Michael Harrison's e-devotion

Yesterday I shared about #GivingTuesday and how this single day impacts so many organizations doing great work to serve others.  Here are just a few of the organizations that we personally support on a regular basis. The Community Fellowship.  Our church, and it is our belief that God calls us to tithe to the church we are part of.  We serve many who are hungry, hurting or homeless through the church.  We do this each month, and in the Christmas season we have a special mission offering.  Join us in giving here. The Community Dream Center.  This is the one I shared yesterday that serves our homeless friends around Martinsville and Henry County.  Through the transitional house program as well as the warming center this is accomplished.  Please help here if you feel led. Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).   FCA southside Virginia led by Robert Hicks is sharing Christ with coaches and athletes in schools and colleges.  It is an hono...

We have just come through the thanksgiving holiday and are headed in to the Christmas season.  Friday was the largest shopping day of the year.  Saturday was small business day in our towns, and Monday is cyber Monday.  Yet there is a day we might miss. It is tomorrow.  Tomorrow is called Giving Tuesday.  Many non profit organizations have a special push and request for donations.  This is something that I see a lot of through the work that we do.  It is also the season of giving, Christmas time is, as people are often ready to serve others. I want to encourage you to serve and give in an area close to my heart.  There are many organizations close to me and that we give to, but I ask specifically that you will join me for #GivingTuesday to help The Community Dream Center which is our organization to help those who are homeless. We have two transitional homes for men who are seeking to get on their feet and out of homelessness.  It costs about...

Day Three. It is that time.  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  Football.  Turkey and dressing.  Family and more.  I believe this holiday is one that will remind us that everything in our lives really comes from God.  The natural outcome of staying connected or reconnecting to God is gratitude or giving thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18  NASB in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Monday we talked about our faith.  Tuesday we talked about blessings and how our faith shows us that we are blessed.  Today I want to focus on freedom.  God has blessed us by giving us great freedom. What is freedom?  Let me give a few different aspects of freedom.   One of those would be the freedom that Jesus experienced after the cross, after the tomb and when the Father said get up.  It is called resurrection.  Jesus experienced freedom when He rose from the grave, and God offers us that same resurrection free...

  Day Two. Yes.  This week I am sharing some notes and stories as well as Scripture that go along with thanksgiving.  I believe that when our lives are connected to and pursing God we will have some incredible blessings from God.  The natural outcome really is gratitude or giving thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18  NASB in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Today I had plan to share with you about family, but I want to change directions a little and focus on the days ahead.  Let’s focus on how we are blessed. You’ve heard me say or quote this, “obedience brings a blessing”.  That is a fact.  I’ve lived out that one as well.  But there is an equally true similar saying.  It is almost like a two sided coin.  The other side is that disobedience has consequences. The choice is ours as to which one we will follow.  Obedience to what we know.  Or disobedience by going in the opposite direction...

  Day One. Yes.  Over the next three ways I will examine some of the things that comes from a life that is leveraged for God and constantly moving with Him and for Him.  The natural outcome really is gratitude or giving thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18  NASB in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. On this first day of Thanksgiving week I choose to be reminded that one of the biggest blessings in our lives is faith.  The next two days we will I will share about family and freedom. Faith is something that you and I have.  But we can misplace faith by trusting in and leaning on the wrong person or the wrong thing.  We might trust our own wisdom.  We might go after the wrong person.  There are many ways, things and people that push our faith in. There we have a different plan and a faith that will take us further than anything or anyone else.  Put your trust in God alone.  Trust Him.  It will tak...

  Today I am going to share some personal thoughts and observations from the last several days.  Thanks for allowing me some personal time… Psalm 127:3-5  NLT Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. 4  Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 5  How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates. We sat the table last night in a rather loud restaurant over a meal.  It isn’t often that we get to be with Rebecca, but the last week has been so good.  She is visiting from Hawaii to spend time with family and to meet her new niece.  It has been refreshing to be with her and to enjoy her company.  We are so blessed. Turn to the side for a few minutes and listen in to the conversation.  Ryan has grown up so much the last couple of years.  The thoughts he shared around the table were deep and even convicting.  ...

Hello community family and friends! It is the holiday season, and there are many opportunities coming our way to serve those around us.  I am happy to share that our church family has already adopted 15 children in foster care to provide for their Christmas.  That is awesome.  But there is one more need we need to fill! Would you consider writing Christmas cards to those who work in local jails or to inmates?  We are needing 15 people who will prepare 12 Christmas cards each.  You provide the cards.  Write a  person message of love and encouragement either to an officer or to an inmate.  Sign your initials to the card, not the church name.  These cards need to be returned to the church on or before Sunday, December 5th. We will have other opportunities arise, but this one is one of the coolest and best ways to  demonstrate the love of God to our community   through an act of service.  Join me.  Let me know you are in.  Thank you ahead of time! With GOD as my guide, Pastor Michael Harri...

Last year I shared this in a devotion: Honestly, the biggest piece that hurts my heart are the people who fall through the cracks and cannot get help.  Yes and most of the time their story has many more parts to it.   That is why I take a minute today to remember what I am called to do and what our church was planted for. The mission of our church is to demonstrate the love of God to our community through random acts of kindness so we win the right to tell people about Jesus. My calling from God can be summed up in these verses: Proverbs 31:8-9  NLT Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. 9  Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. That is why what I shared last year makes a huge difference to me.  It is the people who fall through the cracks, the people that are often missed, those who God loves but most other miss mean so much to me. Don’t miss the people God brings y...

