sentence-series

Chapter XXXIV

illiam and Sharon talked till way after the Jolly Kone Drive-in closed down.  They held hands like brand new boyfriend and girlfriends do.  It felt good to Sharon, and the comfort level grew until they seemed to be their own selves again.  William fell in love with Sharon all over again.  In fact, every time she smiled that gorgeous smile, he fell in love again.  Over and over and over.

He worshipped that girl.  He loathed the time he'd missed having her with him.  It was quite a story that amazed him as it unfolded, and her parents were so very apologetic and quite ashamed that they'd influenced their daughter against her husband in the manner they'd done.

Williams parents were extremely happy that their son was back together with his bride.  That's what he'd always called her, 'his brand new bride . . .' That she was the love of his life was evident.  He'd do anything for her.  The only problem he could see was the weight of the Death Sentence which still rode heavy on his shoulders.

He was afraid it would be so obvious to Sharon that she would think it was something to do with the hypnotic experiences he'd had.  And he didn't want anything to come between them.  But, it had.  Something that was completely out of his control.  But then, wasn't that what life was all about?  Wasn't that the kind of things for which we buy insurance?

We purchase automobile insurance, home insurance, flood insurance, life insurance, health insurance, renters insurance . . . but how do you buy insurance for things that are intangible?  Things like the end results of the Crawly Caper . . .

So, how was he to ever protect against something that was not of his doing?  The answer?  You can't.  It's like getting rained on.  It rains on the just and the unjust alike.  You get wet.  It happens.

The only thing he knew to do was to keep the lines of communication open between him and his bride.  As long as each knew the other's heart and their love, then there shouldn't be a problem.  But William was still feeling like the weight of the Death Sentence on him all the time.  He felt it was something that could drive a wedge between him and his love, and he couldn't bear to think about that ever happening again.

So, they discussed it.  At length.  And, their only solution?  Put it in the hands of God, and let Him take and keep full control of their lives at all times.  They vowed they would seek God with all their hearts, and turn their lives over to Him.

But there was a problem there as well.  William had different beliefs than any of the churches which he had visited.  Him and Sharon visited several more, looking for something that the other churches did not have.  He was sure some church somewhere offered what he was looking for.

Sharon and he both had prayed at the altar of the church where they'd gotten back together.  Both came away hungry.  Pastor Ritehouser told William to go back to his seat once when he was seeking for something more than what he had.  Ritehouser said "go back to your seat man.  You've already gotten all that is available.  There just isn't anything more."

But William and Sharon both thought there was.  And, Ritehouser had sat down with William and they discussed at length what William had read.  The only problem was, Ritehouser was not as studious as William, and therefore couldn't answer some of Williams questions.

The last time they talked William asked him to explain the discrepancy between the Old Testament and New Testament.  "What do you mean, discrepancy? I see no discrepancy . . ."

"Well, let's see if I can put this into words that will describe what I'm thinking.  You say that there are three gods; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  Co-equal, Co-eternal, and Co-powerful.  Yet, in Duet 6:4, it says 'Hear O Israel, the lord our God is one Lord.'

Also in Isaiah it says

6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah 44:6 (KJV)

"Something else Pastor.  You baptize in the titles Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  Why?  When Jesus Himself commanded the disciples to baptize in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven, then when Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost in Act 2, he declared to the thousands there that they must be baptized in the name . . .  Another place it said whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name . . .

When Pastor Ritehouser saw that William, although unlearned and unread in the scriptures, could see there was something very wrong with the 'Holy Trinity,' he advised William to find another church.  He simply stated "We don't want that preached around here."

"Who's preaching?  I'm just asking questions.  Questions you seem like you'd rather not face and quell.  Pastor, I feel your problem is with your beliefs.  You don't believe what the Word is telling you.  Instead of believing, you pick your way around what it is saying, and whittle it down to what you want it to say, adding little phrases, and taking this out when convenient." William pointed out.

So, William and Sharon began visiting other churches.  They'd visited just about all the churches in the city when they ran across a little Pentecostal church who claimed to preach what the Apostles taught.  "Well, I guess we can go check it out Babe!" he told his bride.

They walked into a power house move of God.  They soon were under conviction, and both raised their hands and began to worship God.  Sharon got it first.  She felt something move down deep in her soul.  It ran through her body like a fire, and in an instant, she was transformed into a different being.  She was praising God one second in her own language, then suddenly, she began to speak in a language she'd never heard before.

There was a fire in her soul, and she danced in the Holy Ghost, and spoke in tongues as the Holy Ghost became evident in her life.  Within a couple of minutes, William felt the same power hit him, and he began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave him utterance.  He felt as though he had a volcano inside of him.  He felt what Ezekiel said when he stated 'it feels like fire shut up in my bones."

It wasn't too long before the music died down, and the preacher got up and took a text.  What is the Name of our God?

William was overjoyed.  The preacher brought the message through all the crooks and crannies and simply taught out of the Word of God.  He ended up by saying you must repent of your sins and be baptized in Jesus name for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

As soon as the altar call was given, William and Sharon stood to their feet and walked down to the altar.  They knelt at the old fashioned altar, and began to weep and repent of their sins.  They each cried out to God for forgiveness of those sins.  They just poured out their lives to him.  When they got up from there, they were changed.  They were different.

After they'd composed themselves, they looked at each other through different eyes and agreed, " we want to be baptized in Jesus name.  Tonight!" they exclaimed.

They had enough clothing to change into, and both were baptized in Jesus Name, and filled with the Holy Ghost.  When the Preacher baptized them, he said, 'Bro William, upon confession of your faith and obedience to the Word of God, I now baptize you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins'.

William was plunged into a watery grave and came out of the water a blood cleansed, baptized in Jesus Name child of God.  Sharon was baptized in the same manner.

The results?  The Death Sentence was no longer a viable block of stumbling in William or Sharons lives.   It was gone.  It had been taken away, but now, William carried a different sentence.  He carried a Life Sentence.

Williams Death Sentence had now become his Life Sentence He has traded his noose for a crown, sorrow for joy, depression for gladness, lament for song, bondage for freedom, turmoil for peace . . . and a devils burning hell . . .      For Heaven.

The Sequel . . .     Life Sentence!  Click here to go there!

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Chapter XXXIV