Jericho: a Novel in Dialogue: Journey of a New Creature

By Dennis James

Jaymes Devans is leaving Chicago, Illinois. He is going South to make a better life for the family he loves. However, Jaymes finds out that his plans and God’s plans are not the same. He becomes caught up in a world of murder, drug smuggling, crooked businessmen, politicians, secret agents, and a God with a plan.
Jaymes does not know there is a calling on his life. He winds up right in the of what his wife, Florence, always wanted for her family- God-fearing man. However, neither of them saw this coming. For if, any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. What really happened to Jaymes Devans? Come along on his journey and find out.
What is going to happen to Jaymes Devans Senior? Only God knows. When God builds the wall, only he can remove it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984538888

Dennis James

Dennis James is a MOG and former U.S. Army NCO. He is also an actor and businessman. He has an associate degree in business management from Mott Community College, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in visual communications with a minor in theatre and Master's in Public Administration from the University of MIchigan-Flint. James is currently at Grand Canyon University working on his Doctorate. James has been immersed in entertainment since 1970. He is a former student of the Children's Literature Institute. James has previously adapted the movie script It's A Wonderful LIfe by Frank Capra ot the stage. He has also been a contributing writer to The Great Black Migration Field to Factory by James Holms as well as writerof the play Dorothy, Girl with a Dream. H was also head writer for the play Real World. James has also been guest writer for Acacia Lewis Productions as well as writing instructor. James was born in Flint, Michigan and raised in Kankakee, Illinois. He is currently a Flint resident. He likes live theatre and movies. James has eight children and a whole host of honorary children. He hopes to someday give God credit for the accomplishment of Jericho on a national scale.

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Chapter 1

IN THE BEGINNING

It all started innocently enough, at least to me. It was a cool March evening in 1976. Me and my family lived in Chicago, the Windy City. I had a decent life: a wife named Florence, three kids—two boys, Mitchell the youngest, Jaymes Junior the oldest (whom I always called Junior because my wife named him after me), and Zelma the middle child, who was the only daughter, and I often referred to her as Baby Z. We were all happy with the simple things in life: food, clothing, shelter, etc. We lived in the high-rise projects on the east side of the Chicago ghetto.

We were like any other normal family, struggling to make ends meet. My wife, Florence, was a good God-fearing Christian woman. She often times tried to instill her godly values in me like it or not. It wasn’t until this whole thing began that I truly found out how deeply I had absorbed those values. I wanted, like any decent, responsible, caring husband and father, to provide for my family with my own sweat and my own backbone. I wanted to set a proper example for my two boys of what was expected of a man, a dad, and a husband. I remember my granny used to always say, I can show you better than I can tell you! I wanted them to learn by what they saw me do, rather than what they heard me say.

Yeah, there were times when like any dad I would say, Because I said so! But I usually followed that up with an explanation as well as my own actions—walking the walk, so to speak. You see, kids learn a lot more from watching you when you don’t know they’re learning than from what you tell them.

I received an opportunity to become a partner of a mechanics shop with a friend of mine I called—well, his real name is rather long so, I just called him Uncle G. I had always been mechanically inclined but never was into the backyard, street handyman-type of thing. I had always wanted my own shop. I had tried running a fix-it shop out of the apartment once. Let’s just say that it didn’t pan out too well. So when the chance came to become a partner with a friend of mine I weighed the options. The only catch was I had to relocate to Mississippi. I talked it over with my wife Florence. She knew what I always wanted. We both agreed that I had done everything I could in Chicago but nothing panned out.

So we reasoned that I should give Mississippi a try. This was a chance to not only have a job but to be my own boss, Florence said. After some considerable praying on her part—I wasn’t into praying too much, that was her thing—after lots of praying she said we should give it a try. So we laid out a plan. I would go down to Mississippi by bus alone, and if everything went according to plan I would send for her and the kids in six months to a year. I had never been separated from Florence since we got married over twenty years ago. The thought of leaving my family alone in the ghetto of Chicago was very unsettling for me.

