Michael Harrison's e-devotion

Halloween is one of the most controversial holidays for Christians.  I’ve heard all kinds of thoughts, teaching and conviction surrounding this day.  This is not intended to give you the history behind the day or my theology on the evils of the world, the Devil or of this holiday. What I want to ask is that think about using our time and our influence to help others meet God along the journey we are on.  Some people will say that we are naïve or weak because we don’t denounce Halloween.  I believe that we need to redeem the things that God puts in front of us.  That includes material possession, occasions, people and so much more. Today is one of those days that needs to be redeemed.  Don’t stick your head in the sand and just wait for it to go away.  Meet people where they are and with the love of God and kindness win the right to talk to people about Jesus.  Jesus changes people.  We don’t change people.  ...

Tomorrow is the big day as we welcome a bunch of people from our community to our doors for an evening of fun, food and festivities.  Are you ready to help?  Volunteers need to arrive at about 4:30 or before 5:45 if you have to come later.  When you arrive, ask for Maggie or Cathy! Here are the happenings for our Halloween outreach: TRUNK or TREAT ---   cars and candy are needed.  Your car will be placed in line to welcome kids from the community.  Be ready to smile lots, hand out candy and share the love of God.  Decorate your trunk and dress up, but please do that in the best encouraging way you can.  VOLUNTEER to help with TRUNK or TREAT!!! FOOD and DRINKS ---   we will be serving 2,500 hot dogs and chips.  Popcorn for everyone.  Drinks include koolaid, hot chocolate, and coffee.  There will be three locations which means we needs lots of VOLUNTEERS as we give food away.  Again, be ready to smile and welcome these families!!! GAMES, INFLATABLES and BE ON TV ---   the...

We might not agree on the value of some things.   Some people make minimum wage while others make a pile of money.   One shirt from a store cost a few dollars and another costs $100 or more.   There doesn’t seem to be a reason for the differences. The way something is made makes a difference in its value as does the rarity of the materials it is made of.   A person who much experience or a great deal of education will have more value in the work they do than someone with little experience or no education.   That seems to make a lot of sense. You’ve heard this phrase before: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.   And another phrase: beauty is in the eye of the beholder.   In other words we are the ones that set the value of the items we hold and the people around us. I intend to make one strong statement to share with each of you today.   It is this: God is the one that determines value!   God and no one else determines y...

In every place whether business or church or civic organization the people who make the biggest difference are those who serve others.  Their lives are spent helping others be successful.  That is a picture of what Jesus did as well.  He is the example we want to follow and that will help us go further. Here is what we know about Jesus and how His being a servant continues to change the world and us: Philippians 2:5-11  NLT You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. 
When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesu...

God loves variety, and He is creative.  This time of the year proves that fact as we see the colors that God used to paint the countryside on the mountains in our region of the world.  Yet God doesn’t save his creative artistry only for the beauty around us.  He shows His creative artistry through the people we come in contact with each day. Everyone is different in the way they look, personalities and character traits.  Each person has their own talents and gifts, and this variety makes the world sweeter.  It also makes the work God called us to do much easier. 1 Peter 4:10   NLT God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.  Use them well to serve one another. 1 Corinthians 12:4   NLT There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. Romans 12:6   NLT In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things wel...

It is that time again.  Twice a year the world comes to our town to smell burning racing fuel and rubber laid down on concrete.  Yes, I am talking about the half mile, left turn only, paper clip track known as Martinsville Speedway. But here’s the kicker: I don’t go to the track for the races or to watch the girls or to watch all the different kinds of people that NASCAR draws.  The reason I go to the track is to have conversations with all those different people.  My prayer is that our team of volunteers with Raceway Ministries will have lots of conversations about Jesus. 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 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....