Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  You most likely have heard this verse before and even quoted it and thought about it and tried to practice it before.  There are so many good things that happen when we seek to be still. Psalm 46:10  NLT  “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” I’d like to share with you today once again from one of my favorite authors, Henri Nouwen.  I receive his daily devotional thought, and this one came today.  It hit for me.  Therefore I share with you. As you read I pray God speaks to you and encourages you as you seek to walk with Him. The Careful Balance Somewhere we know that without a lonely place, our lives are in danger. Somewhere we know that without silence, words lose their meaning; that without listening, speaking no longer heals; that without distance, closeness cannot cure. Somewhere we know that without a solitary place, our actions quickly become empty gestures. The careful ba...

  We are continuing our study through the book of Romans at our church, and yesterday we began walking through the 14th chapter.  It is a great look at and a challenging word on how we deal with people that we have differences with. What I walked about with, not the entire sermon but an important piece, was that we need to make sure we major on what is important and not on things that really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. It is a big deal to keep God has central in our faith and in all we do.  Remember the problem others had. Romans 1:25  NLT   They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. Don’t spin your wheels on this one, but do examine how you worship, what you worship and even what makes you passionate about life.  It is things created by God or is it God? 2 Corinthians 12:9-10  NLT   Each time he said, “My grac...

  Lets take a simple journey together.  It has been a good week in so many ways, but what I don’t do in these e-devotion is simply share some of the things that happen or are shared during the days of the week.  Here we go. As I shared yesterday was our anniversary.  I am grateful for Julie, but what I am most grateful for is a local restaurant that wasn’t too full where we could sit over in the corner to eat and talk.  It was so good, and I am so blessed. On Wednesday I drove a good ways to a men’s Bible study.  It happens each week at a fast food restaurant in North Carolina (Dario has locations where they give men a free breakfast who come to the weekly study).  It was awesome walking in the room where more than 60 men gathered to study the Bible, and Stu opened Daniel 4 in awesome ways.  Read that chapter.  God is so good. So on with the journey.  Here are just a few of the things that came across my reading this week: Proverbs 31:8-...

  Proverbs 18:22 NASB He who finds a wife finds a good thing And obtains favor from the Lord. Oh the memories, and today I stop to share with you some of the best.  I am blessed, and here you go! It was early fall and the end of summer, but in south Georgia you can’t tell the difference in the seasons.  This was a day I had looked forward to for a long time.  A couple years before I began asking God to give me something very special… a wife. The day was September 4th, 32 years ago today.  That day I had the honor of marrying my sweet wife Julie.  We were 22 years old.  Seems like it was forever ago (or five-ever as Julie might say).  32 years ago.  3 awesome children.  2 grand children now.  7 family dogs.  9 houses in total.  3 states lived in.  Lots of money and many memories have come and gone.  The list goes on and on because we have been very blessed! Happy anniversary to my Julie who continues to be my bes...

  Psalm 69:32  NLT The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged.   What encourages you?   Who speaks life to you?   Where do you find refreshing?   How do refuel your energy?   Some important questions that we need answers for.  When you know the answers and don’t follow them, there is a problem.   Isaiah 40:31  NLT But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.   Think about this.  What keeps us from getting what makes us stronger and filled with faith?   What discourages you?   Who steals your strength?   When do feel drained?   How do you lose motivation and want to quit?   It is important to know why and when those things happen.  Those answers often are easier to find that the ones we first asked.  Why is it easier to find the n...

  Take another bite. Some people like big bites.  Some like very little bites.  Just take one, and keep on eating.  You have to have something.   Well, I am not talking about food, but we all eat because you have to eat to live.  The choice is outs as to what is on our diet and what we enjoy.  Yet let me give you something that we also need if we are going to be following Jesus. Deuteronomy 8:3  NLT   Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Jesus quoted that verse to Satan when He was tempted to eat when Jesus had chosen to fast for 40 days.  We need to feast on the word of God. Proverbs 30:5  NLT   Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Psalm 33:4  NLT ...