June 3, 2023 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Hidden”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And having an high priest over the house of God.

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

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

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

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

Whatever you need it will be there.

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

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

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

September 25, 2020 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Unto good”

“And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said Joseph will peradventure (perhaps) hate us, and will certainly requite (repay) us all the evil which we did unto him.

And they sent a messenger unto Joseph saying, Thy father did command us before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil; and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

And his brethren also went and fell before his face; and they said, Behold we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

But as for you, ye thought (intended) evil against me; BUT GOD MEANT IT UNTO GOOD, TO BRING TO PASS, AS IT IS THIS DAY, TO SAVE MUCH PEOPLE ALIVE.” Genesis 50:15-20

Most are familiar with the story of how Joseph’s brothers became jealous and hated him so much so that they plotted to kill and through him into a pit, but then instead he ending up being taken out of the pit as sold into slavery.

And God had his hand on Joseph, even though he was captive, being held against his will not only through slavery but through the lies of an angry vindictivative woman who falsely accused him of rape because he rejected her advances toward him.

And can you even imagine how wounded and hurt his heart had to have been because he had did absolutely nothing, nothing to them but yet the hated him. Just as that mirror of Jesus, as Jesus said in the Book of John, 15:25, concerning himself and the fulfilling of the prophecy of him…“THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.”

God does not cause bad things to happen to us, God loves us, but God does USE all things.

Psalm 119:65-72: TETH: “Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O, Lord, according to thy word.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments.

Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now have I kept thy word.

Thou art good, and doest good, teach me thy statutes.

The proud have forged a lie against me; but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.

Their heart is as fat as grease (insensible);but I will delight in thy law.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands in silver and gold.”

Just as Joseph and so many in the Bible and so many of OUR brothers and sisters in the past and even TODAY suffer for the testimony of Christ physically, emotionally and financially to serve the kingdom of God and have overcame through their faith in God and believing for something so much greater than what can be seen.

And there is so much greater,and today hold on to that.

Love & Peace!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020

September 23, 2020 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Comfort”

“Remember thy word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

This is my comfort in my affliction; for thou word hath quickened me (given me life).

The proud have had me greatly in derision; yet have I not declined from thy law. remember thy judgment of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself. Horror (indignation) hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

I have remembered thy name,O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law.

This had I, because I kept thy precepts.” Psalm 119:49-56 ZAIN

As Jesus had promised us that he would never leave us comfortless but that once we give our lives to Him and trust him as our Savior He is always there, always through the good, the bad, every single day as we go through this life which is full of uncertainties simply because it IS life. The promises that we cling to are promises of the goodness of the next life.

But Jesus wants us to have joy and peace ,and love and rest for our souls as much as possible in this life.

As you go through you day, think of all the wonderful promises and comfort that God has given and that he has promised for the days ahead and let that word be the hand that holds your hand as you walk through these last days in which we find ourselves.

God’s word of prophecy fulfilling all around us and let that word be that voice encouraging you that in it is all going to be alright in the end.

And a scripture we have all used time after time, myself included but one so powerful, so comforting that we need to remind ourselves of it every day.

Romans 8:31: “What shall we then say to these things? IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?”

All these things being, things that come at us, hardship, trials, thirst, hunger, circumstance,grief and not forget the attacks of the enemy and his agents.

These “things” in that verse meaning anything and everything but in all these things HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.

Because as others have said in the past, “We have read the Book, we know we do win in the end”!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020/ Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

September 14, 2020 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Promised”

“Remember thy word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

This is my comfort in my affliction: for thou word hath quickened (revived) me.

The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.

I remember thy judgment of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself.

Horror (indignation) hath take hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

Thy statutes have been my song in the house of my pilgrimage.

I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law.

This I had, because I keep thy precepts.” Psalm 119:49-56 ZAIN Thanks so much for “taking this refresher course” with me, I know for some this may seem tedious and monotonous as we have “discussed” Psalm 119, verse y verse. But I do want you think about this, even if you know these verses inside out, there may be someone else who doesn’t, you may have heard them ministered countless of times but there may be someone else who hasn’t. And we have to have his word to hold onto for this present time and the times that are coming and the word will be in our lives just want this entire chapter reinteraties, which is the Lord will not only sustain but he will revive, renew, and restore us and remembering those promises and looking ahead in HOPE.

