“Am I too late?”

Most have experienced the pain of waiting too late.

Too late in making a decision and living with that regret for years or sometimes life. Being late to an event or the fear that maybe you have already arrived too late and lost out on something you had long looked forward to, or feel that if you could only go back and change this or do that, everything would be different.

I feel like this goes on in the kingdom pretty often, people feel like they have waited too long in moving out into their calling, or they were hurt and rejected once they did step out.

I promise you that is just part of the deal, you step out for the Lord you’re gonna be hurt AND rejected but take it for the compliment that it is!

The enemy is NOT going to waste his time (because he knows it is short) fighting people for fun, he fights what he knows is a threat.

So they feel like they maybe they were mistaken about even being called, (another trick from the enemy) they feel they can’t “go back” to “that” church or “those” people because there is just “too much water under the bridge.”

Have you ever thought of it this way, maybe the WATER under that bridge is exactly what the enemy is trying to keep you out of!

Maybe you think you missed your calling, waited too long, and too much time has passes, too many struggles have ensued…

Got some good news on that story, what if you discovered one day that it was ALL part of the plan for your life to get you EXACTLY where you need to be spiritually in order to go EXACTLY where God wants to take you?

We’ve got two situations going here so we will hit them both.

It is NEVER too late!

Until you are dead and in the ground, then it is too late to pursue the call of God on your life no matter if it was given fifty years ago because: “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (ARE IRREVOCABLE).” Romans 11:29

Which means God is NEVER going to say, “Oh sorry, I really did not mean to give you that, let me just take that back.”

NO it means He has given them for ever and ever.

And for whatever reason they have been unused I want you to be encouraged, get back up, get back on that boat, do not care who likes you, who doesn’t and do the will of your Father because it is Him that we answer to and sometimes, we are required to swallow our pride for the kingdom because pride does not belong in the kingdom and God ALWAYS deals with those who come against you and your calling, but if you hide it and refuse to use it, what reason would he have to exonerate you from your enemies, and prove them wrong?

Now to prove it is not too late, remember in Revelation when Jesus is warning and encouraging the churches as to what he expects of them, He is speaking to the church of Ephesus, who left their first love, I just want to use part of this verse, because these people WERE saved, they WERE known to Him, “Remember therefore from whence (where) thou art fallen, and repent, and DO THY FIRST WORKS; Revelation 2;5 (1)

So He is telling them DO your FIRST works.

I want to get this out-of-the-way, I know there could be the argument against this, because of the verse “called in one hope of your calling” but if you do not accept your ONE hope on this earth to do your job, and use your calling, you sure aren’t going to need it in heaven or New Jerusalem because everyone there will already be saved.

So if you are reading this, rest assured it is NOT too late!

I do want to warn you of a common snare with this, once “people” find out you are called, many of them can not wait to give advice and tell you what you should do” it is YOUR job from the Lord, HE will put in your heart or give to you by prophecy what you should do.

Don’t need it, please don’t listen to it unless you want to ask your Pastor, or prayer partner their thoughts on the best way to go about something, but please don’t let anyone influence you in your work for God, He calls us all differently.

Situation two, we’ll call, “You are growing, growing, growing”

Think about David, do you realize that David was anointed THREE times, anointed means to be separated for a specific purpose, the first time He was only about fifteen years old, and this was done privately, only in the presence of his family,

1 Samuel 16:13:” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day FORWARD….”

From this point on, the spirit of God was with him, and even though he had ALREADY been anointed to be King, the time was not yet, and when he was sent to Saul, it was NOT as his replacement but as his harpist!

His next task would be to fight the mighty giant Goliath and I don’t even think David was even thinking about his future or the job he was already in training for, when he ran AT Goliath it was in confidence of the Lord, that no one was going to threaten and enslave the people of the Living God, and at NO point did he tell Goliath “I come to you as the future King” He told him that he came in “NAME of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel”.

He then went on to endure Saul’s insane jealously, hiding and fearing for his life, battling bloody battle upon battle, growing and growing into who he had been created to be.

He is anointed a second time, 2 Samuel 2:4,”And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah….” this time is publicly with his countrymen.

And on he goes… growing and growing, battling and battling, “friend” and foe, learning to deal with situations and all the qualities he would NEED, imperative to his success and survival.

He has been anointed privately, publicly, and now he will be anointed and accepted by the elders as King over all of Israel.

“So all the elders of Israel came to the king, to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.” 2 Samuel 5;3,4

The fulfillment of that promise unfolded over the period of his life that he was fourteen, fifteen years old until he was thirty, and even NOW part of the divine purpose for the throne of David is STILL unfolding and will be until the return of Christ!

How much do you think he matured and grew and learned and developed over those fifteen odd years? What if he had given up half way through and decided to “rethink” what had been told to him at that private anointing?

David was successful in that long journey because he never lost focus of the big picture, and allowed himself to be exactly what Go wanted, a vessel and David knew that no army, no power, nothing of this earth could defeat God or stop His divine will for Israel and this is what keep David going… and going.. it was NEVER easy and I am sure he experienced many moments of absolute sorrow during those dark times but he always held on and we must also!

Do not give up on your calling!

I love the story of Nehemiah and it has been encouragement many times for me personally, I actually have it written and taped in the front of my Bible, along with many other verses, we NEED this encouragement.

This took place  as Nehemiah set about to rebuild the wall and the enemies came forth to STOP THE WORK and I love this verse, Nehemiah 6:9; “ For they ALL made us AFRAID, saying, their hands SHALL BE WEAKENED FROM (because of) the work, that it not be done. NOW THEREFORE, O GOD, STRENGHTEN MY HANDS.”

This is a great verse to remember when “people” are telling you that “it” is impossible to accomplish what GOD SAID you could and trying to discourage you with the thought that the work is too hard and you can not possibly finish it.

Maybe what you think is a little too late could actually be right on time.

“Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is NOT unto death, BUT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he heard therefore that he was sick, HE ABODE (stayed) TWO DAYS STILL IN THE SAME PLACE WHERE HE WAS. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again.

His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou hither again? ( why are you going back)  Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in a day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

These things said he; and afterward he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; But I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death; but they thought he had spoken of taking rest in sleep.

Then said Jesus unto them, plainly, LAZARUS IS DEAD. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, TO THE INTENT THAT YOU MIGHT BELIEVE;…John 11:1-15 

Most know the rest of the story, the sisters go on to tell Him, if He had only been there, their brother would still be alive.

We often think about our pain in what we go through, but it was NOT easy for Jesus to allow them to go through this sorrow and everyone is crying and now HE IS crying also, and I ALWAYS have to point this out because it just tells you WHO HE IS, He KNEW that in matter of moments Lazarus would be very much alive, it just broke His heart seeing them hurt, it does break His heart to see His children cry, NEVER doubt that.

“Jesus said, Take ye away the stone, Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh; for HE HATH BEEN DEAD FOUR DAYS.

Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, IF THOU WOULDEST BELIEVE, THOU SHOULDEST SEE THE GLORY OF GOD?” John 11:39,40

As we know from the verses, He LOVED them, but Lazarus was allowed to die so the GLORY would be revealed. But it was not the END of Lazarus’s  story and EVEN four days dead was still not too late! 

Just as He said, it was that the GLORY OF GOD WOULD BE REVEALED AND THAT THEY WOULD BELEIVE!

It may look dead, doesn’t mean it is dead!

May just not be as late as you think it is after all!

So if you find yourself asking.. “Am I too late?”, Have faith.. it all may just be right on time!

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2016 *REVISITED 04/25/2023 Rev. N. Brown Johnson 

 

“Sorrow and Praise”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Abiding In The Field….”

Beautiful fields, prairie fields at the peak of the season flowing with wildflowers and butterflies.

Mown fields, lush green pastures as far as the eye can see just begging to be used as the ultimate reunion of love as two run toward each other to embrace.

Peaceful fields bordered by crystal clear flowing streams as sheep happily graze without a care in the world as their shepherd watches over them.

But there are other fields….  Fields of dry, brown grass withered by the scorch of the sun, patches of soil left exposed and cracked lacking the relief of gentle expected rains that did not come.

Fallow field that require the tedious backbreaking work of removing all the stone and working that ground until it can produce once again.

With the changing seasons of this life WE ARE THOSE SHEEP and those laborers. And we find ourselves in many different fields.  The Prophet Jeremiah bought a filed for an inheritance, even though EVERYTHING was going to fall apart, this was the purchase of the FUTURE.

Jeremiah 32:14 : “Thus SAITH  the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take the evidences (deeds), this evidence (deed) of the purchase, BOTH WHICH IS SEALED, and THIS EVIDENCE WHICH IS OPEN; and put them in an EARTHEN VESSEL, that they may continue (last) many days. For thus SAITH the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; HOUSES AND VINEYARDS SHALL BE POSSESSED AGAIN IN THIS LAND.”

And we’ll go to another Bible account and visit Ruth, a lady who found herself in a “foreign” field and how that field held blessing beyond anything she could have imagined for her life at that time.

Ruth whose compassion and love for her grieving, widowed  Mother in Law who was now also childless would not allow her to abandon her and run back to Moab in search of a new husband, soon found herself in an unknown foreign field, being advised as to what she must do in order for them to survive.

As she gleaned that field, working to take what had been left to feed those who were hungry, she unknowingly caught the eye of the one who owned the field! 

Ruth 2:8,9: ” Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? GO NOT to glean in another field, NEITHER go from hence ( do not leave from here) BUT ABIDE HERE fast (close) by my maidens: LET THINE EYES BE ON THE FIELD THAT THEY DO REAP and go thou after them (follow them) : and have I not charged the young me that THEY SHOULD NOT TOUCH THEE? (they had been told to leave her alone and let her work ) and when thou art athirst (thirsty) GO UNTO THE VESSELS, and DRINK THAT WHICH THE YOUNG MEN HAVE DRAWN ( they were SUPPOSED to SHARE with her their water and allow her access to THEIR water jugs). 

We’ll keep the advise Ruth had heeded in mind and we will journey on through the Bible and pay a visit to those who were also were also diligently minding the tasks of their field.

Luke 2:8-20 ” And there were in the same country SHEPHERDS ABIDING IN THE FIELD, KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the GLORY OF THE LORD SHONE ROUND ABOUT THEM: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people. FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOUR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD. 

And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And SUDDENLY there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host PRAISING GOD, and saying, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOD WILL TOWARD MEN.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them INTO HEAVEN, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and SEE this thing which is come to pass, which the LORD HATH MADE KNOWN UNTO US.  and they came WITH HASTE, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when THEY HAD SEEN IT, THEY MADE IT KNOWN abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

BUT Mary kept all these things, and PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART.

And the SHEPHERDS RETURNED, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

So that promised redemption, those open deeds, the things made known and crystal clear and those deeds that had been sealed, the birth of a King coming in a way no one could see, born in poverty to parents whose offering would be two turtle doves, the offering given by the poorest of the poor, those deeds to the inheritance of all of eternity had been kept in that earthen vessel which would be born of a virgin and in the lineage of another who obeyed the field command.

As God allowed love to blossom in that field between Ruth and Boaz, a love whose embrace led to the birth of their great-grandson  who would be King David whose bloodline would be honored in the ultimate fulfillment of those deeds, those promises of OWNERSHIP of a nation and the world that would come in that earthen vessel born in that humble manger in the body of Jesus Christ.

The shepherds who were doing their job watching over their sheep AT NIGHT (I’m not even getting it to that YET, oh, but it is coming) were rewarded by the proclamation of the news to ends all news given straight BY THE VOICES OUT OF HEAVEN ITSELF!

So about those fields, had Jeremiah took it upon himself to ignore the voice of the Lord and think well, why buy a place that will be destroyed?

What if Ruth had decided that another field with kinder maidens would be more enjoyable?

What if the young men tried to run Ruth away and hoarded all the water that she was dependent on to strengthen her during gleaning?

What if the shepherds had not abided by their flock? They would have NEVER heard from heaven!

Mary kept it and pondered it, she knew who her baby was and that was enough for her.

Whatever field you find yourself in today, please stay there, if it is beautiful and fertile, let the Lord lead you and bless that beautiful place and season in your life, don’t doubt it, run through that field and embrace!

If you find yourself being urged to “purchase” what appears dead or hopeless, heed the voice of the Lord, only He knows His plans and He alone will bring life back to what APPEARS hopeless.

