Michael Harrison's e-devotion

There are times you just have to stop and have a talk.  This is true in ever relationship.  You will not have a great marriage unless there conversations, heart to heart ones, in the easy and the difficult times.  They aren’t always easy to have, but these talks are important.   Between spouses.  Between parents and children.  Between bosses and employees.  Between me and God.    The ones between God and one of His kids happened often in the Bible.  Below is part of a conversation between God and David.  As you read through this conversation note the results David comes to.   Psalm 51 NLT Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt.  Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. Y...

  Looking Unto Jesus (poem) Just one glimpse of Jesus and all the cloud depart; All my foes are conquered, Peace reigns in my heart. Not a lonely feeling, Not a tear may dwell. Just one glimpse of Jesus And everything is well. Look to Jesus.  That is an imperative.  It is a must for all who choose to follow Him and to know God.  Looking to Jesus will do many different things in our lives. Why look to Jesus?  He will change things in and around our lives.  He will establish our way and even the character that we need in life.  He is the one who did for us what no one else could do. Make looking to Jesus a regular practice and a habit. Hebrews 12:1-3  ESV Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set befor...

Who do you worship? Who is your rock? That ought to be the same person because the one we worship should bring things in to our lives that only the one with great authority can bring.   Strength.  Peace.  Guidance.  Learning.  Stability.  Insight.  Self-control.  Grace.  Purpose.   That is just a few.  They are real, or at least they are some of the things that the one I worship brings in to my life.  Maybe you have found that to be true as well. With the message I shared Sunday at The Community Fellowship I looked at the word rock in the Bible.  There are several different meanings.  Everything from what is used to stone a person to something that is strong to a person that is revered. Here are some verses that stick out in my mind. 1 Samuel 2:2  NASB There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. Matthew 21:42  NASB Jesus said to them, “Did you ...

I finished our series called Treasure yesterday at The Community Fellowship with a message from John 8 about the lady caught in adultery.  Lots of great news and strength and freedom comes from these 11 verses.   My favorite part is that Jesus looked this lady in the eye and gave her back her value.  Even with wrong choices and lots of accusations, Jesus spoke life and love back to her.  We should be doing the same to the people we encounter that are messed up due to life’s pain and trials.  Maybe we are the ones who need to know we have value. In preparing for this message I ran across a great article about the things that Jesus gave this lady.  Read this and take in what we learn about God… John 8:9b-11  And Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” Ima...

  Galatians 6:8-9  ESV For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  Those verses have been part f a journey I have been on since the beginning of June.  They have spoken to me throughout the last several months, and that is why I share them with you today. When you read Scripture for the first time, there are many things that you catch, but what often amazes me is how new things come out for me when I read it the second or seventh or ninetieth time.  God and His word are so powerful. As you read any scripture let it sink in and take note of what sticks out for you.  God can work in ways that nothing else can.  IN fact because of the season of life we are in something that went one direction years ago might just take you a new direction some time la...

  I have an appointment soon to see the eye doctor.  It happens each fall.  She will check my eyes to see how I see.  Well, since I no longer have diabetes things are a little easier, but my eyesight isn’t what it used to be. There was that one day.  Another eye doctor in our community was examining my eyes, and at the end of my appointments he said something like this, “your problem is you are having too many birthdays.”  In other words, my eyesight is changing because I am getting older. It happens.  I need glasses and sometimes a little extra help to be able to see or to read.  You understand. But there is something far greater and deeply spiritual that I wanted to bring to your attention.  It is the problem of being bind.  Some people cannot see because of some illness.  Others cannot see because of not looking in the right direction.  Yet another problem is the fact that spiritual sight can be missing or weak because of so...

There are so many things that we read in the Bible that need for us to connect.  If we connect the truth we read to our lives, we will live differently. That is why I point out Galatians 5 in this devotion.  This is not all the chapter but several verses that mean much to me in my daily walk with God.  At the end I will download a few of the facts of what God says about our lives as we follow Him. Read on.  Spend extra time where God speaks to you.  This really is good stuff. Galatians 5  NLT 1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. 4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. 7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is ...

  There are so many things that keep us in the middle of what God wants for us.  Maybe that is something you are seeking as I do.  Even Jesus prayed that prayer we have heard in the garden right before His arrest ending with “Father, not my will but your will be done.” How can we be in that place?  In His will is the safest place for us all.  Here are some thoughts from Sunday’s sermon about being there and staying there. What we pursue helps us stay close to God. 1 Timothy 6:11  NIV But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Just pursue Christ knowing and believing that He hold to the facts for my life and the best for me.  My sin is forgiven and I set your eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:2  NIV fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. It’...

We finished our series “Treasure” this Sunday at The Community Fellowship.  We have examined many things that get in the way of treasuring what God treasures.  That is why I challenge us to see as God sees, to hold what God holds and to spend as much time as possible with God. What have you found true about God?  When comparing all you have compiled in your life, how do those things and those people compare to God?  Be honest.  Not all of us have had the same experience. Joshua 24:15  NASB But if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” The choice is yours and mine.  We get the opportunity to choose God and to hold as most important what God says.   There are many choices we can make.  There a...

Romans 12:15  NLT Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.  Today’s devotion is more personal than usual, but I think it is important for me to share my journey with you.  This is isn’t asking for your help or pity.  Simply, this is overflow.  Thanks for reading.  Thank you for praying. The last week has been one of those emotional roller coasters.  You’ve been on them.  You know, I remember one of the first coasters I was on and how the immediate response my stomach had after it wasn’t much fun.  Know what I mean. Last week was wrapped in the death of Julie’s dad, Ellis Howell, after eight months of being in hospice care after covid and pneumonia and a tough battle with dementia.  It was a great time with family.  His funeral was a beautiful home going.  But honestly it was and is bitter sweet.  Pa will be missed, and I will continue to pray for my mother in law, Sandra, my wife and her siblings....

Psalm 34:18  NLT The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. That is an incredible verse that I have shared many times.  Most recently I shared this in a message in the “treasure” series I am preaching at The Community Fellowship.  That Sunday we talked about the fact that God turns our difficulties in to great treasure. How do we look at the struggles we find ourselves in?  Each can be a time for growth.  Each can guide us to new adventure.  Each will be used by God to strength or grow or allow us to experience more of Him. Yesterday I got an email from Vernon Williams and his inspiring weekly emails.  He shared the following quotes that caught my attention: "Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God in the midst of trouble.” Sheila Walsh "Don't tell God how big your problem is. Tell your problem how big God is.” Owen Orr "Every setback is a setup for a comeback.” T.D. Jakes "Mountaintops a...

  One of the stories of the Bible that has continued to be on my mind as of late is the calling of the prophet Isaiah.  There are many pieces of this following chapter that are incredible. Read Isaiah 6.  Note what sticks out.  May God speak to each of us as only He can. Isaiah 6  NLT It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.  2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.  3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. ...

The verse that sticks out as we remember 9/11 is this… Proverbs 3:24-26  NASB When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25  Do not be afraid of sudden danger, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 26  For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught. I remember the day after, September 12, 2001, as we gathered at the church I pastored and prayed for our nation.  That was happening all over the world.  What unity we saw.  What strength we gained. We need the same.  Unity and strength.  May God do that and so much more. Since that time 20 years ago we said we will “Never Forget”, and we haven’t.  But we need to be reminded.  This year’s reflection is the same with video and pictures, testimonies and remembrance, and each pointed us to the fact that we are still recovering, and not very well. Pray.  Pray for Afghanistan.  Pray for our military and...