Satan Loves Cops

As usual, this weeks' Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry/FCPO e-newsletter and Bible study/devotional has gone out to our email subscribers and social media feeds. However, we always want to use this venue as a resource so here again is "Satan Loves Cops." Special thanks for fellow chaplain Jason Pearson for the study that he shared with us last Thursday.

Folks, if you have not noticed, we're at war. Let's have a "Code 3" sense of urgency in sharing Christ with our own, living the Gospel at work, and then getting home at the end of our shifts.

Stay frosty -- and (for everyone working tonight) good hunting for the usual drunken scofflaws and miscreants out there on St. Patrick's Day.

MC

PRAY for COLORADO -- Flood Disaster and More

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that my beloved state is in a state of emergency due to what they are calling a 500-year or even 1000-year event of rainfall and resulting flooding (click on flood photos to get an idea of what we're dealing with). Dams have been breached, flood mitigation structures have failed, homes destroyed and thousands stranded. More rain expected this weekend and although nothing like what happened Thursday, it will be falling on saturated ground and adding to already overflowing streams and rivers. Our fellow first responders, including the National Guard, are "boots in the water" and are working incredibly long hours in tough conditions trying to reach the stranded. In Estes Park where Diana and I honeymooned and visit frequently, folks are being rescued via zip line, of all things.

First, PRAY! God IS on scene and, as with all trials, has allowed this to happen for a reason (that it happened at all is traced back to original sin).

Secondly, folks have asked how they can help beyond prayer. We don't need "stuff" right now but we have some things in place to assist first responders who may have lost homes or are in need of gear/equipment. Here in CO we are better able to handle some of the gear issues than in other parts of the country but I'll advise. Regardless, stay tuned and I'll try to keep you posted. Beyond that, Samaritan's Purse (Franklin Graham's organization) is assessing if they will respond and they are solid Christian organization that you can feel confident about donating to. Here is their link on CO (I suggest you check back frequently):

Samaritan's Purse -- CO.

While I can't vouch as to how your dollars will be spent, the Red Cross is another option for you to help folks here in CO.


Additional PRAYER REQUESTS:

** Officer Jason Pearson sends the following: "One of the Field Training Officers who trained me when I joined EPD has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It sounds fairly serious and I would ask for prayers for her, please. All of her family is back in L.A. and her mom is fighting cancer right now as well."

** Pray for an officer hospitalized with cancer and who does not know the Lord. I will be visiting him this weekend.

** Pray for wounded CSP Trooper Scott Hinshaw who is having a rough recovery from his latest surgery.

"Cops, Complaints and Christ" -- The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry/FCPO Newsletter

This week's newsletter and law enforcement devotional/Bible study is up!  If you're not on the list (easy to do), here it is again: click on "Cops, Complaints and Christ." 

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Updated 11/22/2012

** Please pray for Israel in the midst of the escalating attacks on God's chosen people and nation.

** Please keep us here (Colorado) in prayer as we deal with the aftermath of yet another LODD (the details are in the newsletter and the funeral was held held on 11/15).  This is even more tragic because it was accidental "blue-on-blue."  The officer who fired the fatal shot is a believer and very much in need of prayer and support.

** Englewood PD Officer Jason Pearson is also a Ten-Four Ministries rep and reports that some 1300 cops and 500 firefighters who lived in the path of Hurricane Sandy are in desperate need.  Pray (and keep praying) but I'll be posting more on how we can assist our brethren and their families.  See http://www.officer.com/news/10829192/in-sandy-nypd-officers-find-themselves-the-victims  for more. 

** Jason also asks that we pray for one of his fellow officers (and family) whose teenage son was killed in a MVA.

** Pray for Jim and Terry Wattles who are down (but not out) with the flu.

** Pray for a state patrol chaplain ("Larry") who is having surgery today to repair a hole in his heart. 

**  From an officer in Kenya:  
"Thirty-one police officers of the Kenya National Police Service were killed over the weekend when they were ambushed at about 4.00am on Sunday as the pursued cattle rustlers,  Nine other officers have been airlifted and admitted to a Nairobi hospital in critical condition. 7 more officers are still missing.

