My annual Christmas newsletter and devotional is up -- just click on A Cop's Christmas. Not only does it have my annual Christmas message (the REAL meaning of CHRISTmas) but prayer requests, announcements, resources (including a link to an article that should help true Christians understand the whole Phil Robertson (Duck Dynasty) "controversy."
With that, Diana and I pray that you all have a blessed and safe CHRISTmas.
Don't forget that the Colorado meeting schedules are posted below (and NO, we are NOT meeting on the 26th).
The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry (FCPO-Denver)
** Thursday, January 9th and 23rd at Calvary Chapel Aurora starting at 7 PM in the Agape Room (down stairs just beyond the One Way Cafe).
___________________________
Flat Foot Law Enforcement Ministry
Retired cop-turned-chaplain Jim Wattles has started his own law enforcement outreach in the South Denver-metro area. Flat Foot Law Enforcement Ministry will meet on alternating Mondays at Calvary South Denver in Littleton starting at 7 PM. Contact Jim at jwattles@comcast.net for further details.
January meetings: January 13th and 27th.
____________________________
Shepherd's Servant
Shepher's Servant is the brand new first responder (fire, law enforcement, EMS) fellowship meeting in the Colorado Springs area. They meet the 2nd Thursday of each month starting at 6 PM at the Woodman Valley Chapel Community Building, 290 Chapel Lane, Room 116, Colorado Springs. Contact Sgt. Jeff Strossner at jas80921@gmail.com or Ofc. Martin Toetz at mtoetz8312@gmail.com for more info.
Their next meeting is set for Thursday, January 9th.
____________________________
Men of Courage
Buena Vista (CO) PD Sgt. Dean Morgan has started a LEO fellowship for LEOs in Chaffee County and the surrounding area. Contact Dean at interceptor@policeone.com for more info on the "Men of Courage" meetings.
____________________________
Peace Officers for Christ - CO
Retired Denver PD Officer Mark Roggeman writes, "The Thursday Bible Studies are still taking place every Thursday at Brooklyn's Restaurant just south of Sports Authority Field (Broncos Stadium) @ 12:30 pm. Please drop by any Thursday."
Showing posts with label A Cop's Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Cop's Christmas. Show all posts
Monday, December 23, 2013
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Jesus -- The Warrior King (God's Christmas Gift to Cops)
This week's Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry/FCPO newsletter and devotional has gone out to our worldwide subscribers but here it is again in this venue -- just click on "NEWSLETTER." It includes my annual Christmas message and devotional and is not a commercialized, false picture. Rather, the message should resonate strongly with law enforcement and combat military personal who understand our warrior call. Do you know that same humble babe that Mary laid in a feeding trough in a Bethleham stable is the same Warrior King of Isaiah, Revelation and Psalms 2 and 144? Take the time to read and understand who our Lord and Savior truly is, then pass it on to your colleagues. The Newsletter also includes a biblical view of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting sent to me by fellow officer and partner-in-ministry Emery Esse.
On behalf of The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry, FCPO, Diana and myself, we pray God's blessing on you all we celebrate the Gift of His Son -- Jesus -- the Warrior King. Merry CHRISTmas!
PRAYER REQUESTS (updated 12/26/2012)
-- Retired Officer Emery Esse sends the following:
(1) Please pray for Archie Brittain, a retired Detroit P.D. officer who has cancer and is in treatment.
(2) Pray for retired Detroit PD Sgt. Paul Leonard who is in Oakwood Hospital in Michigan and had some major surgery. I was able today to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him and he prayed to receive Christ as his Lord and Savior today over the phone with me! Hallelujah! Praise God!
-- We lost 3 of our brethren on Christmas Eve (Texas, Wisconsin and New York). Let's be in prayer for their families and colleagues.
-- Continue to be in prayer for our CT brethren who are still dealing with the school shooting there. Pray also for the families of the slain as this CHRISTmas season will be particularly painful.
-- From local FOP Chapter #35 President Tony Webb:
On Saturday night December 01, 2012 one of our Brothers faced just that action. Brother
MC
On behalf of The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry, FCPO, Diana and myself, we pray God's blessing on you all we celebrate the Gift of His Son -- Jesus -- the Warrior King. Merry CHRISTmas!
PRAYER REQUESTS (updated 12/26/2012)
-- Retired Officer Emery Esse sends the following:
(1) Please pray for Archie Brittain, a retired Detroit P.D. officer who has cancer and is in treatment.
(2) Pray for retired Detroit PD Sgt. Paul Leonard who is in Oakwood Hospital in Michigan and had some major surgery. I was able today to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him and he prayed to receive Christ as his Lord and Savior today over the phone with me! Hallelujah! Praise God!
-- We lost 3 of our brethren on Christmas Eve (Texas, Wisconsin and New York). Let's be in prayer for their families and colleagues.
-- Continue to be in prayer for our CT brethren who are still dealing with the school shooting there. Pray also for the families of the slain as this CHRISTmas season will be particularly painful.
-- From local FOP Chapter #35 President Tony Webb:
On Saturday night December 01, 2012 one of our Brothers faced just that action. Brother
Noah Rolfing was shot in the line of duty and is lucky to be with us today if the bullet would
have ended up just a millimeter away from the femoral artery. The bullet is still lodged in his leg
and won't be removed a few days. Until then he will be out of work.
Brother Noah Rolfing of the Mountain View Police Department will be out of work while he
recuperates from this injury. As you know he doesn't work for a large agency, so pay is not in
line with the other agencies in the metro area and I am sure doesn't have a sick bank. These
things never happen at a right or wrong time. We, who have worked for agencies like this, do it
for the love of the JOB and pay doesn’t come into play when hired. We just want to do the JOB.
