FLYING IN THE GODLY SKY - UNITED

     Fervent Christians, Peter, Larry and Todd are flying home to Washington, D.C. from Tampa, Florida. They had attended the “Kingdom Come” conference at The Lighthouse Sanctuary.
    The conference content was loaded with biblical examples. There was heavy emphasis placed on the need to have pure hearts in prayer.
     The speakers stressed the importance of daily Bible focused prayer.
     As the three friends wait in the airport to board their flight home, they review what they learned at the conference.
     Peter notes, “I was hesitant to attend the conference because my budget didn’t agree with the expenses for the trip. But the Lord interrupted my thought processes and told me to ‘walk by faith not by sight.’”
     His friends nod in agreement.
     Peter continues, “I’m so glad that I obeyed the Lord because that conference dissolved doubts and destroyed yokes that were hindering me.”
     “I know what you mean,” agrees Todd.
     Nearby, three college friends, Eric, Jay and Don, on spring break, overhear the Christian friends talking about the Lord.
     Eric is slightly tipsy as he has had a couple of drinks. He nudges Don, “Man, we have here some Jesus nuts.”
     The college friends all laugh.
     Peter, Larry and Todd hear but choose to ignore the students.
     The announcement is broadcast to board the flight.
     It just so happens that the six men, the Christian friends, and the college friends, are to board the same plane where it’s discovered that they were assigned seat placements directly opposite. Peter, Larry and Todd sit three in a row while directly across the aisle, three in a row, sit Eric, Jay and Don.
     Jay moans when he becomes aware of the seating arrangements opposite Peter, Larry and Todd.
     His partners aren’t happy campers either.
     They look at each other.
     “Oh well,” offers Don, “At least it’s a short flight.”
     “Yeah,” agrees Jay.
     Eric’s face shows a look of mischievousness.
     He gleefully exclaims, “Why don’t we have some fun with the resident Jesus nuts.”
     Jay and Don readily agree.
     Peter is in the aisle seat that is closest to Jay.
     Mockingly, where Peter can notice, Jay makes the sign of a cross.
     Peter smiles warmly and points up.
     Not the reaction that Jay expected.
     Eric, observing, nudges Jay to do it again.
     Jay gladly repeats his mocking action.
     Peter, with eye sparkling joy, points up twice.
     Don pipes in, softly singing “Amazing Grace.” He then bursts out in laughter, as do his friends.
     Peter takes out his Bible and begins to read
Psalm 91.
     Todd is already reading Psalm 37.
     Larry has his eyes closed serene in quiet prayer.
     Suddenly, the plane lurches and rocks violently.
     Peter’s Bible flies into Jay’s lap.
     When Jay looks down, the Bible is open to the book of Revelation.
     When Eric sees that, he gets stone sober.
     Jay screams, “What the ____?!”
     The plane shakes, dips, and descends quite low.
     Major turbulence ensues.
     Flight attendants announce again, for reinforcement, safety measures.
     Alarmed, the pilot sends word, “Are there any Christians on the plane?!”
     Terrified, Eric, Jay, and Don, with widened shock-filled eyes, simultaneously point across the aisle.
     Eric had jokingly called Peter, Larry and Todd “Jesus nuts.”
     Well, the mixed “nuts” aren’t flying in GOD’S sky for nothing. Indeed, they are flying in the Godly sky, united.
     Peter, Larry and Todd are already in prayer mode.
     Peter unfastens his seat belt, leaps up, steadied by the Lord, he holds tightly to the armrest of his seat.
     The flight attendants “somehow” recognize that this is a holy moment, and so make no attempts to instruct Peter to sit down and to fasten his seatbelt.
     Full of the Holy Ghost, the first thing Peter utters is, “For the closet Christians on board, you’d better repent and come out of the closet.”
     A frightened little boy looks up at his mother and asks, “Mommy, are you coming out?!”
     His mother is petrified but she knows enough to come out as charged.
     “Yes, baby, mommy is coming out.”
     The little boy is noticeably relieved.
     In the midst of the tempest, and the uncertainty about survival, passengers begin to call their loved ones.
     Desperate wails are heard throughout the plane.
     Fervent loud prayers go up to the only One who can quell the danger.
     Eric has gone into shock.
     Jay and Don hold hands and sob.
     Peter proceeds, “Carnal Christians on board, you do NOT have enough spiritual ammunition to effectively fight off the Devil. Repent or you cannot profit.”
     A carnal Christian, in the rear of the plane, his alcoholic beverage spilled on him, begins to quiver with conviction.
     Some others gripped by carnality bow their heads in desperate prayers.
     The media gets word of the in-air danger.
     Channel Seven news anchor, Kim Striker announces, “Flight 737 in route from Tampa, Florida to National Airport near Washington, D.C., is in a perilous state.” She goes on to provide as much information as is currently on hand.
     News crews rush to National Airport.
     Meanwhile back on the plane, Peter calls out, “Backsliders, the Lord is married to you - return or woe to your souls.”
     People from different sections of the plane begin to cry out to GOD.
     The plane continues unsteadily.
     Peter speaks to “whosoever will” to recite the sinner’s prayer.
     People are terrified. Many do say the sinner’s prayer.
