#taking us to church tonight we say hallelujah and amen

[theinfinitedivides]

'i hit on her first' TELL THEM BITCH

[brothertonyghost]

" lord I'm praying for her  Elayna Grace Sandeen passed away  #elaynasandeen hallelujah!  Oh yes she's in heaven don't know how it happened but she had cancer like Riley Jane destiny Elizabeth or any children that had it has it today lord we celebrate Paul tonight is a good day to pray practice sing worship spread Joy and praise and prayers for all around the world every child deserves a prayer for peace on earth or justice and mercy and Melvin seems like I can hear the angel in spirit talking to us about doing support for praying for her we're all praying for her family and her not the day Melvin seems like I can hear my parents in spirit as they came from heaven and I heard them say Tony Tony we heard you praying you were praying for Elayna Sandeen and we're helping you pray for her too and I went outside the church and I looked up towards heaven and said lord you know that this is our angel and lord you know that we hate to see her leave us like this but I know you will take care of her hold on to her and watch over her in Jesus name we pray amen and say hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah "

[unadulteratedsongearthquake]

" lord I'm praying for her Elayna Grace Sandeen passed away #elaynasandeen hallelujah! Oh yes she's in heaven don't know how it happened but she had cancer like Riley Jane destiny Elizabeth or any children that had it has it today lord we celebrate Paul tonight is a good day to pray practice sing worship spread Joy and praise and prayers for all around the world every child deserves a prayer for peace on earth or justice and mercy and Melvin seems like I can hear the angel in spirit talking to us about doing support for praying for her we're all praying for her family and her not the day Melvin seems like I can hear my parents in spirit as they came from heaven and I heard them say Tony Tony we heard you praying you were praying for Elayna Sandeen and we're helping you pray for her too and I went outside the church and I looked up towards heaven and said lord you know that this is our angel and lord you know that we hate to see her leave us like this but I know you will take care of her hold on to her and watch over her in Jesus name we pray amen "

[pooma-bible]

Olusola Babarinde.

Father we praise you for your love and care. We pray that you will fill our vessels today till overflow. In Jesus name we pray. Amen

Hallelujah it is study time. Let us bring our vessels to receive the rain. We are blessed in Jesus name. Amen

Today's teaching is a serious warning to us all.

It says: beware

Beware of what? Not beware of COVID or other things that humans fear these days but it says beware of allowing Satan to find expression through you.

Since creation, Satan has done nothing on Earth by himself but he had been working through men.

You also need to know that Satan his selfish, he doesn't only uses his own followers but also selfishly desiring to use God's children too to accomplish his evil plans.

Most of our brethren that are misrepresenting Christ in the world today, it was lack of the knowledge of this reality resulted to their present lamentable situation. They failed to heed the warning of the Lord.

This implies that this subject is not a trivia matter that you can joke with and not regret, hence I counsel you take this teaching serious.

Let us take them one after the other and study God's word. To avoid this, God forewarned us severally in the scriptures of truths.. Let us check just few of them. And as we study them, I pray God gives us understanding. Amen...

Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27.

This is a very good place to start.

The first thing that I want us to know is that, the Epistles were not general messages to the world, but inspired minds of God sent for the purpose of perfecting the church.

I have not been to seminary but theologians here will affirm that this is not an assertion but a truth as inspired by the Lord through my diligent studying of His words.

Why is the Lord telling us not to give room for the devil, it is because he knew that Satan is seeking opportunity to invade our lives despite we not pledging our alligiance to him.

Satan has no problem with you declaring for the Lord's side, if he sees opportunity, he will still use you to carryout his own evil agenda.

He can successfully influence you to use what God gave contrary to how God intended and instructed you to use it. Satan can successfully use you to use God's gift, grace and great-power you received from God against that very God who gave any or all of them to you.

Why does Satan uses men or needs them to carry out his assignments on her?

The reason is simple and understandable, it is because he is a spirit being and cannot fully operate with a body for expression.

Spirits need body to find expression.

If you critically observe, all evils happening in the world, they are truly Satan's works, which were done by those who have allowed him to find expression through them..

I pray for you, Satan will no longer find expression through you tonight in Jesus name. Amen.

Let me post other passages without commenting... Then we shall move on and conclude because of time. The message is very deep. May God help us. Amen

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: [9] Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world 1 Peter 5:8-9.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you James 4:7.

What is the message to us?

Avoid things that can make your life usable for the enemy of our souls. Avoid:

Gossiping.

Talking too much

Attires of harlots

Drinking alcohol

Smoking and so on.

What are you to do to keep him (devil) away?

1. Constantly plead the blood

2. Study God's word often

3. Pray withoout ceasing

4. Be heavenly minded

5. Avoid worldliness because Satan is the inluenzer of the world.

All these things and others will allow Satan to really gain enterance into your.

Avoid them. Avoid things that make unholy because it gives Satan a place to dwell and makes use of you. Amen

May God keep us all in him. May God bless you as you act on this word.

Closing prayer:

Lord today we that you for this word of life that you have sent to us. I pray that you will help us to faithfully watch over our hearts and lives, so as to keep Satan away from us. He will not use us to achieve his purpose. Those he is using now among sinners and believers, I pray you open their eyes and cause them to take necessary steps for their liberation accordingly. Thank you for answering us, in Jesus name we pray. Amen

[tintentrinkerin]

nothing on my tongue but hallelujah...

Rating: Explicit

Pairing:

Jared Padalecki/Jensen Ackles, Jared/various, Jared/Alex Calvert

Warnings: 

Gangbang, Barebacking, Jealousy, Top Jared Padalecki, Bottom Jensen Ackles, Religious Cults, Power Dynamics

Summary: Jared's Cult, the "Church of Grace" is a peaceful and harmonic little community in the South. Then young Jensen appears and rocks the Cult leader's world - moreoever, it rattles Alex awake, who's been sure to be his leader's most loved member.

Written upon request

Word Count: 9.9k

Read below the cut or on AO3

Kudos are love <3

The Divine Five Pillars of “Church of Grace”

Obedience

Purity

Community

Free Love

Kindness

The “Creed”

I believe in God, the Father and the Almighty,

who created the world, the people, the seas, the animals and the trees.

I believe in God’s son, who is his true Vicar on Earth

For he brings joy, love, community, kindness and hope. 

I reject the Devil and his kin. I turn my whole existence to 

the true Vicar of the Holy Father. 

I hereby swear to follow the five divine rules of the Church

and give myself into the hands of God’s most graceful creation.

May He and God’s Angels lead me into Paradise.

Amen.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Siddharta Gautama

Through true honesty deeply believe that all sentient-beings are one.That all beings have the same true nature, wisdom, virtue.

If people knew how much effort it took to get an orgy going, they probably wouldn’t even bother and settle for porn instead. 

Jared and Alex had to plan every monthly “gathering” very thoroughly, especially, when new recruits and adepts arrived. The new boys and girls would maybe chicken out at first, but that wouldn’t be punished. Later, yes. At their first time? No. Jared was very kind to those he found. In other communities they’d be punished right on spot. But Jared, no no, he wasn’t that barbaric. He wanted everyone to feel happy and included. Everyone had to use the headquarter’s communal showers or baths after they had an extensive cleansing plan, to purify their body and also a very intense work out session. All for purity’s sake. Jared loves purity. 

The garden behind the Church of Grace’s headquarters was around 400 acres, enough space to celebrate free love, the holy spirit within all of us, and most importantly, worship the true Vicar of God on Earth. Forget Jesus. 

Jared was pleased when he saw his usual very busy adepts who were about to be initiated in the second step of Priesthood. They were so eager and they had a fantastic taste in decorating. There will be a bonfire, it’s May 1st after all, one of Jared’s favorite dates for a gathering. Pagans used to celebrate Beltane, well, they still do. In tiny groups, the Wiccans and the Druids. He has no affiliations with them, but as a shepherd of his sheep he needs to be informed. Wise. He wants to be the one who can answer all their questions, give interpretations. His interpretations. His view of the world. And in his world, only his Church will bring them peace and harmony and closer to God’s grace and mercy. 

The bonfire wood is piled right in the center of the garden, the part of the garden that members are allowed to see and walk on. Around the bonfire a lot of big wooden logs are placed for the followers of Jared to sit on. As soon as the fire burnt down a little bit and some chalices of holy wine were emptied and some delicious weed was consumed, the orgy might start. Jared will let the believers start first. There’s always a couple or a single horny person that will start wooing a person of their interest. Jared will join later, when the ecstasy is palpable and the adepts play the drums, letting the mass of naked bodies find their rhythm. Behind the huge pile for the bonfire, there’s Jared’s seat. A massive chair made of dark wood, polished, carvings all over. Still a thing someone could find a little too pagan, but Jared doesn’t care. The truth is what he speaks, not the others. And the truth is, that people still are just the same as in the early Middle Ages. The same things struck them with awe, and it’s not churches in white marble and Jesus hanging from crosses. Nature and it’s forces, the hidden desires. Intimate, primal and authentic. That’s his motto. No nude angel chiseled out of porcelain will make people feel this kind of raw euphoria and devotion as a bonfire and some drums do. Let the drums shake their cores and make their blood rage. This is how you make people feel their primal truth, and then, they’ll realize why doing this once a month is so freeing. They will get back to work, back to Jared’s mass, satisfied and their needs soothed. Then they will happily obey, stay pure, pray and make the community itself a functional unit of people with the same values.

And their money. It’s always gonna end up in such a community running itself, on donations, the members’ money and other things. 

When the sun sets, the members of the community sit down on the wooden banks or logs, or they bring a white towel to sit on. Jared counts the members and everyone is there. Alex sits beside Jared’s chair, obeissant. 

The white flowy cult dresses start billowing in the wind. Jared sits down on his chair, with a graceful flowing movement. He’s dressed in white too, linen, see through even when dry. When he sits all the heads turn to him. In the twilight of the remaining sunbeam, you could think, Jared just descended from heaven. He likes that idea. He raises his arms and in his strong, rough voice he proclaims “Brothers, sisters, it’s time for our monthly celebration. You cleansed your bodies, you prayed and did good service to the community. Now is the time to reward you, my brothers and sisters. Let’s have the holy communion, break bread and offer it to your neighbours, offer wine to your friends. Connect.” There’s faint applause and Jared puts his hand down. “No need to applaud, my dear sister, tonight, we celebrate you and your devotion and purity!”

He turns to Alex, dressed in white linen trousers. “Brother Alex will light  the fire and then, brothers and sisters, enjoy the bread and wine, let your spirits flow and find your matches for tonight!”

The crowd cheers and they end the chorus with a loud and enthusiastic “Amen!”

“Amen!”Jared echoes and his voice layers upon everything else.

When he sits down and Alex lights up the fire he watches all these people, the four new recruits. A young cute redhead girl, she looks like condensed sunshine - a young boy, looks like he’s here because the redhead is here (he’d be weeded out tonight) - another redhead, looking fierce. A snake. He might take a closer look at her - and then, there is Green Eyes. The boy that Jared picked himself. Usually one of his lower assistants would pick them but this time, Jared had to intervene. He needed these assistants to weed out the no go’s just before Jared could even see them. He couldn’t check on every person willing to join, they needed to make a first sighting and then the few ones who might be of Jared’s interest, would be invited to meet the True Vicar himself. Usually, that was 10 out of 200 or even less. And Jared was just as rigorous with ditching the foul seeds. But Green Eyes was his favorite all along. Those eyes… 

Alex breaks the loaf of bread and offers it to Jared. Of course, he’s on his knees and only looks up when Jared takes the half of the loaf and gives him his blessing.

“May you be blessed by our Lord and his Angels,” Jared says very formally. Alex looks up, his face has tiny sprinkles of ash on them already and his robe turned transparent from the sweat. He’s decent. Will he try as the first one today? Like always? 

“May you be blessed by your Father, Our Lord and his Angels,” Alex replies until Jared gestures to him to stay up. 

“Amen.” 

“Amen.”

Jared eats and then receives the wine from Alex too. That’s a golden rule. As his personal assistant, Alex receives the blessings from Jared. Just after him, anyone is able to be blessed by their Master. They share half of the bread, they will need the rest later. In this community it is not necessary to receive Jared’s blessing to consume the holy communion as his liberal practice says that any true believer in their community, on one of the 12 holy days of their community “gathering”, can offer and receive blessings from a brother or a sister. Jared’s happy about that, because blessing 120 people would make him pass out drunk and he can’t have that. He is in control. And he needs to stay in control, too. 

Around him, the wine, the food are eaten and some herbal cigarettes are lit, the thick smell of weed is everywhere. Four cult members responsible for music start playing the drums and flutes now. Quietly still, just a hint that soon, the gathering will start with their original purpose. The physical and mental connection of the members with each other. Jared can already see people who are done eating, wine tipsy and a little herbally relaxed. Hands wander under togas and robes, simple shirts and wide hippie trousers. Alex stays with Jared, looking down on the obedient sheep doing what they’re supposed to do. The fabric in his crotch is tenting. One look in Alex’ face tells Jared everything.

“You won’t give up, huh?”

Alex shakes his head. “No. I will never give up.”

Jared now stands up and stretches like a cat that has just awoken and now is on their way to do some mischief. “Boy, all of you try so hard, but none of you can take it.”

“It’s about receiving your mercy,” Alex says, now sounding a little sulky. 

Jared heads towards the bonfire where some couples (or more) are intertwined with each other, laying on the bare grass, sitting on logs or they found a nice spot on the white towels everyone brought. Right in the center, around the fireplace, it is too hot to sit there. Jared makes his rounds, ruffles some hair here, kisses a girl there, even helps a young girl settle on her lover’s cock.

“There you go, sweetheart,” he coos, “that’s how you show your love and devotion.”

She would be too tight and small for him though. All the women here would surely love to try again and again, but none of them would be prepared for his cock. 

When he is done doing rounds around the bonfire he sits down on an empty white blanket and just like it’s natural, the free members gather around him. The drums start playing a hard and catchy rhythm. 

The psychology behind music and rhythm. His members really know how to play a mass of people and put their bodies in the right directions. Alex joins and everyone respects Jared’s assistant too much to try and get Jared before him. In absolute devotion, Alex pulls Jared’s white linen pants down to his naked ankles, then off his naked feet. The participants murmur and gasp, such a delight every time. Jared didn’t wear boxer briefs or anything else underneath and so, everyone can admire his massive cock. It’s big, the erection growing strong and hard and the tip bounces against Jared’s toned six pack, above his belly button. Even Alex with his long filigrane and very skilled fingers can’t wrap around the shaft fully. 

They all watch, not even Alex dares to touch him yet. 

“You. Alex. Claire. You were such a good team last time. Would you show me how perfectly you harmonize?”

The blonde girl blushes deep red and Alex first raises an eyebrow. It’s clear who he wants, but he would never deny one of Jared’s commands. And that’s what it is. A command. 

Alex pushes Claire on all fours, one strong hand in her hair and presses her down while he sucks on two of his fingers and then penetrates her with them. She squeals and giggles, but before Alex fucks her he knows he has to give his true interest a show, and he will. While fingering her he presses his face between her buttcheeks and starts sucking. The scene gets very loud with pleasure noises very soon and another guy asks to accompany them. 

Jared supports himself with one arm and the other he uses to stroke his cock, throbbing and hot, he loves it when his followers put on such a show. He’s leaking some precum already and a boy next to him looks at it. Greedy and inexperienced. Jared doesn’t let him taste yet, and instead the nameless boy bends down to kiss Jared’s very muscular thighs. Another follower starts doing the same on the other side, everything with Jared stroking himself slowly. He wants to enjoy every minute of it. His toes are sucked on, submissive followers suck them like it’s his massive member. The first brave adepts gather around them too and Jared can’t help but smile. People stroke his hair, kiss his neck and leave their marks, but what Jared really needs is someone taking his cock like a champion. He knows he’s intimidating. Thick and lock, and even grows bigger when hard. The first adept who is bold enough to come forward is very much welcome. He has himself oiled pretty well, he smells flowery and when he sinks on Jared’s cock (just the tip!), he freezes. 

“Oh… God”, he hisses, “oh my f… so big…” Jared smirks, his hands on the twink boys hips. Such a beautiful boy, Jared would love to fuck him and fill him up, but it looks like he is already failing at the tip. 

“Go slow, my dear,” Jared says nonetheless. A guru can hope. 

Two hands on his shoulders push the boy farther down and he cries out, half in pleasure, but also in pain. The hands disappear and the young man on Jared’s cock looks like he’s about to cry. 

“It’s too much for you, hm?”

The boy nods and gets up, legs shaking. You can tell he never had a guy fuck his ass before, bonus points for using oil as lube. He might try again after he gets used to it with another cult member. He stammers an apology. Jared pulls him down for a second and presses his thumb on the boy’s forehead. 

“I bless you, brother.”

It’s a ritual, it’s a necessity, or the boy will maybe consider leaving. But most of the boys, like Alex, stay close to Jared and try it again and again and again. Some people are overachievers, maybe one day it will be successful. 

The boy mumbles an Amen and then strolls away, looking for another group he can find a place in. Jared still feels the tight ass of this boy and, damn, how much he loves it when they’re tight, maybe an anal virgin even, and he’s the first to fuck them. Another brother sucks him off, but  he also has trouble swallowing more of Jared’s wand than just the tip. His sucking is superb, ambitious even. Drool runs down his throbbing cock, damn, he even makes delicious sounds! Jared’s head falls back and he wishes he could blow his first load, but all these attempts of his followers just leave him just ‘almost coming. The man takes him deeper now but is interrupted by heavy gagging and he has to give up. Now it’s Alex who claims to be next. Alex is the kind of guy who acts like a passionate lover with anyone, even though he only craves  Jared’s attention. He’s open and gaping already, must've gotten into a very nice threeway with Kathryn and the other member. Alex sinks on Jared’s cock, his back pressed against Jared’s sweaty chest. Alex is able to take more than just Jared’s tip after extensive dilating practice or when he’s been fucked already by two or more of his brothers of the Church, but that leaves Jared only semi turned on, too. He feels loose, not as tight as when he tried it the first time and cried for several minutes because Jared’s dick almost tore him apart. It’s enough to make Jared cum and bless Alex with an intense prostate orgasm, but still Jared is not satisfied. When Alex leaves and some others follow him to the pool, he sits down again, crotch still throbbing, his need still not satisfied. Around him the orgy is at its peak, no one is alone by now, everyone is sharing their love and energies. Jared is gifted, his cock is ready again five minutes later and he mounts that ginger woman, the adept. But she winces when he’s halfway in and Jared has to pull out. She’s biter and a scratcher, her thick accent is sexy and he makes her cum multiple times with his tongue and fingers, but he holds back now, he waits for the perfect one. Someone to form a union with. A tight one, but skilled and resilient. A man that can take his cock and even if it hurts a little, push through. 