If your field is stone and you have worked until your back breaks and your hands bleed and you have cried so many tears that you can’t even remember the last time you smiled, DON’T GIVE UP!

I promise when that last stone is ripped from the ground and that soil is soft and 

God sends those refreshing rains of spring, what you have sown also watered by all those tears is going to spring up into a harvest so plentiful and beautiful that you will rejoice and thank Him for giving you the strength to not give up.

Shepherds take heed that stay by your sheep DURING THIS NIGHT, and don’t let the water boys hoard that which is meant to be shared with those God has sent to glean the leftovers FROM YOUR FIELD and never cease to hear the voice of that heavenly host praising God, they beheld His glory but I promise you, we who are faithful will also behold Him and it will be a glory unlike any that has been as of yet but we have to be listening in our field.

HE IS THE I AM THAT IS and me and my little fire baby Φλογιζω will stay in our field and you stay in yours, you will never regret it!

Φλογίζω / NBJ 2015 Original post date: 12/12/2015 *Revisited 12/07/2019 & * 12/04/2020 & Revisited 12/17/2021 & 11/25/22

 

Soul Focus #2 “For Absolutely Less than Nothing”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Φλογιζω NBJ 2022/ Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

“Today and the tomorrow that may never be”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Help us understand the full POWER of TODAY.

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

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

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017   REVISTED 10/14/2022

Spiritual “Labor Day”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BTW, HAPPY LABOR DAY!

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

 Also for more please check out:

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

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

“A talent…or two”

“They’re hungry, YOU feed them”

Outta your house”

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

“Shepherding the black sheep”

“Gazingstock”

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

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

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

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

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

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

For the most part it is preventable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What can we say there?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

“Sorrow and Praise”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OF MADMEN, MARTYRS AND MAIDS/ PART1

Now that we are all awake, where’s the fire? Man, that’s a good question, especially when you consider scriptures such as “For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29
“Who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers (servants) a flaming  fire.” Psalm 104:4
The fire Jesus refers to when he said “I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15,16
Lukewarm Christianity  is like lukewarm anything.
It is a spineless, gutless attempt to lay claim to a massive inheritance of untold worth while denying the very one it is handed down by.
That is why the Lord tells them without question that he knows their works, and he wants to give him their all or give him nothing but don’t try to play the middle.
Today we have become so worried about offending people and being politically correct, that we will choke back anything while the true church is ran into the ground.
The prophet Jeremiah also went through this in his time.

“For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision daily, Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak anymore in his name.

But his word was  in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing and could not stay.”   Jeremiah 20:8,9
Jeremiah had absolutely the worst job in the Bible, he is often referred to as “the Prophet of doom”.
It was his job to proclaim the forthcoming judgment on his own people, the very people who instead of heeding his warnings would ridicule him, even to the point that he would have rather not have been born as to have to carry out this task.
But the fire of God and the holy calling on him, that had been placed on him before he had been formed in his mother’s womb, was so strong and burned so deep that it could not be contained and it prevailed.
God wants to use some people in these last days that are wiling to just let Him burn in them and do the work his has created them for.
People like Martin Luther who took on the entire church of his day, because a fellow named Tetzel had cooked up quite a money-making scheme,  enough money to help build Saint Peter’s Cathedral, by selling what he called “indulgences”.
A get out of purgatory free certificate, ( purgatory being the Catholics belief in pre-hell, a place we know does not exist, because the rich man in the story of Lazarus had lifted up his eyes in hell) Luther being disgusted and knowing for himself the truth of God nailed his understanding of that truth to the church door.
John Brown, who finally became so tired of the injustice done to the slaves that he started his own movement, which regrettably became violent, bloody and cost lives.
One of the last photos taken of him before his execution, tells all there is to tell, as a small, black child hugs him as they lead him away to his hanging.
When he had been asked how he justified what he had done, this was his reply “Upon the golden rule. I pity the poor in bondage that have none to help them, that is why I am here, not to gratify any personal animosity, revenge or vindictive spirit. It is my sympathy with the oppressed and wronged that are as good as you and are as precious in the sight of God.”
Luther suffered excommunication and the threat of death but took his cause forward.
Brown paid with his life, I am sure he never wanted to see any lives lost, but I am equally as sure that the hug he received before going to his death was worth it all because he knew he had lived for something other than himself.
Two very different men, both having a common fire, burning for truth, justice and to see others truly free. That fire could be contained.

Nor should it today, pray for that fire.
If one voice can affect the entire world, what can we accomplish with our voices collectively speaking as one?

Original Post: 12/20/2013 FOWC/AVENUE  Rev. Nina Brown Johnson  2015  REVISITED 02/02/22 Φλογιζω   Also listen as podcast at: https://anchor.fm/phlogizo

PLEASE WAKE UP !!!

How many of us have tried to wake someone and finally in complete exasperation utter that all familiar phrase, “Would you PLEASE get up?!!” The Beloved written about in Song of Solomon surely must understand this.

 ” I sleep, but my heart waketh: It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night.”

” I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile(dirty) them? My beloved put his hand in the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him ( heart stirred with longing).

I rose up to open to my beloved: and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet-smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.” Song of Solomon 5:2-6

Ah, the most misunderstood book in the Bible. Most have difficulty reading it without misunderstanding it in the carnal mind and according to one Jewish tradition, men were required to be at least thirty years old and married and women were strictly forbidden to read it all.
It would seem that the American church suffers the same affliction as our lady in song of Songs.

Please do not take these remarks as attacks on any specific church, some of these attitudes and problems seem to creep into almost all churches at one point or another. That is why we must always stay on guard, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour..” 1 Peter 5:8

The church like our lady here, in comparison to what it was intended to be, having been built on diligence, fortitude, tenacity, and  above all the blood of  Christ, the prophets, and all the martyrs. The church also has become quite comfortable seeming to have forgotten where it came from and the astonishing  price that was paid for its continual existence.

Even though our lady is asleep, thankfully heart is still attentive to the voice of her one true love. He is standing outside a door that has been locked against his presence, beaten beyond recognition, the “dew” having fell during the tortures of the night he has just endured to take her punishment and to purchase a freedom she could have never been able to afford, even pleading with her to take note of the “drops of the night” his hair completed saturated by his precious blood, a result of the  excruciating  crown of thorns that encircled his head, each piercing thorn driving into his flesh, a crown he wore in torment to free her troubled mind, bringing all thoughts captive, buying her salvation, while ensuring that one day he would reign as her King.

All she can come up with as he pleads with her from behind that locked door, is excuses of why she can’t get up, why it would be such an inconvenience, a burden to get up and answer his call on her heart, her soul, and her life.
Her first reason being that she is quite comfortable, right where she is , tucked in the warmth of her cozy bed, her complacency of more value to her than the value of the love she has for him.

Her second reason is that her feet are clean, Oh, how can she possibly admit to maybe walking the wrong paths, imperfections, or heaven forbid, she admit any wrong doing or blatant sin?

There is no way that she is going to answer to him and let him see her without her coat, how can she stand humbly before him, bearing all that she is, her very soul, without the protection of her coat of self-righteousness? No, she simply can’t do it.

Thankfully the sound of his voice had stirred her heart, it was then that she remembered, she remembered all the shame, all the suffering, all the love and mercy that also poured out as the ground flowed red with his blood while his life was given in exchange for her.
She remembered that her precious coat of self-righteousness, had only be crafted from the filthy rags of her own righteousness and without being clothed in his righteousness, she was less than nothing.

She remembered that without him and the guidance of his hand to her every step, that those feet, that she so arrogantly believed to be clean would only lead her into temptation and swift destruction.

In the span of time it took for her to realize this, he was gone, but in his desire that one day the locked door between them would open, he left her the key. As the myrrh dripped from her hands, it let her finally see that the door could only be opened by the purification of her own heart, soul and spirit and by dying to her flesh, her desires, and humble herself completely to him, giving every single thing in her, both good and bad, over to him until they became one.

We are living in the midst of the most exciting time that has been or will ever be. The last day outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a harvest of souls to end it all.
But so many have grown comfortable or are just simply asleep, proclaiming Christianity while those in the world around us are lost, enslaved to drugs or alcohol or one of the many addictions that snare and trap.
Sometimes  we refuse to reach out because of the lifestyles of others, we can’t be seen talking to them or associating with what hypocritically we refer to as “that kind” of person, this comes from wrongly believing that we are so holy, and so good that we forget we were once in those shoes.

“Therefore let us not sleep, as others do; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night (spiritual night on earth) and they that be drunken are drunken in the night, but let us who are of they day, be sober (minded), putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8

As Jesus said in John 9:4: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

I  have often heard people say they believe in Jesus but they don’t accept him because they don’t want to be a hypocrite or they feel like they can’t change. I respect that to the utmost measure, but the good news that we can never change ourselves, he does that for us! All he requires is a reasonable service, no one is perfect, nor will we ever be on this earth. When the Bible uses the word “perfect” it means “blameless” doing the best we can and some days that may be not so good, this is why his mercy is renewed every, single day and when we make mistakes, we ask  for forgiveness, get up and go on! 

If you don’t want to be a hypocrite, that’s a good indication that you would never be anyway! But I am pleading with you as a servant of God, we are in the last days and if you have never committed to the Lord, Please, please, hear his voice, hear his invitation, before all hell breaks loose on this earth, and I promise you, it has already begun.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

Simply put just answer him! Let him come in! He doesn’t give a list of requirements there does he? Ask forgiveness for your sins and ask him to be Lord of your life and save you! End of story, your sins are washed completely away and he never brings them up again.

As we all will stand before the Lord and give account for the lives he has given us, the saddest excuse we will ever give for not completing the work he has entrusted us with is having to say “Lord, I just couldn’t get up.”

 Φλογίζω /   Nina BrownJohnson/ baresoulphlogizo 2015 all rights reserved
Original post:11/21/2013 FOWC/THE AVENUE  REVISTED 01/22/2022, This was originally written for a church site, but it is the VERY FIRST post I had written, I hope you enjoy it and that it is thought provoking because that clock  has counted down to mere seconds now and we must do what we are called to do before the trumpet calls us home and there will be no more time to work or do those things that we could have.  Thank you for reading!

Podcast available at: https://anchor.fm/phlogizo

“Abiding in the field….”

Beautiful fields, prairie fields at the peak of the season flowing with wildflowers and butterflies.

Mown fields, lush green pastures as far as the eye can see just begging to be used as the ultimate reunion of love as two run toward each other to embrace.

Peaceful fields bordered by crystal clear flowing streams as sheep happily graze without a care in the world as their shepherd watches over them.

But there are other fields….  Fields of dry, brown grass withered by the scorch of the sun, patches of soil left exposed and cracked lacking the relief of gentle expected rains that did not come.

Fallow field that require the tedious backbreaking work of removing all the stone and working that ground until it can produce once again.

With the changing seasons of this life WE ARE THOSE SHEEP and those laborers. And we find ourselves in many different fields.  The Prophet Jeremiah bought a filed for an inheritance, even though EVERYTHING was going to fall apart, this was the purchase of the FUTURE.

Jeremiah 32:14 : “Thus SAITH  the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take the evidences (deeds), this evidence (deed) of the purchase, BOTH WHICH IS SEALED, and THIS EVIDENCE WHICH IS OPEN; and put them in an EARTHEN VESSEL, that they may continue (last) many days. For thus SAITH the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; HOUSES AND VINEYARDS SHALL BE POSSESSED AGAIN IN THIS LAND.”

And we’ll go to another Bible account and visit Ruth, a lady who found herself in a “foreign” field and how that field held blessing beyond anything she could have imagined for her life at that time.

Ruth whose compassion and love for her grieving, widowed  Mother in Law who was now also childless would not allow her to abandon her and run back to Moab in search of a new husband, soon found herself in an unknown foreign field, being advised as to what she must do in order for them to survive.

As she gleaned that field, working to take what had been left to feed those who were hungry, she unknowingly caught the eye of the one who owned the field! 

Ruth 2:8,9: ” Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? GO NOT to glean in another field, NEITHER go from hence ( do not leave from here) BUT ABIDE HERE fast (close) by my maidens: LET THINE EYES BE ON THE FIELD THAT THEY DO REAP and go thou after them (follow them) : and have I not charged the young me that THEY SHOULD NOT TOUCH THEE? (they had been told to leave her alone and let her work ) and when thou art athirst (thirsty) GO UNTO THE VESSELS, and DRINK THAT WHICH THE YOUNG MEN HAVE DRAWN ( they were SUPPOSED to SHARE with her their water and allow her access to THEIR water jugs). 

