The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry Newsletter
&
Bible Study
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Fellow officers,
sheepdogs,
warriors,
spouses, supporters and ALL:
In the wake of Memorial Day, National Law Enforcement Memorial Day (Police Week) and now the mess in Minneapolis, I've really struggled with this week's newsletter (but less so the Bible study -- Spirit-led on that). So how should we look at these issues?
While I'll address the Memorial Day concept in the study, let me just say that I will not be pontificating or expressing my "opinion" about the Minneapolis PD issues UNTIL the results of the investigation -- including the presentation of actual EVIDENCE (vs. the clearly bad optics) -- are in. While not specifically a Christian article, well-known police blogger
"Mike the Cop"
summed up my own position pretty well:
My Take on Minneapolis.
Meanwhile, let's be in prayer for men and women of the coward-led Minneapolis PD and the law-abiding citizens there: the rioters and looters are running amok and the MPD chief is not only throwing his officers under the bus, but also ordering them to stand down and let the rioting/looting take place in front of them (Ferguson all over again).
So now speaking of our Bible study, I can't encourage you enough to scroll down to
"In Valor There is Hope"
(aka, "A Warrior's Hope").
Here locally (Denver/Front Range), I continue to lead our
Centurion/FCPO-Colorado meetings
(Bible study,
iron sharpens iron
fellowship and corporate prayer -- aka "Cop Church") at our home --
Acts 2:42
-- in Highlands Ranch most every 1st and 3rd Tuesday evening starting at 1830 (6:30 PM for the civilians). Our meetings are open to all current and former officers and their spouses. Since I don't put out my home address for obvious reasons, all you have to do is
email me
a couple of days in advance to get the address let me know you're coming. This is also how you can get a
FREE
Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry t-shirt
(the "thin blue line"
Romans 13:1-4
design shown above is on the back and the Centurion badge shown at the top of this page is on the front). Just stay tuned to these newsletters for updates.
Watch your six (and your partners') -- it is going to be crazy again for awhile.
MC
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RESOURCES
(1) My friend
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman
's new devotional book he wrote with Adam Davis --
On Spiritual Combat: 30 Missions for Victorious Warfare
-- has been released and serves as a powerful resource on multiple fronts. Order your copy today (or get one for FREE at our next FCPO chapter meeting)!
(2) My "brother-from-a-different-mother," fellow officer/chaplain
Jim Bontrager,
will be teaching his entire Sun Tzu online class starting early next month. Can't encourage you enough to sign up (FREE) for this tremendous resource:
Sun Tzu and the Art of Warrior Resiliency.
PRAYER REQUESTS
(1) Please be in prayer for VA State Trooper
Michael McSellers
as he prepares for an interview with a major Christian television ministry on June 1st. Michael will be sharing his testimony and more.
(2) Pray for the pastors who will be defying the unconstitutional orders that have shut down churches across America. Praise God, our President has our backs. Then pray that our fellow offices, who may be given illegal (unconstitutional) orders to enforce these draconian state directives, will stand firm on their oaths.
(3)
From a friend and colleague in AZ:
(a) On the night of May 16th, the daughter of a detective in a neighboring police department suffered critical, life-threatening injuries and is still in the hospital. The family is in a lot of pain and having a very difficult time. Please pray for their comfort and strength as they get through this, and for the healing of their daughter.
(b) A former deputy is having a very difficult time with his wife seeking an end to their marriage of many years. He seeks to work on rebuilding and keeping their marriage together. However, she has a hardened heart and unwilling to reconcile. Pray that her heart is softened and they be able to heal their marriage with the Lord's guidance.
(4) As I shared above, our Minneapolis PD colleagues need our prayers and support.
UPCOMING EVENTS
(2) Our next
FCPO-Colorado
(Centurion Ministry) "cop church" chapter meeting and Bible study is set for Tuesday,
June 2nd
at 6:30 PM.
Email me
for the 411.
