Noah the Jewish Fly, Chapter 9

  In the days following, Jesus and his disciples put a lot of miles on their sandals as Jesus taught, healed, raised people from the dead and fed thousands at a sitting.  It seemed to me to be enough evidence to convince a stone statue that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah.  Look, I'm not saying I'm smarter than anyone else but even I could tell at this point the disciples were still somewhat clueless about the real identity of Jesus.
  After Jesus performed a miracle at the wedding feast in Cana the disciples were sufficiently impressed to say they believed in him.  Big whoop.  Jesus said that even Satan and his angels believe that he is the Christ.  In the disciples' favor I'll readily admit I also missed the significance of the New Wine served at the wedding feast, the three water pots that contained the wine and more symbols laid out for those who are looking. Subsequent events proved, that until they were filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples believed in Jesus as long as he conformed to their image of who he should be.  An ever present possible human reaction as it turns out.
  An incident in Capernaum provided me an interesting example of the kind of faith Jesus was looking and hoping for in the Israelites; sons of the kingdom;    A centurion approached Jesus with a request to heal his servant who was suffering terribly.  Jesus replied that he would come and heal the man. Two things that must have set the watching Pharisees' teeth on edge: Jesus, a Jew, was talking to a Gentile and, horrors!, Jesus would, potentially, have to go into the house of a Gentile.  Both actions would have made Jesus polluted according to nightmare load of the ceremonial laws of cleanliness.  Jesus was not interested in abiding by or giving credence to the laws the Jews had compiled.
  The centurion understood authority and immediately recognized it in Jesus.  "No need to come to my house," the soldier said.  "Just say the word and my servant will be healed."  It made me wonder; Why was it that a Gentile centurion could clearly see the authority of Jesus and the Jews could not?   And that time and distance were no obstacles to the power of Jesus?  Could it have been that the centurion was not self-afflicted with a stiff neck or burdened with a mish mash of man-made religious laws, religious prejudices, a know-it-all attitude and a religion that had once been vibrant and God-centered but had now become calcified and institutionalized?  Or that he was willing to humble himself and, to get to Jesus, he didn't have to climb over a mountain of doctrines, tenets, mistaken beliefs and spiritual blindness?  I was beginning to have an inkling of the enormity of the forces arrayed against Christ but also that faith in him could arise in unexpected places.
  My belief that Jesus was the Messiah had been solidified because I had a a sort of an inside view, as it were, being present a few times when Jesus was at prayer.  At those times I felt I was carried on the wings of Jesus' words into Heaven itself and into the dazzling presence of God.  It was then that I understood, at a much deeper level, the meaning of, "Believing, trusting and reverencing God is the beginning of Wisdom."  Present in the Spirit in the Throne Room, I was overcome, not with fear but with the love and power emanating from the Throne.  I am not allowed to tell you of all that I saw but some day you may get your chance to see it.
  There were times however when Jesus would say, "Off with you, Noah.  I'm going to commune with the Father now and no other human---or insect-- may listen in.  But I will tell you this much:  We'll be talking about my destiny, the present and the future;  of things that will affect mankind in the entire world."
  One day Jesus and the 12 stopped for a rest in the shade of some palm trees by the road.  Jesus sat alone with his back against one of the trees. 
  "Come out and sit on my palm, Noah,"  he said.
  I made my way out of his beard and flew to the designated landing spot.
  Jesus looked at me intently.  "My little friend, the Lord of the Flies and Filth wants to take you back.  He is furious that you have escaped his dark kingdom and wished to put you through a barrage of lies, torture you with doubts and deceive you right into Hell.  Be aware of his intentions but don't be afraid; keep your spiritual eyes on me, only believe and your faith will protect you."