Just learning to use this. Thanks for your patience.
Ron

Newsletter First Qtr 2009

Note: The opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office.  I accept full responsibility for each article written in this newsletter.  Chaplain Ron

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.”        Revelation 1:1-2

Who Controls History and Historical Trends?

   by Chaplain Ron McMurray

We are constantly bombarded by the news media with bad news. Inflation, economic recession, terrorism and wars, are but some of the woes that we must deal with each day. As a Christian I must constantly return to a Biblical Worldview that Jesus Christ controls history and the destiny of mankind. I reject the secular-humanistic worldview that we are mere animals who have evolved in time. I reject that planet earth is on a collision course with disaster due to our self-destructing actions such as global warming issues or the depletion of our food and water resources or wars or that some plague will wipe out the human race.  My Biblical worldview enables me to reject this kind of thinking.

I find a great deal of wisdom and peace in the Book of Revelation. In Revelation 1:1-2

I discovered that we do not control history. I also learned about the principle of historical trends. I do not believe that there are prophecies in the Bible regarding the church but I do believe in historical trends.  The first historical trend is that or present and future are in the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ who has been in charge of planet earth since Genesis 1:1.  In Revelation 1:1 “the things that must soon take place” refer to the events of the book of Revelation indicating that Christ knows what the future holds. If He knows what the future holds, and only God can know these things, then He has known the past and is in charge of the present. The Bible tells us that it is God alone who controls all things in space and in time ( Isaiah 40:12-26).

In Revelation 2-3 the apostle John is given information regarding historical trends of the church. Good decisions on the part of Christians results in blessing and bad decisions results in divine discipline from the Lord. Each church is commended for its good works and warned for its failures, except for Smyrna which had no failures. Since Christ controls history ( Revelation 1), He can see the past, present and future strengths and weaknesses of each church. The things we find in Revelation 2-3 are evident throughout the past 2000 years in the church. The only event we are presently waiting for is the Rapture where Christ will appear in the clouds and take His believers ( the Church ) to heaven to be with him forever. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:11-15).

The first church, Ephesus, gives us our second historical trend. Ephesus was commended that they would not tolerate false apostles, they had good works and perseverance, did not grow weary, and rejected the Nicolaitan doctrines. This brought blessing to the church. On the other hand, some Christians have left their first love (evangelism, commitment to Christ and other believers), and have not fulfilled their mission of evangelism and spiritual growth. In their fight against evil some became   occupied with the evil or grew weary of the fight and took their eyes off Christ.

The second church, Smyrna, teaches us about the third historical trend which is the persecution of Christians. The resurrected Christ knows their tribulation and poverty and the blasphemy by those who are of the synagogue of Satan. A great persecution was about to come upon them and they will lose their homes, jobs, and freedoms. This forewarned of the next ten Caesars who would persecute Christianity for the future three hundred years. Those Christians who endured in their faith would not be hurt by the second death which, in context, is the sin unto death for believers who forsook their faith and denied Christ. The second death is also used for unbelievers who will face judgment at the Great White Throne ( Revelation 20:11-15). Christians need not fear losing their salvation but they should fear losing rewards in heaven due to forsaking their Christian faith ( 2 Timothy 2:11-13). Christ cannot deny us the eternal life He gave us but He can deny us rewards.

The third church, Pergamum, is addressed by Christ who has the two-edged sword of judgment. The fourth historical trend deals with believers who hold fast the Word of God and stand against cultic doctrines, “where Satan’s throne is”, which was the temple of Zeus. The problem arose when some believers tried to mix their Christian faith with cultic doctrines of the Nicolaitans thus moving them into idolatry. Christ says He will come and make war ( divine discipline ) against those Christians living this way but to those who have remained faithful they will receive rewards such as the hidden manna (reward for holding onto Biblical truth), the white stone ( means acquittal or assurance of salvation whereas the black stone meant condemnation ), and a new heavenly name written on a stone ( tribute to their faithfulness ).

The fourth church, Thyatira, is addressed by the Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire and feet like burnished bronze. The fifth historical trend speaks of believers who became involved in religious cultic activity. Christ knows their works are greater now than when they first began but they had tolerated a self appointed prophetess, Jezebel, to take over their church and contaminate their church with immorality, false religious practices, and idolatry. Jezebel is a believer who had gone astray so the Lord graciously gave her time to “repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.” Christ says that He will cast her and her Christian followers upon a bed of sickness and kill her children ( believers will receive the sin unto death ) unless they repent ( change their attitudes and get out of Jezebelism ). Those who overcome and remain faithful will be leaders of nations in the Millennium and they will receive the highest reward in heaven, the morning star, which is a bright light surrounding their resurrection body.

The Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodecia churches give us the sixth, seventh, and eighth historical trends that will be continued in the next newsletter.

