Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  Greetings from Jerusalem.  As I write this it is almost midnight Wednesday which means it is almost 5pm back home.  I am simply trying to think through an incredibly long and inspiring day here in Israel. I am grateful for this opportunity and for the learning.  I am grateful to be able to walk in some of the same places that Scripture speaks about and where Jesus walked and taught.  That would be places like the upper room where the last supper took place and a few other powerful places inside the old city of Jerusalem. This morning our group of more than 1,000 pastors and church leaders gathered where the attaches of October 7, 2023 took place.  That day there was a music festival going on out in a rural area when Hamas began to bomb and terrorists did unspeakable things.  More than 360 people died at the festival that day.  We then went to a small town not far away where terrorists also attached.  A police officer led us through the stre...

  Step One: GO It has been a few days since I have shared an e-devotion, and this week will be a little different.  No; it is going to be a lot different.  I will take some time to share this week a few thoughts leading up to Christmas with lots of inspiration from where I am this week. Last week and on Thanksgiving some of our family gathered at the home of our oldest daughter and our son-in-law.  Although they live in Alabama we had a great time.  Laughing, shopping, talking, eating thanksgiving dinner … all of it together.  We had to go be with them.  And it was a good “go”.   Julie, Ryan and myself really enjoyed some special family time. This week I am blessed to be able to be in Israel.  As I write this e-devotion I am listening from an open window of horns and traffic from Jerusalem.  You read that write.  I am in what we Christians call the “Holy Land” where Jesus walked, taught and lived. I cannot wait to share bits...

  Happy Thanksgiving! That phrase and this holiday brings about a lot of emotions.  In fact, it is often different for different people.  How about you? Some think about time with family and how precious that is.  Some don’t have family, and it really is a lonely time. Some think about the food and all the yummy stuff they will consume.  Others will not think of how much food but of how hungry they are. Some think about what they don’t have or how difficult life is.  While others cannot do anything but thank God for their lives and faith. The contrast of those things reminds me of the truth of the Bible and how the authors will often place one thought against another.  It is a powerful picture of how things impact our lives. Philippians 4:6  NLT   Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Ephesians 5:4  NLT   Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—...

  I am so grateful for what we have learned from Psalms.  Each chapter digs in to the heart of what God is doing in our lives.  It leads us to see that God is worthy and we need Him.  That is the reality.   Psalm 100  NLT   Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! 2  Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his.  We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. Lift these truths from that chapter … God made us and we are His.  God is good.  His love and faithfulness endure forever The overflow of our prayers and our walk with God should lead us to be thankful as this Psalm encouraged, and it seems that every this we do...

  Death is something we all have to deal with, and I choose to take a few minutes as we close the week to give you some thoughts and maybe some perspective. Psalm 117:15  NLT  The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die. It is comforting when we know that person we cared about was a Christian.  We know the promise of Scripture that even in death there is spiritual life, future in heaven and being with God. I recently lost my uncle.  His death was difficult but also a blessing because he had been very sick for several months.  Another friend in our church lost her brother in law after a brief battle with cancer.  Last week a man close to our church passed away, and he was young, in his 30’s.  Even though it was some time ago I lost both my parents.  Last evening I was talking with a young lady from our church who still struggles with the death of family members, some recent and some years ago. Death is difficult, but we have a God who loves ...

  Do you know how blessed you are?  When we know we are blessed, we will thankful.  When we know where our blessings come from, we will give God thanks over and over.   Where does this thanks come from?  It comes from deep inside us.  It began with our salvation.  Totally from God and totally of God.  I did nothing to get it, and there is nothing I can do to lose it.  Salvation is one of those things bigger than us and leads to being thankful.   Isaiah is the guy that was willing to do what needed to be done when he saw and heard the need.   Isaiah 6:8  NLT   Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”   That is a powerful statement and a strong commitment.  It is one we can learn from.  Something had to change in Isaiah’s life before he could be the one to go.      He was hurt, convicted, shameful and felt...