Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  The end of this week I will be back in Cuba serving with the sports ministry there, and what an honor it is to work with this incredible group of people who are seeing God to so many things.  Lives are being changed by God. Take some time to think about our choices.  Get on your mind what God has on His and follow what He says.   When our choices show we are following God, the outcome is different.  Life is not perfect.  There will always be difficult things, but serving and following God will always bring us to places where we find peace and blessing.   Perspective is important.  Choose to act and speak based on what God says.  Think of the outcome you desire.  It might just be the difference between a tough time and a blessed time, chaos or peace.  Follow what God says.   Luke 14:28  NLT   “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost t...

  At the end of my sermons for as long as I can remember I have put this phrase “bring it home”.  It means finish it up, lead to an invitation and make sure this applies. That phrase “bring it home” was the title of the sermon I shared with our church Sunday.  Seems to fit well what Paul was sharing with the church in Rome at the end of the book of Romans.  It comes from the middle section of chapter 15 of Romans where Paul reminds his readers of what they have learned, about his calling from God and how we are to give God glory in everything. Don’t let the struggles around you keep you from remembering what God has given you and what we have learned. Isaiah 9:1   NLT   Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles , which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. Jus...

  In one week I will be on my way back to Cuba for a mission trip and to support the FCA sports ministry there.  This weekend I will be serving with our Raceway Ministry team at the speedway.  It really is an honor to serve. The Raceway Ministry team has been serving in Martinsville and at Martinsville Speedway for a lot longer than I have been here.  This is my 24th year.  Our team provides services and ministry to race fans that includes worship services, refreshments, ADA handicap assistance and sharing the Gospel with fans.  It is a great place to serve with so many opportunities. Please pray for the Raceway Ministry teams that serve at speedways every where and specifically here is Martinsville.  This weekend and the last weekend in October are sure to offer lots of conversations about Jesus. One week from now I will be on the way to Cuba to serve with the team there.  I am excited that my wife, Julie, will be returning to Cuba with me ...

  In today’s e-devotion I share with you from one of my favorite writers, Paul Tripp.  Check out any of his books, and you will see why I like Tripp.  This devotion is from his most recent weekly email.  Read on. If you have read any of my writing, it won’t come as a surprise to you that the word “grace” is my favorite and most frequently used in the Christian vocabulary. Other than the word (and names of) God, I would argue there is nothing more important that the human mind could consider and mouth speak. This month of Wednesday’s Word devotionals have been all about grace. We started with five life-changing words from James 4:6, “But he gives more grace,” followed by reflections on double grace, restraining grace, and common grace. I. Just. Love. Grace. (Fun fact: Luella’s middle name is Grace!) ... Either now or at the end, read the full first chapter of Ephesians. I’ll highlight just a few verses: “ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus ...

  The people that come through our lives are important.  Some we learn from.  Some learn from us.  Some do both.  It is my firm belief that God intends for us to make a difference in this world and to connect with people as we live. What I would like to remind us of today is to learn.  Take in what you see other people doing, how they live and work, the difference they make, and let your life be better because of those people. Be assured of this fact, it is easier to pull someone down than to lift them up.  You have to choose to not let things pull you in the wrong direction.  You have to choose to get better and stronger.  We must choose to be people of strong convictions and strong faith in our God. Jesus said it this way… Matthew 11:28-30  NLT   Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle a...