Overcome or Overtaken: TCLEM Newsletter

Welcome to 2012 (and the first Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry Newsletter of the New Year), my fellow servant-warriors! In addition to again wishing everyone a safe and joyous New Year, I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank all those who have and/or are supporting this outreach with your tax-deductible tithes and offerings. Please know that they are so very much needed (and appreciated) in order for us to accomplish our efforts to share the Gospel unsaved officers, encourage Christian LEOs, impact our leadership, strengthen police families and marriages, reduce suicides and so much more.

Sadly, we finished 2011 with 163 line-of-duty deaths and already two more have gone down so far in 2012 (seven in the last week alone) as I write this – definitely not a “happy” New Year for their families and colleagues (see www.odmp.org for more). Accordingly, I want to again urge all of you to exercise sound officer safety and hone your warrior skills and fitness, but to also run “Code-3” (emergent) when it comes to living and sharing Christ with our fellow officers who don’t know Christ as Lord and Savior and in encouraging those who are lukewarm, defeated and/or disobedient “believers.” Even “today” will be too late for those who end this life without having first repented of their sin and entered into a life-saving/life-changing personal relationship with God in Christ.

Speaking of both victorious and defeated Christians, our own James “Jimmy” Wattles will be teaching at this Thursday’s Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry/FCPO-Denver Bible study and fellowship meeting (aka “Cop Church”). Jim has entitled his message “Overcomer or Overtaken” and the discussion should be a lively one as Jim will be sharing what might be seen as some controversial viewpoints. I don’t want to give too much away – just come and prepare to be stretched, challenged and encouraged (bring your spouses and/or invite a colleague). The meeting details and schedule(s) are posted here on our website – next post below -- along with the latest news, links, prayer requests, announcements and more. Please check back frequently.

I will of course post a detailed RECAP for all our followers worldwide in next week’s newsletter and on the website. Speaking of the RECAP, here is the one from my message from last week:


Message RECAP: Trusting your Gut vs. Trusting God

One of the things we need to do as cops is to develop our “cop gut” (no, not the donut-induced one) -- the ability to detect danger, criminal activity, lies vs. truth, etc. God has even given some of us a special gift for that. However, we place ourselves in grave danger (“Is there any other kind?”) when we allow our “gut” feelings to override what God tells us in His perfect “policy and procedure manual” -- the Bible. On the contrary, we must seek to develop a Holy Spirit-inspired sensitivity rooted in the firm foundation of God’s inerrant (without error) and wholly trustworthy Word. Both “the world” (society, secular psychology, etc.) and Satan encourage you to “trust your feelings” over all else. However, God reveals to us in Genesis 3 just how dangerous it is when our feelings are not in alignment with His specific commands and instructions. In Genesis 2:15-17 God commands Adam to not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, Eve instead followed her senses, feelings and the serpent’s “advice” (temptation) instead of God’s specific and loving direction – with devastating results for her, Adam (equally to blame) and all mankind.

This same error can also apply to the issue of salvation (“I don’t FEEL saved…”), sin (“Sex with my boyfriend/girlfriend FEELS so right…it must be OK.”), and sound doctrine (“I just FEEL that everyone deserves to go to Heaven because we are essentially ‘good’ people…”), to name but a few examples. Yet God tells us just the opposite in His Word:

(1) SALVATION: I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know (not “feel”) that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 (See also www.gotquestions.org/feel-saved.html and the wholly biblical articles that follow it).

(2) SIN: There is a way which seems (feels) right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25. Also Romans 1:18-32.

(3) DOCTRINE: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires. 2 Timothy 4:3 (NASB).

It is important that Christians learn to test their "feelings" against the Bible – to listen to the VOICE of God. This is why Jesus commanded in John 5:39...search the scriptures…! In accordance with 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (and many other passages), the totality of scripture reveals that when we are drawing near to God in obedience and the study of His Word, we will be much more sensitive (accurate feeling) to the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Yes, sometimes God gives us a “gut feeling” that we need to pay attention to – but any “feeling” must always be tested against His Word. If the “feeling” is in opposition to what the Bible says, you can rest assured that is it NOT from God – with the advice (command) to flee from it!
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TCLEM and FCPO on Facebook! See the Facebook links here on our website (scroll down the left side). Understand that Facebook can be used appropriately for outreach, ministry and positive communication (my primary reason for using social media) – in accordance with your agency’s policy, of course.

As stated in the last newsletter, resolve this year to dig deep into the Word and spend time with God in prayer – He wants so much to have real RELATIONSHIP with us (not “religion). Let’s stay the course in Him!