Michael Harrison's e-devotion

1 Samuel 16:7   NASB But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart .” One of the places that I find myself, and you might as well, is looking at people and shaking my head.   That is when I don’t understand the decisions they make or the reason for the situation they are in.   On Facebook I saw this comment, “don’t judge my entire life book only based on the chapter you walked in on.”   That means it is hard to deal with people based on only a small portion of their life.   As humans we have a tendency to judge, to think we completely understand and more.   Often that is the place where I realize my job is simply to follow God in obedience and the love the people that I meet on my journey.   People shouldn’t judge me, and I should not judge them.   In conversations I must share my heart.

Psalm 100:4-5 NASB Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations. This past Sunday our church family was asked to share why each has a THANKFUL HEART.   The answers were all over the place and a real blessing.   Some really hit home with me.   Here are some of the ones that stuck out: Forgiveness.   Family.   Health and saved from difficult sickness.   Freedom from addiction.   Restoration of family.   Children.   Home.   Blessings of friendship and home.   There are many, many more things that were shared.   Each one brought me to think about the things that I am thankful for.   You may choose the same, but I’d like to share with you as we celebrate Thanksgiving. My family.   You know that my mom died a month and a half ago.   These have been difficult days, but the truth of knowing she is in heaven makes life sweet

“It is cold out there.”  This winter has blown in with several nights of temperatures near and below freezing.   Some people are homeless and cold while others have no heart or very little heat in their homes.  Reality for many across our region gives us the opportunity to share with some people in need. Last winter was excellent for our winter warming shelter, and this winter is affording us another opportunity to share God’s love in two different locations.   We will have a shelter at Martinsville’s Salvation Army and Bassett Memorial United Methodist Church beginning next Tuesday, December 1st.    I am once again overjoyed and amazed at the outpouring of our community to serve those in need, and the people in our community I have shared our desire to have a permanent shelter for men and families are beginning to see the need in greater ways. With 2 shelters we need more volunteers and more resources to serve with.   Will you help us?   The people who have made the past y

The holiday season is here.   Signs of the season are all around.   But the signs are more of Christmas than of thanksgiving.   Think about it.   The world makes more money off Christmas than Thanksgiving.   Buy food for one, but buy everything else for the other. We all understand that we have to be careful.   Be careful to do what is right.   Be careful not to fall or hurt yourself.   Be careful not to offend others.   Being careful is always right, but what we are careful about doesn’t always make it right.   Who is it that we care about and who do we listen to? 1 Thessalonians 5:18   NASB in everything give thank s; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. It is the will of God to be thankful.   Being thankful honors God.   Having a heart of thanks brings us and others into the place where we can see, sense and seize our God in grand ways.   We cannot move on with just being thankful for food for the stuff on the surface.   It is time to be thankful for mo

Today’s devotion is copied from Gateway Church and Pastor Robert Morris .   I pray that you and I will take this truth to heart.   Read on… God wants us to ask. That’s right. It’s ok to ask God. In this blog post I want to share a few thoughts which will hopefully dispel any myths you might have about “asking.” First, it’s important that you understand that the Lord’s Prayer is filled with “asks.” Don’t feel that you’re being selfish when you ask because this is the way God taught us to pray. Here are just a few statements directly from Jesus that affirm this truth: John 14:13-14   KJV And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.   If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 15:7 KJV If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 16:23-24 NIV In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father w

There are times when you have to clear the way for understanding.   Yet wisdom, knowledge and direction can be something you rarely see if your focus is on self and not on others. Think about the needs you see.   Some people are living comfortably in the hole that they dug for themselves.   Others live on the ledge or slippery slope of their own making.   Some have even chosen to let other dominate their lives and dictate all they do, think and accomplish. That is not what God intends for His people.   He has given us strength, His strength.   God has given us wisdom, His wisdom.   He has given us truth to be our guide, His truth.   Let His best fill you to overflowing. Psalm 130:4-8   NLT But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.   I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him.   I have put my hope in his word.   I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.   O Israel, hope in the Lord;

2 Chronicles 31:20-21   NLT In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God.   In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful. Hezekiah was a great king.   He did what was right before God and before the people.   One of the great things we learn from the verses about this king is that he stayed close to God.   In fact at one point Hezekiah was very sick and pleaded with God for more time.   God gave him more years. The verses above remind us that to simplify your life is important.   Every area of life is important.   We cannot put God in one area and out of others.   We are either all in or not in at all. This king sought God in every area of his responsibility as well as in his personal life.   Because he sought God great things happened f