The officers were trying to recover over 500 stolen head of cattle when they encountered the armed bandits. About 100 officers were involved in the operation. The remote area is most hard hit by insecurity partly due to proliferation of small arms that has promoted the culture of cattle rustling over the years.

Families of the slain officers are yet to be informed as the officers have been working way far away from their families. Pray with us for the families of the departed and the traumatized officers who survived the attack. Pray also for the chaplains and christian officers who are trying to provide support.
Your brother,
Kibinge wa Muturi
Kenya Police Service"

MC

Trained and Ready for Battle

My Fellow Warriors:

My prayer is that you had a safe and productive Independence Day weekend. If you were able to spend at least a part of it with your families, consider yourself blessed – there are many who were (are) fighting both at home and abroad to make that possible. If you were on duty, then consider yourself blessed as well – God gave you an opportunity to make the lives of others -- fireworks issues aside -- that much more safe and peaceful (that’s our call, duty and privilege).

I had the benefit of growing up all over the world as part of a military family and then later serving overseas as a peace officer. I am also a student of history. Taken together, I can speak with some authority about how very blessed this nation has been and still is. Even with all our failings (there have been many), America has truly been “God blessed.” Sadly, the United States is rapidly turning its back on God and I fear that righteous judgment has so far been stayed only by the prayers of a righteous few.

That said, it is important for the true Christian to understand that America is not our home, nor is true liberty found in any document or system of government. On the contrary, the Bible – God’s perfect and inerrant word – tells us that true freedom is found only through a life-altering/life-saving personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.). On this Oswald Chambers wrote, “When you have a right-standing relationship with God, you have a life of freedom, liberty, and delight...” Amen to that

Recently Tulsa PD Captain and Ten-Four Ministries (www.tenfourministries.org) Director Travis Yates spoke on this subject during his latest “Centurion Radio” broadcast that also featured our own Officer Jason Pearson of Englewood (CO) PD: http://thecenturionpapers.blogspot.com/2011/07/centurion-radio-22-disaster-response.html.

Regardless, I encourage all Americans to take a moment to read the God-inspired document that we call our Declaration of Independence with the understanding that while it is both unique and special, it is NOT God's word, nor does it replace that word: http://nationaldayofprayer.org/declaration-of-independence/.

As God’s ordained ministers (Romans 13:1-7), it is our (law enforcement, military) duty and our privilege to preserve and defend this great nation through our service and fervent prayer. This special call requires that we maintain our warrior skills and fitness in order to serve in a manner worthy of that calling. Tonight I’ll be teaching a special message that embraces that concept while at the same time remembering that the foes we face in our daily battles are both human and demonic. Regarding the latter, ALL Christians are called to be prepared and proactive warriors engaged in battle against a very real enemy. I’ve entitled this message “Trained and Ready for Battle” and you’re invited to join us tonight at Calvary South Denver in Littleton (www.calvarycsd.org for directions) starting at 7 PM. I’ll of course post a detailed recap for all our many readers from all over the USA (and many points beyond our borders) in next week’s newsletter – stay tuned!

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The latest/updated PRAYER REQUESTS, MEETING SCHEDULES and more have been posted here on our website (see following posts). Please take the time to join us in prayer and to get yourself up-to-date on what’s happening all over the country (and check back frequently)!

Speaking of upcoming events posted here on our website, we’ve got two very special ones coming up this month and next here in Colorado:

(1) Colorado State Trooper Scott Hinshaw will be our very special guest speaker NEXT Thursday, July 14th at Calvary South Denver staring at 7:00 PM. Many may recall that Scotty was nearly killed in the same line of duty incident that resulted in the death of fellow Trooper Zach Templeton in October of 2007. Scott’s amazing, inspirational and powerful story is a not-to-be-missed event and is so far reaching that I’ve opened it to all…please plan on joining us on the 14th and don’t forget to bring you spouse and invite a colleague.

