Fisher of Men

The sky is pasty blue and slightly overcast, dotted with white streaming clouds. A light breeze flips off the water and floats through the air, cooling the humidity of the 80 degree spring weather. The Detroit River meanders along with calm ripples, reflecting the pale blue sky. Nearby, three fishermen busy themselves with line casts and retracts.

            Two of the gentlemen are seasoned elders, dressed in T-shirts that snug tight around their expanding bellies, and loose-fit jogging pants. Light sneakers and back-turned ball caps complete their respective ensembles. A cigarette dangles from the pursed lips of one of the duo. Both cast their lines toward one particular area off the dock, then wait patiently for the catch to come to them. They never move beyond that one spot. They never put much effort into jigging the line. They simply wait, choosing to let the catch find them.

            The third fisherman, is an unassuming young man. He’s dressed in an oversized black T-shirt, baggy jeans drooped over his dark shoes, and a scruffy ball cap turned backwards. Unlike the duo fishing 40 yards to his right, he continuously casts his line every 90 seconds, to a different spot from his setup. In between casts, he reels and jigs the line, keeping his bait in constant motion.

            From my perch on an adjacent bench, it appears the kid has no idea what he’s doing with his fishing pole. My bet would be with the old-timers. Then I see something amazing. At first, one of the old-timers hooks a small Silverbass, reels it in, frees the hook, and drops the tiny fish into his yellow five gallon bucket. The two men celebrate and heckle the youngster, down the dock. They all get a good laugh and I decide the kid is outclassed.

But suddenly, the kid’s line jerks. He effortlessly reels in a good-sized Silverbass of his own. The fish never struggles as he frees it from the line, walks down the dock, and drops it into one of the two buckets. He leisurely strolls back to his spot, casts his line and hooks another Silverbass, within two minutes of casting. This one is the same size as the first one he caught. Again, he unhooks the submissive fish, walks the dock, drops it into his bucket, returns to his spot, casts his line in a new spot along the river and hooks another Silverbass within five minutes of casting.

Now the old-timers are quietly checking their lines, reels and bait. While they stick to their customary ritual of cast-and-wait, they watch the kid from a distance. Meanwhile, the kid has managed to catch another three decent sized Silverbass, with little fuss. Intrigued, I inch off my bench to get a closer look at his bait, which he never changes between catches. While the old-timers chose to use live minnow, the kid’s bait of choice is a soft rubber, neon green fake minnow. There’s nothing special about his bait.

Finally, an old-timer hooks another small Silverbass. The tiny fish struggles and fights desperately, as the fisherman pulls his line from the water. Just as he reached for the fish, the little guy detached from the hook, and splashed back into the river. Ironically, the fisherman says, “I never had him hooked.”

As I feverishly scribble notes on this whole experience, the kid reels in a sixth Silverbass, effortlessly. He unhooks the calm fish, walks the dock, and drops it into the bucket. The kid says to the old-timers, “There ya’ go”. Then, he walks away from the dock, fishing pole in hand, and disappears into the parking lot. For the next 20 minutes, the old-timers continue their structured regiment, but never land another fish. Eventually, they pack up and depart. I hang around, contemplating what just happened. As I sit thinking, the gospel comes to mind.

In Matthew 4:19, Jesus tells Simon (Peter) and Andrew, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” So it was then, just as it continues to be today. Jesus is the great fisher of men. So many times, He went out into the world, against the traditions and laws coveted by the Pharisees and Sadducees. He effortlessly captured men, calling them to follow Him. Despite the splendor of their garments, the conviction of their preaching, and the sheer presence of their stature, Jesus went out among them dressed humbly, soft-spoken, and meek in stature by the world’s standards. Yet He cast His Holy line of truth frequently from place to place. Often, men were (and still are) hooked by the truth of the gospel; Jesus’ bait. They willingly allowed the Lord to pull them from the deceptive waters of sin.

Sometimes, men will struggle against the Lord’s subtle tug, jump off the Holy connection line, and splash back into the shimmering, enticing waters of sin. But Jesus never falters, and constantly casts His line in different places, pulling in men, wherever He is accepted. 

   

The Phantom Blade

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) – “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than a double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Beyond the pearled hilt, glints of sunlight reflect off the razor-thin edges of the magnificently crafted, translucent blade. The human eye struggles to comprehend what it sees,yet does not see: a sword, invisible except for the occasional flash of light across its edges. When wielded skillfully, it is a dangerous weapon.

This phantom blade, is a metaphor for the Bible. To the untrained and unbelieving eye, God’s word is nothing more than a man-written book. It is entertaining, but totally false. It’s a tool used to make people feel better, during hard times.

Believers, recognize the God inspired word for what it really is: life. It cuts into the very heart of man, forcing a regurgitation of sin, long ago swallowed. It knows every circumstance man will ever spiritually encounter, and offers defense. The word, when read and studied regularly, acts as both offensive and defensive weapon against Satan’s never ending attacks.

The word only works under faith. Faith is the skillful hand holding the hilt of the phantom blade. The word is the blade. It cuts both ways: into sin, removing and repelling it.

