Shattered!

Fellow LEOs:

My schedule this week necessitates an abbreviated but early newsletter (given my general verbose nature, I don’t think anyone will mind). That said, please take the time to review the updated prayer requests (then PRAY) and announcements in the next (Saturday) post. I’ve also included some new pics, new links and more. Speaking of prayer requests, please say one for me as I will be attending slain Weld Co. S.O. Dep. Sam Brownlee’s police funeral in Greeley tomorrow. More importantly, keep Sam’s family and colleagues in prayer during this difficult time.

-- We’re on FACEBOOK!!

If you’ve not already checked out our Facebook pages, take the time to give them a look. Please understand that given the nature of what we do for a living, I’m being extremely careful (and don’t waste a ton of time) when it comes to social media. That said, I do see it as an effective communication and ministry tool.

(1) FCPO-Denver community page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/FCPO-Denver/131117176940739

(2) The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry community page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/The-Centurion-Law-Enforcement-Ministry/144305698947079

(3) My page: Search “Mike Williams” from your own Facebook page and ask to be added as a friend.


-- Local MEETING Schedule!

The updated FCPO-Denver meeting schedule is included in the previous (next one below) post. Speaking of, this Thursday (Dec. 2nd) we’ll gather for a special viewing of the profession and family-relevant DVD Shattered. I’ll also post a recap next week with instructions on how you can obtain your own copy. Stay tuned.


-- TRAINING Corner: “Sovereign Citizen” warning.

Chuck Puett from Kansas City (FBI, I believe) sent out the following regarding the threat posed to law enforcement by some who fall into the “sovereign citizen” category. Chuck writes, “This is a link sent to me by a Missouri Highway Patrolman. It's worth watching. These "Sovereign Citizen" types are in our area. The "Embassy of Heaven" and "Little Pembina Band" are two groups operating in our area that I can think of off the top of my head. The true believers in these groups believe you, as a federal officer, have no jurisdiction or authority over them; that obviously can be a very dangerous situation. Fraud Inspectors in particular are quite likely to encounter these people because they routinely engage in scams to defraud financial institutions and use registered, certified, and other special service mail extensively.

The events depicted in this video occurred in May 2010. Viewer discretion is advised. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_y-gLm9Hrw.


On ROD Officers!

President Theodore Roosevelt – who served as a police chief (“Commissioner”), understood the “retired on duty” (ROD) concept and detested it as much as I do. Being a ROD is NOT something to be emulated by the Christian officer. This true American hero and warrior – speaking in France (of all places) in 1910 – said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
Amen!

Finally, let me conclude this week's newsletter by sharing the following from Billy Graham:

Q: I've given up trying to be a Christian. I've tried and tried to be what I think God wants me to be, but no matter how hard I try, I keep failing. God must be very disappointed in me.

A: Would you be shocked if I told you that everything you've done up to this point was actually keeping you away from Christ? It's true -- but let me explain.

You see, many people have the same idea you've had -- that the only way we can win God's favor and be saved is to be as “good” as possible. To put it another way, many think God is going to weigh our good deeds and bad deeds on a scale -- and if we have more good deeds than bad ones, then He'll let us into heaven. In other words, they believe it's all up to them, and if they fail, they won't go to heaven.

But this isn't what the Bible says! The Bible says that God's standard is nothing less than perfection, and if we commit even one sin -- just one -- it will be enough to keep us out of heaven. The Bible says, "Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:10). No matter how hard we try, we'll never be good enough to go to heaven on our own.

But listen: God loves us, and because He loves us, He has provided the way for us to be saved. That way is Jesus Christ. He was without sin -- but on the cross all our sins were placed on Him, and He took the judgment that we deserve. Don't trust yourself; you'll always fail. Instead turn to Jesus and put your faith and trust in Him today.
Billy Graham

Let's take good care of each other out there!