The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry Newsletter
&
Bible Study
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Greetings to all our fellow officers,
sheepdogs and supporters!
Sorry it has taken me so long to get this week's newsletter out to you, but, as you can perhaps imagine, balancing family, work and ministry is no small task. Thanks for your patience, and, as always, your support (be it your encouragement, your prayers and/or your financial assistance) as we continue our mission to bring the ultimate in "backup" to those serving in our God-ordained profession.
Hopefully, you're finding this new format easier to read on your mobile devices.(please let me know what you think). That being said, my hope here is that you'll take the time to pair these profession-focused studies with an actual open Bible.
And speaking of these messages, unsheathe your "sword" (your Bible --
Hebrews 4:12 and
Ephesians 6:17) and scroll down to a "mountain" of a message in "
The Attributes of a Godly Warrior" (a message on the life, legacy and example of Caleb "the Cop").
Finally, please take the time to review the resources, prayer requests and upcoming events I've posted for you below.
Once again folks, let's "
Run to the Battle" and "
take the hill" behind Christ our Captain!
MC
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RESOURCES
PRAYER REQUESTS
(1) Again, please begin praying for our
FCPO Police Week team
as we begin planning and gearing up for our annual
Police Week 2019
outreach to our own in DC (the need has never been greater).
(2)
Praise report
! I recently posted an anonymous prayer request for a retired officer. Praise God, the lumps are benign (
NO CANCER
)!
(3) Pray for retired TX Sgt.
Paul Justice
who took a fall and is dealing with a bad head injury and now a diagnosis of leukemia on top of that (Lord have mercy).
(4) Troy Bussard with Wichita PD writes,
"
Matt Young
is a Christian brother on our department. He went to the doctor last week with abdominal pains and they found pancreatic cancer that has spread to liver and spine. They are looking at just pain management (only a few weeks, but God)." Matt has six kids -- let's PRAY!
Have a prayer request or announcement you would like included here? Need help/prayer?
Email me
! I also post prayer requests on
my personal Facebook page
("friend" and message me).
UPCOMING EVENTS
(2) Time to start getting the word out about the
2019 Breaching the Barricade/Officer Appreciation Day
events (October 18-19 in northern Indiana). Incredible training for cops and a "bucket list" event for officers and their families. Mark your calendars and plan on joining us in Indiana in October, and pray for
Jim Bontrager
and his team...the effort is massive and the challenges overwhelming ("but God").
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The Attributes of a Godly Warrior
Caleb is a powerful example of God's design for all who serve & protect.
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In Old Testament
Israel, calling someone a "dog" was an insult, not a stage name in the rap game. In the Hebrew, the name "Caleb" could be translated as "dog." Yet God's plan for Caleb was certainly no insult. Through Him, the mighty Caleb of Israel was transformed into a powerful, godly example for all of us who "serve and protect" and frankly, for Christians in general (Caleb is one of my greatest heroes of the faith).
What God's Word (the Bible) reveals to us in Caleb is a courageous servant-warrior and a man of incredible faith in and love for the God of Israel, the LORD of Hosts. To be sure, Caleb was no mere dog but was instead a valiant
sheepdog
in every sense of
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman
's meaning! Moreover, like Christ, Caleb came from Judah. And like Christ, he was a lion of Judah!
Caleb, of course, had been one of the original "secret service agents" sent by Moses into Canaan (the "Promised Land") more than forty years earlier. Along with Joshua, Caleb had great faith and trust in God while everyone else cowered in fear. Clearly, the fearsome giants and wicked inhabitants of Canaan were a powerful force to be reckoned with, but Caleb and Joshua believed in God's power and trusted in His promises (faith in action).
Caleb -- "
with Joshua
" -- didn't buy into the grasshopper logic of
Numbers 13:33
("
We are like grasshoppers in their sight! We will surely be defeated!
"). Rather, they bought more into Paul's: "
If God be for us, who can be against us
" (
Romans 8:31
).
Yes, from the very beginning Caleb appeared as a man of courageous faith. Because he trusted in and wholeheartedly obeyed God, Caleb did not die with the other spies. Joshua replaced Moses as "Chief" and led the people into the Promised Land. Caleb -- much like a police lieutenant or commander -- was "
all in
" for God and in his support of Joshua.
Finally, once in the
Promised Land
, after four decades of wilderness wandering, Caleb approached Joshua about the mountain he had been dreaming of since the Lord first showed it to him.
With that foundation in place, Scripture reveals the following
Christlike attributes (FAITH, CHARACTER, STRENGTH
and
LOVE) of Caleb the warrior
that have powerful application both for Christians in general and also specifically for those of us who have answered God's call to "serve and protect."
CALEB'S FAITH
"
Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, 'You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the LORD my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, "Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God'
" (
Joshua 14:6-9
).
Here we see Caleb's faith -- the same faith that first pulsed through him forty years earlier. With bold passion, Caleb reminded Joshua of Moses' promise to him. According to Moses, Caleb had "
wholly followed the LORD
," a phrase oft-repeated about our hero. He was a a wholly devoted man whose faith and trust in God never wavered.
With every battle fought and victory won, Caleb saw God's promises unfolding while his faith grew. Now 85 years old, Caleb saw how God had kept His word. Caleb's faith was astounding. It was a faith that had been tested. It was a faith that was alive, bold and vibrant! What an example for us today!
CALEB'S CHARACTER
The key to our understanding of Caleb’s character is found in
Numbers 14:24
in the phrase, “
another spirit
” (
a different spirit
). We too must possess this different spirit in order to be pleasing and useful to God. Secondly, Caleb was "
wholehearted
" in following God -- he was
ALL IN
! Does this describe you? God's people must come to terms with the fact that we are
not like (of) the world
but rather set apart. Standing "wholehearted" for God's truth is never popular in our modern culture, “
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you … I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world … Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you”
(
John 15:19; John 17:14; 1 John 3:13
). Too many Christians are more concerned about what everyone else thinks than what God says (and responding accordingly).
CALEB'S STRENGTH
"
And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming
" (
Joshua 14:10-11
).
Secondly, we note the strength of Caleb. The claim he made was incredible. Caleb was now 85 years old, but Caleb was not like other 85 year olds. Caleb was just as strong (mighty in the Lord) then as he was at 40.
Others died, but Caleb thrived. He was more than alive; he was living, battling and serving. His joints and muscles and bones all radiated God's glory, for he was still as strong as the day he spied out that land originally.
Caleb's Holy Spirit-powered strength was astounding. It was a strength that remained and grew. Does this not remind us of the inward strength we long to feel increase within us? Do we not want to be 85 years YOUNG with an internal power that is more than we had in our youth? Though the outward man perishes, the Spirit can make the inner man renewed day by day. May this strength fall upon us.
CALEB'S LOVE
"...
I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.
Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.
” (
Joshua 14:11-12
)
Finally, we take note of Caleb's
sheepdog love.
He loved the mountains (as do I)! That's what he wanted from the Lord through "Chief" Joshua: the hill country of Hebron. Others in the
book of Joshua
would faint at the sight of the mountains; they were occupied by powerful forces with heavy weaponry. The hill country was hard to overcome, hard to defeat; but Caleb wanted to take it for God's glory. Caleb was a mountain man, and he couldn't wait for Joshua to release him upon it!
But it seemed there was more to Hebron than the difficulty of the terrain. Sure, Caleb looked forward to being used by God to crush the Anakim (God's enemies) there, but there may have been something else. Hebron was historical. Abraham had built an altar there after Lot's departure. Abraham and Isaac and Jacob all sojourned there. It seemed to have been a place of fellowship with God. Caleb wanted the mountain, but more so, Caleb wanted to be in intimate fellowship with God whom He
loved
and served without question.
