Cops United in Combat: TCLEM Newsletter

Fellow Servant-Warriors and Leaders:

Lots to cover in this week’s newsletter but please take the time to read it through and apply the biblical truth presented here to your own lives.

Right off, this week’s tactical, profession-relevant Bible study will be a follow-up to last week’s teaching on Why God Allows Evil? (see RECAP below). Specifically, I’ll share an in-depth study based on Dep. Mike Dye’s (author of The PeaceKeepers -- see http://www.christianlawenforcement.com/index.html) June 2nd devotional in Grant Wolf's Stories of Faith and Courage from Cops on the Street. The study presents a viable avenue for us as Christians and law enforcement officers to combat evil and make a real difference in our communities through the power of prayer. I’ve entitled it Cops United in Combat and I’ll have a full recap for you in next week’s newsletter – stay tuned!

Please take the time to check out the latest PRAYER REQUESTS, local MEETING SCHEDULES, news, announcements and more here on this ever-changing website.
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Chief needs assistance for upcoming law enforcement mission trip to Moldova:

Arkansas City (KS) Chief Sean Wallace writes,
On June 25th I will be traveling to the Republic of Moldova with seven other police officers to provide training, supplies, and to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with fellow officers there. The trip is a mission of the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers, USA. Please consider supporting me and the team in your prayers. I also need your financial support as I need to raise approximately $3,500.00 for the airfare, food and lodging, and freight to take supplies to their police department. If you can donate even a small amount it would be greatly appreciated.

You can send your donation to First Baptist Church at 220 East Central Avenue, Arkansas City, KS 67005-2616. Make checks payable to First Baptist Church, Ark City. Note "Moldovan Mission" in the memo. All of your donations are tax deductable.

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MESSAGE RECAP: Why God Allows Evil and Tragedy?

Our friends at GotQuestions.org provide a great biblical answer at http://www.gotquestions.org/God-allow-evil.html. That answer goes hand-in-hand with this question: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? The biblical answer can be found at http://www.gotquestions.org/bad-things-good-people.html.

Evangelist Billy Graham also offers an insightful response to these questions in his book Answers to Life's Problems:

We do not know all the reasons why God permits evil. We need to remember, however, that he is not the cause of evil in this world and we should therefore not blame Him for it. Remember that God did not create evil, as some believe. God created the world perfect. Man chose to defy God and go his own way, and it is man's fault that evil entered the world. Even so, God has provided the ultimate triumph of good over evil in Jesus Christ, who on the cross, defeated Satan and those who follow him. Christ is coming back and when He does, all evil will be ended forever and righteousness and justice will prevail.

Have you ever thought about what would happen if God suddenly eliminated all the evil in this world? Not one person would be left, because we are all guilty of sin.

So how do these questions apply to those of us serving in law enforcement? Folks, we are at war both in the world of law enforcement and the military but also spiritually. Alistair Begg provides part of the answer:

Are you fighting with the adversary today? Are Satan, the world, and the flesh all against you? Do not be discouraged nor dismayed. Fight on! For God Himself is with you. Jehovah Nissi is your banner, and Jehovah Rophi is the healer of your wounds. Do not fear, you will overcome, for who can defeat Omnipotence? Fight on, "looking to Jesus" (Hebrews 12:2) and although the conflict is long and tough, the victory will be sweet, and the promised reward will be glorious.

Quoting 1 Chronicles 5:22 (For many fell, because the war was of God), Alistair goes on to say,

Warrior, as you fight under the banner of the Lord Jesus, observe this verse with holy joy, for as it was in the days of old, so is it now: If the war is of God, the victory is sure. The armies of God could barely muster forty-five thousand fighting men, and yet in their war with the enemy, they captured "a hundred thousand men," "for they cried to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him."

The Lord saves not by many, nor by few; it is ours to go in Jehovah's name even if we are only a handful of men, for the Lord of Hosts is with us as our Captain. They did not neglect their weapons, but neither did they place their trust in them; we must use all fitting means, but our confidence must rest in the Lord alone, for He is the sword and the shield of His people. The great reason for their extraordinary success lay in the fact that "the war was of God."

Beloved, in fighting with sin in us and around us, with error doctrinal or practical, with spiritual wickedness in high places or low places, with devils and the devil's allies, you are waging Jehovah's war, and unless He himself can be defeated, you do not need to fear defeat. Do not tremble before superior numbers; do not shrink from difficulties or impossibilities; do not flinch at wounds or death; strike with the two-edged sword of the Spirit, and the dead shall lie in heaps.

The battle is the Lord's, and He will deliver His enemies into our hands. With steadfast foot, strong hand, dauntless heart, and flaming zeal, rush to the conflict, and the hosts of evil will fly like chaff before the gale.

We are in a fight – a war -- against evil and as peace officers we are at the tip of God’s spear. Accordingly, we must NEVER forget that it is God who fights for us and that we MUST seek Him in all we do. He must be first in our lives and we must be obedient both professionally and personally if we are to be effective good soldiers of Christ (2 Timothy 2:3).

Romans 12:9-21 offers further insight into these questions that have great application to our service as LEOs:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

A huge part of our call as God’s peacekeepers is to CONFRONT EVIL and we can only be truly effective at that if we are in fact His first (to wit, being truly saved via a life-saving, life-changing personal relationship with Jesus Christ). 2 Samuel 12 presents a picture of this when the prophet Nathan is sent by God to confront David for his sins of murder and adultery (The LORD sent Nathan to David). When God judges a situation He often uses His servants (us) as vessels for communicating to the guilty party. Law enforcement is a profession through which God wants to use you to be His instrument to bring righteousness to a situation.

The bottom line is that there is evil in the world because of our sin – and not just that of the suspects we deal with daily but also in our own lives as well. The solution? There is truly only one viable answer – Jesus Christ!

I’d like to conclude this study by urging you to watch two short videos by my friend and colleague Travis Yates of Tulsa PD and Ten-Four Ministries:

(1) http://thecenturionpapers.blogspot.com/2011/06/wall-why-does-god-permit-tragedy.html (filmed at our Wall in Washington, DC during Police Week).

And

(2) http://thecenturionpapers.blogspot.com/2011/05/mans-greatest-problem.html

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Courageous (the movie)!

The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry and our Denver-area chapter (FCPO-Denver, Chapter 217) will be attending and participating (Action Squad) in a special screening of this outstanding new film by the makers of Fireproof and Facing the Giants. This is by far their best production to date and it has tremendous application for us both as LEOs and as fathers and husbands. Set for general release in September, those of us serving in ministry (all who are part of this outreach) have a unique opportunity to see it early on Friday, June 17th in Parker, CO. I can send you the link to RSVP and obtain free tickets for you and a guest if you’re in the area and wish to join us. Otherwise, I encourage you to go to www.courageousthemovie.com and check out the plethora of resources. Special showings such as this one are happening nationwide and I encourage you to jump in!

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That’s the roll call briefing for this week. Let’s stay the course, stay in the fight, and finish strong in Christ!