Michael Harrison's e-devotion

It takes courage to lead.  Some people are natural born leaders or have the ability to persuade people.  Many of us have a call from God on our lives to lead people.  All of us are called to tell others about Jesus with the way we live.  We are to lead people for a cause bigger and more important than any personal agenda or desire.  It is for God's kingdom and to take more people with us into exciting life and eternity in heaven. It takes courage.  As I prepare for a retreat with our leadership team tonight and tomorrow, these are some of the verses that I have spent some time with: Ecclesiastes 7:19  nlt One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town! Joshua 1:6  nlt Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Hebrews 6:19  nlt This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God'

1 Thessalonians 3:8  NASB for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. I first read that scripture and began to understand it when I was being discipled by some great people.  One of those people was Dr. Gil Fisher.  I learned this morning that Gil passed away yesterday after an extended illness.  For years we studied God's word together and traveled on mission trips as well as helping to disciple others.  His heart for God and learning Biblical truth was incredible.  He taught me what that verse was all about. Our lives count for little unless we give them away.  Often we away part of what we have or who we are and it is not taken or used.  It is only when what we share is used and shared with others that we begin to find meaning.  Understand this the way that Jesus gave to those around Him.  Jesus met current needs, but he stepped into people's lives and led them to see those needs and future needs met. That is what Christianity and following

Proverbs 4:20-22 NLT My child, pay attention to what I say.  Listen carefully to my words.  Don't lose sight of them.  Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them,  and healing to their whole body. Those are powerful words, and as I spend time with God this week, I am challenge to allow His word to go deeper into my life.  The word of God is intended to change us and to draw us closer to Him.  Letting God's word sink into our lives with touch many areas of which some are big and many are little.  But all are important. If we listen to what God says, we will have more opportunities for life and strength.  That is what the Scripture says.  Right.  Are we allowing God's word to get into us?  By doing so, we will see God in ways that will bless other and bless those who come in contact with us. The following verses are part of my prayer time today as well as part of the challenge for God to bless and cha

Matthew 19:26 
NLT Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." Do you really believe that God can do anything?  Prove it.  Think through what you have seen him do and what you have experienced.  Now, spend a few minutes thinking about what others have told you God did in their lives.   We have the proof.  God is able.  Our minds cannot hold him back.  People cannot put God in a box.  He can heal the worst diseases.  He can fixed the biggest, baddest broken situation.  Our God can do anything, and it is time for us to believe God and let Him work in and through our lives. Here is one of The Community Core statements ... we are to get the attention of our community and while we have their attention, tell them about Jesus You can get people's attention in many ways.  But what do you do when you have their attention?  Why not do the greatest good?  Tell them about the one

This article is copied from "the Orlando Sentinel" and story by Mike Blanchi found HERE . Not even NASCAR could have scripted Trevor Bayne D AYTONA BEACH, Fla. — At long last, we can now officially bury the conspiracy theories that  NASCAR  choreographs races. Because not even Oliver Stone could have come up with a script and a storyline this unbelievable and this inconceivable. On a day when NASCAR commemorated one of its most downtrodden moments, the Daytona 500 delivered one of the sport's most uplifting winners. This was the rotary phone and the iPhone teaming up Sunday to win the Daytona 500. High def and black-and-white formed a nearly perfect union to win the Great American Race. Put it out via Twitter—and via telegraph: The youngest winner and the oldest team combined to win the biggest race of them all. "Are you kidding me?" screamed 20-year-old Trevor Bayne as he crossed the finish line, uniting with the iconic Wood Brothers to pull per

Last night our family attended the 8th Grade presentation for Black History month at Fieldale-Collinsville Middle School.  Our oldest daughter daughter was one of the presenters, and we are proud of her.  It was a long program with loads of incredible people highlighted as well as the talent from the 8th grade class. I've been thinking about the people who have poured into my life as well as those who have left a mark on me and didn't know they had done that.  Some of those are incredible black leaders and friends.  Regardless of your race or your geographic location, God has a place for your AND will use you to touch many lives for His cause.  Who are some of the people who have left a mark in your life? Some of those who have encouraged me through history and my learning: Tony Evans , Nelson Mandela , Martin Luther King Jr , Maya Angelou , Tony Dungy , Miles McPherson and others. A few who have touched my life: Boykin McNeal , Shaun King , Alan Preston , Melissa Gravel