And as we are taught that Abraham held fast to his hope through the promises he had received of God, and as Abraham believed against hope, meaning that when everything in the natural LOOKED hopeless and APPEARED hopeless, and if he had asked anyone did they think he and Sarah would conceive a child that would lead to him being the Father of many nations, people would have laughed them to shame, and just think, they were both elderly, many many years BEYOND the human abilities to even produce or conceive children.

Others would have thought they had lost their minds!

Ah, again, the beauty of God and the fact that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HIM and NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE TO HIM THAT BELIEVES IN HIM IN tHAT THERE IS NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE TO!

We’ll start as Paul used the at the assurance of the promise of God to Abraham. to remind us that we should stand in these promises.

Romans 4:17-21: “(As it is written, I HAVE MADE THEE A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS.) before him whom he believed, even God, WHO QUICKENETH (gives life to) THE DEAD, AND CALLETH THOSE THINGS WHICH BE NOT AS THOSE THEY WERE.

WHO AGAINST (contrary to) HOPE BELIEVED IN HOPE, that he might become the father of many nations, ACCORDING to that which was spoken, SO SHALL THY SEED BE, And being not weak in faith, he considered NOT his own body, now dead (too old to reproduce), when he was about an hundred years old, NEITHER yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

He staggered not at did not doubt) the PROMISE of God through unbelief:

But was STRONG IN FAITH, GIVING GLORY TO GOD. And being FULLY PERSUADED THAT, WHAT HE HAD PROMISED, HE WAS ABLE ALSO TO PERFORM.”

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020 / Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

September 13, 2020 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Thy Mercies”

VAU: Psalm 119:41-48: “Let thy mercies (loving kindness) come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word.

So shall I have wherewith to answer to him that reproacheth me; for I trust in they word.

And not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in they judgments (justice).

So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. And I will walk at liberty (in a wide place); for I seek thy precepts.

I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings,and will not be ashamed.

And I delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate on thy statutes.”

As God gave us the greatest gift ever given, the gift of his only Son. This was the ultimate display of his mercy toward us, his creation. So many scriptures declare and expound on the wondrous mercies of God.

But you know that mercy was not only in the past, that mercy was not just for yesterday but is is for today and for your tomorrow.

God’s mercy is there so that the enemy can not destroy us before we are saved and then his mercy is there to cover every mistake and shortcoming along the way, and that grace and mercy covers us all the more!

Think about this passage today: Lamentations: 3:21-23: “THIS I recall to my mind, therefore HAVE I HOPE.

It is of the Lord’s mercies THAT WE ARE NOT CONSUMED, BECAUSE HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT (his compassion is always toward us).

They (his mercies)ARE NEW EVERY MORNING.”

So every single day God mercy and grace are brand new and no matter what happened yesterday or how he delivered and helped you that day, TODAY is brand new and he will also again help you, deliver you, and keep you in him!

Let his mercy be your shield knowing that He’s got you in the palm of his hand.

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020/ Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

September 10, 2020 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“REVIVED”

DALETH Psalm 119:25-32: “My soul cleaveth unto (clings to) the dust; quicken (revive) thou me according to thy word.

I have declared my ways, and thou heardest (answered) me; teach me thy statutes.

Make me to understand thy precepts; so shall I talk of (meditate on) thy wondrous works.

My soul melteth (weeps) for heaviness (grief); strengthen thou me according to thy word.

Remove from me the way of lying; and grant me thy law graciously.

I have chosen the way of truth; thy judgments have I laid before me. I have stuck unto (cling to) they testimonies; O lord, put me not to shame.

I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.”

I want to tell you something today, you may feel hopeless, lost, not lost without Jesus, but lost as in alone not knowing which way to turn because so many things have came against you.

