God Uses Ordinary People

GOD USES ORDINARY PEOPLE!

When I listen to Bible expositor's on TV, radio, in person, or on the phone, I use my critical ear. I can usually count on them to talk about traditional or popular interpretations of Scripture, most of which I know quite well so I can think and listen at the same time. I usually know the verses they refer to quite well. So I listen to see if there is anything they left out, or if anything is revealed that I don't know already, or if their analysis is complete or correct. Sometimes when I listen to the same-o-same-o something will dawn on me I never thought of before. If I can reach someone I can dialog with I point it out to them and we discuss it.

Today I came up with an understanding of Jesus' first miracle that I never heard anyone preach before. That is the miracle of water being changed into wine. And it is based strictly on Scripture. Words that I glossed over before were suddenly revealed to me. When I saw them I thought, "Hey there is something else going on here!" So I began to dig into the passages a lot deeper to see what else I could uncover.

Some preachers I have heard like to stress how by being a servant of the LORD you can receive a blessing. In this case they say the wine was the blessing. It was better than any of the wine that was served previously at the wedding festival.  But we need to look closely at the servants in this miracle. Who are the servants, what did they receive, and what was the servants blessing?

A lot of the ministering I hear is to ask of God and receive a physical blessing, to be in the will of God and receive a physical blessing. But let's get spiritual for a change! OK, let’s follow the flow of the Spirit at this event. Jesus, his mother, and the disciple's were invited to a wedding festival. Mary was observing what was going on and noticed they were out of wine. So she told Jesus, and He replied, "Woman, what have I to with you, it is not my time."

To me this first miracle was an act of faith and obedience, prompted by the Holy Spirit. The intent, purpose, and desire were to provide more wine for the wedding festival by the working of the Spirit through Jesus Christ. The initial movement of the Spirit was through Mary. After she said those words to Jesus she told the servants to do as Jesus instructs them. Jesus who is the living Word of God instructed the servants to fill six water pots to the brim with water. A miracle was about to take place in their midst. The water pots held about thirty gallons apiece. That is about 180 gallons in total.

The servants did as they were instructed to do. He then instructed them to give the governor a portion. In order to do so, they had to transfer the wine into smaller vessels, probably of silver, to serve the governor and other honored guests. At some point in time in their service to Christ the water turned into wine. What greater blessing can a Christian have than to see a miracle take place right before their eyes!

Somehow the servants had the composure to serve the governor as Jesus instructed them to do. The Spirit of God was in control as they flowed in the Spirit. Most of us would have wanted to run around the room, jump up and down, and tell everyone what happened after witnessing something like that. With Jesus in their midst, it seems like they would have at least fallen down at His feet and worshiped Him. But in this case the Spirit of God would not allow them to. They just went about calmly doing what was required of them as servants at a wedding festival!

Some might say well miracles don't happen anymore, that was just during the Apostolic age. Well the governor, bridegroom and guests may have felt that miracle's don't happen anymore as well. After all, the last time they heard from God was through the prophet Malachi. Here they were in Jesus presence, God in the flesh. And yes, they were served wine better than any in the house. OK, let's make it more contemporary.

Yes, they own the biggest house on the block. Yes, they own the newest and most expensive car available. Yes, they wear the finest of clothes. Yes, they get served the best wine available. But hear me when I say, "Let's get Spiritual!" They missed the best blessing of all. They had no idea that a miracle had just taken place! With all their pomp and circumstance they were focusing on the wrong things, and were not allowed to be privy to the workings of the Holy Spirit through Mary, Christ, and the servants.

Now I ask you, who are the real servants in this gospel writing? The governor serves. No not him. The bridegroom serves. No not him. The honored guests serve. No not them. The servants were the ones that God used to participate in Jesus first miracle recorded in Scripture. And they were just little people. They were there only to serve. They had no political connections. They did not know the right people. They were not part of the in-crowd. They were not part of the who's-who. They did not even get any recognition nor honor for the type of work they did. They would not even

been invited to the wedding festival if they were not there as servants! But God allowed them to see and participate in the miracle while they were serving by the way. The others only got wine. Perhaps they started to whine later after they found out what happened in their midst that they missed.

The real servants received a spiritual blessing the others received a physical blessing. Do I have to ask you which blessing was greater? Which blessing you would rather witness, experience or receive every day? A glass of wine can't be compared to the blessings of the Kingdom which are new and manifold all the time. A glass of wine will always be a glass of wine.

The real servants got the real blessing, and it doesn't say they told anyone. They were privileged to see privately the first awesome display of the power of God in over four hundred years! And because of the power and control of the Holy Spirit they could not talk about it. By the same Holy Spirit they could not jump up and down. By the same Holy Spirit they just calmly walked around and served the governor, bridegroom and his guests as if this was an every day experience.

Think about Mary. What prompted her to even suggest to Jesus to do something about the lack of wine? I don't think she expected him to head to the market place with his disciple's, and bring back wineskins full of wine. The initial movement of the Spirit moved her to prompt Jesus into action. She did not tell him specifically what to do. But she knew to tell him, and what to tell the servants. And Jesus knew what to tell the servants. Mean while the married couple are enjoying themselves. I did not know that fact until I read the book of Tob, Tobias, Toby. I finally read a book from the Apocrypha. A teacher said after I graduated from Bible that I could read anything now. I graduated in 1993. I chose to read that book first because my middle name is Tobias and my nickname is Toby. The root word is Tob. The Apocrypha has been removed since the 1611 version of the King James. 

Jesus said time and time again in the New Testament that He was there to do the will of the Father only. At His baptism by John the Baptist the Spirit of God descended upon Him as a dove and He was filled. Jesus operated in the power of the Holy Spirit. Situations always presented themselves at the predetermined time and place of God, and Jesus was there to do the will of the Father. People were always participants, willingly and unwillingly, for and against Him, knowing and unknowing, understanding and not understanding, aware and not aware.

At this first miracle of Jesus, the disciples were there as God's silent witnesses. They were to later testify of what God did in their presence, and to record it for our edification. Jesus told His mother that it was not His time. Perhaps this is what He meant. At the marriage feast He received no recognition for this miracle. It was not time for Him to be seen as a miracle worker nor to go public with His ministry.

