Raised Up

We can always be diligent to look for Christ in crisis.  Certainly, there have been stories emerge from the ashes of September 11, 2001 that have pointed to the presence of God.  Stories of miraculous survival, of heroic feats. But, we also remember that over three thousand perished that day in a national tragedy that spoke to us about the nature of evil...

And, the goodness of God. Even in death, we can remember the permanence of the love of God. From President Bush in Washington to the late Carmen Falcione in Montgomery, the words of Romans chapter 8 were proclaimed following 9-11. The closing passage of that chapter says this:
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In tragedy, we need to have a fresh remembrance of the love of God.  No, He doesn't stop tragic things from occurring in this fallen world.  But, He does walk with those who look to Him. 

A ministry was raised up from the pain of 9-11.  A ministry of life born out of the deaths of so many. 

Perhaps you are familiar with the story of Christina Stanton; she and her husband were survivors of 9-11.  She wrote an article for Decision Magazine in 2021, around the 20th anniversary of that dreadful day.  Several weeks after the tragedy, she went to work for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse at an office established to provide, as she relates, "comfort and counseling" for people in New York.  

She wrote:

Shortly after the attacks, BGEA established the Billy Graham New York Prayer Center and coordinated volunteer efforts in various tasks across the city. The organization ultimately worked with about 3,000 volunteers from around the country, handled more than 1,500 calls, distributed more than 15,000 Bibles and more than 200,000 tracts, pamphlets and books in less than a year.

The work of the Association continued, and the Prayer Center offered a lifeline for so many affected by the events of September 11.  The article goes on to say:

BGEA maintained a presence in New York City long after 9/11, working with clergy and lay leadership, Police Officers for Christ, Firefighters for Christ and other parachurch organizations. In conjunction with other ministries, BGEA held seminars for pastors and church leaders across New York City to provide training and support for people who were experiencing post-traumatic stress and to help prevent suicide and marital breakdown.

The Association established a more permanent ministry that has ministered to people in the aftermath of tragedy - the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, which just recently was sent to Winder, Georgia, to minister to people affected by the school shooting there.  The Team goes where God leads - to areas of tragedy, including natural disasters, like tornadoes and hurricanes. 

The Decision article said that the Team "deploys crisis-trained chaplains to communities in the aftermath of natural and man-made tragedies across the United States and internationally. The Rapid Response Team has deployed to scores of disasters in the past two decades, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires and mass shootings, and it has a continuing ministry to serve and support law enforcement officers." Additional, the writer notes: "The ministry helps victims of trauma navigate their experiences, and it has developed a specialized training program for chaplains to help them address specific trauma-related needs."

The events of September 11, 2001 remind us that there is pain all around us, and each of us, as Christians, can be conduits of God's love to those who are hurting.  Perhaps it is a simple act of kindness, even taking time to listen as someone pours out his or her heart.  We should always be ready to share the love of God. 

And, when we are beset by internal pain, we can know that God walks with us in those times of pain. When we may feel there is nowhere, we can reach out to the loving arms of Jesus, who desires to embrace us and let us know how much He loves us. 

Crisis gives us a chance to see Christ - and to know Him better. When we are wounded, we can turn to the Healer who gave His life to redeem us and remind us that He is near to those who are brokenhearted. 

Seize Your Freedom

Toward the end of his sweeping description of the full armor of God in Ephesians 6, Paul encourages believers to stand strong - and speak strong:
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--
19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

The issue of religious freedom has been important ever since the founding of our great nation. The Pilgrims came to America from Great Britain to pursue that freedom. 

But, with growing hostility toward the practice of faith, especially the Christian faith, we have seen numerous instances of the ability of Christians to express our deeply-held beliefs.

The Christian Post hosted a forum recently at Fellowship Church in Dallas devoted to the idea of religious freedom and the absolute necessity to protect and practice it.  

One of the panelists was someone who has been on The Meeting House multiple times, former U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Bronwback. According to a Christian Post article on the event, Brownback said some Christians are beginning to face financial persecution as major U.S. banks have allegedly started "de-banking" religious organizations such as his National Committee for Religious Freedom (NCRF). 

It stated that NCRF "made headlines in 2022 when it alleged that JPMorgan Chase shuttered its bank account without explanation after demanding a list of its donors, the candidates they support and potential political donations."  The Christian Post went on to say, "NCRF's situation is not unique, and Bank of America prompted a letter from 15...state attorneys general earlier this year alleging the company 'is responsible for some of the worst-known instances of debanking' while at the same time cooperating with the federal government to provide 'innocuous' private information to paint some conservative customers as 'potential domestic terrorists.'"  The article added:

Brownback said he is personally aware of a woman who heads a crisis pregnancy center and was recently denied Directors and Officers (D&O) insurance because the insurance company told her they did not approve of what she was doing.

