On Being Like Christ -- TCLEM Newsletter

Fellow Officers:

Here’s this week’s The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry (TCLEM) e-newsletter. It’s a little long but well worth it so lease take a few extra moments to read it through and then pass it on to others on your email lists (very easy way to share Christ with others). In addition, we strongly encourage you to join us in praying for those officers and their families who have submitted the prayer requests posted here on our website. I’ve also added a number of new links, photos, and other fun and helpful info.

Speaking of folks we’ve been praying for, former Mesa (AZ) Officer Lance Heivilin has gone to be with the Lord after a tough battle with a horrific form of cancer. Please know your prayers were in fact answered in accordance with God’s perfect will – our brother is now fully healed and without pain (praise God)! Lance was a relatively new believer but he showed exemplary courage and faith as he faced death. In fact, Lance shared his struggles and coming victory via his “Lance’s 411” Facebook page. The following was one of Lance’s last posts before being taken home to Glory (what a legacy):

"Challenge. Adversity. Calm. Here's the deal, the Lord surrounds us with opportunity. What seems, based on your perspective, is a confrontation. What the "confrontation" turns out to be is your road to peace.

I have spent much of my spiritual life in conflict, constantly engaged in battle. This has been through my short sightedness and inability to trust the entire picture. I have a submission issue. Jesus provided me the guidance, with the right people, at the right time to make the next critical step last night.

I do truly believe this is the beginning. I had a few things holding me back from letting it happen. They were big things, but now do not exist. I am blessed to have been shown this awesome power.

I have started the journey through Hospice. The cancer entered my leg bones 2 days ago. In the past, treatments hoped to be opportunities failed to materialize. I will focus my new energy where it can be used in a positive light. Mission understood!

I thank the Lord and my personal "team" for sharing this intense message for the past 48 hours of my life. My heart is healed, my vision is clear, and I look forward to the days ahead.

Peace to you all. I needed to capture tonight as the turning point. My true acceptance that now is the beginning of forever. Amen? Amen!"

Outstanding! I’m really looking forward to seeing Lance when my own time comes and to see how many others have come to Christ because of Lance’s example and courage. Meanwhile, let’s keep Lance’s family in prayer!


MESSAGE RECAP -- “Warriors Standing in the Gap” (aka “Standing Watch”)

Last week’s message on warriors (cops) “standing in the gap” was again well-attended by our local FCPO-Denver chapter regulars and visitors. Here’s the RECAP for all our readers/followers who reside elsewhere around the world:

With an eye on the prophetically historic events unfolding around us, I was strongly led to send out a reminder that we are “at war” with evil in general and in combating those who would otherwise create anarchy through lawlessness and sin. Accordingly, we must be ever-ready both personally in our relationship with Christ (being right with God) and in our attention to our warrior skills (physical and mental readiness). We in law enforcement are in fact called by God to “stand in the gap” to protect and lead our nation, communities and families against the hosts of the enemy (Satan).

In keeping with this thoroughly biblical theme, God’s inerrant word repeatedly uses the concept of “watchmen” standing guard on a wall. Biblically speaking, watchmen were those officers assigned to STAND a post on a city’s walls to watch and sound the alarm if the enemy approached. In fact, watchmen were under penalty of death if they failed to carry out their sworn duty.

Jack Nicholson character of Col. Jessup in the film A Few Good Men provides a famous modern-day analogy: “Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg?...You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. Deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it. I prefer you said ‘thank you’ and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post...”

Oohrah! Note however that Jessup was more wolf than sheepdog!

The prophet Ezekiel, another one of God’s “cops” (review last week’s teaching) knew and understood the importance of watchmen standing guard on a wall and lived in a time that had many parallels to what is happening in the world today (and the United States in particular). Ezekiel 3:16-21 (New Living Translation) reads, 16 After seven days the Lord gave me a message. He said, 17 “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. 18 If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 19 If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me. 20 “If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 21 But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.

The prophet Isaiah also wrote of this concept. Isaiah 62:6 says, On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they will never keep silent, you who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves…(refers to being always praying and expecting the Lord’s return).

The apostle Paul saw himself as a watchman, someone who would be positioned on a city wall to stand and watch for the enemy. Quoting Ezekiel, Paul tells the elders in Acts 20:26-28 (NLT), 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock (those we serve and protect) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.[a] Be shepherds of the church of God (God’s people),[b] which He bought with his own blood.