(2) Secondly, you are invited to attend "An Evening with Joel C. Rosenberg," the Ministry Architecture Inc. (MAI) annual fundraiser to be held on Thursday, August 4, 2011, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Calvary Chapel South Denver. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. MAI was founded and is directed by Leonard (Len) C. Rosenberg, a licensed architect since 1974. Len and his wife, Mary Jo, travel to developing countries to design, at no cost, buildings for Christian ministries and to teach The Bible.

Contributions to attend the two-hour session are $25 per person. Using your credit card, you will be able to register on our cart located on MAI's website at: www.ministryarchitecture.com.

Joel, a New York Times bestselling author, is knowledgeable about the Middle East, prophecies, and the correlation of current events to predicted final events in The Bible. His annual sessions on behalf of MAI are informative, engaging, and entertaining. Fresh from an Epicenter Conference hosted by Joel in Jerusalem in mid-May, he will relate his perspective regarding up-to-date activities in Israel and the Middle East. Len and Mary Jo will also report on their recent ministry activities in Israel, the West Bank, Nigeria, and Zambia.

Last year, Calvary Chapel's auditorium, with a seating capacity of 1,000, was completely filled. Make your reservations early, and plan to attend an enjoyable evening with us. All contributions are tax deductible and help support MAI activities throughout the year.

We hope to see you on August 4th at 7:30 p.m.! More on this in upcoming newsletters and on our website.

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That’s the “briefing” for this week – stay the course as we lead, serve and protect under our true Captain.

MC

Real Honor, True Courage

Fellow Servant-Warriors:

We had a great profession-relevant Bible study and fellowship last week on a topic I entitled “Cops United in Combat.” Combat? As peace officers, we engage evil and sin on a daily basis – and that engagement routinely results in physical combat. As Christian officers (“Christian” meaning having repented of our sin and asking Christ to be both Savior and Lord via a life-saving, life-changing, personal relationship with Him – being spiritually born again as per John 3:1-7), we are also engaged in daily spiritual combat as well. As servant-warriors we strap on our body armor and carry an array of offensive and defensive weaponry. Likewise, our true Captain has provided us with both powerful defensive armor and offensive weaponry to use against a very real spiritual enemy in Satan, his demonic forces, and sin in general:

ARMOR: Ephesians 6:10-17
WEAPONS: Ephesians 6:17-18; 2 Corinthians 6:7 and 2 Corinthians 10:4,5

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4,5)

The key for this study is the weapon of prayer (Ephesians 6:18) based on two points:

(1) The Power of the MANY:
Then the men of Judah said to the Simeonites their brothers, 'Come up with us into the territory allotted to us, to fight against the Canaanites. We in turn will go with you into yours (Judges 1:3).

Jesus said, May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me (John 17:23). God calls each of us individually and corporately to represent Christ to the world and praying in UNITY is a very powerful strategy. When unity takes place among leadership in the Body of Christ, Jesus responds by impacting our communities, our agencies, our families, our marriages, our children and our colleagues in ways we would otherwise have never thought possible.

(2) The Power of the ONE:
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much (James 5:16).

How are we made righteous? Only – ONLY – through a right relationship with God in Christ! Our individual prayer – especially when we are praying God’s word (wielding our offensive weaponry), is a POWERFUL weapon indeed.

To better illustrate where we’re going with this, I’ve been given permission by author Grant Wolf to share the June 2nd entry from Stories of Faith and Courage from Cops on the Street written by my friend and fellow FCPO national board member Dep. Mike Dye from Florida:


Prayer For Real!

Sheriff’s Detective Mike Dye*
*Author of The Peacekeeper's- A Bible study for Law Enforcement Officers
Volusia County FL Sheriff’s Department

There’s prayer, and then there’s prayer! This is about real prayer!

