Michael Harrison's e-devotion

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated . Maya Angelou   What defeats you?  What gets you down?  To continue with yesterday's thoughts, the biggest thing that gets me down is missing what God is doing.  It is kind of like being a place where something just happened.  You may have just missed a celebrity or something cool that nature just did.   But think about missing what God is doing.  What would keep us from seeing God or best yet, being part of what God is doing?   So, I give you some Bible to close our week with...my prayer is that we will see and be part of things God is doing, big stuff!   Philippians 2:3-5  (nlt) --- Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

The pastor at www.LifeChurch.tv has a brand new book that we need to check out.  It is " Going All the Way ".  Greg Groeschel is an awesome communicator and has deep passion for relationships and God.  Lets take a look...   Michael Harrison (James 1:5)  

Isaiah 64:3  (nlt) --- When you came down long ago,you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations.  And oh, how the mountains quaked!   Ephesians 3:20  (nlt) --- Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.   Ever found yourself saying that God cannot or will not do something?  Be careful.  I believe with all that I am that one of the reasons we don't see God work is that we don't expect Him to.  Does that make sense?   God not only is able to do big stuff, God-sized stuff, but He is wants to as well.  Faith is an issue that we have to come to grips with.  I mean many church people are stuck in a rut or a routine that allows for little or no spectacular or miracles.  The only miracles we are looking for is getting out of debt or keeping the kids out of trouble.   Seems like I remember lots of miracles happening during tough times and during good times when Jesus w

My brother and his family attend the Tulsa Campus of LifeChurch .  This is one of the happening churches around our nation that God is using in huge ways.  Their pastor, Craig Groeschel , and other leaders from the church have a blog that really rocks.  Take a look at Swerve ...you will be encouaged.   There are a couple notes from recent posts on that blog that I want to call your attention to in today's e-devotion.  I pray that these two big ideas will have much of the same effect that they had on me, making me stop and think.  Both of these are from church leaders or guest bloggers.  Read on...   This first blog entry asks the question about making a difference.  The writer shared three areas that are important to the church making a difference in our community and around the world: structure & organization, sense of community among volunteers and vision.  Here is what she writes about vision (this is good):   People respond to vision, NOT our need or crisis. 

I shared a leadership lesson with our team last night that is big time on my heart.  No, it is not new (I even stole some parts from people smarter than me), but what I do know is that God wants His church to be rockin' good at what it does.  That means we have to go to work.   Being creative comes easy for some but not for others.  It takes hard work to not do the same old thing the same old way.  You know what you get when you do the same thing over and over?  You get the same results (thanks band director dude).   At The Community Fellowship we are founded on 2 principles that work well and drive us hard.  They are: T he church is to be the most creative institution on earth because we have the greatest message to share, and We are to get the attention of our community and while we have their attention, tell them about Jesus. It is time to celebrate the differences in our churches (thanks Mark Batterson ) because God is using all of us for the same goal (telling th

Tony Morgan mentioned something on his blog today was awesome.  He was coming out of a corporate office and saw their goal.  It was Scripture, word for word.   Here is Oebe's corporate goal:   COLOSSIANS 4:5-6 (nasb) --- Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward others, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.   Plastered on the outside of their building.  Visible on their website.  For all to see.  This company doesn't hold anything back about what they believe.  What do you think about that.   I think some of us have joined a secret society we'd like to call church.  We go there, when we can, talk about it to the society members and maybe a few others, and that is it.  Most people wouldn't know I am with Jesus.  Do you get the point?   You got to be bold about who ya serve.  Do people know you are with Jesus?  I am not talking abo

Ever get to the end of the puzzle only to realize that you are missing a piece?   Ever read a book and realize that a page is missing?   I hate those kind of things, but they help me grow.  Not long ago I shared a message with our church family that shocked a lot of people (a least a couple) stating that I am human, we all are, and have holes in me that God has to fill.  Humanity sticks sometimes.   1 Thessalonians 3:10  (nlt) --- Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith. God not only will fill in the gaps but He wants to.  It is in His character and nature to help humanity, us who are His kids, to be whole and well.  It is kind of like letting God fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle or the missing page of the book.   It is also like taking a huge look at history and learning from it.  We have to do this as individuals, as families, as a nation and as churches.  One place we often don't like to do