When the news media hammers you with their obsession for bad news and attempts to shake your faith, remember that they are not in control of history, nor can any leader or the media determine the destiny of mankind. Jesus Christ our High Priest of Heaven, our Savior, and our Great Shepherd of the Church alone determines the outcome of history. We Christians are to trust in Him alone and not be shaken from our faith by Satan’s evil propaganda. The best is yet to come.   

Rollover on Pullman-Albion Road

On January 13^th a rollover vehicle with six occupants occurred near Christian Road and Pullman-Albion Road. The driver lost control on the icy roadway and rolled upside down into a ditch with about a foot of water in it. There were five children in the vehicle. I responded with Deputy Reavis to the scene. Due to the icy road conditions it took me about thirty minutes to arrive. By that time all the victims had been taken to the hospital.

We learned that the children were able to climb out of the broken back window of the vehicle but the driver was pinned and quickly being covered by the cold water. Several local men stopped to render assistance.

When the Pullman Fire and EMS personnel arrived on scene one of them climbed into the back window of the van, crawled through the icy water, removed seats, and was able to reach the semi-submerged driver. He held her head up above the water until a door was pried open and she was removed. There is no doubt in my mind that this hero saved her life. The driver and passengers were taken to Pullman Hospital where they received medical care. I met with the father of the children, who is a Pullman Fire and EMS employee. One of his children suffered a broken arm but the rest of the children were medically okay. The female driver was later taken to Spokane for further treatment. She is recovering at home at the present time. We thank God for His mercy is providing rescuers to save a life and help these families. 

Attempted Suicide in Tekoa

On January 26 Deputy Brown responded to an attempted suicide call in Tekoa. I responded and followed him to the scene. At the scene Deputy Brown and I entered the home and spoke with the suicidal person. I spoke with the person about the importance of life and God’s plan for a life. The person stated that they were not suicidal but during the investigation Deputy Brown determined that for the person’s safety he would transport the person to Whitman Hospital for evaluation. Hopefully, the person will realize that suicide is not the solution to problems and will turn their life over to the Lord.

Death at Whitman Hospital

I was called to Whitman Hospital on February 6 to be with a family whose loved one was dying. By the time I arrived, the gentleman had died but I met with the grieving wife and son. I spoke with the family and tried to assist them in their time of grief. Sometimes all you can do is “be there” and run errands for them. I pray that they will discover the love of Christ. It is a heavy burden to lose a husband and father.

Death in Colfax

I was called to an address in Colfax by Colfax PD on February 9^th.  A woman’s son had died while he was asleep. The brother of the deceased had found his brother and called 911. Colfax Fire and EMS arrived and determined that the young man had died. Colfax Officer Wride was at the scene and provided me with some details. I spoke with the mother and brother. The brother asked me to kneel with him beside his dead brother and pray. After the prayer he thanked me. After the Coroner arrived the deceased man was taken by Kimball’s Funeral Home. I listened to the brother talk and asked him questions about his faith. I have no doubt that he is a Christian and he told me that his deceased brother also believed in Christ. I trust that he is resting safely in the Heavenly Father’s care.

Overdose in Endicott

Chaplain Brian and I were responded with Deputies Cox and Brown to an overdose call in Endicott. A young man had taken some pills and the Endicott Fire and EMS were attending to him. Brian and I spoke with the parents of the young man and gained some information about his state of mind. The young man was taken to the hospital. Brian and I remained on scene to see if there was anything we could do for the family.  Our prayers are for this family as they struggle with their son’s problems. Our hope is that he gets both medical and spiritual help to avoid the destructive path he is taking at the present time.

Fatal at Hole in the Ground

On February 19^th I responded to a fatal collision at the Hole in the Ground Road. A car containing two young men had driven off the roadway and rolled down an embankment killing the passenger. I gained information from the Deputies Cooper and Waltz on scene and notified the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to make notification to the parents.  Later that night while at the funeral home the grieving mother called and I spoke with her. The next day the distraught father called and I gave him some details of the crash and expressed my sorrow. I never met with the parents face to face but hope that the Spokane County Chaplain was able to comfort them over the loss of their son. The driver was arrested for vehicular homicide and taken to jail. I spoke briefly with him in the jail but was not able to talk to him about spiritual matters at that time.

New Assistant Chaplain’s First Call Out

Pastor Brian Conklin was called out on March 15, Sunday morning, for the death of a baby in Tekoa. He turned his church service over to the missionary speaker and responded to Tekoa. Brian met with and ministered to the grieving mother and relatives. It was the most difficult call a new chaplain can have but he accomplished it with professionalism and compassion. Our prayers are with the family as they seek to find some peace in their grief. Our belief is that the soul of the child is safely in the arms of the Lord.

Transport Shooter and Driver

On March 18^th I shifted into Reserve Deputy mode and assisted Deputy Reavis with transporting two prisoners accused of attempted murder from the Latah County Jail to Whitman County Jail. These two young men had been involved in an attempted murder with a firearm in Pullman. Deputy Reavis transported the shooter and I transported the driver to our jail.

