Michael Harrison's e-devotion

This has been a great week full of blessings as well as exhausting.   I simply bring you to one of my favorite passages from a little different perspective for us to think about.   This Sunday we will celebrate baptism at The Community Fellowship, and it will be our second week of the series called CHANGE.   This is one of those series where I get to talk about the brightest and most glaring aspect of a church where God is working.   That is the fact that God still changes lives. He is changing people from being self-centered to God centered.   He is changing me from being set on my way to set on going His way.   He is changing the way I use my time, view my resources and the way I even love Him and love others.   God continues to change us. This could not be most vividly portrayed than in the difference that the Men on a Mission team has made at our new campus this week.   On Monday morning the space was empty, but as the week comes to an end our new space has been framed

Matthew 5:16   NLT In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father . This has been a very busy week full of excitement as well as insight.   The mission team working on our new campus has done so much more than I thought possible.   In the days ahead I will share with you pictures, plans and more. While driving several times this week I heard a song that I want to share with you parts of.   It has spoken to me.   It is Let Them See You by Colton Dixon , and the words from the song are much like the words of the Bible verse above.   It asks that others see Jesus rather than see us.   As you read these lyrics and then go through this day, may our lives point others to Jesus in every way possible. Let Them See You Take away the melodies take away the songs I sing take away all the lights and all the songs you let me write does the man I am today say the words you need to say. Let them se

This week we honor the MEN ON A MISSION team as The Community Fellowship’s Volunteer(s) of the Week!   Right now over 14 churches from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Arkansas are represented at our new campus.  This Ministry team, Men on a Mission, is donating their time, skills, knowledge and hard work to making our dream of moving into our new church a reality.   The Men on a Mission ministry was formed in 1989 by Christian men who strive to put the Lord first and not turn down a challenge.  Each year these men spend a week together framing church walls and have even built homes for people devastated by natural disasters, and they do these things free of charge.   Many of the men are spending the week sleeping on blow up air mattresses and more than one member of the team is camping in a tent to be ready to begin work at 5am and work till 7pm each evening.   Men on a Mission has opportunitie

Psalm 85:12   NLT Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings . Our land will yield its bountiful harvest. Psalm 119:58   NLT With all my heart I want your blessings . Be merciful as you promised. Through what I have shared the last couple of days you know that we are in the middle of hosting a mission team that is working on our new campus.   It really is more than I expected when I see all that they have accomplished in only 2 days of working.   But along the way there are unexpected blessings that show up and help me and others see God.   The blessings also help our vision to increase.   Vision is the truth God has given to propel us forward to make a difference in the world.   The Community Fellowship is intent on fulfilling the vision that God has given us.   It gets better all the time. Today’s unexpected blessings are numerous, but here are a few of them: During dinner and the mission team’s worship time tonight one of our dear friend’s shower up unexpecte

Day one of our mission team working at our new campus was yesterday, and it was an incredible day with more accomplished than I thought possible.   These men are from several states and serving as volunteers to help our new campus become a reality.   The “Men On A Mission Team” will mostly likely save The Community Fellowship more than $70,000.   You read that right.   These men are using their skill and giving their time to us be more and better prepared to serve hose in need.   That’s about 70 working about 12 hours a day all week long.   All of us have to keep some things in mind.   First, we all have skills.   Second, we are to use our skills to serve others.   And third, our skills are to be used to serve and by so doing give glory to God. Romans 12:7   NLT If your gift is serving other s, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. Our skills are from God and to be used by Him.   I am grateful for these men.   I draw your attention to the poem below.

This is a different kind of Memorial Day for me.   Typical the church office is closed and the family is off school so we will spend the day at home or on a short trip.   But this week we have a mission team in town who are helping to building our new church. I am so excited about the process happening around us.   God is at work.   As I stepped back this weekend to prepare I was amazed, even flat shocked, at what God is doing.   The stories these men who are part of “Men on Mission” tell of places they have gone to assist ministries, and God does big things. These men are giving of their time, their money and their talent to serve others.   Most of them live 3 or more hours away.   Some of them are from as far away as a 12 hour drive.   We really are blessed.   This group of gifted men is helping The Community Fellowship meet more needs in our community as well as to tell Jesus’ story to more people.   I love it. Memorial Day is a similar picture of men and women who h

I close out the week with a shorter than normal devotion built around a simply phrase that has run through my mind a lot this week.   It’s amazing.   I am referring to the things that I have seen God do this week. It all started with a young man accepting Jesus last Sunday at church.   We have been praying for him, for Josh, for a good while.   A bit later in the week Josh texted me a message that his children’s mother is close to accepting Jesus as well.   This really is amazing. Our team, including several volunteers, have been preparing for the arrival of a mission team that will be framing walls at our new campus next week.   I have walked through the building many times.   The word “WOW” has come out of my mouth often.   It really is amazing.   God is making our dreams come true and positioning our church to be able to bless more and more people. 1 Chronicles 16:24   NLT Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does

Architect's Model of the Proposed New Sanctuary for The Community Fellowship I can picture in my mind what it must have been like for Paul Revere early in our nation’s history as he passed his message on that “the British are coming”.   There was fear, anxiety, preparation and so much more going on.   It was a time of unrest, but it was also a time of freedom of being declared because it was a new day. Several times this week I have walked through our new campus property as we prepare to begin the build out process.   This next week is Memorial Day, and a mission team of sixty plus men is coming to our place to begin framing the walls.   It is an excited time.   My imagination has been running fast.   The vision we have had for this property is coming to life.   They’re coming! Romans 15:32   NLT Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encourage ment to each other. 1 Chronicles 22:15   NLT You have a lar

This week we honor Moriah Hodges as The Community Fellowship’s Volunteer of the Week!   Moriah Hodges and her parents, Gordon and Betsy, have attended The Community Fellowship since 2007.   During the summer Moriah is instrumental in helping in our back2school (B2S) ministry. In years past she has helped to unload and fill 100’s of book bags, organize shoes and arrange the church for the event. This year Moriah will be doing those things once again and is looking forward to washing the children’s feet and having an opportunity to pray with them.   On Sundays Moriah volunteers in our children’s ministry. She has also worked at the front counter serving coffee, juice and snacks before church services begin.   Moriah blessed many women recently by giving them manicures during our Mother’s Day Car Care outreach. She will, once again, demonstrate her servant’s heart this fall as she is going on our mission trip

This past week I challenged our church staff to join me in memorizing some verses.   I also asked from of our church peeps to join in too.   Now it is your turn.   Will you join me? The verses below is part of what I shared Sunday morning and is also the passage that I asked people to memorize with me.   Read through it a few times… Philippians 1:3-6   NLT Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.   4  Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5  for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.   6  And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. As we talked about yesterday, when God changes us there are responses that we should have.   Thanks.   Joy.   Continued expectation that God keeps on working. These verses popped out at me last week in a big way.   God chang