Inspiration at the speed of words.  Conviction from the heart of God.  Individuals desiring to follow Jesus.  You.  Me.  Read on:   "...risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."   Acts 15:26   "For he risked his life for the work of Christ..."   Philippians 2:30   "What is impossible for people is possible with God."   Luke 18:27 "...he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God." Acts 16:34   "...a loud mouth who missed his opportunity!" Jeremiah 46:17   "But some people have missed this whole point..." 1 Timothy 1:6   "Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus..."   2 Corinthians 4:11   "...good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest."  Luke 8:15   "Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live..."   2 Thessalonians 1:12

momentum : In physics , the property or tendency of a moving object to continue moving. For an object moving in a line , the momentum is the mass of the object multiplied by its velocity (linear momentum); thus, a slowly moving, very massive body and a rapidly moving, light body can have the same momentum. (See Newton's laws of motion .)    Ok.  This is not a physics lesson at all.  What it is is a commentary on what makes Christians do what they are supposed to do and how we see God working.  Does that make sense?   This past weekend The Community Fellowship celebrated our 1st anniversary with a huge tailgate party.  It was awesome.  Lots of people.  Great food.  Good worship and more.  Many of our people returned our "what say you" survey, and the results were right on.   Philippians 3:14  (nlt) --- I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.   Luke 19:6  (nlt) --- Zaccha

2 Corinthians 8:1  (nlt) ---  Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.   Yesterday was a huge celebration at The Community Fellowship with lots of friends, family and visitors.  As I looked around and saw new faces and some old friends, I had a thought that we need to talk about as Christians.  The party doesn't end.   Do you remember the after parties after the prom or other special events?  They were awesome because friends got together and really kicked off new stuff.  That is what we did yesterday.  We were getting ready for the party and work to continue.  God is not done with us.  Think about it.   There are still lost people around us.  There are people with needs.  There are situations that we can help with, and we can make a difference for a long, long time.  This pastor's commitment is just that.  I want to make a difference.   So, let me invite you to the after party.  Whether

"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." --- Ronald Reagan That is profound and true. You know, I have given much though to our nation for several reasons the last few days. One of our own is coming home after many months of being deployed. David Gray arrives back in the states this week (pray for David and his unit as they travel). Then, we have elections looming with all kinds of candidates doing their thing. We just came through the 9/11 anniversary and so much more. That brings me to a question: how is the church impacting the culture? Are we? Jeremiah 15:19 (nlt) --- This is how the Lord responds:"If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them;do not let them influence you! Hold on. I am not saying that the church needs to get a bunch of proverbial 'soap boxes' and head

Look What God Did (L.W.G.D) in the last year. It has been an awesome ride that is not over. It have only just begun. Psalm 66:5 (nlt) --- Come and see what our God has done,what awesome miracles he performs for people! I am so excited about our church's 1st anniversary celebration this Sunday and about all God has in store for the future. With all we have seen and experienced, the future is going to be big and bright and awesome. Lets be watching! I want to give you just a couple thoughts as we move into the weekend. The first is what if "The Community Fellowship" was an album and what songs would be on it, and the second is a timeline for what we have been through the last year. TCF the album "Home" --- Daughtry "Legacy" --- Nicole Nordeman "Let It Rise" --- Holland Davis "Hero" --- Chad Kroeger "Amazing Grace" --- John Newton "How Great Is Our God" --- Chris Tomlin "World on Fire" --- By the Tre

A phrase from Kevin Costner's film " Field of Dreams " has stuck in my mind for years. "If you build it, they will come." The little girl in the movie said this line to her dad who finally built a baseball field for the ghosts of old players to use. Lets leave the happenings of the movie for the bigger thought in that phrase. Acts 7:48 (nlt) --- However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says, I like beautiful churches. To walk through one that is well thought through and fully functional as well as pleasing to the eye is cool, but God doesn't live in churches. He lives in the lives of people. You and me. For years I have watched churches crumble because the building or their money begins to take the place of the call of God on the group of people who are the local church. When The Community Fellowship was founded one year ago, I said and continue to say that we want to invest what we have an who we are i

Isaiah 54:2-3 (New Living Translation) --- Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities. They are coming over. It is kind of like getting ready for a family reunion or a party at the house. Get ready. Spend some money. Decorate in big ways and more. That is the way I have felt about The Community Fellowship when we started and how I feel now. There is nothing like this church here in our area. And The Community Fellowship is needed. Lots of people don't always get who we are or what we are doing, yet I am always confronted with the fact that Jesus sent us here, set us up here and continues to sustain us. I love these people and this work. And I love Jesus. That's what this is all about! As we dreamed about this church and began to plan, lots of people got in on it and lots of stuff began to happen. God provided

