We sat in an undercover car, encrypted police radio blasting as detectives spotted for a UC who was about to purchase an AK47. The crooks had counter surveillance to our surveillance, the UC and CI were chatting on the phone, as we strategized and plotted our next move. You check every possibility of what can go wrong. The most important criteria for any operation is to keep the detectives safe. We sat in the comfort of air conditioning, smoked glass windows, investigative flack jackets in the back seat and enough firepower to stop a small army. We watched intently as detectives called out the location of the suspects from their surveillance positions. 1351 delta, S-1 southbound on the C street. 1342 delta I’ve got the eye. We are away crossing the “L” street. He’s at the red ball, still S/B. Fresh green and were now North on San J. 1361 delta I’m taking over… 1361 D, S-1 just pulled a hard U-turn against the red looking for tails. I’m continuing N/B, who can pick him up? 1370Sam I’ve got him and he is hinked up. We are going to back off, Air do you have him? Afirm. He is again N/B. He took the left and now W/B…looks like he is 97 at the target address can someone pin the door. 1363 D I’ve got it. A police aircraft hovering at a high altitude peels away as the U.C.’s bed down for the deal.
Out of the blue the guy I’m with says…Do you think I have a reprobate mind? Huh? Do you think I have a reprobate mind? He is referring to a passage in Romans where the Apostle Paul discusses the out of control idolatry and celebration of sensuality that led to “wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity.” No! Why do you ask? You gay? We both laugh, He is the furthest thing in the world from being gay. He is a neat Christian man who loves God. No! he replied. I feel uncomfortable going to church. I get all sweaty, nervous, tense and uncomfortable. We sat in silence pondering his feelings.
The radio crackles, the CI is out and the address is 11366 N Street. He is carrying a bag…looks like it’s a go. The UC is away, let’s meet up to debrief at the Target. Surveillance cars take S-1 away and bed him down. He’ll be surprised when SWAT officers throw flash bangs through his windows to get his attention. The radio chatter of turns and a crook trying to make sure there is no tail fades away into the background as we get back to our discussion of being a reprobate.
So, what is your idea of church? Four walls; a roof; some uncomfortable pews; an offering and a message? Oh yea got to throw in a few hymns or praise songs with it. The kind where you sing the same verse 20 times to get emotional. If you are uncomfortable with that join the crowd. Many people our age are no longer impressed by TV land Christianity. He seemed to relax a little. We began to discuss what a church really is. We know for sure it was not a building. The early Christians met in homes. It wasn’t until hundreds of years later that an actual church building was erected. Even then it was modeled after Pagan temples, artifacts and all. We discussed the scriptures and how the church describes it as a group of people who have made a choice to follow Jesus. A church is God’s people, those who band together in worship, encourage each other, give to one another (especially those in poverty), hold each other accountable to this new way of life and invite others to the fold. God never intended for there to be 162 Protestant and Evangelical denominations, in the US and some 900,000 separate churches across the land.
To me the question is: how does one know if he is part of the Church (Colossians 1:24) and not a reprobate? 1 John chapters 3 and 4: We know we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love his brother is dead…we ought to lay down our life for our brothers (serious stuff). If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Let us not love with words or speech but actions and in truth.
Jesus’ favorite disciple wrote this. I believe he knew Jesus’ heart. This is his command: To believe in the name of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.” I think Jesus was serious about loving our brothers in Christ.
The cell phone chirps. It’s the case agent: 1320S the reprobate just called the CI…he has a quarter pound of meth to sell.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Bullet In The Nose
Mike P is a thug. Saturday night Mike went to a party to pick up his “baby momma. He is a Blood gang members and his girl is hanging with Neighborhood Crips. This is not a healthy combination. Mike P shows up at the party and gets out of his car. He places a handgun by the front of the car. It is 0430 hours the sun is almost ready to come up. It’s that time of the day where it gets just a little more cold and dark. He stands in the middle of the street calling out this party full of Crips. He stands with his arms spread out wide and screams at them, “What up slobs?!” He is vastly out numbered. Depending on who you listen too, somewhere between 4 and 8 Crips advance on him. Mike P doesn’t flinch. He challenges them again. Four continue to advance. You can feel the tension among the early morning, highly intoxicated party goers. No self respecting Crip would allow a “Blood” to disrespect him or his set in that manner without a challenge. As they approached, Mike P picks up the gun, points it at the advancing group. He calls them bitches.