Using strong language, he called such instances an "effort to suffocate" religious freedom, stating, "And we've got every right on our side. We've got the Free Exercise Clause, and now we've got a Supreme Court that's defined it and said, 'You have this right to do this.'"

Religious freedom rights were essentially re-defined in a positive way in the Kennedy v. Bremerton case, and the former football coach at the center of the case, Joe Kennedy, was also part of the forum. The article noted, "The court ruled 6-3 in favor of Kennedy and upheld the constitutional right of public school employees to engage in brief, personal private prayer, which effectively overturned the 1971 Supreme Court decision in Lemon v. Kurtzman, which had established the three-prong 'Lemon test.'"  The article went on to say, "The Lemon test permitted the government to be involved in religion only if it served a secular purpose, did not inhibit or advance religion and did not result in excessive entanglement of church and state."

Fellow panelist Jeremy Dys of First Liberty provided some analysis at the forum regarding the decision in favor of Coach Kennedy:

"It says that our religious speech is doubly protected, because what Lemon had done was to set up this, this fake battle between the two clauses in the Constitution governing religious expression — the Establishment Clause, which prevents the government from telling you what you should believe and how you should believe it — and the Free Exercise Clause, which guarantees your right to be able to express your religious beliefs."

The Christian Post article said:

Dys said Kennedy's case allowed the Supreme Court to decide that the Lemon test was a misreading of the U.S. Constitution and that the two clauses were intended to complement each other "to maximize your religious freedoms, to restrain the government from telling you what to believe and how to believe it, and to also give you the space to engage your freedom size of religion."

Another topic covered in the forum that night recently was the so-called Equality Act, which has failed to pass Congress, but is a priority for a significant number of lawmakers. The article described this legislation: "The act would codify discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity into federal law." Meg Kilgannon of Family Research Council addressed the problematic nature of the proposed law:

"We see so often it's these questions surrounding human life and human sexuality, where our values as Christians come in direct contrast to what those kinds of proposals would entail and require us to say things that aren't true, to agree with things we don't believe in, and to promote those things and to endorse those things," she said.

"And we simply cannot do that as Christians. We can't do it for ourselves, but we also can't do it because it's not good for anybody, even the people who believe those things are true. And so we really must stand fast against those kinds of pressures."

The article stated:

Dys urged the audience to maintain the confidence of those who possess the truth, the Word of God and the protections of the U.S. Constitution.

"Take that confidence forward and move into the territory that you possess today," he said.

As we look around, we can see that freedom of religion, as well as free speech, are under fire. I've said before that there are distinct efforts to silence the voice of the Church.  We must not let that happen.  We have to start with prayer - that is a step that, appropriately so, Coach Kennedy related at the meeting in Dallas recently. We begin by speaking to God, and, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we speak truth to the culture. And, as the Bible tells us, we can depend on the Spirit to give us the words to say. 

But, there are forces pressing against the Church; while we have the unlimited power of God, we face limitations from without and within.  A recent Meeting House guest noted that there are forces that are aligned against the Church that have infiltrated the Church. That dilutes our message and diminishes our effectiveness.  Certainly, we should be unified, but we have to be unified around the truth of Scripture. Tolerance of unbiblical views can be so detrimental, and we have to be willing to speak out.

And, we can continue to exercise boldness and discernment. We know that there are societal pressures that are driven by hostility. But, we cannot allow those pressures to discourage us to the point that we get out of the game and are sidelined. It is time for an active, robust Church to stand strong in a culture that needs to hear our message. 

Letters That Inspire

In an age where we see a preoccupation with selfishness and where hope and encouragement seem to be in short supply at times, simple acts can communicate a powerful message. Luke 16 states:
10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

The commemoration of September 11 is coming up this week, and it gives us an opportunity to reflect on the true nature of evil and the ideology that drove terrorists to kill some 3000 people in America that day. And, we can also remember the lives lost and the number of first responders who gave of themselves and those who serve in our military who have been carrying out their mission to defend our country over the last 23 years. 

In the face of evil and discouragement, Christians can radiate a sense of hope. 