We’ll keep the advise Ruth had heeded in mind and we will journey on through the Bible and pay a visit to those who were also were also diligently minding the tasks of their field.

Luke 2:8-20 ” And there were in the same country SHEPHERDS ABIDING IN THE FIELD, KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the GLORY OF THE LORD SHONE ROUND ABOUT THEM: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people. FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOUR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD. 

And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And SUDDENLY there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host PRAISING GOD, and saying, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOD WILL TOWARD MEN.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them INTO HEAVEN, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and SEE this thing which is come to pass, which the LORD HATH MADE KNOWN UNTO US.  and they came WITH HASTE, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when THEY HAD SEEN IT, THEY MADE IT KNOWN abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

BUT Mary kept all these things, and PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART.

And the SHEPHERDS RETURNED, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

So that promised redemption, those open deeds, the things made known and crystal clear and those deeds that had been sealed, the birth of a King coming in a way no one could see, born in poverty to parents whose offering would be two turtle doves, the offering given by the poorest of the poor, those deeds to the inheritance of all of eternity had been kept in that earthen vessel which would be born of a virgin and in the lineage of another who obeyed the field command.

As God allowed love to blossom in that field between Ruth and Boaz, a love whose embrace led to the birth of their great-grandson  who would be King David whose bloodline would be honored in the ultimate fulfillment of those deeds, those promises of OWNERSHIP of a nation and the world that would come in that earthen vessel born in that humble manger in the body of Jesus Christ.

The shepherds who were doing their job watching over their sheep AT NIGHT (I’m not even getting it to that YET, oh, but it is coming) were rewarded by the proclamation of the news to ends all news given straight BY THE VOICES OUT OF HEAVEN ITSELF!

So about those fields, had Jeremiah took it upon himself to ignore the voice of the Lord and think well, why buy a place that will be destroyed?

What if Ruth had decided that another field with kinder maidens would be more enjoyable?

What if the young men tried to run Ruth away and hoarded all the water that she was dependent on to strengthen her during gleaning?

What if the shepherds had not abided by their flock? They would have NEVER heard from heaven!

Mary kept it and pondered it, she knew who her baby was and that was enough for her.

Whatever field you find yourself in today, please stay there, if it is beautiful and fertile, let the Lord lead you and bless that beautiful place and season in your life, don’t doubt it, run through that field and embrace!

If you find yourself being urged to “purchase” what appears dead or hopeless, heed the voice of the Lord, only He knows His plans and He alone will bring life back to what APPEARS hopeless.

If your field is stone and you have worked until your back breaks and your hands bleed and you have cried so many tears that you can’t even remember the last time you smiled, DON’T GIVE UP!

I promise when that last stone is ripped from the ground and that soil is soft and 

God sends those refreshing rains of spring, what you have sown also watered by all those tears is going to spring up into a harvest so plentiful and beautiful that you will rejoice and thank Him for giving you the strength to not give up.

Shepherds take heed that stay by your sheep DURING THIS NIGHT, and don’t let the water boys hoard that which is meant to be shared with those God has sent to glean the leftovers FROM YOUR FIELD and never cease to hear the voice of that heavenly host praising God, they beheld His glory but I promise you, we who are faithful will also behold Him and it will be a glory unlike any that has been as of yet but we have to be listening in our field.

HE IS THE I AM THAT IS and me and my little fire baby Φλογιζω will stay in our field and you stay in yours, you will never regret it!

Φλογίζω / NBJ 2015 Original post date: 12/12/2015 *Revisited 12/07/2019 & * 12/04/2020 & Revisited 12/17/2021 & 11/25/22

 

Spiritual “Labor Day”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017 REVISTED 09/05/2021  Also for more please check out “Eleventh Hour…working till it’s too dark to work”         &  An “A” for effort but “0” still equals nothing . “A talent…or two”

“They’re hungry, YOU feed them”  Outta your house…“Laying down some odds, How about 450 to 1?”

Shepherding the black sheep

Love this song!

“Gazingstock”

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

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

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

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

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

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

For the most part it is preventable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What can we say there?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“PREPARED” part#3 “Would-be wedding crashers washed inside out”

WHOSOEVER believeth that Jesus IS  the Christ IS BORN OF GOD:  and every one that loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this IS the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are NOT grievous (burdensome).

For WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD:

And THIS is the VICTORY that OVERCOMETH the world, EVEN OUR FAITH.  

WHO is he that overcometh the world, but (except) he that believeth that Jesus IS the Son of God?

This IS he that came by WATER and BLOOD, even, JESUS CHRIST; NOT BY WATER ONLY, BUT BY WATER AND BLOOD.

AND IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT BEARETH WITNESS (proves in agreement), BECAUSE THE SPIRIT IS TRUTH.

FOR THERE ARE THREE THAT BEAR RECORD IN HEAVEN, THE FATHER, THE WORD, AND THE HOLY GHOST: AND THESE THREE ARE ONE. 

AND ARE THREE THAT BEAR WITNESS IN EARTH, THE SPIRIT, AND THE WATER, AND THE BLOOD: AND THESE THREE AGREE IN ONE (as one)1 John 5:8

As strange a comparison that it may be, our human natures are not that different from delicate clothing that comes with a laundry label stating, “Turn garment INSIDE OUT before washing” and for most of us, we seek salvation when our lives have been “turned inside out”, when everything falls apart just like those improperly washed garments. 

This was once the first and foremost thought of the Gospel, the cleansing power of Jesus Christ and the fact that it is vital and non-negotiable. WE MUST BE WASHED and we don’t need me “preaching” over and over to know that the “common” societal view of “the church” and the leniency concerning sin and acceptable service to the true God is truly in need of a good scrubbing!

I UNDERSTAND the thought process of it, I UNDERSTAND not wanting to push people or make others feel “judged” but seriously, if you are saved, didn’t you at one time feel the CONVICTION of the Holy Spirit LEADING you to that water to be washed and cleansed by the blood from all your SINS?  There is NO middle ground concerning this. 

In the Book of Matthew, chapter twenty-four, Jesus tells us the parable of the Wedding feast, He is telling us that the Kingdom of heaven is like a great wedding feast and those who were invited (the Jews of that day) just blew off the invitation, they MADE THEIR EXCUSES as to why they could not come, and he even said this, But they MADE LIGHT of it, and WENT THEIR WAYS… Does that sound familiar?

Have you talked with someone and witnessed to them about Jesus? Gently warning them about all the changes of the world events and that no one know WHEN he will return but that he surely will, and have them “make light of it”, just blow it off, like nothing, like time is under their command? “Nothing new under the sun”…same rotten attitude.

He goes on in the parable to tell of the anger and wrath of the King who had invited them to the wedding of his Son, because not only had they scoffed at his invitation they attacked and murdered his servants that he had sent to them delivering “those invitations” on his behalf.

And as those who scoffed and made light, there were also those who tried to “crash” the wedding, ones who, even though they WERE invited, THEY REFUSED HIS INVITATION and decided at the last possible moment to attend, NOT bathed and not appropriately dressed, when HAVE to be clothed in “HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS” that has always been one of my favorites verses, because it is such a  comfort “OUR righteousness IS as FILTHY RAGS”, that is the BEST we can do as humans!

That is WHY it is so COMFORTING! We can never “clean ourselves up” but GOD gives us his cleansing water and the robe of HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, and NO ONE is getting into the wedding without that.

Back to our scriptures, so those who were originally invited REFUSED, the servants were sent back out.

Matthew 22:8-14” Then saith he to his servants, the wedding IS ready, but they which were bidden (invited) were NOT worthy.

GO ye therefore into the highways, and AS MANY AS YE SHALL FIND, BID (invite) TO THE MARRIAGE. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together ALL as many as they found, BOTH BAD AND GOOD: and the wedding was furnished (filled) with guests.

And when the king CAME in to see the guests, he saw there a man WHICH HAD NOT ON A WEDDING GARMENT:

And he saith unto him, FRIEND, HOW CAMEST THOU IN HITHER NOT HAVING A WEDDING GARMENT? AND HE WAS SPEECHLESS.

Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and TAKE HIM AWAY, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called but few are chosen.”  

I have read this and used this passage numerous times but one thing kinda jumped out a me today, his servants just kinda GATHERED, good and bad, which of course ALL were bidden but I am not so sure that the servants really “prepared” those the found, I think they were more interested in just rounding them up.

When the man was asked HOW did he get in without the REQUIRED “garment”, he was SPEECHLESS. Not knowing how to answer, what to answer, so he just did not answer.

Did he even KNOW that there were requirements? It really seems that he didn’t have a CLUE as to what was EXPECTED of him or what should be EXPECTED by him if  he chose “crashing” over his invitation.

And for the king to ask him HOW he came to even be there UNPREPARED, does seem like some of that falls on the servants failure to explain “the fine print” on those invitations.  Nicodemus could have been close to an almost wedding crasher, he WAS NOT but he first came to Jesus by night, in secret, he BELIEVED but he wasn’t PREPARED to admit that at that particular moment, and that is our other battle, you must CONFESS him as your Lord.

Romans 10:10: “For with the heart man BELIEVETH unto righteousness; and with the mouth COFFESSION is made unto salvation.” That is the wedding crasher mentality, they secretly think the marriage is a great idea, that the groom is an awesome guy, they just ddon’t want ANYONE else to know how they really feel.

Which is WHY Jesus said this, Luke 9:26“For WHOSOEVER shall be ASHAMED of me and of my words, OF HIM SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE ASHAMED, WHEN HE SHALL COME IN HIS OWN GLORY, AND IN HIS  FATHER’S, AND OF THE HOLY ANGELS.”  

It is not negotiable, back to his answer to Nicodemus, John 3:3-8: “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT (unless) A MAN BE BORN AGAIN (from above) HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT (unless) A MAN (human)BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

That which IS born of the flesh IS flesh; and that which IS born of the Spirit IS spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

The wind bloweth where it listeth (wishes), and thou heareth the SOUND thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and wither it goeth (can’t tell its direction either way) SO IS EVERY ONE THAT IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT.” 

That is THE message, that IS the most pressing task before any of us in this moment, they must be prepared and they MUST be born again! We MUST be washed by him!  Remember when he washed the disciples feet?

John 13:5-7: “After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash his disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet (are you washing my feet)? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest NOT now; but thou shalt know hereafter (do not understand now but will later) Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt NEVER wash my feet, Jesus answered him, IF I WASH THEE NOT, THOU HAST NO PART WITH ME.” 

We go back again to WHOSOEVER will, WHOSOEVER will COME and take that water, but we have to let these invited guests know that they have to TAKE the water, they HAVE to be WASHED and they have to be WASHED INSIDE OUT!

Love and peace till next time and join me for part#4

For series posts:Prepared Part #1 Preparing for the wedding of a King

Prepared Part#2 Oxygen to Fire

 

Φλογίζω Σαλπίζω  NB 2018

Original post 2018 revisited 08/12/2020 Rev.Nina Brown Johnson

 

 

“STARSTRUCK”

“These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouths speak great swelling words, having men’s person’s in admiration because of advantage (flattering people to gain advantage).

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of (by) the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: How that they told you that there should (would) be mockers in the last time (days), who should (would) walk after their own ungodly lusts. 

These be they who separate themselves (cause DIVISION), sensual (worldly) not having the Spirit.” Jude 16-18

I recently read the most bizarre article. The reason I say that it was bizarre is that it concerned the censorship ruckus between Elton John and Vladimir Putin and I am sure all of you have heard about it also.

John was upset and outraged because sex and drug scenes in his movie had been censored in Russia and Putin answered with the most logical words ANYONE has bothered to udder concerning the systematic and completely unnatural brainwashing of young people.

Now, I do realize that Russia also is pretty big on the persecution of many and if I stood there preaching or even writing this blog, I’d probably be on the receiving end of to.

And I am in NO WAY suggesting that anyone for any reason should be persecuted and I truly believe that we all are entitled to FREEDOM in the lifestyle we chose.

(I have a problem when others teach that it is okay with God, because that is absolutely not true.)