My career began as a deputy sheriff in Florida. For awhile, it took me to the west coast before God brought me back to Florida where I belong. While in patrol, I was assigned to the rough and tough neighborhood of Spring Hill. It was depressed and filled with druggies, alcohol and hopelessness. God had given me a fresh revelation on the power of prayer, and I decided to put it to use. I prayed up and down the streets of that neighborhood, and for specific buildings themselves. I even asked God to send a Bible-teaching pastor to that neighborhood.

One night a burglar alarm went off at a bar, and I answered the call. It was an ugly, concrete block building, painted black with barred windows. While I was there, God spoke to me and said, “Pray for this building." In obedience, I laid hands on that sin- filled building as I was pulling on doors and windows to check for entry, and asked God to convert it according to his purposes. A short time later and now on day shift, I passed by and saw a lady unloading paint and decorating supplies. When I spoke to her, she said her husband was a pastor, and God had sent them to Florida from New York to start a church. She told me the bar had gone out of business, and God had supplied the building! A few weeks later, I pulled up one day in my patrol car and she was crying. She told me that local thieves were stealing their supplies. I asked the men’s group of a large church if they could help, and they did! They took on the entire project, transforming that ugly, sinful bar into a clean house of hope and worship. It went from “blight to light.” Before long the bar across the street also went out of business, and God gave Pastor Brown the keys to that building at no cost!

Spring Hill is a changed community. It’s not perfect, and still has problems with drugs, thefts and all the other crimes of today’s society – but it is changed. Other faithful believers had been crying out to God for help, and he used me as a catalyst. Like I said, there’s “prayer,” and there’s “prayer!” Oh, that more of God’s people – especially police officers – would pray over their cities for change. If it can work in Spring Hill, it can work anywhere!

Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you…
pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you will too.Jeremiah 29:7

Chaplain Wolf writes, “In these hot summer months there is abundant opportunity for crime in your area to flourish. Would you be willing to put Mike’s principle of “praying for your city” to work for the specific area you serve – your entire community if you’d like – and praying over it daily for at least one month? While I’ve suggested July as a “test month,” is there anything to prevent you doing that right now?”

Here is what we are suggesting:
1. Read (and share) Mike’s story and prayerfully consider making prayer for your area/city a conscious effort before the start of your shifts.
2. Specifically target the worst streets, buildings, individuals, etc. in your area, asking God to restore His righteousness there.
3. Ask your fellow Christian officers to join you in this approach to fighting crime.
4. Use your social networks – Facebook, Twitter, blogs, websites, e-mail lists, etc. to encourage others.

Working together for one month – or even the entire summer – perhaps we can enlist God’s aid in “putting a bite on crime.”

That’s our call – and our combat! Let’s wield our weapons both together and individually and watch what God can do in your agencies, communities, families, colleagues and YOU!
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COURAGEOUS the Movie Event!

This Friday, June 17th, our FCPO-Denver chapter will be meeting in Parker (CO) with other ministry, church and community leaders (and a guest -- spouses encouraged to attend) for a special showing of the new film Courageous (see www.courageousthemovie.com). If you’re in the Denver area, please RSVP (click on the following link – tickets are FREE) and join us. If not, see www.courageousthemovie.com/screenings/ to get your FREE passes to the special screenings in your area of the country. Folks, the Holy Spirit is all over this movie and it is a potential GAME CHANGER for our profession and families.

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NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

(1) Friend, colleague and fellow law enforcement ministry leader Travis Yates has launched a great new website that I’ve linked to ours: http://copsforchrist.com/. Great stuff and highly recommended!

(2) Speaking of Travis, Englewood PD Officer Jason Pearson (who will be sharing with us at our June 23rd meeting) writes,

Ten Four Ministries, a Law Enforcement outreach and ministry organization based in Tulsa, OK and run by Tulsa P.D. Captain Travis Yates, is instituting an "Adopt-an-Agency" program to help rural U.S. law enforcement agencies meet equipment, supply and training needs. Many agencies, especially in the "Deep South", are operating without uniforms or modern technology such as adequate flashlights, tasers, body armor or even cars and other equipment made in this century. Many of these Officers, and their Chiefs, live below the National poverty line and many earn less than $20,000 a year.

