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[NSMinistries]

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[themuzicman]

Their cribs were along 8 mile, and it was goin' down, soon. A couple of drive by's and we knew it was on.

Dave's homeys were packin' heat, psychin' themselves out for bear. Dave's mama was worried that hey boys weren't comin' home, and decided to send Dave to check up on 'em, and bring 'em some HoHo's and LiveWire Dew.

As Dave got close to 8 mile, he heard this big ole' honkey standin' in the middle of the road shoutin' all kind a bull about how we all sissies and scared to come fight. He even said that we could send out our best fighta, and they'd go mano a mano to settle everything. No one answered.

So, Dave went to his crib and called out his homeys: "''sup with this honkey dissin' y'all? You all shakin' 'cause of this pigeon's bling bling?"

"Shut up, 'lil bro. You can't take that honkey, and neitha can we. Makeo is workin' on a plan to take this dude out first. Says that the guy that takes him out will get his ride, his woman, and be in the inner circle for life."

And Dave says, "Whatchu sayin'? His ride, his woman, AND a seat?" Dave even went around to several other gangstas to make sure it was true.

Finally Dave's big brother Armono told him to shut up, or someone would do him before things even got started.

But Dave wanted to take this on this pigeon. And went to find Makeo.

Makeo was chilin' with a reefer, contemplain' his bling bling when Dave shows.

"I'll take out that pigeon, homey." Dave said.

Makeo laughed in his face, "You jus' a kid. How old are ya'? 13? 14?"

Dave was undeterred: "Hey, I be 14, but I've taken out honkeys before. Honkeys buggin' my mom and my crib, they be gone."

Makeo was impressed, and figured even if Dave lost, he'd just be a sacrificial lamb. So he offered Davey his gun.

But Davey couldn't handle a 30-06. Was too big.

"S'alright, Makeo. God help me whip them other honkeys, He'll help me 'gin."

Makeo watched Dave leave, wondering what would happen.

Dave waited for the honkey to appear again, and he did, the next day.

"Come on, NEgros, pick someone, so I can fight you, eh? Or are you all to chicken?"

Dave looked and saw a 6 foot, 10 inch monster, weighing about 290 pounds, and not an ounce of fat on him.

Dave was just angry enough, and stepped out from behind the plate glass into the street.

Dave's brothers in unison said, "WHAT THE..." and were drowned out by the cheers from both sides of the street.

Dave picked up a couple of rocks from by the sewer drain and put them into his pocket. He then took out a slingshot.

"What's this, NEgro? You going to beat me over the head like I'm a terrier or something?" He laughed.

Dave said, "You gots bling, bling. You gots a piece. But I gots God on my side. Bring it, pigeon."

The monster started towards Davey, pulling a .45. But Davey was ready. He shot the slingshot. The rock hit the honkey in the temple, and he fell over, unconscious. Dave rushed over, grabbed the .45 out of the honkey’s hand, and shot the honkey in the head twice. The rest of his crib rushed across 8 mile, and it was on. Makeo's gang shot up and scattered the pigeons.

As Makeo returned, he heard his homies rappin' about how it went down that Davey won the war.

[Queen]

Sermon of the Rock podium

Jesus enjoyed the music watched the crowd singing. He noticed that the crowd consisted of people of all ages, genders, color, creed and lifestyle. He smiled. This is how this world should be…..smiling people, feeling happy and safe. The people all seem to share the seem positive feeling for the band on stage. The Band, The Rolling Stones began to play the song “Sympathy for the devil”. Jesus was shocked by the words. He knew that something had to change. He wondered if people really listened to the words of this singer with that big mouth. He seemed a bit old to sing all these rock songs, yet he went totally crazy on stage. Jesus shook his head and sighed.

Jesus gathered all his courage and began to walk towards the stage. He had to pass by on huge body guard with “Hell’s Angels” tattooed on his right arm. A woman in the crowd recognized Jesus from the Dance party she was on last week and offered him a beer. Jesus smiled and kissed softly his forehead. As he came closer he knew that with a peaceful attitude he would be able to reach this man. He walked up to the body guard. The huge man stepped in front of this man, with beard and long hair, dirty jeans and a T-Shirt that said “Peace”. Jesus laid his hand on the man’s shoulder. The man felt something, he felt enlightened en let this… hippy pass.

Jesus walked up the stairs and walked on stage. Mick Jagger saw the fans pointing at this hippy guy that he has never seen before. He wondered what this man was doing. He walked up to him and the crowd saw the two whisper. Mick walked to the rest of the band and they stopped playing. He took Jesus by his arm and dragged him towards the microphone.

“Please, listen to this man for a moment”. The crowd shouted “Yeah!”

Jesus walked towards the microphone and tested if it worked well for his voice. “Test one two three”. All the fans of the band became silent, grabbed by the beauty of this man’s voice.

Jesus watched the crowd for a moment and then started to talk:
“Blessed are the simple minds, the kingdom of heaven will belong to them. Blessed are those who feel sad and who lost a loved one, they will be comforted. Blessed are the soft gentle people, they will inherit this planet. Blessed are those who can’t find justice, they will be surprised by the justice they find. Blessed are humans that help out of charity, they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, they will see the Big man in the sky. Blessed are the peacemakers, they will be the gang of the Big man in the sky. Blessed are those who are bastards, criminals in jail, they find the kingdom in heaven. Blessed are you when silly people will make you cry, hurt you and gossip about you because they say bad stuff in the media about me to you. Sing, enjoy and be happy. Smile because you will sit with me, in heaven.

The fans became delirious of joy when the man stopped talking and began to scream “ We want more! We want more….Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”

Jesus took a bow and walked of the stage. The Rolling Stones came back and Mick started to sing again.


Lots of love and sunshine,
Queen

[GPiper]

The Parable of the Raggedy Flock!
Copyright 2003 Gary Piper

Last week while Jesus was teaching in the Community Peace Park a question arose from the head of the Community Social Services department, “I have listened intently to your teachings Jesus but in plain English what must I do to claim eternal life.”

Jesus knowing the intent of the man’s heart asked in return, “If you have listened intently to me as you said than your already know the answer to your question tell me what you heard me say.”

The man promptly replied, “We must love and serve God will everything you have, and we must do likewise to your neighbor.”

Jesus smiled and replied, “You have answered well. If you knew the answer why then did you question me?”

The man quickly answered, “I know who God is and I love him and serve everyday of my life, but who shall I call my neighbor so I can go and love and serve them?”

And Jesus told the following story.

One day not so long ago a young man and woman began a journey to build a life together. They vowed to each other and to God to honor and love each other. At the first the journey seemed pleasant they were as happy as any couple could be.

A year or so after they began their journey they were joined by a newborn baby and their small family once again journeyed into the unknown. Yet the journey was different there were periods when all did not go well. There were difficulties to overcome but they moved on as best they could. Eventually they were joined by another baby and the four continued on their journey. Many had warned the couple to proceed cautiously but once the journey had begun there was no turning back.

Then one day after a fourth member joined the family the young family was suddenly kicked to the ground by financial woes because the breadwinner had lost his job. Relentlessly the financial institutions pursued their legal rights. Soon the breadwinner badly beaten by repeated attempts to obtain gainful employment became a victim of hopelessness. But the financial woes continued.

Soon the adversities began taking their toll on the relationships between the family members. And the young family unable to pick themselves up lay beside the road battered and bleeding awaiting the end. But beyond time and space the Great Life Giver watched through tear filled eyes waiting for someone to rescue his young family.