The night before I left, Florence woke me up in the wee hours of the morning. I knew my wife better than I knew myself. She was scared. I hadn’t seen her so scared since Jaymes Junior got arrested. That was a while ago. I woke up to the sound of her calling my name, Jaymes! Jaymes? I awoke. I was wondering what time it was. I was hoping that she was distraught because I was running late. I was secretly hoping I had overslept and missed the bus. I really didn’t want to go and leave her to scrape for herself with three kids. After looking at the clock on the night stand beside the bed, I realized my bus didn’t leave for another nine hours. It was only 2:00 a.m. Yet, as I held her closely, I felt her shaking and trembling like a scared child.

I asked, What’s wrong, baby?

She told me she had a bad dream.

She then said, I’m scared, Jaymes!

I told her I was too and that I really didn’t want to leave her and the kids alone.

But being the woman she was, she said, No, Jaymes! I gave it to God. Sometimes you just have to pray and walk away. I know that God got this. I prayed some more before I woke you and he reminded me that, ‘All things work for the good of those who love God!’ And, Jaymes, if anybody loves God, it’s me. I always will. So if it’s his will that you should go, then nevertheless his will and not my will. If it wasn’t his will he wouldn’t have reminded me of his word."

Then why are you so scared, baby?

Jaymes, even when you give it to God the flesh is weak and earthly. The flesh is filled with doubt. That’s because it only knows what it has learned growing up in a limited, fleshly world. But God has no limit and he don’t make mistakes, Jaymes. Honey, any good Christian knows that. But even Jesus was subject to his fleshly doubt. But like I told you a moment ago, ‘Nevertheless his will!’ The spirit is always willing, Jaymes, but the flesh is weak.

Now I have never been no die-hard Christian or nothing. Don’t get me wrong. I believe in God and his son Jesus, mind you. But I was just a man trying to provide the best I could for my family. But Florence believed in God so faithfully that I never dared to even act like I didn’t. So if my wife said it was God’s will that I go, well, I wasn’t about to argue with her or God. I was going.

So after a little cuddling for the last time we both fell asleep in each other’s arms. She never did tell me what scared her so bad.

The next morning, I awoke at approximately 6:00 a.m. A friend of mine was going to take me to the bus station. I looked in the bed at my beautiful wife as I stood up. She was sleeping soundly. The flower pattern on the pretty pink comforter we slept under seemed to glow around her. At that moment I had the feeling that this would be the last time I would see the woman I loved, the mother of my children, sleeping this peacefully and content for some time. I wanted so badly to call my ride and say, Never mind, I am not going!

But at that moment I heard my wife’s voice in my head saying, It’s his will that you should go!

I remembered her once telling me, If God said it, that’s it. That’s enough for me. It’s a done deal!

Now, I don’t know exactly how much I trusted God at that moment in my life. But I do know I trusted my wife. So I finished packing, quietly so I wouldn’t wake anyone. I decided I would look in on the kids one last time. Zelma, my daughter, was sound asleep in her room. We had only two bedrooms. Me and Florence had one and Zelma, being the only girl, had the other. My two sons Mitchell and Jaymes Junior slept on a sofa bed in the living room, off from the kitchen. As I looked in the living room I saw Mitchell was fast asleep. But I saw no sign of Jaymes Junior. I panicked and I became worried. I frantically, yet quietly, looked in the bathroom. He wasn’t there. Then I glanced back into the kitchen. Just as I was about to dart out the front door I spied him at the window, drawing. A little upset that he wasn’t in bed asleep, I gently spoke to him. I was trying not to wake up the entire house.

Boy, what are you doing up painting at this time of morning?

I couldn’t sleep, Dad. I had this dream that somebody was shooting at you and you was trying to hide.

