Ava's Crucible- The Complete series Box Set

by Mark Goodwin

  The work week progressed. Ava slept a little easier with each passing day that she didn’t have a visit from the police. But she never stopped looking around the corner, down the street, and behind every car she passed for the man with the lazy eye.

  CHAPTER 21

  Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

  Genesis 25:29-34 NKJV

  Ava gave Buckley a rough scratch on the head Sunday morning before church. “You keep an eye on things, Buck. Any curious people come around and you take ‘em out. I’ll be home before dark.”

  Buckley whined and gave her the eyes that begged her not to leave.

  “I know. I’ll miss you, too. But you’ve got Animal Planet playing on TV, as well as full bowls of water and food. What more could you ask for? Most dogs don’t have it as good as you.”

  He licked her face and she laughed. “Thanks for fixing my makeup again. Be good.”

  Ava walked out the door and locked up. She double checked the position of her Glock to be sure she could get to it in time in case the man with the lazy eye was to appear in the elevator or on the way to her Jeep. But, he did not. She relaxed once she was in the vehicle and headed toward Buda.

  She made good time and arrived at church early. Charity and James were already there. Charity waved from down front. Ava joined them.

  “Oh! You look so cute! Is that a new top?” Charity asked.

  “No.” Ava took her seat. “I’ve had it.”

  “What about the boots? I’ve never seen those before?”

  “Well, we’re going shooting after church, right?”

  “Yeah?” Charity looked perplexed. “Is that why you’re all fixed up? I can’t remember the last time I saw you wear eyeshadow.”

  “What am I; a schoolmarm? I always wear makeup.”

  “Lip gloss and eyeliner, maybe a little foundation. I know what you wear. Do you have on lip liner?” Charity inspected her suspiciously.

  Ava looked toward the back of the church, then turned back to Charity. “I wanted to look nice for church.”

  “Leave her alone.” James chided Charity playfully. He turned his attention to Ava. “You look very nice.”

  “Thank you, James.” Ava gave her friend a scolding look. “See how easy a simple compliment can be.”

  Charity rolled her eyes and looked over the church bulletin. “We stopped and picked up a lemon pie to take over to Dr. Hodge’s. I hope it doesn’t get hot in the car.”

  “It’s almost November. It should be fine.”

  “Yeah, but it’s almost November in Texas. Eighty outside could translate to a hundred in the car. Anyway, I don’t guess a lemon pie will melt. But it was refrigerated when we bought it.” Charity glanced up from her bulletin and looked toward the back of the building. “Is that . . . Foley?”

  Ava acted as if she hadn’t heard Charity. She picked up her Bible and flipped through the pages.

  Charity glared at her. “Wait a minute. Did you invite him?”

  “No!” Ava still would not look up. “I may have mentioned that we were attending here.”

  Charity waved at Foley and avoided an otherwise disastrous awkwardness between him and Ava. “Foley, hi! Come sit by us.”

  Ava glanced up as if she didn’t know what was going on. “Oh! Hey, Foley.”

  “Hi.” He sat next to Ava, on the end.

  “This is my fiancé, James.” Charity smiled.

  “Good to meet you,” Foley leaned over to shake hands with James.

  “Thank you for helping the girls out that night at Faith Chapel. I really appreciate it.” James held on to his hand for an extended embrace.

  Foley nodded. “Just did what anyone would have done.”

  James pressed his lips tight. “I wish that were true. Unfortunately, what you did is rare in this day and age.”

  Foley leaned back and looked at Ava. “I was going to come last week, but with the curfew and everything, I ended up staying home.”

  Ava glanced up bashfully, then looked back down at her Bible. “We didn’t come either.”

  “That was pretty wild. Of course, the news spun it to make it sound like Higgins incited the otherwise-peaceful Antifa members.” He looked at her once more, then faced forward.

  In an attempt to keep the conversation going, she said, “And they totally took what he said about a civil conflict out of context.”

  Foley raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, I hope it doesn’t come to that but it’s not looking good.”

  “I know.”

  He turned to her. “Do you guys want to go out for lunch after church?”

  “We can’t.”

  Foley’s countenance deflated like a balloon. “Oh.”

  “We’re going over to my boss’ house after. He’s grilling out.”

  “I see.” Foley now opened his Bible and stared blankly at it. He glanced up. “Some other time maybe.”

  Ava smiled and nodded. She caught Charity’s evil-eyed look. Ava attempted to ignore her friend, but she kept staring, like a haunted painting, hanging in an old abandoned mansion, with eyes that follow you wherever you go.

  Ava sighed and relented to her friend’s implied demands. She turned to Foley. “You could come.”

  He looked up as if he were trying to process what she was saying.

  “If you want.” Ava batted her eyelashes. “He said we could bring whoever.”

  Foley looked at Charity as if she was the one who would sign off on this endeavor, then he turned his attention back to Ava. “If I’m not imposing. Are you sure he won’t mind?”

