Michael Harrison's e-devotion

Colossians 3:17  (nlt) --- And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.   For years I have fought with a specific question and had countless people ask it as well.  "Are Christians supposed to celebrate Halloween?"  Tough question.  What do you think?  See the verse above.   The choice is ours.  We can get legalistic about it and never touch anything the world touches.  We could be indifferent to it and just not care about anything.  There has got to be an answer out there.   We are excited about a big event we are hosting along with our neighbor ( www.btw21.com tv station) that will impact lots of kids here in our community.  Fact is (and my answer to celebrating Halloween) we have to ask a simple question: "How can we tell more people about our Jesus?"  There is it plain and simple.   Use it all.  Everything you got.  All your influence.  Tell people about Jesus.  Even if

1 Thessalonians 3:12  (nlt) --- And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.   Hebrews 10:24  (nlt) --- Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.   It takes all kinds!    If we just didn't have to deal with difficult people!   Have I heard those things before.  One of the things I enjoy doing at the airport, the mall or Wal-Mart is watching people.  There are some strange people God put on this earth (oh, thats from looking in the mirror this morning).  God loves variety.   Just had a knock on the front door of the church from a man who runs a business near by.  Been working on him for Jesus for almost a year, and we are getting somewhere.  He wanted to help with our Halloween event.   Couple weeks ago my brother called and invited me to go to a conference with him.  Time together.  Learning together and more.  What an awesome blessing.   Ran into se

Our leadership team is reading " Deadly Viper " about things that kill our character.  The book was given away at this year's Catalyst Conference .   What I have read so far is awesome.  The guys who wrote the book are a pastor and a computer dude who love Jesus and are willing to take back what Satan is stealing from them.  Lets talk for a couple minutes about how we loose by letting our character be torn from us:   Proverbs 4:23  (nlt) --- Guard your heart above all else,for it determines the course of your life.   "We've known too many people who are brighter, more talented and more grounded than us who succumbed to "character creep" and didn't even realize how their lives were being impacted...our families are at stake.  Our careers are at stake.  Our impact in the world is at stake.  Everything we have worked so hard to build can be destroyed in a matter of moments." (Deadly Vipers, page 26)   You could say 'I've bee

Not very often do I copy someone else's blog or article.  But today, I am.  The floowing come from Gary Lamb , and it is an awesome issue that I deal with pretty often.  You see, faith and action don't always seems to live in the same space.  God calls us to risk, sometimes.  Are we willing?  Take a look at what Gary had to say:   Risk During our All In series I taught a message on risk.  I realized today that I was preaching to myself during that message.  Right now I believe God is calling us to step out on faith in some ways that on paper do NOT make sense.  However, I feel as strong as I have ever felt in my life that God is preparing us for something big and we have to trust him and step out. I'm excited.  I truly feel the last three years were preparing us for what is about to happen.  People call me the king of hype but I can promise you that what God is laying on my heart right now isn't just hype.  I haven't felt this way since Tadd and I use to

Several years ago I was convicted by God and convinced that I needed to change the way I pray for people, and this change has spread to the way I do ministry and lead others to do ministry.   Far too often Christians say "I'm praying for you", and that becomes empty words.  Nice thing to say with no action whatsoever.  What did I do?  I began to pray for people on the spot.  Take their hand.  Grab their shoulder, and stand right there or on the phone and pray.  This makes a difference.   Right now I have several friends who are in need of God showing up and working.  Here are some ways we are to pray for others:   James 5:16  (nlt) --- 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 produces wonderful results.   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.   2 Thess

1 Thessalonians 3:8  (nlt) --- It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.   Preparing a message on discipleship this Sunday, and this verse keeps coming to mind.  I first heard it and grabbed onto it over 12 years ago as I learned how to pour my life and faith in the lives of others.   Hear what it says, the verse above...   1. we are encouraged when people we minister to live for Jesus.   2. we get more excited about ministry when people we encourage begin to show they love Jesus.   3. we see God at work in the lives of the people we push toward following Jesus.   A disciple is a follower.  We have to follow Jesus.  It is what the church is all about.  This will light your fire.  It ought to get us going stronger and harder after God.    Ephesians 3:16  (nlt) --- I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.   Had a great conversation with a church leader from a church near

