A Life and Death Decision

Jesus Christ does not turn bad people into good people, He turns dead people into alive people.

The Bible tells us we are dead in our sin (Ephesians 2:1). Not just wrong in our sin, not just evil in our sin…dead. Our problem is so much deeper than being people who make mistakes. We are spiritually dead and separated from God. And leaving the earth in that state puts us in a place of being eternally separated from God.

The Bible uses other words to describe our condition.

Not only are we dead, we are weak, or helpless (Isaiah 64:6). We can’t even do anything about our condition. No doctor, no medicine, no surgery, no seminar, no religious activity can fix it. This flies in the face of everything we want to believe. We want to think that we have the ability to fix ourselves. Dead people can’t fix anything.

We are also ungodly, or lawbreakers (1 John 3:4). This is bigger than jaywalking or littering. This is violating the holy standard of a Holy God! “I am not that bad! I know people much worse than me.” God isn’t comparing you to them. He compares you to His standard, which is holy perfection.

We are also, by nature, God’s enemy (Romans 8:7). Let that one sink in! I wouldn’t want my neighbor to be my enemy, he could do some harm. I wouldn’t want a Navy Seal to be my enemy, he could do even more harm! But the Almighty God of the universe…! That is the last thing I would want, but by nature, we are enemies of God!

And this is what makes the Gospel of Jesus Christ so glorious. Through Jesus Christ and Him alone, God turned all this around.

Read Romans 5:6-11, notice I highlighted the words I just mentioned, and I also highlighted what we have become through Christ.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

We were helpless, but God provided the power in Christ, and in Him we are strong (Colossians 1:11).

We were sinners, but God provided the substitute in Christ, and in Him we are righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We were God’s enemy, but He provided restoration in Christ, and in Him we are friends of God (James 2:23).

We were dead, but God provided life through Christ (Romans 6:5).

What side of the cross are you on? Have you cried out to God for the restoration that He offers freely through Christ, believing in what Jesus accomplished through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead?

Do you want to remain a dead, helpless, sinning enemy of God, or become an alive, strong, righteous friend of God?

A choice must be made. It is literally a matter of life and death.

God Has a Goal for You

You have some goals for your life?

I always have. I had some personal goals in my life as a young man, and being a pastor was never one of them. But when I came to Christ at age 20, my goals all died. My singular goal became to tell everyone about the awesome grace of God, out of gratitude for what He has done through Christ. But that is not even God’s ultimate goal for me.

Then when we had children, we had some goals for them! I thought my kids were going to play for the Steelers, Penguins, and/or Pirates, while becoming the greatest evangelists in history. But that is not even God’s ultimate goal for them. I don’t even know if God is a Penguins fan, but I know He isn’t a Flyers fan. (Just kidding, my Philadelphia brothers!)

What are your goals? Land the dream job? Have the perfect house and the perfect average 2.5 kids, with the perfect dog? Is it just living a happy and quiet life? All good things, but that’s not even God’s ultimate goal for you.

God has a goal for you. And it may not be exactly what you think it is.

God has made it clear in His Word what His goal is for every follower of Christ. Romans 8:29 says, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

This is known as sanctification. When Christ is living in you, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, He is changing you. Just as a baby, new physical life, grows and matures, the believer, new spiritual life, grows and matures. 

But it's not a process of "getting more of Christ". We are made perfect in Him. It is discovering who we are in Him, and as a result, we get less of us!

It is as if you come to God as a hunk of marble, and He lovingly takes out His hammer and chisel and is chipping off every part of you that does not look like His Son. The image is already in there, but the Lord loves us too much to let us remain as we were when He found us!

This process can be painful, and sometimes it is during the most painful circumstances of life that God is doing the most work in us.

Whatever you are going through today, God has a goal, a purpose. Sometimes we want to throw our hands up and say, ”Why?!” The answer is always the same. God is working on you to make you the person he wants you to be - conformed into the image of His Son. That’s why the previous verse (Romans 8:28) says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

It’s all going to be good, because His purpose is glorious: to be conformed into the image of His Son!

p.s. - Getting “chiseled” isn’t about an abdominal exercise program.

Your Days are Numbered, So Wise Up!

My wife is a genius when it comes to the study and understanding of health issues. From vitamins to nutrition to toxins to just about everything, she is on it. A couple of weeks ago we were discussing the matter. We were discussing a certain toxin that many people unknowingly consume (I can‘t remember what it is right now, hope I am not eating it!), when she said, “That is something that increases your chance of death.” My response was, “No it won‘t. I am guaranteed to die someday. My chances are 100%.”

Frankly, I am surprised I am not dead already with smart answers like that.

