Michael Harrison's e-devotion

One of the most powerful preachers, writers and leaders of our time, in my opinion, is Francis Chan.  His first book, Crazy Love , revolutionized my thoughts about God's love as well as my interacting with God.  Now it is time for a brand new book from Chan being released tomorrow, September 1st.  The book is Forgotten God .   This is a phenomenal book about the power that Christians and the church can and must tap into.  All of it is within the Holy Spirit.  Francis talks about the power that was seen in the book of Acts when the Holy Spirit began to move among people.  It is true that many have avoided or maybe forgotten what the Holy Spirit is all about.   And like the Savior who poured out His life and blood so we have reason to rejoice, we were made to lay down our lives and give until it hurts.  We are most alive when we are loving and actively giving of ourselves because we were made to do these things.  It is when we live like this that the Spirit of God moves and ac...

Proverbs 31:8 (GWT) ---  "Speak out for the one who cannot speak, for the rights of those who are doomed. "  What an honor to attend The Idea Camp this past weekend near Washington, DC.  I am in overload from the inspiration and truth that was shared.  So because of that I am going to give you quick notes from the weekend.  To find out more about this event click HERE .  Now for the notes (this is not all of them): Leadership Dev: u need 2 serve so u know where u shouldn't serve. Create culture that allows that.  @MarkBatterson If there is vision, God will make provision. It'll come out outta nowhere. -  @markbatterson "A person made in the image of God is not meant to be owned by another." - Blair Burns of IJM.org What changes ppl's mind about fighting slavery? It's ppl speaking up. 10 phone calls to your local congressman would make a HUGE difference. What happens when American ppl remain silent? Remember 800k dead i...

Proverbs 31:8 (GWT) ---  "Speak out for the one who cannot speak, for the rights of those who are doomed. "  What an honor to attend The Idea Camp this past weekend near Washington, DC.  I am in overload from the inspiration and truth that was shared.  So because of that I am going to give you quick notes from the weekend.  To find out more about this event click HERE .  Now for the notes (this is not all of them): Leadership Dev: u need 2 serve so u know where u shouldn't serve. Create culture that allows that.  @MarkBatterson If there is vision, God will make provision. It'll come out outta nowhere. -  @markbatterson "A person made in the image of God is not meant to be owned by another." - Blair Burns of IJM.org What changes ppl's mind about fighting slavery? It's ppl speaking up. 10 phone calls to your local congressman would make a HUGE difference. What happens when American ppl remain silent? Remember 800k dead in Rw...

Philippians 1:5  (nlt) --- for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. I am amazed at the partners that God gives us.  Some of them I see and know and even expect.  But there are others that I do not see nor do I expect. The Apostle Paul said (in the verse above) that we have becoming partners in spreading the good news of Christ.  That is what it is all about.  For a leader to interact with or partner with ideas, situations and most of all people that are not going to build the kingdom is just flat out wrong. Not this not about leaving people who don't know Jesus.  It is about making sure that what we are doing is guiding people to the kingdom.  God didn't save us, equip us and call us to wipe noses and to make people feel better.  But as one dude said and I love, God has called us to be "brokers of HOPE."  Nothing less. But when we choose to spend our energy on things that...

Community family and friends - I want to draw your attention to this event and invite you to join me and some of our folks there ...  "Hope for America Rally" at Hillcrest Baptist Church of Ridgeway on Thursday, August 27th, 7 pm ... everyone invited!   Located at  18075 A.L. Philpott Highway in Ridgeway, VA.   The speakers will be Rev. Jonathan Falwell, Senior Pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA, and Aaron Evans, National Director of Hope for America Rallies and popular media personality and speaker.  Music guest is Marc Ivey also from Thomas Road Baptist Church. Jonathan will be visiting The Community fellowship on Thursday afternoon.  I am very excited to spend extra time with him and to learn from his wisdom.     Let me know if you have any questions.   Pastor Michael (James 1:5)

Joshua 24:15 (NLT)  --- But if you refuse to  serve  the Lord, then choose today  whom  you  will   serve . Would you prefer the gods your ancestors  serve d beyond the Euphrates? Or  will  it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we  will   serve  the Lord." I've noticed throughout life that we have a choice of who we will serve.  Most people choose the same person to serve and have made that person famous for years and years.  That person (are you ready) ... SELF! There is the fact that is hard to understand but is true.  If we are not serving Jesus, we are serving ourselves.  You aren't even serving Satan at that point.  Think about it for a minute.  We are either turned outward or inward.  We either see needs in other people or we don't see needs.  I learned a long time ago that we were made to serve. Galatians 5:13 (GWT)  --- You were indeed called to be free, brothers and sisters. Don't turn this ...

Nehemiah 9:32   (NLT)  --- "And now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of unfailing love, do not let all the hardships we have suffered seem insignificant to you. Great trouble has come upon us and upon our kings and lead ers and priests and prophets and ancestors—all of your  people —from the days when the kings of Assyria first triumphed over us until now.  Leading isn't easy, but it is a real blessing.  In the last 3 days I have had some awesome conversations and some tough conversations.  Yet each one reminded me of the responsibility that I have to the people I connect with.  What is that responsibility? Leading people means I have to be honest.  Share the truth with confidence.  Be open with who I am and where God has brought me from. Leading people means I have to be clear.  There are times and situations that need to be uncovered, discussed and more.  When I beat around the bush or leave out things, I am not leading p...

