Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  Psalm 23 is an incredible piece of Scripture, literature, encouragement and even a gift from God.  Psalm 23 is a gift from God.  I need this kind of treat and long for it.   Have you come to love Psalm 23?  It is quoted in so many places and references in countless sermons and devotions.  There are many passages in the Bible that come to mind when I think of my favorites.  Few that are as well known as Psalm 23.     The beauty of chapter of Psalms gets our attention in many different translations.  Today I share with you The Message translation of the Bible.  It is a powerful reminder.  This is good stuff.   Psalm 23  The Message  God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. 4  Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk a...

  God has a plan.  We can trust His plan.  But you might ask at times why things are tough or why the struggle keeps on.  That is a great question. God can be trusted, but we can align ourselves with God.  In following Him there are so many things that come in to place.  Our choices really do make a difference.  Our decisions have consequences.   Good and bad.  Those choices and then the consequences are either leading us closer to God or further from Him. So, who are you following?  Who are you learning from?  What is the legacy you want to leave?  What kind of life do you want to live? Those questions can be best answered, in my opinion, from people of faith.  Learn from those who have followed God before you.  Their lives might just some what of a pattern that helps your life.   Try this one. Philippians 4:8-9  NLT   And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is tr...

  Romans 15:13  NLT   I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. There are so many things rushing through my head and heart this morning, but what I want to share is a simple fact that does not change.  God is good.  All the time. Julie and I as well as our church, The Community Fellowship, has been blessed by our partnership with Eastlake Community Church in Moneta, Virginia.  I met Pastor Troy Keaton a few years ago, and another ministry leader and friend, Daniel Henderson, attends Eastlake.  This church supported and blessed our church at Easter with the ability to reach farther and touch more people with the Gospel.  We are grateful! Last week as Eastlake was putting on a great event celebrating the church’s 20th anniversary and what they called Multiply Week many from The Community Fellowship went to...

  Early this week I was having lunch with a pastor friend.  Great conversations about what God has been doing in our lives, in the church and what Scriptures have been coming alive for us. He shared some amazing truths from the Bible, and what came to my mind was a chapter that I fell in love with when I was just in Bible college in 1990.  It is from Psalm 19 and was shared by one of the greatest preachers of my lifetime at a conference I was attending in Texas. Psalm 19 talks about the power of Scripture coming alive but even more so can be trusted.  The instructions of Scripture revive us.  The command of God are clear and insightful.  Honoring God is pure and lasts.  And so much more. In these verses there are a few things I point out to us today.  We should desire Scripture and the presence of God.  Why? Psalm 19:10-11  NLT   They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.  They are sweeter than honey, even honey d...

  What about the righteous?  Who are they and what does their life look like?  Good question, and the only way we know this is not by our opinion but by the Word of God. There you find the facts of faith provided by the wisdom of Proverbs.  Another reason I love this book and seek to read it daily is because of the truth God shares that guides our lives.  Chapter 10, the one I read yesterday, overflows with truth about the righteous. Here are some simple one line facts about those who follow Jesus. Proverbs 10  CSB 3 The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry… 6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,… 7 The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing,… 8 A wise heart accepts commands,… 9 The one who lives with integrity lives securely,… 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life… 13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning… 14 The wise store up knowledge,… 16 The reward of the righteo...

  Lamentations 3:22-26  NLT The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” 25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. 26 So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.   Where is the place that you find peace?   What do you do or where do you go to be refreshed? Maybe it is beside the water at the ocean as you feel the breeze and hear the waves.  Maybe it is in the mountains overlooking taking in the view that seems to go on for miles.  Maybe it is in a valley next to a stream where the water is rushing over rocks.  Any of those and more can calm your heart rate and to reignite your thoughts and joy. God does that....