Grace vs. The Law

I was on my way into town last night, probably traveling faster than I should have been. I was lost in thought, praying for a young friend in need of some help. That's probably why I didn't notice the cop car coming my way on the highway . . . until his lights came on.

Checking my speedometer I saw that I was doing 68 . . . in a 55 MPH zone. Thirteen over. In my mind that's a mandatory ticket. There is money to be made when you are that far over the speed limit. Hundreds of dollars in fines.

As I sat there by the side of the road, I sent a text to my young friend, explaining that I would be late. The officer was stepping out of his squad car now, approaching mine.

"Good evening sir," he said. "May I see your identification and proof on insurance please?"

I handed him both.

"You were going 68 in a 55. Heading home from work?"

"No. I was heading into town for a meeting with a homeless family."

"I'll be right back," and he returned to his car.

This was not going to be good. I was going to be late for a very important meeting. I was going to be out hundreds of dollars due to my inattentiveness. Money that could have been used to help the people I was on my way to meet. Ironic. And it was my fault. I was clearly guilty and was prepared for what was to come.

I saw the officer open up his car door.

"Here comes the bad news.," I thought to myself. "What an idiot I was!"

He gave me back my drivers license and, reaching out with his huge, tattooed arm, he said . . .

"I'm giving you a verbal warning. Please, pay more attention to your speed."

"Thank you, sir." were the only words the officer heard. But in my heart I was thanking God for the grace this man had just showed me. As I resumed my travel into town I wondered, "Why did he let me off? I was guilty! Was it the Bible sitting on my front seat? the Lifest wrist band I am still wearing? Or was it God who softened his heart? Or perhaps this man in blue was an angel, exhibiting God's grace, trying to keep one of His children safe. Only God knows. Either way I am grateful for the grace extends to all of us who believe.

Our laws demand obedience. So does God. When we break our earthly laws there are penalties to be paid. The same is true for God's laws. God's grace is exhibited in by His sending His Son to pay our fine for us. Love, justice, grace and mercy all on display . . . on the cross.

^"8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." - Romans 6:8-14

Wonderful, Merciful Savior - Selah

Milwaukee's Finest

When I was growing up in a Milwaukee suburb back in the 60's, the phrase Milwaukee's Finest" meant one thing - beer. That was the slogan for Blatz beer. Milwaukee had lots of beers besides Blatz - Hamms, Pabst, Miller, Old Milwaukee. It's hard to believe that Blatz was Milwaukee's finest because the company closed its doors in 1959, selling out to Pabst.

Nowadays, when I hear the phrase Milwaukee's Finest I tend to think of its police officers. Men and women who risk their lives  to keep us safe 24/7/365.

I remember the riots back in the late 60's. They took place mostly in the inner city but we had a curfew out in the suburbs too. The National Guard was called out. It was pretty bad. Thankfully, we have come along way since then. Or at least that's what I thought.

This past weekend in Milwaukee there was a shooting - a Milwaukee police officer shot an armed suspect. Both the shooter and the shootee were black. Not that that matters. I'm just stating the facts.

In the days that came after that shooting there was rioting. A business was burned, a cop car destroyed. More people were shot. Some of them died. There was looting and an overall sense of unease fell over the city.

So, why am I telling you this? It's been in the news. I'm writing this just as background for the story I am about to tell you . . . about God's sovereignty and the fact that God is control of ALL things. Track these events with me and see if you can figure out who's in control.

Several years ago we had a pastor at our church named Paul. Everybody loved him. A real man of God - not the pretend kind. Involved in the community, a member of the school board, a loving husband and father. One day Pastor Paul got a call from a friend who asked him to pastor a church in greater Milwaukee that didn't even exist yet . . . and to take a pay cut . . . and to leave a beautiful Central Wisconsin vacation community and move his family to . . . West Allis. Doesn't seem to make sense, does it? That's what my friend said, but he also said that he has never felt more led to do something in his life. Remember, this is a story about God, not about a pastor.

It wasn't long before this new church began to grow. Soon the old, refurbished theater they were in was busting out at the seams. That's where this story takes an important turn. Pastor Paul decided to become a chaplain for the West Allis Police Department. You can read his story here.

This pastor became an official chaplain of the West Allis Police Department mere months before the shootings in Milwaukee.

People have told me right to my face that God does not exist. That Jesus is a myth. I just laugh and shake my head.

"You have GOT to be kidding me! You can't make this stuff up. My pastor friend gets repositioned, his whole life turned upside down. Why? Because God has a greater purpose in mind and my friend is obedient.

It's too amazingly supernatural and so incredibly perfect to be explained away as mere random chance. There's a God alright. I've seen Him work. Pfft. He worked a miracle in me and saved my life numerous times! He has GOT to be real! He moves people, changes people, shapes people and positions them right where He wants them.

God is real alright, but don't take MY word for it. Just look in the face of a cop. He/She serves without complaint even though all those around him or her disrespect the very thought of them. He sacrifices much in terms of pay and time with family, all to help someone who doesn't really want it. Yet the police officer is the first one we call upon when we get into trouble; hoping they will save us.

