Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  One of the most important things we can be is an influence.  Every one of us has influence but is that influence good or bad?   Think about it.  Read on.  These verses are eye opening.   2 Peter 1:5-9  NLT   In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.   God’s promises help us respond differently.  His promises allow our lives to be influence...

  Grateful for Easter.  Yes, I am.  This past weekend held so many things for our church and for me that I want to share some of why I am thankful. Matthew 28:5-7  NIV   Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” The greatest and most important part of Easter is the Resurrection of Jesus.  He is alive.  He is risen.  He is more than any one else has ever been, and what this does for my faith is past, way past, anything I could do on my own. I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, Whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer...

  Today’s devotion is a thought, and a powerful thought at that, from Henri Nouwen.  He was one of the greatest authors I have read.  His writing makes me stop and think. And this topic in particular is extremely powerful if we get it.  So, spend some time going deeper and hearing what Jesus meant by giving us more when He left.  We need to know that Christ lives in us, and nothing can change that fact. Read on and keep applying the truth of God. Matthew 28: 20  “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”   Jesus says, “It is good for you that I go, so that I can send you my breath, so that you can breathe my life in you.”  We start seeing what it means when Jesus finally says, “I will be with you always until the end of time.”  He means, “I will be so intimately with you that you and I are one.  You can breathe my breath and you can say, 'Not I live anymore, but Christ lives in me.'”

  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 ...

  “The church is most appealing when the message of grace is most apparent.”  - Andy Stanley   Grace is not an easy word to understand, and it is even harder to live out.  I’ve met many people who talk about the grace of God and offering people grace, yet their lives seem to miss what grace really is.   Grace is a rare find in our world today.  The church talks about it, praises God for it and speaks of its wonders all the time.   But do we show grace and really live by grace?  Do we receive and give grace freely to others each day?   This includes the people in our homes, work, school, church and even the people we meet on the street.   It is hard to be full of grace and give grace when we are full of self, pride and focusing on our own struggles rather than what God has given us.  It is hard to give grace to others when we don’t give ourselves grace for our mistakes.   "Never forget that grace takes guts, risk ...

  At the beginning of yesterday’s sermon I got a little sentimental and shared a song from my children.  This is a reminder of sorts of who our God is. We are in a new series based our theme of “A New Thing”, and I am sharing about how Christ is creator and keeper and making all things new.  This song lays out how God throughout the Bible has been so good and working.   Check it out! HE IS by Aaron Jeoffrey In Genesis, He's the breath of life In Exodus, the Passover Lamb In Leviticus, He's our High Priest In Numbers, The fire by night Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice In Joshua, He is salvation's choice In Judges, law giver In Ruth, the kinsmen-redeemer In First and second Samuel, our trusted prophet In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign In Ezra, true and faithful scribe In Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage In Job, the timeless redeemer In Psalms, He is our morning song In Proverbs, wisdom's ...

  It is a new year with all that brings.  Some are making resolutions.  Some are planning for changes or challenges.  All the while we have an opportunity to keep on living.  For Christians we choose to renew our faith and strengthen what we know already. I challenged our church yesterday to make some specific choices that bring us closer to God.  In fact I believe that when we choose to discipline ourselves and put God first, the outcome will bring great results. Philippians 3:13-14  NLT   No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. I asked the church to think about 1.  Three specific things to do.  All three will remind us that we mean business with God and our faith. Choose 1.  One meal.  One hou...