Matthew 25:35-36,40  NASB 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me  something  to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something  to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36   naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' 37    "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You  something  to drink? 38    'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39    'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' ...  40    "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine,  even the least  of them,  you did it to Me.'   Those are powerful verses.  But they are also revealing verses.  They look at what we are doing and how we look at people.  Not everyone is as compassionate or maybe able to help others.

The most precious things in life are free.  They don't cost us money, but they cost us a lot in other areas.  What we treasure and hold close is the thing that we love the most.  That thing tells us much about what we believe about God.  Take a look at what Jesus said: Matthew 6:19-23 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. 21   Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.  22   "Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light.   23   But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! Eye opening truth for sure.  What are the things that

........ allow me to change the subject for a minute.  It is Valentine's day.  I am blessed, and I am grateful for the last 18 Valentine's Days I have been able to enjoy them with Julie.  She is a blessing to my life and a neat piece of the adventure God has given us.  We don't have the perfect marriage because neither one of us is perfect, but God put us together to complete each of us.  I so appreciate that.  And Julie, I love you; happy Valentine's Day! Proverbs 18:22  NASB He who finds a wife finds a good thing And obtains favor from the LORD.

Psalm 119:11  NLT I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. That is one of the most incredible verses in all the world.  It tells us what the Bible can do for us.  It will keep each of us on the right path, but it will also put our mind on the right things. Yet it ought to go further than that.  I was thinking through some truths of Scripture last week and several pieces of truth came rolling in my direction.  Then it hit me.  Hit me hard, to be honest with you. By hiding God's word in our hearts we will find, peace and purpose, abundance and strength.  And more will come our way. If the only reason you accepted Jesus as your Savior was to go to heaven, then you have missed the boat.  God has so much more goodness and grace for us.  Life is intended to be an adventure of fun even with on the hiccups and speed bumps along the way.  This was intended to be a series of unlinked circumstances that remind us that Heaven will be awe

Acts 15:11 NLT We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus. That is the truth.  Any time at church we ask people what they are thankful for, our salvation by the grace of God is one of the first things we hear.  I want to praise God for His grace and my salvation.  How about you? Yet there is more to being a Christian and following God than just being saved.  Far too many people are content with just knowing they are going to heaven.  That is not all God has for me and for you.  His desire for us is a full life.  His desire for us is to achieve and live life with meaning. Often I am asked or even think about this question: what is God's will for me life?  Henry Blackaby said the right question is "what is God's will?"  I tend to agree. God has so much for us.  His plan for us includes having and holding meaning as well as helping others find meaning in life.  But how many of you reading t

I sat down in a prayer time yesterday morning.  The scripture that I just finished reading was heavy on my heart.  My phone was open as I typed an email to a friend whose family is going through a very difficult time.  I sent them the verses below, but before I hit the send the lady leading our prayer time was reading the same verses.  There is power in God's word. Philippianss 4:4-9 nlt 4  Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!   5  Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.  6  Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7  Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  8  And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely

"In the history of the church we have seen that when the Devil could not destroy the church by persecution, the next thing he did was to join it!" --- J. Vernon McGee   When the people of God and the church have troubles, we often look on the outside to see what the stress, persecution and difficultly is.   Yet we might be looking in the wrong place.   As McGee said, our enemy can evil be right in the middle of who we are.   Nehemiah found this happening in chapter 5 of the book that has his name.   We are making our way through a study of Nehemiah at The Community Fellowship, and the things we are learning are incredible.   The walls were rebuilt in record time.   The people who lived in depression, dissension and difficult times rallied together to.   During the work trouble came up from within.   One way to deal with trouble is to understand what community is all about.   Don't think geography when it comes to community.   Think relationally.   God put