Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  I would like to introduce you to some friends and ask you to support their ministry by seeing a movie.  These friends are JT and Terri Lee Clark.  Their ministry as well as the name of the movie is “My Brother’s Crossing”.  The movie comes to theaters this week on September 3rd, and here is the movie trailer: https://youtu.be/NvECOJKVhYk   JT and I met through a training event that was put on by Martinsville Speedway where our Raceway Ministry team serves.  A few years later we met once again after his family experienced a tremendous loss in the death of his brother and sister in law.  But what caught my attention and others was how his family practiced forgiveness and loved the person who was involved in the accident. You can read more of the story in the following newspaper story: https://martinsvillebulletin.com/news/forgiveness-and-friendship-accident-brings-families-together/article_2e869fea-172b-565f-8e42-350026a8a33d.html We serve a God of forgiveness and second chances.  This

Hey Community family and friends. Please take a minute to read the message below from my friend and ministry partner Linda Prillaman.  As the letter shares there are volunteers needed to serve students around our community due to the Covid-19 situation and our schools.  Please read on.  If you are interested, contact Linda and attend the meeting she mentions. Thank you! Pastor Michael Harrison -- James 1:5 --------- The Boys and Girls Club has partnered with First United Methodist of Martinsville and McCabe Memorial to provide Supervised Learning and FUN for students whose parents are working or just need help. We would LOVE to have volunteers (who feel safe working with one or two children in a social distancing v environment), to help the students from 9-11am or 12:30-2pm, with their assignments. You do not have to be a teacher, the amazing teachers from the schools are doing that work (and they are amazing!). But, what you would be doing is working with 1 or 2 students (especially K

  There are many quotes and verses that stick out to me.  Today’s devotion is simply.   Take in these quotes.  Then, taken in more through these Bible verses.  You might know some of them.  Many of these are strong and profound.  Read on… Quotes: Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. - Alexander Graham Bell We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. - Maya Angelou Capital isn’t scarce; vision is. - Sam Walton Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future. - Robert H. Schuller Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. - Theodore Roosevelt Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness. - Martin Luther King Jr Leadership is influence. - John C. Maxwell Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:11  NIV Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. 1 Thessalonians 5:17  NASB pray without ceasing; Acts 16:31  NLT They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” Ephesians 4:32  NIV Be kind and

  Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. I believe that is one of the things that God calls us to do.  It is not a monthly or occasional thing.  It is a daily and many times through the day thing.  Would you agree? I remember hearing story after story from people who encountered God in significant ways.  All shared how prayer was part of their days. This was true of Jesus who moved away throughout the day as the Bible reminds of so that He could spend time with the Father.  President Abraham Lincoln said that on days he had so much to do that he had to first spend time in prayer.  One of the first biographies I read was of George Muller.  He shared how when the children in his orphanage has great needs that he and his staff would go to God, and their prayers were often answers in miraculous ways. There are many more testimonies as those.  You might even have a story to share about

  I shared the following devotion in September of 2007.  It caught my attention again, and I wanted to share it with you.  Read on…  We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. Maya Angelou   What defeats you?  What gets you down?  The biggest thing that gets me down is missing what God is doing.  It is kind of like being at a place where something just happened.  You may have just missed a celebrity or something cool that nature did.   But think about missing what God is doing.  What would keep us from seeing God, or best yet, from being part of what God is doing?   So, I give you some Bible to close our week with...my prayer is that we will see and be part of things God is doing, big stuff!   Philippians 2:3-5 nlt  Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

  Hebrews 3:3-4  NLT But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. 4 For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God. Jesus is more important than anyone or anything else.  There I said it. This is not a popularity contest or a shouting match to get the most attention.  This is not a protest or a political statement.  Simply I acknowledge that my relationship with the one true and living God is the most important thing.  And it always will be. If we could just for a moment focus on what matters, it might make more sense of all that is going on around the world.  Please know that this is not a statement to be controversial.  In fact this is just a statement of worship AND of worry. Jesus is the most important. No matter who is president, Jesus is still God and the only way to heaven. Not matter the presence of the coronavirus, Jesus is still the help, hope and healer. No matter the pas

  Last week I listened to a message that not only got my attention but made me stop and rethink some things.  It was from Rick Warren and was a message about taking responsibility.  Honestly it was a powerful word for me. Warren stated that in the book of Proverbs there are more than 65 places where God tells us what a fool acts like.  I chose not to be a fool.  I choose to be wise and strong.   This message fit what I was sharing about in our series called “what victory looks like”.  I shared about setting goals and how that will help us get to the final victory as we achieve victories along the way.  That is the reason why Warren’s message and the one I shared intersect.  Here are some notes from Rick Warren’s message about responsibility. 1.  responsible people save money But a a fool doesn’t save.  A wise person will save money.  As Americans we are part of a culture that values spending and debt over savings.  That is not a good a good thing.  We ought to be people who tithe or gi