But when those lifestyles are as scripture states above, are USED as a catapult for agendas of a much darker nature, then someone SHOULD have the guts to stand up and offer another thought on these subjects, which is what Putin did when he stated “Let a person grow up first before making a choice” “Let the children live in peace.”

No one needs me to tell them just how prevalent all the debates, arguing, and smoke rising  in our society, you can’t even turn on the television without getting an earful of the debate, which is exactly what happened when I flipped on the tv and lo, and behold, Dr. Phil was coming on (and no, I do not watch his show, it was coming on the channel that had last been on) anyway, he was highlighting the upcoming show about a mother and daughter who were at odds with a family member whom they felt had been pressuring their six year old child into making a gender decision too soon and of course the follow up story was to be along the same lines.

Seriously?! The Bible teaches us “When I was a child, I thought as a child” and even for those who are not Christians, what about the old expressions, “Acting like a child” and “Kids will be kids” these are old sayings for a reason!

No other generation has been this far out, this self centered and no one wants kids to be kids because they are so caught up in seeking attention for themselves that the roles of parent/child become more blurred with each passing day.

And with the abortionists heralding it as the right of women everywhere, killing babies is nothing, it is no shock so many are clueless at the true meaning of what it to be a parent. You know the fact that your job is to lead, reach, and protect them.

And mention of which, they can call themselves feminists all they wish, but they are anti-feminist and people follow chanting all the way, led by celebrities and “stars” as they called.

Ever think about that? STAR power, Hollywood STAR, film STAR, stage STAR, Rock STAR, sports STAR, on and on we could go!

And of course, as they were rereferred to in the past “Holly wood IDOL”, “Teen IDOL”, and let’s not forget, even the name of a show, because people desire to attain the status of IDOL.

What is an idol? Something worshipped as a god.

Who is an idol? A person revered to the point of being worshipped.

And people have become completely STARSTRUCK, just as the verse above, if a celebrity or famous person says this, or promotes that SUDDENLY society changes to accommodate those new thoughts, just as Darwin and his theory of absolute stupidy that insults basic intelligence now is taught as truth and yet show me or anyone a species mid change!

Doesn’t exist but people would have a (false) sense of being part of the crowd, so they’d rather side with the lie than to stand alone for the truth.

You can go back through history, books, television, and you will find absolutely that society and what we consider acceptable and “normal” is determined by what media feeds us and children are being “trained up” by hollywood and the god-haters, just as the Bible tells us to “Train up a child in the way he should go.”

We are ALL trained in our thinking by someone, and the environment we are exposed to determines how we will interact, which has been proven time and time again, for better or for worse, can be determined by who and what we are exposed to. Society worshipped these people all the hate, all their pettiness, all the ranting, raving and  whatever they say goes.

And it is believing absolute lies, celebrities are NOT real, they are ACTORS. People often use the expression, “I just love her/him on that show” and characters become dear to us, but again those are CHARCTERS, IMAGIATIONS from the heads of writers.

Anyone think a tv doctor is really going to save you life? Think a hot shot cop on a drama can rescue you? Think that awesome lady lawyer could get out of a bind?

While they are screaming for abortions, HOW do you think they feel about your children?

Should you have chose to abort that “product of conception”? They do not even call them children, so how would they feel about yours? All they care about is THEM, and all the rest of the world hears about is their sex lives and abortion.

They have parades, celebrating the fact that they slaughtered their unborn babies, now touting their “1973” necklaces, beaming with PRIDE that they can take a life. PLEASE tell me again why do people want to follow them?

Oh, yeah, STARSTRUCK, if they say it and if they wear it, or do it, or tell you to, it must be right!

People are so struck in fact that I think many are succumbing to STAR of super evangelist, so many are forsaking the Word of God and teaching things that are so off point and so far out that there is no possible way they are who or what they say they are.

Teaching now to go with the absolute false ones we talk about often, like the good ol’candy coat and now it is being taught that hell does NOT exist and that God is NOT going to send judgment on earth, and we NO longer need intercessory prayer!

These thoughts DO NOT line up with the Word of God! Man’s doctrine and man’s doctrine exists for the same purpose, people are STARSTRUCK and want praise and acceptance from others.

Now, what I would like to know is why will no one say it in our country? Could no one else voice an opposing opinion?

OF COURSE NOT! I will tell why they won’t say it and it has nothing to do with the spoon fed “tolerance”, having your OWN opinion and your OWN thoughts has nothing to do with tolerance, it classifies you as human, created INDIVIAULLY to think for yourself, feel for yourself, and rationalize your own conclusions.

As we celebrate our freedom, forget hollywood, forget the STARS and stand for what YOU really believe and celebrate the real heroes the firemen, nurses, and those who give of themselves every single day to help others. And most of all the soldiers, remembering all those who have fought and those who have died and those, the MIA’s who may never be found.

The men and women who leave family, friends, and homes to protect us and NEVER try to shove their opinions down anyone’s else’ throat. God has to be number one and if you don’t want God, at least recognize the snow job for what it is and if you have to have a hero, at least have a real one.

Oh yeah, one final thought about those STARS…

Revelation 12:3,4-(c):” And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.  And his tail drew the third part of the STARS of heaven, and did cast them to earth…”

We know that these are the former angels who are now demons, no wonder they were called STARS… many of them STILL are.

Φλογίζω NBJ 2019

 

“PREPARED” part#3 “Would-be wedding crashers washed inside out”

WHOSOEVER believeth that Jesus IS  the Christ IS BORN OF GOD:  and every one that loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this IS the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are NOT grievous (burdensome).

For WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD:

And THIS is the VICTORY that OVERCOMETH the world, EVEN OUR FAITH.  

WHO is he that overcometh the world, but (except) he that believeth that Jesus IS the Son of God?

This IS he that came by WATER and BLOOD, even, JESUS CHRIST; NOT BY WATER ONLY, BUT BY WATER AND BLOOD.

AND IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT BEARETH WITNESS (proves in agreement), BECAUSE THE SPIRIT IS TRUTH.

FOR THERE ARE THREE THAT BEAR RECORD IN HEAVEN, THE FATHER, THE WORD, AND THE HOLY GHOST: AND THESE THREE ARE ONE. 

AND ARE THREE THAT BEAR WITNESS IN EARTH, THE SPIRIT, AND THE WATER, AND THE BLOOD: AND THESE THREE AGREE IN ONE (as one)1 John 5:8

As strange a comparison that it may be, our human natures are not that different from delicate clothing that comes with a laundry label stating, “Turn garment INSIDE OUT before washing” and for most of us, we seek salvation when our lives have been “turned inside out”, when everything falls apart just like those improperly washed garments. 

This was once the first and foremost thought of the Gospel, the cleansing power of Jesus Christ and the fact that it is vital and non-negotiable. WE MUST BE WASHED and we don’t need me “preaching” over and over to know that the “common” societal view of “the church” and the leniency concerning sin and acceptable service to the true God is truly in need of a good scrubbing!

I UNDERSTAND the thought process of it, I UNDERSTAND not wanting to push people or make others feel “judged” but seriously, if you are saved, didn’t you at one time feel the CONVICTION of the Holy Spirit LEADING you to that water to be washed and cleansed by the blood from all your SINS?  There is NO middle ground concerning this. 

In the Book of Matthew, chapter twenty-four, Jesus tells us the parable of the Wedding feast, He is telling us that the Kingdom of heaven is like a great wedding feast and those who were invited (the Jews of that day) just blew off the invitation, they MADE THEIR EXCUSES as to why they could not come, and he even said this, But they MADE LIGHT of it, and WENT THEIR WAYS… Does that sound familiar?

Have you talked with someone and witnessed to them about Jesus? Gently warning them about all the changes of the world events and that no one know WHEN he will return but that he surely will, and have them “make light of it”, just blow it off, like nothing, like time is under their command? “Nothing new under the sun”…same rotten attitude.

He goes on in the parable to tell of the anger and wrath of the King who had invited them to the wedding of his Son, because not only had they scoffed at his invitation they attacked and murdered his servants that he had sent to them delivering “those invitations” on his behalf.

And as those who scoffed and made light, there were also those who tried to “crash” the wedding, ones who, even though they WERE invited, THEY REFUSED HIS INVITATION and decided at the last possible moment to attend, NOT bathed and not appropriately dressed, when HAVE to be clothed in “HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS” that has always been one of my favorites verses, because it is such a  comfort “OUR righteousness IS as FILTHY RAGS”, that is the BEST we can do as humans!

That is WHY it is so COMFORTING! We can never “clean ourselves up” but GOD gives us his cleansing water and the robe of HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, and NO ONE is getting into the wedding without that.

Back to our scriptures, so those who were originally invited REFUSED, the servants were sent back out.

Matthew 22:8-14” Then saith he to his servants, the wedding IS ready, but they which were bidden (invited) were NOT worthy.

GO ye therefore into the highways, and AS MANY AS YE SHALL FIND, BID (invite) TO THE MARRIAGE. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together ALL as many as they found, BOTH BAD AND GOOD: and the wedding was furnished (filled) with guests.

And when the king CAME in to see the guests, he saw there a man WHICH HAD NOT ON A WEDDING GARMENT:

And he saith unto him, FRIEND, HOW CAMEST THOU IN HITHER NOT HAVING A WEDDING GARMENT? AND HE WAS SPEECHLESS.

Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and TAKE HIM AWAY, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called but few are chosen.”  

I have read this and used this passage numerous times but one thing kinda jumped out a me today, his servants just kinda GATHERED, good and bad, which of course ALL were bidden but I am not so sure that the servants really “prepared” those the found, I think they were more interested in just rounding them up.

When the man was asked HOW did he get in without the REQUIRED “garment”, he was SPEECHLESS. Not knowing how to answer, what to answer, so he just did not answer.

Did he even KNOW that there were requirements? It really seems that he didn’t have a CLUE as to what was EXPECTED of him or what should be EXPECTED by him if  he chose “crashing” over his invitation.

And for the king to ask him HOW he came to even be there UNPREPARED, does seem like some of that falls on the servants failure to explain “the fine print” on those invitations.  Nicodemus could have been close to an almost wedding crasher, he WAS NOT but he first came to Jesus by night, in secret, he BELIEVED but he wasn’t PREPARED to admit that at that particular moment, and that is our other battle, you must CONFESS him as your Lord.

Romans 10:10: “For with the heart man BELIEVETH unto righteousness; and with the mouth COFFESSION is made unto salvation.” That is the wedding crasher mentality, they secretly think the marriage is a great idea, that the groom is an awesome guy, they just ddon’t want ANYONE else to know how they really feel.

Which is WHY Jesus said this, Luke 9:26“For WHOSOEVER shall be ASHAMED of me and of my words, OF HIM SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE ASHAMED, WHEN HE SHALL COME IN HIS OWN GLORY, AND IN HIS  FATHER’S, AND OF THE HOLY ANGELS.”  

It is not negotiable, back to his answer to Nicodemus, John 3:3-8: “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT (unless) A MAN BE BORN AGAIN (from above) HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT (unless) A MAN (human)BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

That which IS born of the flesh IS flesh; and that which IS born of the Spirit IS spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

The wind bloweth where it listeth (wishes), and thou heareth the SOUND thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and wither it goeth (can’t tell its direction either way) SO IS EVERY ONE THAT IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT.” 

That is THE message, that IS the most pressing task before any of us in this moment, they must be prepared and they MUST be born again! We MUST be washed by him!  Remember when he washed the disciples feet?

John 13:5-7: “After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash his disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet (are you washing my feet)? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest NOT now; but thou shalt know hereafter (do not understand now but will later) Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt NEVER wash my feet, Jesus answered him, IF I WASH THEE NOT, THOU HAST NO PART WITH ME.” 

We go back again to WHOSOEVER will, WHOSOEVER will COME and take that water, but we have to let these invited guests know that they have to TAKE the water, they HAVE to be WASHED and they have to be WASHED INSIDE OUT!

Love and peace till next time and join me for part#4

For series posts:Prepared Part #1 Preparing for the wedding of a King

Prepared Part#2 Oxygen to Fire

 

Φλογίζω Σαλπίζω  NB 2018

Original post 2018 revisited 08/12/2020 Rev.Nina Brown Johnson

 

 

“Labor” Day

*ARCHIVED* 

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

Ahh, tomorrow, here in America, we celebrate “Labor Day”, a day of course, set aside to honor the hard-working men and women who make our country strong and whose diligence in countless areas of service keep the economic ball rolling for our nation.

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

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

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

Better to hear it now, than to hear, something much like what Jesus told the Disciples, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour IS at hand….  Here, my friends is the first of the very awkward “dance moves”, I must make, WE CAN NOT WORK OUR WAY TO SALVATION.

 Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the gift of God; NOT OF WORKS, lest any man boast. For WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP(creation) CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO (for) GOOD WORKS, which GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED (prepared) THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.”

Notice in our first verse the voice said that they may REST, and Jesus told them to take their rest. There is a very clear difference between trying to do our own work that we think is good enough for salvation, which again is an impossibility and doing the work that GOD preordained us to do. And to decide that we will rest as to have him grant us that rest.

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

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

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

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

BUT Jeremiah also proclaimed the judgment and destruction of FUTURE, SPIRITUAL BABYLON. The FULFILMENT of this IS what is spoken in Song of Solomon 7:9: ” And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, (smoothly) causing the lips of those that ARE asleep TO SPEAK.”

Jeremiah wrote the judgments that the Lord had commanded, Jeremiah 50:62-64: ” Then shalt thou say, O Lord, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be a desolate for ever. And it shall be WHEN thou hast made and end (finished) reading this book, THAT thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast (THROW) it into the midst of EUPHRATES; And THOU SHALT SAY, THUS SHALL BABYLON SINK, AND SHALL NOT RISE FROM THE EVIL THAT I WILL BRING UPON HER;..”  

There is so much Bible prophecy linked up with the Euphrates, it has angels ‘bound”in it  that will be released and it dries up to prepare the way for the mighty war… HAS THIS ALREADY HAPPENED????? NO! Neither has many of the ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING events foretold, but we have hope in the sealed words of the seven thunders and that is why we NEED to be so diligent NOW.

The fulfillment of the words of Jeremiah are Revelation 18:21: ” And a mighty ANGEL took up a STONE like a great millstone and CAST it into the sea, saying, THUS with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and SHALL BE FOUND NO MORE.

NO MATTER what country a person chooses to believe that”MYSTERY BABYLON” IS, one fact REMAINS.. THIS IS BIBLE, IT WILL HAPPEN and those who live in that country WILL be going about everyday life, MANY unsaved and completely UNAWARE of these prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and MANY MORE who have been force-fed “grace” to the point that they think they do no wrong in the eyes of a Holy God and have been taught that repentance and work are not a requirement, and SUDDENLY “Babylon” is attacked, from all sides and without warning, other than the Biblical truths of teaching of Jesus in how we KNOW these things shortly come and to be living lives accounted WORTHY TO ESCAPE these things, Babylon will be destroyed in one hour, one day FROM off the face of the earth.

HOW can anyone be perfectly comfortable NOT sharing the Gospel, NOT leading others to Christ, NOT using the gifts and talents HE has given them? How about all those who sit in bound in chains of demonic bondage of drug addictions, pornography, alcoholism, and so many other bondage, when GOD HAS GIVEN SOMEONE the PRAYER OF FAITH, given SOMEONE THE GIFT OF HEALING AND MIRACLES, when human beings sit in dread and terror, when GOD HAS GIVEN SOMEONE A WORD OF KNOWLEDGE, AND WORD OF PROPHECY,  A WORD TO BE “FITLY SPOKEN IN DUE SEASON” that would free that person’s mind and bring peace.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017 

Added “new” music for this year. Love this song!

“Today and the tomorrow that may never be”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So as you see, above there is a completely blank calendar, you did not know your beginning, you certainly do not know your ending, but YOU do know your TODAY, and Lamentations 3:22,23 : “ IT IS of the LORD’S MERCIES THAT WE ARE NOT CONSUMED, BECAUSE HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT it is only because of  his mercy that we have not been destroyed). They (His mercy) ARE NEW EVERY MORNING, great is thy faithfulness.”

Chose, chose today and let that calendar represent a new life, a new hope, and a new future eternal, count every day, and count every day as the precious opportunity a gift that it is.  Help us understand the full POWER of TODAY.

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

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

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

“Mingled, Tinged, & Tainted”

” And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought the out of the land of Egypt,out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have NO others gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Thou shall NOT BOW DOWN thyself to them. nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of THEM THAT HATE ME; and SHEWING (showing) MERCY unto thousands of them that love me, and KEEP my commandments.” Exodus 20:1-6

Well, I guess you can reason by the title where this is going.. the place no one seems to want to go lately. Why does spiritual “purity” now seem to always equate to social snobbery?

Former generations and many other “religious” groups have NEVER been questioned when they taught that you can not allow your beliefs to be “mingled” with other beliefs, but somehow we have swallowed this as Christians that we should be more “open” in the influences we allow on our lives, in our churches, and in the name of our God.

And in doing so, in the name of “being tolerant”, accepting, and open we HAVE bowed ourselves down to them. And we question why we do not see the mighty moves of God such as recorded in the Bible, when we all know that our present world is DESPERATE for such deliverance, restoration, and renewal, but UNTIL we choose to walk on the side of the road that He told us, rather than running down the middle for fear of offense and wavering, voicing no real opinion and trying to make everyone FEEL accepted, we are not accomplishing anything for the kingdom and ONLY causing more confusion.

I LOVE people, I WANT everyone to feel safe, accepted, and to KNOW their TRUE VALUE in Christ, but if I hang with them and KNOW they have other beliefs, OTHER gods, and pat them on the back and tell them “It’ll be alright, you’ll figure it out” than I have accomplished is to cheapen the true Gospel down to AN OPTION, rather than THE ONLY WAY to salvation, and have let THEIR beliefs bow them and us  down.

As far as “tolerance”, this is just another one of satan’s trap, just because you do not agree with someone’s beliefs DOES NOT mean you hate them or that you feel superior and in overcompensation against being misunderstood as this, we have LOWERED the requirements for the true worship of Jehovah God.

This has led to so many FALSE beliefs, beliefs in a spirit world afterlife of no heaven, no hell, and certainly NO JUDGEMENT. Belief that you can be “good” person and go “to heaven” without the acknowledgment and acceptance of Christ as Savior.

The belief that is acceptable to seek and be advised by “mediums” and ” physics”. That it is perfectly okay to have sexual relationships OUTSIDE of marriage, or with the same-sex. That there “is more than one way to heaven” which IS the biggest lie of them all. The constant FALSE reassurance given to the world that ” It all works out and that EVERYONE will be saved” NONE of this is RIGHT!

God is VERY clear on ALL subjects through His Word and we have to start teaching this, living this, and applying this and just be brave enough to deal with the fact that not everyone is going to like us or appreciate it, because God did say to be a friend of the world is an enmity against Him and that means being  a “friend” to this world, the thoughts, attitudes, teachings, and actions of popular thought and society IS considered HOSTILE against God.

Let that soak in! Think about it in terms as nations, when a nation commits an act that is considered HOSTILE against another nation, war often ensues, how much more can be expected from committing HOSTILE acts against the Living God, who controls life, death, and heaven, and hell simply by the Word of His Mouth? And who on earth is capable of taking Him on in battle?

That my dear friends is why we need to rethink our approach in dealing with this. You don’t have to be everyone’s best friend, you can be social to them and leave it at that but when you start getting too chummy with their beliefs in the name of fellowship, they are NOT going to get converted to the true Gospel and all your going to get is a snare to your own soul and the Bible is full of story after story, including King Solomon, who had been CHOSEN of God to build the temple, and even HE FELL to paganism through the influence of pagan wives and forgetting everything he had been taught and falling to the trap of self-assurance in his OWN self-righteousness.

And do you think if he, a man whom God had spoken to and offered to give WHATEVER he asked of him, and if he could fall prey to the deception, what are earth makes any of us believe we are so much spiritually stronger and so much wiser than even Solomon?

So here is a little refresher course, from the WORD of the ONE whose never changes and whose word is for ever settled in heaven and WILL never change, while giving the Ten Commandments, and the reverence and fear the Hebrews experienced that we would do well to remember now.

Exodus 20: 18,24: “And ALL the people saw the thunderings, and the lightenings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain SMOKING: and when the people saw it,  they removed (trembled) and stood afar off (far away).

And they said unto Moses, Speak thou now with us, and we will hear: but let God NOT speak with us, LEST WE DIE.

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove (test) you, and that his fear be before your faces (the fear of Him, His power and majesty) THAT YE SIN NOT (so you WILL NOT sin against Him).

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven . Ye shall NOT make WITH ME gods of silver, NEITHER shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shall sacrifice therein thy burnt offerings, and thine peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in ALL places where I record my name I WILL COME TO THEE, AND I WILL BLESS THEE.”

The people HEARD, they KNEW, and the were wise enough to respect his majesty and omniscience. And He did this so they would be aware of who brought them out and whose commands they were to keep. And He warned them to absolutely NOT make, or have other “gods” along with Him.

The altar of earth foreshadowing His plan that one day His Temple would be in the earthy vessels as our bodies ARE the temples of God and His will done in these earthen vessels of our bodies as His will is done is the mighty realms of the heavens.

And also notice that HIS PROMISE to us in keeping this command in ALL places (regardless WHERE you are or WHO  your hanging with) is that  HE WILL COME TO US and HE WILL BLESS US but we have to do our part first. 

And even so to the point that He commands us to NOT even MENTION the names of these pagan “gods”. Which RULES out studying them to understand them, RULES OUT  discussing the pros and cons of that particular “religion”, IT RULES OUT THE RISK OF THESE FALSE DOCTRINES POLLUTING YOUR SOUL BY BECOMING MINGLED WITH THE TRUE GOSPEL, TAINTED WITH CONFUSION AND DECEPTIONS AND TINGING YOUR WHITE GARMENT WITH FILTHY SPOTS THAT WILL FORFEIT YOUR ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM.

Exodus 23: 13: “And in ALL things that I HAVE SAID UNTO YOU BE CIRCUMSPECT ( wary, heedful, watchful, attentive, alert, careful, cautious, and UNWILLING to take a risk): and MAKE NO MENTION F THE NAME OF OTHER gods, NEITHER LET IT BE HEARD OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.”  

So that IS God’s word about it and we know that He is the final WORD and Authority on ALL subjects. But here a few more verses to encourage you to flee friends, co-workers, whoever, whatever that hold and adhere to false doctrines, again you can be nice but as God told us to be very careful and very alert and be UNWILLING to EVEN RISK become impregnated by those other beliefs because we care for and genuinely like the person who holds those beliefs, that is how it attached itself to Solomon. 

Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Just as God told us, He is jealous, He is jealous for our heart and we must keep our heart pure in Him and for Him.

James 1:27 (c)…” and to KEEP himself UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD.” Again, please notice that this requiring is to KEEP our own selves unspotted, doesn’t say God will keep us unspotted, this is on us, to be diligent against false doctrine and anything that could possibly worm its way into our hearts and souls.

And finally, we all desire to hear those faithful words of comfort as the last day judgment hits and God will call His people OUT of the mighty  city of Babylon (Revelation 18:4) that they “not be partakers of her plagues” and they be spared the destruction, we must also HEED the call of the Lord when He tells us to COME OUT and be SEPERATED. We must quit playing footsie with the devil, with pagans, and lose the fascinations with false doctrines when the Lord has FORBADE us to EVEN speak their names! Stay away from them and be blessed, be visited, be delivered, and SEE the salvation and Glory of God COME to this earth.

2 Corinthians 6:15-18: “And what concord (accord, agreement with) hath Christ with Belial (pagan devil)? OR what part hath he that believeth with an infidel (unbeliever)?

And what part hath THE TEMPLE OF GOD WITH IDOLS? for YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD; as God hath said, I WILL DWELL IN THEM, AND WALK WITH THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

WHEREFORE COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPERATE  (separated FROM them) saith the Lord, AND TOUCH NO UNCLEAN THING; AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU, AND WILL BE A FATHER UNTO YOU, AND YE SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SAITH THE LORD ALMIGHTY.”

Notice the PROMISES of I WILL, we honor Him and HE WILL be everything we need, want, or even could possibly imagine!   Till next time, Love, Peace, & prayers for a joyous week ahead!

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017

 

Am I too late?

Most have experienced the pain of waiting too late. Too late in making a decision and living with that regret for years or sometimes life. Being late to an event or the fear that maybe you have already arrived too late and lost out on something you had long looked forward to, or feel that if you could only go back and change this or do that, everything would be different.

