On August 28th a man approached Harris County Sheriff's deputy Darren Goforth from behind and shot him in the back fifteen times. This unprovoked attack was not the first of its kind. Those who have voluntarily put themselves in harms way to protect us have now come under attack. The New Black Panthers have even publicly called for the killing of all law enforcement officers and all white people. This is lawlessness at work. Governor Abbott has asked us to honor our law enforcement officers by doing the following: 1. turning on flashers and observing a moment of silence at 11:00 A.M. on September 4th 2. addressing officers as "sir" or "ma'am" 3. verbally supporting officers when encountered 4. picking up restaurant checks 5. give to law enforcement charities 6. volunteer with your local department
The Bible teaches us in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 that "the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way." Since the Garden of Eden, lawlessness has been at work. Its influence in our world has been steadily on the increase since then. "He who restrains", though, is the Holy Spirit, who lives and works in the those of us who have confessed our sin to the one God, believed His Word and entrusted our lives to Him. (And, we'll be taken out of the way by God [see Rev. 18:4].) As long as we live, we restrain lawlessness by standing between the world and the grip of evil. Gentlemen, one purpose of a fence post is to hold up the restraint that keeps some things in and other things out. In obedience to and in the power of the Holy Spirit, stand in the face of evil. Never let your love grow cold, even to the end. Call right and wrong what they are. And, always be found ready when the world needs the real men that it has so often pushed away.