You've been there.  It is when love fills your heart and mind and even your eyes.  You are overcome with a sense that God loves you and a desire to show and give that love to others.   Maybe you saw this in a person or in a scene from creation.  Where I find that I am overcome the most is with people who need love.  For me: it was a little kid in my son's preschool class yesterday, it was a sweet lady at the race track who couldn't walk but was bubbling over with life, it was hearing the words of a grieving wife, it was in the quiet moment of reading my Bible, it was in listening to one of my children breathe the other night while they were sleeping, it was in seeing God give me something that I thought I did not deserve...All of that happened in the last week.   Have we lost the sense of God's love?  Have we stopped loving others or worse stopped loving God?   Nehemiah 9:17  (nlt) --- They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for t

Several years ago Steven Curtis Chapman released a song that rally made me stop and think.  Here are some of the lyrics from The Change :   Well I got myself a t shirt that says what I believe I got letters on my bracelet to serve as my id I got the necklace and the key chain And almost everything a good christian needs yeah I got the little Bible magnets on my refrigerator door And a welcome mat to bless you before you walk across my floor I got a Jesus bumper sticker And the outline of a fish stuck on my car And even though this stuffs all well and good yeah I cannot help but ask myself   What about the change What about the difference What about the grace What about forgiveness What about a life thats showing I'm undergoing the change yeah I'm undergoing the change...   God says this about us:   2 Corinthians 5:17  (nlt) --- This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! Philipp

Check out this video and the guy who posted it is one I read almost every day.  Enjoy!  You might be changed by it... Michael (James 1:5)

Acts 20:24  (nlt) --- But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.   Take a look at a cool website that Frances Chan has pointed people to.  It is called " Just Stop and Think " and is a 15 minute video presentation of the gospel.    What I want to remind each of us about is that we have countless opportunities to talk to people about Jesus every day.  We need to take those moments.  Seize the opportunities letting Jesus fill us.  But some people we cannot talk to.  We can send them a link to this site and let God use the wonder of the world wide web and multi media to speak for us.   We are called to share His story, and that is what I am committed to at the Martinsville Speedway this weekend.  Around 90,000 people come to town and Jesus is walking among them (in Spirit and in us).  Our opportunity is to share and help and po

The blog world often gives me lots to chew on and think about.  Take a look at what Elevation Church did in Charlotte this past weekend.  Pastor Steven Furtick and the church is making a big impact for Jesus.   Lifechurch.tv is on the cutting edge and making a great impact as well.  Pastor Craig Groeschel encourages and challenges me almost every day.  Yesterday's post was especially good.  Here is part of what he wrote:   Future of the Church 2 (of 5) More Bible, Less Fluff When I was a kid, many churches didn't engage my generation. Most of my friends "went to church" but we didn't follow Christ. The American church (for the most part) lost touch with how to engage the younger generations. The church needed to change. And it did. We needed to become more relevant in the way we engaged non-believers, challenged believers, and presented God's Word. One result was the "seeker-sensitive" church. This movement brought some very positi

1 Corinthians 13:4  (nlt) --- Love is patient and kind...   Galatians 5:22  (nasb) --- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience...   Proverbs 16:32  (nlt) --- Better to be patient than powerful;better to have self-control than to conquer a city.   Is that a sign or something?  What is God trying to say?   Guys and girls, we better listen because God keeps throwing this stuff at me (yes, I need to listen for myself, too).  I get out of the shower (no mental pictures, please) and my mind has this praise song stuck in it about love being patient.  Then I listen to a situation going on at home where patience is missing.  Turning the other direction I look back and see that it has taken a long time to get something done at home we have been working on for while.   About a year ago one of our faithful Community Church people told me to be patient.  I thought that was like the old saying ... "the pot calling the kettle black".  Yet I am learning

