Michael Harrison's e-devotion

One of my deep convictions is this: when someone asks you to pray for them, stop and pray for them and with them at that moment.  You may be with them on-line, on the phone or in person.  Wherever you are, stop and pray. It is often the "christian" answer or response to someone to say "I'll be praying for you."  Stop giving it lip service and start giving it life service.  Think about it.  How much more impact will Jesus have through us if people start seeing our faith rather than just hearing about it?  Pray at the store or at school (God isn't allowed there, I know) or on the ball field or out in the street.  Where ever you are and someone asks or you feel the need, stop and pray.  It will make a huge difference. One of our favorite events at The Community Fellowship is our Halloween Outreach.  Today marks our 3rd one.  We partner with several community organizations along with the local TV st...

Haven't said it in a while.  You can follow me on TWITTER  .  Kind of a cool way to keep up with family, friends and people I think are cool. Wikipedia says Twitter  is a free  social networking  and  micro-blogging  service that allows its users to send and read other users' updates (otherwise known as  tweets ), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.

In Brand Heath's hit song " Give Me Your Eyes  " there are a couple lines that I just cannot get out of my head ... Give me your eyes so I can see Everything that I keep missing Give me your love for humanity Give me your arms for the broken hearted  The ones that are far beyond my reach Give me your heart for the once forgotten God wants us to think God's sized, big thoughts.  His desire for us is much more than we can create or work up without some divine intervention, guidance, help and more.  This song says that for me.  You see I want The Community Fellowship to touch lives that are way out of our reach.  To do more than we can do with what we have. God's eyes see it all.  His resources are endless.  Nothing is too hard, too big or too far from Him. So, think with me: what are you attempting that will fail unless God's helps?  I pray this pray, the song above, for myself and the p...

COMMUNITY FAMILY Come, join the fun.  This is the time when we partner with TV station BTW21  and a few other organizations for a huge family event for our community.   Friday night from 6 to 9 pm is our annual Halloween Outreach.  Last year over 300 kids came through our doors.  What now?  You are needed to make it successful! VOLUNTEER Help from 5:30 to after 9 pm (and you came part of the time, just lets us know) there is room for everyone!  Again, let us know.  What will you be doing?  Helping with games.  Serving goodies.  Passing out information.  Meeting people.  Smiling.  Praying.  Being part of The Community Fellowship! BRING STUFF Goodies (like cookies and brownies) and the like as we serve our guests. Candy.  Candy.  Candy.  Candy.  We need more... guessed what!!! Got more questions?  Need more info?  Just want to sound off or let us know you are coming (and don...

Romans 11:6  (nasb) --- And since it is  through   God 's  kind ness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case,  God 's grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. Simple kindness.  It returns to you.  We have to remember that we do not deserve the grace of God whatsoever.  Yet in His endless grace, God cared for and saved us AND keeps on caring for us.  That is why we have to turn it around.  Give it away. I am touched by the testimonies of people who are practicing ARK's (acts of random kindness).  If you haven't shared what you are doing with me, please do so now.  If you aren't practicing ARK's, begin today.  It will touch you more than you know. Philemon 1:10  (nasb) --- I appeal to you to show  kindness... The person next to you may need to experience the kindness of God.  It may be the person who sleeps next to you.  It cou...

This is an email from a missionary friend in Honduras. Please pray for the missonaries, Hondurans and for God's mercy and peace. Michael > > Flooding in Honduras— > > We have had several days of heavy rains but since yesterday it is > even heavier. > > My daughter called requesting prayer. The town where they live (one > hour away) is located on the mouth of the river. The river has > flooded, probrably the dam broke loose, and the town is flooded. Two > people have already drowned. Her husband is helping rescue people > and they have over 50 extra people in their house seeking shelter. > > This week is the 10th year anniversay of Hurricane Mitch. > > My husband is in Brazil and will return to Honduras on Nov. 10. > > Please pray for this situation. > > Thank you > (This missionary serves with Wycliffe in LaCeiba, Honduras. I served with Cornerstone at hospital Loma de Los near Balfate, Honduras where the flooding...