But the sad truth is: we are all going to die. Hebrews 9:27 says: “…it is appointed for man to die once…” I have skipped eye doctor appointments, rescheduled lunch appointments, and missed vet appointments for my dog. But this appointment, I will not be able to avoid. The death rate is still one per customer. I am not making light of it - this is reality.

And the reality really sinks in when it is someone we know and love. Right now I have 3 very dear friends who have loved ones with failing health. And unless the Lord intervenes with a miracle, death looks to be coming soon.

“Thanks for the grim news, Pastor Jeff. We are all gonna die.” It’s not news. It is a reality we must remind ourselves. That’s why Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 7:2 “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.”

Strange verse at first glace, right? I would rather go to a party than a funeral. But Solomon says it is better to go to a funeral than a party! Why? Because we are all heading towards our own death, and a funeral has a way of making the funeral attendees stop and think about their lives.

What am I living for? How am I spending my life? Why am I here? What happens when I die? These are all questions we should be “laying to the heart” in the face of death.

Death is not only coming, but it is coming quick for all of us. The Bible tells us our lives are like perishing beasts (Psalm 49:12), a passing wind (Psalm 78:39), dust (Psalm 103:14), a fading leaf (Isaiah 64:6), and a vapor (James 4:14).

Because of the brevity of life, in Psalm 90:12, Moses prays, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

How can we “number our days“? Let’s do a little exercise together.

Two verses prior, Moses says, “ The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty...” So taking Moses’ average, we get 75 years.

So if you are 15 years old that means you have 21,900 days until you turn 75. Use the handy chart below to calculate the number of your days!

Age     Days of Life Left

25         18,250

35         14,600

45         10,950

55         7,300

65         3,650

75         0

OVER 75 - you are on borrowed time

On second thought, I don’t think that is what Moses meant by numbering our days. He is not asking that God helps us calculate when we may die. He is asking God to help us always keep the brevity of life in mind as we meditate on how we are living our lives.

We keep a checkbook to track how we spend our money. Here’s an assignment for you: keep a checkbook of how you spend your time. Take a calendar or day planner, and instead of using it just for appointments, write down what you actually did do. This lets you objectively look at how well you are spending your time… and if you are presenting a heart of wisdom before the Lord. You may be surprised at how much you do some things and how little you actually do others. I have done this assignment before, and it is surprising! I think it is about time to do it again. 

p.s. - Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Harvest University 2011...

What can be said but “Wow!”?

Two and a half days of passionate worship (led by Micah Klutinoty on Tuesday), bold preaching, excellent ministry training, and warm fellowship. Could have stood to be there a couple more days, but we got work to do here!

A few years ago at the very first Harvest U, they had 38 people attend. This year saw almost 1600 people, from all over the world! Is the Lord moving through Harvest? You can do the math on that one.

Part of the festivities was the Graduation Ceremony for the class of 2011. Call me biased, but I was blessed to be a part of the best class ever. I may get arguments from previous classes, and someday from future classes, but I won’t hear it. In my class, I met 6 future legends.

Steve Deedrick is planting a Harvest Bible Chapel in Rochester, Minnesota. Formerly working at Harvest Naperville, Steve is a Harvest guy, through and through.

Frans Alberts was sent to Perth, Australia, to plant. He is one of the warmest Pastors I have ever met. He has a tough assignment, which is probably why he was sent there in the first place.

Josh Knipp is planting in Bloomington, Indiana. An intellectual and a NANC guy, Josh is the ultimate encourager.

Matt Townsend was sent to Philadelphia. Though I thought that might destroy our friendship (it‘s a hockey thing), I can’t see anything ever doing that. His enthusiasm is contagious.

Aaron Dogotch is in the Knoxville, Tennessee area now. The man is a genius - a Biblical genius and a comedic genius. The only thing I don’t like about him is that after I spend time with him, my face hurts from laughing so hard.

And Daryl Molyneaux is planting in Niagara Falls, Canada. Not actually in the falls, though that would be cool. Which Daryl is in spades: cool. I just love the guy. When I grow up, I want to be like Daryl. Don’t tell him. He needs to stay humble. 

It was so great to hear how the Lord is working in each plant! Here comes my bias again, but I still think I have the best Core Group in the history of Harvest Bible Fellowship. Let's keep these other planting Pastors in our prayers. 

It was great to catch up with those who poured into me during my training, see those amazing people from Joliet, and make many new relationships.

I am so blessed to be a part of such a Christ exalting, passionate ministry. And those of you who have committed to planting Harvest Pittsburgh, you should feel it, too! To God be the glory!

p.s. - made it through the Harvest Training Center with only a few scars and a slight lime