A few days later the driver asked to speak with me in the jail. I found out that he is a Christian who had not been practicing his faith and fallen into some harmful habits. He told me of his beliefs and I counseled him then prayed with him. I hope that this is truly a wake-up call for this young man and that he will spend his time in jail studying God’s Word and relearn to fellowship with the Lord.

House Fire on Almota Road

A disastrous fire claimed a home on Almota Road on March 25^th. We thank the Lord no one was home when the fire started. The next morning I went to the scene and spoke with the homeowners and other family members. Ron and Jody Conrad were on scene helping clean things up. The destroyed home belonged to Jody’s parents. They were busy sorting through the burned ruins and recovering precious items. The roof had caved in so it was a total loss. I remained on scene for awhile then contacted Red Cross for assistance. I asked the family if there was anything else I could do and then cleared the scene.

I returned the next day and spoke with family members again. I know that there will be friends and family and church supporters who will look after the family as they seek to recover and rebuild. While we all have family treasures we value on earth, I am again reminded of the scripture in Matthew 6:19-21,

            “ Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth   

                and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store

up for  yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither

 moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in

or steal,  for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Missing Child Feared Drowned in Malden Creek

On March 26^th Whitcom reported a missing child that sent a shiver through my body. A two year old child, Avery, was missing in Malden and the caller feared he might be in the Pine City Creek. Sheriff Myers, Sergeant Anderson, Deputies Cox and Reavis, Wildlife Agent Weaver, and I responded to the scene. Many thoughts ran through out minds. Could it be a kidnapping? Is the child hurt and laying down somewhere? When was he last seen?  What was he wearing? How long was he missing before someone noticed? Sheriff Myers set up a command post at his vehicle and began to accumulate all the information.

The family was frantic as they reported the events leading up to the child’s disappearance and description of the child’s clothing. The Rosalia Fire and EMTs were on scene and searching the area. Search teams scoured the area in each direction. Every shed and abandoned car was searched as well as trailer homes, under pieces of plywood, in anything that could hide a two year old child. Other searchers were working the banks of the swollen muddy river from the home to the Malden Bridge.

I had a horrible feeling when a searcher found the child’s blue slipper about 500 yards downriver.  All the searchers now turned towards the river. Deputies searched the river down to the Hole in the Ground.

Sheriff Myers called in the Spokane Dive Team and they covered the river from the house to the Malden bridge. Two helicopters arrived and searched the river for the child. Private citizens arrived with canoes and searched the river. Some canoes were lashed together four abreast to perform a better search grid. Every effort humanly possible was being made to recover the child but we were at the mercy of the weather and river.

I searched with others but then began to turn my attention to the family members. I spoke with several of them and tried to answer questions based on what Sheriff Myers had told us. I talked with one of the grandfathers who stated that if the child was lost in the river he was sure that the child was in heaven with the Lord. I agreed with him and told him that the child may not be alive here on earth but he is alive, safe and warm in heaven with God the Father. I continuously prayed for someone to find the child’s body and for each of the family members. Two pastors arrived and prayed with some of the family members.

The family’s deep grief and love for the child motivated them to continue the search. Each day deputies were on scene searching the river. A couple of days later the Sheriff’s boat was launched on Rock Lake to search for the child.

Six days later blood hounds were brought in and a child’s footprint was found upriver. I walked with the family members as they showed me the path the hounds took to the footprint.  It is now day seven and Avery has not been found. A memorial service will be held at the Rosalia High School on Saturday. Someone put a wreath and teddy bear on the Malden Bridge to remind us of their love for Avery and that the search for him will continue.  

 Chaplains Involvements This Quarter

Through God’s wisdom and mercy we were involved with the following activities, cases or incidents this quarter.

Families                           Deaths and Notifications               County Jail

14 Family Assist              5 Deaths (Unattended and Fatals)  70 Bible Studies         

                                         1  Notification 

Hospital Visitations              Training                                  Meetings

13 Hospital visits               F.A.T.S firearm                 WC Hospital, LEAP,

                                          Teaching Reserve Academy     Rotary, Reserve

                                           Breath Analyzer Training        Ministerial Mtg.

                                           Less Than Lethal Training

                                           FEMA 100, 700A Training

                       Chaplain or Reserve Deputy On Scene Assists_             

2 Transports                    8 Assist Other Agencies     23 Inmates to Court  

Pullman Fire Dept.          Colfax Fire Dept.               61 hours Reserve Dep.                                             

4 Traffic Collisions         Endicott Overdose            Tekoa Attempted Suicide   

Child Search – Malden   House Fire-Almota Rd.      Fatal- Hole in Ground

Death Whitman Hosp.    Death in Colfax                  Rollover on Pullman-

                                                                                           Albion Road

Services                                        Traveler’s Fund       Community Events                                                

No funerals or weddings                  4 Assisted               Security Endicott

                                                                                            Basketball Games    

22 Grace Bible Church Services