I made the quiet sound with my index finger. Then I pointed at Mitchell so he would lower his voice. Junior, who usually isn’t too bright, got the hint and with his index finger beckoned me over to look at his latest work. Junior had been a painter almost since he could stand. Everyone that saw his work agreed he was a very talented artist.

The drawing had a fairly good likeness of me in it. I was working on what appeared to be a truck. Also, there was another gentleman standing with a gun in his hand. He was looking as though he was expecting trouble. I say that because he looked worried and had a gun. It didn’t make sense. Also, there was a strange light that seemed to shine down, right through the hood of the vehicle. I asked Junior what the light was.

He said, I’m not sure, Dad. When I woke up I heard this voice in my head that said, ‘My light shall be upon him.’ So I drew the picture that I saw in my dream then I added the light as an afterthought. I thought it gave it a groovy feel too.

Well, sorry to interrupt your groove, son, but as you can see I’m fine. Now, do me a favor and go back to bed before you wake the whole house up.

Aw, Dad!

‘Aw, Dad,’ nothing. You get back to bed.

Are you about to leave?

Yes! You gone be the man of the house until I get back, son. Do what your mamma tells you. And, Junior?

Yeah, Dad?

Be nice to your sister.

I’ll try, Dad. But you know how women are. They can’t stand an authoritative man.

Son, women don’t mind an authoritative man. They don’t have a problem with that. What they can’t stand is the misuse of authority. So be careful. Don’t misuse it. You remember when your mother and I left town before. Don’t let authority get the best of you.

I had to laugh. Thinking of my oldest as authoritative was funny.

Okay, Dad. As always, I’ll do my best.

No, son! Don’t be satisfied with your best. Always try to do better. Sometimes even a man’s best isn’t good enough. Why settle for good when excellence is possible? Now, you get to bed.

As he slowly slid back into his not-so-sleek makeshift bed, I went back to my room to look in on my beautiful wife again. It was still almost two hours before my ride was coming, so I had some time to kill. I couldn’t help smiling and shaking my head at the innocence and naivety of my eldest child.

As I opened the door to my bedroom, my wife was hurriedly tying up her robe. I quietly asked her what she was doing.

She replied, You are not leaving here without a good breakfast.

Baby, you lay back down now. You don’t need to make all that fuss for me. Get you some rest.

She looked at me with that little one-eyed look she usually gave when she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. All I could do was throw up both my hands and say, Okay, baby! Whatever you say!

I know what you are probably thinking, Wow! A man is supposed to be the king of his castle! Well, you are right and part of the king’s job is to love his queen enough to know when to yield some of the authority to her. Remember the old saying, If the queen ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. There are times in every marriage when total control is not needed. This was one of those times when yielding was not a weakness but a justifiable must. As I threw up my hands she walked by me briskly.

She stuck her head in Baby Z’s room and told her it was time to wake up. Then as she proceeded to the kitchen she yelled the same to Junior and Mitchell.

Jaymes Junior, Mitchell, time to get up! Your daddy’s leaving for Mississippi this morning."

As I followed behind her like a powerless king at a distance, the look of puzzlement on my face had to be obvious. After she woke up the last of the kids I couldn’t be silent any longer.

Baby, what are you doing? Why you waking all the kids up? It’s Saturday! Let them sleep in.

She turned around, and with a stern look as though I had no sense she quietly, with complete sincerity, said to me, Jaymes Devans, you are about to get on a bus to Mississippi. I don’t know how long it’s going to be before or until we are all together again as a family. So this may be the last time we get to sit down together as a family for a while.

She had just taken the wind out of my sails. She was right! I couldn’t disagree if I wanted to. Now that’s the job of a queen, hold the family together.

My little girl Zelma pulled up behind us just as her mother had spoken. She gave me a quick peck on the cheek. She said, Good morning, Daddy! accompanied by a short hug, and turned and did likewise to her mother. Good morning, Ma!

Good morning, Zelma! Take out my grit pot and my good skillet please!

Just as she said that Jaymes Junior quipped in with, Ma, you not about to let her cook, I know. Are you trying to kill Dad before he leaves? He laughed.

