For more than 35 years, Capt. Ben Marler fished for the big ones in the gulf. He taught more than half a million people to fish during his famous morning fishing lesson.
But Marler was, and still is, mainly a fisher of men.
“The fishing lessons were taught how to safely fish on our vessels,” he told The Log. “But it was also to draw folks to an understanding of just how much God loves us. Like how He created the fish for us and gave us authority over them, like the birds, animals and all crawling creatures. They have predictable habits and we have intelligence.
“And none of us need luck when we are doing it God’s way. The fish would be lucky to be somewhere else when we fish for them. The pictures in the book reveal how much authority we had on really huge fish.”
That book, “4 o'clock in the morning”, is Marler’s second, following his popular “Old Destin Through the Eyes of a Child”.
It was at 4 a.m. that Marler began his day while a boat captain, first reading 10 chapters in his Bible and then going to St. Andrews By-the-Sea Episcopal Church to visit with God.
“Upon reaching the altar I sometimes could hear the hitchhikers slip out into the pre-dawn darkness,” Marler said in his book. “Either they didn’t like my singing or the presence of the Lord that came as I sang was a bit too much for them.”
Since he no longer has a fishing business, Marler now sleeps in until 5 a.m., then spends time with the Lord and reads his Bible.
“Doing it, He grants me more and more faith,” he said. “Our faith is like the gas in our tanks, we use it up. If you notice when driving uphill the engine works harder and uses more fuel. As we approach the end time, I’ve discovered it’s all up hill now.
“I’m 73 and reading the Bible keeps me aimed toward the light. I meet people daily who love the Lord, but lack His joy. I’m so confident that this book will lead people to become born again Christians that I’m willing to take them to lunch somewhere if it doesn’t. Perhaps they can tell me why they can’t accept God’s awesome free gift then.”
Marler describes his latest book as a “handbook for happiness in all areas of life.”
With 366 entries of various lengths, Marler wrote these messages from July through December 2011. Entries contain devotions for active Christians and current and past events in his life, mainly as an evangelist businessman and boat captain.
Marler also includes recipes, his own recipe for frying fish, “it’s not difficult if you keep it simple”, some used by his wife, Joan, when she cooked twice a month for the Destin Ministerial Association and other groups, and a fisherman’s breakfast from the 1960s.
“One of the best parts in the book is the 16 marital tips within the pages,” Marler said. “Joan and I have been married 53 years, 54 in June. These are common sense suggestions that can bring husbands and wives closer together helping their marriage.”
Marler will show you how and why he lives an exciting life, sharing Jesus with everyone he meets. The secret, he says, is everything we do is for Him — even our next breath is a gift.
“Those who love Jesus and desire to serve Him will find the book to do at least three things for them,” Marler said. “It will inspire, instruct and educate. Few Christians seem to have a clue as to what the Lord expects from us.”
“4 o’clock in the morning” is a how to book — how to find he Lord and be a fisher of men.
“The Lord wants us all to be fishermen for Him,” Marler said. “Every lost person is precious to God and the world is full of them, just like the sea if full of uncaught fish. I know anyone who uses the book prayerfully, along with their Bibles, will have a huge reward on Judgment Day. Their gift to Jesus will be super-sized.
“I can look back and honestly say the best part of my life each day was when I shared Jesus.”
The book is also available at 4oclockinthemorningdestin.blogspot.com and Amazon.com.
© Copyright 2012 Freedom Communications. All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment