Michael Harrison's e-devotion

I share today a devotion from September of 2018.  This subject continues to be talked about a good deal and needs to be talked about even more.  I have modified the post a little.  Mental Health is a hot button, and the church should not be silent.  Here is what I shared: Today’s devotion is one that has been heavy on my heart, and it is longer than normal.  Please take some time to read and to interact with this reality.   Psalm 34:18  NLT The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed .   We have moments where need to take the opportunity to stop and think.  I did not say slow down and think.  I said stop and think.  Many things run through my mind on a daily basis.  Some of them don’t stick, but some situations stick and won’t leave.   In in a sermon in 2018 I tackled the difficult subject of Mental Health and how the church deals with it. ...

Just why?  That is a good question that we don’t ask too often.  It is an important question too because we need to understand why we are alive.  Let me work on some examples. One husband asked his wife why she cuts the turkey in a certain way before cooking it on Thanksgiving.  She said she didn’t know but would ask her mom.  After calling her mom she was told that was the way her grand mother prepared the turkey.  When the mom called grandma, grandma said she cut the turkey like that because years ago the pan she had to bake the turkey was too small for the entire turkey.  Interesting and insightful. Have you ever wondered, if you have been in church for any length of time, why they cover the serving table before the Lord’s supper or communion?  You know, they used something that looks like a big sheet that covers the bread, the juice and the entire table.  Upon checking in to why someone discovered that the reason the table is covered is b...

  There is a reason to love like God loves.  He made us to know His love and share it with others.  But how do we know what loves looks and acts like?  How do we know why we should love? God gives us that answer.  Listen in.  Note what God puts on your heart. 1 John 4:7-12  NLT   Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. God is ...

I may sound like a broken record, but the truth of Scripture continues to remind me of how good God is and how He cares for His children. The broken record statement is because I am going to tell you again about Proverbs.  There are 31 chapters in the book as there are 31 days in most months.  Read it as I did this morning, and I will share some with you from chapter 27.  Yes, I know today is not the 27th.  But this is what hit my heart this morning. First… at our recovery ministry this week I prayed with a young lady and got to share about the difference Proverbs has made in our lives.  This young lady accepted Jesus as her Savior that night.  Pray for her and her choice to follow Jesus.  Second… spend some time in Proverbs each day.  Here are some verses that stuck out for me and a bit about each one. Proverbs 72:2  NLT   Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth— a stranger, not your own lips. Proverbs 27:6  NLT   Woun...

I had the opportunity to lead our youth yesterday in Bible study and shared with them from the Beatitudes.  The section of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.  It always leads me back to the place where I am grateful that God guides us with truth and love. So in this e-devotion I give you that portion of Scripture from The Message.  As you read notice that things that stick out to you… Matthew 5 (the Message)  When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said: 3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. 4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. 5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less....

  John 3:16  NLT   For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. That is the verse we all know.  We may quote it and know it best from a different translation of the Bible, but this is the pinnacle of Bible knowledge and our truth as a believer.  God loves us and gave His son.  We are blessed. So lets take a trip.  Well, it might be a little different kind of trip.  For just a few minutes stop at the mile marker 3:16 in various chapters of the Bible.  Some will stick out more than others.  But these are vital to our faith.  I have chosen these to remind us how to stand strong in faith. Read on.  Take notes.  See what God says to you! Matthew 3:16  NLT   After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. The ministry tha...

  Proverbs 24:5-6 NLT The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. So don't go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers. This may be a strange question for you, but it really is relevant. What would we do without God? I am not talking about when you were not a Christian, but I am talking about the fact that in life we choose far too often to leave God out of where we are and of what we do. I have noticed that allowing God to be part of our lives makes things so much sweeter. The blessings are bigger and better. Even my surroundings take on new life and more joy. Give God a try on this. Think about it. What would we do without God? Just a thought as I close, is doing something without God a sin? Colossians 3:17 NASB Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father . This e-devotion was first shared in August of 2007 and remains true today.

