Michael Harrison's e-devotion

I try not to use other people's blogs and devotions, yet I want to pass on to you one from Perry Noble that is in an area I have been talking about, thinking about and sharing with our church for sometime. My prayer is that this devotion will open your eyes and mine to some folks we need to share with, people we need to forgive and the heart change that God is continuing to do in our own lives. Read on and praise God for His forgiveness! Forgiveness That very word stirs up emotions in all of us…doesn't it? I remember in the 4th grade I got sent to the principals office to get a spanking. (It was pretty normal, I would walk in and usually receive a greeting like Norm on Cheers.) A guy named Donnie and I had been cutting up…and the legalistic private school that I went to allowed no fun!!! (Ok, so I am sure it was something else…I just needed to try to play the "innocent" card.) Donnie and I tried to be tough…and so after the paddling we both looked at each other a...

We are in the process of doing something for the very first time. That is....buying a home. It is a simple place that will meet the needs of our family in grand form. The house is only minutes from the church, which is a real plus, and has some extras and stuff that my wife and I are excited about. So excited that I couldn't sleep last night. Do you believe that? This is the biggest purchase we have ever made. It is a tough decision that we have thought about for a while. For years we have lived in homes owned by others (by churches, landlords, friends, family but mostly churches). I cannot wait for the feel of having something that is our own (until I have to fix something myself...now, that is a scary thought). Psalm 37:23 (nlt) --- The Lord directs the steps of the godly.He delights in every detail of their lives. Proverbs 20:24 (nlt) --- The Lord directs our steps,so why try to understand everything along the way? Last week at this time I was pretty bummed out and dow...

One of the best movies of 2006 was Facing the Giants . It tells the story of a Christian football coach that led his team to see God and to know what real success is all about. This past Sunday in our series HEROES at The Community Fellowship I shared a message about facing the giants in our lives by using David's story from 1 Samuel 17 of how David defeated Goliath, a huge enemy of God and God's people. How we deal with the difficulties in our lives says much about our faith. We come across people and situations every day that are giants in our lives and things we must overcome. God has not left us along to deal with these. He has given us promises and strength. He has given us words to remember and words to share. As we apply the truth of God and live by faith, we will beat our giants just as David did. Here are some notes from the sermon I shared: John 10:10 (nlt) --- The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and sati...

Proverbs 22:28 (nasb) --- Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set. Often God told us to make sure we remember certain things. God has done some awesome things since the beginning of time that we need to talk about and we must remember how He works as well as His faithfulness. God loves people, and everything He does is meant to redeem. We are a blessed nation with many people who have given their lives to see that our freedom continues. Memorial Day is set aside to do just that. God has blessed this nation. My family recently traveled to our nation's capital and walked through many of the memorials. The Vietnam Memorial was an awesome place. Those name are not just some letters placed together to spell something. They represent lives that were given for our freedom. It was a strong place and breathe taking to think about and watch people remember. That is not the greatest memorial, but it is one that reminds us of the great things and the lives given for a rea...

Quote from The Organic God by Margaret Feinberg (pages 15-6): Even in the mundane, I find myself wanting more of God. Surely I'm not the only person who lies in bed at night wondering, Is this all there is? I can't be the only one who looks at the seemingly rich buffet of everything this world has to offer and loses my appetite, because even with the countless provisions, friends and activities - many of which are not only good but could be classified as godly - I can't shake the sense that there's more. The hunger growls that there's more of God not only to uncover but to discover. The hunger cries out that there's more of this God-infused life to live. The hunger reminds me there's more. I want to go there. But how do I find the way? ... Wow! I just started reading this book after meeting the author and then giving the book to our leadership team. The past few weeks I have been asking some questions and probing deeper because of a desire for time al...

You've been there. Maybe you were hoping for something to happen, but it doesn't. Maybe a person you admired greatly let you down. Maybe some pain and heartache came that you had no idea would be there. No matter what the situation, we have all had to deal with some disappointment. Remember ... Proverbs 16:9 (nlt) --- We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. My family has been looking for a home to buy the last couple months. This week we thought we found the right one and even were the winning bidder as the house was sold at auction. Then the owner rejected our offer. We were crushed. Yet I can see some light as we move further from the situation. How we deal with disappointment is big thing. How do you deal with it? I will most likely not be able to concentrate and maybe even be some what depressed. Anger is not usually an issue after the first shock or pain wears off, but I have a tendency to get myself worked up. The let down stinks in. All th...

