The Centurion Law Enforcement
FCPO Newsletter and Bible Study
The "thin blue line" covered by the blood of Christ.
Fellow  Sheepdogs  & Supporters:

My hope is that this week's newsletter finds you staying the course with a front sight focus on Christ our Captain!

This week's servant-warrior focused Bible study/devotional is the recap of our current verse-by-verse study through the Book of Acts. In this study, God teaches us a lesson about how He would have us deal with false teachers and religious fraud (abundant then, abundant now). Scroll down to Battling  Fraud - God's Way.

As you are probably aware, the Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry is affiliated with the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers - USA. While these newsletters serve as an unofficial FCPO outreach, the FCPO home office in TN also puts out an official version on a monthly basis. Here's then is the September issue of the FCPO Dispatch that includes the 411 about a great community outreach being led by current FCPO board member Jeremy Wade in Seattle ( Beds for Kids). Check it out, pray for Jeremy and support if you can (see his prayer request below for more)!

As always, please take the time to review the latest batch of resources , prayer requests and event announcements I've included for you below.  Also be sure to reach out if you need prayer or counsel -- we're here to serve you.

Finally,  if you missed last week's edition, here again is "Remembering 9/11." Don't forget that I will always re-share these newsletters/profession-focused Bible studies for you on our website  and social media (Facebook and Twitter) feeds.  

Again, let's watch one another's "six" on the street while being radically bold in sharing the hope we have in Christ with others (and our own in particular -- the ultimate "backup"). Blessings! 

MC



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RESOURCES

With all the natural disasters of late (and coinciding with this week's Bible study below), false teachers are again popping up forecasting an imminent  "end of the world," the Rapture, etc. (the latest false prediction being this coming September 23rd). Sadly, even believers are buying into this mess (and displaying an astounding level of biblical illiteracy in the process). So what does God tell us in His Word (the ultimate authority) about this issue? Beyond the FACT that Jesus Himself tells us in Matthew 24 that ONLY the Father knows when the end will come (and ergo, that anyone saying otherwise is a FALSE teacher/fraud) here are two great resources for you to explore:



PRAYER REQUESTS

(1) With the 2017 Breaching the Barricade Law Enforcement Conference and National Peace Officer Appreciation Day events ( see below) coming up in just a couple of weeks, please pray for Jim Bontrager and his team. 

(2) Pray for those impacted by the earthquake in Mexico and the hurricanes in the Atlantic (including the First Responders in Puerto Rico).

(3) Please pray for Seattle PD officer and FCPO Nat. Board member Jeremy Wade concerning his " Beds for Kids" outreach. Jeremy writes,  
Less than two weeks away from our 4th annual one day event on September 30th, and unfortunately nearly the entire project has fallen on my shoulders this year.  It has been a ton of work and a lot more still to go.  Much of it is on my own time, in addition to my normal position at work.  We still have $20,000 of our $100,000 goal to raise, and nearly 400 families all over the state still to screen.  We will have 600 brand new twin sized beds at three different pick-up locations for kids that do not have a bed at all.  These are complete beds which include a mattress, box spring, bed frame, all the bedding, and a police teddy bear.  For the first time this year we have been able to partner with other law enforcement agencies all over the state.  I know that God is good, and that it is always comes together in the end, but it is just stressful right now.  This project has always challenged me to trust Him in a greater way, and I look forward to relying on Him again this year.  
Here is our new website and videos in case someone has not seen them before:     
Full Story Video:  https://vimeo.com/219764149
Short Promo Video:   https://vimeo.com/227520572 

Have a prayer request or announcement you would like included here? Need prayer?   Email me !  I also post prayer requests on my Facebook page ("friend" me).  