Proverbs 19:23 (nlt) --- Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm. We will never forget the events of September 11, 2001. "Lets Roll" is the phrase from the day that I remember and hold dear. It reminds us that we cannot sit still and let our nation or our families be terrorized. We must pray for the families of victims and for our nation. Kind of strange that the anniversary of The Community Fellowship is about the same time. Maybe that will keep us from forgetting our important event. Yet I ask that you let me draw your attention to a couple of things that happened because of 9-11: --- The Sunday following 9-11 church attendance around the nation was at an all time high AND began to fall off just a couple weeks later. --- Prayer and talk of God was common in the secular media for some time BUT began to disappear, again, not too many weeks later. --- People of faith were called on to assist, which is an honor and our calling from God,

One year ago today a group of people met to begin a brand new church that we now know as The Community Fellowship. In these 365 days we have watched God pave a road for us to travel, He has provided for all of our needs as well as met our requests and our hearts with open arms. We have seen lives change. We have met new friends and experienced some awesome events. A Building. Walls. Sound equipment. Baptisms. Worship services. Celebrations. And so much more. Here is the scripture that I shared with that group of 40 plus people who met: Isaiah 43:19-20 (The Message) --- Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands ."It has been a road heavily marked by faith. We continue to see God and know this is where He has called us. I am more excited today than I was

I praise the Lord that my folks are about to arrive for a visit. We are so blessed to have great family, mine and my wife's family mean the world to us. But Jesus said something that really rocked my world when I first saw it. This is new thinking: Matthew 10:37 (nlt) --- If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. There is no way that God said that. I mean we live in an area where family is seen as real important and to be cherished. Where my wife is from is the first place I saw how big families do big things, like reunions and all go to church together. Family is something we all need. What Jesus was saying was that our priorities need to be in check. Our eternal relationship with him will last even longer than our relationship with parents and family. He didn't say to walk away from family. Jesus did say that He has to be #1 in our live

Yes, it is too early to get ready for our tailgate party on September the 16th, but we need to be planning for a big party and letting our friends know about it, too. What you got to get ready is this stuff: INVITATIONS (you will get some on Sunday at church...but make your own. Do something to invite people. They will hear about Jesus and have a blast at church.) FOOD (what are your going to bring for you and others? I am thinking about some good ol' BBQ and friend chicken or a burger and hot dog on the grill. We will have guests. Don't forget the beverages.) CHAIRS (lawn chair, beach chair...whatever) GRILLS & COOLERS (too cook the food, silly, and keep the drinks cold) PRAYER (don't forget this because we are here to "demonstrate the love of God to our community") The other stuff that will be there: GIFTS (everyone who comes, member, attender or friend gets a special gift. Come and see.) KIDS GAMES (big blow up bouncy thing with

Mark 7:37 (nlt) --- They were completely amazed and said again and again, "Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak." What CAN"T God do? Fact is the only limit God has is in our minds. Think about it. Our history or background says that God does this or that or answers in this way or that way. Those thoughts couldn't be farther from the truth. What did the people following Jesus see? The verse above is good. Those people saw God in the flesh, Jesus (see John 1 ), heal people, teach big ideas, feed thousands of people with nothing and so much more. God can do anything. But do we really believe that? Fact is, when we limit God we limit our experience with God, our knowledge of God and (big deal here) how God will work around and through us. Think about it. How do we limit God. Attitude limits God. Staying away from God limits Him. Thinking He can't or won't do this or that limits

Do you ever get discouraged by learning something about a person you admire? I've been there today. No details, but I was shocked and hurt to say the least. As I sat last evening I read my Proverb for the day and was greatly encouraged. Chapter 4 is full of thoughts for people who want to be God's kids and godly. The thoughts from those 27 verses go right along with my heavy heart this afternoon and what I learned. Now, I have a commitment to pray for this situation, and friend, I pray with God's truth in mind. Here are my notes from Proverbs 4 : We must listen carefully to what God says. His words are wisdom. (verses 1-9) We must walk in godliness even when around ungodliness. This gives light to those without light . (verses 10-19) We have to guard ourselves against compromise. It is easy to get sidetracked for things that are less than the best. (verses 20-23) Last, We need to know where we are going and why we are going. God intends for us to live with visi

1 Peter 3:7 (nasb) --- You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way...and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. Proverbs 18:22 (nasb) --- He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD. For years I have related something like this about our marriage, "We have been married 14 years, and it has been 10 of the best years of our lives." That is lie. Big time. Today, my precious wife and I celebrate 14 years of marriage, and all 14 years have been awesome and a blessing from God. That's the facts. Nothing less than a gift from God, Julie is and marriage is. God is the one who created the union and who keeps us coming back to us time and time again. I can remember the day, almost like it was yesterday. A sweet older lady in the church I was pastor of asked me to call her grandson's ex-girlfriend 'cause she would be good for me. You heard me right, h