The Sermon that Took 20 Years to Prepare

Twenty years. Two decades. It represents half of my life. The first half and the second as different as night and day, hot and cold... dead and alive.

When I came to Christ in 1995, I was 20 years old. A stranger led me to Christ. Not a pastor. Not sitting in church. Just a stranger who loved the Lord and shared the Gospel with me.

I don’t know why this “half my life” thing is hitting me so hard, but it is. Maybe it is because of how radically I was changed way back then. Maybe it is because I was expecting to be more mature at this point.

So to commemorate 20 years of walking with Christ, here are 20 things I’ve learned in the last 2 decades being born again. Have I mastered these? No. I’ve learned some things along the way that Christ continues to work on in me. This is in random order.

1. The more I learn, the more I see how much I don’t know. God’s Word is amazing. It’s only “one book," but the more I study this “one book” the more profound it becomes.

2. God calls people that I wouldn’t have picked. Looking at the several billion people on earth in 1995, I should have been the LAST person the Lord called to follow Him.

3. God is faithful even when I am not. I have blown it. I have failed. I have let people down. God is very much opposite of that. Always.

4. People matter. I spent a long time running on “the mission matters, the mission matters”. It does. But it only matters when people matter. And I have wrongly avoided loving people at times because I thought I was doing the mission.

5. Taking care of home must come before taking care of church. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 is pretty clear on that. I’m starting to get it.

6. I have needed to forgive much. But I have needed to be forgiven more. I have managed to fail in my relationships with just about everyone. I have been shown much grace. I wish I could reflect the same.

7. I tend to over-promise and under-deliver. I don’t know 20 things. I’m still learning, though.

BUT this Sunday, I WILL share something very personal I have learned along the way – some things I wish someone had told me 20 years ago. It’s all about the trials of life. Stuff every Christian needs to know... sooner is much better than later. And it’s all in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5. Please join us.

p.s. - here’s to learning 7 more things in the next 20 years!

Five Words for Dads...

3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,

but every fool will be quarreling.

4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;

he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,

but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,

but a faithful man who can find?

7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—

blessed are his children after him!

-Proverbs 20:3-7

One of the greatest influences a child will have is his/her father. A child should get his first glimpse of what God is like by looking at his/her dad! Grace, truth, discipline, mercy, compassion, unconditional love – all of these things found in Christ and modeled by dad. And if you are a guy reading this thinking, “I have never had children”, well, this still applies – because I am certain that someone (a nephew, coworker, neighbor) considers you a father-figure/big brother type role model.

So with Father’s Day approaching, I’d like to give a word of encouragement to Dads. Actually, 5 words, all from the verses above. Here they are:

A Good Dad Should Strive to Be:

1) Patient. (v3) Some guys are always looking for a fight. Ever notice that? At work, on the ball field, in traffic – never overlooking an offense (Proverbs 19:11), but instead having a temper that goes from zero to sixty at the slightest hint of a perceived infraction. Fools quarrel. A man of honor stays away from it. Model this.

2) Working. (v4) That is: working hard. That is: working hard on all fronts.Laziness makes a father passive. One of the causes of troubled children is a passive father. Don’t forget: the sowing and reaping thing is a universal principle. If you aren’t sowing into your kids now, you won’t be reaping later – instead you may have children detached from their dad.

A good dad works hard, but does not work always. He manages his time well so he can spend some quality time with his family. Model this.

3) Thoughtful. (v5) What are the motives of your heart? A man of understanding will draw them out, like a well. Why do I do the things I do, say the things I say? We are not animals, just running around reacting to stimuli (though many men seem to act like this). Dads should be thoughtful and deliberate, obvious in word and deed. Model this.

4) Faithful. (v6) A rare commodity - rapidly becoming more and more scarce: steadfast love. Loyalty and trustworthiness are rare these day. Many a man claim to have it, as the Proverb observes, but we don’t see it in the practical sense. We don’t see men put their money where their mouths are when it comes to following through on a commitment. Whether it is a commitment to wife, commitment to kids, commitment to neighbors, commitment to extended family, commitment to church... bailing in favor of my personal preferences/priorities has become less shameful in our eyes. I know I promised, but I’m tired. I made a commitment, but I’m just too burnt out to keep it. The Proverb writer stands with us asking “Who can find a faithful man?” Let it be you. Model this.

5) Righteous. (v7) Living a blameless life. A life of integrity. I speak at home the same way I do at church. I am in private who I am in public. This man doesn’t tell his children, “Do as I say, not as I do”. This man has integrity and walks in it – and his children watch this life of integrity on display and it blesses them. Model this.

Happy Father’s Day! You are loved!
p.s. - not prepared to be a father but realized 10 years too late

Let's Go To Jail Together!

Why Prison Ministry?

My Friday nights are usually not glamorous by the world's standards.  Many of my weekends begin by finishing up at work, going home for dinner, and then heading to the Butler County Prison to share the gospel with the inmates.  Why would someone who has a million things to do spend time at the jail, especially on a Friday night? 