Christmas is just around the corner and I asking this membership to please help Brother Noah
Rolfing in contributing money to his cause in these trying times for he and his family.
Please send your checks payable to:
Noah Rolfing
C/O Tony Webb
4228-E S. Granby Ct.
Aurora, CO 80014
MC
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Centurion Ministry Christmas Newsletter
Fellow Sheepdogs:
I trust that this week’s newsletter finds you anticipating the celebration of what we call “Christmas.” Accordingly, I shared a special Christmas message at last week’s Centurion Ministry/FCPO-Denver “cop church” fellowship. The recap is posted below – I encourage you to read it, pray about it, and respond accordingly.
I’ve posted the latest PRAYER REQUESTS, announcements, local meeting schedules and more here on our website (next post below). Please take the time to join us in praying for our own (in the last week alone we’ve lost another seven officers – one a day – and there is a fellow warrior fighting for his life in Minnesota). Don’t forget that we are NOT meeting tonight (12/22) but will be back for our final 2011 fellowship on December 29th.
This is also the time of year that I humbly ask that you consider a year-end gift to both this ministry and to the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers. Info on how to donate to The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry can be found here on our website (scroll down left side) while details on joining or giving to the FCPO can be found at www.FCPO.org. With that..
Message RECAP: A Cop’s Christmas
My goal for this year’s Christmas study was (is) to focus your attention on the fact that the real message of Christ’s birth has very little in common with our modern celebration. That said, there is in fact a “warm and fuzzy” component along with the very serious nature of Christ’s ultimate “call for service” here on Earth.
Our text for the “warm and fuzzy” side is Matthew 1:18-23. The passage includes the name “Immanuel” which in the Hebrew consists of two words -- ‘El, meaning 'God' and ʻImmānū, meaning 'with us’ (or ‘came to us’ in some usages). The TRUE MESSAGE of Christmas is God with us! This is indeed part of the message that this sin-sick world needs to hear – God is with us! It is also a message that we in law enforcement must cling to – God IS with us.
But then there is the other side – a proverbial “the rest of the story.” Continue in Matthew 2:1-18 with the underlying context of Jeremiah 31. Here we see an incredibly wicked and paranoid king -- Herod “the Great” -- sending out his secret “police” with an illegal order to savagely murder every “innocent” male child born in the Bethlehem region during the previous two years. No warrants, no court of appeal, no stay of execution, no announcement of any kind. Imagine those officers going home to their own wives and kids and hearing, “What did you do today, Honey?”
Amidst the joy of Christ’s coming is the reality that He came into a very wicked world under the most humblest of circumstances to carry out the ultimate “mission from God.” In the fullness of time and in accordance with the Father’s perfect will, the Christ-child would stand as a grown man before Herod’s son, Herod Antipas, before horrendously shedding His own innocent blood to save both the children who were murdered after His human birth and YOU today. Again, Matthew 1:21 tells us that Jesus came to “save His people from their sins” by dying as an innocent sacrifice on the cross (“Christmas tree”) of Calvary.
Yes, the birth of our Lord was and is a joyous occasion but it was the birth of the Savior that would later result in cops being sent out to slaughter innocent children and officers who would ultimately torture and nail our innocent Lord to a “tree” (cross) thirty-plus years later. This is the reality of “a cop’s Christmas.”
Many of us will say that we are NOT the same kind of cops – that we are “good” – better and more “righteous” than our predecessors. Really? Not by God’s standard! I again strongly encourage you to take the “Good Person Test” found on our Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers website (www.fcpo.org/christian.html). How did you do?
Folks we must understand that we are no less guilty before our Lord than those wicked officers who slew innocent children two years after His human birth or those who nailed Him to the cross. Again I implore you – turn (repent) FROM your sin and TO the only One who can save you. Like the command we give on a felony stop, “Do it NOW!” as tomorrow may very well be too late. There are no second chances for those who perish in this life without the assurance that comes from a right relationship with God in Christ and we most assuredly will not be able to “badge” our way into Heaven. I want to spend eternity with my fellow warriors with our true King. Please – I beg you – turn to Him today!
Finally, for that person – that officer – who claims to have made a confession of faith but is living a life without any real evidence of a changed, sanctified life, please set aside an hour to watch the following powerful message from Pastor Paul Washer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuabITeO4l8. Consider carefully where you stand!
___________________________
A great many of us will in fact be working over the Christmas holiday – separated from our loved ones for a time to answer God’s call on us to “protect and serve.” Let me encourage you to answer that call as true Christian warriors by going out of your way to do your duty with Christmas in your hearts and on your lips. Speaking of, and in the spirit of the season, check out this special piece of God-inspired fiction written by law enforcement spouse, author and speaker Kristi Neace that reveals Christmas from an officer’s perspective: http://www.kristineace.com/2011/12/walking-the-bethlehem-beat-2/
I’ll close this week’s “Cop’s Christmas” Newsletter with the following from Dr. Michael Youseff in a devotional he entitled, The Reason We Say "Merry Christmas!"
Today, there are professing Christians who believe that being a good person is the path to salvation. They do not feel like they need salvation because their sins are nominal. It is enough that they attend church and have never committed "major" sins. They are perishing as they believe a lie.
The Bible says that every one of the six billion people living today was born with sin. This sin was passed along to us genetically from Adam and Eve--the root of a sin system that exists in every person. Like Adam and Eve, we want to do things our way. We want to stay in charge of our lives while paying God lip service. We justify our sin and minimize its consequences. We hide from God and others in our shame. Instead of confessing our sin and turning to a loving God for deliverance, we cling to the bitter roots of the poisonous fruit of sin and we perish in that sin.
God sent His Son Jesus to deliver us from all our sins. God knows we cannot do this through our own works or devices. We can only be made perfect and whole through faith in the finished work of our sinless Savior, Jesus Christ.
