Michael Harrison's e-devotion

Yesterday was a day of prayer, of learning and of watching in some many ways. Thank you to those of you who set some time aside to pray for The Community Fellowship. “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.” James 5:16 (NLT) “Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24 (NLT) “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NASB) At our lunch time prayer meeting our little boy got sick and proceeded to ruin my precious wife’s shirt. Honestly, I was getting sick as well. Thankfully one of our leaders had an extra shirt in his truck and offered his flannel shirt to my wife. That was gracious, and she was grateful. The day continued in all ready hurried fashion with much being accomplished and many people being encouraged. I...

The Leadership Team of our new church has designated today as a day of prayer for our church family. Please join the team and me in spending some time seeking the Lord for your church and for the new work we are involved in. Following is the outline that members receive when they come to the church. Make God bless our time of seeking Him! ACTS of prayer … ADORATION - CONFESSION - THANKSGIVING - SUPPLICATION James 5:13-18 - Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elij...

“Don't let anyone shake you up or get you excited over some breathless report or rumored letter from me that the day of the Master's arrival has come and gone. Don't fall for any line like that…” 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3 (MSG) Paul penned those words to a church that he founded and that had his heart and attention. He was always seeking to encourage and to fill them with awesome truth that would send them forward and not backward. Ever have something happen or a conversation that made you stop and step back or away from a situation God led you into? That happens and it happens often, if we let it. The Bible is clear that Satan seeks to distract and deceive Christians from looking at, being with and from following God. We are told that Satan blinds people with his ways, he distracts people with what is negative and greatly keeps people from being blessed by getting them, or us, to worry. So, what do we do with the negative stuff that comes our way? How do we deal with th...

“We consider Christmas as the encounter, the great encounter, the historical encounter, the decisive encounter, between God and mankind. He who has faith knows this truly; let him rejoice.” ~~ POPE PAUL VI Don’t you just love this holiday? We walk out our door last evening and notice our neighbors and their decorations. Some are vivid colors that blink and others are white and simple. Yet all of them are the same, a celebration of that encounter. How will we get others to have that encounter this Christmas Season? In what ways will I lead my family, co-workers and friends to experience Jesus in the next month? Does it even matter? The answer is YES. So, what are we going to do about it? Jesus came not to give us a sweet holiday filled with festivities and time off. It is a time to be with family but not just for gifts. This season and all it is about leads us to what life is all about (and I remind us to think and re-think this)…it is not about me but about Jesus. It is al...

Happy Thanksgiving to ya … Enjoy JESUS in the middle of your holiday! Some things are just supposed to happen on Thanksgiving. Spending time with family and friends. Eating turkey and dressing. Gaining weight. The Cowboys win… stick with me for a minute. Being thankful is all about attitude. Thanksgiving is not just a day on the calendar when our nation revisits history or close down the banks and the government for a few days. It is a lot more than that. “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) Believers ought to find themselves going in this direction every day as God reveals Himself to us in thought, in His work and through His presence in our lives. Stop and think for a minute and ask a few questions: What am I thank for? How do I express thanks? When was the last time my family or a friend heard me being grateful? Again, thanksgiving is matter of the heart. Try to share more th...

Truth is a person. It is not an abstract thought that is always changing. Truth is Jesus (see John 14:6 for the details and the man’s own words on the subject). As I sit and evaluate, what we talked about yesterday, and seek some answers, I naturally run back to revisit the vision God has given me for ministry, family and myself. WOW. Once again God makes it clear what He has and what He wants. All I have to do is OBEY HIM. “…It’s important to look at things from God's point of view…” 1 Corinthians 4:6 (MSG) “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” Ephesians 1:18-19 (NASB) I love the fact that it is not about me. It is all about God. It is His plan that has to be dealt with. Yes, God uses people to get His plan done and to touch the world, yet the creation cannot ...

Yesterday was the first morning community worship at the new church. God is so good. After coming from a time like that, we must, as Christians, evaluate where we’ve been and where we are going. “These people were left to test the Israelites— to see whether they would obey the commands the LORD had given to their ancestors through Moses.” Judges 3:4 (NLT) The questions IS NOT how are we doing or how did it go. The question is ‘are we obeying what the Lord said to do?’ He will give evidence to that fact as we follow Him. This morning I sat reading from the Psalms and listening to the Lord and heard His voice through Scripture. I will first give you a couple verses I read and them outline the test that must have come from God. May the Lord use this for our new church and for each of our lives as we seek to follow Him and obey Him along the way… “May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory, flying banners to honor our God. May the LORD answer all your prayers…Some nations bo...