There are really only two reasons: 

1) People need Jesus.

Convincing a prisoner that he is a sinner is usually not a hard sell.  Most of them know that they have done wrong.  They have broken the law.  They admit that they've committed some horrible crimes.  They've wasted their lives in various sinful addictions.  In some cases, they've ruined the lives of other people.  They've experienced great hurt and brokenness in relationships.  Their lives have been shattered by the effects of their own sin. Many of the men aren't even sure if anyone loves them or cares about them anymore. 

There are obviously occasions when some inmates come to the Bible study for the wrong reasons. But often times there are guys there who understand that they are broken and they want to be fixed.  They are lonely. They are confused.   They want answers and they aren't sure where to turn.  They've heard advice from so many different groups - 'This Anonymous' and 'That Anonymous'.  Ten steps to 'this' and twelve steps to 'that'.  While some of these groups may provide some help to the prisoners, what they really are missing is the life-changing power that is only found in Jesus Christ Himself.   

In their own words, what the prisoners really want is to be delivered from the things that cause them such anguish in their lives.  Jesus Christ is that Deliverer that sinners so desperately long for.  God has called upon those of us who know the truth to share it with the people who do not.  

2) I need Jesus.

Doing prison ministry forces me to study God's Word.  Putting lessons together for the prison bible study takes discipline.  When I know that someone else is depending on me to explain something to them from the Bible, it creates a situation that requires diligence in my own personal Bible study.  

Establishing a relationship with Jesus that has vitality and life takes time and effort spent in His Word and in prayer on a regular basis.  That's what the prison ministry does for me personally: I need Jesus every bit as much as a criminal behind bars; and spending time building relationships with the inmates is futile if I am not drawing from the endless well of grace and mercy myself.  Over the years, this single greatest cause of my growth as a Christian can be attributed to my involvement in prison ministry.  

Prison ministry has many disappointments. Sometimes you just never know if you're getting through. Many times an inmate will leave the jail and you don't know whether he's going to make it out there or not. But there is also great reward. When you see the light bulbs going on... when people get it... when you know that they understand what you are saying from God's Word...  they are getting Jesus. And so am I.  

For more information about prison ministry and how you can be involved, email the church at admin@harvestpittburghnorth.org

Haggai 101

During the month of May, we are walking through the book of Haggai. This will give you the context of the book to help you better understand the significance of what the prophet wrote. I believe the message in Haggai is the message the church, our church, needs desperately to hear.

Haggai is the next-to-the-next-to last book in the OT. It is a post exilic writing. What does that mean?

After Solomon’s reign, Israel divided into 2 parts, the Northern Kingdom (keeping the name Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (called Judah). Because both parts persisted in sin, God promised judgment in the form of conquest by another nation. This would put the Jews in exile, out of their own land.

In 720 BC, Northern Israel was conquered by the Assyrians.

In 586 BC, Southern Israel, Judah, was conquered by the Babylonians.

But God did not forget His promise to Israel to possess the land, so in 536 BC, the Jews began to return to their land from exile. How? Persia became the new world power (539 BC), and King Cyrus considered a defeated people would be glad to serve if in their own land. So he allowed the Jews to return. About 50,000 did in the first wave, led by a civil leader and a religious leader (Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, respectively).

Much rebuilding needed done to their homeland, especially rebuilding the Temple, the Old Testament House of God. In 536 BC, the foundation of the Temple was laid, but the work stopped just 2 years into the project.

What’s the big deal with the Temple being rebuilt? First of all, it is the focal point of Israel’s worship. Neglecting the Temple shows that worship is being neglected. Secondly, this Temple would eventually be a place Jesus would minister, and it carries much significance surrounding the events of His life and work.

In 520 BC, after 14 years of looking at an unfinished Temple, the Lord speaks through the prophet Haggai. The Israelites have put themselves and their comfort ahead of rebuilding the Temple, the place representing God’s presence among them.Their priorities have gotten really off kilter, and that is what the book of Haggai is about.

Is God, and the things of God, a priority? Or have you made yourself, your comfort, your desires, a priority over God?

When you make yourself the priority, everything falls apart, but when God is at the center, He blesses as only He can. God has the answer that turns everything around. Because He Himself is the answer.

So, to summarize:

720 BC - Assyrians conquer Israel (Northern Kingdom)

586 BC - Babylonians conquer Judah (Southern kingdom of Israel)

539 BC - Persians conquer Babylonians

538 BC - Jews allowed to return to their land

536 BC - Foundation of the Temple laid

534 BC - Building of the Temple stops

520 BC - Haggai calls the Jews to rebuild the Temple - the LORD is the priority!

516 BC - The Temple is completed

2014 AD - Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North reads the book of Haggai and examines her own priorities

p.s. - Make coming to Harvest a priority for this series on priorities.