At Christmas, we celebrate the Savior's birth. The perfect, sinless Son of God came from heaven, lived the most difficult of lives, and died on the cross. He shed His blood and rose again on the third day to prove His power over death and sin.
We say, "Merry Christmas" because we know that our sins--past, present, and future--are all forgiven when we come to Jesus Christ. His birth, death, and resurrection have brought us peace with God as His plan of redemption has shown goodwill toward men. It is a gift we celebrate, not just at Christmas, but every day of our lives.
Prayer: Father, thank You that every time I say the words, "Merry Christmas," I am reminded of what You did for me and for Your gift to the world. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Merry CHRISTmas indeed, my brothers and sisters!
I trust that this week’s newsletter finds you anticipating the celebration of what we call “Christmas.” Accordingly, I shared a special Christmas message at last week’s Centurion Ministry/FCPO-Denver “cop church” fellowship. The recap is posted below – I encourage you to read it, pray about it, and respond accordingly.
I’ve posted the latest PRAYER REQUESTS, announcements, local meeting schedules and more here on our website (next post below). Please take the time to join us in praying for our own (in the last week alone we’ve lost another seven officers – one a day – and there is a fellow warrior fighting for his life in Minnesota). Don’t forget that we are NOT meeting tonight (12/22) but will be back for our final 2011 fellowship on December 29th.
This is also the time of year that I humbly ask that you consider a year-end gift to both this ministry and to the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers. Info on how to donate to The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry can be found here on our website (scroll down left side) while details on joining or giving to the FCPO can be found at www.FCPO.org. With that..
Message RECAP: A Cop’s Christmas
My goal for this year’s Christmas study was (is) to focus your attention on the fact that the real message of Christ’s birth has very little in common with our modern celebration. That said, there is in fact a “warm and fuzzy” component along with the very serious nature of Christ’s ultimate “call for service” here on Earth.
Our text for the “warm and fuzzy” side is Matthew 1:18-23. The passage includes the name “Immanuel” which in the Hebrew consists of two words -- ‘El, meaning 'God' and ʻImmānū, meaning 'with us’ (or ‘came to us’ in some usages). The TRUE MESSAGE of Christmas is God with us! This is indeed part of the message that this sin-sick world needs to hear – God is with us! It is also a message that we in law enforcement must cling to – God IS with us.
But then there is the other side – a proverbial “the rest of the story.” Continue in Matthew 2:1-18 with the underlying context of Jeremiah 31. Here we see an incredibly wicked and paranoid king -- Herod “the Great” -- sending out his secret “police” with an illegal order to savagely murder every “innocent” male child born in the Bethlehem region during the previous two years. No warrants, no court of appeal, no stay of execution, no announcement of any kind. Imagine those officers going home to their own wives and kids and hearing, “What did you do today, Honey?”
Amidst the joy of Christ’s coming is the reality that He came into a very wicked world under the most humblest of circumstances to carry out the ultimate “mission from God.” In the fullness of time and in accordance with the Father’s perfect will, the Christ-child would stand as a grown man before Herod’s son, Herod Antipas, before horrendously shedding His own innocent blood to save both the children who were murdered after His human birth and YOU today. Again, Matthew 1:21 tells us that Jesus came to “save His people from their sins” by dying as an innocent sacrifice on the cross (“Christmas tree”) of Calvary.
Yes, the birth of our Lord was and is a joyous occasion but it was the birth of the Savior that would later result in cops being sent out to slaughter innocent children and officers who would ultimately torture and nail our innocent Lord to a “tree” (cross) thirty-plus years later. This is the reality of “a cop’s Christmas.”
Many of us will say that we are NOT the same kind of cops – that we are “good” – better and more “righteous” than our predecessors. Really? Not by God’s standard! I again strongly encourage you to take the “Good Person Test” found on our Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers website (www.fcpo.org/christian.html). How did you do?
Folks we must understand that we are no less guilty before our Lord than those wicked officers who slew innocent children two years after His human birth or those who nailed Him to the cross. Again I implore you – turn (repent) FROM your sin and TO the only One who can save you. Like the command we give on a felony stop, “Do it NOW!” as tomorrow may very well be too late. There are no second chances for those who perish in this life without the assurance that comes from a right relationship with God in Christ and we most assuredly will not be able to “badge” our way into Heaven. I want to spend eternity with my fellow warriors with our true King. Please – I beg you – turn to Him today!
Finally, for that person – that officer – who claims to have made a confession of faith but is living a life without any real evidence of a changed, sanctified life, please set aside an hour to watch the following powerful message from Pastor Paul Washer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuabITeO4l8. Consider carefully where you stand!
___________________________
A great many of us will in fact be working over the Christmas holiday – separated from our loved ones for a time to answer God’s call on us to “protect and serve.” Let me encourage you to answer that call as true Christian warriors by going out of your way to do your duty with Christmas in your hearts and on your lips. Speaking of, and in the spirit of the season, check out this special piece of God-inspired fiction written by law enforcement spouse, author and speaker Kristi Neace that reveals Christmas from an officer’s perspective: http://www.kristineace.com/2011/12/walking-the-bethlehem-beat-2/
I’ll close this week’s “Cop’s Christmas” Newsletter with the following from Dr. Michael Youseff in a devotional he entitled, The Reason We Say "Merry Christmas!"
Today, there are professing Christians who believe that being a good person is the path to salvation. They do not feel like they need salvation because their sins are nominal. It is enough that they attend church and have never committed "major" sins. They are perishing as they believe a lie.