Zelma, who had just gotten the pot by this time, made a beeline for her brother, shaking the skillet in his direction. "I just know you ain’t …

"All right, now! Zelma, Junior, I don’t wanna hear that this morning! Is this the last memory you want to give your daddy before he leaves?

Florence, who usually just sits back and watches the dust settle as I handle it, added, I said I don’t want to hear none of that this morning! Now, I want both of you to hug, apologize, and say I love you!

They both began to sulk. They took their time heading each other’s way.

I smiled and said, Y’all heard your mother! Get to stepping.

Then Florence added with one hand on her right hip matter-of-factly, "That’s right, and get to hugging?

After they had done what they were told to do, we all talked and reminisced. Florence had cooked scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, and toast. As we were almost done I looked over at my youngest Mitchell, who had just been picking at his food the entire time. I realized he had barely said a word since he awoke. That was very unusual because he always had something to say. His quietness disturbed me.

Mitchell, what’s wrong, son? You haven’t said a word and you barely touched your food.

Nothing, Dad! he said with a sad countenance.

My wife cut in with, Tell your father what’s wrong, Mitchell, or I will.

Oh, Ma!

Mitchell is upset because you are leaving, Jaymes. He thinks that now we are going to be like all his other friends in the projects.

Curiously I asked, What are you talking about, baby?

Tell your dad what you told me, Mitchell.

After a slight hesitation my youngest son, who usually has more to say than a defense attorney during his opening remarks, shoved his fork in his barely touched eggs and slowly raised his head. "Well, Dad, we are one of the few two-parent families left in the projects. None of my friends’ dads are in their lives at all. They say if you leave you won’t come back. Howard Turner and I got into a fight about it yesterday and his uncle had to break us up.

It crushed my heart to hear the Resident Rebel as I sometimes called my youngest child, sound so sad.

Mitchell! I said. I am not leaving the family, son. I have a chance to be a partner in something I have always dreamed of. This could change all of our lives when it succeeds! Now, Mitchell, haven’t me and your mother always taught you kids to follow your dreams?"

Yes, sir, he replied.

Well, Mitchell, any man can father a child but a real man takes care of his children no matter what happens. Son, you have to understand if I could do that without going to Mississippi I would. Sometimes a man has to sacrifice to do what’s best for his family, even if it means he can’t be with them for a while. A man does whatever he has to do to keep his family safe and provided for. Your mother and I have talked this over and Mississippi is where my opportunity is. My leaving is going to make life better for us all in the long run. Trust me, Mitchell, I’ll always be a part of this family, and this family will always be a part of me.

He looked at me with doubt and then to his mother for confirmation.

Ma? Are you okay with Dad leaving?

I wasn’t at first, Mitchell. I had doubts just like you have. But, son, I gave it to God in prayer and God don’t make no mistakes, Mitchell. He has assured me that this family is going to be all right. Sometimes a family has to do what’s for the good of everyone. Your dad didn’t want to go either. He still doesn’t. But after we talked it over and I prayed to God about it, I received affirmation in a dream. The affirmation let me know that it’s God’s will that your daddy make this journey. He let me know it was needed in order to make life better for us all. Now, Mitchell, you know how I always encouraged you, Jaymes Junior, and Zelma to pray?

Yes, ma’am!

Well, son, part of praying is listening to God too. You understand?

Yeah, Ma, I understand.

Mitchell smiled and seemed content after that. Florence finished cooking what was in the skillet. After we all ate we hugged, said our last goodbyes. Of course, Florence wouldn’t let me leave until we all thanked God and asked him to watch over me and the family in my absence.