Decision time. Be a chump and run or stand up like a man (gang thinking) against the gun, even though you are unarmed. The men continued to advance on armed “Blood.” Mike levels the gun at the heads of the Crips. Does he have the will to shoot? It raced through everyone’s minds, especially the guy the gun was pointed at. Mike applies pressure to the trigger. The hammer pulls back from the frame creating space between the shell casing and the metal point that creates the electrical charge that sends the projectile out of the barrel of the gun and into the head of the Crip. In spite of the party noise, the yelling of challenging gang members and the worlds busiest port of entry just 100 yards away, there is dead silence in slow motion as the hammer falls silently through space, toward denting the primer.
Click. Nothing. No bang, No Pop. Nothing. Click. Nothing. The gun fails to fire. Now King Kong challenging a party full of Crips to a fight is in some serious trouble. Figuring he had better fix his gun and quickly, he looks at his handgun in the ambient light of the moon. He turns the barrel of the gun toward his face to look for the problem. In doing so it caused tension on the trigger. That caused the hammer to pull back and fall one more time. This time the gun worked. Mike P shot himself in the face from 6” away. It was not a good day for Mike P.
My friend Rick took his son to the shooting range last week for gun safety lessons. The first thing any firearms instructor tells you is “know where your gun is pointed.” If you control the muzzle and the trigger the gun can’t hurt anyone, nor will you have an accidental discharge. If you watch a cop on TV or the one standing next you on a hot stop, they will never have their finger on the trigger unless they are ready to fire. The muzzle is always down range. Mike P never got the lesson. He had no one to train him. He had a little bit of knowledge. He knew how to load, hold and shoot a gun. That is the recipe for disaster.
Spiritual things are similar. A little bit of Jesus knowledge is dangerous. People may know who he is and that he is God. That is dangerous because it’s a false sense of safety. I want to know more about the Savior but I must be taught. If I’m going to carry Jesus around, I want it to be as safe as possible. I’m not interested in shooting myself in the foot spiritually. That means I need someone to teach me.
John records Jesus talking to the disciples: “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teachings, my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him…” “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will TEACH you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you…”
Here is my point. If you want to know about Jesus, ask. Ask the Holy Spirit for insight. He will give it to you. If I want to grow as a man of God its up to the Holy Spirit and me. I must learn from the Counselor. That takes effort and spiritual muzzle control
BTW Mike P lived. We will arrest him when he is discharged from the hospital for possession of the gun and gang allegations. It truly was a bad day for him.
A
Decision time. Be a chump and run or stand up like a man (gang thinking) against the gun, even though you are unarmed. The men continued to advance on armed “Blood.” Mike levels the gun at the heads of the Crips. Does he have the will to shoot? It raced through everyone’s minds, especially the guy the gun was pointed at. Mike applies pressure to the trigger. The hammer pulls back from the frame creating space between the shell casing and the metal point that creates the electrical charge that sends the projectile out of the barrel of the gun and into the head of the Crip. In spite of the party noise, the yelling of challenging gang members and the worlds busiest port of entry just 100 yards away, there is dead silence in slow motion as the hammer falls silently through space, toward denting the primer.
Click. Nothing. No bang, No Pop. Nothing. Click. Nothing. The gun fails to fire. Now King Kong challenging a party full of Crips to a fight is in some serious trouble. Figuring he had better fix his gun and quickly, he looks at his handgun in the ambient light of the moon. He turns the barrel of the gun toward his face to look for the problem. In doing so it caused tension on the trigger. That caused the hammer to pull back and fall one more time. This time the gun worked. Mike P shot himself in the face from 6” away. It was not a good day for Mike P.