The Bible says that every one of the six billion people living today was born with sin. This sin was passed along to us genetically from Adam and Eve--the root of a sin system that exists in every person. Like Adam and Eve, we want to do things our way. We want to stay in charge of our lives while paying God lip service. We justify our sin and minimize its consequences. We hide from God and others in our shame. Instead of confessing our sin and turning to a loving God for deliverance, we cling to the bitter roots of the poisonous fruit of sin and we perish in that sin.
God sent His Son Jesus to deliver us from all our sins. God knows we cannot do this through our own works or devices. We can only be made perfect and whole through faith in the finished work of our sinless Savior, Jesus Christ.
At Christmas, we celebrate the Savior's birth. The perfect, sinless Son of God came from heaven, lived the most difficult of lives, and died on the cross. He shed His blood and rose again on the third day to prove His power over death and sin.
We say, "Merry Christmas" because we know that our sins--past, present, and future--are all forgiven when we come to Jesus Christ. His birth, death, and resurrection have brought us peace with God as His plan of redemption has shown goodwill toward men. It is a gift we celebrate, not just at Christmas, but every day of our lives.
Prayer: Father, thank You that every time I say the words, "Merry Christmas," I am reminded of what You did for me and for Your gift to the world. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Merry CHRISTmas indeed, my brothers and sisters!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
A Cop's CHRISTmas
I hope this finds you all staying vigilant and boldly in “the fight” as we prepare to celebrate the true meaning of CHRISTmas. Accordingly, this week’s profession-relevant message will center on just that – how we as peace officers should look at the celebration of Christ’s human birth in a message I’ve entitled “A Cop’s Christmas.” Those in or visiting the Denver area are encouraged to join us tomorrow (Thursday, December 15th) for our once-monthly foray to Calvary Chapel Aurora (www.CalvaryAurora.org) where we’ll meet in rooms 138/139 just off the café (downstairs/café entrance) starting at 7 PM. In addition to my short Bible study we’ll also have an opportunity to swap some on-duty Christmas stories and share some pie and other goodies (yea – come hungry and take your diabetes meds ahead of time…LOL).
I will of course post a detailed recap in next week’s newsletter for everyone else around the world that can’t be with us in person. Speaking of, here’s the RECAP from last week’s message:
From Sheepdog to Wolf: How the Mighty Fell
The recent events involving a nationally recognized former sheriff (just Google “Pat Sullivan, sheriff, Colorado” and you’ll get your fill) along with a host of similar incidents – with the latest being just two days ago in Texas (www.caller.com/news/2011/dec/12/police-woman-found-shot-monday-morning/?partner=popular) -- were the impetus for last Thursday’s message. Everyone who follows this ministry knows my affinity for my friend Lt. Col. Dave Grossman’s famous On Sheep, Wolves & Sheepdogs essay (www.killology.com/sheep_dog.htm). As peace officers – God’s ordained servant-warriors (Romans 13:1-4) – we are called to serve and protect the sheep (the public) from the wolves (criminals) that would otherwise prey on them with impunity. Unfortunately, the sheepdog bears a close genetic kinship with the wolf and as such the curse of sin sometimes turns the good to bad.
The sad case of former Sheriff Pat Sullivan (and others like him) has a strong biblical parallel in the persons of kings Saul and Solomon. Both had incredible potential and a plethora of accomplishments. Sadly, both shared many of the same faults (pride, rebellion and lust in particular) and failed to finish well. Please take the time to review the following passages:
SAUL
1 Samuel 15:13-23; Daniel 9:5; 1 Samuel 31:1-6
2 Samuel 1:19-27 How the mighty have fallen…
SOLOMON: A promising beginning, incredible blessings and achievements, and a terrible fall…
2 Chronicles 9; 1 Kings 10:1-24; I Kings 3, 9, 11 (11:4-8 in particular).
The “erosion” of Solomon’s life can be summarized in four areas:
Material Attraction—more concerned about acquiring and building your life than seeking and following the one God planned for you.
Relational Distraction—more excited and attracted to people and relationships than seeking a relationship with God (publicity, notoriety, acclaim…).
Sexual Addiction—more focused on the ultimate sexual experience than God's provision in purity. Solomon, like Pat Sullivan, had an unrestrained preoccupation with sex—sexual addiction (in Pat’s case, porn, gay sex, disease, etc.) 1 Kings 11:1-3 reveals that Solomon not only had Pharaoh's daughter as a wife (unequally yoked -- sin) but that his unrestrained preoccupation with sex ultimately led him away from God as he acquired 700 wives and 300 concubines. Again, Solomon turned his head away from the clear teaching of God's Word — Deuteronomy 7:3-4. The result? "...his wives led him astray"—v. 3b.
Disobedience—more adherence to your whims and desires than obeying God's Word (the Bible).
As he allowed sin and compromise to creep in bit-by-bit, Solomon's once granite character began to erode away. Solomon defiantly ignored the explicit instruction of God’s inerrant Word and failed to pay attention to very wise council—God’s and his own. Heed the God-given words this once great king left for us, but failed to heed himself in Proverbs 1:23-33 (God speaking to Solomon – and Solomon sharing words that apply to Saul, Pat Sullivan, and us.)…
"If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you -- when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
Solomon received the tragic fulfilment of his own words in much the same way as Pat Sullivan was jailed in the detention center that bears his name. It can be said for Saul, Solomon and Sullivan that “competence without accountability intoxicates our ego” (Dan Wolgemuth, http://fridayfragments.com/dan-wolgemuth/cold-hard-steel/)
In 1 Timothy 6 we read, But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Cor. 6:9-10 (NIV) tells us, Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.
Pat Sullivan, like Saul, was a sheepdog that became a wolf. However, the GOOD NEWS is that this change does not have to be a permanent one. The “cure” (the ONLY cure) entails a radical turning (repentance) FROM your sin TO a life-saving/life-changing personal RELATIONSHIP (not "religion") with the ONLY One who can save you. 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess (repent, turn) our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That does not mean we don’t suffer the just consequences of our sin but rather that God has provided us a way for us to be made right with Him.
