March 31st, 2013

"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people."

-----

That was the day I saw Him preaching. His long brown hair was leaning on his strong shoulders. His eyes a bright lit up blue, that dazzled underneath the bright hot sun in the synagogue. He was wearing a long flowing white robe, with a gold sash tied around his waist.

Jesus had this certain glow and charm to Him, even though He smiled when He was preaching the good news about what God had done for us all. I had just entered the synagogue; wearing a long purple dress that flowed to my ankles, wearing a purple veil to cover my entire face, but my blue eyes.

My brown hair that usually came back past my shoulders was tied up neatly in a bun. I took off my sandals, and sat down on a white bench, near the hundreds upon thousands of men, who're listening to Jesus speak.

Although the anger in their faces had spoken otherwise, they did not believe what Jesus was saying. "God is coming! We must all be ready." Jesus kept repeating that same sentence over a few times, trying to get the people to believe Him.

"Doesn't anyone believe me?" Jesus asked them. Most shook their heads, and spoke in soft voices. "Nobody believes Him. He's preaching, but not a preacher. He must solely not be the Messiah." I wanted to speak up in the crowd.

To say, "I believe Jesus! I believe You!" But I could not voice my own thoughts aloud. It was improper for a woman back in those days to speak such words amongst all men. I had to remain quiet and listen.

The sun beat down on Jesus, yet He remained still, watching the crowds as they started to bicker back and forth about who was right and who was wrong. The synagogue's tall white pillars held up the temple well.

Stone arches revealing small windows, where a cool draft could come in, and try to bring down the immense heat. Eventually though, as the sun drifted into the sky, every person in the synagogue packed up, and went home.

Except for me. I wanted to stay, here Jesus preach some more. I wanted to say to Him, "I believe You Jesus, please, tell me more?" But again, I remained silent until everyone left the synagogue including Him.

I took down my veil and lifted my head to the skies. "What can I do Lord?" I asked God. The sun lit up my face, and I closed my eyes against the setting of the orange, red and pink sun. "Pray." I opened up my eyes, put back on my face the veil and walked out of the synagogue. Tomorrow I would pray.

---

The next day at the synagogue it was busy as per usual. People busied themselves around the temple, kneeling off into small corners of the synagogue to try and pray for their sins to God. I didn't want anyone to see me pray.

I don't know why, but I wanted to do this alone. Where I wouldn't be disturbed. I walked along the center aisle, and made my way in the back, towards a small room. I knocked on the door and a soft voice spoke, "Come in."

I opened up the solid door and froze. Jesus knelt, praying at a cross. I swallowed the lump in my throat. He lifted up His head, and stared at me with those dazzling bright blue eyes, those eyes simply took my breath away.

I blinked and backed away a step. "Can I help you with something?" Jesus asked me. I shook my head, afraid to speak. Any woman who dare spoke to a man, would have been punished. I was not the kind of woman that liked terrible pain.

"You can talk to me. I won't tell." He gave me a small smile and I smiled back at Him, though He probably could not see beneath the veil that I wore. I was wearing the same purple dress and Jesus was wearing the same white robe with the gold sash.

I slipped off my sandals and closed the door behind me. I looked around the room, it was a small room, with no windows, no other doors except for the one that I had entered from. Jesus was kneeling on the dirt, with in front of Him, a small chair, small table.

A few candles were lit up, that made the room look like the sun was inside. But because of the candles, once they burned out, anyone who had used them, must pay for new ones, or we would be praying to God in the dark.

I blinked and stared behind the white candles to the bible that lay opened right side up, but was sitting on it's bottom, so that it was in the air. In front of the bible, was a small brown cross that had a white heart curving at the tip from the top of the cross and where the end met off, so did the cross and the heart.

It looked strange, seeing a cross inside the outline form of a heart. It was something that I had never been able to forget even to this very day. I looked over at Jesus, He was watching me and it made my heart thump faster.

"May I pray with You?" I asked Him softly. Jesus smiled and showed off pearly white teeth. "Of course, everyone is welcomed to pray to our Father." He stated and as soon as He had gotten done speaking, I knelt down in my dress, on the dirt floor and folded my hands in my lap.

I didn't care if I got dirty. I was kneeling next to Jesus. I had never kneeled before, because I've had two knee surgeries and they would constantly dislocate to the side. So I hadn't kneeled down in a while, but of course, I wasn't wearing a black knee brace anymore.

I saw out of the corner of my right eye, Jesus closed His eyes, tilted His head a little to the side and had begun to pray. I closed my eyes and copied Him. I would forever be changed by His presence.

---

It seemed to take hours, well, it felt like hours. Just praying and thinking. Thinking and praying. I prayed that my father would come to know God. I prayed for my mother, to stop worrying and having fear and doubts about what God was doing for her in her life.

I prayed for my black lab dog, Daisy, so that she would get better because she had this huge lump forming on her chest, and it might've sparked some cancer. I prayed for world peace. I prayed for the ending of war.