My brother can beat up your brother!  My dad is bigger than your dad!   Remember any of those conversations from the playground in elementary?  I do.  In fact, from earliest childhood God has built within each of us the sense of and need for family.  It is awesome to see that need fulfilled with a healthy family and relationships, yet it is terrible to watch those relationships sour.  Literally, we need family and we need each other.   Romans 15:2  (nlt) --- We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.   Deuteronomy 11:19  (nlt) --- Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.   Ephesians 6:1  (nlt) --- Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.   Just a couple verses to get us started there.  I like those Law and Order shows on TV, and sometimes those shows get me a bit mad about fami

Today's e-devotion continues with my notes from the CATALYST conference that I attended last week.  This is stuff is awesome!   I have to give a shout out and thanks to Lifechurch.tv and their pastor Craig Groeschel .  If you don't know, they give away everything they do and are having huge impact for God on many different playing fields.  His session was titled "Practical Atheist" and was awesome.   Definition of a "Practical Atheist" is a person that believes that God exists but does life like He doesn't.   That hurts, man does it ever, mostly because we have to get real with ourselves and look to see areas of our life where we kick God to the curb or just leave Him out all together.  Think about it!   Isaiah 29:13  (nlt) --- And so the Lord says,"These people say they are mine.They honor me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me.  And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. "   Craig

I begin today's with some of my thoughts of two special friends, and I will close with more notes from CATALYST conference.   Dale Clark passed away last evening in a peaceful time as he and his wife spent time together.  This man was full of faith and a prayer warrior like few others.  Yet Dale was rarely able to step through the doors of the church.  His health kept him down, but it never keep his faith down.  If you talked to Dale, you were encouraged.  He never thought of himself, and he talked all the time about his precious wife, Donna, and his kids and grand kids.  By the way, I know he loved his pastor.  The way a person leaves this earth says much about their relationship with Jesus.  I am humbled and God is seen through Dale's life and his death.   This afternoon is the memorial service for Libby Smith .  I cannot believe this is real.  Libby was my friend for all 36 years of my life.  I remember a blanket she made for me (it is safely stored away for keep

(NOTE: Here are some notes and thoughts from Rick Warren's message at CATALYST last week.)   God doesn't bless your agenda.  His agenda IS the kingdom.   The kingdom of God is wherever Jesus is king.   That is a huge statement for.  The kingdom is something that Jesus talked about all the time.  It happens when God's people begin to obey and follow God.  If you want God's blessing, you have to get on God's agenda.   Warren talked about Moses and the staff that he carried in his hand.  The points from this Scripture will preach.   Exodus 4:2  (nlt) --- Then the Lord asked him, "What is that in your hand?""A shepherd's staff," Moses replied.   Remember this: when God asks you a question, it is never for your benefit and when God does a miracle, it is never to show off.   Moses' staff lets us see his identity (a shepherd), his income (as a shepherd) and his influence (leading sheep).  God said to Moses, as He says to u

"If you believe what God says about you, there is nothing you cannot do."   That was a statement Francis Chan made during his session of the CATALYST conference last week (I will share more of his awesome stuff in this e-devotion).   Galatians 1:15  (nasb) --- But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased   This dude was real.  Chan had a lot to say and it was evident that his heart was humble and full.  Check out more of Francis Chan when you get a chance.  Here are more of my note from what he has to say:   Have a passion for loving and caring for the people you lead --- only don't allow yourself to become desensitized to the lostness and brokenness around you in the world.   As Paul said in Galatians (mentioned above), he was set apart by God for God's work.  Each of us are set apart and prepared by God to live and share.  Think about that truth.  People will try to discourage you al

My mom just called to let me know that a dear friend passed away this morning.  Elizabeth "Libby" Smith has been a part of my life since I was born.  She was my babysitter, my Sunday School teacher and, even more, my friend.  Since our kids have come around, Libby always sent something special for them when my parents would visit, and we always went over to Jim and Libby's house when we were at home.  She used her influence to love and shape my life in huge ways, just like she did for others.  Please pray for her husband, Jim, her sons, Kevin and Jimmy, and her grand children.  Heaven is sweeter today.  