As the young family struggled between life and death at the side of the road they heard a voice whisper to them, "Don't give up I've sent the social services people to assist you, to tend to your wounds, to mend your broken dreams and broken lives.

The sight of approaching people holding signs reading, "We help those that can not help themselves" gave the family a slight ray of hope. But their hope was short lived as the sign carriers told them they had not been beaten enough. So the young family came closer and closer to death.

But the Great Life Giver did not give up on the young family and tried again. And a short time later the dying family had their hopes rekindled as they noticed a rather large Flock of Sheep coming their way. "We will get help now," the young husband said, "God is sending us his best sheep to give us what we need." The young mother and two younger children celebrated at the hope of beginning their journey once again.

"Let us help you," the Leader of the Flock said, "Jesus has commissioned us to reach out to those who are battered and surrounded by hopelessness. Come with us and we'll proclaim Jesus Christ to you." So the young family presented their broken dreams and broken spirits to the Flock.

But again the young families hope was short lived because the members of the Flock were engrossed in visiting amongst themselves and looking after themselves they would not let the young family become a part of the flock. The young family repeatedly called for help but their cries fell on ears that would not hear and the young family was again devastated by the rejection of those who were commissioned to help. Again the icy cold grip of hopelessness began squeezing the remaining life from the young family and each waited for the end.

In the background a sinister laugh could be heard as the evil one prepared to take hold of the souls of the young parents and lay claim to the lives of the two children. "I have won Great Life Giver you have sent your best and you have lost. Not only will I claim the lives of the young family but also I'll get the lives of those you sent to help them. It is only a matter of time," and the voice fell silent and a cold wind blew across the spot where the family lay dying.

But in the depths of eternity in His Throne Room the Great Life Giver confidently wiped the tears from his eyes and put into motion one more plan. "Do not deceive yourself evil one because you will never win the desires of my heart will forever overpower your will," His voice resounded throughout time and space.

As the young family prepared to take their last breath the sound of a much smaller more raggedy looking flock caught their attention. "No sense in getting our hopes up again," they said to one another, "If the larger flock did not help what hope have we that this small raggedy one will or even can."

With all hope gone they began to take their last breath and just as they felt the icy cold hands of death the Raggedy Flock noticed the family and ran to them as fast as they could. "Do not worry young family," the raggedy flock told the young family, "We are small and weak but the Great Life Giver is strong and will give us the strength we need to fill you with the joy, hope, love, and peace you need."

Another member of the Flock said, "Come let us attend to their wounds then we'll take them to the Great Life Giver and he will look after them."

Minutes later standing before the Great Life Giver the leader of the small Raggedy Flock said, "Great Life Giver we found this young family injured by the circumstances of life please look after them. We'll bless them in ways we can, will you please bless them in ways we can not?"

After a moment of silence the words from the Great Life Giver resounded throughout time and space, "You have done well good and faithful servants. It will be done to this young family according to your prayers and dedication."

There was a moment of silence and suddenly the Great Life Givers voice sounded once again, "Hear ye oh ends of eternity I am the Great Life Giver come unto me where strong will become weak and weak will become strong. Where those who are finely decorated will become raggedy and who's who appear raggedy will be decorated with power of my Spirit. Hear oh evil one you will never win the Light of my Spirit will always chase away the dark shadows that follow you."

So the Raggedy Flock grew by four more then went in search of another family and the Great Life Giver smiled.

Jesus then looked around at all the faces and turning to the questioner asked, “Who then was the true neighbor?”

The man also looking at the faces knew the spotlight was on him because the people knew him, “It was the small raggedy flock.”

Jesus stood to his feet walked over to where the man was standing and said, “If you know then go and love and serve.”

(Word count 1317)

[Gilgaron]

I'm not certain how to count the words for this. Word tells me there's only a bit over a hundred, but I don't feel like writing anymore. It was fun, but I don't have the time to spare presently

one

heaven & earth
no formvoiddarkface
H2O
move upon the face

voicelight, fire! || darkness
lightofday darkofnight

wa|firmament|ters
. . . \/ . . .
. . heaven! . .
watersseas landearth

earthgrass earthherb earthfruit

!lightsun ?lightmoon

waters {creatures,fowl,whales,wings,good} fruitful! X

earth {beast,cattle,creepies,good}
MAN {male,female} X

eat eat eat eat eat eat greenmeats

veryeverythinggood

two

finished rest rest

r i . ., ai ., . in,
. a.n . r. n., ra. .
. ., . . , . , ., . .

dustman lifebreath
in eden

treeknowledge treelife of ground

rpisonigihonvhiddekeleeupratesr

eat not greenmeats treeknowledge

dustman ribwoman

animalsBobBillJackGeorge

-clothes-

three

sssssssssubtil sssssssserpent 'ribwoman
why not eat greenmeat?'
"treeknowledge touchnot eatnot dienot"
'knowledgefruit for godpower, dienot eatyes'

ribwoman eatyes; dustman eatyes
naked! fear!

WHY? dustman:ribwoman,ribwoman:ssssserpent

doom {pain,thorns,sorrow}
skincoats

MAN:good||evil

no lifefruit<flamesword

gone away

[Undomiel]

1. Papa practiced provenance, producing physical planes, part above and part below.

2. Part below was polluted pandemonium and a pitchblack patina plastered the profoundness of it. Papa's poltergeist passed over the patina of the pool.

3. Papa pronounced, Provide phosphorescence and poof, phosphorescence was provided.

4. Papa peered at the phosphorescence and perceived it was pleasing. And Papa partitioned the pitchblack from the phosphorescence.

5. Papa proclaimed the phosphorescence, Phosphorescence, and the pitchblack, Pitchblack. And there was the pitchblackness, and there was the phosphorescence, the premier period.

6. And Papa pronoucned, Provide pressure units to partition the pools from the pools.

7. And Papa provided the pressure units to partition those pools that were part above from part below.

8. And Papa proclaimed the pressure units pseudonym, Part Above. And there was pitchblack and there was phosphorescence, the preceeding period.

9. And Papa proclaimed, provide the pools in part below proximity in a particular place and provide the pool-less to be perceived. And it proceeded.

10. And Papa pronounced the pool-less pseudonym, Part Below, and the pools in proximity were pronounced, Pools. And Papa perceived it was pleasing.

11. And Papa proclaimed, provide pastures produce from part below and plants producing pods, and pomegranites, and it proceeded.

12. And pastures produced from part below and plants producing pods and pomegranites, and Papa perceived it was pleasing.

13. And there was pitchblackness, and there was phosphorescence, the preceeding period.

14. And Papa proclaimed, produce phosphorescences in the pressure units, to partition Pitchblack from Phosphorescence, and provide them for portents and for punctuating patterns.

15. And provide them phosphorescences in the pressure units to produce phosphorescence on the Part Below, and it proceeded.

16. And Papa produced a pair of prominent phosphorescences, the particularly prominent phosphorescence to parliment Phosphorescence of Part Below, the petite phosphorescence to parliment Pitchblack, and Papa produced the phosphorescent particles.

17. And Papa put them in the pressure units to provide phosphorescence on the part below.

18. To parliment phosphorescence and pitchblackness, and for a partition of phosphorescence and pitchblackness, and Papa perceived it was pleasing.

19. And there was pitchblackness, and there was phosphorescence, the preceeding period.

20. And Papa proclaimed, provide progeny in the pools and provide pinions to pass over part below, under the pressure units.

21. And Papa provided prominent pool predators and plentious progeny in the pools, and plentious pinions passing over, and Papa perceived it was pleasing.

22. And Papa provided them pleasant petitions, saying Populate and have plenty, pack the pools with progeny and the pressure units with pinions passing over.