Jared sinks down on one of the blankets, lies down and stares in the clear starry night, a follower brings him a pillow and others massage his thighs and arms, his feet. God, yes, his feet are so sensitive. Another guy shyly asks if he may be of service and when Jared opens his eyes and looks up it’s Green Eyes. He hasn’t seen the boy since the beginning of the orgy. Jared immediately hikes up and shoos his other followers away. 

“Sure, sit with me.”

The boy with the forbidden pretty pouty lips, the rough voice and piercing green eyes sits down, facing the self proclaimed Vicar of God.

“You want to be of service, what was your name again? I’m sorry that I have to ask, I am terrible with names – most people change theirs after initiation anyway and that’s what stays in my memory.”

Green Eyes looks at him. “I’m Jensen.”

“Hello Jensen. I’m glad you came to our monthly free love gathering. Is that the kind of religious practice you seek?” 

A girl offers them some bread and a chalice of wine, plus some mushrooms on the side.

“It would be an honor, Jensen, to break the bread and drink the wine with you. Mushrooms are not mandatory if you’re allergic to that kind.”

Jensen grins and echoes the girl’s “amen” and gives her a smile. It’s gotten a bit quiet around them, some followers watch Jared and his new recruit very, very closely. 

“I don’t want to break the protocol, who is supposed to break the bread and offer it?” Jensen asks with a shy grin. Jared chuckles.

“We do not have a strict protocol, not on these special nights when we celebrate freedom and harmony. And free love. When we surrender to our primal instinct, you understand?”

Jensen nods seriously. “Yes, I get that.”

He rips off a piece of loaf then a second and offers one to Jared without the ceremonial motto. Jared ignores that (at least today) and receives the bread. “May you be blessed by our Lord and his Angels,” he says, presses his thumb on Jensen’s forehead and mumbles an “Amen”. Jensen echoes again, then takes a bite. When he’s done Jared offers him the wine with the same motto, and this time Jensen copies it, even though the Vicar is addressed during that sentence with “May you be blessed by your Father, our Lord and his Angels”. He will learn that, Jared will make sure of it. 

No one dares to come any closer after they’ve been offered shrooms, bread and wine. Some couples, or whole piles of copulating people don’t care what’s around them but some very devoted followers of Jared’s doctrine watch their Messiah and the new man very closely. Some are envious. Some are in awe of these two beautiful men sharing the body of Jesus Christ (strictly speaking Jared’s ‘brother’, just a few thousand years earlier) in such a manner. Jared’s tanned body glistens in the light and sparks of the bonfire and his hair started curling a little lately. Several people’s eyes turn wet. Given the beauty of their leader. Or given the fact there’s a new boy in town. And this boy is too pretty for his own good.

II

The wine is dry and aromatic, nothing you would just chug down and Jensen and Jared empty four chalices which are refilled by a maid that was brave enough to disturb her leader and the new recruit. It’s gotten chill and the bonfire shrinks and shrinks, some members of the Church try to revive it for a little longer and throw thick and heavy branches on it, along with brushwood that would burn easily and then transfer the fire over to the branches.

Just like in the 16th up to the 18th century – this is how you build a pyre to burn witches.

Jensen carefully, even a little shy now, lays a hand on Jared’s leg. The leader is surprised, given his attitude and behaviour he didn’t count on Jensen to take part in the orgy, he seemed more the watching type. The bonfire reflects in his intense green eyes and Jared feels an aching towards his new recruit. 

Now he realizes that Jensen’s white shorts are tenting. The way he looks up at Jared, through his thick blonde eyelashes it’s absolutely acting. Jensen is not that shy. Maybe a little. 

“The others told me…” Jensen started, “that I should under no circumstances give in to your… advances. You would, how did they say… tear me apart…? I wonder why…”

Jared snorts as an answer. Amused. His followers keep saying this to either see if someone’s brave enough to come forward right in their first few months here or if they’ll chicken out. 

“Well!” He has to laugh again. “Look, I think you’ve… you’ve watched a little without participating in this celebration, right? You’re still dressed, to my dismay!”

Jensen blushes, one hand on his crotch. Now, this reaction is a little more honest. 

“I can, I mean…”

Jared laughs louder now and then lays his hand on Jensen’s, that is covering his erect penis.

“Don’t make it awkward, Jensen, it’s fine. Not many participate in their first orgy and you are not obliged to, either. This is about free love. Father gave us free will for a reason. Because without free will, there is no love on this Earth.” 

There’s one streak of Jensen’s chin long hair, it’s styled but now the hairspray or the gel isn’t working it’s magic anymore. Jared brushes the strand behind Jensen’s ear. He’s closer to the recruit now and Jensen’s hand under his pulls away for the messiah to feel what’s underneath. 

“Regarding your concern about ripping you apart… I would never. But as you can see…”

Jensen’s eyes fixate on Jared’s growing cock and he gulps visibly.

“Yes, I…”, he looks up again, doe eyed and his mouth slightly opened, his pink silky tongue wets his lips. 

“You have the face of an angel, do you know that? I wonder what hides behind that…”

Jared’s voice is low and rough now, he groans when under his fingers Jensen’s cock jumps. 

“Jared, but… what if I can’t--”

“Shush, I’ll prepare you for it. And we have masses of oils. We’ll go slow. Very slow.”

A whisper erupts amongst the witnesses, their leader and idol! – wooing Jensen. A newbie. Some figures in the dark hurry for more oil, whole cans of it, juices, towels and fresh clothes. This is a choreography of duty to care for Jared. Everyone knows this is an occasion they won’t be able to witness that often. So far only one person could take Jared’s cock and fulfill his most aching wish. 

It’s Alex’s now hated duty to bring it all over to the blanket where Jensen climbs in Jared’s lap, panting faintly between two very passionate kisses. There’s fresh bread, more wine, water from the Church’s own well, fresh clothes for both and a big bottle of lube, oil based. It will stain every inch of fabric it’ll meet. Jared doesn’t even look up at him when he retreats, but he throws a ‘thank you’ in his direction. As soon as Alex is out of reach he is forgotten. 

Jared takes his time with this one. His commune members are in such harmony with each other already that prolonged foreplay isn’t necessary, but of course encouraged. Jensen is vocal, moans in their kisses and Jared loves the effort and the devotion he shows already. Jared pulls Jensen’s clothes off and bathes in the glow of this beautiful sight. Jensen’s skin is flawless, soft. It’s a joy touching him. Jensen pulls him in another kiss and arches in the leader’s strong arms - so responsive, in every way! 

“I want to try it,” Jensen then whispers, shakily.

“What exactly?”

“Take you. Suck you.”

Jared chuckles and gets up, pulls Jensen along on his lap. Jensen’s hand is big, he has deliciously thick fingers and Alex would appreciate some good fingering from him. He should introduce these two a little later

Jensen slides between Jared’s legs, who’s supporting himself with his arms to be able to watch Jensen try and gag on his cock. Jared senses some of his sisters and brothers coming closer, silently, to not interrupt them in their exploration ritual. He can’t blame them for being curious, and this is the exact purpose of their monthly gathering. Enjoy each other freely. 

Jensen’s mouth waters and when he opens his lips, a thick streak of drool runs down his face and chin. He doesn’t hesitate to bend down and wrap his lips around Jared’s tip.

A moment of breathless silence from everywhere. 

Jensen. slides. deeper. 

Jared moans and his head falls between his shoulder blades, so that he can see the clear starry night sky.

He will stop now, it’s too much. Oh God it’s too much, he can’t do it, Jared thinks, and then he starts praying Please let him go deeper. 

Jensen’s mouth feels tight, soft, and hot and he produces so much drool, it makes it messy. Perfectly messy. Jared’s head falls foward again and he watches Jensen taking him inch by fucking inch. Jared’s cock disappears in Jensen’s tight throat to the root. Jared stays perfectly still and tries to not even move a hair’s breadth. Jensen’s hand slightly presses on Jared’s stomach and then pulls away slowly. Painfully slowly, while working Jared’s incredibly thick shaft with his tongue. As soon as he’s able to look up to Jared everyone can see streaks of tears in his angelic face and his flushed cheeks. He keeps on working Jared’s tip, circling the bundle of nerves under the tip and then, with a high pitched gasp, pulls away completely.

He looks over to Jared and smiles. “Did I do good?”

Jared nods. It’s been ages since someone took him completely. It takes all of his willpower to not grab in Jensen’s hair and force his mouth down again to suck him off.. and then fuck his recruit’s face. He would gag and whine so pretty…. Jared needs a moment to breathe in and out very deeply, call himself to reason. 

“You are perfect,” he says, his voice shaky. “By the Angels, you are the best.”

Jensen blushes even deeper and looks away. He notices the other believers have gathered around them. Jared combs through his hair. He feels that Jensen now really is shy.. that’s not a show.

“Don’t bother, my dear. They won’t touch you if you don’t want to. I’m here for you and only you. Okay?”

Jensen nods. “So I really did good? Did no one before me take you that deep? I mean it’s a bit tricky but -”

Some of the watchers moan. 

“Did I say something wrong?”

“They all tried, dear. And failed. I guess you just earned yourself a title.”

Some of the watchers lurk in the dark, some are illuminated by the fainting bonfire. The sound of drums is gone. Jared watches Jensen look around and get used to it, after all. Then he turns to Jared and grins.

“I will work to keep the title then…,”

Jared pushes his delicious mouth on his cock again, and yes, fuck, holy fuck YES, Jensen can take him. He takes him so deep that Jared can feel his throat tighten and contract, but he’s not gagging in the bad way. Tears fall and drool runs down his reasonably thick shaft. Jared’s hand grips in Jensen’s hair and pulls. Jensen utters a surprised but pleased moan and keeps going faster and faster. One hand sneaks around Jared’s balls and massages them. Jared’s hips buck up and Jensen needs a break for a second, deep, hectic breathing, his teary eyes, the rest of the bonfire glistens in his eyes. Jared has a hard time holding back his possessive nature when Jensen just worships him like that. Faint and aroused moans around them show Jared that the others enjoy Jensen’s show as well. Some couples even have started fucking. Girls stand close by, rubbing their swollen and wet parts. 

“Look around,” he orders Jensen, “look around, how much love you spark.”

“Your voice… so deep… so much deeper,” Jensen is still fighting for breath. It makes Jared only crazier. 

“That’s you, you do that to me.” 

Jensen’s hand is still stroking him. Jared would be ready to come just now, preferably he’d shoot his massive load right in his throat, but what he wants even more, what’s the source of the deepest aching is the longing to finally be inside someone fully. He wants to ram his cock in Jensen up to the root and make him come first, then Jared could let go. 

“You’re close,” Jensen whispers and presses a kiss on Jared’s lips. “I swallow if you’re into that…”

Jared’s answer is a low and growl. “What I really want…”

“Let me guess… you want to fuck me? Here in front of all these people?”Jensen sounds out of breath, thrilled, over excited. His hands are shaking when he pulls himself on Jared’s lap.

Jared holds him close, his raging, painfully hard cock pressing on Jensen’s asshole. It’s slick from all this spit, but he wouldn’t dare to just enter him now, without warning. Without giving him something to chew on while Jared has to push his way in. 

“Free love. My pleasure is their pleasure,” Jared manages to say. He’s very proud to have that uttered in a manner that makes him seem still in control of himself. 

Jensen laughs quietly and then climbs down Jared’s lap. He stands up. And everyone can take a look at this beautiful body, shaped by God to strike people in awe. His own cock is thick and looks just delicious, Jared might want to get a taste one day, too. Then Jensen turns around and lowers on all fours, his perfectly shaped ass in Jared’s direction, head down, almost submissive. 

“Make your pleasure my pleasure,” he whispers, only Jared seems to hear it. 

Men and women formed a crescent around them now, the opening pointing to the dying fire. Jared licks his lips while he squeezes a very lavish amount of oil in his hand. He doesn’t cover his cock yet, he will help Jensen first. He enters him with one finger and Jensen bucks away first, in surprise but then lowers himself on the finger, starts fucking himself with it. His broken and sweet moans make Jared’s blood boil and also the participants around them start jerking harder. One hand gesture from Jared, and his followers stop. They shouldn’t finish before Jensen does, that’s just and right. 

“More,” Jensen demands, looking behind him with big teary eyes. His pupils are tiny and the iris of a thick and rich green. Jared gives him more. Jensen literally sucks the second finger in and when Jared starts massaging his prostate from outside with his thumb, Jensen cries out, stretching more and swallowing Jared’s long fingers to the root. He gasps tiny “oh god’s” and “fuck’s”. And then Jared isn’t able to hold the urge back and test if Jensen really is what Jared needs. Someone who fits him. He covers his long member with a lot of oil and also spreads generous amounts around Jensen’s anus.

“You think you’re ready, yeah?”

Jensen nods. “Positive.”

He even grabs his buttcheeks and pulls them apart, Jared has perfect sight of his slightly mouthing, dilated hole and all he has to do… He gulps violently, but then places his tip on Jensen’s entrance and sloooowly pushes in. Inch for inch. Jensen has to let go of his buttcheeks and his hands press on Jared’s hips.

“Holy… sh…”, Jensen huffs, “Is swearing even allowed?”

“Too much?”

“It’s a lot, but not too much… fuck…” 

Jensen breathes heavily but slowly, as slowly as Jared goes, his hands don’t push against him anymore and Jared can slide in even deeper. He’s amazed by how Jensen’s hole just swallows him, inch by delicious inch. He’s tight, extremely tight, thanks to the thick oily lube he won’t be hurt. Quite the opposite. Jared pushes in, freezes and rubs over Jensen’s back, soothing him. Jensen doesn’t need that much soothing though, after a few seconds of Jared holding perfectly still and just twothree inches away from going inside all the way he sinks against Jared’s hips, taking him fully with a low, needy moan that seems to last an eternity. 

“Please… move…” he moans, while Jared still holds Jensen’s hips and stares. Just stares in awe.

He really did it.

Jared can’t believe it’s really happening, that he feels so close to someone, again, finally, after such a long time. As he doesn’t start moving, Jensen rolls his hips back and forth, his back stretches and his hands clawing in the blanket. He just fucks himself on Jared’s member, doesn’t wait any longer and the moans he utters are - there is no other word -- they’re downright vulgar. It shows how much he lets go and it washes Jared away, his fingertips dig into Jensen’s hips as he meets his recruit’s pace. Now Jensen cries out, the words and moans just drop from his lips, he wants more, and Jared can feel how greedy he is. 

The audience around them is a choir of pleasure sounds, each of them takes Jared up so high he feels like he’s more than drunk. More than high. He feels like he’s elevating.

“Jared… Harder!” 

Jared fucks him harder. Jensen around him stretches and clenches like he wants to milk him dry, make him cum, but not now. It’s too good to let it end too early, he’s been starved too long and he wants to enjoy every second of fucking this angelic but oh so slutty adept. No one ever met his pace, wanted to be fucked harder and harder, no one asked to be sore, but Jensen does.

His moans are so loud his voice breaks and trails off, chokes on his own sounds. Jared loses it at this point, he grips in Jensen’s glossy hair and pulls him on his knees, closer to his body. Pounding his ass now makes beautiful wet sounds. Jensen leans on Jared’s chest and reaches for the prophet’s ass to push him deeper. And deeper.

“Can’t get enough, huh?”Jared growls, his hand in Jensen’s hair is pulling stronger, the other on Jensen’s hip holds him steady. “Want every inch of me?”

Jensen nods, sobbing. “Yes, never been fucked so good… just how I need --” He can’t even finish the sentence, Jared’s mighty deep thrusts make his voice fade into a cry. “Oh, God!”

Jared needs to slow down just for a bit, give himself time to breathe and hold back the orgasm that’s building up. He’ll shoot a massive load for sure, he wants it to be worth it. He bites Jensen’s neck and feels the violent shudder. They cling onto each other, hands in hair, fingernails scratching and leaving red trails. 

“No, no, don’t stop now… I’m so close,” Jensen huffs, turns his head to Jared, their lips meet and Jared kisses him until both are too breathless, too close to be gentle or patient. 

When Jared picks up his pace again it’s only a matter of a few seconds until Jensen cries out and sinks back on all fours, hiding his face in the blanket. He doesn’t have to touch himself to cum, with a loud and guttural sound he spills. And spills. It’s such a mindblowing orgasm. Everything about it is perfect. Jensen’s moans, how he pulls out handfuls of grass. His clenching asshole around Jared. The amount of cum he splatters on the sheets. Jared bends forward, pulls Jensen’s face up and turns it to the crowd.

“Let them look at you,” he hisses, “share the love.”

And then Jared cums, grunting and thrusting as deep as he can. His cock pumps and pumps masses. He’s never come so hard, so long, so satisfying. For a couple of seconds he doesn’t know anymore where he ends and Jensen begins, that’s how good and intimate it feels. Jensen’s tightness squeezes him tight and makes it impossible to move or pull out. 

Jared collapses on Jensen’s back. He’s dizzy. He needs a moment.

Around them the noises turn from moans to grunts. Heavy breathing. Jared gestures to the watchers to stop jerking. He wants to have Jensen for himself for another moment when he pulls out. Jensen winces underneath him but his face just shows blissful exhaustion. Jared loves to watch his cum pouring out his partner’s holes and it’s no different tonight. Not after this divine intervention. Not after he’s been blessed with such a partner. 

It’s a lot. Jensen turns his head to Jared, his face puffy and red, strands of wet blonde hair on his forehead. And now there’s the hint of a smirk. 

“Did I do well?” he asks.

“I think you know…” Jared replies.

His hand strokes Jensen’s still half hard cock and Jensen moans. So sensitive. Next time, Jared might return the favor and suck that pretty cock.

“Your brothers and sisters want to show you how much they enjoyed watching you.”

Jensen looks around, then back to Jared.

Now the smirk is undeniable. 

“Let ‘em come.”

Jared gets up, his muscular body beaming in the light of the moon and embers of the fire. He feels like he’s about to rise above anything and anyone. This union has given him the deepest peace he could ever feel. He still feels painfully hard and when he looks down he still is. His glossy cock perks up, but he won’t take Jensen a second time and risk really tearing him apart. 