Is that you? Are you right with God today? God loves you so much that He sent His only begotten Son into the world (Christmas) to ultimately be tortured and die on a cross in our place. Some of you will claim that you are not like Pat Sullivan (or Saul or Solomon, or me for that matter) – that you are a “good person” and will get to enter Heaven because of your service as a cop (soldier, pastor, whatever). Really? Take the “Good Person Test” at www.fcpo.org/christian.html and let me know how you do! My prayer is that TODAY is the day for you to turn to Him. Choose this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15).
___________________________
Let me close this newsletter with a couple more links for you to review.
(1) From Col. Ray Fairman ("Where's the Line to See Jesus"): www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=OExXItDyWEY&vq=medium
(2) Fallen Project: www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7K-LwEq7p8&feature=youtu.be
That’s a wrap for this week (Get it? Christmas – “wrap”:). Don’t forget to check out the latest news, prayer requests, announcements and more both on our Facebook pages and at www.TheCenturionLawEnforcementMinistry.org. Be safe but bold in Christ.
I will of course post a detailed recap in next week’s newsletter for everyone else around the world that can’t be with us in person. Speaking of, here’s the RECAP from last week’s message:
From Sheepdog to Wolf: How the Mighty Fell
The recent events involving a nationally recognized former sheriff (just Google “Pat Sullivan, sheriff, Colorado” and you’ll get your fill) along with a host of similar incidents – with the latest being just two days ago in Texas (www.caller.com/news/2011/dec/12/police-woman-found-shot-monday-morning/?partner=popular) -- were the impetus for last Thursday’s message. Everyone who follows this ministry knows my affinity for my friend Lt. Col. Dave Grossman’s famous On Sheep, Wolves & Sheepdogs essay (www.killology.com/sheep_dog.htm). As peace officers – God’s ordained servant-warriors (Romans 13:1-4) – we are called to serve and protect the sheep (the public) from the wolves (criminals) that would otherwise prey on them with impunity. Unfortunately, the sheepdog bears a close genetic kinship with the wolf and as such the curse of sin sometimes turns the good to bad.
The sad case of former Sheriff Pat Sullivan (and others like him) has a strong biblical parallel in the persons of kings Saul and Solomon. Both had incredible potential and a plethora of accomplishments. Sadly, both shared many of the same faults (pride, rebellion and lust in particular) and failed to finish well. Please take the time to review the following passages:
SAUL
1 Samuel 15:13-23; Daniel 9:5; 1 Samuel 31:1-6
2 Samuel 1:19-27 How the mighty have fallen…
SOLOMON: A promising beginning, incredible blessings and achievements, and a terrible fall…
2 Chronicles 9; 1 Kings 10:1-24; I Kings 3, 9, 11 (11:4-8 in particular).
The “erosion” of Solomon’s life can be summarized in four areas:
Material Attraction—more concerned about acquiring and building your life than seeking and following the one God planned for you.
Relational Distraction—more excited and attracted to people and relationships than seeking a relationship with God (publicity, notoriety, acclaim…).
Sexual Addiction—more focused on the ultimate sexual experience than God's provision in purity. Solomon, like Pat Sullivan, had an unrestrained preoccupation with sex—sexual addiction (in Pat’s case, porn, gay sex, disease, etc.) 1 Kings 11:1-3 reveals that Solomon not only had Pharaoh's daughter as a wife (unequally yoked -- sin) but that his unrestrained preoccupation with sex ultimately led him away from God as he acquired 700 wives and 300 concubines. Again, Solomon turned his head away from the clear teaching of God's Word — Deuteronomy 7:3-4. The result? "...his wives led him astray"—v. 3b.
Disobedience—more adherence to your whims and desires than obeying God's Word (the Bible).
As he allowed sin and compromise to creep in bit-by-bit, Solomon's once granite character began to erode away. Solomon defiantly ignored the explicit instruction of God’s inerrant Word and failed to pay attention to very wise council—God’s and his own. Heed the God-given words this once great king left for us, but failed to heed himself in Proverbs 1:23-33 (God speaking to Solomon – and Solomon sharing words that apply to Saul, Pat Sullivan, and us.)…
"If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you -- when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
Solomon received the tragic fulfilment of his own words in much the same way as Pat Sullivan was jailed in the detention center that bears his name. It can be said for Saul, Solomon and Sullivan that “competence without accountability intoxicates our ego” (Dan Wolgemuth, http://fridayfragments.com/dan-wolgemuth/cold-hard-steel/)
In 1 Timothy 6 we read, But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Cor. 6:9-10 (NIV) tells us, Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.
Pat Sullivan, like Saul, was a sheepdog that became a wolf. However, the GOOD NEWS is that this change does not have to be a permanent one. The “cure” (the ONLY cure) entails a radical turning (repentance) FROM your sin TO a life-saving/life-changing personal RELATIONSHIP (not "religion") with the ONLY One who can save you. 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess (repent, turn) our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That does not mean we don’t suffer the just consequences of our sin but rather that God has provided us a way for us to be made right with Him.
Is that you? Are you right with God today? God loves you so much that He sent His only begotten Son into the world (Christmas) to ultimately be tortured and die on a cross in our place. Some of you will claim that you are not like Pat Sullivan (or Saul or Solomon, or me for that matter) – that you are a “good person” and will get to enter Heaven because of your service as a cop (soldier, pastor, whatever). Really? Take the “Good Person Test” at www.fcpo.org/christian.html and let me know how you do! My prayer is that TODAY is the day for you to turn to Him. Choose this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15).
___________________________
Let me close this newsletter with a couple more links for you to review.
