Michael Harrison's e-devotion

It is an honor to point you to our friends at ACTS 4 MINISTRIES led by Ron Harris.  We get to help people in our community that are in need, and as we help them, we get to share Jesus with them.  That is what God called us to do ...  demonstrating the love of God to our community  ... and beyond through acts of kindness. Acts 4 is expanding their work and need our help.  Please take a minute to read the following, and if you can help, please contact Ron using the information below.  Thanks ahead of time! ACTS 4 MINISTRIES With our Transitional Housing Program for Single Mothers expanding, we need the following items:   4 Twin Size Beds/Bed Frames, 4 Twin Size Box Springs, 4 Twin Size Mattresses, 4 Portable Cots, 4 Pack 'n Plays or 4 Cribs, 4 Dressers, 1 Queen Size Box Spring, 2 Side Chairs for an Office, 1 Couch for a Family Room, 2 End Tables for a Family Room, 1 Bookshelf/Hutch for a Family Room, 1 "Set" of Towels/Washcloths/Bath Mat for a Bathroom.   We will also eithe...

  You are important to God. That is a true statement.   Not only did God create you, but at one specific point in time our God said I love you, I believe in you and you are awesome. Romans 5:8   NLT But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners . While we were lost, while we were trying to do things on our own, before we knew we had a need … Jesus died for me.   Do you get that? The most important person in the universe said you are important.   Hear that again.   The most important person in the universe said he loves you and that you are important! There is a problem.   What about the person or the people who don’t think God is important?   Until we have an accurate view of God we cannot have an accurate view of God.   This view and faith comes from a personal relationship with God himself.   We can know Him. Knowing God changes things.   Really knowing...

Colossians 3:11   NLT In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matter s, and he lives in all of us. That is a powerful verse.   Far too many people look at the people around them, the people they encounter, and just at first sight.   Be honest.   You’ve done that, and so have I.   I would dare say that we are wrong a lot when we chose to judge in ways that don’t come from God nor do they honor Him. One of the reasons that our thinking is flawed is that we put too much weight on things that don’t matter.   When someone is attractive, they are considered more worthy.   When someone comes from a wealthy or well-known family, that they are important or have more value.   Whatever our measure if Christ is not the mean and the mark we are headed in the wrong direction. “Christ is all that matters.”   That is a great ...

Recently we learned that some of our family, Russell and Michelle Kasey, will be moving to Wilmington, North Carolina.  And any time one of your family moves away it is not easy, and we lose a sweet and important piece of who we are. But God has a plan.  He has a plan for our church, The Community Fellowship, and for our family members, Russ and Michelle.  This is a time to say “thank you” and to celebrate what God has done for us. Please bring a thank you card for Russ and Michelle this Sunday, September 28th, to our worship time as we together and very loud say THANK YOU to the them. Pastor Michael moved to Virginia in the summer of 2001 and met Russell and Michelle when they all attended Orchard Drive Baptist Church in Bassett.  In 2006 a group of people from The Orchard left to start a new church that we now know as The Community.  Russ and Michelle have been part of The Community from day one, and they have served their Savior and us very well. ...

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 . Nehemiah 6:9   NLT They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work . So I continued the work with even greater determination. What are the skills God has put in your life?   Some people work well with their hands with special skills like a carpenter or an artist.   Other people are great leaders or teachers that help other people join in the process.   The strongest people are those who have joined their skills with others which actually makes everyone involved much stronger. The same is true of The Community Fellowship over the last eight years that God has used us to impact our community.   We have been part of a group of churches known as the SBC of Virginia or SBCV since we began.   Not only have there been people from this organization that hel...

This week we honor Russ and Michelle Kasey as The Community Fellowship’s Volunteer’s of the Week!   Russ and Michelle Kasey have been a part of The Community Fellowship family since the church began, and this week we say a huge THANK YOU as they prepare to move to Wilmington, North Carolina.  Russ and Michelle have worked and volunteered in a number of ministries.    Michelle served as our Dream Center’s bookkeeper for several years.  She also was instrumental in being a strong role model for many of our Community Service workers.  Michelle consistently went the extra mile with them by inviting them on her family outings and being genuinely concerned about their safety, choices and well-being.  Many of these young people had not had the experience of being held accountable or of being in positive settings until she graciously included them in hers.   Other minis...

