Shields Of The Shepherd: November 2009

-The below is an outstanding post by Travis Yates from 'The Centurion Papers' (and Ten-Four Ministries)- I could not have said it better, and it bears repeating and reposting!-

Law Enforcement in particular has a nose for what is the truth versus what is a lie and that in and of itself is one of the huge stumbling blocks to Christianity by Law Enforcement.

From being in the profession for over 16 years, I can tell you that for the most part, the Christianity that Law Enforcement is confronted with is generally in one of two camps.

1. The local minister that instead of preaching God's Word, they stand up on Sunday and trash the Police for the latest "story" they may have heard in the community. This same minister will likely stand in front of news cameras or in front of a boycott line and you guessed it. Instead of proclaiming the Gospel, throw mud at the Police.

2. A Preacher that tells the Police, likely at a funeral of one of their own (since that is likely the only time most in Law Enforcement will enter a Church) that "there is a special place in Heaven for Law Enforcement Officers." or "Blessed are the Peacemakers, and you as Peacemakers are children of God."

Both items above are absolute junk and the lost Law Enforcement Officers I meet know it. They can smell a lie. It is there job.

So with that said, if you are new to our small ministry to the Nation's Finest, we will not mix words and we will call a heretic a heretic and a lie a lie. There are too many lies being told and they get in the way of what is truly important, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As you may suspect, there is more to come on this topic. This ministry is not in the business of doing things to just make folks "feel better". We want to tell you the truth. In a world where truth is one's opinion and simply "relative", we want to tell you the only truth that matters.

Truth

His name is Jesus Christ and he came to Earth more than 2000 years ago and lived among us but there was a difference between Him and the rest of the world. Jesus Christ was God and he left Heaven (John 8:58), humbled Himself and was born of a virgin. He was on an incredible journey. He healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on water, cast out demons, feed thousands with a few loaves of bread. he calmed the storms and confronted the heretics of His day. Simply put, this Man names Jesus did exactly what you would expect God to do if He came to earth as a Man.

Jesus Christ was God. You can deny Him, you can say that makes no sense but the truth is, Jesus did not do these things alone. There were hundreds of witnesses to what He did and more than just the Bible talks about them. Just a quick glance at the history books of the day and the evidences that are apparent to even those that rejected Him, will tell you these things happened.

They will even tell you that the one thing happened that could have only happened if Jesus was God. Approximately 30 years after Jesus was born and lived a perfect life (He never sinned), Jesus was crucified. He was murdered for His claims of being God and the threat that imposed on the Government. All of this happened just as the Old Testament prophesy said it would. Written hundreds of years earlier by the Prophets:

"By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence,and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;" Isaiah 53:8-10

Evidence

More than 300 Messianic prophecies like this were made in the Old Testament and then fulfilled through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Experts will tell us that the chances of one person fulfilling a mere eight of these prophecies are one-in-100,000,000,000,000,000. For one person to fulfill 48 of these prophecies, the number becomes staggering – one chance in 10-to-the-157th power. Add to that the 250 other prophecies, and it becomes impossible for any other person except Jesus to ever fit that particular sequence of time and events.

You see, Jesus did die but His death wasn't the end and what happened next is why you are hearing about Him. Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day and He showed Himself to over 500 witnesses. Many of them chose to die proclaiming His name in the future years of early Christianity.

Now at this point, you can tell yourself those men were just crazy or all of this was a myth, an urban legend, nothing much more than Santa Claus but you really don't believe that. You can't believe that if you are a logical person and if you are in law enforcement, investigate it yourself. After all, with what is on the line, you would be the crazy one to not look into this Man named Jesus.

So why did Jesus die? He died because it was the only way for the human race to be saved. Now at this point you may be saying that you are a good person, after all you enforce the law, you abhore evil, you do what is right. You are not the criminal. In fact, you lock up the criminals.

Well, that is where you and myself were wrong. We can't look at ourselves the way we or society looks at what is right and wrong. Compared to society in general, maybe you are a good person but you see, this Jesus was Perfect, Holy, Righteous and He looks at right and wrong differently.

In Jesus' encounter with the Rich, Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-26), He told him that he needed to keep the commandments. Have you ever lied or stolen? Have you always honored your father and mother? Have you used God's name in vain (blasphemy) Have you loved your neighbor as yourself? Has God always been the most important thing to you?

You may say, well I haven't murdered or committed adultery but Jesus said that if you are angry with your brother you are guilty (Matthew 5:21) and if you have looked at someone with lust, you have committed adultery (Matthew 5:27).

What is the point here.

Romans 3:10 says it well: "no one is good, not even one."

None of us can make it to Heaven based on our good works because in God's eyes, we have no good works. The prideful, self righteous are like the rich, young ruler(Matthew 19:16). He was futile in trying to keep the commandments to enter the Kingdom. No one can keep them and that is why a sacrifice had to be payed on the behalf of sinners.

Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and was murdered. He and He alone was that sacrifice. It is because of Jesus that we can have everlasting life. The alternative is Hell, a place where the "worm never dies and the fire is not quenched" Mark 9:48.

The Bible is clear that many will go to Hell.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14).

Solution

So what is the answer. Jesus Christ is the answer. He is the only answer. This salvation is a Gift. A free gift. You can do nothing to receive it. There is no amount of good deeds you can do; You can't walk an aisle do receive it; Saying a sinner's prayer doesn't give it to you. There is nothing you can do to receive it.

So there it is. There is the truth. I'm not here to give you a soft, candy message that makes you feel good. The Gospel has always and still is divisive.

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34

But you deserve to know the truth. Jesus did not come to earth and die so that you can get promoted, or get a nicer car, or always be healthy, or have a wonderful life. He died for sinners. On the Cross, He took the Wrath of God. He drank from that cup (Luke 22:42) and He drank every bit of the Wrath that we deserve as sinners. He was a Propitiation for Sin; He payed the price. Isn't that enough?

The question is, do you believe that?

Do you believe that Jesus is the only God and he was raised from the dead?

Do you see your sin as an abomination to a Holy God (Proverbs 8:7)?

Has God enabled you to repent of your sin, turn from your sin(Mark 1:15).

Has God opened your eyes to the mystery of Him and His Kingdom (Matthew 13:11, Ephesians 1:9)?

Do you trust everything to Jesus?

These are the words of Jesus, the Savior of the world: "And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:38).

"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me' (Matthew 16:24).

How are these things possible? How can a person deny their pride, their lustful thoughts, their sin, their status in the community and believe in Someone that will literally make people hate you (John 15:18)?

Through the grace of God, a gift of God. It is through His love, His glory, for Him and only Him.

Jesus said that you must be "born again" to see the Kingdom of God and that can only happen if God gives you that gift (John 3:3).

Call out to the one true God, Jesus, The Savior that was raised from the dead and ask Him to save you (Romans 10:13).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

The Disciples of Jesus will be known, they will be different.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).

They will likely not be the ones representing Christianity that you despise, that you think is a joke, that are on television asking for your money or trashing the police.

The Saints of the Savior, my Savior will be different. While still battling sin, they will be on a daily walk with the Lord and a daily process of being made more like Jesus. They will be humble, meek, mild and not of this world (1 John 2:15). They may even be a little "weird" in the eyes of others but there is no doubt that they will stand out and they will love and give and care for you.

They will care for you enough to tell you the truth and that truth may not be exactly what you want to hear but my friend, it is the truth.

I care for you. Many are praying for you.