The Word of our great God is very clear about reaping what we sow! In Galatians 6:7-10 (NKJV) we read: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
For the past 35 years, I have actively and very passionately shared my faith with spiritually lost people everywhere that I go. The time has arrived that I am literally “running into myself” on the streets! A young man came to me yesterday in a restaurant and told me that I had given him a Christian Life New Testament many years ago. He wanted to let me know that he still has it and that it has played a significant part in his life! A young man who has grown up with our son, is now attending a secular college. Last summer he requested to go out into the harvest fields with me. He saw me lead a man to faith in the Lord Jesus! I could actually see the power of the Holy Spirit capture his heart! Most young men his age are chasing girls and partying, but he is passionately leading young men to faith in the Lord Jesus on his campus! He and seven of his brothers in Christ are actively participating in their own Bible study as they are winning other young men to Jesus! I recently shipped each one of these young men the Christian Life New Testament with master outlines and notes by Porter Barrington. I want to invest in their discipleship and evangelistic efforts! In the mid 1980’s, Elmer Daniel, the man who taught me how to win spiritually lost people to Jesus, and I were going door to door in a neighborhood in Morristown. We met a little boy who was playing in front of his house with his buddies. We were able to lead him to the Lord! I can still remember him going back into his house with tears of joy streaming down his face as he told his mom that he had just been saved! He is now pastoring a church in Morristown!
Pastor Milton Knox of First Baptist Church in Dayton, TN has seen people make decisions every week for two months since I was there in February! That is truly the powerful movement of the great Holy Spirit! When I pray, I ask my Lord to go before me, with me, and after me with great conviction! Apart from the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing (John 15:5)!
The week of April 7 was one of the most powerful weeks that I have ever experienced since my Lord called me into His service on April 24, 1992! Mrs. Kim Margrave of the TN Baptist Mission Board scheduled me to assist her in equipping the servants of First Baptist Church in Roane Mountain, TN as they prepare to go on a mission trip this summer to Guatemala. The missionary who was to speak in the Sunday morning service became ill and could not preach so Kim asked me to stand in his place. It was one of those divine appointments right from the throne room of the living God! Pastor Geren Street was so very open to allowing a perfect stranger to proclaim the gospel to the people that he shepherds! My Lord had me to deliver the message: A Tale of Two Cities: Heaven and Hell. We gave the flyer Where Will You Live In Eternity? Heaven or Hell? to all who were in attendance. The power of the Holy Spirit was so very strong in the service! The excellent praise team and choir were powerfully Spirit-filled! Two ladies surrendered to their Lord’s call on their lives and two ladies rededicated their lives! People were crying tears of rejoicing! Several people came to me after the service to let me know that their heart had been touched by the power of God! After the service, Pastor Geren allowed me to do an abbreviated soul-winning clinic. Again, the Holy Spirit was moving so strongly that people were crying over the spiritual lostness of this nation and world! Fourteen people were there and ready to learn more about sharing their faith! Dr. Darrell Robinson states: “When a child of God is truly Spirit-filled they are receiving the outflow of the overflow of the inflow of the Christ filled life.” I gave numerous resources to Pastor Geren to assist him and his leaders in effectively equipping the servants in sharing their faith.
Public school teacher, Jim Fox, has been teaching for many years at the school he attended as a boy and young teenager, Centerview Elementary School, in Bybee, TN. He has been working as the faculty advisor for the First Priority Bible Club for many years. Jim has been greatly burdened for the students there this year! His principal gave him permission to bring the students from grades 6-8 into the library. The power of God was there as 65 students hung on my every word! It was packed as many students had to sit on the floor! I gave each student the resource Touchpoints For Students. This resource Biblically addresses the issues facing young people today. I also gave them the flyer Where Will You Live In Eternity? Heaven or Hell? I discussed their body, drugs, and suicide. Then, I shared the plan of salvation from the flyer. Conviction from the Holy Spirit was so strong that the students were as “still as a mouse.” Fourteen students checked on their decision card that they had prayed to be born again! I gave Mr. Fox the New Believer’s New Testament to give to each student, and he has done so!
Christian teachers in secular public schools are very special servants! My hat is taken off to them as my heart goes out to them! Grade schools, high schools, colleges, and universities are mission fields in America today! I praise my Lord for the Christian teachers who do not take lightly their calling from their Lord! I am most honored for each teacher and coach who allows servants such as me to share the life-changing message of the gospel with the students in their sphere of influence. Teacher Jim Fox shared with me that one of the students from Centerview Elementary School last year was being abused by her stepfather. She cried out for help and no one would listen to her! Finally, she had taken all she could take and she called 911 to tell them that she was taking her own life! An autopsy was performed on her young body and it revealed that she had been abused. When the police came to arrest her stepfather, he refused to go and began to fire shots at them and he was killed. Prayerfully, our great God had young people there whose lives have been spared from such horror! I made it clear to them that if they are being abused, they must go to an adult that they can trust and confide in them.
Pastor Don Bible of Bibles Chapel Baptist Church in Midway, TN had me to deliver the Easter message last Sunday morning. Most of the time pastors will deliver the message at Easter and Christmas to their people and I would do the same if I were a pastor! Pastor Don told me that he just felt led by the Holy Spirit to bring me there on Easter Sunday. I am taken aback by his obedience to his Lord’s marching orders! I delivered the message titled The Reality of the Resurrection. Each person in attendance received the flyer titled Where Will You Live In Eternity? Heaven or Hell? Their hearts were open and receptive to the Word of the Lord! Several people raised their hands that they had made decisions, but they did not come forward. Pastor Don knows each person, and he will be speaking with them.
I am most thankful for your prayers and financial support as many Christian people in America today do not stand with a servant like me. America is in a post Christian state, and it is just a fact of life! I have learned to just accept it and do as my Lord instructs me to do for Him! Your gifts purchase all of the resources that I distribute freely. People will forget what one preaches, but if they have a valuable resource, the Holy Spirit can bring the message back to them in different ways. I love you! Thank you for loving this soul winner!
For Souls Forever In Heaven,
Jeffrey L. Harvel
Joel 2:28-29
Jeff Harvel 