Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  Years ago I had a conversation with a prayer warrior friend that led me to hear about and understand the concept of an "audience of one".  This is good.  So good.  We talked about people who prepared to preform for an important person like the president, the pope, queens or others.  Lots of people would be in the audience, but one honorable person is in attendance.  Ultimately it felt like an "audience of one".   Moving a bit further I learned how we are living our lives and giving our praise for an audience of one, God.  The one who made us, loves us, sent His son for us and continues to give to us every day.   The music group Big Daddy Weave puts it this way in their song by the same name:   To my audience of one.  You are Father, and you are Son As your spirit flows free, Let it find within me A heart that beats to praise you. And now just to know you more Has become my great reward To see your kingdom come ...

  Just a few weeks ahead is Easter, and this is one of the most important days in all of history.  It is also one of the days we must remember often. What Jesus did for us on that first Easter is something we could have never done for ourselves.  It was on Friday that the cross became a symbol of the Christian life.   Before Jesus the cross carried only shame, grief and punishment.  After Jesus the cross became a symbol of freedom and life due to the position and stains on the cross that Jesus was mailed to.  This historical happening is what the world needed and still needs. Take a few minutes today to see how the cross intersects our lives.  This is good stuff. Galatians 6:14  NLT   As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.  The cross is the place where Christians find life and ...

  This week we are looking at prophecies and promises from the Old Testament of the coming Messiah.  Today I share with you my favorite and maybe the most common or most well known.  It is ripe with meaning and pointing to what Jesus did for us. It also gives us a great picture of Jesus’ place from the Father.  Read on and note the things about Jesus that stand out to you. Isaiah 52:13-15  NLT   See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted. 14 But many were amazed when they saw him.   His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. 15 And he will startle many nations.  Kings will stand speechless in his presence.  For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about. Keep reading. Isaiah 53:1-12  NLT   Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? 2 My servant grew u...

  This week we are looking at promises from the Old Testament of the coming Messiah. Jesus.  His birth, life, death and resurrection are spoken of often before any of those things took place. My payer is that we will prepare ourselves for Easter.  Look at the Scriptures that point to the coming of Jesus and meaning of the resurrection.   2 Samuel 7:12-13  NLT   For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.  Matthew 1 reminds us this is Jesus.  Keep reading.   Isaiah 7:14  NLT   All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). There you have Jesus born.  Literally God with us.  K...

  Easter!  Just ahead is the one day to celebrate the cross and the resurrection.  Literally this is the central truth of our salvation and the Gospel story.  We must not overlook it believing it is more important than Christmas.   This week we are looking at five promises from the Old Testament of the coming messiah. Jesus, the one sent from God and set apart to change the world.  My payer and hope is that we will prepare ourselves for Easter through seeing the coming of Jesus and meaning of the resurrection.   Isaiah was written during difficult times for the nation of Israel.  God’s people wee being threatened by many enemies.  This prophet over and over warns the children of Israel about the consequence for their sins, but they continue to ignore the warnings.  The consequences come to pass.  The northern kingdom of Israel is destroyed by Assyria, and later the southern kingdom of Judah is conquered.  God’s people are sent...

  Easter is only four weeks away, and this is the one Christian holiday that we cannot overlook.  It is morning important than Christmas.  Easter and the resurrection are literally the central fact of salvation and the Gospel story. This week we are going to take a short look at five promises in the Old Testament  of the coming messiah, the one sent from God.  My hope is that we will prepare ourselves to celebrate Easter all the while seeing the gravity and meaning of the resurrection.   Watch how God has prepared us and the world for the coming of Jesus and His death.  But remember that He is also coming again. Psalm 45:6-7  NLT   Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.  You rule with a scepter of justice. 7 You love justice and hate evil. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else. The throne won’t be one that people expect. The rule is unlike what others will have h...

Proverbs 16:9  NASB The   mind   of man   plans his way, But the   Lord  directs his steps. These are uncertain times we are living for many reasons including the COVID-19 virus that we are all having to deal with at this time.  One friend aptly said this is a time for common sense.  That is true.  Let your faith stay strong and be smart. Many things need to happen to keep us safe and strong no matter how things change, and things are changing almost by the day.  Appointments are being canceled.  People are being sent home from work either to work from home or being laid off.  Businesses are closing because people aren’t leaving their homes.  And there is so much more. Each of us must make some decisions that will us be prepared for the coming days and weeks.  Make your plans and follow the leading of the Lord. Pray.   Am I sounding like a br...