I backed toward the door waving as I exited our little two-bedroom apartment for the last time. I got to the elevator of the high-rise projects I had, against all odds, learned to call home for the last few years. As I looked around I couldn’t help but remember some of the times we had shared together. Suddenly a picture of Jaymes Junior’s drawing, a Black Christ, came to mind. I stepped in the elevator as I was still having flashbacks. When I reached the bottom floor I stepped out the elevator. I looked through the glass doors that led to the streets I had seen many times. I saw our neighbor Wilma. She was standing outside trying to flag a cab. I thought I would say goodbye. As I walked out the door she beat me to the punch.

Hey, Jaymes! Today’s the big day, eh?

I can’t say I was surprised she would know I was leaving today. Not only because Wilma has a way of knowing the personal business of over half the people in the projects, but she was also, according to my wife, the best friend she had ever had. Not to mention, the one who loaned Florence the big orange suitcase I was carrying. I had packed some of my clothes and things in it. The suitcase was on wheels with a strap that you could pull it with. The strap and the wheels were supposed to make it easier to deal with. According to Florence, Wilma said she had bought it a few years ago when they first came out on the market. But says she didn’t like it because it wobbled when you pulled it. Little did I know I would learn to dislike it for my own reasons.

"Yeah, sure is, Wilma. Hey, I want to thank you for the loan of the suitcase too!

Oh, think nothing of it. I got another gray one upstairs. It doesn’t pull like that one but it gets the job done. How you getting to the bus station?

I’m waiting on Daryl Harding to come pick me up.

You mean Daryl ‘Hard Nose’ Harding you used to work with at Johnson Auto & Appliance? He is the guy that married Sheila Malone, ain’t he?

Yeah, that’s him! He got laid off when I did. He is working downtown now on that new tower they building. I wish I could have got in on that before it was too late. I wouldn’t have to leave here. But what are you doing catching a cab on Saturday? I thought Saturday was your day off?

It is but somebody called in, so a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do. Catch my drift?

I caught it all right. It looks like they caught yours too, Wilma.

We both laughed.

Well, here comes my ride, I said.

Just as Daryl pulled up a cab pulls behind him for Wilma.

Okay, Wilma! You take care and you look in on my family while I’m gone now, you hear?

You know that goes without saying, Jaymes. You be careful now.

As she ducked into the cab she waved and they took off around Daryl’s truck and were gone.

Daryl and I had been friends for about eight years. He was a master handyman. He was the one that taught me some of what I knew about appliances and auto repairs, not to mention a few things you can’t learn in very many schools. Daryl had married Sheila Malone, a friend of Florence. He met her at one of the rent parties we gave to help out one of the tenants.

As I got in his truck, I first tossed the big orange suitcase in the back of the truck and carefully eased myself into the cab. I say eased in because Daryl was never the neatest brother you could run across. His truck was usually very junkie, having tools, old beer cans, whisky bottles, and paper everywhere. He also kept moldy old cigarette butts in his ashtray or anywhere you could imagine, standing up, unfinished, burning out if the ashtray was too full, which it usually was.

Morning, Jaymes! I heard his deep husky voice say as I eased in the truck.

Morning, Daryl! I replied. How are you today?

Blessed and highly favored! he shot back with an air of happiness uncharacteristic of the Daryl I remembered.

His response threw me for a loop. Daryl Harding usually came back with a tired and grumpy, I’ll do!

To my surprise I sat down without having to move anything. I also noticed the absence of the stale odor of cigarette smoke and the loud music I was accustomed to hearing when entering his truck. When I looked at him I also noticed he was clean shaven and had a smile on his face from ear to ear. I was surprised, although I hadn’t seen much of him since his wedding over a year ago. Before that I had not seen much of him since he and Sheila had started dating two years ago. But I remembered the Daryl I knew; well, let’s just say smiling wasn’t usually his thing.

You are in an awful good mood this morning, Daryl. What’s going on? Did you get a divorce? I quipped as I noticed I laughed alone.

Nope, for the first time in my life, I’m really happy, Jaymes! Guess what I did last week?

When it comes to you, Daryl, I haven’t the slightest idea.