Despite a disability she describes as "mild," Allison is a young lady who has decided to take up that cause of spreading hope.  She writes at The Christian Heart website:

During the Covid pandemic, the world was in such a dark place. In my heart, I felt I needed to do something to bring hope where there was none. I prayed God would lead me to a ministry, and that is when I began the Kindness Through Letters Mission Project. Searching through sources, such as Facebook, or doing a search online, helped me get the addresses for service members, prisoners, and others to mail my letters.

It started as a simple act - or five of them actually; she states:

My desire to help people began a couple years ago with writing five heartfelt letters of encouragement to soldiers, inmates, and others who needed hope in their lives. But the number of letters I’ve written has now grown to over four thousand. It reminds me of when Jesus took two loaves of bread and five little fish, and ended up feeding five thousand people.

Allison writes each letter by hand, and desires to include Scripture in her letters. She says, "From the beginning, this has been much easier than I anticipated. It has also helped to improve my writing skills, given me a way to be more social, and calmed my anxiety."

Television station Fox 24 featured Allison in a story a few months back, and on its website, it relates:

She’s finished more than 4,000 letters.

Since then, she’s received thousands of letters back expressing their gratitude.

She’s kept every single one of these letters in boxes or even in frames till this day.

The story relates, "She says every time she gets a response, her heart becomes filled with joy."

An inspiration for her project was her grandmother, who passed away in 2015, according to The Christian Heart. 

Well, it does seem clear that Allison didn't start out to establish a ministry - she wrote five letters to people whom she felt needed hope.  But, her faithfulness in the small things - the devotion to writing those initial letters - has grown to over 4000 letters.  It's a reminder to us that we can impact the lives of others and spread the love of Jesus sometimes in the most simple acts.  

We have to recognize that God is leading us by His Spirit and motivating us by His love. When we take our eyes off ourselves and break free of the things that would impede us, we can find that God will meet us and use us in incredible ways.  Some will feel called to "start a ministry."  But, all of us can be the ministry - a vessel whom God uses to bring light into the lives of people in His name.

Overcoming

The apostle Paul, in 1st Corinthians 15, explores the nature of the victory that Jesus Christ has won for us. He writes:
55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

The message was clear and the context was unique.  The words could have come out of a Sunday sermon.  A man related this from a stage:

"This world surrounds us with a message that we’ll never be good enough, we’ll never be strong enough, we’ll never be beautiful enough, we’ll never be rich enough. Whatever the case may be. Certainly that we'll never win. Social media surrounds us with those messages all the time. It’s driven down our throats every day, that we’ll never be good enough and that nobody really, really loves us..."

But, according to a FoxNews.com story, originally published by PennLive, those words, documented by YouTube, were followed by this:

"You are loved. You are enough, and you will win. Not only can you win, but you will win. You’ll always be enough for one reason. And that’s because Jesus Christ loves you," he told the crowd.

He added, "Jesus Christ loves you so much that he made you just the way you are, just the way you’re standing there right now."  Then, he said, "He also loves you to let you know that you're not complete...I promise you there’s more, and you will win."

The speaker was Brad Arnold, lead singer of a band called 3 Doors Down. The setting was a concert in Hershey, PA. According to the story, "Some fans cheered and applauded the singer's message."

The Fox article also noted:

"I failed all day today. You failed today. But you’re still the one that Jesus loves," Arnold said before leading the large crowd in a chant of, "I am the one that Jesus loves."

It also said: 

According to CBN, this isn't the first time Arnold has been open about his faith on stage.

He is also outspoken about his beliefs on social media, where he sometimes reposts Bible verses.

Apparently, Brad credits his faith in God with his overcoming alcohol addiction, which may provide some context to his use of the word "win" in his concert comments.  According to The Christian Post,

“January 19 is a special day for me every year,” he wrote on Instagram.

“It marks the start of a new year of a new life, a life without a bottle in my hand. I feel like a different person than I did eight years ago ... and it feels so good. Without question, God took that burden from me. I was so tired of carrying it. I couldn’t carry it any more so I gave it to God and I’m not taking it back! If you’re struggling with something, give it to Him. He’ll gladly take your burden and you’ll never have to carry it again.”

Let's talk about winning - that seemed to be a theme in Brad Arnold's comments on stage the other night in Pennsylvania.  We have to be careful not to characterize the Lord as some ticket to earthly success.  And, while God loves everyone and sent His Son to die for them, once Jesus comes into a person's life, He calls us to surrender to Him and be His disciple, not to remain the way we are.  So, while Arnold is to be commended for His bold declaration, some elaboration, I believe, is called for. 