(This week my intention is to share with you some thoughts from the CATALYST Conference that I attended last week.  Got to spend a couple days with my brother, Steve, who is a great dad, Christian dude and business man.)   Notes from Andy Stanley's session on "The Most Powerful Man in the Room"   What do you do when you realize that you are the most powerful person in the room?  Whether you like it or not, it happens.  Those moments determine our legacy and leadership which determines our character.   Jesus is an awesome example of knowing how to use your power to influence others.  Read on:   John 13: 4-5 (nlt) ---   So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.   Instead of having His feet washed, Jesus washed feet.  Most people were most likely shocked by this act of humility.  But what Jesus d

Matthew 6:33  (nasb) --- But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.   What a conference Catalyst has been just on DAY #1!  Several speakers hit home for me today.  I will give you lots of thoughts and notes next week, but I want to give you a huge thought from Rick Warren that blew my socks off.   "The kingdom of God is wherever Jesus is king." --- Rick Warren   I am blown away big time by that thought.  The kingdom is something Jesus talked about alot.  Jesus said the kingdom of God is in heaven, is here on earth and is in our heart, yet we have to get what Jesus got.  God has to be #1.  That is it.  Plain and simple.  It is all about Him.   This Sunday morning's sermon is heavy on my heart, and I am excited about what I am going to share with The Community Family (and I ain't giving it away until them).  This kingdom stuff has everything to do with making Jesus king.  Think about it this way ... you

Acts 11:26  (nlt) --- When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)   Something new.  A revolution.  Motivation.  Power.  Vision.  Change.   No, this is not when Jesus hit the ground running, but it was when the church was already in full swing.  The people who were Jesus followers began to get a name for themselves.  Christian.   What does it mean?  Why were they called that?  Check for yourself.   For years I have understood this term to be one of respect and honor.  It means to be a little Christ or to be part of His movement or family.  Yet at Anitoch this was a slam, a slur and meant to mock the people who were following Jesus.   Understand what I getting at.  Jesus came to earth to start something new.  He didn't come to do away with the old (the Law God gave).  Jesus came to fulfill that old par

"HOW LOUD IS YOUR LIFE + LEADERSHIP? "Leadership has its own rhythm. A pulse you can feel. A beat you can hear. A vibe you can see. Great leaders have resonance that stays with people. Their lives create cultural reverb, leaving a lasting impression on everyone in their circles of influence. In some cases it can be heard across time + through the ages." Those are the first lines from a brochure about this year's CATALYST conference taking place this week in Atlanta.  I have wanted to attend this conference for several years, but that has not been possible UNTIL THIS WEEK.  That is a God thing.  Take my word for it.   Some of the speakers are: Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, John Maxwell, Dave Ramsey and Erwin McManus.   OK.  Here is my big deal about these dudes.   Since I was young, I had a few opportunities to sit and learn from some pretty amazing people.  What I do in life now, planting a great church and pastoring a sweet group of people, has led me

Jeremiah 17:7  (nlt) --- Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.   I know where I am going, and I am excited about it.  Far too many people are shocked when I say something like that.  And what gets me the most is when Christian leaders accuse you of being arrogant for such.   Forgive me, but God provided for plenty of people (as we see in the Bible) who had to be bold to carry on their God-given vision.  Nehemiah is probably my favorite.  He has awesome character and leadership skills.  Another of my favorites is David.  I like this verse:   Acts 13:36  (nlt) --- ...after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died ...   David was the dude God said was 'a man after his own heart'.  He did some awful things, but he brought many people to see God's glory.  The verse above says that David lived for the purpose God has for him, and then he died.  That's real vision, and I believe that man h

1 Thessalonians 3:8  (nasb) --- for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.   From time to time God really sends you a blessing that is bigger and better than you expected.  Today is a great day.   First God gave me a gift that I had asked for yet forgotten about.  I get to go to Catalyst this week in Atlanta with my oldest brother.  This is a huge blessing.  Wait till I share some stuff with you after the conference.   Second a friend came by just before Community Worship yesterday and shared some prayer time.  His name is Sam, and he leads a ministry of rehab for men in addiction.  He just sent me an e-mail.  I love praying with Sam 'cause this guy is a man of faith.  Pray Sam and the House of Mercy.   In his e-mail, Sam talked about one of the guy he has been ministering to and spending time with traveling this weekend.  In their conversation Sunday evening traveling back to Richmond, Sam learned that this guy used to go to our church and that I baptize