Now I am not saying that physical pleasure's, and what we deem to be necessities are not to be sought after in this life, but for what purpose do you desire them? What purpose do they serve? Are you just enjoying the party or being obedient to God and His word, or are you doing both? Have you considered Is there something else you should be doing?

Samuel told Saul obedience is better than sacrifice. Saul had spared the king and some animals, etc., when God had instructed him to kill everything. God demonstrated to David that obedience is better than praise when Uzzah died trying to steady the Ark of the Covenant. He wasn't supposed to touch it. There was something else both of them should have been doing. Saul lost his kingdom. I wonder what Uzzah missed out on. Perhaps the governor and bridegroom, and guests weren't servants. They missed out on the miracle. The same Holy Spirit could have contained them as well.

I believe that there is a message here for the church. We have to be mindful to do the will of the LORD even in our work, in our praise, in our worship, in our sacrifice, in our pleasure, in our everything. We have to be prepared at all times to stop what we are doing, and do what God would have us do being sensitive to the move of the Spirit just like Mary, Jesus, and the servants were at the wedding festival. Also we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. Keep in mind, "It's the little people" who not only witnessed his miracles, but also believed unto salvation.

Think about Gideon's three hundred soldiers’s who defeated a mighty army by just blowing on trumpets, breaking pitcher's, and lighting lantern's. They were selected from among thousands, because not only did they have no fear, while satisfying their physical needs (drinking water), they were found to still be working (ever watching). These were the true warriors and servants of God. They knew what to do by the Spirit of God. God showed Gideon how to identify them. In battle they were obedient, and calmly went about doing just what the LORD instructed them to do. They were able to participate in a miracle.

Some preachers say that everyone got blessed by the consuming of the wine that was brought about by a miracle of God, from the governor, to the bridegroom, to the guests, to the servants. However, I don't think the servants imbibed to the extent of the others if at all they had work to do. However, I'm sure they enjoyed the wedding as much, well actually, more than everyone else there.

Are you willing to be a servant of the LORD and do a great work sight unseen? Or would you rather hang out with the Mucky-mucks? Keep in mind that Jesus told the seventy when they came back to not rejoice in their great works, but rejoice because their names are written in heaven. To God be the glory.

Jonah Does Not Really Take a Detour!

Jonah Does Not Really Take a Detour!

Or

Which Way Is Up…

       

I'm starting to sound like one of our old Presidents. He used to say when people kept bringing up the same old topic with a smile on his face, and with I don't consider myself on par with President Ronald Reagan. He was known as the great communicator. However, I do find myself saying, "Well, here I go again."

Oh by the way that was the President's  reply every time the reporters asked him if he died his hair.  He was about 70 years old at the time and the reporters could not figure out if the President died his hair. I can understand their confusion. Every President hair turns gray during his term. President Obama hair is turning gray and he is forty something! I was expecting his hair to turn to gray also so I was not disappointed.

I have not heard Jonah's experience explained quite this way before. What makes him unique is that he does not want to do the job, he has attitude problems, he does not want to cooperate, he try's to avoid the job, he argues with God, he is a fuss pot, he is set upon doing things his way, and he is certainly against saving his enemy's. That was God used him. That is what made him uniquely qualified for this particular task! God needed person like that. He could say God made me do it and every one would believe him.

Jonah is a chosen vessel of God, commissioned to go to Ninevah to preach the message of repentance unto salvation for God wanted to save these people. However Jonah had a personal problem with this idea. He did not want God to save these people. These people were enemies of Israel and he wanted God to destroy them not save them. He did not want these people to be his people. So when God instructed him about the task he was to perform he thought he could shuck his responsibility by getting out of town heading in the wrong direction.

One thing we have to keep in mind is that no one is one of God's people except by His grace. Paul finally understood this after his conversion to Christianity. He said that not even all of Israel were God's people. It took an act of God called election to save those who were.

Before Jesus came, died and rose again, they were the ones who believed in the promise of the soon coming Messiah. After Jesus came, ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father, and sent the Holy Spirit they are the ones who believe He is the son of God, God who came in the flesh and the soon returning Messiah.

It is interesting how God works. What really took place here is exactly what God planned from the beginning. For he had a few other things Jonah had to do before he got to Ninevah.  Keep in mind that people will say things that do not reflect the reality of the situation. You can sit there and complain about what God is doing or going to with you, and it does not alter the circumstances one iota because God has a purpose to fulfill.

It seems like some people can adjust their attitude and just go with the flow. Some go kicking and screaming. Some just fuss the whole time. I guess whatever works for you. So OK, Jonah fusses but Jonah was still going. Some think that Jonah took off in the wrong direction. I beg to differ. God purpose for Jonah had a few other details to take care of before Jonah would arrive in Ninevah.

So Jonah, perhaps thinking he is getting away from God or perhaps not. Perhaps he feels something about this trip that compels him to go this way. He heads down to Joppa and ends up on a boat with a crew headed for Tarshish. Again, this is not only where he is supposed to be, but the boat was to take him to the transfer point of the other vehicle that would take him the rest of the way to the final destination God had in mind for Jonah, Ninevah.

God does not always send his people on a bee line to their destination. It took them 40 years to get out of the wilderness. They had to cross the Jordan River on dry land too which reminded them about the Red Sea and what happened to all the dissenters. They thought twice, thrice about being rebellious that time, "Well, here we go again!"

God has reasons for Jonah being on that boat one, to let him know that God was with him. Like Jesus on the boat during a great storm Jonah is fast asleep below with not a care in the world. He had the peace that passes understanding down in his heart, of God, was upon him. He had a beautiful rest in the arms of the LORD before it was time to transfer to the other mode of transportation. They were almost at the transfer point. That is why he had to go that route.

A mighty storm signaled its soon arrival. Somehow Jonah new and he was ready to go. The other boatmen were moved to go and wake Jonah. Everybody was praying to their god. They wanted Jonah to pray to his. Jonah got up, went above deck, and prayed. He told them to throw him over board and everything would be alright. They actually did it and it everything was okay again. At the end I will my Jonah testimony but everything was not alright where I came from. Did God have a make a way of escape for Jonah he wasn't aware of and could not find out in Nineveh? Were they planning his death. The KJV says they killed the prophets all the day long. What a mighty God he serves. Jonah by faith was transferred to the other mode of transportation which turned out to be a huge fish.