I choose to be thankful.  That really is an important choice.  We can either see the glass as half full or half empty.  We can be a negative or a positive person.  It is a choice. Today I take a “time out” to share what I am thankful for and why I am thankful. 1 Thessalonians 5:18  NLT Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. I am thankful for FAITH.  God did it.  He keeps doing it.  And He never ever gives up on me. I am thankful for FAMILY.  These people are a gift from God to me.  My dad and brothers.  My wife and her family.  Our kids and now our grand daughter.  These people bring a smile to my face and give me joy about seeing them or just talking on the phone. I am thankful for FRIENDS.  More gifts from God to me are in the lives of the people around me.  They make me better and stronger.  So many pull out the best in me. I am thankful for the FIELDS...

Man I wanna tell y'all something man Man I'm not gonna let these material things get in my way y'all I'm trying to get somewhere I'm trying to get somewhere that's real and pure and true and eternal… Father God, I am clay in your hands Help me to stay that way through all life's demands 'Cause they chip and they nag and they pull at me And every little thing I make up my mind to be Like I'm gonna be a daddy who's in the mix And I'm gonna be a husband who stays legit And I pray that I'm an artist who rises above The road that is wide and filled with self-love Everything that I see draws me Though it's only in You that I can truly see That its a feast for the eyes - a low blow to purpose And I'm a little kid at a three ring circus I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul…   Those are the words from Toby Mac’s song Lose My Soul , and they are powerful especially for those of us in place of influence in our homes. “I’...

One of the things that we all look forward to is growing up.  Well, most of us want to grow.  We want our kids to grow up.  We want to grow up ourselves.  But then when we are grown it is like we growing too much, and our thought is we should be a kid again. There is a constant struggle going on.  Growth is natural.  We are made to grow.  Yet to stay a kid forever and not grow up is not natural.  Do you get that?  When someone is not growing, there is a problem.  Think of that physically.  And the same is true spiritually.   Without growth there is a major problem.  That is true in our bodies.  That is true in us spiritually.  That is why we need to make sure a few things are happening. First, I need to make sure I am growing.  Stay close to God.  Be in the word.  Spend time in church.  Be with people that help you grow.  Make sure there aren’t things in the way. Second, I am to help othe...

There is no reason for us to do nothing.  So many things in life remind us that we have to do something. I remember when I was on the high school football team.  Some of you are surprised I did that, but I did.  When playing defense, the coach said, “when in doubt, fire out.”  Do something. I remember when looking at retirement planning and savings, which we have done recently and years ago.  You had to make some choices.  Just do something instead of never preparing or wasting what you have. It pays off to do something.  Much is true with our faith.  God has given us wisdom.  He speaks in to our lives.  His guidance and grace and wisdom are readily available for us, and that is why we must do something with it.  Staying the same isn’t an option.   That is why the writer of the book of James shows up in the verses I share today. James 1:22-25  NASB But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive th...

The following devotion is from Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church in Texas.  His book “ The Blessed Life” is a great resource, and this is day 17 of a devotion he shared with his church.  It is called a “generous heart” … read on! Deuteronomy 15:14 "You shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. From what the Lord has blessed you with, you shall give to him." One of my favorite sayings is, "I was born selfish, but I was born again generous."  I can't begin to tell you how much joy giving has brought to our lives as a family.  Being givers in God's kingdom is the most fun we have ever had.  It has resulted in a more exciting life than we could ever have imagined. Some time ago, Debbie was talking with a pastor and his wife who were staying in our home.  They could clearly see that we were blessed, so the pastor asked my wife, "Why do you think God has blessed you so much?"  Debbie thought abo...

We have talked many times about blessings.  What are blessings?  How do blessings come in and out of our lives?  There are many answers, thoughts and even misconceptions. Psalm 1:1  NASB Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! Matthew 5:3  NASB Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The concept of blessing goes in many different directions.  These two verses are the ones that stick out to me when I want a definition, a path, an understanding or even a pursuit of what will help me and those around me know what God says about blessings. Take these two verses and dig in more.  Notice what we learn. First, those who lived a blessed life make choices to stay away from the wrong places.  The blessed person doesn’t walk with those who are wicked or not blessed. The blessed person doesn’t hang around with people heading in the wro...

Psalm 127:3  NLT Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. We have waited for this day.  Literally we waiting for decades to hear those words.  “She’s here!”  Well we have at least waited since the day we were told, and honestly, I was skeptical at first. Our daughter and her husband came to visit.  It was April 1st of this year.  Oh, we were excited they were coming to see us, and they had an announcement for us.  It was April Fool’s Day.  That meant people were playing games, telling lies, pulling your leg so-to-speak.  Ruth and Sean told Julie and me that they were going to have a baby.   Excited.  Skeptical.  But it was true, and this really revealed this last Saturday at 10:42 pm when Harper Lauretta Markland arrived at UPMC Hospital in Harrisburg, PA.  She is gorgeous.  She is perfect.  You know the story. We got in the car last Thursday afternoon in Collinsville to make our way to Penn...