23. And there was pitchblackness, and there was phosphorescence, the preceeding period.

24. And Papa proclaimed, provide the part below have progeny plenty of particular and panoramic physical performances on the part below, and it proceeded.

25. And Papa provided prodigy plenty of particular and panoramaic physical peformances, passing from point to point on the part below, and Papa perceived it was pleasing.

26. And Papa proclaimed, provide progeny in his appearance, and provide this prodigy parliment over the progeny of the pools and the pressure units.

27. And Papa provided progeny in his appearance, in Papa's appearance he provided them, powerful and pretty Papa provided them.

28. And Papa provided them pleasant petitions, Populate and parliment the Part Below, Papa proclaimed. Parliment the prodigy of the pools and of the pinions passing over in the pressure units.

29. And Papa proclaimed, Perceive, I provide plentious plants producing pods and pomengranites, to partake.

30. And to the plentious progeny, have I provided plentious plants producing pods, and it proceeded.

31. And Papa perceived provenance, that it was particularly pleasant. And there was pitchblackness, and there was phosphorescence, the preceeding period.

[Ben Franklin]

1: Jesus split Jairus' pad, an' hopped th' bus back to Nazareth, his buddies catchin' up with him later.

2: When Saturday rolled around, he cruised over to th' temple ta teach Bible class. A buncha people were there, an' when he started his spiel, they had a cow. "He's pullin' this stuff outta his CRACK !"; "What th' heck is this crud ?"; "What miracle ?! It'd be a MIRACLE if he'd shut th' hell up !".

3: "Who'r you tryin' ta kid, huh ?"; "We know who you are, pal !"; "You're not foolin' ANYBODY !" They told Jesus to kiss off.

4: Jesus lit inta 'em: "Shut up, you jerks ! The minute I get here, everyone's givin' me attitude ! Crap ! I got more respect when I was on the road !"

5: He was really P.O.'d, you know ? He cured a few bunions, but that's all, 'cuz he was too bummed to do any miracles.

6: He couldn't believe his own people shut him down. Bummer !

[sylas]

One day, Allah came to the prophet Abdul, who lived in a Kurdish camp in the North West of Iraq. Allah told Abdul: "I have seen the evil done by the people of Baghdad. Go and tell the people there that I am going to destroy them in forty days!".

Abdul was delighted! But there was a nagging problem. Abdul had a nasty feeling that Allah was a forgiving God -- and the last thing he wanted was to give the people of Baghdad a chance to escape the wrath of God.

He went down to the local truck stop, and asked around. "Which way is Baghdad?", he asked. "South East of here", they replied. "Hossein is going that way soon. Do you need a lift?"

Abdul laughed. "Who is going North West?" he asked.

Soon, Abdul was bumping along the roads headed away from Baghdad. But suddenly a storm blew up. And what a storm! The truck driver tried to find shelter, but it seemed at every turn conditions only improved when he headed back in the wrong direction. Abdul soon figured out the problem.

"You'd better let me out", he said. "This is no ordinary storm."

"I can't do that!" said the driver. "This is really dangerous; you could be killed in this kind of weather out here."

But Abdul insisted, and jumped out of the truck. Suddenly, all the force of the storm gathered about him, and a giant twister lifted him up high into the sky.

After a terrifying hour being tossed about like a leaf, Abdul suddenly found himself on the ground again, and the storm dissipated as quickly as it arrived. Dusting himself off, Abdul tried to find where he was. A sign was visible in the clearing dust, so he went over to have a look. It said: "Baghdad. 2km".

Abdul could take a hint. After a short walk he was inside the city limits, and he began to wander through all the city, telling everyone he met that Allah was displeased with the city, and would destroy it in forty days.

And the people of the city listened to this Kurdish refugee from the camps up north. Even Saddam Hussein heard of this.

"Gosh!" thought Saddam. "I've been bad! I had better clean up my act."

And so all the people of Baghdad, and all the government, and all Saddam Hussein's political system, all got together and repented of their evil deeds, and begged God to forgive them.

Abdul, in the meantime, went outside the city again, to a little cafe, and sat down to wait for the coming destruction. He waited, and waited, but nothing happened.

In the meantime, a little cat came to sit with Abdul, twisting around his legs and basically being a nice little cat, which Abdul rather liked.

But as time went by, Abdul got so pissed off at the total lack of destruction happening in Baghdad that he jumped up -- and tripped on the leg of the table. A steaming hot cup of coffee on the table dropped onto the floor: but it did not break! If rolled over to the cat without spilling a drop, and finally emptied over the little cat's tail. The cat jumped up in fright, scratched Abdul on the leg, and vanished.

Abdul felt this was the last straw! "You did that", he shouted at God. "That was no ordinary fall -- I saw you playing funny buggers with the coffee! It is not enough that you've decided not to destroy that worthless cesspit of Baghdad; now you are even trying to drive away the only thing around here that appreciates me!"

"Think." said God. "You're upset about a little cat having a burnt tail, a cat you had not even known before today. Shouldn't I be permitted to care for all the people of this city, whom I made as I made you, and be quick to respond to their petition?"

----
I wrote this in 2001. It is my own original work; but was not originally written for TheoWeb. If recycled works are permitted, I offer it for consideration.

[peh2]

New York City is a mind-blowing sight even just riding into it on the Greyhound, but we didn't take time to sight-see, no. our dear leader isn't into earthly things and hustled us off to the spot in Central Park where he could set up a little shelter and get down to business.

We found right away that New Yorkers aren't as determinedly disinterested in what is going on around them as they've been portrayed. In fact, by noon, we had a pretty good crowd and ol' Paul, he was really into his stuff, laying it out beginning to end in that way he had of putting the picture so clear you couldn't misunderstand if you tried.

And a few out of the crowd actually pulled their own Scriptures out of pockets or briefcases, while two or three others took a Bible from the pile we'd set up on the little table under the canopy where Paul stood and preached.

They were soon on to the way Paul had of speaking a Scripture and then pausing to let them leaf to it before he expounded on it and the vibes were good! Not like some of the places where right away they want to run us off or shut down the PA system or something worse.

Me and Tim were really starting to relax and enjoy what he was saying when all of a sudden some Greenpeacers showed up and started screaming, "Long live Mother Earth!" and "Trees we can see!"

They overturned the canopy and swept the Bibles off the table and into a puddle of dirty rainwater before we could stop them.

Right behind them came the Pony Brigade all decked out in their New York's Finest blue. The Fishers rushed Paul away but me and Tim decided we might as well stay on, see some sights.

Truth to tell, we were just plain pooped out with all the traveling we'd been doing and happily bunkered in with some of the wealthier Fishers, who still actually had houses to live in, hoping to catch up on some serious zzz's.

Wasn't long though before some Fisher brothers brought us word that Paul was waiting for us in Brooklyn.

When we finally found our way to where he was, we were so glad to see him we rubbed his bald head, which he hates but we like cuz he is just kinda sweet with his intense look and that shiny skull.

He told us he'd never seen such a place so given to things of the flesh. He stirred us to indignation with his stories of homosexuals sporting openly and women for sale on the streets.

He said he'd tried to talk with the religious leaders of the borough, to tell them of the love of God so plainly visible in the gift of His only Son and of the terrible payment for sin to be faced by the practioners of sin in their congregations.

They had refused him entry to their churches so we helped him set up a stand on Mars Hill, near the open air market where all manner of strange food was sold.

Gourmets of every stripe who came to buy assaulted him with questions, "didn't he realize that to live is to eat, drink and be merry? For there is but a few short years to enjoy life" and so on and so on. Me and Tim wondered sometimes how ol' Paul kept his cool with them.