(1) From Col. Ray Fairman ("Where's the Line to See Jesus"): www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=OExXItDyWEY&vq=medium
(2) Fallen Project: www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7K-LwEq7p8&feature=youtu.be
That’s a wrap for this week (Get it? Christmas – “wrap”:). Don’t forget to check out the latest news, prayer requests, announcements and more both on our Facebook pages and at www.TheCenturionLawEnforcementMinistry.org. Be safe but bold in Christ.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Cops and Christmas
Fellow Sheepdog Warriors:
This Saturday marks the fourth Christmas for The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry (TCLEM) and no doubt a great many of us will be working the holiday as sheepdogs guarding the sheep we are called to serve and protect under the direction of the Great Shepherd. Our mission is to preserve “peace on earth” by the strength and grace of our Supreme Chief of Police. That said, it is vital that we have a proper understanding of the holiday we are about to celebrate. Rest assured, God did not send His only Son into the world with the mission of ultimately being tortured and killed on the cross – literally taking the “bullet” intended and deserved by you and I – to see it become a “happy holidays” abomination. So what then is CHRISTmas? In all truth, it is a Cop’s Story, the title of last week’s TCLEM/FCPO-Denver study. As promised, here’s the MESSAGE RECAP:
Our text came primarily from Luke 2:8-20. What does this and all other passages concerning the coming of the Christ child truly mean? Taken as a whole, the true meaning of CHRISTmas is love. Our Lord tells us in John 3:16-17 that He (God) loved us so much that “…he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." The true meaning of CHRISTmas is therefore the celebration of this incredible act of love -- the celebration of God incarnate coming to us as a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why? Because He loves us and because we needed a Savior! Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? To celebrate and honor our Lord for what He did for us -- to remember His birth in such ways as giving each other gifts, worshipping Him, and being especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate.
Out of His love for us, God provided a way -- the only Way -- for us to spend eternity with Him. He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love. "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Moreover, Christ’s story is truly a “COP’S STORY.” “Huh” you say? Read on!
-- Christ’s calling is a cop’s calling: Jesus, like us, answered His Father’s call on His life. Like us, He ran TO the battle instead of away from it.
-- Christ came into the world to battle evil head on and receive the “gunfire” rightfully intended for you and I because of our sin. He personified love in its purest form: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
-- Finally, note that Christ not only died for us, but He came back for us (He won’t leave His “true believers” behind).
So in what way can we truly honor and remember Christ’s birth? Our Lord came for one primary purpose – to make a way for you and I to be able to live a truly meaningful existence in this life followed by spending eternity with Him in paradise. Let’s honor His sacrifice by turning (repenting) from our sin and asking Him into our lives as Lord and Savior – what it means to be “born again” (see http://www.gotquestions.org/born-again.html). If you’ve already taken this all-important eternal step but have not been following Him as you should, then seek His forgiveness today and get on fire for our Lord.
Dr. Michael Youseff, a gifted Bible teacher whom I truly respect, taught a short message on the real meaning of Christmas (The Wonder of His Love) that goes right along with mine. Check it out at http://www.leadingtheway.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sto_feature.
FCPO-Denver NEWS
-- Don’t forget that we are NOT meeting this Thursday (Dec. 23rd) but we WILL be meeting for the last time in 2010 next on Thursday, December 30th, starting at 7 PM at Calvary South Denver in Littleton. We will be discussing both where we’ve been as a ministry and where we’ll be heading in 2011. Invite a friend or colleague and join us.
-- Don’t forget to check the latest meeting schedules, prayer requests, and other news and updates posted here on our website.
-- Baptism!! We are planning our first annual baptism event! We’re set to go on Saturday, January 15th, at Southern Gables Church in Littleton. If you’ve come to Christ but have not been baptized since then, please plan on joining us at our January 6th meeting where I’ll be teaching on this act of obedience and going over the details.
TCLEM and COVERED!
Chattanooga (TN) PD officer and fellow ministry leader Jonathan Parker has featured us on his outstanding website! Check it out at
http://coveredlawenforcement.wordpress.com/read-the-blog/. Are YOU covered? Go to http://www.coveredlawenforcement.org/ to learn more.
SPEAKING OF CHRISTMAS GIFTS…
If you’re not made your end-of-year gift to The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry, then let me lovingly and respectfully encourage you to do so. Your offering will do much to help us spread the Gospel message to our fellow warriors who do not yet know Christ as Savior as well as supporting and encouraging those who either fallen away or are seeking the deeper things of God.
Donations can be made out to The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry and mailed to my attention at:
P.O. Box 630854
Littleton, CO 80163
That said, support your church first...and then donate as the Holy Spirit leads you to do so. Thanks in advance for your support. Regardless, please include us in your prayers.
Also on the subject of Christmas and Christmas gifts…
I’ve received the much-anticipated devotional book Stories of Faith and Courage from Cops on the Street and I can’t recommend it enough. Some of our regulars who made it to last week’s FCPO-Denver meeting received a copy as my Christmas gift to them and I’ll have a few more to give out this week (you snooze, you lose). I had the honor of writing three of the published stories and an endorsement to boot. To learn more and order your own copy, go to http://www.copsonthestreet.com/.
The book includes a great story entitled “Cops, Christmas and Honor” written by Malverne (NY) PD Lt. Stan Kid that serves as a great way to close our CHRISTmas newsletter:
Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
In 1974, when I first joined the police department, I knew there would be special occasions my family would spend without me. Knowing that didn't make the task any easier. The celebrations I missed during those first years depressed me and sometimes made me feel bitter. Working on Christmas Eve was always the worst. It felt like a thankless job. On Christmas Eve in 1977, I learned that blessings can come disguised as misfortune, and honor is more than just a word.
