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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Community / Home
- Published: 09/25/2020
Pastor Billy is a good pastor and loves the people of his small rural community. He never fails to visit the sick, to listen as others seek his advice. He studies his Bible and prays diligently daily and is always prepared when he steps up to preach.
He is known as an honest man. He pays his bills on time and if he says he will do it, you can rest assured he will, unless it is impossible to do. He preaches hard against lying and lust and other subjects that might otherwise cause a person to get off God's path of righteousness.
He was not prepared, as no one else was, for the COVID 19. He has faced many church people battles in the past, had canceled church due to bad weather, and when he took a vacation he either found a replacement or canceled service. Same during hunting season, as many of the good folks rely on the meat to live.
He found himself in a bind. He often preached on God's healing power. In a great many services they anointed with oil someone sick and hands laid on that person as loud prayers were called out to God. He was aware that Jesus had taught that God would protect the righteous, even from poisons.
He also knew that not everyone they prayed for was healed, several had cancer now, several had heart issues. He also knew and had experience with getting food poisoning and came near dying. So those scriptures had to be put into the context of a bigger picture.
He and his family have a family doctor and he himself was operated on once in the hospital for kidney stones. So though he prayed for the sick, there was no lighting bolt from heaven to heal them. So when asked about that, he was quick to preach and teach, that God gave man the gifts to heal and by the use of medicine and medical science many are healed. Why even Jesus picked a physician, Luke, to be a disciple.
So when W.H.O. and the CDC came out with guidance about not meeting in groups in closed-in spaces, wearing masks and washing hands, and not shaking hands, he called his church board. When Bro Paul said, I think we should abide by this and cancel in-person services, Bro Jaks and Bro Tom, and Sis Pam jumped on poor Bro Paul.
They pointed out, the president, a man that had been decided was sent by God and a prophet in these times, had said it was a hoax by the democratic Party, which everyone knows is the party of the devil. Plus he said it was only a few cases and they would be gone in just a week or two. Bro Alex pointed out that FOX was the Christian news channel and just would not twist or lie and Hannity as well as others said the same thing.
Sis Sahar and Sis Becky pointed out those magic passages in the Bible and declared they were only at risk if they did not obey God. That going to church was just as much a commandment as not getting an abortion or not being gay. Now Pastor Billy, knew none of that was correct or accurate. Yet he does get his pay from these people and kept his mouth shut and failed to correct them on any of the points of what the Bible really teaches.
Plus the good pastor wanted his pay, and the church Treasury was more empty than full. After all, whether the doors were closed or open he was still the laborer and needed to be paid. Plus he reasoned they were right, why trust a bunch of democratic doctors and scientists over the president?
Bro Paul, said little more, he loved his church and the people, but he knew he and his family were going to abide by the medical recommendations. He couldn’t understand why, when the pastor's wife was sick a few weeks ago, they took her to the doctor. Why when some of their kids were sick with Strep they stayed home. What made this different?
Bro Paul was all but made an outcast and ridiculed by not only his church but most of the town folks. They went on about their daily lives as if nothing was slipping through the air that could kill. He and his family were called backsliders and laughed at. He and his wife cried and then he told her just going without the mask and dying would be easier.
Well now, Bro Paul’s wife reminded him they had kids that needed a daddy. She pointed out, have you gone crazy? Do you think all those dead people in China, Italy, Japan, and around the world are democrats? Are all the world leaders in some plot to overthrow this president?
Plus, you just tell me how he is sent by God when he lies every other word? Just tell me when God would choose a man that mocks women and the handicapped? Tell me how, you a solder during the war in Vietnam, can think a man that made fun of a war hero, calling him a loser, is sent by God? Tell me how a man that has defrauded people and caused them to lose all they had, is a man of God? If you think that then I am married to a moron and a fool.
Now a wise man listens to his wife. So Bro Paul and his family pushed on. When Pastor Billy stopped by with a warm smile and no mask, Bro Paul kept his distance and stayed in the yard with his mask on. He refused the hug and the handshake. He also doubted he would ever return to a church that he now saw was filled with a bunch of hypocrites.