But the ones that really got to me were the tough guys that stood around with frowns and objections to everything Paul had to say about how God is so good to provide His children with all they need.

They came up with some stuff me and Tim just had to shake our heads over cuz whoever their god was it sure wasn't Jehovah Jireh.

If the Epicureans motto was eat, eat and eat to be merry, the Stoics' was surely "Just don't enjoy anything and you'll be holy".

Me and Tim had about had enough of the whole scene when a big group of guys, most of them in dreads, invited Paul, and us too, to a meeting hall down the street, and one asked Paul,

"May we know who is this God you tell of? For some of what you say is strange to our ears: and we want you to explain it to us."

(Now you know that in all the world there are people who know and people who want to know the Truth and I can tell you these guys were not among the first group.)

So Paul stands up and goes, "Oh, Rastafarians and men of earth, I see that in all things you are very religious. For I see your long hair and hear your calls to the "I & I" and "Jah" and I understand that you follow the leading of the ganja root to Hallie Salassi, that man who is dead and not risen.

Your god is dead, men, and not living...and your religion is as earthbound and as dead as he. "

Right about there some of the until then polite listeners stood and cried out "Jah rules" and so on. But Paul, undeterred, went right on,

"Your religion holds you to the earth and an herb you smoke to help you feel holy. But you are not elevated, you are high, not lifted up but stoned and your ears stopped to the voice of the true God.

For the One you call Jah, is God indeed but not your god of smoke and paranoia. He is Jehovah, the God of Israel, of Jacob and Abraham, and Moses, the Almighty God.

And he has made of the blood of His precious Son, Jesus the Christ, a precious ointment for the healing of the nations. It is this One, our God, Jehovah Nissei, our banner, Who has by the gift of His Son made a way for us to become one with Him and be elevated to the status of sons of the most High.

So we ought not think He is to be found in the smoking of an herb, or the beat of a drum, nor of any of man's devices.

Now in the times of our ignorance God has waited but now He commands that we all repent. For He has appointed a day in which He will judge all men through Jesus Whom He raised from the dead."

There was a long pause during which some of the dreads touched heads and conferred and it seemed two or three were giving us such looks me and Tim were beginning to whisper together a plan to make it to the doors ahead of them, and still get Paul out alive...and he could be a stubborn little man at times!

Our soto voce discussion got cut short when we heard a snort of laughter. One of the dreads, a big burly guy wearing a RastaMan t-shirt swayed with his amusement

"Ya say, mon, ya man he rase him up fro' da dead?" A slim dude with hair to his back pockets snickered into a long-fingered hand.

But a serious faced youngster and an older fellow came up out of the crowd and faced Paul, asking questions of him we couldn't hear but he told us later they'd invited him to come to a store-front church they knew of and see if the pastor there would like to have him speak, cuz, like they told the pastor when we got there and they introduced Paul, "you got the word o truth, mon."

And don't you know it, when we left the city we had two new brothers we loved even if we couldn't always understand their Jamacian patois, and they were great hymn singers too.

[bigsplit]

Barbara: So Jesus to support your claim for everyone to help the poor, what charitable work have you done?

Jesus: If and when I do something for charity I do not sound a trumpet as hypocrites do, so that everybody will think they are great people. If I were to do some charity work, nobody would know it except my father in heaven because it is his approval I seek. So what I am saying to you Barbara is that I am too left handed to answer that question.

Barbara looks at him strangly, she had never heard someone answer that question like that before. Most of her guest can't wait to brag about their charitable deeds.

Barbara: So Jesus what do you think of President Bush's policy in the Middle East?

Jesus: Barbara my dear, you have heard of an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth, well I say do not fight one who is evil. If he hits you in the jaw, turn and let him hit the other one. If he steals your car, give him your house. You have heard the golden rule?

Barbara: Yes Jesus, Love you neighbor as you love yourself.

Jesus: Yes Barbara, but I say more, love your enemy as well. Doesn't the Muslim love his family and friends, but those who love the father in heaven must love everyone, even his enemies.

Barbara: That is a tough pill to swallow Jesus.

Jesus: The gate is narrow to the kingdom of heaven Barbara and the way is hard.

Barbara: Well, I would like to thank Jesus for coming on the show this evening for this quick interview. And in the spirit of his Birthday let's have him say a special Christmas prayer. Would you Jesus, would you lead us in prayer?

Jesus: No Barbara I will not. The hypocrits love to stand before men and make long, repetitive prayer so that they can be seen by others. When I prey I go into my closet at home and say a single, simple prayer that takes about a minute, and it's done. God knows what is in your heart Barbara, and he hears you the first time you ask. He knows what you need before you do.

Barbara: OOOOkay, thank you for coming Jesus and have a happy birhtday.

Jesus: Merry Christmas to you too Barbara.

[emulator]

the revalation of John
Theoren's Gurney: written december 28th, 2003 at the quickening



Chapter one

Theoren was a good man. He knew little of anything, but that was more than enough for this journey.

Theoren loved his brother John; who in turn showed Theoren what love really was...after all one can live with a kidney but without one, neither can one live. So it was in the present as John stood by holding his hand praying that God would keep his brother intact if only it were His will. The bleeps and intermittent yaps of the monitors were like saline on the tongue of the mind...as Theoren drifted off to sleep. John had taken the day off to minister to his terminally ill brother. After their parents had gone to sleep there didn't seem to be anyone else who could care for Theoren. Of course, John accepted the task without complaining outwardly, although every once in a while he would wince and turn from his more selfish qualms... but that was okay.
John brought a book to read. It was the same book that he read much of the time, the Bible. He never really understood it completely, and sometimes he totally disagreed with it. None the less... something inside him seemed to confirm that the words in that book rang true more times than not.
He looked down from his perch at that mass of steel and wiring below, so very intimidating it was. Gaunt eyelets for oppressively white lights...why did those lights always seem to be the eeriest...or were morgue lights more abrasive yet. This room did not seem to have corners. Only a middle, with doors. Well, at least from up here you could see that your feet rested on a pleasantly unsticky linoleum floor...much like the one below, mesmerizing and ever salient polka dots racing in every direction till they were no longer visible. On second thought, you couldn’t really define those polka dots below any more than you could these. John thought it might be better to start reading and stop thinking at least until they brought him in to begin the operation...any ways it might ease the pressure he felt in his lower back. John was glad that he had coalesced enough that he was able to take care of his brother now and furthermore observe him now. Thank God for Byron and Marsha, without them God knows what would have happened. in any case John was in for a long wait at this post so he took a sip of his mochachino.
And John flipped open his book then began reading at Isaiah 55:6-
Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon........

Chapter two

As Zirsan walked through the gate he greeted Matthew, Matthew did likewise and then Zirsan said,
"Have you seen Jesus?"

Matthew laughed and retorted,
"Oh yee of little faith!"
Zirsan continued on toward the acropolis, greeting many on his way to the throne. As he approached he once again doffed his crown and gave his report to the King. It was written on a particularly glorious parchment of gold. The king asked him to take a seat as he set down another child and poured for Zirsan a cup of water. And then the King said:
Indeed your feet have grown, but for what purpose have you come?
Zirsan acknowledged his lord with the following request,
"Lord it has been brought to my attention a matter of great importance, as are all things my King, I have requested that I might be allowed to return from the city with reinforcements...my Lord if you would with your grace ask of the father that He might see that it be done such as it is good."

Of course there was no delay in the Kings reply but it did take a while. The King spoke furthermore'
Let it be as you have said, I shall wait upon thee...
Thy faith has made thee well...
Go and do your peace.