  “No. We’re going to practice shooting after we eat. Do you have a gun with you?” Ava attempted to sound warm without coming off as overly enthusiastic.

  Foley nodded rhythmically. “After what happened at Faith Chapel, I always have a gun. If I can’t bring my gun someplace, I just don’t go.”

  “Well, you’re pretty handy with a ball bat, but that’s smart.” She felt good being around someone who thought like her. Ava stood up with the rest of the congregation and turned her attention to the worship team as they walked onto the stage.

  After five songs, announcements, and an opening prayer, Pastor Greg looked up at the audience. “Today’s message is going to be deep. I’m probably going to step on some toes.

  “For some, you may be wanting to know why I chose to address this particular topic when our nation seems to be reaching the boiling point and teetering on the precipice of civil war. The simple answer is that this is the word I believe God has given me for today. I’m going to talk to you about commitment, about family, and about staying true to God.

  “Believe it or not, I think this ties in perfectly with what is happening in America. Paul tells us that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. They are more powerful, able to defeat strongholds. Our weapons are spiritual, and we are fighting a spiritual war.

  “That doesn’t mean I don’t believe in firearms. The Lord himself told his disciples to sell their cloak and buy a sword. And times being what they are, if you don’t have a sword by now, that should be the next thing you do when you leave this service. When Jesus spoke those words, a sword was the standard issue battle weapon carried by a soldier. Today, American soldiers carry M-4s. The civilian variant is the AR-15. In other countries, they carry AK-47s. That’s all I’m going to say about that today, but we’ll probably get a little deeper into that next week.

  “First, let me preface my sermon with some context so it doesn’t come out sounding like a scathing rebuke—w
hich is probably not that far from the truth.

  “Rob Cody, the former head pastor of Faith Chapel, while he was being obedient to God, did more to change Austin, Texas than any other preacher to date. If we restrict that to positive change, he’s done more than any politician, any philanthropist, or any other person; period. Did he do it by himself? No. But Rob Cody was the spiritual leader of Faith Chapel. And Faith Chapel was the glove on the hand of God that built a drug rehab facility, which transforms the lives of addicts through the power of Christ. Faith Chapel revolutionized foster care by building a transition home to be a safe place for children, and by getting the church involved in caring for society’s most vulnerable. Faith Chapel built a home for single mothers to provide an alternative to abortion. They’ve sent out countless missionaries and set up multiple programs which reach out to at-risk youth. Faith Chapel has a school that seeks to bring up a generation of kids who believe the Bible is the Word of God rather than a book of fairy tales like the public-school system would have us believe; programs for the elderly, a grief-share ministry, a cancer-care ministry, a benevolence program that looks at the root of why people can’t make ends meet—the list goes on and on.

  “So, what happened? Was Rob Cody a fraud? Jesus said you will know them by their fruit. Rob Cody and Faith Chapel produced some of the best fruit around. It’s undeniable, these accomplishments aren’t things that can be done in the flesh.

  “Rob Cody was affecting Austin, Texas. He was changing the culture, something the enemy wasn’t about to let go of without a fight. Satan has had a firm grip on American culture for decades, so when someone crosses that line and attempts to take back territory that was ceded long ago, that person is going to get a target on his back.

  “Austin is full of churches that are little more than social gatherings; places people go to see and be seen. Places that hand out feel-good messages or make people comfortable in their sin. The pastors of these congregations seldom have any trouble. They’re never tempted, because the enemy has them exactly where he wants them. The devil has no problem with you going to church on Sunday as long as you live like hell the rest of the week. You don’t even have to live a bad life, as long as you aren’t making any waves in the spiritual realm.

  “But, if you are telling people about Jesus, if you are living your faith, if you are salt and light in this dark and decaying world, the devil is coming after you. In fact, spiritual assault should be the litmus test to see if you are living a life worthy of the sacrifice Jesus made for you. If you never have trouble, if life is nothing but sunshine and blue skies, if you don’t fight temptation on a daily basis, something is wrong and you need to examine your walk.

  “I think the enemy decided he was taking Rob Cody down. I don’t think this task was handed off to some low-level demon. I don’t even believe the devil tasked his top guys with this job. I expect Satan himself took charge of putting Rob Cody out of commission.

  “Is that to say I dismiss Cody’s sin? Absolutely not. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says ‘There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.’ While it was probably a greater level of temptation than most of us have been through, God provided a way out for Rob Cody. But he failed to take it.”

  Ava squirmed in her seat. Of all the Sundays for Pastor Greg to preach this message, why did it have to be the first time Foley had ever sat by her. She glanced over at James. I hope he is taking all of this to heart, she thought. Ava didn’t dare look in Foley’s direction, nor would she allow herself to think about whether or not he was absorbing the sermon.

  Pastor Greg continued, “I think this plan was something the enemy spent time putting together. First, Rob Cody started being treated like a rock star. Not just at Faith Chapel but in the Christian community at large. I’ll admit it, I looked up to him. Then, the board at Faith Chapel decided to pay him like a rock star. The obvious progression is that he began to dress and live like a rock star. At some point, I guess we should have expected him to start acting like a rock star.