Jensen is on his knees, arms stretched forward like a satisfied lioness, sticking out his freshly bred ass to the audience.

“Children. Time to welcome Jensen in your midst.”

Alex approaches Jared to wash him off with a fresh wet cloth and a sponge while the others gather around Jensen. No one touches the recruit, after Jared united with him, but he will be showered in attention and much more.

Two days later, Jensen is still a bit sore. 

He didn’t sleep much on the night of the celebration, he’s been too hyped, too high from the rush of alcohol, adrenaline and sex. Especially the sex. He can still feel Jared’s massive pole in his ass and everytime he gives in to the memory he shudders and feels his white robe tent. 

Everything in this commune is white. The community houses in which the members live, white. The Church, white. Jared’s residence, white. The only thing that seems to be different is the massive wooden chair in which Jared sat during the celebration and watched his followers unify. 

The blankets are white, the towels, the plates. Purity is an important pillar of this group, and everyone who’s not familiar with the customs might argue that collective orgies aren’t really pure, but Jensen knows better already. Purity is based on keeping your body healthy. The diet here isn’t vegan, but the community has their own farm. 120 people need food and water. Most of them live and work here. On the farm where vegetables and fruits are grown seasonally, or they take care of the cattle, pigs and chickens. Others help keep the houses intact. 

Days are warm, the nights are pitchblack, there’s a lake and a river closeby. Women wash the clothes of the community. There is no “mine” and “yours” in the Church. There is only “we” and “us” and “our”. 

Jensen has his own room, because the morning after the orgy, after the morning prayers and morning sports, in the great hall at breakfast, Jared proclaimed that Jensen was indeed heaven sent. Chosen by the Angels. That makes him special enough to have his own room for a while and it helps him acclimate in this environment. Most new members need that. They come from their picket fence life in the suburbs or the pulsing lives of a big city. They had day jobs, night jobs, family, addictions and almost everyone of them has been materially wealthy. 

Everything that keeps them away from living a pure, devoted life with God is taken away here. Jared provides everything they need. 

Some take a week to find their place in the community, some struggle for years. Some pack their bags as soon as they realize that the sense community here also consists of freedom in love, friendships. Children are born in this community and are raised by everyone, not only their genetic parents. No one here claims to own someone or something.

Well.

At least they say so.

Alex’s room is - as it’s appropriate for his position - in Jared’s residence. This morning he decided to cut his shoulder long, honey blond hair and trim his long beard.

Purity doesn’t mean to be shaven clean or have short hair. Purity comes from the heart, free will and the ability to love. Alex doubts he is quite pure at the moment. The community is free of the toxicity of a material life - in the community, you don’t aspire to climb up ranks. There are simply only three ranks. The community, Alex, Jared. Jared is their natural leader, it is supposed to be like that. Alex is chosen. Alex is confident.

He was. His heart is full of love for the cause and for Jared. 

Until a few nights before he looked in the mirror every morning and smiled at his reflection. Because the reflection showed him a confident young man of faith. Full of love, not bound but blessed with free will. 

Then, his heart started to hurt. 

Now he hates his blue eyes, he hates his long hair, he hates the beard. He hates that he isn’t able to provide Jared the one thing he ached for.

It feels like an inconsistency of Jared’s teachings. Or Alex just isn’t at the point of enlightenment he always thought he was. He finds the fault in himself rather than Jared. But he likes it most thinking that it’s Jensen’s fault.

Jensen with the dazzling green eyes that tantalize Alex. And his damn ability to merge with Jared. Something no one in the community ever could provide. 

Alex hates that someone other than him satisfies Jared in any way.

When he looks in the mirror he sees the man who came here all these years ago when Jared’s predecessor was still alive. The man who crashed here after drugs and sex addiction ruined his life.

Growth is something that never stops. And any day you don’t work through your struggles puts you one step further away from divinity and back into the life of materiality and toxicity.

Jared mustn’t know.

Alex stares blankly in the mirror while he shaves his beard off. Completely.

It takes a few days generally for the community to calm down after such a night. Jared knows that. He feels sore himself, but in a good, satisfying way. His community is thriving, they have new members. Fresh blood. The prayers are inspiring. Jared insists on holding the divine services all by himself. These days he’s beaming with love and the rich and satisfying feeling of being connected. This is Jensen’s merit. His sensuality, his sexual aura, everything about him reminds Jared of the Archangel Michael, the fiery son of God who guarded Eden. Everything about Jensen seems to set Jared on fire. And not only Jared. The others feel it too. The women, the men, everyone stares when he passes. It takes Jared a lot of introspection, prayer and exercise to not just drag him back in his bed. Jared is known for being considerate, kind, and balanced. He leads these people on their path to God and divinity, he is their idol. The true Vicar of the Holy Father. Preferring Jensen in his first month here would weaken his own strong will. He’s sure this man is sent by his Father to heal his hurts, but he needs to care for his community first. 

Jared must not be selfish. He obeys the Lord and he will follow His guidance wherever it may take him. When he knows that his community is safe. 

After morning’s prayer and exercise Jared retreats to the communal bath. Alex prepared everything like always. He’s shaven clean and his hair is way shorter than before. While Jared sinks in the hot tub, Alex hesitates to accompany him. He looks bitter. Some of the old worry lines reappeared. Jared makes an inviting gesture.

“Come in, Alex.”

Today, Jared notices, it sounds like more than an order. 

Alex first shakes his head, but then looks up and his face softens. The lines disappear. He undresses and joins Jared for a bit.

Jared pulls him on his lap, it’s unusual for Alex to be physically distant. He recognizes his assistant has a razor cut on his chin. He runs his thumb just right under it and Alex inhales sharply.

“Why did you shave your beard?” he asks.

Alex looks away, bites his lip. His tooth gap is adorable. 

“I didn’t like it anymore.”

Jared frowns. 

“Do you doubt yourself?”

A scoff. Jared knows he just hit a nerve. Alex never scoffs at him.

“It’s just hair,” he replies. Now he even sounds a bit defiant. 

“Alexandros.”

Alex stiffens. Jared has a habit of calling him by his full name when he fucks up, just like a mother would.

Jared cups his face and looks straight in those bright blue eyes and he sees the vulnerable boy that Alex still is. His progress is phenomenal, but part of him will always stay in the darkness he escaped. 

Alex writhes but doesn’t honestly struggle against him. 

“Your looks are not important. Be careful with your heart.”

A faint nod. Jared kisses his forehead, then his lips. Suddenly no writhing, no defiance, no stubborn behavior. Alex is pliant. Good.

“I have to go”, Alex mumbles, “I have to prepare our departure to Seattle… Our original flight was cancelled…” 

Jared nods. Actually he has no desire to attend this event, but as the leader of this religious community, he has to fulfill some duties. Like going to charity events. It’s not that he hates charity, quite the contrary, as a son of God, it’s his pleasure and deepest wish to make the world a better place, but he hates the whole attention. He hates being compared to apocalypse cults or worse. His teachings are as pure as they can get under given pretenses and the struggle of humanity to overcome the Great Tribulation. 

Alex knows. “I know you don’t want to go. But I will make it worth the trip.”

“You always do.”

Alex gets up with slightly shaky legs and a very impressive erection. When he jumps back in his clothes he even turns away. Suddenly he is so shy. When they’re back from Seattle, Jared will have to hold some very intense prayer and service sessions with Alex. He seems in need of healing. And that’s what Jared was chosen for. Provide for people like Alex.

Alex isn’t gone for five minutes when Jared hears a shuffling behind him.

“Did you forget something, Alexandros?”

Someone’s clearing their throat and it’s not Alex. When Jared turns around he sees Jensen standing in the entrance, blushing and looking at his feet.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… umm, am I disturbing you?” 

Jared’s face lights up and he turns around fully, crossing his arms on the brim of the pool. Jensen is in his white robe, bread crumbs along his collar. He probably just ate breakfast. His hair is messy. 

“Not at all,” Jared replies, “usually, I don’t have guests when I bathe but you’re welcome to join today. You’re new, you can’t know.”

Jensen frowns. “Alex doesn’t count as a guest?”

“No. He is wherever I am, unless he doesn’t want to be.”

Now Jensen’s eyes glow. 

“Like now?”

Jared grins. 

“You are a cheeky one, aren’t you?” he asks.

Jensen stands there, looking at him like he’s about to say ‘yes’, but ultimately doesn’t. 

Jared gestures. “Come in already.” 

Ruffling of clothes tells him that his recruit followed his wish and now gets undressed. A moment later Jensen slides in the water beside Jared, about an arm’s length away. His cheeks turn pink.

“Are you well?”Jared asks, just as the caretaker of his people, he is always worried about them. Always ready to provide care if needed or wanted. 

Jensen’s teint turns even brighter. Ah. The orgy. It was surely his first time.

“I mean, I think I got a little rough with you there,” the leader admits.

Jensen shakes his head a little, a shy smile and a dreamy gaze show that Jensen might indeed be well. It would be reassuring to hear it though.

“No, no, it wasn’t rough at all but I would lie if I said I don’t still feel you inside me. It was a very world-shaking experience.”

“Uh-huh,” Jared replies, “it was.”

The memory alone makes Jared’s body fill with a need to do it again. Just right here. His pliant and slick body, how hot and tight and damn, how responsive and eager he was to take his cock. And that he succeeded!

Jensen turns to him, comes a little closer to get in touch, physically and Jared is very fond of the idea to have him close. Without a word, Jensen’s hand under the water’s surface, lays a hand on Jared’s thigh. Very close to his member. Flaccid. Yet. And still very big. Jared knows he’s gifted with this large cock and people who can take it, they won’t want anything else after they’ve tried it.

“I wondered, why, umm, everyone treats me like I’m super special, you do too…” Jensen’s eyes are fixated on the tiny waves his hand causes when he strokes along Jared’s thigh. “What makes me special?”

That is a very interesting question and Jared needs some time to think about it. Take deep breaths. It also shows that his new member has not ingrained all of the lore of the Church of Grace. That’s normal. No one knows it by heart after joining so recently. 

“Being special is a gift from the Lord, my Father. Everyone is special in their unique way. Take Alex. He’s devoted and tough, loyal and very good at organizing things. Ruth and Judith, you probably crossed their paths already, they’re the best cooks I’ve ever been blessed to taste. Also they are very skilled in sculpting. Everyone is special. Some special things seem to be common, like, so many people on this Earth are talented cooks, tailors, musicians, yogis. And you, you are special, because you give me a feeling of unity in such a primal way, it may seem succinct or superficial. What is it worth, being able to take me? It might not be special to others, but to me this is a thing that brings me peace. And this peace, I can multiply, share it with my people. And by the Lord, it’s not only your physical perks. The way your brothers and sisters here look at you. Some are jealous, but most see in you the most important addition to the community in years. You have a spark in you and you will do great things for the Church. I’m sure of it.”

Jensen stares and Jared notices the slight squint of his deep green eyes. His utter beauty is a gift to humanity already. He radiates purity. If he knows that?

“Is that understandable for you?” Jared asks. He lays a hand in Jensen’s neck and gently squeezes. Pulls him closer. Just an inch but it’s enough to feel Jensen way better and catch his vibes. 

“Yes, it is,” Jensen says, “I’m glad this community welcomed me, I’m glad I met you.”

Now he wraps his hand around Jared’s shaft, which is still too much and he won’t be able to embrace it completely. 

“I was worried, I am worried, it will be the only time to be close to you.”

“You will be close to me every day. At the service, at the monthly celebration. We share everything here.”

“But, can I be alone with you, just like now?” Jensen huffs, his grip tightens. Jared is just a man, his body reacts and he grows hard, so big that the tip would break the water surface now if Jensen let go. 

“I’m a man of my people, I will not deny you. To be honest, yes, I invite you to be with me.”

It would be so easy to lift Jensen up and let him sink down on his cock. It would be amazing to feel him right now. But he is still a little sore. Complete physical unity has to wait. 

“Jared…” A sigh. “What you made me feel that night… I think I felt closer to my true self than ever.”

“I’m glad this is helping you. There will be a lot of occasions for you to discover your deepest self, your fears, your worries… Everything will come to light and I know, you will overcome, you will shine and rise above your plain human being.”

Jensen’s hand moves now. He knows how to touch a man, strictly physical. It's a mechanical reaction after all, but when Jared looks deep into these green eyes he discovers his own need and how much he suffered without a mate that would be close to him. 

“Tell me, how do you like it… I feel it, I need it… you need it…?”

“I long for it.”

Jared wraps his hand around Jensen’s to guide him with the strokes.

He wants it to build up slowly, and his hand on Jensen’s neck holds him steady, whispering his instructions to keep eye contact, when to slow down and when to get faster. And Jensen is all in with it, he’s passionate, his tiny moans and curses, just from seeing Jared, make it extra hot. Actually Jared doesn’t need to climax here, because the mere anticipation of his partner is more than satisfying. They sink in a kiss when Jared’s instructions turn into a breathless staccato of ‘yes like that’s. He’s noisy when he comes and jerks in Jensen’s hand, forceful first but rapidly turning lazy and soft. 

“Teach me more,” Jensen whispers, his face burning red, making his freckles pop even more.

Jared's head sinks on Jensen’s chest. 

“About what?”

“About, what you like, how you like it… how we… connect… unify… Physically, I know… I can do that,” Jensen bites his lip.

“But you don’t know how it works spiritually?”Jared asks, placing a kiss on Jensen’s freckled shoulder. 

“Is that a stupid question?”

A headshake. Why should it be? But Jared knows, Jensen is insecure, he longs for answers and guidance. 

“Believe me, you didn’t ask a stupid question so far. You crave unity?”

Jensen nods.

“Just like you do.”

“I would love to show you more of it. But I will have to go to a congress in Seattle in three days. Alex and I will be gone and you’ll be on your own for a couple of days,” Jared replies. There is indeed some longing in his voice. 

“Oh, that is… it will be long and I’m new, I…”

Jared clicks his tongue while he combs Jensen’s hair. “You don’t have to worry, everyone will take care of you. They will do what I’d do. You will be shown around.”

Jensen shakes his head. His muscles stiffen just lightly.

“That’s not my worry, but- I wish I could be with you.”

This causes Jared’s eyebrows to raise. He wants to be with Jensen, too. Show him the world that Jared lives in and help with the settling. It’s hard to find a place in a community. Jared also fears (and hopes) that Jensen found a way in his heart.

“You are with me. And you will be. You belong to the community now.”

Jensen winds.

“I mean… could you… I would like to go to Seattle. With you…”

“And Alex,” Jared corrects.

“And Alex,” Jensen confirms.

There is no reason to say ‘no’, but there is also no reason to say ‘yes’ that is justifiable. Jensen is new. But he’s shown commitment and he wants to learn. They would bond. Jared wants it. Badly.

“Will it put your heart at ease when I say yes?”

Jared smiles and it’s a knowing one. Jensen smiles. He also knows. 

“Yes, it would.”

The way Jensen smiles and blushes is cute, maybe a little staged. Jared’s not an idiot, he knows that Jensen is wooing him. Trying to impress. Wants to appeal. He already does, there is no need to be overly pliant. Jared enjoys the attention though, who would judge him for it? He presses a kiss on Jensen’s lips and their hug turns closer, just like the last minutes of touching didn’t exist. Jared wouldn’t complain about that, either. 

“Thank you,” he utters before he can think it through.

“For what?”

Jared squeezes Jensen’s growing cock. 

“For giving me - peace.”

Peace is not the only thing Jared wants to thank his disciple for, but Jensen’s soft moan drowns any further thoughts. He wants to merge. Now. He doesn’t want to wait. Not for them to be in his room or Jensen’s. Just take him here.

Alex listens to the quiet conversation that turns into moans and splashing, Jared’s deep and ground shaking grunts. He would be a big fat liar if he claimed to be untouched by it, even Jensen’s soft noises make him rock hard. But what he feels in his heart and what he feels in his body, these two things diverge wildly from each other. He shoves a hand in his pants and hates himself for it. But who he hates more is Jensen. He will take Jared away from him. 

That mustn’t happen.

Alex has to do something about it. Soon.