So Zirsan the wondrous left the city on his way to the outlying lands, but before he left he ran into a new friend.
"What is your name?" asked Zirsan
"I don’t know, I have reported to the city to find out."
"Glory to God," said Zirsan, “I have left my crown there, come I will show you the Way."
"Okay Zirsan, thank you. By all means I will follow you."

So they returned once again to the King, and the King gave the crown to Zirsan and Zirsan gave the crown to Caelys. And the King said,
Well done thou good and faithful servant, many are your deeds....
How will you continue Caelys?
Caelys replied "My Lord take this crown and let me pray with you."
And the King said,
Let it be as you have said, I shall wait upon thee...
Thy faith has made thee well...
Go and do your peace.

Chapter three

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with YHWH and the Word was Elohim.
He was in the beginning with I AM.
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made...

In the beginning El Senor created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Then Dieux said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
And Lover saw the light, that it was good; and The Omega divided the light from the darkness.

Now the Word cast down a great star from heaven upon the earth; it's name was Star but no longer was. And so Satan wrought havoc upon the creation and the creation was hurt, all of it was hurt...so Jesus had conceived a plan and after that Zirsan was given aid that he might stay the fate of man. So it was that Zirsan came through the realm to earth and dwelt upon the ocean.
Now upon a time there was a great battle between the sons of the gods and the sons of men, and it was so that great fear was in the hearts of men that the end of their time was upon them. In that day there lived a man whose name was Eliajam, and there upon the cusp of the worlds did Eliajam call down fire from heaven that it might devour the beastmen...but Eliajam grew tired and left this world...and there at the crux of the battle did Noch stray to unleash the engines of perilous fire; and its flames did devour not only flesh but did annihilate even the earth before it so that as the earth was it was naught more than a cinder...but Noch grew tired of the battle and departed for the final adventure. Now it was that Zirsan was made strong to defeat the gods of the Sabeans...and slew he many and cast them into the great abyss...for he had been granted power over the enemy for a time that he should bind all things on earth as it were in heaven. And the Spirit was in him and he left the battle and returned to the King.
Chapter four

Now Caelys went down to the Earth and spoke words of comfort upon those who were in turmoil. And great tears were exfoliated from the souls of the weary, but surely I say to you in these were their comforts made strong. Now it had come to pass that their prayers had gone up to return, when Caelys looked down upon his very own brother and he knew words of comfort to give to that brother. So he did console him on that glorious day. And Caelys looked about in the earth and saw many things that he did remember, but he did not see many things that he did not remember....but he did remember this. That soon enough none of those things would matter anymore. After that Caelys rose up and went and he did return to the King.

Chapter five
Minutes dragged into hours as John read on until he came across this passage:

Revelations 21:4-
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
Just then John got an eerie notion that something wasn't right...he set down the crumpled cup which had long since gone empty. He scratched his head, as he wondered, when the door to the room of observation opened and in stepped the ever stern Dr. Crubald and the look of concern on his face said more than it should have. "Jonathan my God I wondered where you were all this time."
John glanced away at the window a little annoyed....just then he realized that the room below was empty...just then he wondered if he had missed the whole operation... just then he asked the doctor what he meant.
"Well....this is fifth floor...and-"
"Oh that's it I knew something wasn't right.” John cut him off mid sentence
The doctor went on...
"I have some bad news, you should have a seat."
John's soul was dismayed. ' Well that sucks.' He thought "Well how bad is it doc."
The doctor looked vexed at that terse reply, he really hated being called 'doc’ ,but he went on quite smoothly after all,
"I'm sorry to say but Theoren isn't with us anymore, I had you paged on every floor, but it unfortunately the speaker in this room has a short, I’m so sorry..."
John was astonished and at the same time he felt a certain sense of relief...which was sort of disturbing to him but he didn't have time to think about that just now,
"When, uh how?" tears welling in his eyes as his heart swelled and faltered.
The doctor replied with a due note of dismay,
"Before I even got to evaluate him he just...he just didn't hold on long enough."
Almost like instant replay the doctors last few words reverberated through Johns head as he recalled his last moments with his brother...how he seemed so still so sleepy...so tired."

John mourned his brother's death, the loss of his kidney, and he grew somewhat angry at God as he wondered how God could have let this happen to him.
He spent a lot of time thinking about it until one day, when he had finally verbalized his dismay at God, he fell into what seemed to him a sleepless trance. He had a vision.....He saw angels fighting in battles, and others carrying scrolls to heaven, he saw the love of God descending upon himself and he felt the greatest peace he had ever known. He thought he saw his father say to his brother "What is your name?"

[NEONBlack]

The Rise of Jerubbaal (Judges 6:1-32)

The Nation once again succumbed. Evil reigned once more, depravity overwhelming the past successes of wise, benevolent leaders. The Silent King shook his mighty head in disappointment, withdrawing his support from the Nation, allowing those who were not under the sovereignty of the Silent King to overwhelm the Nation, driving the People of the Nation away from their homes and comforts, forcing them to draw into the mountains and caves, living in fear and sorrow.

As time passed the Silent King waited for the Nation to repent, yet still they did as they chose, abandoning the Silent King even as they sought to reestablish their lives. Without the patronage of the Silent King, the Nation could not defend itself from the Eastern foes who again and again took away the riches and providence of the Nation.

Like locusts, the Eastern foes swept over the Nation and its People, mocking the Silent King's private pain as he watched those whom he loved fall like chaff, robbed of their efforts even as he sought only to bless the People and the Nation.

Crushed beneath the heel of their Eastern foes, finally did the People of the Nation recall their beloved Silent King, turning to him and seeking his strength once again. Messengers were dispatched, crying out to the Silent King, despairing that he would come to them once more and lead them into the prosperity his love had always given them. He sent back a messenger, telling them that he had never forgotten them; he would return to them, though he was not pleased with their fickle ways and how they had abandoned his rulership.

One of the Silent King's mighty advisors told him of a certain young man who was of the People that might be able to gather under the Silent King's banner and lead the People and the Nation into their lands once more.

The Silent King sent one of his most trusted to speak to the young man at his father's house. This powerful officer of the Silent King went to the young man and spoke to him, telling him that he must take up the banner of the Silent King and lead the Nation against its Eastern foes.

Still this young man, who would someday be called Jerubbaal but was now called Gideon, protested. He could not be the one; he was from the weakest clan of the People, the youngest of his family. Yet still the officer spoke, offering him wisdom and images. Gideon offered food but the officer simply took what was given, laying upon a stone, and caused holy flame to erupt from the rock. Before Gideon could react, the officer had vanished and Gideon realized this was the Silent King himself who had come before him!

Written upon a note that held the seal of the Silent King were personal orders, guiding Gideon to rise against the false Ruler who had brought his power into the Nation and made the People follow him. There was a palace to the false Ruler that saddened the Silent King, for it meant some of the People now flew the banner of the false Ruler. The orders told Gideon to assert the strength of the Silent King and to rise against this palace, to tear it down and reestablish the benevolent guidance of the Silent King.

Strengthened by the honor upon him given by being able to see the Silent King face to face, Gideon gathered together 10 others loyal to the Silent King and rose against the palace, laying waste to it even as they proclaimed the wondrous power of the Silent King that the Nation had forgotten.

Many of those who flew the banner of the false Ruler were angered by the destruction of the palace and brought their anger to Gideon's house. His father came out, unafraid of them. He stood before them and asked where the false Ruler was. If he was angry about the destruction of his palace, he should confront Jerubbaal (who was Gideon) himself.

