Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  It is Valentine’s Day week, and I have a very important question for you.  What happens when we love the wrong things?  The answer is clear.  That is if you check out what God says, and my premise is this: whatever we look at longingly and lovingly we will become like and love more.   1 John 2:15  NLT Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.   Another thing about loving the wrong thing is that we will know less and less of what real love is.  We won’t have God’s love.  We won’t demonstrate the love of God.  We will forget that we are loved.  Why?  It is because we have left unconditional love for something that feels good.   1 John 4:10  NLT This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away...

  For the past month or so I have been listening to and enjoying music from my childhood.  Specifically early Christian music. Some of the songs have brought back memories, many brought smiles, some even brought tears, but each one reminds me where I came from and even how blessed I have been.  Music does shape and encourage us.   One song came across today, and I have to share with you.  It is called “We Are the Reason” by David Meece.  Check out some of the words from this song. As little children, we would dream of Christmas morn And all the gifts and toys we knew we'd find But we never realized a baby born one blessed night Gave us the greatest gift of our lives… As the years went by, we learned more about gifts And giving of ourselves And what that means On a dark and cloudy day A man hung crying in the rain Because of love, because of love I finally found a reason for living It's in giving every part of my heart to Him In all that I do, every word tha...

  It was more than 30 years ago when a pastor suggested to make Proverbs a part of my every day life.  I have shared this so many times in the e-devotion and with so many people.  It is important that we take in the word of God each and every day. Yesterday I listened to a high school student share how spending time in God’s word every day makes a huge difference in her life.  Last night I was talking with a young man who is incarcerated and how Proverbs has impacted him.  And others have said the same thing I have found true.   Proverbs has 31 chapters and most months have 31 days.  That means reading one chapter per day is a great addition for any of us that make that choice.   People have shared how God’s truth impacts their lives in this way.  This is one of those things that I say loud and proud, “test God.”  His word changes us.  It changes everything. Here are just a few of the verses from Proverbs that stick out in my brain ...

  Keep going in the vein I have shared all this week.  We have ready through Hebrews 12 and how we can stay close to God, to maintain the new life God is given us. I love those verses from Hebrews 12.  Yet what amazes me more is how God backs up what He teaches us.  Just in the chapter before 12 we see a list of Bible people who chose new life and to live by faith.  You see the way to new life and to grow in this new life really is faith in Jesus. Remember that Hebrews 12:2 tells us to set our eyes, that is our heart and eyes, on Jesus.  No one else cares for us, directs us and even empowers us as our God does. But faith can be a tough thing.  Look at Hebrews 11.  Here is what God says: Hebrews 11:1-2  NLT   Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. Hebrews 11:6  NLT   And it is impossible to please God...

  Be a blessing to others.  That is a choice we make because our actions, our thoughts and really all we have is linked to how we look at life.  We should be a blessing to others because we know that we are blessed.   Ephesians 1:3  NLT   All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.   God has blessed us with so much and in so many ways.  This is just one part, and the real blessings begin on the inside, in our hearts and minds, as we realize who we are and what we have.   Choose to be a blessing to others each day.  Pray for others.  Speak well of others and speak blessings to others.   Here are some blessings from the Bible that come to mind as I think about being a blessing…   Numbers 6:24-26  NLT  ‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. 25  May the Lord smile on you and be gracious t...

  Yesterday I shared with you from Sunday’s sermon and Hebrews 12.  What an incredible passage that I quote often.  But I want to move on in the same chapter with a few points that I need to hear once again. This is what I referenced on Monday: Hebrews 12:1-3  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. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. This admonition is something that will radically change the way we live and the way we look at life.  We are n...