Not unlike what we do as cops and soldiers (sheepdogs), declaring the truth of God’s word is literally a matter of life and death. When we meet someone who is lost or doesn’t know the Lord, we have a God-given responsibility as “watchmen” to tell them the truth. If we know a believer who is/has gone astray, we have a duty as watchmen to warn them – not out of hate or spite but rather out of love – in order to shield and protect them.

In ancient days, cities were often placed under siege and weapons were used to batter or pull down their walls so as to allow the enemy to breach them. The watchmen and other defenders would then be called on to stand in the breach – the GAP – to defend the city. Our Lord expounds on this concept of standing in the gap in Ezekiel 22:29-30. 29 The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. 30 So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Ezekiel 13:5 says, You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD.

God is looking for men willing to build back, build up, restore, protect, renew and revive. And not just as Christian cops in the LOD. No, God is looking for men who know how to build up the self-esteem of their wives. God is looking for men who will make the sacrifices necessary to build up the faith of their family. God is looking for men to guide, encourage and discipline their children. God is looking for men who will be true servant-leaders and not pass on the tasks of ministry and leadership to their wives, but who will rather read them God’s word, teach a class, sweep a floor, visit a sick colleague at the hospital, and generally be the sold-out, “all-in” men of God He is calling us to be!

Note also that being a watchman and standing in the gap refers to intercessory prayer
** For our families
** Our friends
** Our profession and those who serve in it
** Our leaders
** Our country…

When was the last time you looked at the prayer requests on our website and then prayed?

Finally, we looked at the concept of what it means to STAND on that proverbial wall. Luke 21:36 (NIV) says, Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. 1 Cor 10:12-13 (NIV) tells us, So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Ephesians 6:10-18 uses the word “stand” 5 times (or more depending on the version). 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted (refers to the nails in a Roman soldier’s boots that allowed them to STAND firm in a shield wall) with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

We MUST daily put on both the whole armor of God along with our physical body armor so that we can watch, stand in the gap and finish strong in Christ!

To conclude, I shared another quote from A Few Good Men. When asked why she liked the Marines so much, the character of Galloway replied, “Because they stand upon a wall and say, "Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch." Folks, what we need today are men and women willing stand on in a gap in the wall to watch, defend, and pray for those in our care. That’s our CALL – now (as my fellow Scots say) TO IT!

In the days of Michael Jordan we often heard the phrase "...be like Mike." This week’s I will be teaching on our call (command) to regularly grow stronger in our walk and relationship with Christ -- to be "more like Christ" through a process called sanctification. Please join us if you’re in the Denver-metro area but, if you’re not, you can be assured that I’ll have a detailed recap for you in next week’s newsletter – stay tuned!


FCPO-DENVER (“Locals”) NEWS:

For those who are reading this throughout the Denver-metro area, we are now “solid” for our once-monthly foray into the “mission field” (plains) of Aurora. No, we’re not leaving Calvary South Denver as our home base. Rather, we’ve simply partnered with Pastor Ed Taylor and our friends at Calvary Aurora were we’ll meet every third Thursday of the month in an effort to reach those officers who might not otherwise make the trek to the south metro area. First meeting there is February 17th at 7:00 PM in Room #138. See the following and forthcoimg posts here on website for more details and help us “spread the word.”


LISTEN TO RECENT TEACHING!

Some have asked how they can listen to my recent profession-relevant teaching at Calvary South Denver’s Tuesday Night Dialogue service (regularly attended by a number of our local officers who also attend our Thursday night “Cop Church” services) that mirrored my “Code 3 – A Sense of Urgency” study (see the RECAP in my January 12th post). A link to that teaching has been established on the Calvary South Denver website (www.calvarycsd.org). Just click on
https://public.me.com/sampark777, click on “TND Messages,” “Guest Speakers,” and the message beginning with “01.11.11…Urgency…” You can then download it to your computer or MP3 player. I hope you’ll find it helpful, informative and challenging.


TRAINING SEGMENT

If you’ve not had a chance to see the raw footage from the Detroit PD precinct shooting, take a look at this (lots to think about in terms of tactics not to mention seeing who did and didn’t show true warrior courage). Go to http://www.freep.com/videonetwork/767998473001/Detroit-police-video-of-precinct-shoot-out.

That’s it for this week folks. Check the website frequently for the latest prayer requests and local meeting schedule updates. In the meantime, let’s ask the Lord to help us stand strong in the gap for our families, colleagues and all those God as called us to serve and protect. Be safe!