Caleb's love was astounding. It was a love and devotion rarely found. Hebron means "association" or "league.” Likewise, may we crave an association with God as Caleb did. Let us be in league with Him. Let us become a people whose hearts are captured by the mountain. Mount Calvary opened up Mount Hebron to us. The blood that made it possible for us to have a genuine personal relationship with God in Christ. May Caleb's love develop within us!
In conclusion, Caleb was a
"radical" for God
and a far cry from the lukewarm norms of his day (and ours). Caleb was bold, full of faith and in love with God. He did not war or fight for war's sake, but for God. He wanted to see God's kingdom advance. The likeness of Christ was found in Him. Like Caleb, Jesus had a "front sight focus" on His "mountain" -- the cross on Calvary hill! Do you?
Caleb did not grow complacent or satisfied with what the way things were (the wickedness of his age). No, he
ran to the battle
in the hope of making a real difference for God's Kingdom. May we do likewise as we strive to "take the hill" (
Jim Bontrager
) in lovingly and boldly living "all in" for Christ as we take His Gospel to a lost and hurting world!
Lord God, give us our mountain!
* Special thanks to Calvary Monterey Pastor Nate Holdridge whose teaching on Caleb served as a resource for my own.
So do you have a genuine, saving "Caleb faith" in the
LORD of Hosts
? The kind of faith that not only saves, but will also empower you with Caleb-esque strength (physical and spiritual) to effectively live, love, serve and protect? Understand that without Christ, we are utterly defeated and "the mountain" will never be ours. Do you in truly KNOW Christ as your Lord and Savior? Are you sure? If not, it is with a Caleb-inspired "Code 3" sense of urgency that I exhort you to read on and respond accordingly!
(1) Still think you can "earn" or otherwise "badge" your way into heaven and escape hell (a just and unending "death sentence" for your wickedness -- aka "sin") because you are a so-called "good" cop or person? Take the
Good Person Test
and see how you do!
(2) Jesus' first recorded words in His earthly ministry were and remain, "
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 our sin (wickedness as God defines it). To believe (
pisteuo
in the original Greek) as Jesus intends it here is to cry out to Him for your salvation and wholeheartedly surrender 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 against criminals intent on destroying us or others, or that a parachute will open when it is supposed to (we stake our very lives on it)! And the "Good News"? It is simply
the gospel of Jesus Christ
!
(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"): this is ultimately the life-saving/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]). Folks, it is only through this miraculous event that we can be made "righteous" before a just and Holy God and thus become part of His family.
(5)
Need more? Then check out this powerful, short video message by my friend, fellow officer and noted trainer,
Travis Yates
:
Cops and Salvation
.
(6)
Have you now said "yes" to Jesus but are wondering what to do next? Then click on,
Now what?
Understand that the "Now what?" MUST include regular "iron sharpens iron" fellowship with other believers, including (for us cops) other mature Christian officers who can help support you, encourage you, disciple (help you grow) you in the faith and yes, hold you lovingly accountable. Message me for how you can do that!
MC
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ABOUT US
The
Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry
is
a national, 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 our social media feeds. Our focus is (1) to be used of God to lead the lost in our profession to a saving faith in Christ; and (2) to disciple the Christian officer, support police marriages amd impact (reduce) police suicides and PTSD with the Cure found in Jesus. As always, feel free to adapt these messages for your own individual or group use and please share them with others. We covet both your prayers and your
financial support
at the Lord leads.
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 metro-Denver FCPO chapter -- aka
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 and life-focused Bible study, prayer and servant-warrior/sheepdog fellowship (the
iron sharpens iron
kind). Spouses are both welcome and encouraged to attend with their LEO.
Contact me for details! You can also give to our ministry by designating "
FCPO Chapter 217" on the
FCPO donation page.
The Centurion Ministry and FCPO-Denver (Chapter 217) is led by Police Officer, Chaplain and Evangelist
Michael "MC" Williams
, an active (32-years and counting) sworn police officer/detective 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.
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