My friend Rick took his son to the shooting range last week for gun safety lessons. The first thing any firearms instructor tells you is “know where your gun is pointed.” If you control the muzzle and the trigger the gun can’t hurt anyone, nor will you have an accidental discharge. If you watch a cop on TV or the one standing next you on a hot stop, they will never have their finger on the trigger unless they are ready to fire. The muzzle is always down range. Mike P never got the lesson. He had no one to train him. He had a little bit of knowledge. He knew how to load, hold and shoot a gun. That is the recipe for disaster.
Spiritual things are similar. A little bit of Jesus knowledge is dangerous. People may know who he is and that he is God. That is dangerous because it’s a false sense of safety. I want to know more about the Savior but I must be taught. If I’m going to carry Jesus around, I want it to be as safe as possible. I’m not interested in shooting myself in the foot spiritually. That means I need someone to teach me.
John records Jesus talking to the disciples: “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teachings, my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him…” “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will TEACH you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you…”
Here is my point. If you want to know about Jesus, ask. Ask the Holy Spirit for insight. He will give it to you. If I want to grow as a man of God its up to the Holy Spirit and me. I must learn from the Counselor. That takes effort and spiritual muzzle control
BTW Mike P lived. We will arrest him when he is discharged from the hospital for possession of the gun and gang allegations. It truly was a bad day for him.
A
Sunday, June 14, 2009
The Magic man that could not disappear
Ron’s emergency pager went off about 0745 hours on a misty morning…Ron is a VIP.
Willard Bailey, aka Trick Tony, had gone through one marriage and was now on his second. Willard was not a gangster, but a magician. He was enraged, depressed and furious at life. There had been some domestic violence toward women in the past but nothing too threatening. I’m sure his wife thought this incident was just like the others. She was terribly wrong. As the man ranted and raved about finances and life he lost control, grabbed a kitchen knife and threatened to commit suicide. He held it to his wrists, no better yet his throat; I’ll show the world he thought to himself. His wife frantically called 911 begging for help. Several black and whites, a K-9 and supervisor rolled to her call for help. Cops have learned if you are suicidal you are homicidal. Taking a life is taking a life, doesn’t really matter if it’s yours or another’s. While en route, some talked about the Padres (short conversation) others about girls. As they approached the scene they began to focus on the drama at hand, a systematic perimeter was set up to “contain and control” the situation. Police number the sides of houses - 1,2,3, and 4. Officers called out their locations and a king unit took the point of entry with Sarge and Earp the K-9. When officers peaked through the window to assess the situation they saw the woman who had called 911. She was lying on the floor, bleeding, possibly dead. In the house with a knife dripping with blood was a deranged magic man. He spotted the officers and began his final assault.
Earp was released to disarm a the magic man who had turned homicidal. Earp leaped to protect his handler who was now on point with several other guns. The magic man thrust the knife into Earp’s chest who struggled valiantly to protect the guys in blue. Earp fell to the floor. The man continued his charge forcing multiple officers to fire and prove he wasn’t Houdini. The end result was two dead, a wounded dog and more stress for some good cops. Willard and his now dead wife also had an 8 year old daughter at school. Who tells her?
The text message: VIP Mora please respond to SE for an OIS (Officer Involved Shooting) and homicide. Ron, a guy on this devo list, is a volunteer who frees officers to handle crime while they show their compassion and handle the victims’ families. Ron arrived and got his assignment from the incident commander. Ron was to assist family members who were going to tell an 8 year the bad news. Family members and Ron told the girl her dad was shot and killed by police. She cried and sobbed at this incomprehensible tragedy. After about 10 minutes of anguish she looked to her uncle and a host of counselors and said, “What about my mommy?” The story just got worse.
After the notification was over Ron wrote this: “While we were outside waiting for Child Protective Services, I walked over to her, and we talked for about 15 minutes. She was showing me how she could hang upside down on the bars, or do cartwheels. Generally we talked about insignificant things in her life. Everyone handles grief differently. There is no question, that this was the worst day in this little girl’s life. As I walked away from the call, I felt very sad for that little girl, and at the same time I felt a certain level of gratefulness that somehow God has placed me in this position to support people during their most difficult times. I believe God put Ron in that position, at that time to be a minister of God’s grace.
There is a tug of war in Christendom. It has been going on for 2,000 years and shows no sign of letting up. I have to admit it’s a little convicting to me.