Christianity fails without the use of the word. Wield God’s weapon respectfully and carefully, brothers and sisters. Slash at sin faithfully. 

Just Walk Away

2 Timothy 2:23 (AMP)

“But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels.”

 

God’s word notes that Satan’s goal is to steal, kill and destroy. He doesn’t always use over-the-top, easy-to-recognize theatrics to pull us out of God’s will. No. More often, he uses subtle annoyances to first steal our peace. Minor arguments and petty irritations between loved ones and brethren play on our human sensibilities, distracting us from our focus on God’s will.

 

            Paul warned Timothy to recognize silly issues and questionings, and to refuse engagement, lest he be consumed by strife and contention. He knew Satan’s antics all too well. In warning Timothy, he was also warning the body of Christ today.

 

            Sometimes, we need to walk away from potential conflicts if they are not righteous. By engaging in nonsensical confrontation, we run the risk of inadvertently falling into Satan’s trappings. It’s okay to walk away from controversy that threatens your peace. The source just might be Satan at work, using someone close to your heart, to steal your peace. Once your peace is gone, it’s easier for him to kill your spirit and destroy your faith.

 

            Learn when to just walk away. Time and space may be the remedy for peaceful resolution.

Dear Satan

Dear Satan,

Hi. Its me, Ennis. You know, the one you like to bully from time to time. I know you're busy swaying the weak, killing the downtrodden, starting wars, wrecking families and marriages, and flipping off God, but I just wanted a few minutes of your time. This will only take a second actually. You see, I'm putting you on notice.

I've decided not to be afraid of you anymore.

Oh! Now you recognize me? Yeah, that's right...punk. I'm not afraid of you anymore. I realize you have the power to destroy everything I hold dear to my heart. You can kill my body, I understand. You may even be able to sway some of my children, for a time. I know you can take my wife in some horrific accident. You might be able to claim my job, take away my toys, repossess my car and house. You could humiliate my character with your lies, so that the followers of the world might shun me.

You cannot claim my spirit, however. That's right. God's in me.

Admittedly, sometimes your threats are so fierce, I forget who's really in charge. Sometimes, you cause me to doubt my faith; yeah, I'll give you that one. There are times when the money's short, and the bills are due, and the heat is hot, and the pressure's on; times when I feel like quitting and giving into you. You're thorough, you are.

But today, see, I just don't feel like catering to your attacks. Today, I know who resides in me. Today, I'm close to the Spirit of Jesus.

Ooooh! Did that make you mad? Are you cool? I mean, I could call Jesus right now, if you need me to further persuade you. I'm just saying. Today, He's got me covered. You might not want to mess around with one of His true believers.

Yeah, there will be other days when I may be a little weak on faith. There may come a day, where you really have me up against the ropes, and my voice to the Lord is a whisper. You might intimidate me again...one day.

But that day's not this day. So don't bother with threatening me. I'm sure that whole North Korean missle crisis thing is taking up a lot of your time. I just wanted to let you know that today,you lost another convert. Honestly, I'd be okay with you never coming around again, but I understand that's just wishful thinking. For now, you can get behind me Satan, in the name of Jesus.

I've got His work to do.

Regards,

Ennis




P.S.  You do know all your efforts are futile, right? I mean, c'mon. You read the book, too. We know who wins in the end.

The Intimate Christian Marriage

1 Corinthians 7:3-5 (NIV) – ³The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. ⁵Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

1 Corinthians 7:3-5 Study Notes – “Sexual temptations are difficult to withstand because they appeal to the normal and natural desires that God has given us. Marriage provides God’s way to satisfy these natural sexual desires and to strengthen the partners against temptation. Married couples have a responsibility to care for each other; therefore, husbands and wives should not withhold themselves sexually from one another, but should fulfill each other’s needs and desires.”

                Sex is a taboo subject rarely brought up in open Christian circles. People don’t want to talk about it. Some people are even misled to believe that it isn’t an important part of marriage. But the fact is, sex is important in the marriage, whether you and your spouse have been married for 5 years or 50 years. It was serious enough for God to inspire King Solomon to write an entire book revolved around not only the act of love making, but of the courtship and foreplay as well (see Song of Songs). It was important enough for the Lord to inspire the Apostle Paul to write about it, in several epistles to the Gentiles. From the time of Adam and Eve, sex was a gift of God meant for sharing intimate pleasure between man and wife, and producing children from that blessed union. It should never have been considered an “off limits” topic or a “kept in the closet” act. It was twisted into something unnatural.

                True to his character, Satan managed to take the ordained plan for sex and corrupt it into something with no resemblance of its original intent. Today, the economy is slowly attempting to climb out of a recession, but the pornography business has continued to boom despite difficult financial times. Millions of adolescent girls work harder at attaining the perfect beach body than learning the Holy Scriptures. The American divorce rate is at an all-time high due, in large part, to marital infidelity. Single parent households are increasingly becoming the new face of the American family, thanks to society’s acceptance of casual sex. The list stretches on and on. Satan took God’s Holy plan for one man and one woman to share in intimacy, and perverted it into a free-for-all with no inhibitions or restrictions.

