Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  What a week it has been.  It is Friday, and what I have experienced over the past 5 or 6 days has been wide open and enlightening.   I do not intend to give you a play by play of all that happened, but I’d like to share a little of the things God has allowed our church, the ministries we partner with and myself encounter. Zephaniah 2:3  NLT   Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you— protect you from his anger on that day of destruction. Several weeks ago I got a message and a call that I did not expect from a church wanting to partner with our church.  There was an online meeting and then a face to face time  We are excited about what it is. Then I got to go spend time with the leader of ministry in Cuba.  Two full days of driving, meeting, sharing, learning and seeing how God is moving here in the states to impact the ministry and current...

  Mark 8:23-25  NASB   Taking the man who was blind by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting in his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, for I see them like trees, walking around.” 25 Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.   We know and believe that God is the healer.  Do you believe that?  I am grateful that fact removes our doubts and even our own troubles.   But do we walk away from God in the middle of His healing or working in our lives?  I confess that might be the case several times in my life, and it may be the same for you.   The man in these verses had a problem with his eye sight, but Jesus began to heal his eyes.  In the process everything was blurry.  He wasn’t completely healed.   When we walk away from God, when we stop ...

  I continue to share about our new series “prepare me”.  Yesterday we talked David and his prayer after being confronted about his sin.  He turned to God in repentance and mercy. On to Moses and a glimpse of how God led him to prepare to forgive His people and spend time with them.  This preparing was God to spend time with His people.  Much preparation went in to this important time. Exodus 39:42-43  NLT   So the people of Israel followed all of the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 43 Then Moses inspected all their work. When he found it had been done just as the Lord had commanded him, he blessed them. People followed Moses instructions because Moses was following the command from God.  The reason for all this is so important.  Our example really does matter. Exodus 40:16-17  NLT   Moses proceeded to do everything just as the Lord had commanded him. 17 So the Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the...

  This season is known as Lent.  The days leading up to the holiest of days for those who choose to follow Jesus. It is the cross and Christ.  It is the resurrection of our Redeemer.  Those are the events surrounding the one who loves us most and the gift sent from heaven for us and for the glory of God alone. That is why I point us to David who says “create in me a clean heart”.  I shared this message with our church, The Community Fellowship, yesterday noting that our perception of our sin, our connection to God and knowing God desires time with us. He also desires to love us with His unending love and His great compassion.  This is so good and so important, too. Psalm 51:10-12  NLT   Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11  Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Do you hear David’s heart?...

  With the new year came a new annual theme for our church, The Community Fellowship.  The theme is “A New Thing”.  Each month I have encouraged our church family to do some specific things to focus more on God. I know there is only about a week left in February, but what our church has been challenged with revolved around the number 2.  I give you that same challenge. Over the next week and until the beginning of March choose these things, or 2 each of these things that I will share. Choose 2 meals.  Choose to forgo, to fast from, two meals in the coming week, and spend time when not eating to focus on God.  Read Scripture.  Pray.  Spend time worshipping. Philippians 2:5-6  NLT  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6  Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Choose 2 times.  This might be 10 minutes or half an hour.  Choose 2 times during the week to focus solely...

  The unknown is what we all fear, but if we have hope and faith in God, the unknown is not something to be feared.  We know who is in control.  But the world is in crisis, in so many places.  Struggle seems to be all around.  Yet we have hope.   We know that the author of chaos and confusion is our enemy, Satan.  We know that our only hope in our Savior, the encourager, Jesus.  Which one are we going to believe?   What we believe about God guides our view.  Literally real hope gives us perspective.  Having hope that is based on someone bigger thank us gives perspective.  With hope we see further, can go further and we deal with lots less chaos.   Hebrews 6:19  NLT This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.   Hope is strong.  Hope is anchor for us.  Hope is from Jesus.  We need that anchor to keep us stranding.  Conti...

  It is time to start planning our largest outreach of the year, and it is our 20th year of the church and of back2school.  That makes it even sweet.  So, why back2school?  That is a great question.  I challenge you to listen and step in to this blessing with me.   Matthew 19:14  NLT   But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”   It is for the kids!  That is the first and obvious answer for back2school.  Each student twill receive a new backpack with school supplies, new shoes and socks as well as hear the Gospel.  We cannot wait to wash each students feet and tell them about Jesus.   Job 11:18  NLT   Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety.   It is for the families of each student!  This is just as important.  If you are a parent you know that blessing my children, ...

  We have just come through the love holiday.  I mean Valentine’s Day.  I do not want to miss an opportunity to remind us of what is most important.  You have heard this before.  1 Corinthians 13:3-7,13  NLT   If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance… 13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. That is what love looks like.  We have seen in.  We have lived it.  We have most likely even allowed this true kind of ...