Why I Love Harvest University

This week, a few of my favorite people from Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North went with me to Harvest U 2012. It was so good… so God-glorifying, Christ-exalting, ministry equipping - I still haven’t had time to process it all. It was so refreshing for my spirit and mind! And everyone else who went would say the same. It was a time of intense joy.

What’s so great about it? I am still playing catch-up for the week, but quickly, here are a few of my favorite aspects of HU:

Worship

Revelation describes worship in heaven: And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:9-10, emphasis mine)

Are you excited for that? Harvest U gives us just a taste, a glorious taste, of that as Harvest Bible Chapels from all over the world assemble to give praise to the King of Kings!

So I love the preview of what is awaiting us eternally!

Connecting

I have been blessed to make friendships with Harvest Pastors and Staff from Chicago and all over the world. Harvest U is a great time to catch up with everybody and boast in the Lord at what He is doing.

Time with my people

The highlight of the trip didn’t come from Chicago. It actually came from Pittsburgh with me! To have four days of just being with our own people from HBC Pittsburgh North - worshiping, praying, learning, planning, talking, laughing, eating - I enjoyed every second I was blessed to spend with these people I love so much. And this only served to deepen my love for them. (PS If you didn‘t go this year, you gotta go next year!)

p.s. - would totally do it all over again next week

Bringing back an old-school word...

Proverbs 1:1-4: The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth--

God’s Word is so amazing. It gives us wisdom and discipline. It helps us to understand the ways of God. It gives us instruction on dealing properly with people.

To sum it up, Proverbs 1:4 uses a word we don't use much anymore: Prudence.

What is Prudence?

Prudence is doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, for the right purpose.

First, it’s doing the right thing. We all have choices every day. Prudence says I am going to, by the grace of God, choose to do the right thing. I am not going to entertain sinful, or even unprofitable, ideas. I am not going to hope I make a good decision. I am making it now. I am making a choice ahead of time. I am going to do the right thing.

But it is also doing the right thing in the right way. You know you can do the right thing but in the wrong way, right? Showing your boss that you are concerned for her is a right thing. Showing it by taking her on a date, wrong way. It’s using discretion: I know what I need to do, what is the wisest way to go about it?

Prudence is even more thorough. It is doing the right thing in the right way at the right time. It has taken me a while to learn this (almost 37 years): but timing is everything. When I have to have a hard conversation, I try to do it ASAP. Not always a good plan. I am not discounting urgency, but I have learned that sometimes it is wiser to wait until a better time to say something hard.

And finally, prudence means doing the right thing in the right way at the right time for the right purpose. What is my purpose? Proverbs 20:5 reminds us a motivation check is always in order. Why am I doing this? To exalt myself? To prove am I right? To put this person in his place? To appear more spiritual than I am? Is this really for the Lord?

In other words, in every choice you have to make, examine:

WHAT is the right thing?

HOW should I go about doing the right thing?

WHEN should I get on this?

WHY am I doing this?

p.s. - this is the proverbial truth. literally

Want to Hear a Joke That Will Both Make You Laugh and Make You Think?

We just finished going through Genesis 3 over the last two weeks, examining how sin came into the world.

One tree, one law, one temptation, one transgression.

Doubt, deny, disobey God’s Word.

Run from God, hide in shame.

Then, when we stand guilty, it’s time to blame blame blame everyone else we know. That’s what Adam did. At this point in history, he only knew 2 others: Eve and God. And he blamed them both for his sin. In Genesis 3:12, Adam said, “it was the woman… whom YOU gave to be with me…” (emphasis mine). Things were fine here, why did you put her here? It’s all her fault, and, well… you put her here. Just sayin’.

This got me thinking of one of my favorite jokes. And you need to think about it, too.

An elderly man is out driving, and his wife was at home watching the news. She called his cell phone and said, “Be careful out there. I know you said you were taking Route 79 home today, and they are showing on the news that this maniac is driving the wrong way on Route 79!”

The man screamed back, “What are you talking about?! There are dozens of people going the wrong way!”

The point is obvious: sometimes everyone else isn’t the problem. Sometimes you are the problem. 

p.s. - is often the problem

Baptism - What's Trending in Scripture?

This Sunday, we will be discussing baptism. This subject sees a wide spectrum of beliefs, everything from “baptizing babies brings them into the covenant family” to “unless you are baptized you are going to hell“.

As always, we are just going to the Bible for answers. With all due respect to theologians and “church fathers”, their creeds and beliefs are not absolute authority - only the Word of God is.

As a preview, an appetizer, food for thought… get your Bible and check out these passages in Acts. The church came into being in Acts 2, and the book records accounts of people being baptized throughout the rest of its chapters. See if you notice any patterns or recurring themes…

Acts 2:37-41 -

The promised Holy Spirit came down and Peter preaches at Pentecost! Those who believed were baptized, the text seems to indicate it was immediate (v41). 

Acts 8:12 - 

Philip preached, the men and women believed, and they were immediately baptized. 

Acts 8:26-39 -

Philip shares the Good News of Jesus Christ with an Ethiopian Eunuch, and upon belief, he is immediately baptized (v36).

Acts 9:1-19 -

Saul, persecuting the church, encounters Jesus Christ and is blinded for 3 days. God sent Ananias to Saul, who then was filled with Holy Spirit. He regained sight and was baptized immediately (v18).

Acts 10:44-48 -

Peter learns (v34) God shows no partiality - Gentiles included! Cornelius and company listen to Peter preach (v44). They believe and the Holy Spirit came upon them. Then they were, you guessed it, baptized immediately (v47-48).

Acts 16:11-15 -

Paul was preaching at a ladies fellowship (v13), they received the Word and were baptized immediately (v14-15). Then in verses 25-34, Paul and Silas are in prison and having a worship service! An earthquake brought a jailhouse rock. When the jailer is about to commit suicide, Paul stops him, preaches the Word to him, and he is baptized immediately (v32-33).

Acts 18:-1-8 -

Paul is in Corinth, and facing rejection at the synagogue from the Jews. He shook his garments and walked next door and preached to some Corinthians who believed and were baptized immediately (v8).

Did you see the pattern?

The Word preached, person believes, person receives Christ, person immediately responds by being baptized.

Have you been baptized?

Harvest Bible Chapel will be joining North Way (Wexford campus) in a worship / baptism service on Wednesday evening, March 21 at 7:00. Honor the Lord by making this profession of faith! 

p.s. - Need more info about baptism? Come Sunday and hear all about it.