                Sex has been so thoroughly twisted that, even in the Christian community, couples devalue the importance of God’s gift. Instead, it is actually look upon as an unholy symptom of the flesh needed to be purged from one’s spirit in order to truly be able to submit wholeheartedly to God. Some married couples simply stop talking about it after years of marriage, as if the mention of the word will somehow bring sin into the marriage.

                Unfortunately, many Christian marriages do not survive without sex. You don’t have to take my word for it. You can get that information from a book, or a website. In many of these failed marriages, one spouse lost the desire to please his/her spouse. This ultimately led to infidelity. We’ll examine using a few fictitious couples (The names have been changed to protect the innocent, but rest assured, the stories are square business):

Couple No. 1 – Charlie and Vanessa

Charlie works 10 to 14 hours a day in the construction industry. Vanessa works roughly 25 hours a week in the Marketing industry, from her home-based business setup. Parents of three children, ages 3 to 9, Charlie and Vanessa rarely spend time together outside of church and home. The mortgage for their quaint middle class ranch style home, the two car payments and kids’ sports dictate their schedules.

Since he works in such a hectic field, Charlie’s home life consists of late nights and early mornings, 6-days out of every week. Charlie had an outdoor Jacuzzi installed in the back yard 3 months ago, but has yet to find the time to enjoy a relaxing soak solo, let alone with his wife. His Sundays usually involve church services in the morning and tackling the “honey-do” list in the afternoon. He rarely takes the family on vacation.

                Vanessa spends most of her time maintaining the home, raising the children and working on the computer for a few hours, 5-days out of the week. By the end of each day, she’s tired. Although Charlie bought her the new Jacuzzi she had been asking for, he hasn’t taken the time to use it with her. While she spent a few evenings alone, allowing the warm effervescent waters to sooth her aching muscles and wound-up mind, she quickly lost interest in the new Jacuzzi. Vanessa is sexually frustrated with her husband’s lack of attention, lately. Although she prays to the Lord to ease her troubled mind, she’s noticed a certain new member to the congregation. He has a lovely, innocent smile; he’s a naturally hansom man; and dresses casually clean, the way she’d like to see her husband dress once in a while. Stanley is his name.

                Tonight, Charlie walked through the back door of the house at 9:15pm, smelling of engine oil and sawdust. As usual, he carried a roll of construction plans; his homework for the night. By this time, the children were tucked away in bed. Despite his horrible smell, Vanessa sauntered downstairs, to the bench-seat where Charlie was sitting. His head rested in the palms of his large hands; elbows on knees. It had been another stressful workday for her man, and she quickly made plans to relieve his tension, if he was up for it.

“Long day, babe?”

“Yeah. A new guy started today. This kid has no clue what he’s doing. He set my crew back by two days. I need to figure out how to offset this disaster, and get my guys back on schedule.”

“Oh, you poor baby,” Vanessa said, as she gently began to massage his thick shoulders. “Momma’s got something that can make you feel all better. How about we go outside and…”

“Honey, please. I really don’t have time for this, right now. I have to figure out a whole new estimate on manpower because of this kid. I need to look at tomorrow’s schedule of work. I have a million things I should be thinking about, on top of the hundred things I have to think about tomorrow.”

Dejected, yet again, Vanessa backed away from her husband.

                “I see. Well…don’t stay up too late, babe. Your dinner’s in the microwave.”

                “Yeah, thanks honey. I’ll grab it in a few minutes.”

                Late in the morning hours, after crying, Vanessa pulled open a dresser drawer, and removed a small pocket calendar. Scrolling to yesterday’s date, 4/30/2013, she marked an “X” with a blue highlighter. It’s the latest in a slew of “X”s dating back to 2/15/2013; the last time she and her husband made love. It was passionless, but something was better than nothing.

                After tucking the calendar away, she returned to the empty bed. Charlie had not yet called it a night, from his homework. Vanessa lay her head down, closed her eyes and drifted off to troubled sleep as she wondered what Stanley would be dressed in, come this Sunday.

Couple No. 2 – Cassey and Bressa

Cassey was a born menace, who was no stranger to danger. By the time he was 18, his own mother expected him to be killed before his 20^th birthday. Then, he met Bressa and his whole lifestyle seemed to change overnight. Cassey began attending church with Bressa. As the Lord began to work in his life, Cassey denounced his sinful ways: no more drug-selling; no more alcohol; no more frivolous women. For their 5 years of dating before marriage, Cassey had put Bressa through hell, as he fought between the allure of the flesh and the truth of the Gospel. Eventually, he laid it all down for good, and married Bressa on his 25^th birthday.

                Bressa had been a born and raised church girl. The daughter of a preacher, she was familiar with the Scriptures, but somehow still managed to fall in love with an unsaved thug, when she was 17. Bressa had decided to save Cassey, and faithfully stuck by him as he continued to struggle with the temptations of the world. But his frequent indiscretions came with a price: Bressa’s heart grew ever weary, with each new lie and excuse Cassey concocted. Still, she married him before God and the pastor, when she was 22. But her heart had grown cold; tired and vengeful from all the years of his philandering. Once upon a time, all she wanted was him. But now, he wasn’t enough.