[kingfallshistoricallibrary-blog]

Episode Nine - Jack in the Box Jesus

Mayor: Ladies and gentlemen, I promise you that while it is a terrible inconvenience that our modern electronics are out, this is not the end of the world. It could be a refreshing change of pace! Instead of reading on your tablet go down to the King Falls library and check out the real thing! And instead of texting your BFF go enjoy some pancake puppies at Rose’s and have a face-to-face chat.This isn’t as bad as it seems and it could be a blessing in disguise. [intro] Sammy: Good morning guys and dolls, you’re listening to King Falls AM Ben: That’s 660 on the radio dial. Sammy: and this is day 13 of what has been dubbed the King Falls electrolocaust. Ben: This has easily been the hardest two weeks of my professional career. Sammy: It has been tough, but Ben and I want to thank you and everyone out there listening for the continuing support of the show. Ben: We got another doozy of a show for you tonight King Falls. During our two we’ll be interviewing Maria Chandler, manager of the King Falls Apple store, and speaking about the effects that shut down this (?) business. Sammy: MMYAs well as fielding your calls and talking about whatever’s clever this evening. Ben: I miss computers, Sammy. I miss the schedule, our automated systems, my alarm clock. I’ve went through three the legal pads in two weeks! Sammy: I know, buddy. Ben: I would literally watch channel 13 if given the chance. Sammy: Wow. That’s saying a lot. Ben: I need my life back. Sammy: King Falls, how are you taking the modern electronic shut down of 2015? Are you refreshed? Reliving the mid-90s? Or are you falling apart like our dear Ben Arnold? Ben: I’d listen to boy bands to have a working smartphone. I’d wear, puka shell necklaces and sell my pod collection if you give me five minutes with my email. Sammy: Look on the bright side, Ben. You’re spending all your free time down the library, and I haven’t called you out on it, Ben: That’s calling me out on it. Sammy: Well, and you know it’s nice hearing the birds tweeting instead of @ king falls a.m., I’m not saying I don’t miss it but I’m enjoying this a little bit. Ben: It’s tearing up my heart when I’m with you

Sammy: The references are not gonna bring back your goods. Ben: Dammit Sammy, let’s just take a call from our jury-rigged phone system. Sammy: You’re live with Sammy and Ben. Cynthia: Yeah, I wanna talk about the outages. Sammy: Cynthia Higgenbaum ladies and gents. How are you doing during this electronic crisis? Cynthia: I feel the warm embrace of the chastity belt that’s been placed on society. I’m relieved, de-stressed, marvelous. Ben: Whoa, that’s, that’s a heck of a change. Cynthia: What are you trying to say, Ben? Sammy: It’s just usually- you’ve been a little.. pessimistic in the past. Cynthia: Oh, I still have problems; I’m full up with issues. But right now, I don’t have to worry about what websites my husband is pursuing, what brain-dead TV my kids are watching, I’m at peace. It’s just me and my harlequin novels. Plus with Jesus back in all- Ben: 50 shades of Cynthia Cynthia: Don’t be filthy Ben Arnold! I know your mother! Sammy: I’m sorry Cynthia, did you just say that Jesus is back? Cynthia: Have you guys not heard the news? Ben Is she talking about Jesus Jesus? Cynthia: There’s only one. Sammy: Well, I think Mexico would disagree but please tell us why you think Jesus is- Cynthia: I don’t think Sammy I know! Earlier this evening, he was spotted glowing and speaking in tongues at Jack In The Box. Ben: The one off Main Street or Red Oak Avenue? Cynthia: Ew, nobody does to Red Oak. Sammy: Jack In The Box Jesus. Cynthia: Oh, hell no! I will not participate in that blasphemy. You’re gonna get smited- Sammy: Oh, I mean, I wasn’t- I’m sorry, I’m not meaning to- Cynthia: Tell it to Satan, In hell, Sammy! [hangs up] Ben: Woah, this is big. Sammy: If you or someone you know has had a sighting of Jack In The Box Jesus please give us a call. 424-279-3858 Ben: You’re on King Falls AM. Troy: Now I know what you’re thinking: how could the second coming of God’s only son happen and ol’ Troy here didn’t clue you in. Ben: Not what I was thinking. Sammy: What do you know Troy? Troy: Well I got a suspicious persons call out at ol’ Jack in the Box around 9, So I hit the lights and cruised over to see what the fuss was about. And lo and behold, back by the dumpster with a mess of people looking on, there he was. Sammy: Now are you really telling us that you saw, or, you believe you saw the son of God and the King of Kings banging outside the Jack In The Box? Troy: Well, he was a man, somebody’s son no doubt. Bearded, good looking, if you are into that sort of thing. He had a robe on- Ben: We can solve this right now. Was he white or was he black? Troy: He was more of a greenish color. Like a glow really. Sammy: The man had an aura around him. Troy: It was shinier than the damn Fukushima foxhound fellas. Like I felt a need to put on the old aviators, but I didn’t want to be cliché. Sammy: Alright, Troy. So, work with us here you’re in the back of the Jack In The Box, there’s a uh, Jesus type guy. Troy: Just-a-ramblin’ on. Ben: Speaking in tongues? Troy: Speaking in something. The last time I heard gibberish like that was comin’ from the back of my Chevy with Shell Snider’s daughter. Sammy: So what happened next? Troy: Well a group of lucky-loos had descended as I said and since it was only me, there was no perimeter set up yet. So I started ta approach this glowing Christ and somebody, Roy Higgens if you gotta know, hollered out ‘it’s Jesus!’ and the whole parking lot just went bonkers! Ben: Well, did you speak to the guy? Troy: Damn skippy. I told Roy that this was official police biz, And he shouldn’t be squawking around like a little baby. Ben: No, Jack in the box Jesus. Troy: Oh, well no. I turned around and he was gone. Split right off into the woods I suspect. Sammy: Did you follow him? Troy: Sammy, so you’re telling me that you’d follow a 6 foot tall and glowing perp into the woods? Sammy: Point taken. Ben: So any other sightings? Troy: Well, not as of yet. But there were so many people they could have had a revival in that parkin’ lot. So I’m guessin’ that’s how word spread so quickly. And without internet too? That’s pretty damn impressive. Sammy: Is there an APB out or anything? Troy: For what, dilly-dallying around with a jumbo jack? He wasn’t doin nothin bad, just acting a fool, Lord forgive me, where he shouldn’t have been. Ben: And glowing. Troy: That’s right. Sammy: Well, please let us know if get any more info on this Troy, we’d appreciate it. Troy: You bet, I’ll be sure to keep you boys in the listen and the public informed. But if you should happen to stumble upon Jesus, do not approach, bother or pester. Just call up ol’ deputy Troy. [hangs up] Ben: ..or your local church. Sammy: Deputy Troy ladies and gents. Now we’re just going to take a quick break and hear from one of our new sponsors: Carl’s Candy. Ben: Yeah I don- I don’t think we should play this Sammy: What? Ads pay the bills remember? Ben: Folks, as a work around with all the tech issues, I went out and recorded a few spots of some of our sponsors, new and old. Emphasis on old after this one. Sammy: Ok so the audio is bad. Ben: You could say that. Sammy: This company’s paid up, they’re scheduled in one of your many notebooks let’s do this. We’ll be right back folks. [ad] Carl: Do you know why they call it a blow pop? I sure do. And if you come on down to Creepy Carl’s Candy, I’ll fill ya up! I mean in, it’ll be our little secret. A sweet tooth is a terrible thing to waste, come find a new sugar daddy to butter your fingers at Creepy Carl’s! Come in and grab a sack of Carl’s Boston baked beans while you’re at it. Oops, one fell in my pocket. Free if you can find it. Every child’s welcome at Creepy Carl’s, big mouths, small mouths, white mouths and brown mouths. We’re equal opportunity! And just because they shut down the ol’ brick and mortar doesn’t mean you can’t buy it from my van. Be sure to ask your parent’s permission first, kids. Creepy Carl’s Candy, where the suckers don’t suck themselves. [Police sirens] Troy: Carl, turn off your ignition. You are too close to the school zone. Carl: I gotta go, catch ya later

??: The mic! [End] Sammy: Never again. Ben: I tried to tell you. Sammy: I know. Let’s never speak about this. Ben: I need a shower. Sammy: Moving forward, we were just talking about a sighting that happened a few hours ago around the 9 o’clock hour just off main street. It seems quite a few people believe that we may be experiencing a religious phenomenon. Perhaps the second coming of– Ben: Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years! Sammy: Right, let’s go to the phone lines. Ben: That was good though right? Sammy: It was good. Good evening, you are live on King Falls AM. Reverend: Ask and you shall receive. King Falls-uh. It is the good Reverend Xavier “Right with God-uh” Hawthorne. Ben: Reverend Hawthorne? Are you back in town? Reverend: The one and only, and we are turnin’ the wagons around as we speak. And we’re heading back to my flock. How’re y’all feelin’ tonight, King Falls? I said How are you, feelin’! Sammy: We’re feeling alright. REVEREND HAWTHORN   Praise God-uh! Hallelujah! Now a little birdie, just chirp’n on my shoulder, told me there was a sighting. A vision. Dare I say it, eyeballs were laid on our Lord and Saviour at a burger joint in our fair city. Sammy: Yeah, about 9 o’clock here. Reverend: Could it be-uh, that our 5 week revival worked. Could it be-uh that our prayers have been brought forth the lamb of God-uh. Can I get an amen! Ben: Reverend Hawthorne w- Reverend: Amen! This miracle-uh, this sight from our God-uh, perched on a mountain of sanctity, says that he is ready to lead-uh, his most highly favored congregation back to the promised land. Have me some organ Deacon Reggie [organ music begins playing in the background] Sammy: Do you think Reggie has to wheel that thing around just in case? Ben: This is getting good. Reverend: Play it dirty brother. We are going home-uh. Take us back to Calvary, take us BACK-uh! Samuel, Benjamin may I ask you gentlemen if you have a relationship-uh with the Author of the eternal salvation; are you saved? Sammy: I’m- Reverend: The let me tell y’all, because if you aren’t-uh, I’m coming back to town, one weekend only, the Xavier “Right with God-uh” Hawthorne Experience will be wheelin’ back into King Falls Fairgrounds this very night-uh. We are hoping to get one-on-one with the Risen Christ and start preparing for Kingdom Come. But just like old Xavier, you gotta come on down-uh so we can get you turnt up with God-uh. [hangs up] Sammy: Xavier? Hello? Ben: He’s, gone. Sammy. Sammy: Well, you heard it here first folks Xavier Hawthorn’s Travelling Roadshow is coming back to town. Will Jack In The Box Jesus make his stage debut? Ben: Jesus. Sammy: Literally. Ben: Do you think we can get an interview? Would it be Mr. Christ? Or- Sammy: Something tells me that there is something more to the story than what we’ve heard so far, Ben. Ben: I get that, but this is King Falls, Sammy. Sammy: What a perfect place to make a return, a rinky-dink town with no internet. Ben: Line -dammit, there’s only one line. Uh, you’re on with Sammy and Ben. Archie: Good evenin’ fellas! Sammy: Is thi- Archie: It’s Archie Simmons! Ben: Hey Archie, how’s Princess Von Barktooth? Archie: Well, I do have news concerning the princess, and I just want to possibly recant some info from our previous call a few weeks back. Sammy: About the werewolves? Archie: Correct. Sammy: Wow, I mean you sounded pretty convinced that you saw a werewolf. Archie: And now I’m saying that maybe I was misinformed. Sammy: I think you should probably tell Troy and the Sheriff’s Office, Archie. Archie: You silly sally, Troy’s already on his way over now Ben: Why the change of heart Archie? Archie: Well, new information has come to light boys, I mean with the Divine One making his triumphant, let’s be honest, dramatic return to King Falls.

Sammy: You’re talking about the glowing man at the Jack In The Box? Archie: Let’s be real here, it’s the J-Man, of course a heavenly carpenter would pick King Falls. So many projects to keep busy with. Sammy: Uh-huh. Archie: Plus with the princess and this new information, we have to believe this. Ben: You keep saying that, what’s going on with the princess Archie? Archie: She’s in a delicate condition. Sammy: Oh, well of course. I mean she’s been through a lot. Archie: No Sammy, I mean that she is with child. Children. Puppies? There’s a bun in the $2400 oven boys! Sammy: Wait, she’s pregnant? From the werewolf attack? Archie: Well, that’s the thing, while I believed in my heart of hearts that the hillbilly beast from the trailer park had gotten to the princess, I think.. Ben: What, what do you think Archie? Archie: I mean it was dark, I know it was a full moon but I was scared and recently awakened, sleep in my eyes etc. and so on. Sammy: You don’t think it was the werewolves. Archie: I’m thinking with this new evidence and the fact that I saw a long-haired bearded man in the biblical act, yeah I think there’s a chance it could have been [whispering] the man upstairs. Ben: Upstairs from whom? Archie: Mankind! Come on Ben get with the preacher. Sammy: He’s saying that because there’s been a holy sighting tonight, which we should all be a little bit doubtful of, then maybe it wasn’t the werewolves, but the Alpha and the Omega. Ben: No! NO WA- That’s too much, Archie. You saw the werewolf. He looked you in the eye and howled at the moon. Archie: I don’t know what kind of weird things Jesus is into. Ben: No way. This is ludicrous. Archie: You just wait and see Ben. Princess may have lost her Westminster dream, all part of God’s plan. Ben: We’ve got to go Archie [laughs] you’re crossing a line that we cannot cross at King Falls AM. Archie: Judge not, lest ye be judged boys. Kardashians 3:16 or a Psalm or something. I think Troy’s coming around the bend anyways boys, laters! [Hangs up] Sammy: You know when I walk in the door every night I say to myself, ‘Nothing’s going to surprise me tonight’ And more times than not, I am just dead wrong. Ben: Let’s give the phone a rest for a moment, Sammy the record player is just begging to be used.

Sammy: Not a bad idea Ben. [notification sound] Ben: What? Oh my phone! [many notifications] Oh it’s back baby! Sammy: Me too! What’s going on? Ben: What’s up! Oh my God, I could literally kiss the apparition of Steve Jobs. Sammy: Hey, I’ve got a text here, unknown number. Ben: Ok, what does it say? Sammy: I know why this happened, I know how to stop it, we need to talk Ben: What? Sammy: No, that’s what the text said. Ben: You don’t think this has anything to do with.. Thank you, Jesus. [credit music plays]

[dalyunministry]

Min. Olusola Babarinde Nigeria

💗

Hallelujah to the Lord for bringing us together again. Today we are proceeding from where we pursed last week.

Our topic still remain: Building a relationship with God. And we are looking at the part 2 today.

May the Lord bless us all as we study today in Jesus name.

Let us pray: Lord God, we praise you for the grace we have to study your word again. Lord as we study we pray you minister to our spirit. Help everyone of us to learn and practice what you have for us in Jesus name. Thank you Lord, in Jesus name we pray..

Topic once again: Building Relationship with God (Part 2)

Text: Genesis 5:21-24, Amos 3:3.

Last week we established that faith is the foundation of relationship with God. We spelt out expressly, the indispensability of faith. Today we want to look at four components of true, healthy and working relationship with God.

These four things are the things that characterized genuine and lively relationship with God.

We all need to check ourselves to see if we are walking in the practicality of these things. If we don't, the implication is very simply, it means we don't have relationship with God.

The four marks of true relationship are:

1. Communication

2. Love

3. Fear

4. Obedience

These are four ingredients of a normal relationship with God. We shall take them one after the other. Before we do, let me say that it is possible for one to be full of activities yet, have no relationship with God.

A man can be even up and doing and men congratulating him, yet he has no link with God not to talk of having relationship with God.

In fact, in these days of technology, one can pastor a church without relationship with God. It's a very dangerous time. Time that men can even copy teachings on the internet and preach it as if it is growing directly from God through them to the congregation, meanwhile those messages are from internet. Such men can even receive men's accolade, yet they have no link with God.

This is to say that, you cannot just overlook this matter of relationship with God and see it as if it not an issue.

Men can even minister with the gifts of God without God the giver.

So, the matter of relationship with God is something to address.

Now we are looking at those four things that reveal relationship with God one after the other.

1. Communication (with God).

Nobody can claim to have a relationship with God without communicating with God.

You cannot claim to know God when there is no communication. This communication is not a monologue but a dialogue. It is not one way traffic but two lines of flow of words, thoughts, gesture, etc.

Even in the natural, you cannot claim to be in love with a person that you are not talking with or is not talking to you. Before one can claim to have relationship with God, God's word must come to such and such also must be sending word to God.

[1]Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, [2] Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. Jonah 1:1-2

This is what characterized all men that had relationship with God. God do speak to them.

Is God speaking to you? Are you talking with God? In fact even if it is rebuke or correction, it is good but for God not to talk to you at all, it is terrible. We must be hearing from Him as He speaks to us. Nobody can claim to know God without having this communication link with Him. God speaks in diverse ways to His children (in one of our future studies, we shall look into those ways through which God speaks to His own).

Sufficient for now is the fact that, you must seek to have channel of communication with God if you don't have before or keep is secured if you have. If you have, don't lose it at all. Keep it safe. Secure it. Do all you can to guard it jealously. God will help us all. While in relationship with God, God is more interested in you being with Him than going out for Him. You must start spending time with God. You must create time for Him. If you are not doing that, am sorry, it means that you don't have relationship with God, or you have lost it...

While in relationship with God, God is more interested in you being with Him than going out for Him. You must start spending time with God. You must create time for Him. If you are not doing that, am sorry, it means that you don't have relationship with God, or you have lost it...

Can you check now sincerely, to see if you truly have relationship with God by meticulously review your communication with Him?

2. Love (for God)

Those who are in relationship with God, are in love with God. When you start hearing God and you start speaking to him, love for Him starts growing in you. Communication establishes mutual love for each other between people who are in relationship.

John accurately captured this truth on the mutual love between God and a person who is in relationship with Him by saying:

We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19.

That is it. If you are in relationship with God, you will definitely love Him. It is because we love God, that is why we don't sin against Him. You just don't want to hurt Him. Just like in husband and wife relationship. The wife will always love to to please her hubby. So also we don't displease God by doing what we know is sinful. If you can break God's heart easily, it is because you don't love Him. All true services to God must span from this bedrock of love. In fact, whatever we do, will not be acceptable, if it is not from the love. Only a sacrifice saturated with love aroma, can reach the heart of God fully..May you receive grace to love God in Jesus name..

3. Obedience (to God).

Note this very well: it is very difficult to obey whom you don't love.

While the person may still obey God despite not loving Him, the truth is that, he finds it difficult to do. But once there is love, obedience becomes easy. A person who is not in love with God, will not find it easy to obey God. If God should say go there, the person will go somewhere else.

Love put us in relax mode before the person we are in love with. We can trust God's judgement that it will be for our good, since we know He loves us and we love Him to.

I pray you will be imparted with the spirit of obedience in Jesus name..The test of true love is obedience.

If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15. So, this means that, I love God, is not an emotional thing or just mere words but it is demonstrated through genuine obedience to His commandments (instructions).

4. Fear (of God).

When Israel was called into relationship with God, they feared because they saw the majesty of His glory.

When you are in relationship with God, you don't take Him for granted. You develop holy fear for Him. This is different from the slavish fear of sinners.

Even then, when you err mistakenly, you become afraid. And that can help you to go to God in true repentance. People who sinning over and over again without penitence, it is because of lack of fear of God.

If you are watching pornography, or you are masturbating, or engaging in drunkenness, or gambling, using God's grace for your own gain, it is because you don't fear God, and you are not in relationship with God..

If you are like that, you can repent today and start a relationship with God today which will plant in you referential fear for Yahweh..

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.

As we are about to bring this message to a close, I counsel you to seek and posses sure, steady and steadfast relationship with God, so that you will not be at the mercy of:

1. Men

2. Satan

3. Circumstances

4. Hell, etc.

To do that, become close to God's word, let that lead you to prayer and that will put love for God in you, which will help you to possess holy fear for Him.

As you do this, I pray you grow in love for God in Jesus name. It is relationship with God that can keep us secured in this end time. Lord help me to possess communication with you, Love for you, obedience to your words and holy fear for you.. Let us pray this sincerely..

In Jesus name we pray. Amen

Closing prayer: Lord we have received your clear instructions tonight from your word.

Father we beg you to release upon us grace to put your word to practice. Help us to possess genuine relationship with you. Your name will be praised forever. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen. Thanks to the leadership of this platform for this opportunity. The Lord will reward our labour in Jesus name.. Amen

[gudlyf]

Confirmation [Short Story]

[Edited original photo by Elviss Bitans]

I will never forget the sound Evil made when it died in the Baxter’s house one night in the fall of 1982.

—

The basement of the rectory of St. Ambrose had that smell. The one that appears to be common amongst cellars of houses of the Lord. Of decades-old candle wax and spent wicks, mold-imbued books. Of rotted flowers and palm reeds. That smell. I’d once thought it unique to our chosen parish at the time. It’s not. And any time I happened upon it in some other basement, sometimes in another church, I’d be reminded of CCD.