Can you imagine the fear of Jonah's God that came upon the crew as they witnessed all this? They knew he was a Hebrew. Wherever they went stories of Jehovah had preceded them from their time of deliverance from Pharaoh of Egypt after 430 years along with other Africans and before then. Often times their enemy's were sore afraid of their God yet still fought against Gods people and lost.

Some people don't respect the control of mankind the power of God has either because of their ignorance or incapability. Now that the transfer was complete Jonah left behind witnesses of Gods power. They witnessed Jonah being swallowed by a great fish. Jonah could now complete his trip to Nineveh. The ground floor had been laid. All the pieces would come together in the minds of the people over the years.

There would be more talk about the God of the Hebrews. I can hear them saying, Oh yea, I heard these boatmen saw Jonah swallowed by a great fish. Somebody else said he ended up in Ninevah. Yakkity yack, Yada, Yada, and so on and so on.

This fish had been predestined and prepared to receive Jonah at this particular time and place, in these particular waters and to deliver him safely to Nineveh in three and night days specifically. Jesus was to use this as an analogy to His like manner of being three days in the earth after He hung Himself on the cross at Calvary.

After being in the belly of this great fish for three days and nights what affect do you think that had on Jonah who had attitude problems to begin with? What affect do you think it had on the clothes he was wearing? What about his hair, his body odor, his walk, his talk? No wonder they repented when they saw and heard the likes of Him. Look what God did to His own prophet! To this fuss pot!

The silence is killing me that which is not written. It does not say that Jonah suddenly had a change of heart. On the contrary God had to deal with him under a tree where he was still fussing with God and resting. God caused it to wither to illustrate to Jonah His point in saving Nineveh God was still trying to get Jonah to get it, God's program. But he was the man for the job anyway. Nineveh got it. And that was what God purposed to accomplish.

Jonah was already in the kingdom. God wanted to bring some more in. Kingdom people have issues like everyone else, but maybe a little different. We love God. And like any father he deals with the issues. Being the heavenly Father He does it right every time. Some call that fellowship with God.

So perhaps not only did Jonah do the work of the LORD he got his needs met as well. Imagine the testimony he alone had. The experience unlike anything else he could have even imagined. The memories (if he recovered) he could recall and relive. Jonah, with a bad attitude was used mightily of God. And I don't know if his attitude ever changed.

It did not matter then. Besides as a child of God you can have a bad attitude, cry, fuss, etc. and still feel the presence of the LORD and be joyful in your heart. Your outward appearance at the time may be necessary to get the job done. I decided not give my testimony after edit this writing. God said enough to me.

What I Have Been Called

Charlie Chaplin

This is an excerpt from one of my ten books entitled,” I Can’t Write Left Handed.”

Copyright 2004 Certificate of Registration TXu1-193-104
By Chaplain Winston T. Muldrew, Drunken Profit-double anointing


Supported by: Drunken Prophet Ron Hovland, Fireman, IRS retired 
Prophet Benjamin & Tashi


I would like to share a few words if you don’t mind about my Ministry call.

What I have been called

  
  Like I said in another SHORT, I have been called a lot of things over the years since I came to be in ministry. People of God have viewed me and defined me in many ministry terms. I myself having never pursued or even desired a ministry had no idea what to become or what the job entailed. I just do things and people tell me what I am. 


  To this day I can’t find and adequate job description for what I do in the Bible or from how others define their roles. 


  I don’t come from a ministry family that had a place for me in their church. I don’t have anyone in my family that can instruct or advise me about ministry. I have to rely on people who come into my life. But they always fall short. When I can’t believe them I have to trust my Bible alone. That is why I went to Bible college.


  I stopped going to church at about 13 years old, however I did go back to be baptized in my early 20’s. Then at age 30 I got hit real hard by a God and I ain’t been the same since. That was in 1980. 


  When people call me by these titles  I generally ignore them. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what prompted them to say it in the first place. They just seem to blurt it out.


  I started keeping a list one day, not only because of the number times this happened, but I kept getting new titles. I thought I would look back at them one day in wonder. I decided to include them in this book.


Minister, Priest  (Sonya told her daughter I was a priest now in Concord) Preacher, Mister Preacher, Are you the Pope? Chaplain (Rev. Dr. Chaplain Steve Shannon), Pastor, Apostle, Bishop, Elder, Prophet, Helps, Pastor's aide, Biblical Scholar, Missionary, Christian TV Producer, Some kind of Elder (Octavia), Ordained (Pastors Dr. Raymond and Octavia Dorrough after graduation from Bible College), Teacher, Peacemaker (Dad), Big time politician, Supervisor/Overseer, Judge, Reverend, Counselor, God's Psychiatrist (women on bus), You're not staff (at the Hamilton Apts where I live - Nelton aka Preacher),  Deacon, Friend (Ralph he is in ministry and I have known him since I was 4 years old. He says two years old), You don't sin (Stephanie), Administrator (computer lab at the Hamilton), Playboy (Laverne, Clair & Dad), Servant of the LORD, I have a good heart, Are you the assistant Pastor at that place?, Does that school teach only Evangelists?, sinner  (Derek) The LORD has exhalted you (Derek), Whoremonger (someone on this bulletin board).


We are Earth Angels sent from heaven (Roman Catholic woman in wheel chair), Witness (We do and we are a), Ram in the bush (C. Redmond), Evangelist, You are really Ecumenical (by some Computer Technician on the phone), and as of late my new babe called me a Therapist. It has been several years since someone called me something new.


  I had previously thought Ecumenical to be a bad word and not to be used around Christians. There is an Ecumenical movement today, but to me that has the sound of restrictions and politics. That is what usually happens when people agree to agree. Did I say “compromise” just to be apart of a movement? I have seen this happen too many times. 


  I said I am? I was surprised that he thought it was a good thing to be. Perhaps because I like to minister to anyone, who has an ear from a Christian perspective, he used this word. He first asked me if I was Catholic. I thought I better look up the word Ecumenical, and I came up with this definition as I see how the word applies to me.


  I am one who’s Christian view is worldwide or general in scope. I like to influence others and make Christianity applicable to every day life. And I like to participate as part of the community not as one who shows up and then goes home as if they were a hireling.


  I am not denominationally dependent, isolated or stagnated by church doctrine that is written in stone, but I am instead steadily expanding through biblical Christian faith that comes about by studying all of Scripture. 