Our leadership team is reading Craig Groeschel's new book IT   .  Last night we had a healthy discussion through the first 5 chapters.  Here is a little of that for your daily devotion enjoyment (I've also shared some of Craig's message from the Catalyst Conference in these notes). First, a disclaimer: what is IT?  Some churches and ministries have IT and some don't.  IT is present when you see and know God is working in a real and relevant way.  Read on ... Proverbs 29:18     Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained...    Habakkuk 2:2    Then the LORD answered me and said, "Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets,  That the one who reads it may run."  IT has an upside: lives are changed.   IT has a downside: creates critics and controversy. Acts 2:41   So then, those who had received his word were baptized; a...

Yesterday was our celebration and conclusion of the 30 Days to Live series at The Community Fellowship.  It was awesome.  We used "cardboard testimonies" along with many folks sharing how the Lord has turned their lives toward Him.  I am always, always touched by how people meet God and how He rocks their world and mine. On a person note, I need to say we have the greatest people at The Community.  Thanks for all the notes, gifts and words of appreciation.  It means much to me and to my family! I talked about how we have been changed by the grace of God, and this morning I came across this simple phrase - "but by the grace of God".  Question: where would you be without the grace of God?  Would you even be alive?  How about jail or in some kind of trouble?  All of us can use that phrase and thank God for His amazing and unending grace.  Here are the points we talked about: Romans 8:1  (...

I think it is interesting to sit back and think about the people who have helped you to change and to even make a list of those who are impacting the world around us in significant ways.  Some of the them are natural leaders.  Some we wouldn't think of.   Lanny Donoho over at his blog WHAT IF ? shared this video.  Wait, before you watch it, think about how God may be using you to change others OR how He maybe changing you. Watch on:

I've been changed.  Change is the key word of this year.  The election, commercials and even the air seems to breathe that word ... change.  "Change you can believe in" is the motto of one political party, yet that is not the change that I really want to look at. Change is not easy, but it is necessary.  One of the pieces of changes has to do with understanding where we are and where we are going.  Most the time, for adults, change brings concern and even pain.  It opens things that we don't want to deal with often.  But it leaves us free. Think with me about some of the change that Jesus has brought our way. Ephesians 2:8  (nasb) --- For by  grace  you have been  saved  through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 1 John 2:12  (nasb) --- I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been  forgiven  you for His name's sake. Ep...

Gayle Williams was killed in Afghanastan on Monday. She worked with a group called SERVE that helped the poor and disabled. Pray for her family and her workers. Pray for the safety and blessing of our friends who serve in dangerous places. Learn more at www.cbn.com

Colossians 4:5  (nlt) --- Live wisely among those who are not believers, and  make  the  most  of every opportunity. One of the biggest take-aways from the Catalyst Conference this year an encouragement to start a new list.  Not a "to-do list" but a "stop-doing list".  That's right. We do ourselves a disservice and we hurt our lives, work, ministry and family by continuing to pile on new things and not lay anything aside.  We "burn the candle at both ends" or find ourselves "burnt out" or in a great deal of trouble because there is not enough of us to go around.  Yes, it would be nice if we got a bonus 2 hours each, or better each day. Time is the same and there is just as much of us to go around.  Don't try to be a super-hero or the one who can do it all and answer all the questions.  You cannot.  God can.  Be who God made you to be.  Use time and tal...

"Without qualification, without ifs, ands, or buts, God's word tells us, straight as a left jab, that love is the greatest thing there is (1 Cor 13: 13). Scripture never says God is justice or beauty or righteousness, though he is just and beautiful and righteous. But "God is love" (1 Jn 4:8). Love is God's essence, his whole being. Everything in him is love. Even his justice is love. Paul identifies "the justice of God" in Romans 1:17 with the most unjust event in all history, deicide, the crucifixion, for that was God's great act of love. "  --- Peter Kreeft  , taken from this article   That dude, Kreeft, is one of the most powerful writers and thinkers of this day.  What he says here and in other places has influences me for about 12 years.  In the past few months, I have been preparing for 2009 at The Community and how we will walk in the vision and calling God has given us. Our call is to demonstrate th...

I was reminded yesterday that real vision takes a huge amount of focus.  Maybe that is why these verses continue to stick with me and come out of me.  What do you think? Hebrews 12:2  (nlt) --- We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Colossians 3:2   (nasb) --- Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. When my mind is pointed in a different direction or when something or someone is pulling in a different way, the vision may become unclear or even leave all together.  That is one reason why I believe what Gary Lamb said some time ago ... something like this ... "preach vision and when you are done preaching it, preach it again and after that, preach it again....