                The first time Cassey discovered his wife had been unfaithful, he brushed it aside. He figured it was God’s judgment on him, for all the years he had betrayed her trust, before their marriage. Besides, she had repented and genuinely seemed to want to work things out between them. But 4 years later, Bressa was caught again. This time, through prayer, fasting and counseling with the pastor, the couple once again reconciled and moved past her adultery.

                It’s been 10 years since Bressa had a setback. Together, the couple has grown in the Lord. But as they age, Bressa has lost her desire to be intimate with Cassey. He tries to respect her decision to forgo love making but, deep down, Cassey is sexually frustrated. Compounding his frustration is his wife’s sudden bouts of jealous rage. She questions every move he makes, she tries to discourage him going out with friends. She questions his need for a gym membership. Everything is scrutinized.

                While on the job one day, Cassey was recently approached by a woman he once dated in high school, before Bressa. Maria Gonzalez, was now married and went by Maria Cruz. Cassey planned to tell his wife of the encounter.

                Pulling up into the driveway, Cassey watched as his wife knelt over the flowerbed to pluck a few fresh roses. Bressa looked absolutely stunning in her sun dress and giant sun hat. Sitting behind the wheel of the car, his eyes traced the line of her hips, up to her breasts. He paused, thinking about how long it had been since last he’d seen her naked and yearning for him. It seemed like ages. God surely had some since of humor. Beside her, lay her Bible. It was opened to Song of Songs. Cassey opened the car door, and Bressa looked up.         

                “Hola Chica Hermosa (Hello beautiful girl),” Cassey said as he walked toward the flowerbed.

                “Hmph. You’re not slick, mister. You must want something.”

                “Oh yes I do, senorita, but the question is: will you give me what I want?”

                Cassey grabbed Bressa around the waist, and moved in to kiss her neck. Bressa batted him off.

                “Stop it, you lunatic! What will the neighbors think?” Bressa said.

                “Fine, fine. Baby, you’ll never guess who I ran into at the downtown market today?”

                Bressa turned to walk toward the back yard, but called out, “Knowing you, it was probably an ex-girlfriend.”

                “How’d you know that? Man, there must really be something to that female intuition stuff.”

                Bressa stopped and slowly turned toward Cassey. He saw a contemptuous look, replace the look of beauty across her face.

                “Ex-girl, eh? So who was this tramp?”

                “Hey, hey, that’s no way for a nice Christian woman to speak about someone. Anyway, do you remember Maria Gonzalez? The one I used to…”

                “Yeah, I remember her. She was the one who tried to pull my hair out when she found out I was dating you. Of course, you did fail to mention to her that you’d broken up with her, now didn’t you?”

                “Hey c’mon baby. That was a different life. You can’t possibly still be sore about that.”

                “Hmm. Well anyway, how did your girlfriend look?”

                Cassey let that cheeky comment slide by without a second thought.

                “Actually, she looked good. She found the Lord Jesus, cleaned her life up, married some dude named Juan and they have 3 kids. I told her about how you led me to the Lord, and how happy you make me these days, now that we can be totally honest with each other.”

                “She looked good, eh? Maybe you should have stayed with her then, instead of marrying me!”

                Cassey ran to Bressa and gripped her in a bear hug, from behind. She struggled but eventually calmed down.

                “C’mon baby. I just told you, I told that woman how happy I am with you. All you heard me say was, ‘she looked good’. What’s the matter with you, Mami? You know you’re the only girl for me. Let me take you upstairs and prove it to you.”

                “No, I think maybe you’d better go and take a cold shower. I’m not in the mood for any of your smooth talk today. Maybe you should go back to the market and find Maria Gonzalez!”

                Bressa broke free of Cassey’s grip and stormed through the back door of the house, leaving her Bible lying next to the flowerbed. Cassey stood in the driveway shaking his head, frustrated.

                “That’s the problem. You’re never in the mood anymore! Maybe I will go find her. She gave me more attention, in 15 minutes, than you have in 3 months!”

                Cassey hopped into the car, backed out of the driveway and sped off toward downtown.

Sex in Marriage

The idea behind marriage is one man joins with one woman, in the presence of God, for life. FOR…LIFE! Do you understand how long that can be? God wants the marriage experience to be a blessed union, pleasurable for both man and wife.

Frankly, I can’t imagine going through the rest of my days without sharing intimacy with my wife. If she were to purposely hold out on me, not due to any illness preventing her from doing so, but just plain old human spite, I would fail. I can’t lie. I would fail. Eventually, Satan would win. And in winning, he will have succeeded in ripping my family apart, because my wife might not be able to forgive me for stepping outside of our marriage. Now I don’t know that for a fact, and I’m not willing to find out. But I think this is the course of events that would transpire simply by the two of us, man and woman, neglecting to share ourselves with each other.

The Apostle Paul knew the frailty of the human spirit when it comes to matters of the heart. He told the Corinthians, “Do not deprive each other, lest Satan tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” 

Intimacy is a part of love between a married-couple. How can sex be viewed as a sinful act between a man married to a woman, when God’s Word preaches that a man’s body belongs to his wife and his body belongs to her? Folks, we have to seriously take stock of our marriages and ask some tough and uncomfortable questions from time to time.