James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says!” v.27 Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” 2:1 “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.” 2:12 “…mercy triumphs over judgment.” v14: what good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? (rhetorical question) v.24 “You see a man is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”
Here is my point: In our world of sit in church and let others perform we (I) have a tendency to let the professionals do it. The Church was never intended for this. We have devolved to this point. How do we build massive churches and glass cathedrals while brothers in Christ starve to death in other parts of the world? We are the wealthiest most powerful nation in world history. Read James 2 and tell me how we are doing. Feel free to blog your thoughts at www.devotions4cops.com.
Ronny you showed your love for the Savior by how you treated this wounded 8 year old. Thanks for the life lesson.
A
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/23/1m23earp222538-police-dog-stabbing-close-call/
Willard Bailey, aka Trick Tony, had gone through one marriage and was now on his second. Willard was not a gangster, but a magician. He was enraged, depressed and furious at life. There had been some domestic violence toward women in the past but nothing too threatening. I’m sure his wife thought this incident was just like the others. She was terribly wrong. As the man ranted and raved about finances and life he lost control, grabbed a kitchen knife and threatened to commit suicide. He held it to his wrists, no better yet his throat; I’ll show the world he thought to himself. His wife frantically called 911 begging for help. Several black and whites, a K-9 and supervisor rolled to her call for help. Cops have learned if you are suicidal you are homicidal. Taking a life is taking a life, doesn’t really matter if it’s yours or another’s. While en route, some talked about the Padres (short conversation) others about girls. As they approached the scene they began to focus on the drama at hand, a systematic perimeter was set up to “contain and control” the situation. Police number the sides of houses - 1,2,3, and 4. Officers called out their locations and a king unit took the point of entry with Sarge and Earp the K-9. When officers peaked through the window to assess the situation they saw the woman who had called 911. She was lying on the floor, bleeding, possibly dead. In the house with a knife dripping with blood was a deranged magic man. He spotted the officers and began his final assault.
Earp was released to disarm a the magic man who had turned homicidal. Earp leaped to protect his handler who was now on point with several other guns. The magic man thrust the knife into Earp’s chest who struggled valiantly to protect the guys in blue. Earp fell to the floor. The man continued his charge forcing multiple officers to fire and prove he wasn’t Houdini. The end result was two dead, a wounded dog and more stress for some good cops. Willard and his now dead wife also had an 8 year old daughter at school. Who tells her?
The text message: VIP Mora please respond to SE for an OIS (Officer Involved Shooting) and homicide. Ron, a guy on this devo list, is a volunteer who frees officers to handle crime while they show their compassion and handle the victims’ families. Ron arrived and got his assignment from the incident commander. Ron was to assist family members who were going to tell an 8 year the bad news. Family members and Ron told the girl her dad was shot and killed by police. She cried and sobbed at this incomprehensible tragedy. After about 10 minutes of anguish she looked to her uncle and a host of counselors and said, “What about my mommy?” The story just got worse.
After the notification was over Ron wrote this: “While we were outside waiting for Child Protective Services, I walked over to her, and we talked for about 15 minutes. She was showing me how she could hang upside down on the bars, or do cartwheels. Generally we talked about insignificant things in her life. Everyone handles grief differently. There is no question, that this was the worst day in this little girl’s life. As I walked away from the call, I felt very sad for that little girl, and at the same time I felt a certain level of gratefulness that somehow God has placed me in this position to support people during their most difficult times. I believe God put Ron in that position, at that time to be a minister of God’s grace.
There is a tug of war in Christendom. It has been going on for 2,000 years and shows no sign of letting up. I have to admit it’s a little convicting to me.
James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says!” v.27 Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” 2:1 “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.” 2:12 “…mercy triumphs over judgment.” v14: what good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? (rhetorical question) v.24 “You see a man is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”
Here is my point: In our world of sit in church and let others perform we (I) have a tendency to let the professionals do it. The Church was never intended for this. We have devolved to this point. How do we build massive churches and glass cathedrals while brothers in Christ starve to death in other parts of the world? We are the wealthiest most powerful nation in world history. Read James 2 and tell me how we are doing. Feel free to blog your thoughts at www.devotions4cops.com.
