Michael Harrison's e-devotion

We need reminders and encouragement.  Some day we need it more than others.  Lean in. Today the e-devotion is short and even a little late, but the verses I am going to share have been on my mind for several days.  There are so many good thoughts, yet a few things really stand out as important for today. I pray that you and I both get these.  Hold these.  Believe these.  Tell others about these! Hebrews 12:1-2  NLT  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Be encouraged.  You are not alone. Not only is G...

Christians never have the luxury of being unkind - Jerry Vines One of my favorite preachers and mentors has quoted that so many times when I have been around him.  That preacher is Johnny Hunt.  He spells out this reality, and it continues to rung in my ears a lot these days. Why don’t we have that luxury?  It is because God called us to live selfless lives, not selfish.  It is because the kindness that God extended to us can be given to others that desperately need God.  It is because in our kindness people find much more than kindness. Ephesians 4:32  NLT Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. The best understanding of kindness is wrapped in what God has done for us.  You have it.  Experience it.  Let that sink in.  Now, share that kind of kindness with the kind of people who need it so much.  Philemon 1:10  NTL I appeal to you to show kindness to my ...

  Caring for one another is not always easy, but it is always right.  The thing we often take for granted is the fact that we stay so busy and feel like things will take too much of our time.  That really is not the case. Let me remind you of something that hit me recently… it only a takes a few minutes to stop and show someone you care.  Step out and do something. Zechariah 7:9  NLT “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. When you feel a tug in your heart to do something kind or to serve someone else, do it.  Stop right then and do something.  Waiting most likely leads to forgetting to do it. You don’t have to have a lot of money or other resources to meet a need.  It might be as easy as buying a cup of coffee, letting someone go ahead of you in line at the store or walking across the street to have a conversation.  It could be that God leads you to do something that does have...

  I continue to share a message series at The Community Fellowship titled “Classics” as we examine the hymns we used to sing a lot.  These and more help build firm faith in touch times, and today we looked at “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”. This hymn was written by Jospeh Scriven in 1855 as a message of comfort to his mom who was back in his native Ireland which he was in Canada.  His life has many difficulties that brought him grief, but this hymn was and is laced with the fact of who Jesus is. May we be a friend like Jesus.  Following are some of the verses I used during the message to remind me of how Jesus is our friend and how we can be a friend to others! Matthew 11:28-30  NASB “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” Psalm 55:22  NASB Cast yo...

Colossians 3:15  NLT And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always   be   thankful. And be thankful. I like that. Thinking over all the #back2school stuff in the past few weeks and the stuff coming this weekend… the only words that keeps running through my head is thankful. I’d like to call out lots of people.  But honestly there isn’t time or space to point you to all the incredible people. Therefore, I am going to point you to just a few that made my life, this outreach, all the people and churches involved better. I want to start with my family.  It has been a long time, in years, that we have been part of sharing this event and serving others.  My family has been kind and supportive throughout.  Thank you, Julie, for helping me and loving me even when things are so busy.  Thank you Ryan, Rebecca a...

The following is a post that has caught my attention once again as well as remains true for me and I believe for you too.    As you read, I pray that the time hearing God will be a huge blessing. What Keeps You From Seeing God 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." Other translations .... NASB ---  Cease striving CEV ---  Calm down, and learn that I am God! GWT ---  Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God. HCSB ---  Stop [your fighting]—and know that I am God, Those are some powerful words.  And when we get it, really get it, God will begin to work wonders as He has our hearts.  At that point He teaches us to trust Him more and listen less to our feelings and our emotions. I've been reminded of this several times, yet not in such a dramatic way as one instance ...

John 12:3  NASB Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Yesterday’s message in our series called BOLD was based on the story where Jesus was in a home in Bethany.  A lady came in with an expensive bold of perfume that she used to anoint Jesus’ body. Her gift and anointing was an act of worship.  It is a bold act of worship.  That is because it was expensive and it spoke volumes to all around. One way that was seen was in the response of the disciples. Some of them were furious that her perfume, worth about a full year’s salary, was wasted in this one setting. Their argument was that this money could have served many poor people. Jesus responded to them by reminding them that the poor would always be with them, but Jesus would be gone soon.  They didn’t realiz...

Learning to love people isn’t easy.  There are many people who are simply hard to love.  It might be because of our history or because of their actions.  No matter what, we are called to love people like Jesus loved. 1 John 4:17  NLT And as we live in God, our   love   grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live   like   Jesus here in this world. Following is a devotion from Father Henry Nouwen, one of my favorite authors, and it is titled “Being Living Signs of Love”. Lean in and learn. Jesus' whole life was a witness to his Father's love, and Jesus calls his followers to carry on that witness in his Name. We, as followers of Jesus, are sent into this world to be visible signs of God's unconditional love. Thus we are not first of all judged by what we say but by what we live. When people say of us: "See how they love one another...

Some of the people that influence my life don’t go to church. Many of the people who do influence me are in church often. But those who aren’t in church very often are some of the finest and most giving people that I know.  Some have a history in church.  Not very good ones.  Others haven’t been to church but a hand full of times. What I find most intriguing in our conversations is that Jesus is present and faith is real. We don’t talk from a position of judgment but more of purpose.  Their acts of kindness and friendship mean a lot to me.  There is one thing that sticks out, and this one thing ought to be present in all of us. They are real. Being real is not often found in our world.  People are hiding who they are or what they have done or even what they think and feel. Jesus was real.  He spoke words of life and encouragement.  Real means transparent and honest. Fai...