-As a man(woman), am I pleasing my wife(husband) emotionally, spiritually, and physically?

-Is it possible that I may have placed my wife(husband) last on my list of importance?

-Am I driving my wife(husband) into the arms of Satan’s temptations, by neglecting her(his) physical and emotional needs?

-Is my marriage in trouble because my wife(husband) may actually be unfulfilled?

-Yeah, she(he) wants me to do that, but it’s just not my thing. She’ll(he’ll) just have to get over it. Is that my attitude?

Now I understand that these questions may turn some heads, but that’s okay. We’re all adults here. And the idea is to remind each other that intimacy with your spouse is a very necessary gift in the game called marriage. You simply cannot deprive your spouse of it without there being dire consequences. This is why Satan corrupted sex to begin with. If he can marginalize one of God’s gifts to mankind, then he can easily destroy one of God’s greatest bonds: the family. Yes! It is that simple.

My wife once worked with a nice woman who seemed happily married. Then we found out that they divorced suddenly. The culprit? Her husband was a 40-year old man caught in intimacy with a 19-year old girl.

I recently saw a preview for some talk show, where the guest speaker was going to be the pastor of a church. The topic of discussion was going to be how his congregation felt about him fathering a child outside of his marriage, while still leading the congregation. His wife and the mother of his illegitimate child were going to sit next to him during the discussion.

In recent years, a local church “released” the senior pastor from service. It was discovered that 20 years ago, he engaged in an adulterous affair with one of the members of the congregation, while he and his wife were on staff at the church. Time played no part in his favor. Once the truth came out, the vote was unanimous.  

Make no mistake, intimacy is needed in a marriage. Paul considered it a portion of marital duty on the part of both the husband and wife. If one reneges on the duty, the marriage falls into jeopardy. No one wants to find out that their spouse is fighting against sexual temptations. But the truth is, many spouses are, because there just isn’t a sense of importance placed on the role of intimacy in the marriage. Somehow, it falls way behind the categories of, “okay the bills are all paid”, “the kids are all set for the next 6 months”, and “I can relax for a few minutes”. Then it’s, “Oh yeah, I guess I better give my spouse a few intimate moments now”. Shame on us.

Today, I was seriously questioning God on why he would have me write such a touchy-subject piece. And then I got my answer. After reading Ephesians 5:22-33 as my morning Scripture (sign #1), I set off for work and listened to Pastor John MacArthur preach a word about marriage and intimacy (sign #2). Late in the morning, I listened to “Focus on the Family”, where the guest speaker was a woman who just so happened to write a book on intimacy in Christianity (sign #3). By that time, I had figured out that God wanted me to write on the subject. But he didn’t stop there. He literally drove the point home for me.

In my line of work, I use a 10-Lb sledge hammer to crack open man hole covers. This afternoon, I swung that hammer and cracked open a particularly tight sealed cover.

“Bam! Honey you hit that thing like you was mad at it,” some woman yelled from a close-by car.

“Yeah, I gotta get them open.” I replied.

“Tell me something: do you swing your *explicit* the way you swing your hammer?” she asked.

“Pardon me?” I asked.

“I said, do you swing your *explicit* the way you swing your hammer? Because, I need to know.”

That was my cue to break down my equipment, pack up and beat it. Obviously, Satan was up to no good.

If you’ve read through this whole article, then I’d like to congratulate you. I expect some won’t make it this far. But for those who have, I want you to ask yourself the questions.

-How important is sex in your marriage?

-Are you pleasing your spouse the way God instructed us to?

-If you know you’re holding back, do you expect your spouse to simply live with unfulfilled desires?                                                       
-Are you the frustrated spouse?

-If so, have you talked candidly with your spouse about your need for intimacy?

You might want to think about it, because out there in the world, there’s a Jezebel who’s not ashamed to go after your husband. There’s also a devil out there who’s eyeing your wife. If you fail at God’s plan for your marriage, your family could be destroyed. Chalk up another victory for the enemy.

Trustworthy

James 5:12 (NIV) – Above all, my brothers, do not swear-not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.

How many times do we let ourselves down? How many times do we disappoint the ones we love? Each year, millions of people make new-year resolutions destined to failure. Every day, parents make promises to children but renege, for a myriad of reasons. We make promises we have no real intention on keeping. Each broken promise diminishes our trust in ourselves. When we lose trust, we lose faith.

James tells us to keep it simple. Promises are not necessary, to bind a decision into action. We need to have a transformation in our way of thinking. Romans 12:2 says, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The power of “Yes” should become the binding word. Conversely, the power of “No” should also be a definitive answer. Anything other than “yes” or “no” is the work of the evil one.

The world teaches us, it is perfectly okay to recant on a promise, because they’re broken every day. But, as Christians, we need to hold ourselves to higher standards. Jesus never had to promise anything. His word was his bond. When He said “Yes,” it was done. When He spoke “No,” it was undone. Today, let your “Yes” and “No” speak to the truth of your character. Let these small words prove your trustworthiness. 