  I am one who is a representative of the Bible, and relates to the whole of a body of believers. I am one who promotes worldwide Christian unity and cooperation through the gifts and leading of the Holy Spirit.


  In other words I am bold, will go at it alone, and I will not follow anyone that denies the truth of the Bible or is not willing to address the Scriptures. 


  I will admit it if you can prove me wrong by Scripture, in fact that is an open invitation. How else can I learn unless I study Scripture and be tested as well.


  It is interesting how different people see me differently. These are
unsolicited responses or impression's I've received. I don't have to tell people I'm a minister.  I remember while I was in Bible College I met this minister, Jacob. He asked me, "Didn't I know I was called?" I did not know what he meant by that. I remember my Bishop Pastor Dr. Raymond Dorrough said I was going to be a Pastor and it takes twelve years. I remember his wife Pastor Octavia saying after I graduated from Bible College that I had become ordained. 


  Sometimes I think that being called means I just need to be in a certain place at a certain time. God provides the means and directs my path. I show up and do what ever it is I do. I don't quite understand what that is.  Sometimes I speak, sometimes I don't. I just operate in my Spiritual gifts. I don't even know how to operate them.  Sometimes I wait for the spirit to move me before I go anywhere. Sometimes I take the initiative and the Spirit takes over.


Now these are titles I like and have come to call myself:


  I am what someone needs me to be, Steward (Stewardship), Spiritual Warrior, Chaplain, Urban Missionary, A Living Sacrifice, Apologist. It is funny or maybe not. Virtually no one wants to call me Chaplain! The only ones I know are Charlie Chaplin from the silent movie era, jocular, jocular, jocular the Chaplain from the Army Medics series Mash, and from Clinical Pastoral Education C.P.E. the Reverend Dr. Steve Shannon Chaplain. 

What my big sister said about me:


 Vivian laid another word on me. "WIT." She said women like me because I have wit. She said she is going to think of an acronym for it. I told her I had trouble with "Dense" for forty years. Now I have to deal with wit? I guess It means something to you.


  In this computer thesaurus, wit has several synonyms: mind reason sense sanity lucidity soundness saneness senses.  In my dictionary of synonyms, wit is listed with humor, irony, satire, repartee, which together mean a mode of expression intended to arouse amused interest or evoke laughter.  Wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity (an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful) or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the inconsistent.


  Humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually with keen insight and sympathetic understanding and without bitterness.  Irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of the expressed meaning.  Satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature.


  Repartee implies the power or art of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily or to an interchange of such responses.  As I look at these definitions I see that it takes wit to be an Apologist.  I still don't know why my big sister said that about me. I guess I will never get it. Maybe I am dense.


What a woman said in church:


  For some reason one Sunday I told her I was a minister. On another Sunday she said so you are minister. She said I needed to join the others up front. I held my finger to my lips and said, "Shhh!"  I told her I'm not that kind of a minister. She asked me what did I do? I said, "No telling!" I said I have a long list but it is not about me. I then ministered to a couple of people, and she said she liked the way I minister.

Jesus Christ is Lord

Chapter ix from Moby Dick - A Chaplain's Sermon?

Melville, Herman, 1819-1891. Moby-Dick, or, The Whale Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library

 Freely available for non-commercial use provided that this header is included in its entirety with any copy distributed

1993 
Note: (OTA 1993)This text of Melville's Moby-Dick is based on the Hendricks House edition. It was prepared by Professor Eugene F. Irey at the University of Colorado. Any subsequent copies of this data must include this notice and any publications resulting from analysis of this data must include reference to Professor Irey's work. 
Note: (UVA 1996) The electronic text does not follow the Hendricks House edition exactly. The source for a biographical note which has been added to the front matter is unclear. Pagination is consistent with the Hendricks House Edition.

http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=Mel2Mob.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=9&division=div1

Being a Chaplain, I am quite certain Father Mapple is a Chaplain. A Chaplain wrote this not Herman Melville. I continue to have my Jonah experiences as well as Pauline experiences. When I read it I cried and could not finish the book. I can't even watch the movie anymore. I had to put this sermon on my blog. I couldn't say it better. You know like some songs?

THE SERMON

Father Mapple rose, and in a mild voice of unassuming authority ordered the scattered people to condense. "Starboard gangway, there! side away to larboard - larboard gangway to starboard! Midships! midships!"

There was a low rumbling of heavy sea-boots among the benches, and a still slighter shuffling of women's shoes, and all was quiet again, and every eye on the preacher.

He paused a little; then kneeling in the pulpit's bows, folded his large brown hands across his chest, uplifted his closed eyes, and offered a prayer so deeply devout that he seemed kneeling and praying at the bottom of the sea.

This ended, in prolonged solemn tones, like the continual tolling of a bell in a ship that is foundering at sea in a fog - in such tones he commenced reading the following hymn; but changing his manner towards the concluding stanzas, burst forth with a pealing exultation and joy -

"The ribs and terrors in the whale,

Arched over me a dismal gloom,

While all God's sun-lit waves rolled by,

And lift me deepening down to doom.

"I saw the opening maw of hell,

With endless pains and sorrows there;

Which none but they that feel can tell -

Oh, I was plunging to despair.

"In black distress, I called my God,

When I could scarce believe him mine,

He bowed his ear to my complaints -

No more the whale did me confine.

With speed he flew to my relief,

As on a radiant dolphin borne;

Awful, yet bright, as lightning shone

The face of my Deliverer God.

"My song for ever shall record

That terrible, that joyful hour;

I give the glory to my God,

His all the mercy and the power."

Nearly all joined in singing this hymn, which swelled high above the howling of the storm. A brief pause ensued; the preacher slowly turned over the leaves of the Bible, and at last, folding his hand down upon the proper page, said: "Beloved shipmates, clinch the last verse of the first chapter of Jonah - "And God had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah."

