* DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!! *
Hope all my fellow Christian Peacekeepers are staying vigilant and in God’s word (the Bible) as we continue to serve in our God-ordained profession.
First off (for our locals and visitors), please remember that -- per previous announcements on this site at at last week's fellowship -- we are NOT meeting this Thursday (10/14). Don't forget to check back back frequently for the latest prayer requests and local meeting schedule updates.
Today's newsletter includes some outstanding resources inspired by retired Denver PD Officer Mark Roggeman’s presentation at last Thursday’s Centurion/FCPO chapter meeting. Our focus was on how we can best minister to colleagues and members of the public who are involved in Mormonism (Latter-Day Saints -- LDS) – which means educating ourselves as to what Mormons believe. First, it is important to understand that Jesus, as revealed in the Bible, is simply "a god" to the Mormons. As such, they are not Christians by definition and are therefore lost (no matter how “good” they -- or any of us for that matter -- may be). Jesus tells us in John 14:6, I AM the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
So who is the real Jesus? He is the Christ, God the Son, the ONLY way to salvation, and most definitely NOT Lucifer’s “half-brother” or as otherwise decribed in the LDS false theology. Please take the time to check out the following resources in an effort to help you better understand this growing but misguided “faith” movement. Most importantly, let’s be sure that we come alongside our Mormon friends and colleagues in love and prayer while at the same truly living (modeling) the truth of God’s complete and innerent word.
Resources to better understanding Mormonism:
-- www.mrm.org (click on "Introductory Issues" and "Evangelism & Dialogue") -- covers just about everything on the subject.
-- http://www.gotquestions.org/Mormons.html
-- http://www.gotquestions.org/Mormon-Christian.html
-- Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Mormons by Ron Rhodes (see link on the gotquestions.org pages above).
-- Super LDS Resource: http://www.leaderu.com/offices/michaeldavis/docs/mormonism/index.html.
-- http://www.calvaryaurora.org/resources/apologetics/ and scroll down to “Mormonism.”
-- Ofc. Mark Roggeman can be contacted through Haven Ministries (http://www.havenministry.com/ – an excellent apologetics resource in itself) or via email at MRoggeman@aol.com.
Speaking of Mormonism and the real Jesus, check out the following from Mickey Koerner in Utah (also included in the latest prayer request list on our website):
Hi All,
I don't know if you remember or not, but a UVU student was sexually assaulted, beaten, and left for dead in July 2010 on the Provo trail inside Provo city limits. She survived, but her face and jaw were so badly beaten she couldn't and still can't talk. She used sign language to communicate with the police and they found her attacker.
UVU is having a fundraiser for her next week and I am NOT ASKING YOU FOR MONEY, but prayer. She is in need of 2-3 more surgeries to restore her face/jaw and also the emotional healing is going to be a battle.
One other thing to pray about -- our area is in desperate need of the REAL Jesus.
This week's DEVOTIONAL!
Check out the following Scripture-based, profession-relevant devotional from Charles Stanley:
Called to Battle!
Many Christians don't realize that they are in a battle. We have an Enemy who opposes us in every way--his purpose is to prevent us from becoming who God wants us to be and achieving what He'd have us do. The Devil frustrates our plans, confuses our minds, and brings feelings of anxiety and despair. But he doesn't stop there; he also stirs up disunity in our relationships, work places and even our churches.
There are several things that Christians should understand about this combat:
The battle is real, even if we can't see it. The difficulty, pain, and discouragement Satan causes are genuine. His temptations are not imaginary; they overwhelm and lure us away from the Lord.
The battle is spiritual. Our struggle is not with one another but with invisible forces of wickedness. Although the conflict is waged in the spiritual realm, it impacts every part of us--our mind, will, emotions, desires, and even our bodies.
The battle is tough. The Adversary fights dirty, and the encounter is "up close and personal." Our confrontation with the forces of evil is like spiritual hand-to-hand combat and flesh-to-flesh wrestling. He has a host of demonic beings who work unceasingly, even when we sleep. As long as we are on earth, the war will continue.
Although the Enemy is strong, there isn't reason to fear--he's no match for Christ, who lives within us. We've been entrusted with Jesus' divine power over the Evil One. However, we can access the Son's authority only by submitting to His lordship and walking in obedience to His Spirit.
Amen to that!
LT. COL. DAVE GROSSMAN!
I again had the honor of assisting Dave at his latest Bulletproof Mind presentation before a packed house in Denver last week. Dave is a strong believer and quietly intertwines sound biblical principles in his teaching. I strongly recommend his presentations and books to EVERY officer. For more, go to http://www.killology.com/. Col. Grossman is a true warrior and servant-leader! I'll have new photos out soon -- stay tuned.
New Centurion LE Ministry FACEBOOK Page!
As many are already aware, I deleted our former Facebook pages due to some security concerns and problems with some of my “friends” and their off-duty behavior. However, we’re up and running again in a new format: Log onto http://www.facebook.com/ and search “Fcpo Denver” and/or “The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry.”
Corrections Staff Fellowship (CSF) Daily Devotional!
Go to http://www.csfministries.org/ and click on the “Get Power” button to be signed up for CSF “Daily Power” emails (or simply go to http://www.csfministries.org/DailyPower.htm). Great stuff!
ON PREACHING CHRIST CRUCIFIED
Tulsa PD Captain Travis Yates of Ten-Four Ministries sent the following in his latest Centurion Papers mailing that I feel led to share with all of you:
I just returned from a police agency and had the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the officers present. Each time I am given the honor to preach Christ Crucified I am painfully reminded of the lack of this very preaching behind our pulpits. I have also seen so much pain and hurt towards my own pastor and much of it is his faithful preaching of Christ crucified. It is hard for me to understand why this basic tenant of Christianity is left behind today. John Stott offers some interesting insights on this very issue from his commentary on Galatians.
"What is there about the cross of Christ which angers the world and stirs them up to persecute those who preach it? Just this: Christ died on the cross for us sinners, becoming a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). So the cross tells us some very unpalatable truths about ourselves, namely that we are sinners under the righteous curse of God's law and we cannot save ourselves. Christ bore our sin and curse precisely because we could gain release from them in no other way. If we could have been forgiven by our own good works, by being circumcised and keeping the law, we may be quite sure that there would have been no cross. Every time we look at the cross Christ seems to say to us, 'I am here because of you. It is your sin I am bearing, your curse I am suffering, your debt I am paying, your death I am dying.' Nothing in history or in the universe cuts us down to size like the cross. All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousness, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there, at the foot of the cross that we shrink to our true size. And of course men do not like it. They resent the humiliation of seeing themselves as God sees them and as they really are. They prefer their comfortable illusions. So they steer clear of the cross. They construct a Christianity without the cross, which relies for salvation on their works and not on Jesus Christ's. They do not object to Christianity so long as it is not the faith of Christ crucified. But Christ crucified they detest. And if we preach Christ crucified, we are opposed, ridiculed, persecuted. Why? Because of the wounds they inflict on men's pride."
As always, know that I’m available should you need prayer or someone to talk to. Let’s stay strong in Christ while serving and protecting all those He placed in our care!
Finally, just another reminder to VOTE (I can't tell you how to vote but our call as Christians is clearly to pray and be biblically correct instead of "PC")!