Thoughts streaming through my head like a wind whirling before a storm and even like fast falling drops of rain. There I sit one day and think about this. The next day I stood in the rain with the same thoughts. It is the cross Jesus died on. We have to believe it and hold it and know that without it we have no hope. For years I have watched scenes from movies and even some from the stories in my mind and saw that I was to be, you were to be on the cross. Why? Sin puts us there. But He was sinless. He was perfect. We deserved death, not life. We deserve now punishment, not forgiveness. Stick with me. We are not worthy, but Jesus … (Lyrics from FFH’s song “On My Cross”) Those were my nails That was my crown That pierced Your hands and Your brow Those were my thorns Those were my scorns Those were my tears that fell down And just as You said it would be You did it all for me After You counted the cost You took my shame, my blame On my cross Literally, Jesus took everything tha...

In yesterday’s devotion I shared with you a message from a pastor that ignited my fire. In it we talked about being encouraged by the companions we find in ministry. They did it again. Last night our church’s leadership team met, and it is like we are all reading the same book, having the same thoughts and even finishing each other’s sentences. They did it again. Fact: when God is our guide, we all move in the same direction. “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up … And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10,12 (NASB) Paul was always mentioning names of people who were partners in ministry who went the extra mile, did something special or simply have a high level of commitment to God’s call. From Paul we see and learn th...

Pastor Johnny Hunt has long been a powerful force in my life and ministry. Last night I heard his preach a message titled “Three Sources of Encouragement”. Below are some of the notes from the sermon, and I pray you will be greatly encouraged as I was! Charles Spurgeon, “Good men are promised tribulation in this world, and ministers may expect a larger share than others, that they may learn sympathy with the Lord’s suffering people, and so may be fitting shepherds of an ailing flock.” Charles Spurgeon used to remind his congregation, “By perseverance, the snail reached the ark.” Raymond Edman, of Wheaton College, used to tell his students, “It’s always too soon to quit.” 1 Corinthians 2:3, “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the com...

I just returned from the Annual Meeting of the SBC of Virginia . It was the best State Convention meeting I have ever attended. Why? It was 80% worship and the word and 20% business with no conflict. Pretty cool to say the least. This convention is committed to putting their money where their mouth is ... Evangelism and Church Planting are the highest priorities from the top down. I am reminded some what of the great convention when I was in Georgia and the GBC . The Cooperative Program is STILL the greatest tool to support missions, and both conventions use the 50/50 model of half the money they receive from the churches staying in the state and half going to SBC causes around the world. Tonight's sermon, "3 Sources of Encouragement in the Work" (Acts 18:1-11), was inspiring from Johnny Hunt , one of my mentors. This afternoon Paige Patterson issued an excellent challenge titled "Should Baptist Eat Sausage?" from Romans 6:1-6 and gave lots of history ...

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 (NLT) Does Jesus have the ability to bring peace in your life when everything is wrong? Some of you answered YES. Others cannot answer because of the storm in your own like. Some answered NO since you have never experienced God’s real peace. Peace is one of those things that seems to come and go. It is kind of like passing a patrolman on the highway when you are speeding knowing you deserve a ticket but you don’t get stopped. Peace flies away and then comes back. I am not talking about that kind of peace. Nor am I talking about the kind of peace that means the absence of war and gunfire. What God offers us is the understanding that in the middle of the storm He is God and He is in total control. Below is one of my favorite words from God about real peace. “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everyt...

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) Those verses don’t seem to make sense when you going through the lowest of valleys. Yet God says here some big things! 1. we are welcome to be with Jesus. He accepts us just the way we are. 2. with Him we will find rest, strength and help. 3. learning from Jesus means seeing from where He is and how He sees. 4. this truth tells us that Jesus not only cares but desires us to be with Him. 5. finally, the reality of our faith doesn’t rest on our thoughts or experience. It’s rest in the truth of God. May we learn from these 5 thoughts and live in their truth. God is awesome! Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me...

Forgive me for taking today’s devotion to issue some words from my heart and of information. I want to thank each of you for your continued support for my family and for the new church that God has birthed in The Community Fellowship we continue to grow strong as the Lord gives the increase. My family is almost completed our move into a rental home here in Collinsville, Virginia. Please update your records with the following info: Michael and Julie Harrison, Rebecca, Ruth and Ryan PO Box 388 349 Ridge Road Collinsville, VA 24055 276-647-4749 No changes on our e-mail address until next week. I will let you know when that happens. God is so gracious to give us just what we need when we need it (this is the personal word). The testimony of godly people ought to give us incentive to grow strong and more desire for our Master, Jesus. It is awesome to hear a friend tell me how God met a need or how they learned to give or when something happened they had asked God for. We are a blessed...

“When a leader reaches out in passion, he is usually met with an answering passion.” John Maxwell Would you say that Jesus lived with passion? Who else of history or even of our day has lived with passion? I want to be know as man who lived passionate about His God and passionate about His family. What Maxwell said above, read underneath the quote, is that people with passion ignite the passion in other people. Here are a couple examples from Scripture: “So it seemed good to us, having unanimously agreed on our decision, to send you these official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 15:25-26 (NLT) “Best of all, they went beyond our highest hopes, for their first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord and to us for whatever directions God might give them.” 2 Corinthians 8:5 (NLT) These people were passionate about their God and passionate about serving others as they loved God. ...