UPCOMING EVENTS

(1) The 2017 Breaching the Barricade Law Enforcement Conference and National Peace Officer Appreciation Day events are set for October 6 and 7 in Elkhart, IN. This year's outstanding lineup of speakers are J. Warner Wallace, Stacy and Martha Ettel, Brent and Vicki Newman, and Kristi Neace. Contact Jim Bontrager at warrioronthewall@gmail.com  for more info (and if you're coming and want a Centurion t-shirt, email me your size in advance and I'll bring you one -- for FREE). PRAY for those attending and serving!

(2) Retired Albuquerque (NM) PD Detective and a fellow church security expert (he taught me much of what I know on the subject), Vince Harrison -- a dear brother who God used to lead me to a genuine saving faith in Christ -- has announced the Global One Place of Worship Threat Survival Seminar.  October 19, 2017 at Calvary Albuquerque. Outstanding training.

(3) Aurora (CO) Police Officer James Seneca, a cancer survivor, leads "Cops Fighting Cancer," a 501(3)(c) that provides support to cancer patients and their families. They have a benefit concert coming up on October 20th -- see the Cops Fighting Cancer website for full details. 

(4) Here's the updated Sheepdog Seminars schedule (outstanding training for cops and sheepdog civilians alike): Upcoming Training Calendar. I know the speakers (including Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, Officer Jimmy Meeks and Carl Chinn) -- rock solid and you'll come away blessed!



The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry

The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry is a FCPO-affiliated, evangelical Christian outreach to our own in law enforcement. These newsletters and Bible studies are part of this effort and past editions can be found on our website and on social media  ( Facebook and Twitter ) pages. Feel free to adapt these messages for your own individual or group use and please share them with others. 

In addition, I regularly speak at churches, retreats and both law enforcement and civilian conferences and seminars around the country -- please shoot me an email if I can be of service to your church, agency or organization.  
 
Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers
FCPO-USA exists to provide biblical support ("backup"), accountability and iron sharpens iron fellowship to Christian officers first in the U.S. and throughout the world as well. My metro Denver chapter -- FCPO #217((FCPO-Aurora), typically meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday at Calvary Aurora (High School Room, 7 PM) for "cop church" Bible study, prayer and servant-warrior fellowship . Spouses are both welcome and encouraged to attend with their LEO! Our next meeting is set for NEXT, Thursday, September 21st.  

Information on the other FCPO chapters meeting around the country (including the new Chapter #242 here in Arvada, CO) can be found on the Chapter Locator pages on the FCPO-USA website.

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Battling Fraud - God's Way

Overcoming false teachers and religious fraud from a biblical perspective.

Acts 19:11-41  (ESV)

As it relates to what I believe God is calling me to do in sharing the verse-by-verse messages I teach at our Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry (FCPO-Denver/Aurora) chapter meetings, my prayer is that you'll learn to appreciate the value of the inductive approach to Bible study.  In accordance with same, I also pray that you'll seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in applying these studies to your own lives. 

My current full-time law enforcement position involves investigating complex, financial crimes (fraud) and hopefully putting offenders (most are sociopaths who target the elderly, people of faith, etc.) away.  Our study in Acts 19 involves just that -- fraud on multiple levels. While the law provides a remedy on the civil level, how does God want us to deal with this issue biblically?  Let's open our Bibles and find out: 

Verses 11-16 : And God was doing extraordinary [unusual in the NKJV]  miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and  the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish  exorcists  undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims." Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

Notice the use of the word "unusual" or "extraordinary" here. In the Greek, the meaning is just that -- they are not typical, usual or ordinary. Moreover, the context also indicates they were also temporary and directed towards the Apostles. Consider the following: 
 
2 Corinthians 12:12  -- "Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds."

Hebrews 2:4  -- " God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will."  (added emphasis mine -- His will, not OUR will)

In short, God has a specific plan, timing and purpose for the miracles He performed through Paul and the Apostles. And  what  were these handkerchiefs and aprons? T hey were literally Paul's "sweat towels" and "shop towels" that he used in his tent-making (leather work) -- a hard, sweaty job to be sure. What made them so powerful for this specific season? NOTHING! They had no power in and of themselves but were simply used by the Holy Spirit as a point of contact in order to r elease the faith of the people.