"Shipmates, this book, containing only four chapters - four yarns - is one of the smallest strands in the mighty cable of the Scriptures. Yet what depths of the soul does Jonah's deep sealine sound! what a pregnant lesson to us is this prophet! What a noble thing is that canticle in the fish's belly! How billow- like and boisterously grand! We feel the floods surging over us; we sound with him to the kelpy bottom of the waters; sea-weed and all the slime of the sea is about us! But what is this lesson that the book of Jonah teaches? Shipmates, it is a two- stranded lesson; a lesson to us all as sinful men, and a lesson to me as a pilot of the living God. As sinful men, it is a lesson to us all, because it is a story of the sin, hard-heartedness, suddenly awakened fears, the swift punishment, repentance, prayers, and finally the deliverance and joy of Jonah. As with all sinners among men, the sin of this son of Amittai was in his wilful disobedience of the command of God - never mind now what that command was, or how conveyed - which he found a hard command. But all the things that God would have us do are hard for us to do - remember that - and hence, he oftener commands us than endeavors to persuade. And if we obey God, we must disobey ourselves; and it is in this disobeying ourselves, wherein the hardness of obeying God consists.

"With this sin of disobedience in him, Jonah still further flouts at God, by seeking to flee from Him. He thinks that a ship made by men, will carry him into countries where God does not reign, but only the Captains of this earth. He skulks about the wharves of Joppa, and seeks a ship that's bound for Tarshish. There lurks, perhaps, a hitherto unheeded meaning here. By all accounts Tarshish could have been no other city than the modern Cadiz. That's the opinion of learned men. And where is Cadiz, shipmates? Cadiz is in Spain; as far by water, from Joppa, as Jonah could possibly have sailed in those ancient days, when the Atlantic was an almost unknown sea. Because Joppa, the modern Jaffa, shipmates, is on the most easterly coast of the Mediterranean, the Syrian; and Tarshish or Cadiz more than two thousand miles to the westward from that, just outside the Straits of Gibraltar. See ye not then, shipmates, that Jonah sought to flee world-wide from God? Miserable man! Oh! most contemptible and worthy of all scorn; with slouched hat and guilty eye, skulking from his God; prowling among the shipping like a vile burglar hastening to cross the seas. So disordered, self-condemning is his look, that had there been policemen in

those days, Jonah, on the mere suspicion of something wrong, had been arrested ere he touched a deck. How plainly he's a fugitive! no baggage, not a hat-box, valise, or carpet-bag, - no friends accompany him to the wharf with their adieux. At last, after much dodging search, he finds the Tarshish ship receiving the last items of her cargo; and as he steps on board to see its Captain in the cabin, all the sailors for the moment desist from hoisting in the goods, to mark the stranger's evil eye. Jonah sees this; but in vain he tries to look all ease and confidence; in vain essays his wretched smile. Strong intuitions of the man assure the mariners he can be no innocent. In their gamesome but still serious way, one whispers to the other - "Jack, he's robbed a widow;" or,"Joe, do you mark him; he's a bigamist;" or,"Harry lad, I guess he's the adulterer that broke jail in old Gomorrah, or belike, one of the missing murderers from Sodom." Another runs to read the bill that's stuck against the spile upon the wharf to which the ship is moored, offering five hundred gold coins for the apprehension of a parricide, and containing a description of his person. He reads, and looks from Jonah to the bill; while all his sympathetic shipmates now crowd round Jonah, prepared to lay their hands upon him. Frighted Jonah trembles, and summoning all his boldness to his face, only looks so much the more a coward. He will not confess himself suspected; but that itself is strong suspicion. So he makes the best of it; and when the sailors find him not to be the man that is advertised, they let him pass, and he descends into the cabin.

""Who's there?" cries the Captain at his busy desk, hurriedly making out his papers for the Customs - "Who's there?" Oh! how that harmless question mangles Jonah! For the instant he almost turns to flee again. But he rallies. "I seek a passage in this ship to Tarshish; how soon sail ye, sir?" Thus far the busy captain had not looked up to Jonah, though the man now stands before him; but no sooner does he hear that hollow voice, than he darts a scrutinizing glance. "We sail with the next coming tide," at last he slowly answered, still intently eyeing him. "No sooner, sir?" - "Soon enough for any honest man that goes a passenger." Ha! Jonah, that's another stab. But he swiftly calls away the Captain from that scent. "I'll sail with ye," - he says, - "the passage money, how much is that, - I'll pay now." For it is particularly written, shipmates, as if it were a thing not to be overlooked in this history,"that he paid the fare thereof" ere the craft did sail. And taken with the context, this is full of meaning.

"Now Jonah's Captain, shipmates, was one whose discernment detects crime in any, but whose cupidity exposes it only in the penniless. In this world, shipmates, sin that pays its way can travel freely, and without a passport; whereas Virtue, if a pauper, is stopped at all frontiers. So Jonah's Captain prepares to test the length of Jonah's purse, ere he judge him openly. He charges him thrice the usual sum; and it's assented to. Then the Captain knows that Jonah is a fugitive; but at the same time resolves to help a flight that paves its rear with gold. Yet when Jonah fairly takes out his purse, prudent suspicions still molest the Captain. He rings every coin to find a counterfeit. Not a forger, any way, he mutters; and Jonah is put down for his passage. "Point out my state-room, Sir," says Jonah now. "I'm travel-weary; I need sleep." "Thou look'st like it," says the Captain, "there's thy room." Jonah enters, and would lock the door, but the lock contains no key. Hearing him foolishly fumbling there, the Captain laughs lowly to himself, and mutters something about the doors of convicts' cells being never allowed to be locked within. All dressed and dusty as he is, Jonah throws himself into his berth, and finds the little state-room ceiling almost resting on his forehead. The air is close, and Jonah gasps. then, in that contracted hole, sunk, too, beneath the ship's water-line, Jonah feels the heralding presentiment of that stifling hour, when the whale shall hold him in the smallest of his bowel's wards.

"Screwed at its axis against the side, a swinging lamp slightly oscillates in Jonah's room; and the ship, heeling over towards the wharf with the weight of the last bales received, the lamp, flame and all, though in slight motion, still maintains a permanent obliquity with reference to the room; though, in truth, infallibly straight itself, it but made obvious the false, lying levels among which it hung. The lamp alarms and frightens Jonah; as lying in his berth his tormented eyes roll round the place, and this thus far successful fugitive finds no refuge for his restless glance. But that contradiction in the lamp more and more appals him. The floor, the ceiling, and the side, are all awry. "Oh! so my conscience hangs in me!" he groans, "straight upward, so it burns; but the chambers of my soul are all in crookedness!"

