We are continually striving to give to those who ask.52 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. Our greatest conflict has been with State driver and vehicle licensing. We have spent many years perfecting our Church documents so that we will not be a stumbling stone to the world. We would like the world to receive us, but we will not compromise our Heavenly citizenship and ambassadorial status.
Today, many police officers have recognized our Church traveling documents. Some have seen the Heaven plates on our vehicles and have said they will never cite us. We have ambassadors who travel from State to State preaching Heaven's message in Church vehicles. When they stop at State border inspection points, the officers might notice the Heaven plates, but they flag us on through. Ambassadors have even gone into Mexico and back. There's been three border patrol officers studying the front plate and two on the back, wondering how these Heaven plates could be, yet they flag us on through. They apparently recognize the Church as having been sent by God.
Every once in awhile we end up with a community that will not accept one of our ambassadors. They see him traveling in a Church vehicle and they cite him or throw him in jail.53 Luke 21:12-13 "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony." They may stack the charges on thick and turn the furnace up seven times hotter. This gives us an opportunity to testify of another authority, one called Jesus.54 Acts 17:6-8 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king - Jesus." And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. The city officials may get jealous, but as they practice their wickedness, eyes are opened to the light. We are grateful for the conversions made as we humbly suffer in their courtrooms and jails.
We've had a few members who have backslid, who have not remained with us. The State, seeing this, says, "Ah ha, maybe the rest of the members won't stand either." Then they persecute us even more, hoping we'll give up our Heavenly citizenship, hoping the Church will collapse. But what we're finding is the more they persecute us, the more the Church grows. Numbers are added to our ranks daily because of the persecutions.55 Acts 2:46-47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Amen.