I was riding one-man patrol on the 4:00 p.m. to midnight shift. The night was cold. Everywhere I drove I saw reminders of the holidays. Families were packing their cars with presents. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees in living room windows and roofs adorned with tiny sleighs made me feel even more sorry for myself.
The evening had been relatively quiet. There were calls for a barking dog, a minor auto accident, a false burglar alarm. There was nothing to make the night go faster. I thought of my own family and sank more deeply into depression.
Shortly after 10:00 p.m., I got a radio call to the home of an elderly cancer patient. I stopped in front of a simple Cape Cod style house. First-aid kit in hand, I walked up the path to the front door. As I approached, a woman who seemed about 80 years old opened the door. "He's in here," she said, leading me into the back bedroom.
We passed through a living room furnished in a style I had come to associate with older people. The sofa had an afghan blanket draped over its back and a dark, solid colored Queen Anne chair sat next to an unused fireplace. The mantle was cluttered with an eclectic mix of several photos, some porcelain figurines and an antique clock. A floor lamp provided soft lighting.
We entered a small back bedroom where a frail looking old man lay in the bed with a blanket pulled up to his chin. He wore a blank stare on his ashen, skeletal face. His breathing was shallow; he was barely alive.
The trappings of illness were all around the bed. The nightstand was littered with a large number of pill vials. An oxygen bottle stood nearby, its thin plastic hose, with facemask attached, rested on the blanket.
I asked the woman why she called for the police. She simply shrugged and nodded sadly toward her husband, indicating it was his request. I looked at him and he stared intently into my eyes. He seemed relaxed now. I didn't understand the suddenly-calm expression on his face.
I looked around the room again. A dresser stood along the wall to the left of the bed. On it were the usual memorabilia--ornate perfume bottles, a white porcelain pin case and a wooden jewelry tray. There were also several photos in simple frames. One caught my eye and I walked to the dresser for a closer look. The picture showed a young man wearing a police uniform. It was unmistakably a photo of the man in the bed. I knew then why I was there.
I looked at the old man and he motioned with his head toward the side of his bed. I walked over and stood beside him. He slid a thin arm from under the covers and took my hand. Soon, I felt his hand go limp. I looked at his face. There was no fear there. I saw only peace.
He knew he was dying; he was aware his time was very near. I know now that he was afraid of what was about to happen and he wanted the protection of a fellow cop on his journey.
A caring God had seen to it that His child would be delivered safely to Him. The honor of being his escort fell to me.
Since that night, I have considered it a high honor to be present at the moment of a person's death. As a cop, I have had that honor many times and feel I have been given a very special responsibility: ensuring someone's safe passage home to his or her Father.
I no longer feel sorry for myself for having to work on Christmas Eve. I have chosen an honorable profession. I pray that when my time comes to leave this world that there will be a cop there to hold my hand and let me know I have nothing to fear.
Finally, please take the time to remember and pray for our military brothers and sisters serving in harm’s way this CHRISTmas. Include their loved ones in your prayers as well.
My prayer is that all of you – my fellow servant-warriors – will have a safe and joyous celebration of our Savior’s birth and THE ultimate mission that came with it.
Merry Christmas!
This Saturday marks the fourth Christmas for The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry (TCLEM) and no doubt a great many of us will be working the holiday as sheepdogs guarding the sheep we are called to serve and protect under the direction of the Great Shepherd. Our mission is to preserve “peace on earth” by the strength and grace of our Supreme Chief of Police. That said, it is vital that we have a proper understanding of the holiday we are about to celebrate. Rest assured, God did not send His only Son into the world with the mission of ultimately being tortured and killed on the cross – literally taking the “bullet” intended and deserved by you and I – to see it become a “happy holidays” abomination. So what then is CHRISTmas? In all truth, it is a Cop’s Story, the title of last week’s TCLEM/FCPO-Denver study. As promised, here’s the MESSAGE RECAP:
Our text came primarily from Luke 2:8-20. What does this and all other passages concerning the coming of the Christ child truly mean? Taken as a whole, the true meaning of CHRISTmas is love. Our Lord tells us in John 3:16-17 that He (God) loved us so much that “…he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." The true meaning of CHRISTmas is therefore the celebration of this incredible act of love -- the celebration of God incarnate coming to us as a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why? Because He loves us and because we needed a Savior! Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? To celebrate and honor our Lord for what He did for us -- to remember His birth in such ways as giving each other gifts, worshipping Him, and being especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate.
Out of His love for us, God provided a way -- the only Way -- for us to spend eternity with Him. He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love. "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Moreover, Christ’s story is truly a “COP’S STORY.” “Huh” you say? Read on!
-- Christ’s calling is a cop’s calling: Jesus, like us, answered His Father’s call on His life. Like us, He ran TO the battle instead of away from it.
-- Christ came into the world to battle evil head on and receive the “gunfire” rightfully intended for you and I because of our sin. He personified love in its purest form: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
-- Finally, note that Christ not only died for us, but He came back for us (He won’t leave His “true believers” behind).
So in what way can we truly honor and remember Christ’s birth? Our Lord came for one primary purpose – to make a way for you and I to be able to live a truly meaningful existence in this life followed by spending eternity with Him in paradise. Let’s honor His sacrifice by turning (repenting) from our sin and asking Him into our lives as Lord and Savior – what it means to be “born again” (see http://www.gotquestions.org/born-again.html). If you’ve already taken this all-important eternal step but have not been following Him as you should, then seek His forgiveness today and get on fire for our Lord.
Dr. Michael Youseff, a gifted Bible teacher whom I truly respect, taught a short message on the real meaning of Christmas (The Wonder of His Love) that goes right along with mine. Check it out at http://www.leadingtheway.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sto_feature.