The point I think he was trying to make is that, in the spiritual sense, we are overcomers in Jesus Christ - Brad Arnold has seen that in his own life in making a break from alcohol.  When we are up against a challenge, we can trust the Lord to walk with us - He doesn't always take away the circumstances, but we can know His ultimate purpose is being fulfilled.  It is absolutely true, we have victory in Jesus Christ: the victory He has won over sin and death has been passed on to us, and we can stand strong in the Lord - in the Lord, when we face adversity.  In our own strength, we are never "enough" - a word that has gained quite a bit of usage in the Christian sphere these days.  But, Jesus is more than enough to meet the needs of our hearts and to empower us to overcome the lies of the enemy.

Generosity of Heart

There is a striking example of God's provision in Matthew chapter 17, and it can be instructive for us to recognize that He wants us to surrender our financial stewardship to Him. The Scriptures say:
24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"
25 He said, "Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"
26 Peter said to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.
27 Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."

We live in times of economic uncertainty, and perhaps you have found that your buying power is not what it used to be. When we calculate our overall economic equation, we should make sure that charitable giving is not only part of it, but the foundational component, as the Scriptures direct us. 

The Barna Group has published some research and it states in a summary article that members of Generation Z "recognize that their generous reputation is only just taking shape." It goes on to say that, "Boomers and Elders feel that, all things considered, they can stay consistent in their levels of charitable giving. But younger adults, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are more likely than their elders to believe the economic moment calls for them to be more generous than usual in their contributions to nonprofits."

Questions were asked with this preface: "Given your personal financial situation at the moment, and your perception of current economic conditions, do you feel this is a good time to..."

The end of one question was, "Be more generous than usual in donating to non-profit organizations."

37 percent of Gen Z said yes, compared to 35% of Millennials, 28% of the age group known as "Elders," 25% of Gen X and only 12 percent of Boomers.

61% of Boomers said they should maintain the status quo. 

But, conversely, when asked if they should be "less generous," considering personal and societal economic circumstances, 30% of Gen Z affirmed that position, the highest percentage of the five groups.  The smallest percentage belonged to the "Elders," at 18%.

And, there is seemingly a strategy involved.  The Barna summary relates:

When it comes to money matters, young adults appear to be doing their homework, gleaning financial information from many sources, especially those that are relational or online. When asked where they learn about finances, Gen Z (58%) and Millennials (49%) point to a network of close friends and family as the first stop. Internet research is also a common financial teacher for half of adults in younger generations (48% and 49%, respectively).

Specifically, with regard to giving, the Barna summary states, "Barna data finds that most people do their homework before they open their wallets (or click on their mobile payment app of choice)—everyone is a “researcher” before becoming a donor, regardless of age. In fact, four in five adults among Gen Z (81%) and Elders (80%) alike report researching organizations and charities before choosing to offer financial support."

Three main categories - propensity to give, research about money in general, and research on specific recipients.  And, younger people are demonstrating a significant level of involvement in charitable giving. Now, this is not a survey of Christians, but it can be challenging for Christian believers.  Even though our personal circumstances may change, and even during difficult economic times, it's been taught that we can be devoted to finding a way to be involved in giving.

I think this can be the challenge we embrace during these times in which economic conditions are strained. It takes more to buy most, it seems. That leaves those who don't have a lot in an unfortunate situation.  I think the Church can stand ready to assist those who are in financial peril - and if you find yourself in economic hardship, don't be afraid or too proud to ask for help - not necessarily to ask for money, but to ask for prayer for wisdom and perhaps even provision.  We can be forthright in calling on the Lord, in asking Him to be involved in our financial situations.

'Til Death...

In the 2nd chapter of the book of Malachi, God indicts His people, pointing out with conviction that they had been unfaithful to Him by rejecting the covenant of marriage. The Bible says:
(13) You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, With weeping and crying; So He does not regard the offering anymore, Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.
14 Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the Lord has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant.
15 But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.
16 "For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence," Says the Lord of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously."

There are some that want to make the culture war go away - tired of being embattled or believing that the Church has lost, or for whatever reason, you have people who have adopted the mindset that we should not be fighting about moral issues.  Unfortunately, the perspective being communicated is that the Church should stay silent and not try to influence the culture, and these battles will go away. 

In other words, the Church, in the mindset of some, is the problem, not the answer.