And the false Ruler was nowhere to be found, even as Jerubbaal showed the orders of the Silent King and all around he-who-was-Gideon once again gave their fealty to the Silent King.

[JardinPrayer]

If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would not believe it. I’m a New Yorker…we have this peculiar mix of suspicion and acceptance hard-wired into us and we don’t always know which will prevail when we encounter something utterly strange. This time, I didn’t even have to struggle. Somehow, I knew I was witnessing the truth.

John was a homeless guy that called the corner of 34th and Lex home. His hair and beard were wild and matted (and filthy). He wore layers of dirty clothes, but seemed comfortable with only his trademark sandals protecting his feet. His face and feet were black with accumulated street dirt, but his hands were always clean right down to the fingernails. And, he didn’t smell bad…something I could never figure out. I liked John. He was friendly enough for a crazy homeless guy. That almost feral light in his eyes seemed to betray an inner insanity, but even when his words supported that notion, something in the sincerity of his tone told me I could trust him. I noticed he never asked for money from passersby, never drank alcohol, and was vegetarian. He accepted the bottled water and bag of sunflower seeds I brought him every day with profound-sounding statements like, “Prepare the way, for the day draws nigh.” Without fail, just before I walked away each morning, his eyes would clear for just a moment and he would look at me and smile like we shared a secret.

One Sunday when I wasn’t in a hurry, I decided to sit down on the sidewalk next to John and find out who he was. “John, why don’t you have a home?” seemed like as good a place to start as any.

“My mother and father were old even before I was born. God intended for me to live this way. I am the voice that cries out in the wilderness.”

“Are you a prophet, John? Is the world coming to an end?”

“I live under God’s sky so nothing gets in between Him and me. I hear Him well. He says I am sent to tell you the world is just beginning.”

“Sounds like you’ve got a messiah complex brewing there, buddy,” I said, offering him my own open bag of sunflower seeds. He took the comment in stride.

“He is coming after me. I am to prepare the way and open your ears so you will hear Him when He arrives.”

“Okay, I’ll buy that. Hey, how come your hands are always so clean?”

John was quiet and still for a moment. He stared at his hands and then surprised me by extending one to me. “Will you come with me?”

It was one of those moments my mother spent years preparing me for. Don’t talk to strangers – particularly homeless ones – particularly ones that want you to follow them somewhere! Yet, I knew John had something to show me that I did not want to miss. I took his hand and helped him to his feet.

In the middle of the block on 47th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues there is a little alcove with some wrought iron tables and chairs and a huge stone wall with a waterfall cascading down it into an oblong wishing well. It’s a popular place for the midtown crowd to have lunch, with the waterfall drowning out the sounds of taxi horns. Today, there were about 25 people sitting there reading their newspapers and sipping their Starbucks. When John and I entered hand in hand, we drew quite a bit of attention. There were more than a few scowls and disapproving glances, a few who tried to pretend they hadn’t seen us, and a few more who stared openly, waiting to see what was about to happen. John led me to the ledge of the well. In places where the waterfall did not obscure the view, I could see shiny pennies glittering on the bottom. He gestured and I sat on the ledge, thinking he would do the same. Instead, he climbed up and stood on the ledge beside me, then immediately stepped down into the pool. One or two people gasped. Another giggled. I stifled a smirk myself. John turned to face the people. He drew in a deep breath and spoke in a loud, clear voice, “Prepare the way of the Lord.”

An old man in an old suit called back to him, “Do you know how many people in this crazy city think they’re Jesus? Get outta the water, you wacko!”

John’s eyes did not clear when he addressed the old man. If anything, they grew more wild and intense. “I am not worthy to even tie the shoes of my Lord. I am here to tell you He is near. He will know His own and separate them from the snakes and demons. This is your chance to hear the good news and choose your eternal fate.” Anyone else making that little speech in the middle of New York City would have either been ridiculed or ignored. But, the old man fell silent and looked deeply disturbed.

“John,” I said softly, reaching out and tugging the hem of his jacket. “What are we supposed to do in order to prepare the way?” I was instantly rewarded with those clear eyes and knowing smile. He reached for my hand once more, saying, “I will baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Cleanse yourself of sin and make his path straight to your heart. Are you ready?” I still have moments of incredulity when I think how I never hesitated in this bizarre situation. I took John’s hand, swung my feet around and stood in the pool with him. Now, we had everyone’s attention! A bicycle messenger stood up, knocking his helmet to the ground. The old man slithered out of his chair and left. John bent and cupped his hands, filling them with water. He raised them high and as he released the water over my head he said, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, I baptize you.” He put one hand at the small of my back and the other against my forehead and I went beneath the water easily and calmly. In the 2 seconds I was submerged, I felt as though an ocean had washed away everything I no longer needed and thoroughly cleaned my soul. I came up crying and trembling…laughing and shaking my hands excitedly.

As if that wasn’t amazing enough, as soon as I wiped the water from my eyes, I saw that half a dozen people were standing at the pool’s ledge waiting to be next. I sat on the ledge off to one side and watched in serene joy while the second and then the third person experienced what I just had.

No one but me saw the man in the white gauze shirt and drawstring pants enter our alcove. His hair was shoulder length and shining in the sun. His eyes held eternity in them. He seemed to have his own light emanating from nowhere and everywhere. He quietly walked to the end of the line, stopping just behind a blind woman with a dog. He rested a hand on her shoulder for a brief moment. The woman straightened and she simply said in an awed whisper, “My Lord!” In the next moment, John was reaching for the blind woman’s hand. She stepped eagerly into the pool and practically baptized herself! As she came out of the water, I took her arm and sat her next to me. She squeezed my hand and could not wipe the smile from her face.

Now John’s eyes met those of the newcomer. He kneeled in the water and said, “My Lord, baptize me.” I recognized that gentle, knowing smile the newcomer answered with. I would not have been surprised to know these two men were related. The man stepped into the water and bade John stand, then simply said, “I will be baptized by you.” A trembling and weeping John baptized the man he now called “Jesus, the Christ.” Jesus came up straight way out of the water. The whitest pigeon I’ve ever seen lit right on his shoulder and I saw new light in his eyes. The rushing wind sound that the waterfall made seemed suddenly louder. Jesus stepped over to the blind woman seated beside me and gently pressed his thumb and forefinger against her eyes. He said, “Your faith is great and has healed you.” I was sitting right there, not 6 inches away and I saw the cloudiness leave that woman’s irises, her eyes find those of her savior, and her tears of gratitude flow freely.

I’m telling you, there’s no city like New York. I can’t wait to see what next weekend brings!

[BurntOffering]

A Kick In the Head or Did Satan take a Dive aka Fall


Submission for the Contest:


Hell O All; I am Satan the Daughter of Gods, Twin Sister of Jesus Christ, and by GODs Master Plan as His espoused wife. You see GOD Loves US both so very much that S/He figured out a way for Her only begotten son and daughter to live happily forever After the Fall. SHe made Jesus the President and Satan the President of Vice, as His Help Meet, Confidant and a Secret Tarry. But I couldnt tell yall; as a Female I had to Remain Silent . But just like with Cain and Able GOD knew there s sibling rivalry in all families. One child always thinks a God Parent favors the other baby brother or sister. Most parents are very Hard on the 1st born sons and make them walk a straight line. So I chose to be born 2nd, and let Jesus go first as the Man sent to Die for your sins. I figured as long as Men kept thinking about sex or using the wrong head, at least by child birth, I have at least a 50/50 chance of survival. I could come and go to and fro, walk up and down in the Earth, as a God Mysterious Angel of Death; I could even get away with Murder.