Understand the culture of Ephesus at this time: it was a wicked, idolatrous community  caught up in occultism and superstition. As such, I believe God used these articles in a specific, radical and EXTRAordinary way as a means to reach the lost in a culture that was used to such things. 

How else do we know they were unusual/extraordinary? Because at other times -- 2 Corinthians 12:8 and 2 Timothy 4:20 (for example) -- Paul was  unable to perform even a single miraculous healing (and he could not even heal himself). Yes, I believe God still heals and does miracles (I'm living proof), but always in accordance with His will, timing and power (and not ours).

Sadly, so called "prayer cloths" are used today by false teachers and televangelists (fraudsters) in order to take your money, support their false "ministries" or otherwise scam you into believing a lie (fraud). Folks, there is NO "doctrine of prayer cloths!" It is fraud, pure and simple. 

Who are these " seven sons of Sceva"? The Jews kept (and keep) very precise records of their high priests, and there is no known record of a high priest named "Sceva." Accordingly, it is very likely that this guy falsely assumed the title (fraud) in order to influence or otherwise impress the locals for financial gain (more fraud), and his seven sons followed their father's poor example (fraudsters all). 

"Jesus I know, and Paul I know..."  Recognizing that these false exorcists had no authority over him (unlike Jesus and Paul), the demon rejected their attempts to expel him from his unsaved victim. This confirms that the power to cast out demons belonged to Jesus and the apostles and no one else. Even the demons themselves gave testimony to that!  Understand that demons were angels in heaven before being cast out (and thus they knew the pre-incarnate Christ).  They also knew Paul because God used him as a vessel to cast out demons from many people. 

For context, look at 1 John 4:4 in the NLT:   "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.  
 
Certainly, those of us who serve in law enforcement come face to face with evil on a daily basis (and yes, I believe that I've encountered persons under demonic possession or influence during my career). Praise God, and while we are still very much subject to spiritual warfare, we who are born again in Christ have the Holy Spirit living within us to protect and shield us from Satan and his demons (evil "spirits") who are still in the world today.  (see Demonic Possession)
 
Verses 17-20:   And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and  the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came,  confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord  continued to increase and prevail mightily.

What does this passage teach us?  Consider the following three points:

 

(1) The power of God brought conviction and repentance that led to genuine salvation!

 

(2) Fear fell on them all and the name of Jesus was magnified!

 

(3) They experienced immediate, radical change leading to a real relationship with God in Christ (not false "religion"). 

 

What is the significance of the "fifty thousand pieces of silver"? Fifty thousand day's wages, or twenty years pay for ten workers doing a common labor!  And why silver? Among other things, it is symbolic of repentance and redemption!  Accordingly, we see here that the radical, life-saving/life-changing power of God was such that those who came to faith were willing to completely turn away from their sin! In short, they were truly "all in" for Christ!    

Verses 21-34:  "Demetrius" was a  wealthy, successful businessman who made and sold SILVER figures (idols) of the Oriental goddess Diana (not the more beautiful Greek version). As we know, Ephesus was the home of the great pagan temple to Diana (aka Artemis -- a hideous, many-breasted image). Moreover, the temple was also a place of business (including prostitution/human trafficking) and banking (and fraudulent banking at that). In short, Paul's ministry and the growing Ephesian church was  interfering with their immoral but highly profitable business practices, and the enemy was on the warpath!  

So did Paul come to tear down the temple or otherwise "police" the fraud and fraudsters around him?  No!  He brought Jesus to a sick and dying city!  Because of the transforming power of Christ, fraudsters were becoming radically transformed believers!  They stopped buying and worshiping idols, and profits suffered because of it.  Likewise, it is ONLY by the transforming power of Christ that we can be healed of what ails us both as a nation and a profession ( change from the inside out)!   

