Always Faithful
“Joab said [to his brother Abishai], ‘If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.’ ”
My friend Wayne inadvertently referred to “ex-Marines” in a public address. After the speech a gentleman approached and informed him, “There is no such thing as an ‘ex-Marine.’ Once a Marine, always a Marine.”
When the honorable title of “U.S. Marine” has been conferred, it is retained. There are active duty Marines, retired Marines, reserve Marines, former (enlisted and commissioned officer) Marines, and Marine veterans but no ex-Marines. According to Col. James Hoke, “The title of Marine is an earned title and never goes away.” If you earned it, you’re a Marine for life.
Joab and Abishai would have made good Marines. They exemplified the Marine Corps motto: Semper Fidelis. Joab and Abishai were “always faithful” to protect and defend each other in battle.
We have an enemy who seeks to “steal and kill and destroy” your soul (John 10.10) If you are alone, the spirit of porneia will take you down. Porn addiction is real… it’s a 100 billion-dollar-a-year industry! You cannot win this battle in isolation. You need a community. That’s why 423 Communities International exists… to shine the light of the gospel of sexual sobriety in every dark corner of the globe.
Pornography, in all its many forms, is an addictive, world-wide epidemic. It destroys countless numbers of lives, marriages, and families. Porn fuels the sex industry, including illegal activities such as prostitution, child pornography, domestic violence, and human trafficking. Together we can fight and win this war on porn. We cannot do it alone. We need each other.
Do you have a ranger buddy who will come to your “rescue” and carry your wounded body off the battlefield? I hope so. I do. This is a reciprocal commitment of courage and faithfulness. I know I will be protected in my battle with temptation because my 423 group members love me, as I do them. I am willing to protect, and I am protected. I have friends I can count on. If I falter, my 423 family is “always faithful” to pick me up. If they get hurt, I will help them heal. In 423 Communities, we are “Joab” and “Abishai” for each other. We are Semper Fidelis, “always faithful” to rescue the other woman or man in trouble...
“If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you”.
I thank God for “a few good men” and women who are “always faithful” brothers and sisters in Christ. They are there for me, and I am for them. I would have it no any other way. I could not make it through life without these dear souls by my side. I wouldn’t even want to try. Thank God for 423 Communities of recovery.
Would you like to join a group of men, women, or young people fighting against pornography and the spirit of porneia? Join a 423 Communities group today.
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"Generations of Valor" was taken by The Dallas Morning News staff photographer Jim Mahoney on November 11, 2004. "Pearl Harbor survivor Houston James of Dallas is overcome with emotion as he embraces Marine SSgt Mark Graunke, Jr. of Flower Mound, Texas during the Dallas Veterans Day Commemoration Thursday at Dallas City Hall. SSgt Graunke, Jr., who was a member of a Marine ordnance-disposal team, lost a hand, leg, and eye while defusing a bomb in Iraq in July of last year [2003]."