We are very fortunate to have decent pay, good benefits and modern equipment, and my recent trip to Alabama to meet Officers from rural agencies after the recent tornadoes reinforced my realization that we are in a great position to help out our fellow officers and deputies. What we often discard, throw away or auction off could help another agency operate and function under safer and more adequate working conditions. We can't help them make better pay or get a retirement plan, but we can certainly help them perform their difficult jobs with a higher chance of getting home safe to their families.

If your agency is interested in helping, please contact me here at Englewood P.D. We already have several agencies in Texas and Mississippi we are screening for possible "adoption" and would love to get them help as soon as we can.

Sincerely,

Ofc. J. Pearson #0502
Englewood Police Department
3615 S. Elati St.
Englewood, CO 80110
303-762-2438
jpearson@englewoodgov.org

Well?

(3) Lots of new links, news, resources, the latest PRAYER REQUESTS, Denver-area MEETING SCHEDULES, etc. are posted and updated almost daily here on our website. Check back frequently!

Denver-Area Events:

(4) If you are not paying into a legal defense fund and/or a Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) member, I encourage you to consider joining our new FOP chapter here in Denver. We are meeting this Saturday, June 18th, at 1100 hours in Westminster – shoot me an email if interested in being a part of this strong organization.

(5) As mentioned above, Englewood PD Officer Jason Pearson just got back from being his God-inspired “mission” trip (aid, support) to police agencies in storm-ravaged Alabama and will be sharing with us at our June 23rd meeting at Calvary South Denver in Littleton. Jason is on fire for Christ (Oorah!) and The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry/FCPO-Denver has been used by God in a powerful way in Jason’s life. Please join us!

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I’ll close this week’s newsletter by sharing the a warrior’s “creed” from a recent www.PoliceOne.com article written by Jack E. Hoban and Bruce J. Gourlie (www.policeone.com/training/articles/3774287-The-ethical-warrior-Guiding-principles-and-Humphreys-Warrior-Creed/):

Wherever I walk, everyone is a little safer because I am there.

Amen! Be safe out there and -- if you’re in the Denver-area this Friday -- hope to see you in Parker for the Courageous event!

Why God Allows Evil -- TCLEM Newsletter

Fellow Paladins:

In light of last week’s teaching on spiritual warfare and with National Police Week/Law Enforcement Memorial Day and our national Memorial Day weekend still fresh in our minds, this week’s profession-relevant Bible study will answer the question, “Why Does God Allow Evil?” As cops, we deal with sin and evil on a daily basis during which we often find ourselves asking why a loving, just God would allow unspeakable tragedy to occur and evil to flourish. His inerrant and wholly sufficient word – the Bible -- provides THE answer…please join us tomorrow (Thursday, June 2nd) if you’re in the Denver area or, if not, I’ll post a detailed recap in next week’s newsletter (email me at fullarmor911@yahoo.com if you want to be added to the list) and here on this website.

Speaking of the recap…

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Tactical Bible Study RECAP: A Cop’s Spiritual Warfare

Our study covered the following points:

(1) Jesus serves as our ultimate example for spiritual warfare. In Matthew 4:1-11, we find out Lord doing battle with Satan using our “sword” – the word of God. We are to do likewise!

(2) In a lesson of what NOT to do, Acts 19:13-16 tells of the seven sons of Sceva who were attempting to cast out demons in Jesus’ name. Unfortunately, they did not have a life-saving/life-saving personal relationship with Christ and as such their words were empty and without any power or authority. They were not relying on Christ as their Lord and Savior and they were not employing the word of God in their spiritual warfare. As a result they not only failed to cast out the demons but also received a terrible physical beating in the process. Don’t follow this sad example!

