CLEF Prayer Breakfast this Saturday!

Fellow Sheepdogs:

Hope everyone survived the New Year without too much wear and tear! We’re rolling into 2009 and hopefully taking steps to continue growing in Christ. That said (for our locals and visitors), this Saturday’s meeting entails stepping outside of our typical “cop box:” the plan is for us to join the Men’s Prayer Breakfast from 0800-1000 at Calvary Chapel South Denver for some outstanding food and fellowship with some really great brothers-in-Christ. As Christian LEOs, we need to make an extra effort to spend quality time with the good folks we serve and protect – folks who, by the way, truly appreciate us and what we do. Retired Denver PD Officer Manny Hays, who is also a current DPD chaplain, will be preparing an outstanding breakfast and FBI/DPD/Arapahoe County S.O. chaplain and pastor Gino Geraci will be delivering a message. Formerly POST certified in California, Pastor Gino is a much sought-after speaker and hosts a daily radio program from 1600-1800 M-F on KRKS 94.7 FM. Gino can also be heard world-wide through the KRKS website: http://www.947krks.com/ -- click the "Listen Live" button at the top. Gino has a great heart for law enforcement!

For those who can’t make the breakfast but need to talk or pray, I’ll be available right after the service (approximately 1000) for same. Ladies – enjoy the time off (although you are welcome to join us at 1000 if needed).

We had an awesome study last Saturday digging into the concepts behind Jeremiah 6:16 (“Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.”). The essence of the message is this: If we want to know more about God and draw closer to Him, we have to “stand in the way” where the knowledge of God and His will exists, and “see” what God has for us there. We simply can’t make it up as we go along. Rather, we must “ask for the old paths” and allow God to instruct us (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17) in the “good way” (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1) and “walk in it” (Luke 11:28; James 1:22) so as to find “rest” in Christ. Bottom line? We must decide which path we will take this year and beyond in terms of our priorities and direction for our lives. My prayer is that, in 2009, you will take the “good way and walk in it." Only there will we find true peace and purpose.

CENTURION MINISTRY APPAREL AVAILABLE ON SATURDAY!
We still have a few t-shirts (size L) and hoodie sweatshirts (XL) left and I’ll have them available on Saturday for LEOs who have not yet received them. I’ll also have our polos available this Saturday. They are FREE to LEOs but our t-shirt and sweatshirt inventory is almost spent: get yours while they last! All have the TCM badge (“shield and sword”) logo on the front and a paraphrase from Romans 13 on the back which reads, “Cops – God’s ministers for good and a terror against evil. We do not bear the sword in vain.” I won’t be able to order more until this summer or beyond so come get yours while you still can.

WEBSITE AND NAME CHANGES!
Those visiting our site will notice a new look and a different approach to our name. The Centurion LE Ministry now has an AKA: the Centurion Law Enforcement Fellowship (CLEF). The objective is to present a name that may be less “intimidating” (“fellowship” instead of “ministry”) to cops who either don’t know Christ as Savior or are not making Him first in their lives. It also symbolizes the importance of Christian FELLOWSHIP and godly accountability for LEOs. However, we NOT in ANY way diminishing the fact that we are in every sense a MINISTRY. Let me know if you have questions, comments or concerns.

PRAYER REQUESTS & PRAISE REPORTS!
As always, please send me your prayer requests and praise reports and I’ll post them here and on our website as appropriate. I am also personally available for prayer and lay-counseling as needed.

(1) I visited with Colorado State Patrol Trooper Scott Hinshaw this week and ask that you continue to keep our brother in prayer as he is facing still more surgery. We need to lift him up as he fights to get back on the job. I believe that God is performing miracles with Scott and has great plans to use this warrior for His glory and purpose.

(2) Please pray for Bro. Erv Meyer who is currently very ill. Erv is a tremendous supporter of law enforcement and this ministry (and a dear friend to boot). Please ask God to heal him fully and get him back up to speed.

(3) Without violating a confidence, please lift-up a well-known LEO who recently suffered an unimaginable loss. I’ll leave it at that as God knows who and what we are praying for.
(4) Well-known author and speaker Joel Rosenberg has asked us to pray for Israel in their righteous struggle against Hamas in Palestine. See Joel’s blog for more: http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/.

(5) “In Memory Of:” Mercifully, our 2008 losses (officers killed in the line of duty) were down some 20% over 2007. However, we still lost way too many and this short video is a great reminder for us to keep praying for each other and our families. Check it out at www.odmp.org/info/inmemoryof.php. Thanks to JeffCo Deputy Art Briles for the pass-on.

(6) I have been advised that retired Littleton (CO) PD officer Joan Schroader has gone to be the company of our Savior. She knew Christ as Lord so her reward is assured but her family is grieving – please keep them in your prayers.

(7) Finally please continue to keep me and CLEF in your prayers as we strive to reach our own for Christ.

As always, I again ask that you help me in “spreading the WORD” about CLEF/TCM (forward our emails and website “411,” word-of-mouth, etc.). God bless!