Some people call it Catechism. I suppose it could have been called Sunday School, except in our town it was held on Tuesday nights. Tuesday School? Not the same ring to it, I’d say. So, CCD. Sounds like some kind of mental condition, now that I think of it. Apropos, if you don’t mind me saying so.

Needless to say, I did not look forward to Tuesday nights.

The last year of CCD for me was centered around preparing for Confirmation. I won’t get into the details of that for you non-Catholics, and to be quite honest I can’t remember what to tell you about it anyway. I suppose it was to “confirm” one’s faith in God and the church. Confirm beliefs. Confirm that you bought the whole damn thing. One of “them.” One of the flock. For me it served only as confirmation that, following that fall, my Tuesday nights henceforth would carry with it only the aroma of glorious, sweet freedom. Thank you God, Hallelujah, Rama-Lama-Ding-Dong, Amen.

Father Jacobs, the presiding priest at the time, did not conduct CCD at St. Ambrose. The old guy would show up from time to time, sure, when he wasn’t busy doing God-knows-what on a Tuesday evening. Probably better off pulling numbered letters out of a bingo cage, really. But for the most part it was just us ten kids and Mr. Baxter.

Of all the teachers I had for CCD throughout the years, Mr. Baxter won the prize for being, shall we say, the most devout. This includes the likes of Sister Estelle, a decrepit, miserable thing harkening from the days of when my own mother attended Catholic school in a neighboring town. No lie, Sister Estelle — or Sister Est-Hell, as we called her — carried a yard stick along her back like a rifle on a cattle rancher. I’ve learned since then that it served more as a bullshit deterrent than anything else. God save the poor soul warranting its unsheathing. Thankfully, I never bore witness to it.

Warren Baxter’s boys, Mark and Jason, attended this particular CCD class along with me and seven others our age. They were homeschooled, so I can’t say any of us knew much about them beyond the walls of that basement, and that the poor bastards had their dad as a teacher. Not just Tuesday nights, but every fucking day. Mr. Baxter sorta reminded me of Christopher Cross. Y’know, “Sailing” and “Ride Like the Wind”? Not to mention he carried a beaten acoustic guitar with him anytime I saw him. He certainly wasn’t an old guy, but he sure had what I guess you could say was an old way of thinking when it came to the education of religion. He had a habit of taking it upon himself to detour from the illustrated Jesus textbooks and remind us of all the things that could make up a mortal sin. You might think that means killing, stealing, raping — that sort of thing. No. He’d remind us weekly that masturbating was a mortal sin that was a sure ticket to Hell. Even thinking about jerking off. It was like you might as well give Satan himself a handy, because, son, it’s just like knocking on his door with that hand.

I guess Mrs. Baxter was a sure help of keeping her husband Heaven-worthy, at least before their divorce.

Mr. Baxter was a parishioner at the church, but he also sang and played guitar at Sunday mass. Considering the limited source material, he wasn't half bad. I’d been taking guitar lessons at the time and knew he wasn’t just some two-bit hack. He played for us a couple of nights at class, which was a welcome reprieve from mundane bible verse analysis, even if it wasn’t exactly Clapton we were listening to. The man dug music; no question of that. And on the second-to-last class of the year, he took it to a new level.

The record player sat in the center of the largest table. Not an odd sight, really. We’d listened to hymns and such before, and even been forced to — dear God — sing along to them. But there was something very different about it this time. Something special. When my eyes caught it, I couldn’t restrain myself.

“Zeppelin!”

Paul Morley, my best friend at the time, saw it too. Led Zeppelin IV, its unmistakable album cover featuring that painting of an old man lugging a bundle of sticks, sat among a few recognizable others. AC/DC’s Highway to Hell. Queen’s The Game. Classics today — purely defining, then. A few kids started in with “Stairway to Heaven” before Mr. Baxter shut them down.

“And she’s buy-uy-ing a-”

“Sit down, everyone. Yes, I’m going to play some of these — just a little. But then I have an important story for you.”

He slipped Led Zeppelin IV out of its sleeve and placed it onto the turntable. Man, I thought, this is gonna be great. I prepared myself for the sweet sounds of Robert Plant, belting out his “Hey hey, mama,” rolling into Jimmy Page on the ax and Bonham on skins. It was already playing in my head.

Instead, we got something else entirely.

Mr. Baxter turned on the player and moved the needle up a bit onto the platter. He put it down a few times, giving us a little tease here and there of what we could have — should have — been listening to in entirety. He finally got to ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and let it play. Sweet release.

About midway through the song, he turned the player off. What is this, another lesson about not beating off? I thought. To 14-year-old me, it may as well have been.

“Now, listen to this.”

We all knew what was going to happen. Playing “Stairway” backwards wasn’t new. And then it all became painfully clear. Zeppelin. AC/DC. Queen? I hadn’t heard about that one yet. But most of us knew of the supposed hidden messages within the latter two, and now Mr. Baxter was going to play them. Here. In the basement of a church.

He spun the record counter-clockwise, slowly, by hand. Eventually he got to the money shot, where Plant’s voice seems to sing out the words “my sweet Satan,” along with some other things that don’t sound so Heavenly when you over-analyze the shit out of them.

But for the playing record, the room was silent. I don’t think we quite knew what to make of it. Mr. Baxter — a guy who’d preached that the simple pleasures of alone time in a long, hot shower was sinful — was playing verses about the Devil. In the Lord’s house! What was next, a Ouija board?

Once he was through with Zeppelin, he went onto Highway to Hell. The album cover alone should have burst into flames the moment it entered the parking lot, but he played it just the same. For a few minutes, singer Bon Scott became Scott Bon. Or maybe it’s Ttocs Nob. You’re supposed to hear something like “my name is Lucifer” somewhere in that backmasked garbage, but all I heard was blasphemy to some wholesome, British-borne rock and roll.

Queen was an interesting one. Played backwards, the lyrics “another one bites the dust” becomes “it’s fun to smoke marijuana.” Oh great, so now that’s evil too? My older brother’s days were numbered.

Mr. Baxter let the chuckles and high-fives among us slide and stopped the turntable.

“Alright. Why did I play these for you tonight?”

I dunno, to thank Jesus these classes are almost over, I thought.

Paula Spencer spoke up. “Because they talk about the Devil…?”

“Not exactly.”

We all looked at each other, clueless. That wasn’t it? Besides Freddie Mercury soloing in reverse about weed, what else was there? And I was sure as shit stinks that Baxter had his fair share of ganja in his days. Hell, at that moment, I was thinking he’d smoked a bowl before class.

“A couple of reasons. First, it’s to make you aware. The things your generation is listening to — on the radio, on records, and tapes — are deceiving you into falling out of love with God.”

“But on the radio, it’s not backwards,” Paul said.

“I don’t even have a record player,” said someone else.

Mr. Baxter shook his head, in that these-clueless-kids sort of way.

“It’s doesn’t matter. You heard it for yourself. It’s still there. And the Devil — he hid it there.”

We learned years ago: you don’t groan at a teacher in CCD. But the restraint in the room was palpable.

“So … Robert Plant … is Satan?” I asked.

“No. He’s just one of many instruments.”

“Like a guitar?” Randal asked. Now that let loose a volley.

“Alright, quiet down. Not like that, no, Randal. I mean they serve the anti-Christ. Though they may not know it. But, because we can play this … music this way, the Devil’s tricks are revealed. And they are in all of the music you’re listening to. All the rock and roll, all the heavy metal. It’s there, and he is trying to use it to deceive you into falling out of grace with God.”

“So … what are we supposed to do?” I asked.

“Stop listening to it. Forwards. Backwards. On the radio, or at home. These are all the new instruments of Evil. And you should shun them just as you would any other mortal sin you’ve learned about in this class. You’ll think you have control over what you believe until it’s too late, and you stop coming to mass. You stop loving Jesus and God and everything else that will bring you to everlasting life in Heaven.”

Well, I was going to Hell. Before he’d finished his bummer of a diatribe, I’d started to think that if everlasting life in Satan’s parlor meant a lot more Zeppelin, Rush, and everything that was candy to my ears, I might just be okay with that.

“The second reason I played these for you — and this is very, very important. You listening?”

Most of us nodded.

“Never — and I mean never — do this on your own. I know it’s tempting — a fun trick to show your friends. But do not do it. I played this here, because we’re safe in God’s house. But at home, or anywhere else, you are not. And the Devil does not like when his tricks are revealed. And he will let you know.”

“How?” Paul asked.

Mr. Baxter pulled out a chair, sat down and leaned in. “I’ll tell you how. Because it happened to me. Mark and Jason can tell you — they were there.”

All eyes were on the two Baxter kids. Their eyes told us that either they were mortified or terrified. After what their father had to say, I’d go with the latter.

“A night a few months ago, Mark was playing one of these records in the cellar at home. I told him what I told you, many times before — none of that music. The work of the Devil. Sins against God. But he couldn't help himself. That’s how it works: You let him in, and he won’t let go.

“So I decided to show him what was hidden in those songs. I did the same thing I did here tonight. I stopped the record, and slowly I began to play it in reverse. And those same, hidden messages were revealed.

“And then … he walked right through the room.”

“Who?” someone asked.

“The Devil,” Jason whispered. In the ensuing silence, you could hear a guitar pick drop.

Mr. Baxter nodded. “He did. A dark figure. Dressed in the darkest cloak I'd ever seen, he passed into the room. No face, just nothingness. Tears were streaming down our faces. We couldn’t move. He glided closer to us, and we still could not move. He stopped just ten feet away from us, and he pointed, right at me. And in a voice I’ll never, ever forget he said …”

He let the sentence hang in the air. This was some real campfire-story shit, and I’m betting I wasn’t alone in hankering for some roast marshmallows right about then. What a showman.

“… ‘No’.”

No? That was it? Not “come with me, you’re going to hell” or “turn it up, man?” I say that now, but to be quite honest with you, I was shitting bricks.

I’d been taught for years every manner of how the grip of evil might drag me down into a fiery pit of doom. You bet your ass I was saying the rosary every night and had a small shrine to Virgin Mary in the corner of my bedroom. Now I was learning that this Satan fella came in a physical form like the Grim-fucking-Reaper if you pissed him off.

I glanced over at the Baxter kids. My look said “this shit real?” Their look was “this shit real.” That did it. After an extra lap around the beads before bed that night, sleeplessness would be unavoidable.

—

The following Sunday morning, I was once again packed hip-to-hip between my mother and brother within our usual pew at St. Ambrose. The usual congregation was there, including Mr. Baxter on guitar, and front-man Father Jacobs. Paul, a four-years-running altar boy, was on the bells with Mark Baxter.

I hadn’t forgotten the story Mr. Baxter told earlier that week. How could he just continue on like that, seeing what he saw? Or worse, what load of horse shit he fed to a mess of God-fearing — and now, for certain, Devil-fearing — kids? I wasn’t sure what was worse: That he went so far as to convince his own boys to play along so convincingly, or that they actually did see something that night.

Paul caught up with me in the parking lot, as the adults meandered around shaking hands with one another and secretly hoping they’d get home in time for football.

“What’s up?”

I shrugged. I had nothing.

“Hey, I talked to Mark earlier. About what his dad said.”

“What, about masturbating?”

He pushed me. Hard. I guess I deserved it.

“That Devil shit.”

“Paul! We’re still at church!” Paul’s mother hissed from somewhere in the crowd. That woman could hear a hummingbird fart in a bison stampede.

“It’s the parking lot, Mom! God, relax.”

If I’d talked to either of my parents the way Paul did, all the prayers in the world wouldn’t protect be from the sure evil that would ensue. The Devil would walk right in and applaud. But Paul’s exposure to the dictionary from Hell came from none other than his own mother’s mouth, and with certain regularity. I became fluent in the language by the time I was eight, from weekly summer sleepovers at the Morley house.

“He still swears it’s true.”

“You make him swear to God?”

Paul laughed. “No. But he’s not changing his story. Said a big person in a cloak sorta floated into the room, and then back out again.”

“What did he sound like?”

“I dunno. I didn’t ask him. Probably like ‘STOP THAT SHIT NOW!’”

His impression sounded more like Froggy from The Little Rascals than some dark being from the netherworld. Come to think of it, that would be pretty terrifying. Would someone please get that poor boy a cough drop, for God’s sake?

“Paul!”

“Sorry, Ma. I tried it, y’know. The record thing. Nothing happened. It’s a bunch of buuuuull shit.”

“Well, duh, yeah. You thought it was real? Creepy story, but no way is that gonna really happen. He was just trying to scare us. Don’t you think we’d hear of it happening to someone else already? I did it at my cousin’s house a few months ago.”

“What happened?”

I gave him a look that told him that his stupid question was going forever unanswered.

Paul pointed to the parking lot behind me. “Look, there he is.”

Mark Baxter was still clothed in his altar-boy whites, carrying his father’s guitar case to their station wagon. Paul gave me a nudge and started in his direction.

“Hey. Mark.”

Mark was a quiet kid, but not shy. More of a rebellious sort, I guess you could say. If he’d been in traditional school like the rest of us, no doubt he’d be one of the “cool kids” who took no shit from anyone and gave a pile of it to the teachers. There were few occasions you’d see him without bruises or a black eye, a sure sign he hadn’t backed down from trouble. It was that attitude that made the story he was holding onto so compelling.

“What’s up? Hey Keith.”

I held up a hand in greeting.

“Swear to God that story is true,” Paul said. The equivalent of a religious double-dog dare.

Mark shut the rear door and leaned against it.

“I’m not doing that. You know I won’t do that.”

“So it’s a bunch of buuuuull-”

“I don’t care if you won’t take my word for it. It’s what I saw.”

“How come it never happened to Keith? He said he did it at his cousin’s house, and nobody creepy came drifting through the room. Except maybe his Aunt Helen. Sorry Keith, she’s, like, a witch or something.”

Mark shrugged. “I guess you’re lucky. Maybe it’s the house.”

Paul seemed to back down at that. Then the wheels started to turn.

“Let’s do a sleep-over, then,” he said.

“A … sleep-over? What are we, ten?”

“Well then just have us over at night. Your dad’s got the records already. We just play them in the same room, on the same record player. If the Devil doesn’t show up, then it’s a bunch of crap.”

Mark’s cool demeanor warmed at that. “My father really doesn’t like people over. And it’s not a bunch of crap.”

“I wanna see for myself. So do you, right, Keith?”

I did my best to hide my real answer to that one. Instead, Mark did the honors.

“No. You don’t. And I don’t either.”

“Psssh. B.S. Whatever.”

Paul turned and walked away. I gave another silent wave to Mark before taking off as well.

—

I was only just getting ready for bed when something rapped against my bedroom window. It was early, but it was a school night, and I knew just who it was.

I opened the window to Paul’s shit-eating grin.

“Let’s go.”

“Now? Where? It’s a school night, man.”

“Baxter’s.”

“What, Mark wants us over? I thought his dad wouldn’t let us.”

“We’re just gonna go visit. Come on.”

I shut the window in his face. Paul kept right on talking.

“If you don’t come out now, I’ll go knock on your parents’ window and tell them you called me over.”

I flung the window back open.

“No you wouldn’t. And they’re not even in bed anyway.”

“Fine, then I’ll go knock on the door.”

He wasn’t bluffing. He’d done this to me before, and my folks fell for his Eddie Haskell routine every single time, hook line and sinker. As usual, Paul was going to get his way. I, as usual, was not.

—

The Baxter house was walking-distance away, but since Paul had his bike with him, I took mine as well. There’s something about walking while someone rides circles around you that feels a bit degrading.

We threw our bikes onto the Baxter’s lawn. I headed for the front door, but Paul started around the back.

“Where are you going?” I said.

“Mark’s window.”

“Jesus Christ! He doesn’t know we’re coming?”

“Nah. You heard him. He wasn’t gonna have us over. So we’ll just come over.”

I really should have made for my bike and headed back home. I started to weigh the punishment I’d get from my parents due to Paul’s threats against Mr. Baxter’s wrath, should we knock on the wrong window. Once I got home, Paul would make good on what he said, I’d be grounded for a week — and more — and the process would repeat until he got his way. I thought it better to see it through and put an end to Paul’s obsession right then.

None of the shades were drawn in the Baxter’s single-story ranch, and we found Mark hanging out in one of the rooms alone with its door shut. The lights were on and he was laying in bed, sort of huddled in a ball, back to the window. He was still clothed and clearly not sleeping. I tried to convince Paul otherwise.

“He’s sleeping. Let’s go.”

Paul ignored me and gave the window a knock.

Mark sprang up from the bed and turned to the door.

“I- I’m just praying, Dad. I promise.”

Paul knocked again. Mark stiffened, snapped around, and was greeted by Paul’s smart-assed wave. My look said, “I know. I’m sorry. What can ya do, it’s Paul.”

The window unlocked and opened.

“What are you doing here?”

Mark licked at a cut below his lip, and his face was sunburn-red. Always meeting trouble.

“Man. Who’d you fight this time? Did you finally fight Felix?”

“Maybe I’ll fight you for coming here knocking on my window. What do you want?”

“Play us the records.”

“Go play them yourself.”

“We wanna see what you saw. Come on.”

“You really don’t.”

“Just let us in. If you don’t, I’ll just go knock on the door and tell your dad you called us over.”

Right from the Morley playbook.

“No! Just … Fine. Meet me at the back by the bulkhead.”

Mark lowered the window. Paul was already on his way to the back of the house, but I watched Mark push his bedroom door open carefully, looking around before edging himself into the hallway, and pushed the door shut without a sound.

The bulkhead was a rusty, two-door entryway set into the house’s foundation. A few minutes passed before the inside latch was screeched open like a prison lock, and one of its doors creaked open. I could barely make out a person standing in the dark. I sure as Hell hoped it was Mark. Paul nudged me ahead of him. Either his night sight was better than mine and he was sure of who it was, or he just as blind and I was his shield.

“Get in,” Mark whispered.

The bulkhead led into concrete-floored basement, pitch black but for a crack of faint light from beneath a closed door. The smell of mildew and machine oil was unmistakably workshop-ian. I confirmed this when I bumped into what I figured was a long workbench. A few tools clattered onto wood and clanged against the floor.

“Shhh! My dad’s room is right above here.”

“Where’s Jason?” I asked.

“He’s staying with my mom.”

