Michael Harrison's e-devotion

This is not a halloween post.  Well, maybe.  No, it is not.  But take it as God leads. 2 Timothy 1:7  NLT   For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So many of life’s issues keep us from being clear minded and confidence.  Why do we allow people, things and situations to cloud what we know about God?  It is true, but that should not be the case. What scares you? Fear has no place in the life of the person who follows Jesus.  Jesus is with us.  Jesus is our God, guide and guard.  He gives us wisdom and the possibility of abundant life. Did you get that?  Abundant life is a possibility, yet we allow the things of life to get in the way of having what God promises us.  From His is strength and life and the ability to live well and in abundance.  Don’t miss those things. Halloween often resembles the things of the devil and this world.  But have you ever tried to str...

  I am grateful.  Well, you have heard me say it numerous times.  But right now all I can say is “thank you” to God and to some other who are on my mind. Thank you to people who remember and push forward.  You know these people.  They are the ones who remind you of your purpose, who give you encouragement, who show up most often and more.  We all need these kind of people. I Thessalonians 5:11  NLT   So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. I am thankful for our team at the speedway who served long hours, during hot temperatures and in tough situations.  We have a great partnership with people at our speedway, we have some folks who donated items needed, and we have a bunch of awesome volunteers who keep showing up. 1 Corinthians 16:18  NLT   They have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as they have been to you. You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well. Finally for this Monda...

Who makes you a better and stronger person? That is a question that we all have to answer and is vitally important to our lives.  Spend time with those people.  Listen to those people.  On the other side, stay away from those who are toxic, rob from you, bring you down and who lead you in the wrong direction. I love Proverbs.  One of my mentors, Pastor Johnny Hunt, said something about this book almost 30 years ago that stuck with me, and I have shared 100’s of times since. Proverbs has 31 chapters.  Many months have 31 days.  Read one chapter of Proverbs a day because we need the wisdom of God. Proverbs 27:17  NLT   As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. There are many people in my life who make me a better and stronger person.  Friends.  Fellow pastors.  Family members.  Partners in ministry and serving others.  And more.  I am thinking of many of them today.  I could call several by name. But wh...

Look around you.  This week we have talked about opportunities that God gives us as well as the principles of recovery ministry.  The people we are around are going through so many things that we don’t know about. There are no tags on their shirts or signs over their heads that tell us they lost a loved one, they are struggling with addiction or depression, they don’t tell us their life’s story as we walk by.  But what we do have is the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people who cross our path. It could be as simple as a smile and head nod.  It might be as time consuming as a long conversation or a drive across town.  What is need is for us to look around, see the opportunities God gives, notice the people who cross our path, and do something about it.  Speak up.  Share something.  Give value to others. Psalm 121:1-2  NASB   I will raise my eyes to the mountains; From where will my help come? 2 My help comes from th...

For more than one year we have been honored to have the Celebrate Recovery program at our church.  I have learned a lot.  It has been a challenge and so good. In fact some of my favorite people to work with are those who are in or leading recovery.  Even our transitional houses benefit from and need the truth and strength of recovery. Last night at our Celebrate Recovery program was happening I was encourage by the 8 principles that the program is founded on.  That is why today I share those principles with you in this e-devotion. 1. Realize I’m not God: I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable. “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.” Matthew 5:3 2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover. “Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Mathew 5:4 3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and con...

Romans 1:10  NLT   One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. We all have opportunities.  Do we take them? There are opportunities around us.  Do we see them? And even more, do we care about the opportunities? Paul prayed for opportunities, as the verse above states.  He had his eyes open and was asking for a chance to use his story to help others.  We have the same opportunities. This week is just one of those for me.  It is time for the work of Raceway Ministries at Martinsville Speedway.  When the world comes to our town, I believe Jesus wold have us in the mix of things taking opportunities to share about Him. Colossians 4:5  NLT   Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. The way we live often opens opportunities.  When people see our faith, doors will open, conversations will start, questions will be asked, ears will be open to h...

  Yesterday I completed our series studying the book of Ephesians.  This has been one of the most powerful that I have shared at The Community Fellowship.   Are you ever amazed at what you find in the Bible and how God uses it in your life?  I have to say YES to that.  He does more than I will ever know.  From the first chapter to the last there were pieces that God uncovered and were amazing. I would encourage you to read and study this book.  Dig in. The following quote sums up the book very well, and I want to share it with you because it hit me.  I will share some key verses from Ephesians at the end.  But  QUOTE This letter lifts us to a new vantage point from which we are united with the risen and ascended Christ. Believers are not to have a limited or merely earthly perspective. When we view life from the heavenly realms (1:3), we can understand that the church's strength is not in human resources but in the grace and strength of ...