I'm registered for this event.  Would love for you  to join me there ...         FREE Killing Cockroaches Workshop @ Thomas Road At  Thomas Road Baptist Church (TRBC) September 10th with Jonathan Falwell  author/leader/visonary Tony Morgan will lead a FREE "Killing Cockroaches" event (that is also the name of Tony's new book). Here are the details: Who? – Designed for both church staff and volunteers.
Since it's free, bring your entire team. What? - Two interactive sessions. The first will be on leadership development, particularly as it relates to building volunteer teams. The second is on finding focus in teaching, discipleship strategy and communications to reach people for Jesus and help them  take steps in their faith.
Both sessions will include plenty of time for questions. When? - Thursday, September 10, 9:00 am to Noon Where? – Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia Want to join us? You can plan to attend for free, but you ...

Have you been through some struggles lately?  All around me are folks, including myself, who have been through a number of things.  Some of them seem insignificant.  Some of them seem huge.  Yet how we deal with these situations says a lot about our faith. James 1:2-4  (nasb) ---  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.   And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.   I shared those verses with our people at The Community Fellowship  yesterday, and a couple things hit me between the eyes.  I want to ask you to think about them: First, when we live with that kind of perspective of trials, we gain life. Second, when we live with that kind of perspective, we will serve others. I close with Scripture on both those topics: GAINING LIFE James 1:12 (nasb) ---  Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he...

Christian Family Burglar A burglar broke into a Christian Family's home one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables; when he heard, a strange voice echoing from the dark saying, 'Jesus is watching you.' He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze. After awhile when he heard nothing more, he shook his head and continued. Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard, 'Jesus is watching you..' Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice and finally,  in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot. Did you say that?' He whispered to the parrot. 'Yep,' the parrot squawked, 'I'm just trying to warn you.' The burglar relaxed. 'Warn me, huh? And what is your name?' 'Moses,' replied the bird. 'Moses?' the burglar laughed. 'What kind of people w...

I am looking forward to traveling this coming week to our nation's capital with some of our great people from The Community Fellowship.  We are going to be part of THE IDEA CAMP.   Connect with the event at http://theideacamp.ning.com/   Here is a little info about THE IDEA CAMP: The Idea Camp is a collaborative movement of idea-makers who facilitate free hybrid conferences and develop resources for people who desire to move ideas toward implementation. Facilitated by a growing collective of innovative thinkers and practitioners from numerous disciplines, participants gather around topics of interest to encourage and inspire one another, share practical wisdom from the field, and develop intentional networks for idea-making. A FREE EVENT, It is THE IDEA CAMP Justice Edition , August 28-29, 2009 taking place at Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church in Washington, DC.   Some of the things that I am excited about as it relates to this event are: meeting Charles Lee face to f...

My friend Vicky English has entered the world of blogging.  Visit her blog HERE ( http://vickysheart.blogspot.com/ ).  She is helping to lead The Community Fellowship in ministering to the homeless and needy in our community.   Click on the following for 3 posts I shared from Vicky: vicky english my thoughts letter from passionate leader my heart praise

We are never more alive than when we are connected to God.  Let me take it a step further.  We are never more alive than when we are serving God by serving others.  I get plum excited when I read that someone or some church is going off the deep end serving outside of their comfort zone and doing things that are not the status quo. Why does that stuff get to me the way it does?  It is because God has worked in my heart.  Yep, I've known God all my life and been his child since May 10, 1986.  And I haven't gotten over it.  My prayer is that I will be more excited about God and serving others today and tomorrow than I ever have been before.  My objective in leading is to lead others to be more excited than ever about God and about serving others.  What do you think? Staying connected to God ain't easy.  It is a choice each of us has to make.  I recently shared the lyrics of the song  Marvelous Light  here in a devotion.  Last evening I was hit once again with the ...

This post is written by Vicky English from The Community Fellowship and the third I've shared here on my blog.  Watch soon for her own blog.  She is inspiring others to see God and to serve those they encounter.  I am touched by her humility and authenticity.  Read on and pray with me that Vicky's and our church's dreams with grow like never before: The last two days have been pretty hard for me mentally. The devil really knows where to attack.  The last 8 months have been a struggle financially for my family, but things are looking up. Praise God that George got a job and there will be two incomes now to cover the bills. We have rode that thin line for so long. Then satan attacks again yesterday.  I won't go into the ugly details, but me being programmed the way that I am, was doubting.   Tonight, while in the shower, I was thinking about how to juggle the money and bills yet again, and a different thought occurred to me. PRAISE GOD I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT MY BILLS. ...

Today's e-devotion is guest written by my friend Sam Spangler whom I met through Twitter.  He and his family will be with us this weekend at The Community Fellowship.  I will still be preaching, but the Spanglers will share their vision to reach the Twsana people of South Africa for Jesus. Enjoy the rest of the devotion and join me in praying for Sam and Shelley ... We're all familiar with the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch found in Acts 8:26-40.   Without a doubt this eunuch had a divine appointment.   I wonder how many of us seek out those opportunities that occur in our everyday lives in which we can be of service to the Lord by showing the love of Jesus Christ to someone else?   At the supermarket, at the gas station, at work, school, or play; each of these times we may have a perfect opportunity to share the love of Jesus with someone who is hurting, discouraged, or needing to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Today, more and more of us are active i...