Mark opened the door into a finished part of the basement. All was dark but for a single lamp on an end table against a torn couch. Grey berber carpeting covered the floor from wall-to-wall, stained in the corners with water damage. French drains were always an afterthought back then, and not one easily or cheaply rectified. An old pool table took up the place of honor, consuming most of the room. Against one wall a Radio-Shack-brand Realistic stereo. Of course, it had a turntable.

Mark shut the door behind us as quietly as he had his bedroom door.

“We’re under the living room here. We should be okay.”

Paul already had the turntable cover off and was flipping through the sleeved albums stacked vertically beneath it.

“Which one did you play when you saw that thing?”

Mark hurried over and pushed Paul aside.

“Get out of there! My dad has them all organized. He’ll kill me if we mess it up.”

Marked pulled an album from the shelf and looked at its cover. Admiring it? Fearing it? One couldn’t tell.

“This one.”

“In this room, right?” Paul asked.

Mark nodded.

“Where did he come from?”

Mark pointed to an opening without a door. “The laundry room.”

“At my house, that’s where my dad keeps his booze,” I said.

“Are you sure it wasn’t just your mom?” Paul said.

“What? No! My parents are divorced, stupid.”

“So maybe it was your mom.”

Mark said nothing, but the seething in his posture was palpable. At that moment, I felt sorry for both of them.

Mark eased the platter out from the sleeve and placed it on the turntable, then turned the receiver on. He grabbed the needle and halted before placing it down.

“I don’t think you want me to play this backwards. It ruins the record, anyway.”

“No, we want you to play disco so we can dance,” Paul said. “Just play it. I want to see the Devil you said you saw.”

I finally spoke up. “But what if-”

“But what if what?” Paul snapped. “We see him and he tells us ‘no’ again? So what. Then we know and we won’t do it again.”

Mark looked back at us both, then placed the needle down. He seemed to know just where it had to go.

“This can play the record backwards on its own. I don’t need to do it by hand.”

He flipped a lever on the turntable and stepped far away, eyes not leaving that laundry room door. At first, seconds of silence, but for the popping and crackle of worn vinyl, then the speakers came to life. Sure enough, the words of Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” began to blast in reverse. I was caught off-guard at how loud it was, on account of Mark’s fear of alerting his father to the goings on. It caught Mark by surprise as well.

“Shit!”

Mark stumbled to the stereo. Someone stood in the doorway to the dark laundry room.

Mark froze. We all did. Satan had come. And then he spoke.

“What did I tell you.”

We said nothing. I felt the urge to run, but my legs were no better than bowling balls on Twizzler sticks. Paul backed up and was stopped short by the pool table. The record kept on playing.

“What. Did. I. Tell. You!”

Mark spoke. “N- No?”

“No! Nobody over! Nobody!”

Mr. Baxter stepped into the room. He was seething. He was nothing like I’d seen him before. And he was clearly loaded.

“And are you … are you playing that again?! After what happened last time?!”

“Dad? I … I’m sorry. They just showed up. I didn’t know-”

“Shut up! You two, get out of here the way you came!”

Through this all, the record continued to play, but all I could hear was Mr. Baxter’s rage.

“And you! Get over here!”

Paul and I turned tail and blasted through the door into the workshop. Paul shut the door behind him.

“Holy shit! His dad is … he’s crazy! Let’s get the hell outta here!”

For once I was willing to following Paul’s lead. As the bulkhead lock slid open, I heard Mr. Baxter’s anger turn up to eleven, while Robert Plant carried on.

“How many lessons do I need to teach you, Mark?! Another one?! And another?! I guess it’s time for one more! Come here!”

Mark started to cry. “No, Dad. Please.”

I couldn’t move. I knew that plea all too well. To leave, or stand idly by, knowing what was sure to come next, would be as damaging as what that bastard was about to do.

“What are you doing? Let’s go!” Paul said, and then flew out into the yard.

I turned and opened the basement door. Mr. Baxter had Mark pinned against the wall by the stereo, his arm cocked back with a fist. The record skipped. I’d say it was comically timed to my entrance, but the situation was anything but.

I’ve carried on a lot about how strange Mr. Baxter was. How he seemed to thrive on using the fear of damnation as a demented teaching tool, to kids who had been taught throughout their lives that Hell was no place to wind up. Throughout lessons failing in everything but illustrating the absurdity of it all, he had been kind. He had been patient and good. A seemingly willing volunteer to God. In that moment, the fog had lifted. Like with the ridiculous things he preached, he had fully veiled the truth of himself.

Mr. Baxter’s head snapped in my direction.

“I thought I told you to-”

My mouth opened, but nothing came out. My breath caught in my chest. My eyes were no longer looking at Mr. Baxter or Mark. The anger that had blazing within them turned to absolute terror, trained on the open laundry room door.

The being floated into the room.

Mr. Baxter dropped his arm and flattened himself against the wall next to his son. The record played on.

Tattered dark brown robes draped over what was mostly human-shaped, drifting about it within a nonexistent wind. Swirls of debris and filth floated within the gaps of the cloth. Though they could have been flies, as the sounds of Led Zeppelin seemed drowned out by a skittering, hissing sound that bordered on radio static. There was no face, no real body parts at all. Just a thing. I would say it stood about seven feet tall, but that wouldn’t be quite accurate. Because the best I could tell, it was floating. The thing drifted closer to the Baxters. Mark continued to cry. Mr. Baxter looked as though he might start. Neither one said a word.

A long piece of the thing’s robe lifted, as though carried by an arm that wasn’t there, pointing, at the abusive wretch against the wall. It spoke.

“NO.”

Mr. Baxter broke down and slid to the floor. His mouth moved the words of “Our Father,” though I couldn’t hear him over the hissing, the music, and the throbbing in my head.

Mark didn’t follow suit. Instead, he ran over and stood beside me.

“NO,” it hissed again.

“Please.”

“NO.”

“No. I know. I know,” Mr. Baxter whimpered. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know you said no. I won’t do it again. I won’t do it again. I won’t!”

“COME.”

The specs floating within the swirl of robes darted to where Mr. Baxter lay huddled on the floor. There was no music, only the sound of what had begun to consume Mark’s father within a cloud of black, black which became solid, almost gelatinous and liquid. He screamed as the mass took over the man’s shape, writhing on the floor in what appeared to be pure agony.

The screams became grotesque, muffled gurgles before ceasing as abruptly as the thing had appeared in the laundry room doorway. Mark turned his face away. I still couldn’t move at all.

I have no idea how much time had passed before what had overcome Mr. Baxter once again became a cloud of airborne debris. On the floor, only another stain to match those in the corners of the room, filling the room with the odor of stale urine. As though called back to their master, they drifted to where the robed thing hovered, wafting about it as they’d done before.

It didn’t go back into the laundry room. Instead, it was just gone. Just as was the music. Just as was Warren Baxter.

—

Outside, I wasn’t at all surprised to see Paul and his bike long gone. I’d been inside with Mark for a long while after what had happened. He was a raw mess, as anyone would be. I helped him give a call to his mother, who lived about an hour away. I stayed for about that long before walking my bike home — I was in no condition to ride.

“I’ll say he just left me here,” Mark said. “Nobody would believe me if I told them what really happened.”

“What about his car?”

“He walks a lot. Usually to the bar down the street. They’ll believe that. I know Mom will.”

I could tell you I was terrified, walking that stretch of road alone late at night, after what I’d seen. In truth, I was relieved. For so long I was told of mortal sins I thought frivolous as being the true path to Hell. That simple “impure thoughts” would destine me to a horrible eternity only a young, teenage boy could imagine. How could such things measure in defiance of all that is good to the monstrous acts of murder, or of rape, or of beating one’s own child? There was a comfort in knowing that once the Devil truly is in someone, he comes looking for that piece of him to take home.

—

My house was in complete darkness. I threw my bicycle into the garage and entered through the back door, into the kitchen. At that hour, I was sure everyone was asleep.

“Where’ve you been?” It was my father. The son of a bitch was standing in the doorway from the basement, in the dark. Ice cubes tinkled from his highball glass.

“I … was just putting my bike away.”

“No. You were out. All night.”

“Dad, I-”

“Get in your room.”

There was no point in carrying on. I did as he said and shut the door behind me.

It was a school night, but I wasn’t about ready to sleep. Sleep, I knew, wouldn’t come at all. Not after the Baxter’s. Not after Dad. It would be another day of looking tired, looking terrible. All under the guise of looking tough.

“What are you doing?” I heard my mother ask from down the hall. “What time is it?”

“Your son. I’m getting my belt.”

“Steven, no…”

I turned on the small stereo in my room. Led Zeppelin IV was already mounted on the turntable, affectionately played countless times in the past as I fought to sleep through a shroud of tears and pain.

I placed the needle down, and as the door to my room opened, I began to turn it counter-clockwise by hand.

[toallyouprincesses]

When Your Faith Is Smaller Than A Mustard Seed

What’s interesting about getting to the end of your rope is that it tends to shed light on your faith. Hardships can exhaust a person till they are at their end, wondering if they should hope in a brighter future, questioning if God is going to change these circumstances soon, feeling their faith take a beating till they can barely whisper a hallelujah. Lately, I have been noticing many Christians going through hardships, including my family. Our faith is being tested more than it ever has been. Yet, in all the injustice and betrayals, God continues to be faithful to us. So, asking God to encourage our tired hearts, we rise again today and say, “Lord, we believe but help our unbelief.”

I am here today to encourage you and be vulnerable myself. If you can relate to feeling you are in the midst of a trying season, I want you to know you are not alone.

Note: I am typing this post right now and have no idea what I am about to write. God has put it on my heart to talk about faith, of all things. So I am going to be obedient, sit here and write what comes to mind, and let’s see where God takes this post. It's funny -- to write about faith, I need a little faith.

Well, let’s start at the beginning. What is faith? From what I can tell, it is something you don’t realize you have until you need it. It is hoping beyond what you see (Hebrews 11:1). It is taking a step off a boat and walking on water.

Faith is a gift.

I find myself often asking God for more faith because I know I don’t have enough of it on my own. I love Jesus so much, and if you were to ask me if I believed He could do miracles, in a heartbeat I would tell you He can, and would share my story and the impossible things He has done for me in my life.

He has done so much for me. I like to brag about what He has done in the past but I’ve noticed that I usually do not talk about what He will do in the future.

Sometimes, I think, but what if He doesn’t do that thing that I am hoping for? What if my mom doesn’t get better? I am cautious to say, “He will heal her because He healed me!” when I have seen that God has His own plan and His own way of doing things in people’s bodies that does not always align with my hope for an instant miracle. What if I can’t afford to go to school? Sometimes, doors close for a reason. Who am I to judge God and His ways?

So, I stay quiet when I talk about the future and what God may or may not do. How can I know?

But I want to share with you what I have been pondering in my heart: Though I do not, and should not, hope for things that fade and change, I can safely hope in Christ. (Hebrews 6:13-20)

I believe this is where faith comes alive in our lives, when our faith is placed in Him only, and when difficult times come, we can speak and act confidently because we know God is faithful.

If you know who God is, it does not matter what happens in the future; your hope is that the future will be good because you will be with God, and He will be with you.

This is faith: absolutely knowing that God is true to His word and His character, in every situation, in every “accident” that happens, in the middle of your finances and plans — in every area of your life — He is God.

That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. -1 Corinthians 2:5

Do you remember in my last post where I talked about going back to school? That took a lot of trust in God, and He was so good to me. I ended my semester well, started working on my thesis, and then, my mom got sick again during the summer. One day, while praying for her, I heard God’s voice; He asked me if I’d be willing to give up my dreams for a year and serve my mom. It wasn’t a demand, it was a choice, a question, but I knew by saying, “yes,” though it would give me freedom to love my mom is such a unique way, I would also be leaving my life behind.

Well, I emailed my advisor the following week and told her I would be leaving my school to move across the country for my mom.

Though it may sound like a admirable thing to do, and granted, I have enjoyed the fact that I am relieving my mom of certain responsibilities, it would not be a sacrifice if it did not hurt. It was not easy to leave behind my school, church, friends, and professors. I am doing a type of work that I know how to do but am not passionate about, the kind of work I left behind to pursue a career in teaching. That has been tough too.

Things that look admirable are rarely without sacrifice of some kind.

Do you know why I said yes? It’s because I saw the way God was with me during my first year in school, and though I feel so inadequate to be here in this situation, God is the one who asked if I would be willing. He wouldn’t ask if He didn’t fully know that through Him, I would be able to handle it.

I’m here by faith.

I trust God’s wisdom more than my intelligence. I trust His ability to persevere beyond my strength. I trust He is kinder than I know how to be. I trust in His patience when I fluster. I trust He is gracious when I wander.

“Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6

God is who He says He is, and He will be faithful, as He always has been in the past.

This is the only thing I know to be sure in my future. I may not be bold enough to speak about the certainty of some things, but I will choose to speak confidently about the presence of God in my future. And whatever He promises from then till now and from now till then, I’ll declare it with conviction because God does not lie.

I do not know when or how my mom will heal. I do not know when or how I will begin school again. I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but I know this: God will be good. That’s the only thing that has helped me put one foot in front of the other, and that alone, I believe, will continue to fill me with hope.

If you are still reading, thank you. I told you, I was not sure where this post would go, but I am so glad it brought us both to this place. Just writing these words down have encouraged me to continue to trust in Jesus. I pray for impossible things all the time, because I know God is able, but at the end of my day, even if those things do not happen, as long as God is with me, my soul is at rest.

Tonight, I went to my secret place with God; it is a little spot where I can have my time with the Lord. I ran to Jesus, imagined laying against Him, and He said to me: Just be.

That is all we need, Princesses, to know that we can just be with God. Jesus is enough. Do you know why Peter could walk on the water? Jesus called Him out onto the water. When Peter was looking at Jesus, he did the impossible but when He looked away, out of fear and doubt, He sank (Matthew 14:22-33).

I think faith works that way; it’s like gasoline for our cars, it fuels us in this life with God (James 1:6, Hebrews 11:6).

I have so many questions, and too much to do, but right now, even if all I can do is just be, and my hallelujah is a whisper, God hears me and sees my faith, smaller than a mustard seed. Jesus will work with what I give to Him. He can use me right where I’m at, and He can use you right where you are. He only asks that we look to Him and walk towards Him. So, let us continue to seek God, even in the trying times, with the shield of faith in front of us, determined not to let the enemy keep us down. Our hope is in Christ alone, no matter what we are living through or what we see.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. -2 Corinthians 5:7

Lord, thank you for faith. Thank you for this gift that enables us to walk towards you and towards what you want us to do. Thank you for being you, God. I love who you are, Jesus, and that I can come to you vulnerably and you understand. You know us so well, Lord. I ask for you to heal my mama, you know her body so much better than I, and I entrust her once again into your hands. Jesus, you know my struggles, as you do the struggles of every person reading this post, and I ask you to give us a greater measure of grace to do what you are calling us to do.

Help us to walk on water, to keep our eyes focused on you, and not look to the right nor the left. God, we believe, but help our unbelief. Give us more faith in the areas that we need it, especially when our faith is smaller than a mustard seed, though I know you only need a little faith to move mountains. I’m not ashamed to say I need you, Lord, and that I can’t do this by myself. You know that we cannot do this life alone, which is why you are with us, and why you’ve sent your people to walk with us as we walk with them. Thank you for this body, this church and community which we are ushered into because of our united love for you. You are so good, Jesus. Help us to remember your faithfulness as we move forward in faith. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

I hope these words encouraged you, Princesses.

With love, Katya

p.s. Just a reminder, we have a Prayer Wall on this website, and if you ever need prayer for something, I welcome you to share it with us (you can remain anonymous, if you want to!) Also, I encourage you to read the other prayers, and pray for those who share their burdens with us. Jesus gave us one another for a reason. :)

When Your Faith Is Smaller Than A Mustard Seed was originally published on To All You Princesses

[pacificrey]

The Father, The Son, and the Sinner

Chapter 4: Job 42:6

Chapter 3: (X)

Summary: The Lord works in mysterious ways, but Brett and Trevor and trying to work with him. With their man captured, Brett and Trevor are finally able to do what they do best: put on a show.

Read on AO3: (X)

“Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes.”

This is not how he was imagining this night was going to go. The last thing he could remember was that priest pointing that gun at him. Not like it was the strangest thing that had ever happened to him, but it was definitely up there. He opens his eyes now, but everything was black. He tries to blink a few times, but it's still black. There's something covering his mouth as well, preventing him from speaking. His hearing is also coming back, and as it does, he starts to hear someone talking. No, not talking. Preaching. The cadence, the pauses, the way his voice rises and falls. He's preaching.

"Love thy neighbor, as one loves thyself.

But what does the Lord say to do when thy neighbor is cruel and punishing?

If thy neighbor is murderous and lying?

If thy neighbor is a cheater and a crook?

Why then, should we love our neighbor?"

The man wiggles, trying to see how loose they tied him, and is discouraged to discover that he's actually zip-tied pretty tight.

"If you do not forgive others, neither will the Father forgive your transgressions. Only the Father can forgive your transgressions.

Bring your evil deeds to the Lord, and he will forgive you. For there is forgiveness in the Lord."

He's in a chair, that much he can figure out. One hand is zip-tied to the back rungs of the chair, and his other hand seems to be zip-tied to...something, but his hand is spread, and he can't move his fingers or retract his hands. This makes his worried.

"But in this house, this house. This house holds no sympathy for the sinner. In this house, He will condemn the sinner.

We deal with those sinners as God dealt with those that disobeyed him. We gather here tonight to find forgiveness. To bring together this family.

We gather here to punish the sinner."

He's really worried now. Who the fuck are these people? He can recognize the voice now, it was the shorter man that had hit him with the gun. He can also hear now some kind of organ, playing in time with the man's sermon.

"Bring forth the lamb."

And with that, the bag on his head rips off, and a bright light floods his eyes, forcing him to close them. When his eyes finally he adjusts he thinks God, I'm in deep shit, as he is finally able to look around him. He's at the front of this...church, but it's barely one and the priest is standing off to his left. There are two nuns sitting in the front row on the right side, and two men sitting on the left. They looked ragged, their faces cut up and one is sitting next to a pair of crutches. But their faces looks angry as they stare at him. He catches out of the corner of his eye the second priest that he had seen earlier, the blonde one. He was sitting in the corner playing a song on a keyboard. Suddenly, he remembered the words that were spoken to uncover him. The lamb.

