Mile High Rev

REVved - Happy New Year's Eve 2006

It's New Year's Eve 2006.  We went to church in Battle Creek, Michigan this morning (Battle Creek is the home of Kellogg cereals) at a GARB Baptist Church - GARB = General Association of Regular Baptists.  Jan and I both grew up in GARB circles and the college and seminary I attended are GARB.  (I'll spare you the details, but the GARB is extremely conservative theologically, church today reminded me of those years.)  We enjoyed going to church and sharing the Lord's Table with Jan's parents, her sister and husband, and our niece, Julie.  After a delightful meal at Red Lobster, we drove back home in the driving rain, 44 degrees - a soggy gray holiday.  But, of course, being with family makes it a very special day. 

I want to blog about the events of yesterday - Saddam's hanging and Gerald Ford's placement in the capitol rotunda, but perhaps I'll do that while at the airport tomorrow.  What a stark contrast between dishonor and honor!  More to come...

Enjoy your final hours of 2006...2007 is just around the corner.

REVved - Christmas IS the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year"

We've done a lot of living in the past 48 hours.  Sunday - Christmas Eve 2006 - started with wake-up call at 6:30 am.  Jan and I got ready and left the house by 8:00 am.  Our neighborhood is like many in Denver...very little snow plowing has produced rutted and icy roads.  But...we made it our of the neighborhood with our 4 wheel drive Explorer and headed to church.  Service #1 - 8:45 - Energetic crowd, full auditorium, incredible attentiveness, and 5 people received Christ as Savior.  Service #2- 10:45 - Another energetic crowd, full auditorium, energy unlike any Sunday in recent memory, and 11 people received Christ.  BREAK for lunch with dear friends.  Quick stop at Starbucks for Soy Chai Lattes, no water.  Back to church.  Service #3 - 4:00 pm - Standing room only, to my surprise.  I thought the Bronco game would affect the attendance, but the room was full, as was the choir loft and some additional seating.  15 people receive Christ as Savior.  High energy and the Spirit was on the move.  I felt a strong sense of His presence.  Service #4 - 6:00 pm - By this time, it was snowing heavily and travel was treacherous, but we still managed a mostly full auditorium and 9 people received Christ.  By my count, that's 40 people who made an indication of their desire to receive Christ as Savior.  That's what made yesterday "the most wonderful time of the year!"  We made an effort to follow up with the people who responded by offering a packet of material including The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel.  I know that not everyone stopped to pick up the packet, but I am confident that those whom God has saved will be strengthened and will grow in their faith. 

We arrived home around 8:30 pm and had a bowl of chicken noodle soup and some crackers and reveled in the afterglow of so many who received Christ.  Then, believe it or not, we packed for our trip to Michigan today.  After pulling together several loose ends, we landed in bed between midnight and 1:00 am...exhausted, and blessed.

This morning, it was a 6:00 am wake-up call, quick showers and packing the car for our trek to DIA.  We were apprehensive about traveling in light of the backlog of passengers in the aftermath of our storm. But, it was really a very smooth trip.  Parking was fine.  We got exit row seating - Amen!  We slept for most of the flight.  We arrived in Detroit around 4:30 and were on the road to Jan's parent's home by around 5:30, after claiming luggage and renting a car from Hertz.  Interestingly, it was raining cats and dogs for most of our hour and a half driving trip.  It's not a white Christmas here...it's a wet, cold, and soggy one.

So...in 48 hours, we've ministered to over 3000 people, seen 40 respond to receive Christ, slept about 5 hours, flew 1200 miles, drove 95 miles in the rain, ate a half dozen date pinwheel cookies, and connected with 2 very dear people - Jan's Mom and Dad.  A lot of living for two 50-somethings like us.  But God has been good and sustained  and protected us every step of the way.  (We saw two car accidents within one minute on the way to DIA this morning due to icy roads.)

Merry Christmas!  Rejoice with us in the good news that Jesus is born.  He is still drawing people to faith in Him!  What could be better than that?

Star of Bethlehem - Christ the Savior is Born

REVealing - DIA is Open, But What About Those Backlogged Passengers?