A few months went by, he watched social media and saw how the pastor and members made fun and pushed the president's agenda. Clearly filled with lies, he had started doing some research and was shocked to find how big an idiot he had been. He also wondered why Pastor Billy had not corrected the false teaching of the Bible. Either he knew and didn’t care or he didn’t know, which meant he was not as much in touch with the Holy Ghost as he proclaimed.
He was not shocked when he saw the post, that someone in the community now had the virus. He was not surprised when he found out a few weeks later the church he had loved so much was going to at last close for a few weeks as a good many of those members now had the virus.
He was not dismayed when he got a call from Sis Mary, asking if he knew a good attorney. Seems her husband was in a bad way and now with no work, they planned to sue the church and the Pastor. Bro Paul wouldn’t help them with that, but knew it was going to happen.
When Bro Paul led the prayer before eating, his son Ken asked. "Dad, why do you never mention any of those from the church that are sick in your prayers anymore?" That brought a tear, and in a choked-up voice the answer came.
See when we do good and live as righteous as we can God blesses us and we have his blessings to pray for whatever we might. When we are bad, just like when you do something wrong, you must suffer the consequences. The Bible says the wages of sin is death, it also says we reap what we sow.
Now my view is, God is very busy, he allowed those so foolish as to mock him to suffer the consequences. Though I pray for their souls and need of repentance, they must suffer the reward of their doings. So I pray God's will to be done, and I hope lessons are learned. I think these are an example meant to make all of us wake up. Seems to me if God thinks we need those examples, he knows what is best. Yet I do pray for the innocent as they suffer, I expect because of the sin of the ones that should know better.
So life moves forward, the nation's death toll grows higher. Bro Paul and his family try to stay safe. it grows harder as many leaders want to remove the safe guards. Thus what will be will be, but he and his family sleep well at night, knowing they did all they could to save lives, not take lives.
The Unexpected(Rich Puckett)
Pastor Billy is a good pastor and loves the people of his small rural community. He never fails to visit the sick, to listen as others seek his advice. He studies his Bible and prays diligently daily and is always prepared when he steps up to preach.
He is known as an honest man. He pays his bills on time and if he says he will do it, you can rest assured he will, unless it is impossible to do. He preaches hard against lying and lust and other subjects that might otherwise cause a person to get off God's path of righteousness.
He was not prepared, as no one else was, for the COVID 19. He has faced many church people battles in the past, had canceled church due to bad weather, and when he took a vacation he either found a replacement or canceled service. Same during hunting season, as many of the good folks rely on the meat to live.
He found himself in a bind. He often preached on God's healing power. In a great many services they anointed with oil someone sick and hands laid on that person as loud prayers were called out to God. He was aware that Jesus had taught that God would protect the righteous, even from poisons.
He also knew that not everyone they prayed for was healed, several had cancer now, several had heart issues. He also knew and had experience with getting food poisoning and came near dying. So those scriptures had to be put into the context of a bigger picture.
He and his family have a family doctor and he himself was operated on once in the hospital for kidney stones. So though he prayed for the sick, there was no lighting bolt from heaven to heal them. So when asked about that, he was quick to preach and teach, that God gave man the gifts to heal and by the use of medicine and medical science many are healed. Why even Jesus picked a physician, Luke, to be a disciple.
So when W.H.O. and the CDC came out with guidance about not meeting in groups in closed-in spaces, wearing masks and washing hands, and not shaking hands, he called his church board. When Bro Paul said, I think we should abide by this and cancel in-person services, Bro Jaks and Bro Tom, and Sis Pam jumped on poor Bro Paul.
They pointed out, the president, a man that had been decided was sent by God and a prophet in these times, had said it was a hoax by the democratic Party, which everyone knows is the party of the devil. Plus he said it was only a few cases and they would be gone in just a week or two. Bro Alex pointed out that FOX was the Christian news channel and just would not twist or lie and Hannity as well as others said the same thing.