Titus 3:14   NLT Our people must learn to do good by meet ing the urgent need s of others; then they will not be unproductive. The title of this post, find a need and fill it, was coined by one of my heroes in ministry.   He is Tommy Barnett the pastor of First Assembly of God in Phoenix, Arizona and the founder of the Dream Center in Phoenix as well as the co-founder with his son Matthew of the Dream Center in Los Angeles.   Both of those men and their work to serve people in poverty has been a huge inspiration to me. From the beginning of The Community Fellowship in 2006 we have had a passion to meet needs for the purpose of sharing Christ with those in need.   The tangible act of our serving began with clothing and has extended to feeding, helping kids prepare for school and meeting all kinds of needs here in our community and beyond.   It really is an honor to serve the people we come in contact with. Yesterday was an example of this f...

Luke 19:10   NLT For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. This is the time of year when one of our partners in ministry, the SBCV, shares ministry in Virginia and how churches are making a difference.   We really are stronger when we serve together. The SBCV is made up of hundreds of churches that believe Jesus is the reason we do everything.   Some of the churches have been around a long time and some are pretty new.   Some of the churches are just now getting started.   What excites me most is that we are partners because of Christ and with our varied talents are making an impact in our communities for Christ. There are some great churches in the big cities such as Richmond, Virginia Beach and in the areas surrounding Washington, DC.   Many of those are doing ministry to the poor in their community similar to what we do and to the people we serve in our community.   Then there are churches in the most rural par...

Philippians 4:13   NASB I can do all things through Him who strengthen s me. There really are endless possibilities when God is in the midst of things.   Think about it.   Maybe turn and think about it like when you were a child.   The sky is the limit.   You can be anything you want to be or do anything you want to do.   Possibilities are huge. Anything is possible because the anything is not tied to our thinking or our ability but to God’s ability.   That is where I would like to begin today.   Endless possibilities are a reality when a person believes that God can and that God will. Matthew 19:26   NLT Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible .” How would things be different if the people guiding us when we were children helped us reach for the stars and believe that anything is possible?   Things would be different.   Do you agree? ...

This week we have looked at several portions of Scripture that celebrate the things that God says are truth about us.   One of those big truths is about the freedom that comes with the forgiveness of God. It is through God’s grace and His gift of Jesus that we find freedom and forgiveness of sin.   To not apply this truth keeps us in bondage and in the middle of so many struggles. One of the greatest songs of recent days that shares this truth comes from the Newsboys.   Here are some of the lyrics: “I’m Free” by the Newsboys Through you the blind will see
 Through you the mute will sing
 Through you the dead will rise
 Through you all hearts will praise
 Through you the darkness flees
 Through you my heart screams
 I am free, yes, I am free

 I am free to run I am free to dance I am free to live for you I am free, Yes, I am free Through you the kingdom comes
 Through you the battle's won
 Through you I'm not afraid
 Thro...

This week we honor David Terry as The Community Fellowship's volunteer of the week! David Terry has been a part of The Community Fellowship family for 5 years and is involved in many ministries here.  He retired from the Henry County Sheriff’s  Office in June 2011 and currently operates his own business building Road/flight Cases for music instruments and band equipment.   Each Sunday David serves as part of our Worship Team playing the drums and singing.  David is also a encourager blessing as many as possible with a loving hug and positive encouragement as he truly loves his church family.   David volunteers in every area of our back2school Ministry, that is except for the hair cutting area.  He is willing to help wherever he is needed.  He enjoys playing with the children, talking with them and making sure they leave the event with a smile in addition to their new book bags...

This week I have pointed you to some verses that dig deep in to the things that God says are true about the people who fear and follow Him.   These are not solely New Testament truths as you see they are found in the Psalms. Literally there is a thread of truth that runs from Genesis to Revelation that reveals the grace of God that we so deeply need.   Knowing the blessings, holding to the truth changes us.   Romans 12:2 says that God will transform us through the renewing of our minds.   God intends to use Scripture to renew us in every way possible. As you read note the things that amaze you about God’s work in our lives. Psalm 103:1-14   NASB Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2  Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits; 3  Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; 4  Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and c...