Does that sound like someone we all know, who sacrificed everything on a cross? Being a cop sounds like something Jesus would do. Sounds like something Jesus already did.

“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” - Psalm 82:3-4

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” - Matthew 5:9

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” - John 15:13

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” - Romans 13:1

“For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” - Romans 13:4

Policeman - Paul Harvey
What It Means To Be A Police Officer - Joe Friday

There Comes A Time

It's been difficult, watching all of the news stories about murdered police officers lately. These guys risk their lives defending us for very little pay, putting themselves in danger each and every day. One must ask, "When is enough, enough? When will somebody do something?"

There are so many issues facing us today that beg the question, "Where is the tipping point between inaction and action?" That time, that tipping point, I think, is coming soon.

There comes a time when enough is enough and we decide to take action. When ISIS began chopping off the heads of Christians and destroying religious artifacts and sacred sites, a time came when people started speaking up and started taking action. You name the topic, each person has that point in their own hearts when it's time to stop all the complaining and actually stand up and do something. In our relationships, politics, even in our faith lives. There comes a time when we all must make that choice - to act or to stay motionless. Either way we are making a choice.

I don't know if you noticed what I am about to tell you. It's about the Sunday morning news coverage of the Baton Rouge police shootings. I thought it was pretty amazing. I was watching the hypnotic flashing lights from all of the police cars when suddenly a black and red vehicle appeared on the scene. "Billy Graham" it said on its side. Are you kidding me? How out of place did that look! But then I thought . . . it was perfect.

The answer to everyone's questions about good vs. evil appeared right on the television screen and none of the news reporters mentioned a stinking thing about it.

The people in the Billy Graham truck knew exactly what needed to be done. And they were doing it! They were taking action. There came a time for the Billy Graham Evangelical Association to take action and they did. They prayed.

If you read your Bible you can find numerous stories where God's patience ran out. Sodom and Gomorrah comes to mind, Jonah, the Israelites, There comes a time when God takes action against those opposing His will. That time is quickly approaching for this entire world, in my opinion.

My dear brothers and sisters, the time has come, if you haven't been doing so already, to pray. We need to be praying our butts of for this nation, its leaders, its police force, soldiers and sailors. Watching all of these events happening in such rapid succession tells me the time is drawing close for the return of Jesus. And when He comes back, the kid gloves are off and the wrath of God will be at hand.

"23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.

29 So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived." - Genesis 19:23-29

There comes a time to take action. Lot took action and escaped with his life. This is a time for us to step up our evangelistic efforts in addition to our prayers. We need to tell the people in our lives that Jesus is the only hope. Why? Because . .  He is. The time has come . . . today.

Time Has Come Today - The Chambers Brothers

To Protect And Serve

When I was in high school, the late 60's, there was quite a conflict going on. The Vietnam war was at its peak. So were the anti-war protests. People were being shot and killed - most notably Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King. It was a VERY turbulent time in our nation's history. It was also the very first time I ever heard the word PIG to describe a police officer.

While all this civil unrest was going on there were a few television shows that depicted the police in a POSITIVE light - Dragnet and Adam-12. They were pretty simple shows. Pretty cheesy too. Sometimes they were so . . . stiff . . . they were almost laughable. But each of the shows portrayed our police in a positive light, something that is hard to find on our televisions today.

On the side of the Adam-12 police cars they had a logo for their police department and a slogan as well - "To Protect and To Serve." Where has our respect gone for these men and women who risk their lives to keep us safe?

There have been some bad cops that have tarnished the image of the police in general, but no more so than any other job in society. There will always be bad apples no matter where you look. And the police are the last thing we want to see in our rear view mirrors, but that's only because we've been caught doing something illegal and we don't want to have to pay a fine or get stopped during our busy day.

I think society's problem in NOT a police problem. Our problem is a SIN problem. We like to be able to do what we want, when we want and to whom we want and we don't like anyone telling us otherwise. We also have a "self" problem.

Yet, when trouble comes our way, we are the first ones to call the police. They can't show up soon enough when we're in a fix. "Boy, am I glad to see you guys!"

Because we humans have a sin problem, police only try to keep us in line . . . and we pay them to do so. But the police can't fix what's wrong with us. Only God can do that.

So, what's the cure? Jesus. If we all acted like Jesus there would be no need for police or guns or protection. There would be peace and understanding throughout the world. But we are a stiff-necked people and we don't want to submit to ANYONE'S authority. And that's why things will only get worse until we fall to our knees. We haven't seen ANYTHING yet compared to what is to come.

Yesterday, another police officer was killed in our country - eight cops killed in the past nine days. There is trouble brewing. One can almost smell it. We need to begin praying. Now! We need to repent, we need to seek God. Only then will He heal this land. Until then we are on our own.

"14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14

"45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Matthew 10:45

Adam-12 Intro

What It Means To Be A Police Officer - Joe Friday

This is The Gospel by which we are saved:

"15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve." - 1 Corinthians 15:1-5