Fighting with Faith Action

James 1:12(AMP) – Blessed is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

 

There are times when I take a mental snapshot of my life in terms of the world’s standards; my financial struggles, lack of social status, my self-diagnosed failures as a parent, unresolved issues as a husband, my lack of compassion as a brother and son. Human failures weigh heavily on me. It’s the perfect breeding ground for Satan to inject doubt and discontent into my weary spirit. He tries to convince me that I’ve strayed from God’s path; that somehow, what I thought was God’s intended direction was nothing more than my own egotistical desires. He chides, no matter what I do, I’ll fail in this life.

James saw this plight coming. He knew what Satan might attempt to do to the devoted Christian who stumbles. He knew our faith would come under fire and wrote an epistle to specifically address faith in action versus weak, idle faith. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial,” he says.

Everyday life is the trial. Though we may be new creations, we still struggle with the sin of our own humanity. James encourages us to not only lean on God’s word, but to put the word into action in our everyday lives. Fight Satan with faith action.

The Coming: Twelve Strikes - Prologue

Good evening friends and family. This year, I'm writing a new book. It's going to be a novel I'm entitling, "The Coming: Twelve Strikes". Originally, I threw this prologue out about two weeks ago, to get some feedback from fellow writers and friends on how I might improve the storyline. I got some really good comments, so I decided to edit the prologue in response. This is my first revision.

In the past, I've had problems receiving comments through blogger, so feel free to send me a comment via Facebook (Ennis Smith) or Twitter (@Ennis_C_Smith) or Google (Ennis Smith). Any and all comments are welcomed. Thank you friends and family. Enjoy.
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Twelve Strikes - Prologue

2:23 AM; 11 January 2013

A dull, muffled annoyance began to intensify, stirring Daniel from what was the best sleep he’d  experienced in months. Possibly someone’s car alarm was set off, down the street. Maybe a cat fight was taking place in the freezing night. Daniel tossed and wrestled with the sheets, fighting against the shrill sound ever growing louder, more pronounced; closer than the street below his bedroom window. It was in the house. Daniel sprung from the bed, still half sleep, and barreled through the room. He ripped open the bedroom door and descended the steps two at a time.

 

“I’m coming honey! Daddy’s coming, Mary,” he yelled though the dark house.

 

At the bottom of the steps, Daniel landed on a stuffed animal, sending his feet into the air. His seat crashed against the hardwood floor, jarring his teeth together. A lightning bolt of pain shot up his back, as he struggled to his feet. The thud seemed to ramp up Mary’s screaming. Daniel crashed through the twins’ bedroom door, flipping the light switch. Ruth sat up in bed covering her ears against the assault.

 

“Daddy, make her stop screaming! What’s wrong with her?”

Daniel leaped toward the ladder of the L-shaped loft. His eyes trained on Mary as she sat cowering in the corner, screaming. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her sweaty hair lay matted across her damp forehead. Her eyes seemed to dart from one direction to the next, as she clutched her blanket tight to her little chest. At the top of the ladder, Daniel bent over the railing and reached toward Mary.

 

“It’s okay sweetheart. I’m here. Calm down.”

Daniel saw Mary’s frightened eyes widen, as he reached toward her. She bellowed a blood curdling shriek then, collapsed to the pillow underneath her. Daniel ripped the blanket from his limp daughter’s grasp, and lifted her one-armed by the night gown. Mary draped loose over his shoulder as he slowly descended the loft ladder.

 

“Daddy, what’s wrong with Zoo-Zoo?”

 

“Zoo-Zoo’s just had a bad dream, honey. She’s okay.”

 

Daniel sat on the carpeted floor cradling Mary. She slept peacefully in his arms, as he brushed her damp hair away from her sweaty scalp. Behind him in the hallway, Daniel heard the front door close. Keys jiggled as they landed inside the small dish atop the living room ottoman, and padded feet raced toward the girls’ bedroom. He glanced behind to see Dana glide into the room, still clad in nursing scrubs.

 

“Dear, what happened?” Dana asked. “I heard screaming outside, before I could get the car parked. Is Zoo-Zoo fine?”

 

“She had a bad dream and woke up screaming in the dark, Momma,” Ruth said. “I had to cover my ears.”

 

“You did?” Dana asked, lifting Jordan from her bed. Dana and Ruth snuggled noses. “Aw, my sugar-snap, I’m sorry you had to see that.”

 

Daniel stood up, still cradling Mary. He reached over and kissed Dana’s lips.

 

“Good morning, babe. Sorry you had to come home to this. She must’ve had one heck of a night terror.”

“Oh, my poor baby. She was doing so well. She hasn’t had a nightmare in over a year.”

“I know. This time was…somehow different, though. I can’t really explain it.”

“Different, how dear?”

 

“Her eyes were all over the place. Once she saw me reaching for her…”

 

“What? What happened, when you reached for her?”

 

“Momma did you get to see any dead people tonight?” Ruth asked.

 

“Hush sugar-snap," Dana whispered in Ruth's ear. "Dear, what happened when you…”

“Babe, I kid you not; she fainted. She didn’t…drift off to sleep. I think she actually fainted. I scooped her over my shoulder, brought her down to the floor, and she’s been asleep ever since.”

Dana shook her head.

“Honey, I don’t understand. How could she have fainted?”