"Like one who after a night of drunken revelry hies to his bed, still reeling, but with conscience yet pricking him, as the plungings of the Roman race- horse but so much the more strike his steel tags into him; as one who in that miserable plight still turns and turns in giddy anguish, praying God for annihilation until the fit be passed; and at last amid the whirl of woe he feels, a deep stupor steals over him, as over the man who bleeds to death, for conscience is the wound, and there's naught to staunch it; so, after sore wrestlings in his berth, Jonah's prodigy of ponderous misery drags him drowning down to sleep.

"And now the time of tide has come; the ship casts off her cables; and from the deserted wharf the uncheered ship for Tarshish, all careening, glides to sea. That ship, my friends, was the first of recorded smugglers! the contraband was Jonah. but the sea rebels; he will not bear the wicked burden. A dreadful storm comes on, the ship is like to break. But now when the boatswain calls all hands to lighten her; when boxes, bales, and jars are clattering overboard; when the wind is shrieking, and the men are yelling, and every plank thunders with trampling feet right over Jonah's head; in all this raging tumult, Jonah sleeps his hideous sleep. He sees no black sky and raging sea, feels not the reeling timbers, and little hears he or heeds he the far rush of the mighty whale, which even now with open mouth is cleaving the seas after him. Aye, shipmates, Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship - a berth in the cabin as I have taken it, and was fast asleep. But the frightened master comes to him, and shrieks in his dead ear, "What meanest thou, O sleeper! arise!" Startled from his lethargy by that direful cry, Jonah staggers to his feet, and stumbling to the deck, grasps a shroud, to look out upon the sea. But at that moment he is sprung upon by a panther billow leaping over the bulwarks. Wave after wave thus leaps into the ship, and finding no speedy vent runs roaring fore and aft, till the mariners come nigh to drowning while yet afloat. And ever, as the white moon shows her affrighted face from the steep gullies in the blackness overhead, aghast Jonah sees the rearing bowsprit pointing high upward, but soon beat downward again towards the tormented deep.

"Terrors upon terrors run shouting through his soul. In all his cringing attitudes, the God-fugitive is now too plainly known. The sailors mark him; more and more certain grow their suspicions of him, and at last, fully to test the truth, by referring the whole matter to high Heaven, they fall to casting lots, to see for whose cause this great tempest was upon them. The lot is Jonah's; that discovered, then how furiously they mob him with their questions. "What is thine occupation? whence comest thou? thy country? what people?" but mark now, my shipmates, the behavior of poor Jonah. The eager mariners but ask him who he is, and where from; whereas, they not only receive an answer to those questions, but likewise another answer to a question not put by them, but the unsolicited answer is forced from Jonah by the hard hand of God that is upon him.

""I am a Hebrew," he cries - and then - "I fear the Lord the God of Heaven who hath made the sea and the dry land!" Fear him, O Jonah? Aye, well mightest thou fear the Lord God then! Straightway, he now goes on to make a full confession; whereupon the mariners became more and more appalled, but still are pitiful. For when Jonah, not yet supplicating God for mercy, since he but too well knew the darkness of his deserts, - when wretched Jonah cries out to them to take him and cast him forth into the sea, for he knew that for his sake this great tempest was upon them; they mercifully turn from him, and seek by other means to save the ship. But all in vain; the indignant gale howls louder; then, with one hand raised invokingly to God, with the other they not unreluctantly lay hold of Jonah.

"And now behold Jonah taken up as an anchor and dropped into the sea; when instantly an oily calmness floats out from the east, and the sea is still, as Jonah carries down the gale with him, leaving smooth water behind. He goes down in the whirling heart of such a masterless commotion that he scarce heeds the moment when he drops seething into the yawning jaws awaiting him; and the whale shoots-to all his ivory teeth, like the Lord out of the fish's belly. But observe his prayer, and so many white bolts, upon his prison. Then Jonah prayed unto learn a weighty lesson. For sinful as he is, Jonah does not weep and wail for direct deliverance. He feels that his dreadful punishment is just. He leaves all his deliverance to God, contenting himself with this, that spite of all his pains and pangs, he will still look towards His holy temple. And here, shipmates, is true and faithful repentance; not clamorous for pardon, but grateful for punishment. And how pleasing to God was this conduct in Jonah, is shown in the eventual deliverance of him from the sea and the whale. Shipmates, I do not place Jonah before you to be copied for his sin but I do place him before you as a model for repentance. Sin not; but if you do, take heed to repent of it like Jonah."

While he was speaking these words, the howling of the shrieking, slanting storm without seemed to add new power to the preacher, who, when describing Jonah's sea-storm, seemed tossed by a storm himself. His deep chest heaved as with a ground-swell; his tossed arms seemed the warring elements at work; and the thunders that rolled away from off his swarthy brow, and the light leaping from his eye, made all his simple hearers look on him with a quick fear that was strange to them.

There now came a lull in his look, as he silently turned over the leaves of the Book once more; and, at last, standing motionless, with closed eyes, for the moment, seemed communing with God and himself.

But again he leaned over towards the people, and bowing his head lowly, with an aspect of the deepest yet manliest humility, he spake these words: "Shipmates, God has laid but one hand upon you; both his hands press upon me. I have read ye by what murky light may be mine the lesson that Jonah teaches to all sinners; and therefore to ye, and still more to me, for I am a greater sinner than ye. And now how gladly would I come down from this mast-head and sit on the hatches there where you sit, and listen as you listen, while some one of you reads me that other and more awful lesson which Jonah teaches to me as a pilot of the living God. How being an anointed pilot-prophet, or speaker of true things, and bidden by the Lord to sound those unwelcome truths in the ears of a wicked Nineveh, Jonah, appalled at the hostility he should raise, fled from his mission, and sought to escape his duty and his God by taking ship at Joppa. But God is everywhere; Tarshish he never reached. As we have seen, God came upon him in the whale, and swallowed him down to living gulfs of doom, and with swift slantings tore him along"into the midst of the seas," where the eddying depths sucked him ten thousand fathoms down, and"the weeds were wrapped about his head," and all the watery world of woe bowled over him. Yet even then beyond the reach of any plummet - "out of the belly of hell" - when the whale grounded upon the ocean's utmost bones, even then, God heard the engulphed, repenting prophet when he cried. Then God spake unto the fish; and from the shuddering cold and blackness of the sea, the whale came breeching up towards the warm and pleasant sun, and all the delights of air and earth; and"vomited out Jonah upon the dry land;" when the word of the Lord came a second time; and Jonah, bruised and beaten - his ears, like two sea-shells, still multitudinously murmuring of the ocean - Jonah did the Almighty's bidding. And what was that, shipmates? To preach the Truth to the face of Falsehood! That was it!