Sis Sahar and Sis Becky pointed out those magic passages in the Bible and declared they were only at risk if they did not obey God. That going to church was just as much a commandment as not getting an abortion or not being gay. Now Pastor Billy, knew none of that was correct or accurate. Yet he does get his pay from these people and kept his mouth shut and failed to correct them on any of the points of what the Bible really teaches.
Plus the good pastor wanted his pay, and the church Treasury was more empty than full. After all, whether the doors were closed or open he was still the laborer and needed to be paid. Plus he reasoned they were right, why trust a bunch of democratic doctors and scientists over the president?
Bro Paul, said little more, he loved his church and the people, but he knew he and his family were going to abide by the medical recommendations. He couldn’t understand why, when the pastor's wife was sick a few weeks ago, they took her to the doctor. Why when some of their kids were sick with Strep they stayed home. What made this different?
Bro Paul was all but made an outcast and ridiculed by not only his church but most of the town folks. They went on about their daily lives as if nothing was slipping through the air that could kill. He and his family were called backsliders and laughed at. He and his wife cried and then he told her just going without the mask and dying would be easier.
Well now, Bro Paul’s wife reminded him they had kids that needed a daddy. She pointed out, have you gone crazy? Do you think all those dead people in China, Italy, Japan, and around the world are democrats? Are all the world leaders in some plot to overthrow this president?
Plus, you just tell me how he is sent by God when he lies every other word? Just tell me when God would choose a man that mocks women and the handicapped? Tell me how, you a solder during the war in Vietnam, can think a man that made fun of a war hero, calling him a loser, is sent by God? Tell me how a man that has defrauded people and caused them to lose all they had, is a man of God? If you think that then I am married to a moron and a fool.
Now a wise man listens to his wife. So Bro Paul and his family pushed on. When Pastor Billy stopped by with a warm smile and no mask, Bro Paul kept his distance and stayed in the yard with his mask on. He refused the hug and the handshake. He also doubted he would ever return to a church that he now saw was filled with a bunch of hypocrites.
A few months went by, he watched social media and saw how the pastor and members made fun and pushed the president's agenda. Clearly filled with lies, he had started doing some research and was shocked to find how big an idiot he had been. He also wondered why Pastor Billy had not corrected the false teaching of the Bible. Either he knew and didn’t care or he didn’t know, which meant he was not as much in touch with the Holy Ghost as he proclaimed.
He was not shocked when he saw the post, that someone in the community now had the virus. He was not surprised when he found out a few weeks later the church he had loved so much was going to at last close for a few weeks as a good many of those members now had the virus.
He was not dismayed when he got a call from Sis Mary, asking if he knew a good attorney. Seems her husband was in a bad way and now with no work, they planned to sue the church and the Pastor. Bro Paul wouldn’t help them with that, but knew it was going to happen.
When Bro Paul led the prayer before eating, his son Ken asked. "Dad, why do you never mention any of those from the church that are sick in your prayers anymore?" That brought a tear, and in a choked-up voice the answer came.
See when we do good and live as righteous as we can God blesses us and we have his blessings to pray for whatever we might. When we are bad, just like when you do something wrong, you must suffer the consequences. The Bible says the wages of sin is death, it also says we reap what we sow.
Now my view is, God is very busy, he allowed those so foolish as to mock him to suffer the consequences. Though I pray for their souls and need of repentance, they must suffer the reward of their doings. So I pray God's will to be done, and I hope lessons are learned. I think these are an example meant to make all of us wake up. Seems to me if God thinks we need those examples, he knows what is best. Yet I do pray for the innocent as they suffer, I expect because of the sin of the ones that should know better.
So life moves forward, the nation's death toll grows higher. Bro Paul and his family try to stay safe. it grows harder as many leaders want to remove the safe guards. Thus what will be will be, but he and his family sleep well at night, knowing they did all they could to save lives, not take lives.
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