Mile High Rev

REvrant 20.9 - Who May Be Using Whom?

Famous mega-church pastor and bestselling author, Rick Warren is holding an AIDS seminar at his church.   “Global Summit on AIDS.”  If you’ve followed his recent activities, you know he’s become a global activist for this cause and is pouring major energy and dollars into fighting the world-wide AIDS epidemic – particularly in Africa.  However, he’s landed in hot water for inviting Democratic “Rising Star” Barack Obama to be one of the guest speakers.  Obama’s views on abortion and other issues are not in sync with Warren’s, and probably, many within his Saddleback Church community.  While I have my views on the political dynamics of this move, I’ll keep them to myself.  However, I will ask a question – “Who may be using whom to possibly get what?”   What do you think?  Rick Warren defends Barack Obama invitation

 

Obama speaking at Loyola University on another occasion.

 

REVrant 20.8 - Pastor Accused of Killing Man for His Multimillion-Dollar Trust Fund

I Timothy 6:5 & 10 – “…who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.”  “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Apparently, this former pastor couldn’t resist the temptation of easy money.  And if it’s proved to be true, was even willing to resort to murdering a wealthy elderly man to get his hands on it.  The guy needs to be locked up and made a public spectacle for such a spectacular misuse of the Lord’s name and his position of trust.  You won’t believe what you read at this link —> Former California Pastor Accused of Killing Man for His Multimillion-Dollar Trust Fund 

Howard Douglas Porter

REView - The New Atheism?

WIRED Magazine for November 2006 has a cover story titled, The New Atheism.  I’ve quoted from it during two sermons recently.  The article is highly informative regarding the “new” atheist agenda.  Additionally, it profiles the heroes of the anti-faith movement, including Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris.  I’ve linked you to Albert Mohler’s review of the article.  It’s a very helpful summary for those who don’t have the time or inclination to read the article.  The New Atheism?  This is very important cultural data for serious-minded Christians.

REVrant 20.7 - Denver Snow Management

I spent the first 33 years of my life living in the cold and wintry State of Michigan, with the exception of two years in Florida where my Dad pastored a church.  Snowy roads, icy patches, whiteouts, and blizzard conditions were the norm for us.  I learned to drive in those snowy conditions, and this was before half the world was driving four wheel drive vehicles. 

While I was driving to a meeting at the church tonight, I remembered those early days of driving in snow.  The roads tonight were snowy, icy,and slippery.  I saw a dozen spin-outs, several cars in the ditch, and inched along down icy C-470.  A drive that normally takes 17 minutes took an hour.

What I didn’t see was one of these –

— a snowplow.

Denver still doesn’t seem to know how to handle snowstorms.  We’ve lived here since 1983, and honestly, I bemoan the fact nearly every winter.  It just doesn’t seem that “snow management” is a high value in our city.  They talk about being prepared and aggressively attacking the roads, but all I can think of is the preponderance of snowplows I saw in Michigan every time it snowed - and how few I see in Denver!  The roads in front of our house in Michigan would always get plowed…and we lived back in a subdivision off main roads.  In all our time in Denver, I can count on the fingers of one hand the time our street has been plowed.  No wonder there are so many fender benders and accident alerts whenever it snows.  They just don’t have an effective approach to snow removal.

That said…I have to admit that snow in Colorado does provide some glorious possibilities that didn’t occur in flat old Michigan -

Skiing on real mountains!

REVealed - Women talk three times as much as men

Since I’m a man, enough said.  Women talk three times as much as men

One more thing…the apparent differences between males and females is once again verified by research.    “Inherent differences” in our brains, apparently!

I’ll keep this one brief.

REVealing - New Bronco Quarterback

It's official.  Jay Cutler is in.  Jake Plummer is out.  If this means the Broncos win some games - I think Jake will be pleased, though disheartened that it couldn't be under his leadership.  Jay seems very nervous.  No surprise.  The pressure has to be crushing.  How he handles it may determine the outcome of his debut at Invesco Field.  The Sunday game with Seattle is going to be verrrrry interesting. 

REVved - 16 People Headed in a New Direction

As the FBC family well knows, each year at this time, I devote my preaching themes to concentration on Jesus and the Gospel.  Additionally, I make a concerted effort not only to present the Gospel, but to invite people to respond at the end of the sermon to say, "Yes, I want to put my faith in Jesus today."  As I was growing up, we called this "the invitation."   In my childhood church, Dad would invite people to "walk the aisle" and come to the front to indicate that they wanted to receive Jesus.    At FBC, I've taken a different approach.  I ask people to raise their hand.  After I determine how many have responded, then I lead them publicly in a "prayer of faith."  It's not a formula, it's simply a suggested way for them to pray in order to put their trust in Christ.

This past weekend, I preached on the Virgin Birth: Necessary or Legendary? from Luke 1:26-38.  I presented the Gospel as clearly as I could, and when I reached the end of the services, I extended a public invitation for people to raise their hands to indicate they were ready to say yes.  On Saturday night there were 6 people, and on Sunday, 10 more.  It was overwhelming and deeply encouraging.  The Holy Spirit drew these 16 people to Jesus, and I had the incredible privilege of being the one to draw in the net.  Several of those who responded were in tears.  At the end, I encouraged them to do two more things: 1) Tell someone else what they had done, and 2) Let us know of their decision so we could provide them with some assistance as they grow in their faith.  By the end of the morning, I was in tears, rejoicing over the transformed lives and the hope that God is still saving people through the power of the Gospel.

Luke 15:10 - "I tell you there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."  There was a whole lot of rejoicing at FBC yesterday!  16 people are now headed in a new direction.

REVered - Hymn History - Now Thank We All Our God

Martin Rinkart was a Lutheran pastor during an indescribably tortuous period in Saxony in 1636.  The walled city of Eilenburg was surrounded by the Swedish Army, and as conditions deteriorated, pastors were being called upon to do dozens of funerals a day.  Finally, Rinkart was the only pastor left, and was conducting 50 funerals a day.  Desperate to see an end to this awful carnage, Rinkart risked his life to appeal to the Swedish commander.  The commander was moved by Rinkart’s faith and lowered his demands.  A short time later, when the 30 year war ended, Rinkart wrote –  Now Thank We All Our God

I’d never heard this story until I read it on the linked website.  Read about it there. (Turn the sound up.)  Then listen with new appreciation to this incredible hymn of thanks.  Thank God for Martin Rinkart.

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, Whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

REVolting - 57 Year Old Suicide Bomber's Family Is Very Proud

Inexplicable.  You know how the President keeps saying, “We need to understand the enemy we’re fighting?”  Well, here’s a prime example.  How do you explain a 57 year old grandmother with 9 children and 30 grandchildren strapping an explosive device to herself and blowing herself up as a “sacrifice to God?”  And…how do you explain her family saying they are “proud of her?”  And how do you explain her dedicating this heinous act to Allah and her homeland?  Like I said.  Inexplicable.  This is the nature of the terrorist enemy.  Woman suicide bomber's family: We're very proud

REVealing - Musings On the Bronco Loss

1. Like I promised, I taped it, and watched the whole game later tonight in less than 45 minutes, thanks to fast forward.

2. Winning at Arrowhead is a Bronco rarity.

3. 19–10 isn’t a blow-out.

4. Jake Plummer is a decent human being.

5. I’ve jumped on the “start Jay Cutler on December 3” bandwagon.

DenverPost.com - Chiefs down Broncos 19-10