"This, shipmates, this is that other lesson; and woe to that pilot of the living God who slights it. Woe to him whom this world charms from Gospel duty! Woe to him who seeks to pour oil upon the waters when God has brewed them into a gale! Woe to him who seeks to please rather than to appal! Woe to him whose good name is more to him than goodness! Woe to him who, in this world, courts not dishonor! Woe to him who would not be true, even though to be false were salvation! Yea, woe to him who, as the great Pilot Paul has it, while preaching to others is himself a castaway!"

He drooped and fell away from himself for a moment; then lifting his face to them again, showed a deep joy in his eyes, as he cried out with a heavenly enthusiasm, - "But oh! shipmates! on the starboard hand of every woe, there is a sure delight; and higher the top of that delight, than the bottom of the woe is deep. Is not the main-truck higher than the kelson is low? Delight is to him - a far, far upward, and inward delight - who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self. Delight is to him whose strong arms yet support him, when the ship of this base treacherous world has gone down beneath him. Delight is to him, who gives no quarter in the truth, and kills, burns, and destroys all sin though he pluck it out from under the robes of Senators and Judges. Delight, - top-gallant delight is to him, who acknowledges no law or lord, but the Lord his God, and is only a patriot to heaven. Delight is to him, whom all the waves of the billows of the seas of the boisterous mob can never shake from this sure Keel of the Ages. And eternal delight and deliciousness will be his, who coming to lay him down, can say with his final breath - O Father! - chiefly known to me by Thy rod - mortal or immortal, here I die. I have striven to be Thine, more than to be this world's, or mine own. Yet this is nothing; I leave eternity to Thee; for what is man that he should live out the lifetime of his God?"

He said no more, but slowly waving a benediction, covered his face with his hands, and so remained kneeling, till all the people had departed, and he was left alone in the place.

The Dreaded, Nicotine, Cancer Causing, Residue. The Latest Epidemic To Hit America. On a Surface Near You.

                                                 

There was this small town in one of those American states called Shook-Up. They were aware of the cancer scare for generations untold. So they decide to be a smoke-free environment. They had not had a cancer death caused cigarette for many a year. They were no longer afraid of cigarettes. They were band from the town. You could not get a cigarette to save your life there. Not in this town.


One day this certain traveler had no choice but to pass through this town to reach his destination. Seeing that he was short on cigarettes he stopped by a nearby convenience store. He was a little hungry as well so he ordered a hot dog. He then walked over to the refrigeration section to get a soda, He wanted all that and a bag of chips.


The proprietor noticed something. The traveler had a particularly unpleasant odor as he passed by him to gather his goods. He did not take much interest in the smell seeing as he was unfamiliar with the scent. The traveler walked back to the counter and asked for a generic brand of cigarettes. His breath hit the proprietor full blast this time. Suddenly he dropped dead and fell to the floor backwards.


Stunned, the traveler did not know what to do. He felt for his pulse and there was none to be found. He thought, “I better call 911” so he rushed to the phone on the wall next to the magazine rack.


Operator: 911. Please state the reason for your call.


Traveler: I was talking to the guy behind the counter while paying for my goods. And all of a sudden he fell over backwards. I think he's dead!


Operator: Please calm down sir. I'll send someone over right away. Don't touch anything until they arrive.


Traveler: Yes Mam.


In the mean time, other customers began to come into the convenience store. As he began to explain what happened to each and every one of them, each and every one of the dropped dead falling backwards. There must have been five of them. He heard the sirens approaching from afar. He was really afraid now. Were they going to blame him for all of these deaths? There were no visible signs of injuries. It is not like he physically attacked them and killed them. So he decided to hold his peace as best he could until the authorities arrived.


The police arrived and a single ambulance.


A Police Officer: What seems to be the problem here sir?


They did not readily notice the five dead bodies on the floor for the traveler was the only one standing. Then they look towards the floor. The Police Officers drew their guns.


The Police Officers: Hold it right there and don't move a muscle.


Traveler: Look officers, I just came in here to buy something to eat and some cigarettes. They are still on the counter. Then all these people started dropping dead. First the guy at the counter.


A Police Officer: Officer O’Malley, go check behind the counter.


Officer O’Malley: There is a man behind the counter and he appears to be dead. There is no sign of violence just like the others here. Better have the Paramedics check them out.


Paramedics: Yeah, they're dead as a door nail all right.


So one of the Paramedics went to use the phone next to the magazine rack to call the town Morgue When he lifted up the receiver and placed the receiver near his lips, he dropped dead and fell over backwards. In the confusion the traveler slipped out of the door unnoticed. By now a huge crowd had gathered around the store. It was difficult to get past anyone without saying something to them or get past anyone without touching them. When he looked back there was a trail of dead bodies. They had dropped dead and fallen over backwards just like those in the convenience store.


Traveler: I'm getting out of this town. They are dropping like flies damn, and I didn't even get my pack of cigarettes! Well I'm not going back inside to get any.


With so many people dead and dying, word reached the White House. The President had to take time out from playing B-Ball address the situation. He had a custom built Basket Ball court attached to the White House for easy access to the Oval Office. The briefing was scheduled for his impending arrival.


Secretary General: Mr. President, there is problem of epidemic proportions taking place in this small town in one of those


American states called Shook-Up. I think it to be of national concern.


Press Secretary: I think it would be a great photo opportunity as well Mr. President. There is an election coming up soon for the Congress and the Senate. For those who hope to garner your support for their re-election this would be beneficial as well.


Obama: I guess I'll put on my Air Force Ones. Ready the plane.


He looked over at his wife.


Obama: Honey, I'm going to be out of town for a few days. Hold down the fort while I'm gone. Will you Baby?


Obama Momma: OK Baby. While you are there could you pick up a couple things for me and the girls?


Obama: OK Baby.


White house Staff: Oh, that's so cute.


Obama: Knock it off you guys. I is the President.


The White House Staff: Yes Sir!