Take for instance this headline I came across at the Vox website: "The Christian right is coming for divorce next..."  This reflects a mindset that the Church is some radical entity that is "coming for" or "seeking to destroy" certain institutions or practices.  In this case, the article defends no-fault divorce and predicts societal destruction if it is eliminated.

The article began by discussing the history of no-fault divorce, quoting from Marcia Zug, a professor at the University of South Carolina.  It states that before the 1960's...

Typically, the only way to do it was to convince a judge that your spouse had committed some form of wrongdoing, like adultery, abandonment, or “cruelty” (that is, abuse). This could be difficult: “Even if you could prove you had been hit, that didn’t necessarily mean it rose to the level of cruelty that justified a divorce,” said Marcia Zug, a family law professor at the University of South Carolina.

Then, California implemented the first no-fault divorce law in the nation. 

The article fast-forwards to today, stating:

Today, however, a counter-revolution is brewing: Conservative commentators and lawmakers are calling for an end to no-fault divorce, arguing that it has harmed men and even destroyed the fabric of society. Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers, for example, introduced a bill in January to ban his state’s version of no-fault divorce.

It mentions officials, such as Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, who have expressed a desire for stricter laws on divorce.  

The article did share a quote from Sen. Deevers:

Opponents of no-fault divorce argue that it is hurting families and American culture. Making divorce too easy causes “social upheaval, unfettered dishonesty, lawlessness, violence towards women, war on men, and expendability of children,” Deevers wrote last year in the American Reformer, a Christian publication. “To devalue marriage is to devalue the family is to undermine the foundation of a thriving society.”

But, the article then continues to drive home its point, stating, "...today, an end to no-fault divorce would cause enormous financial, logistical, and emotional strain for people who are trying to end their marriages, experts say. Proving fault requires a trial, something many divorcing couples today avoid, said Kristen Marinaccio, a New Jersey-based family law attorney. A divorce trial is time-consuming and costly, putting the partner with less money at an immediate disadvantage. It can also be 'really, really traumatizing' to have to take the stand against an ex-partner, Marinaccio said."  It goes on to say:

No-fault divorce can be easier on children, who don’t have to experience their parents facing each other in a trial, experts say. Research suggests that allowing such divorces increased women’s power in marriages and even reduced women’s suicide rates. A return to the old ways would turn back the clock on this progress, scholars say.

“We know exactly what happens when people can’t get out of very unhappy marriages,” Zug said. “There’s much higher incidences of domestic abuse and spousal murder.”

But, one must also ask himself or herself - what have been the social costs of the devaluation of marriage and the greater availability of divorce?

At the Breakpoint website, John Stonestreet and Michaela Estruth write:

Divorce is even praised as a cultural good, but rather than delivering the freedom and happiness promised, the data shows that men and women who remain faithful in lifelong marriage are happiest.

That’s because marriage was intended by God from the beginning, as part of the creation mandate.

Stonestreet, along with Timothy Padgett, write, from the Breakpoint website:

There are times when divorce is necessary, but it is always tragic in the same sense as when catastrophic cures like amputation or chemotherapy are necessary. To pretend otherwise is a dangerous fantasy. The Bible sees marriage as a lifelong bond between a man and a woman, but, recognizing the frailty of human nature after the Fall, it allows for divorce in extreme cases, such as abandonment, adultery, or abuse.

Highlighting the “wholesome” effects of no-fault divorce is even more reckless than praising the upside of amputation. Divorce is a messy, sometimes necessary, side effect of living in a world full of sin and folly. But while we may have to deal with our human weakness in this way, it’s never something we should excuse by saying that it is for the kids’ good. The cost to children is too high. Its effects on children are too long-lasting for society to allow, let alone encourage. To do so is to ignore the data, the stories, and reality itself.

John MacArthur reinforces a Biblical view of marriage in a piece published on the Focus on the Family website:

Divorce has become pandemic, to the point that hardly a person can be found who has not been affected by it either directly or indirectly. Many marriages seem to be little more than a socially recognized battleground where warfare between the spouses is the rule and harmony the exception.

Each year around the world, there are millions of divorces, and beneath the rubble of mind-numbing statistics lie the crushed lives of men, women and children. None of them escapes suffering and damage, no matter how amicable the divorce may be. Nearly every state in America has enacted no-fault divorce laws, making divorce almost as easy as marriage. It is not surprising, therefore, that the largest caseloads in civil courts today relate to family disputes.