I feel like this goes on in the kingdom pretty often, people feel like they have waited too long in moving out into their calling, or they were hurt and rejected once they did step out, I promise you that is just part of the deal, you step out for the Lord you’re gonna be hurt AND rejected but take it for the compliment that it is! The enemy is NOT going to waste his time (because he knows it is short) fighting people for fun, he fights what he knows is a threat.

So they feel like they maybe they were mistaken about even being called, (another trick from the enemy) they feel they can’t “go back” to “that” church or “those” people because there is just “too much water under the bridge.”

Have you ever thought of it this way, maybe the WATER under that bridge is exactly what the enemy is trying to keep you out of! Maybe you think you missed your calling, waited too long, and too much time has passes, too many struggles have ensued… Got some good news on that story, what if you discovered one day that it was ALL part of the plan for your life to get you EXACTLY where you need to be spiritually in order to go EXACTLY where God wants to take you?

We’ve got two situations going here so we will hit the both, It is NEVER too late! Until you are dead and in the ground then it is too late to pursue the call of God on your life no matter if it was given fifty years ago because: “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (ARE IRREVOCABLE).” Romans 11:29

Which means God is NEVER going to say, “Oh sorry, I really did not mean to give you that, let me just take that back.” NO it means He has given them for ever and ever.

And for whatever reason the have been unused I want you to be encouraged, get back up, get back on that boat, do not care who likes you, who doesn’t and do the will of your Father because it is Him that we answer to and sometimes, we are required to swallow our pride for the kingdom because pride does not belong in the kingdom and God ALWAYS deals with those who come against you and your calling, but if you hide it and refuse to use it, what reason would he have to exonerate you from your enemies, and prove them wrong?

Now to prove it is not too late, remember in Revelation when Jesus is warning and encouraging the churches as to what he expects of them, He is speaking to the church of Ephesus, who left their first love, I just want to use part of this verse, because these people WERE saved, their WERE known to Him, “Remember therefore from whence (where) thou art fallen, and repent, and DO THY FIRST WORKS; Revelation 2;5 (1)

So He is telling them DO your FIRST works. I want to get this out-of-the-way, I know there could be the argument against this, because of the verse “called in one hope of your calling” but if you do not accept your ONE hope on this earth to do your job, and use your calling, you sure aren’t going to need it in heaven or New Jerusalem because everyone there will already be saved.

So if you are reading this, rest assured it is NOT too late! I do want to warn you of a common snare with this, once “people” find out you are called, many of them can not wait to give advice and tell you what you should do” it is YOUR job from the Lord, HE will put in your heart or give to you by prophecy what you should do. Don’t need it please don’t listen to it unless you want to ask your Pastor, or prayer partner their thoughts on the best way to go about something, but please don’t let anyone influence you in your work for God, He calls us all differently.

Situation two, we’ll call, “You are growing, growing, growing” Think about David, do you realize that David was anointed THREE times, anointed means to be separated for a specific purpose, the first time He was only about fifteen years old, and this was done privately, only in the presence of his family,

1 Samuel 16:13:” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day FORWARD…….”

From this point on, the spirit of God was with him, and even though he had ALREADY been anointed to be King, the time was not yet, and when he was sent to Saul, it was NOT as his replacement but as his harpist!

His next task would be to fight the mighty giant Goliath and I don’t even think David was even thinking about his future or the job he was already in training for, when he ran AT Goliath it was in confidence of the Lord, that no one was going to threaten and enslave the people of the Living God, and at NO point did he tell Goliath “I come to you as the future King” He told him that he came in “NAME of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel”.

He then went on to endure Saul’s insane jealously, hiding and fearing for his life, battling bloody battle upon battle, growing and growing into who he had been created to be.

He is anointed a second time, 2 Samuel 2:4,”And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah….” this time is publicly with his countrymen.

And on he goes… growing and growing, battling and battling, “friend” and foe, learning to deal with situations and all the qualities he would NEED, imperative to his success and survival. He has been anointed privately, publicly, and now he will be anointed and accepted by the elders as King over all of Israel.

“So all the elders of Israel came to the king, to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.” 2 Samuel 5;3,4

The fulfillment of that promise unfolded over the period of his life that he was fourteen, fifteen years old until he was thirty, and even NOW part of the divine purpose for the throne of David is STILL unfolding and will be until the return of Christ!

How much do you think he matured and grew and learned and developed over those fifteen odd years? What if he had given up half way through and decided to “rethink” what had been told to him at that private anointing?

David was successful in that long journey because he never lost focus of the big picture, and allowed himself to be exactly what Go wanted, a vessel and David knew that no army, no power, nothing of this earth could defeat God or stop His divine will for Israel and this is what keep David going… and going.. it was NEVER easy and I am sure he experienced many moments of absolute sorrow during those dark times but he always held on and we must also!

Do not give up on your calling! I love the story of Nehemiah and it has been encouragement many times for me personally, I actually have it written and taped in the front of my Bible, along with many other verses, we NEED this encouragement.

This took place  as Nehemiah set about to rebuild the wall and the enemies came forth to STOP THE WORK and I love this verse, Nehemiah 6:9; “ For they ALL made us AFRAID, saying, their hands SHALL BE WEAKENED FROM (because of) the work, that it not be done. NOW THEREFORE, O GOD, STRENGHTEN MY HANDS.”

This is a great verse to remember when “people” are telling you that “it” is impossible to accomplish what GOD SAID you could and trying to discourage you with the thought that the work is too hard and you can not possibly finish it.

Maybe what you think is a little too late could actually be right on time,”Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is NOT unto death, BUT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he heard therefore that he was sick, HE ABODE (stayed) TWO DAYS STILL IN THE SAME PLACE WHERE HE WAS. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again.

His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou hither again? ( why are you going back)  Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in a day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

These things said he; and afterward he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; But I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death; but they thought he had spoken of taking rest in sleep.

Then said Jesus unto them, plainly, LAZARUS IS DEAD. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, TO THE INTENT THAT YOU MIGHT BELIEVE;……John 11:1-15  most know the rest of the story.. the sisters go on to tell Him, if He had only been there, their brother would still be alive.

We often think about our pain in what we go through, but it was NOT easy for Jesus to allow them to go through this sorrow and everyone is crying and now HE IS crying also, and I ALWAYS have to point this out because it just tells you WHO HE IS, He KNEW that in matter of moments Lazarus would be very much alive, it just broke His heart seeing them hurt, it does break His heart to see His children cry, NEVER doubt that.

“Jesus said, Take ye away the stone, Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh; for HE HATH BEEN DEAD FOUR DAYS. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, IF THOU WOULDEST BELIEVE, THOU SHOULDEST SEE THE GLORY OF GOD?” John 11:39,40

As we know from the verses, He LOVED them, but Lazarus was allowed to die so the GLORY would be revealed. But it was not the END of Lazarus’s  story and EVEN four days dead was still not too late!  Just as He said, it was that the GLORY OF GOD WOULD BE REVEALED AND THAT THEY WOULD BELEIVE!

It may look dead, doesn’t mean it is dead! May just not be as late as you think it is after all! So if you find yourself asking.. “Am I too late?”, have faith.. it all may just be right on time!

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2016

 

 

 

 

“Vexing Vineyard Variances”

“Now will I sing to my well beloved a song touching (concerning) his vineyard, My beloved has a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes. 

And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray (ask) you, betwixt (between) me and my vineyard. WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DONE TO MY VINEYARD? THAT I HAVE NOT DONE IN IT? wherefore, when I looked that is should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? ISAIAH 5:1-4

As God describes the planting of his vineyard, he chose a spot with rich, fertile soil, He cleared out all the weeds, briers, and all that could hinder and choke the new plantings.

He then removed all the rocks and debris that could hold back the tender shoots and He then planted the absolute best of vine, He himself being the tower in the midst of it. Watching and protecting the young vines, as they could grow without disturbance as beasts would try to trample and destroy them.

The winepress ready and waiting the harvest of grapes that was to come and produce magnificent. new wine, the Father’s own personal signature selection. But instead of producing the grapes needed for this particular vintage, wild, bitter, strong, unpleasant, nasty grapes grew instead. He tells us to judge this matter for ourselves…  Is the problem with the planting or is it a problem with the vineyard itself?

HE THEN ASKS THE QUESTION…that should terrify us all, What more could MORE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE THAT HE HAS NOT ALREADY DONE?

Kinda what is going on with the “falling away” we are now under, like the breaks and wounds body of Christ that are allowed to continue without remedy and without even caring to heal them, and churches of the modern-day that are seemingly unaware that when one member hurts, we ALL hurt, and continue to allow the Gospel to be falsely advertised and outright sold and not only do they not speak out against these things, they often help promote the very ones who perpetrate these “crimes” committed against the cause, verse 7:…. and he looked for judgement (justice), but beheld oppression; for righteousness but beheld a cry.”

To not speak out on behalf of the truth, makes us all guilty of these things, and too easily we forget that we,  ALL the members,ALL the churches, ARE ALL ONE BODY and “in that day His name shall be one” and we’d better start getting in that ONE mindset here or we just not make it to even be there.

What more could He do for us? And as we know, and I will not get repetitive, even though I really want to.. but we all know the major problems of today. There is often not enough love, caring, and general goodwill  between members of the vine, which cause essential growth nutrients to be siphoned away from the small grapes and over ripening the mature ones and too much money-grubbing, self promoting, ulterior motive impeding the vine’s overall general growth.

He will absolutely not lose His harvest because of a bunch of bad grapes! I really believe  major change is coming soon and the vineyard will be pruned, all the vines, as He says, that do not produce fruits will be cut away and all the bad grapes, all those who have held the positions and the ministry that have further alienated people AWAY from the Gospel through their false representations of the heart of Christ, will allowed to fall to the ground, just as when a grape withers and rots away on the vine, finally falling useless to the ground.

Whatever places they held will be given to the “new grapes” that are growing up into the vine as we speak, and that new wine will be wine for all, not just a select few and they will have a heart for God and for His people, they will see to the widows, and the fatherless, and they will care for those who are outcast, sick, and spiritually wounded.

They will be the leaders and ministers for the church and know that they ARE for the church, and not fall for the power tripping trap that the CHURCH IS FOR THEM. They will go forth in faith knowing that God will supply all their needs in unfolding ministries and that He is quite capable of furnishing the house and they will be those who “instead of thy fathers shall be thy children”… these will be the true fruits of God’s vineyard.

Time to check what’s growing and do some pruning and purging, better to tend what we can than to be cut down, cast out, and burned up, never, ever to grow again.

When we know it is ABOUT HIM and not us!

Φλογίζω Σαλπιζω  NBJ 2016

THIS day…

I often ponder how we wish our lives away. Anyone else who just could not wait to turn the magical eighteen, as teens often do because we are always in a hurry, striving to reach some momentous peak in our aging process that, as in a fairy tale world will change our lives and fill us with wonder and awe.

We wish our childhood away, we wish our school years away and like an old country song, we wish it away until there is nothing else left to wish away. Some people have OCD, I have GHACH, “Gotta have a clean house” I think sometimes this is all in order to please some imaginary visitor who peradventure may pop in during the wee hours of the morning and horrifically gasp at my most untidy kitchen.

My hips were hurting, my back was aching, battling a long standing incurable dental condition, struggling as I put clothes away in the closet, almost complaining to myself that I will surely fall over dead one day, right there on the floor, something else dawned on me. If I live long enough, there WILL be a day when I will think back and yearn for one more visit to this time in my life. My beautiful daughter, my beautiful husband, my “wild kingdom friends” and my parents, we have a prayer meeting each week and I started really realizing how blessed I am (not that I ever questioned it) but there is something so endearing about sitting on a couch with your feet not quite touching the floor with two “well seasoned” seniors, (although quite vivacious) and each time them insisting that I spit out my gum and do not swallow it, before we pray, we go through this every time and each time it is just as sweet as it was the last time and I still really don’t believe that I have a giant ball of gum inside my body that will one day be my doom, however If I die that way please know that I had been warned!

I know I am blessed with every single moment that I have with them and everyone else I love because I know far too many who have had to say goodbye to their parents far too soon. My friend Genia and I have often discussed this.. approaching fifty and the days of our inseparability and constant companionship of my late brother with us seems ONLY mere years ago, although we JUST couldn’t wait to grow up, be our “own” women, make our own decisions and yet either of us would gladly time travel back for just a second too laugh one more time, to not have a care in the world, and to have never knew the true growing pains that come with being a grown up.

