en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/729227 Comments by MauricePogue http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/guidance/guide-pt-4/#IDComment96464125 Timing is the one I have a problem with. We didn't suffer from infertility like many other (older; we're in our 20s, most others are in their 30s) couples that we encounter, but I can see where #2 and #3 come in from others. But I often wonder about those alcoholics who wake up one day and they are sober. That would be nice, but is that #2? I know that God does not condone, nor does he make us sin, but man, like Job, he allows us to suffer so that we can have a testimony. Or at least, that's what Job teaches me and that's what I have been told by and about people who have had to persevere. It's not fun being on the "before" side of the testimony, though. Perhaps I should go back to question 2, and the way that I will understand question 4 will become more lucid. Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:59:55 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/guidance/guide-pt-4/#IDComment96464125 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/guidance/guide-pt-3/#IDComment96463501 Last time I took one of those spiritual gift surveys, discernment turned out to be the highest ranked. I tend to be aware of what the spirit is telling me. When I type something, I get this feeling that I should retract or edit my language, or say nothing at all (!!!) when I can't figure out what to say myself. I can hear God in prayer when He tells me what I need to "get right" in my life, but on those days when I feel everything is well, it seems as if He is silent, like God is this voice of finger-shaking rather than a God who would say "Well done, my good and faithful servant." I think I am bearing good fruit despite my flaws, so this is a conflict for me. I feel the conviction a lot stronger than I do the "well done," the bearing of good fruit. Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:55:25 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/guidance/guide-pt-3/#IDComment96463501 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/priorities/guide-pt-2/#IDComment96451577 This part has posed problems for me in my recovery. 1 Thess says, " Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. " That's hard to do when you or others are suffering from rage or drunkenness or internal turmoil after an affair. Yes, it's one thing to be able to obey/adhere to this when all is well, but what about when we encounter or create chaos in our lives? I say this to arrive at speaking to God. Yes, Jesus has washed our sins away for judgment, but what about here and now? What if I had just said an unkind word to someone? James 5:16 reads, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." If I am dwelling in sin, how do I make the transition from sinner to righteous? If my wife wants me to cover her and pray for/with her and the house and kids, how is this possible if I am bringing the sin to the house? How does one begin this transition? I say this because my prayer life has been an epic struggle. Why bother going to God in prayer if I know in my heart I'm not ready, nor do I want to submit to him yet at the same time, I have accepted Jesus as Lord as a gift of grace? what do we do when the desire is there, but the will isn't? is it possible to pray with sin on the heart and mind? Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:11:36 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/priorities/guide-pt-2/#IDComment96451577 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/guidance/guide/#IDComment96448601 When you first posted this, I was not ready to respond. I was lost in my own selfishness, my own desires. Whenever I encountered what basically boils down to "submitting to Christ," I played dumb, reading the Bible daily acting like I didn't know what Christ's will was while indulging in sin. There's a reason why Lecrae drops a reference to Luke 9 in practically all his albums. A key line reads, "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me'" (23). I have had to remember that submission is a daily thing. I have made the mistake of thinking I could take days off, submitting to Christ on Sunday through Tuesday, have my own day on Wednesday, then submit again Thursday through Friday, where we observe a Sabbath, and indulging in debauchery on Saturday. Lord I am ready for you to take this sin out of me, or as they say in CR, for you to remove my character defects. I can only serve one master. You. Amen. Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:00:04 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/guidance/guide/#IDComment96448601 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/inspiration/prejudice-meets-word/#IDComment92530002 The spirit is truly moving at Trinity. I was just talking to a colleague yesterday about issues with the *black* church stemming from a history of being segregated. Can't help but to feel a bit of spite there. "White churches," such as Trinity when I first arrived seem more integrated than any black church I've ever been in, from Alabama to Michigan. The Church as much work to do in this area.... Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:43:08 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/inspiration/prejudice-meets-word/#IDComment92530002 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/family/tradition-continues/#IDComment80418972 LoL! Madison will be on a real bike by the time she learns how to ride her tricycle. I think Nathan is ahead of her on that curve. My family didn't have any last day of school traditions. They were at work. The only memory I have of my last day of school is that I was the only senior in my class not to come on the last day, and I ended up breaking into my own house because I locked myself out on the way to pick up my GF from school. EPIC FAIL! Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:30:56 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/family/tradition-continues/#IDComment80418972 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/vacation/month/#IDComment79770711 On a day-to-day basis, we try to take some time to talk, whether it's a sit-down in the kitchen while the kids are in bed or watching TV or upstairs while we are folding clothes. Much to my chagrin, these times may even come when I lie my head on the pillow or relaxing playing a video game and Jacquelyn is a bit on the verbose side. I've arranged our Netflix account so that we can alternate between "man" and "woman" movies. On a month-to-month basis, we might be able to get a sitter who basically watches the house while we're gone. We might go to a movie or Culver's or Tasty Twist just to get away from the domestic aspect of our marriage. I wish this could be a weekly thing but it's financially prohibitive. I mean, I know of some sitters who would take "whatever we could give," but my conscious gets the best of me and I would overextend my generosity. We were blessed enough so that I could take Jacquelyn on a shopping spree for our anniversary, but next time, I'll do something less rigorous. This summer, I'm taking her to the NFL Hall of Fame. Can't wait. But financial blessings are key. We could do none of this had we not properly managed our stewardship. In July, we will have gone a year without using our credit cards***. PRAISE THE LORD! ***Amazon auto-renewed my Prime account. I have to get that fixed. Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:06:35 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/vacation/month/#IDComment79770711 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/family/girls-daddy/#IDComment79768847 If only I could figure out how to not think of them as nuisances and bothers. Like walking with Christ, child-rearing is a long-term investment with a lot of short-term sacrifices, yet we are guaranteed the outcome of salvation with Christ. There are no guarantees with kids. And it's hard for me to find the love after all the feeding, dressing, finding-stuff-for-them-to-do-that-isn't-TV.. Sat, 12 Jun 2010 18:48:48 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/family/girls-daddy/#IDComment79768847 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/family/girls-daddy/#IDComment79555941 I struggle with connecting with people in general, and my kids are a special case. They are so young, so they love simple things and want positive reinforcement and attention for the simplest, mundane things. While I tell my wife that I love how they can appreciate the simple things of life while we are disillusioned as adults, I find it irritating when they ask me questions when they already know the answer, when they want me to participate in activities that I have no interest. Even though I'm home more often than the average father, besides meals, I don't spend a lot of time with my kids. I look upon them as blessings that the lord has bestowed upon us, but I don't feel that magical, intangible connection that parents say they have with their children. For me, they are akin to high-maintenance pets. Maybe things will change when they age I can communicate with them on more equal terms, or at least when their interests are more dynamic than Nick Jr programming. Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:43:34 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/family/girls-daddy/#IDComment79555941 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/beginnings/#IDComment78813627 Praise the Lord indeed! If you need any strongmen to help you move, I'll be sure to send Preston and Nathan! Sun, 6 Jun 2010 17:18:22 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/beginnings/#IDComment78813627 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/people-nice/#IDComment77664104 A friend of ours from a Riverview volunteered her house so that we could leave our kids and celebrate our fifth anniversary together, without the kids. It made us feel like we had God's favor, because we rarely spend any time away from our kids. We responded with gratefulness and an offer to pay for help (babysitter). But kind to me, personally, and not through a friend of my wife's? I have a professor who is offering lunch this week.... Sat, 29 May 2010 20:41:11 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/people-nice/#IDComment77664104 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/discipleship/wearing-uniform/#IDComment77064630 As a 21 year-old man, being in and out of church, it was not until I was in college that someone with Campus Outreach (based in Montgomery, Al) explained that we go to church to praise and worship. It would take my future wife to explain the fellowship component. I still struggle with the latter, not being a fan of pretentious small-talk. But that's a personal problem of not being a "people person," trying to love everyone as myself. You might know the lyrics from Sho Baraka's "Good Day II Die": "Wake up in the morning gotta thank God / Next thing I do, Luke 9 (:23) / Gotta lose my life daily, bear my cross / Sow my soul years ago but still count the cost / When I walk in the Spirit, I have the mind of Christ / There's no doubt in my mind, the flesh gon' die tonight" Good stuff. Pray that I figure out a way to efficiently carve out a time for the Lord. My life is imbalanced in that way. Tue, 25 May 2010 16:53:23 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/discipleship/wearing-uniform/#IDComment77064630 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/solving-problems/are-you-painting-the-piano/#IDComment76818523 Prayer. Sometimes, my wife would be upset that we hadn't spent enough time together. I would then rent movies we could watch. But that isn't what she wanted so much as 1-on-1 interaction. Turn off everything, sit, and talk. But you can "overtune." What was once a "flat" could be come too "sharp," so we found that when we forced conversation, it would not end well, end in conflicted discussion. That was not healthy either, so we found that moderation, "natural," was the (correct) "key." Also, she wanted us to pray together...everyday. I'm still working on that one. Sun, 23 May 2010 19:25:08 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/solving-problems/are-you-painting-the-piano/#IDComment76818523 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/words/one-of-them/#IDComment70729541 I experienced what my wife has called "righteous anger" within the past two weeks because I was recently banned from a message board because I was defending the Bible's stance on homosexuality. I was branded a bigot and in internet terms, executed because I said that Jesus is a wonderful God because though him, all are redeemed of their sins. I am "one of them" alright, and the world does not like it. Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:47:37 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/words/one-of-them/#IDComment70729541 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/day-dad/#IDComment68520787 Pretty cool idea. I'm going to integrate this into my schedule...somehow. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:57:59 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/day-dad/#IDComment68520787 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/protecting-brand/#IDComment68520628 I'm not a Tiger Woods "fan." My cheering for him to win is not because I want him to win, but because of what he represents to all the African Americans who historically could not participate on the golf courses he dominates--especially Augusta--even if he does not claim "African American" exclusively. Our eyes and brains do the footwork for us, though. I'm pretty sure that the man has heard of Jesus Christ, but he is, like many of us, full of ourselves. But this is particularly true for athletes, who often have to "hype themselves up." This is a secular method of "doing all things through Christ, who strengthens me" or "if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains." The problem is that many of these athletes, such as Tiger, do not recognize the source of their talents. This is why I'm an obnoxious Tim Tebow fan (even though Florida State is my favorite NCAA team), and I personally don't believe that he will be an NFL success, but I *pray* that he succeeds in every endeavor. It would be a great victory for Christians everywhere. As far as the Tiger ad is concerned, I was a foolish move indeed. I feel that if he were serious about "re-branding" himself, he would have began golfing when his wife gave him permission. But as we saw from the post-Masters interview, he was the same old Tiger. Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:55:53 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/protecting-brand/#IDComment68520628 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/jesus/jesus-hd/#IDComment68519753 We loved this video when we saw it in church the other week. In fact, we love it whenever Trinity goes to the streets and asks random people what they know about *the truth*, and we are always astonished by their responses. As a Christian, I say that I struggle with idolatry, because I put myself before Christ. Likewise, this video is also a testament that there is not such thing as atheism, because we try to make ourselves "god." Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:45:05 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/jesus/jesus-hd/#IDComment68519753 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/discipleship/interference/#IDComment55216737 I owe my wife and her good friend an apology. They were pressuring me to get rid of/stop doing things that I took pleasure in, and I felt as though they were attacking me personally. No, they were conduits for Christ, and I needed correction. I became angry with them (which, for me, most people become feral before I even bet upset, let alone angry) because I wanted to do what I wanted regardless of who was telling me. Thank you for this message. Wed, 3 Feb 2010 18:30:04 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/discipleship/interference/#IDComment55216737 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/discipleship/feed-2/#IDComment54920162 My wife and I sit down and read a whole chapter from a book in the Bible (currently walking through Luke) in four of the five days of the week, in the same room, and we discuss what we have read and what we feel we have received through the spirit in our reading. Sure, some days are full of epiphany (such as Luke 20, when Jesus displays his scholarly and holy prowess among the chief priests and other "scholars"), others seem mundane. But that's okay. We seek him daily; the three days we do not sit down and read the Bible together, it is because we participate on some church-related function (Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays). Maybe it's just me being in the field of English, but it's rather frustrating to me, or at the very least unfulfilling to take in paraphrases of the scriptures, or take them "out of context." I'm participating in one "Bible study" of sorts which uses the The Living Bible (TLB) and Good News Bible (GNB) "translations" of the Word, and I was disturbed when I cross-checked the scriptures in my Bibles (I use/NIV; KJV) and they were almost completely changed. Remember when you heard/were told, "Spare the rod, spoil the child"? Well, it really sounds something like, ""He who spareth the rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him correcteth him betimes" (Proverbs 13:24) and "Withhold not correction from a child: for if thou strike him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and deliver his soul from hell." (Proverbs 23:13-14)" Yeah...I understand that the purpose of those scriptures is to reach a wider audience, but I'm sorta uncomfortable with trying to separate the WORD from the words. I see those Bible reading plans. I've tried a few. It does not work for me. I'm better at going at my own pace. If I do a chapter in the OT and a chapter in the NT per day, I'm cool. That way, I know that I can read at a slow pace, covering every line, re-reading lines, reading the notes in my study Bible, in a more meaningful way instead of filling a "God quota" for the day. Tue, 2 Feb 2010 00:06:33 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/discipleship/feed-2/#IDComment54920162 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/tragedgy/#IDComment53689003 I restrain from posting many things on my facebook because most of my colleagues are non-believers. I'm not exactly a fan, but by proximity of my wife, who watches the _700 Club_, I found out who Pat Robertson was. You may have heard of his comments on Haiti? I don't think he is any more qualified to declare God's intent than I am. I also cannot completely dismiss what he said because then I be a hypocrite via the sentence that precedes this one. Whatever the case may be, Luke 15 is where I'm placing my eggs. Different parables, but same subject: "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent," and "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." The parables in Luke 15 do not necessarily have to apply to one who practices voodoo, but could also apply to the everyday person who lives a life of unGodliness; they could prosper in everything and just not give thanks unto him, so I do not intend to use these scriptures in an accusatory tone. What I will say is that amidst all that death and destruction, if there is even one person who has come to Christ because of this tragedy, then all of heaven is rejoicing, even as people question the Lord. Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:40:21 +0000 http://www.marvinlwilliams.org/uncategorized/tragedgy/#IDComment53689003