 

“I don’t know babe. You’re Doctor Mom. I was hoping you could explain it to me.”

 

Mary shuddered in Daniel’s arms, and slowly opened her eyelids. Daniel and Dana stared into her hazel eyes.

 

“Good morning, my little Zoo-Zoo.” Dana kissed Mary’s forehead. “How are you, sweetheart?”

“Hi Momma,” Mary whispered. “Daddy?”

 

“Yeah Zoo-Zoo, Daddy’s here sweetheart. You had a little bad dream, but you’re okay now. Daddy was just putting you back to bed.”

“Daddy, they’re coming. They’re coming soon.”

 

Dana and Daniel exchanged a bewildered glance.

“Zoo-Zoo, do you remember what you dreamt of, honey?”

 

“Uh-huh,” Mary whimpered. “He said the time was near, Daddy. He said he was going to bring them back first. He said…”

 

Mary’s tiny chest began to heave. Dana quickly tucked Ruth under her Strawberry Shortcake sheets, then took Mary into her arms, soothing the toddler, as Mary began to sob.

 

“Shhhhh. It’s alright, Zoo-Zoo. Daddy won’t let anyone hurt you, baby.”

Daniel read Dana’s pleading, as she slowly rocked Mary.

“That’s right, Zoo-Zoo. Daddy won’t let anyone hurt you. I’m a tough guy. Now, who were you talking with, in your dream?”

 

Mary buried her tiny face into Dana’s shoulder. Tears soaked through the scrub shirt, but Dana clutched her daughter tight.

 

“He was bright, Daddy; like the sun. I couldn’t see his face. He was loud and scary, but he was nice to me.”

“What in the world?” Daniel whispered.

 

“Daddy, he told me to tell you something.”

 

Dana’s hazel eyes were saucers. She bit down on her bottom lip. Daniel gently stroked his wife’s arm, comforting her.

 

‘This is all just some sort of weird dream she had,’ he thought.

 

“What did the bright man say, Zoo-Zoo?”

 

“Time is short, Daddy. Time is short. They are coming.”

 

Mary closed her tiny eyes and began snoring against her mother’s shoulder; fast asleep. Dana and Daniel stood in the middle of the girls’ room staring at one another. In his mind, Daniel replayed the words his four-year old daughter had spoken.

“She’s out, dear. My God she’s asleep, as if she’d never been awake.” Dana shivered. “Danny, what’s happening here?”

 

“Babe, I have no idea. ‘Time is short. They are coming.’”

    

 

 

Choose!

John 12:43 (AMP): “For they loved the approval and the praise and the glory that come from men [instead of and] more than the glory that comes from God. [They valued their credit with men more than their credit with God.]”

Flesh versus Faith: this is a never ending struggle we face as Christians. Inherently, we know the difference between right and wrong, but find it difficult (at times) to choose. In our humanity we crave the praises, honors and accolades of our peers. We willfully ignore God’s commandments to achieve temporary glory.

Paul warned of the duality of the human condition in his letter to the Roman believers: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15 NIV). The Pharisee, Nicodemus, was a victim of this duality. Though he was intrigued by the truth of Jesus, he chose to tread lightly or not at all, for fear of losing favor among his peers.

As Christians, we need to stand boldly for our Lord. We need to choose the way of the Lord over the influences of the world. God’s holy word should constantly strengthen our resolve, and steer us clear of false glory.

Sunday, we will celebrate the Lord’s ultimate sacrifice for our sinful nature. May His sacrifice remind us of our loving duty to serve Him. Let us choose God’s glory over man’s titles and praises. Live the Word.  

His Presence; His Promises; All People

God loves His children to bask in His presence. The Bible is filled with stories of the faithful being blessed while in the presence of the Lord. He never fails at keeping His promises, whether they are fulfilled in a day, or in 10,000 days. Most importantly, God’s presence and promises are available for all people to benefit from.

Earlier today, I ran into someone clearly outside of the presence of the Lord. While making my rounds, testing fire hydrants and gate valves for water leaks, I came across a young lady (maybe in her late twenties) huddled against a brick wall, swearing and crying to a friend on a cell phone. My heart immediately went out to her, because I overheard some of the conversation, as I worked on my gate valve. She’d been involved in a fight at home, and stormed out of the house, leaving all of her belongings behind. Whatever the situation was, she was tired of the recurring event. She cried desperate tears, wanting to go back home, but afraid to return. She seemed to be at her wits end.

I envisioned myself walking over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and asking if it would be alright if I prayed for her. But just as I mustered the courage to do so, she started walking away, cell phone still in hand, still cursing the world, still lonely. Watching her walk two blocks then bending the corner, I prayed for her until she was out of sight.

I remembered that feeling of despair and loneliness. Although my circumstances may have been different than hers, I recognized the anguish brought on by bad choices; choices made outside of the presence of the Lord. I may be a different shade and gender than she, but despair doesn’t discriminate. Luckily for us, neither does the Lord.