Ronny you showed your love for the Savior by how you treated this wounded 8 year old. Thanks for the life lesson.
A
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/23/1m23earp222538-police-dog-stabbing-close-call/
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Mulism shoots christian and snipping a penis
Matthew 5: 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. How seriously should we take scripture? Is it literal in everyway?
Scholars and Bible expositors say, “If it makes sense seek no other sense.” We know we are to view scripture in the context of the greater passage and grammatical structure, the context of history (what a first century reader would have known) and common sense. Still some scripture still is difficult to understand.
I have two incidents for you this week from SD that speak to this issue:
JD sat in the privacy of his home watching pornography. Fixated on this addictive vice he watched it over and over – lusting in his heart and mind. He felt horribly guilty about his behavior. He knew the Bible said it was wrong but did it anyway. He remembered a verse said that if a body part offends you pluck it out or cut it off. JD walked into the garage, grabbed tin snips and snipped it off at the base. He flushed it down the toilet never to be seen again. Some turtle in the Pacific is in for a surprise. He took the biblical admonishment literally.
Two guys in a bar argued about religion. One claimed to be a Christian and the other Muslim. They were trying to convert each other. The bar closed and they took the great debate to the parking lot. Nothing good can happen in a bar parking lot at 0230 hours. They argued about who was greater Christ or Mohammed and what was more accurate the Bible or Koran. Which religion was stricter became the focal point. The frustration level grew as neither person had the ability to conclusively show who was most right. The Muslim man eventually won the argument. He took out a loaded gun and shot the Christian point blank.
The Muslim took his Koran literally - kill the infidel. The Christian may have quoted the verse from Deut 22:21 “You must purge the evil from among you.”
The alcohol spoke louder than either the Bible or the Koran. Both Muslims and Christians are saying in their mind he was not a real Christian/Muslim anyway because he was drinking and fighting at a bar.
So, as you read your Bible how do you decide what you take literally and implement exactly (like a formula) and what do you take as a general rule (like policy and procedures) and take as guidance. The one thing I know for sure is God gave us the scriptures for the average man to read and to understand. Christians should “study and show himself approved a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” So, how are you dividing the word of truth?
Snipping off one penis at a time.
A
Scholars and Bible expositors say, “If it makes sense seek no other sense.” We know we are to view scripture in the context of the greater passage and grammatical structure, the context of history (what a first century reader would have known) and common sense. Still some scripture still is difficult to understand.
I have two incidents for you this week from SD that speak to this issue:
JD sat in the privacy of his home watching pornography. Fixated on this addictive vice he watched it over and over – lusting in his heart and mind. He felt horribly guilty about his behavior. He knew the Bible said it was wrong but did it anyway. He remembered a verse said that if a body part offends you pluck it out or cut it off. JD walked into the garage, grabbed tin snips and snipped it off at the base. He flushed it down the toilet never to be seen again. Some turtle in the Pacific is in for a surprise. He took the biblical admonishment literally.
Two guys in a bar argued about religion. One claimed to be a Christian and the other Muslim. They were trying to convert each other. The bar closed and they took the great debate to the parking lot. Nothing good can happen in a bar parking lot at 0230 hours. They argued about who was greater Christ or Mohammed and what was more accurate the Bible or Koran. Which religion was stricter became the focal point. The frustration level grew as neither person had the ability to conclusively show who was most right. The Muslim man eventually won the argument. He took out a loaded gun and shot the Christian point blank.
The Muslim took his Koran literally - kill the infidel. The Christian may have quoted the verse from Deut 22:21 “You must purge the evil from among you.”
The alcohol spoke louder than either the Bible or the Koran. Both Muslims and Christians are saying in their mind he was not a real Christian/Muslim anyway because he was drinking and fighting at a bar.
So, as you read your Bible how do you decide what you take literally and implement exactly (like a formula) and what do you take as a general rule (like policy and procedures) and take as guidance. The one thing I know for sure is God gave us the scriptures for the average man to read and to understand. Christians should “study and show himself approved a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” So, how are you dividing the word of truth?
Snipping off one penis at a time.
A
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