*Have a prayer request, event or announcement you would like included here? Need help/prayer?
Email me
and I'll include them here.
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In Valor There is Hope
(AKA, "A Warrior's Hope")
Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the LORD your God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength."
(Mark 12:29-30)
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Under one of the lions on our Wall (the National Law Enforcement Memorial) are carved the words,
"IN VALOR THERE IS HOPE"
(a quote from First Century Roman historian and senator, Gaius Cornelius Tacitus).
Now Tacitus was no Christian. In fact, he was a supporter, eye witness and "reporter" of Emperor Nero's horrific treatment of Christians
(Tacitus on Christ).
So what then does this quote actually mean, and why am I basing a Bible study on it?
As shown on our Wall, the simplest meaning of these five words is that the
valor
demonstrated through our honorable and courageous service as peace officers gives
hope
to those we serve and protect. But is there more? Is there not a biblical nexus to Tacitus' Latin phrase
(Spes in virtute)
even if he did not intend it so?
The word translated as
“valor”
in English is the Latin word for
“virtue"
(
Virtūs or virtute).
The original meaning is military courage and
strength,
or “valor.” A valiant warrior is one who displays valor. In Latin,
“vir”
literally means “man,” and so this is a kind of root virtue pointing us to the Roman military notion that “manliness” is that height of virtue that a truly valiant man shows in the heat of battle.
So what then is our biblical nexus here? Jesus, in response to an attempt by the Pharisees to trap Him (by asking Him what was the most important commandment), said,
"...
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."
(Mark 12:30).
Thirteenth Centurion theologian and philosopher Thomas Aquinas, teaching on this subject, associated
heart, soul, mind
and
strength (valor)
with the four cardinal virtues of
temperance, justice, prudence and courage.
Are these virtues not foundational with how we are to serve in our God-ordained
(Romans 13:1-4)
profession of law enforcement?
We see this biblical understanding of God-empowered "valor" again in
Hebrews 11:32-34
where the writer describes the "heroes of the faith" who, acting under the power of God Himself,
"...enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight."
The context is clear: they could accomplish nothing outside of God's valorous strength and power (and not of themselves, lest they should boast --
Ephesians 2:9).
So biblically speaking, the word "valor" describes a Christian warrior's God-given courage,
strength
(might), fearlessness, and bravery, especially in military combat and in what we do in as LEOs on the "thin blue line."
In the Hebrew, the concept of "valor" is repeatedly used to describe God Himself (the ultimate warrior --
Exodus 15:3).
It should therefore be no surprise that those of us who follow Him can rightly say,
"Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies"
(Psalm 60:12).
One anonymous Christian writer put it like this: "Anyone who desires to do valiantly for His Lord and Master must first prepare his heart. No one knows when the opportunity for valor will arise, but all can be 'ready to every good work' every day
(Titus 3:1).
Anyone who desires to do valiantly must
martial
[a military/police word] and be willing to hazard everything he holds dear for the cause for which he stands and for that which he loves -- with his whole heart, soul, mind and strength, withholding nothing
(Matthew 6:21).
Anyone who desires to do valorous deeds must wholly submit his interests to his one and only Master
(Matthew 6:24)."
More? Consider just the following:
(1)
Ephesians 6:10
--
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might."
(2)
Daniel 11:32
--
"The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits"
(3)
Psalm 18
and
Psalm 144
(and so many more).
And then we come to the concept of
HOPE.
God also makes it clear in His Word that unless we first know Christ as Lord and Savior, our acts of
valor
are ultimately
without
hope
(see
John 3:1-21, John 14:6, Acts 4:12,
and more
).
Clearly, as Edward Mote wrote in his famous hymn ("The Solid Rock" -- or the modern version --
Cornerstone
):
"Our hope is found in nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness
;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
..."
Friends, the meaning is crystal clear: unless we repent of our sin and are born again in Christ (the ultimate "servant-warrior" --
Revelation 19:11-16
)
alone, it is impossible for us to ever be "good" enough or have enough "valor" to give us the
hope
of heaven and escape a righteous judgment in hell. So yes,
"in valor there is hope,"
but
only
if that valor is grounded in the hope that is found only in a genuine, life-saving/life-changing personal relationship with Christ alone
(John 3:21, 14:6).
Understand also the source of our valor: ONLY those who have been born again in Christ have the power of the Holy Spirit residing inside of us. He is the one who gives us the strength, valor and will to "fight the good fight" and stay the course in Him. For more on this, click on,
When/How do we receive the Holy Spirit?
So do you have this God-given valor and hope? Are you sure? Let's dig a little further!
Tacitus was not a believer. While his writings indicate that
he may be have been an eye witness to Jesus' trials and crucifixion,
there is no evidence he came to a saving faith. As such, his famous words will ultimately fall on "sinking sand" (aka, quicksand). Accordingly, understand that an officer (or anyone) seeking to rely on his/her own valor, deeds, strength, etc. to gain lasting "glory" (heaven) -- without Christ -- will fail.
But what about the other lion on our Wall with the quote from
Proverbs 28:1 -- "
The wicked flee when no man pursueth, but the righteous are as bold as a lion
.
"
Who are "the righteous" here? Again, ultimately ONLY those first made righteous by what Christ did for us on the cross (it is NOT for the unsaved, and not about what we do as cops unless we are first born again in Christ). Again, as with biblical
valor,
it is ONLY God who can make us "righteous" and give us the strength (valor) to be "bold as lions."
Others will quote
John 15:3
("Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.").
Isn't that about us as cops? Soldiers? Nope! The passage is about Christ laying down His life for those who would
"repent and believe"
(Mark 1:15)
in Him alone for their salvation. It would also extend to believers -- including Christian officers -- who lay down their lives in order to bring others to saving faith (as many of Jesus' followers would go on to do in being martyred for the faith).
What about "blessed are the peacekeepers?" Uh, not in the Bible.
"Blessed are the peacemakers"
(Matthew 5:9)
then? Also
not about us as cops
unless it just happens to be Christian officers sharing the peace found ONLY in a right relationship with God in Christ (sharing Christ with the lost).
So is it right to remember our honored dead on Memorial Day and during Police Week? To use their stories to inspire us to live, "serve and protect" with valor and honor? Absolutely! But we must also understand that all the heroism and
valor
in the world, without being in a right relationship with Christ, is utterly
without hope
(and "Valhalla" is nothing more than a hopeless pagan myth).
Especially during Police Week and Memorial Day, as I visit our memorials and cemeteries, I ask myself, "How many of these heroes died without a saving faith (without hope)?" And it is these thoughts and questions that should inspire us to have a "Code 3" (lights and siren) sense of urgency to share the hope we have in Christ with the lost and hopeless so that they will have every chance to be saved (backup of the eternal kind). Ultimately, that's my mission and purpose here!
Again, regardless of one's worldly valor, unless we pass from this earth in a right relationship with Christ, our deeds are truly "sinking sand" and
we will NOT be spending eternity in heaven.
Praise God, He -- the most valiant of all warriors -- is also the King of all hope, and His loving desire is that
"none should perish"
in hell
(2 Peter 3:9).
But this comes with the truth that
He alone is the ONLY way
we can have the assurance (eternal HOPE) of salvation
(J
ohn 14:6).
So again I ask: do you have that
hope?
Are you serving with Holy Spirit-empowered
love
and
valor?
If not, you can (and thus begin to be used by God to make a real difference in our homes, agencies, communities and our country as a whole)! Just scroll down to the
"Know God?"
section below for the "how to"!
Strength and Honor
--
Virtūs et Honos
-- and our one true
hope
-- is ultimately found in Christ alone! Let's live, love, serve and lead accordingly.
Blessings!
MC
_______________
KNOW GOD?
(1) Do you continue to hold to an utterly false hope that you can "earn" or otherwise "badge" your way into heaven and escape hell because you consider yourself to be a "
good
" cop or a "good" person (the "I'm good" mess)? That you can be "good" enough without knowing Christ as Lord and Savior? That mere "belief" is enough to "save" you? That you somehow "deserve" heaven because of your so-called "good" service in law enforcement? Take the
Good Person Test
and see how you do!
(2) Jesus' first recorded words in His earthly adult ministry included,
"Repent and believe in the Good News...
" --
Mark 1:15.
To
repent
is a "180" -- a complete,
radical
change of mind and heart as it relates to our sin (as God defines it). To "believe" (
pisteuo
in the original Greek) as Jesus intends it here is to wholeheartedly trust and
surrender
your life to Him in faith in the same way we have "faith" that our body armor will do its job against the rounds it is intended to stop; that a well-maintained weapon will function properly when used in against criminals intent on destroying us or others; or that our parachute will open when it is supposed to on a combat jump (we stake our very lives on it)! For more, see
What does it mean to believe in Jesus?
(3) This same concept of "
believe
" (the saving kind) is further revealed in
John 3:1-21
where Jesus says, "
... you must be born again
." Again, note our Lord's emphasis on the word "
must
" (not "may" or "should" or even "someday"): this is ultimately the life-saving AND life-changing personal relationship (and NOT "religion") with Jesus Christ that I stress here every week (see
What does it mean to be a born again Christian
? [hint -- there is no other kind]).
(5) Need more? Then check out this powerful, short video message that also comes to us from
Travis Yates
:
Cops and Salvation
(6) Have you now said "yes" to Jesus as Lord and Savior but are wondering what to do next? The "now what" is also an important part in dealing with the issues that can lead to suicide and sin in general. Click on,
Now what?
MC
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ABOUT US
The
Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry
is
a national, FCPO-affiliated, non-denominational,
evangelical
Christian outreach to our own in law enforcement. These newsletters and profession-focused Bible studies are part of this effort and past editions can be found on our website and social media feeds. Our desire is (1) to be used of God to
WIN
the lost in our profession to a saving faith in Christ; (2) to
DISCIPLE
the Christian officer; (3)
SEND
out discipled (trained) officers to "repeat" 1 and 2; (4) to
SUPPORT
police marriages; (5) to transform our God-ordained profession by infusing it with all-in Christian officers; and (6) to
IMPACT
(reduce) police suicides and PTS with the
Cure
found in Christ Jesus alone. In keeping with these 6 points, please feel free to adapt these messages for your own individual or group use and
share
them with others.
The
Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers
(FCPO-USA)
exists to provide biblical support ("backup"), accountability and
iron sharpens iron
fellowship for Christian officers first in the U.S. and throughout the world as well. Our Denver-area FCPO chapter (
FCPO Chapter #217
) is a
Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry
affiliate. Locally, we meet approximately twice a month in the south Denver-Metro suburb of Highlands Ranch for profession-focused, sound (uncompromising) Bible study, prayer and servant-warrior fellowship (and spouses are both welcome and encouraged to attend with their LEO).
Contact me
for complete details.
The
Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry
and FCPO-Metro Denver (
Chapter 217
) are led by veteran Police Officer, Chaplain and Evangelist Michael "MC" Williams
.
MC is an active (32-years and counting) sworn police officer/investigator and sought-after instructor and speaker at churches (including the popular
Centurion Church Security Seminar
), retreats and both police and civilian training conferences and seminars around the country. Contact MC via
email
for details on how to book him for your event.
Finally, we covet your prayer and financial support for this vital ministry outreach. Reference the latter, you can give in two ways:
(1) Send a check to the address posted below.
or
(2) Go the the
FCPO giving page
and designate "
FCPO #217
" or the "Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry."
* All donations are tax-deductible.
The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry
, P.O. Box 630854, Littleton, CO 80163 |
Email Address
| (720) 371-1022 |
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