In our good times, happy times, and bad times as in the Books of Jeremiah and Job, when they wrote of times they felt such pain they wished that they were never even born.

Times of tragedy and heartache, why and what ifs but it is all woven in a one of a kind tapestry of time crafted by the master Himself and as we know there WILL also be a day “when TIME shall be no more” endless and infinite and time WILL be just a word, no real meaning because it will no longer exist.

EPHESIANS 5:16-20: “Redeeming the time, because the days ARE evil. Wherefore be ye NOT unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the spiritSpeaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in YOUR heart to the Lord. Giving thanks ALWAYS for ALL things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 Redeeming the time, making good use of every day, every second and every breathe in that new day because the days are “evil” …bad world, bad times and time itself as an enemy against mere mortals in this realm where we are subjected to its harsh, unyielding, authoritative rule over us.

“Give us THIS day our daily bread” Spiritual Bread of life,  natural bread for nourishment and the breaking of that bread with those we love and hold dear.

PSALM 90:12-17: ” So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to our wisdom. Return, O Lord, how long? Let it repent thee concerning thy servants (have compassion on us).

satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN ALL OUR DAYS. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear into thy servants,and thy glory unto their children. 

And LET THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD OUR GOD BE UPON US:  and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands ESTABLISH thou it.”

Only the Lord can take our yesterday, our hurts, our joy, our memories our pain, all the things that are woven into that tapestry that is the Master’s piece of OUR personal time and fashion it into sometime so beautiful, so complex and ours and ours alone. Forget the past, don’t cry for the days that have long since passed, try not to question the losses of relationships and seasons that were seemingly blessed more than others.

ECCLESIASTES 7:10-14: Say thou NOT, What is the cause that the former days WERE BETTER than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this (do not ask why the “good old days” were better, we are not using wisdom when we ask this)

For wisdom is a good WITH an inheritance: and by it there is a profit to them that see the sun. For wisdom is a defence , and money is a defence: but the excellency (advantage) of knowledge IS that wisdom GIVETH LIFE to them that have it.

CONSIDER the work of God, for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked? In the day of posterity be joyful, BUT IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY ( rough days)  CONSIDER: GOD HATH ALSO SET UP THE ONE OVER AGAINST THE OTHER, (surely has appointed the one as well as the other) TO THE END THAT MAN SHOULD FIND NOTHING AFTER HIM.

So life happens, but every single day IS blessed, God is WITH US in all things IF we will allow him to be. Don’t worry quite so much about yesterday, let it go and be thankful for the moments that were had, and remember as the other old saying goes, yesterday was once tomorrow and all you truly have is TODAY, THIS DAY.

If today is full of  sorrow and uncertainty, and pain, know that it will soon be over, hold to God’s promise that we will never be forsaken or forgotten and every tear will be away by HIS own hand. If you are having a good day, be glad, be thankful, savor every single moment of that precious time.

PSALM 118:24 ” This IS the day which the Lord hath made; WE WILL BE GLAD AND REJOICE IN IT.” Never take for granted what will never be again and never count on time that we may not have, serve Jesus, enjoy what is to be enjoyed and live and love as though it were the very last thing you will ever do.

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ2016

“As the music slowly fades……”

“But the Pharisees and lawyers (experts in the law) rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken this generation? and to WHAT ARE THEY LIKE? 

They are like unto CHILDREN sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, we have piped (played the flute) unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. 

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine: and ye say, he hath a devil, The Son of Man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebidder, a friend of publicans (tax collectors) and sinners! But wisdom IS justified in her children.”  LUKE 7:30-35.

We can surely attest to this. Trying to win the lost to the Kingdom, trying to win the offended back to the house of God, trying to sway the self-righteous thinking of the holier than thous and trying to convince those whom satan has blinded to the truth that yes, they really NEED salvation and trying to sway delicate, wounded minds and souls that yes, God does love them and will save them from all their heartache.

Jesus in determining what could even He compare them to, came up with this, they are childlike in maturity and anyone wanna argue the point that our modern society tends to go backward when it comes to growing up and taking responsibility for our lives and more importantly our own actions?

Got problems, go on a talk show, tell the whole world, blame everyone and often that IS true, but at the end of the day we are accountable for ourselves, numeral Uno and will stand alone with that when all is said and done. Maybe you are a jerk because someone was a jerk to you first or you were raised by a pack of wild jerks but when your middle-aged and kill over you are still, on your own, making your own decisions and you have consciously decided to just be a jerk too!

We ALL know that there is a major, major lacking in this society. So ministers have “played music”for these “children”… sweet songs of hymns and salvation, and glory unspeakable, peace everlasting, who would NOT want that?

But NO! Beautiful tune, sounds sweet and lovely, maybe even soothing to the savage beast which lurks inside..but NO! They NOT going to dance to it,they flat-out refuse and NO ONE will dare tell them what they should do!

Because as the Lord referred to a certain ‘stiff-necked” (meaning unyielding) group, as “sottish” children, meaning helplessly spoiled. They want God to cater to them, and win THEIR approval and they must receive all the attention or else they will just go serve another God, HE REALLY DOES NOT PLAY THAT!

So we try mourning… delivering the cold hard truth and reality of the woe, upon woes which is to come and offering an escape route. But again NO! WE WILL HAVE our own way and if that means hell.. well then.. FINE. And there ARE those who have stated that they KNOW they are on their way to hell but will they repent? Again NO! They would rather toast than submit to a higher power, (of course it is a lack of believing.. but they WILL believe) but for the point it is a chant of No! No! No!

Which is where “repented not” came into play, but of course if they continue in this rebellion, which the Bible states is “as the sin of witchcraft”, well, all we can say is that like the rich man lifted up his eyes in hell and was told that the was nothing more that could be done for him, they will also and I really don’t think they will be many “Oh, well’s” uttered in hell, when the Bible describes it as gnashing of teeth and gnawing their tongues because they are in so much agony.

They didn’t like John, he was too scary and his cry to REPENT was “too stern” for their tender little ears, he was too on fire and it curdled their blood, so they decided he must just be crazy!

Jesus came gently, meekly, loving all he met, not judging or condemning and sharing His Gospel with all who would hear, but No, He wasn’t “strict” enough for the holier than thous because of course, they were special and would never be in the same group as those “prostitutes, and peasants” and heaven forbid they set next to the poor.

My favorite quotable scripture: “Nothing new under the sun” but I’m going to tell you something that will be “new” to these people. “WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED IN HER CHILDREN.” As the saying goes “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink”, they act like this because they have NO desire whatsoever to repent. We can’t change minds that do not want to be changed, those who refuse to hear, do not want to hear. But those who DO WANT to hear, WILL HEAR, because they ARE the children of wisdom and they hear “her” and attest to the fact that what wisdom speaks is true.

Those who do not want to hear, those who wish it would all go away and we would all just shut up, will ONE DAY get that wish granted, BUT it will be to their destruction NOT to their relief.

 ISAIAH 59: 4-14: “None calleth for justice (seeks what is right) NOR any pleadeth for the truth: they trust in vanity (empty words), and speak lies, they conceive mischief, and bring iniquity.

They hatch cockatrice eggs (hatch out vipers) and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. (Their sin spreads and infects all it touches) Their web shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves in their works: (They can not hide their sin from God) their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.

 Their feet RUN to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction IS in their paths. The way of peace THEY KNOW NOT; and there is NO JUDGEMENT (justice) in their goings (tracks) THEY HAVE MADE THEM CROOKED PATHS: WHOSOEVER SHALL GOETH THEREIN SHALL NOT KNOW PEACE.

Therefore judgment (justice) is FAR from us, neither dost justice (righteousness) overtake us: WE WAIT FOR A LIGHT, BUT BEHOLD OBSCURITY (darkness); FOR BRIGHTNESS, BUT WE WALK IN DARKNESS. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: We stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 

We roar like bears, and mourn (moan sadly) like doves: we look for judgment (justice) but there is none; FOR SALVATION BUT IT IS FAR FROM US.

For our transgressions as multiplied before thee, and OUR SINS TESTIFY AGAINST US: for our transgressions ARE with us; and as for our iniquities, we KNOW them.

IN TRANSGRESSING AND LYING AGAINST THE LORD, AND DEPARTING AWAY FROM OUR GOD, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. And JUDGMENT (justice) IS TURNED AWAY BACKWARD, AND JUSTICE (righteousness) STANDETH AFAR OFF: FOR TRUTH IS FALLEN IN THE STREET.” 

Basically, truth will be trampled in the street, they did not want it so… when they SEEK it, it will be too late. When Hades starts to break loose upon earth, they rethink their stubborn self-righteous views and hunger and thirst for relief:

AMOS 8:9-12 ” And IT SHALL come to pass in THAT DAY saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I WILL DARKEN THE EARTH in the clear day (broad daylight):  

And I WILL TURN YOUR FEASTS INTO MOURNING, and ALL YOUR SONGS INTO LAMENTATIONS (weeping and wailing);and I will bring sackcloth upon every head: and I will make it as the mourning (grieving for) my only son, and THE END THEREOF AS A BITTER DAY.

BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME, SAITH THE LORD GOD,THAT I WILL SEND A FAMINE IN THE LAND, NOT a famine of bread, NOR a thirst for water, BUT OF HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD:

And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro TO SEEK THE WORD OF THE LORD, AND SHALL NOT FIND IT.”

Those feasts that were chosen to be so much more joyous than the invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb, turned to heartache. The songs that were held so much worthy for joyful dance as the songs of Zion and those piped by the heralds of the King, turned to wails of sorrow and tears.

And the ultimate of all things lost, those who have scoffed at his words, closed their ears, mocked and hid their heads to avoid hearing, will beg to hear it one more time and it will not be found.

REVELATION 18:23 a,b): “And the Light of the candle (lamp, word of God) shall SHINE NO MORE AT ALL IN THEE; AND THE VOICE OF THE BRIDEGROOM (JESUS CHRIST) and THE BRIDE (HIS CHURCH) WILL BE HEARD NO MORE AT ALL IN THEE:…..”

 I strongly suggest today to listen to that music, don’t march to beat of your own drum, do not be wise in your own eyes, all souls will do one of two things, no more, no less, either hear the sweet sounds of Jesus calling our souls to rest and life eternal or we will hear the sound of that death march that will soon be sounded upon this earth.

ISAIAH 55:6: “SEEK YE THE LORD, WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, CALL YE UPON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him RETURN TO THE LORD, AND HE WILL HAVE MERCY UPON HIM; AND TO OUR GOD WHO WILL ABUNDANTLY PARDON.”

Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2016

“Gazingstock”

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

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

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

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

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

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

For the most part it is preventable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What can we say there?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You will also be better at seeing attacks coming and be prepared more easily, not to say there will never be blind sides, but when it is said and done, you will be glad you stayed the course, because medals are not just given, they must be won.
Φλογιζω NB/2016

! Original post 02/2016.  Still battling blue screen, Please check out this blast from posts past!🐦

 

 

 

 

“Abiding in the field….”

*Archived*

Beautiful fields, prairie fields at the peak of the season flowing with wildflowers and butterflies.

Mown fields, lush green pastures as far as the eye can see just begging to be used as the ultimate reunion of love as two run toward each other to embrace.

Peaceful fields bordered by crystal clear flowing streams as sheep happily graze without a care in the world as their shepherd watches over them.

But there are other fields….  Fields of dry, brown grass withered by the scorch of the sun, patches of soil left exposed and cracked lacking the relief of gentle expected rains that did not come. Fallow field that require the tedious backbreaking work of removing all the stone and working that ground until it can produce once again.

With the changing seasons of this life WE ARE THOSE SHEEP and those laborers. And we find ourselves in many different fields.  The Prophet Jeremiah bought a filed for an inheritance, even though EVERYTHING was going to fall apart, this was the purchase of the FUTURE.

Jeremiah 32:14 : “Thus SAITH  the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take the evidences (deeds), this evidence (deed) of the purchase, BOTH WHICH IS SEALED, and THIS EVIDENCE WHICH IS OPEN; and put them in an EARTHEN VESSEL, that they may continue (last) many days. For thus SAITH the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; HOUSES AND VINEYARDS SHALL BE POSSESSED AGAIN IN THIS LAND.”