He writes, "From those two verses (Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:24), taken from the first two chapters of Scripture, the Lord presented four reasons why divorce was never God’s intention." The headlines of each section make the point:

• God created male and female
• God intended permanence
• God desired consecration and commitment
• God made every marriage in heaven

I've heard it said that married couples should stay together "for the sake of the children." Obviously, the cost of divorce to children can be quite high, which has been pointed out. But, that is only a minimum standard - a couple should stay together because of God's intention for the marriage and try, with His help, to make it all He desires for it to be "for the sake of the children..."  and for the sake of the two parties and for the glory of God. 

Marriage is full of incredible benefits, but we don't experience those in their fulness until we totally surrender to the author of marriage, so that we do marriage His way. There will likely be times of trial that put pressure on the marriage - couples may have to wrestle with conflict and may struggle to reach a unified decision, in some cases.  But, just as our individual trials build God's character in our lives, so we can trust that our corporate trials in marriage will be used by God to construct a lifelong, resilient, loving marriage centered on Jesus.

To the Last Drop

The believer in Christ has powerful resources that he or she can and must use in order to navigate spiritual battles that occur. No one is exempt. We can't sit spiritual warfare out - because, it comes to us. 1st Peter 5 states:
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

A Colorado man named Jamie Sanchez opened a coffee shop last summer as an extension of his ministry, called, Recycle God's Love.  As part of a ministry initiative called Project Revive, he opened up the Drip Cafe. 

CBN News had reported on the coffee shop, and recently released an update. It said...

...As previously reported, people began gathering last June outside the shop, shouting, and taking aim at the fruits of the ministry’s labor. A statement affirming biblical sexuality on the Recycle God’s Love website was reportedly a catalyst for the protests that began in June and haven’t ceased.

The article notes that "Sanchez said he changed the language not long after the cafe opened to make the ministry’s intent about love and truth more straightforward." But, the floodgates of protest had already been opened, and continue to this day.

Sanchez is quoted as saying that, “It’s a spiritual warfare going on...By now, they should realize they’re not affecting us the way that they thought they would. Their goal is very clear; it’s on their site; it’s on their posters. They want to shut us down.”

This is yet another example of people who are so intent on embracing a godless ideology that they act in order to shut down the voice of the Church, to silence those who believe and speak God's truth.  But, they have not succeeded, and Jamie is continuing to fulfill the mission that the Lord has given to him.

Now, the coffee shop, according to CBN, "has been training and helping its first homeless worker. It’s a recognition of his ministry’s efforts to help the homeless through employment and connections to much-needed resources." Sanchez noted: “[Our goal is to hire] homeless individuals, to give them a real W2 job, and to also disciple them while they’re working alongside us,” adding, “And the project encompasses everything from providing housing to financial advising with them, spiritual guidance.”

A man named Scott was the first hire, and it has been a successful experience. The ministry has indicated that it would continue to minister to those who are not as successful as Scott; the article relates:

Even if someone is let go from the job, Sanchez said his ministry will still help with discipleship, finding housing, and other relevant needs.

Already, Scott, who excelled at the job, is leaving his shelter and moving into housing through a local partner ministry.

“It just shows … how God really … when you put the trust in Him, what He does,” Sanchez said, noting working alongside like-minded people has helped Scott thrive. “It really just proves that the chains that come with being homeless can be broken with the power of Jesus Christ.”

The work of the Drip Cafe is continuing; you might say, it is persevering to the last drop. CBN included this quote from Sanchez: 

“For me, the cafe is not mine. I don’t really see it as my cafe,” he said. I don’t see it as Recycle God’s Love’s cafe. I see it as God’s cafe. He gave it to us; if He wants it to go away, then He’ll make it go away.”

And, "In the end, Sanchez said 'God gets the glory' for the cafe’s ability to remain open despite the chaos."

Some projects have an expiration date - a short-term mission with defined parameters.  Sometimes we are involved in open-ended endeavors; in other words, proceed until God says, 'stop'"  A danger comes in seeing something permanent as being temporary and not give 100% effort or seeing something temporary as permanent and hold on to it.  I think, whatever the case may be, we follow the call of God, give it our best in His strength, endure opposition if and when it comes, and seek to bear fruit every day. 

We also have to recognize the terrain that culture presents to us. We have to put on the full armor of God, as Paul relates in Ephesians 6.  We can realize that there are those who simply don't want to hear our message and may even seek to shut us down.  But, the good news is that Jesus changes hearts, so we can be prayerful, loving with the love of God, and devoted to speaking and living the truth of God, so that people might experience His presence.