Most of you have been following this dire situation in the Denver airport.  Some of those poor back-logged passengers have been there since Thursday.  And they still don’t have the promise of a flight out.  Interestingly, Mrs. REV and I are booked to fly out to Detroit on Christmas morning to see her family in Michigan.  But will we make it?  After looking at those security lines and contemplating the plight of so many who are still waiting there, I’m not sure.  We’ll be fine, one way or another…but my heart goes out to all those people who have been trapped in airline limbo for days.  So much for a “nice relaxing flight out on Christmas morning when nobody flies…” (<—That was my line to Mrs. REV when we booked the flight for Christmas morning.)  Denver airport reopens with a long backlog - CNN.com  On a lighter note, at least we have a white Christmas!

REVered - Walking With Friends Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

For a significant portion of today, Jan and I once again had the honor of walking through “the valley of the shadow of death” with some dear friends from our church.  We held a Memorial Service at the church this morning at 10:00 am.  Much to our delight – and despite the snowy aftermath of the powerful snowstorm that shut down Denver for two days – we were joined by hundreds of friends and church family members who came to offer support to the grieving Dad, Mother, Brother, and the rest of their family.  Out of respect for the family’s privacy I won’t publicly blog any of the specifics.  However, I do have some observations and musings from our experience today:  1) It is so good to see the family of God surrounding other family members at a time when they really need it….the Bible tells us to “mourn with those who mourn” because it helps!  2) The death of a child (no matter the age of the son or daughter) creates a hole in the heart of a parent that never heals.  3) Grieving is exhausting physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  4)  Watching church members prepare and serve food, navigate a partially plowed parking lot, shed tears with grieving friends, give and receive hugs of affirmation, sing historic hymns of the faith, and show up for a memorial service three days before Christmas brought tears to my eyes - there are many good and kind people in the world.  5) The deepest comfort any of God’s children ever receive comes directly from Him – by the Spirit and the Word.  6) As you gather with family (for those of you who are…) during the Christmas holiday season, take advantage of the opportunity to express your love and appreciation while you can – some day, it will be too late.

REVrant 21.11 - Religious Intolerance - Only for Jesus

State officials in Olympia, Washington need to look up the meaning of the word Christmas, and they also need a course in religious freedom/tolerance – a basic principle upon which our nation was founded.  Get this.  They are fine with a Jewish menorah at the capitol, but feel that a nativity scene would “carry a stronger impression of government endorsement of religion.”  And…lawyers for the state “felt there was insufficient time to fully research the issue.”  These are adults who are being paid to serve the best interests of the state of Washington.  Is this the way it’s done?  By the way, these are the same people responsible for the recent “Christmas trees in the airport”– controversy.  As in so many situations in our culture recently, all other religions benefit from hyper-tolerance, while Christianity is kicked over to the curb.  It isn’t fair, logical, or consistent.  Makes you wonder why Christianity is being singled out in this way, doesn’t it?  Officials fine with menorah, balk on birth of Jesus - CNN.com

In Washington State this Christmas…

OK…

NOT OK…

 

BLIZZARD 2006

Meterologists said it was coming.  It did.  They are calling it the “Holiday Blizzard of 2006.”  The snow started falling late last night and it has not stopped all day long.  All interstate roads in and out of Colorado are closed.  The airport is closed and all flights are cancelled.  U.S. Postal Service is closed.  RTD is not operating.  Schools are closed.  Malls are closed.  The Denver Nuggets game was cancelled.  Pretty much everything is closed.  The National Guard has been mobilized by Governor Owens.  They are rescuing stranded motorists.  Motorists are restricted from the roads and abandoned vehicles are everywhere…including right within our own subdivision.  Highway 93, which provides the main arterial access to our neighborhood, is closed.  So we’re stranded, but thankfully, in our safe and warm home.  I just saw on the news that Golden is reporting 19 inches of snow…we easily have that much in our front yard…so far.