--

"Brother Trevor, let us pray for a moment in silence," Brett said, closing his eyes and trying to hold back a smile. He was enjoying this way too much. "Now," he said after a moment, opening his eyes. "Sister Anna, Sister Lindsay, please bring forth his salvation." Anna and Lindsay stand, holding two boxes. He hears the man behind him wiggling and trying to say something but ignores it. He opens the boxes and brings out a hammer and nails. Anna and Lindsay return to their seats. The man is wide-eyed, and Trevor kicks up the music. He turns back to his parish.

"For in the eyes of the Lord, we are all great. But we must admit and abolish those sins that we commit." Brett turns back to the man, hardly containing his smile. He rips the tape of the man's mouth, who takes a deep breath, glaring at Brett. But there's fear in the man's eyes.

"What do you want from me," he whispers, but Brett ignores him.

"Through pain, reconciliation is achieved," Bretts says, and his crew gives a loud Amen. "Repent."

"What?' the man says, but Brett doesn't answer, instead, driving a nail into the man's thumb. He screams, in both shock and pain, tears forming in his eyes. "What the fuck?!" he screams, but Brett once again ignores him.

"By suffering, forgiveness is found," Brett says over the man's yelling, and the crowd says even louder, Amen, getting more worked up. He turns to the man in the chair. "Repent."

"Why are you fucking doing this?!" the man screams, his whole body shaking. Instead of answering Brett just smiles and drives another nail into his pointer finger. The man just screams, and Aleks and James in the front row begin to yell and laugh.

"Amid torment, demons are exorcised," Brett yells over the man's crying and screaming. Amen! the people echo.

"Fuck you! Fuck you all!" He screams, but there's definitely fear in his voice now, his breath is shaky and as Brett turns around, he tries feebly to wiggle away. The blood coats the wooden board his hand is nailed to, and even that slipperiness can't help him get out.

"Repent." Brett simply stares at him, a wide smile on his face. The music rises, and the man tries to be brave.

"Fuck you," he says again, spitting in Brett's face. Brett nods his head and smiles, grabbing the man’s hand and driving a nail deep through the man's middle finger. Screams once again fill the warehouse, and Trevor tries to match with a chord. James hoots and hollers and Aleks laughs. The man's breathing is shakier, and his face is streaming with tears. "Please," he starts to bargain. "Please, I can give you money," he says, whispering at Brett. Finally, Brett acknowledges him.

"The Church of Taurus has no such need for funds from a sinner." Lindsay laughs and Brett smiles at her with a Like that? look. Brett's hands are bloody, and he's holding a hammer in one hand and two nails in the other, and as he turns back to his congregation, he spreads his arms wide. He yells out, "In the name of sacrifice, punishment is forgotten!" and his followers match his enthusiasm. Amen! The man has stopped screaming but has replaced that with full-on crying.

"Please," he bawls. "Please stop." Brett leans down, getting close to his face and breathes.

"Repent." The man looks out to meet his eyes and Brett stands back up, hammering a nail right through his ring finger. The man is screaming in a primal craze, shaking the chair back and forth, head rocking. The blood is flowing freely from his hand, and it drips like candle wax onto the floor. Brett yells once again over his screaming, Trevor rising in volume to match.

"With blood, sin is abolished." The congregation yells back, Amen. The man is full-on terrified now, and as Brett turns back to him he pleads again, trying to make the next nail stop.

"What do you want," the man cried, and Brett answered:

"Repent."

And with one final blow, Brett nails the man's pinky to the board and the group erupts in joyous yelling, matching the man's horrified screams. Suddenly the man seems to have a stroke of clarity and stops screaming.

"Wait," chokes out. "Wait, wait, wait," he pleads, his eyes shut and his forehead wrinkled in pain. Brett pauses and signals to Trevor, who turns down his music but still plays dramatically. The energy of the people behind him is palpable, and Brett feeds off of it.

"And who are we?" Brett smiles, swinging his hammer back and forth like a pendulum.

"You're those people from the bar, the ones that were trying to make that deal, trying to cut into my territory." He pauses. "The one that I blew up." Brett can tell that the man wants to gloat about that, but he's in too much pain.

"Bingo," Brett whispers and turns back to the people. "The Lord works in mysterious ways, and those that suffer in his ranks suffer justly in the name of God." As he speaks, Brett walks up the aisle, stopping once and a while to nod to people or put a hand on a shoulder in condolence. "For those that follow the path and ministry of Christ are those that will be welcoming in the Kingdom of God." Brett walks back to the front, walking straight up to the man, and kneels in front of him, dipping his fingers in the man's blood. "In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit I send back to you your Son." Brett makes the sign of the cross, first in front of himself, then marking the man with his own blood.

"May God have mercy on your soul." Brett pulls out his handgun and points it at the man's forehead. The congregation yells Amen, and Brett pulls the trigger, the shot echoing throughout the warehouse. Brett turns back to his crew, blood splattering his face and smiles. They all return the look, laughing and joking.

"Thank you very much to everyone that attended service today. There are coffee and donuts in the lobby for everyone." Brett says, and Trevor plays one last chord. Everyone stands up, and Brett helps Aleks and James make their way out of their makeshift church.

Trevor walks past the man, and glances back and takes one last look. The man's tied to the chair, one hand nailed to a board, his head rolled back, and blood surrounding the whole scene. In the background, the altar with the cross still has a lit candle, and Trevor blows it out before finally turns up the aisle to join the rest of the crew.

"Hallelujah."

[newstfionline]

After Texas church massacre, tiny town turns to prayer to begin healing process

By Peter Holley and Eli Rosenberg, Washington Post, November 12, 2017

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Tex.--The sprawling white tent was already packed with hundreds of mourners Sunday, some of them spilling outside beneath an overcast sky, by the time Frank Pomeroy, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, took to the stage. He stood in front of a wooden cross wrapped in holiday lights.

At this moment a week earlier, with Pomeroy out of town, Devin Kelley entered the small white church and started shooting members of the pastor’s beloved congregation with an assault-style rifle. Twenty-six of them, including a pregnant woman’s unborn child, would die in the massacre.

In a tent erected on a baseball field a few blocks away, Pomeroy was again preaching, this time to a far larger congregation made up of victims, their family members, locals and outsiders who arrived from around the region to show their support for this tiny, heartbroken town.

“I know everyone who lost their life that day, some of which were my best friends, and my daughter,” Pomeroy said, pausing to hold back tears as the crowd began to applaud and yell encouragement. “I guarantee without any shadow of a doubt they are dancing with Jesus today.”

Pomeroy told the crowd that his church, just days removed from being full of FBI crime scene investigators and the horrors of the largest mass shooting in Texas history, would reopen to the public Sunday as a memorial. It had been cleaned, painted and had audio from previous services playing in the background.

“I haven’t seen this done in other catastrophes,” Pomeroy said. “But I want the world to know that that building will be open so that everyone who walks in there will know that the people who died lived for their lord and savior.”

Members of the crowd, most wearing jeans and leather boots, listened to sermons from Pomeroy, Sen. John Cornyn and Mark Collins, a pastor at a nearby church, who spoke about the importance of faith and healing. They sang along to songs and hymns, many hugging and breaking down into tears.

Sutherland Springs, faced with unimaginable loss, has turned to its faith as its most potent coping mechanism. Instead of casting blame, or going into hiding or questioning why this tragedy befell them, this town has instead publicly looked to God, believing that there’s a reason for all of this. The victims, many here believe, are in a better place. Sorrow has quickly morphed into courage and resolve.

That began immediately after the Nov. 5 massacre, which took place during weekly Sunday services. Shellshocked residents began to gather at this tiny town’s community center, and Mike Gonzales, a pastor and local activist, arrived with one question in mind.

“What time is the prayer vigil?” he said, tapping neighbors on their shoulders one by one. “Does anyone know where we’re going to pray?”

Nobody had an answer. Some told the 46-year-old retired Army warrant officer that it was too early to think about a vigil. Bodies were still lying in the grass outside First Baptist Church a block away.

Gonzales disagreed. He took a deep breath and yelled, “Excuse me, can I have your attention? There will be a prayer vigil at 7 p.m. tonight at the post office!”

Six hours later, in a parking lot illuminated by candles, Gonzales--clad in black and with a fresh military buzz cut--was surrounded by hundreds of mourners, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), as he led the first worship service since Kelley, 26, had slaughtered 25 First Baptist congregants, eight of them children and teenagers.

“I propose we take a pact, right here, in this small town, that evil will not prevail,” Gonzales said. “That right here in the heart of Texas, this community, Sutherland Springs in Wilson County, will be stronger than ever!”

“Amen,” the teary mourners replied.

“If you agree, lift your candle,” he added. “It starts right now.”

At Gonzales’s impromptu gathering--and at multiple prayer vigils and memorials that followed, including one that featured Vice President Pence and a “prayer strategist”--a similar sequence unfolded: sorrow-filled remembrances, vows of support, calls for faith and fiery condemnations of evil, followed by gospel music, shouts of “Hallelujah!,” streaming tears and hands reached high.

In the homes and churches around Sutherland Springs, where families mourned their loved ones alongside preachers from around the region, the importance of prayer was never up for debate, even if it meant accepting an event of such horror: Only God could explain it.

Many Sutherland Springs residents said they consider prayer a deep and concrete response to the tragedy. The shooting was the result of a deranged individual, they said, not the type of weapon he used. To prevent another mass killing, they argued, society has to start by changing the culture that conditioned the killer. That starts with prayer, they said.

“It’s all we have sometimes,” Gonzales said. “It also begins the process of healing. Without it, you won’t heal, and right now people here are hungry for that.”

More than half of Americans say they pray daily, according to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey. The same survey found that 63 percent of adults in Texas say they pray at least once a day, and 76 percent say they believe in heaven.

In scrappy, small Texas towns such as Sutherland Springs, where prayer occurs before local football games and veterans meetings, at the community center, and before school each morning, expressions of faith are woven into daily life. The town of about 400 people is home to a Dollar General store, a post office and a pair of gas stations, but it has four churches and one Islamic center. More than 10 percent of the county’s residents live below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and community leaders say churches are the place locals turn when they lose a job, they need a meal or they can’t afford to pay for a funeral.

The Rev. Stephanie Spellers, an Episcopal priest, said that in moments of conflict or tragedy, prayer can facilitate the cooperative selflessness a community needs to endure.

“Prayer is really as much about our own orientation as it is about changing God’s mind,” she said. “It’s not like it somehow shifts the wind in a different direction, but it shifts us in a different direction.”

Paul Buford, the senior pastor of River Oaks Church--a Baptist church three miles away from the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs--said that’s exactly what prayer has helped his congregation do in recent days.

In the hours after the shooting, Buford’s church was converted into a crisis center for victims’ families, turning classrooms into a temporary home for the Red Cross and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

“I’ve had many wet shoulders over the past few days,” he said.

The ties between the two churches are many, with some families, such as the Holcombes--who lost eight members in the shooting--attending services in each church, Buford said.

Prayer has been a bulwark against the kind of hopelessness and blame that could swallow a town after 10 percent of its residents were shot. From the perspective of evangelical Christian believers, he said, meaninglessness might be the worst possible fate because belief assures one a place in “God’s kingdom.”

“What is the point of slogging through life day by day by day so that when we die, we’re put in the ground and we throw dirt on top of the person and that’s it?” Buford said. “That’s a scary thought. But I have something to look forward to. Do you?”

As he’s wrestled with the killings, Gonzales said he’s returned to a line in the Bible from Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” To die in a church, while expressing one’s faith, he said, would’ve been considered an honor in biblical times.

“Anyone who lost their life in that church is part of a legacy that will live on forever,” Gonzales said.

Several days after she survived the First Baptist Church shooting, Rosanne Solis holed up in her dimly lit trailer at the end of a quiet neighborhood street in Sutherland Springs. Recovering from a shoulder wound, Solis is pondering death as well, namely, how she narrowly avoided it.

“I’m still shocked by the fact that all these children died. I knew all of them that were in there,” she said, before nodding toward her boyfriend, Joaquin Ramirez, who was grazed by a bullet inside the church. “I feel guilty because we survived and they didn’t. It’s God’s way, but I don’t understand God at all.”

Between trips to the doctor and to the store, she’s forced to change her bandages at least three times a day, and she’ll have permanent physical reminders of what happened in that church. “The doctors said it will take at least a year to heal,” she said. “The bullet went straight through and left a big, deep hole.”

But with the help of prayer, Solis said, her belief in God is deeper now than it was a week ago.

“We got out of that church for a reason, and that reason is for me to have a closer relationship with God than I did in the past,” Solis said. “I’m a changed person now.”

[pooma-bible]

Praise God.

Let us pray..

Father we pray that you speak to us all and help is to understand. In Jesus name we pray. Praise God.

It is another time for encounter.

May God minister to us all. Amen

The topic is: The Gift(s) of God..

You may know or you may not know, but if you are born again, you have gifts of God in you..Especially if you have the Holy Spirit..

That they are there doesn't mean that they will be discovered..

Many have died with undiscovered virtues and glory. May we not end like that in Jesus name..Whatever God wants us to do, he gives us grace to do.

God will not assign you a job and leave you to find the resources for it. Instead he:

Equips

Empowers

Energizes, etc

So, when God said be it holy. Is not a call to start looking for holiness, it is a call to fellowship.

He is Holiness. If you leave him, the farther you are to him, the farther you from holiness..

So when God said yea are the salt and light in Matthew 5, it is not a call to salt yourself or light yourself.

God himself is the one to light you..and salt you. .To that effect, he sends the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah. So the Holy Spirit is given to us, to make us salt and light. This point is crucial. If you miss this point, you may not understand. That is why Paul said, it is the Lord who walketh in us both to will and to do. Unto his good pleasure.

Note well pls. It is only that which God accomplishes through you that is an acceptable service unto him. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philip 2:13..Whatsoever is not done by the Spirit of God is not well done..

Note well pls..

Something can be intelligently done but not well done before God..It can be flamboyantly done and is not well done..So God gave us the Holy Spirit. That was why God told the Apostles. Don't go out until He comes upon you.

Because he is all you are to be in the world.

These Salt and Light.. He is the source. In fact he is the Salt and Light..

So they waited, Meanwhile, if they had gone without him, they actually had story to tell but no impact to make...

Because the impart is the Holy Ghost..

Praise God. What am teaching us today, is a truth that many won't naturally teach. Because if you discover your purpose, they think it will threaten there own fame and ministry. Meanwhile, your rising won't affect mine just as mine can't affect yours. God can use all of us gloriously.

Also, leadership is not about sitting on people who are redundant, it is about influencing others to find their purpose and become leaders.. Meanwhile, if any of us hearing this rises up or apply this truth, and influenced millions, I will have part of the rewards..In this kingdom, selfishness has no gain. Hallelujah

And this is what Christ wants us to be in the world.

And to be it, he sent the Holy Spirit..So, Holy Spirit is given to us so that we can be

Salt - fruit of the Spirit

And

Light - gifts of the Spirit..

Now listen good..

If you are born again, you have in you some measure of the Spirit...

If you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you have in you the activation of some or all the possibilities that Christ's death and resurrection makes available for the Church..

So, every believer in Christ Jesus has gift or gifts..

It may be dormant, Rusting, Unknown, Undiscovered, Untapped,

But it is there...See without grace and gift, Christian life is boring. Today you will discover your gift in Jesus name.. Those who have discovered it already will receive grace to make it a better use of it in Jesus name

While my certificate which I paid money to possess has not fetch me a dime, the gift of God upon me which I received free of charge from God had given me huge amount of money that I can't mention even without asking from those people.

You know why? The gift of a man makes room for him..But you must note that, God's gift is never for personal gain..But as you are serving the Lord with his gifts, he services you by moving men to communicate to you..

Hallelujah

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:7: But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

It is given, not only to Pastor, Bishop, Prophet, Apostle, etc. but to every man..And it is not to build empire but to build the body Christ......

Eternal father we praise you for this opportunity. Lord tonight speak to us. Thank you Lord, in Jesus name we pray..The gift of God is given to expand the kingdom of God.

God's purpose is advanced on earth by the gift(s) of God in the lives of people of God.

It is the resources given us to profit with..

God's gift is to be used to serve God's purpose and to advance his kingdom.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 1 Corinthians 12:7

This gift is sharpens and increased by putting it to use.

When you use divine deposit of God that is upon you to serve God, he increases his grace upon you.

Don't forget that have established that you have the gift of God upon you.

You may not know, but I tell you that you have the gift of God inside of you. That gift increases when you make use of it. Whatever God accomplishes through you must be used to expand his kingdom.

When God heals somebody through you, you must ensure that the person is linked with God. It is not about using gift of God for your personal gain but for expansion of God's purpose. Are you operating in the prophetic? Use it to expand God's purpose.

Are you a teacher of God's word, don't use it for selfish gain.

Why you won't have more is because heaven is not gaining from the one that had been released to you.

Is like a talent. Only those who utilizes it well will have more to trade with.

[15] And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. [16] Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. [17] And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. [18] But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. [19] After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. [20] And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. [21] His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. [22] He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. [23] His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. [24] Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: [25] And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. [26] His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: [27] Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. [28] Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. [29] For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. Matthew 25:15-29

If men will use God's gift to glorify God, the world will soon be convicted to the Lord's side.

It is because God's gift is not channeled towards God's kingdom, that is why we are not making much profits in soul winning. The charge today is simple but I pray that we all heed it.

It is about using with we have received from God to build the kingdom of God.

Don't monetize gospel.

Don't sell anointing oil.

Don't sell Apron.

Don't sell water.

Make all free because you were given free of charge.

Remember, it is called gift, so don't sell it....

Closing prayer:

Lord we are grateful once again that you are still lenient with us. We thank you for your patience.

Lord we pray that in all the areas we have misused your gift, Lord we are sorry.

Lord we pray that you help us to correct our ways. Thank you for your mercy. In Jesus name we pray...Thanks to the Admin. Till next week. God bless us all. May God open our eyes to God's gifts inside of us and help us to use it for his glory. Awareness is the first and that is what God is helping me to do. Once that consciousness is there, knowing it and using that gift of God for his glory will not be a problem. I pray that God give us understanding of this reality.

Lord I thank you for this revealed truth, I pray that all hearers receive ability to glorify you with that which you have deposited inside of them. Lord I pray that you will impart those who don't have gift yet with gifts and those have before, you give more. And help us all to glorify you with it. Thank you Lord. In Jesus name we pray.

[dalyunministry]

THE OIL FOR DESTINY

By. Pastor. Ernest Kwame Amonoo.