The music that really turns me on is either running toward God or away from God. Both recognize the pivot, that God is at the center of the jaunt. --- Bono, lead singer of U2 It amazes me that people finally get it. No, I am not talking about the man I have just quoted. What I am talking about is the world in crisis turning to Jesus. Mark it down, check the history. Every time something significant and painful hurts us we turn toward God as a people and as a nation. That is not different. It is a fact. Many times it has happened, yet each time there is a turning toward God and a turning away. Honestly, I love the take that Bono has on this. Watch him in the media and when he is given an opportunity to make a difference. No matter the situation, something is going to be positive about God and to help people. We are watching a celebrity who is radical for stuff that is anti God. We hear stuff that is from God and about God and moral all over the place. Ephesians 5:16 (nlt) --...

As I write to you this day, I am watching the memorial service of Jerry Falwell. You have to see that through this man God brought much to pass and passed on many blessings. Again, it is very true that some people don't care for this man and didn't agree with him. What I have to share with you today is all about legacy. This was a man of legacy. His vision and his dreams were filled by God because in that last week I have heard from countless people who were either saved by Jesus or called to the ministry under Jerry Falwell's leadership and care. Job 4:3 (nlt) --- "In the past you have encouraged many people;you have strengthened those who were weak. Daniel 10:19 (nlt) --- "Don't be afraid," he said, "for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!"As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, "Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me." Please understand that those p...

Great surprise! It is always so cool to have a friend drop by unannounced especially one that means so much to you. Yesterday was a great day as Carey and David Keaton came to Community Worship. The Keatons serve as missionaries in Peru with Missionary Ventures . We have pretty cool history together. Some of their family attended my last church, and David preached for the church after I left while he was in the states. They served in the same town where I worked in Honduras and knew many of the precious people I worked with and loved so much. We had lunch together as we listened intently to stories, blessings and the like. What a great surprise! Ever noticed how one of those surprises leaves you excited, encouraged and refreshed? It happens all the time when God is in the mix. The Keatons talked about people who had been saved, doors that God had opened and things that only God could provide. God is at work in Arequipa, Peru and all around the world. This stuff encourages my s...

I sat down this morning asking some questions. God's got the answers. I know that. I know it well. That is one reason I stick with Proverbs. The book seems to hit on the things I need, the motivation I am asking for and give the direction and wisdom for my journey. Today was no different. God showed up. In the middle of everything else going on, God began to speak. No, not a loud, audible voice. He gave me a double sense of his presence and this truth that won't let me stay where I am, asking questions, or allow me to change roads. Here is some of that wisdom from Proverbs 18 (nlt): 10 - The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe. 12 - Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor. 15 - Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge. 20 - Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. 24 - There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend ...

I will slow down tomorrow. After this is over, life will get easier. There are just a couple of phrases that remind me that life never slows down or gets easier until we make some choices. It really is time to 'stop and smell the roses' or at least to 'sit a while' and listen to God. That time will change our perspecitive and even our attitude. Think about it. Psalm 46:10 (niv) --- Be still, and know that I am God... Here are some notes from an aticle I read this morning ( 10 Effective Habits of Time Management by Greg Smith ). Quiet time ... I begin each day with a cup of coffee on my front porch. I watch the sun rise, pray, and ask God for direction for the day. I think about my goals and projects, and I listen for new ideas...Every person must make time to think. Schedule an appointment with yourself, close yourself off, and don't allow interruptions... Set a large goal ... The best way to accomplish a major goal is to break it down into smaller pieces. The o...

Last Friday evening my wife and I attended the Michael W. Smith Concert at Thomas Road Baptist Church where Jerry Falwell has been pastor for over 50 years. The story of Falwell, the church and Liberty University is one of vision and blessing. We saw Dr. Falwell across the auditorium at the concert. It was such a shock to get a text message yesterday from our local TV station announcing that Falwell was found in his office unresponsive. A short time later I learned that he was dead. This is a difficult day for those who surround this great man. We have lived in Virginia for almost 6 years, yet I have known about Jerry Falwell since I was a young kid. I remember his strong words and staunch concerns for the morality of our nation and desire to see people come to know God. He never backed down, yet he was always kind. No, I didn't always agree with what he said or did, but I admired Dr. Jerry Falwell. It is evident that God's hand was on this gentle giant who is now in heaven...