Watching that young lady’s episode, I was made acutely aware of my own relationship with God today. He’s been with me all day you see: praying for family and friends, first thing this morning; reading one chapter of the Book of Acts; Listening to Tony Evans, at 7AM; humming contemporary Christian tunes while I worked; blasting my Christian rap, at lunch; thinking on God’s plan for my future, late this afternoon; consulting the Bible before writing this evening; and you better believe He’ll be with me when I read chapter 19 of Acts before saying my prayers and turning in for the night. My life is so much better when I’m in the presence of the Lord.

His promises help to keep me close to Him. God never fails in the promise department. From Abraham to David, Daniel to Jesus, God never fails to keep His promises. Jesus told the disciples to expect opposition for following Him, but He also promised the gift of salvation for those who did choose to follow. The same holds true today. Struggles come in droves at times, but God never fails to arrive right on time. Each time He shows up to take care of my family, it gets easier to remain faithful.

Tithing was a huge hurdle for me to vault. In the beginning of my walk, I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of turning over any percentage of my hard earned money to anyone’s church. As far as I was concerned, God had no hand in the money I had worked to earn. Even when I began to believe in the Bible and its Commands, I still struggled with tithing first before everything else. God’s word promises that He will look after the faithful. I’d heard it all before, but failed to truly believe in it.

Once I surrendered my egotistical pride and began to give, the blessings of the Lord began to show up unexpectedly. Now hear me right; I’m not talking about material blessings here. I’m talking about the blessings of a peaceful home, of a happy marriage, of a calm spirit, and an increase in a giving attitude. I’m speaking of intangible blessings. By the time the material blessings did begin to arrive, I barely noticed them for anything more than an added gift from the Lord. His promises are real.

God doesn’t hate anyone, despite what a handful of man-made religions might want you to believe. He hates the sin in man, but not man. Notice I didn’t express a certain type of man; he loves us all, and wants nothing more than for each and every one of us to come into a relationship with Him. In God’s grand scheme, there really shouldn’t have to be a black church, or a white church; Asian followers should be able to join with Dutch believers in worshiping the Lord. Men created the monk monastery, and the convent of Nuns wasn’t God’s plan either. He loves us all, and we should strive to worship Him as one body: the body of Christ.

Pastor Eddie Marcum, of River of Life Assembly of God, understands these core principles of worship and fellowship. On the surface, this unassuming man could blend into a crowd of spectators at a ball game, just as easily as he could blend in at a hip hop concert. On any given day of the week, he sports sneakers, straight-leg jeans, a simple T-shirt, and ball cap. I’ve even seen Pastor Marcum dressed in a Barry Sanders jersey complete with spot-on, matching blue, patent-leather shell-toe Addidas sneakers, circa 1988. He’s a fresh little white guy from a small town and he’s got more soul in his spirit than a lot of people I’m acquainted with. Yet this man worships the Lord with a fire and passion unlike many stuffy-suited pastors currently on the television. To stand next to Pastor Marcum, is to stand in the very presence of the Lord. He’s just one example of the type of person God saved and keeps a close eye on.

Under Pastor Marcum’s leadership, River of Life has adopted God’s core principles as the church’s vision for winning souls over to Christ. God: His presence; His promises; all people. As followers of Christ Jesus, we need to remember these core principles daily. God’s presence keeps us protected from the thwarts of the enemy. God’s promises keep us ever faithful to His commands. God’s love encompasses all people, so we should strive to eliminate judgment of any kind throughout our day-to-day lives. Being in His presence brings the fulfillment of His promises, and that is available for everyone.

The River of Life congregation believes in, and subscribes to these principles. On any given Sunday, the sanctuary is packed with a growing family of believers, made up of all nationalities, all financial backgrounds, and all levels of faith. Church elders make a point to welcome new faces visiting the congregation, and encourage visitors to return. Children’s ministry is in a current state of explosion, as God ministers to the youth. Special needs prayer, powerful message preaching and altar calls are the norm for every Wednesday evening and Sunday service. New believers-classes work to strengthen not only new converts, but those already familiar with the faith as well. With pilot groups such as Drama team, Softball leagues, church picnics, Men’s Ministry and Women’s Ministry, River of Life incorporates the core principles, to strengthen the R.O.L. family, and win new souls to the Christian faith.

The in house worship team, led by assistant Pastor Steve Marcum, leads the congregation into spirited and vibrant worship every week. From contemporary Christian music, to old school hymnals, the River of Life worship team is a body of musicians and singers dedicated to bringing the congregation easily into the presence of the Lord. No genre of Christian music is off limits, as the worship team offers Christian music for all tastes.

Look out into the crowd, from the pulpit view, and you will see God’s living church: an enormous body of believers young and old, rich and poor, black and white, all coming together to give praises to God. No discrimination, no hatred, no shame. The River of Life congregation believes that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was resurrected on the third day, and ascended into heaven to sit at the Father’s right hand. It is the common thread binding a multitude of differences. And underneath that common thread, lie the core principles: His presence; His promises; all people.

If you have church hopped, unable to find a home; if you are new to the faith and simply need guidance; if you’ve yet to take the step tugging at your heart, I invite you to join us every Sunday morning at 10:30AM. Come as you are. Come prepared to be changed for the rest of your life.

River of Life

870 Savage Road

Belleville, Michigan 48111-4916

Pastor: James E. Marcum