Understand that while the lost are coming to Christ, the fraudsters (via the enemy's influence) are incensed and begin to riot. Sound familiar? What are we seeing in our country today (rest assured -- the lawless rioting and rebellion going on around our nation is SIN)?

In the midst of this chaos, Paul -- a "fixer" -- wants to rush in and "fix" the problem (as cops, we can relate to that). But as we see here in verses 28-34, Paul takes wise counsel from his disciples (believers) who are acting under the power of the Holy Spirit. The application for us is that the true servant-leaders -- including pastors, supervisors, etc. -- will listen to/take counsel from their elders, deacons and trusted leadership team (what we liken to good " backup"). 

Verses 35-41And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here who are neither  sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.  For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion."  And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

Who is this "town clerk?"  He was a civil o fficial loosely analogous to a "mayor" today. He was also a kind of law enforcement officer (a peacekeeper) of the day who served as a middle man between the locals and the Roman "Federal" authorities. 

I believe that what transpires here through this unbeliever (no evidence he was saved) is a miracle in that he was able to calm (de-escalate) the crowd without physical force (mob mentality is a very powerful thing).  Moreover, the context here is that many of those rioting likely had little or no understanding of why they were "protesting" but rather simply sought to be part of the commotion (again, much like today).   

Why was it essential that the crowd be dispersed without further violence?  Because had they not, the "Feds" -- the Roman army -- would have come in and ruthlessly put down the riot without mercy (and such lawlessness was a death-penalty offense), not to mention being an impediment to the growing Ephesian church. 

So how then should the Christian do battle with/overcome spiritual fraud and fraudsters? By living our faith "out loud" and by sharing the hope we have in Him with others. Again, God's plan against this and all forms of sin (at least before He returns) is " change from the inside out" that comes via a genuine, life-saving/life-changing personal relationship with God in Christ!

In closing, I'll share a quote from famed pastor and prolific author, A.T. Pierson, that sums up (application) our study wonderfully: "This chapter teaches us all a permanent lesson: that when disciples have a true revival, society gets a revolution. When the Spirit moves mightily upon children of God we may look for other mighty movements among unbelievers, and need not be surprised if the devil himself comes down, having great wrath, as though he knew that his time were short."  Amen!

So what side are you on?  Revival (true Christian) or revolution (lost fraudster)? Are you the latter?  God can "fix" that.  Cry out to God for your salvation (I'm not talking about just "repeating a prayer"). Truly repent of your sin and be  born again in the ONLY one who can save you (no, there is no "other" way). "I'm good" you say (that expression usually means that you're anything but). Are you sure? If not, I BEG you to consider the following :

(1) Jesus' first words in His earthly ministry were: " Repent and believe... " ( Mark 1:15 ). To repent  is a "180" -- a complete, radical change of mind and heart as it relates our sin. To believe  as He intends it here is to  completely and radically surrender to Christ in faith  ("believe" and "faith" have the same Greek root meaning) in the same way you have faith that your body armor will stop the rounds it is designed to stop or that a skydiver's parachute will open (we stake our lives on it)! The "Good News" of course is the Gospel of Christ. Moreover, the words repent and believe are literally two sides of the same coin in meaning and intent (see the "Are you really a Christian" link below for more). 

(2) The same concept of "believe" is further explained in John 3:1-21 where Jesus says, "... you must be born again." Note our Lord's emphasis on must (not "may" or "should"): this is the life-saving/life-changing personal relationship (not "religion") with Christ that I stress so often. See " What does it mean to be a born again Christian?" Then go to: 

(a) Perhaps you think you can "earn" heaven (or escape hell) by simply being a "good person" (or a "good cop")?  Then take the Good Person Test  and see how you do. 
(d)  Cops and Salvation (a powerful, short message from police Commander Travis Yates of Ten-Four Ministries and Law Officer Magazine ).
(e) Got saved?  Now what?

Need prayer, counsel or more info? Feel free to  contact me !  Finally, don't forget to pass these newsletters on to others in keeping with our Great Commission mandate.

MC
QAf`