I looked around for a clue. As I did, I noticed his truck was immaculate. Even the ashtray that was normally filled to the brim with faded brown moldy cigarette butts thrown haplessly together was clean and contained silver and brown coins. I had to say something.

Man! Daryl, this truck is clean!

As he began to pull off, he responded with, That’s because so am I, Jaymes! I haven’t had a drink or a cigarette in almost a year. And I feel wonderful!

Wow, that’s great, Daryl! For a minute it was so clean in here I thought you might have bought a new truck.

I had to laugh at my own joke. But what Daryl said next wiped the smile off my face.

Man, that was the old me. The things I used to do I don’t do no more! I got saved, Jaymes! That’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I don’t drink nor gamble anymore either. Praise God!

Amazed, my chin dropped to my lap.

Daryl Harding quit gambling and gave up drinking? Wow, I am stunned!

Well, you know Sheila and I have been going to church regularly since we got married. She got saved not long after we got married and I noticed the change in her. She kept trying to get me to join her and after seeing how it changed her life I finally just followed suit.

Florence has been trying to get me to do the same thing for years. But I don’t want to be like them holier-than-thou people, man. Not saying you and Sheila like that, mind you. But some people, they are going to church on Sunday. But they cussing and fussing on Monday. If I do it? I want to be sure I’m ready to be right.

If you wait until then, you will never do it. I used to think like that too. Nobody is ever just ready to be righteous, Jaymes. It’s a process. Just like anything else. Let’s take drinking for instance. First I had to admit I had a problem. Then I had to be prepared to do what I needed to do to get shed of the problem. For a while I’m like a baby just learning the world over again. I had to think a whole different way. I had to begin to think in a way that didn’t include alcohol. It starts in the mind, Jaymes. You have to change the way you think to get rid of the drink. I fell down a couple of times. But once I had it made up in my mind that I was ready to quit I kept trying. Just like a baby learns to walk the first time, we all fall down a few times. But we get back up and try again. Few people get it all right the first time. It’s a process. First you are a baby or an infant, so to speak, learning a whole new world outside of the womb. Then you are a toddler and so on. That’s why Jesus said you must first be born again. Don’t let a few baby Christians who haven’t perfected the process turn you away from it. Keep at it until you have matured to spiritual maturity or adulthood. Keep at it until you have a personal relationship with God himself.

What do you mean until I have a personal relationship with God? Naw, Daryl! I even see preachers out there who supposed to already be in a relationship with God. The very ones who are supposed to have a quote, unquote personal relationship with God! They are the ones who are supposed to be setting an example for us. I see some of them out there with other men’s wives. I see some of them out there playing lotteries and stuff like that. I don’t want to be like that, a hypocrite. I want to be right.

Then you must trust God and the process. Don’t trust some preacher trying to lead a congregation and he lost himself. You can’t go in perfect. You have to work at it. Hell … Oops! I’m still trying to get it right. Every now and then I slip but I stay the course.

How did you do it, Daryl?

Well, no one thing works for everybody. I talk to God every day when I get up. I thank him for letting me see another day. I ask him to walk with me and help me stay the course each day. I am still in the middle of the process. But first I had to confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God and that God raised him from the dead on that third day. From there I just started praying to God to show me the way. I asked God to let his spirit guide me. And I kept reading my Bible. A friend of mine told me about Galatians, a book in the New Testament, and I read chapter 5 where it gives you a list of the things that are called fruit of the spirit and a list of the things that were not, called the flesh. So from there I started working to eliminate as many things from the bad list, the flesh, as possible. Then I tried to replace those bad things with things from the good list, the fruit of the spirit. It sounds easy but it’s not, and it takes time. But it’s still a process. It’s a process where you try to grow from infancy to eventually spiritual maturity in Christ. Now, I am not perfect by any means. But I am trying. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Wow, Daryl, that’s deep. If we all have fallen short, then how is it possible to be saved?

Jesus is the Son of God, Jaymes, and when he hung on that cross he paid the price for all of us. He was God’s sacrifice to bring us back to him after Adam fell.

But, man, I am a long way from being a saint. I don’t know nothing about all this Jesus and God and Adam falling stuff you talking about. Florence be trying to tell me. But I just nod my head and keep going. Can God save somebody like me?

Of course, remember it’s a process. It takes time. Jesus was with his disciples for over three years after he had chosen them all. What a lot of people don’t know is that all of them were very versed in the law that was handed down by Moses. That gave them a head start that most of us just don’t have. Even with all that prior knowledge about God and the laws of Moses, it still took his son Jesus over three years to take them through the process needed for them to spread the word of the kingdom of God. So if it took three years for them to go through the process, and they had all that prior knowledge, doesn’t that tell you it’s going to take some time for people like us with little or no knowledge about the Torah, the great Tribulations, the Rapture, the Millennium, the Antichrist, and all of that to get through the process?

Hold it, hold it! Come on now, information overload. This is way too much for me to handle right now.

I understand, Jaymes. Look, I’ll tell you what, take this.

He reached under his seat and handed me a black package made of leather with a handle on it.

What is this? I asked him. I was confused and somewhat dumbfounded by all that he had told me.

It’s a Bible. I want you to have it!

Daryl, I can’t take your Bible!

You aren’t taking it. I am giving it to you. I have another one. This is just the one I keep in the truck. I got a little one in my pocket too. Sheila and I have a Bible in every vehicle that we own. We try to keep God’s word in arm’s reach at all times. This one even has some of my notes in it. They might be helpful to you. It will give you something to read on the trip. I want you to start with Romans chapter 10, verses nine and ten. That’s the confession I was telling you about earlier.

I had never actually read the Bible before. Florence had read some things to me from it before and I had heard some stuff on the radio, but to actually sit down and read it myself, not ever.

I told Daryl, My grandmother used to always talk to us about God and Jesus. But when I was younger I got a wupping for sneaking out the house to go to church one day. My mother had gone out of town. She left my cousin who was grown to babysit me and my other siblings. My cousin caught me climbing back through the window after getting back from church and she called long distance and told my mother. My mother had told us not to leave the house at all before she left. While she was gone, it was school and home, that’s it. When she found out I had snuck out the window, climbed down a pole, and eased off to church she was furious. I got my behind tore up the day she got back. I blamed God for that. As a result, I never really started going back to church. I still believed in God. I just held a grudge against God for not saving me from that wupping.

But, Jaymes, that wupping wasn’t God’s fault. It was yours. Don’t you see? You disobeyed one of God’s rules.

How did I do that? I was going to God’s house. It’s not like I snuck out to go play or to hang out with the fellas. I went to the church and came back home.

Yes! But you disobeyed your mother to do it. ‘Children, honor thy father and thy mother.’ You think God wants you to disobey your parents? It’s bad enough we disobey him daily. Do you think he is going to condone you disobeying your earthly parents? No! He is adamant about you obeying your earthly parents and your spiritual father too!

I never thought about it like that.

I bet you didn’t. God is about righteousness. He isn’t going to tolerate you rebelling against your parents, even to go to church. You got to learn to obey authority in the kingdom of God. But if that authority is of an ungodly nature then you exert control. He has consequences for disobeying him, so there are consequences for disobedience. You paid that consequence. Don’t blame God for your own oversight.

Man! That’s a lot to place on my head right now.

Jaymes, my friend, there is no better time than the present. We are in the midst of a spiritual war on earth right now. You have to put on the whole armor of God if you are going to survive it.

Armor? What armor? Where do I get this armor?

Just as I finished saying that he slapped the book on my chest and said, Right here! Read the book. It has the armor and all the weapons you need to fight.

Fight? Hold on wait a minute. I just got past you being saved. I’m not ready to fight no spirits.

"Jaymes, read the book. Right after you read Romans 10:9–10, read Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Those two chapters are all about Christ and his battle with the devil during the forty days of temptation in the