So Satan took a Dive and Fall cause Her mission was to deceive the whole world as a sister she still is the accuser of the brother. Now while in God Heavenly Body and Womb; that kick in my head didnt hurt a bit. But every since God cast me down with Great Anger at yall; I been walking around With Broken Wings and it even left me with a bit of AM nesia. So Jesus cast into a bed, told me to play dead until it was time to rise again. Yeah I confess I got mad & told JACK (Jesus Almighty Christ & King) to Hit to Road & never come back no more. He said I was the meanest old woman he ever saw. Then He took wise King Solomon's advice; who told "its better to be on the roof of a Palace than in a House with a Brawling Woman. “What Man among you would leave 99 sheep in the wilderness and go looking for one the Lost Black sheep in the Trinity family. No, just like Bo Peep you left me alone, to come home my own wagging this tale behind me. Well I eventually told Jesus how sorry I was for what Ive done. But as the Lioness of Judah, and Feircest of Best, when my Man gets back in town, we will Lay Down. Unfortunately I cant guarantee I wont completely Eat Up My Lambie Poo.

Peace out

[Iceman]

(sorry if this is too late.... I figured it was worth a try)


Samaria. The very mention of the name provoked anger and malice in the hearts of common Jews everywhere who would never be caught dead going anywhere near that despised area. Sometimes travelers would detour for days rather than the alternative — traveling in such close proximity to the region. The half-breeds actually had their own mountain of worship, just like heathens, but the Jews actually thought this was convenient, for it kept the Samarians away from Jerusalem. They should never be allowed near the temple. They had forsaken their heritage and mixed blood with foreigners, slandering the name of God with their actions. In the eyes of the Jews, the Samrians were beyond redemption.
But this is where the Spirit was leading him. For months the name had been whispered into his heart through prayer and desires had leapt when people mentioned it. Now, with the Pharisees looking for an excuse to give him trouble, it was convenient to visit Galilee again for a while and travel through Samaria on the way. These people, half-Jews and half-gentiles, needed repentance just like Jews and gentiles. The disciples were a little less than enthusiastic, but that was to be expected. He knew the nature that they were fighting against and he sympathized. Maybe this experience would help break some of those old prejudices. They would need it if they were to be successful after he was gone.
They arrived at a town called Sychar in good time. It was the middle of the day, and plenty of people would be out of their homes working the fields, shopping in the market, or attending to other forms of business and pleasure. He needed rest before journeying onward, and so he stopped at the well outside of the city wall and sent his friends inside to procure some food. But there was also something else stopping him from going with them. Doubtlessly a group of twelve men Jewish men in a Samaritan city would be innocently questioned by curious shopkeepers and peddlers, and his name could be mentioned. In other cities smaller incidents had resulted in amazing crowds numbering in the hundreds and thousands, so he wanted to be ready for whatever happened. While the disciples were away, he could pray and prepare for these people. He could also enjoy being off his feet. He was human, after all.
So he sat by the well. His skin was used to the hot sun. He had lived under it for more than thirty years. In the distance he could see people working the fields, driving cattle, tilling the earth, or moving produce. After some time pasted, however, he noticed one woman in particular carrying a cracked water pot. He had noticed her almost as soon as she had left the busy city, and she was walking slowly towards the well, eyes mostly cast downward, and there was frustration and loneliness in her small steps. It was unusual for a woman to come to the well at this time of day. Usually the women came in the morning or evening to avoid the harsh sun. They also travelled together, stirring up the latest gossip, spreading local news, and sharing the work load. This woman was different -- she came alone.
Long before she was at the well she noticed him sitting there, and once or twice it looked like she would turn back for the city, but he earnestly prayed that the Spirit would give her strength because now he knew why he had been led here. It was for this woman. When he had first sat down at the well he was tired and hungry, but now all his senses were dulled as his perfect love for this lonely soul started to move his heart. It almost hurt him to see her walking so alone and depraved, shut away from friends, despised by neighbors, and probably running from God. Maybe today that would change.
For a while he thought about what he would say to her, and he was excited, for very rarely did he ever have this kind of opportunity. Often his travel and ministry involved throngs, not individuals. Here was a sole human being he could talk to all by himself, showing her love and mercy in ways that she had never understood. So when she finally approached the well — avoiding eye contact, of course — he was unsure of exactly what to say. When she started drawing water, however, the words came freely.
“Will you give me a drink?” he asked politely, smiling at her like an old friend.
Her reply was predictable. At first only her eyes turned as she focused on drawing the water, almost wondering if she had heard him correctly. For a moment he thought he might have to repeat the question, but eventually she looked up, still not in his eyes, and responded to his actions, not his words. “You are a Jew,” she said, “and I am a Samaritan woman.” She did not say the rest out loud, but it was obvious. She did not expect to be approached by a Jew. They always looked down on her. Furthermore, she did not expect to be spoken to by a man. They seemed content to use her. “How can you ask me for a drink?”
Ever so slightly, he changed the topic. He wanted her to understand what he was offering, but he knew the same old message would work just fine if the Spirit was enabling her to hear. “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
Again she was caught off-guard, but she questioned him and they talked. He told her things about her that she never thought anyone could know, and he knew things about her that made her ashamed of who she was. Somehow though, at the same time she was drawn to him, partially through his words and partially through his actions. This was no wandering preacher looking for a captive audience. This was a gentle man who loved people — who loved her. As hard as she tried she could not remember anyone who had ever truly loved her, and the few who just liked her would instantly cast her aside if they completely knew all the horrible secrets hidden in her black heart. But this kind Messiah knew all and he still accepted her. He did not shrink back when she drew closer out of curiosity, pressing him for answers about worship.
She barely noticed when the disciples returned, but for some reason she decided then to go and tell everyone else about this Christ. Nearly tripping over raggedy travelers, she completely forgot about her precious water jar and sprinted for the town, calling out to everyone she knew, proclaiming the wisdom of this man. She even proclaimed the love, though not verbally, but when a man knew all her sin and still would even talk to her, how could he not love her?
Back at the well, the disciples were confused, and Jesus knew it. No one had dared interrupt the conclusion of his conversation with the Samaritan woman, but they were probably wondering what he was doing even talking to her. No crowd followed them out of the town. Apparently they had managed to find food and leave the city without talking about themselves or seeing past the prejudice into the pain of these people’s lives, and now they offered this food to him.
“Rabbi, eat something.”
Eat? He had forgotten he was hungry. Indeed, the gnawing in his stomach was completely gone, completely overwhelmed by the excitement of the unexpected opportunity that the Father had given him. Somehow food seemed insignificant knowing that angels were rejoicing in heaven at this moment. “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
The disciples, like the woman, were confused. He overhead a few of them wonder to each other if the woman had brought him food or if a local farmer had given him something to eat. They knew nothing of this excitement that was filling his hearts. They had traveled into the heart of that lost city and not once had they ached for the people. They had only desired food. They had never experienced the food of following God, but they would. In due time, when they had grown a little more, they would.
“Can’t you see?” he wanted to say. “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish his work.” He found more satisfaction from saving a soul than filling his stomach with bread and water. He sighed, searching for an example they could understand.
“Don’t you say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’?” They nodded. A few of them smiled, no doubt reminded of the feasts and parties that often accompanied that time. “I tell you,” he said, “open you eyes and look at the fields!” With that, he pointed, but not at the endless oceans of wheat and grain that surrounded them, gently swaying in the wind. Instead, he pointed directly to Sychar’s gate, where already people were started to come out to the well, inspired by the woman’s testimonial evangelism. “Look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”

[Capt Mercury]

A servant girl stands by a fire at night. She is carrying a basket on one hip, stops at the fire and reaches out her hands to warm them. She seems preoccupied as she glances around the empty courtyard. I and a friend of mine are passing by when we heard her exclaim aloud. We were curious, so stopped we momentarily to watch.