Proverbs 16:9 (nlt) --- We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Luke 11:28 (nlt) --- ...blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it. My precious wife and I were blessed with tickets to see Michael W. Smith in concert this past Friday in Lynchburg. It was good. For 1/4 of a century this man has impacted lives and talked about Jesus in places few of us will have the opportunity to lead from. People talk about Smitty (his nickname) in all kinds of directions. I say this gentleman who loves God is a great worship leader and is authentic. He is a leader to those in the music community and in many other ways. His length of time in the music business and doing it all in the name of Jesus is a mark of true success. Would you agree? The time we keep on keeping on says much about our character and about how much we will give toward our success. God blesses our commitments when He is lifted high. Cudos to Michael W. Smith, and thank you for the awesome m...

Saw Spiderman 3 with the family yesterday afternoon. It was pretty good. Not sure which of the trilogy is the best yet. There were some things in the movie over the tip and some just over done, yet there were some really good points that I want to draw your attention to in this e-devotion. In this movie Spiderman got to see both sides of himself, the good and the bad, the hero and the villan. Notice that the villan became self absorbed and arrogant pretty fast. He began to look out for what felt-good and what made him look good. That characteristic was present before but was not too noticeable until it was over the top. Matthew 16:24 (nlt) --- Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me." A hero is one who will always touch the lives of other people and make a difference. A villan is looking to get rich or increase their power. Philippians 2:3-4 (nasb) --- Do nothing...

"Behind every successful man there is a great woman." I disagree with that statement for the most part. Why? (just wanted you a bit mad at me.) No, I honestly believe that there are more than just 1 great woman and people of influence behind folks that are successful. Thank about it. Matthew 6:19-20 (nlt) --- Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. This week I have thought much about investing and spending time and money wisely. In fact, mothering is also an investment, a big investment. When we choose to invest our lives in other people, we make a mark on those people and leave our mark on the world. Look at your life. Who has invested in you? Who has left their mark on you and helped you step forward and step up and grow strong? Most likely there are many people who hav...

My brother recently began attending Lifechurch.tv in Tulsa. It has been awesome for his family. I have been encouraged big time by their ministry. Below is a blog from their pastor, Craig Groeschel . A friend of mine pointed me to this blog which has assembled "10 Golden Lessons from Steve Jobs" . It is worth the read. I'm not endorsing the quotes or commentary, but I do think there a few things that we can learn from. Here are a couple of interesting excerpts: 9. Steve Jobs said: "We're here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?" While I imagine Jobs' quote was not aimed at spreading the Gospel, I certainly appreciate the "think big, think significant" vision. 6. Steve Jobs said: "We think basically you watch television to turn your brain off, and you work on your computer when you want to turn your brain on." This quote is actually funny to me and I am surprised it made the top 10 Golden list. I rememb...

This past weekend we began our series HEROES at The Community Fellowship. Just wanted to share with you some photos of our leadership team. Inspiring? Yep...pass them on! April Haynes leadership team member for OUTREACH as Mr. Incredible's wife, Elasta Girl Cara Joyce leadership team ember for GUEST SERVICES as batgirl Cindy Hall leadership team member for TECHNOLOGY & INFORMATION as superwoman Coach Jay Gilbert leadership team member for ADMINISTRATION as the incredible hulk Eric Brown leadership team member for SMALL GROUPS as the mystery solving sluth of Scooby Doo (Brown was not commenting on the picture and not really in this picture) Kasim Adams leadership team member for MISSIONS as superman Lee Hobbs leadership team member for FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT as batman Susi Fulcher leadership team member for CHILDREN as Mr. Incredible's daughter Tommy Bruce leadership team member for YOUTH as Spiderman Trey Harris leadership team member for WORSHIP & CARE MINISTRY as...