  “But this assault by the enemy against Rob Cody; enticing him to fall into adultery, pornography, and sexual sin isn’t unique. In fact, it’s all too common among pastors who are making a difference. It’s common among deacons, church elders, and Christian men in general. Crosswalk Magazine published a survey many years back. The survey stated 54 percent of pastors admitted to looking at porn in the past year. And half of male church congregants surveyed said they had viewed pornography in the past week.

  “This sin is an epidemic. Not in our culture, but in our churches. It is destroying congregations and wrecking homes. You may think what Rob Cody did is worse than looking at porn, but that’s where it started. And if Jesus were here, he’d say the same thing now that he said on the Mount of Beatitudes. If you look at a woman lustfully, you have already committed adultery in your heart.”

  “Romans nine says God hated Esau. What did Esau do that was so bad? He despised his birthright, his inheritance. He sold his God-given blessing for a bowl of soup. He took something so precious, so valuable, and gave it away to satisfy his wicked flesh for a few measly moments.

  “Esau fell into the trap of two lies. The first lie was that he was going to die if he didn’t have a bowl of that soup right now. He’d been out hunting all day, but I’m sure he had enough time to make himself something to eat. But rather than delay his gratification, he wanted to eat right that second.

  “The second lie that I think Esau fell for was the same bear trap Rob Cody put his foot into. I believe Esau thought what so many people in my office have thought. He thought he could have the soup and the birthright. Or, to put it another way, he thought he’d have his cake and eat it too. The French say you can’t have the butter and the butter money. Same concept, but it does offer a clue as to why their cuisine always tastes so refined.

  “Rob Cody thought he could get away with it; keep his family and his church and have a little something on the side. Folks, it doesn’t work like that. You must choose between the butter or the butter money. Once you buy the butter, the butter money is spent. No one ever gets it both ways.

  A few hours after Esau bought the most expensive bowl of soup in history, he was hungry again. That’s the nature of the flesh. Don’t try to please it. It can’t be done. The flesh is insatiable. But even if it could be satisfied, is it worth it to give up your heavenly reward? Is it worth it to throw a hand grenade into your living room and essentially blow up your family?

  “Don’t think it is only Faith Chapel that suffered. Rob Cody’s wife is devastated. He stood on the altar of God and promised her ‘til death do us part.’ He made that promise to God Himself and to everyone in attendance that day. And by procreating with his wife, he passed that promise along to his children, pledging that he would provide them a godly home to grow up in.

  “Rob Cody destroyed his family, he broke his little girl’s heart. He lied to his wife and decimated his example to his son. Those few moments of pleasure sent ripples of devastation that will go on and on and on, throughout eternity. Yes, if he repents, Jesus will forgive. But his wife, his son, his daughter, they can never forget. And this is something that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.”

  It pained Ava to think about the fallout from Rob Cody’s actions. I’ll never forget how I felt. That’s for sure. She hoped the best for Cody’s family, but she was all too familiar with the reality of what their lives would be like going forward.

  Pastor Greg looked at the congregation with sincerity. “So before you buy that magazine, send that text, click that picture, navigate to that website, go to that hotel, or check to see who’s watching. Ask yourself if you are willing to bind your wife and children to a pagan altar, slit their throats, light the fire, and sacrifice them to Satan. Because that’s essentially what you’re doing.

 
“And it’s not hyperbole. Sacrificing your family on the altar of Satan would be no more painful. In fact, the pain of abandonment will last longer, and the betrayal is no different whatsoever. As men, we’re the designated protectors of our families. Ironically, we end up doing them more harm than anyone else ever could when we fall into this type of sin.”

  “If you are addicted to porn, there’s only one way out. You must pray and fast. Pick a day every week and fast until you’ve broken this stronghold threatening to destroy your family. Fasting breaks the hold that the flesh has over your spirit. By denying your flesh of its most basic need, you are showing your body who is boss. Either your flesh will rule over your spirit or your spirit will rule over your flesh. When you break the power of the flesh, you empower the spirit. And nothing will do more to advance that cause than fasting.

  “Then, read your Bible every morning before you do anything else. You’ve all got a smartphone. Use it for something smart. Use it to listen to God’s Word being preached throughout your day, every day. Use it to wash your mind with worship music. Turn off the television, shut off the internet, and dig into the Word of God like your families’ lives depend on it; because they do!

  “If we can’t take back the Church, if we can’t take back our families, if we can’t be men and women of God, then to fight back against everything else going on in our country right now is absolutely futile.”

  “So, pray for the men of America, pray for your husbands, sons, brothers, pray for me, and all the pastors in this country. And if you’re here today, if this sin is something you’re struggling with, my intent is not to bash you over the head. I’m a sinner who struggles just like you. My hope is that you’ll take action to cut it out of your life before you are plagued with the same regret that weighs on the heart and mind of Rob Cody. Do it today, while you still have your wife, your family, and the blessing of God.”