I want to assure you that God always sees, he always knows and when you are at your weakest point that is when the POWER of God rests on the strongest! This is the gleanings and the heart cries that open the ears of heaven to send forth miracles in answer to your prayers. Jesus is so close to us in those sorrows, those tears, and I want to give you a passage of scripture from Apostle Paul as he came to this realization himself.

2 Corinthians 12: 7-10: “And I lest I be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet (beat) me, lest I be exalted above measure.

For this thing I besought (pleaded with) the Lord thrice (three times), that it might depart from me.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.

Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my infirmities (weaknesses) THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches,in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN AM I STRONG.”

He came to understand that if he never suffered, never struggled that he would take for granted all the gifts God had given him, because God had called Paul to a tremendous task for the kingdom and with that call he had been gifted with tongues, prophecy, healing, and miracles, he had even prayed for resurrection of the young man that had fallen from the window and died, God answered Paul’s prayer by sending life into the man again.

So it would have seemed a bit strange to him, I am sure, that when he has God to deliver him from that that was a torment and God did not, buta after the third prayer when Jesus SPOKE to him, assuring him that HIS GRACE was all Paul needed, BECAUSE the more Paul needed the more POWER Jesus shined on him. He knew the more life, or the devil, or circumstance “threw at him” the closer Jesus would be.

And that “quickening” from God, as we are also given this verse describing the work that God does in us, the same Spirit, that resurrection Power that raised Jesus from the dead.

Romans 8:11: “But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, HE THAT RAISED UP JESUS FROM THE DEAD SHALL ALSO QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES BY HIS SPIRIT THAT DWELLETH IN YOU.”

Pray the verse above over yourself, your circumstance, “Quicken thou me according to thy word.”

Which is simply praying for God’s revival in us as he has already promised in his word.

Mention of promises, I want to leave you with this, from our beautiful, Holy Lord and very soon coming King, who left us these words, so we would have HOPE during dark days and know that the darkness will not last forever but will one day be replaced with his glorious light, and in New Jerusalem, God’s holy city, where his children will dwell with him, there will be no night, no darkness, just forever in His holy presence and his glorious light, no tears, no hunger, no pain.

Never again the struggles of this earth. And this IS Jesus’ promise to you.

John 14:12-18: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father.

And whatsoever ye ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (helper) that he may abide with you for ever.

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, AND SHALL BE IN YOU.

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS.”

Blessing and Peace until next time.

Also for a little more encouragement please check out:

“In the pits?” “In the den”

Making it through the night…… “The patience of Job”

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020/ Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

September 9, 2020 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Bountiful Benefits”

Psalm 119:17-24 GIMEL: “Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

I am a stranger in the earth; hide not thy commandments from me.

My soul breaketh for (is crushed with) the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

Princes also did sit and speak against me; but thy servant did mediate in thy statutes.

Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.”

The joys of serving the Lord are beyond measure, but often in the midst of persecution or a season of lack we may not also feel blessed or feel like the chosen that we are. Which is why this verse reminds us that his testimonies are our delight and they are our “counselors”, helping us and giving us direction especially in the face of our enemies who ridicule and accuse us and God wants us to focus on Him, not on their actions especially when it seems like that have it “made” in life and it appears that they just run on forever being cruel, wicked, and unkind but God tells us often in his word that he sees all of this and even though it may appear that they are somehow rewarded, in reality if they do not change this life will be only life they have because they will be condemned to an eternal hell and in that thought you will actually feel sorry for them and here is his word on how to deal with that.

Psalm 37:1-18: “Fret not (do not be concerned with) thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

For they shall soon be cut down like grass, and wither as the green herb.

TRUST IN THE LORD, and do good; so shall thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

DELIGHT THYSELF ALSO 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 the light, and thy judgment (justice) as noonday.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man 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 (destroyed); 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 plotteh against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

The Lord shall laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and the needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation (conduct).

Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

For the arms (forces of control) of the wicked shall be broken; but the Lord UPHOLDETH the righteous.

THE LORD KNOWETH THE DAYS OF THE UPRIGHT; AND THEIR INHERITANCE SHALL BE FOR EVER.”

Φλογιζω NBJ 2020/ Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

September 8, 2020 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson