The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry
Newsletter & Bible Study
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Happy New Year to all my fellow officers, sheepdogs, servant-warriors/leaders, spouses and all:
It is fair to say there is a ton of uncertainty for us as we move into 2021. But, as I share below in the our first Centurion Bible study of the New Year, we Christians (and Christian officers in particular) need to be biblically RESOLVED (not a "resolution") to fearlessly stay the course with an unwavering "front sight focus" on Christ our Captain!
Miss last week's study (our last of 2020 but with so much relevancy for us in 2021)? Here again is Living and Leaving a Lasting Legacy. And don't forget that I always re-share these newsletters on our social media feeds: Facebook, MeWE [new], Twitter and eventually on our website as well. I also strongly encourage you to share these newsletters with others (with a "Code 3" sense of urgency, mind you) as part of our Great Commission "call for service."
Finally, as we start out the New Year, I want to again thank all those who have faithfully supported this national outreach to our own in law enforcement. Please know that we're staying the course to WIN the lost to a saving faith in Christ, DISCIPLE the believer and SEND the trained-up Christian servant-warrior back out to "repeat."
Again, Diana and I wish you all a blessed, joyous and challenge-filled New Year (and please reach out if we can be of service).
MC
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PRAYER REQUESTS
(1) Please continue to pray for all those battling this pandemic, including my dear friend and brother-in-ministry, Philly PD Sgt. (Ret.) Kevin Bernard. Praise God, Kev has been moved out of ICU (God is good).
(2) Pray for a law enforcement couple grieving the loss of their unborn child.
(3) Pray for the United States in the face of tyranny and wickedness. Christians -- especially Christian officers -- will need to stand strong with what is likely coming for us.
How can I pray for YOU? Just reach out and I'll share your requests here (or not -- just let me know what and how much you want me to share).
UPCOMING EVENTS
The next meeting (yes, a real, in person Bible study) of the Colorado-based Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry (FCPO Chapter #217) will take place tomorrow evening, Tuesday, January 5th at Calvary Chapel Castle Rock from 6:30-8:00 PM. We meet in the 4th/5th grade classroom (follow the signs and feel free to shoot me an email for more info). As always, our "cop church" meetings are open to all current, former and future officers and their spouses. NOTE: We'll be setting time aside to pray for our nation.
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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RESOLVED!
You won't find "New Year's resolutions" in the Bible but you WILL find the wholly biblical concept of being RESOLVED (a very different thing).
"But Daniel RESOLVED to not defile himself..."
(Daniel 1:8, added emphasis)
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The practice of making New Year's resolutions goes back over 3,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. Yet nowhere will you find the word “resolution” in the Bible. By contrast, we do find the very different word -- “resolved” -- some 29 times in Scripture. For purposes of this study, we’re going to focus on two instances: Daniel 1:8 and (to a lesser degree) 1 Corinthians 2:2. Let’s break it down:
Daniel 1:8 -- "But Daniel resolved..." -- in context, read Daniel 1.
1 Corinthians 2:2 -- For while I was with you I resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Again, we're NOT talking about a typical New Year's "resolution." here. On the contrary, the Hebrew word for resolved has a very different meaning: to be steadfast; unwavering; having a fixed purpose; resolute.
So how is being RESOLVED different (biblically speaking) from a resolution? Reference the latter, a 2007 study by Richard Wiseman from the University of Bristol involving 3,000 people showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail, despite the fact that 52% of the study's participants said they were confident of success at the beginning.
My own experience involves the gym. I've been resolutely (resolved) training (lifting, martial arts, athletics) now for over 45 years and each year I have to suffer the hordes of "resolutioners" who pack the gym in January only to be largely gone by March.
Sadly, and to the point of this study, are the great many who make a so-called "confession of faith" or "repeat a prayer" as part of an emotional response but then soon fall away in the absence of genuine repentance and a life-saving/life-CHANGING faith in Christ alone (Mark 1:15, John 3:1-21, 14:6). And it is for these lost souls that I have such a "Code 3" (lights and siren) sense of urgency -- a laser-focused RESOLVE we should ALL share with Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:2.
Accordingly, let's take a deeper look at the RESOLVED lives of Daniel and Paul:
Following his first invasion of Judah and siege of Jerusalem in 606 B. C., Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar took hostage dozens of quality, gifted Jewish youths for "re-education" to help ensure the success of his long-range plans for world dominance (not unlike how the Soviets would indoctrinate and train gifted athletes, scientists, etc.). Among those was Daniel, but his path would not be like the others. Today, Daniel's name is synonymous with uncompromising integrity, faith and resolute (RESOLVED) obedience to God and His standards.
