduct that are both impossible to achieve and disgraceful. We have all been there at one point or another in life, maybe you are there now and the effects of these words can linger for life.
Self destruct mode takes over when those thorns have convinced us that rather than rid ourselves of them, that we must instead change ourselves to accommodate their presence.
IF we were prettier, more handsome, bigger busted, more muscular, slimmer, sexier, had better skin, whiter teeth, had more friends or could get that perfect date. Maybe we could fit if… we drank more, tried the cool drugs, give our virtue away to everyone who asked, losing a little of our soul each time, joy, self-esteem and self-worth being strangled out, while depression, guilt and shame moves insidiously and comfortably into their spot.
Achieve one goal and a new one will be set because that score board is rigged and it forever changes to keep the players on the field right where the enemy wants them.
If it is so grand, why do so many celebrities commit suicide and die from drug overdoses? Their souls have become so covered by thorns even all the money, fame and power can’ take the pain away, they are so miserable inside that they can no longer survive the torment of living.
These thorns manifest themselves in many, many ways the most common alcoholism, drug addictions, pornography and gambling addictions, cutting and eating disorders and host of self-destructive behaviors.
We, as Christians must get our heads out of fairy land and see what is really taking place in the lives of those Christ sent us to minister to and start acknowledging that these problems are very real and offer help to the untold number of teens and adults that suffer alone in silence, fearing that they will be farther ridiculed if their secrets are out.
We have to teach them that is okay to talk about these things and that there is help and most of all there is hope. The realization has to come that THERE IS NO STANDARD!
We are fearfully and wonderfully created, completely on purpose by someone who loves and does not make mistakes.
He wants us all to feel beautiful from the inside out and most of that our true value will be found in Him.
That we would understand that true beauty comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors and personalities.
Just as roses, daisies and orchids are completely different and yet all equally as stunning. His love is as the lily, the beautiful precious thing, completely surrounded by those thorns. His love and His love alone is the only force that can cut all the thorns away and allow us to grow in that beautiful garden, being ourselves, just exactly who he intended us to be.
Hold on to God, give him all your pain and trust him because “HE IS THE ROSE OF SHARON AND THE LILY OF THE VALLEYS” and you are beautiful in Him! Original Post Date:06/06/2014
All rights reserved. Nina BrownJohnson/ baresoulphlogizo 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 