As they were flying through the air at top speed Air Force One spewed out tons of cancer causing carbon dioxide. The President had twin tail pipes, or dual exhaust pipes specially designed and added to Air Force One as one of his many perks. Rank has its privileges. He is after all the Commander and Chief of the most powerful and riches nation ever known to mankind. Money is no object to him (Got Money?). Man that Jet sounds nice now when he does a fly by. Obama sat in the back, moon roof top, digging the scene, with a gangster lean (Owe, Owe, Me), smoking a cigarette.


Air Force One landed at the airport nearest to the little town called Shook-Up and he deplaned. The Press Secretary had a speech prepared for him. The two Teleprompters he read from were in there strategic locations just out of view of the camera's. He began to speak to the huge crowd that was awaiting his arrival. Nothing like being prepared, he always said to himself. He isn't into Bushisms.


He began by saying.


Obama: Give a toast to the Bush Man. Give a toast to the Cheney.


Give a toast to the House Reps. To anyone you can.


And suddenly, people in the huge crowd listening to Obama's speech began to drop dead and fall over backwards, slain.


Obama: I better call the Press Secretary. My speech couldn't be boring them could it. I haven't gotten to the good part yet.


The Press Secretary is instantly on the line. After all this is a live broadcast across the nation. They can't use the five minute delay because Obama has only spoken for three minutes. It was put in place one Super Bowl Sunday some years ago When Timberlake opened Janet Jackson's jacket. That incident caused a great disturbance across America because the media reported that her breast was exposed. Millions scrambled to see it on Youtube where you could see it on Youtube but it couldn’t be seen at all. It wasn't exposed. The slow version finally came out on Youtube. Was this Sensationalism or Inplacetionalism. Well you will never see President Ford fall off the stage again in front of the cameras. I think he may be too old for that S---, stuff. Timberlake has become a success and Janet is still looking for work. Perhaps she lost control. Yeah, Yeah, Yean, Yeah, Yeah.


After all the brew-ha-ha and build up for this broadcast the White house can't say the President never showed up. They can't roll the backup tape, for it would not show the towns people who showed up to hear his speech. There just wasn't enough time. It was inconceivable that this would occur after the disaster of epidemic proportions that had just taken place hours ago in this little town called Shook-Up. Being a quick wit the Press Secretary had this to say.


Press Secretary: Mr. President. It is a tough act following the Super Bowl incident years ago but I have an idea. Tell the people you have been following Benny Hinn for a long time and people are sometimes slain in the spirit when you blow on them. Blow a couple of more times and when they are slain I will broadcast some good Church music. I got this tape from Reverend Right's Church I've been dying to broadcast. This is a good one though, it's just the choir singing. Just think how the people will be bowled over seeing you have made amends with Reverend Right and have become a Charismatic Preacher/President as well!


Obama: Hey, good thinking. Now they may believe I'm not only the first Black President of these here American states, but the first Charismatic Christian Preacher too. Eat your heart out 500 Club President Pat Robinson. You tried to be President of America and you failed. I'll confess that after this experience that I was wrong, that this is a Christian nation after all. For dramatic effect I'll take my pack of cigarettes out of my pocket, crush them, stomp up and down on that devil's head, and shout at the top of my lungs,

I AM FINALLY FREE FROM SMOKING!

I will then leave the crushed pack of cigarettes on the stage floor, walk off the stage with my head bowed down, slowly and humbly. You, Camera Man. Your job is extremely important. Make sure the cameras stay focused on me and not the crowd in front of the stage. Got it?


Camera Man: Got it sir!


Obama: Secretary of State. Got it?


Secretary of State: Got it sir!


When he returned to the White a formal investigation had been completed.


Secretary General: As it turns out a smoker who was traveling through this town called Shook-Up, where no one has smoked for generations, caused many to die of second hand smoke inhalation and The Dreaded Nicotine Residue on surfaces people came in contact with. Your visit exacerbated the epidemic to monumental proportions when you exhaled being a cigarette smoker yourself. Many are dead and dying. We have sent in a cleanup crew to remove the Dreaded Cigarette Nicotine residue off every surface in the vicinity of the two incidents. We have managed to keep it hush hush and under raps. We blamed it on the Swine Flu epidemic. The Towns People had not taken their flu shots yet seeing the anti-virus was in short supply at the time. The President was asked to make a short speech before the nation again.


Obama:

It is at this sad moment in American history that I am compelled to come before you. I have been to the little town of Shook-up myself in one of those American states. Believe you me, we are doing all we can to help them. The matter is under control. Let all the nation take time to pray in silence. The TV screens across these American states suddenly fade to black.

The Church of the Frigidaire; Someone said it was cold in there . . .

                       


As I pass-ed by this Church one day this was brought to my remembrance. I don’t recall which day of the week it was it really didn’t seem to matter at the time. There was a sign across the face of the building. Which was the name of the Church? I was revisiting. The “Church Of The Frigidaire.”


Now I had always been, told? To avoid the Church of the Frigidaire. And, to never go inside. For, in the Church of the Frigidaire? Were the “Frozen Chosen.” They said it was a dead Church. With? Dead people inside. It was not a lively Church like we like to attend. It is cold in there and we should avoid it at all costs!!!


Well, like I said. I found myself in front of the Church of the Frigidaire. And for some Godly, reason, I felt compelled to enter the, building. I had learned not to resist the Spirit of God over the years in spite of where I was led. So I entered. Knowing that the LORD would be with me.

As I entered I looked towards the pulpit? And, to my surprise there was a refrigerator, where the Preacher was supposed to be. And, as I gazed around the sanctuary, I saw all these people who looked frozen, with fear. They looked like icicles, sitting there. I then felt myself “drawn” towards the refrigerator and my hand reached for the door. And, I, opened, I T !

Suddenly i saw the Light!!!


Suddenly, i saw the Lard; there was Lard in the refrigerator. The Lard was in the, refrigerator! And it was cold in there too! But that was not the coldest place the refrigerator. There was a freezer? I was then compelled, to open the freezer door. And for some reason; my fear was mounting. When I opened the freezer I saw, frozen chicken. and, french fries.


And I found myself thinking, “Lard, I can fry me some chicken? And, Lard, I can make me some French fries? For the Lard is in the refrigerator, in the Church of the Frigidaire, before the congregation of the “Chosen Frozen.”


By now, I was in total fear. I looked like an icicle. Just like the rest of the Chosen Frozen. And, I took my seat among the? Congregation.