Man, are there lots of thoughts about what a Hero is. I keep digging in to learn the contrast between a Hero in the world's eye and the Hero of God's heart. There is a huge difference. Here are some definitions (or at least part of some): person of exceptional courage and nobility and strength, champion: someone who fights for a cause, able to perform acts that others cannot, central character in a play or movie, a sandwich of some type Oh well, we have to define Hero for ourselves. Here is where I want us to go: A Hero is NOT someone able to do the extraordinary things but believes and leads others to live faith filled lives. This is a person of huge faith and encourages others live by faith. A savior of sorts who fills lives and communities with hope and refreshment. Who is a Hero? We will go there later. I have been reading some sermons I wrote over 14 years ago that came from Hebrews 11. Some good stuff, I don't say so myself. Here are a couple thoughts I ran a...

My family is enjoying some sweet time with my parents (who are pretty incredible people, if I say so myself). So, in today's devotion I am going to give you some thoughts from Perry Noble of NewSpring Church . Thats so I can join my family for a little extra time this afternoon PLUS give you some sweet thoughts about life, living and the church. This rocks, y'all. Enjoy! (copied from two posts on Perry Noble 's blog) I have been asked before, "Why do you do what you do?" It's simple–I am CONSUMED with a vision that God has placed inside of me. Understand that NewSpring was NOT my idea–heck, at one time I hated church; however, God rearranged everything in my life–and once I surrendered my dreams and submitted to His…He set me on fire!!! Many nights I lay awake in bed and think about it–I talk about it with every person I can–HIS church, HIS bride…and I want her to be radiant and shine, not sit in some closet and stay silent. I dream of a church that…...

Psalm 16:3 (nlt) --- The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them! John 15:13 (nlt) --- There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. We started our series called HEROES at The Community Fellowship yesterday, and I am more excited about this series than ever before. We talked about how people in Hebrews 11 became Heroes for people back then and for us today. The verse that stuck out for me, is this: Hebrews 11:38 (nasb) --- men of whom the world was not worthy... How is it that they were not worthy? They went beyond the call. They had vision that got them through tough times. They knew that God's word and their Messiah or Savior would be worth any pain or sacrifice. The question I left our folks with and I leave you with is this: What does it take to be hero today? 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (nlt) --- When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to fi...

Who are our heroes? Superman, Michael Jordan, Jeff Gordon, Peyton Manning, Gene Simmons, Michael Jackson, Sipderman? (Just a reminder that the Spiderman 3 movie comes out today!) Some are heroes. Some are not. We need to ask ourselves what a hero really is? We will get all kinds of answers and thoughts about heroes. But it is always plain to see that a hero is someone who does something or is able to do something extra ordinary. I've been keeping up with the TV series Heroes and enjoying every episode. In fact, we start at new series at church this Sunday called Heroes where we will look at what it takes to be a hero. They are all around us. Yep. Sitting next to you at school. Driving next to you on the road. Across the room at McDonals and everywhere you go. There are heroes. Maybe even starring at you in the mirror Heroes are people who have great faith and lead others to have great faith. One of my favorite verses about heroes is this one: Acts 15:26 (nlt) --- who have risked t...

Prayer has comforted us in sorrow and will help strengthen us for the journey ahead. George W. Bush There is no special formula. But there are special prayers. We love what is known as the Lord's Prayer, but we often get tired of the prayers that never change. That is why a real person of prayer understands that is prayer is a conversation between two people that have a relationship. Prayer is...talking to and listening to God. That simple. That direct. Once a year our nation has a day set aside as the National Day of Prayer where we are asked to spend time praying for our nation, our leaders and more. Lets spend some time today, even if just a few minutes, talking with and listening to God. It may change someone's life. What does God say about prayer? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (nasb) --- pray without ceasing; James 5:16 (nasb) --- 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...

This weekend my family had the great opportunity to visit our nation's capital. While in D.C. we attended National Community Church where Mark Batterson is their fearless leader, pastor (Mark has inspired me and our leadership team to dream big and to be focused). Mark did not preach, but we heard a great message directly from God. Margaret Fienberg was their quest and blew us away with her authenticity and journey with God. She recently wrote a book titled The Organic God (hope to get a copy soon). Her blog is http://margaretfeinberg.blogspot.com/ . In today's devotion I want to share with you my notes from what Margaret shared. Question lots of people lay in bed asking .... "Is this all there is?" 1. Our God is OUTRAGEOUSLY GENEROUS. Exodus 16:16-18...God provides more than we need and more than we ask for. (This point can be found on her website as an mp3, click here .) 2 Corinthians 9:7 (nlt) --- ..."For God loves a person who gives cheerfully....