     Men sit and sob, as do women and children.
     The Christians on board glow and go to their Father GOD with faith-filled prayers.
     Some people in first class have flashbacks of their selfishness and greed. They are in huge panic mode.
     A few in that section are fervent Christians; they reach out to minister to those who are clearly not ready for judgment day.
     Don, who earlier had mockingly sang, “Amazing Grace” now cries out, “Lord, please have mercy!”
     Alongside Peter, secured in their seats, Larry and Todd are in fierce silent prayer.
     Peter begins to fervently pray loudly, “Holy Father, in the name of Jesus, this is Your plane up in Your sky. Lord, You are God and I know that You rule over all! We who are Christians, Father, know that whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord but You know that there are people on this plane who aren’t in soul places where they are heaven bound. Peter looks at Don. “Lord, please have mercy on the unprepared souls on board this, Your vessel. I take authority over this turbulence and rebuke it in the name of Jesus. I bring before You, Lord, Your words from the gospel of Mark 4:39, “Peace be still.”
     Immediately, the turbulence ceases, and there is great calm - Mark 4:39.
     Peter and others lift their hands in praise to the most high GOD who, in His sovereignty, made the elements obey.
     The entire plane occupancy breaks out in hearty applause.
     Profuse thanks are given to Peter and his friends.
     Peter, Larry and Todd direct people to the Lord because the friends are fully aware that GOD, in His mercy, delivered the peace.
     The pilots yell from the cockpit, “Hallelujah!”
     Eric, Jay and Don, sheepish in countenance, apologize to Peter, Larry and Todd.
     The friends warmly accept.
     Minutes later, the plane lands at National where the media and loved ones await.
     As the passengers appear, loved ones rush to greet them. Hugs and kisses are on abundant display.
     The media personnel keep a polite distance.
     After about 10 minutes, reporter Dwight Goldstein approaches to seek passenger interviews.
     One passenger yells as he walks by, “GOD landed us safely.” He declines to be interviewed.
     Another passenger points out Peter who is walking away with his friends.
     They aren’t interested in glory. It all belongs to GOD.
     The passenger fills Goldstein in about Peter’s prayer and how immediately after, the plane became steady.
     Goldstein rushes over to Peter.
     Peter feels led by the Lord to share of GOD’s rescue in the air.
     Peter stands at the mike with a brilliant glow that surrounds him. He speaks, “To GOD be the glory; He graciously answered my prayer, “Peace be still.”
     Goldstein asks, “What makes you believe that it was GOD.”
     Peter joyfully responds, “Because I know Him and I am from Him; He abides in me and I abide in Him.”
     Goldstein smiles, “It’s incredible that you survived that severe turbulence.”
     “We serve an incredible GOD, sir,” Peter shares.
     Goldstein thanks Peter and notices Eric.
     Eric walks up to Goldstein and speaks these words as he gestures to Peter, Larry and Todd, “I called these men ‘Jesus nuts.’ Well, I go on record to say that they did NOT crack; I did. Before this flight, I’d been around those who professed Christianity but they cheated, lied, cursed and engaged in other disorderly conduct. On this flight, I witnessed, for the first time, true worshippers of GOD who exhibited a glow that I couldn’t comprehend. I watched a man of GOD, Peter; stand steadily in the aisle on an airplane that was in the midst of major turbulence. He stood there in a fully persuasive authoritative commanding posture as he addressed us passengers, and prayed to GOD. Immediately after his prayer, the turbulence ceased. Not once throughout the entire ordeal, did any of these three Christian men display fear. What we passengers observed was their complete confidence in GOD. Indeed, I marvel as do others who were witnesses on that plane.”
     Eric steps away, overcome by emotion. He walks over to shake the hands of Peter, Larry and Todd. Others who were on board do so, as well.
     Goldstein is moved by the statements of Eric and the gratitude displayed by the passengers toward Peter, Larry and Todd. He’s further impressed by the humility demonstrated by the three Christian men.
     After their harrowing episode, a few of the carnal Christians forsook their lukewarm attitudes and some of the backsliders returned eagerly to the Lord.
     More than a few who recited the sinner’s prayer sought out Peter, Larry and Todd for guidance on how to learn more about the Lord.
     Eric and Don confessed Christ as Savior and became faithful followers.
     As for Jay, once he “recovered” from his shock in the air, he resumed his evil antics.
     Peter, Larry and Todd flew the Godly sky, united. They fully know that God rules over ALL.
     Psalm 103:19The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
     James 5:16
…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.     Romans 14:8
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
     The Acts 16:30
…Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
     The Acts 2:28
…Repent, and be baptized…in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,…

Copyright 2012 - Sandra Renee Hicks

Written September 28, 2010

This story is in my e-book, Zest and Gusto in Christian Short Stories.

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