🔰

Hallelujah Hallelujah

Good evening ministers of the Gospel, great Men and Women here.

We're here again to bring unto Us a Word from the Lord

Let us Pray: Lord we thank you for the very breath of life and this precious opportunity to share your living word. I pray Lord, that you guide us and teach us to hear your voice so that we may be the doers of your word and not just hearers. Glory and honor be to your Holy name I pray Amen..

Tonight I want to share something very brief on the topic I have entitled THE OIL FOR DESTINY

Let’s us open our bibles to the book of Mathew chapter 25:3-4

3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps

Looking critically at the verses, God himself described an oilless man as a foolish man. He said that those that were foolish took no oil in their lamps but those that were wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps

So oil doesn’t not fall upon people who are not yet vessels..

Listen! For the oil of God to come upon your head you must be a vessel. When you study that scripture very well the Bible says that there were ten virgins. It says five were wise and five were foolish.

Hear me child of God..The five that were wise were wise because they had oil and the five that were foolish were foolish because they had no oil

The Bible says they were all virgins, meaning they were even all Christians..

So the difference between what stands Christians out and what makes you difference from the normal Christian is a function of the oil that’s upon your head. Tonight I came to provoke oil on someone’s head and it’s called the oil of destiny and I prophesy by the oil on my head that every limitation placed on your life.

Listen! The ones that were wise as the story tells us sat on their own and the ones without oil cane to them for oil.

Write this down: In destiny if you don’t want to die a dependant go for the oil.

In Isaiah 61:3, To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

In James 5:14 and 15

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

In psalm 23:5, I like the B part.. it says: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

With this scripture you will notice that what’s on your HEAD is determine by what’s in your CUP.

Listen! Every empty head produces an empty cup..When the head carries nothing the cup handles nothing.

¶ HOW DO I PROVOKE THIS OIL

In 1samuel 16:13, The Bible says and Samuel took a HORN of OIL and anointed David in the midst of his brethren and the spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward

In 1samuel 10:1, The Bible says and Samuel took a VIAL of OIL and poured it upon the head of Saul.

Hear this child of God! One was anointed with the HORN of OIL and the other was anointed with VIAL of OIL..the one that was anointed with vial of oil never completed his assignment on earth as a king but the one anointed with the HORN of oil fulfilled his assignment and left a legacy.

Now let’s look at the difference here..For you to get a horn an animal must be killed but for you to get a vail you don’t need to kill anything. So if divine oil for destiny must come upon you then something has to go out of you... something in you has to die... I mean your flesh has to die

In John 12:24 the Bible says that: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

In 1Corinthians 15:31, Paul Said something profound..I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our LORD, I die daily.

Listen! As a Christian when you can’t control your emotions then you are still alive..

When you can’t control your mind then you are still alive..when people speak against you and you respond because you can’t hold yourself is because your flesh is still alive..

Why am I saying all these..Because a dead man cannot reply

In Philippians 1:21, Paul says: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

¶ HOW CAN I KILL THE FLESH..

1. Spiritual exercise

In psalm 63:1-2, the Bible says:

1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

it takes spiritual exercise to kill the flesh.

To see an experience of power there must be a longing of the soul and a thirsting of the flesh..when the flesh dies there’s an excessive flow of the spirit.

PRAYER is the Number one spiritual exercise to kill the flesh.

The Bible says and Jesus began to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane..

Gethsemane means oil pressed or oil manufactured..

So how did Jesus manufactured oil in the Garden is by prayer.

Jesus prayed till the sweat that was coming from him were like drops of blood..

When we exercise our spirit by prayer, we respond to and are strengthened within by the interceding Christ, and we cooperate with the fighting Spirit in our spirit to overcome the flesh.

Prayer is the platform of accessing spiritual authority to deal and overcome the power of the flesh..It takes fighting Spirit in our spirit by prayer to defeat the flesh. Our flesh never changes or improves, in order for us to prevail against the flesh we need to pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17; Col. 4:2),

When we pray, we are one with the interceding Christ (Rom. 8:34), and when we put the flesh to death, we are one with the fighting Spirit (Gal. 5:17).

When the flesh dies you live as if sin is not an issue..when the flesh die you fast without struggle.

When the flesh dies you control your thought rather than your thought controlling you..

by the power of the Holy Ghost and the oil of God,

I release upon your life the appetite and the Baptism of prayer upon someone in the name of Jesus.

2) The second thing to kill the flesh is Righteousness

In Hebrews 1:9 the Bible says: Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

So never assumed that in Christianity be.

Listen! It is Your hunger for righteousness that rate you above others..So God is saying if I must see you above others solve the sin issue. Ladies and gentlemen you can be better than others but what makes you stand out is your love for righteousness and your hatred for sin..

Sin is a major hinderance for a great destiny..

the easiest way to live a sin free life is to die to the flesh.. for the oil of destiny to manifest in your life love what God loves and hate what God hates..

In Isaiah 59:2, But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

I pray for you tonight. May God help you to overcome the power. Like to stop because of time tonight..

Prayer Point:

Pray this prayer before you sleep.. My father my father as I begin to pray help me oh God to die to the flesh.. Thank you all for your time and attention..God be with you all and bless us all..peace shalom.

[dalyunministry]

Word Ministration

Topic: God's will versus self will

By. Matthew Oladipupo Ogunsola

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Praise the Lord, Hallelujah !

Indeed, l would like to thank God for His preserving grace over our lives because it is by His mercies that we have not been consumed by Covid-19 pandemic, other ravaging diseases and nefarious human activities. Also, my unreserved appreciation goes to His minister for this special privilege to share God's word among His children.

Let us pray! Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unconditional love for mankind. I bless Your name for the single greatest sacrifice Jesus Christ made at calvary so that humanity can be saved from eternal perdition. Thank You God for making Your will for the world to come to pass at calvary. As Your word is shared, minister to our hearts through Your spirit and bless us mightily in Jesus name, amen.

Today, we want to consider the message titled : God's Will Versus Self Will.

Our text is taken from the book of Luke 22:42 (KJV) "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will,

Let us briefly look at the meaning of God's will and self will. God's will or God's plan implies everything that God desires to happen in heaven and on earth. In other words, God's will is described as the actions taken or words spoken based on divine love, selflessness, honesty and purity. Therefore, He has planned what He wishes to take place. For example, in the first part of the Lord’s Prayer, found in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to pray that the Father’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10 (KJV), "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

As a result, there is every need for humanity to get to know and act on God's purpose for mankind generally and individually. Without this, it would be impossible to please our maker and reign with Him eventually. Going forward, this is part of the series we will be looking at weekly should Jesus Christ tarry and as the Holy Spirit helps us. As a result, there is every need for humanity to get to know and act on God's purpose for mankind generally and individually. Without this, it would be impossible to please our maker and reign with Him eventually.

On the other hand, Self will refers to the action taken or words spoken with the ego and the determination to have one's way, to get what is being desired sometimes irrespective of the cost. The word “will” is thelma. It means “what one wishes or has determined will happen.” That is, we are to desire God to have His will and His plans fulfilled. That is, your life and plans need to agree with His.

In order to know God's will, we must first know God Himself. This is done by committing our lives to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. He fulfilled a crucial will of God for humanity when He saved us from our sins and reconciled the world back to God through His death at calvary, His burial, resurrection and ascension back to heaven. Once we have accepted Him into our hearts as our Lord and Saviour, we then become His children praying and searching His word so as to know His will for our lives.

The Bible says, “Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path” (Psalm 27:11). Knowing God's will not only give us true destiny fulfilment but also give us peace in the midst of everyday trials and temptations. In the book of Luke 22:42 (KJV), Jesus Christ declared : "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." This is no doubt a very critical moment in human history. Jesus Christ fulfilled God's will against all odds. It was not easy at all for Him at calvary considering the pains and agony He underwent in order to bring to pass God's will for the world.

One crucial lesson here is that in yielding one self's will to God's will. There are personal sacrifices we have to make. For instance, one of God's wills for us as Christians is to abstain from sexual immorality through righteous lifestyle because our bodies are God's temples that must not be defiled. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.

Many people see fornication, adultery, rape, incest, bestiality, etc as a form of pleasure whereas they are sins against God. Self will pushes them into such acts as against God's will. Around the world today, it is alarming the rate at which Satan is using the weapon of sexual immorality to destroy lives. It is simply the pursuit of self will against God's will.

Another important example on the theme of God's will versus self will is seen in the book of Daniel 3. Here, we have an account of how the three Hebrews i.e. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the golden image that was set up by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Despite the fact that He threatened and did throw them into the fiery burning furnance. God proved Himself as He sent His Angel to deliver them. Their bodies did not even smell the flames of the fire not to talk of their hairs and dresses that were not affected in any way despite the furnace being heated seven times more than it was previously. They had at the back of their mind God's first commandment and desire in the book of Exodus 20:1 that “I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any strange gods before Me.”

Jesus Christ further emphasised this in the book of Matthew 22:34-37 (KJV) 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

God's will and desire for mankind is for us to love Him with all our hearts and with all our soul and with all our mind because He even first loved us by sacrificing His only begotten Son for the world. He is a jealous God. Just a husband would not want to share his wife with any other man, God is not ready to share the Church of Christ with any other gods. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego yielded to God's will despite the fact that all other nations, people and languages allowed theirselves' will to conquer them. This resulted in the proclamation that only the three Hebrews' God must be worshipped across all nations, kingdoms and their eventual promotion.

The lesson here is that doing God's will leads to promotion. Job also did not yield to self will but to the will of God despite all His trials. He was even encouraged by His wife to curse God and die. He endured the persecutions of Satan. He lived for 140 years after the persecutions seeing the fourth generation with manifold blessings from God. If Job were to follow self will, he would have denied God during period of his trials and persecutions. He would have yielded to her wife's piece of advice. The important lesson here for us is that in difficult and good moments, we should do only the will of God and not ours.

Let us pray! Father in heaven, thank you for your word tonight, we ask that grace to do your will only in all circumstances; give to us in Jesus name, amen. Thanks and God bless us all in Jesus name, amen !

[dalyunministry]

Word Ministration

Topic : Abide in Vine

By. Min. Sergius Boniface

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Good evening mighty men and Women

I'm glad to be here. Hallelujah🔥

JESUS is lifted ones again in our mist and He is gonna show up if only we will abide in His Word coming unto Us this day!

I'm humbled to be given this great and august opportunity to preach the word. God bless you Sir and God bless you all being able to give me your audience.

My message title has been already introduced and I trust God I wouldn't take much of your time,please stay with me for the next 30-35minutes and the Lord Almighty will give unto Us thou which he has orchestrated in the realms of the heavenliest

Let's pray, Father I ask your precious Holy Spirit to take charge this hour and manifest yourself by opening our eyes to the mysteries and secrets imbibed in the word ,I declare the devil be horrified and your children be edified through JESUS our Lord and master saviour we pray...shout a believing Amen. Hallelujah.

Tonight, God is up to something unique and if you'll be able to give your few time to follow, I trust God you will never be the same.

ABIDE IN THE VINE

John 15:4KJV:Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

In this account of John 15, Jesus used a vine to illustrate our spiritual lives by opening our eye widely to a truth which must be known and embrace by the Church and the body of Christ!

Now, I want us to understand few key words used in the verse above abide and vine. The English dictionary rendering says Abide to be accept, remain, act in accordance or comply and in these two terms of relation as to how we used the intransitive statements and transitive statement simply opened in another scope to be "to have ones abode dwell(reside in) and thus intransitive statements used) and transitive statement used here was "to wait submissively.

Now, watch this ...the reason of these analogy is to the fact that our eyes will be opened to the broader topic being raised up tonight!

In John 14:31, Jesus was with His disciples in a meeting and suddenly says Arise and let go hence" ... And this journey was to Gethsemane and I pictured from their walk to be that ...he actually met a tree on the way and made a reference unto that tree or vine.

So, in John 15,,,Jesus declared himself to be the true vine by a an opened reference

Hallelujah, that is to say "he wet their appetite to a reality he was exposing them unto in that moment" which has become the fundamental key rising in the Kingdom

He says ABIDE IN ME... And this sentence alone can bring forth the world to enclosure. Hallelujah, listen people of God,from the genesis of creation the heart beat of God is to see his creature abiding in him. That is to say, there is no root of humanity outside God...and God is ascribed as the TRUE VINE IN THE PERSON OF JESUS.

God Almighty is the vine dresser... Now watch this, JESUS SAID, if you remain in me and I in You....now the condition is given out to choose where to lay your head!

I want to open our eyes to Just two functions based on the verse above

1. The life of the Son— except you abide in the vine meaning ”Without

me you can do nothing”.

While God made us in His image, His image has been corrupted through sin, meaning desires that God gave us are often made to serve evil purposes, and our mind is degraded as a result. By nature, humans are affective, which means we tend to follow our desires. This means that we are continuously led astray by a corrupted and deceitful heart (Jer 17:9), which harbors these desires. With corrupted desires, prior to salvation, we are unable to come to Christ.....

The only root of our rising from all these challenges that has made Christians particularly ineffective is to Abide in the Vine without this ,there is no Christianity and way out to the presence of God.

To abide means, to remain focused in spite of all the challenges the enemy will bring to your doorsteps. And being able to remain in prayer fervently and steadfastly with the declaration of the Word...its a way to live in righteousness.

And being able to remain in prayer fervently and steadfastly with the declaration of the Word...its a way to live in righteousness.

To abide means, to remain focused in spite of all the challenges the enemy will bring to your doorsteps. Its doesn't mean if you pray everyday makes you righteous ....No! Its the demonstration of your deeds in the secrets place.

The true ministry of JESUS Christ was the closet. So, is a key exposure to the children of God to emulate.

2. The activity of the body—”Remain in me”

In this parable there is only one verb or command that we are to obey, and this is found at the beginning of our verse when Jesus commands simply, “Remain (or “Abide” in many English Bibles) in me and I in you.” Here we have both a warning and an encouragement. The command to remain is repeated and elaborated at the end of verse 9, when Jesus commands them to “remain in my love.” In verse 10 he explains that if we keep His commandments, we will remain in His love. This aligns with John 14:15, 21 which both connect love for Christ with obedience. From this we can conclude that to remain in Christ means to love Him and obey Him.

Let's arise from sleep and check the root of our limitations and make a decision henceforth, I'll remain in the vine and bear fruit of righteousness.

Shalom unto Us all.

[dalyunministry]

Word Ministration

Topic: The Ability to do

• By - Lady Janet

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Please let's pray as we begin the program.

Father I thank you for a day like this, I bless you for taking charge over tonights program, father please use me to be a blessing unto your people, I declare your will be prevailed in JESUS name. Amen..

I thank Minister Daly and all the executives for giving me this privilege and opportunity to minister unto the Lord. God richly bless you all.

Tonight, I'm glad to share with us a profound topic which is themed "ABILITY TO DO".

When we talk about Ability what does it mean, It simply the power to do or accomplish something very well Or it can also mean:

The Power or Capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, financially, etc. competence in an activity or occupation because of one's skill, training, or other qualification. Example is, the ability to sing well.

Let's us delve into our scriptures and learn something profound from the word of God.

In Ecc 11:9 ,the bible opens our eye to the happenings in today's world of youth and even adults, how life has become defective in the NOW. The Bible encourage us to take delight in our youthful days and make merry and have loving life living BUT with godly demeanor and well cultured consciousness not to violates the norms of serving God genuinely outside those loving pleasures which are flushed off like the chaffs of out of maize whisks.

Brothers and sisters, JESUS has given unto each one of us the ability to stand out to do out thou which pleases him ...He has deposited in Us the ability to subdue every strategies of life pleasures... Why are you still doing thou which displeases God.

Listen, Paul the Apostle was able to stand out and declare "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me", that means, God has actually deposits the power of virtue the day we got born again....Hallelujah.

Phi 4:15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

In Phili.4, the Epaphroditus wrote a letter telling the Philippines to go do the work of the Lord, brethren, do you know the happiest or the joy in doing the work of God? God assures us that, he is with us in all our endeavors and the verse 13 of Philippines chapter 4 says, I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.

Brethren, God has given us the power to do what pleases him, let go out and preach the good news about the kingdom of God all over the globe.

Peter was been threatening by a small girl but after the day of Pentecost, he stood by God's grace and Preach the Gospel, that is the ability to do. The ability to do doesn't lie on your own strength but the Strength of God cos by Strength no man shall prevail, it takes grace.

The ability to do lies in the power of the holy spirit. In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth, there was darkness and the spirit of God, until the holy spirit moves God didn't say anything, the holy spirit is the power of God. Before anyone can accomplish anything on earth, you need the power of God which is the Holy Spirit, the ability to do".

The Bible says that, lean on on your own understanding, the ability to do you can't do it on your own, you will fail but when you lean of God, you will succeed, the ability to do.

There are several millions of benefit when we decide to go according to the will of God pertaining our lives. I will like to elaborate on few points for our benefit as in the ability to do Gods will,

1. Its opens the door to enter into His beloved!

That means, when we can recognized the will of God in the scriptures, we will be able to identify our status for living.

Its encapsulate our existence in his beloved. That means we are now in the heart of God simply because we are living according to His will. Listen, the bible says trust in the Lord...which explains the fact that we are accepted in his beloved only if we can trust in Him by living on the basis of adhering unto thy will.

2. The ability to do is when you become total submissive to the will of God than depending on your own strength.

In the Bible, Jesus Christ gave the disciples the power to go and preach the gospel and cast out demons and threw it in the sea. Because Jesus Christ gave them the ability to do, after they finish doing it, there was an inner joy, they were happy when they came down to Jesus.

3. The ability to do brings inner peace.

4. The ability to do gives you inner Satisfaction. After God finish using a man of God, you feel ok, you become satisfied asif you have gotten a sweetness food on earth.

Here are some challenges in the ability to do:

When you try to do it with our own strength, you will fail . It's like when you are having a goal to achieve and you don't meet it because you lean on on yourself, you will fail.

You will fall from Grace because the Bible says that, God gives Grace to the humble but not Proud. The Proud hands always point on himself. He always says that, he can do it. When you do that, you fall from Grace.

It is the will of God not to conform to this world !

In Romans 12:2 do tells Us the consequences you might face when you unable to conform to His will

Brothers and sisters, Christianity is all about You and God has endowed you the abilities to do.... You are able, therefore stand strong and overcome.

Let us ponder on these scriptures as we are about to sleep:

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Luke 1:37

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Jam 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.

Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings.

Pro 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

God bless us all.