Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  Today’s e-devotion is from the Navigators and was shared earlier this month.  This is good stuff from LeRoy Eims as he shares from 2 Samuel about well spoken words.  Read on and be blessed. Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  In 2 Samuel 19, we see David snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. After his army triumphed over the rebellion of Absalom, David was in tears. His men had won the battle, but he was making them feel as if they’d lost. It’s normal for a father to grieve the death of his son, but there was a problem here. The men in the army who had fought in this battle saw David’s tears and assumed he was angry with them. The Bible says, “The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle” (2 Samuel 19:3). I wonder how often we do the same thing with our kids. Bill...

  Today’s e-devotion is actually from the Navigators Daily devotion by LeRoy Eims from earlier this week.  I know this will encourage you as it did me… 2 Peter 1:4  He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  Today’s passage contains a promise: “Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 40:4-5). For several years I have claimed that promise for Harvard University and Camp Pendleton, the U.S. Marine base on the West Coast. Why those two places? I know men in both places who are sharing the gospel and working to produce disciples of Jesus Christ. A second reason is that these two places are almost exact opposites, but they...

  I trust you are getting ready for Christmas, and I want to pass on to you some excellent thoughts from the Navigators.   Let’s make sure we keep Christ in Christmas and keep the main thing as the main thing.  For all of that, it is Jesus.  This is a personal choice that each of us have to make.  Make much of the one who has given so much for us. But I also want to share with you at the end a few important take aways from my trip to Cuba.  So check out the e-devotion and then the info from Cuba … 5 Days of Christmas Reflections from the navigators.org   At this time of year, to-do lists can become the focus of Christmas more than Christ. Shopping for family and friends, baking, cooking, wrapping presents, attending parties, and preparing for Christmas leave us busy and exhausted. Let’s commit to keep Christ in Christmas with five days of Christmas reflections. Day 1: Make quiet time a priority. Taking time early in the morning proves to be a good way ...

One of my favorite resources is an email, devotion and reminders from the organization called the Navigators.  I was first introduced to them when I was a teenager.  Through the last four decades I have been blessed by their focus on discipleship as well as the tools they produce. Here is another.  Spend November being thankful.  The following is what they call “30 thankful prayers”, and I think this is an excellent tool and encouragement for our lives. Being grateful will change our attitude and give us greater insight.  You can down load this tool from their website at this link . Enjoy … 30 Thankful Prayers … When was the last time you focused your prayer on being thankful? Often, prayer becomes a one-way conversation to God with a list of our needs. This resource is all about praying from a heart of gratitude. At the beginning of your day or at the end of your day, start the habit of thanking God for your blessings and praying these verses out loud. Invite ...

  Living for the Goal … this is a devotion that was shared by the Navigators in August of 2021.  Today I want to share with you something that encouraged me.  Check out this devotion, and may God work in our lives in incredible ways! 1 John 1:3  We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  I always enjoy traveling with someone who knows where they’re going, don’t you? John the Baptist knew exactly where he was going.  He had a definite purpose in mind and knew exactly how to reach his goal.  The message in the book of John is that he wants you and me to find life in Jesus Christ.  Everything in his gospel points us to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus. In John 1:7, we are introduced to John the Baptist and told that “he came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.”  The focu...