(3) Five Keys to Success in Spiritual Warfare:
(a) Rely on God’s power, not our own.
(b) Rebuke the enemy in Jesus’ Name, not our own (and ONLY after you’ve entered into a right-relationship with Christ).
(c) Wear your spiritual armor and wield your spiritual weapons (the whole armor of God – Ephesians 6:10-18).
(d) Fight with the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God (Bible).
(e) Lastly, remember that while we wage spiritual warfare against Satan and his demons, not every sin or problem is a demon that needs to be rebuked. Rather, much of what we deal with is a direct consequence of our own bad personal choices – aka “sin” (the Christian can’t go around saying, “The devil made me do it.”).

Our own Mark Roggeman recorded a video of part of my teaching that covers some of this material – go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fxmVq6YOIE&feature=share.

Finally, Kristi Neace wrote a fine blog post on this subject that I adapted for our study – see www.kristineace.com/2011/05/the-bible-and-the-badge/ -- and Billy Graham and other notable speakers talked about this in a short video found at http://nationaldayofprayer.org/memorial-day/.

Bottom line is this: We are engaged in a full-on, end-times spiritual war between good and evil! As with our law enforcement skills, we MUST train for it. How? Being saved followed by prayer, obedience and being centered in God’s inerrant word. Let’s stay the course with same!

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NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

(1) The latest prayer requests (next post) and local meeting schedules (top left here on this website) have been posted!

(2) If you’re in the Denver area this Sunday (June 5th), stop by our booth at the 2011 Top Gun Police Motorcycle competition in Lakewood. See www.TopGunCops.com for details and please keep us in prayer as we share Christ with our colleagues. Lots of other great sponsors/exhibitors as well – hope to see you there.

(3) Our own Officer Jason Pearson is currently leading a number of other Colorado officers on a relief trip to the police departments in the South that have been hard-hit with weather issues. You can follow Operation Southern Relief on Jason’s Facebook page(s) while at the same time keeping these warriors in prayer: https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000343907695 and/or https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000138984855.

(4) Our own Inv. Elizabeth Ortiz is currently deployed to Joplin to assist with their tragic issues. Keep her in prayer as well.

(5) Finally, two Denver-area churches – Calvary South Denver and Calvary Chapel Aurora -- have begun very timely, warrior-relevant and in-depth (line-by-line, verse-by-verse) studies through the Book of Revelation and I highly encourage you to follow along wherever you are (all messages are available for download – see below). I serve under both of these fine pastors (Ed Taylor and Sam Park) and they are true servant-leaders who deliver outstanding teaching. Moreover, quite a few of our Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry/FCPO-Denver chapter officers and their spouses also attend and serve with Diana and I at the Calvary South Denver Tuesday Night Dialogue service. See www.calvaryaurora.org/multimedia/message-archives/category/revelation/
and
www.calvarycsd.org/ministries/tuesday-night-dialogue/ and click on the Download TND Messages Here button.

That’s a rap for this week. Let’s stay frosty out there while having a sense of urgency in sharing the truth of the gospel with our colleagues. As always, send me your comments, prayer requests and ideas. The battle rages on – let’s run to it (www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL7cL_p5_84)!

MC

New PRAYER REQUESTS

UPDATED June 1, 2011
Here are the latest prayer requests -- updated almost daily so check back frequently:

** Please go to www.ODMP.org and take time out to pray for the families and colleagues of our brother and sister offices who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

** Pray for Inv. Elizabeth Ortiz who is TDY in Joplin to assist there.

** Pray for Englewood (CO) PD Ofc. Jason Pearson is taking a load of police gear and cash to the hit areas is the South staring early Tuesday morning (5/31) along with Alma PD Ofc. Larry Keifer and a couple of Denver officers. Please keep them and this mission in prayer. Jason will be sharing the gospel as well -- both in word and deed.

** The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry/FCPO-Denver is an official sponsor of the 2011 Top Gun Police Motor Officers Challenge this Sunday, June 5th. We'll have a table/tent right next to the entrance and info counter! Pray for us as we share Christ with our fellow LEOs. Lots of great vendors as well. See