We continue our series Pre-Decide at The Community Fellowship, and yesterday we talked about being faithful as we pursue our God and choose to be in relationship with the God who loves us so much.  There are so many great outcomes if we simple continue to follow. Jesus taught his disciples how to understand and live by faith.  It isn’t easy, but it is right.  The outcome is worth the struggle.  In fact, as God says, our responsibility is to be obedient to God.  His responsibility are all the outcomes.  Just do what is right, and leave the results to God. Listen in to what God says and guides us to understand… Faithfulness our choice that has excellent outcomes because it is in God’s hands, not ours.  How is is this applied?  What Jesus said & didn’t say?  As the disciples worried, Jesus spoke to them Like 12:22  NASB And He said to His disciples, “for this reason I say, Do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat, not for y...

  Hey friends.  I enjoy sharing with you what is on my heart.  This summer has been so full.  Full of ups and downs as well as so many wins.  That is why I am going to share just a few favorites. I have loved the time with family this summer.  Our vacation to be with our oldest daughter was so much fun and full of memories we made.  Most recently the back2school outreach was a hut in many ways.  Children were served and lives touched all for the cause of sharing Jesus.  Those two are my favorites. There have been some lows, but for today I am skipping forward.  Lets head over to the favorites.  Lean in.  And think about your favorites. Favorite verses I have come across this summer: Psalms 30:11-12 MSG  “You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about you. God, my God, I can’t thank you enou...

It was a hot day.  Emotions were running wild.  Not the high energy and bouncing off the walls wild.  It was the unending crying and make sure you breathe kind of emotions. Today I am going to share a little of something I have held in.  Over and over this stuff comes out, but it happens when I least expect and even over taking other emotions, smiles, clouds and other things.  I really don’t understand it.  You think I am crazy, right? That day my brother Steve shared a song with me.  He said that he had left it on repeat.  Maybe it had been a couple days  This day was different. Heaven’s All Around You opened my eyes To the unseen Once I was blind But now I believe You tore down the walls That kept us apart What seemed like the end Was only the start Heaven’s all around Heaven’s all around Jesus is near I can see it now I can see it now Your kingdom is here For all that we’ve seen There’s still more to come We know You’ll fini...

One of the things that I love doing the most is helping people know their God given value.  Literally, God values people.  It is our job to help others, to build others, to encourage others and in so doing help people know they are valuable. People matter to God.  This has been proven over and over.  Our great and gracious God puts the greatest value not on things, not on positions, but on the people that He deeply cares about.   There are a few things that stand out when you believe what God says about people.  This is personal.  This is unending truth that ought to be shared more and more but the people who are pursuing God.   Help people know their value but valuing, honoring and lifting the people God values.   Give value to the people God values.   Jeremiah 31:3  NLT Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.   Give honor to the ...

Choosing to be a giver and not a taker is something I believe every follow of Jesus has to go.  We see examples all around us and throughout our culture of people who seek their own pleasure over the good God has for them.  That is one reason we talked about deciding to be generous. If you want to be generous when you have more, learn to be generous when you have less. We're pre-deciding today to be generous as God’s people. I want to show you a couple of principles that's true for all generous people.  Giving is not just something we do but being generous is an identity; it's who we are. Choose to be blessed and a blessing.  Jesus said it this way… Acts 20:35  NLT   And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” It is the choice of a follower of Jesus to be a blessing.  Be a giver and not a taker.  There are many ...

I have shared this song before.  But I would like to end the week with a huge word about who our God is.  His love for us is amazing, and it is so much more powerful than what this world knows love is. Take some time today to think about how much God loves you.  Take some time to love the people around the way God loves them. This song is by Cory Asbury and is Reckless Love . Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me You have been so, so good to me Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me You have been so so kind to me Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the 99 And I couldn't earn it I don't deserve it, still You give yourself away Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me You have been so, so good to me When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me You have been so, so kind to me… There's no shadow You won'...