  It is Friday.  One of my favorite days of the week.  I woke today thinking about the blessings that have come in to my life.  That is why I have chosen to give you and I a simple list of some.  Each one has a special place in my heart.   Read on and make your own list of blessings.  Here they go: Proverbs 18:22  NASB He who finds a wife finds a good thing And obtains favor from the Lord. If you know my Julie, you know this already.  She lives for others and goes far beyond what is expected.  Her heart is huge.  She is quiet and so wise.  I am blessed to have her as my wife. Psalm 127:4-5 NASB Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.   How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies in the gate. Our children continue to amaze me.  First, I am amazed at how fast they have grown.  Second, our girls have grown so much they have moved on, married and are doing well.  I miss being able to hug

  I shared in the last e-devotion about the armor of God and the need for every piece, or not to miss putting on any of the pieces.  Today I turn to the reason why we need the armor God gives us.   It really is simply.  There is a complex battle going on that most people are oblivious to the reality.  I ask that for just a few minute minutes that you examine the battle, but look past the skirmishes and see who is at the core of the issue.  Just who is the enemy.  Look again at the core of these verses for the enemy and the need of the armor.  It seems obvious, but it might be hard to see or understand.  It might be too real to look at as well. Ephesians 6:11-13  NLT Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.  13 Theref

  Over the last few weeks I have been spending some time with a friend who is going through a difficult season.  This friend has taught me a lot, but one of those things they have taught me, maybe the biggest thing, is to deal well with the armor of God. Put this stuff on so you can live, so you can fight through or push through each day.  Each piece is important.  Don’t forget any piece of it. As you read through these verses today, pray these things for yourself and/or for those around you who are going through a difficult or trying time. Read on.  Here are some tools that will help us keep fighting: Ephesians 6:10-20  NLT A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heav

  Choose to stand out.  That is not an easy thing, but it does make a difference.   Julie and I were coming home on Sunday from somewhere when we noticed the flowers in front of our house.  Amid all the beautiful similar color flowers were these yellow flowers.  We talked about where they might have come from, and we realize they may have come out of a near by flower pot or be left over from a few years ago. Those yellow flowers stand out, and they are beautiful.  Notice the picture at the top that I shared. I remember that people that stand out have somethings about them that are different, defining and strong.  But what I want to remind each of us of is that we should stand out for really matters. This is a time when people choose all different types of things to stand out for.  Many of those things seem petty or not very important.  I am not here today to judge or demean anyone.  Yet I do want to ask that we make sure that what we stand out for really makes difference. Take your fai

  I shared a message yesterday at our church talking about the name of God known as “I AM”.  In the Gospel of John Jesus referred to Himself as the I Am and stated a truth about His work and character. I am the bread of life.  I am the door.  I am the good shepherd.  I am the true vine.  I am the resurrection and the life.  I am the way, the truth and the life.  I am the light of the world.  Each one true of our Savior as He leads us closer to God. But we backtracked a long way in to history to talk about a conversation that Moses has with God at what we have learned to call the Burning Bush.  That was a pivotal day for anyone of faith. Exodus 3:13-14  NLT But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” 14 God replied to Moses, “I am who i am. Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you.”  God called this man Moses to lead the people of

  Some songs just catch your attention.  I want to share one with you today.  I listen to Christian music most of the time, but the song I will share with you had a voice that you don’t hear much in Christian music. Zach Williams’ song The Was Jesus is the one that caught my attention, and he sings this with Dolly Parton.  She is the one you don’t hear often in Christian music.  Not only did the song get my attention but the premise behind the song continued to ring in my mind and heart as it did again yesterday. First, let me say how impressed I am by Dolly Parton.  She is a tremendous entertainer, has a heart of compassion for hurting people, and she is a sharp business woman who has been very successful.  That is all extra. The song.  It is powerful.  Let me get to the point by sharing some lyrics. Every time I try to make it on my own Every time I try to stand, I start to fall And all those lonely roads that I have traveled on There was Jesus When the life I built came crashing to

  The following is from the daily email “Pray with Spurgeon”.  May God continue to grab our hearts and we spend more time in prayer. Oh God, be revealed, wherever congregations are met together, that men may come to you and live. Oh that the people that we will speak to this week, might not one of them go away unbelievers . If they have been indifferent to these things, and have never studied the ground of the believer’s confidence, may they see it clearly this week, and accept of it as the rock on which they shall build. Oh, if there be in this audience, as we fear there must be, many that are living to trust in their wealth, or their talents, or their position in life; or who are trusting in nothing, but raising their building without a foundation at all; Oh, bring them this day to see, that there is nothing worthy of an immortal soul’s confidence except the immortal and everliving God , and may they come by Christ Jesus unto the Father. May many a heart end all its weary wanderings,