Praying endlessly, for a few hours it really does exhaust you. But; while sitting next to Jesus, I don't know...I felt more alive, more complete inside my heart than I had in a long time. I wasn't worried that Roman soldiers would come in and demand that I be punished for being in the same room as Jesus.

I didn't worry about how late it was getting. I just wanted to keep on praying. I had my mind, heart and soul put into the task of praying. It just amazed me how hard I wanted to pray. God had done a miracle for me.

He had cured my knees such a long time ago, that I just couldn't help the small tears that fell down my cheeks. I needed to be healed with my back next. I had had back surgery a long time ago, almost four years ago, and I had been hoping that the pain in my lower back would just be healed completely.

But...I wasn't done praying. Not even after five hours of being on my knees, I didn't feel the least bit tired nor the least bit sore. I just wanted to kneel here and sit next to Jesus. I just wanted to be in His presence.

I wasn't ever ready to leave. And I didn't ever want to leave Him either. I was finally at peace within a raging battle of myself. I had given everything to Him. But after being sanctified I was actually allowing God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, all three into my heart, to make my heart pure and turn it white as snow.

"What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. O, precious is the blood, that makes me whole again. O, precious is the blood, that makes me whole again. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus."

I sang that out loud for five hours. Can you imagine singing that same verse over and over inside you're brain? It felt like I was singing, my lips were moving up and down to the rhythm of the song. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to stop. Nor did I ever want too.

---

"FIRE!" I opened up my eyes and glanced at the door. What were they going on about this time? Last week it was 'The birds are escaping!' and 'He took my money!' It was getting rather annoying. I closed my eyes and went back to praying.

Three seconds later, "FIRE!" I sighed and opened up my eyes again. Couldn't they have just let it go? There were never fires in the synagogues. Unless God was present. I turned my head to ask Jesus what we should do.

I gasped and looked around, He was gone! Just poof! Disappeared! As if He had never been there in the first place. I blinked and I quickly closed my mouth. Jesus isn't here? But...I didn't hear the door open and close...?

This was maddening! I had to figure out what was going on! I got up stiffly and wobbled over to the table. The white and red candles on the table were burned out, yet I could still see my way around the room, which was odd.

I shook my head, the Holy Bible in Hebrew was closed. But I noticed the small brown cross, before, it didn't have Jesus hanging from his hands and ankles. Oh, no, but He was up there now. He was wearing that white linen cloth that hung at His skinny waist.

His eyes were closed in pain. The crown of thorns was placed upon His head. I winced, the nails were pounded in the middle of His palms and the middle of the feet, making His body look like in the form shape of a 'T'.

"Jesus?" I whispered that one word. I took down my veil and started to weep. He had been here a second ago, praying with me!? How could've He gone and left my side? I stopped weeping when the screaming of 'fire' had died down.

I wiped away the tears and coughed. Frowning I coughed harder as my eyes started to tear up. A light smoke had started to filter into the room. I put the veil back over my face, trying to breathe without breathing in the smoke.

I shook my head, and scrambled my way for the door. I twisted the gold knob. It wouldn't budge! I tried tugging and pulling it open but it was still in the same position. It left me stuck in a small dark room with no escape but the one in front of me.

---

I shoved my left shoulder up against the white door, it wouldn't give! I even tried hoisting up the small chair and cracked the two back legs against the door. The door must've been locked from the outside!? I started to go into hysterics.

I had to get out of here!! I took a step back and coughed some more as the smoke started to get thicker and blacker. I rubbed at my eyes and tried not to breathe in the smoke, but I was having difficulties doing so.

Shaking my head I took another step back as flames in the shape of hands started to come from beneath the white door crack. I screamed my head off and my back hit the wall. I was trapped. Satan was coming for me!

I didn't deserve this! Had I been to selfish? Too greedy? What had I ever deserved and done to deserve this punishment? I kept shaking in fear, letting all the doubts about what could happen to me, it clouded my mind and my vision.

I sank to my knees, so this was it. Satan had come for me and I had failed God. Hadn't I? I glanced over at the candles and an idea struck through the center core of my head! Of course! I squealed in delight, quickly jumped up and ran over to the table.

I grabbed the white and red candles and closed my mouth shut firmly. This had better work, I kept thinking to myself. I bent over and stuck out the two candles towards the licking flames. The candle wicks started to burn.

I smiled despite in my current state. I struggled and straightened myself upright. I had no time to lose!

---

Running back over to the table, I tried not to let the candle wicks blow out. I had no time to think about what I was doing. I set the candles back on the table, I held the cross in my hands, and put the book under the length of my right arm and closed my eyes.

I knelt down and tried hard not to shake. I could do this, I could do this! I said this chant in my head six times before my breaths became calm. I tried very hard not to listen to the hissing of the flames as they started coming slowly into the room.