Now understand, it wasn't captivity and hardship that tested Daniel's integrity, it was privilege. When the king ordered his chief official, Ashpenaz, to choose from among the Israelites, he sought youths with certain qualities. They were to be without defect, good looking, "showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge," with the ability to serve in the king's court (Daniel 1:4). They were to receive privileged instruction and training for privileged positions.
The king ordered Ashpenaz "to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans" including mathematics, astronomy, natural history, agriculture, and architecture (Daniel 1:4). They were to eat the king's food and drink the king's wine, and after three years, they were to have a guaranteed position in the king's personal service.
Now you say, "Privilege, education, good food and drink, one of the most sought after jobs in the kingdom—who could have a problem with that?" Praise God, Daniel did!
Daniel didn't argue with the education, the training program, and the future in the king's court. He didn't even balk when Ashpenaz named him Belteshazzar, after a Chaldean god. Daniel drew the line where God did in Scripture -- he wouldn't eat the king's rich food or drink.
"But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank" (Daniel 1:8). Why? Because the enticing food and choice wines—perks of the king's service—had been ritually dedicated to Babylon's false gods. What's more, eating food prepared to Babylonian standards was likely to put the young exiles in violation of God's laws concerning unclean foods (Leviticus 7:23-27; Leviticus 11).
Daniel wanted no participation in any pagan feast, even to the slightest degree. That would be a form of idolatry that would provoke the wrath of a righteous and holy God (Exodus 20:4-5). His decision, though immediately dealing with food and wine, was ultimately a decision about who he worshiped.
Daniel's decision constitutes a basic part of genuine integrity and the uncompromising life (concepts that are central to our law enforcement calling): we must draw lines where God draws them in Scripture. If the truth of God's Word opposes the world's "wisdom" on a certain issue, we must uncompromisingly RESOLVE to stand firm on God's Word under the power of the Holy Spirit that indwells every true Christian believer (something that Daniel and other Old Testament believers did not have, although they most certainly acted under the leading, covering and inspiration of the Holy Spirit).
Let's briefly look at the rest of verse 8: Daniel, having RESOLVED to stand fast in obedience, responded with uncompromising courage and boldness: "He sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself." He was respectful, but steadfast (RESOLVED).
Finally, Daniel (and Paul after him), displayed resolute FAITH. When Daniel sought permission to go on a water and vegetable diet, he demonstrated unwavering, resolute faith and trust in God. He said, "Please test your servants for ten days...then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king's choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see" (Daniel 1:12-13). Daniel did what was right, and trusted God for the results, no matter what. In this case, God caused Daniel to look healthier than all the other youths (Daniel 1:15).
In closing, what else did both Daniel and Paul do in order to have this kind of resolve? They prayed and spent time in God's Word (in Daniel's case, he clearly committed Scripture to memory inasmuch as the Hebrew texts were unlikely to have been available to him during his "academy" training) -- something EVERY Christian should be doing. And that same resolve and faith is part of what it means to have a personal RELATIONSHIP with God. Do you have that? If not, you can -- now -- today? How? Scroll down to the "Know God?" section below or reach out to me directly.
In 2021, let's be RESOLVED (and not a destined-to-fail resolution) to follow the examples of Daniel, Paul and our Savior (Jesus was 100% resolved to fulfill His ministry and go to the cross on our behalf -- see Luke 9:51, for example) to live out our faith and our law enforcement calling with fearless, resolute integrity. God knows we're going to be tested in the coming year!
AMEN.
KNOW GOD?
(1) Do you 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"? That you can be "good" enough without knowing Christ as Lord and Savior? That mere "belief" is enough to "save" you (as our Lord, through James, tells us, "...even the demons believe, and tremble" -- James 2:19)? That you somehow "deserve" heaven because of your so-called "good" and honorable 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 -- a different word than James used in James 2:19) 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"). Friends, 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 from Maj. 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 vital in dealing with the issues that contribute to police suicide, PTSi and more. 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 generally meet every 1st and 3rd Tuesday evening of the month at Calvary Chapel Castle Rock starting at 6:30 PM for profession-focused, uncompromising Bible study, prayer and "iron sharpens iron" fellowship (and spouses are both welcome and encouraged to attend with their LEO). Contact me for further details.
The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry is led by veteran police officer, chaplain and evangelist Michael "MC" Williams. MC is an active State Criminal Investigator, retired Police Detective (after 34 years) 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, select "Donation to a Local Chapter" from the drop-down menu, enter the amount, click "SUBMIT" and then designate "FCPO #217" or the "Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry" in the box. All donations are tax-deductible.
The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry, P.O. Box 630854, Littleton, CO 80163 | Email Address | (720) 371-1022 | Website
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