Ruth whose compassion and love for her grieving, widowed  Mother in Law who was now also childless would not allow her to abandon her and run back to Moab in search of a new husband, soon found herself in an unknown foreign field, being advised as to what she must do in order for them to survive. As she gleaned that field, working to take what had been left to feed those who were hungry, she unknowing caught the eye of the one who owned the field! 

Ruth 2:8,9: ” Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? GO NOT to glean in another field, NEITHER go from hence ( do not leave from here) BUT ABIDE HERE fast (close) by my maidens: LET THINE EYES BE ON THE FIELD THAT THEY DO REAP and go thou after them (follow them) : and have I not charged the young me that THEY SHOULD NOT TOUCH THEE? (they had been told to leave her alone and let her work )  and when thou art athirst (thirsty) GO UNTO THE VESSELS, and DRINK THAT WHICH THE YOUNG MEN HAVE DRAWN ( they were SUPPOSED to SHARE with her their water and allow her access to THEIR water jugs). 

Luke 2:8-20 ” And there were in the same country SHEPHERDS ABIDING IN THE FIELD, KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the GLORY OF THE LORD SHONE ROUND ABOUT THEM: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people. FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOUR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD.  And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And SUDDENLY there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host PRAISING GOD, and saying, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOD WILL TOWARD MEN.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them INTO HEAVEN, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and SEE this thing which is come to pass, which the LORD HATH MADE KNOWN UNTO US.  and they came WITH HASTE, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when THEY HAD SEEN IT, THEY MADE IT KNOWN abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. BUT Mary kept all these things, and PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART. And the SHEPHERDS RETURNED, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

So that promised redemption, those open deeds, the things made known and crystal clear and those deeds that had been sealed, the birth of a King coming in a way no one could see, born in poverty to parents whose offering would be two turtle doves, the offering given by the poorest of the poor, those deeds to the inheritance of all of eternity had been kept in that earthen vessel which would be born of a virgin and in the lineage of another who obeyed the field command.

As God allowed love to blossom in that field between Ruth and Boaz, a love whose embrace led to the birth of their great-grandson  who would be King David whose bloodline would be honored in the ultimate fulfillment of those deeds, those promises of OWNERSHIP of a nation and the world that would come in that earthen vessel born in that humble manger in the body of Jesus Christ.

The shepherds who were doing their job watching over their sheep AT NIGHT (I’m not even getting it to that YET, oh, but it is coming) were rewarded by the proclamation of the news to ends all news given straight BY THE VOICES OUT OF HEAVEN ITSELF!

So about those fields, had Jeremiah took it upon himself to ignore the voice of the Lord and think well, why buy a place that will be toast?

What if Ruth had decided that another field with kinder maidens would be more enjoyable?

What if the young men tried to run Ruth away and hoarded all the water that she was dependent on to strengthen her during gleaning?

What if the shepherds had not abided by their flock? They would have NEVER heard from heaven!

Mary kept it and pondered it, she knew who her baby was and that was enough for her.

Whatever field you find yourself in today, please stay there, if it is beautiful and fertile, let the Lord lead you and bless that beautiful place and season in your life, don’t doubt it, run through that field and embrace!

If you find yourself being urged to “purchase” what appears dead or hopeless, heed the voice of the Lord, only He knows His plans and He alone will bring life back to what APPEARS hopeless.

If your field is stone and you have worked until your back breaks and your hands bleed and you have cried so many tears that you can’t even remember the last time you smiled, DON’T GIVE UP!

I promise when that last stone is ripped from the ground and that soil is soft and  God sends those refreshing rains of spring, what you have sown also watered by all those tears is going to spring up into a harvest so plentiful and beautiful that you will rejoice and thank Him for giving you the strength to not give up.

Shepherds take heed that stay by your sheep DURING THIS NIGHT, and don’t let the water boys hoard that which is meant to be shared with those God has sent to glean the leftovers FROM YOUR FIELD and never cease to hear the voice of that heavenly host praising God, they beheld His glory but I promise you, we who are faithful will also behold Him and it will be a glory unlike any that has been as of yet but we have to be listening in our field.

HE IS THE I AM THAT IS and me and my little fire baby Φλογιζω will stay in our field and you stay in yours, you will never regret it!

Φλογίζω / NBJ 2015 Original post date: 12/12/2015 Revisited 12/07/2019 & *12/04/2020*

 

 

OF MADMEN, MARTYRS AND MAIDS/ PART1

Now that we are all awake, where’s the fire? Man, that’s a good question, especially when you consider scriptures such as “For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29
“Who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers (servants) a flaming  fire.” Psalm 104:4
The fire Jesus refers to when he said “I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15,16
Lukewarm Christianity  is like lukewarm anything.
It is a spineless, gutless attempt to lay claim to a massive inheritance of untold worth while denying the very one it is handed down by.
That is why the Lord tells them without question that he knows their works, and he wants to give him their all or give him nothing but don’t try to play the middle.
Today we have become so worried about offending people and being politically correct, that we will choke back anything while the true church is ran into the ground.
The prophet Jeremiah also went through this in his time.

“For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision daily, Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak anymore in his name. But his word was  in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing and could not stay.”
                                 Jeremiah 20:8,9
Jeremiah had absolutely the worst job in the Bible, he is often referred to as “the Prophet of doom”.
It was his job to proclaim the forthcoming judgment on his own people, the very people who instead of heeding his warnings would ridicule him, even to the point that he would have rather not have been born as to have to carry out this task.
But the fire of God and the holy calling on him, that had been placed on him before he had been formed in his mother’s womb, was so strong and burned so deep that it could not be contained and it prevailed.
God wants to use some people in these last days that are wiling to just let Him burn in them and do the work his has created them for.
People like Martin Luther who took on the entire church of his day, because a fellow named Tetzel had cooked up quite a money-making scheme,  enough money to help build Saint Peter’s Cathedral, by selling what he called “indulgences”.
A get out of purgatory free certificate, ( purgatory being the Catholics belief in pre-hell, a place we know does not exist, because the rich man in the story of Lazarus had lifted up his eyes in hell) Luther being disgusted and knowing for himself the truth of God nailed his understanding of that truth to the church door.
John Brown, who finally became so tired of the injustice done to the slaves that he started his own movement, which regrettably became violent, bloody and cost lives.
One of the last photos taken of him before his execution, tells all there is to tell, as a small, black child hugs him as they lead him away to his hanging.
When he had been asked how he justified what he had done, this was his reply “Upon the golden rule. I pity the poor in bondage that have none to help them, that is why I am here, not to gratify any personal animosity, revenge or vindictive spirit. It is my sympathy with the oppressed and wronged that are as good as you and are as precious in the sight of God.”
Luther suffered excommunication and the threat of death but took his cause forward.
Brown paid with his life, I am sure he never wanted to see any lives lost, but I am equally as sure that the hug he received before going to his death was worth it all because he knew he had lived for something other than himself.
Two very different men, both having a common fire, burning for truth, justice and to see others truly free. That fire could be contained. Nor should it today, pray for that fire.
If one voice can affect the entire world, what can we accomplish with our voices collectively speaking as one?

Original Post: 12/20/2013.

All rights reserved. Rev. Nina BrownJohsnon  2015

 

PLEASE WAKE UP !!!

How many of us have tried to wake someone and finally in complete exasperation utter that all familiar phrase, “Would you PLEASE get up?!!” The Beloved written about in Song of Solomon surely must understand this.

 ” I sleep, but my heart waketh: It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night.”

” I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile(dirty) them? My beloved put his hand in the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him ( heart stirred with longing).

I rose up to open to my beloved: and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet-smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.” Song of Solomon 5:2-6

Ah, the most misunderstood book in the Bible. Most have difficulty reading it without misunderstanding it in the carnal mind and according to one Jewish tradition, men were required to be at least thirty years old and married and women were strictly forbidden to read it all.
It would seem that the American church suffers the same affliction as our lady in song of Songs.

Please do not take these remarks as attacks on any specific church, some of these attitudes and problems seem to creep into almost all churches at one point or another. That is why we must always stay on guard, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour..” 1 Peter 5:8

The church like our lady here, in comparison to what it was intended to be, having been built on diligence, fortitude, tenacity, and  above all the blood of  Christ, the prophets, and all the martyrs. The church also has become quite comfortable seeming to have forgotten where it came from and the astonishing  price that was paid for its continual existence.

Even though our lady is asleep, thankfully heart is still attentive to the voice of her one true love. He is standing outside a door that has been locked against his presence, beaten beyond recognition, the “dew” having fell during the tortures of the night he has just endured to take her punishment and to purchase a freedom she could have never been able to afford, even pleading with her to take note of the “drops of the night” his hair completed saturated by his precious blood, a result of the  excruciating  crown of thorns that encircled his head, each piercing thorn driving into his flesh, a crown he wore in torment to free her troubled mind, bringing all thoughts captive, buying her salvation, while ensuring that one day he would reign as her King.

All she can come up with as he pleads with her from behind that locked door, is excuses of why she can’t get up, why it would be such an inconvenience, a burden to get up and answer his call on her heart, her soul, and her life.
Her first reason being that she is quite comfortable, right where she is , tucked in the warmth of her cozy bed, her complacency of more value to her than the value of the love she has for him.

Her second reason is that her feet are clean, Oh, how can she possibly admit to maybe walking the wrong paths, imperfections, or heaven forbid, she admit any wrong doing or blatant sin?

There is no way that she is going to answer to him and let him see her without her coat, how can she stand humbly before him, bearing all that she is, her very soul, without the protection of her coat of self-righteousness? No, she simply can’t do it.

Thankfully the sound of his voice had stirred her heart, it was then that she remembered, she remembered all the shame, all the suffering, all the love and mercy that also poured out as the ground flowed red with his blood while his life was given in exchange for her.
She remembered that her precious coat of self-righteousness, had only be crafted from the filthy rags of her own righteousness and without being clothed in his righteousness, she was less than nothing.

She remembered that without him and the guidance of his hand to her every step, that those feet, that she so arrogantly believed to be clean would only lead her into temptation and swift destruction.

In the span of time it took for her to realize this, he was gone, but in his desire that one day the locked door between them would open, he left her the key. As the myrrh dripped from her hands, it let her finally see that the door could only be opened by the purification of her own heart, soul and spirit and by dying to her flesh, her desires, and humble herself completely to him, giving every single thing in her, both good and bad, over to him until they became one.

We are living in the midst of the most exciting time that has been or will ever be. The last day outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a harvest of souls to end it all.
But so many have grown comfortable or are just simply asleep, proclaiming Christianity while those in the world around us are lost, enslaved to drugs or alcohol or one of the many addictions that snare and trap.
Sometimes  we refuse to reach out because of the lifestyles of others, we can’t be seen talking to them or associating with what hypocritically we refer to as “that kind” of person, this comes from wrongly believing that we are so holy, and so good that we forget we were once in those shoes.

“Therefore let us not sleep, as others do; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night (spiritual night on earth) and they that be drunken are drunken in the night, but let us who are of they day, be sober (minded), putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8

As Jesus said in John 9:4: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

I  have often heard people say they believe in Jesus but they don’t accept him because they don’t want to be a hypocrite or they feel like they can’t change. I respect that to the utmost measure, but the good news that we can never change ourselves, he does that for us! All he requires is a reasonable service, no one is perfect, nor will we ever be on this earth. When the Bible uses the word “perfect” it means “blameless” doing the best we can and some days that may be not so good, this is why his mercy is renewed every, single day and when we make mistakes, we ask  for forgiveness, get up and go on! 

If you don’t want to be a hypocrite, that’s a good indication that you would never be anyway! But I am pleading with you as a servant of God, we are in the last days and if you have never committed to the Lord, Please, please, hear his voice, hear his invitation, before all hell breaks loose on this earth, and I promise you, it has already begun.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

Simply put just answer him! Let him come in! He doesn’t give a list of requirements there does he? Ask forgiveness for your sins and ask him to be Lord of your life and save you! End of story, your sins are washed completely away and he never brings them up again.

As we all will stand before the Lord and give account for the lives he has given us, the saddest excuse we will ever give for not completing the work he has entrusted us with is having to say “Lord, I just couldn’t get up.”

 

Φλογίζω /   Nina BrownJohnson/ baresoulphlogizo 2015 all rights reserved
Original post:11/21/2013 FOWC/THE AVENUE