“Another cold night, isn't it?” she asked of no one, since she was alone – deep in her thoughts. She looked down and held her hands towards the fire again, shivering. But her shivers were not due to the coldness of the evening. So we stopped and stood beside the corner of a nearby building, hidden in the shadows, intrigued.

“It was cold that night too.” She muttered to herself, pensively.

“What's that?” she exclaimed as she looked out over the empty court of the high priest. Clearly to us as we watched, unknown to her, in her mind she was addressing some imagined listeners.

“Oh, Yes! I was here last week!” she said very intensely. "Wouldn't have missed it for the world! Yeah, that was when those Temple big-wigs held court over there to convict that rabbi from Galilee.”

She paused again, clearly very deep in thought. “I've never seen them hold court that late at night. I wonder why...” She looked to the fire and pointed. “I was right there at the fire... like tonight... and all of a sudden the guards and the Pharisees rushed in with that Nazarene rabbi... Jesus was his name... and they had his hands tied.”

She stepped back, reliving the moment. Then she turned and looked right at us, as if she could see us. Could she actually see us? I didn'tthink so. But then she turned around again and looked towards the temple.

“Yeah, I was in the outer court of the temple the other day when Jesus was teaching. I saw animals and people running around and that same man tearing up the place... it was wild! He was shouting something about his father's temple being abused. Say, doesn’t it say in the Psalms about the Messiah that…” She paused now as if trying to remember something. “’Zeal for your house has consumed me’ or something like that? But I bet he really ticked those guys off.”

Then the girl whirled quickly around, animated and walked back to the fire, turning to look toward our hiding place again, “Ya wanna know about the trial?” she said – as if asking us. Could she see us?

Then she slowly turned back toward the fire – deep in her thoughts again. Whatever had happened that night had deeply impacted her, and we hoped she would keep talking.

"Well," she continued, "I remember hearing yelling and arguing coming from inside." Then she laughed – obviously enjoying some private humor. “But that Jesus – he didn’t say a thing to defend himself! Not a thing.” Again she paused thoughtfully. “Something interesting did happen out here, though... one of Jesus' disciples sneaked in behind the guards. At first, I thought he was just someone from the crowd trying to get a better look, but he was acting so strange. Yeah, he was one of them alright.”

She was gazing at the fire again with her hand on her chin reflecting back. So we quietly got up and moved to a closer vantage point, staying hidden. But I doubt that she would have heard us if we had made noise, because she had clearly moved back in time to that scene now. The servant girl remained frozen in place for awhile; again we wonderd if the show was over.

But then she spun around suddenly. We were so intent on what was happening before us that we remained frozen in place. The servant girl was looking in our direction again.

“What was he doing?” she muttered, glazy-eyed. Her gaze was off in the distance, and she was deep in thought, but clearly moved by what she had seen that night. “Well, he was…” There was a long pause again. “I… I don't know... looking around like he was hiding something... acting guilty!” She smiled. “Every time I looked at him, he turned his face away from me. I wondered why. Then, it dawned on me: he had been one of the men with Jesus in the Temple. I was sure of it!”

Then she whirled around quickly, continuing to talk, as if addressing someone in the vacant courtyard. She was talking quietly, so we couldn’t hear much. And she was pointing to her right…

“This man was with Jesus, the Galilean!” she shouted.

She laughed again. “He said to me, ‘Woman, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know him!’ But he was lying… Yes, he was.”

She continued her monologue, “Then the man, Peter was his name, got up and walked far away from the fire.” She smiled knowingly to herself., nodding.

“Then a maid approached him, and she looked at him real close like, then turning to those around her, she up and says to them, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

“’I knew it!’ I thought at the time.” She laughed out loud now. “Then a servant spoke to the man. ‘Say, aren’t you one of his disciples?’ he asked. And everyone looked accusingly at Peter, to see what he would say. But Peter was angry now. ‘I am not! I swear to you, I do not know the man!’ he said. Hah!”

The girl turned and walking quickly added, “He turned away from everyone, and wrapped his arms around himself… But it wasn’t that cold...”

Then the girl froze in place again, very pensive. “Please don’t stop now!” I almost spoke out loud.

“Yeah, we all began to wonder then. A bunch of them began to whisper to one another, and I could tell that they were talking about him… cause they kept looking at him. And some of them asked me about him too, how I knew that he was one of Jesus’ disciples. Well, I tell you...”

She squinted. “Then a second servant moved over close to Peter, and asked him directly, ‘Didn’t I see you in the garden with him? Weren’t you the one who cut off that man’s ear?!’”

Now she was very animated. “Then a third servant jumped in, ‘Surely you are one of them! Your Galilean accent gives you away!’ he said to him. And a lot of people were shouting their agreement. And he looked so appalled.” She paused – now quietly reflecting as if she was seeing it all transpire before her again.

“Then that Peter said very fervently, ‘I swear to God, if I know that man may God strike me dead!’”

Then the servant girl slowly walked as if in a trance. “Well, did you hear that? He would have said anything to make us believe that he wasn’t that man’s disciple. He was so… afraid. That was the third time that he’d said that he didn't know him, and that he’d never even met the man. But you know…just as he finished his tirade, a rooster crowed.” She paused and tilted her head as if she was listening to a rooster. I found myself listening too.

“I don’t know why that would upset him so,” she wondered aloud. Then shook her head. “But it sure did!”

“Then he turned and looked over at Jesus on trial. And he saw that Jesus was already looking at him. It was so sad, he was looking directly at Peter… but he didn't seem mad at all, just sorta sad. Then Peter turned and ran out! Boy was he upset! And he stopped and looked right at me just for a moment. I could see he was in such anguish!”

“He said, ‘What have I done! I said that even if everyone left him, I’d stand by his side! I’m nothing but a pathetic coward!’ Then he ran off.”

The servant girl was very quiet again for a very long time. I stirred around some, my legs were getting stiff. "Now what do you suppose that was about?" she asked softly.

Then she turned back toward us again, and asked, “Did you see that man?” She was pointing into the air. She paused, to reflect. “I wonder what got into him?” she asked aloud.

Then she continued, “Of course, you do know that the Romans executed that Jesus later that day, right? Those Jewish big-wigs insisted on it – got the crowd all stirred up. That’s a bit too much for what he did, don’t you think? They must have really had it in for him!” Then she began to walk again. “You know, I heard a rumor that his body was missing from the tomb last Sunday” she said with enthusiasm. “And there’s a rumor going around that his disciples have stolen the body.” She said this with derision. “Now what would anybody want with a corpse? But I've heard the strangest thing – some people say that he rose from the dead and that they’ve actually seen him! Now who'd ever believe a thing like that?”

Then she looked at us again, a whimsical smile on her face. "I mean… would you?"

I tuned to the man crouching next to me. “Just who was that man, Jesus?!”

“I don’t know,” he muttered… Then he said with resolution, “But I’m going to find out.”

Note: I know it's too long, but I don't know how to shorten it.

[dizzle]

The contest is still going... keep them coming.

[NSMinistries]

Friday 1/23/04 will be the last day for entries. Please try to have any final postings in on Friday.

[peh2]

I've got a frustration...where is muzicman's story? Which one of Captn Mercury's stories won? why doesn't the "search" thing work with people's user names?