“If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble.” Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NLT) What an awesome verse! What a needed truth in our world today. We need each other. That is why God’s purpose for our lives includes other people. Jesus tells a parable about the Good Samaritan. I like the story because it relates to every side of ME. Yeah, you heard me. Sometimes I would rather not even let people know that I notice them. Sometimes I am curious but don’t have the time. Yet most of the time I will neglect everything to help a person in need. If you are honest, you are probably a bit like me. It gets my motor going and makes my heart pump fast to see that I have been able to encourage or lift or help a person in need. Maybe that is one reason why I am in the profession I am in. Jesus talked about this Good Samaritan doing several things to help the one in need. The first thing is that he didn’t avoid the man. “Then a ...

“Many people don’t think they are loved, or held safe, and so when suffering comes they see it as an affirmation of their worthlessness. The great question of ministry and the spiritual life is to learn to live our brokenness under the blessing and not the curse.” Henri Nouwen I am often blown away by the efforts and thoughts of some of the most simple-living people. I am talking about people who choose to live in simplicity and less complicated lives than most. You could think of Mother Teresa or a guy named Richard Foster or this Henri Nouwen I am quoting today. When I first heard of Nouwen and began looking at his life, I found a man who has big convictions about faith and lived them in such a way that others saw and were touched by them. Is the glass half empty or half full? Are you worthy or worthless? Are you loved and loving others? The answers have to tell you just what you think about God. For me, if I let the negative and the bumpy roads dictate my thoughts and my feelings, I...

Tomorrow is election day here in the USA, and it is an important day for Christians to share their hearts. Far too often some believe that voicing our opinion at the polls by casting our vote is a lost cause. I say it is our responsibility. Jesus said: “…Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his.” Matthew 22:21 (MSG) What an honor it is to be an American citizen and best yet to have the freedom to worship, share and be who I wish to be. It is my best understanding that God has called us to be proactive in helping others see Jesus and to see from God’s point of view. Some people call that narrow minded. Some say I am beating the path for a cause. Yet I see and know that God has called me, as He has called you, to be His child living in the world that needs Him. Here is my encouragement to you in how to vote: “Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand— shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll promp...

The never ending blessing ... a couple times in the past few weeks I have received a phone call or an e-mail from old friends. Two guys, Chad Coleman & Zack Turnbow , were both part of the youth group I grew up in and part of who I am today. Think about the people who have influenced you and who you still get great encouragement from when you hear how they are living for Jesus. I am honored to serve a great new church and to know that God has given me a heritage of faith to bring me to this point. Remember this: nothing is an ACCIDENT to our God. Let's live with purpose!

“Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise…” Colossians 3:16 (NLT) What a day! It is planned from beginning to end and full. Yet I go out to start my vehicle, and nothing happens. I get jump started, and an hour later it is dead again. This could ruin my day or make me stop and think. What does a dead battery do to our day? We could let this do so many different things, but what we have to do is let God fill us. Maybe you are going through a big battle of some kind. Maybe you are depressed or low. Maybe life just stinks. Don’t let the dead batteries of life kill what God is doing in your heart. Let God fill you, speak to you, minister to you and use you to be a blessing to others. God doesn’t waste a hurt or difficultly in your life. He uses for His purposes (see Romans 8:28). Even if we don’t like it or end up crying, God is still God and still in control. “The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen thos...

“But when I look in the rearview mirror, I realize that the biggest risks were the greatest opportunities.” (from Mark Batterson’s new book) That is an awesome and scary thought. In fact there are a couple things that come to my mind that should shock us: 1) fear may keep us from the greatest places and 2) risk may change my perspective. “Just then a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years slipped in from behind and lightly touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, "If I can just put a finger on his robe, I'll get well." Jesus turned— caught her at it. Then he reassured her: "Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you're well." The woman was well from then on.” Matthew 9:20-22 (MSG) That is a familiar story we have heard. Do you remember it? The lady had been sick for a long time and knew that Jesus could make a difference in her life. She took a risk to get to Jesus. She took a risk and allowing Jesus to heal her. Jesus said, “you took...

“Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. And everything you do must be done with love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NLT) You ain’t alone. Been there. Done that. I have felt like I have fallen in a pit before with no way out, yet what I found was a way out I couldn’t even see. So often all it takes is understand who is really in control. It isn’t you. It isn’t me. God is in control. Several people have reminded me as of late that when you place yourself in obedience to God that there will be some tough days. We have an enemy who is out for us. One of my favorite places to remind people of this is John 10:10 that plainly says our enemy’s plan to steal from us and that God’s plan is to give to us. So, who are we going to listen to? Who are we going to follow? “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong ...