Monday, April 2, 2018

Awakening During Unraveling

Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

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Belvidere Police Department
City Hall, Belvidere, Illinois
Swearing-In Ceremony for Officer Jorge Abonce
March 29, 2018

Chaplains Remarks and Prayer

Unless you've been vacationing too much in Colorado or have two feet planted firmly in the air or overdosed on St. John's Wort or think an elephant is a mouse with glandular problems, you know the moral fabric of America spun in Holy Scripture is unraveling quicker than hopes of the White Sox returning to the World Series.

While our founding mothers and fathers breathed Biblical values into the birth of our nation, too many of today's politicians, educators, entertainers, journalists, and inauthentic clergy have distanced themselves from God's revelation in Jesus by the book so much that any connection between them and America's former fidelities is increasingly coincidental.

In short, everything once held as sacred to American culture at its birth through years of unparalleled socioeconomic prosperity and inclusion prompting people to jump over walls and walk across our borders to get into the American dream has been devalued, dissed, and pret' near destroyed by ignorant to willing accomplices of dark strategies to extinguish the globe's greatest light for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

So while we need another great awakening, we've got an awful unraveling taking place.

That's the bad news.

Here's the good news from Genesis through Revelation with a warning: "Return to Me and I will restore you.  If not, not."

Psalm 127 provides the recipe: "Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain."

Only by building our lives on God's Word in Jesus by the book can we experience, maintain, and advance stability, security, safety, and salvation.

So what does this have to do with a rookie, the seasoned law enforcement officers in Belvidere and Boone County, public servants, and citizenry?

Everything!

Do we want strong families and marriages and schools in Belvidere and Boone County?

Do we want to model Someone better for the rest of the country and show it/He can be done?

Do we want to be heavenly-headed or join the dark forces enabling the unraveling?

Obviously, we're here because we want to be a part of His solution for what's ailing so much of America.

In short, for a better Belvidere and Boone County and the part of America entrusted to us by God, in the words of Jesus, "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock.  The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house.  Yet, it didn't collapse, because its foundation was on the rock."

Jesus goes on to say fools try to build and maintain and advance without Him.

Let us pray.

Lord, we thank You for the privileges of living in America and in Belvidere and Boone County, Illinois.

We thank You for women and men in city and county law enforcement; preserving law and order in cooperation with Your grace, mercy, and redemptive intentions.

Today, we are especially thankful for Jorge Abonce and his call to be a part of a department that still remembers its roots in the American dream of principles and priorities to advance life, liberty, and happiness according to Your Word in Jesus by the book.

Bless Jorge and all of our officers as we serve You by serving the community's best interests for stability, safety, security, and salvation.

Encourage Jorge by the reception of continuing officers and appreciative citizenry as we thank You for the equipping and enlightening that he will receive from those who have advanced knowledge and skill flavored with wisdom.

Bless Jorge in his partnership with Mayor Mike and our Council, Police Chief Shane, Sheriff Dave, Fire Chief Al, State's Attorney Tricia, Judges, all public servants and citizenry in an honoring of Jesus that always blesses His people.

This we pray in His name.

Amen.

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Blessings and Love!

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Shatter the sound of silence!

Wake up!  Look up!  Stand up!  Speak up!  Act up for Jesus!

Salt!  Shine!  Leavenate!

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