FCPO-Denver NEWS
-- Don’t forget that we are NOT meeting this Thursday (Dec. 23rd) but we WILL be meeting for the last time in 2010 next on Thursday, December 30th, starting at 7 PM at Calvary South Denver in Littleton. We will be discussing both where we’ve been as a ministry and where we’ll be heading in 2011. Invite a friend or colleague and join us.
-- Don’t forget to check the latest meeting schedules, prayer requests, and other news and updates posted here on our website.
-- Baptism!! We are planning our first annual baptism event! We’re set to go on Saturday, January 15th, at Southern Gables Church in Littleton. If you’ve come to Christ but have not been baptized since then, please plan on joining us at our January 6th meeting where I’ll be teaching on this act of obedience and going over the details.
TCLEM and COVERED!
Chattanooga (TN) PD officer and fellow ministry leader Jonathan Parker has featured us on his outstanding website! Check it out at
http://coveredlawenforcement.wordpress.com/read-the-blog/. Are YOU covered? Go to http://www.coveredlawenforcement.org/ to learn more.
SPEAKING OF CHRISTMAS GIFTS…
If you’re not made your end-of-year gift to The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry, then let me lovingly and respectfully encourage you to do so. Your offering will do much to help us spread the Gospel message to our fellow warriors who do not yet know Christ as Savior as well as supporting and encouraging those who either fallen away or are seeking the deeper things of God.
Donations can be made out to The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry and mailed to my attention at:
P.O. Box 630854
Littleton, CO 80163
That said, support your church first...and then donate as the Holy Spirit leads you to do so. Thanks in advance for your support. Regardless, please include us in your prayers.
Also on the subject of Christmas and Christmas gifts…
I’ve received the much-anticipated devotional book Stories of Faith and Courage from Cops on the Street and I can’t recommend it enough. Some of our regulars who made it to last week’s FCPO-Denver meeting received a copy as my Christmas gift to them and I’ll have a few more to give out this week (you snooze, you lose). I had the honor of writing three of the published stories and an endorsement to boot. To learn more and order your own copy, go to http://www.copsonthestreet.com/.
The book includes a great story entitled “Cops, Christmas and Honor” written by Malverne (NY) PD Lt. Stan Kid that serves as a great way to close our CHRISTmas newsletter:
Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
In 1974, when I first joined the police department, I knew there would be special occasions my family would spend without me. Knowing that didn't make the task any easier. The celebrations I missed during those first years depressed me and sometimes made me feel bitter. Working on Christmas Eve was always the worst. It felt like a thankless job. On Christmas Eve in 1977, I learned that blessings can come disguised as misfortune, and honor is more than just a word.
I was riding one-man patrol on the 4:00 p.m. to midnight shift. The night was cold. Everywhere I drove I saw reminders of the holidays. Families were packing their cars with presents. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees in living room windows and roofs adorned with tiny sleighs made me feel even more sorry for myself.
The evening had been relatively quiet. There were calls for a barking dog, a minor auto accident, a false burglar alarm. There was nothing to make the night go faster. I thought of my own family and sank more deeply into depression.
Shortly after 10:00 p.m., I got a radio call to the home of an elderly cancer patient. I stopped in front of a simple Cape Cod style house. First-aid kit in hand, I walked up the path to the front door. As I approached, a woman who seemed about 80 years old opened the door. "He's in here," she said, leading me into the back bedroom.
We passed through a living room furnished in a style I had come to associate with older people. The sofa had an afghan blanket draped over its back and a dark, solid colored Queen Anne chair sat next to an unused fireplace. The mantle was cluttered with an eclectic mix of several photos, some porcelain figurines and an antique clock. A floor lamp provided soft lighting.
We entered a small back bedroom where a frail looking old man lay in the bed with a blanket pulled up to his chin. He wore a blank stare on his ashen, skeletal face. His breathing was shallow; he was barely alive.
The trappings of illness were all around the bed. The nightstand was littered with a large number of pill vials. An oxygen bottle stood nearby, its thin plastic hose, with facemask attached, rested on the blanket.
I asked the woman why she called for the police. She simply shrugged and nodded sadly toward her husband, indicating it was his request. I looked at him and he stared intently into my eyes. He seemed relaxed now. I didn't understand the suddenly-calm expression on his face.
I looked around the room again. A dresser stood along the wall to the left of the bed. On it were the usual memorabilia--ornate perfume bottles, a white porcelain pin case and a wooden jewelry tray. There were also several photos in simple frames. One caught my eye and I walked to the dresser for a closer look. The picture showed a young man wearing a police uniform. It was unmistakably a photo of the man in the bed. I knew then why I was there.
I looked at the old man and he motioned with his head toward the side of his bed. I walked over and stood beside him. He slid a thin arm from under the covers and took my hand. Soon, I felt his hand go limp. I looked at his face. There was no fear there. I saw only peace.
He knew he was dying; he was aware his time was very near. I know now that he was afraid of what was about to happen and he wanted the protection of a fellow cop on his journey.
A caring God had seen to it that His child would be delivered safely to Him. The honor of being his escort fell to me.
Since that night, I have considered it a high honor to be present at the moment of a person's death. As a cop, I have had that honor many times and feel I have been given a very special responsibility: ensuring someone's safe passage home to his or her Father.
I no longer feel sorry for myself for having to work on Christmas Eve. I have chosen an honorable profession. I pray that when my time comes to leave this world that there will be a cop there to hold my hand and let me know I have nothing to fear.
Finally, please take the time to remember and pray for our military brothers and sisters serving in harm’s way this CHRISTmas. Include their loved ones in your prayers as well.
My prayer is that all of you – my fellow servant-warriors – will have a safe and joyous celebration of our Savior’s birth and THE ultimate mission that came with it.
Merry Christmas!
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