We spent the day inside.  I cooked a brunch from my new Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.  Made sugar cookies.  Wrote some thank you notes.  Organized my office.  Got some  studying done.  Loaded some CD’s on my Ipod.  Did absolutely no shoveling, since there is so much blowing and snowing that I’m going to wait until the snow stops.  It could take a while to get out of here. 

   

  

Here’s a series of shots out of several of our windows earlier today.  It’s a blizzard, no doubt.  We will definitely be having a “White Christmas!”

REVrant 21.10 - Another New Life Pastor is Gone Over 'Sexual Misconduct'

This is a quite a development, given the shocking revelation New Life Church endured about Ted Haggard, six weeks ago.  Pastor at Haggard's Church Resigns Over 'Sexual Misconduct'   The pastoral body count continues in Colorado, 1) Ted Haggard, 2) Don Ryan, 3) Paul Barnes, and now, 4) Christopher Beard.  God seems to be cleansing these churches and exposing the darkness that has been hidden for many years.  Incredibly, there are some in the Christian community who are suggesting that sexual misconduct like this is the fault of churches who are “lacking in grace.”   (They say things like - “If churches were more grace-oriented, then these pastors wouldn’t have been forced to hide their private lives and struggles…”)  I object.  Could it be the fault of pastors who are lacking in character?  Remember, they not only committed the sexual sins, but they broke their marriage vows, lied to their families and spouses, betrayed congregational trust, and in the case of two of the four, planted churches well-aware of their personal sexual struggles, but consciously choosing to hide it knowing full-well that the people they were recruiting to join them would not condone this behavior.  That’s lack of character…not lack of grace.  To his credit, Christopher Beard finally admitted it and stepped down.  I hope he gets the help he needs, and that his marriage is rebuilt now that the truth is out.   1) Pray for New Life Church , Greenwood Community Church, and Grace Chapel – 3 churches reeling from shocking revelations about their pastors.  2) Pray for the victims - those abused or misused by these pastors.  3) Pray for these former pastors who need God’s mercy and pardon…and pray for their families, who will never be the same.

REVved - That's Not A Christmas Carol!

So there we were enjoying a bison burger and fries at Ted’s Montana Grill, munching, chatting, and vaguely aware that Christmas music was playing in the background.  Then all of a sudden Mrs. REV and I looked at each other in disbelief.  Coming directly from the speaker overhead we heard: 

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Apparently, the album they had in their collection of Christmas music included a theologically powerful hymn in the mix!  I can’t imagine anyone expected it to be there.  We couldn’t believe it.  There, in a restaurant chain founded by a guy who says, “Christianity is a religion for losers…” we heard one of the most powerful and popular hymns of the faith!  I kept waiting for someone to stop it.  But it never stopped.  God gets His Word and His message wherever He wants it!

REView - Broncos on Tape

As promised, I taped the Bronco game today.  Two reasons.  1) This afternoon Jan and I met with a family to plan a memorial service for later this week <– things like this quickly put football into perspective.  2) I cannot bear to watch these games live over a 3 hour time period.  Too much stress.

So, I had fun tonight, fast-forwarding and watching the game in less than an hour - and discovering that the Broncos won 37–20.  I’m not euphoric, just relieved that the boys reversed their losing trend.  Seriously, these games are much better on tape.

REvved - 12 New Believers

During this weekend at FBC, I preached a sermon from Luke 2:8–20, titled, “Christmas in Your Heart.”  Two points of application – 1) For Christians – if you have Christmas/Jesus “in your heart,” won’t you be telling others about about it – like the shepherds?  2) For non-Christians – isn’t it time for you to “believe in your heart” that Jesus is the Savior of the world…and to put your faith in Him?  (Obviously, there was much more to the sermon, but that’s the gist of it.  And…see Romans 10:9–10 if you have a problem with my use of the phrase, “Believe in your heart!”)  12 non-Christians indicated that they wanted to receive Jesus as Savior by raising their hands – and by praying a prayer of faith with me.  On the basis of the teaching of the Word of God, I believe that those 12 people became “new creatures in Christ Jesus” this weekend!  Yahoo!  That’s what I’m talking about.