Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  It is holy week.  Easter is ahead.  What is it we will take from Easter?  It might be something sweet.  It could be time with family and friends.  It possibly could be the special worship and church times ahead. But what we should really hold on to and treasure are the things that last.  They re part of our journey and the gifts God gives. 1 Corinthians 13:13  NLT   Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love. There are the things we will not find in a plastic egg or a basket.  You won’t find these in a meal or from visiting with someone.  These are the true gifts that God gives us because of His endless grace and marvelous light and eternal love for us. Cling to faith.  It is what we use to learn about and get close to God. Lift up hope.  Far beyond any physical trait this is what lets us look through situations and pain to trust God. Share His love.  This is what placed Jesus on...

  It is holy week.  That is the week that leads us to Friday’s crucifixion of Jesus and Sunday’s resurrection.  We remember what Jesus has done for us.  His purpose was completed in the events of holy week.   Over the next 5 days we look at the different parts of the Holy week.  I continue to declare that God is good.  No one compares to Him, His love for us and the price He paid for our sin.   First was Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Jerusalem as a king and a hero.  It was full of festive crowds and joy.  Most likely the news got around town that Jesus arrived, and there were large crowds who came to see and even to celebrate Jesus.  Let’s remember.   Luke 19:36-38  NLT   As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. 37 When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God f...

  What happens at the speedway stays at the speedway. Nah.  That is not true.  In fact the people that partner with Raceway Ministries are ready to do some awesome things and have some great conversations.  Please pray for this team. 2 Corinthians 13:14  NLT   May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  We get to help people see and know the love of God.  Through acts of kindness and conversations, we will talk about life and how God’s love has impacted our lives. Galatians 5:13  NLT   For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. This group will give of their time to serve others.  Through golf cart rides for those with mobility issues, giving away coffee and lemonade and snacks, through worship services and more we get to help ...

  Philippians 2:5  NLT   You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. That verse is one that keeps coming back to my mind.  I believe it is a reminder from God that I often need. It fits in with some important things that make a lot of since.  One of those are the verses that follow it.  It talks about why Jesus came to earth.  He is savior.   Philippians 2:6-8  NLT   Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8  he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Those verses are very clear in how Jesus gave what we couldn’t give so we could receive what God wanted us to have.  That is the cross and the payment for sin.  Jesus provided for our salvation. Most above that first first for more of Jes...

  Jesus is our example.  There are times that I get overwhelmed with who He is and what He did.  He always had a reason behind what He did.   Matthew 9:36  NLT   When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.   He saw people.  When Jesus saw people, He knew why He was sent from God.  He was moved to loved people.  Many times in the Bible we are told that Jesus had compassion on people because of their need. That is where I believe we have to step in, learn from God and make a difference.   This is more than a one time event.  Jesus built people, taught truth and lived out truth in order to bring people and us close to God.   Matthew 5:1-2  NLT  One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them.   Because of the need of people, Je...

  Ephesians 4:32  NLT   And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. How we respond to people does make a difference.  It makes a big difference. Some situations require us to be stern and strong.  Other situations demand humility and quiet.  Every situation requires a response of some kind, and that is why I ask us to think through we respond to people going through so many different situations. Be kind.  That is the first.  Being kind is one of the things that costs us nothing, and kindness can open hearts and doors and so much more. Be compassionate.  This is one of those Philippians 2:3-4 where we look out for others and not just ourselves.  Jesus chose to have compassion on the people He dealt with. Be forgiving.  What might be the hardest thing to do might just be the most important.  We have been forgive, as the verse above says.  We should extend forgi...

  We get to serve.   It all began in 2001 after we moved to Virginia.  There were lots of opportunities to serve where our church and I could be a part.  There are always opportunities.  There is always a list.   One of those was through Raceway Ministries at the speedway in Martinsville where NASCAR comes to town every year.  And as Paul Harvey would say, “that’s the rest of the story”.   Not sure how many races I have been to, but I can tell you that I have only watched a few laps of some race.  In these years I have met thousands of race fans from all over the country and some foreign countries. It has been full of conversations.  Full of praying for people.  Full of talking about life, sharing snacks and coffee, giving golf cart rides from one place to another and so much more.   But the best part …  We get to talk about Jesus.  Not only does our team host worship services at the speedway before the big race, but ...

  We have come to Friday, the close of another week, and I remind you of just one of the spiritual disciplines that can keep us centered.  That is reading Scripture. Centered.  That is a weird word.  It is also one we need to understand with all of our minds and hearts. Have ever noticed how a car looks and acts when it’s front end if out of alignment?  It can be all over the road and is tough to keep in between the lines.  The tires will wear unevenly and need to be replaced more often.  It can even look like it is going side ways.  Being aligned or centered is important for a car. It is also important for us as Christians.  Keep our eyes and heart and mind on what matters and keep moving forward.  The is what Scripture does for me.  That is what staying in the book of Proverbs does (one chapter per day, and today is March 20.  So read Proverbs 20). Here are verses for each of the last 5 days that helped me stay centered on Go...