Starting to sweat; I felt the drops go down my cheeks, past my chin and down to my neck. I tried to not let it bother me, that if this didn't work, that I would die from burning into flames, then burning into ashes. Taking a deep breath inwards, I let it out slowly.

"Lord God. If my time is up, I go with thee. But if my time is supposed to be later on, please, please, send help to me!" I said the chant in my head another six times, hoping that something amazing would happen.

Emily, do you trust me? I gasped and opened up my eyes. I saw Jesus standing in the flames. I swallowed thickly and stood, facing Him. He rose His brown eyebrow at me and asked me again, Emily, do you trust me?

---

He held out his hand, waiting for me to say either 'yes' or 'no.' I stared into His loving bright blue eyes, I blinked and my eyes tore up again against the smoke. It was all I could see, besides Jesus. Where Jesus stood, He stood in the fire.

Untouched by burns of the flames and no black smoke filtered into His lungs. I blinked and stepped forward. The flames hissed onward, climbing around the room. I had made my decision before Jesus had asked me a third and final time, Emily, do you trust me?

"Yes." I said clearly and loudly. "Yes, Jesus. Lord, I trust You. With my heart. My mind and my soul. I give everything I own, everything I have to You." Jesus smiled and I grasped His hand in mine. The fire roared angrily in protest.

Jesus had us back up a step, just as the white door unlocked and flung backwards. My eyes widened in amazement. A pathway was made clear with no fire, no ashes and no smoke. Jesus led me down the center aisle, towards the outer rim of the synagogue.

The entire synagogue was up in flames, though the white pillars and such would not turn to dust before our very eyes, flames still licked up and down the pillars, making it difficult for them to try and bring the entire temple downwards to the ground.

---

Jesus led me outside where everyone was screaming at each others' throats to put the fire out. Some ran to the water well right across the street and tried to grab small pails to put out the fire, but I knew it wouldn't be enough to save the synagogue.

I looked over at Jesus as people came around me in a full circle. Everybody was staring at me. Jesus dropped His hand, and I glanced over at Him. He smiled and said, I forgive you, Emily. I forgive you of your sins.

I am coming soon. Be prepared for anything and everything. My time is coming. Everyone's time is ending. Be prepared for I am coming soon. Suddenly Jesus was whisked away towards the awaiting sunlight, holding Him were two angels, the Arch Angels, Michael and Gabriel.

I smiled and waved, although nobody else could've probably seen what I had just now saw. I looked around me and people gave me a funny look. I touched my face. My veil was gone. I smiled and touched my hair.

My bun was pulled down so that my hair flowed in small waves down my back. I glanced down to stare at the clothes. My purple dress was replaced with a white robe and a golden sash that tied around my waist. I smiled, I wasn't wearing any footwear.

I touched the top of my head and brought forth down a small yellow halo. I gasped in delight and squealed with all my might. It made me so happy!

---

I went to walk forward but everyone was too crowded around me. I glanced around from side to side. "What? What's wrong?" I asked. Men and women, the elderly and small children. They were all staring at me oddly that it was starting to make me feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.

Everyone started to talk at once. "You're not burned?"

"You were in the fire for so long!"

"How did you managed to escape?"

"You've not yet turned to ashes!" I soon grew frustrated with all the talking. I held up a hand, "No. I am unharmed. The Lord was with me." Was all I said. "But the Lord was with us, and look at what each of us got."

I gasped. One by one, each man and woman, child and elderly showed me their wrists and ankles. Each had a scar on each wrist and ankle of a half circle. It made no sense!? I frowned, "What does it mean Emily?" One of them shouted at me.

I bit my lip, Lord, what does it mean?

---

It was truly amazing how everyone had half a scar burn just like me. I have one scar on both ankles. It was weird, but I still have no response from God on that. I shrugged off the question and walked away. I'd never been so scared in all my life!

I didn't know what to say to those people. After the day, the synagogue was closed down, due to trying to rebuild it again after the fire. Nobody has a clue as to why the fire started or even how. All I know, is that when I walked away, I left alot of confused people behind.

***

The next day though, I came back to the synagogue. It was rebuilt and I was in a different time period. Although this may sound very strange, I honestly don't know what year it was, just sometime after 2017. I think....

Anyways, I walked up to the synagogue and suddenly I saw black clouds. I looked up, and fire started to rain down. I was still dressed in the same thing as Jesus, and when I looked around, all the people that I had seen yesterday, they were running around and screaming at the top of their lungs.

I tried to calm the people as they passed me by, but I realized that noone could hear me. Frowning, I turned around and held out my hands. The people passed right through me, as if I were a ghost, invisible.

It was strange and something wasn't quite right. I blinked several times, before I heard God say, Be ready for I am coming soon. I will rain down fire. I will open up the gates of Hell and bring forth the dragon that is known of Satan. He will come, and destroy this planet. All who do not know me. Will die. All who do know me, will live an eternity with me.

Last Chapter Next Chapter